Back after a really long hiatus! I got caught up in university work and COVID-related life changes. I would like to dedicate this chapter to the beautiful and enormously talented Helen McCrory who brought our beloved Narcissa Malfoy to life on the big screen. I've been incredibly devastated since hearing of her loss. May she rest in peace.
~ Wands Up~ Helen McCrory 1968-2021
Chapter 5
Two summers had flown by much to Narcissa's displeasure who was not too enthusiastic about beginning her fifth year at Hogwarts. She had spent most of her fourth year preparing for her OWLs and now the time had finally come to take them. Several students had thought the year would be delayed, Narcissa's family included, due to the turbulent political climate.
Over the summer, Voldemort had openly proclaimed himself as the Dark Lord. Many were terrified at the implications this could have over their children's safety at Hogwarts, however, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore reassured all that Hogwarts would remain safe. Little did he know, recruitment for his trusted followership, The Death Eaters, was happening right underneath his nose. Being former graduates, Bellatrix and Rodolphus, much to their satisfaction, were allocated the noble task of handpicking those with the most potential from Hogwarts' most prestigious pureblooded families. Fear and panic had begun brewing amongst the more progressive wizarding community, particularly muggle-borns and squibs, who had just begun earning their rights. On the 29th of August, on the eve of the Dark Lord's proclamation, thousands of wizarding families had awoken to the following jarring headline on the Daily Prophet:
August 29, 1970
Dark Wizard Lord Voldemort Declares the Start of the First Wizarding War
With her eldest sister being a prized follower and she herself belonging to the Ancient and most Noble House of Black, Narcissa had nothing to worry about. One aspect of the year, however, did excite Narcissa. She had received a letter in July inviting her to be one of Slytherin's prefects. She took it coolly as she would have been more surprised, and rather offended if they had not selected her. Narcissa was to ride away from her friends abroad on the Hogwarts Express for the first time in the special prefect's carriage. This did not bother her much though since as social and popular as she was, she never fully trusted anybody else and was proud of her independence. "Keep your head high my dear, as a woman of the house of Black it is you against the world", her mother would always say. Besides, the other prefect selected for her year was her friend and cousin Evan Rosier.
Narcissa showed up on time at King's Cross Station. She was dressed in the finest fur coat, leather boots, and had applied charms to straighten her silky blonde hair and curl her long lashes. She was the epitome of aristocracy and with her crystal blue eyes and pale skin, she truly lived up to her ice princess reputation. She held her head high and glided through the station repulsed by the sea of muggles in her way. 'They're like an army of cockroaches', she thought to herself. No matter how many times she walked through the station, she could not get used to it. She ran into Evan at the barrier to platform 9 and 3/4 and watched as a first-year Hufflepuff was struggling to get through.
"My my, how embarrassing" muttered Evan slowly rolling his eyes
"Smells like a mudblood to me, otherwise his parents would have taught him before," said Narcissa in a purposefully loud voice as she and Evan strutted past the student
They reached the front of the train and Narcissa was greeted by a chorus of fellow Slytherin students. She turned to go into the prefect's carriage but Evan paused and turned to her,
"Sorry Narcissa, I forgot something, I'll go fetch it and be back in 5 minutes," he said as he scrambled away.
She gave him an understanding nod and made her way towards the carriage. Upon sliding the door of the train, she realized that only one other prefect outmatched her timely nature as in the distance was the silhouette of someone's back. Upon closer examination, she saw the figure's mid-length blonde hair tidily sleeked to the back, one of the most luxurious cashmere coats she had ever laid eyes upon, and leather Italian haut-couture shoes. Lucius Malfoy. She mentally rolled her eyes and cursed Rosier for leaving her.
As she gracefully treaded down the carpeted flooring, she quickly realized that he was speaking to two younger students. The closer she got, the more aggressive the conversation sounded.
