Chapter 3
Mother

Draco stares across the room at the older woman for only a moment before closing the distance between the two of them with a few long strides. Looking down at her, he searches her face for some sign of her reasons for reappearing back in the manor. He feels her arms gently pull him close and he rests his head on her shoulder, sinking into the warmth of her embrace.

Her arms tighten around him as she rests her cheek against his head. "I have missed you, my love."

"I don't understand," Draco says, his brow furrowing in confusion, "How did you get here?"

"Cibney retrieved me this morning after you had left for work." Narcissa replied, pulling back so that she could look up at him. "She also informed me that there are strange occurrences happening at the manor that you have forbidden her to help you with." Narcissa's voice turns stern as she speaks, her eyes hardening as she stares at her son. "What I do not understand, Draco, is why you did not owl me the moment things started happening here."

"What do you expect to be able to do, Mother," Draco sighs. "You have no magic; no way of banishing anything. Even if you did, do you not think I have tried. The standard rituals have done nothing."

"And so you allow these…apparitions full reign over our home."

"Of course not…"

"My bad decisions may have lost me my wand but that does not mean that I have no power to help you. Dear Draco," she raises her hand placing it gently on his shoulder, "There is no need for you to handle this on your own." Stepping back with a smile she looked over her son with an appraising eye, "Dinner will be served shortly, you will bathe and then join me in the dining room where you will explain to me exactly what has been happening in my absence."

She left the hall without waiting for his response and Draco found himself smiling at his mother's retreating figure even while a knot of uneasiness began to form in his gut. Turning an appraising eye on the small figure that stood silently at the top of the stairs, Draco raised an eyebrow in question.

"Master forbade Cibney from stopping him confronting the manor spirits." She raises her head, her face determined as she continues, "Master saying nothing about Cibney not asking Mistress to make Master be seeing some sense."

Draco makes his way up the stairs, kneeling in front of the small elf with a smile. "You are a treasure Cib," he says with a laugh. "You know I cannot allow Mother into the dungeons, however."

"Master Draco should be not going in dungeons either," the elf exclaimed staring up at her master. "Master Draco should be sendings for help but Master Draco thinks he must be doings all things himself."

"We've talked about this."

"Master at least be talking to Mistress Narcissa," Cibney cuts in before Draco can continue. "Cibney will not be meddling no more if Master please talks to Mistress Narcissa. Master be needing help."

"She's here so I'll talk to her," Draco sighs standing up and turning toward his room. "She may know some sort of ritual that I missed." He turns and starts down the hall, calling over his shoulder, "I look forward to dinner. Don't keep Mother waiting."

Draco sighs as he feels the water cascading over his shoulders, laying his forehead against the cool tile that surrounds the shower. The conversation with his mother is not something that he is looking forward to. He had contemplated numerous times on sending an owl to her asking if she had anything thoughts on how to banish the spirits in the dungeons but had decided against risking her by summoning her back to the manor. He was also well aware of how cross she would be once she found out he had been keeping it from her.

Lifting his face to the water, he lets the water fall against him for several moments before lifting his wand and stopping the falling water. Grabbing a nearby towel and wrapping it tightly around his waist, he steps out of the shower and walks quickly out to his bedroom, steam billowing out behind him. It only takes him a moment to locate a dark button down and trousers that his mother would find suitable enough for dinner.

"Mistress is waiting for Master Draco in the dining room, sir" Cibney says, appearing with the tell tale crack of house elf apparation.

Draco nods, adjusting his collar, deciding to forgo a tie and instead leaving the top button undone. Tucking his wand into his sleeve, he turns and makes his way out into the hall. The soles of his leather shoes on the marble floors in the only sound that greets him as he makes his way down the stairs and through the hall leading toward the formal dining room at the rear of the manor.

Draco has made a point of not entering this particular room since making is return to the manor in an attempt to avoid the memories created during the time the Dark Lord spent occupying his home. He pauses for a moment before reaching for the handle and walking into the room. "Good evening Mother," he greets her as he enters. "You look lovely as usual." He leans down and places a soft kiss on her cheek before taking his place at the head of the table.

