Malfoy had managed to keep his secret to himself. His wife suspected he was up to something, but she also feared his derailment was a consequence to his loss of stature and power and she often thought that he would drink himself into an early grave, either by choice or murder. Narcissa Malfoy had not seen or heard of Aurelia since November and the girls' 16th birthday. She only assumed that she was being kept somewhere away from the untrustworthy people who infiltrated her home. Narcissa's son Draco had been at school, but he had come home for Christmas, she had fabricated some family business to excuse him from the meeting that took place in her dining room. Narcissa sat next to her husband who seemed more preoccupied with the bottom of his tumbler than the words that were spoken by their leader at that time.
"Bring her to me." Voldemort hissed, he was truly menacing, his eyes were dark and mysterious, the blue in them shone bright with his delight. Bellatrix practically dribbled over the danger Voldemort exuded as she sat in the first seat to his right along the length of the dining table, she held her body as close to him as she could.
The large double doors opened and in walked Aurelia ushered by Wormtail, she wore an elegant gown of black velvet, her naturally curly and wild black hair was pulled back and wrapped in a neat bun at the top of her neck. The dress she wore flowed symmetrically over her swollen abdomen that was nestled under her bust.
Lucius Malfoy inhaled the whiskey from his glass with a sharp intake of shock as he noticed her walk by behind the men that were sat opposite him. The alcohol burned into the back of his nose and the heat hurtled over his eyes in waves. Liquid propelled from his nostrils across the table and the Deatheaters around him looked on in disgust. Lucius had become neglectful of Aurelia once Voldemort had begun to show signs that he was finished with her, but at that moment she was in front of him and he was in front of everyone else and his work needed to be convincing and he needed to be discreet. Malfoy had to act fast and hard through his fogged mind to command Aurelia's movements appropriately.
Lord Voldemort did not stand to greet Aurelia, he simply flicked his fingers towards himself to motion to the girl to come forward to him. His shiny wet tongue licked across his top lip as his eyes glistened with the pure darkness of his thoughts. Narcissa Malfoy was sickened by the sight of Voldemort and Aurelia stood together, she was traumatised by the memories of rape, but as she observed she thought it was strange that the girls' body language did not display the feisty and damaged adolescent she knew Aurelia to be. Mrs Malfoy's brow furrowed as Aurelia coyly smiled towards the Dark Lord and embraced her own body with her hands upon her stomach. Narcissa also puzzled further at Aurelia's tummy, as to Narcissa it seemed far bigger than one would have expected for just a few short weeks since that night at the graveyard. Narcissa dropped her gaze from the girl to the table her own hands rested on, and then over to her right to view Severus Snape at the other end of the dining table. She knew he had forcibly fed Aurelia with potions to ensure the healthy conception of a boy, Narcissa contemplated that perhaps he had ensured more than one child would be born to the Dark Lord. She looked to her husband whom she sat so loyal to, he just watched Aurelia intensely although he looked as though he was about to lose consciousness. His eyes were red and streaming, his face was pale, he had gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. More spoken words from Voldemort permeated her unyielding and conflicting thoughts.
"My most loyal followers; set your eyes upon her stomach. She grows a child of my own flesh and blood; ... A body that I may possess." Voldemort smiled to the group of Deatheaters gathered. They all were witness to the supposed conception of that child and they all relished in the joy that the Dark Lord displayed and permitted and the confirmation that he should return once more if he was to be removed from his current body. Except Narcissa, she had forced a small smile upon her face but inside she grimaced.
The Dark Lord lifted his left arm to caress Aurelia, his long spindly fingers groped into her waist. The girl was unnervingly calm, she embraced him and placed her lips on the side of his head. Bellatrix's face flipped from pompous and proud to seething as Voldemort slipped the girl onto his lap. As they sat there, with their faces paired together side by side, Narcissa noticed how similar they looked, even with Voldemort's deformities to his face; their eyes were the same, they held the same shape, colour and woeful looking brow and their chins grinned the same grin. The cackles continued to roll through the people as Severus Snape removed himself from the room, quickly followed by Narcissa Malfoy.
Narcissa caught up with Severus as he rounded a corner. She grabbed him by his cloak and pulled him back and pushed him up against an expensive sideboard, a vase and plate fell to the floor and shattered. The noise masked her sobs for just a second and she continued to push against his chest in anger and momentarily lost her poise.
"What did you do?" She seethed, spit flew from her angry mouth.
Snape's body weight was unbalanced from his footing. He saw her frantic worry wallow in the pools of her eyes. He slowly shook his head from side to side but before he could speak, she cut him off.
"I just want this to end" she cried. "I want my Draco out of this" Narcissa pounded her fist against him but his face remained emotionless.
"... A child: born out of wedlock. Willingly given." Snape whispered.
Narcissa reckoned Snape had just uttered part of a prophecy. She rolled her eyes and retreated a little from him. "Did she look willing?" She questioned rhetorically with a sigh.
Inside her head she accused Snape of tampering with the girl's mind, she knew Aurelia would not just accept her fate without at least an attempt at a fight first. She knew Aurelia would not voluntarily set her lips upon Voldemort and the girl did not once look to her mother when in that room together.
"Who is her father?" Narcissa whispered, she peered out the corners of her eyes to Severus who looked her squarely back with no answer.
They both knew the answer, it was plain to see who Aurelia resembled in that room. Their only concealed hope was that no one was wise to it enough to give Voldemort another avenue to continue.
Narcissa continued to puzzle, the whereabouts of Voldemort after his fall from power were never confirmed, and she supposed there was a very strong possibility that her sister did know where he was at that time, but although Narcissa felt hurt that Bellatrix did not confide in her she also knew that her sister had always been more loyal to men than her own family. So, when a baby turned up on her doorstep 16 years ago how was Narcissa to know the truth. The secrets of Bellatrix could also have aided the Malfoy family to avoid the stains left on their name since her husband's lazy acts to find Voldemort after the death of the Potters and subsequently return him to power were exposed.
"Take my boy away from this house" Narcissa pleaded with Snape, she was exasperated and saddened.
He agreed to take Draco back to Hogwarts and they were gone within the hour.
Draco Malfoy did not complain about the abrupt end to his Christmas home visit. While he hated Hogwarts and having to be in school, he did not want to see another death take place in his home. The unearthly noises and screams of terror kept him awake at night, and during those times his mind relentlessly turned to Aurelia. Draco had no prior intentions to lay with her the way he did at the Malfoy Manor at the end of summer, but she had offered a small amount of solace to him at a time when he felt like he was drowning. She was a light for him when all was dark. Draco knew she had been mistreated both sexually and physically by his father, her body bore all the evidence, and for a short while Draco punished himself for what they did, but now that Aurelia hadn't been seen or heard of in 8 weeks and the mark on the inside of his left arm was a reminder to him of what happened after his 16th birthday, he was afraid and concerned for her. For he knew the extent of evil, greed and disregard for human life the people he shared his home with stretched to, however he couldn't fathom any idea of what they'd want with Aurelia Lestrange. He rubbed at his arm over the top of his sleeve and wandered about the castle before he retired to bed for another restless slumber.
Hogwarts had descended into a dark place, the laughter, wonder and freedom the walls of the castle gave to every student had vanished. Students were tutored by Deatheaters and forced to learn harmful spells and actively practice them, some were treated unfairly while others were treated with bias and consequently many students were removed from the school. However, Hogwarts was still the better option for Draco Malfoy but by the time March came around he was summoned home again for Easter and he did not return to his classes again after that.