A/N: I'm sorry for the delay. College and directing/appearing in a play have been consuming my time, but now that all of that is over until the spring, I'll have more time to write.
Chapter Fifty
As he watched his mother heal and clean the deep tear Cygnus's Diffindo had left in his flesh, Lucius knew he should be in terrible pain. Perhaps he was, but his mind was too fogged to quantify or process it properly, and so as Seraphina worked, Lucius stole glances at his healing wound now and then when he removed his focus from the portrait on the study's north wall. Within the frame, Malfoy Manor stood stoic and peaceful, oblivious to the tension and anxiety filling its real-life counterpart.
"Cissy, dear, could you please go and tell Dobby what you'd like for supper?" asked Seraphina. "Anything you fancy—I've no preference."
Lucius looked from his mother to Narcissa, who nodded. Her face was several shades paler than normal, and she seemed to have difficulty standing from her spot on the floor beside the chaise.
Guilt twisted Lucius's stomach. I did this to her, he thought. This is my fault. He gave his head a tight shake.
"Call the elf here," he said. His throat was dry, and his voice left it hoarse. "You don't need to—"
"I'll be all right. I need air. I'll come right back—I'll bring you tea." Narcissa squeezed his hand and departed for the corridor.
When she'd gone, Lucius looked back to his mother, who was watching him with her lips pressed into a tight line.
"Tell me," she said at last. "All of it."
"You already know. Don't you?" Lucius's tone was soft, the conviction it had held a moment before all but evaporated.
"From this—" Seraphina glanced to the healed would and back to his face. "—and the fact that you've both clearly been crying, I'd say so. But I want to know why."
Lucius pulled in a long breath. "Because I love her too much to let him keep hurting her. Because I'm angry—because I'm furious. Mum, Narcissa deserves the world. She deserves so much better than being pushed around by Cygnus. She deserves to be safe, to be able to stay here with us or go home if she chooses without being afraid her own father will turn his wand on her." The thought made Lucius's blood boil, and he swallowed hard. "Besides, the Dark Lord wanted me to kill someone. Now I have, of my own will, and now he has no reason to force me to hurt anyone I love again."
Seraphina blinked and looked down at her folded hands in her lap, and Lucius felt another sickening pang of guilt as an image of his father falling to his Cruciatus Curse passed through his mind.
"Sorry, Mum," he muttered.
Seraphina shook her head. "Don't be. You're right." She closed her eyes and sighed.
How did we get here? thought Lucius. Six months ago, I wouldn't have dared—I wouldn't have so much as thought of doing something like this.
He pulled in a long breath. It didn't matter what had led him here, not now. It only mattered what happened next and how he handled the situation. He had to deal with the consequences of his actions in a way that would make his mother proud—that would've made his father proud.
"If the Ministry comes poking about," he began slowly, "Narcissa never went home. She only saw Cygnus; Druella would have no idea she was there unless he told her, and if you and I both state that she was here all along, Minister Jenkins will believe us over Druella."
Seraphina opened her eyes and studied her son. Lucius's heart sank at the resignation in the set of her lips.
She thinks I've become one of them already. Have I? Asking my own mother and my own fiancée to lie to cover up a murder I committed?
Murder.
The word crashed over him with such intensity that he had to grip the arm of the chaise to keep himself from falling from it.
It wasn't murder, he told himself. It was an act of protection. Of love.
But would Narcissa continue to see it that way? What would she think of him, when she'd had more time to process? Would she grow to fear him?
"Lucius. Look at me."
Seraphina's voice drew him from his thoughts, and he forced his focus to return to her face.
"It's going to be fine, love," she said softly. "Come here."
She pulled him into her arms, and though he returned her embrace, he did not allow himself to relax or close his eyes.
A loud knock at the front door sent a wave of ice cold fear through every cell of Lucius's body. He tightened his grip on his mother, who drew herself up straighter and kissed his temple before pulling back and getting to her feet.
"Quickly," she muttered, passing him the clean shirt she'd laid on the table for him to change into after his wound had stopped bleeding. As he pulled it on and buttoned it, she took the bloodied shirt he'd worn to the Blacks' and stowed it in a cabinet Lucius was fairly certain was filled with his father's supply of alcohol.
Within moments, the elf had appeared at the door.
"Mistress, Young Master," said Dobby, bowing hastily to each of them, "you have visitors from the Ministry."
Lucius's mouth went dry, and as he stood from the chaise, he felt his limbs were made of lead.
"Bring them in," said Seraphina calmly.
Dobby bowed once more and returned to the corridor, and Lucius attempted to slow his pulse. At the moment, his heart was beating so rapidly he thought it might leap up his throat and out of his mouth. He exchanged glances with his mother, and when she gave him a slight nod, he felt the slightest bit reassured.
