AN: Sorry for the little wait, I meant for this chapter to be finished sooner but I thought I might make it longer than the usual length to make up for the lost time. Also a bit more happens in this chapter than the last couple.

Chapter 34 - Mad woman

"Yes Missis?" Dobby said chirpily "What is it that Dobby should do for Missis Malfoy"

Narcissa put her finger to her lips to tell him to be quiet. Dobby immediately slapped his hands over his mouth.

"Dobby, its very simple" Narcissa whispered. "I want you to keep an eye, I'm going into Lucius' office, make sure nobody comes near while I am in. If they simply go past it do not tell them that I am in there, and if they ask say that I am in the garden. When they go to look for me I want you to quickly warn me so that I can get out…do you understand?" she said slowly.

"Yes Missis, Dobby is quite quite sure"

"Good" Narcissa said standing back up at her normal height.

She immediately walked towards the study, reached her hand out to the handle and turned it.

"Damn, its locked" she frowned. Narcissa pulled out her wand and held it to the lock "Alohamora" she said softly, the door did nothing. Narcissa turned to Dobby who was looking at her smiling in a most infuriating way

"Oh wipe that grin off of your face will you?" Narcissa seethed. Again Dobby slapped his hand over his mouth.

"Where does Lucius keep his key?"

Dobby removed his hands

"Mister Malfoy is keeping his key on his persons at all times!"

"He keeps it with him?" Narcissa said not quite understanding the elf's terrible speech impediment

"Yes Missis, at all times"

"Is there no way to get in without it?" Narcissa said thinking of climbing in through the window from the garden.

"There is but one other way Missis, Mister Malfoy is keeping himself a spare key in the Chinese vase" Dobby said pointing at the large Ming dynasty vase beside the staircase.

Narcissa nodded walked over to the vase and looked down into the dark centre. Something told her it was not a good idea to fish her hand down the vase, especially when she heard the sound of scurrying at the bottom of the vase.

"Accio key" Narcissa said pointing her wand at the vase. There was the small sound of something moving and then nothing. "Damn him" Narcissa said angrily. "Dobby, fetch it" she said signalling to the vase.

"But Missis-" Dobby started his eyes wide and scared. Narcissa rolled her own eyes

"I don't have all day" she said grabbing the elf by one of it's humungous ears and simply chucking into the vase. There was the sound of a painful screech "And keep quiet!!" Narcissa said in a loud whisper. Eventually the elf crawled pitifully out of the vase clutching a key in his left hand, the creature was covered in sores and cuts as it gingerly jumped out onto the floor. He held his shaking hand out to Narcissa, giving her the large brass key.

Narcissa clasped it in her hand and unlocked the door stepping into Lucius' study. She gently closed the door behind her.

The sunlight was streaming into the office in strips through the window blinds. The office walls were a reddish brown mahogany wood, with large intricately designed Persian mats along the herring bone floor. Narcissa looked over the wooden desk, it was neatly covered with books and papers and quills. It was actually a very warm room, it certainly had a lived in feel, but then again so it ought to with the amount of time Lucius spent in it. Narcissa serenely sat on Lucius' seat; it was comfortable, with large green leather pillowing which was attacked to the chair. Narcissa could tell that the large arm rests on the side were at a height that would so perfectly comfort Lucius. Narcissa sat up straight, it was time to work.

Surely there was some clue in this office of what Lucius had been up to, surely something.

Narcissa began opening the drawers in the desk.

There were an assortment of letters, envelopes and files littered through them, but nothing incriminating, or suspicious. She read through letters about business dealings and such…she was sure some of them were illegal but that was of no concern of hers. Narcissa closed the drawers and headed to the book shelves. Like a mad woman she began taking some of the books off of the shelf and shaking them to see if anything fell out. She followed this through with perhaps twenty or so books. One…eventually did show something. As she shook the book a small rectangle fluttered down to her feet, the corner; resting against her shoe. Narcissa frowned and picked up the photograph. It was of Lucius many, many years ago. His hair was shorter, and his face smoother. He stood, smirking, next to a tall slightly older woman with long straight, white blonde hair. The faces of the two were so similar; the silver eyes, the high cheek bones, the pale skin. The woman must have been around 5ft10, taller than Lucius was in the picture and around his current height now.

Narcissa could have sworn she had seen this woman before. She seemed distantly familiar, like somebody you once years ago and remember their face and their voice but not their name or the place. Who was she? Narcissa frowned.

