Narcissa Malfoy (née Black) was not a stupid woman. She did not have a Dark Mark on her arm, unlike her simpering sister and her principled husband. Nor did she want to have a Dark Mark on her arm. Narcissa Malfoy played things closer to the chest than that. The number one priority in Narcissa's life was her son, Draco. Number two was her family: Lucius and the extended Black family. But Draco always came first. Every decision Narcissa made was with Draco in mind.
She sat drinking tea with the werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, smiling like a love-struck fool. Narcissa Malfoy was not a love-struck fool. She was nobility, according to wizarding standards. She was raised on political intrigue, and she knew how to play within those rules and constructs.
Narcissa always got what she wanted.
She smiled demurely at Greyback, noting that he was dressed decently and no longer stinking. Her son's influence, she was told. She was proud that her son was able to have influence over his Alpha to such a degree. It spoke to the way Draco was raised. Narcissa wouldn't need her furniture cleaned after this visit, like she had after the wolf's first visit to her solar. She batted her eyelashes and looked up through them, like a schoolgirl on a date with her intended. Narcissa Malfoy played the game.
"Fenrir, darling, I am so happy you have been there for dear Draco. He needs a strong, male influence in his life," she cooed. She knew werewolves typically weren't the fastest brooms in the shed, but the way Greyback was lapping this up surprised even her. How had he become Alpha if he was so easy to fool?
As a woman in pureblood society, she only had so many tools in her arsenal to use, and her beauty and mild flirtations were some of them. She wielded those tools the way a warrior witch would have wielded her wand: with power, finesse, and ruthlessness.
She could see Greyback puff up at her compliment, and she fought the urge to roll her eyes. A well-heeled witch never rolled her eyes. All men, even werewolves, were typical.
"He will be my Beta, Narcissa. I would do anything for my pack, and more for my Beta," Fenrir boasted, as he clumsily patted her hand.
I'll need a bath after this, Narcissa thought, as she forced herself to conceal the shudder of revulsion that rolled through her.
When Greyback stood to leave, Narcissa stood with him and followed him to the door.
"Do come back and see me soon, Fenrir. It does get lonely up here with just my sister for company and Draco away at school," Narcissa pouted up at the hulking man and lightly laid her hand upon his forearm.
"The pup will be home soon, Narcissa. Full moon is just a week away," Greyback leered down at her. Narcissa smiled up at him in response.
"Of course, I'll be fetching him in a few days. It will be so good to see him again," Narcissa said.
Greyback grasped her hand and gave it a lingering kiss, gently pressing his tongue on her skin. As he lumbered out of the room, Narcissa pulled her wand and cast a strong Scourgify at her hand.
Werewolf saliva, she grimaced to herself. She called for an elf to take away the tea and decided she could do with a bath after all.
When Lucius arrived at Malfoy Manor after his incarceration at Azkaban, he was dressed in the rags he had been given in prison. Narcissa was not allowed to go to the Ministry to collect him, so her dear sister Bella had that honor.
Bella pranced through the door, tugging on the sleeve of Lucius' tattered grey prison robes. Lucius staggered in behind her, looming in the doorway - he was a large man, despite the time he had spent in prison. His long, blonde hair was no longer sleek and shiny, but a ratted mess at the back of his head. Every centimeter of skin that Narcissa could see looked filthy, and he had open sores oozing on his knees and elbows.
"Narcissa," Bella called out in a sing-song voice. "I've brought your husband home to you!"
Narcissa had been standing the foyer, dressed in her customary black robes, hands clasped in front of her as she awaited the return of her husband. Sadly, it wasn't her husband who was returned to her. The man that she saw in front of her was not the Lucius Malfoy she had fallen in love with. This was a shell, an empty shell of a wizard.
Stepping forward, she greeted her husband, "Lucius, it is good to have you home. Let's go and get you cleaned up."
She held out a hand to him, intending to lead them up to their shared suite. He stared at her hand a moment, before reaching out to grasp it - his hand was ice cold in hers. He seemed to look through her and Narcissa felt sure her original thought was correct. This man was not her husband.
Narcissa led him up the sweeping staircase and to the east wing where the family lived. She didn't say a word to him until they were behind the closed doors of their suite, with all of the appropriate wards, locking, and silencing charms in place.
She called for an elf and had a bath drawn for Lucius. She banished the rags he was wearing and helped him into the tub. Lucius didn't move or attempt to wash himself. He just sat there and didn't say a word.
