Stange and New People

A few years down the track, I had prospered well. Mama had started teaching me simple potions that in her words 'One of the greatest potions masters' had taught her, how to write, simple mathematics and her knowledge of magical creatures. Papa was extremely proud of me, to be excelling at all of this at such a young age. Once I even remember Papa telling me I had more promise than Draco! Draco is such an amazing wizard, and he had taught me some amazing things, so when Papa told me this I couldn't contain the smile that grew on my face. But none of this compared to when I learnt to ride a broom. It was my greatest childhood memory, the wind catching my hair, the feeling of weightlessness and being able to just be free. It invigorated me, and gave me a way to release all my pent up feelings, that stirred inside me.

One night following my weekly riding lesson and after Papa and I had put our brand new brooms away, I had decided to explore the garden to find the talking ferret Draco had told me he had cursed in his 4th year at Hogwarts. After 45 minutes or so, I had given up thinking 'Did I hear that story right? Or was Draco the ferret?' I could never quite remember that story right, so I had ended up playing Auror.

As Miss Violette Malfoy, Pro Auror, I had found that my black hair gave me an amazing camouflage against the falling Twilight skies. Sneaking around the edge of one particular hedge, I spotted Mama talking to a strange man, with scraggly black hair and soiled clothes. Taking interest I sunk back into the hedge, as to not be seen or heard.

'… Please understand, sir, she cannot be taken from our care." Mama said, as if she had just finished one of her famous lectures on dinner table manners.

"I don't give a shit if you are her 'rightful' guardians because my mother had left her to you. She is my sister! Thus she is my responsibility. She must come with me." The man replied, with obvious anger and distain lacing his voice.

"I understand that she is your sister, but in saying that she was left in the care of the Malfoy's and so she shall stay. She is our responsibility too, Markus. She's the only thing left of her I have. Can you understand that? She is my chance to raise a child right."

"But what relation do you have? None, I suppose. So give her to be."

"She is my niece. So before you trespass onto someone's property again claiming to be my beloved sister's son, I advise to you to research the family tree and its history, you incompetent idiot. Now leave, before I get my husband."

And with those final words, Mama turned on her heel and stormed away into the shadows of mansion. I sat motionless in the darkness of the hedge waiting for the man to go disapperate to where ever he had came from, but he didn't. Instead he drew his wand and shouted a muffled spell into the darkness in which Mama had disappeared into. The scream that had followed had pierced my ears to the point in which I thought my ears were bleeding. The light from the end of his wand filled the gardens, illuminating everything for just a split second. Almost instantly Papa had come running out of the mansion and into the garden where Mama lay withering with pain. When Papa spotted the man his face grew wild and curse after curse flew from his wand. Blues, reds and purples even a brilliant green curse flew at the man. But with every curse he threw that man had retaliated with three more. Soon enough both of them became weary, and stillness caught the air. When Papa had gone to draw his wand again, the man disapperated into the night, leaving Papa and I staring at a now empty spot, and Mama re-catching her breath. After a while, Papa rushed over to where Mama lay, to help her shivering body back up.

"Who was he?" Papa asked, worry evident in his voice.

He got no reply.

"Cissy, who was he?"

"Him" She croaked, still recovering from whatever had hit her. "He's found Violette"

Papa's pale eyes lit up with recognition, and he steered Mama briskly back to the safety of the mansion. The whole time it looked as if he was talking into her ear, trying to calm her. When they reached they door Papa instructed her to go inside, once she was in he rushed back out into the gardens to look for me.

Before he could reach the hedge, I ran, right to the cherry blossom tree. The blossoms had turned purple against the clear black sky, but even then it was a beauty. A darker version of the bright, cheerful beauty it was before maybe, but still a beauty none the less. Not that I was really thinking about that when I was climbing the trunk to protect my whereabouts when I gained my 'super secret Auror information', although I didn't know what any of it meant at the time.

Soon enough, Papa found me nestled into the branches of the tree. Half hidden because of my small stature, and the fact I had a talent for hiding. When he found me I felt like I had been caught red handed. Luckily, not one person found out that I had been snooping around and I was let off scotch free. Although Papa did tell me I had better go to bed soon or Mama would scold me for being up so late, he had made it sounded like another 'mission' at the time so I took it, and continued on my game of Auror.

Over the next few weeks Draco and Astoria came to stay. It must have been because of the strange man named Markus, but how would I have known better? I was only eight, and for all I knew they were talking about the new fluffy white kitten I had called Snowdrop.

