Narcissa Malfoy placed her tiny son in the tall thin black pram. She pulled up the white cover over his white cotton baby suit. Narcissa touched her son's nose playfully and he gurgled with delight. Draco was eighteen months old now and healthy baby. His once big blue eyes had now turned grey…like his Father's. His soft white skin had lovely pink cheeks and his blonde hair flicked sweetly over his forehead. Everyone agreed that he was a very handsome baby.
Narcissa put a bottle of milk in a bag near the handle of the pram, along with several other things for the baby. Narcissa put on her white hat, took hold of the handle of the pram and headed to the door of the Manor.
"Narcissa" came a formidable voice as her handle touched the door. Narcissa turned around. Lucius stood behind her, tall and cold. "Where are you going?"
"Diagon Alley" she said nervously. Narcissa never knew when her husband might turn on her. Sometimes he let her do what she pleased as long as she knew he approved. Other times he would keep her locked up, in the house, in her room…and once the attic.
"Why?"
"I need to go to the apothecary. I need some potions, baby potions for Draco"
Lucius looked down coldly at his tiny child.
"How are you getting there?" he asked
"The Night Bus of course" she replied
"Very well…I may not be here when you get back," he declared
"Why, where will you be?"
"That is my business, I have a job to do?"
"A…with him?" she lowered her voice
"Perhaps" he said in a low whisper
"I don't want you to go!" she said, she did not know what made her say it but a bad feeling had swept over her, if Lucius went, something bad was going to happen. She knew it
"I beg your pardon Narcissa, is that an order?"
"Yes, yes it's an order" she said stepping towards him
"Entirely impossible" he said dismissively "This job is of great importance to the him"
"DON'T GO!" she shrieked. Lucius glared at her. His hand struck through the air and collided with Narcissa's face. The pain soared through her face. Hot tears pierced her eyes
"NEVER ANSWER BACK TO ME!" he yelled, "NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"
Narcissa did not need to be told twice, she grabbed the door handle and pulled it open. She then pushed the pram out of the door. Lucius slammed the door behind her. Narcissa did not stop to hang around. She ran across a courtyard pushing the pram across the gravel. Narcissa opened the iron gates of the Manor with her wand and ran out over to the empty country road and held out her arm.
A large purple bus appeared from nowhere, a beefy woman in a conductor's suit stood in the entrance to the bus.
"Greetings I'm Gelda Winkle and I will be your conductor for this…" The large beefy woman, Gelda, looked up at the early July sunshine "this morning, sorry don't usually do daytime runs, where to then?"
"Diagon Alley please" Narcissa tried to tip the pram up onto the bus; Gelda lent a hand and pulled the pram up herself, with some ease.
"Thank-you" said Narcissa stepping up onto the bus herself
"That's fine…sorry to point this out, but your cheek's bleeding" said Gelda. Narcissa flung a hand to her face where Lucius had hit her. "How did that happen?" asked Gelda pointing Narcissa to a seat.
"Oh…I…I dropped a glass in the house and the broken glass went every where"
"Don't look much like a glass cut to me" said Gelda sceptically. Narcissa ignored her, she sat down and took her handkerchief out of her bag and wiped her cheek. "Take her away Fred!" Gelda called out to the driver who sped quickly along the road "Er…not too fast Fred, there's a baby on board!"
"Gotcha Gelda" he called back slowing down a little
"Sweet kid" Gelda said pointing at Draco "looks like an angel"
Narcissa laughed and imagined Lucius' expression if he heard Gelda say that. He despised it when people cooed over Draco.
"Thank-you" said Narcissa. She looked at her handkerchief; her cheek was bleeding quite heavily by the amount of blood on the handkerchief. Narcissa took out her wand and her hand mirror and she healed the cut with ease. But the stinging pain remained.
On the seat in front of Narcissa was a copy off the 'Daily Prophet,' Gelda Winkle leaned forward and picked it up, she looked at headlines and sighed
"Damn those Death Eaters" she said "Damn them all to hell" Narcissa blushed and diverted her eyes down to her son whose eyes were circling the bus interestedly. "I hope they catch them all and burn them"
Narcissa did not respond and she took her moneybag out of her handbag.
"How much for the ride?" she asked
"Eh? Oh seven sickles, kiddie goes free," she said nodding at Draco. Gelda put down the 'Daily Prophet.' Narcissa handed over the money and Gelda gave her a receipt from her machine.
"Diagon Alley" said Gelda holding her arms out to the door. Narcissa looked and sure enough there they were outside the Leaky Cauldron. Narcissa never knew how the Night Bus went so fast…a mystery. Narcissa smiled and took the handle of the pram and pushed it along the corridor of the bus.
Diagon Alley was as vibrant as usual. There were a lot of families here at this time as for many children Hogwarts was starting back in a few months. Narcissa pushed the pram over the cobbled streets, it was difficult with high heels but it was her duty as a wealthy pureblood witch to look her best at all times. She was wearing a white skirt suit and white cloak over the top. She wore a white summer hat over her blonde hair. She was dressed smartly and serenely – the perfect image of a Malfoy witch.