"I was beginning to wonder if you had decided against joining me this evening," Narcissa responded with a slight smile.

"I would never miss a chance to dine with you, Mother." The other woman smiles softly at his reply before snapping her fingers to summon the elf.

"Mistress calls Cibney?"

"We are ready for our meal dear."

With a brief nod, the elf snaps her fingers and two large bowls of soup appear on the table before it's occupants. Without another word, Cibney disappears with a crack.

"How is France, Mother," Draco asks before tasting the soup before him.

"France is lovely, my dear. However, Cibney has informed me that there have been several occurrences around the manor that appear rather concerning."

"Don't you think that this talk could wait until after dinner?" Draco places his spoon to the side of his bowl as he turns his attention back to his mother.

"I'm afraid there will be no distracting me from this Draco." Narcissa pauses momentarily to enjoy her appetizer before continuing. "Have you attempted a banishment yet?"

"Of course I did," Draco replies indignantly. "I'm not daft. I've been searching the library to see if there were any banishment spells or rituals that I had not thought of. I've been unsuccessful so far."

"And, yet, it did not occur to you to seek help."

"I've been handling it." Draco mutters, picking up his spoon and continuing to eat the soup in front of him.

"If offering yourself as a sacrifice to angry spirits is what you consider 'handling it', my son, I am afraid that I have truly failed you."

"I am not sacrificing myself."

"No?" Narcissa pushes her half empty bowl away from her and turns her attention solely onto her son, her eyes narrowing as she stare at him. "Then what would you call it when you purposefully lock yourself in the dungeons with them simply to give them a target for their ire? Cibney has told me how many times she has had to transport you to your rooms afterward because you are not conscious enough to do so on your own." Draco begins to respond but she silences him with a wave of her hand. "Regardless, I am here now. You will no longer handle this on your own. We will see assistance from the ministry. They have people who's job it is to deal with this sort of dark magic manifestation."

"The Ministry," Draco scoffs, "because they've been so very helpful to us before."

"I am sorry that the misdeeds of your father and I have tainted your view of out Ministry, Draco, but they can be very helpful in their own way. Your father allowing Voldemort to make our home his base of operation has filled these halls with so much dark magic that it is nearly tangible. If we could simply get the magic cleansed…"

"Do you truly believe that I did not think of doing a cleansing?"

"I am merely suggesting an assisted cleansing," Narcissa cuts in with a dismissive wave of her hand. "There is no need for you to get so defensive with me, dear. Cibney informed me that you believe these spirits are your punishment for your misdeeds." Ignoring her son's hard stare she continues, "Need I remind you that, just as your father and I were, you sat trial for your actions during the war. Unlike us, you were completely exonerated. There is no reason for you to feel this need to punish yourself."

Draco fell silent, his eyes drifting to his, now empty, bowl before him; his mind drifting back through memories. The things he'd seen in this very room. The things he had had to do.

A shrill scream pierces through the silence of the manor drawing Draco and Narcissa's gaze back toward the hall. "The silence was nice while it lasted," Draco sighs, wiping his fingers on his napkin and getting to his feet.

"You are not going down to those dungeons," Narcissa places her napkin on the table before her, turning as he starts across toward the door.

"The manor is my responsibility; I will take care of it."

She pushes her chair away from the table and stands to join him. "The manor is my responsibility as well. Should you insist on this foolishness, you will at least accept my help."

Draco turns as he steps through the door and looks his mother in the eye, "The manor falls under my ownership and, as Lord of Malfoy Manor, I decree that you shall remain here until it has been deemed safe for you to return to your chambers." He turns and disappears down the hall.

Narcissa storms after him, stopping at the doorway as an invisible barrier blocks her exit. "Draco Lucius Malfoy," she yells after him, "I demand you release me immediately." Placing her hands on the seemingly vacant space she leans as far into the doorframe as it will allow as she attempts to follow his movements down the hall. "Cibney," she calls out, turning back toward the extravagant dining room. "Cibney!"

