Disclaimer- okay. Yes. I do not own ANYTHING! That was boring. AnywAY- here's your chapter!
A/N: I know that last chapter might've been out of character, but we haven't before seen how Death Eaters acted within their own, really. But it should get more into character soon, since starting next chapter it's Ginny's point of view. For the names coming up in the next few chapters- Eira is pronounced AY-rah, and… that's it for now:-D Thanks! Oh, and Review!
Jinglez
Chapter 2:
Four Years Later
It was only a day until Halloween. Draco and Ginny were running around the Manor excitedly, shrieking and playing with some new toys. Ginny was four, and Draco five, and they were thrilled to no end about the upcoming Halloween party held every year in honor of You-Know-Who's defeat. Of course, the Malfoys weren't exactly celebrating- but they had to put up a front. Lucius and Narcissa had agreed that the children weren't old enough yet to be told the truth about the family's role in Voldemort's circle. Of course, with the Weasley idiot trying to poke about everywhere, it certainly seemed that they would be tried again if they didn't see all their Dark Arts items- and fast.
Tonight the Malfoy family would be attending a Halloween festival in Diagon Alley. Many other decent families would be attending, luckily, including the Zabini's, whose two children happened to be Ginny and Draco's best friends, Blaise and Eira. Of course, some not-so-decent families also would be present. The Weasleys, undoubtedly, would be there, and though it was inevitable that they see Ginevra, their biological and kidnapped daughter, at some point, Narcissa and Lucius wished to hold it off as long as possible, so Ginny might not see the resemblance, or vise versa. Of course, Ginny's bright blue eyes were definitely a good disguise- but the concealment charm, regrettably, was easy to remove. Her hair was all Weasley, but the Malfoys had taken precaution and lightened it a very small bit. Narcissa also made sure a House Elf worked on it for fifteen or twenty minutes each morning, so that it fell in soft curls rather than the wild mane it was naturally. The Malfoys also had removed her freckles by a magical procedure when she was an infant. All of that protection had been necessary.
Thankfully, Ginny managed to act the part of a Malfoy lady perfectly, though only four years old. People were always complimenting about what a sweet-tempered doll she was. Narcissa, however, knew better. Ginny had a horrid temper, but she just managed to keep it under control until nobody outside her family was watching. She loved dressing up, though, thank Merlin, and was her Daddy's perfect little angel. She ran into his arms each evening when he got home from work, to have him swing her into his arms and give her a kiss, while Draco hurried after her to tell his father everything that had happened that day.
Right now, the children were learning to read. Draco disliked it, but didn't complain, while Ginny loved it but would throw the book in frustration when she couldn't get a word. Usually tutors were hired for these things, but Narcissa immensely enjoyed doing it herself. She looked to a clock in a comfortable family room. It was three O'clock. "Nixie!" called Narcissa commandingly. The elf appeared a moment later.
"What can Nixie do for Mistress?"
"Fetch the children and tell them it's time for their reading lesson. Allow them to each pick out a book."
"Certainly, Madam," said Nixie, popping out of the room happily. Narcissa opened a Broom magazine sitting on the table as she waited. Draco had been begging for the next level broom. He had a kiddie broom, which only flew up three feet at the most, which Narcissa felt safer with. But now he wanted a broom that let him ride ten feet, and Lucius was all for it! He laughed at Narcissa's worries, saying that he was a growing boy who was going to be Quidditch Captain one day. Ginny, the dear, had recently also expressed the wish for a broomstick. Narcissa thought she could get the kind Draco had, but, of course, Lucius was worried about his little angel. 'But can't she just play with dolls?' he had asked worriedly. Honestly, though Narcissa, shaking her head. Men. A moment later, Ginny and Draco raced down the stairs, but began walking quickly when Narcissa cleared her throat, smiling forgivingly.
"No running in the house, children," she said, smiling.
"We know," said Draco. "Sorry, Mum."
"Yeah, me too," said Ginny, whose curls were all coming out of her ribbon, which matched her lavender dress she'd insisted on wearing.
"Well," said Narcissa as the kids sat down on the couch beside her, "What shall we read today?"
"This one, Mummy!" piped up Ginny, shoving a book under Narcissa's face. It was called The Little Broomstick that Could, a spin-off of a popular Muggle book about a train.
"Good choice!" commended Narcissa happily.
"Yeah- that's what I wanted too," said Draco. "And Ginny had to copy me…" Ginny frowned at her brother.
"Did not!"
"Did too."
