Seven Years, Chapter 9.


Merula was surprised how different Malfoy Manor looked compared to when she last saw it, but apart from a quiet dinner of Narcissa asking Draco a hundred questions on his year, the first evening home was uneventful.

It wasn't until late in the night, when she was in the middle of her homework, that the fireplace roared to life and Lucius stepped out into the room.

"Merula," he said, taking long, powerful strides to her. "Why are you not in bed?"

Merula swallowed as she looked down at her books. "I wanted to ask you something, if that's alright."

"You have my attention," Lucius replied as he sat down next to Merula, his hands clasped in his lap. "How was school?"

The wave of complaints Merula had about school died in her throat. He didn't look pleased at how she was up so late. Perhaps it would be better to speak to him again later.

"So" Lucius started, his voice low. "How was school?"

"It was alright," Merula managed to sputter, wondering if Lucius could tell her lie. "I'm not happy about the Mudblood though."

"Who is this… Mudblood?" Lucius asked as Dobby hurried forward, two mugs of pumpkin juice in his shaking hands. "No Dobby, only one mug. How is Merula supposed to sleep after having so much sugar?"

Dobby squeaked and scampered off, disappearing from sight as Lucius took a slow sip of the drink. "Well then?"

"Father?" Merula felt a cold jab of fear at how he repeated the word Mudblood. That was bad.

"Though I know you learned that word from me," He continued, taking another sip from the mug. "I would expect that you never use it in front of your peers. It would be poor to make enemies over a simple word."

"Professor Snape said that too," Merula added.

Lucius narrowed his eyes, and Merula suddenly regretted ever mentioning her professor, but Lucius just sighed and shook his head. "He's still not over her I see."

"Who?" Merula asked.

He shook his head again and waved his hand dismissively. "That is not a matter you should be concerned about. This is something from when I was in Hogwarts. It has little to do with you."

Merula pouted, but she knew from experience that Lucius wasn't going to give her any more information. It was a shame though, because she wanted to know more about Professor Snape.

"I was looking over your grades," he continued, his voice even. "Tell me, why is Draco consistently barely passing his courses?"

Merula felt her throat dry. Draco's grades were that bad? She had been slacking with the sketch, but Draco was somehow doing even worse?

"Merula?" His voice had remained the same tone as ever, but Merula's own mind was racing. This was her chance to take down Draco, wasn't it? "Do you know of why Draco's grades are so poor?"

Merula's mind went blank. She barely saw Draco out of class, being either in the unused classroom or the library. How was she supposed to know the answer to that?

"I'm not sure," Merula mumbled at last, internally cursing herself for not having an answer that could bury Draco. "I wasn't with him much all year."

"And why is that?" Her adoptive father sounded increasingly interested.

"I was at the library a lot," Merula admitted. "I never really saw him there."

His eyes narrowed at her response. "Are you saying that Draco never made a single visit to the library since the time you reached Hogwarts?"

"Not-" Merula started, a light going off in her head as she spoke. "I've never seen him in the library."

"And how frequently have you been to the library?" Lucius asked as he took another sip of his drink.

"I used to visit it every day," Merula replied. "Well, not recently, but-"

"What changed?" Lucius asked. "I noticed a drop in your grades in recent weeks."

The mirror, her singular focus over the final month of the term, flashed to mind, but she couldn't tell Lucius that, could she?

"I see you have something on your mind." Lucius had set his drink down, and Merula swallowed, her mind coming up blank as she tried to think of an alternative solution she thought he might accept. But none came through.

"Could I show you?" Merula asked as she looked down at the hard, polished floor, wary of his response.

"Very well," he said after a moment of mutual silence. "Is it in your luggage?"

Merula nodded. "I packed it myself."

"You have five minutes," Lucius sighed as he rose to his feet. "I'll be with your mother, in a conversation about your sleep patterns."

Merula followed him out of the room before she turned to the stairs that led to the second floor.

"And one more thing?" His voice stopped her mid-step.

"Yes?" Merula turned around.

Her adoptive father paused to finish his drink before he continued. "Don't wake Draco. I have much to discuss with Narcissa that is not for the two of you."

Merula nodded before she turned back to the stairs, now increasingly cautious around the ones she knew were creaky.

