The smell of baked goods and lemon arose Narcissa from her sweet slumber. With her eyes fluttering open, the first thing that came into view was the low white ceiling. Some part of her deep down hoped that she'd awake peacefully in her own bed, still a young girl and realizing that the last eighteen years of her life had all been one lengthy and horrible nightmare. But alas, here she was — in the same cramped and bland bedroom that she had fallen asleep in mere hours ago.
Turning over, Narcissa was met with the pleasing sight of plated biscuits and a hot cup of tea that rested on the small bedside table. The treats smelt divine, enticing her to enjoy a bit of sweetness in the terrible time. Sitting up in the bed, she smiled lightly at the thought of her sister being so kind as to leave her something delicious to snack on after her much needed rest. Placed nearby the cup of tea was a small green bottle, it's shape was familiar to her. Reaching out to take the tiny potion into her hand, she examined the label: Wiggenweld Potion.
She recalled being given a dosage of this concoction by her mother when she was a young girl. During one of her father's attempts at forcing her into an empty room for nefarious reasons, little Narcissa slipped from his tight grasp and ran to her mother with weeping eyes as she held onto her injured arm. Through breaks in her sobs, Narcissa told her mother how Daddy had hurt her and that she didn't understand why he always did things like this. She was just a little girl, unable to wrap her mind around what her fathers true villainous intentions were.
Fathers were supposed to protect their daughters…right?
Narcissa remembered how her mother seemed to dodge the question, responding in a way that left her without a sensible explanation, now that she was older, she understood. No child should be made to understand such evil things. Druella Black always made sure to keep vials of Wiggenweld potion stocked in the various cabinets around the house, ready for if her daughter received further injuries from the monster of a man that they lived with.
Snapping out of her trip down memory lane, Narcissa raised her chin and downed the small amount in one smooth swig, it tasted of bitter fruit. A strong tingling in her ankle made her uncover herself to look down at it. The purplish color of the nasty bruise began to gradually fade from existence. Within moments, any trace of pain or discomfort was gone, remarkably. She wiggled and rotated her ankle, inspecting the movement and comfort with a pleased grin — it was as if she never injured herself to begin with.
Grabbing one of the soft biscuits, Narcissa noticed her clothing piled neatly on the floor next to her shoes, she had no concept of the time, although considering the food that had been recently placed at her bedside, it most likely was nearing the time for them to head out. As she sunk her teeth into the baked goods, the though of her mother re-emerged. Narcissa thought of how many countless times her mother would have to slap a treat from her hand while attending benefits and banquets in an attempt to teach her and her sisters how to keep from overeating. Narcissa let the guilt take hold of her as she began lowering the biscuit from her face, feeling as though she ought to control her cravings better.
Finishing off her lemon tea, Narcissa set down the decorative teacup with a soft click to the side-table before gently sliding out from under the covers, standing up, stretching her limbs, and picking up her clothing from the floor.
Frequently, Narcissa reminisced fondly about the ease of pulling on her school uniform, sparing her the chore of dealing with the ample amount of fabric that went into dressing like a proper witch of her status. Nearly all of the parents of high-born families, including Narcissa's parents, protested the uniforms, arguing that they were much too revealing for their precious pureblooded daughters. Despite the bribes and consistent threats, the school board never gave an inch.
At a leisurely pace, Narcissa clothed herself, sighing every step of the way as the layers of fabric piled higher and higher. Grabbing her shoes from the floor, she stared at the empty plate and tea cup next to her. Narcissa hadn't seen a house-elf anywhere in sight during her conversation with her sister in the kitchen earlier. She must not have one.
Narcissa almost audibly winced as she picked up the dishes with her French-tip manicured hands. She placed the cup onto the plate and used her free hand to open the door. Across the tiny hall, the small amount of light that came from downstairs filtered into the open room that she was currently facing. She saw a modest bassinet, inside of which was the tiny body of a sleeping infant saddled in pink fabric. Narcissa found herself unable to deny the loving smirk that grew onto her face as she watched the little baby sleeping peacefully under the enchanted mobile that shown glittering stars and moons — just like the one she and her sisters had as infants. She glanced a few moments more before quietly turning to head down the stairs toward the light that seemed to be coming from the kitchen, careful not to rattle the dishes in her hand.
Finishing her descent, Narcissa slowly rounded the corner into the kitchen where she found her sister sitting with Ted and another woman — she was elderly, with neat salt and pepper hair and a kind face. The three of them appeared to had just finished with a snack of their own, considering the crumby plates and empty mugs at the table.
"Oh good, you're awake." Andromeda said as she turned around in her chair. "How's that ankle of yours?"
Narcissa glanced down at her limb once more with a smile. "Wonderful. I saw that you washed my clothes, as well."
Andromeda pointed to her husband with her thumb as she sat comfortably in her chair. "That was Teddy's doing. He surmised that you'd appreciate a freshly laundered outfit to hop into after your little cat-nap."
"Really?" Narcissa's voice was unbelieving as she looked to him. The muggleborn that she was quick to condemn for stealing away her sister and tainting their family willingly tended to her clothing? How selfless of him. Maybe she was just viewing him through the filter of her predicament, but in this moment, she felt incredibly foolish for her past actions toward him.
"I will say it was quite the challenge," Ted quipped with a small chuckle, "That one outfit of your's took up four individual washer loads."