"The only talent you possess and will ever possess is bringing further shame and disgrace upon your family. Sorted into Gryffindor and associating with such inferiority? Shame that won't get you far in life" snarled Lucius
Narcissa swiftly noticed that it was her younger cousin Sirius that was caught in an altercation with Malfoy. He was standing next to a slender and younger Slytherin student. Narcissa recognized him from the sorting ceremony last year which would make him a second year. His hair was jet black, slightly greasy, and he had a very noticeably defined hooked nose. His head was hanging down and his arms were limp. He looked so helpless and humiliated.
Lucius began to turn around before Sirius muttered something under his breath that Narcissa could not hear. Lucius instantly turned back.
"Fix your tone Black, don't you dare talk to me like that. Lay a finger on him again and you'll regret it for the rest of your pathetic life" he threatened
"I'd love to see you tr-" countered Sirius
"Yeah? 10 points from Gryffindor. Say one more word and it'll just keep going up"
"Hey Malfoy that's not fair I didn't even do anything!"
"15 points"
"Are you kid-"
"20 points"
"Got yourself a babysitter didn't you Snivellus" Sirius sneered back at the young Slytherin.
Lucius kept full composure but his steel-grey eyes radiated hatred and rage. He raised his head and took a few steps closer to Sirius towering above him yet keeping his head high. He would not lower himself to his status.
"You and I both know I can go much further than deducting a few silly points. Believe me, the temptation is very much there so don't push me" he whispered slowly with a smirk on his face.
Sirius' eyes widened and for the first time in Narcissa's life of knowing him, she saw a faint flicker of fear. Even Aunt Walburga could not elicit the same reaction. The fear quickly dissipated and was replaced with a frown.
"Out. Of. My. Face" Lucius hissed. He spoke slowly yet so confidently. You could tell that it was not just empty words.
Sirius gave him a final sneer and turned around to leave.
Narcissa felt a bubbling rage growing inside of her. She wished that Bellatrix were still attending Hogwarts as she would have put Sirius in his place. She remembered the shock poor Orion and Walburga got when they found out Sirius had been sorted into Gryffindor. He had also been associating with bloodtraiters such as the Potter family and rumours had it that he had a red-headed mudblood in his inner circle. She remembered the explosive fights at 12 Grimmauld Place. The fights were so bad that Sirius had escaped to one of his friend's houses for half the summer. She had even heard her parents, Cygnus and Druella, discussing Walburga's plans to banish him from the family tree if he continued in this forsaken path. This would be a detrimental blow to the House of Black as with Cygnus having three daughters, Sirius and his younger brother Regulus were the only males. This meant that they had the responsibility of carrying the fate of the bloodline in their hands. With one brother already proving to be a disappointment, heavy expectations were falling onto Regulus.
Narcissa took a seat next to a window in the prefect's carriage surprised to still be the first one there apart from Lucius, who was probably making his way back to the carriage now. She heard the door slide. Lucius glided into the carriage while clutching onto his coat so that it would not touch the floor. He sat two seats across from her which she was mentally thankful for so that Evan could sit next to her and she wouldn't have to endure sitting directly across Lucius Malfoy for the long journey to Hogwarts.
She rotated away from the window and turned in his direction. The atmosphere in the carriage shifted as crystal blue eyes met steel grey ones.
"You're the youngest Black sister right?"
Narcissa looked back up at him with an icy expression. Not even the shred of decency to remember her name.
"Narcissa", she replied sternly
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Narcissa," he said whilst extending his arm out towards her.
She wondered if he had forgotten that they had previously spoken at Bellatrix's wedding. She also wondered why this fact bothered her so much.
"Likewise", she responded dryly before delicately placing her hands in his. As they shook hands, they retained eye contact. They released their hands and sat back in their respective seats.
"The first prefect in your family if I'm correct?" he asked
"Yes, I believe the closest Bellatrix has been to a prefect is the other end of their wand", Narcissa responded
Lucius smirked at her comment. He admired the way she carried herself. It was very different than her other two sisters, notably Bellatrix. Narcissa was poised, collected, controlled, and witty. Due to her popularity in her year, he had definitely heard of her before. Several boys in his own year had expressed interest her. He could not deny, looks-wise, she was breathtaking.
