Disclaimer: All characters, place names, etc… are the property of JKR, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, etc….
AN: In case anyone was wondering (from the last chapter)
Cotton Root is an herb women are cautioned against using during pregnancy because it can stimulate the uterus into an early labor. It is sometimes used to this end on purpose, like an herbal Pitocin.
Rosemary is another herb traditionally used to symbolize both marital fidelity and remembrance (at a funeral). The quote in the last chapter was from Hamlet.
Leonidas was a Spartan king/general who held the Persian army at a mountain pass called Thermopylae while the rest of Greece mustered a defense against the invaders. He and all three hundred of his men died in the effort.
Sarepta was an ancient city in modern-day Lebanon. It was also the name of my husband's maternal great (x3) grandmother.
Chapter Two: The Serpents Confer
The Headmaster stood before the wide window in his study, looking out over the grounds below. There, he could just make out the Potions Master, stalking up from the war memorial. Was it June 5th already? He mused to himself that the year was speedily coming to an end. He didn't have to see the younger man's face to know he was furious. How many times had he seen that same posture on his protégé? Only, the cause was not immediately apparent. A few moments later, the sight of another young man, loping toward the castle gave him all the answers he needed. With a rather dramatic-sounding sigh, he left the comfort of his office and headed for the dungeons, making sure to take the scenic route so that Draco would have time to down at least one shot of firewhiskey before his arrival.
Upon entering the corridor outside the Head of Slytherin's study, however, he was aware of shouting coming from within. He quickly cast a spell so that any wondering students wouldn't be able to overhear the conversation the Potions Master would normally have taken great pains to keep quiet.
"I've told you. I have nothing more to say to you. I wash my hands of the lot of you. I told you this years ago, now why don't you just be gone and leave me in peace?"
"How could you say such things? How could you turn your back on me? I loved you. I still do!"
"That's rich, coming from you. If I never see your face again it will be too soon. Now leave." This outburst was followed by the unmistakable sound of a woman sobbing.
When she spoke again, all the bitterness was gone and she was so quiet, the Headmaster had to lean toward the door to hear her say, "Alright. I'll go. It's just, today is your birthday and it's been so long. I worry about you. I wanted to bring you a gift. It was my father's. I hoped one day you would give it to your son."
Draco's voice changed, showing that he was not unaffected by her declaration. "Fine. Leave it. Please, just go"
The Headmaster had barely a moment to disillusion himself before the door swung open and the hysterical woman rushed past him, sobbing harder than ever. Her departure was followed by the sound of glass shattering against the wall. He decided the talk with his former pupil could wait until after the tantrum the younger man was currently throwing. He left the silencing spell in place as he went to find the distraught witch.
It didn't take him long to catch up to her. She was leaning against a wall a little way up the corridor, gasping and shaking as tears poured down her face.
"Narcissa?" he called gently as he reached her. "Are you well?"
She straightened immediately upon hearing his voice and after turning her head for a millisecond, no one would ever have been able to tell that she'd been a sobbing mess only moments before. "Severus! I didn't see you there" she called in an almost cheerful voice. "I'm quite well, thank you. How are you? It's seems it's been ages since we last met!"
"I wonder if you might like to join me for a cup of tea in my study."
She looked uncertainly back down the hall toward Draco's door for a moment before answering "Thank you. That would be lovely".
A few moments later, she seemed much more at ease as the professor handed her a cup of steaming chamomile tea. "What brings you here today, Narcissa?"
"It's Draco's birthday." She answered, but looked down at the cup in her hands.
"Ah yes. You don't normally visit him. I'm surprised to see you"
"Yes, well…. may I confide in you, Severus? I know that you and Draco are somewhat close."
"Of course" he smiled at her, something he normally never did, but he had been waiting for years to hear why Draco had cut himself off from his family and if he had to sacrifice a little dignity for the information, well, he'd done worse to gain less.
