Chapter 1
Isabella and Draco The Early Years
Every witch and wizard, and for that matter every muggle as well, all come into the world the same way, in the bloody bath of childbirth, and this was no exception for Isabella Lunawood.
On the dark stormy day of December 15th, 1980, Narcissa Malfoy had bundled up her five month old son, Draco, and headed into the snowstorm towards the Lunawood Manor just a little distance from her own home in Wiltshire, England. Naarcissa had received an owl from the midwife at the Lunawood estate that Keria Lunawood had gone into labor just two hours ago, and her water had just broken. Narcissa and Kiera were good friends, not just because their husbands were both Death Eaters, but also because they had been friends since they had both been in Slytherin attending Hogwarts, Narcissa hurried, she truly hoped that she would not miss Kiera giving birth.
In her arms, her infant son squirmed and cried viciously, he was only five months old, but he was already quite demanding, and try as she might, Narcissa had no will to say no to her blond darling baby. "Draco," she crooned, "we are almost there love." Narcissa knocked on the door, and it swung inward, the midwife standing in the open space, covered in sweat, even though the snow blew in at her and frosted her face.
"Ah, Mrs. Malfoy, so glad you are here." The midwife let out what might have been a sigh of relief, and ushered them into the entry way, slamming the double doors shut behind them, blocking out the cold and the snow. The midwife, all but grabbed Narcisssa's coat and hat and wiping her hands on a rather dirty looking apron, snatched baby Draco from her hands. "Now, if you will follow me," the midwife said, patting Draco on the back and walking up a huge staircase, away from Narcissa.
Narcissa sighed, and since there was nothing she could really do until she saw Kiera she followed the midwife up into the manor. The midwife led them down darkened halls; the floor was a thick green and crimson brocade of carpet, the walls cream stripes in contrast to the elaborate floor. A head of them a woman's scream broke through the howling wind, candles on the wall lit one by one and only as they passed. In an alcove nearer the screams the midwife sat down on a wooden backed, burgundy colored upholstered chair, and motioned to Narcissa that she should enter the room three doors down. "There is nothing more I can do for her" muttered the older woman, as she rocked the whimpering Draco back and forth in her arms, "She is asking for you."
Narcissa slowly walked the rest of the way alone, casting a glance over her shoulder at the midwife rocking her son, under the illumination of one candle, which cast a red glow about them. Shuddering despite herself she pushed the ebony door open, and walked into the bedroom. The room was large, had a raised ceiling, a rod iron chandelier spiraling to the roof, covered in candles, and gave the room an eerie glow. The furniture was all a pale cream color, the floor dark hard wood, and the bed enormous.
Kiera lay panting in the middle of the bed, her long brown curls damp laying lifeless on the pillow, her face was as pale as death itself, and there was blood, there was blood everywhere. Narcissa approached confidently and went to hold her friends damp and sweaty hand, Kiera grasped it thankfully, and murmured softly "Narcissa?"
Narcissa nodded, not able to speak. Kiera like her, had survived several miscarriages, and Narcissa was afraid that Kiera would not survive the loss of another child. It was almost time; Narcissa could feel it in her bones. The midwife came crashing in as if on que and thrust Draco into her arms. "Here, hold the little un" the midwife said sharply to her, and turned to Kiera, "The child is strong, you must push now, and push hard."
Narcissa's jaw dropped, "I can't keep my son here! This is no place for a child." She said indignantly to the midwife, but received no reply. Kiera clenched her hand as if her life depended on it and screamed. Through her screams and Draco's whimpers, Narcissa heard another sound; a new born cry pierced the air, and the midwife held up a very bloody baby girl. "It's a girl!" she squeezed Kiera's limp hand.
"Yes," replied the midwife. "And she is a healthy one at that." The midwife strode over to a warm cauldron and began to wash the baby, and to wrap the small girl in white cotton blankets. Narcissa looked down at Draco, and found that he was no longer whimpering but looking over intently at the bundle in the midwifes arms. She wondered for a moment what thoughts babies might have, if they could not yet think in words, but the thought left her when the baby was placed in Kiera's arms and Kiera, tired, but healthy smiled weakly at her. "What will you call her?" Narcissa asked, curious.
