"Narcissa?" Lucius questioned his wife. He glared at her very coldly. She stood tall and did not back down.
"It happened once only, Lucius. Both Severus and I were under some sort of spell, if I recall correctly. The whole thing was nothing but an accident, a mistake."
Lucius narrowed his eyes to gage whether she lied to him or not. His gaze moved as he was satisfied with what he saw. "Very well, then why did you follow me?"
"It was time for you to know the truth. Keeping the secret has not been easy, nor have I enjoyed it." She walked to his side and took his arm.
Nephthys watched the two Malfoys closely, not trusting either of them. All the time, she edged farther from the group, toward the main doors. If her mother thought her nothing but a mistake brought about by an accidental mating with Snape, what stopped him from feeling the same. The three had been good friends once. Should she stay with the chance that he felt the same as Narcissa?
"Alright, I suggest we take this to my office before the children start emerging from their meal. This is not something that involves them." Dumbledore looked at all of them pointedly. As if summoned by his words. The doors opened and many students came out of the Great Hall, slowing as they caught sight of the adults looking menacingly at one another. The headmaster turned on his heel and headed for his office. The others quickly followed. Only when they had reached their destination did they realize that both Nephthys and Draco were not among them. Dumbledore had to nearly restrain both Lucius and Snape from starting a search. Lucius did not wish Draco to spend time with his half-sister, and Snape knew well enough that what Narcissa had said affected his daughter.
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Nephthys took the opportunity handed to her by the students leaving the Great Hall. She fled from the castle, heading quickly for the lake. The water would help calm her, she knew. In her haste, she failed to notice her brother following her. She had one thing on her mind as she ran, she had to get away from the castle and her parents. Once she finally made it to the shore of the lake, she dropped to her knees and let her head fall back. The light drizzle of rain washed at her face, mingling with the tears that started falling from her eyes. With her mind she screamed, screamed to know why, pouring all her sorrow and pain into the release.
Draco stopped short of her, watching as tears spilled from her eyes. As he watched, he felt her pain and sorrow. He saw the hurt, the words that cut at her constantly and the self-conscious way she looked at everything in her life. They were not much different, he realized, and that surprised him. As her tears turned to silent, wracking sobs, he moved forward and dropped to the ground beside her. He could not fight the need to pull her into his arms and comfort her. She was one of the things he had always wanted, a sibling. The fact that she was not truly a Malfoy did not bother him as he was not too fond of his father or the man's ways, though he tried hard to hide the fact that he was disloyal.
Nephthys stiffened as arms wrapped around her. She took a moment to realize who was holding her. To her amazement, she saw Draco from the corner of her eye. "Draco?" Her voice was soft and uncertain. Why would he now wish to be close to her after the words they had shared previously? He had cornered her against a wall with full intent of doing her harm. Was blood really that powerful? Did a name or lineage mean that much? She did not realize he had seen into her, that she had shoved so much of her pain out for him to see.
"Quiet. Let it go. I know how you feel. Just let me try to comfort you." His eyes held his own uncertainty. She nodded and leaned into him. Perhaps all was not lost to her. For the time being, she would sit and take comfort. Her mind could play over all the questions and tangents she came up with later.
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Dumbledore sat back and watched as Lucius and Severus glared needles at one another. The two men were not going to give over any ground. "Why are you here, Lucius?"
"This assistant of the Potion Master's needs to be put in her place. She can not treat the students however she wishes…"
"You mean she can't treat the Slytherins as she has been," Minerva corrected as she entered the room. Her head was held high and her voice sharp.
"And they are the only ones she has been disciplining," he stated without too much malice. He may not like the Hogwarts' lot, but Minerva did command respect from all who met her.
"That is not correct. She has been doing so with the other houses when there is need." The headmistress sat down and eyed him. "It is not her fault that the sixth year Slytherins are unruly and disrespectful when they think they can get away with it, which means while in the presence of their Head of House." She eyed Snape before looking to the headmaster.
