Chapter 9
Horologium: Time Will Tell
Summer 1991 - Summer 1992
The next ten years saw moments of happiness and sadness for the Malfoy family. Abraxas and Candace both succumbed to Dragonpox in 1990, Narcissa's Aunt Walburga had passed away in 1985, and her mother, Druella, had died two years previously. Alongside this grief, Lucius and Narcissa worked hard to establish their places in society again, and for the most part were successful. There were, of course, those who still believed they had willingly allied themselves to the Dark Lord - most notably the Weasley family. However, Lucius rose to prominence at the Ministry again, whilst Arthur Weasley was passed over for promotion after promotion, and was generally regarded with disdain by the powerful and influential. Lucius invested heavily in his 'friendship' with Cornelius Fudge, and was rewarded for his efforts when Fudge because Minister for Magic in 1990. Fudge was a blustering and rather uncertain man, constantly seeking advice. Lucius found his previous assessment of the man to be correct, and he was able to easily manipulate the man. Through Fudge's influence, Lucius ascended to Head of the Board of Governors for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where Severus was still teaching.
Severus had settled into life in the castle, and his letters, whilst still grumbling and complaining, were not quite as vicious as they had been when he had first begun. He visited the Malfoys as regularly as he could. His time spent in the dungeons means he was still pale and sallow, but Narcissa was delighted that he at last seemed to be eating properly, and had put on a healthy amount of weight. Severus got on well with Draco, and started teaching him to chop ingredients and prepare simple potions as soon as the boy was old enough to hold a knife safely. Narcissa had decided to teach Draco at home during his early childhood, and despite her natural bias towards her son, could see he was intelligent for his age. He was an affectionate child, quick to hug his mother, and she knew she overindulged him. He also had a cunning and ambitious streak which she did everything in her power to encourage. To her and Lucius' surprise, from an early age he showed a great interest in Quidditch - a sport they neither played nor followed themselves - so they began to attend Quidditch matches and bought Draco a series of fast and powerful broomsticks to practice on. Narcissa also taught him simple duelling spells, certain, from her own experience at Hogwarts, that despite the ruling that magic in the corridors between classes was forbidden, the students would undoubtedly ignore this. She wanted her son to be able to hold his own - especially if Harry Potter turned out to be anything like his bullying father.
It was Harry Potter who sparked a regular argument between Lucius and Narcissa. Lucius was still certain that the boy must be a powerful Dark wizard, who would lead the wizarding population to embrace a society run on blood purity within a few years of beginning his magical education. "Why else would they be hiding him?" Was Lucius' constant refrain. "It's clearly because he's too dangerous to bring into our world before Dumbledore can brainwash him at school." Narcissa had given up arguing with her husband over this. She was just as sure that what had happened in Godric's Hollow was an accident. Not all magic could be explained, and the Dark Lord had gone so much further into Dark magic than any other wizard. Was it any wonder it had ultimately claimed his life?
School was another point of contention between the couple. Draco's Hogwarts acceptance letter had arrived on his eleventh birthday in early June, but Lucius had intercepted it, revealing to Narcissa that he had already contacted Igor Karkaroff and secured Draco a place at the Durmstrang Institute in Eastern Europe, of which their old ally was now Headmaster. They talked and argued about it - out of earshot of Draco - for weeks, but on 31st July, Narcissa put her foot down.
"I won't have him sent to Durmstrang!" Narcissa stubbornly said to her husband. "Karkaroff is a cowardly traitor, and I don't want him anywhere Draco. And Severus teaches at Hogwarts! He can look after him -"
"Draco doesn't need looking after! You baby him, Narcissa. Durmstrang will set him up with the right people, so when Potter takes over, he will be invaluable to him. Hogwarts takes too soft a line on the Dark Arts - Draco needs to know how to perform them. I don't want Draco mixing with the wrong sort - blood traitors and Mudbloods - and you should hear what Dumbledore is teaching those students in Muggle Studies! He would have the Sacred Twenty-Eight abolished and us all go and marry Muggles if he could!"
