A/N: I'm finally on break from college for a month, so I'm hoping to get quite a bit of updating done in the near future. Thank you for continuing to read, and if you have the time, please let me know what you think of the direction the story's taking. (It would help me quite a bit with my plotting and would also make my Christmas!)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Narcissa kept her focus primarily on the food in front of her at breakfast the morning after the 'incident' with the Amortentia. She had no idea how many of her classmates had heard about what had transpired, but if the fragments she'd been able to piece together with the stories her friends had told her were to be believed, she'd been seen by a fair number of people in the corridor while acting quite a bit more… aggressively than normal, and Alecto Carrow had certainly blabbed to whoever would listen in an attempt to divert the ridicule to Narcissa instead of herself. Narcissa had yet to report Alecto or Thorfinn for slipping her the potion, but she had not ruled out the possibility. She knew they deserved much worse than being reported, but she planned to wait until she'd at least put her thoughts into relative order before making a move.

She chanced a glance down the table to find that, thankfully, neither Thorfinn nor Alecto was in sight. Lenore, however, had not left Narcissa's side since the previous evening. Narcissa had kept her word and attempted to find Lucius after she'd had a little time to clear her head, but she'd been unable to locate him. From what she'd gathered, he'd been involved in a confrontation, and though she was certain she knew with whom and why, she was trying hard to pretend she didn't, if only for the sake of her own sanity. She couldn't stand the thought of causing trouble for him, and she'd temporarily managed to push her guilt to a far enough corner of her mind to allow her to eat, though she wasn't certain how long she could keep it there. She finished her toast and took a long drink of water, trying to avoid commenting on the fact that she could feel Lenore watching her.

I'm not going to spiral out of control, you know, she wanted to say. She knew, though, that Lenore was only hovering because she was concerned and because Lucius had requested it.

A blur of feathers zipped by overhead, and a red rectangle dropped to the table before Narcissa's plate. She froze.

"Is that… well, who would that be from?" asked Lenore. Narcissa glanced to her friend to find her frowning, and then she returned her focus to what lay on the table, which could be only one thing.

I didn't think they'd go so far as to send me a Howler, but I don't know why I'm surprised. She recognized the handwriting in which her name was printed as her mother's, and whatever she had done to earn the displeasure of Druella's attention, Narcissa knew it wasn't wise to open the envelope in the Great Hall.

"Mother," she said flatly.

She stood, pausing to stretch her legs, which suddenly felt as though they might've been made of lead, before starting for the door. As she'd expected, Lenore followed, and the two made their way to the dungeons in silence. When they'd reached their dormitory—empty, thankfully, apart from the two of them—Narcissa turned to Lenore, fighting to keep the panic from her voice and her expression.

"Can you give me a little time, Lenny? Please? This is something I need to deal with alone."

"You don't have to," Lenore insisted, glancing at the red envelope that was becoming uncomfortably warm in Narcissa's hand. "She'll never know if you let someone else hear it."

"Please."

Lenore held Narcissa's gaze for a long moment, and then she let out a sigh and took a step backward. "If that's what you want." Shaking her head, she turned and grabbed a book from her desk before striding out into the corridor and closing the door behind her.

Narcissa sat down at the edge of her bed and scooted backward. She opened the envelope, her heart pounding obnoxiously and her movements careful and measured as she worked to keep her anxiety at bay. All at once, the envelope flew from her hands and into the air in front of her.

"Narcissa Elladora Black!"

Narcissa felt her face begin to drain of color, and she sank back into her pillows, withdrawing from the shrill yet booming voice of her mother as it burst from the red envelope hovering over the floor before her.

"How dare you besmirch our family's dignity in such a way? You cannot begin to imagine how horrified I was to receive a letter concerning your behavior at school, the likes of which I have never—you—how dare you reveal yourself in a public area with the intention of seducing that boyfriend of yours? If you continue to behave in a manner unworthy of the Black name, we will no longer allow you to bear that name. Do not test us, Narcissa. Your father and I would greatly prefer not to lose a second daughter because our youngest cannot refrain from parading around a public institution like Hogwarts like a common harlot! If that behavior is what's managed to secure you a potential second chance at a decent match, then fine—continue soiling our name and your reputation. But be discreet enough that word doesn't reach me from an anonymous owl stressing 'concern for our family's well-being due to the obscene behavior' of our child, the Prefect! I cannot begin to express how disappointed I am in you, and I will not stand for another of my children disgracing our name. Mind yourself."