"I think the hospital wing would be overflowing if she made prefect" he replied
"If you were lucky enough to get there on time" she shot back
His mouth curved upwards into a half-smile. She smiled back, breaking her icy exterior for a brief moment. Maybe interacting with Lucius Malfoy for prefect duties wouldn't be all too bad, she thought to herself. Lucius retained eye contact, studying her. His eyes were so intense yet she did not find herself intimated by them.
He opened his mouth as if he were about to say something but was interrupted by Evan and the sixth-year female prefect, Andrea Flint, entering the carriage. Notorious for deducting points from Gryffindors lurking the corridors after hours during her fourth year, Narcissa recognized her instantly. Lucius was more feared and was known for deducting points from all non-Slytherin houses, particularly first years, for the most minor offenses.
"Malfoy", Evan said while nodding his head towards Lucius in greeting
"Rosier", Lucius responded
Evan sat next to Narcissa and Andrea sat directly in front of her.
Slytherin's head boy later entered the carriage and explained their duties to them for the next hour of the train journey. Narcissa and Evan were given the task of directing first years to the common room and dormitories following their sorting ceremony. Further responsibilities included patrolling the hallways to see if any students were out after curfew. They would be switching shifts regularly according to a predetermined schedule. Narcissa and Evan caught up on their summers for the rest of the trip.
Narcissa and Evan finished ushering the first years to their dormitories and made it back into the common room. Narcissa was sitting next to the fireplace catching up with Nancy. After two hours, it was officially lights out and Nancy made her way to the dormitories. Narcissa and Evan had prefect duty that evening so she stayed behind waiting for him to accompany her.
Soaking in the sound of the crackling fire, she didn't notice a figure appear behind her.
"Narcissa, a pleasure to see you again!"
She spun around and was faced with Augustus Rookwood. He had grown taller over the summer even gaining more muscle. She suspected this was because he had joined the Slytherin Quidditch team last year as a beater.
"Augustus, great to see you too" she responded with a smile
"How has your summer been?" He asked as he grabbed the seat next to her. Evan walked into the common room right after.
"Utterly short! Regrettably, I have prefect duty now but we should catch up some time" she said while standing up.
"Come to tomorrow's quidditch match. It's our opening game against Gryffindor. Join me at the stands 10 minutes before the game starts" he said with a smile
"I'll see if I can," she said before turning to join Evan. She did not expect such forwardness in the way he asked her out. She was going to attend the match anyways so joining 10 minutes earlier wouldn't hurt.
The evening patrol began smoothly. However, at one point she noticed the greasy-haired second-year Slytherin boy speed-walking towards the Slytherin dormitories. She waved her wand at him whispering 'Lumos' to alert him with the light pouring out of its tip.
"Hey, what are you doing out of bed at such a late hour?" She inquired him
"N-n-nothing" he stuttered
"You're awfully close to the Potions closet and are carrying three suspicious vials in your hands. Quite incriminating" she said with a smirk.
He looked up with a guilt-ridden expression.
"Alright you caught me! I'm brewing up a new potion that makes the recipient vomit uncontrollably for hours. These four horrid Gryffindors won't get off my back" he admitted
Narcissa was both amused and impressed. It was entirely out of the skill level of a second year to be brewing a potion like that. That kind of skill was not even achievable at a NEWT level Potions class.
"Where did you learn to brew potions like that?" She asked
"Mostly self-taught" he muttered sheepishly
"You're very talented," she told him
He looked up at her and smiled. She could tell that it was not ordinary for himself and others to be proud of his achievements.
"Will you deduct points? I'm so sorry" He asked
"Not tonight. Finish the potion and make sure to double my dear cousin Sirius' dose. And tell me how miserable he looked afterward" she said with a playful expression on her face
His smile broadened. He never got attention from anyone, he felt invisible. But tonight, he was getting recognition of his talents from one of Slytherin's most popular students.
"What's your name?" She asked
"Snape. Severus Snape" he said while extending his arm out to her.
"Pleasure to meet you Severus," she said while shaking his hand.
The night ended with her and Evan deducting a total of 50 points from 3 first-year Gryffindors and 2 Hufflepuffs. Most points were deducted early on in the year from over-confident first years who thought they were invincible to the rules.