Kiera smiled and looked from her baby girls face to Narcissa and then looked out of the window and watched the snow fall, then looked back at Narcissa. "Marcus and I only picked out boys names," she murmured, "But we did discuss if we were to have a girl to call her Isabella, after my mother, and I told Marcus, I wanted her second name to be Narcissa, after you… So I suppose her name is Isabella Narcissa Lunawood." Turning she smiled down at her bundle, a beautiful girl.
Narcissa beamed, she had never thought anyone would be named after her, and it touched her that Kiera would give her such honor. She titled Draco closer to Isabella, "Draco, darling, say hello to Isabella." She crooned. Draco leaned closer and stuck out an arm, his tiny hand rested on Isabella's head as he peered at her.
From behind them the midwife cleared her throat. "As touching as this scene is to my heart, Mrs. Lunawood does need her rest. So, Mrs. Malfoy, I will show you to a guest room for now; I would hate to think of you traveling out in this weather. Later when Mrs. Lunawood is more rested, then you can visit some more," saying this she herded Narcissa from the room, and led her to a guest room, where Narcissa exhausted from what she had just witnessed, placed Draco on the bed beside her and fell asleep, while the fire roared.
In another place at the same time, Marcus stood gathered with Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange in an abandoned store on Knockturn Alley, it was blowing snow, dark and freezing in the shop, but none of them paid any mind, they had deep things to discuss, dangerous things, and if it was cold and dark, then it was better, at least they knew no on was fool enough to get close to hear their discussion, and now a days there were spies all over the place.
"Tell me again," hissed Lucius to Bellatrix, "What went wrong? The Dark Lord went after Potter, and managed to kill James and Lilly, but what of the boy? Tell me witch, if you don't want me end your pitiful life right now!" Bellatrix coward as Lucius rose and stood over her. Marcus could feel the strange unspeakable peace between them crumbling.
"Come now, Lucius." Marcus said firmly, laying a hand on Lucius arm. "She is only relaying what happened, and she is after all one of us. Let's not quarrel here." Lucius backed away from Bellatrix with a hiss as a warning to her. Marcus looked at Bellatrix then Lucius firmly, "We must stay strong and united, and we will in time find a way to restore the Dark Lord to his rightful place. People are talking, pointing fingers all over the place, and we must not be caught up in this- it is not our place, we are Death Eaters- yes, and we serve the Dark Lord, but what can we do for him, if we end up locked away in Azkaban?" Marcus paused, and then turned to Bellatrix. "Go find out all you can, but be wary, do not get caught. I can and will not help you if you do. You are on your own." Bellatrix nodded and like a snake is quick and cunning, one minute she was nodding at Marcus, and the next moment she was gone.
Lucius Malfoy placed a hand on Marcus' shoulder, and patted it. Lucius had been friends with Marcus since they had been in Hogwarts; back then they had formed a common bond of hate against muggles, and a superiority of their breeding, as Pure Bloods often do. "That was well put, Marcus. Another minute of her moaning and I would have cursed her to die" he chuckled; Lestrange always had known how to thoroughly piss him off. "But let's get home. I have a beatufiful whiney wife and son to get back to, and you have Kiera to think about and perhaps she has given birth already."
Marcus smiled, as Lucius managed to pull him out of his sorrows, yes, he did have something yet, to go home to. Marcus slapped his hand on Lucius' back and grinned. "Yes, let's get home. I want to see my wife, and hopefully child, who I have promised the Dark Lord, will serve him." Together Lucius and Marcus left the empty warehouse on Knockturn Alley, and disappeared into the wintery night, all was not lost, the Dark Lord would return.
Upon arriving at Lunawood Manor, Marcus walked stealthily along the carpeted halls, and pushed open the door to the master suite. Kiera lay asleep in the middle of the bed, and in her arms was a bundled baby. Marcus beamed, he was a father, at long last they had done it. He gently reached over and picked up the baby, "Ah my little boy, at long last." He whispered, and yet when he looked down he saw that it was not a little boy but a sweet darling girl. He was shocked, but not unhappy. "So you wanted to surprise us all" he murmured to the infant kissing her forehead gently. "Well my Isabella Narcissa, you are going to have to be strong for Daddy, because one day, when the Dark Lord returns, you are going to become a Death Eater." The baby in his strong hands curled up on her side, and yawned. Marcus knew that Isabella had just been born, but his heart already belonged to her. "That's right" he crooned, "You're Daddies little Pure blood princess."