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Children!" said Narcissa in an authoritative voice. "No fighting! Now, Draco, Ginny didn't copy, and even if she did, it's because she wants to be like you."
"But Mummy!" protested Ginny. "I don't want to-"
"Hush! Who wants to read the first page?"
"I do!" cried both children at once. Narcissa sighed. "Draco can go first, since Ginny went first yesterday." Draco stuck his tongue out at Ginny. "Draco!" said Narcissa warningly. "Do you want me to tell Daddy?" Draco became quiet immediately. He did not like being disciplined by his father. Lucius never beat him or anything, but he yelled and would ground the children, which upset them rather badly, as they were both well-behaved, generally. "Okay, Draco. You may begin," smiled Narcissa, opening the book onto Draco's lap. He smiled and began reading.
"Once upon a time, th- th-"
"Sound it out, dear. Ther—"
"There!" Narcissa smiled encouragingly at her son. "Was a broomstick that w-w-w"
"Wan—"
"Wanted!"
"Good job, dear!"
"T-to p-lay in a game of Q-"
"Quidditch!" piped up Ginny. "I knew that already," frowned Draco.
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Children!"
"Sorry, Mum," said both kids at once. Draco then continued, and finished the page after three more long sentences. Then it was Ginny's turn. She looked excited about something.
"So the broomstick said that it could play Quidditch, but everyone laughed. The next morning, the team was playing, when the Seeker's Comet 260 broke, after laughing at the little broom-"
"Ginny," said Narcissa sternly. Draco's mouth was agape, and Ginny was smiling mischievously. "Did you memorize the book?" Ginny then looked confused.
"Mummy, what's mesorizing?"
"Memorizing," sighed Narcissa. "Do you know all the words without looking at it?" The redhead nodded, with a wide grin on her face. Narcissa chuckled as Draco accused Ginny of cheating, while she defended herself. "All right, kids," said Narcissa finally. "Go play. I'll send an Elf when you have to get ready for the festival, okay?" Both kids nodded, gleams in their eyes.
"Mummy, what's there to do at the festival again?" asked Ginny curiously.
"Don't you remember from last year, dear?" asked Narcissa. Ginny shook her head as Draco ran upstairs, most likely to find his broom. "Well… let's see. There will be lots of animals… yummy food for your tummy," continued Narcissa, tickling Ginny, who giggled. "There will be a storyteller, fireworks, and yummy food as well. And Trista and Eira will both be there."
"Really, Mummy?" asked Ginny excitedly. Narcissa nodded. Trista Caffery and Eira Zabini were both Ginny's age and were her two best friends, both from good pureblood families. Trista was the Malfoys' goddaughter; the daughter of Narcissa's best friend from school, and Eira's Dad was good friends with Lucius. "Will there be dragons, too?" asked Ginny. "Because one of the books is about a dragon. I like them."
Narcissa laughed.
"I doubt it, dear."
"Oh," said Ginny, disappointed. "Can I have one?"
"I don't think so, sweetie. They're rather mean."
"But Mummy!"
"No, dear. Ask your father if you wish. But go on and play so I can read." Ginny nodded sadly. Narcissa sometimes called the girl Ginevra, though it had been conceded too risky in public, but they hadn't wanted to call her Erin, in the end. So if anyone asked what Ginny stood for, Narcissa, Lucius, Ginny, or Draco would tell them 'Genevieve', after Lucius' grandmother.
Narcissa sighed as Ginny skipped away. Sometimes she felt a bit guilty for kidnapping Ginny. Her story and only picture had circulated around the media for at least a year. Narcissa supposed the Weasleys had given up. She still had no idea why they took Ginny to begin with- the answer had died with the Dark Lord's body. Narcissa hoped he didn't ever come back. She certainly believed in cleaning their world of Muggle-borns, and she definitely disapproved of half-bloods, but every day she was afraid that Lucius would be caught or sent to Azkaban, back then. She never wanted her children to know what crimes their family had committed. But she still did not want them to associate with those below their class. In Narcissa's eyes, Ginny had been blessed to be raised by such a prominent family. Better than the Weasley barn she'd have been living in.
Narcissa also sometimes wondered why they hadn't simply given Ginny back when the Dark Lord collapsed, shortly after her birth. She supposed Lucius thought that the Dark Lord could come back- it was always a possibility. Also, they didn't want to turn themselves in. And they had become attached to the child by then. No, giving Ginny back hadn't been discussed.
Lucius had the day off from the Ministry. He was probably spending it pricing more dark objects for the secret chamber beneath the drawing room. Narcissa often wondered why they kept it- but Lucius had made it clear that she was not to ask questions. She agreed as long as the family was kept safe and wealthy. That was the deal.