"But Dumbledore won't be there forever, and when he goes, you can appoint a decent Headmaster. Maybe even Severus! Then Hogwarts can be set on the right track - and if you're so desperate for Harry Potter to befriend Draco, wouldn't it be better if they went to the same school? If Potter's been raised in the Muggle world, he'll be desperate for magical friends - and who better to introduce him to and guide him through the magical world than Draco? If Draco's sent to Durmstrang, who knows who Potter might end up befriending."
Lucius looked calculatingly at his wife. "I hate it when you're right... ok. You win. He can go to Hogwarts." He smiled as his wife threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you! I couldn't bear for him to be so far away." She kissed him, smiling at his amused expression.
"I know. And I couldn't bear to see you upset." He kissed her back, then stepped back. "I'll tell Draco now and give him his letter."
"And I'll write to the school to accept his place, and then to Severus. He'll be delighted." Narcissa wrote two quick notes, interrupted briefly by Draco who came bounding into the room, clutching his Hogwarts letter.
"Mum! I'm going to Hogwarts!" he cheered, throwing his arms around her and almost upsetting the ink bottle. Narcissa laughed, hugging her son back, as he begged to be allowed to go to Diagon Alley immediately. Once the owls has been dispatched, the family set out to buy Draco's school supplies.
It was 2nd September, and Apus, Draco's new handsome eagle owl, had just delivered Draco's first letter home to his parents. "He's in Slytherin!" Narcissa called to her husband.
"I never doubted that he would be!" Lucius came into the parlour, sitting beside his wife and reading the rest of Draco's letter over her shoulder. He had enthusiastically described the Sorting Ceremony, the start-of-term feast (although he didn't sound too enthralled at the Slytherin ghost's choice to sit beside him). He wrote with loathing of the school song that the 'crackpot old Headmaster' had forced them to all sing. He was, however, impressed with his dormitory, which had windows looking into the lake, and that he was sure had seen the giant squid glide past late at night. He had apparently already recruited Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle as his subordinates.
"They sound just like their fathers!" Lucius chuckled. Draco went on to tell his parents that the famous Harry Potter had been sorted into Gryffindor. Lucius looked annoyed. "Gryffindor? But surely he should have been in Slytherin - he defeated the Dark Lord! He must be brimming with powerful Dark magic..."
But Narcissa had read on, and was shaking her head. "I don't think so, Luc. Look -" She pointed to Draco's next paragraph. "It seems the boy he met in Madam Malkin's was Potter. You remember, the one who was being taken around by the oaf Hagrid..."
"What?" Lucius looked outraged, and his eyes quickly scanned the letter. Draco wrote that the fabled Boy-Who-Lived was a 'pathetic, stuck-up, scrawny little git' who had latched onto none other than Ronald Wesley, the youngest son of Arthur Weasley and his wife - who seemed to exist solely to pro-create and fill the world with their blood traitor spawn. 'I tried to make friends with Potter,' their son had written, 'but he turned his nose up at me like I was a Muggle-born or something. All the older kids in Slytherin are saying there's no way he's a powerful Dark wizard.' Lucius snorted in disgust and left the room. Narcissa sighed. She knew her husband loved Draco, but he expected so much of him. Draco was constantly worrying about not living up to his impossibly high standards. She only hoped he would not blame his son for Potter's lack of wizarding pride, but perhaps the line about the older students' opinions of the boy might soften the blow, once Lucius had had a chance to think things over. Narcissa settled down at her writing table, and wrote a letter to her son, telling her how proud they were that he was in Slytherin, and not to worry about Harry Potter. She attached the letter to the owl's leg, along with a large box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, and carried Apus to the window, where he took flight. I wonder what Severus thinks of the famous Harry Potter... she thought, as she left the room in search of her husband.