Narcissa offered a light laugh, allowing herself to indulge in the humor instead of sticking her nose up at him simply due to his heritage. Her mother would be so incredibly crestfallen to witness her favorite daughter being courteous toward a muggleborn, but surly she'd understand given the situation.
Clearing his throat, ted made a gesture toward the woman sitting next to him. "Oh, this is my mother."
The older woman smiled sincerely. The fine-lines and winkles on her face became more exaggerated with her warm-hearted expression. "Teddy and Andromeda have told me all about you."
Narcissa's instincts were telling her to scoff, fighting against them wasn't easy. She wondered if this woman knew about the way she viewed and treated her son's kind — hell, even her own kind? The blonde witch gave a timid smile, ticking her long locks behind her ear as she sheepishly waved. "Hello there. It's…nice to meet you."
"My mother will be watching Nymphadora while we're out," mentioned Ted, his expression thankful in nature.
Nymphadora, Narcissa remembered hearing that name before she was laid to bed earlier. That was the name of their daughter. Her niece. The newest descendant of the Black family. Pity the little girl would be made to take the name of her sister's low-born husband.
"Nymphadora, that's pretty. I don't think I had the chance to tell you that yet."
Andromeda smiled, "Thanks, Ted and I both came up with it. He admitted to really liking your name, actually — so we conjured up all of the 'N' names we could think of. I think we settled on a good one."
Ted sunk a bit in his chair, a subtle blush formed on his cheeks along with an embarrassed looking smirk as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "You didn't have to out me like that, Darling."
Andromeda waved him off while Narcissa looked everywhere but at Ted, feeling a bit of the awkwardness that he was currently drowning in. Perhaps the rumors that circled around her friend group back at Hogwarts about him having a crush on her were true.
Ted rose from his seat, grabbing his dishes as well as his mother's and placed them into the sink. As the enchanted sponge began to scrub away at the dirty cups and plates, He walked over to the two sisters with a ready look.
"So, let's fill her in on the plan before we head out, yeah?"
Andromeda nodded, "The three of us will apparate there. I'll be our lookout -slash- distraction to ensure father doesn't catch us while Ted helps you grab what you need from your room. If we're quick, and all goes well, father will hopefully not even know we were ever there."
Narcissa initially responded with a slow nod before raising a finger with a puzzled look. "I'm going to be grabbing quite a bit, how will we carry it all?"
Andromeda smiled, shifting her eyes to her husband as he held up a velvet draw-string bag.
"Undetectable extension charm. You can put as much as you need in here."
"Brilliant," Narcissa cheered quietly. Quickly taking a seat at the table, Narcissa slid into her high-heels with an assured expression, but couldn't deny the feeling of impending doom at just the mere thought returning to her family's home. Still, she didn't let her feelings show.
Ted gave his mother a hug, ensuring her that they would all return home safe before she left the kitchen to head upstairs. Andromeda and Ted joined hands with Narcissa taking hold of her sister's other hand. Ted extended his hand out to Narcissa, apparition being safer if all parties were linked up.
"Ready?" He asked.
Narcissa couldn't hide the look that shown on her face as she looked down at his hand. Despite there not being a single speck to be seen, to her, his muggleborn flesh seemed putrid and revolting. Ted had been so gracious to her, but still, to willingly touch the skin of anyone who wasn't a pureblood would disgrace the Black family name. Narcissa glanced up at her sister, who was giving an expectant look as she gestured with her eyes down at her husband's hand.
Narcissa looked a combination of scared and mildly disgusted when her sister sighed.
"The Black name is poisonous, 'Cissy," Andromeda said softly, "You aren't protecting anything great by keeping to our parents ideologies."
It wasn't her father she was keeping in mind so much, but her mother. Her mother had taught her everything there was to know about being a pureblooded witch born into the noble and most ancient house of Black. How to take her tea and how to look like a polished young lady at all times. Also, her mother taught her how to let other's know of her family's status without ever needing speaking a single word. To willingly consort with anyone of lesser status was a sin above all others. To willingly chose to take hold of Ted's hand would be disrespectful toward her heritage of the highest order. Still, perhaps her sister was right.
Summoning all of the strength she had with herself, Narcissa delicately placed her hand within Ted's. With the way she winced when their hands made contact, you'd think she was placing her hand in the palm of a rotting corpse.
In the blink of an eye the Tonk's kitchen warped into a field. The trio stood on the edge of a large grassy clearing, the only light source being that of the crescent moon and the twinkling stars surrounding it. It was nearly dead silent, the only sound to be heard being that of the brisk breeze that gently swept around them. Without paying much attention to the the others, Narcissa began stepping forward, only to be stopped by a hand on her arm.
Narcissa whipped her head back around to witness her sister and Ted staring blankly toward the middle of the clearing.
"Andi? What is it?"
"I can't see it," Andromeda responded, "I can't see the manor."
It took her a second, but then realization washed over Narcissa.
An ancient abandoned church. This is how the family's ancestral home appeared to those who were not explicitly invited in by the master of the house. Magical wards had even been placed on the property to deter any archeologists from approaching what they thought was an archaic cathedral in the hopes of discovering something lost to the sands of time or degenerates looking for a place to loiter and cause a bit of trouble. Narcissa had never seen her home this way, there was never a time that she hadn't been welcome, she had only heard about this cloaking disguise from her parents when she was little.
