Phoenix picked at the food on her plate, she glanced at Mrs. Malfoy who didn't give away any emotion. "Was my kidnapping a set up by Mrs. Malfoy?" Phoenix wondered, she lost focus of her plate and chewed on her lips lost in thought. "Why would she set that up and then work so hard to get me back? Why was someone giving her my whereabouts? Did mom know about this?"
"Phoenix?" Mrs. Malfoy's voice pulled Phoenix out of her thoughts. She looked at Phoenix concerned. "Is everything alright? You've hardly touched your food." Phoenix looked at her plate, she'd just shuffled everything around and made a mess, "Is it not to your liking?"
"It's fine." To prove her point, Phoenix shoveled a mouthful of duck and steamed potatoes into her mouth. It was fine, not great like the turkey or ham from Hogwarts, or the stuffed chicken from her mom, but it wasn't bad like muggle school lunches.
"Then stop playing with your food." Lucius said. He had papers scattered around his end of the table and was scanning quickly over every page. What was he reading?
"Does he know too?" Phoenix wondered, sinking further in her chair. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were at opposite ends of the long, dark wood table. Draco and Phoenix sat in the middle on the long ends of the table, Draco with his back to the windows, Phoenix with her back to the fireplace.
"Well, Phoenix," Mrs. Malfoy began, "Christmas is on Wednesday, Tuesday we will all go to the Minister's home for a party." Draco made a gurgling sound in the back of his throat and rolled his eyes in boredom.
"Draco!" Both parents scolded. Phoenix watched in silence, feeling like an outsider.
"The Minister's parties are boring!" Draco protested.
"The Minister is celebrating the hard work that the Witch Watchers and Auror's did for us." Lucius explained. "We do this every year Draco, just grow up." He scolded. Phoenix could tell that last comment burned Draco, he was practically grinding his teeth to dust as he bit his tongue.
"Every year?" Phoenix asked hoping to diffuse the tension.
Mrs. Malfoy took a breath to calm herself and turned to look at Phoenix, "Yes. It is tradition for senior office holders to attend the Minister of Magic's Christmas Eve party."
"Oh." Was all Phoenix said. She continued to pick at her duck and potatoes. "What other traditions do you have?"
Lucius sighed heavily but stayed silent when Mrs. Malfoy shot him a look. "Well she doesn't know." She said, answering Lucius's unasked question.
"Alright, Narcissa, fine." Lucius waved her off. His plate was empty and disappeared from the table, so he stood and looked at the three of them, "You're all free to go." He nodded his head once and then swept out of the room.
"Come, Phoenix, follow me." Narcissa stood, her own plate disappearing. Phoenix glanced across the table at Draco, who was standing up and walking out without looking at either of them. Phoenix figured she had nothing better to do and followed Narcissa. She tried to keep track of where she was going, but she felt no real attachment to the house. Soon Mary would write her, and Phoenix would go on the run with her. Phoenix just knew it. She felt it. She hoped it would happen. Even if it meant giving up Hogwarts and her friends, she'd follow Mary anywhere.
"This is the library," Narcissa held a door open to her. Phoenix walked in and stood by the door, watching Narcissa walk past her, "Well one of them anyways. Anything you'd like to know is here at our fingertips."
"So," Phoenix looked around the library. She tried to hide her awe at the rotunda lined with shelves upon shelves of books. "What other traditions are there?"
"Well for starters, your name." Narcissa said, sitting on one of the emerald sofas. She gave the empty space beside her a pat. Phoenix silently but obediently walked over and sat next to her. She didn't look up at Narcissa who wrapped an arm around her. It felt incredibly awkward for a few silent moments, with Narcissa waiting for Phoenix to look at her, or relax, or do anything, and Phoenix refusing to look at anything but the ornate rug on the floor.
Narcissa took a breath and settled back onto the sofa, "it is common for the patriarch of the family to name his children after his side of the family. However, Lucius didn't care for any of the names in his family, so we settled on my family tradition. Stars." Narcissa gestured to something and Phoenix instinctively looked at what it was. The dome of the room was glittering like the night sky.
"Like the Great Hall at Hogwarts." Phoenix thought, her eyes captivated by the ceiling.
