As soon as her feet hit solid ground Narcissa snatched her hand away and whirled to face her sister, blue eyes alight with fury. "What the fuck was that?"
Bellatrix' eyes widened at her anger. "Merlin, Narcissa, what was what?"
"That!" Narcissa practically hollered. They had apparated to the back gardens of the manor. The clouds from earlier had begun to disperse, allowing a golden late-afternoon sun to bring the colours of the surrounding garden to life, however none of the warmth seemed to penetrate Narcissa's skin. "That entire thing, Bellatrix! Who were all those people, and why were some of our friends there? Is this where you have been disappearing to all this time? Who and what is he, why do I have to call him 'my lord' of all things? And why could you have not given me a bloody warning, just a little one, that I was going to go meet some mysterious, judgemental, terrifying man–"
"Alright, Cissy, enough." Bellatrix raised her hands in a sort of truce, sitting down on the edge of the bubbling fountain and patting the space next to her. Reluctantly, Narcissa took a seat. "All the people there, that was a handful of his followers. He has many more, however not everyone is invited to every meeting, and out of those people only a couple of us are granted the honour of the Dark Mark and the title Death Eater."
Narcissa's eyebrows rose. "Dark Mark? Death Eater? Goodness this is dramatic. He hasn't gotten you lot cannibalistic or something, has he?"
Bellatrix laughed, shaking her head as she rolled up the sleeve of her left arm to the elbow. "No, it's more metaphorical than that. We are coming more powerful than death, under him, if you can believe it… he talks about himself becoming the master of death, as to create a new world for us to prosper in… I am getting ahead of myself. Oh, you have so much to learn! For starters, Cissy, this is the Dark Mark."
Narcissa looked down at her sister's bared and lifted forearm – the same one she had opened the door with – and there, imprinted on her sister's otherwise unblemished skin, was a dark, twisted snake winding out from the mouth of a skull. The mark appeared to have an altogether different quality than any of the tattoos Narcissa had seen on her classmates; this seemed deeper than that, the skin around the pigmentation puckered as if the image had been branded into it with hot iron.
"S-so, it's… Bella you still haven't really answered any of my questions," Narcissa stood back up and began pacing in front of her sister, glancing every so often at the darkly marred flesh. No wonder she had been wearing long-sleeved robes.
Bellatrix sighed in frustration, which was rather rich in Narcissa's opinion. "Alright. Ask me anything. Well mostly anything. He has given me permission to tell you most things."
Narcissa nodded, plunging straight in. "Okay, who is he, really? And… what is he?"
"He's a man, silly. He's the Dark Lord."
"Well alright Bella that is rather vague. Does he have a name?"
At this Bellatrix squirmed slightly, dropping her gaze from Narcissa's. "It's disrespectful to call him by his name, Cissy..." at the look on Narcissa's face she conceded before long. "Fine, come closer. His name," her voice became hushed and strained. "Is Voldemort."
Narcissa straightened up and stared, thoroughly unimpressed, at the witch before her. "You are telling me this man's mother looked at her darling baby boy and thought to herself, 'you know what, I think a suitable name would be something in French about fleeing death. Voldemort will do' –"
"Cissy I just said not to say that name! He's the Dark Lord to us, and that's final. I'm sure one day long ago he had a different name, however it isn't important is it? Not when he's so… so…" Bellatrix's face held more passion than Narcissa was sure she had ever seen it hold before, and the darker witch let her eyes fall to the mark adoringly. She basically cradled her left arm in her right one, as if the mark was an infant. Narcissa could not help her nose wrinkling in disgust.
"Alright, so he's the Dark Lord. Surely there have been plenty of 'dark lords' in the past –" Bellatrix snapped her head up and glared at her sister. "But I digress. Just what makes him so dark, then? What is this group of yours all about?"
"He is titled such because we do not shy away from the darker, most ancient strains of magic in our work. The Dark Lord has opened up an entire new world to us – he has torn down the outdated stigmas around such magic. Magic cannot be evil, you see. Labelling things as evil is simply a trend created by the weak to protect their pathetic existences. There is no good and evil, there is only power and those too weak to seek it." Bellatrix smirked, announcing the last sentence word-for-word as one recites a speech from memory.
"As for what our work is, exactly… we are the beginnings of a new world order." Bellatrix looked over her shoulder as if to make sure no one was around to listen – Narcissa vaguely wondered if it was merely done for dramatic effect. "Our families have always spoken of the muggle and mudblood filth that threatens our way of life. Always spoken but never actually taken action on the issue."