Narcissa decided to look at an old photo album which was sitting near the fireplace, as she was already ready for the festivities tonight and had nothing else to do. She opened it, and saw the first picture, of her and her two sisters. She hadn't heard form either in a very long time. Andromeda still wrote occasionally, though she disapproved of everything Narcissa did, just as Narcissa disapproved of Andromeda. Her daughter, Nymphadora, was now a fifth year at Hogwarts, and a Gryffindor, of course. Disgusting half-blood. Narcissa couldn't fathom how Andromeda married a Muggle-born. But he had died last year of some disease, apparently. Narcissa hadn't seen any of them in about ten years, almost.
And Bella- Bella had gone to Azkaban, with Crouch, Rudolphus, and someone else. Crouch and Bella both knew about Ginny- but Crouch had died in Azkaban. Bellatrix was there now, rotting away with the dementors. Narcissa shuddered. She was glad that the Longbottoms were worse than dead- crazy. They deserved whatever came to them for being meddling fools. Harry Potter should be dead as well, filthy half-blood. Narcissa had been a few years ahead of James, Lily, and her cousin. They were all despicable. Speaking of Sirius- he was there, too. HE didn't even do anything. But he deserved it- it was coming to him for a long time.
A few weeks ago, Ginny had read a story about Harry Potter, and, at dinner, had announced to the family that she wanted to marry him when she grew up. That hadn't gone so well. Even Draco knew about Harry Potter- he'd been told the whole story when he turned five, but nobody had ever explained to Ginny. There had been a shocked silence.
"I'll take this one," Lucius had said, a gleam in his eyes I remembered form his Death Eater days. He took Ginny onto his lap. "Ginny, dear. Do you know what Harry Potter did?" Ginny shook her head, looking admirably up into her father's eyes. "He defeated the Dark Lord with horribly dark magic given to him by Dumbledore." Ginny nodded; she knew by now that Dumbledore was a crazy fool. "And the Dark lord went far, far away. But he might come back someday, Ginny, dear. We pretend to hate him like everyone else. But when the Dark Lord comes back, we will support him. DO you know why?"
"Because he hates yucky Mudbloods?" asked Ginny in an innocent, childish voice.
"Exactly, Ginny, sweetheart. Understand?"
"Yes," said Ginny, smiling.
"So do we like Harry Potter?"
"No," answered Ginny, wide-eyed.
"But do we tell everyone else we like Harry Potter?"
"Yes, because they have bad ideas in their heads. Right?"
"Right, dearest."
Narcissa frowned at the memory. Lucius had been using a dangerous voice that night- but Ginny hadn't seemed fazed. Hopefully she wouldn't be a Gryffindor! But Narcissa decided against telling Lucius her fears, in case he decided to take a drastic measure to instill fear in the girl. Severus had been over for dinner that night. He had nodded in approval as Lucius told Ginny the truth. He then had gone outside to play with the kids. Draco and Ginny had always called him 'Uncle Sevvie'. He was so good with the children, that Narcissa often wondered why he hated teaching and was so bitter to everyone else. She supposed work for the Dark Lord had taken its toll on him, as it had so many other ex-Death Eaters.
The Halloween festival that night was very fun for the children. They had a very good time playing with their friends. Lucius had ended up buying Draco and Ginny each light-up non-heat dragon stuffed animals that were burning with sparklers. They also bought a book for each child. Ginny's was about a wizarding version of little red riding hood, and Draco's was about a boy beginning Hogwarts, though Lucius was still convinced Draco would attend Durmstrang. The Malfoys had spotted the Weasleys, and Lucius had dared to go over with the family and talk to Arthur in a menacing voice. Draco and Ron had exchanged dirty looks, and nobody had really paid attention to Ginny, who was quite captivated by their twins, who were holding bags of joke-shop items.
One of the boys caught Ginny staring and had grinned at the girl before the other elbowed him and whispered something. He then nodded and gave her a dirty look. All in all, it was an enjoyable evening.
That night as Narcissa and Lucius tucked each child into bed safely, she almost cried, wishing, for a moment, that her family was a loving one- without relatives in Azkaban and feuding break-offs from the family. But then she decided firmly that she was lucky she had at least been raised with proper ideas, and she knew that it was time to have a talk with her kids in the morning about being able to tell who was a Pureblood, Muggle-born, and so on, based on their names or appearance.
A/N: Please review! Thanks to anyone who reviewed last chapter!
Jinglez