Ever since the attack it has been increasingly quiet around the house. Usually I would spend my days with Astoria, whom I adored and thought of as my big sister. She was due any day with her baby, yet she still remained the beautiful person she always has been- the dark contrast to Draco's fairness. We would spend our time together reading, playing wizard's chess or coming up with names for the child. I liked the names Nayda for a girl or Tarus for a boy. She had a raising suspicion it was going to be a boy and had already liked the name Scorpius, but I didn't see the appeal at first.

Mama had seemed more relaxed when Draco was around, and when he (or Papa) was away her agitation levels would rise phenomenally.

Two weeks had past after Astoria and Draco arrived when Astoria went into labour. We had been in the parlor at the time, warming our feet by the fire after running through the rain to get home. Our new house elf, Cheri, had made us toasty, warm hot chocolates and we were having a delightful conversation about whether or not to get rid of the pixies in the fields behind the mansion when suddenly Astoria's hands flew to her stomach, and her mug shattered against the wooden floors. At the smash Mama rushed into the room and to Astoria's side, her sliver robe billowing as she ran towards her.

"What is it, dear?" Mama said as she fixed the mug that was broken with a flick of her wand.

"Narcissa" Astoria spoke, as she gasped for breath. "Narcissa, it's the baby. I think its coming."

"Oh God! We need to get you to St. Mundungo's, or get a midwife here. And quick too by the looks of it-"

"No, get Draco. He must be here." Astoria interrupted, before a wrangled, pain filled moan escaped her lips.

"Violette" Mama said, as if noticing me for the first time. "Go to Lucius. Tell him the baby is on its way and to go get Draco plus a midwife."

I stood therein silence, not a sign of recognition on my face. Not quite understanding the command and perplexed by the sight of Astoria in such a state.

"Go!" Mama almost yelled at me. "Now! Go tell Lucius."

I dropped my hot chocolate and ran from the room into the maze of halls, hearing another murmuring of "Reparo" as I ran down the portrait ridden hall and past the portraits of past Black's and Malfoy's as I went. As I ran I looked in every single room, checking Papa wasn't in there, eventually finding him in his study. A grand room with towering black marble bookcases, with contrasting sliver floors, which made the room somewhat forbidding.

"What" Papa said in an annoyed tone, clearly unimpressed with being disturbed.

"It's… it's the baby. Mama said to get Draco and a mist-wife?"

"The child's coming now?"

"Yes." I said my voice slightly strained.

"Oh Fuc-" Papa began, not looking towards me. "Violette go to your room."

"But-"

"No, Violette. Go to your room and don't come out until Draco, Narcissa or I come to get you. You're not old enough to help us yet. Got it?"

"Yes Papa" I said not looking into his pale grey eyes.

"Someone will be there to get you as soon as possible. Just stay put until then." With those words he kissed my forehead and then disappeared into the air leaving me to walk myself to my room.

The silence of the halls scared me; all the portraits had left there frames to witness the birth of Astoria's new child. Every step I took echoed into oblivion, lost in the depths of our enormous home. It was a long, lonely walk back to my room. I was usually guided by someone wherever I went in this place, just to make sure I 'never got lost', though even back then I knew there were places or things I was never meant to see.

Luckily I hadn't stumbled upon something malevolent or scary by the time I reached my room. The only time I had gotten my room wrong I had walked into a bathroom that I never knew existed. I flopped onto my bed, and stared up towards my enchanted ceiling. It played out whatever fantasy world I imagined up. Tonight I was watching Astoria, my new niece, Nayda, and I dancing through a field of wildflowers. Sparks flew above my head in a multi-coloured mass, swirling around us like fairies do in that muggle movie Draco had once shown me in secret because Papa had been out at the time. This was my perfect place, my place to escape when I wasn't wanted anywhere else… or it was just my bedtime. I had no idea how many hours pasted, no one had come to see me apart from Cheri and that was only to give me my lunch. I had soon gotten bored of being holed up in my room, I was itching for away to escape, but I wanted no one to know. The trouble with that was I lived on the second story, and even if the portraits weren't there, there were still charms that would allow them to know if I had left my room and taken a walk through the house. That's when this fabulous plan to sneak out my window formed. I gathered all my sheets and towels, and started tying them together to form a long piece of rope. I was halfway through my rope when the long overdue knock came at my door. It came as such a surprise I jumped right off my bed and onto the floor.

"Draco? Papa? Is that you?" I called towards the door while trying to hide my latest escape device. "Can I meet my new niece now?"

"I don't think so" A ruff voice came from the hall as the door flew open with a loud bang. "You're coming home, Violette. Back home with me."

The strange man from the garden walked into my room. His smell over-powered the room, all moss and decay. He looked just as ragged as ever and just a crazy. That's probably why I tried to back away.

