Author's notes: Thank you to my beta 62442alMan (from the Chamber of Secrets forum)
Chantal - Thank you for the review, I'm pleased you're enjoying it so far. I agree, Regulus is such an underglorified hero.
Family Betrayal
Chapter two: Changes.
One sunny afternoon, everything changed and Amelia's life was never the same again. For some reason, the house was filled with people, most of which Amelia did not know but a few who she recognized as friends or relatives of her adoptive family. Not being able to find a quiet corner of the house, and seeing as the weather was so beautiful; Amelia decided to write in her journal outside in the manor grounds. With so much outside space, Amelia was sure she would find somewhere she would be able to hear herself think, and not get dirty looks if she entered an occupied room.
Sitting on an old wooden bench that overlooked a small pond, Amelia sat alone with her thoughts. For days, she had been musing over the fact that she was well educated, did well at school and had promising prospects for when she graduated, but always appeared and was treated like the eternal child. Would employers and colleagues take her seriously? Would men find her attractive? What did her life beyond school hold? She knew that her education and brains would put her in well stead, but as Narcissa often commented, you needed the whole package. No one would want to know a person who looked like a child.
Fearing she was doomed to live like Peter Pan, Amelia became disheartened and was about to return to her room when she noticed someone approaching the bench. The tall, dark-haired man looked vaguely familiar to Amelia, so she decided to stay on the bench and find out if she knew him. Like all the other recent unknown visitors, the man was wearing black robes. As he approached, Amelia noticed he was a little older than herself, unlike the others. Jaw length black hair framed his face, and partly obscured it from view. However, Amelia noticed that his eyes were a deep fathomless grey, which seemed to hold endless secrets.
As the man got nearer to the bench, he noticed Amelia's presence there, indicated towards the free spot, and asked if it was taken.
"No, go ahead," she replied.
"Thanks," he uttered in a barely audible whisper.
Amelia felt uneasy being in such close proximity to a stranger, and her thoughts wildly raced to what his opinion of her was. Did he realise how old she was or assume like everyone else that she was still a child? In all reality, the young man had other, more important things on his mind than to be concerned with whom he was sharing a bench with.
Amelia still had a hazy recognition of the raven-haired interloper, so she sat silently trying to work out where she knew him from. After a few minutes of silence, while the two were absorbed in their own thoughts, Amelia went to return to the house. As she stood to walk away, the man looked up at her and spoke.
"You were in the year below me at Hogwarts? Weren't you?"
"Yeah, I start my seventh year this September."
"So... Are you here for Lucius' meeting too?" He asked.
"No, I live here. Lucius and Narcissa are my guardians."
"That would explain why you weren't in the drawing room earlier then."
"Yeah, I guess so."
With that, Amelia smiled and walked away, the realisation dawning on her that she recognised the guest to her house from Hogwarts.
Back inside the house, the black-robed new additions to her home were slowly filing out. Amelia wanted to ask her uncle and aunt who they were, but did not dare to pry. Privacy was a big issue in the Malfoy home, and Amelia had learnt at an early age that she was only told what she needed to know. If ever Amelia read something she was unsure of in The Daily Prophet, she would ask Lucius to explain it to her. She was particularly interested in reports of muggle and Muggleborns killings. Amelia had no real liking for non pure-bloods, but she found it strange that people were aloud to get away with seemingly random murders. Lucius reassured her that most cases were accidents exaggerated by the Ministry of Magic who wanted an escape-goat for their own troubles.
That evening after dinner, Narcissa called Amelia to her bedroom. Narcissa spent a lot of time alone in her room, while Lucius entertained people or worked in his study. It was not unusual for Narcissa to call Amelia to her bedroom, most of the time the older woman just wanted company and the pair would talk about school or how Narcissa could help Amelia improve her appearance.
Not thinking anything was out of the ordinary; Amelia responded to her aunt's request and brought with her a bottle of elf-matured mead, as was the custom when they had their little chats. However, Amelia was never aloud to drink the mead herself, as Lucius contrary to his stance on other luxuries forbade it. Before entering her aunt's chambers Amelia rapped on the door.
"Come in," replied the silky tone of Narcissa.