It was the morning of the first major Quidditch match of the year and you could easily tell. The Slytherin common room was full of life and draped with green banners, posters, and balloons. Students were chanting pro-Slytherin slogans. It never got as crazy as the night after a Slytherin win though. Slytherins were known for their ability to hold down unholy amounts of alcohol. Being the first game against their rivals Gryffindor, if they won, a huge party would be in order. Narcissa and Nancy entered the common room to see one particular individual surrounded by a group of students. Lucius Malfoy, Slytherin's quidditch captain. They could hear chimes of:
"Good luck Lucius!"
"Make us proud!"
"We'll kill it today!"
A group of three giggling sixth-year girls were holding cupcakes iced with green frosting and the Slytherin snake decorated on the top.
"Good morning Lucius! We baked these for you to wish you good luck"
"Very…appealing but I have more important things to do right now and as much of a boring old toad Professor Binn's is, if you paid attention to a History of Magic you'd know that isn't the correct shade of green," he said before turning around and leaving the girls speechless.
Narcissa could not help but laugh at his ability to effortlessly humiliate someone with a few words. No matter how big of a git he was, the girls loved the chase and were still trying to get the attention of Slytherin's most prized bachelor.
"How is he so hot even while being the biggest arsehole," said Nancy with a huge smile plastered on her face.
Narcissa looked at her friend and rolled her eyes
"Oh dear, not you too," she said before her giving her friend a loving squeeze before heading down to the Quidditch stands to meet up with Rookwood.
"Narcissa! You made it" he said beaming up at her.
He was sitting down and tying his shoes. He was fully kitted in his Slytherin beater uniform.
"I've never been behind the scenes of a match before" she admitted whilst scanning around the area. The Slytherin players were all getting ready and discussing tactics.
"Glad I could be your first experience then!" he said
"Are you feeling ready for the game?" She asked. She could imagine the nerves before a game of that level.
"We're really betting on winning the House Cup this year. With the number of trainings Lucius has required of us lately, I think we have it in the bag" he said confidently. She smirked back at him. She always admired confidence.
"Speaking of Lucius, I see him coming right now. We'll have our last huddle before the game. You can sit over there at the front of the bleachers with your friends. It's reserved for those invited from the team, you'll get the best view. When we win, I hope to see you at the party later" he winked whilst pointing to the spot. It was a special box hanging right in the middle of the bleachers.
She smiled whilst thanking him and wishing him good luck. Lucius was approaching with the brunette she saw him with at Hogsmeade last year. The brunette wanted to stay for the huddle but he swiftly dismissed her. She turned to plant a kiss on his cheek before leaving but he seemed largely uninterested in the gesture. His eyes scanned his team and stalled on Narcissa and Augustus. She turned to face him and they briefly locked eyes. He looked away and called for the team to join him. She took this as a queue to leave and joined her friends making her way up to the visitor's box.
The match was a whirlwind of emotions. Gryffindor had the lead initially and this later swapped back and forth throughout the match. Gryffindor's newest seeker, James Potter, was exceptionally talented at his ability to control and navigate a broom under harsh conditions. Thankfully, Slytherin managed to level up and eventually surpass Gryffindor's points. In the final five minutes, the atmosphere was extremely tense. Slytherin's seeker was so close to capturing the golden snitch but a bludger was plummeting towards him. At the last second, Rookwood flew to his safety effectively thrashing the bludger off of its trajectory and sending it on crashing a crashing course towards a Gryffindor chaser. The Slytherin seeker accelerated forwarded capturing the golden snitch in his hands. The applause and roaring cheers from the Slytherin side of the bleachers was deafening.
"Who's ready to party?" Evan said to his friends with a devilish smile
Word had it that Lucius Malfoy deducted a total of 75 points that evening from disappointed Gryffindors who hurled insults at his team. The atmosphere at the Great Hall that evening for supper was so contrasting. The Gryffindor side of the Great Hall was somber and quiet. The Slytherin side, on the other hand, was electric. Whispers were circulating on details surrounding the common room party. A number of students were recruited to keep watch for prying professors or prefects from the other houses as the party was certainly due to break a few too many rules.
