AN: So sorry that I missed last week's scheduled update! I had some family drama that I had to take care of and then during the storms this week we wound up with a hole in our roof! I finally just got a chance to sit and complete this chapter. Thank you all for your patience!
Chapter 4
The Ministry
Narcissa places a final pin into her hair before standing from her vanity and running a hand down the front of her sapphire blue robes. "I wish to be informed immediately once Draco wakes," she instructs, turning to look at Cibney, who stands near the door.
"Of course, Mistress." She pulls lightly on the ivory lace of her red dress, "Does Mistress, truly, believe help will come?"
"They will come." Narcissa's voice is low as she replies, her eyes hardening slightly. "I shan't be too long. There will likely be guests with me when I return. Please have tea prepared for them."
"Of course, Mistress."
"And keep close watch on Draco. Should anything happen while I am away…"
"Cibney is being taking good care of Master Draco. Cibney will be telling Mistress right away if he is waking or if anything bad is happening."
"Thank you."
"Is Mistress be needing of anything else before she is leaving?"
"I will be taking the floo from the study. Can you please ensure the powder has been replaced there for me?"
"Of course, Mistress."
Narcissa glances in the mirror once more before walking from the room. Taking a moment to look in on her son's room she quietly leans down to place a gentle kiss on his forehead. "It is my turn to protect you, my son," she whispers as she stands, turns and walks silently from the room.
"Does Mistress be wanting tea in the drawing room?" Cibney asks as she enters the study where the elf already has a fire burning.
"Let us…avoid the memories of the drawing room, for now," Narcissa pauses in thought before continuing, "I believe my sitting room would be best for today."
"Of course, Mistress."
"Remember, Cibney dear, should anything happen while I am away, I am to be informed immediately."
"Of course, Mistress."
"Thank you dear." Reaching into the small urn on the mantle, Narcissa pulls out a pinch of the fine powder within and steps into the fireplace, disappearing in a burst of green flames.
She steps out of the Ministry floo, gently shaking the excess ash from the skirts of her robes. Straightening and glancing around the foyer, she quickly makes her way toward the desk.
"Name, destination and please present your wand," the young man behind the counter intones, not looking up from the parchment in front of him.
"Narcissa Malfoy and I wish to see the Minister." Narcissa schools her features into a calm mask as the man looks up at her name. "You will find I have no wand to weigh-Mrs. Malfoy," the young man stutters slightly at her name. "I'm afraid the Minister is busy this morning."
"Then I shall gladly wait until he has a free moment." As a small visitors badges slides forward, she picks it up and gently pins it to the front of her robes, giving the young man a small nod before turning and making her way toward the elevator. She feels the eyes of those around her as they watch her walk toward the Minister's office and makes a point to nod politely in their direction.
A smartly dressed witch sits at a desk quickly penning and sending off memos. She glances over as Narcissa approaches and sets her quill down before her. "Mrs. Malfoy," she begins pleasantly. "Welcome to the Ministry. I'm afraid that the Minister is currently occupied but, if you wish, you may send an owl and he will respond at his earliest convenience."
"I'm afraid that I have no time for owls," Narcissa makes sure to keep her voice calm as she replies. "A very urgent matter has come to my attention and I simply must speak to the Minister as soon as possible."
"I am very sorry ma'am but, I'm afraid that the Minister cannot simply rearrange his schedule for…you."
"I simply must insist."
The other woman stands, removing her wire framed glasses and setting them on her desk. "And I simply must insist that you leave."
Narcissa straightens to her full height, staring down at the woman before her. She opens her mouth to reply but is cut off by a familiar voice "Mrs. Malfoy?"
She turns toward the newcomer with a smile, "Miss Granger. A pleasure, dear."
"Mrs. Malfoy was just leaving Miss Granger. I apologize if our conversation disturbed your meeting with the Minister."
"I assure you that I would not have come if it was not a matter of the upmost importance." Narcissa steps toward Hermione, allowing the slightest bit of her concern to enter her voice. "I simply must speak with the Minister."
"I'll take care of her Justine," Hermione remarks before turning back toward Narcissa. "If something is so important that it brings Narcissa Malfoy all the way here from France, I believe that it will be worth interrupting lunch." She raises a hand and gestures to the door she had just emerged from. "Would you care to join me?"