"I named Draco after the Northern Dragon and you after the Southern Firebird." Narcissa continued. As she spoke the stars above twisted to form an imposing dragon and a majestic phoenix. The two flew around each other, shining so brightly that Phoenix had to look away. "We also have a tradition of," Narcissa paused, "well we'll have to do away with that tradition now."
"What?" Phoenix asked, finally looking at Narcissa.
Narcissa looked at her a smiled, she tucked Phoenix's hair back behind her shoulder, "we always waited until the last day of the year to open Christmas gifts, in hopes you'd miraculously show up to spend Christmas with us."
"Oh." Phoenix felt ashamed for asking and looked back at the rug. "Are there any other traditions?" She asked.
"Well," Narcissa thought for a moment. "I suppose for the last week of summer we allow Draco to invite his friends over or stay at their house, so we should extend the same to you." Phoenix wondered if the Dursley's would ever let her visit. She doubted it. "Every year for Draco's-" Narcissa caught herself, "you'll be in school for your birthday, but when you return home for the summer we'll have a day just for the both of you. Your father and I will take you and Draco anywhere you'd like." She explained. "We have family Christmas's here," she swept an arm out to gesture to the room, "Later in the evening when we have guests over we will be in the lounge where there will be another tree, but the elves will handle that one." Narcissa pondered for a moment, "the tree should be coming in tomorrow. It is the one thing we do ourselves." Phoenix wondered how much work the elves did, "We all decorate the family tree together." Narcissa looked happy and sad at the same time and Phoenix frowned. She and Mary always decorated the tree together as well. All those years. All those years Narcissa knew right where she was, knew she was growing up under another mother, knew she was decorating a tree with another mother, knew she was loving and was loved by another mother. Phoenix watched as Narcissa's eyes grew distant and wondered how tortured she must have been to know all those things but could never say or act like she knew. "But, Phoenix," Phoenix looked at Narcissa, who clasped her hands in her own, "more than anything, I just want you to be happy. I want you to be happy here," she clarified, "with us. As a family."
"I don't think Draco shares the same sentiment." Phoenix admitted out loud.
"It will take time," Narcissa held Phoenix's face, running a thumb across her cheek as she looked deep into her eyes. "But we all have to adjust." Phoenix noticed Narcissa was close to crying, but before she could say anything Narcissa quickly changed the subject.
"What do you think of the library?" She asked, sitting back and giving Phoenix some space.
Phoenix looked around. The walls were the same bland grey stone that the rest of the house was and the shelves on the wall were carved out from the stone. The floor was made of black wood, and the uncovered parts were reflecting the ceiling above. On either side of the door were staircases the spiraled up to a second floor that only went halfway around the room. The outermost part of the room was a wall of windows that were an inky black outside, looking at the thick forest that surrounded the Malfoy Manor.
Phoenix finally answered, "It's beautiful."
Narcissa smiled again, "Draco and your father shouldn't bother you here." She said, "they hardly come here unless they're looking for me or if it is a holiday."
"Shouldn't bother me?" Phoenix repeated confused.
Narcissa nodded, "another family tradition. From Lucius's side. Children get a room separate from their bedroom to call their own. After you went missing we decided to make your room this library, so that if you ever returned you could read as much family history, or wizard literature as you'd want." She explained. "Draco turned his room into a 'fun' room for he and his friends. And you may now do with this space what you want."
"But I thought this room was for holidays." Phoenix was confused.
"We only made this room for holidays to remember you." Narcissa said, "I suppose next year we'll need to find a new spot for the tree."
"I'm sorry." Phoenix instinctively apologized.
"Don't," Narcissa took Phoenix's chin in her hand. "We are so happy you're home. We just want you to feel comfortable and happy." She said. Phoenix could see the starry dragon and Phoenix flying around. "We just want you happy." Narcissa's voice seemed to grow farther away. The stars composing the two night deities shined so bright that Phoenix had to squint, but she couldn't look away. The bird chased the dragon's tail and the dragon chased the birds tail. "Happy," Narcissa's voice was echoing now. Phoenix felt light headed and woozy as the stars grew brighter and brighter. She could almost hear the roar of the dragon and the screech of the phoenix. "Phoenix?" Narcissa's voice was distant. Phoenix felt like she was floating, she felt soft all over. "Are you alright? Phoenix?" The dragon and bird turned to face Phoenix, their eyes were four blinding lights that grew closer and seemed to pass through Phoenix. Her eyes felt heavy and she felt something hard hit her head before everything went silent and dark.