Narcissa sighed heavily and knelt down to wash him. She grabbed the flannel and rubbed it with the soap bar - it was the sandalwood scent he had always favored. She slowly, softly began scrubbing him, reaching every part of his body. Careful around his oozing wounds, but cleaning them thoroughly.
Finally, she washed his matted hair. It took her a long time to work through all of the knots and mats, but she was finally able to comb her fingers through his mane without snagging them. It still looked sickly and frayed when she was done, but at least it was clean. She felt him sigh when she was finished. She vanished the dirty bath water and refilled the tub with clean hot water, intending to let him soak. As he soaked, she rubbed his shoulders, neck, and scalp. He slowly, so slowly, began to relax to her ministrations.
"Cissy," he rasped out. His voice was hoarse with disuse. The word caused him to break into a hacking coughing fit, Narcissa slowly rubbed his back until he was still again. Her heart broke at the sound of his voice. The thought that her once proud husband had been reduced to this was heart wrenching.
"Yes, I am here Lucius," Narcissa replied calmly. She was working her way down his arms and pulling on his fingers. His hands began to feel warm at last. When she looked up in his eyes, she could see that he was back. The fire he had always had was there, perhaps dimmer than it had been in the past, but it was there. For the moment, her husband was back. She could only hope that it would last.
"Lucius," she murmured to him.
"I'm here, Cissy. I'm here," he responded, his voice somewhat stronger this time. He lifted a hand and cupped her cheek. She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes. She wanted to fall into his arms a blubbering mess, but pure-blood witches did not fall apart like that, not even with their husbands. Especially not to their husbands that they weren't sure they could trust. His mind might be back now, but this was still not the same Lucius she had gotten used to in all the years that the Dark Lord was gone. Even before Azkaban, her Lucius had changed. He became harder, colder. He was not someone she recognized.
"Draco, is he-?" Lucius didn't seem to be able to ask the question.
"He is fine, Lucius. He is up at Hogwarts as we speak," Narcissa reassured him. He visibly slumped at the news.
"The Dark Lord is merciful," Lucius muttered. Narcissa just nodded. She stood and grabbed a towel that had been lying on the vanity. She vanished the water from the tub, and began to dry her husband. When he was dry, she helped him step out of the tub and into pyjamas and a dressing robe. Then she helped him into their marital bed.
Once he was settled, she called for broth and water from a house elf, feeding Lucius herself when it arrived.
Narcissa tended Lucius for four days, while he convalesced in their bed. Nobody came to see them, and Narcissa did not leave their suite. Even when Lucius was napping during the day, Narcissa only went as far as the sitting room that fronted their bedroom suite. She did not tell Lucius anything that had happened to Draco over the summer. He wasn't going to hear that news from her. If she could, she'd keep it from him entirely.
Narcissa arrived at Hogwarts on a blustery fall day. The wind whipped her cloak around her and rain spattered on her boots. At her touch, the gates opened and she made her way to the entrance of the castle. She was glad she had written ahead and the Headmaster knew to expect her. Severus was waiting for her when she arrived at the Entrance Hall. He extended his arm to her and led her to the Headmasters office. They didn't speak.
Draco was waiting for her in the Headmaster's office, and she offered him a sincere smile - it was good to see him.
"Mother," Draco greeted her, he took her hand from Severus' arm and kissed the back of it before tucking it in his own arm. It warmed her heart to see his good manners.
"Mrs. Malfoy, would you like a lemon drop?" The headmaster offered, without any twinkle in his eyes.
"Thank you, but no, we must be on our way Headmaster. Thank you again for releasing Draco from school this week. His father has just arrived home and yearns to see his son," Narcissa responded regally, looking down her nose at the Headmaster.
"Of course, Mrs. Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy, you can lead your mother to the gates?" Headmaster Dumbledore gestured to the staircase leading down.
"Of course, Headmaster," Draco replied offering a nod to both the Headmaster and Severus before leading Narcissa down the staircase and out of the castle.
They didn't say a word as they exited the castle. Upon reaching the gates, Narcissa looked up at her son. He had grown again, he might even be taller than Lucius. She smiled at him and pulled out her wand, Apparating them both to the front foyer of Malfoy Manor.
"Welcome home, Draco," Narcissa whispered as she hugged her son close. Upon releasing him, she saw both Bella and Lucius waiting for them.
