"A Pureblood son—an Heir—is a Pureblood wizard's crowning glory. It is in this way does one live forever."

—Musings of the Magical Life, 1985

• • • • • • •

Audrey looked haggard and defeated when Madam Pomfrey finally allowed me to visit her in the infirmary. I had been sitting in the corridor all day, waiting for any news on Audrey's condition. It wasn't until dinner time did the stern young healer deem Audrey fit enough for company; and even then, she scolded that I wasn't to press Audrey with any questions until after a few days at least.

"She was pregnant, then?" I asked the healer.

Madam Pomfrey's mouth was set in a frustrated line. "That is, in fact, the only thing discernable about the situation. Miss Burke refuses to speak with me. All I have been able to gather, more from her body than anything she has said, is that the"—she glanced about furtively, whispering 'child,' under her breath—"was conceived during the winter holidays." The healer looked at me, eyes narrowed. "She was your best friend, was she?"

I could hear the reproach in her voice. Yes, she was my best friend—the best friend who didn't tell me that she was over two months pregnant; who barely spoke to me all year.

"Mayhap she will talk to you," Madam Pomfrey said over her shoulder as she led me to Audrey's bed. She looked like a child lying on the narrow metal bed in the infirmary. She was balled on her side, facing away from me, as though protecting her now empty womb.

"Audrey, dear, you've company," said Madam Pomfrey gently, touching Audrey's shoulder. Audrey flinched, as though scalded by the healer's touch. "Don't stay too long, Miss Black. You'll tire her out." Deftly, she drew the curtains and left us.

"Audrey?" I said, sitting in the worn wooden seat next to the bed. "How are you feeling?" I asked her with an encouraging smile. Audrey drew herself into an even tighter ball. "Please, love. Tell me what happened."

Nothing but silence and Audrey's quick, shallow breathing filled the space between us.

"Madam Pomfrey said you were almost three months pregnant. Who did you meet during Christmas holiday?"

Audrey shook her head, her shoulders shaking as she began to sob. "No, no, no, no…" she cried. Madam Pomfrey swept in and shooed me away, shooting me menacing looks for disturbing her patient.

As I made my way back to the dorms, my mind raced with questions. Who was the father of Audrey's child? Would finding the answer to that question bring me closer to the truth of what happened to Audrey that caused such a drastic change in her behavior? Would it explain what happened to our friendship? Would it change a thing?

I remembered Audrey accusing me of not writing to her during the holidays. What happened to those letters? Lost via owl? Or kept away from me? And if the latter, why? I knew of only one person who could answer my questions.

• • • • • • •

I found neither Lucius nor Rabastan in any of their usual haunts. The first year Severus squinted at me when I asked him, as though calculating some unknowable equation, but then shrugged and told me he had no knowledge of Lucius' whereabouts. I supposed it to be a lie, but let it go. He wouldn't tell me, even if I made some attempt at coercion—he was Lucius' through and through.

It wasn't until hours after the clock in the common room rang the curfew did Lucius and his set burst in, bright-eyed and laughing. Excitement and energy radiated from them so tangibly, I could feel it pulsing through the room. Something big had happened. I could easily spot Lucius amongst the throng; his usually pale face was flushed with exertion; his features animated more than I've ever seen them.

His eyes met mine from across the room, and I felt my heart leap rebelliously to my throat. Forcefully, I composed my features, angry at myself for being so unguarded. Lucius, sensing something amiss, became serious. Untangling himself from the crowd that surrounded him, Lucius began weaving his way toward me, only to be stopped by Severus. The first year whispered something in his ear, and I saw Lucius' face harden.

Suddenly, my desire to see him vanished. I know why Audrey couldn't tell me who the father of her child was—why I didn't receive any of her letters. Could Lucius be…? My whole being revolted against the idea. Quickly, I stood and made my way to the stairs, descending to the dormitory. I didn't have the strength to face Lucius tonight.

The room I shared with the other sixth year girls was dark and empty. While I changed into my nightgown I carefully avoided looking at Audrey's bed, its linens stripped bare. The only indication of something horrible happening there was the slight lemony smell of the house elves' cleansing magic.

"Did you think you could escape me by simply going to sleep?" Lucius said from the darkness of the doorway.

I let out a shaky breath. "No… but I thought perhaps you would take the hint and not bother me."

He moved into the room, his presence filling up the small space. "I don't know. You looked quite ready to be bothered when I first arrived." He tugged one of the laces of my nightgown.

"Stop it." I stepped away from him, suddenly conscious of how close he was to me.

"In honesty, I was hoping you'd be more receptive to your intended. Tonight is a night for celebration."