"Draco and I are… estranged" she struggled "After Lucius was executed; Draco bribed someone at the ministry to scatter floo ashes and returned his father's remains to the Manor. We placed them in the family vault together. As we walked back up to Dowager House (where I live now), he told me I shouldn't expect to see him at the estate anymore." With this she began to cry again, though quietly.
Severus furrowed his brow. "He just cut you off without an explanation?"
"He said we'd betrayed him; cost him everything he'd ever held dear." She sniffed "I don't know what he meant. I mean, I realize he was in a difficult position during the war and it was largely Lucius' fault, but Draco seemed to …I don't know. I got the feeling that perhaps he wasn't talking about the war or the Dark Lord."
Severus let out an exasperated sigh; it didn't seem that Narcissa knew anything more about Draco's odd behavior than he did. "Did you say, after Lucius died? That was more than ten years ago. He hasn't been in contact with you at all since then?" (He thought to himself that he must be slipping not to have known this. He first noticed the seemingly perpetual melancholy seven years prior. Had it really been going on so long?)
"No, he returns all my owls unopened and has closed the main house. He remains in contact with the Solicitor and the Steward, and has instructed them both to provide me with …here she began to cry rather loudly again…. anything I might need or desire. Doesn't he know? He is my heart's desire!"
"Tell me, why do you think Draco would deliberately lead me to believe things were normal between you? It was my understanding he returns home every summer."
"I don't know" she wailed, but they were interrupted by the disembodied voice of one of the gargoyles guarding the entrance to the Headmaster's study. "Excuse me, Professor Snape, sir. There is a rather stubborn woman down here demanding to speak with you, despite the fact that she lacks the password."
"An adult? Who?"
"Hermione Granger-Weasley, sir"
"As if Draco doesn't have enough in his cauldron" Severus muttered. He decided to give up on his rather circular interrogation of Narcissa. She wasn't really telling him anything he didn't already know and pretending to be ignorant of the situation was giving him a headache. It had been a long time since he'd needed to lie on a regular basis. "Send her up" he said, tersely.
Narcissa quickly whispered the spell to right her appearance once more and plastered an obviously fake smile to her lovely face.
Severus was taken aback when the Insufferable Know-It-All appeared at the top of the stairs, looking as though she might've been in need of a cheering charm, herself.
"Ms. Granger. I believe you know Mrs. Malfoy" he said, gesturing toward Narcissa, who nodded in acknowledgement. "What may I do for you?"
"It's Weasley now" she said, straightening her posture to let Severus know he would find no entertainment in her suffering any longer. "I'm looking for the 1875 edition of Moste Potente Potions. Madam Pince said you keep it up here."
"Why do you want that particular edition? It was banned in "
"1885. I know. It contains a potion not found in later editions."
"Which potion?"
"The Astarte Potion" she mumbled
Before Severus could chastise her, Narcissa was on her feet. "Astarte? My dear you do not want to give that potion to anyone! The only reason the ministry didn't bother to ban it is because no one would be stupid enough to actually drink it! Do you know what it does?"
Wide eyed, Hermione shook her head.
"It causes witches to have LITTERS of babies! Not one, not even three, but five or six at once! Why on Earth would you even think of using that potion? I hope it isn't for one of your patients?"
"N…n…no. I was just…curious. I'll, I'll go now." But Severus had caught enough students in lies over the years to know she was fibbing.
"Don't kid a kidder Ms. Granger. You're lying." He said, smoothly, advancing toward her, smirk firmly in place. Oh how he missed interacting with Gryffindors on a daily basis.
"I… I'll just go" she said again. She was a brilliant shade of scarlet by this time and backing toward the door.
"Ms. Granger?" Severus called
She looked up at him, not bothering to correct his misuse of her maiden name. "In case you were thinking of going against the advice of those with more knowledge of these things than Molly Weasley, you should be advised that the Astarte Potion only works on cases of infertility that are organic in nature. If, for example, the witch in question was barren due to an accident or ….damage rendered by her own hand ... it would not only be ineffective, but might be also be fatal."
At his last word, the Witch-In-Question fled the office, leaving the door open.
"Who ever heard of an infertile Weasley?" Narcissa mused aloud.