"Vi, where are you going?" He asked, as if we'd known each other our whole lives. "Do you need help packing?"

"MAMA!" I screamed, at the top of my lungs, the fear obvious in my voice. "PAPA! DRACO!"

"Shut it! We don't want to cause a scene now do we?" He said, walking closer towards me.

As he drew closer I backed away further, till I hit the wall. I was trapped, huddled in the corner with nowhere to go. I felt as if I was his prey, just waiting to be caught. He grabbed the rope I had been making from under the bed and tied my hands together; making it so I couldn't get up. After he had done that he had headed towards my wardrobe and started packing my bags. I screamed out for somebody to come and help me to no avail, as he only crammed my mouth with a pair of my old socks and kept packing. The fear and the thoughts going through my mind were clearly display on the ceiling for all to see, though he never looked up once. So I sat there watching my fears displayed above; pictures of a wild man fists beating down on myself so hard I bled, pictures of myself as a wild, homeless beast of a being begging on the street like all those poor homeless children and one horrifying one of a little dead girl buried alive in the middle of nowhere screaming ear-splitting screams for help that no one would ever answer- knowing she'd die alone. All this time I had sat in silence, watching him with careful, crying eyes. Trying to find an exit, even though I knew he was too intelligent to let one come my way. Just waiting here was torture in itself; thinking of what was he really here for. When he had done with my clothes, he headed into the bathroom to (what I presumed) was to pack my toiletries.

I had been waiting for him to emerge from the bathroom, when another knock came from the door. I tried to speak, but it just came out in a muffled ugggggh type sound.

"Violette, you can come out now." The voice said. "Do you want to meet your new family member?"

I sat there silent, wishing I could even utter a pled for help and worrying they'd just walk away.

"Violette? We understand you may be infuriated with us but we'd really like you to come out." A deadly silence followed. "Violette, we're coming in if you don't come out."

After a few more moments of my silence, the handle turned and Draco and Papa walked into the room. At first they didn't see me tied up in the corner, I wouldn't have seen me at first too with my petite stature. They were about to walk out the door when Draco spotted me in the corner. His eyes grew wide, and he rushed over to me, untying the ropes around my wrists before he had even stopped before me.

"Who did this?" Draco asked as he took the socks from my mouth.

"I-I-I don't know" I cried, getting to my feet. "He went into my bathroom."

"Okay. Just stay here, don't move. We'll go check the bathroom" Draco said, picking me up and putting me placing me on my bed and signaling towards Papa to approach the bathroom.

Papa complied, his wand already drawn at the ready, as I watched on from the sidelines. With footsteps as soundless as snakes they approached the door, not a creak came from the wooden floor. On the count of three (which I had found silly at the time) they stormed down the door and started firing spells which I could only make out by the multi-coloured lights that streamed out of the open door. The fighting continued for some long, loud time. Screams and yells filled the room, echoing, making it sound like a battlefield. Every time either Draco or Papa screamed out in pain I sunk deeper into the covers. I cold only seeing flickers of what was going on from the angle I was on. Suddenly the place was enveloped in silence, and Draco and Papa walked out of the bathroom with an exasperated look on their faces.

"Coward" Draco sneered.

"A coward he may be, but I'm getting to old for this." Papa replied, then turned to me. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

"No Papa."

"Did he touch you?"

"No Papa"

"What did he want?"

I gulped. "He said… he said something about going home with him." I replied.

"That rat bastard!" Draco piped up, outraged.

"Indeed," Papa replied. "But we'll find him. Draco take Violette through to everybody else is, while I go contact the ministry."

"Yes Dad, lets just hope they don't kick you out" Draco said to Papa as he Apparated into thin air before turning to me. "So Violette do you want to meet Scorpius?"

It took me a few seconds before it sunk in. It was not the niece I had hoped for, but a nephew. It was a baby boy. How could I play dress ups with a boy? Sure I could play Auror with him, but it wouldn't be the same. It took me another few moments before I got the thought to appear on my lips.

"It's a boy?" I asked.

"Yes." Draco replied.

"And she named him Scorpius?"

"Yes, would you like to meet him?"

"Sure," I squeaked, getting over my temporary fit and taking Draco's hand. "I still like the name Tarus better though."

"Of course." Draco smiled, leading me out of the room. "But Scorpius isn't your child, thus not your right too name. And anyway I'm sure you'll love him all the same."

A/N: So hey gizzles, I may or may not have overestimated how busy my year way going to get. So I'm sorry, but updates may be a little further away from each other, but I will try as often as possible to update.