Narcissa traversed evenly down the hall, her eyes focused slightly downward as she pondered whom Jane's identity could be. She broke from her thoughts when Draco strode purposefully past her and jammed the button for the elevator impatiently. Realizing that her downward focus revealed her distraction she raised her chin and met her son's curious eyes firmly as the elevator doors opened. They stepped into the quiet elevator with its memo littered ceiling turning back to the doors as it rose to the main level.
When the doors slid open, she was unsurprised by the bright, nearly blinding lights of the photographers documenting the 'fall of the Malfoy's'. She and Draco stood for only a moment in the elevator before stepping out and surely walking to the Floos, the expectation that people would step out of their way automatically fulfilled. Upon reaching the Floo, Draco stepped to the side and Narcissa took a small handful of green sparkling dust from her clutch and released it into the fireplace. Calling out her destination, she stepped through, her stride continuing unbroken into her living room where she directed the waiting house elf to bring a fresh tea service.
She seated herself primly on the edge of her velvet regency style chair, appreciating the cleanliness of the surface, which as always was freshly brushed to remove any traces of lint or dust.
Draco stepped out of the Floo, coming to a halt immediately his eyes facing the portrait of their family that hung on the opposite wall.
"Draco," she called softly. He looked over at her in question. "Join me for tea," she inquired gesturing to the service, which had just appeared on the delicate table at her side.
He nodded and sat stiffly in the matching chair across from her. They continued in silence as she poured their tea, measured out sparing portions of sugar and cream, and handed a cup to her son.
After a few more minutes Narcissa Spoke. "Draco? Which of your female schoolmates do you think is best suited to the etiquette of society?"
Draco raised an eyebrow and regarding her suspiciously before replying. "Pansy, I suppose."
"No, definitely not her, someone who you normally wouldn't expect to have proper manners. I think, perhaps someone in a different house or even someone with questionable blood."
"I wouldn't know in that case. I do not pay attention to all the filth at school. If they choose not to use proper manners I have no interest in their company."
"Honestly Draco, you don't have to associate with someone to be able to list their names. I simply wish to know who some of the girls around your age are."
"If I didn't know better mother I would think you were trying to buy us back into the Ministry's good graces by planning marrying me to some half-blood."
Narcissa huffed, her mouth shaping into an impatient scowl. "As you well know you are already betrothed to Astoria. My desire to know these names has nothing to do with you. Now, if you please, would you tell me some of their names."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Fine, Padma Patil is OK, Luna Lovegood is a little crazy, Cho Chang has an unfortunate crush on Potter, and Marietta Edgecombe who has 'SNEAK' carved into her forehead are Ravenclaws."
"Oh dear, how did that happen?"
"Granger cursed her for turning in their silly little Dumbledore's Army last year. Neither Pomfrey nor St. Mungo's has been able to heal it though they did mange to heal the boils."
"What about Hufflepuff?"
"Susan Bones is the only one I can think of in that sorry lot."
"Gryffindor," Narcissa asked her tone taking on a hopeless quality as if she was losing hope of finding what she was looking for.
Draco grimaced. "Parvati Patil is well mannered, Lavender Brown is a shrill bird who listens far too much to that loopy Divination teacher, and Mudblood Granger."
Narcissa looked at him with mild reproof though it went unnoticed. "Are there any older or younger girls?"
"Katie Bell, Ginevra Weasley, and Angelina Johnson but they are all fanatic Gryffindor Quiddich players."
Narcissa paused in thought murmuring quietly to her self. The only audible words were something about watching each girl for identifying traits. After a few minutes, she stopped abruptly turning to Draco.
"You're O.W.L. scores had our address on them did they not?"
Draco nodded dumbly before asking, "Mother, if something were to happen to you where would I go?"
"With Severus I suppose, but you really need not worry about that. Your father has assured me that what he asked me to do will eventually resolve this entire mess."
Draco gave her a strange look. "Well mother do as you need, but please do not get caught, let alone seen, chasing around half-bloods, blood traitors, or muggleborns."
"Of course not Draco," she replied absently
"I'm going to go read for a while now, enjoy your tea Mother," he said rising from his chair and heading out of the room.