She'll corroborate the story. We'll be fine.
A pair of crimson-robed Aurors strode into the study. Each of them wore a grave expression, and each inclined his head to the two Malfoys.
"Lady Malfoy," said the taller Auror, whose light hair fell just past his chin. "And is this your son? My, he's grown," he added when Seraphina nodded. "Savage. Richard Savage." He offered his hand to her and to Lucius in turn before returning his focus to Seraphina. "I believe we've met in passing, but I was more acquainted with your husband. I'm terribly sorry for your loss."
"Thank you," said Seraphina with a nod. "And to what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?"
"I'm afraid it's regarding another loss," said Savage. "We were told we might find Narcissa Black here. We'd like to speak with her."
"I'll go and get her," said Lucius. He passed the Aurors and departed the study. Relief crashed over him—if he managed to catch Narcissa before the Aurors found her, he could ensure that she knew the story he planned to tell them.
He nearly swore aloud when he'd only made it three paces from the study and nearly knocked her over, tea tray and all. She stumbled, and he reached out to steady her with one hand and secure the teapot with the other.
"Is everything all right out there?" called the voice of Savage.
Lucius met Narcissa's eyes as they widened in fear. He gave his head a slight shake and leaned close to kiss her cheek.
"It's going to be okay," he breathed. "You never went home. We don't know anything."
She gave a nearly imperceptible nod, and together, they returned to the study.
"Miss Black," greeted Savage. "I'm very sorry to have to seek you out under these circumstances."
"Circumstances?" Narcissa repeated. She set the tea tray down on the table and returned to Lucius's side, shaking Savage's hand before taking Lucius's arm. "What do you mean?"
She's a natural.
Lucius didn't know whether to be proud or unsettled by how easily Narcissa pretended to have no knowledge of the situation.
"Miss Black…" Savage drew in a breath and released it. "I'm afraid your father has been killed."
Narcissa's grip tightened on Lucius's arm, and she swayed just slightly on her feet. Lucius reached out to catch her waist as his heart pounded so loudly he feared everyone present could hear it. Savage rested a hand on Narcissa's shoulder, and when she moved for the chaise, Lucius followed and sat beside her without releasing his grip on her.
"How?" she asked, her voice constricted with emotion.
Lucius watched her face, and he immediately understood. The tears filling her eyes once again were real—she was using the opportunity to release the feelings she'd been suppressing for the sake of ensuring he was safe before allowing them into the air. He doubted she would be able to come to terms with all of this completely for a while. He certainly hadn't come to terms with the loss of his father, yet, and that situation had been much more straightforward.
"The Killing Curse, or so we believe," said Savage. "His wand was nearby, as though he'd dropped it, and your mother reported seeing a flash of green light."
Hell.
"Who would want to hurt my father?" asked Narcissa, frowning.
"That's what we wanted to ask you." Savage moved closer to the chaise as his counterpart stood sentinel at the door, and Seraphina lingered beside the liquor cabinet. "Is there anyone who might've had reason to harm him? Anyone who held ill-will?"
"I… I have no idea. I'm sorry. I haven't been living at home—I haven't heard anything from my parents, lately."
Savage nodded slowly. "I see. And why haven't you been living with your parents?"
"I've been recently emancipated," said Narcissa. "Lucius and I are getting married, and we've been doing a fair bit of planning. I'm trying to get used to what my life is going to be like after the wedding, and so I've been spending more time with his family than my own. I'll be living here, after all, and after Abraxas fell ill… I felt it was more prudent for me to stay."
She doesn't miss a beat. Merlin, she's good at this.
"And you've been here for the last two days?"
"With Lucius and Seraphina," said Narcissa smoothly.
"I understand." Savage sighed. "We'll contact you the instant we know anything more. And again, we're dreadfully sorry." He glanced from Narcissa to Lucius and back, and Lucius knew what he must be thinking. Both of their fathers in such a short time? They had to be the least fortunate couple in Britain.
At the moment, though, Lucius felt like the luckiest man alive. Narcissa had not only stood by him, she'd lied to the Aurors in his defense. He had no idea how to repay her.
Savage started toward the door, and he paused when he'd made it halfway to where his companion stood. He inclined his head to the other man, who slipped out into the corridor.
"I nearly forgot," said Savage, looking back to Narcissa. "We've had to inform your whole family, and one of them insisted on joining us to speak with you. I hope you don't mind."
Not Druella. Anyone but Druella.
Lucius gave Narcissa's waist a squeeze, and she frowned as she glanced from him to Savage. A moment later, the other Auror returned and shifted to the side to allow Andromeda to enter the study.
