Chapter 1

Narcissa Malfoy bit nervously on her lower lip as she sat rocking gently in her rocking chair. She closed her eyes and allowed her mind to travel back sixteen years ago when she would sit in this chair and rock her baby to sleep. Narcissa would hold her tiny son close to her breast, keeping him safe and warm in her arms as she sang him to sleep.

Her heart ached at the memory; her baby was a man now. She didn't feel as needed as she had once been. Nevertheless, she was still his mother and Draco was still her baby and he always would be.

It was her duty as the woman who had borne him to make sure Draco was safe from harm. Narcissa knew Lucius thought she was too clingy and she should back off from Draco a little more; but she couldn't, especially now.

The Dark Lord was back, and her sister was back. Draco had the Dark Mark and had been forced into performing unforgivable curses and charged with murdering Albus Dumbledore. Narcissa's maternal instincts had come rushing to the surface and she had dealt with the last matter; she had made the Unbreakable Vow with Severus Snape to keep Draco safe and ensure Snape carried out the murder so as not to destroy her son. Now, Narcissa was ready to do battle for her son again. Narcissa was like a cornered tigress who was ready to fight to the death to protect her child; and fight she would.

Standing, Narcissa squared her slim shoulders, today would be the day she stood up to her elder sister. Bellatrix would not push her around today. Bellatrix would not bully her as she always had done. Narcissa was a woman now, a mother; and she would show her sister just how tough and resilient a mother could be.

She crossed the bedroom floor with swift determined movements and walked down the landing to the sweeping stair case of Malfoy Manor. The manor was quiet today, there were no coming's or going's of the Death Eaters, no yells and curses as they argued amongst themselves over what was to be done next; Narcissa felt the stillness was rather eerie.

She caught the faint scent of lavender in the air as she passed through the foyer; Narcissa liked flowers and always made sure each room had a fresh vase in it.

She made her way to the parlour pushing open the door. Bellatrix sat in an arm chair scanning a piece of parchment. For an odd moment, Narcissa thought how starkly different she and Bellatrix were in appearance.

Bellatrix had a wild mass of thick black hair, deep heavy lidded brown eyes, full pouting lips, and a heaving bosom that had always afforded her a lot of male attention. Narcissa was slimmer in build with long, glossy blonde hair, fair skin, and piercing blue eyes. They had always been different in temperament too, Bellatrix had a wildness about her, a lusty love of living while Narcissa had always been the more sedate sister. Still, they had been as close as two sisters could be.

"May I have a word with you, Bellatrix?" Narcissa closed the door behind her.

Bellatrix looked up sharp eyes noting the determined look on Narcissa's face. "Of course, what is it? Did Lucius tell you the news about Draco?" Bellatrix eyes shone with pride. "To have the Dark Lord request Draco's presence in his army of elite fighters is such an honour for one so young."

Narcissa's body stiffened. "Yes, Lucius told me. That's what I want to talk to you about. I want Draco to return to Hogwarts and continue with his studies, there are enough Death Eaters to go after Potter and the Ministry without involving Draco."

"Really, Cissy," Bellatrix exclaimed exasperated. "Do we have to go through this rigmarole every single time Draco has the opportunity to prove his allegiance and loyalty to the Dark Lord? Didn't we have enough of this when he was ordered to get us all into Hogwarts and kill Dumbledore?"

"He's my son, Bellatrix," Narcissa said through clenched teeth. "I will not stand by and watch him die, he's only a child."

Bellatrix snorted. "He's a young man, Cissy, and it's high time you realised it. Besides, he needs to do this; he needs to prove he is loyal to our Master."

"Excuse me?" Narcissa asked sharply, her eyes narrowing. "Just what is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, he failed last time." Bellatrix pointed out in an annoyingly calm and haughty tone.

"No, he did not. He got the Death Eaters into Hogwarts, didn't he? Dumbledore is dead, isn't he?" Narcissa snapped.

"But Draco didn't kill him," Bellatrix reminded her. She stood and stretched out her back giving her sister a bored look.

"And he's to be forever punished for that, is he?" Narcissa demanded icily. "Draco is to continually pay for the fact he didn't kill the one man the Dark Lord himself is afraid of!"

Bellatrix froze, eyes darkening as a blistering anger began to swirl from the pit of her stomach right up into her chest. "Watch what you're saying, Narcissa," she warned.

"Your wonderful Dark Lord was afraid of Dumbledore and you know it! He sent a boy to do his dirty work because he wasn't smart enough to figure out how to get into the school himself. I refuse to stand here and allow Draco to be sent on fools errands and suicide missions! He survived once due to the grace of Severus Snape and I will not tolerate his life being used in that dismissive way again!" The calm decorum which came with being a lady of good standing and breeding was gone from her; Narcissa could feel only a fierce desperation to keep Draco safe.