Narcissa's insides slowly clenching even tighter than they had been already. "Action?"
"Action," Bellatrix said calmly. "Our purpose, mostly, is to take care of those threats. You surely heard of the… disappearance of Genevieve Burbage? She was a mission of mine and Rod's."
The long-forgotten memory of the radio in the Slytherin commonroom was brought to the forefront of Narcissa's mind – more specifically, how the reporter had described the horrific state of the flat where the woman had lived. Her voice would not raise above a whisper. "…They've still not found her."
"No," Bellatrix murmured, eyes keenly reading Narcissa's reaction. "And they won't."
Narcissa sat back down on the fountain, the colour draining from her face and the fight from her body. She stared at the ground in front of her feet, watching an ant dutifully carry a leaf across the cobbles. There was a lengthy pause filled only with cheerful birdsong and the trickle of the fountain before she asked the last question she could think of. "Why did he ask me about Lucius?"
Bellatrix shrugged. "Probably had the thought of recruiting him in mind already, and he simply finds your relationship with him convenient."
"Recruiting…" Her eyes slid shut.
"That's the main focus right now, building our numbers."
"Was that what I was brought to him for?" She opened her eyes, finally looking back at her sister. "For recruitment?"
For the first time that day Bellatrix's brow furrowed. The passionate light flickered out of her eyes and she slowly shook her head. "I… No, I don't think so. You're so young –"
"Lucius is only a year older than me."
"Yes, but you're still in school. And it's… different with you. It's dangerous work. He was just curious about my life, you know, as friends tend to be."
Narcissa scoffed – if there was one thing a man sitting on a throne above a room full of follows suggested, it wasn't friendship. "Yeah, alright."
If Bellatrix heard the sarcasm in her sister's voice she ignored it, and the worry fled from her face as she patted Narcissa's clasped hands. "So, now you know the basics. I for one feel better that you do – I hated being so secretive with you, however I had to convince the Dark Lord that you could be trusted."
The blonde witch wasn't quite sure if she could say she was glad for knowing all this, however she only nodded. "Does mother or father know?"
"I haven't told him. I believe father has heard of the Dark Lord by now, being one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight and all. There are a small number of men his age involved, however the majority of the fun stuff is left for those of us with a little more spunk."
"Er, yes, and this… fun stuff… Bellatrix, is there any way it can be traced back to you? They're still looking for her, you know, she's a prominent figure. And as you say there are going to be more of these missions…"
"Oh Cissy," Bellatrix smiled reassuringly at her little sister, taking her chin in her long fingers. "You don't have to worry about me. I am learning so much from the Dark Lord – he gives me private lessons, you know. Says I really have something special…" her voice trailed off and she stared wistfully past Narcissa's face. She shook herself slightly to bring herself back to reality. "I'm very good, and we're careful. I won't get caught."
"And…" Narcissa searched her sister's face. "And mentally, Bella, morally… whatever you are doing, the… violence…"
Her eldest sister shook her head kindly, letting Narcissa's chin go. "But there is no need to feel badly about anything, Cissy. Just remember," Bellatrix smiled brilliantly before standing and striding jauntily off into the house, leaving Narcissa sitting rigidly still on the fountain's edge. "There is only power."
Ever since her meeting with the Dark Lord and Bellatrix's enthusiastic explanation of the cause, Narcissa felt rather like she was coasting through the days, not quite touching anything as she went. Yes, it was hot, but the heat didn't fully reach her core. Yes, it was exciting that her final school year was fast approaching, but her elation could not touch the small, nagging part of her brain that could only imagine Bellatrix in close contact with and doing the bidding of such a strange, dangerous man. Not just Bella, she reminded herself glumly. Evan and Rodolphus, and Avery, and Crabbe, and Goyle… and if their goal is recruitment there will surely be more – Narcissa rubbed her temples with her fingers.
"Do you have a headache, Narcissa?" Yvette's soft voice brought her attention back to the decadent room surrounding her. The older woman was gracefully pouring the two of them a second cup of tea, gazing at her in concern.
Narcissa forced herself to smile. "Only a small one, Mrs. Malfoy. Tea will help."
"Tea helps all things," Yvette smiled, sitting down daintily across from Narcissa. Teas with Lucius' mother had become something of a weekly occurrence now. Lucius joined them whenever he could, however he was already busying himself within the ministry, making the appropriate connections and filing paperwork that those in higher positions saw below their station. He was rising fast, however, especially considering it was only mid-August.