The letter combusted, its red stationary consumed in moments by flames that faded as the parchment was reduced to ash, which fell into a small, neat pile on the rug beside her bed. Narcissa stared at the little pile, the realization setting in slowly that she was trembling from head to foot as her mother's voice echoed in that horrid shout through her mind.

She didn't even need to bother signing it, she thought bitterly. Even if Narcissa had not been addressed personally within the letter, she would've been unable to mistake Druella's voice and, more specifically, the tone the elder woman used when attempting to bully her way into receiving what she wanted. Though Narcissa was able to recognize it, she'd never been able to avoid or resist bending to this tone—if she wanted to remain a part of the Black family, it was necessary to concede to Druella and to Cygnus no matter how unreasonable their requests became, and though Narcissa hated how much of her agency had been stripped away over her short life by the very people who were supposed to encourage her personal growth, she had no idea how to regain that agency without making her life more miserable than it already was each time she found herself at the mercy of her parents.

With a sigh, she rested her elbows on her knees and dropped her head into her hands, ordering herself to breathe deeply and regain control of herself before anyone could return to the dormitory. She hadn't seen Rosalyn or Johanna yet this morning; she assumed they'd gone to breakfast early and were occupying themselves somewhere else, but she had no idea how long that would last. Lenore, on the other hand, would probably not stay away for longer than a few more minutes. She'd clearly been concerned when she'd realized who had sent the Howler, and Narcissa knew that Lenore was still under orders from Lucius to try to lift her spirits.

Narcissa despised being the one her friends—and now her boyfriend—pitied. Despite her difficulties with her family, she was still a Black at heart, and her pride did not allow her to accept the pity of others well. She could normally manage her problems well enough to prevent her friends from suspecting that something was amiss until the issue had either passed or become unbearable, but recently, it seemed that every facet of her life had elected to spiral out of control at once, and she found her tolerance for further setbacks diminishing by the day.

Her eyes stung, but she closed them tightly and refused to allow the tears to form completely.

It doesn't matter what Mother thinks. I know the truth. I know none of what I did was of my own will, and no one whose opinions I care about thinks any differently. I only have to endure them until I graduate, and then… no. She opened her eyes and lay down slowly, resting her head against her pillows as she stared at the wall behind Lenore's bed without seeing it. I'm stuck with them, Narcissa thought, until I'm married and out of their house. Her thoughts drifted to Lucius—they both knew, now, that they were destined for one another. But what were the benefits of finding this out at such a young age, truly, and did they outweigh the setbacks? Neither of them would have to worry about being alone or unloved, that much was clear. But one of life's great mysteries had now been solved, and while the two were certainly meant to remain together, would Lucius want to rush into any form of commitment when he knew that, because of this ancient magical connection, there was nothing to make rushing necessary apart from the possible easing of Narcissa's mind?

"You're doing it again," she muttered bitterly to herself, closing her eyes once again. "Letting them get to you."

She knew this line of thought wouldn't have crossed her mind at all, were it not for the intervention of her parents. After speaking with or spending extended periods of time with Cygnus or Druella, Narcissa frequently began to question her self-worth. If the two people who were supposed to value her the most treated her as little more than an object or the means of securing an alliance with another well-off family, she often asked herself, was that really all the value she possessed? But Hogwarts had always been her refuge. Here, she was surrounded by a fair number of idiots, but she was also an integral part of a group of Slytherins who, while initially introduced by their connected families, had formed and fostered friendships based on mutual respect, common interests, and admiration. She was wanted, here, and this had never been clearer than it had become since the development of her relationship with Lucius. She was agitated with herself for doubting even for a moment that he would be willing to commit to her—she knew, deep within her soul, that he loved her and wanted her beside him as much as she wanted to be there.

I have to stop pushing him away. I think I'm the one who's been afraid to let this become everything it can, and it's not him I fear. It would never be. I just… hope that I'm enough.

She wasn't certain at what point she fell asleep while she lay there, but after what felt like only seconds, she awoke to the touch of a hand against her cheek. She tensed on instinct and then began to relax as she realized where she was and who had awoken her.

"Lucius?" Narcissa sat up, blinking away the last vestiges of sleep and watching him with wide eyes. He stood beside her bed, one of his hands behind his back. "What's going on?"

"Lenore let me in."

Narcissa frowned, but Lucius continued before she could comment.

"Try not to be angry with her," he said.

"I guess it depends on what she told you."

"We can talk about that in a little while. Come on. It's too nice out to waste today in the castle." He held out his hand, and she took it, climbing off the bed and to her feet.

"Where are we going?" she asked, starting to smile.

"To find some fresh air."