At 2 AM, Narcissa sat in the living room, snuggled into a thin wrapper. It was so cold in the little house; Harry didn't want to alert suspicion, so he kept heating bills low. The thin silky camisole was more of a summer nightgown than a winter one, and with November turning to December, she was freezing. The wrapper helped some, but she was still so cold.

"Mum?"

Draco appeared at the foot of the stairs, dressed in a pair of Harry's pajamas, which were far too short in the legs. He wrapped his arms around himself. "I'm freezing."

"Me, too." She gestured for him to sit beside her. Draco crossed the floor in two strides and flopped onto the couch. She wrapped her arms around him and tossed the wrapper over him, and he burrowed, shivering, against her.

"Do you think he's okay?" Draco asked.

"Who?"

"The werewolf."

"His name is Remus," Narcissa sighed, "And I'm sure he's all right. He does this every month, remember?"

Draco frowned, "What a horrible life to lead."

"What's that, dear?"

"Being a werewolf," Draco replied, "It must be so difficult for him. How do you think he stands it?"

"Oh, I don't know," Narcissa replied, brushing back Draco's white-blonde bangs, "He has friends who love him; I suppose that's all someone needs to get by."

Draco said nothing.

Narcissa smiled, "You're getting so big," she said, "My grown-up son. I can't believe how time has flown."

"Mum?" Draco asked suddenly.

"Yes?"

He swallowed, "I'm – I'm really sorry. For everything."

Narcissa's heart dropped, "Oh, sweetheart." She hugged him tighter. "Look at me. This is going to pass. We're going to be all right. We'll find some way to survive. Remus says he's going to help us. We'll get you exonerated, and then – we'll go on with life, I suppose. We're tough to kill."

"Do you like him?"

"Like who?"

"Remus Lupin."

Narcissa bit her lower lip. "Wouldn't that be silly."

Draco looked at her knowingly.

On the other side of the house, the front door opened and closed.

"Harry and Ginny must have come back early," Narcissa said quickly.

Draco smiled ironically. She was trying so hard to cover up for herself. He stood up and brushed the wrapper off his lap.

"Well, well – isn't this cozy?"

Draco's wand was in his hand before the speaker finished. Narcissa gasped.

Standing in the living room was a tall woman in a burgundy dress, with a black cloak over her shoulders. Her thick mahogany hair was shot with silver and swept into an elaborate hairstyle. Her eyes were sunken in her face. She had the appearance of someone who had once been pretty, but whose beauty had been destroyed over years of concentrated evil.

"Expelliarmous!" she shouted.

Draco's and Narcissa's wands soared out of their hands and into her own. She laughed.

"Really, the Dark Lord overestimated both of you," she said, "I might have known you'd be here, waiting like sitting ducks for me to come for you."

Draco edged in front of Narcissa, shielding her with his body.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Draco," the woman snickered, "If I want to kill her, I will. You certainly won't stop me. I told you before, the chance to give her an easy, painless death was yours. If you squandered that opportunity, it's through no fault of mine."

Narcissa's blue eyes were wide, "Bellatrix."

Bellatrix Lestrange looked at her sister with mock surprise, "So you do remember me, after all! I should have known you would. Lucius was a miserable wizard; very little talent. If it hadn't been for his money or connections, I doubt that the Dark Lord would have wasted time on him.

"I brought an old friend with me tonight," she continued, gesturing to the doorway, "I don't think you know him, Cissa, dear, but your son certainly will remember him."

A second figure appeared, and Narcissa stifled a scream. A fully-grown werewolf loped into the room, his eyes fixed on her and Draco. His fur was matted with blood, and his teeth were twisted into a blood-stained smile.

God help us, Narcissa thought desperately.

"This is Fenrir Greyback," Bellatrix said in a song-song voice, "He's an old friend of Lucius', as well. Unfortunately, he's a little keyed-up at the moment. He hasn't had dinner yet, either. So I made a little deal with him."

Draco's eyes were wide, and his face was bone-white, but determined, his head held high. Narcissa grabbed his arm, but he pushed her off. "Stay back, Mum," he muttered.

Bellatrix continued in her same sing-song voice, "Since I haven't seen you for so many years, dear sister – and since we have so much to talk about, what with Andromeda dying and all – " She smiled, "I think I'll deal with you.

"And my dear nephew," she continued, "can play with Fenrir!"

At her last words, the werewolf leaped onto Draco, flinging him to the floor. Draco shouted and struggled, trying to break free, but the werewolf held him down, tearing at his shirt with his claws and teeth.

Narcissa screamed. She tried to run to him, but Bellatrix raised her wand and shouted, "CRUCIO!" Remembering the spell from Draco's attack, Narcissa leapt out of the way, behind a credenza, and rolled across the carpet.

"Let's not make this agonizingly drawn out!" Bellatrix called in a bored tone, "You never were a very good witch, Cissa. I'd hate to have this be long-winded and tedious when it doesn't have to be."

There was a sound of ripping skin and gristle; the werewolf had found his mark. Draco screamed, a blood-curdling sound. Narcissa felt her body turn to water, as if she might faint. No! I have to stay alive for my son!

She leapt to her feet and ran as fast as her legs could carry her for the cellar door. She unlocked it and threw the door open. The blackness yawned underneath, and she could not hear any movement. She had only one chance.