Narcissa sat quietly for another hour waiting for the photographers to be gone from the Ministry and mulling over the girls with whom she was familiar. Some she knew could not be Jane because of unalterable traits. She could do much with charms but some things like facial structure and dark skin tones were beyond her ability to change. After enough time had passed, she rose from her seat and traveled through the Floo back to the Ministry. She proceeded directly to the Department of Magical Education where she came to a halt at the desk of a petite woman with silver streaked russet hair.
"I wish to see the O.W.L. results of this year and two years previous," she demanded.
The woman startled at the abrupt entry, jerked upright so quickly that her glasses knocked askew. Composing herself rapidly, she straightened her glasses and looked at Narcissa
"Might I ask why you need to see these Lady Malfoy?"
Narcissa's thoughts ground to an abrupt halt before racing again. She had not thought of an acceptable reason to see the records, but it was reasonable that she would need one. Quickly spinning an excuse she replied, "I wish to provide means for a student of consistent performance to take an apprenticeship. My husband's recent difficulties have reflected poorly on our family. In fact I also need to see the N.E.W.T. results from this year as well."
"Very well," the woman replied extracting her wand and touching the tip of it to a tray on her desk. "O.W.L. results from 1994, 1995, and 1996 and N.E.W.T. results from 1996," she commanded and the tray rapidly filled with the requested parchments.
Reaching into a drawer of her desk, she pulled out an additional parchment and placed it on top of the stack.
"This form is to register your scholarship with the Ministry. You are welcome to use one of our meeting rooms to review the results. The room to your left should prove acceptable to your needs. If you need anything else Lady Malfoy, please do not hesitate to ask."
"Actually, might I have some parchment?"
"Of course," the woman said adding a few sheets of blank parchment to the stack.
Narcissa lifted the stack and carried it to the room previously designated. Entering the room, she separated the O.W.L Results and quickly set to the task of sorting out all the males and those she had previously discarded. When she had finished sorting her list had narrowed to a dozen girls. She pulled out her Quick-Copy Quill from her clutch and set it to work, indicating with her wand the addresses she wanted.
Rapidly the information filled in the blank pages only stopping at her exhalation, "Wiltshire."
"Of course," she whispered to herself "Jane said she had lived in Wiltshire in her time."
"Geminio," she cast on the record she held. A smirk reminiscent of her husband spread across her lips as she examined her duplicate. Waving her wand over the stacks on the table, they quickly sorted themselves once again into a neat stack. Noticing the scholarship form she lifted it from the stack with a shrug, after all what she had said about the family's reputation was true. She tucked the O.W.L. Result and scholarship form into her clutch and carried the stack to the receptionist. Gracing the woman with a courteous thank you, she returned home. She would get a good nights rest now that she knew whom she would be abducting tomorrow.
The next morning she rose eagerly and went down to breakfast.
"Draco," she greeted her son with an exuberance, which, judging by his expression was abnormal.
"Mother," he greeted in a questioning tones.
She happily and delicately selected and began to consume her morning meal from the spread, laid out earlier by their house elves.
Draco continued to look at her oddly for a few minutes.
"You seem rather happy this morning."
"I suppose I am," she replied.
"Why," he asked suspiciously, after all his last conversation with his mother had been about stalking his classmates.
"I am going to see Jane today."
Draco nodded slowly and Narcissa saw the indecision in his expression. She knew he must have been debating between preparing for his meeting or keeping close watch on her. She finished her meal and rose swiftly.
"Have a nice day darling," she said sweeping to the foyer and apparating to a secluded street corner close to her destination. Draco might intend on watching her but he would have difficulty tracing her apparition.
She walked down the street unconcerned by the odd looks that she received from some of the early rising muggle neighbors who were retrieving newspapers form their porches. Arriving at her destination she marveled that Jane could have grown up in a place with such obviously muggle influence. She had behaved after all, decidedly as a pureblood. Usually they influenced those who lived this close to muggles, after all just look at her own cousin Sirius.
After knocking on the door, she only had to wait a few moments before it was opened by a man with brown hair that was beginning to show his age through a light feathering of gray throughout.