"Father," Draco said, moving toward Lucius. Lucius looked him up and down, and then embraced him. She was right, Draco was now several centimeters taller than Lucius.
Draco nodded to Bella and then proceeded down the hall toward the dungeons and the dueling court.
Bella cackled at the family reunion and left in the direction of the drawing room, where the Dark Lord had taken up court.
"Narcissa, what happened to our son?" Lucius asked calmly. She could tell by the way he was moderating his tone that he knew something was wrong. This was not how she wanted this to happen.
"Let's go upstairs and discuss this in the privacy of our suite, husband," Narcissa replied tightly, extending her hand to him.
"I think not," Lucius told her coldly. "The Dark Lord has asked for my presence." He puffed his chest a bit, and Narcissa sighed sadly. This would be Lucius' first audience with the Dark Lord since his recovery. She could only hope that it did not result in torture.
"Of course, Lucius," she nodded and swept up the stairs to their suite.
Lucius did not make it to their bed that night. Narcissa could only hope that meant he went to his study to catch up on the various family business interests and correspondence. Not that he was lying somewhere in there house too injured to get up or worse, dead.
Narcissa sighed heavily as she rose from her bed and dressed for the day. The one bright spot she had to look forward to is her son being home for the week. She hoped that she could ease the relationship between Lucius and Draco, especially since Lucius didn't know that Draco was a werewolf, yet.
Narcissa had just finished breakfast in her solar when Lucius stormed in. He appeared freshly bathed and it didn't look like he recently suffered torture. There was no bruising or tremors the Cruciatus curse usually left.
"How could you let this happen, Narcissa?" Lucius cried. Narcissa raised an eyebrow, subtly placing the family wards on the room and adding a silencing charm.
"You'll have to explain. What have I let happen, Lucius?" Narcissa asked, gesturing for him to sit in the chair across from her.
Instead of sitting, he kicked the chair she pointed at and it toppled over. Narcissa palmed her wand. This was not the Lucius she married, this was the new Lucius. The one that didn't appear until the Dark Lord rose again.
"Bella tells me that our son is a filthy half-breed. That - that beast, Greyback bit him. HE'S A FUCKING WEREWOLF!" Lucius roared at her, spittle flying. Narcissa was glad that his wand was still out of sight.
"Lucius, do you think I had a choice?" Narcissa asked soothingly, her wand still ready in her hand. She wasn't taking any chances with this Lucius.
Lucius glared at her. He kicked a table and the vase on top wobbled before shattering on the tile floor.
"The Dark Lord demanded it of him as payment for your mistakes, Lucius. What would you have had me do? Contradict the Dark Lord?" Narcissa asked.
"Taken his place! Asked for him to be Marked! Anything but become what he is now! He can't be the heir if he's a bleeding half-breed wolf!"
"Have our only son be Marked by the Dark Lord? I would rather him be a werewolf," Narcissa told him quietly.
Lucius hissed at her in response, glaring.
"You are too old to have another heir, Narcissa," Lucius said crudely.
"Lucius Abraxas Malfoy! Draco is still your son, despite his change in circumstances. He is your heir," Narcissa was livid at his implication that they would need to have another child now that Draco was a werewolf. Yes, it was a setback, but it wasn't the end of the world. It would be a small, hidden detail in the history of their family.
Lucius sneered at her, "Clearly I need to find someone else to bear me a new heir!"
That's when Narcissa lost her temper. She hexed him. She had only hexed Lucius a handful of times the entire time they had been married, but he deserved it at this moment.
Lucius dodged Narcissa's stinging hex and disarmed her silently, catching her wand as it went sailing by his head.
"I don't think so, Narcissa," Lucius laughed coldly at her as he towered over her chair.
He backhanded her then, his signet ring digging into her cheek as her head was knocked against the back of the chair at the force of the slap. He grasped her chin and forced her to look him deep in the eyes. The husband she had married and loved was nowhere to be seen. This was the new man, the one who only appeared after the Dark Lord came back. This was the monster. She could feel the blood from the cut his ring had made trickle down the side of her cheek.
She wrenched her chin away from his hand.
"Lucius, there was nothing I could have done! I wasn't informed what would be happening until Bella told me the day before the full moon. Even Draco wouldn't tell me!" Narcissa pleaded with him. She wasn't backing down, not yet, she held herself stiff and erect. She pushed aside any thoughts of her Lucius. He was gone, and now the only thing she could do was protect Draco.