"Celebration now that Audrey has miscarried your illegitimate child?" I silently cursed myself. It was not the most tactful way of broaching the subject, but the words slipped out before I could think to withhold them.

His gray eyes narrowed at me.

"What?" I goaded. "No denial? No defense?"

Lucius smirked humorlessly. "To what gain? It appears that you have already chosen to believe what you will."

"I don't know what to believe, Lucius!" I nearly screamed, throwing up my hands in frustration. "My best friend almost died today. Her child died. She is too scared or traumatized to tell me who the father is. And you have tried to keep us apart from the beginning. You hated the fact that we were friends. You kept her from seeing me at Christmas. You kept her letters from me. Why? Did they contain the truth? Something you wanted to hide from me?"

"Yes, they did! I am only trying to protect you, Narcissa."

"From what I can see, you are only trying to protect yourself," I sneered.

"I know things you don't. Unpleasant things not fit for you to hear. If I choose to keep you protected from such things, can you not be obedient and leave the matter be?"

"I am in all ways obedient to you!" I spat. "To the word. To the letter. I have no choice in the matter. You have dominion over my entire life!—can you not then give me the tiniest courtesy of knowledge?"

"You will not like what you hear." He sounded resigned now, and I knew that I had won.

I straightened, holding my head high. "It won't matter if it's the truth."

Lucius ran an elegant hand over his face, betraying his weariness. For a moment I wondered where he had been that night.

"The Burkes are traders," he began. "Common stock, despite their magical blood. Not canny businessmen, but what they lack in acumen they make up for in ruthlessness. Caractacus Burke, the worst of all."

"Audrey's grandfather?"

"Yes. He runs a shop in Knockturn Alley, and lately they've fallen on hard times. The man… sold his granddaughter's services to pay his business debts."

White hot raged slowly filled me. I could feel my hands, my body, shaking with it. "Audrey… was raped?"

Lucius nodded. "Her grandfather lured her to the shop on the pretense of her helping during the holidays. It was a trap."

"Who?"

"Ah, love, you don't need to know."

"Who raped Audrey?"

He sighed. "Your future brother."

My body reeled with that pronouncement.

Rodolphus Lestrange raped Audrey.

The words raced through my mind over and over. Rodolphus Lestrange raped Audrey. Rodolphus Lestrange raped Audrey. It became a mantra, a spell that only fed my anger.

"And the letters Audrey sent me?" I asked as an afterthought.

"I destroyed them."

"Why?" I asked in disbelief. "I could have helped her—protected her!"

Lucius shrugged artlessly. "I did not want your name to be associated with a whore's."

I slapped him—hard.

His body tensed as he took the slap soundlessly. The muscle in his jaw jumped in constrained anger. "Once," he said quietly. "This once I will excuse your actions because of your love for Audrey. But this is the last time you raise your hand against me without consequences, Narcissa."

"You're a monster," I said without heat, turning away from him.

"Be that as it may, I am still your master."

Not for the first or the last time, Lucius left me to cry. For my best friend, for her dead child, for myself.

• • • • • • •

MAGICAL PRANK KILLS MUGGLE; SEVERAL INJURED

Ministry authorities have confirmed earlier this morning that 39-year-old Muggle Daniel Grint of Number 22 Whitburn Road, Lewisham, died late yesterday evening after being assaulted by a roving band of deviants. This incident was witnessed by Carla von Bergen, 52, a squib neighbor of Grint, who claims that the man's death was caused by magic.

"I saw a flash of green light and explosions," von Bergen reported; "and then laughing. It sounded like a group of teenagers."

Unfortunately, von Bergen was unable to provide an accurate description of the group, since they were all wearing masks. Authorities have cited that the area had seen a noticeable rise in gang violence over the years, but never had any Muggles been injured. Muggle authorities are concluding that Grint died of a heart malady. The Ministry assures this reporter, however, that those responsible for this crime will be found and appropriate punishments dealt…

I allowed the paper to fall from my hands. "They… they couldn't have…" I whispered in disbelief. The great hall around me buzzed as students speculated about the incident, which was reported on the front page of the Daily Prophet. Lucius, Rabastan, nor anyone else from their group were at breakfast that morning—absences not going without notice.

The girls seated around me gossiped mindlessly about other things, and I wished that Audrey were here to talk through this situation with me. I could almost hear her reasoning in my head.

"You don't find it suspicious that this 'accident' happened the night Lucius and his set were missing for the night?"

But it was in London! They were on the train with us—it would have taken them hours—

"They're all of age, aren't they? They could have easily apparated there and back. They all know how."

Yes, but to kill a man? To actually use Avada Ked—no, I couldn't even finish the thought. It was a coincidence, surely.

A very, big coincidence.