It may have been hours or it may have been days when Phoenix woke up. She was back in her own room. All of the boxes and stashes of papers were gone. All that remained was the bed, trunk, sitting area, and vanity. The bed was the largest one Phoenix had ever been in. Five of her could fit across the bed comfortably, and her feet didn't even reach halfway to the foot of the bed. It was also the nicest bed she'd ever been in, it was just soft enough to feel plush, but sturdy enough to cradle her under the blankets. The blankets! They were almost like snuggling a cloud, they were airy enough that Phoenix didn't feel hot underneath, but heavy enough to make her want to stay under the covers forever. Her pillow was made of the same material, and Phoenix was almost tempted to snuggle back into bed and sleep for eternity until a creak in her room set her senses on high alert. She stayed perfectly still, hoping whatever was in her room would leave her alone. After not hearing anything for a while Phoenix sat up and looked around her empty room. "Hello?" She called out. There was no response. "Maybe it was just Dobby cleaning up." Phoenix barely whispered. She threw the covers off and got out of bed, wondering how long she'd been asleep for. The clock above her fireplace read three thirty-four, and Phoenix couldn't tell by looking out the window if it was daytime or nighttime.
She ran to her bedroom door, her bare feet slapping on the rug and hardwood floor. She grabbed the doorknob and twisted it as carefully as she could before pulling the door open. She peeked outside. Nothing.
Maybe it was still nighttime. Phoenix couldn't sleep now! The rest of the manor was asleep, giving her free roam of the place! Phoenix tried to remember the way to her library- "my library!" There was a skip in her step now. She ran around the manor getting dizzy and listening to the whispers of awakened portraits until she spotted the small double doors from before. She carefully turned the doorknob so as not to disturb the sleeping portraits nearby. Phoenix opened the door just enough to squeeze inside and then she closed the door as carefully as she opened it. "Nicholas Flamel." Phoenix whispered. She could look for Nicholas Flamel! She saw the fire was still lit on a torch and she used the last flames to light a lantern she found in a cabinet by the windows. Phoenix began to scan the shelves. The first floor seemed to be literature by wizards, some dating back to King Arthur! There didn't appear to be any order to the books, so Phoenix started by crawling on one hand and her knees to look at the bottom row around the room. Her free hand held the lantern, pulled off books that looked promising, and put back every single one when it turned up empty. Phoenix went around the entire room on the bottom shelf and once she reached her starting point she went on to the next shelf up. This continued for another ring of shelves before Phoenix found herself just gazing over the books and not actually observing what she was seeing. Phoenix yawned and sat down against the shelves where she stopped looking and held the lantern on her lap, using it to stay warm in the otherwise frozen room. "I'll just rest for a second." She thought to herself, closing her eyes and listening to the sound of silence.
When she woke again it was to Dobby shaking her awake, "Miss shouldn't be here!" Phoenix didn't even realize she'd fallen asleep!
"Dobby?" The lantern had gone out long ago, and Phoenix was shivering.
"When master finds out Miss is not in bed!" Dobby tugged lightly on Phoenix's pajama sleeve. "Master won't be happy!"
"Why not?" Phoenix's teeth were chattering.
"Miss disappeared once. What'll Master think when Miss is gone again." Phoenix struggled to stand, and she kept her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her insides shivered.
"Okay, so lead me to my room, please." Phoenix requested. Dobby held onto the leg of her pajamas and pulled her back through the manor. The went up a set of stairs and down a hall, much quicker than the roundabout way she'd taken earlier. "Dobby, I'm so cold." Phoenix whispered, she could see her own breath. Dobby said nothing when he opened her bedroom door and allowed her inside. Another elf, a little more pinkish and with a much rounder head, was tending to the fireplace by her sitting area, it wore what looked like a fertilizer sack around its small body. Phoenix waddled over as fast as her frozen feet could carry her.