Two weeks into September, Narcissa received her second letter from her son. She had had to restrain herself from owling Draco every day at Hogwarts, sending only two boxes full of cakes and sweets for him to share with his new classmates. It was a much lower level of what Lucius did at the Ministry - give generously and people will like you. She had taught Draco how to cast the Revelio charm before he had left home, and secretly sent him extra letters in the treat boxes. She knew it was not 'cool' for children to receive letters too often from their parents, and didn't want him to be laughed at or thought to be a 'Mummy's Boy'. When Apus arrived that morning, she had just finished putting the finishing touches to a box of home-made treacle fudge. Lucius did not approve of her cooking, considering it to be beneath her dignity. Narcissa didn't usually spend much time in the kitchen, but she found that she enjoyed making treats for Draco. It felt more special than asking Dobby to do it (and her treats were definitely nicer than the elf's.) Her husband had taken a few days to calm down over Harry's snub of Draco, but had agreed that their son wasn't to blame.
"I shouldn't have expected anything more from a Mudblood's son," he grumbled. Lucius was not at all pleased that he had been proven wrong about Harry Potter, and was forced to accept that the boy would not become a rallying point for future pushes for blood purity. He cheered up, though, as he started to read Draco's second letter. Their son wrote that he was enjoying Potions, and had been praised in his very first lesson for perfectly stewing his horned slugs. A 'fat lump' named Neville Longbottom had then melted his cauldron, and Potter had had points deducted by Professor Snape for being rude. Draco wrote that there was a 'Gryffindor Muggle-born bushy-haired swot' who had also been put in her place by the Potions Master. He then went on to describe his first flying lesson, moaning about the inferior quality of the school brooms.
"I'll try to secure some funding there," Lucius said. "I want the Slytherin team on the best brooms possible when Draco makes the team next year."
Draco then complained about the 'pathetic' Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. Lucius smirked. "Oh yes, Quirrell. He used to teach Muggle Studies. A waste of space, if you ask me. We'll have to teach Draco some proper Defence Against the Dark Arts over Christmas..."
"Why bother with Defence - I'm sure Draco can handle the Dark Arts," Narcissa said lightly.
"And this is why I love you." Lucius put his arm around his wife as they read on.
Narcissa was keeping very busy. Now that she no longer had Draco to teach, she wished to assist Lucius with his connections, and to establish some more in her own right. She had no desire to become lazy or complacent, thinking with scorn of the likes of Molly Weasley, who she was sure wouldn't even try to get a job or make herself useful, even when her entire brood of her blood traitor brats had started school. She therefore joined the Charitable Committee for St Mungo's Hospital. This was at the advice of her father, who made the suggestion when she paid him her usually weekly visit and caught him up with Draco's news. Cygnus rarely left his house anymore, and was looking frail, but when his daughter asked him what he thought she should do with her new-found free time, he insisted that his daughter try to get on the hospital's Committee. She promptly wrote to the Chair of the Committee, and was equally promptly appointed - her and Lucius' habit of extravagant giving to the hospital was duly recognised. The main purpose of the Committee was to fundraise for new equipment, and Narcissa found she was quickly recognised as an essential part of the team, due to her experience as a society hostess. She was running through the plans for a gala when Draco's third letter arrived. Ten minutes later, Narcissa stormed into Lucius' study, brandishing the letter at him, seething with rage as she hissed,
"Luc! They've let bloody Potter join the Gryffindor Quidditch team!"
"What? Lucius stood up, holding his hand out for the letter. "But first-years aren't allowed -" but Narcissa cut him off,
"Unless you're the Boy-Who-Lived, it seems. And they've gone and bought him a brand new, top-of-the-range broom! It's blatant favouritism, Luc."
Lucius was reading Draco's letter, eyebrows raised. "This is ridiculous. The Governors were not informed of this decision. I'm going to see the Headmaster at once. I'll get this sorted out."
But Lucius was unsuccessful, and Harry Potter became the new Gryffindor Seeker. Draco's next letter was rather glum as he reported that Potter, despite losing control of his broom, had managed to catch the snitch 'with his gob' and beaten Slytherin in the first match of the season. It seemed Potter could do no wrong - Lucius and Narcissa were very proud that Draco had managed to trick Potter and his faithful sidekick, Weasley, into wandering the corridors at night by challenging him to a midnight duel: 'They fell for it straight away - the idiots,' Draco had gloated - but they had somehow evaded capture and punishment.