The trunk was still unpacked, not like she had much to unpack in the first place. A few mostly-finished textbooks, her clothes, and her parents.

She took a minute to examine the sketch, the smiling faces of her real family, and wondered how she was going to colour their faces. And yet again, her mind came up short. Perhaps Lucius could help. Maybe he knew a place in Diagon Alley.

She was quick to climb down the stairs, and she was sure she still had time to spare when she reached the first floor.

"Is that you, Merula?" Lucius's voice echoed from the only open door. "Your five minutes are up."

Merula looked down at the portrait she had drawn before she took a shaky breath, and then she walked over to the open room.

Lucius was sitting in a large, plush seat, while Narcissa stood by the side, a large glass of bright, clear liquid in her hands.

"Narcissa," Lucius hissed as Merula walked in. "I told you to hide the Firewhiskey."

"Father?" Merula asked. "Is this a bad time?"

"Usually I would be cross with you being up so late, but I am still interested in knowing why your grades have fallen in recent weeks." he replied. "What is that paper in your hands?"

Narcissa opened her mouth, and Merula winced, but was surprised when Lucius raised his hand to stop her.

"Still, regardless of your recent drop in grades," Lucius continued, as if he already predicted Narcissa's would-be outburst. "I'm pleased that you're academically superior to Draco in every class except flying. Flying is not a subject I care for, because I know both of you fly quite well."

Narcissa coughed in the corner. "If your grades are so good, why haven't you helped your brother?"

"While I am primarily interested in the paper in your hands, that particular question is one I've had on my mind." Lucius added, his hands clasped in his lap. "Why have you not helped your brother with his classes?"

Merula shifted and looked down at her hands. "It's not like Draco ever asked me for much of anything. He's always been with his own friends, not in the library studying."

"If Draco asked you for help once you returned to school, would you help him?" Lucius asked. "Because I intend to make it very clear to him that his current grades are unacceptable."

The question lingered on Merula's mind, but a clear answer was available almost immediately, yet she knew it wasn't an answer that her adoptive parents would like. So she stood silent, before them, waiting.

"And why not?" Lucius spoke again, after far too much silence. "I know that you're not on the best terms with Draco, but if he needed the help, you would refuse?"

Merula nodded. Why would she ever help her idiot of an adoptive brother? It wasn't like Draco did anything for her.

"Is there a reason why?"

"I don't like Draco." Merula answered. "He's caused me a lot of trouble at Hogwarts."

"The only trouble you've caused is by sneaking out at night!" Narcissa exclaimed.

"And you think I was caught going out?" Merula snapped, remembering how she had slipped back into the common room with nobody the wiser. "Draco set the whole night up and reported me to Snape afterwards!"

Lucius raised a hand and Merula took a deep breath as the weight of the truth was lifted from her shoulders.

"And why didn't you tell me?" Lucius asked, his eyes showing her nothing, no hints whatsoever. "I would not tolerate Draco turning on his own family."

"Draco doesn't think of me as family anyways," Merula grumbled, looking down at the smiling faces of her family- her real family. Lucius and Narcissa treated her well enough, but they weren't really her family. Her real family was gone, for good.

"What is that in your hand?" Narcissa cut in.

"I trust this is the... mysterious work that you've been spending your time on?" Lucius asked, as if he was ignoring Narcissa.

Merula nodded as she walked over to Lucius, turning the sketch over before turning back around. Behind Lucius, she heard a gasp and the sound of glass shattering.

"Dobby!" Lucius barked, not even looking up from the drawing. "Clean the mess up or I'll have your head!"

"Where did you find the source of this?" Lucius asked once Dobby had been sent from the room. "I was aware that your mother was in the Frog Choir, but I do not recall your uncle being in the same group."

Merula hesitated. She wasn't sure if he knew of the mirror.

"Still, this is a very accurate piece of work," Lucius said after approvingly he handed the paper over to Narcissa. "It would also explain why your grades have fallen in recent weeks."