"Hello, my name's Phoenix." She introduced herself, holding her hand out to shake the elves before she remembered Dobby's reaction to her doing so. She tried to play it off like she was warming her hands by the fire, but the elf had already squeaked in surprise and fear. "What's your name?" Phoenix hugged herself. She didn't know where Dobby grabbed the knitted blanket from, but she gratefully wrapped it around her body.
"Meekee, ma'am." The elf's voice was slightly higher than Dobby's, and while it wasn't as nasal as Dobby's she sounded like she had a stuffy nose.
"Dobby?" Phoenix sat as close to the fire as comfortably possible, Dobby hummed and stood at attention before her, "is it possible to get a hot chocolate?"
"Of course Miss." Dobby nodded.
"Ooh wait wait," Phoenix grabbed Dobby's tea cozy to keep him from disappearing. Meekee made another squeak but didn't move from tending the fire. "Do you have homemade marshmallows?" She asked before she could stop herself, "the sticky kind?"
Dobby tilted his head in confusion, his ears flopped in defeat. "No Miss,"
Meekee's large blue eyes seemed to grow wider, "we's do!" She said, "we's got sticky mallows if that's what ma'am wants!" She gave Dobby a hard stare.
"No, no!" Phoenix insisted, letting go of Dobby, "It's fine if you don't, I just," she curled up, looking past Dobby into the fire, "My," she paused, "I used to make them. Maybe I could teach you two how to make them!" She suggested before she could remember Dobby's reaction to her helping earlier.
"H-h-hel-help us-u-us?" Meekee repeated, her knees knocked together.
"I-I'm sorry," Phoenix pressed her the palms of her hands to her forehead. Why did the Malfoy's have slaves? Why did wizards have slaves?! She hated this.
"Miss mustn't be sorry!" Dobby insisted.
"But I am!" Phoenix groaned, "You don't need to serve me! I can do things on my own, and you two shouldn't have to be scared of me. I've asked enough of you both already and feel awful about it." Phoenix looked at Meekee and Dobby who looked scared and confused respectively. "I just," she took a breath, "don't understand." She whispered.
Dobby and Meekee said nothing and stood a respective distance away from Phoenix as she warmed herself by the fire. "We lives to serve master and his family." Dobby finally spoke up, Meekee gave him another hard look.
"But why?" Phoenix asked.
"It's honorable!" Meekee answered, "we elves have no needs, only wants to be praised." She explained.
Phoenix shook her head, it wasn't right. Was this another thing Mary was protecting her from? "No." Phoenix thought, "mom was just another pawn in Dumbledore's game. She just didn't know how deep his plan was." She thought back to the letters from Dumbledore to Narcissa. "I can't handle this," she said out loud, "I'm going back to bed." Even though she wasn't as warm as she would have liked to have been Phoenix walked away from the fire and crawled into bed. Meekee walked over and lifted the end of her blanket, she watched as the elf laid a bed warmer under the covers. Slowly Phoenix felt the heat spread around the bed and before she knew it she was back to sleep.
Phoenix dreamt of stars dancing with her, sending her soaring through space! Harry, Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, and Percy were all there on the earth below, cheering her on and she soared straight into Mary's arms. "Oh, Phoenix. I miss you so much." Mary smiled at her.
"I miss you too mom, please, write to me!" Phoenix pleaded, when she looked up Mary's face was blurred, and she looked like a fuzzy outline of herself. "Mom?"
"It's okay Phoenix, soon this will all be over." Mary let go of Phoenix and she plummeted to the earth, all the while Harry, Hermione, and the Weasley's were still cheering.
Phoenix slowly opened her eyes. She felt groggy and grimy, like she needed a shower. She sat up and saw sunlight beaming in through the two floor-to-ceiling windows on either side of her desk. Phoenix yawned and looked at the clock. Nine forty-five. She should get out of bed. Phoenix shuffled to what she assumed was her bathroom and opened the door.
"Ah!" Phoenix nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Meekee inside the bathroom laying fresh towels out.