"I will take your suggestion under advisement, Lucius, but nothing will be done this night. Go home and take care of your own problems and leave those of this school to us."
"I will take this to the other governors, Albus."
"That I am certain you will." Albus stood and motioned to the door. "I have business I must attend to. If you wish to say goodbye to your son, he is by the lake… with his sister." The look that passed over Lucius' eyes made Albus smirk. The haughty man stood and pulled his wife from the office. He would have words with Draco at another time. He had no wish to lay eyes on his wife's illegitimate daughter again before leaving. He had to wonder… How had Narcissa hid her pregnancy from him?
Snape watched them leave, saying nothing after they were gone. He just looked at the headmaster a long moment before turning on his heel and heading for the dungeons. Harry remained seated where he was confused and uncertain about what was going to happen. He looked to the headmaster also but his eyes held questions.
"Go, Harry. I am sure Nephthys will seek you out. Speak not of this to anyone for the time being. I trust that Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley will keep your confidence. They have in the past." He smiled knowingly at the boy as Harry nodded back and left as well.
"Albus, are you sure this is all for the best. What if the governors agree with Lucius? You know how they can be." Minerva did not like to think of the embarrassment Nephthys could go through, or what could happen to Severus if the truth came out. She doubted, however, that Lucius would let that piece of knowledge slip out.
"We'll see how that plays out when the thought of the announcement of his wife's infidelity comes into play." Albus seemed to have read her mind.
"Albus, you wouldn't!" Minerva could not believe it. "Severus could get drug through the mire as well! And Nephthys, branded a bastard child!"
"I would pass it with him, of course, as well as Nephthys. In the case that either should not go along, we must think of something to get them through this without Lucius causing a hassle." He sighed and stroked Fawks under the chin.
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Nephthys was weary when Draco suggested they should return to the castle. "My father is not still here or we would have been fetched long ago." Draco smirked. "Besides, you did not seem to fear him earlier."
"It is not your father I am worried over…"
"Why would you be worried about Severus?" Draco helped her to her feet. She would not look at him as he took her arm and led her back toward the school. "Mother?" He asked. She glanced at him and nodded. "Severus does not look at things the way either she or my father do. They have similarities, yes, but Severus does not serve… Sev will not turn his back on you. He never has me and I am nothing but his godson."
Nephthys looked at him and smiled a small, sad smile. "I hope you are right." As they entered the gates of the castle she could not help but let something get the better of her. "Why do you hate Harry so much?"
Draco stopped in his tracks and looked at her as though she were crazy. Her cool steady gaze did not waver. He sighed and shook his head. "I… I don't… It's not that I hate him. I just have no reason to like him."
"Which means you have no reason to hate him. Draco, have you ever thought to let people know who you really are? Yes, you are a Malfoy. Yes, your father is a bastard. Yes, you are the 'prince' of Slytherin. But honestly, Draco! You are so much more. I can see into you. You are not vile and evil like your father. You are compassionate, considerate, loyal. You hide all you are in a fortress so far deep inside yourself you don't know how to find your way back to you!" She took his hands in hers. "Promise me something. If it is the only thing you ever do for me, I want you to dig, pry, cut, and smash your way through the walls of that fortress. I want you to be who you are not who someone else wants you to be."
Draco stared into her eyes as she felt tears brim in her own. She felt so urgently for him to do this small task. How could he deny her? "I will try, but… What will people think if I suddenly change?"
"You will always be you, but the true you is better than picking at Ronald Weasley or caring if someone has muggle blood." She kissed his cheek before stepping away from him. "Be who you want to be, Draco. I don't want to shape you the way your father has. If you like being in his image, than that is what you are to do. If you want to change, do so in any way you wish. No one can force you."