"You should help Draco with his classwork," Narcissa snapped. "You shouldn't be wasting your time with-"

"Narcissa, I think you would recognize Albert, if not Aria," Lucius said, tapping the surface of the paper. "It's quite important that we remember where our bloodlines come from, and Merula is no exception. Draco has grown up in a house with a clear understanding of his family, but Merula has not. It will not hurt to add another work to our walls."

"I'm finished with the sketching," Merula offered weakly, looking over to Narcissa, now looking down at the sketch she had drawn. And, as it so happened, looking rather pale. "I'd like to go to Diagon Alley to find some art supplies, if that's possible."

"I'm willing to accept that," Lucius said, turning away for a moment when Narcissa left the room. "But only on one condition."

"I help Draco with his classes?" Merula asked. "I doubt he would let me."

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Go to bed Merula. I'll make it very clear to him that he should accept your help, but I also have an expectation of you as well."

"Which is?" Merula felt surprised. Weren't her grades the best out of all the Slytherins?

"This… Mudblood at Hogwarts," Lucius started, his tone slow.

"Granger," Merula growled. "The filthy Mud-"

"Enough," Lucius warned, his tone alone enough to stop Merula mid-sentence. "Do you not feel shame in being outclassed by a simple Mudblood? Repeatedly?"

The last word lit something inside Merula, and she felt a hiss escape her.

"Answer the question Merula," Lucius continued. "Is it right that you're behind this Mudblood on almost every subject at Hogwarts? You've had every advantage up until now, and yet you're still behind her."

"No," Merula managed through gritted teeth. It wasn't supposed to happen. She had poured months and years into her books before Hogwarts, and yet some filthy Mudblood was the top student in their year.

"My condition for you is that you are superior, or at least in the same grade as this Granger in every class at Hogwarts this year," Lucius continued. "If you're able to do that, then perhaps I will reward you at the end of the school year."

Merula perked up at the mention of a reward. Lucius was good with rewards, that she knew for certain. Draco had gotten the lion's share of them over the years, but she had found so many interesting books over the years on her bed.

"Do we have a deal Merula?" Lucius asked.

"Yes!" The answer was an easy one. Especially since it was something she wanted for herself.

"Good," Lucius said, handing back the drawing. "Now head up to bed. If we have time before the party tomorrow, I'll take you to an art store for your… project."

Merula nodded, and when she turned back to the stairs, she felt a lot happier than when she came down.


The celebration was well underway when Merula got back from the shopping trip, and she winced as she realized she could hear the shouting of either Crabbe or Goyle. It was hard to tell which.

"I see we've returned in time for the celebration," Lucius said, settling the gift bags in a tidy corner. "Have you had a chance to see your Christmas gifts?"

Merula blinked. She had gotten two gifts in total, outside of the large, heavy book from Lucius and the art supplies. The first had been a pair of socks she suspected Pansy had gotten two years prior, given that Merula was sure they didn't fit her, and the second was a massive box of Chocolate Frogs she was eager to dig into.

"I suppose the book is nice," Merula said. "Can I go back to my room now? I'd like to get a head start on Granger."

Lucius nodded and, much to her surprise, ruffled her hair. "I'm pleased to see that you're taking your studies seriously. Still, I expect you to say hello to your friends before heading upstairs."

Merula resisted the urge to laugh. The closest things she had to friends was the agreement she had with Blaise to take down Draco and the understanding that Potter didn't have parents either. Draco meant that she wasn't going to be real friends with anyone in Slytherin, and her being in Slytherin meant she probably wasn't going to be friends with anyone outside of Slytherin. Not a great place to start making friends.

"I'll do that," Merula said. She wasn't going to tell Lucius that she didn't have friends. After all, that wasn't his business to know, and she wasn't going to use his name to get things to go her way, not like how Draco abused his name. She wasn't going to sink that far. "Will that be all, father?"

Lucius nodded as they both walked toward the central hallway of Malfoy Manor, heading left where she turned right. Merula was just about to turn and head upstairs when she heard Lucius call to her. "Tell me Merula, what did you get for Christmas?"

Merula paused for a moment to consider what to say to Lucius. She was going to toss the socks in the fireplace when nobody was looking, so she really only had the chocolate to talk about. "I got a really big box of Chocolate Frogs. I think it's the largest package that's available on the market."

Lucius nodded as he picked up from the floor. "Is this the box in question?"