Kiera had awoken when Marcus lifted Isabella from her arms, but she had no energy yet to move, so she watched Marcus lift their child up in the air, and cuddle her in his arms. The sight brought tears to her heart, and fear for her child's future as well, for Isabella was promised to the Dark Lord, and when you fought for the Dark Lord, things were always dangerous.
And so, Isabella Lunawood entered the world on the 15th of December 1980, born into the blood many considered the only blood that should be allowed to be in Magic, but she was not to know of this until much, much later.
Childhood; The early years.
Isabella stood with her hands over her eyes, facing a tree counting. "1, 2, 3, 4…" Under her hands Isabella rolled her eyes, she shouldn't even count this time, she already knew where Draco was going to hide, this game was pointless if you hid in the same place every time. "5, 6, 7, 8…" Isabella continued to count even though she knew it was pointless, she would give Draco the benefit of a doubt and see if he would hide somewhere else. "9, 10. Ready or not, here I come!" she called out, as her little legs carried her over the grass in the Malfoy's garden.
Isabella had known Draco Malfoy, as her mother had told her one day, since the moment she had been born; which to a five year old meant very little, and Isabella was more concerned about what clothes she was going to wear, and how cute she looked, and what game she and Draco would play, while their mother's sat and drank tea.
Draco always hid in the same place, Isabella ran down the path in the garden, past some rose bushes, under an arch of violets, and into the gazebo. The gazebo was hidden from the rest of the garden, it sat in the middle of a maze of flowers, and was surrounded by shrubs, there was only the tiniest gap in the wall of shrubs, so that they could get in, Isabella didn't even think the adults knew about this place. It was her and Draco's secret hide out, and he always without fail hid there when it was her turn to count for hide and seek. He sat their now, concentrated on looking at an injured bird.
Isabella burst into the hiding spot "Found you!" she cried triumphantly, but saw the bird and came to kneel down beside it. "Is it hurt?" she asked in a slightly frightened manner. Draco looked up at Isabella sadly before answering, "I think it has a broken wing.", then he frowned as he looked down at it. He gently lifted the bird and put it into the little nest he had made of sticks, and patted it, holding out a hand with bread crumbs to feed it. The bird managed to take a piece with its beak and swallowed it whole. "Let's take care of it. Ok?" he asked Isabella.
Isabella nodded, "It will be our secret" she agreed, remembering how angry Mr. Malfoy had been when Draco had brought home another animal that had been sick… Mr. Malfoy was always very nice to her, but he didn't like helping sick animals, he thought that they were better off dead, "put out of their misery" as he had put it, then alive, and told Draco that he should kill them. Isabella felt bad for Draco, she reached out and grabbed his hand, a child's gesture of friendship, and Draco smiled up at her. Isabella liked this life, it suited her fine, and she hoped nothing about it would change, ever.
In the distance Isabella heard their mother's calling them, she punched Draco lightly on the shoulder, "Race you back" she giggled. Then she spun, her pink dress ballooning like an upside down flower, and she disappeared through the gap in the bushes. Draco rolled his eyes; he let her have a head start, then took off after her, and beat her to the house.
On the back patio, Narcissa and Kiera waited for their children to come running out of the garden. Kiera looked over at Narcissa, "You really think that- that this will help them focus on school work?" she asked Narcissa, who merely smiled a tight smile, not willing to admit she also didn't like the idea, and yet Lucius and Marcus had both agreed on the matter, so they couldn't really do anything else but obey their wishes. "But they are always together, they always have been." Kiera whispered, "How will this help them study?"
Narcissa and Kiera had been teaching the children their numbers, how to read, write, and do math, preparing them so that they would be ready to go to Hogwarts, the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, when the time came for them to go. Lucius and Marcus had spoken to their wives before they had left to work at the Ministry that morning. They both agreed that the children would learn more if they were not together distracting each other all the time. Furthermore, they had insisted, that Narcissa and Kiera had coddled the children too much, and now the children where old enough not to hang on their apron strings, they would have tutors, and Kiera and Narcissa would go back to work.