"Hello," Narcissa said with a smile. "I'm Professor Black," she stated carefully presenting the image she had cultivated for her plan. When she had returned from the Ministry, she had scribed an invitation for Jane to attend a summer study program for Charms with a note that she would arrive the next day.
"Ahh, Professor Black, good of you to come," he stepped aside gesturing for her to enter and leading her to the sitting room close by. "Our daughter was delighted to receive your invitation yesterday," he continued. "I'll just call her down." He returned to the hall, "Ladies," he called, "Professor Black is here."
Narcissa could hear the rumbling sounds of someone rushing on the floor above as a woman walked into the door a moment later. "Professor Black, Its lovely of meet you. I trust you will look after our darling this summer," said the woman.
"Of course, it will be a delight to have her attend," she replied.
Narcissa's gaze was drawn away from the woman by a sharp gasp from the hall. She looked at the young woman in the hall and was finally able to see the Jane she knew hidden beneath the girl whom she had never expected.
Seeing the recognition mixed with panic in the girl's eyes, she spoke quickly. "Hello, I am Professor Black. It is nice to finally meet you Miss…'
The girl abruptly stating, "I'm all packed, let's go" cut of her. Narcissa could see the false smile of excitement warring with the anxiety of why a Malfoy would be in her house under obviously false pretense.
"Do you have a good place from which to apparate here, or should we return to the point I used?"
"We can use the backyard, it is well sheltered," Jane replied turning and leading the way to the backdoor almost skipping in her 'excitement'.
Narcissa smiled at her adaptability and followed her, finding her giving her parents brief smiles and hugs farewell.
"Shall we go?"
Jane nodded and Narcissa held out her hand with a smile.
"I am sure that you will learn much this summer," her statement earning her a skeptical look from Jane. Turning to Jane's parents as Jane took her hand.
"Goodbye, thank you for allowing your daughter this opportunity." She apparated back to the Manor stepping to the side immediately as Draco almost barreled into her causing him to plow over and land on top of Jane. She watched as Draco froze shortly before lifting himself up to and upright position.
"Mother," he said in a cautious tone staring at Jane as he spoke. "This," he paused, "is not Jane. This is…"
"Nonsense, Draco," she cut him off. She took hold of Jane's hand raising her from the floor and striding from the room dragging the baffled girl towards the quarters that had been empty for nearly twenty years.
"This is going to be so much fun," Narcissa almost squealed in delight. "I have not been able to do a real makeover since our wedding." She looked back at Jane who seemed to be in a shocked stupor.
"Mother," Draco called from the foyer as he began to pursue only to halt when flanked by the three simultaneous apparitions.
Narcissa continued to the bedroom. "These will be your quarters now," she said opening the long closed door to a sitting room furnished in pale blues and greens.
"My quarters," Jane questioned finally seeming to overcome her shock.
"Mrs. Malfoy, I'm not sure what is going on, but I'm not..."
"Call me Cissy; we are after all such good friends."
"She is not Jane mother," Draco called from the door. Narcissa looked up at him. "How wonderful your brothers are here and of course she is.
" She looked back to Jane who was looking with hope at the three men standing behind Draco.
"Brothers," Jane questioned.
"Enough of this mother," Draco almost yelled as he pulled out his wand. "We will simply obliviate her and send her home. Father is already in Azkaban the rest of us hardly need to join him. Jane's expression of hope fell as the eldest of the "brothers", the one with long blonde hair that rivaled that of Lucius, reached out and took Draco's wand.
"It's ok Mum, we'll take care of Draco." called out the two black haired men as they took hold of Draco, flashing delighted grins at Jane, and hauling him sputtering from the room. Their matching, waist-length braids swung about them as they manhandled her only son by birth.
"Those were..." Jane's voice trailed off in dismay.
"Draco's half-brother and god brothers of course," said Narcissa. "You will have plenty of time to get to know them better when you return. Now where were we?"
"Mrs. Malfoy, you know I might actually agree with Draco."
"Nonsense, and again call me Cissy. You know, now that I see you close up there really is not very much that I must have changed before I sent you back. Mostly just making the hair perfectly straight and of course lightening it up."