Merula almost choked at the sight of the box with bright blue and yellow wrapping paper on the ground. She had stuffed it under her bed! What was it doing out of her room?

Lucius said nothing as he picked up the box, his lips curled into a frown. "It's empty."

Merula could see that as she mentally eliminated the faces of those she knew. But even from the very beginning she had a nagging feeling she knew who was behind it. It had to be Draco. He knew where she hid her sweets. Even if he didn't do it himself, he was the only one who would tell the other idiots where to look.

It was a strange feeling that sucked the joy from Merula. Whatever joy she had from picking out the various tiny paint pots at the store was gone, replaced with an empty feeling. No heat of anger or rage, no cold determination. Just an empty, heart crushing exhaustion that made even standing difficult.

Lucius grimaced as he set the empty box down on a nearby table, turning back towards the fireplace. "It's rather late, but I'll buy you a replacement when the shops open again."

"It's alright," Merula muttered. "I didn't expect much anyway, besides, you've already got me all the paint I could ever use."

Lucius shook his head as he tapped something on the box, his arms somehow knowingly around her shoulders. "This clearly has your name on it, Merula, and that means whoever emptied this box of chocolates knew exactly what they were doing. This was no mistake, and as the daughter of two pureblood families, I would expect that you were treated with the same level of respect as your brother."

She wasn't sure of the feeling in her chest. Suddenly she felt like her heart might burst, even as the world around her blurred. Somewhere far away, Merula felt her knees hit the cold ground below her as warm arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"Thank you," Merula gasped in between the tears. "Thank you."

"Go to your room," Lucius said, his voice more gentle than any time she had heard him before. "I'll take care of this."

Merula did as she was told, carefully tidying her room before she started her book. It wasn't a perfect afternoon, given that there were no hidden sweets anymore, nothing she could gorge herself on until sugary oblivion took her.

But the book was really interesting, and despite the fact that Merula had flipped to a random page, she learned a great deal about French Wizarding history, including a mention of a distant Malfoy relative. She was still sure it wouldn't matter for her studies, but it was still nice to know regardless.

Then Merula heard her name. She wasn't sure who had called her, but she was certain it was her name.

And then she heard her name again, and Merula winced when she heard anger behind the voice.

She hopped out of her bed and strained her arms, frowning when she noticed that the sky had turned dark outside, and hurried to put on her shoes before she headed out of her room.

The halls were poorly lit, but she could still make her way down the stairs she knew like the back of her hand, but she almost fell over at the scene at the bottom of the stairs.

Draco stood by the door, his face glum and fallen, as if he was close to tears. It was a scene that Merula didn't see particularly often, not since Draco had figured out that Lucius wasn't just going to give him everything he wanted just though a temper tantrum.

The group around Draco was equally glum, though the two buffoons that Merula still couldn't tell apart seemed more confused than glum. The exception, of course, was Blaise, who seemed all too pleased with himself, his eyes gleaming with what she suspected was excitement as he gave Merula a slight nod.

But standing over the group was Lucius, not to mention the half dozen adults Merula recognized. She recognized a few of them, and could tell Blaise's mother out by how similar she looked to her son, and wasn't familiar with the rest of them.

Merula wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but she wasn't going to head back upstairs again, not when she was still hungry, and the smell of roast meat caught her nose.

Then Lucius turned around, and Merula could see clear anger on his face, something she was sure she never wanted directed to her. Yet he still looked very much like the usually calm and collected man she had grown up around.

"Merula," Lucius called. "Come here."

Merula obliged Lucius. She wasn't going to question him, not when Draco was a few minutes from what she hoped would be the worst five minutes of his life.

"Now," Lucius said when Merula stood next to him. "Which of you took Merula's gift?"

There was an awkward shuffling as the crowd around Draco turned on him. Merula glanced over to Blaise, and caught the slightest hint of a smirk before she turned to the squirming Draco. For a moment she wondered if she was dreaming as a burning excitement filled her insides. Was Lucius finally going to do something to Draco? Was this going to be even more brutal than what she was hoping?

"Draco," Lucius continued. "Do you know who took Merula's gift?"