Meekee squeaked and dropped the towels she was carrying. "Meekee is sorry miss! Meekee didn't mean to startle miss!"
"It's okay." Phoenix remembered what Meekee had said last night and smiled at her, "thank you for the towels." Meekee's cheeks glowed a bright magenta.
"It is Meekee's pleasure." She gave a small curtsy. "Does Miss require anything else?"
"Uh," Phoenix glance around the bathroom. There was a toothbrush, toothpaste, plenty of towels, what she assumed was a cabinet filled with soap and more towels, a magnificent marble bath, and a separate stone shower. It was the fanciest bathroom she'd ever seen. Even the toilet seemed to shimmer and gleam with cleanliness! "Just an answer." Meekee looked happy to serve, "have the other Malfoy's woken up yet?"
"Master and Missus are up, but young master is not." Meekee reported.
"Have Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy eaten?" Phoenix refused to called them mother and father if she wasn't in their presence.
"No miss." Meekee reported, pleased with herself, "Master and Missus insist the family eats togethers."
Phoenix nodded, "okay. Thank you Meekee." She didn't think it would do much good to tell Meekee she didn't need to add an 's' to 'together'. She figured just from listening to Dobby and Meekee that their english was slightly off. Meekee just beamed at Phoenix. Wanting to be alone so she could shower Phoenix awkwardly waited for Meekee to leave before remembering that the elves served. "She probably won't leave unless I say so." Phoenix thought.
"That," Phoenix strained, "will be all for now, Meekee. Where can I find you when I'm out of the shower?"
"Oh! Miss can just calls us by name and we wills come." Meekee nodded as if reassuring herself of such.
"Okay." Phoenix nodded in return, "that will be all." She said again. Thankfully Meekee understood and left, leaving Phoenix alone in the bathroom as huge as the Common Room in Gryffindor tower. Phoenix picked up the towels Meekee had left for her and laid them on a shelf that stood between the shower and the tub. The shower was open on one side. One wall reached Phoenix's chest and doubled as the shelf for the shower and a back wall for the tub. There was also a stone bench built into this wall and the shower head was pointed straight down in the center of the small shower box. She could sit and just let the water beat on her feet if she wanted. Phoenix fiddled with the two handles for a moment before figuring out how they worked. Once the shower was running at the perfect temperature, Phoenix took off her pajamas and stepped under the stream. It felt nice to shower without feeling rushed by dorm mates. Phoenix washed the travel out of her hair. The soap Meekee had left was bubbly and smelled like mint. Phoenix goofed off with the bubbles, blowing bubbles from her hands, aiming the water falling down her body to rinse the bubbles off the walls and floor, and stomping on big bubbly suds to send soap everywhere! It was nice.
Phoenix wandered around the manor, trying to map everything out in her head. She found her way to the dining room and noticed it was bare of food. Perhaps Meekee was right and meals were a family thing. Did that mean she'd have to wait until Draco got up to eat? Her stomach gurgled. She hoped not. Phoenix looked through the door on the opposite end of the room that Lucius had gone through the night before.
Maybe the kitchen was that way and she could sneak in a snack. Phoenix began walking towards the door. "Oh!" There was a startled yell and Phoenix let out her own startled shout. "Phoenix, I didn't know you were up."
Phoenix turned and saw Narcissa in her chair at the table. "Sorry." Was all she could muster up in response.
"Would you like to sit with me while we wait for the boys?" Narcissa asked kindly. She was smiling at Phoenix, waiting for an answer. Phoenix opened her mouth to answer when her stomach made another noise. Narcissa laughed, "hungry?"
"Very." Phoenix admitted.
"I'll have someone," as she spoke a house elf Phoenix hadn't met yet appeared silently next to Narcissa, "fetch Lucius and Draco." The elf disappeared.
Phoenix stared wide eyed where the elf had been and slowly climbed into her seat. She kept her arms down at her sides, as if she was trying to muffle the sounds her stomach was making. Lucius walked in a moment later, "Good morning." He gave Narcissa a peck on the top of her head as he walked past her. Narcissa smiled at him. "Good morning." Lucius walked down Phoenix's side of the table and gave her shoulder a pat as he walked by.