"Thank you, Miss Granger," Narcissa replies smiling at the younger woman before following her into the office. The murmured voices within cease as she enters and she glances around at the rooms other occupants. "Good afternoon Minister, Mr. Potter."
Harry nods at her silently though does not respond.
"Mrs. Malfoy," Kingsley says with a smile, standing to greet her. "To what do we owe the pleasure? Last I had heard you were living in France."
"I'm afraid something was brought to my attention that has urged me to return home."
"I take it that this something is what brings you to my office." He gestures to the open chair before his desk before returning to his own seat. "Please, have a seat and tell us what this emergency is."
"Something has happened at the manor," she responds, gracefully lowering herself into the offered seat. "Strange spirits have begun to inhabit its halls. Screams ring from the dungeons almost nightly."
"Are you saying your house is haunted, Mrs. Malfoy?" Harry cuts in disbelievingly. "I don't see what makes that a Ministry matter. I would, honestly, be surprised if it wasn't after everything that happened there."
"I understand that it may seem that way. However, I assure you, this is no mere haunting, Mr. Potter. They appear to be memories of a sort. Last night in the dining room I saw Madame Burbage as she was the night she passed. It was as though I were reliving the moment as they occurred. That is not the most distressing factor, however." She turns back toward the Minister before continuing, "Whatever the spirits are, they appear to have an attachment of some sort with my son. The screams cease momentarily if he enters the dungeons and it is as though these spirits feed off of him.
"Our house elf, Cibney, came to my home in France yesterday and begged of me to return to find a way to remove my son from their presence. Having returned to the manor, I was able to experience what my son has been living with for Merlin knows how long now. He enters the dungeons and the spirits begin to appear. It seems as though they are now able to cause him bodily harm. When I was finally able to go to him he was unconscious and wounded. At the time of my arrival here, he had not yet woken."
"These spirits grow stronger around your son, you say?" Kingsley asks, resting his arms atop his desk as he leans slightly toward the woman before him. "Has anyone else been harmed by them?"
"None to my knowledge, Minister. Draco managed to lock me in the formal dining room in an attempt to keep me safe. He forbids anyone else from entering the dungeons. He," she pauses, taking a deep breath to calm herself before continuing, "he believes this to be his penance for his past mistakes. Mistakes that were never his in the first place. I must find a way to appease these spirits and end this haunting before my son suffers much more deeply for things he has never had any control over."
"I'm afraid that the Ministry has never had any part in removing a haunting from a building Mrs. Malfoy," Kingsley replies after a moments thought. "There is no department do deal with these matters ad I cannot begin to think what you wish from me."
"I know for certain that the Department of Mysteries researches these sorts of things. Surely they have heard of something of this nature before."
"I'm afraid that the unspeakables at the Department of Mysteries all have current assignments they are a part of. Matters that I cannot ask them to be removed from. Can your son not simply remove himself from the manor for the time being?"
"He will not be driven from his home." She glances between the rooms three occupants as she continues, "All of you know just as well as I do that he has no where else to go. His probation prohibits him from leaving England for another year yet. No where else in Wizarding England will welcome him if he attempts to leave the Manor."
"I will look into it, sir," Hermione intones from beside her. "My current workload has plenty of space for me to take on a personal project and the idea of these spirits has me intrigued."
Narcissa stands from her seat and walks over to the other woman, looking down at her with her first real smile of the day. "I thank you, Miss Granger," she says, taking Hermione's hand in her own.
"I will need access to the Manor to begin an investigation into the causes of your haunting."
"Of course, whatever you require."
"Harry," Hermione looks past the other woman toward her friend, "I may need an Auror's investigative skills on this one. Would you come with me?"
Harry pauses for a moment before closing his eyes with a sigh. "Of course, Hermione."
"Very well then," Kingsley cuts in with a small smile. "In that case, Miss Granger and Auror Potter will be at your disposal. Is there anything else you can tell us about what has been happening?"
Narcissa returns to her seat and begins to retell the tale she had heard from Cibney just the day before when she is interrupted by a small pop as a piece of parchment appears in her lap. Reaching for the letter, she breaks the seal, reading through it quickly before standing. "I'm afraid I must go. My son is awake." She lets out a small relieved sigh before turning back toward Hermione. "Would you care to accompany me to the Manor?"
"Lead the way."