Narcissa and Lucius also continued writing regularly to Severus. They tried not to constantly ask about Draco in their letters, and refrained from asking him about Harry Potter. Narcissa was conscious that their friendship should be kept separate from their positions as Draco's parents, Head of the Board of Governors and Head of Slytherin House. It was a difficult balance to strike, but their relations stayed cordial. Severus was a bit more reserved than usual in his letters, and Narcissa got the feeling he was distracted. She sent him a box of liquorice wands (one sweet he actually enjoyed) and he responded, simultaneously thanking her and jokingly accusing her of attempting to bribe him on her son's behalf:
Narcissa,
Whilst I appreciate a backhander as much as a next wizard, it is hardly necessary in this case. Draco's work is coming along very nicely. If he carries on as he is, I am expecting a high pass from him in his end of year exams without any underhand assistance. So I shall enjoy consuming your gift with a suitably superior air, secure in the knowledge that I resisted accepting your bribe.
All the best,
Severus
The day after Halloween, Draco wrote to his parents again, telling them the Halloween feast had been interrupted by Quirrell announcing a troll had broken into the castle and was lurking in the dungeons. The Slytherins had then been promptly sent to their common room - in the very same dungeons. Draco assured his parents he hadn't even seen the creature, but by this time, Narcissa had had enough. As Lucius headed once again to the school to demand an explanation from the Headmaster, she wrote to Severus, asking if they could arrange a time to see him to talk about Draco's progress. He agreed, and so they were visited one evening by the Head of Slytherin House. Severus looked tired and drawn, and Narcissa noticed he was still wearing the same cloak Bellatrix had gifted him all those years ago. Once they were seated in the parlour and had been served coffee by Dobby, Narcissa asked,
"What the hell is going on, Severus? Every time Draco writes to us, it seems that either Potter has been given even more preferential treatment, or Draco been put in danger! A troll, Severus! And they sent the Slytherins directly its path!"
Severus looked at her, considering his answer before he spoke. "Let's deal with one thing at a time. Potter is a miniature version of his father; arrogant, conceited and thrilled to find himself famous. He is academically weak, openly defiant and obnoxious, strutting around the castle as if he owns the place. However, like his father before him, who was able to endear himself to those he wished to, he has hoodwinked the rest of the staff into believing he is an engaging and intelligent child, and so they indulge his every whim. I dread to think what he will be like in a couple of years' time; he is difficult enough to teach as it is. My only hope is that he will overstep the mark and they will be forced to expel him - but with Dumbledore doting on the child, it is unlikely."
"But Severus, it's not fair on the other children - they let him on the Quidditch team for Merlin's sake!" Narcissa glared at her friend, who shrugged,
"I am just as annoyed by that fact as you are. Especially as I constantly have to endure have Minerva gloating about the boy's success. But my powers are very limited - I can only discipline Potter when he steps out of line in my classes. Thankfully, I only have to attempt to teach the empty-headed brat once a week. The rest of the week, he is treated as a little prince and pampered accordingly."
"Draco said Potter lost control of him broom, Severus," Lucius said suddenly. Severus' dark eyes flicked towards his friend, who was looking at him with an odd expression on his face. "That's a bit strange, given what a gifted flyer the boy is - not that Draco admits it, but Dumbledore was waxing lyrical about it when I went to see him to complain about Potter's appointment to the team. And he was riding a Nimbus Two-Thousand - not one of the ancient school brooms - wasn't he?"
"He was, yes," Severus said shortly. "What of it?" An uncomfortable silence filled the room as Narcissa realised what her husband was getting at. She remembered James Potter, all those years ago, falling through the air, having been thrown off his hexed broom... and she remembered Severus, Regulus and Evan laughing and pointing... No, surely not... Severus wouldn't... would he?
"Luc," she said sharply, shooting a warning look at her husband, before looking back at Severus. His face was completely blank, and he sipped his coffee slowly before he spoke again,
"I could hardly hex the precious Boy-Who-Lived in front of the Headmaster. I'm not quite ready to give up my job and move permanently to Azkaban. Getting the boy expelled, rather than killed, is all I am aiming for."
"I'm sorry, Severus." Lucius looked uncomfortable and the words came out rather jerkily, but Severus accepted them with a slight incline of his head. "So who did hex his broom?" Lucius asked.