Out of breath and laughing, Draco and Isabella tore through the bushes running. "I beat you by a mile!" Draco said, jumping up and down, "Did not!" the pouting Isabella responded. Then the two of them, Isabella the brunette, and Draco the blond, turned to look at their mothers. Kiera didn't' have the heart to speak, so instead she motioned for Isabella to come to her, while Narcissa spoke harshly to Draco, "Draco Malfoy, come sit down now."
The children did as they were told, each walking hand in hand until they reached the table and went to sit by their mothers. Kiera pulled a few branches from Isabella's dark curls, and wiped some leaves and flower petals from Isabella's dress. A servant came out and poured some tea, placed a strawberry scone and whipped cream in front of both Isabella and Draco, then went back into the house. Narcissa sipped tea quietly, thinking about what must be said, and how this would change the cocooned life their children had been living up until that point. The children dug into their scones with unhinged delight, Narcissa waited until they finished then cleared her throat, giving Kiera the "let me do the talking" look.
"Children" she began. Draco and Isabella turned in their chairs and looked at her. "What I have to say, concerns us all." She paused, "Draco and Isabella, everyone agrees that, well, it's time for you to grow up. Hogwarts is only a few years away now, and Kiera and I both want you two to be prepared to meet the standards, so we have hired tutors, and Draco you will have your own tutor, and Isabella, you will also have your own tutor at home." Isabella's face fell. "I know that this will mean you will see less of one another, but we still will have weekends to get together, so don't be too sad." Draco's eye's hardened, he didn't want to have a tutor, and he wanted to be with Isabella… He frowned when he heard Isabella sob. No one, made Isabella cry, not anyone.
Kiera stood, Isabella scooped up in her arms. "I think I will take Isabella home," she muttered. "Narcissa." She said a little formally, "Draco." She said softly. Then Kiera turned and took Isabella back through the house, and headed for the Lunawood Manor.
Isabella, in her best rose gown, stood up straight, and tried not to cry as he mother left her with this stranger, Mrs. Coopal, to tutor her. In her five year old mind, she could not understand why her mother had to leave her, and go work for the Ministry of Magic, why couldn't she just stay home? "Come now, Isabella," Coopal commanded, "We have a lot of work to do." Isabella followed Mrs. Coopal down the hall to the study. Mrs. Coopal was a rather large woman who clothed herself in a huge swatch of material that Isabella grudgingly supposed was a dress, her hair was braided and looped into a bun at the top, and her face was rolley and she smelt like peppermint. As Isabella followed Mrs. Coopal to the study she wished she was anywhere but.
The first week, Isabella decided that the old lady just wanted to kill her. "Walk straight Isabella; bend at the knees, not with your back! Hold your head high Isabella…. Isabella, are you even listening to me? … Don't shove food in your mouth, eat like a lady, and only take small bites of food. …" On and on, Mrs. Coopal went, from etiquette to mathematics, to piano playing, grammar, Latin, spelling, family history lessons, Muggle History, Magical History… it was; Isabella decided, the most boring thing in the world, she hated it, and missed her mother, and her and Draco's hiding place. She could barely wait for the weekend.
The weekend couldn't have come soon enough, and she was thrilled to visit the Malfoy's Manor with her mother for tea on the Saturday. Kiera looked to Isabella a little stressed out, and seemed a mite too formal with Narcissa but Isabella didn't care, after politely saying hello to Narcissa; Isabella took off to the garden to see Draco. When she reached the garden, Draco stood just outside their hiding place, the bird was sitting in his hands, it stood, wobbly at first and spread its wings, Isabella wanted to call out, but didn't so the bird wouldn't get scared. The bird flapped its wings and took off from Draco's hand. Isabella stood by the roses watching Draco, he looked the same she decided, but also completely different. Once the bird had taken off and disappeared, she ran down the path to meet him.
Draco turned as he heard her approach, but did not throw open his arms, like he would have only a week before, instead he stuck out his hand; Isabella stared at it for a moment, then took it and shook it. "Good to see you." He muttered with the hand shake. Isabella felt like she was looking at a stranger. "I'm glad the bird got better." She said her face all flustered. "So am I" he said with a smile, his eyes bright. That, thought Isabella is the Draco I know, but even as she thought it, the look disappeared.
