31st August, 1994
Somehow, as limbs fly in a flurry of rushed flights for your life, she stays on her feet. Families clasp to one another, clawing to ensure that they remain close. Yet, her fist grips onto only herself, holding her sane as the entire world descends into madness. Is this the end of Mallory? Even though the screams tell her that the world is still alive, death floods the sky; grey smoke as a mark as dark and as evil as the devil himself, snake enclosing itself, death eating away at the sky as every man, woman and child try to escape the death in the air. But death is now one with the air that they breathe, and Mallory sucks it in as she continues to run, her lungs feeding on something that may kill her. Tents are half-erected; not due to an inexperienced camper but due to feet that stomp over, trying to escape. Mad men in tall hats torture those with lesser blood than her own but all the same, Mallory wonder if their wands will turn on her next.
In the mess of limb, clasping families, madness and death, Mallory realises that her shoe is gone; it's only a black trainer, but even as the ground beneath her stabs into the sole of her foot, she worries only about her soul and whether in fifteen years of life she has truly lived.
"Where is my shoe?" She calls, before realising that maybe it's gone forever.
And her brother, or he who is near enough to her brother, disappeared into the trees without a look back. Only worrying about himself. And what about her Uncle? Where did he go?
"Death Eaters," repeat some adults, who have reduced themselves to tears. Is she expected to cry too?
A tent engulfs in flames as the snake continues to engulf itself, both feeding from the skull and creating it in a swirl of morbid life as the sky is drained of any other sight. And the crowds scream as if it's their last life. Where is her brother?
Mallory must have been screaming; whether in this life or in her dream because Narcissa, her Foster Mother, wakes Mallory with a shake.
"Mallory," she is shaking her shoulder, persisting to rip Mallory from her nightmare; a dream of the past. "Mallory, wake up." She repeats until the skull and the snake dissipate into grey eyes, as Narcissa strokes locks of Mallory's black hair.
"Did I scream?"
"Yes." She whispers, shushing Mallory's words but continuing to comb through her black curls. "What was it about?"
"The Quidditch World Cup." Mallory tells her with a quivering lip and hoarse throat, to which she receives a tired sigh. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Narcissa replies, moving her fingers to Mallory's flushed cheek. Her eyelids feel heavy with lack of sleep but with each slow blink she tries to keep them open, focusing on Narcissa's eyes. "You had quite the scare, Mallory. You won't recover in just a few nights."
"Draco isn't having nightmares." Mallory responds, rolling my eyes at the mention of Narcissa's son.
Underage and with no idea where their Portkey home could be found; Draco cooped himself cosily up into bed whilst Mallory helplessly wandered an empty campsite alone.
"That you know of." Narcissa responds, a small smirk dancing on her lips. "He's not quite got the same vocal range as you, however."
"Is this your way of telling me he is a whimpering baby every night?" Mallory says, smirking too at Narcissa who now gasps at her. Narcissa's motherly fingers pause halfway through Mallory's black hair, rotating one single strand arounder finger; a black lock twirling around a pale, white finger. "Because that would make me feel better."
"Don't jest, Mallory."
"I'll stop jesting when-" the sentence dies on her lips, knowing that eventually Narcissa will fully disagree with Mallory and take the side of her son. "I don't know…"
"Mallory Black is at a loss for words," Narcissa says with a chuckle into her hair, pressing a quick kiss into her head. "Perhaps now you'll be able to have a dreamless sleep."
"I'm sorry I woke you," Mallory says, with Narcissa's calming words and soothing hands softly singing her back to sleep.
"Don't be," she says, one final sweeping embrace of fingers against Mallory's cheek and she finally stops the fight against the weight of her eyelids.
But, Narcissa Malfoy, her foster mother, her ward; the woman who has raised Mallory since birth is wrong. Mallory is back in the campsite, having spent a day actually happy. They'd been in the Minister for Magic's Box, Draco practically beaming from a swollen sense of importance which meant that they'd managed to get through a day without griping at one another. Lucius Malfoy, the man who let Mallory live in his home and paid for her entire life, had reminded her to keep her head tall and back strong, showing off his beautiful family to those who he wanted to keep up appearances to. Narcissa had joked about the appearance of the Veela, telling Mallory that she was as fetching as a veela, which made Mallory snort and had stroked Mallory's arm when she had started to zone out from the game, watching the Weasley's, a family so different from the one that Mallory knows.
Even in the box, as the minister for Magic made his way to their family, he concerned himself more with Draco than with Mallory. Perhaps he wants to avoid remembering the last time she'd seen him at Hogwarts, Mallory assumed, when he'd accused her of releasing a murderer from prison who isn't her father. Must I remind you that Black is my wife's maiden name, Mr Fudge. Lucius had snarled, outraged as a man three times Mallory's age had gripped her wrist and demanded she give him information she didn't hold. Mallory has no parents. I think you owe my ward an apology for such a heinous accusation.
"Ah, Mallory." Fudge stumbles over her name, using her first name rather than her given surname of Black. Perhaps it's another way to further remove his name from that ridiculous interaction. "How has your summer been?"
"Mallory is preparing herself for her OWL exams this coming year." Lucius answers for her, placing a caring hand onto Mallory's shoulder.
"I am sure you will earn the highest grades. What about following Hogwarts?" Fudge asks, looking at Lucius now rather than her.
"Mallory wants to enter the Ministry after taking her NEWTs," Lucius says, patting her shoulder once again. This is where he excels, when bragging. "I'm sure that you, Minister, could find a little internship for Mallory once she's finished her exams next summer, hm?"
"Why, of course. I'm certain we can find a place for you." Fudge says, looking into Mallory's grey, stormy eyes for only a second before looking back to Lucius. "So lovely to see you and your beautiful family, Lucius, as always."