"Rest assured that the Headmaster has it all in hand. But I thought I was here to discuss Draco, not Potter? I believe you wished to ask me about the incident with the troll?" Severus replied icily, setting down his cup. Lucius and Narcissa exchanged a glance, but knowing their friend would tell them nothing more of Potter's near-miss, they agreed. And so the conversation moved on, leaving the mysterious tale of Harry Potter and his hexed broom behind.
Narcissa was overjoyed to see her son again as she met him from the Hogwarts Express and took him home for the Christmas holidays. He had grown, and had developed a swagger so reminiscent of his father's that Narcissa had to stop herself from laughing as her little boy strutted around the Manor, speaking imperiously to Dobby, adopting his father's most condescending drawl. On Christmas day, Cygnus joined the family for Christmas dinner. He looked very ill, but made a real effort with Draco, talking about his time at Hogwarts, and taught his eager grandson the Leg-locker curse.
"I know exactly who I'm going to use this on back at school - that fat lump Longbottom!" Draco sniggered, and he practised the curse on Dobby, who fell to the floor as his little legs snapped together, his face smacking into the hard wooden floorboards. The family laughed, and Narcissa only performed the counter-curse when they realised that, with Dobby magically bound and lying prone on the floor, they had no-one to serve pudding. Dessert served, Draco regaled the family with tales of his lessons and his exploits with Vincent and Gregory. Narcissa was pleased to hear he was also getting on well with Theodore Nott and Pansy Parkinson, both of whom sounded rather more intelligent - and had better blood status - than Vince and Greg. Draco then complained bitterly of Harry Potter and his sidekicks.
"He's got that buck-toothed, bushy-haired, Muggle-born know-it-all tagging after him now too!" He snorted derisively.
"Mudblood," Cygnus corrected sharply. "Use the proper word, my boy. They don't deserve that soft word 'Muggle-born'. They're scum - they need to know their place."
Draco nodded seriously. "Yes, Grandfather. Granger's a Mudblood." His lips curved into a malicious smile as he drawled the slur for the first time. Cygnus nodded approvingly, turning his attention back to his Christmas pudding, as Draco talked on about what he had learned in Potions.
A few days after Christmas, Severus was invited to the Manor. Lucius used the pretext of seeking his advice about the Malfoy Medieval goblet, which had been tarnished for a few hundred years. Lucius speculated that it was as a result of the poison it had produced in the past, but not being in a position to ask a Muggle-born or Muggle to attempt to drink from it, he could not tell Mr Borgin which poison it produced. Whilst Lucius was keen to restore this treasure, the real reason for Severus' summons was to offer his friend an olive branch, after his veiled accusation over Potter's hexed broom. Severus' letters since this incident had been shorter and terser than usual, and Narcissa missed him. The visit went well, and by the end, Lucius and Narcissa felt they had well and truly buried the hatchet. Draco couldn't resist attempting to cast the Leg-locker curse on his Professor, but immediately found himself hanging upside down in the air by the ankle, squirming furiously. Lucius had roared with laughter as Narcissa begged Severus to let her son down, which he did, ensuring he landed on the soft sofa.
"Teach me that one, please!" Draco begged, but Severus laughingly refused, insisting he needed to keep a few tricks up his sleeve for when Draco learned some stronger spells. He did, however, teach Draco to cast a simple transfiguration spell which conjured a live snake. Draco promptly set the snake on Dobby, and spent the rest of the afternoon mercilessly chasing the terrified elf around the Manor.
Narcissa also taught her son a few choice spells, tutting with disgust when she saw how little Professor Quirrell had covered in his lessons. Lucius joined in as well; Draco was attentive and eager to learn, but both parents had to strictly caution him not to use the more powerful hexes unless he had a good escape route - and preferably a solid alibi - planned. Draco went cheerfully back to school in early January, armed with a good few duelling hexes, and Narcissa hoped he would be able to pay the swine Weasley back for the black eye he had given her son during the last Quidditch match.