"You shouldn't be out here you know." Draco said annoyed. "You should be at the house learning to be a proper lady… unless you don't want to be a proper lady." Draco smiled in a smile that wasn't very nice, a smile she had never seen on him before. "Draco Malfoy, you take that back, that wasn't very nice to say" she hissed her hands on her hips. Draco shrugged and went into the hideout, calling over his shoulder, "No girls allowed" As she was about to follow him into their space. "Fine" yelled Isabella hoping someone heard her, "I don't want to be in your stupid secret space anyways!" Then she turned and stomped away, back to the house.
In his hideout, Draco waited until he could no longer hear Isabella outside before he let out a long sigh. Draco hated to make Isabella mad at him, but he had to learn to be a man now, and that meant girls were not allowed in his fort, and he couldn't just go hugging a girl, even if she was his best friend. Picking up his new fencing sword to distract himself, Draco began to practice the fencing moves he had been taught the week before, and soon forgot all about being upset, besides, his father said that he would have some of his friends bring over their boys who were around his age, Crab and Goyle.
Isabella slipped into the house by the kitchen door, she tiptoed past the cook and his staff, who were far too busy to notice Isabella, and she hid around the corner from the tea room, taking a deep breath, and making sure she looked as cute as ever, she was about to make her entrance when she heard her mother speak.
"Will you not see reason Narcissa? Will you not ask Lucius to recant this stupid wish to keep our children apart? Isabella cries in her sleep, and I bet as manly as you say Draco is becoming, that he misses her too! This is madness." Isabella could hear a tea cup slam down on a table. "Kiera calm yourself. It is for the greater good, heavens knows how long this friendship of sorts they have could have continued anyways. Lucius is bringing over Crab and Goyle's sons to play with Draco, perhaps Isabella would not miss Draco so, if she had her own group of little girl friends..." Narcissa's voice was soft yet cold. Isabella had no idea what was going on, and her mother sounded terribly angry. "If that is what you wish", she hissed, and then stormed out of the room. When Kiera saw Isabella, she grabbed her arm and took her from the Manor, taking her home.
Isabella spent the next few weeks wondering what had happened; Mrs. Coopal pounded lessons into her brain, like the rain that pounded on the roof sometimes. Isabella and Kiera went less and less to the Malfoy Manor, until visits were almost infrequent, and Isabella only saw the Malfoy's once a year. Draco became a stranger to her, he had a manner about him that was hard and brash, and he began to remind her of his father. She hid when she was there, from having to see him, from having to hear his crude remarks.
Weeks turned to months, and months turned to years. Isabella was ten years old. She couldn't believe she was now a double digit number, it strange to think, she thought now- of how she had hated Mrs. Coopal at first, because she now came to view the woman as a second mother of sorts. The Malfoy's had extended an invitation to the Lunawoods for a Christmas Party, Isabella had no desire to go, but her parents, and Mrs. Coopal, made her go.
Isabella picked out her prettiest dress, deep crimson velvet with white lace along the top and a black sash that tied up in a bow. She sat for hours before the mirror while Mrs. Coopal played with her hair, and put it up, letting some of the curls drop to surround her pretty face. Isabella, Mrs. Coopal had exclaimed to Kiera, looked at least 11 or 12, with her pretty blue eyes and her full rose pouting lips. Isabella bundled up, in a deep green cloak and went with her parents to the Malfoys. Inside the house, the air smelled of cookies, there was a huge ever green tree covered with globes and candles, making it sparkle, and everywhere she turned she found herself being critiqued by the adults, on how well behaved she was, on how pretty she was, and when was she going to Hogwarts.
Soon Isabella tired of being petted and pawed she still hadn't seen Draco or his friends anywhere, so she slipped from the party, put on her cloak and headed for the garden with a candle in her hand. She hurried through the snow, and kept looking back to make sure no one followed her. Reaching the hiding place, that she had been longing to see, she slipped in, and looked around. It looked the same, and smelt the same to her, she put the candle on a table and sunk to the ground, sitting on the cold wooden floor boards, she closed her eyes, and remembered what fun she had once had here… She sighed, cold, and the candle had melted halfway down. She got up, and in the dark, nearly tripped over a wooden box. Isabella looked down at the dusty box, she knelt down and wiped the dust from the top, engraved in the wood was "Isabella" she stared at the box, and reached to open it, but heard Draco, and his friends coming, so she shoved the box under the table and stood in front of it.