"An internship would be fantastic for you, Mallory." Narcissa says, replacing Lucius's hand on her shoulder, which had disappeared the moment that the Minister had walked away. Lucius had turned back to the presumably important person that they are sat beside in the box, engaging them in conversation instead.
"Draco, come and speak to Mr Bagman." Lucius beckons, with Draco walking, subdued, over to his father.
When Draco reaches Lucius, rather than a solitary palm on the shoulder, Lucius wraps his arm around his shoulders, pulling him into his side as Draco beams at whatever his dad is telling the men.
At the same time as Lucius' bragging, Mallory hears Fudge call Ah, Mr Potter, which draws away Mallory's attention, over towards the only other familiar faces in the room. The sea of Weasley-red hair is broken apart by Harry Potter, with jet black hair alike to her own. Potter's head jerks to the side, at the mention of his name from Fudge and he blushes at the direct greeting from Fudge. But, in that half of a moment before he turned his head, Mallory could've sworn his emerald eyes were on her.
Though, she's always thinking that she spots Potter and his friends staring at her. Something which Blaise, her best friend, is forever telling her is narcissistic and insane. But even as Harry Potter awkwardly shakes hands with the Minister for Magic and chats, presumably about his summer also, Ron Weasley, the only Weasley Mallory remembers by name due to Draco's rants about the boy, looks over at her. It's only for a second; in that moment when she realises someone is looking at her so her grey eyes flick to him and his eyes diverge away, widened as he focuses on the Minister, who chats to his best friend. No, Blaise would tell her she's being narcissistic again.
"Good morning, Mallory." Narcissa says, passing her doorway, ripping her away from the memory of the Gyrffindors and their strange stares. She's wrapped up in a silk dressing gown; striking blonde hair slicked back over her shoulders. "How was the rest of your sleep?"
Mallory sits on the edge of her bed, staring still at her reflection in a floor-length mirror that rests on the floor. Usually, she'd admire her curls or smile cheekily at herself. But today, Mallory only looks towards her grey eyes which are framed by exhausted, dark bags beneath them.
She'd wandered around that campsite absolutely alone, the sole of her foot jumping at every unknown texture as she looked around for familiar faces.
Eventually, collapsing beneath a tree with either shock or abandonment, and only when the aurors had made a final sweep of the forest did they find her, take her home and hand her over to the house elf to take her to bed.
Her family hadn't stayed up for her return.
But, Narcissa is here now, Mallory reminds herself. Crossing the room to her bed also, taking Mallory's silence as an answer to wrap her ward into an embrace, stroking the girl's back and the ends of her black curls in comforting actions.
"Chin up, Mallory," Narcissa orders with a smile, lifting her chin up as she pulls away from the hug. "It's your last day before returning to school. What are your plans for today?"
"I was going to see Blaise this afternoon before our annual dinner," Mallory informs her.
With the house elf packing up their belongings for each term at Hogwarts, the day before their return to Hogwarts, for Draco and Mallory, is relatively stress-free. The only source of stress being their annual family dinner the day before their return; it usually ends with Lucius stressing the importance of the Malfoy name. Even if it's a name Mallory only has by association.
"Shall we go into London? Do a little shopping before Blaise arrives?"
Any extra time that she can spend with Narcissa without Draco is always a welcome offer, which is why only an hour later the women are walking down Diagon Alley, perusing the shops' windows as Narcissa informs Mallory with a whisper when they pass someone she went to school with.
People look at Narcissa with contempt, though nobody says anything. And the mere revelation that people can look at Mallory's foster mother that way is always such a shock to her. Do they not realise she took her in when nobody else could?
Probably not, actually.
Mallory knows she's probably known as the 'other Malfoy child' unless she actually introduces herself as Mallory Black.
Inside Flourish and Blotts, Narcissa leads the way as she takes me to Mallory's favourite part of the old bookstore; the fiction.
"Grab a book and I'll buy it as a treat," Narcissa informs Mallory as she's pulled away by the manager, who, with a flushed face, repeats what an honour it is for Mrs Malfoy to enter his shop and gift him with her patronage. Mallory's fingers graze over the different covers, looking for familiar wizarding authors as Lucius Malfoy would definitely not allow any muggle novels inside his manor. Narcissa shakes the hand of the manager as Mallory reaches for a book with a red spine, her eyes glazing over the cover as she picks, undoubtedly, a romance novel.
"Pfft." She mumurs, turning it over to read about a forbidden love between warring wizarding families, what a bore.
Instead, beside it there is another novel with a black cover. Perhaps due to her surname, it stands out more to her. Malheuresement, the title, equally incites some kind of curiosity in her as the title rolls off Mallory's tongue as easily as her name. Narcissa is still busy charming the manager, who will probably end up giving her a discount, and Mallory folds back the cover to read the first line of the novel: In a world of curiosity, he is surprisingly candid.
"Find anything, Mallory?" Narcissa asks finally, as Mallory's grey, curious eyes continue to re-read over the novel's first line. She doesn't even know what the novel is about beyond an individual being candid and that sounded like something she could welcome with open arms in the house that she currently lives in. Only Narcissa is ever straightforward with her.
"Can I have this?" Mallory asks, holding the book up in the air. Narcissa also has something wrapped in brown wrapping paper tucked beneath her arm. It's probably a gift for Draco so that things are fair between them.
"Of course." She smiles, beckoning Mallory over and the manager flusters as he shoos away the other shopkeeper with a scowl as he lets the Malfoys move to the front of the queue. They can't even go to a bookstore without somehow getting special treatment and it makes Mallory smirk.
"Where's Draco today?" Mallory asks, finally asking about a boy that is far from her brother.
"Meeting his friends." She replies with a kind smile. "Though I'm sure he'll have plenty of time with them this year, too. I doubt either of you will be willing to come home at Christmas this year."