Narcissa steered the pram a long the busy street and headed into the apothecary. She began looking up and down the shelf for potions she needed. To her good fortune there was a set of baby potions with all she needed and more. It was expensive, but what was money compared to her son's good health. Narcissa purchased the set from the Apothecary and headed back out into the street.
Narcissa decided to drop by Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlour. It was a hot day and Narcissa was in no rush to get home. Narcissa often came to Florean's; his ice creams were the best and she had often come as a child with her sisters. Sister! She only had one sister left, Bellatrix, the other was dead. That is what Narcissa was told to think.
"Andromeda is dead, whatever you may think or see, she is dead" Narcissa recalled her Mother's words. Well Narcissa found it very hard to think someone dead when you saw her so often in the street with her eight-year-old half blood daughter and Mudblood husband.
Narcissa sat on a table outside the parlour so she could look out at the street while she ate. Narcissa ordered a strawberries and cream rainbow flavoured ice cream. An old favourite. Narcissa dug the little silver spoon into the ice cream; she savoured the flavour in her mouth. Draco made a pining noise and held out his hands. Narcissa grinned and added a little on her spoon and put it into her baby son's mouth. He giggled with delight.
"Hey look who it is?" came a distantly familiar voice. Narcissa looked up over the pram. Two distantly familiar faces matched the distantly familiar voices. One was a petite pretty woman with red hair and green almond eyes. In one arm she held a raven-haired baby in one hand and the handle of a blue pram in the other. The other face was that of a tall handsome man with jet-black hair, glasses and brown eyes. It was Lily Evans and James Potter, old enemies from school.
"Narcissa Black, long time no see," said Lily smiling. Narcissa looked away, were Lily and James being friendly to her or mocking her? How could they have forgotten the days at Hogwarts, the days when Narcissa hung around with the Slytherin gang; Bellatrix, Rudolphus Lestrange, Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy and all the other rich purebloods such as Francesca Vayéinne (who became Francesca Zabini) and Antonin Dolohov? She was part of the gang who called Lily a mud blood, James a blood traitor. She was part of the family who disowned James' best friend Sirius, just like they did with Andromeda. How could they forget all this?
"Mind if we sit down with you for a bit?" asked James signalling to the two empty seats at the table, again Narcissa said nothing. Lily and James took this as a yes and sat down opposite her.
"And who's this then?" asked Lily looking at Draco who was pointing happily at the ice cream. Narcissa absent-mindedly pulled the pram slightly closer to her
"My son…Draco" she mumbled
"You're kidding, you had a son" Lily peered into the pram "Oh he's so cute…he looks like you" she said
"I think he'll look more like Lucius when he's older though" said Narcissa thoughtfully
"Lucius?" asked James having a double take "you mean Lucius Malfoy's his father, you married Malfoy"
"Yes" said Narcissa, she thought everyone knew that Lucius and her had been betrothed since she was 11. "I'm Mrs Malfoy now" she said displaying her elegant white gold diamond encrusted wedding ring. James gave a low whistle as he saw the expensive ring. It was nothing to the green emerald engagement ring though
"Well I'm Mrs Potter now" said Lily. Narcissa looked disbelievingly at James. He nodded to say she was not joking. Narcissa knew that Lily finally went out with James (after much begging on James' part) in the seventh year. But for most of their life Lily had hated James and other students had put on huge bets that there courtship would not last. Obviously they were all wrong. Narcissa looked at the baby on Lily's lap who was looking at Draco.
"This is our son Harry" said James
"He looks like you," she said to James "but he has-"
"-Lily's eyes" yeah every one says that"
Narcissa seemed a little more comftorble talking to Lily and James now. Even after her strict pureblood childhood and life she did not mind talking civilly with Lily.
Narcissa went to her pram and took out Draco; she placed him on her lap and began feeding him bits of ice cream again.
"How old is he?" asked Lily
"Eighteen months" Narcissa replied
"A month older than Harry, they should be in Hogwarts together when they're eleven, who knows they may be friends"
Narcissa somehow doubted this very much and also doubted very much that Lucius would share their point of view.
Narcissa had spent the afternoon talking with the Potters. How they had changed since school. James was no longer the bigheaded prat he used to be and Lily was no longer a silly schoolgirl. For some reason Narcissa felt that she was still the naïve sixteen-year-old girl who held grudges against old enemies. Yes she had a son, and she was married. She was also the perfect image of a young married, pureblood wife. But had she grown up mentally.
When Narcissa arrived home she realised Lucius had been true to his word, he was not at home and had dissaparated a little while after she left (according to the house-elves.)
Narcissa put Draco in his crib for a nap and she changed out of her smart suit into a soft summer dress patterned with roses. She remembered something.
"Dobby" Narcissa said quietly so not to wake Draco
A little elf appeared with a crack in the air.
"Yes Missis Malfoy"
"I would like you to cut some white roses from the rose garden for me and put them in the conservatory, I've been wanting some in their for a while, I just remembered"
"Yes Missis, certainly Missis" the elf disapparated immediately. Narcissa bent over the crib and kissed her baby son. He stirred and then continued his soft breathing in his sleep.