She lets out a frustrated sigh as she is met with silence. "Stubborn, overprotective, foolish boy," she mutters angrily under her breath before returning to her seat, tapping her manicured nails against the table as she glances around the room. Her eyes flit around the room as addition voices join the first and the screams grow louder.

Standing quickly to her feet, she walks over to the windows and pulls one open, her hand is immediately met with another barrier as she attempts to push it through to outside. Slamming the window closed once more she storms back over to the still open doorway, leaning back against it once more. "Draco," she calls out the first tremor of fear breaking through her voice. She calls out once more, her voice drowned out by the volume of the screams echoing through the manor halls.

With a rush of frigid air, the candles illuminating the dining room are extinguished; plunging Narcissa into nearly complete darkness. She turns to scan the room, her eyes falling on a wisp of white floating above the long table. As she watches, the forms grows larger until she is looking at the familiar form of a transparent woman, her long pale hair falling about her shoulders in a tangled mess. Her clothing torn, a long gash down the left side of her face. The apparition glances around the room before appearing to be forced prone up into the air a shrill, pain-filled scream tearing from it's throat.

Narcissa covers her ears at the sound, stumbling back into the doorway, her back meeting the invisible shield that had been placed there. She spins around, slamming her palms against the invisible barrier, "Cibney," she calls out, "Cibney where is Draco?"

Almost as quickly as it began, the screams fall silent. Narcissa stumbles forward as the force within the doorway vanishes and she finds herself in the darkened hallway.

With a loud crack the candles relight and Cibney appears before her, wringing her shaking hands, her eyes bright with tears. "Cibney is being so sorry Mistress. The house not be letting Cibney answer when called and Cibney was afraid to stray too far from the dungeons. Please don't be mad at Cibney Mistress. Cibney be trying."

"I'm not upset with you," Narcissa says softly, pulling the shaking elf into a tight embrace. She pulls away and looks the small creature over, her eyes widening at the blood that soaks the hem of her pale yellow dress. "Are you hurt."

"No, Mistress, Cibney is being just fine."

Narcissa's breath catches in her throat, her grip tightening slightly on the elf's small shoulders. "Where is Draco?"

"Cibney is taking Master Draco to his rooms, Mistress. Master Draco is being needing looking after after he goes in the dungeons."

"Take me to him."

With a nod and a snap the two disappear with a loud crack only to reappear in Draco's chambers.

The pale haired man lays atop the sheets of the large bed, his hair tinged red in spots. His shirt has been vanished and thin red lines run across his torso still slowly leeching blood onto the spread below.

Narcissa rushes forward speaking to her companion as she walks, "He has potions available?"

"Master is keeping a stock of dittany and healing potions in his bathroom," as she replies she snaps her fingers and the items in question appear on the small table beside the bed.

Narcissa immediately gets to work, forcing potions down the unconscious man's throat while the elf begins working on cleaning the wounds on his torso. "Is this a common occurrence?"

"Master is unconscious every night the screams come. This is being the first time he is bleeding because of them."

"It is escalating then."

"Yes Mistress."

The two work in silence mending and cleaning the numerous scratches until his skin is once more back to its normal pallor. Narcissa leans against the dark headboard, pulling her son to her chest and holding him tightly, her hand running softly through his hair.

"We need to convince him to leave," she whispers, look down into his face.

"Cibney is trying Mistress. Master is believing he is being deserving of punishment so he will not leave."

Narcissa tightens her hold resting her cheek against his hair, "Then we will need to make him understand the truth, won't we."

"We is needing to keep him safe until we can do this, Mistress."

"For that, we are going to be getting help. Set out a set of my formal robes, Cibney dear. Tomorrow I will be visiting the Ministry."

AN: Longest chapter so far! As always please let me know what you think! As always this chapter is unbeta'd so I apologize for any mistakes. I try to catch them but I am sadly imperfect. Hope you enjoyed!