"Why?" Never before has Mallory spent a holiday at school. By Christmas she's far too homesick and missing her own bed, her own bathtub and house elves to make her hot chocolate to want to stay at school for much longer. Draco, on the other hand, has only spent one Christmas at school, too.
"You'll find out," she tells Mallory with a knowing smirk, not elaborating on her statement. "Any more shops?" Mallory shakes her head, knowing that Blaine will be using floo powder to get to the house at any time. "I suppose Blaise will be expecting you?"
"Why do you smirk every time you mention his name?" Mallory asks, when she notices Narcissa has begun to smirk again, it's her Blaise smirk.
"He's a very handsome boy. You're beautiful. Are you sure you two aren't more than friends?"
"There is more to compatibility than just looks, Narcissa." Mallory tells her, rolling her eyes at the question that she's heard time and time again. Blaise was brought round to their house for the first time when he and Draco were seven, as a way for the two to be friends before attending Hogwarts together. Though, it had been Blaise and Mallory that had formed the friendship, with Draco scowling and complaining the entire time when Blaise wouldn't play the games that Draco suggested.
"That doesn't answer my question."
"The word no answers your question, though." Mallory retorts sarcastically.
"I suppose even if the two of you were more than friends you wouldn't tell me anyway." Narcissa says, taking hold of Mallory's arm to loop theirs together as they walk back down Diagon Alley. Those same looks of aversion are cast Narcissa's way; she's probably experienced them for her entire life, Mallory wonders, from being a Black to a Malfoy.
"Why not?" Mallory asks, genuinely wondering why Narcissa thought she'd keep anything from her.
"Well, teenagers rarely tell their parental figures anything about their love lives."
"I'd tell you." Mallory says immediately, knowing full-well that she'd see no reason to keep it from her foster mother. "It's not like you'd be able to stop me from whoever I was dating." She tells Narcissa with a laugh, and whatever Narcissa had expected to tell Mallory in response, is cut off from her lips when Mallory is pushed away from her arm.
A body much taller than Mallory's collides with her side, so she stumbles on the uneven pavement of Diagon Alley, slipping slightly as her collider immediately reaches out to steady her.
"I'm so sorry." For a second Mallory thinks she's seeing double as an identical face looks over their companion's shoulder, the companion still holding her up. Mallory recognises the faces as those of the Weasley Twins immediately. Narcissa scoffs beside her, perhaps wondering whether to rip Mallory's arms out of the Twin One's hands. "Are you okay?"
"No damage done." Mallory responds, pulling herself from his hands, and her hands immediately go to her hair just to avoid his eyes.
He immediately smiles, which causes his hazel eyes to crease along with them. There's a dimple on the left side of his face, Mallory notices.
"See you at school." He says, with a cautious glance at Narcissa, as his twin pulls him away with a laugh and Narcissa scowls at Mallory.
"Weasleys." She tells her, as if Mallory weren't already aware. Though, even Mallory would only need to take one look at them to know that they belonged to that family. More children than you can count on one hand.
Though, Mallory often wonders what it's like to have a sibling. A proper one, not one that would abandon her in the middle of a battlefield without a moment's pause.
But then again, she rarely ever considers Draco as anything other than a pain in her arse.
"You're quiet." Blaise tells Mallory an hour after he's arrived. The house elf treated him like royalty immediately upon entering the manor. He's guided to the sofa, asked for his drink order and they even unlace his shoes for him before Mallory has even shut the door that he entered from.
The friends are lounging on the sofas, with the record playing some of Lucius' music, as Blaise makes predictions about the year ahead.
"Just thinking about school." She tells him, though it's only half of the truth.
"OWL year for you. Will you handle the pressure?" Blaise jokes, which earns him a kick from her. They sit on opposite ends of the grey, velvet sofa so he is easy to reach with her foot. Though, Blaise immediately catches her foot with his hand, tickling the bottom of it. "Violence is never the answer, Black."
"Stop!" Mallory chokes through with laughter as Blaise shifts his weight onto her legs, holding the leg in place so that he can continue to tickle into the sole of her foot. "Blaise! Stop!" Mallory laughs once more, kicking her free foot into his side.
"Help!" Mallory jokingly calls when Blaise doens't stop, face alight with laughter as he beams a full white set of teeth at his best friend.
"Does Mistress Mallory require help?" The house elf asks, immediately appearing upon the request for help.
"No she doesn't!" Mallory spits out at it, rolling her eyes at the desperation to please that the house elf shows. "Blaise, stop it now!"
"Fine, you've convinced me." Blaise replies, letting go of her foot but still he sits closer to her now, moving Mallory's legs so that they are draped across his lap. "But seriously, do you think the Malfoy's will pile on the pressure?"
"Probably," Mallory shrugs, playing with the sleeve of her cardigan to avoid looking into Blaise's eyes. If she did, he'd instantly see the insecurity drowning in the sea of her grey eyes. "Nothing I'm not used to."
"I suppose it'll be worse for Draco next year."
"You're probably right there. The golden son will have to match whatever grades I get." Mallory rolls her eyes, using the nickname that Blaise himself had come up with for Draco.
"Have you heard much from Amara?" Blaise asks after another moment of silence. Mallory cradles the cup of hot chocolate in her hands, savouring its warmth as a cooling draft comes in through the windows of the manor. Lucius is always insisting on having all of the windows of the manor open until late November.
"A couple of letters here and there." Mallory answers, though the last she'd heard of her best friend at Hogwarts was at the beginning of August. Amara Carrow and Mallory had bonded during second year over their shared experience of having no parents. Whilst she's been raised by her foster parents, Lucius and Narcissa, Amara has practically been raised by her elder siblings, Amycus and Alecto and it made making jokes about having no parents a lot easier when she found them as equally hilarious as Mallory does. "She's spent the summer travelling Europe with her brother and sister." Mallory tells Blaise, recalling that the last time she'd heard from Amara, she'd been in Hungary. What a bore my siblings are! Traversing to whatever country they feel like and I'm reduced to nights in a hotel room by myself as they meet up with old connections. They have the absurd idea of travelling to Albania or somewhere next and I think that's where I may draw the line!