Narcissa seemed unbothered by this assessment, readying her wand and waving it smoothly in front of her sister before doing the same to Ted. She smiled as the looks of their faces changed while the air in front of them rippled, signaling that the cloaking charm had been lifted for them.
"Better?"
"Yes, but how are you able to do that? I doubt father would trust you with the power to allow people in, no offense," Andromeda queried.
Narcissa smiled smugly, "I've known the uncloaking charm for years now — found it in father's office desk drawer some years ago. I allowed Lucius in for some alone time with him, but father came home from his business trip early that week. We barely had enough time to dress ourselves before Lucius had to disapparate. Father was seconds from catching us."
The trio made their way over to the long and wide stone pathway that led directly to the front of the house. The path was framed by a tall hedge that led them into a circular courtyard with a decorative fountain at it's core. The massive french chateau loomed menacingly over the three as they stared up at it from the path below. The moonlight beamed down onto the steep peaks of the roof, casting an eerie silhouette on the the ground where they stood.
"Damn. He's definitely awake. Unless he sleeps with a lantern lit," Andromeda mentioned as she pointed at the warm light within the window of the master's bedroom. "It's not too late, you know. We can turn back and use the money you nabbed from Gringotts to buy you what you need."
Before she could respond, Narcissa noticed the way Ted rustled with the hem of his shirt, as if he was adjusting something under it. She thought she saw something tucked into the waistband of his muggle-style trousers, he had his wand in hand, so what was he hiding? Given the task at hand, Narcissa quickly dismissed it as she redirected her eyes back to the house.
"I need that money to last me as long as possible. I don't know how long I'll be on the run, I can't blow all of my money on a new wardrobe. And besides, I must have my music box."
Narcissa stepped up to the front door wearily, placing her hands on the ornate golden handles of the massive double doors before turning back toward the other two
"Ready?"
Ted and Andromeda nodded reluctantly as Narcissa ever so gently pushed open the doors. The moonlight shown through the enormous open front doors, bouncing off the gargantuan chandelier that hung above the manor's beautiful foyer. Amazingly done portraits of the various generations of the Black family line hung proudly around the room as if to greet any guest that should be invited into such a prestigious home. As Ted stared in wonder at the paintings, Andromeda and Narcissa took extra care to close the doors as quietly as humanly possible, not wanting to make a single sound.
Upon closing the doors, the foreboding darkness that shrouded the room gave view of the dim light coming from the third floor corridor.
"We have to be incredibly quiet, understood?" Asked Narcissa as she placed her index finger to her pursed lips. The two nodded and began following her up the grand staircase. As the dim light grew nearer and brighter with every step, Narcissa's stomach began to flip so much she thought she'd be sick right there on the staircase.
Reaching the third floor corridor, portraits that hung along the wall contained solely the current families portrayals. With the help of the blueish light of the moon coming in through the windows, the skillfully painted pictures were made visible. Cygnus and Druella dressed like magical royalty and stood behind their three daughters dressed in their sumptuous gowns as they grew up throughout the years. Bellatrix's black hair was wild and frizzy, and matched the inky hue of her dress. In the middle, Andromeda favored purples, every one of her dresses were a deep and royal variant of the hue. Next to her, Narcissa's blue gowns were the most lavish of her three sisters, clearly signaling to the viewer just who the family favorite was.
Andromeda frowned at the sight of her face being stricken out from every portrait. Not a single golden framed painting that hung high on the wall was without a burn mark over her face.
The trio all halted when they came to the door of the master's bedroom. The door was cracked open, the light of a lantern seeping through while the sound of muffled groans escaped into the hallway. Narcissa made a gesture for the other's to wait where they stood as she ever so carefully creeped forward to look into the room. She needed to know exactly what her father was doing to know if it was safe to continue on with their mission.
What Narcissa saw next however, was something she already wanted removed from her memory for good.
Through the cracked open door, she saw her father laying back on his lavish bed, sprawled out comfortably and completely naked as he used one hand to hold a pair of Narcissa's lacy panties to his face while the other hand aggressively stroked his manhood. The sound of Cygnus taking a huge whiff of the delicate lace as he furiously pumped himself made Narcissa recoil from the door and tiptoe back to the others.
"What is it?" Andromeda whispered as made an attempt to go take a look.
Narcissa just shook her head as a disgusted expression coated her pretty face. "It's nothing. Just don't look when we pass by the door."
Both Ted and Andromeda avoided peering into the room as they all continued down the dark hallway. The next two rooms once belonged to Bellatrix and Andromeda. The doors were closed, sparking Andromeda's interest.
"Has he done anything with my room?"
Narcissa nodded as she continued to lead the way. She turned back to face her sister with a saddened look on her face. "Father kind of went on a rampage after you two left. He went through your room tossing and smashing everything, then had Scraps get rid of the rubble. Now he just uses it as sort of a parlor room for ministry get-togethers."
"Scraps?" Ted asked.
"Our house elf," Andromeda answered through a hurt tone. Clearly hearing that her own father despised her enough to wreck her belongings had struck at her heart.
The trio finally came to the end of the hall where Narcissa's room resided, the door of which was cracked slightly open. Considering her father's current activities, he was most likely just in there, picking out what undergarment he fancied most to satiate his immoral desires.