Draco came in soon after. "Morning." He said to his mother and father. "Hello bird brain." He sneered at Phoenix.
"Dragon dung." Phoenix retorted without thinking. Light snow flurries began to fall outside, the windows behind Draco fogged over from the heat of the fire and the chill of the snow.
"Children," Lucius gave a warning tone to them both, "play nice." Once he had sat down place settings and food appeared on the table.
Phoenix waited until everyone began reaching for food before she grabbed some for herself. Her stomach was practically screaming at her, and her mouth was salivating. Breakfast was yummier than supper! Crisp bacon, eggs of all kinds, toast with any number of spread imaginable, sausage links that could wrap around the room, potatoes that were fried and seasoned to golden perfection, sliced ham, fresh fruit, pancakes as fluffy as the pillows! Phoenix didn't know where to start!
She piled fruit on top of a stack of pancakes and fumbled with a trio of eggs before digging in. A spinning tray that glided up and down the table stopped in front of Phoenix and Draco, it held all sorts of drinks in different pitchers. Orange juice, pumpkin juice, milk, water, grape juice, cranberry juice, chocolate milk! Phoenix settled on orange juice and poured herself a glass. Once she placed the pitcher back on the tray it moved down the table towards Lucius who wiped his mouth off with a black napkin.
"Don't forget," he said, pouring cranberry juice into his goblet, "we are decorating the tree in Phoenix's library."
"Why aren't we moving it?" Draco asked.
"This'll be the last year it in her room." Narcissa explained. "Perhaps next year we'll put it in your room."
"No thanks." Was all Draco said with sausage stuffed in his cheeks.
"Don't talk with your mouth full, Draco." Lucius instructed, spreading jam across a slice of toast.
"Yeah," Phoenix teased, "It's very rude." She stuffed pancakes in her mouth and purposely spit some out at Draco.
Draco had a look of disgust on his face as he wiped her chewed up food off his face. "Oh really?" He stuffed a handful of grapes in his mouth and chomped down twice, "I never would have guessed that." He spat back at her.
Phoenix laughed and dodged most of his spit, some still got on her and she grabbed for some bacon when she remembered Mary. They always used to spit food at each other while pretending to scold someone who talks with their mouth full of food. In Phoenix's hesitation Lucius slammed his fist down on the table. "This is disgusting." He said, "you both need to stop acting like children."
Phoenix looked at her plate embarrassed. She glanced at Draco who went back to sulking. There was silence for a few moments. Only the clinking of silverware filled the room. Then, Narcissa spoke up with a mouth full of fruit, "well I think a little fun is just what this family needs to get in the holiday spirit." Phoenix looked at Narcissa in shock and awe, she could see Draco out of the corner of her eye suppress a laugh. They looked at Lucius who looked torn between popping a blood vessel and devolving to panic. He looked at Draco, and then at Phoenix.
With a sigh of defeat, Lucius took a bite of his toast, "if you say so, dear." Crumbs flew everywhere as he spoke with his mouth full.
There was silence.
Draco let out the laugh he'd been holding in and stuffed his face, Phoenix did the same, and Lucius and Narcissa both laughed as they all began chewing and spitting food at each other under the guise of having a conversation. Once every bite of food had been either chewed, spat out, or just destroyed in the carnage, Lucius stood up. The table was cleared of any evidence of their cheerful morning and the rest of the family stood up as well.
"Well," Lucius began, "shall we get started on the tree?"
Draco whooped and ran towards the door. As he passed Narcissa he grabbed her hand and began to run. Phoenix and Lucius followed behind at a walking pace. Phoenix glanced at Lucius as they trekked the halls together. She looked from his face to his hand, and then glanced ahead at Draco and Narcissa who smiled and laughed as they romped through the halls. Did Lucius expect her to do the same? Would he even let her? She remembered Kingsley telling her to get comfortable with the Malfoy's. Looking straight ahead, Phoenix shakily reached a hand up and grabbed Lucius's hand. From the corner of her eye she could see him turn to look at her in shock. When she made no move to acknowledge what she'd done Lucius gave her hand a squeeze and walked on with her. His hand was smooth and warm, a contrast to what Phoenix had been expecting.