Chapter 11: Clash of the Malfoys Take One
Lucius was fuming as he paced across the room like a caged tiger. He wanted to rip the heart out of the sorry of a bitch who dared to strip him of what was his. Narcissa looked at her enraged husband and rolled her eyes. He was acting like a baby and she couldn't stand it. She was damning her parents, although they were already dead, to the deepest pits of hell for arranging her with him. Abraxas had been away on business when the arrangement was made. It had been his father, Augustus Malfoy, Lucius' grandfather who approved of the match. To this day, she damned the man. She loved Draco and made sure he dodged the arranged marriage bullet. When Lucius was about to pace again, Narcissa sighed in annoyance and looked up from her tea.
"Lucius do you mind? All this pacing and raving is giving me a bloody headache." Lucius turned and glared at her.
"If it had not crossed your mind my dear, let me refresh your memory: we're now poor! And I'm pissed to high hell. So excuse me if I pace around rather than destroy all that I see."
"You're acting like a spoiled brat Lucius, this isn't like you. Why don't you calm down and think about this? Who would do this and why?"
"Oh leave me be you wretch." He snarled. Narcissa calmly put her tea down and left, gathering her cloak as she made her way to the door. This snapped Lucius into action. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"
"Well, you told me to leave you, so that's what I'm doing. To give you time to cool your heels and compose yourself." She closed the door and walked to the park, sitting on a swing. She hated her situation. She missed Draco and now, because of Lucius' actions, she would never see him again for a long time. She could no longer reside in the Wizarding World. But, what if she divorced Lucius? Would she then regain her freedom and be able to return home? She would be a Black again but she would have to answer to the new Lord Black, Harry James Potter. Oh, she didn't dislike Harry as her husband had. In fact, she held him in high respect, especially after he saved her son. Harry was alright in her book. With her mind made up, she returned to the house, walked passed Lucius and into her room, making a bee line for the desk. She grabbed a parchment, quill and ink and sat down.
Dear Lord Black,
I am writing to you to ask for your assistance in this matter. I hold no malice towards you and I am forever grateful for how you saved my son. I wish to be free of my husband for he's becoming a raving madman. I wish to be home and able to see my son. I promise that this is not a trick. I truly wish to be free and although I know I can not return to Malfoy Manor, I hope you could allow me a room at The Black Ancestral home. I await your response and I thank you in advance.
Sincerely and Respectfully,
Narcissa Malfoy née Black
Before Lucius became suspicious, she sealed the letter and sent it with a different owl, one that Lucius knew nothing of, and prayed for the letter to reach the young Lord soon.
(Meanwhile back at Hogwarts)
Draco and Harry were discussing Qudditch over a game of chess while Abraxas listened bemused while reading a Potions text. With all that the boys went through, the elder had to remind himself that Draco and Harry were still young. Of course, Abraxas wasn't that old by Wizards standards but to the boys, he was an old fart. He was about to speak when a strange owl tapped his window with its beak. Abraxas marked his place and opened the window. The owl immediately made a bee line for Harry and held out its leg. Harry took the letter, gave the owl treats and water and allowed it to rest while he read. Both Malfoy men looked and waited.
"Draco, it's from your mother." Harry said. "She said she wants to be free of your father because he's losing it." Abraxas raised an eyebrow on that one. That didn't sound like his son at all. But then again, with all he heard about his son's exploits, he couldn't put it passed him. Draco looked over the letter Harry handed to him then handed it to Abraxas.
"Grandfather, she's not lying. Is there a way to free her?"
"If she really wants the divorce, perhaps." Abraxas said, reading the letter. "She will have to be judged by me. I've always been gifted in telling when someone was lying."
"It's true, Grandfather's a living, breathing lie detector."
"Since she can't come into the Wizarding World, we will have to go see her." Harry said as he looked up from the block tower he was building for Teddy. "But Abraxas...I mean Professor Malfoy will need to wear my invisibility cloak."
"Harry that's brilliant!"
"Very Slytherin I must say."
"I should've gone there in the first place, but circumstances were different then."
"Wait, you were supposed to be in Slytherin?!" Draco asked. "Then how did you end up...?"
"Oh that's easy, I asked the Sorting Hat to put me in another House."
"You asked it? I thought once it said a House that was it." Draco said. Abraxas was silent. He savored a secret pleasure from Harry saying his name, although it was an accidental slip of the tongue. He didn't mind it in the least. In fact, his dragon side was crooning in pleasure (I can't say purr because let's face it, dragons do not purr). Draco waved a hand in front of the elder's face and smirked.
"Grandfather, we asked when should we go see Mother?"
"Oh, sorry my little dragon, I was um, planning it out." Abraxas said quickly. Harry and Draco looked at each other then blinked. Abraxas hid a blush. He had been spacing out. I haven't done that since my school days... "Harry, as you are the reining Lord Black, you can assist Narcissa in this matter. Once she divorces my son, she will need protection. Will you give her sanctuary?"
"There's no need to ask me that, of course I will." Harry said. "But like you stated before Professor, we have to be certain she is telling the truth. I mean, Mr. Malfoy could have her under the Impervious." Abraxas and Draco shared a look. Harry could be right and both knowing Lucius, they didn't put it passed him.
"Then this is how it must proceed," Abraxas began firmly. "Harry, you respond to Narcissa's letter, agree to meet in a private room in the Leaky Cauldron. Draconis and I will be here, under your invisibility cloak and heavy silencing charms..."
"We get to ease drop?" Draco asked, a little too happily. Abraxas and Harry sighed. They put their heads together, agreeing that Teddy remain in Hogwarts, with the Headmistress to watch over him. According to plan, Abraxas and Draco left before Harry to secure a room for the meeting and informed Harry an hour before the meeting just which one. Harry was a bundle of nerves but like everything else, since he was eleven, he had to hide it. If this was a trick and Lucius was pulling the strings, they had to be ready. Promptly, Narcissa walked in and took a seat, across from Harry.
"Mr. Potter, or should I address you as Lord Black?"
"Either one is fine Ms. Malfoy. How can I help you?"
"As I stated in my letter, I wish to be free of my husband. He is going insane and to be honest, he frightens me."
"If that is the case, why didn't you go to the Aurors?"
"Do you honestly believe they could help me?" Narcissa asked. "Or, believe me for that matter?"
"That may be but..." Harry was about to continue his thought when his emerald eyes widened. Abraxas and Draco looked to where Harry was looking and both bit back a curse. There in the doorway, with a maddened gleam in his eyes; was Lucius Malfoy.
"So," He began with an icy voice as he looked at Harry, "it was YOU who took everything from me. To hell with wands Potter, I'm going to rip you to shreds!" Harry and Narcissa panicked a bit as Lucius charged at them like a crazed bull but he didn't get far. As he approached the middle of the room, Lucius crashed to the floor on his back, winded and pinned down somehow. Harry breathed a sigh of relief but gulped soon after as Abraxas blew his and Draco's cover by throwing the Invisibility Cloak off and glaring down at his son. Harry pieced together of what happened. Abraxas had clotheslined Lucius and pinned him down. He noticed that Abraxas had a boot on Lucius' chest and wasn't letting him up for shit. Lucius' eyes widened in disbelief and surprisingly, fear.
"Father...it was...you?" With that, Lucius passed out.
Ok it's a bit short but more is coming up. So stay tuned.