She understands, too, the unrelenting pressure of having family who are forever networking wherever they may go. Even Narcissa had been stopped five times in Diagon Alley today.
"We should go travelling." Blaise says, reclining his head into the back of the sofa so that his entire neck is exposed to her. Dark skin spreads across the grey velvet proving that Blaise Zabini is effortlessly cool and handsome. "We'd have a great time. You could even drag Carrow along if you like."
"I'd rather not spend an entire holiday being a referee." Mallory responds quickly, imagining travelling with her two closest friends. Blaise easily pushes the buttons of whoever he meets, discerning quickly what can tick them off, and his favourite victim is always Amara. Amara, with her more less-than-savoury views towards muggle blood meant that Blaise often ticked her off purely from his own disgust at her pureblood mania. Though, whenever the three of them are together it usually ends with Blaise rowing with Mallory for her acceptance of Amara's views.
"True." Blaise chuckles, though suddenly he shifts from his position, pushing Mallory's feet from their relaxed position on his lap. For a second Mallory thinks it must be Lucius or Narcissa who have entered the room to create such a reaction from Blaise as he distances himself from her.
"Zabini," greets Draco, who invites himself into their conversation by collapsing onto the identical sofa opposite from them. "Alright?"
"Yeah. You?" Answers Blaise, regarding Draco with a nod. Mallory scowls at Draco who looks only at Blaise, rather than her.
"Excellent." He smirks, showing his teeth as his arms stretch out across the back of the sofa.
"I'm surprised to see you friendless." Mallory can't help herself but to say the remark. Draco scowls back at her, matching Mallory's expression of distaste.
"And yet you can only be seen around Zabini. No offense." Blaise's eyebrows arch up in surprise at the unusual dig from Draco. "What's it like having only two friends?"
"I don't know; why don't you tell me?" Mallory barks back, her cheeks flushing in anger as Draco continues to sit, relaxed, on the sofa.
"Touchy." Draco giggles, shaking his head at Mallory's quick rise to anger. "Is it that time of the month again?"
"Piss off, Draco." Mallory groans, hitting the back of her head into the velvet cushion of the sofa in frustration. "Nobody wants you here."
"No. I think I'll stay." He wriggles his bum into the sofa, all the while smirking at Mallory who groans, glaring at him. "It's probably the last I'll see of you before we're back at school and you know I shall miss your company desperately." Sarcasm drips from his voice, taking relentless pleasure as Mallory continues to feel anger pour from her every skin cell.
"One can only hope." Mallory argues back.
Blaise leaves not long after Draco arrives. With Draco's appearance, Mallory's sour mood grows and Blaise's uncomfortable feeling rises until he finally makes his excuses.
"You don't have to leave so soon?"
"He probably won't leave you alone until I do." Blaise whispers to her as the two stand beside the door. "Besides, we're back at Hogwarts tomorrow which means I then get to have 50% of your time."
"50%?" Repeats Mallory, tilting her head to the side so that black curls dance upon her shoulder.
"Well," Blaise starts, smiling at the sight of his best friend. "We're in different school years so that means no lessons together."
"There's still our midnight library sessions, though." Mallory reminds him. Amara, despite being her companion in the day, is not the best study buddy.
"True. But then there's Amara."
"Ah."
"So, if she gets 50% then I'll get the other 50%?"
"I feel like a child of divorce," Mallory jokes with a stern face. Blaise doesn't laugh at this joke; perhaps because his mum has been married seven times. Though Mallory has heard enough of the rumours to know why none of Blaise's step-fathers had lived outside of their marriage to his mum.
"Can I tell you something that's been on my mind?" Mallory asks, when her troubled mind wanders back to the day of the Quidditch World Cup.
"Always," Blaise nods sternly, folding his arms and leaning against the grand, arched doorway of the manor.
"When we went to the Quidditch World Cup final, we were in the Minister's box-" Mallory is cut off when Blaise snorts with laughter, creating crinkles beside his brown eyes until Mallory whacks him with the back of her hand against his strong chest in irritation. "Well, the Weasleys and Harry Potter and Granger were there too and I swear when I was there… they were looking at me. But why would they be looking at me?"
"Maybe it's some leftover embarrassment of that weekend in Hogsmeade?" Blaise suggests, face now turning stern.
When Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban over a year ago, Mallory had been greeted with many intrusive, personal questions from all forms of students over the year, who had assumed that their shared surname meant that they were somehow closely related. Mallory's surname is Black from Narcissa's maiden name. Yet they weren't asking Narcissa, Sirius Black's cousin, if she knew where he was hiding out. The worst of those accusations that had been thrown Mallory's way, of course, had been during one dreadfully cold Hogsmeade visit when Harry Potter had practically pounced on her.
"I suppose so," Mallory agrees, shaking her head in a physical attempt to shake the memories that were overtaking her conscious thoughts. "It's just weird. I hope the staring stops this year."
"We just need another escape from Azkaban who's surname isn't Black and then I'm sure your year will be splendid."
"Let's have our fingers crossed for that then!" Mallory jokes, holding up chipped nail polish-covered fingers to show her own crossed fingers. Blaise laughs, pulling her into a hug before quickly leaving.
"You two should get a room."
"Pardon?" Asks Mallory. Draco had crossed the hallway to lean against the banister of the grand staircase. He gestures with his head towards the door that Blaise has just exited from.
"You heard me. You and Zabini."
"Don't you worry, Blaise can be all yours." Mallory says, rolling her grey eyes at Draco. "I'm sure you two will look very fetching together."