Carefully pushing the door further open, Narcissa and Ted entered while Andromeda stayed behind in the corridor.
"You two hurry up and grab her things. I'll try keep an eye out for father."
And with that, Andromeda disappeared from the doorway and down the hall, leaving the other two to get to work. Considering the coast clear, Narcissa casted a non-verbal Lumos as Ted followed suit. His gasp was nearly too loud as he took in the sight.
Narcissa's sleeping chamber was astonishing in it's size and extravagance. Taking up a whole corner of the third floor, the substantial windows that lined the room reached all the way to the ceiling, overlooking the beautiful garden that wrapped around the property.
"Where to first?" Ted Inquired as he glanced around the room.
"My closet. I need all my clothes," said Narcissa as she scurried over to her closet door with Ted in her wake. The blonde witch pushed open the door and shined her wand light into the spacious closet, revealing the sea of blue fabric that was Narcissa's wardrobe.
Every dress she owned was saturated in a delicate shade of baby-blue — it was her signature. Narcissa loved the way it accented her sparkling sapphire eyes. Due to the Black's high-status and respected reputation amongst high society, Narcissa's age-mates all treated the color as if she owned it — never daring to be caught dead wearing that particular tint if she was anywhere around, else Cygnus Black would be the first to hear about it, and that wouldn't be good for anyone.
As desperate, depraved, and debased as Cygnus was, there was one thing he did do exceptionally well, and that was making sure that everyone bent over backwards to accommodate his darling Narcissa. Sometimes she thought that, perhaps in her father's mind, he felt as though his perverted desires were owed to him in return for everything that he provided for her all her life. Narcissa had always recognized his generosity, and she greatly appreciated it, but she'd be damned if she was going to let that make her feel guilty.
No father should demand such things of his daughter.
Narcissa immediately waltzed up to the clothing and began sliding the gowns off their plush silk hangers before stuffing them into velvet sack that Ted held open for her. As the blue fabric fell into the depths of the enchanted bag, Narcissa reminisced about the times she and her two sisters would stand in front of the standing mirror in the family's dressing room for hours on end while the family's private Parisian seamstress would take their measurements and drape beautiful dress after beautiful dress over their little bodies while their mother would sit in her comfy chair nearby. As the seamstress nipped and tucked at the gowns, Druella would toss out compliment after compliment about how beautiful her girl's were and how they were treasures worthy of the deepest and most guarded vaults in Gringotts. Narcissa vaguely remembered seeing her father's reflection in the mirror, standing in the doorway behind them while holding a tumbler in his hand and sipping on his alcohol, watching and waiting for the moment his youngest daughter was left to herself…
Ted's body jolted downwards with every one of Narcissa's hurried thrusts of the opulent clothing into the bag as he held it open for her. After successfully filling the bag with her dresses, she moved on to portion of her closet dedicated to her pelisses, cloaks and other various winter-wears, removing them from where they hung and stuffed them into the bag.
Afterwards, Narcissa went over to a set of mahogany drawers built into the wall. She rapidly pulled the drawers open and withdrew her every last frilly undergarment in sight before moving on to the shoes. A gorgeous set of wooden shelves housed her priceless collection of footwear. Not a single pair of shoes, sandals, or boots was without a tall heel, a shoe choice that Narcissa's prudish aunt Hestia shamelessly ridiculed her for wearing, deeming the style of footwear to be much to sexual for a proper high-born witch. Narcissa stuffed pair after pair after pair into the bag until nearly every pair vanished from her closet.
Despite her rush, she wasn't too quick to forget her precious jewels. Narcissa waltzed over to a pair of cabinet doors and threw them open, exposing enough glittering necklaces and sparkling necklaces to purchase a small country. With little care other than just making sure she was quiet, Narcissa began shoveling every last bit of jewelry into the velvet pouch.
"Alright," Narcissa whispered as she looked around her empty closet, "Now my school trunk."
Ted nodded, following her back into her main room and around the other side of her bed where her school trunk laid forgotten and resting against her night-side table. Narcissa picked up the trunk and placed it onto the cushioned settee that sat at the foot of her bed. Undoing the clasps, Narcissa flipped open the case, ensuring that her uniforms and other various items were present before closing the case and shoving it into the bottomless pouch. Her foot bumped into something, she looked down to see the black ballet flats that she wore as part of her school attire — the shoes her father should have brought her when he showed up to Madam Malkin's. She grabbed them with an irritated huff and tossed them into the bag.
"Not too heavy yet?" Narcissa humored.
Ted let out a soft chuckle as she finished up stuffing those belongings into the open bag. Narcissa averted her gaze to the top of her vanity table that rested against the wall and across from her bed. As if by some miracle, her precious music box was still there, unharmed.
Shaped like a small, gem-encrusted piano, Narcissa hopped up and floated over to the table. She smiled down at the object as if Lucius would somehow see her. She couldn't have him in this moment, but this was the next best thing. Carefully, Narcissa plucked the music box from the glossy wood surface and turned to Ted. He held open the bag for her expectantly. She almost had the trinket tossed it inside velvet pouch when something stopped her.
A string.
Tied to one of the little legs of the music box, Narcissa followed the length of the thin string until it disappeared into the wall. The pair could here the faintest ringing of a bell. Stupidly, Narcissa pulled once more, the quiet ringing following close after.
