Be Careful What You Wish For

Part 54 Standing against the Greater Good...

Disclaimer See Part One

Part 54 To Stand Against the Greater Good-Standing For Blood Purity

Narcissa Malfoy nee Black looked at her husband and sighed softly. Contrary to what many in the Wizarding world believed she honestly cared for Lucius. Their marriage may have been made for political and pure blood ideology but he was still a decent husband for all of being a pureblood. Their goals had matched in many ways and they had had a content if not happy marriage up until he had chosen to follow a charismatic young leader called Voldemort. He had been a tall dark haired handsome man who presence was enough to make anyone think seriously about following him. In the beginning his ideas had not been quite as radical. He had in fact fooled them all. She sighed as she looked back and hated that he had so skillfully played them all. Of course learning that Tom Riddle AKA Voldemort had been sorted into Slytherin and was head boy during his tenure at Hogwarts had eased some of the shame of being so easily taken. He was in fact the perfect snake.

It was rather ironic to consider that Lucius and perhaps even Bella had not really liked the dark lord to begin with. They had been drawn to his power but they were proud beings and bowing to anyone went against the grain. However Albus Percival Wulfic Brian Dumbledore's games and ideals had forced Lucius and other pure bloods to seek out a leader strong enough to stand against his manipulations.

That man might claim to be the Leader of the Light but Narcissa had never trusted him not even as a student. There was just something off about the man. Many of her classmates had considered Professor Slughorn to be manipulative and cunning. She gave a most unlady like snort at that. He was a rank amateur compared to Dumbledore. The man had parleyed a successful fight against Grimwald into the most powerful positions in the Wizarding world. Gryffindor my ass she thought. The so called Leader of the Light had molded and shaped their world for over 70 years. He had done so with cunning moves up until he had wanted to pass the Marriage Laws. She cringed at that memory ;It had been the straw that had sent many Pure Bloods fleeing to the Dark Lord.

The very idea that they would be forced …. no that would never be allowed. Many Half Bloods and Muggle Borns hated the laws that seemed to favor Pure Bloods. Well up until about 50 years ago they had not really been all that stringent. It was why there were so many Half Bloods and Muggle Borns in the first place. She sighed. She could admit that some of the laws might be a bit excessive but , to be fair they had been a direct result of the actions of one meddlesome headmaster who thought he had the right to mold the Wizarding world for his idea of the Greater Good.

His idea of "The Greater Good" had frightened many in their world. Their reaction had been to protect themselves using the only method they really had which was the law. Narcissa Malfoy had to wonder what the sheep would think if they knew that the reasons they had so few rights was because their leader had tried to force his will on those who had the voting power? She sighed, so much damage because he wanted to breed a superior race. They were not dogs to be breed. As if adding untried blood lines would improve things. She cringed at the partner Dumbledore had chosen for her and for Lucius. While she might not have been passionately in love with him at the time he was a good choice for her. They had been friends and respected each other. She would admit at least to herself she loved Lucius now, he had grown to be a man she could lean on and trust with her life and her son's.

The Muggle Born Dumbledore had wanted to match her with was a monster. She shuttered with deep revulsion as she recalled her first meeting with the man. To be fair she had met him and had listened to the headmaster's ideas. He had a point in that they might need some new blood. However the way he went about it… was wrong.

Romeo Snyder made a troll look attractive and he had no real morals he had informed her that while he would marry her she would have to accept his having other women. After all he was a prime specimen and as such deserved many women to give him children. He was going to build a new dynasty and she should be honored he was considering marrying her. The nerve of the bastard to think she as a member of the Black family would ever condone being nothing more than breeding stock to him.

The woman they had wanted to match Lucius with she made Bella even on her worst day look like a top fashion model. She shuttered thinking that she had been grasping eager to gain the Malfoy fortune. She had informed Lucius she would give him one son and every child after that had to be, well she expected to be rewarded for them.

While Narcissa cold respect the desire to marry up, and cunning, it was after all the most prized trait of her house. However, the idea that they would be used as breeder stock turned her stomach. She would rather join a Muggle convent. She might only have had Draco but, that was because of health reasons not choice. She might let those of their set think otherwise but, it was a sadness for both her and her husband that Draco's birth had been so hard and dangerous. Lucius had been frantic when the healers told him she was dying. It was only be a miracle she survived her son's birth. After that he had forbidden her more children. Why take the risk when he had a healthy son and heir. It was then that Narciss knew he loved her or at least cared. Because he had once said he wanted a dozen strong sons and daughters. He had placed her life above having a second son and heir and she loved him for that. Thinking of the alternative well there was no comparison.

Romeo Snyder was an arrogant prick with illusions of being suave and sophisticated. He had come to her in garnish robes with platform shoes to make up for his lack of height. He seemed to think that because Dumbledore seemed to think orgies and multiple partners was a good idea that the Purebloods would roll over and go along with it. They had been so fucking wrong in that.
Narcissa was glad her son could not hear her thoughts because she was a lady and swearing was so common and vulgar, but it was a wonder that they had sought to seek out attractive mates from within their own social class. Was it a wonder that they passed laws to protect themselves from the blatant attempts by the half bloods and Muggle borns to rise above them? Of course they turned to protecting their own. Dumbledore had miscalculated badly. That miscalculation lead to the new Pure Breed Ideology.

I mean really how could Dumbledore ever expect she would want an American who was uncouth and ignorant of not only their world but of proper society? Just because the Americans Muggle and Wizarding world shagged everything and anything did not mean she or her classmates would. Of course those of Pureblood decent had turned inward. She sighed. She just hoped that they could find a way to survive this because the Dark Lord was only a slightly less dangerous leader.

Narcissa Malfoy was not about to lose out to the those who followed Dumbledore nor was she ever going to bend a knee to Voldemort again. In the 15 years since he had fallen she and Lucius had made a good life together and damn it all she was now …now able to admit she loved him if only to herself and if only in her private thoughts. After all it would never do to give him the means to control her. She was saddened that even in her marriage she had to play a part but then….all life was a stage or so the Muggles said. She found that in this at least they were sadly right. It was sadder still that Voldemort and Dumbledore seemed to be directing the play and that so many would be sacrificed as pawns and puppets. With luck she and Lucius would find a way to cut the strings. She hoped so because frankly this play was a tragedy waiting to happen.

TBC...