"Cow." Blushes Draco, crossing his arms in anger.
"I know you are but what am I?" Smirks Mallory, walking into the dining room, where Narcissa and Lucius are expecting them.
Though, Mallory is the first to enter, sitting herself on the black, wooden chair that has always been in her place at the table. Lucius and Narcissa sitting at opposite ends, with Draco on Lucius's right hand and Mallory on his less-favourable left side. Draco, not wanting to be late, rushing in after her only to see that they had made it before his parents anyway.
Both, feeling awkward from their argument, sit in seething silence, both too stubborn to break the silence.
Only a few minutes pass before Lucius rushes in with a victorious smile on his face, clutching a letter in his hand as he sits down quickly, reading over the letter which causes him to laugh raucously. Then, Narcissa enters behind him, also with a smile on her face as she leans over the back of Lucius's chair to read the letter over his shoulder. Both are laughing then as Draco practically turns purple, bursting with curiosity over the letter's contents that had caused both of his parents to feel so full of glee.
Even Mallory can't help but wonder if they'll reveal to them what has them so happy.
"Well, back to Hogwarts tomorrow." Narcissa crosses the room to sit at her usual place at the table, sweeping bleach blonde hair over her shoulder, attracting all of our attention. "How do you both feel about returning?"
"Fine." Shrugs Draco immediately, who is playing with his place setting and digging the knife into the green tablecloth; green for slytherin, obviously.
"And you, Mallory?" Asks Narcissa after a sip of water. "It's OWL year, do you feel prepared?"
"Hopefully," shrugs Mallory. She does feel prepared. In fact she felt confident in the subjects that she'd be taking exams in later in the year. But she would keep that fact closely guarded to herself.
"It's more important than ever Draco to make the Malfoy name proud." Lucius says, changing the topic of conversation from Mallory swiftly to Draco. "Make connections this year. Some of my most important contacts in my adult life came from those I met whilst at school."
"Yes, Father." Nodded Draco obediently, still staring at the table.
"If it weren't for the event this year, I think I'd be sending you to Durmstrang for the rest of your education." Drawled Lucius, still looking at only his son. "I know Karkaroff personally and I think you'd learn just what you need to do magic rather than the edited version of education that Dumbledore gives you. Though, what do you expect from someone who loves mudbloods as much as he does. You know his father was arrested for attacking muggles?" Lucius laughs into his red wine. "Wonder how people would react with that kind of information floating around at that school."
"Why?" Mallory breaks Lucius from his revelry to ask the question. Lucius always threatens to remove both children from Hogwarts frequently throughout the school year. Yet, he had never told them anything about Dumbledore more than his 'disgusting' love of muggle borns.
"What?"
"Well, why did he attack those muggles? Was there a reason?"
Lucius laughs at Mallory's question and with a quick glance at Draco, he joins in too.
"Probably just recognising them for the vermin they are." Lucius shrugs. " You'd best remember that Mallory when you're at school this year."
"Will do," sighs Mallory, once more feeling melancholic. Lucius always proves to her somehow that the rightful place of muggles is below them, the purebloods.
"Especially with everything that's happening this year, I don't want any disappointments." He looks to Mallory as he says this, though, as far as she's aware, it has always been Draco that has somehow disappointed him. His careless Quidditch matches, getting injured and never receiving top marks have always been on the tip of Lucius's acid tongue.
Dear Mallory,
How happy I was to receive a letter from Professor Snape, an old friend of mine, who informed me that last night you'd been sorted into Slytherin house. As you know, both Narcissa and I are proud Slytherins and we're so proud that you will continue on this legacy.
Have a fantastic term at Hogwarts.
Lucius Malfoy
Receiving that letter on the first morning of first year after being sorted into the only house that she had wanted to be in, had made her Hogwarts journey complete. All of her life Narcissa had been the one who felt parental, whilst Lucius had always made her feel like a roommate, until that letter. That letter was the first time that Lucius had felt like a dad. It was also the only time he'd told her that he was proud of her.
"What's happening at Hogwarts this year?" She asks Lucius, though she's unsure if he'll answer. Draco smirks opposite from her, confirming that he does know.
"You'll find out." Lucius shrugs, as the house elves tiptoe around them to serve out their meal. "No need to ruin the surprise for Mallory, is there Draco?" Lucius says coyly. Draco nods to his father, smirking even wider at Mallory.
"I'm sure all will be revealed tomorrow, Mallory." Narcissa intervenes. Even as Lucius and Draco continue to smirk that they know something that Mallory doesn't, who squeezes her fork into her hand, waiting for someone to eat so that she can find a distraction from her anger.
"That is unless Draco can't help opening his big mouth." Mallory responds, rolling grey eyes as Draco glares with equally grey, harsh eyes back at her.
"Let's not argue, it's the last time we'll be together for a while."
With a beg for peace from Narcissa, the Malfoys and Mallory eat with an ordered peace. The conversations between them range from chats about school subjects (and why Mallory insisted on taking Divination of all things) to the infestation of muggle borns at Hogwarts (perhaps there's a school where they could all go together, rather than ruining education for everybody else?)
The night drifts on until Mallory returns to bed, being awoken by nightmares until the house elf is whimpering as it shakes her awake for the Hogwarts Express.
"Okay I'm up!" She snaps, earning a whine from the house elf as she raises her voice. Peeling back the covers, she dresses quickly wondering all the while if she'll soon find out whatever Lucius and Draco are hiding from her about Hogwarts.
"One more screw up, Draco," Lucius starts on the platform before they embark on the Hogwarts Express. Lucius is squeezing Draco's shoulder, so that his jumper is ruffled beneath the touch and he squirms beneath his father's touch. "And I'll be sending you to Durmstrang. It's more important than ever that you do not embarrass me."