"What the—?"
Just then, the sound of heavy footsteps began stomping from somewhere down the hallway, getting louder with each passing second. Narcissa panicked, grabbing onto the string and breaking it with a sharp pull before grabbing Ted and heading toward the french doors that led out to her balcony. She drew open the large glass doors and shoved Ted out on to her balcony.
"Stay out here and don't make a sound."
Ted looked petrified, his eyes wide and clutching onto the enchanted pouch.
"But—"
"Don't make a sound until I come back to get you," Narcissa interrupted as she gently closed the doors and drew the velvet curtains closed, mere moments before the titan-sized monster entered her room.
"Well, well, well—" a deep voice mocked from behind her.
Narcissa spun around, her blue dress twirling around her ankles as she immediately aimed her wand at her father aggressively while she covered her eyes.
Cygnus was stark naked. He walked over to the vanity top where the little trinket had been rigged up, rolling the torn off string between his fingers.
"Crafty creatures, elves are. When Scraps told me about his plan, I hardly believed it would work. I suppose he really did know a thing or two."
Narcissa shivered at his words. Immediately, she began begging. "Papa, please — This isn't right. You're sick. Mother always said that you were very sick. Please, let me find you help. I just want you to be well."
Cygnus chuckled darkly, "The only thing I need help with is taking care of this here hard-on. Be a good girl and bend over the bed for me, won't you?"
Her father's tone was slithery. Narcissa could almost envision him lasciviously licked his lips as the sight of her. Dragging his lustful gaze all around her body like a hungry wolf.
Shuttering, Narcissa kept her wand aimed at him, unwavering as she held her ground.
"Let's get you nice and ready for me." Cygnus smirked, waving his wand subtly down at his side.
"Oh god," Narcissa murmured frightfully, her sapphire-colored eyes snapped open at the feeling of a warm liquid instantly coating the delicate flesh between her legs. She shivered as the wetness began trickling down her thigh.
Cygnus ignored her display of agitation, locking his eyes with her's as he began to approach her. Narcissa squeezed her eyes shut once more with her wand still raised and ready.
"Awww, won't you look at me? You'll be hard-pressed to find yourself a man with a body of this magnificent magnitude."
Narcissa recoiled with outward disgust. Self-flattery — how typical of him. What she wouldn't give to see him experience even a little bit of humility. While his ego seemed impenetrable to those on the outside, Narcissa did know just what to do in order to knock him down a peg or two. Cygnus was a Black, and the Black's were vain by nurture.
"Your build is almost a match for how fit and muscular Lucius' is. I suppose I wouldn't expect an old man like you to be able to hold a physique of equal quality."
Cygnus' face twisted with rage, his hands balled up into fists. "How dare you insult me! Apologize at once!"
Narcissa curled her lip, enjoying her father's displeasure toward her insults.
"You'll never get to hold me like Lucius does, kiss me the way he does…touch me the way he does."
Cygnus grew redder by the second. The bulging green veins in his arms matched the one pulsating angrily in his forehead.
"What exactly are you insinuating, girl?"
Narcissa felt more powerful than she had ever in her life. Her demeanor was proud, her face arrogant and tilted upward smugly when she said:
"You'll never be able to 'have me' the Lucius already has…"
The air in the room shifted as well as the power balance. The display of mortification on her father's face was priceless. Rage built up in his eyes as he gritted his teeth threateningly.
"You're lying," he said deeply, only to scowl even more fiercely upon seeing Narcissa shake her head. Complacent, Narcissa loosely gestured with her wand over to her extravagant bedding with a smile.
"It was right here, in fact. When you were away in Bulgaria. Oh, how good he made me feel," Narcissa continued as she confidently looked down at her father's lower region that was still hard as a rock somehow. She needed something stronger, more impactful to knock him down some more.
Narcissa made a bitter face, looking rather unimpressed as she stared at his left thigh, hoping to make him think she was judging his manhood.
"You know something? I'd wager he was much much bigger than you, as well."
Cygnus looked so irate and nearly murderous that Narcissa half-expected him pick up her vanity table and throw it at her. Arrogance quickly faded to anger upon realizing that his daughter was telling the truth. She had indeed slept with the Malfoy heir, he could tell, he could see it in her eyes.
"Whore," Cygnus growled through gritted teeth. He gave her a wrathful glower as he sliced through the air with his wand, using the Diffindo charm to slash Narcissa's cheek. She squeezed her eyes shut in pain as she cradled her pretty face. The next thing she knew was that a pair of large hands were grabbing her by the waist and throwing her onto her bed.
"No! No! Get off of me!"
She squirmed, clawing and scratching at Cygnus' face as he held her down with unbelievable ease. Whimpering under him, Narcissa succeeded in carving a few deep gashes into neck, granting her a vicious slap across the face. He presented her with a fiendish smirk that burned it's image into the back of her eyes.
"After I've put my baby in you, I'm going to kill that boy."
Her limbs being fully restrained, Narcissa lowered as she spat in his face, catching Cygnus off guard temporarily. A soft click, audible only to her, came from the balcony doors. Low to the ground, Narcissa saw Ted. He was crawling, pushing himself quietly beyond the draping curtains.
Cygnus wiped the saliva from his face and chortled out an evil laugh while diabolically grinning down at his prey.