"Cissy, are you going tonight?" Asked Andromeda
"Yes, you must come too Andy! Will you?" She responded.
"I'm not sure, I'll try pop in later" she said before giving her sister a kiss on the cheek and leaving the table.
She hadn't been seeing much of Andromeda since the beginning of the year. She claims that she's in the library studying since she will be taking her NEWTs at the end of the year. However, Narcissa would frequently go to the library and would not see her there. Narcissa had even asked Andromeda's best friend Driscilla Abbott, but she had told her that they were drifting apart and she hadn't seen much of her either. Although Narcissa was growing suspicious of her sister's suspicious behaviour, she tried not to think too much of it and dismissed it as her being busy. She was excited to spend more time with her at the party tonight.
After dinner, Narcissa had gathered with Evan, Nancy, Phoebe, Ramona, and Arthur. They walked back to the dormitories to get ready. Narcissa wore a silver dress that perfectly hugged her body. She wore green stilettos and a green clutch to magnify her Slytherin pride. She applied hair-curling and lash-lengthening charms and put glittery makeup that made her crystal blue eyes pop.
She, Nancy, and Ramona made their way down to the party from the female dormitories. The decoration was enchanting. She smiled as she saw Severus standing proudly next to the bubbling silver and green drinks. She had recommended him to the party organisers because a potions master could surely be the perfect bartender as well. She and Nancy made their way towards the Slytherin team to congratulate Augustus. She was quickly capturing the crowd's attention.
A sixth-year Slytherin boy approached Narcissa and his eyes widened.
"Narcissa, you look absolutely divine! Can I get you a drink" he asked eagerly.
She looked around noticeably ignoring him and pretending that he was not there.
"Er… Narcissa?" He asked with a confused expression on his face
"Oh sorry, I thought my ears were defying me! I didn't actually believe that you were talking to me" she snapped at him with a sweet smile. The smile was quickly replaced with an icy glare
"I'll pass," she said coldly before walking away.
This caught the attention of the Slytherin team who were standing nearby. They were all hollering in laughter except for Lucius Malfoy who was smirking at her, clearly amused as well.
"For that, I have to get you a drink," Augustus said smiling down at her as he ushered her away from the group. Lucius' eyes lingered on her as she walked away. She was the most attractive person in the room and the way she carried herself made it evident that she was aware of that fact.
After a few potions, it was her and Augustus on the dance floor again, reminiscent of Bellatrix's wedding night. Nancy was next to them snogging a blonde Slytherin from their year called Francis. Narcissa knew she would be mortified after coming off the alcohol tomorrow.
"I'm really glad you could make it tonight Narcissa. You look really beautiful tonight", he whispered in her ear
"Of course. You were fantastic on the pitch today" she responded softly
"Your support means a lot to me," he said while inching his face closer to hers.
Augustus was sweet, but Narcissa was aware that she had no deep feelings towards him. She remembered Bellatrix's advice that love was weakness and vowed to keep that icy barrier protecting her heart intact. She could still have fun though and she did like him as a person. Augustus was from a noble sacred 28 family and would prove to be a good suitor and companion for the future.
"I'm glad you feel that way" she whispered
He smiled and inched his face even closer until she could feel his breath against her mouth. He cupped her face in his hands and planted his lips onto hers.
The party lasted until 5 am and Narcissa later found Nancy, Ramona, and Phoebe. They caught up on the gossip of the night before heading back to their dormitories to sleep. Much to Narcissa's disappointment, Andromeda never showed up to the party. She hadn't even shown up to the Slytherin dormitory until late in the evening. Narcissa was growing increasingly concerned and was going to get to the bottom of this.
And that's a wrap on chapter 5! Decided to make this chapter more cheerful and focused on our characters. Next chapter will bring in more of Voldemort and his Death Eaters and our favorite Slytherin couple, the Malfoys! As always, reviews are much appreciated and hope you're all safe and healthy xx