This train ride was Narcissa's first without Bellatrix. She wondered what her sister was doing at the moment. Bellatrix and Rodolphus had decided to join the organization which was led by that pro-blood purity wizard—Lord Voldemort, Narcissa believed he called himself. She was a little curious about the chosen name of the group: the Death Eaters. Such a strange name. But if it helped Bella and Rod in their marriage in regard to at least tolerating each other and having a common goal, Narcissa quietly supported it.

Inside the train compartment, she was seated next to Lucius, and Atticus and Victoria were sitting across from them. After their moment at the wedding, Atticus had asked for permission to court Victoria from Mr. Greengrass, and of course, the two pure-blood families were thrilled. It might not have been as influential of a courtship as one between a Black and a Malfoy, but nonetheless, it had been the second-biggest news story after Bellatrix and Rodolphus's wedding. Narcissa also knew that her parents and Mr. and Mrs. Nott were working to arrange a marriage between Dromeda and Xavier. Andromeda seemed even less thrilled at the notion than Bellatrix had been at the idea of marrying Rodolphus. Narcissa quietly thanked Merlin that she had found a potential spouse that Mother and Father would approve of on her own.

As they journeyed to school, a fifth year Slytherin girl walked by their compartment door, glancing into it before she knocked lightly and slid it open. She was tall, lean, had dark, brown hair, and a pug-faced appearance. She might have been a Flint, or maybe a Parkinson. Narcissa didn't know for sure. "Lucius, William and the other Prefects want to see you." William was Victoria's elder brother, a sixth year Slytherin student and a House Prefect.

Narcissa glanced over at Lucius worriedly, and he squeezed her hand in reassurance. "I'll be back soon, Cissy."

Narcissa nodded, and Lucius left with the other girl, who Narcissa finally recalled to be Amelia Flint, the girlfriend of Julian Parkinson. Narcissa tried not to become too jealous every time another girl was around Lucius, as she knew he loved her and wouldn't ever think about being unfaithful to her or leaving her. She had discovered his Amortentia aromas were the smell of Galleons, his hair care products, and her perfume. But still, he was Lucius Malfoy, and many pure-blood witches would be tripping over themselves to possibly become Mrs. Lucius Malfoy. She couldn't help but feel a tad insecure at times.

Lucius never arrived back to the compartment by the time they reached Hogwarts, so Narcissa saved a seat for him at the Slytherin table before the Sorting Ceremony and Opening Feast. Victoria and Atticus were on her other side, and Andromeda was seated across from her after having spent the entire trip in another compartment on the train. Finally, Lucius arrived in the Great Hall and took his place next to her. There was something different about him. It wasn't the fact that his hair had grown longer yet again, or the fact that his voice was deepening. It was the fact that he now had a gleaming green and silver badge with the letter P upon it pinned to his uniform. "Lucius, is that…?"

Lucius looked down toward his chest and then back up at her. "Yes, it is," he answered proudly.

"They made you a Prefect?" A dumb question, but she was too excited to care. Lucius nodded. "Luce, that is so exciting." Narcissa took his face in her hands and kissed him, partially out of enthusiasm and a current lack of care for social protocol, and partially to send a message to a few second year Slytherin girls who had started giggling and twirling their hair when they had noticed Lucius's Prefect badge. They all clearly knew who he was. "I am so proud of you. I'm certain your mother and father will be pleased."

"Professor Slughorn knows Father very well, so I figure Father probably spoke highly of me," said Lucius.

"Regardless, you're a Prefect now. That honor will be included on your diploma as well in the graduation program. It will help you gain good connections with the Ministry as well. Lucius Malfoy, House Prefect; Merlin, it sounds so sophisticated," said Narcissa elatedly.

"It does, doesn't it?"

McGonagall called out over the students, and they sat through the Sorting Ceremony and Dumbledore's opening speech before eating their meals. After the feast, Lucius left with Amelia, William, and the other Slytherin Prefects to escort the first years to the dungeons, and Victoria and Narcissa quickly followed them. Narcissa couldn't help but notice some first years from various Sacred Twenty-Eight families making eyes at Lucius, clearly thinking for their futures as pure-blood witches. Lucius smiled softly at them, but didn't say or do anything more. But Narcissa couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy, despite her usual self-confidence.

