Chapter 23! Yay! With classes right around the corner and both boys in on the horcrux hunt, this is about to get interesting!
As per usual, this chapter is not beta'd. Any and all mistakes are my own.
Usual disclaimers.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Chapter 23
Lee gently placed her gift from Narcissa on her night stand,as she slipped out of her robes and into some comfy lounge pants and tank top.
She retrieved the ribbon wrapped box and sat on her bed, a little nervous to see what was inside.
It could be cursed. I know she seemed like she was trying, but do I really know her? In the books she was a fierce follower. But just like the books, her world revolves around Draco.
With shaky fingers,she removed the silk ribbon and opened the small box. Nestled inside lay the most beautiful pendant necklace Lee had ever seen.
A delicately polished Aventurine stone lay twined in a crown of silver and diamond. One lone diamond crept around the side attached to it's silver thread like a tether. Lee wasn't sure what the stones meant, but she had a feeling this piece was chosen with precise care. She would have to go to the library to see if she could hunt down a book that might explain the gems properties.
Great. Now I sound like Hermione.
Lee giggled to herself at the thought. In the next week,students would be arriving back for a new school year, and the hunt for the final horcruxes would begin.
Not to mention if the plot holds, I'll have Umbridge to deal with.
Just the thought of that vile woman made Lee want to vomit. Lee knew it would be hard enough to find the remaining horcruxes without Umbridge trying to dig her claws into Harry at every turn.
She was pulled from her thoughts as Blaise traipsed into her room.
"What if I was naked?" She asked, exacerbated. Not that she was actually annoyed at her best friend.
"Well then Draco would kill me,and I'd die with a smile on my face." He smirked at her, as she rolled her eyes. His gaze just went straight to the open box on the nightstand. Narcissa's gift sat in satin, taunting Lee with the meaning behind the stone.
"Is that what she gave you?" His eyebrows were up to his hairline as he walked forward to inspect the necklace more closely.
"Yeah, I don't suppose you'd know the meaning behind the stone? I don't think she does anything halfway, and I doubt she would start now." She hoped since he was pureblood he may have some insight.
"I don't. Pureblood men aren't really taught about gem meanings, floral arrangements and such. But I can tell you that's no small trinket. I'm fairly certain that is a Black family Heirloom." He trailed off, bending down to get eye level with her new necklace.
"Heirloom?!" Lee squeaked. "Why on Earth would she give me something from her family? Please tell me it's one of those things they keep just in case they need a gift to hand out!" Lee was up and pacing the room, as her voice and anxiety started to climb. "I mean, I just really started even dating Draco! Surely this isn't some crazy pureblood way of saying welcome to the family!" Blaise grabbed her shoulders and gave a single shake, causing Lee to stop her frantic spiral into her own head. She hadn't even seen him stand.
"Calm, Princepessa. I'm sure it's not an engagement necklace." He gave her a look that said she was being ridiculous. "But if anyone would know it would be either Snape or Pansy. I would suggest you ask one of them."
Lee felt like she would much rather face Snape than show Pansy the heirloom that Draco's mother had given her.
We are just now getting on decent footing. I definitely don't want to shove my necklace in her face.
"Speaking of necklaces," she interjected, "if the plot stays on course, we will have a new teacher this year." She had to warn the boys about the pink psychopath.
"I'm assuming we are getting a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?" He threw the question behind him as he lead the way to her living room.
"Well yes and no." Blaise's face scrunched up in confusion as he made himself comfortable on her couch. "She won't come in just to teach DADA. She's here to meddle. At Harry's trial she got sassy with Dumbledore, and when he calmly but efficiently clapped back she got her feathers ruffled." The confusion never cleared up on his face.
"I didn't understand a word of that." Lee would have laughed but it was dealing with Umbridge. She couldn't find any humor with her coming into the picture.
"Her name is Dolores Umbridge. And when I tell you that she was more hated then Moldy Voldy, I mean it. That woman is vile!" Lee knew she looked utterly disgusted when Blaise's eyes widened. "She is coming to keep tabs for the ministry since Dumbledore didn't bend over and lick their shoes at Harry's trial. But she ends up getting Dumbledore kicked out, and she takes his place. She grossly mistreats the staff and students, trying to kick Professor Trelawny out of the school, and making students write lines in their own blood. And she relishes in the pain of others. What's worse is she does it with a sweet smile and a giggle. Like a fucking lunatic. She eventually gets the locket we are looking for, by sheer dumb luck. Blaise, it doesn't affect her at all." Lee gives him a pointed look, as if to say "I told you she was evil."
"Okay… So is there a way to prevent that?" He hesitantly asks.
"Not short of tossing her off the bridge. But don't tempt me." Once again, Blaise looked shocked. "Oh don't look at me like that. That woman is evil, and doesn't need magic to do any harm. I assure you the world WOULD be a better place if she wasn't in it. But unless it's self defense, you don't have to worry about me offing a Ministry official." Lee waved the idea away, even if she was sorely tempted to act on it.
"So what other fun turn of events can we expect this year? Also, it wouldn't be such a bad thing to fire Trelawny. That woman is a crackpot." He sniggered. Lee smacked him up side the head with a throw pillow. "Ow! What was that for? Don't tell me you believe all her doom and gloom predictions."