"Kinky little thing, you are."
Narcissa continued to squirm under her father, cringing at the feeling of his manhood poking at her thighs as he finally sorted through the layers of her dress and exposed her legs. "No! Papa, you have to stop this nonsense! Please!"
"I thought I told you not to call me that anymore," Cygnus growled.
Ruthlessly rpping off the white fabric that was her underwear, Cygnus's eyes turned crazed as they locked on to Narcissa's core. His rock-hard member throbbed with desire as he began drooling from the corner of his mouth.
"Don't worry, my love, Cygnus purred, "I'll make you feel so good, you'll be begging me for more."
A bright flash of energy came shooting over from the balcony curtains. Ted had sent Stupefy hurling toward Cygnus. Unfortunately, mister Black was wand at the ready and skillfully blocked it.
"You—," he said as his eyes locked onto Ted. "What is this wretch doing in MY HOUSE?!
Raising his wand again, the flickering of a green spell began to show at the tip of Cygnus' wand.
The killing curse.
He was just moments away from casting when an explosive sound ricocheted around the room. Time seemed to stop briefly as Cygnus looked toward his arm confusedly. There was a stream of blood coming from his bicep.
"What the—"
Cygnus let go of Narcissa, using his hand to inspect where the red fluid was coming from. He caught his daughter's wide-eyed stare, she was directing it toward her balcony doors. There, on the floor near the curtains, laid Ted with a smoking gun in his clutches and aimed at Cygnus. Narcissa's father was just about lunge toward him when two more sets of shots pierced the air, followed by two more streams of blood coming from Cygnus' arm. The man grunted in pain as he held onto his arm.
Taking advantage of the commotion, Narcissa shot up from the bed and sprinted over to Ted, helping him up off of the ground and racing out on to the balcony. The two ran over toward the railing, looking over the edge to see the moon-lit shrubbery below. With Cygnus just inside, it seemed their only option would be to jump for it. Ted stuffed the firearm back into his waistband before taking hold of Narcissa's hand. They looked at each other, making a silent agreement that they knew to leap when the time was right.
"On three," Ted instructed, "One, two —"
"Get away from my daughter, you filthy mudblood!" Cygnus roared as he entered onto the outdoor space. His wand raised and ready to kill in one hand while his other was securely holding onto a sheet wrapped around his waist. Another spell came flying out from inside of the house, causing Black to turn around and face the caster. Andromeda glared at her father while in a dueling stance.
"Don't you dare!"
Cygnus snorted back a laugh. "Look at this. If it isn't the little blood-traitor that abandoned her family."
"Ooo, ouch," Andromeda feigned offense. "As if what you think of me matters."
Cygnus took a step closer to her. "If you were a respectable young lady with a decent head on your shoulders, it would matter. But seeing as that you aren't—"
His wand was just seconds from releasing a devastating hex before the glow from Narcissa's Stupefy soared toward him. Cygnus blocked the spell — this time, sending it bouncing back directly toward it's original caster. Ted tried to block the spell, but it was too late. Narcissa was blown backwards, tipping her over the balcony railing and falling fast toward the ground.
"NO!" Cygnus shouted with wide eyes, regretting his use of the shielding charm.
"'CISSY!" Andromeda cried.
Ted was quick, leaning over the railing and shooting a spell directly at where he hoped she'd land. The ground rumbled, splitting open and sprouting a large dome shaped mushroom that caught Narcissa's fall as her back landed on the large fungus. Unfortunately, the mushroom bounced her and sent her flying back up into the air with a slight forward facing angle. Narcissa somersaulted through the air before halting her descent with a levitation charm, causing her to stop mere inches from the grass beneath her.
Picking herself up, Narcissa looked up at the platform that she had just fallen from. The bright and colorful flashes of vicious spells flew through the air along with unintelligible yelling. Her instincts were telling her to run away, but leaving Ted and Andromeda to fend of her ruthless father simply wasn't an option.
She knew that he wouldn't stop until they were dead.
Narcissa took off toward the manor's rear entrance, eager to return to the battle. The vibrant spells that shot from the balcony lit up the night like fireworks, slamming into various trees and statues scattered throughout the garden and exploding them into flying debris.
After a great deal of time spent running through the expansive garden and dodging the flying bits of shattered marble and stone, Narcissa threw open the garden doors that led back into the house and began taking off up the stairs. She found herself in the family's main drawing room, the very spot location that housed so many family-get-togethers through the years. Narcissa raced passed the decadent leather sofa and sets of armchairs that surrounded a large mahogany coffee table, remembering all of the painfully awkward times that her uncle Orion would sneak up behind her, putting his hands onto her shoulders and rubbing them while he buried his nose into her sweet smelling hair.
A large archway led her out of the drawing room and into the hallway. Narcissa no longer heard the crashing of spells being flung about. The area was completely silent, eerily so.
Narcissa struggled to control her panicked breathing. The soft click of her high-heels felt as loud as clanging cymbals as traipsed down the dark and spacious corridor, wand in hand and ready to fight. The blonde witch had just passed by an open door way when a pair of hands pulled her in.
It was her sister.
Andi? Wha—"
Andromeda threw her hand over her sister's mouth. Pointing in an upward direction. The sound of heavy footsteps creaking above them was enough to signal to her that she ought to stay quiet if they planned on remaining undetected. Narcissa glanced around for any sign of Ted, but he was nowhere to be seen. Narcissa feared the worst.