In early February, Cygnus Black passed away. Narcissa had been expecting and dreading it in equal measure - her father had been looking so much weaker and frailer since Christmas, and been taken into St Mungo's just after Draco had started back at school. As she took on the funeral arrangements, death duties and organised the sale of her family home, she found herself wishing again that she had her sisters by her side to help and support her. But Bellatrix was as lost to her as Andromeda was, and she had to learn to cope without them. Lucius helped as best he could, and Severus personally escorted Draco from Hogwarts, taking him to Malfoy Manor using side-along apparition, so he could pay his final respects to his grandfather. Draco held his mother's hand throughout the funeral, stayed by her side during the wake, and hugged her tightly as he said goodbye when Severus came to collect him at the end of the day.
Narcissa threw herself into her work with the Committee at St Mungo's, redoubling her efforts to raise funds for more Healers, like those who had made her father's last few weeks as comfortable and dignified as possible. Lucius too, showed his support by presenting the hospital with a large donation, ensuring it was featured in the Daily Prophet. The Malfoys were never ones to waste an opportunity and even when grieving for her father, Narcissa was pleased to note their place in society had risen another notch.
Just after Easter, when Narcissa heard that Draco had gotten a detention because Potter and his friends had been attempting to free the Gamekeeper's pet dragon, Lucius had to physically restrain his wife to stop her marching up to the school. When she heard in Draco's next letter that he had been sent into the Forbidden Forest and nearly attacked by a hooded figure which had been drinking the blood of a dead unicorn, even Lucius was unable to hold her back. She apparated to Hogsmeade and stormed up to the castle gates, where Severus, forewarned of her intentions by Lucius, met her. She raged and screamed at him, and he allowed her to vent without interrupting. When she finally ran out of steam, he gave her his usual half-smile and said,
"'Formidable' doesn't do you justice sometimes, Narcissa." Even she had to smile at that, but her expression quickly hardened again as she demanded to know why her son had been given a detention and had a full twenty points deducted for another boy's actions. Severus replied, "The school-approved answer is that Draco was out of bed after hours, just as were Potter and his fan club were. Therefore, they all were meted with the same punishment. The actual answer is that saint Potter has been breaking rules since the moment he arrived at this castle, and so far he has not been held accountable for his misdemeanours. Although he and his companions had one hundred and fifty points deducted from Gryffindor between them, it hardly seems to have registered with him. He's still behaving like an arrogant little toe-rag." Narcissa was fuming again as she asked curtly what the school had been thinking, sending her boy into the Forbidden Forest without a proper member of staff to look after them. Severus frowned as he said, "I asked the Headmaster the same question - it is certainly not an appropriate punishment, nor one I have heard of being used before now. I also spoke to Professor McGonagall, and told her in no uncertain terms that I would prefer her to leave the discipline of my own pupils to me in future. But you understand that reviewing the school's discipline system is not currently at the top of their list of priorities - they do not know what the creature in the forest was. I need hardly tell you that anything desperate enough to slay a unicorn is not a normal creature - the Headmaster is very worried."
Narcissa nodded, blinking back tears. "How is Draco? Can I see him, please?"
Severus said slowly, "He was shaken by what he saw, I cannot deny that. But it may do more harm than good if you come in, Narcissa. Children are cruel and unforgiving. If you allow him to handle this alone, he will earn the respect of his peers. If you are seen to fight his battles for him, he will face their derision and ridicule."
Narcissa wrestled with his words, her desire to see her son battling with his social reputation. She made her decision, and said, "Then I won't come in. But please, promise me, Severus, promise me you'll keep an eye on him."
He looked her in the eye and said simply, "I promise. Now I do need to get back to the castle."
"Thank you," she whispered, and turned to leave.
"Narcissa?" She stopped and turned back as Severus said, "Would you be so good as to stop sending Draco sweets and cakes for a while? Crabbe and Goyle are large enough as it is, and I really don't want to have two obese, diabetic children in my charge." She smiled weakly and waved to her friend, turning on the spot and disapparating just beyond the school's boundary.
When she got home, Narcissa found Lucius in the cellar. He was standing quite still, turning the small black diary the Dark Lord had given them at the height of their favour over and over in his hands. "Luc?" she asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. "What are you doing?"