Draco watched as she walked back toward the castle. He had a lot to think about as he, too, headed inside and toward the dungeons. Both he and his sister failed to note the eyes upon them as Pansy Parkinson stepped from the shadows of the castle. She had not heard the words but she had seen enough to enrage her. How dare Nephthys move in on what was hers!
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The night seemed much shorter than Nephthys had wanted. She felt tired and worn down as she dressed and made her way to the Great Hall. She passed the Gryffindor table, barely touching Harry's shoulder as she passed. The touch was enough, though, for him to notice and smile. She smiled to Draco as she sat down beside her father. Draco could tell the smile was forced as it did not reach her eyes. He quickly shoveled his food in and stood, approaching the table. He stooped down and whispered in her ear, causing the smile to reach her eyes this time. She nodded and shooed him away.
"I take it that the feud is over before it really began?" Snape inquired. She shrugged and drank her juice. She barely looked up from her meal when the owl post came swooping down on the students. However, gasps from several students and a few of the staff had her glancing up. They were staring at the amphiptere that had just glided down to the head table. She looked at the winged-serpent then at the students. Did they not know… She was not even going to ask. The creature was not European, originally.
"What?" She asked as she looked at her father. He shook his head. She looked around at the others before taking the letter from the amphiptere's tail. She checked the handwriting and noted it was from a friend in Egypt she had just sent some 'special' biscuits to. She leaned forward and whispered in the creatures ear; which caused it to hiss happily, take a sausage, and fly away. The students watched as it flew away, transfixed by the animal. "I suppose it would be too much to ask if they ever learn about these things."
"Hagrid is teaching a class on the Care of Magical Creatures. He has not thought of amphipteres that I know of." The headmaster looked at the half-giant. He shook his thick mane in the negative.
"You have a Care of Magical Creatures class?" She sounded very much intrigued. Snape groaned and glared at Dumbledore, who just looked back with his usual amused expression. "Hagrid, if my schedule permits… May I join in on the Slytherin sixth year classes?" Her eyes were bright and eager.
Hagrid was surprised by the light in her eyes. "I see no 'arm in it."
"Cool!" She grinned, beaming at the half-giant. Snape shook his head. His daughter was nothing if not in love with nature and all the creatures of the world, magical or not. She quickly finished her meal and left the table, heading for the Slytherin table. Draco, who had sat back down to converse with Blaise, saw her coming and was shocked by how much her demeanor had changed.
"What has you so chipper?" He asked as she stopped beside him.
"When do you have Care of Magical Creatures?" She asked. He could tell she was barely holding in whatever was making her so happy all of a sudden.
"Thursdays after lunch." He eyed her. The other Slytherins were curious why he was being civil, let alone friendly, with her.
"With the Gryffindors I suppose."
"Yeah."
"Perfect!" She kissed his cheek and took off across the hall. The Slytherins were torn between watching her leave and eyeing Draco, who acted like nothing had happened as he turned back to Blaise.
Harry had seen her kiss Draco but did not seem at all surprised, unlike all the other students that had. She came to his side and sat down in the spot empty beside him. "You seem happy now."
"I don't have a class to teach after lunch on Thursdays."
"And?" He asked. He had Care of Magical Creatures at that time.
"I'm going to be joining Hagrid for Care of Magical Creatures! I can't wait!" She beamed over at him. He shook his head and chuckled. This was a side to her they had not seen before.
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"She seems very happy about something as simple as joining in on a class," Minerva commented with a small smile.
Snape looked at her and nodded. "Nephthys is a child of nature. She may teach our Grounds Keeper some things he does not know."
"Well, I am certain she is going to add a bit of spice to our lives for a while if the look on Miss Parkinson's face is any indication." Dumbledore looked to where Pansy sat glaring at Nephthys' back. "I do believe she dislikes her."
"She does not realize the nature of the relationship between Draco and Nephthys." Minerva agreed with Dumbledore's prediction. Things were going to get interesting. Snape realized he was going to have to talk to his daughter, who was not one to typically back down if someone challenged her.