Narcissa sat down on a soft armchair by his crib and began to read a book she had started a few days ago. A romance novel, Lucius banned her from reading them, saying they were ridiculous fantasies and would rot her brain. So Narcissa took to reading them when he left the house instead, it was less trouble.
The door bashed open, Narcissa was woken with a start. She realised she had fallen asleep while reading her book by the crib. Narcissa looked up. There in the doorway was Lucius but as Narcissa had never seen him before. His long blonde hair was out of place and messy, his eyes were hysterical. He had gone paler than usual with a look of fear. His knuckles were white from gripping tightly on his wand. He was wearing a long black cloak that Narcissa had never seen him wear before. In his other hand he held a white mask…he was dressed in Death Eaters' attire.
"Narcissa he's gone he's gone!" he yelled loudly. Draco stirred in his crib making a disturbed noise. The last thing Narcissa and Lucius needed was for him to start crying now. So Narcissa hurried him out of the room with her behind him. She closed the door firmly behind them. Narcissa pushed Lucius into the other room. It was strange; usually Lucius was the one pushing Narcissa around. But now the tables had turned. Narcissa shut the door.
"Now whats happened Lucius?"
"The Dark Lord has been vanquished!" he yelled hysterically
"What? When? How?"
"I don't know he arrived at the Potters house and-"
"The Potters"
"Yes, Potter and that Mudblood Evans from Hogwarts, they got married. Anyway the Dark Lord went there tonight to kill them."
"Kill them? Then what happened"
"I don't know, I was somewhere else, the pain struck me, as it struck all of us?"
"Pain?"
"YES PAIN NARCISSA" and Lucius dropped his mask to the floor and pulled the sleeve of his robes up to reveal the dark mark. Narcissa gasped. She always knew it was there, she knew what her husband was. But Narcissa had never seen it for her own eyes. The way it shone black. Like a horrible burn covered in ash.
Suddenly there was a loud CRACK! And then another CRACK!"
Bellatrix and Rudolphus appeared, both in the same distress as Lucius was.
"Bella, Rudolphus, what on earth has-"
"Oh Cissy, Cissy he's gone he's gone" she was positively in tears as she bounded forward and wrapped her arms around her sister
"I know, Bellatrix do you know how it happened?"
"Only that the Dark Lord went to kill the Potters, he killed Evans and Potter but not their son, something happened some sort of shield. It went back on the Dark Lord and he went" Bellatrix cried out
"How do you know this"
Bellatrix shook her head with tears. Rudolphus answered for his wife
"We were outside the house, when we felt the pain and saw the dreadfully bright green light. Brighter than the killing curse itself shines. We ran inside the house. Potter and Evans were both dead but the baby was alive, crying but alive."
"It had a strange scar on its head" Bellatrix managed to say.
"He killed Lil…er Evans and Potter then?" Narcissa said wide-eyed
"Yes, but why so shocked, they were a mudblood and a blood traitor, working against the Dark Lord, we wanted them dead"
"I know it's just that…well I saw them in Diagon Alley today, both alive and well with their son…and now they're dead" Bellatrix rolled her eyes at Narcissa's comment and then continued to cry into Rudolphus' chest. "More importantly what are you going to do, Lucius, Bella, Rudolphus? The ministry will be rounding you lot up"
"I don't know" Bella said tearfully, we're all going to die in Azkaban I know it"
"Calm down Bella" said Rudolphus harshly "Whats going to happen to us all?"
"I suppose we will have a court case, we'll say we were under the Imperious curse, that we had no control over our actions. The ministry feel it basic wizarding rights not to give every witness and criminal veritaserum. I think the rule is ridiculous but I must say, I am thankful for it now" said Lucius "Besides I'm sure money will talk"
"That's alright for you Lucius" said Rudolphus sadly "but Bellatrix and I are well know Death Eaters, we don't stand a chance. And I have a confession to make to all of you, and Bella." Bellatrix looked apprehensively up at her husband "I'm afraid my money will not speak as, well there is no way of saying this nicely, but the Lestrange wealth is all gone. We are now living off a famous name. We are up to our necks in debt"
"What!" Bellatrix said shocked
"Its true…but even money would not talk for what we shall be convicted for"
"What will you do then?" asked Narcissa
"Well I don't know really. The only thing to do is to go home and spend one last night in the warmth of the Lestrange Mansion. Tomorrow they will take us away"
"Good luck to both of you" said Narcissa, now she was tearful. Narcissa did not want her last remaining sister to be locked up in Azkaban or worse, suffer the dementor's kiss.
Bellatrix wiped her eyes and hugged Narcissa
"Goodbye Cissy, look after me if anything happens"
"I promise Bella" she kissed her sisters cheek. "Goodbye Rudolphus"
"Goodbye Narcissa, Lucius; Good luck"
The Lestranges disapparated.
Lucius began to tear off the Death Eaters cloak and he was heading towards the fireplace
"I have to destroy the evidence" he said angrily. He threw in the mask and the cloak. With his wand he let flames shoot out. He stood back next to Narcissa as they watched the truth burn…