He did not turn around, and murmured so quietly she could barely hear him, "Dumbledore is the worst thing which ever happened to that school, Narcissa. He put Draco at risk. He had no idea what that thing in the Forest was, and offered no apology. He's dangerous, filling the students' heads with the notion that blood purity doesn't matter. We need to do something about him..."
Narcissa looked nervously at the diary. "We have no idea what that book does, Luc. And the Dark Lord said he was to tell us when to use it, remember?"
"But he's gone, Narcissa. And if he was here, he'd want me to use it!" Lucius raised his voice, calling, "Dobby!" The elf appeared bowing deeply. "Get us some coffee ready to be served in the parlour," Lucius ordered. The elf vanished immediately. "Let's discuss this upstairs," Lucius said, putting the diary back in its case and taking his wife's hand. "But I won't change my mind - we need to do something about the Headmaster - and soon."
In early June, Narcissa excitedly packed together a huge parcel for her son in celebration of his twelfth birthday. It was his first birthday away from home, and so the moment was bittersweet for Narcissa as she carefully wrapped a heavy silver and jade Wizard chess set, a brand new dark green cloak with silver fastenings, two new leather-bound books on duelling spells, a wand care set and a new Potions kit. She had written to Severus asking his advice on the last gift, and he had directed her to a sturdy but slightly plain set, writing that, 'It will do the same job as the next model up, but at considerably less expense.' Narcissa had promptly ordered the more expensive kit; her baby would never have anything less than the best. She then put the finishing touches to a huge hamper of food. She had ordered in as many treats and sweets as she could find, including pumpkin pasties, fizzing whizzbees, sugar quills, ice mice, chocolate frogs, jelly slugs, no-melt ice-cream, exploding bonbons, pepper imps, coconut ice, several gallons of butterbeer and a huge batch of her own home-made treacle fudge. She then had to magically expand the hamper to fit in Draco's birthday cake, ordered from an upmarket patisserie. It was six layers of light chocolate sponge, sandwiched together with fresh cream and jam, and covered in mirror glaze chocolate ganache, and decorated with delicate spun sugar and chocolate dragons. She enchanted the hamper to ensure the treats stayed intact, before shrinking the packages, ready to be attached the leg of their family owl, Volans. Narcissa also wrote a note to Severus, thanking him for his recommendation of the Potions kit, admitting to blatantly ignoring his advice, and begging him to indulge Draco and the inevitable midnight feast the birthday hamper would incite. She deftly wrapped a box of liquorice wands for her friend, adding a short post script to the letter: 'Another attempt at bribery - thank you in advance!'
The backhander had apparently worked, and Draco reported to his parents in his next letter that he had had a 'well good' birthday. He thanked his parents for his gifts, and told them all about the midnight feast, which nearly all the Slytherins had joined in with: 'It was wicked, Mum. Thanks so much for all the treats!" Draco wrote that he had been revising hard, and after this exams were over, reported to his parents that he thought he had done well. Severus, bending the rules slightly, confirmed Draco's hopes, and told his proud parents in advance of the official results that Draco had passed everything well. When Narcissa met Draco from the Hogwarts Express, however, it was to find him buzzing with astounding and deeply worrying news.
"Mum!" he cried, hugging her fiercely. "It was so unfair, Mum, we won the House Cup, but the Headmaster took it away and gave it to the Gryffindors - just because Harry Potter and his pathetic friends played chess or something, but that's not the half of it." His face was alight with glee as he gabbled, "Professor Quirrell died! The Professors won't say a word about it, but everyone's saying he tried to murder Potter in a chamber under the school, guarded by loads of creatures and plants and stuff. The Gryffindors are saying Quirrell was eaten by a giant werewolf, the Ravenclaws all think he was poisoned, and the Hufflepuffs swear he was strangled by Devil's Snare, but everyone in Slytherin thinks -" he lowered his voice, "Mum, they're saying You-Know-Who was there, and he killed him." Narcissa felt an icy terror grip her heart. She was rooted to the spot as Draco chattered on, but she didn't hear word. The Dark Lord... is this possible? But no... he's gone... isn't he?