Mallory is the only other person in hearing distance of Lucius's words; though usually she finds herself feeling immense pleasure from Draco being told what a disappointment he is. But if Draco is transferred to Durmstrang, will Mallory still be able to attend Hogwarts?
Draco nods at his father, forcing a hurt smile and if anybody else is looking towards them, they wouldn't realise what Lucius had just told his son. Mallory quickly waves at Lucius, wanting to avoid any warning of shirking on the Malfoy name. Though it's not even her name to shirk upon.
Once on board the Hogwarts Express, Mallory finally allowed herself to feel a rush of familiar excitement. Away from Lucius, there is surprisingly a lot less pressure to be felt. Without Draco, the only boy around to annoy her is her best friend. But without Narcissa, who would calm her when waking from her nightmares?
As Mallory passes a flurry of filled carriages, she ends up facing a blockage as a group of students fit their heads through the windows of the door, clearly talking to somebody on the platform. The train whistle echoes through the air, with a slow groan emitting from the train as it begins to start.
The pistons hiss loudly and Draco has disappeared far ahead of her; will he find a carriage with Blaise and the other fourth year Slytherins?
"Tell us what's happening at Hogwarts!" Someone billows from the window, and Malllory's head snaps to face him. It was as if he were talking to Lucius Malfoy too. "What rules are they changing?"
But, whether the shouter is answered or not, the train begins to slowly begin the journey. The group disperses, but Mallory is still focussed, wondering whether everyone knows that something is happening at Hogwarts this year. At least, she comforted herself, she's not the only one who is unaware. Not all of them could be as blessed as Draco with the information, evidently.
Her wonders about Lucius bring back the realisation that now she is travelling away from Narcissa. Lost within thoughts of whether, with enough distance from her nightmare-filled bed, Mallory's nightmares could dissipate with the journey, she's greeted with a cushioned boulder. Of course, it isn't a boulder and Mallory gasps at the obstruction from her planned journey down the carriage.
"I'm sorry." She apologises quickly, but quickly her eyebrows arch up in an ironic surprise. "You again."
That same cheeky, happy face smirks back at her. He's at least a head taller than her, so Mallory cranes her neck, feeling irritation creeping its way up her neck as, for the second time in as many days, a Weasley walks into her.
"You know, you should really watch where you're going, Weasley." She tells him, but is inwardly shocked when this doesn't steal away his smile.
"I believe today you were the one who walked into me, Black." Fred Weasley teases, crossing his arms as a delighted rush makes his head spin as the girl opposite him continues to shake with a furious rage. "Don't pout." Her lip is jutting out as she continues to pull her anger under control, until Fred Weasley reaches his finger out, ready to poke her lip.
Not trusting her words, she huffs, avoiding his poke and moves around them, the second twin watching her go curiously, before casting the same suspicious look to his twin brother, which is ignored.
"Good summer Mallory?" Pansy Parkinson, another Slytherin greets Mallory as she opens a compartment door that is filled with Slytherins.
"Yeah. You?"
Draco occupies two seats in the carriage, his feet stretched across the narrow carriage to rest his feet against the faded fabric of the seats.
He doesn't move them when he looks at the door to see Mallory standing there with nowhere to go. Even Pansy darts brown eyes to his feet, wondering if he'll move them for a girl who is basically his sister. Crabbe and Goyle smirk when they realise he won't and Blaise, trapped beside the window shifts uncomfortably, wondering if she'd be able to fit next to him if she could get past Draco's feet somehow.
"Well, of course she's alright, she gets to stay at Hogwarts for another year." Draco says, smirking now at Mallory who, still furious from the lack of apology from a Weasley twin, fumes silently. "Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the Headmaster, you see. Well, you know his opinion of Dumbledore - the man's such a Mudblood-lover - and Durmstrang doesn't admit that sort of riff-raff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defence rubbish we do…"
"But wouldn't you miss us all dearly if you went there, Draco?" Pansy asks, forgetting all about Draco cutting her off from answering Mallory's answer.
"Well, I suppose I'm glad to be here for this year. After all, everything that's happening this year… Why are you still here, Mallory? Finally wanting to be let in on the secret?"
Mallory continues to lean against the door of the compartment, which she was holding open. Both inside but still feeling much like an outsider.
"I bet all of those Weasley's will enter. Wouldn't miss a chance to earn an extra knut or two." The Slytherins, including Blaise, laugh and Mallory is shocked to see Blaise pandering to Draco's bragging, bullying ways. Usually, Blaise remained stoic on the outside, wishing that he were in the same year as Mallory so that he didn't have to put up with him.
"Where are you going, Mal?" Shouts Draco after Mallory, as she finally decides to take away just one member of Draco's audience. Without replying, she becomes resolute in finding Amara.
Amara Carrow occupies a singular carriage to herself when Mallory finds her. Perhaps, as Mallory thinks she rightly suspects, with a surname as infamous as Carrow, people who trail up and down the Hogwarts express to find a carriage still aren't as willing as to sit with a Carrow. Mallory Black is not one such person, and she is engulfed by a happy hug when Amara spots her.
"Summer was dreadful. Amycus and Alecto had all these important people to meet but clearly, meeting a fifteen year old wasn't on their agenda. I had to stay inside all day, everyday!" She reveals to Mallory as soon as Mallory asks about her summer. "It's not like we both don't know what contacts they were meeting." She adds, giving Mallory a pointed look because someone who lives with the Malfoy's must know who the Carrows would be meeting. But, Mallory is not as clued in as Amara would assume she is.
"So, who did they meet?" Mallory asks, only being able to assume. Draco would know right away, she thinks bitterly.
"Well, I don't know, do I?" Amara retorts, flipping a blonde braid over her shoulder. "I have my suspicions but I'm not exactly going to discover anything from inside a hotel room."