Amelia entered the room to find Narcissa seated on her favourite velvet covered sofa, a small iron table in front of her laid out with fruit and chocolates. Amelia took a seat on the free velvet armchair opposite her aunt.
"Pleasant evening isn't it?" enquired the older woman.
"Yes, the weather has been beautiful all day. I took the opportunity to sit in the grounds this afternoon, considering the weather is so amiable."
"I bet you welcomed the quiet, seeing how the manor has been filled with your uncle's guests recently."
Amelia threw her caution aside, and dared to ask who the recent visitors were.
"I was just wondering, who are these people uncle Lucius is inviting to the manor?"
"Oh, they are no one important really. Most are just friends of your uncle's. They're here for a business meeting with Lucius."
"Oh, right," replied Amelia, believing the lie her aunt had just told her.
"I have something to ask you Mille, and I want you to be completely honest with me. I will not be angry with you or anything. I just need to know encase it wasn't you and we have a light fingered house-elf."
Amelia guesses that this had something to do with her sneaking into this very room a few days earlier and trying on her aunt's tiara without permission.
"I'm very sorry Aunt Cissy. It was me; I snuck in here the other day and tried on your tiara. I'm so sorry, I know it was against house rules," confessed Amelia.
"Oh sweet child, it's alright. I do not mind you trying on my things; actually, it is good to see you taking an interest in your image. I just wish for you to ask before hand next time please."
"I looked stupid in it any way. It made me look like some silly little child playing dress up," Amelia confessed again.
Narcissa smiled warmly at the girl's confession and uncertainty over her looks.
"You know there are ways of improving your appearance. I myself have always been fortunate in the beauty stakes, but I remember helping some poor unfortunate girl in my school days," Narcissa smiled.
Amelia was grateful for her aunt's offer of help, and readily willing to take it. For days, she had been worrying over her appearance.
"Any advice you're willing to give would be fantastic. I have been worrying for days whether my looks may hold me back once I graduate from Hogwarts. I always remember what you said about needing the whole package. I don't think anyone could take me seriously looking like a twelve year old," Amelia sighed.
"Well it's simple really. You're a pretty girl, you just do not look your age. Maybe try wearing a little make-up, more fitted robes, and do something new with your hair. It looks so ordinary, maybe try putting a pretty flower in it or something," suggested Narcissa.
"Yeah, but I don't want to end up looking like a painted clown."
"Here, let me try something."
Narcissa took out her wand; pointing it at Amelia, she spoke the incantation, "Formositas Genero."
Amelia's loose dull robes transformed into body hugging teal ones. Her face was highlighted by subtle accentuating make-up. The normally straight ash blonde hair had been given a slight wave and was finished with a beautiful Corydalis.
"Oh Millie, you look so pretty. You really look like a woman now," beamed Narcissa, delightedly.
Amelia looked in the large mirror; she was stunned by what she saw. She no longer looked like a featureless twelve-year-old, but a beautifully formed woman. The new robes, make-up, and flower in her hair made her blue eyes stand out and sparkle.
"Oh thank you so much Aunt Cissy! I can't believe how different I look," she giggled.
"All you need now is a handsome admirer."
"I guess that will have to wait until I return to school, I don't really see many people during the holidays."
"I bet one of your uncle's friends would be charmed by you now. You should wear these clothes the next time you are out in the grounds," Narcissa remarked suggestively.
Again, Amelia giggled, remembering the tall dark stranger she had encountered earlier today.
"Hum... I guess you never know," she mused aloud.
"Well, I'm glad I've been of help. I must confess though, I am feeling rather tired now."
"I'll leave you to sleep then Aunt Cissy. Again, thank you so much. Sleep well."
"You too, sweet flower."
With that, Amelia left her aunt's room and returned to her own. For the first time in years, her heart sang with joy. She still could not believe how different and womanly she looked.
Taking out her journal, she wrote about how glad she was feeling to finally look like a real woman. Her thoughts drifted to a daydream where some handsome man asked for her hand in marriage.
That night, Amelia's dreams were filled with the same fantasies, but this time her comely suitor had a form and face. It was the man Amelia had shared a seat with in the garden. Together they sat alone on the bench, the raven-haired gentleman whispering affectionate words in her ear.