"Where's Ted?" Narcissa whispered as her sister finally removed her hand.
"I don't know," Andromeda replied anxiously, "I lost him while we were running away from father. He could be anywhere in this god-forsaken house."
Narcissa could see the worry in her sisters russet-brown eyes. Andromeda face was filled with worry as she appeared to be doing everything she could to keep from panicking.
"It'll be okay," Narcissa assured her, "We'll find him."
As Cygnus' heavy footsteps began to fade out of range, the two girls quietly exited the room. Carefully traversing the halls, the pair began peering into the the rooms they passed, hoping to see any sign of Ted. Most of the rooms in Black manor were nearly empty. The dressing room and a pair of armchairs and a singular mirror and the drawing rooms and parlor rooms housed only simple furniture. The first place to fully check was the kitchen.
Entering the cooking space, Narcissa recalled the countless amount of hours she spend huddled inside of the cabinets when she was little, clutching her doll close to her chest as she waited for the sound of her lurking father to dissipate. Her sister's would sneak her into the tight spaces under the kitchen counter often, frantically stuffing her the excessive layers of her dresses into the cabinet as quickly as they could before they were caught. They'd even bring tiny snacks for her throughout the day to help her wait out her father. Eventually he'd get tired or bored with the chase, even if it was only for the rest of the day. Sometimes, if he was relentless enough, Bella or Andi would have to bring her a pillow and small blanket, allowing her just enough comfort to get herself to fall asleep in the cramped space.
Opening cupboards and peering behind counters, Narcissa and her sister spared no part of the room unchecked as they searched for Ted. Quickly realizing that he wasn't present in the room, Andromeda sighed as Narcissa gave her an understanding look before they headed out of the kitchen.
Their trek around the manor led them up to the second floor and into their father's office, the same one that Narcissa jumped from not twenty-four hours ago. The pair checked behind the tall wardrobe style dressers and underneath the large wooden desk in the center of the room. Still no sign of Ted. Andromeda's ears perked up at the faint sound of glass rattling around. Looking over, she saw her sister rummaging around the cabinet, pocketing a few of the thin glass vials stored within.
"What are those for?"
Narcissa paused, "So I can store my memories. I want proof that I can bring to the ministry so that I can be granted emancipation form the family name."
Andromeda shook her head. "Then save them in your mind, 'Cissy. The minister won't believe a memory that has already been extracted. You could have altered it."
"What if father obliviates me?" Narcissa added, "All of the proof will be lost. He's threatened me with it before."
A distant clang alerted the girls, halting the conversation. The noise seemed to be coming from downstairs. If it was Ted, they needed to get to him before their father did. Careful to check their surroundings, the pair exited the large office and into the shrouded darkness of the hallway. Rounding corners and easing down a stairwell, Andromeda's face lit up as she spotted her husband, safe and sound with a few minor scratches to be seen around his face. Narcissa's beamed with joy at the sight of what Ted dangled from his hand.
Narcissa's caged black horned-owl spun its head around, seemingly sensing the girl's presence and ruffling it's feathers excitedly as she approached.
"Cinders! You're okay!" Narcissa cheered softly as she practically hugged the golden cage. "Where did you find him?"
"I noticed him in your father's bedroom," Ted informed as he held the cage a bit higher to view the bird. "He doesn't seem to have taken any damage, I don't think your father harmed him at all. You don't have any other pets that need rescuing, do you?"
Narcissa shook her head. Her parents never approved of pets, despite how badly she wanted a kneazle when she was little — most of her friends had one. Her always mother said that animals were filthy creature that would wreak havoc on her precious girls' personal hygiene. She was close to breaking her father for one, him not being able to resist the sparkle in her doll-like blue eyes — but alas, she was still left without a fluffy companion to share her time with.
"Alright then," said Ted, "I have the bag and your bird. If that's all you needed, let's get the hell out of here. Grab onto my arms and I'll apparate us home."
"You can't, "Andromeda piped up, "Only the master of the house can apparate from anywhere within the manor. The rest of us could only disapparate from our own private rooms."
"Less talk! Narcissa chimed in, "The front door is right here. Let's go!"
The three made a break for the exit when the tiny body of the family's house-elf appeared in front of them.
"Scraps!" Narcissa gasped.
The little elf fidgeted with his cloth wrapped palms as he looked up at the trip with regretful eyes.
"Master has instructed Scraps not to allow Miss to leave the house, and to get rid of the intruders."
Before they could speak, the elf used it's magic to open the front doors and levitate Ted and Andromeda passed the threshold, placing them outside onto the front steps before the door closed on them.
"No! Scraps, please! You have to let me go! You've seen what he's tried to do to me over the years, you mustn't help him!"
The elf frowned as he hung his head. "Scraps has pleaded with master to allow him freedom from such requests, but master's word is final, even above your's, Miss."
The elf stuck out his hand toward Narcissa.
"Please, come calmly, Miss. I have no choice."
No choice. He was right. Elves were bound to serve their masters unconditionally. The only task their were allowed to refuse was theft, destruction of another's property, or murder. That was, unless they were freed.