"REMUS!" she screamed.

She didn't know if he would recognize her voice, in his condition. But as she ran from the top of the stairs, she heard the galloping motions of a wolf, coming up towards her. A second werewolf leapt out from the basement, his eyes fixed on Narcissa.

She ran back to the living room. Bellatrix had vanished – to where, Narcissa didn't know. She saw Fenrir standing over her son's limp body, and she felt a scream welling up inside her. But Remus had followed her into the room, and when he caught sight of the werewolf in the room, his tell-tale blue eyes widened in recognition. He narrowed them and began to growl.

The two wolves began circling each other, across from Draco's body. They growled and snorted, each of them staring at the other, as if daring him to attack. Finally, with a bark of anger, Fenrir jumped over Draco and tackled Remus. The two of them began snorting and biting each other, rolling in a pair on the floor.

Narcissa ran towards her son, slipped in a pool of blood, jumped up, grabbed his shirt, and dragged him into the parlor. Was he alive? The wound at his neck was gaping and raw; his pajamas were a mess of blood. Where was Bellatrix?

"Right behind you, sister dear."

Narcissa turned around, her hand up to protect her face, standing before Draco's limp form. Bellatrix was standing in front of her, smirking, holding her wand at Narcissa's heart.

"What have you done?" Narcissa whispered.

Bellatrix's eyes were cold and cruel, "You have gone through life with your eyes closed. Always thinking people were better than they were. You always needed a steady hand to tell you what was right and what was wrong. Why didn't you leave well enough alone, Cissa?"

"What do you mean?"

"Everything!" Bellatrix gestured around her, "This place! Why did you kill Lucius, Cissa? Why did you come looking for Harry? Who are these people, your new friends? You've put them in more danger than they've ever been before. They're all going to die, and it's all because of you."

Narcissa blocked Draco's body with hers, extending her arms to the sides. Bellatrix laughed out loud.

"What do I care what you do? He's already dead. And the others will be dead soon, as well. You've failed, Narcissa. Did you ever think you were going to amount to anything? All your life, you've been nothing but a pretty face and nothing more."

She tossed Narcissa her wand.

"Here. To make things more even." She laughed, "Although you have absolutely no hope."

Narcissa fingered her wand in her hand.

"Lucius was all wrong about you," Bellatrix went on, relishing every word, "He always thought you were worth so much more than you were. You used to be, you know. Mum and Dad always did love you the most - you were so pretty, prettier than Andromeda and I could have hoped to be."

Her eyes narrowed.

"But then you had to throw it all away on that half-breed fiance of yours."

"What do you mean?" Narcissa asked.

But Bellatrix ignored her, "No wonder your son was so pathetic. You're lucky I killed him now, before he turned into an even bigger failure!"

Narcissa's eyes narrowed.

She's my sister - and she tried to kill my son!

Bellatrix was shouting.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Narcissa ducked; the blast missed her. She bolted to the other side of the room. Bellatrix cursed and turned around.

"Dammit, Narcissa! I'm not playing games!"

"Neither am I!" Narcissa screamed. She threw her wand arm into the air and pointed it straight at Bellatrix as best she could.

"AVADA KEDVRA!"

In her own memory, she could not remember having ever cast a Killing Curse. She'd always heard, before, that to make it count, you really had to mean it. She did not want to kill her sister - but she did want the woman responsible for hurting her son to be dead.

Bellatrix's scream was cut off. She dropped to the floor, eyes wide and staring.

She was dead.

Breathing hard, Narcissa turned from her sister's body and ran back to her son. She couldn't tell if he was breathing or not. Tears filled her eyes. Oh, God, let him be alive!


"Narcissa."

Someone was touching her shoulder. Narcissa's head shot up, her eyes snapping open. She looked into Remus' tired, blood-streaked face.

"You're alive," she whispered.

He nodded tiredly.

"Is he?"

"No," he replied, "He's dead." He hesitated, "Bellatrix?"

"She's dead."

Remus nodded. He knelt down beside Narcissa and laid his ear against Draco's chest.

"He's alive," he said.

"I wasn't sure," she whispered. "What happened?"

"You cried yourself to sleep. For how long, I don't know," Remus replied, "I wrestled Fenrir until dawn came. When we turned back into humans, I used my wand and killed him."

He didn't mention to her the demons in his mind as he'd wrestled with the man who had turned him into a werewolf so many years ago. He didn't mention the incredible satisfaction he'd had when he'd killed Greyback. Now was not the time.

"We have to get him to St. Mungo's," Remus continued, "As soon as possible. He's lost a lot of blood."

"But the Ministry?" Narcissa asked faintly.

Remus lifted Draco into his arms, "They can't take a boy who is bleeding to death. I'll take him myself. Are you coming with me?"

"I'm not leaving him."

"Then let's go."

Draco's head flopped against Remus' chest. He moaned. Narcissa grabbed his hand, her eyes filled with tears.

"It's okay, Draco," Remus muttered, "I've got you."

The door opened as Narcissa yanked her cloak on. Harry and Ginny stepped in, their eyes wide with surprise.

"Dad and the others are on their way," Ginny managed, "Draco – is he?"

"We're going to St. Mungo's," Remus said, "We'll be back soon."

The two teenagers parted ways and let them pass, watching them move down the walk way. Neither of them spoke.

There was nothing left to say.