Chapter 81:

Narcissa's Tale

"Ariella?"

Said servant girl spun around to face her mistress, waiting expectantly for her orders.

"Please prepare tea for three today and bring it to the sitting room."

"Yes, Ma'am. Of course."

"I'll see you shortly then."

"Yes Mrs. Malfoy."

Taking a deep breath, hands tightly clenching the tray she was carrying, Ariella entered the sitting room, gaze to the floor. When she didn't hear voices, the nervous servant dared to look up, shocked to find that only Mrs. Malfoy and Draco were present. Where was the third person?

"Ariella, come in; take a seat by Draco," she instructed, further surprising the students.

"Mother, what's going on?" Draco questioned as Ariella poured her owners tea.

"It's time you knew why Lucius brought the enslavement spell into effect," she replied, and Ariella froze as Mrs. Malfoy continued.

"What do either of you know about how Ariella came to live here?"

"Not much; I know I was four, though it was supposed to be earlier. I don't know anything else," she replied quietly.

"I don't know much of anything either; Father never told me."

"It was a complicated time with the first war going on. Your father had shown sympathies with the Dark Lord, though he never took the mark. However, around the time you were conceived, and especially once he found out your mother was pregnant, he began to get into some trouble.

"Your father and Lucius were…partners and Lucius began to offer him a third option, with a promise of repayment. Your father and Lucius made a deal; Lucius would assist him if he would get Lucius into the safe houses and reveal information that had been leaked to your father by other sympathizers who were hiding.

"Your mother hated the idea and at the time, though I knew a deal had been made, I didn't know of what it entailed.

"Your father was captured and tortured for information; when the Order grew restless, he was released. He returned, only to find he no longer had a job and his house had been partially burned to the ground. Your mother and yourself, once you were born, were moved to a supposed safe house; one we knew the location of.

"Something went wrong during your birth and you were born with medical complications. Lucius agreed to pay, to help, but as a result, he changed the terms of their original deal. It took until you were four years old for most of the complications to be healed.

"At this point, your mother was pregnant again and your father had once more been injured. He began to try and back out, to protect you."

"By why enslavement? And for me?"

"Lucius felt that your family, particularly your father, were traitors. And during the years this took place, there was a night where I was in the cross–fire of spells. I ended up miscarrying and Lucius blamed your father; furthermore, it was due to that night that I not only lost a child, but lost the ability to have children," she revealed, causing brow and grey eyes alike to widen in surprised horror.

"I – I'm sorry," she whispered.

At the same time, Draco said, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you knowing," Narcissa admitted.

"But why enslavement?"

"As both payment and punishment. Lucius wanted your father to feel the loss of a child and he felt this was just punishment, payment rather, for a traitor. I didn't know until after the bond was completed, at least for that age."

"That age?"

"As you age, especially because Draco is aging with you, the bond's demands will grow and change."

"Oh; thank you for telling me."

"Where's her family now?"

"They're dead. They were killed about a year after you came to us."

"May I be excused?"

"Of course."

"Thank you for telling me, ma'am."

Ariella left and Draco stayed silent only long enough to ensure she was out of earshot. "Why such an ancient, brutal curse?"

"I don't know. I try not to be heavily involved. You, however, need to be."

"I know. Thank you, for finally telling us, Mother."

"You both deserve to know."

"I'll see you for dinner."

"Draco, are you holding up alright?"

"Fine, Mother," he replied curtly, before leaving, going in search of his servant.

He found her in the back hallway leading out from the kitchens, one as a master of the house, he rarely used.

"Ariella," he said quietly, his tone even as he alerted her to his presence. Her head snapped forward, her eyes wide as they met his gaze.

"I'm sorry. I'll get back to my chores in a bit; unless you want me to re–wrap your arm?"

"Ariella, I haven't come to punish you, though I will agree to the second suggestion. Come."

Silently, she followed him to this room. "Can you summon the gauze and cream? I –

" – of course."

"Draco, I – I'm sorry."

"Are you okay?"

"Fine; I don't remember them and I…this is all I know. It's just sort of a shock."

"I can understand that."

"I'm sorry; about your mother, I mean. And how involved you have to be."

"It's not your fault."

"Do you blame me?"

"How can I? You – we – were kids. I – you've lived here as long as both of us can remember."

The two went silent for a moment and Ariella began preparing the cloth. Then, taking his arm, Ariella carefully rolled up his sleeve she worked methodically, cleaning up the soiled bandage and mess before beginning to apply the new medicine.

"Do you still blame me? For what happened at the Ministry?" She asked suddenly, and Draco could practically hear her nerves as she spoke.

He hesitated before answering with two questions of his own. "What's going on between you and Potter? Why are you so adamant about helping him?"

"He's my friend. And he's helped me, why shouldn't I want to return the favour?"

"Because he's against what we're standing for."

"My beliefs are different from yours."

"I realize that; more than ever before, but when it comes down to it, you do answer to us, regardless of if you want to or not."

"I couldn't stand by and do nothing. I couldn't allow them to hurt my friend and his friends. I – I couldn't."

"What's going on between you and Potter?"

"What do you mean? We're friends," she replied simply, tying off the new bandage and setting it.

"Nothing more?"

"No! Where – "

" – just curious."

Another moment of silence fell and Ariella began cleaning up the medical supplies.

"What happened? To you specifically? Why were you in the hospital wing when I called you?"

"I was hit with a bad bout of the Cruciatus, and I – well, I don't remember much else."

Draco nodded once, before taking her arm in his cold hand, forcing Ariella up on her knees.

"I need you to swear your allegiance to this family. You need to swear to me you won't repeat this mistake. You can side with Potter, be friends with him, though I don't like it; but when faced between him and this family, I need your word you'll choose the right way from now on. Do I have it, Ariella?"

"Yes, sir; I swear that I'll obey and support your family when need be."

"Then you are relieved of punishment due to your mistakes at the Ministry."

"Thank you, sir," she choked out as Draco dropped her arm, causing Ariella to curl inwards, clutching her arm to her chest. She felt the magic coursing through her, stopping the punishment the bond had been giving her for so long.

Draco watched her shake and felt a stab of pity for her; to consistently have to undergo this type of treatment couldn't be easy, no matter the reasons and whether or not she deserved it.

"Will you require anything else of me, sir?"

"No; not tonight; that'll be all."

"Yes, sir. Good night."

"Good night, Ariella."

The servant girl left, but Draco sat up that night, thinking about the pain his mother had gone through and the brutality his father had inflicted years ago that had put them in the position they were in today.

Thank you so much for your time and opinions. Hopefully you like this bit of back story.

Until next time,

~Leanora