"I whole-heartedly agree with that," Narcissa nodded, gratefully lifting the delicate cup to her lisp. "I suppose I simply find myself stressed with the idea of going back to Hogwarts for my final year," she added when she noticed the woman still gazing worriedly at her.
Yvette nodded knowingly, sipping her tea. "Understandable – there is a large amount of pressure on a young lady leading up to her graduation. Are your parents thinking of sending you to finishing school?"
Narcissa winced inwardly, ever cautious of conversation that brought up her post-Hogwarts plans. "Well, they tried sending Bellatrix to finishing school in France, Madame Clerisseau's."
"Splendid place, my good friend went there."
"Yes, however, Bellatrix wasn't exactly a… good fit. She was send home within two weeks. Then Andromeda said she'd run away from any school they tried to send her to and find a job in the nearest muggle town, and she seemed so serious my parents didn't want to risk it."
Narcissa took another sip of her tea – she would never be discussing such things with just anyone, however for all that Mrs. Malfoy was the picture of elegance there didn't seem to be anything the Black family could do that would make her reconsider Narcissa as suitable match for her son. If anything to woman always seemed to thoroughly enjoy these stories. "So, when it comes to me, I believe my family is just figuring they should settle for what they've got and endure the snide looks over the fact that not one of their daughters is properly 'finished'."
Yvette smiled graciously. "Well then they are awfully lucky that you just happen to already hold so much poise. I have no doubt that you will become one of the most graceful ladies of our class."
Touched by such high praise coming from a woman of Mrs. Malfoy's prestige, Narcissa spoke naturally and without thought. "Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy, that truly means a great deal coming from you. Now I hope my grace will be enough to soften the blow of me–"
She halted her speech and was about to begin back pedaling when Yvette finished her sentence. "Of your going onto post-Hogwarts education?"
Narcissa froze, her teacup midway between her mouth and the table. Yvette stared calmly at her as she cleared her throat softly. "How – how did you know?"
Yvette smiled kindly, reaching across the table to pour Narcissa more tea. "Oh, don't look so worried dear. I've been guessing it for a while now, just from how you speak of your studies at these teas we have and also the absence of conversation there has been about an engagement to my son."
This time Narcissa winced outwardly. "I am so sorry; I don't mean to suggest that I don't wish to maybe marry Lucius some day, or that further schooling would make me a poor wife if I end up getting married during my studies."
"Goodness, child, there are many worse things than a young woman wanting to better herself through education, no matter what you've been told." Narcissa was reminded of the very words she had said so boldly to the Dark Lord – she just would have never guessed Yvette Malfoy thought the same way too.
"Besides," Yvette continued. "I do not think Lucius would like to be married right away. He has too many plans of his own that don't necessarily leave room for a wedding, or a marriage for that matter. Someday he will find a balance between the two, but he's young and horrendously ambitious."
Narcissa hesitantly smiled. "That he is. And so am I."
"I am guessing Lucius knows of your plans?"
"He once said that if my parents refused to fund me he would do so himself."
Yvette's face flitted briefly to what could only be immense pride. "He's got a good head on his shoulders, Lucius. A stubborn one, but good. He tries to hide it but his heart is usually in the right place."
The clock in the adjacent drawing room chimed noon, signalling the end of their tea. The two women stood and made their way through the house, Narcissa thanking Yvette for the visit as they walked.
"Now, Narcissa," Yvette said seriously as she bade her farewell at the door. "When it comes to what my husband will think of your schooling, it will be a different matter all together. You have no need to keep your plans secret from me any longer, but I believe keeping Abraxas in the dark for now along with your parents may be the more prudent course of action."
"I agree," Narcissa nodded. She could not imagine Mr. Malfoy being all too pleased whatsoever at a further prolonging of her and Lucius' marriage. "Thank you again, Mrs. Malfoy. I cannot express how much your support means to me, truly."
When Yvette smiled this time there was a glimmer of what was perhaps a mischievous determination. Narcissa wondered if quietly doing things to displease her husband was what kept the woman going some days. "My support for you is undying, Narcissa. We will get you to whichever university you please, you will see."
While walking away from the manor to the apparation point Narcissa took a sudden comfort in realization that she was smiling. Since meeting the Dark Lord she hadn't done it very often – it was a hard thing to do when one's thoughts were consumed by such an ominous presence. However now she smiled. Narcissa was aware that she had no clue what the upcoming year could possible hold and the knowledge of what her sister was doing still haunted her, but knowing she had an ally in an advantageous place took a fraction of the weight off of her shoulders, and she found herself enjoying the sunshine on her walk down the drive.