"How dare you," Bellatrix pronounced each word with controlled anger, her body shaking with barely concealed fury. "How dare you speak so about the Dark Lord?"

"I dare, Bellatrix!" Narcissa shouted, "I dare because I want my son to live, to have a chance at a decent life. He doesn't stand a chance of either if he goes along with you. The Death Eaters will get him killed. You'd understand if you had your own child, and don't even try to give me that rubbish about sacrifice for the Dark Lord. No man on this earth is worth the sacrifice of your own child, your own flesh and blood!"

"Be careful, Narcissa," Bellatrix said, her voice was low and dangerous but Narcissa took no notice of the subtle warning.

"Ever since the Dark Lord has returned my family has done nothing but suffer. I wish he'd never come back. He does nothing but destroy everything and everyone he comes into contact with," Narcissa told her sister vehemently.

"Cissy…"

"I hate him. He's a vile creature and I wish Harry Potter had finished him off for good. Our lives would have been much better if he had never ever come into it!" Narcissa jabbed a finger hard into her sister's chest. "He's evil, and I curse the day he came into our lives. I curse him to the darkest corners of hell where he belongs! If I could kill him myself I'd do it, Bella. I'd kill him with my bare hands if it kept my son safe from his clutches. I've seen what he's done to you and I refuse to let it happen to my Draco. I won't let the Dark Lord ruin him, spoil him. Draco will follow the Dark Lord's orders over my dead body!"

Bellatrix lips curled into a high cruel sneer. Her eyes were so dark they were almost black and too late Narcissa spotted the unhinged look on her sisters face, and the wild madness which coated her eyes. "That, Narcissa, can be arranged."

Before Narcissa had a chance to react Bellatrix raised her wand.

XxX

Draco heard the shouting and hurried to the parlour wondering what was happening this time. He arrived at the door of the parlour in time to hear his aunt screeching the killing curse and see a flash of green illuminate up the room.

He froze on the threshold; his mother lay over the plush carpet, her golden hair spilling around her head and her eyes; those loving blue eyes were lifeless and staring.

"Mother!" Draco ran forward and dropped to his knees beside the still body of the woman who had loved him to distraction. "Mother," he whispered, clutching her hand tightly.

"Bellatrix, what is going on in here?" Lucius Malfoy strode into the room, an annoyed look on his face, sure his sister in law was causing trouble best left alone. His heart stilled when he took in the scene before him. His sons terrified, sad eyes, his sister-in-laws manic expression and his wife; his wife's lifeless body lay sprawled elegantly across the carpet.

He hurried to his wife's side and stared down at her. She stared back at him, her eyes glassy and dull, her face smooth and expressionless.

"Narcissa?" he croaked.

"Do something, father do something!" Draco begged, unshed tears swimming in his eyes.

There was movement in the doorway and out of the corner of his eye, reflected in the mirror hanging over the fireplace, Lucius saw Peter Pettigrew together with Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange arrive on the scene.

Lucius turned to Bellatrix. "Explain yourself."

"She was standing in the way, Lucius. She was refusing to allow Draco to do what needed to be done, to follow the orders of our Lord. She became a traitor in the end, Lucius. My sister! She was supporting Potter; she said she wished he had finished the Dark Lord off!" Bellatrix informed him, her eyes hot with rage.

Luicus nodded. "Sacrifices must be made, Bellatrix."

"Indeed," she agreed, glaring down at her sisters dead body.

"Go and calm yourself down," Lucius told her. He waited until Bellatrix had left, taking the Lestrange brothers and the creeping sneaking Pettigrew with her, then he cast a locking and silencing spell on the room and let out a soft breath.

Draco stared stupidly at his father from his position on the floor. He couldn't believe it; he couldn't take in what was happening. His mother was dead, she was dead! At the hand of her own sister and his father was doing nothing about it. He was acting like this was normal behaviour. Why wasn't he getting angry? Why wasn't he reacting at all? Why didn't he kill Bellatrix?

"What the hell?" Draco snapped, his grey eyes turning hard and stormy.

"Trust me, Draco." Lucius knelt beside him and squeezed his shoulder. "Keep it all in, don't say a word against Bellatrix, and express your disappointment of your mother's change of heart…."

"What?" Draco glared at his father. "You want me to do what?"

"Draco, listen to me." Lucius turned haunted eyes to his son's distressed face. "I need you to keep up the loyal Malfoy charade for another twenty-four hours until your mother is buried in the family crypt and we can leave."

Draco blinked. "Leave?"

"Yes, leave. Pack everything you want to take with you and we'll go."

"Go? Go where?" Draco was sure he had never felt so many emotions in his life before, he was still trying to grasp the knowledge that his mother was gone, and now his father was confusing him even more.

"To the Order of the Phoenix," Lucius replied firmly.