"Actually I do. Some of her ramblings are just that, but make no mistake that she has had several predictions that have come true. Right down to the one that made Voldemort go after Harry as a baby. So I suggest you try to keep that in mind next time you decide to put her down." Lee glared at her friend before she got up. "I'll tell you what's supposed to happen this year once we have Draco. I really don't want to have to repeat myself more than necessary."
With that they headed towards the kitchens. Draco had been spending time in there each day to decompress. Lee had discovered that he really enjoyed cooking, and had suggested that he spend a few hours a day cooking and baking to help center himself after his trip to the Mansion.
They entered the kitchens to a flurry of pointed ears and pattering feet. Lee spotted Draco at one of the large hearth ovens, his back towards them as he seemingly inspected his latest creation. It wasn't until she caught Dobby's eye that she understood today had been a bad day for Draco.
"Hey you." She breathed, as she slowly walked up to him. He looked otherworldly as the glow of flames caressed his features. His sharp lines and silver-blue eyes were harsh but beautiful. His eyes were more of a molten silver, his face bathed in shadows and light. He was mesmerizing. And he was hurt.
"Thought I'd find you down here." When he didn't react she decided to sit down beside him. Close enough he knew she was there, but still giving him the distance he needed. "Smells amazing. What is it?" She continually nudged the conversation into safe territory. It's quiet for a few more seconds.
"Cornish pasties." His voice is scratchy, like he hadn't spoken in a while. "It's filled with carrots, potatoes, steak, and onion, normally. But I've also added bacon and seasoned cream. I believe muggles call it potpye?" Lee suppressed her giggle as she reached over and took his hand.
"Pot pie. Usually made with chicken, but I suppose steak would work just as well. It really does smell divine, and that's saying something since I don't usually like a pot pie." Draco merely smiled a soft smile at her before speaking again.
"So I assume since both of you are here,you have something important to discuss?" Lee eyed him for a second, trying to gauge if he was in the right mental space to talk about her day with his mother. A moment later, she decided she would just ask him.
"Well, really that all just depends. Would you like to hear about my outing with your mother? It can wait if you would rather focus on something else." She smiled at him and tenderly squeezed his hand to let him know she really didn't mind whichever option he chose.
He lifted her hand to his mouth to place a delicate kiss on her knuckles. "I'd love to hear about your day with Mother."
"There's one more thing." She continued as he helped her stand. His eyebrow lifted, motioning for her to continue. "We are getting a new DADA teacher this year. And I don't put this lightly when I say she is Satan. Actually, I'm fairly certain that is an insult to Satan." She couldn't help the grimace on her face as her brain conjured the image of the squat toad of a woman, dressed in all pinks.
"As soon as these are finished baking, I'm happy to go back to your apartment and let you fill us in on what to expect." His smile was more contented as he placed a kiss on her check and turned to finish his meat pies.
15 minutes later, as they say around her dining room table, she laid out just how awful Umbridge was and would be. Making sure to stress the points of how she would make students write in their own blood and how she was still able to produce a full potronus while wearing a horcrux. When she finished, both boys were looking at her with a mixture of horror and disgust.
"Students will be back tomorrow. And even though we still have the feast and classwork to contend with this week, we also need to plan a few more things. I'll be telling Harry everything,for starters. Well sort of. But there are several things that will be extremely dangerous that we will have to assist Harry with. If he still wants to talk to me after I explain who I really am." Lee stood and cleared the table.
"We will follow your lead Princepessa. Don't worry about that." Blaise said as he made his way towards her room. A moment later he returned holding her necklace from Narcissa. "Now give us a play by play of your day with Narcissa."
Lee launched into her outing as Draco inspected her gift. Only once did she notice her boys share a look, but they never interrupted her.
"And that's when we came to the kitchens." She finished, as Draco handed her the necklace.
"Well it sounds like my mother has decided to put aside her prejudices. And that," he nodded towards the necklace, "shows just how much she likes you." Lee lifted her eyebrows, in question. Blaise gave Draco another significant look before he sighed and continued. "That particular necklace has been in the family for a very long time. My mother would not part with it lightly, nor to just anyone. Traditionally… well traditionally, it is given to the woman as a bridal gift." Lee almost dropped the jewelry.
"E-Excuse me?" She spluttered, placing the necklace on the table.
"I don't think that's exactly what my mother meant by it." He rushed out. "That necklace, in particular, has centuries of charms inlaid into the stones. Spells for protection, luck, energy and such. Things you would usually wish on a bride-to-be or new bride. It would seem she feels you need it more than she does." Lee promptly sat in her chair, understanding dawning on her.
"This is your mother's necklace!" It wasn't a question. Narcissa had given Lee her personal betrothal necklace.
"My mother has never taken that necklace off since she received it from my grandmother, when she and my father were to be wed. She must have felt as though you would need it's protections more." She could sense he wasn't telling her the whole story, but couldn't seem to find the words to ask.
Narcissa gave me her necklace. And Draco thinks it's for the properties it possesses. Which means she knows, or suspects, that I will need some protection for what's to come. Even though she is stuck in the house with that monster.
"Why on Earth would she do that? She needs this now, more than ever." Lee's eyes welled up with tears.
Neither of them answered her, for a few minutes.
"Because we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy. She's finally choosing what is right." Draco finally uttered.
Lee knew that quote by heart. Dumbledore told Harry that after the tournament months ago.
But where had Draco heard it?