Chapter Two: Meeting of Snake and Lion
"Oh Mum, Dad," whispered a girl, leaning above the beds. She brushed a strand of wispy black hair away from her unnaturally pale face and bent down farther, a single crystalline tear spilling across her cheek. "How on Earth did this happen…all the servants were so wonderful…they never would, no, they couldn't have done this…"
"Listen to me," interrupted Mrs. Kwan in a raspy, tired voice. "It doesn't matter at all now, don't you understand? Your future is what counts, because it's about you." Then she fell silent, overcome by the tremendous effort. When she rested, angry pink splotches rose to her cheeks; it was a sure sign of what would be happening soon enough.
"Your mother's right," continued Mr. Kwan. "Now, you'll be going to stay with the Malfoys because…" It hurt him deeply to speak the harsh, disgraceful truth, but Elaine, at least, deserved to know. "Because they're the closest relations, if you think about it that way, we've got. Just be a good girl, and they'll be wonderful right back."
Elaine nodded fervently, almost as if she couldn't bear to say any more. Her parents glanced at each other, then at their daughter. They held hands for the last time in a sure, strong grasp and let go after a brief moment. Before Elaine fully comprehended it, the words "Safe journey, Elaine" had fallen simultaneously from their drawn lips. And then their eyes brushed shut and slumbered in peace.
She gave her father, then her mother's hand a gentle squeeze before Hancock strode up the beds and pulled her wordlessly away from their still warm bodies. Her lips choked back furious sobs as the man led her into an empty room and held out a gleaming pocket watch. Carefully she reached out a trembling hand, and the world melted away into swirls of unbroken color she had little time to notice while she was being jerked away from a loving home to the cool, impersonal Malfoy Manor.
* * * *
The Malfoys stood side by side in the main hallway, the entire Malfoy family, like they always appeared in the presence of others. Draco had been forced into brand new, custom-tailored dress robes in preparation for their permanent guest, much to his chagrin. And so they stood, each silently spitting the same thought: She better not be late.
Suddenly Lucius disappeared with a faint pop and returned after a few minutes by way of the door. Following him were an old grandfatherly man in a Muggle business suit and of course, the girl Elaine. She had just come from the start of the funeral and was still in a straight navy blue dress, but the sad, yet appraising look on her face was unmistakable. It was by no means Gryffindor, and all true Malfoys understood. Elaine might have been fed a pack of lies about how she had inherited the traits of a lioness, but would time itself transform her into the quintessential serpent queen?
Finally Narcissa Malfoy blinked slowly, stirring the heavy lull that had settled up on them. Draco smiled, not unkindly, and extended a hand, which she unerringly accepted. "I'm Draco, and welcome to the Malfoy Manor," he drawled in a light, maddeningly calm voice, waiting for her response.
She managed to return a smile and said, "Thank you. My name is Elaine, and it has been very kind of you to accept me in your beautiful manor." The other hand nearly flew up to her straight black hair, but as it was pulled back behind a matching hair band, there was no need to smooth it.
"Yes, yes," Lucius cut in. "So very pleased to have you as well, Mr. Hancock, no?" He too offered a hand before turning back to the two children. "Won't you join us for ah, anything you might be desiring after such a traumatic day?" Quickly he swept the man's stooped figure with the same gray eyes, taking advantage of his distraction. A most unworthy attorney, don't know how the Kwans settle anything was his initial impulse.
"Why thank you," spoke Hancock for the first time. "But I'm afraid I've got business to attend to. Feel free to owl me if there's anything the matter though." With that he tipped his head down for a moment and walked out the double doors, pausing only long enough to whisper, "Good luck, Elaine." But Elaine herself didn't turn, remaining impossibly rigid. There was no indication she had even heard the voice…except the unnoticeably steelier glistening in her almost glittering black eyes.
Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy turned and headed toward the parlor as soon as Hancock had left, with Draco following a few steps behind. Unsure of what was expected, Elaine lingered a few seconds longer but quickened her pace when she realized where they were all marching off to. As she walked, every picture, it seemed, chose that moment to wake up and hiss a few choice remarks about a "raven-haired girl with the Malfoys". At first she stopped whenever she heard a voice and glared at the offending portrait, which immediately pretended to fall asleep, but after the third or fourth down the frustratingly long hall, Elaine elected to keep her eyes straight ahead. If everyone or thing in this house wanted to give her a hard time…they would all be suffering quite soon.
In the cool parlor Lucius Malfoy turned to her and asked, "Would you like a cup of tea, Elaine?" His tone was none too kind, more on the borderline of condescending and accepting than anything else. Meanwhile Narcissa looked on with a silent glower whenever no one was looking; what would the other Houses think? That her husband had come home one day with his bastard daughter, no doubt. Silently she pressed her lips together and cursed her horrid plight.
"Tea will be sufficient. Thank you, Mr. Malfoy." She felt too easily the dirty looks the ice queen was sending her way every few minutes, electing not to show a response. God, the people were all the same in a Slytherin house, precisely the reason she belonged in its antithesis.
"You may address me simply as Uncle," purred Lucius, a mildly amused smirk crossing his face. "And if no one has informed you yet, your legal name is now Elaine Malfoy Kwan." He noted the uncomfortable squirm with more concealed amusement, thinking that for a little lion, there was quite a bit of potential in her mind. Quite unusual, to say the least.
"Crinky!" he called, listening afterward for the characteristic clatter followed by a being clothed in a pillowcase. The house-elf appeared, its eyes subconsciously drawn to the new girl. She was startled out of her distraction by a soft tap and looked up to Lucius.
"Bring us some tea and biscuits," the man commanded. "And don't forget sugar cubes this time."
Crinky curtsied and rushed off to the kitchens, returning with a silver platter holding four teacups filled to the rim, biscuits, a crystal cup of sugar cubes, and the teakettle in the middle. She breathed a sigh of relief as Mr. Malfoy plucked a cup from the plate and sipped deeply. It was a sign that she, at least, was free to leave.
After seeing "Uncle" take tea, Elaine pushed aside her doubts and took a cup herself. Suddenly the years of learning how to act when there was company flooded her mind, so her fingers barely grazed the handle as she lifted it to pale lips.
Lucius watched her discreetly with pleasure; evidently the girl had had etiquette lessons before, so she wouldn't be a total disgrace at any parties hosted by some of his affluent friends. Yet it was such a redundant phrase: could his friends ever be considered anything other than affluent?
He chose not to offer condolences since Elaine had probably been filled to the brim with false sympathies, instead mentioning casually to his family, "Don't you think Elaine will be wonderful in the years to come?" Narcissa glared at him again, apparently outraged by the mere thought, while Elaine rolled her eyes. It only elicited another dirty look.
Unfazed by his wife's less-than-delighted response, Lucius continued, "As you may already know, there are a few rules in our house. For one, my office on the second floor is strictly off limits, as is the master bedroom…actually, everything but the bedrooms, library, and the first floor is restricted. Of course, you may do some reading before term starts, I have nearly any book you might desire."
"Yes…Uncle. I understand." She finished her tea neatly and stood up from the leather couch. "Would you be so kind as to show me my bedroom?" she asked, shifting her clear gaze from one to the other.
Draco immediately rose to his feet on a slight nod from his parents and took long strides down the hall. "Follow me." Quietly Elaine slipped up the staircases after him, trying desperately to ignore the tittering paintings. A Malfoy was a Malfoy and would always be a Malfoy…but these people didn't seem too bad yet, did they?
She found herself at the end of the hall wondering where the boy had gone when she heard his voice to the right. Turning around, there was a door that somehow her sharp eyes had missed before, and she turned the handle and pushed in, oblivious to the creaking hinges and the rays of violet light…
AN: Well that was longer than the previous chapter, and hopefully a little better as well. I quite like little Elaine so far: innocent and naïve, but not stupid; quiet and observant, yet spirited. As far as plot goes, I'm still in the open, but I believe this fanfiction will be in two parts, before and up to the Sorting and their sixth year.
I just edited this for spelling and grammatical errors…so review please, and if you have time, read my other stories too!
-cybErdrAgOn