"So you didn't see anyone that they met? And they travelled all over Europe?" Mallory asks, even more curious now that Amara may have some hidden knowledge about her family; a whole lot more than Mallory has about her own.
"Do you see who your dad meets on a daily basis?"
The question hangs in the air and Mallory can feel the question reach out to her and close its claws around her chest, constricting her heart and lungs.
"He's not my dad." She snaps defensively, unsure how else she is expected to answer the question. If Lucius were here, she knows, he'd want her to clear up on their familial bond. "He's not my dad."
"Basically is, though." Amara jokes, pressing each burning coal against Mallory's chest as she continues to feel more and more defensive. "If the shoe fits."
"Well it doesn't." She snaps back, feeling the heat rise in her pale cheeks to form a furious blush.
"Okay, okay." Amara laughs sadistically, holding her hands up in defense. "Don't bite my head off about it. Just telling it like I see it."
Mallory's foul mood, created by a Weasley twin and fanned by Amara continues on all the way to Hogwarts. Along with the fear that her nightmares will continue into her time at Hogwarts, much to her embarrassment and probably lack of sleep for her fellow dormmates, it isn't until Mallory is fixing her green and silver Slytherin tie to finish her uniform that she finally feels elated to be back to Hogwarts.
"Good." Amara says, linking her arm in Mallory's as they strut across the platform, even as a small downpour of rain threatens to soak them through, towards the horse-less carriages that were waiting for them. "I was worried your foul mood would last until the feast."
"You certainly know how to push my buttons." Mallory jokes, heading towards the nearest carriage when she feels Amara shiver beside her. "Are you okay?"
"They just… never seen…" Amara stares at the blank space ahead of the carriages and for a second there seems to be a haunted memory that swims inside the oceans of her blue eyes. But, the second it is there, the shiver stills her body and she shakes her head, blonde braids shaking around her shoulders as she snaps herself from the sadness. "Never mind. Thought I saw something." She smiles at Mallory, "Come on. We're getting soaked."
They climb in, and Mallory wipes at the sleeves of her Hogwarts uniform in an attempt to brush away the droplets of rain that had settled upon her. Waiting for the carriage to begin to move and hoping that no one will join them, Mallory and Amara fix their gaze to behind them. Amara zoning out with a stare into space whilst Mallory laughs as Neville Longbottom, a Gryffindor in the year below, stumbles into the carriage.
"Gryffindors are never the smoothest people, are they?" Mallory says, thinking back to the two accidental bumps with a Weasley twin, whilst still watching his brother also clamber into the carriage with little grace.
"Full of mudbloods, that's why." Amara quips back, suddenly smiling when Mallory knocks her out of her thoughtful staring. Mallory gasps at the slur, laughing as she watches her best friend.
"Amara, you can't say things like that!" She giggles at the word that had come from her friend's lip, even though it's not the first time.
"So what? People say it all the time, it's just a word. Just like pureblood." Amara shakes her head, also giggling. "I bet you hear it at home all of the time, anyway."
"You never know who's listening at Hogwarts, though." Mallory reminds her, since it's a rule that has always been stressed to her by Narcissa.
Keep the family secrets away from the listening walls of Hogwarts, Mallory.
Not, Mallory supposes, that she's ever really divulged upon in the same way as Draco. And that boy can barely keep his mouth shut at the best of times.
Back at the Slytherin table, Amara cheers up immensely to be surrounded by the fellow Slytherins. And even with Draco sitting only a few places down from them, Mallory allows herself to be swept away by the merry atmosphere; the four house tables gleaming with golden plates and goblets, waiting to be filled with the most delicious foods. At the front of the room, Mallory curiously scans the head table that is filled with their professors, wondering who will be filling the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, since last summer Professor Lupin turned out to be a werewolf. Professor Snape, their head of house and Potions Master was also scanning his own house table, smirking as some of the older, braver students called his name and waved. Snape is always favouring Slytherin students, though Mallory had never felt the same favouritism that she knows Draco has.
"So!" Dumbledore breaks the students away from feverishly loud chatter, as the feast dies down and the conversations spring up. At the front of the room, Hogwarts headmaster smiles warmly behind half-moon spectacles and Mallory often wonders how that man, who seemed so kind, could still, as Lucius had proved to her, come from a family that hated muggles too.
The greatest speakers delude themselves and others into thinking they are more virtuous than others. Lucius had told her once. Mallory supposes that he must be right. Her family are never pretending to be anything that they're not.
"Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices.
"Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-Yos, Fanged Frisbees and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs-"
"Do you remember that time we had one of those?" Mallory whispers to Amara. "Those second year Ravenclaws never saw it coming in the library!"
"Remember Pince when she saw the book that was destroyed in the crossfire, though?" Amara reminds her, jokingly grimacing at the memory as Madam Pince, the librarian had thrown three, large textbooks towards their heads. "She just about turned into a banshee."
"-if anybody would like to check it." Dumbledore continues, smiling at the students. "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students-"
"Unless of course, you have a detention with Filch." Mallory interjects in a hushed whisper to Amara, rolling her eyes. "Draco never lets me forget that one.'Who needs to be in Gryffindor for bravery?' His bragging does my head in."
"I bet what he isn't telling you is that he probably wet his pants at the thought of entering it." Amara replies, leaning into Mallory so that no one can see their whispering. The imagery her words conjure in Mallory's head cause her to laugh and her hand reaches quickly out for a golden goblet, using it to hide her mouth as Slytherins around her begin to cast curious glances at the two of them, including Blaise who casts her a questioning look.
Mallory shakes her head in response, pulling her laughter under control before placing the goblet back down, turning her attention back to the Headmaster.
"It is also my painful duty to inform you that the inter-house Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."
The effect is immediate, as every house's table erupts in gasps, shouts and gaping mouths. Even Blaise, who is usually so quiet and reflective when he's upset, hits his fist into the table, causing his cutlery to rattle in response.