"You could have stopped them! That was my son you relegated to a half-breed!" Lucius was shouting again, leaning over her, she could feel his breath ruffling her hair. She stared straight ahead, not meeting his gaze. It was as if she was suddenly a young girl again and Lucius had morphed into her father. She was raised by a man like this, and she knew how to get out of an argument without any more injury.
"I'm sorry, Lucius. I failed," Narcissa said quietly.
"That's right, you failed. And now there isn't a Malfoy heir!" He roared at her, grasping her by the shoulders and leaning in toward her. He was so close that his mouth was almost touching her ear, and she could feel his hot, angry breath against her neck. Narcissa kept herself from flinching, but it was a near thing.
Suddenly Lucius hissed in pain, released her, and clutched his left forearm. He was being called away to his master. Narcissa allowed herself a tiny breath of relief.
"This isn't over," he hissed at her as he swept out the door, slamming it closed.
Narcissa sat a moment longer before she started shaking, and at once broke down into tears. How could she go on without the warm, caring man she had married? The man she had raised her son with? Lucius had always been proud, he lived by the same rules Narcissa did. The refined pure-blood face in public, but they raised their son with love and laughter.
The man that just left this room was not that man. She would not get her husband back. Lucius had turned into a man just like her father. She would not allow him to hurt her son, and she would not allow him to hurt her family. If there was one thing that Narcissa believed in, it was protecting her family. Family mattered.
Narcissa invited Greyback to her solar later that afternoon. She didn't want to have to resort to this, but Draco came first.
"Fenrir, I'm so glad you were able to join me for tea again," her smile dazzled as she poured his tea and added the three lumps of sugar he liked.
"Of course, Narcissa," he smirked back at her, sipping his tea.
"You know that Lucius is home?" Narcissa asked. She figured she would get this conversation over with as soon as possible. Draco needed protection.
"Yes, I am part of the Inner Circle these days, I have seen your husband finally take his place at the Dark Lord's side," Greyback told her smugly.
Narcissa offered a weak smile, "Of course, you have. He is unhappy with Draco's circumstances-"
Greyback hissed and glared, but Narcissa patted his arm.
"I'm not unhappy at all, Fenrir, I think it's all rather grand. A werewolf, Beta to the Alpha, the Dark Lord's new army. It's all very exciting, and werewolves are so powerful" Narcissa told him. "Lucius doesn't see it that way, and now that he's home from Azkaban, I'm worried he will take it out on Draco." Narcissa lowered her eyes to her lap, trying to conceal her tears. They were genuine tears of fear. She had found in the past that being able to cry in earnest - and on command - was a useful skill to have.
Greyback grasped her chin to have her meet his eyes. He brushed away a tear with his thumb and cradled her cheek.
"Narcissa, I promise to look after Draco. Nobody and nothing will happen to him under my watch."
She could hear in his voice that Greyback made the promise sincerely. And despite having his filthy paw still on her face, she leaned into it as if gathering comfort from his touch, and she felt the coil of tension in her release a little at his words. One more person looking out for Draco. She needed someone, and it was clear Lucius was incapable.
"Fenrir, thank you so much," she told him as she lifted her own hand to cover his. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. When she opened them, Fenrir was just inches from her face, looking hungrily at her lips. Oh no, it can't go this far, think Narcissa! She pulled away slowly and looked up at him with wide eyes.
"Oh, Fenrir, you are such a dear friend. Lucius is positively livid at the moment. I mustn't do anything to anger him further," Narcissa said, dropping her hands back to her lap, "even if I might want to," she added softly.
"Of course, Narcissa. It was inappropriate of me," Fenrir backed off.
"I'll be sure to keep an eye out for Draco, I very much want him as my Beta and I will do everything I can to make that happen," Fenrir said as he stood and headed toward the door.
"Thank you, Fenrir," Narcissa replied as he left. She waited until the door was closed before wiping her hands with a handkerchief.
One down, one to go. Narcissa stood and went to her desk in the corner of the room. She needed to compose a letter to Severus, one that would convey her worry about Draco and Lucius, but also gave nothing away. Severus was her friend, before he became Lucius' friend. She felt sure that he would work to protect Draco on her behalf.
A/N: Beta love to twztdwildcat and brownlark42! Those ladies make me a better writer! And I'm loving all of the reviews, they make my heart happy. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter! As I mentioned last time, the next few chapters are pivotal and action packed, as such, they may take a bit longer than normal to get out.