Crab and Goyle were the first into the hide out, they were so big, Isabella wondered how they were able to get in without scratching themselves or ripping their clothes. Upon seeing her they stopped short, causing Draco to bump into them on his way in. "Crab, Goyle." He snapped impatiently, "Move out of the way you idiots!" Draco pushed them aside and entered the hide out; it was then that he saw Isabella. At first he looked shocked but then he looked annoyed. "I believe you're wanted in the house, besides I already told you a long long time ago, you aren't allowed in here."
Isabella stuck her chin in the air, and walked out of the gazebo into the snowy night, completely forgetting her candle. As she stumbled away, she head Crab comment "wow, she is really pretty." Then she heard a thwap, as if something had hit someone, then Draco was hissing, "No one but me gets to say that." Isabella was wet and angry when she finally got inside, what type of game did Draco think he was playing?
Narcissa had wandered out into the entry way, the noise of the party making her tired, when Isabella stumbled into the house. Narcissa, would have loved to have a daughter, and her heart went out to Isabella when she saw the miserable look on her face. Narcissa went over to Isabella, and lifting her chin she motherly said, "Aww you poor thing, come let Narcissa make you feel better."
Isabella followed Narcissa into the master suite, where Narcissa made Isabella look all cleaned up, if not better then when she arrived. Isabella had always liked Mrs. Malfoy, she may have been hard on her son, but she had never been mean to Isabella. "Why" she asked her, "Why is Draco being mean to me?" Narcissa looked shocked Isabella was talking to her, "Well my dear," she said as she patted Isabella's cheek, "Some boys don't know how to be nice to the girls they like, so they are mean to them instead." As Narcissa talked Isabella's eyes grew big and round, "Draco-likes-me?" she asked, "I don't think so." Narcissa laughed, "You have a lot of time before you, that you have to worry about boys" she teased. "Now let's get you downstairs."
As Isabella looked at Narcissa she whispered what had been in her heart, "I miss you." Narcissa couldn't turn around and look at Isabella; tears welled up in her eyes, and threatened to fall down her cheeks, "I miss you too" she choked out. "Tell you what." She said taking Isabella by the hand, "You can come visit me anytime you want." With that they joined the party.
That fall Draco left for his first year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Isabella would go to Hogwarts the following year because her birth date fell so close to the end of the year, so for now she continued to be tutored by Mrs. Coopal. Isabella was allowed by Mrs. Coopal free time, and when she had free time, she often stopped by to see Mrs. Malfoy and have tea, and when Mrs. Malfoy wasn't around to have tea she would go to the hiding place. She had finally been able to look inside the box, it held one of her dolls she had thought she lost, the bird's nest, a few pictures they had drawn together, a puppet, a dried bouquet of wildflowers she had given him when they were three, ribbons, and her black sash from her red velvet dress from the Christmas before. Isabella smiled, and every time she went to visit, she would take a memento of hers and added it to the box.
That year seemed to fly by to Isabella, before she knew it, she received her letter requesting her to come to Hogwarts, and things started to fly by, shopping at Diagon Alley, buying her first wand at Ollivanders, buying her, her very own owl. She was filled with excitement, and could hardly wait until the day it was her turn to leave, to stand on Platform 9 ¾ and start off on a new chapter of her life.
Mrs. Coopal drove her to the train station, her last act as Isabella's tutor. Tears ran down the old ladies face as she straightened Isabella's robes, and made sure she had all the luggage she needed, then looked her over. "Well then, are you ready? Oh, of course you are! … Come give your old tutor a hug!" Isabella did so willingly; she would really miss the matronly lady and her constant chatter. "Now remember, platform 9 ¾ , here's your ticket, and off you go." She pushed Isabella in the right direction, then turned around and hurried out of the station, blubbering as she went. Isabella took a deep breath, and headed off towards platform 9 ¾.