Draco said nothing, but he didn't need to. Blaise spoke up.

"Pansy, wasn't it Vincent who brought the blue box with him?"

Pug-face, at the back of the group, seemed to choke and splutter for a moment before she could answer. "Gregory, did you bring up the blue box with you?"

One of the buffoons nodded. "Yeah, Draco told me that there was another box of Chocolate Frogs hidden somewhere in the room across the hall, isn't that right Draco?"

Draco took a step back, but Lucius growled and stormed forward, catching Draco's arm.

"Blaise!" Draco shouted. "It was your idea! Don't blame me!"

"I only wondered if we had any more candy left," Blaise replied, his voice cool. "You were the one to say that there was candy in the room across the hall."

"What did he say?" Lucius turned to the suddenly innocent looking Blaise.

"He said that there was candy in the room across the hall," Blaise continued as he pointed a finger to Draco. "He never said that it was Merula's room."

Draco opened his mouth again, but Merula saw him shut his mouth just as quickly.

"Draco," Lucius said, his voice low and menacing, his free hand pointed at Draco in obvious anger. "Come to my study. I will have more words for you."

Merula blinked as disappointment filled her. She wasn't sure what Lucius was about to do, but she wanted to find out.

"And Merula?" Lucius's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "I want you to study as well."

Merula followed after Lucius, but she spared one look back to the three idiots and Blaise still by the door, but only Blaise met her eyes. And he was smiling, if only for a moment, before Lucius called for her again.

Inside the office, far away from the front door, Lucius took a long breath before he spoke again, as if he was trying to find the right words. But to Merula's disappointment, he seemed to be somewhat passive again, and that disappointed her greatly.

"Draco, do you know how many ways you've disappointed me today?"

Merula raised an eyebrow. Well, this was interesting, if nothing else. Watching Draco squirm was something she figured would never get old.

"No father," Draco muttered, and Merula couldn't help but leer at him.

"I took some time in the morning to look at your grades seriously, and I'm disappointed in you." Lucius said. "Your grades in the most important subjects are barely passing. And do you know the worst part?"

Merula held her breath. Never had she wanted Draco to say something stupid than in that moment.

"The worst part is that I hear that the top student in your grade is either your sister or this Hermionie Granger. Tell me Draco, how much time have you put into studying?"

Draco opened his mouth, but Lucius raised his hand. "I don't need to know the answer to that. I have already seen it with my own eyes. Do you know how?"

Merula held her breath. Even she didn't know. Maybe Lucius wrote a lot of letters to Professor Snape?

"I gifted both of you an excellent book this morning," Lucius continued, his voice low. "Yours is still sitting under the Christmas tree, while I expect your sister's copy has been half finished, and I could not be more disappointed, more disgusted."

Merula winced at Lucius's tone. He was furious, despite his quiet voice.

"Your sister has earned the right to play in the snow outside," Lucius hissed. "You have not. And yet it is you who trudges mud onto the floor. Does being a wizard mean nothing to you? Do you expect to get through Hogwarts by barely passing your courses?"

Smug pride filled Merula, as she felt a slight smirk rise to her face. Suddenly, the past semester didn't matter to her anymore. Lucius had vindicated her.

"Merula's grades aren't that great!" Draco protested.

"Not only are her grades significantly better than yours, but she's also found the time to create a piece of art off to the side." Lucius hissed. "I have seen the results myself, and I support her work wholeheartedly. What have you accomplished in this past semester? What have you made that I would feel proud to hang on the walls of Malfoy Manor?"

Draco fell silent for a moment. It wasn't hard to guess why. "But she's lost us house points!" Draco squealed at last, his desperation the sweetest music to Merula's ears. "She broke curfew and lost us the points lead!"

"And tell me Draco, who was it that reported her?" Lucius asked, his voice softer, yet so many times more dangerous. "Because I've confirmed with your Head of House that it was you who betrayed your own sister to him."

Draco's open mouth remained open, and Merula knew she would never forget the scene of Draco unable to speak. It was almost a shame that nobody else would witness it.

"Oh yes Draco," Lucius continued, pulling a letter from his desk and tapping at a particular line. "I know you betrayed your sister, and from what I've heard from Merula, it was you who initiated this challenge to Harry Potter in the first place."