"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy-" Dumbledore's words quieten the hall once more, who, Mallory included, gains the attention of the hall. "But I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-"
Whatever Dumbledore had been about to announce, and Mallory knew she was about to uncover the secret that Lucius and Draco had dangled in front of her the night before, it is interrupted by the doors of the Great Hall as they swing open with a deafening bang.
A man stands in the doorway, cloaked in a long, black coat which is coated wet due to the rain and he leans his weight against a long staff. Mallory cranes her neck as students closer to the intruder than her stand to gain a look at the visitor. When his face is illuminated by a sudden flash of lightning, which comes from the conjured sky above them, he lowers his head in a way that Mallory can still not see him, watching as he stomps up towards the teachers' table.
His steps echo with clunks as the hall remains in complete silence and even Mallory and Amara do not exchange quips about the visitor, far too enchanted by the scene before them.
It isn't until he reaches Dumbledore that Mallory gasps, when she finally sees his eyes beneath wet, matted hair. One eye, small and dark, watches Dumbledore with a warm gaze that is opposing his dark appearance, yet another eye, which is an electric blue, whizzes in all directions, completely independent from his gaze and she shudders when she feels like it lands on her for a moment, before continuing to assess the room.
The visitor shakes hands with Dumbledore, who greets him just as warmly and Dumbledore moves back towards the platform that he was speaking from whilst the stranger traverses to the corner.
"May I introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Moody."
Mallory vaguely recalls the name but her reaction is not as dark as Amara's, who scoffs and folds her arms, not bothering to clap along with the rest of the Hogwarts students.
"Dark wizard catcher. Typical of Dumbledore." Amara whispers to her along with the scattered applause of the hall. "Bet he'll be keeping his eyes on those names that are familiar to him."
Mallory immediately realises that her name will be, incorrectly, attached to the inmates of Azkaban, where there have been at least two Blacks who turned dark. Not to mention Lucius, who, Mallory knows, also had narrowly escaped Azkaban when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named fell.
"As I was saying," continues Dumbledore, who gazes across the students with a warm smile, "we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."
"You're JOKING!" says a voice across at the Gryffindor table. The Hall suddenly laughs at the outburst, and Mallory does too, as it had been the thought that had immediately come into her mind too.
"I am not joking, Mr Weasley," Dumbledore says as Amara scoffs to cover her laughter, her distaste for Weasleys far outweighing her urge to laugh.
Mallory suddenly becomes overwhelmed by the rejection from her family, for not revealing such an interesting fact about her school year. Even Narcissa had not entertained Mallory for long enough to reveal the surprise. But, they had told Draco.
Feeling angry and jealous, Mallory grabs a half-eaten bun that she had left from dinner and launches it into the back of Draco's head, who is listening to Dumbledore with interested attention. He scowls as it hits him, looking behind him as his fingers brush crumbs out from his bleach blonde hair.
"Why didn't you tell me?" She hisses across the table, causing Blaise, who is sat opposite Draco, to look at her too. "The Twiwizard Tournament! And you didn't tell me!"
Draco, no longer scowling over the bun, smirks at Mallory instead.
"Funny." He mouths back before turning back towards Dumbledore, which causes Mallory to feel even more furious with him.
"The Heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contestants in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleon personal prize money."
Excited murmurs erupt inside the Hall once more, the entire Hogwarts populus excited by the prize money apart from Mallory, who still feels the harsh sting of Lucius and Narcissa's rejection by not sharing the information with her. Looking up at the table, Mallory shudders as Professor Moody's magical eye settles on her once more. Of course the dark wizard catcher would find the Slytherin student with the surname of Black.
"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," Dumbledore continues, "the Heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This -" Dumbledore raises his voice slightly as disappointed groans echo around the Hall now.
"Oh well, only 12 months too young." Mallory jokes, who turns sixteen in a few days. "Lucius will be furious that I can't represent the House of Malfoy."
"Yeah, I don't think I'm talented enough to not embarrass my brother and sister," Amara replies, rolling her blue eyes at the mention of her siblings. "Bet Draco will cry himself to sleep that he can't make daddy proud."
"Oh, definitely," giggles Mallory.
"I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion." Dumbledore looks mainly over at the Gryffindor table, and Mallory wonders if he's looking at Harry Potter, the boy who is always pushing himself into the spotlight. If he were champion, Draco would be inconsolable.
"I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen. The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October, and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"
Dumbledore returns to his seat, turning to talk to Moody, who's magical eye was still whizzing around and stopping to gaze at many students in the Hall and Mallory felt that familiar creeping feeling of being watched that she often felt when in the same room as Harry Potter and his band of friends.
"I can't believe nobody at home told you though," Amara gasps when they're finally in their cosy beds in the Slytherin dorms. "I would've thought at least your mum-"
"Not my mum." Mallory corrects, holding up her finger to pause Amara's speaking.
"You know who I mean!" Amara groans in response. "Mrs Malfoy! I can't believe she didn't tell you! And Draco! He must've been bursting to tell!"
"I think he was more-so enjoying the immense pleasure of knowing something that I didn't." Mallory tells her, knowing that she's right. "And I think that Narcissa just wanted me to enjoy the surprise." As she says this, hoping to manifest that being the real reason into reality, she wonders if this isn't the real reason for Narcissa keeping a secret from her, then what is the real reason?
So, deep in her sleep her mind conjures those same nightmares. One barefoot as her white trainer skids across the mud and it splatters across her exposed toes. Where is my brother? Where is my brother? Echoing across her mind as horrifying men and women wearing masks and tall hats spread fear through everyone who had just wanted to enjoy a game of Quidditch. But, even worse than this, she finds her family, huddled in a corner as they cheer on those men and women, Lucius, Narcissa and Draco sharing secrets as she realises that maybe, she'll never be able to join them.