With a small sigh, Narcissa placed her hand daintily into Scraps' as the banging of her sister and Ted rang against the outside of the foyer doors. Moments later, Cygnus appeared from the top of the stairs, an evil grin shown on his face as he looked down at his defeated looking daughter.
"Glad to see that you've finally come around. Come, let's have ourselves a fun evening, shall we?"
Narcissa nodded subtly as she and the saddened elf slowly ascended the stairs, all the while her father stood and watched in a self-satisfactory manner. Reaching the top of the steps, Narcissa's chin was taken into her fathers caressing grip as he turned her head slightly to look at the gash he inflicted on her earlier that night.
"Let's get this healed up."
They began making their way down the corridor and toward the master's bedroom. Cygnus remained behind his daughter, ensuring that she wouldn't make a run for it behind his back. Narcissa's heart thumped harder and louder than it did when she bounded through the woods, more so than when she fell from her third floor balcony, she nearly thought her heart would explode from the amount of fear she currently felt.
Entering the sleeping chamber, Cygnus motioned for her to have a seat on the bed while he rustled through a wardrobe drawer. Narcissa's bedroom was nothing in comparison to the size of this one. She couldn't help but think about how one of those tiny, cracker-box sized homes in her sister's neighborhood could fit inside of her fathers bedroom with space to spare.
"You may leave now, Scraps," Cygnus ordered, "As promised, here's your reward."
The man used his wand to levitate a platter of food. It looked to be the leftover crumbs from a long eaten meal. With her father facing away from her, Narcissa reached for her décolletage and pulled the fichu from her dress, wrapped it up, and placed it onto the tray. Scraps took the platter with gratitude, bowing before his master before exiting the sleeping chamber.
Cygnus spun around, holding a potion vial in one hand and a soft-looking cloth in the other. After pouring some of the liquid onto the cloth, he inched toward his daughter and pressed it to her cheek.
Narcissa winced, earning her a sympathetic look from her father.
"Don't worry, little one. It'll only hurt for a moment."
Cygnus reached out with his free hand and began to gently run his calloused fingers through Narcissa's long blonde hair.
After a few gentle swirls, Cygnus removed the the cloth and gestured for her to take a look in the mirror that rested on top of the dresser against the wall. She softly ran her slender fingers down her cheek, relieved to see that the slash was gone without even the faintest trace of a scar.
"There," Cygnus cooed as he laid down on his bed, "Now you're all pretty for me again."
Narcissa golden skin went ghostly as she turned to see her father lounged back on his exorbitant bedding with his hand slowly stroking himself.
"Come here, Princess."
Reluctantly, Narcissa got up. She felt as if she was betraying her body as she forced her feet to carry her over toward her father. She kept her eyes locked onto the floor, refusing to look at the immoral sight before her. She stopped at her father's side, Cygnus tapping the bedside next to himself as he held himself with his other hand.
"Well…hop up."
Swallowing her dignity, Narcissa sat down on the bed, slipping out of her shoes and crawling to the other side of the large mattress. To her horror, the hint of lace peeled out from under the pillow. Lifting it up, she saw an alarming pile of her delicate panties that had been placed there.
"Oh, don't mind that," Cygnus said nonchalantly, "I just needed a little something to tide me over until I could have you."
There was so much wrong with this moment.
She felt a large hand take hold of her wrist. Looking over, she watched as her hand was slowly being dragged toward her father's needy looking member.
'This is it.' She thought to herself. 'I'll be ineligible for marriage. Lucius will shun me, no respectable wizard will want anything to with me. All I have is father…"
I surrender.
Just before her palm made contact with his flesh, the sound of someone apparating into the sleeping chamber startled them.
"Scraps?! What in the bloody hell are you doing in here?! We're busy!"
His vicious tone had no effect on the little elf as Scraps grinned from ear to ear. The elf held up a white, chantily-lace piece of fabric and wrapped it around his tiny body like a toga.
"Master has presented Scraps with clothes! Scraps is free!"
As if the stormy skies had parted to reveal a ray of sunshine, Narcissa silently thanked the heavens for their timely blessing.
"What did you do?!" Cygnus roared at his daughter.
Showing his true allegiance, Scraps held a hand out to Narcissa. The blonde witch practically leaped off of the bed, taking hold of the little elf's hand and allowing him immediately apparate her to the front doors.
Ted and Andromeda were still there casting charm after charm in an effort to break down the immense doors when the sound of Narcissa's sudden appearance alerted them.
"'Cissy!" Andromeda squealed as she sprinted over to her sister. Ted picked up the owl and velvet pouch from the ground and followed suit.
"How did you manage to esca—"
"No time!" Narcissa blurted as she took her sister's and Ted's hands into her own. "Scraps, can you apparate—"
Before she could finish her request, the little elf was struck with the killing curse. An absolutely pissed Cygnus Black stood at the top of the front steps.
"Get back here, NOW!!"
"Run!" Ted shouted as he casted a hex toward their aggressor.
The three took off down the stone path that led straight to the edge of the property. Jinxes flew both ways as Cygnus stalked them down like blood-thirsty animal. Narcissa casted a spell toward the hedge walls that ripped the leaves off of the branches and swirled them around her approaching father, temporarily obstructing his view.
"No!! Don't leave me! Don't leave me! The family line will die without you!!"
Narcissa ignored his pleas. The moment they passed through the gate, the three joined hands once more, immediately disapparating away from this hellish nightmare.