Disclaimer: What? I still don't own Harry Potter? *sigh* All rights go to respective owners.
Prompt (Scavenger Hunt — The Golden Snitch):A pairing I absolutely love is sadly deemed cold—colder than icicles—to most people. Pshhhh the love between them will never end, though. Wouldn't it be great if more stories about them were written?
Prompt (Year-Long Scavenger Hunt — Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges): (character) Narcissa Malfoy
(Word count, not including title and author's notes: 600)
A/N — This is the last story of the Scavenger Hunt at The Golden Snitch. It's been so much fun and I couldn't have done it with out my teammate, Lexi (Book of Hope). Why not go check out some of her stories? They're pretty awesome!
The Dark Lord's Prophecy
Narcissa was worried.
Perhaps it was due to her Black family upbringing, or by simply being near her husband's … friends for so many years, but she knew a plan had been put into motion.
And, since no one had bothered to tell her anything about it, there was a thick tension in the air.
Nothing about the day had felt right. Lucius had not been the same since they had seen Draco off for his fifth year at Hogwarts that morning. Lucius, of course, had put on a good front, but she had easily seen through it; she always did.
She had tried, unsuccessfully, to gain his attention upon returning to Malfoy Manor. Without a word, Lucius had gone straight into his study — where he had locked himself in for the remainder of the day.
And now the hour was late and he had yet to acknowledge her.
Tired of waiting for him to come to her, Narcissa made her way down the darkened hall to his study. Glaring at the door before her, she unlocked it with a tap of her wand and a few whispered counter-charms. Softly, she pushed the door open an inch.
"Lucius?" she murmured.
Hearing the lone sound of a scratching quill, she frowned to herself. He customarily did not like it when others interrupted his work. Growing more concerned, Narcissa fully opened the door and regally stepped into the room.
The study, typically pristine and well-organized, was currently in a state of disarray. Papers and books were haphazardly strewn across the desk. Her husband was hunched over a book, one written in Ancient Runes, she noted, and was agitatedly tapping a quill against a scrap of parchment.
"Lucius—"
"The Dark Lord has given me a task, Narcissa," he interrupted. "I cannot speak of it."
"You cannot or choose not, Lucius," she questioned, a sharp tone in her voice. She may appear more even-tempered than her sister, Bellatrix, but she also had inherited the infamous Black temper, which was now rapidly bubbling to the surface.
Lucius sighed and set his quill down. "Narcissa," he said slowly, "you know that I cannot—"
"Do not patronize me, Lucius," Narcissa spat. "I know you. And I know the things you do for the Dark Lord. Whatever this is, it is clearly bothering you."
As she spoke, Narcissa made her way across the room and picked up the book Lucius had been fervently reading. She casually picked it out of his loose grip.
"What, my dear husband, are you unable to solve without my help?" she whispered, reading the page Lucius had been studying. He remained quiet as she read and watched as she grew more and more horrified.
"But this is—!" she exclaimed.
"Yes," Lucius nodded. "The Dark Lord wishes for me to figure out a way to undo Fate."
"The magic here is very Dark," she stated. Narcissa knew her family history and practiced Dark magic herself. But this was something that even she felt violated reading.
"I know," Lucius said, as he stood up. He pulled her into a tight hug. "I have convinced the Dark Lord that I must first retrieve the Prophecy, before anything else can be done."
"But—"
"He threatened to use Draco the next time he needed something done. We both know Draco would fail — he is not meant for this," Lucius spoke without regret. "I will protect my family."
Narcissa reached up and gently cupped Lucius' face in her hands.
"You foolish, man," she murmured. "We will protect our family.
What must I do to help?"