"Rutilus proprius rectus saeta," Narcissa cast. She smiled as Jane's hands leapt to her hair pulling strands of the silky straight almost completely blonde lengths in front of her eyes.
"How did you," Jane started again.
"Don't worry about it dear it's permanent so there will be no need for you to renew the charm yourself. I have after all been very good with cosmetic charms even if you did tell me I was a little obsessive."
"Ostendo sum verus décor," she cast again. Clasping her hands in delight Narcissa hugged Jane who stiffened.
"Perfect, you are absolutely perfect," she exclaimed pulling away. "Now we must get you to the Burrow so we can sent you off" She pulled Jane out of the room and back to the foyer only pausing a moment when she glanced in the formal living room and she saw the boys, three of whom were happily wrestling Draco to the ground.
"We have to stop her. She'll get us all locked up," Draco shouted amidst the laughter of the others.
"Careful not to break anything boys," she called.
"We will," the three called in unison. Narcissa, uncertain whether they meant they would be careful or they fully intended to break something, paused for a moment. Deciding that sending Jane back was ultimately more important than her furniture she continued to the foyer where she turned back to Jane.
"Now I hope you don't mind, but we can not have any silly attempts to escape. Petrificus totalis."
Narcissa took hold of the now petrified Jane and apparated to the Burrow. She arrived and wrinkled her nose at the sight of the disjointed building.
"Such a ramshackle place, I suppose you will only be here a month though." Narcissa sighed lightly looking at Jane whose eyes had lit up at the prospect of only staying at the Burrow.
"Now," Narcissa continued. "A few things you will need," she reached into her clutch pulling out a small booklet and holding it up for Jane to see before she tucked it into one of Jane's pockets.
"That is a book of pureblood etiquette and charms. You will need it, if you hope convince us all as well as you did so I would study it well over the next month, after all no pureblood would ever allow herself to be mussed or have ink stained fingers. You will present yourself, when you arrive, as Jane Prewett, a distant relation of Molly's whose family was recently killed by Deatheaters. If you understand me so far blink twice." She slipped a ring on Jane's finger.
Jane blinked twice because while she did not get the entire context she understood the instructions.
Pulling two rolls of parchment from her clutch she continued, "I took the liberty of copying your O.W.L. Results and changing the name on them so that will not be a problem. And this other will reveal itself when the time is appropriate." Narcissa paused again searching Jane's eyes.
"Now that you know what to do I need to get to the difficult part, which is why I am doing this to begin with. I know Draco made it seem like he thought I was crazy, but the others knew more than he did and that is why they let me continue. I am sending you back to my time while I was at Hogwarts under my husband's direction because you learn something there that can save our family. Please find me, tell me what you feel you need to and find out what it is. Lucius cannot speak of it but you can because you discovered it on your own. I really am looking forward to having you back when you return." Giving Jane one more tight hug, Narcissa stepped away.
"Vicis ostendo sum vicis reverto
Juvenis pro juvenis quod diligo pro diligo
Matrimonium reus reverto is mulier
Blood of cruor ut parvulus preteritus
Prognatus ut amicus quod amicus ut inimicus
Incompertus scientia nos redemptor
Present ut preteritus preteritus munifico
Planto orbis universus."
Finishing her incantation Narcissa Smiled as Jane melted before her eyes into the ground.
"Just what do you think you are doing here," asked a harsh voice drawing Narcissa's attention from where Jane had been standing a moment before.
"Why hello Molly, it's so nice to see you again." Narcissa smiled viciously, normally she really did not care one way, or another about the Weasley family, but the events over the past two years had left her feeling rather venomous.
"What are you doing here," Molly Weasley ground out again.
"I was simply sending your dear cousin Jane on her way."
Molly's eyes bugged and her face reddened. "My cousin Jane," she shrieked. "My cousin Jane has been dead for years you wretched trollop."
"That only goes to show how little you truly know, after all your one to be calling names," Narcissa responded cattily. "Now if you do not mind, MY boys are meeting right now I think I'll join them." Narcissa apparated swiftly away, leaving behind a sputtering Molly Weasley.