They arrived at the common room, and Lucius announced, "Purity." The Prefects ushered everyone into the room, and most of the students went to their dorms. Narcissa and Victoria were the only two fourth year Slytherin girls, so they had a room to themselves. Narcissa was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she barely heard Victoria ask, "Cissy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Narcissa lied.

"Cissy, we've been mates since we were in nappies. I know when you're upset."

"Please don't tell me I acted like a love-sick prat when I was a first and second year?"

"I mean, you did do everything in your power to get Lucius to notice you, but it wasn't a difficult task."

"It isn't for the current group of first years, either," Narcissa muttered under her breath.

"You're jealous," said Victoria.

"No, I'm not," Narcissa said in defense.

"The confident, self-assured Narcissa Black is jealous of first years," Victoria teased.

"So what if I am?" asked Narcissa, changing into her nightgown.

"I think you have no reason to be."

"Come on, Vicky; you saw how those first and second year witches were flirting with Lucius."

"But he didn't reciprocate."

"He smiled at them."

"He smiles at everyone, at least everyone in Slytherin. He's a friendly, charismatic wizard. And he's a Prefect now, so he's supposed to welcome people to Slytherin House. But there is one difference in the manner he looks at you vs. other witches."

"Which is?"

"He looks at you like you're his everything. Merlin, I wish Atticus looked at me the way Lucius looks at you."

Narcissa sat down on her bed and asked, "But didn't you and Atticus voluntarily decide to enter a courtship?"

"Yes, but be honest, Cissy. You know how it is in our social circle. Most of us pure-bloods don't get the option of marrying for love. We marry fellow pure-bloods to bring honor to our families and to preserve purity in the Wizarding race. You're one of the few lucky witches who truly loves her future husband. You smell each other's scents in Amortentia. Atticus and I don't."

Narcissa sighed. "You're right. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You're thinking as someone who's ready to fight for her future husband no matter what anyone says about him. It's what makes you a good mate, and it will make you a good wife and mum someday."

"Thank you, Vicky. I needed the reassurance."

After Victoria had fallen asleep, Narcissa snuck out of the dormitory and down to the common room. She knew that as a Prefect, Lucius would be patrolling the common room and the hallways to make sure students weren't out after curfew. Of course, she was technically now in that category, but she wasn't planning on causing a ruckus in the Great Hall or anything. She quietly descended the stairs, and Lucius was reading on one of the couches. She cleared her throat to signal her presence. "You know I could deduct House points from Slytherin because you're out after curfew?"

"I know you could, but you won't," said Narcissa, walking over to the couch.

"No, I probably won't," Lucius admitted. "Maybe if it was Bella and she was still a student here, but not you."

"Where's Amelia? It is Amelia Flint who's the other fifth year Prefect, right? The witch who's courting Julian Parkinson?"

"Yes, and she's out patrolling the corridors."

Narcissa sat down next to Lucius, the soft glow of the fireplace illuminating the room. She sat a good distance from him to prevent impure thoughts from entering their minds, though Lucius still reached over and took her hand. "Lucy?"

"Hmm?"

"You love me, right?"

"Of course, Cissy? Why would you think otherwise?"

"Because there were so many first and second year Slytherin girls flirting with you, and I couldn't help but feel a little jealous about how they were trying to gain your attention."

"I'm used to it," said Lucius. "I'm a Malfoy; I'm basically Wizarding royalty. Marrying me is equivalent to marrying a Muggle prince. But I promise you, there's only one witch in this entire school whom I want to make Mrs. Lucius Malfoy someday."

"It's me, right? Please tell me it's me?"

"No, it's actually Vicky," he said sarcastically and squeezed the hand he was holding.

"Arse," she muttered.

"You better get back to your dorm room. I'm doing a terrible job as Prefect on my first day, and I don't know when Amelia will be back."

"Okay." Narcissa stood, but didn't bother to kiss him; the room was too dark, and the ambience was too romantic. A quick kiss could easily lead to lusty thoughts in the current atmosphere, and unlike Bellatrix, she planned on saving herself for her husband on her wedding night. "Good night, Luce," she said before going back to her room for the night, now more at peace than earlier that evening.