Merula looked over, and sure enough, she recognized Professor Snape's handwriting and Draco's name on the page, though she saw no mention of Harry Potter. For a moment, she wondered where Harry was and what he was doing at Hogwarts, but her train of thought was interrupted.

"She's not my sister!" Draco's voice snapped from behind her. For a second, Merula was tempted to agree. She hated him as much as he hated her, and she was fine with that. He was just another idiot, just like his group of friends. But then Lucius replied, and Merula decided to keep her thoughts to herself.

"Merula has been raised under the same roof as you for seven years," Lucius growled. "The blood that runs in her veins is as pure as the blood that runs in yours. And yet you treat her worse than a Mudblood."

Merula turned around to see Draco in the corner. He was desperate, but he wasn't close to tears yet, which disappointed her.

"I've taught you time and time again that pure blood is to be cherished, to be secured over the generations, and yet you spit on two venerated bloodlines when you betray your sister."

Draco closed his mouth. Merula figured he wasn't going to open it again, not for a long while.

"And to top it off," Lucius was quieter now. "You steal from your sister, right under my roof. Tell me Draco, how many presents did you receive this year?"

Draco didn't say anything.

"Merula, for all her accomplishments this year, has received a total of four presents. You have received over thirty, and yet you still take what was meant for her."

Merula sensed the tongue-lashing was over, or at least close to it, because Lucius had turned away from Draco and was looking at the ornate clock in the room.

"For the last three months you have been a disappointment, a thief, and worse of all, a traitor to your family." There was still rage evident in his voice, yet Merula was impressed in how Lucius was able to keep himself composed throughout. "Starting tomorrow, that will change."

There was a moment of silence as there was a knock on the door and Narcissa's voice calling them to dinner, followed by Draco scampering out like a rat, or Dobby.

"Merula," Lucius turned back around to her, a small package in his hands. "I apologize, but this is the only package we were able to find that hadn't been opened yet."

Merula looked down at the glossy green wrapping paper and the teal bow that bound it together and nodded at Lucius. "Thank you, father."

Lucius nodded. "Put it away somewhere, but don't eat it too close to bedtime. I don't want you getting cavities."

The feeling in her chest was one she hadn't felt in a long time as she headed to her room, taking her time to climb the stairs one at a time. It wasn't just joy in her heart that she felt, but also something she couldn't put her finger on until she reached the top of the stairs.

It was vindication. For everything that had happened since she left for Hogwarts. The hours alone in the library or the room with the mirror, or the hours she had spent scrubbing pots because Draco was a snake. And in truth, that vindication was the best Christmas present she could have gotten, and it made the little box of chocolate in her hand seem insignificant in comparison.

Who was she kidding? The sight of her messy bed reminded her of the time she demolished her entire candy stash in an entire afternoon. The box of chocolates wouldn't last her an hour, and she could always buy more another time.

From the corner of her room, Cloak gave an irritated hoot, but something hit Merula when she saw the picture of her happy family on the wall, a memory of the other lost family that she would never get to see. A memory of Harry Potter, enraptured by the mirror, just as she had been that first afternoon.

The idea that popped into her head swirled for a moment and she suddenly wondered if she should act on it.

She had more than a meaningless token. She had Lucius, willing to make things right. Harry Potter didn't. For a moment she wondered if Harry had received any presents at all.

The thought froze her in place. Of course Harry didn't receive presents. His adoptive family were a bunch of idiotic Muggles, and the Weasleys didn't exactly have the gold to buy strangers presents, now did they?

Merula barely felt her arms moving as she scribbled a hasty message on the side of the package. A wish of a Happy Christmas and a promise to help him draw the faces he saw in the mirror they shared. Yes, that promise could be the start of something special.

It wasn't until Cloak had disappeared into the distance that Merula even felt the slightest hint of regret. Chocolate Frogs were still delicious, and she wasn't even going to have one over Christmas.

But a sudden burst of laughter downstairs reminded her that she still had a dinner to attend, and the little box of Chocolate Frogs was forgotten.


AN: Chapter 9 is complete!

Read, Review, Follow etc.

Next to be published: Spider Gwen part 2.