Years passed. Narcissa hoped that after Lucius left Hogwarts, he would forget about her. Lucius may have, but his parents did not.
Narcissa, now a Seventh Year herself, stepped off the Hogwarts Express at Christmas. Seeing nobody to greet her, she shrunk her trunk and pocketed it, then apparated to the point right before the gates of their manor.
Coming inside, she was greeted by a flurry of activity and stream of house-elves running to and fro.
"Hello?" Narcissa called out. The elves stopped to stare. Then, doubling their pace, they scattered.
Narcissa wandered into the drawing room, and then halted abruptly. Mr. and Mrs. Black sat stern-faced and side by side on a sofa, wearing the infamous "We need to talk" looks.
"Happy Holidays, Mother, Father," Narcissa said, in an effort to lighten the mood.
"Narcissa," her father began, "this is quite a serious day."
"What have I done to disgrace you now?" Narcissa asked, the picture of a guilty teen.
"Nothing, Narcissa. Not yet, anyways. But we've received an important invitation," said Mr. Black.
"Invitation? From who? For what? For when?" she asked, questions bubbling out.
"From whom, Narcissa, whom. And so many questions are quite unattractive for a young lady," criticized Mrs. Black, speaking for the first time.
"The Malfoys have extended a dinner invitation to us," said Mr. Black, looking proud at such an invitation.
"Malfoy?" she sneered. "As in Lucius Malfoy? I think I'll be sick, never!"
"Young lady, both the Malfoys and your mother and I have gone to a great deal of trouble to arrange and perfect this! You are going to make an impression, and it had better be a good one, or I'll see to it that you're disowned!" Both Mrs. Black and Narcissa gasped at the threat.
"Why do I have to make a good impression on Malfoy? I would rather not waste my time and energy on a bunch of ugly gits!" Narcissa screamed.
"I have worked too hark for your disgraceful manners to perhaps ruin a good marriage proposal!" Mr. Black was now on his feet and staring down at Narcissa.
"Marriage! I would rather marry a thestral!" she screamed back.
"Your thestral lovers will just have to go find somebody else, because if marriage is offered, you will not refuse!" Mr. Black yelled.
"If marriage proposals come out of it, I'm definitely not going to Malfoy's house!" Narcissa turned to leave, but a flick of Mr. Black's wand closed and locked the door.
"You will go, and you will be the picture of a perfect lady, if I have to use a potion on you to get you to act like one!" Mr. Black had now reached the height of his anger.
"No, I…" started Narcissa.
"Yes, you will! End of discussion!" roared Mr. Black. "Mipsy!" A small elf draped in a silk toga appeared between Mr. Black and Narcissa.
"What is it Master is requiring?" Mipsy asked, bowing low.
"Mipsy, escort Ms. Narcissa to her room. I want her ready to go to the Malfoys' at five o'clock sharp. I give you leave to use your magic if she resists." With a snap of her fingers, Mipsy was rushing out of the room, dragging Narcissa out of the room by an invisible cord around her waist. But Narcissa still managed to give her father a vehement glare as she was dragged from the drawing room.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Mipsy!" The rest of Narcissa's protests became an undistinguishable gurgle as the house-elf magically pushed Narcissa's head under the water roughly.
"I is sorry, miss, but master is saying that miss must be prepared by five o'clock." Mipsy snapped her fingers again and Narcissa was levitated out of the bathtub and magically dried. Mipsy looked at the wall clock and let out a tiny house-elf cry. "It is 4:30! Miss must hurry!"
"Mipsy, it's perfectly fine. You don't have to listen to my father," Narcissa said, still being levitated over the bathtub.
"Mipsy must follow master's orders!" the house-elf cried, dumping Narcissa unceremoniously on the bathroom floor. She shooed Narcissa into the bedroom, throwing pale green silk dress robes at the girl. "Miss must put those robes on, Master says." Grudgingly, Narcissa slipped into the silk robes, knowing that her father really would carry through with his threats if she didn't. Mipsy then proceeded to yank a brush through Narcissa's hair and style it with magic. At five o'clock, Mipsy was dragging Narcissa back into the drawing room, though Narcissa fought the elf's magic as hard as she could.