Still, this was nothing to do with the matter at hand; she thought slipping the photograph back into the book without a second thought and continuing to search.

"Narcissa, what do you think you are doing?" came a voice out of no where. Narcissa's heart must have stopped beating momentarily. Instantly she felt as though her body had been dipped in cold sweat. Her hands gripped the book she was holding as she slowly turned around. There was Lucius standing in the door way. Narcissa opened her mouth for some explanation but nothing came out. Her eyes dropped to Lucius' feet where Dobby was hiding behind Lucius' legs looking terrified. Narcissa looked back up at Lucius.

"I…I was just…uh…looking for …uh something to read" Narcissa stuttered.

Lucius frowned

"Something to read…from my study? You can't have read every book in our library could you?" he said with a strange tone. "You must have been rather desperate for something to read to look here" Narcissa gulped, not knowing what to say "And do you always make such a mess when looking for a book?" he said signalling to the room. Narcissa followed his hand. She saw that half the things on his desk were out of place and some falling on the floor. His drawers had papers sticking out of them. The books on the shelves had been put back haphazardly, and Narcissa had only just noticed that some of them had been put back so badly, they had fallen down by the time she turned her back on them. "Are you going to tell me what really happened Narcissa?" Narcissa had no answer. Lucius gave a nod "Very well" he finished.

"What are you doing back?" she burst out "I thought you had gone to work"

"I forgot something" he said casually "Something in my drawer…it might take me a little longer to find now though"

"Right…" Narcissa nodded "I'll…leave you to it then."

"Yes that may be a good idea" Lucius said softly "I'll return to work when I've found it"

"Yes…well" Narcissa started but was unable to finish her sentence. She simply walked out of the study. She began to make her way to the stair case when she looked up. Susan was standing at the top of the staircase, holding Draco's hand, looking down at her, in a sickeningly sympathetic way. It looked like pity. Narcissa blanched. Her servant was pitied her! Had this been a year or two ago, Narcissa would have accepted this pity. But now this woman was not sympathising with her for her ill treatment…but pitying her for being herself.

Narcissa felt her fist clench slightly, when suddenly Draco let go of Susan's hand and ran down the stairs to her

"Mummy, Mummy look what I did" he said ecstatically, his eyes bright as he showed her a notebook in which he had written something. Narcissa took the book and read what her son had written in his childish writing.

"My name is Draco, I am 5 five years old. I like to play with my toys and with my friends."

"Are you proud of me Mummy? Please say you are" he said grinning. Narcissa read the line again and then looked at her son and smiled

"Yes darling, I am very, very proud of you"

Draco grinned wider, looked back up at Susan in glee, he grabbed the book off his mother and ran back to his tutor.

"Mummy I'm going to learn how to write more things for you" he said grabbing Susan's hand and dragging her back up the stairs. Narcissa sighed and looked around. Dobby was standing near her. She seethed grabbing the elf and ran into the drawing room, gripping tight to the struggling creature and slamming the door behind her. She drew out her wand

"Muffliato" she pointed the wand at the door, so that no one would be able to hear her shout. Narcissa turned to Dobby "WHAT DID I ASK YOU TO DO???" she growled at the terrified thing. "TELL ME MY EXACT WORDS!!"

"Dobby was to be keeping an eye out because Missis was going into Mister Malfoy's' office, Dobby was to make sure nobody came near while Missis was in. If they are simply going past it Dobby is not to tell them that Missis Malfoy is in there, and if they ask say that-"

"SO WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME LUCIUS CAME IN!!"

"Missis Malfoy, Dobby wanted to, he really did. But Miss Susan Shard asked Dobby to fetch something so Dobby had to stop keeping watch…then when Dobby came back downstairs, he saw Mister Malfoy was going into the study."

Narcissa paused

"She called you away from your duties? You chose to follow her rule over your own mistress'?"

"Missis Malfoy, Dobby is most terribly sorry" the elf wailed "Mister Malfoy was telling Dobby to follow what Miss Susan Shard ordered too, Dobby was stuck between two orders Missis"

"SO YOU CHOSE HERS???"

"Dobby so wishes he had not chosen Miss Susan Shard's order now Missis, Dobby is heart brokenly sorry. Dobby thought that perhaps if he quickly went away then he could come back. Dobby never ever thought Mister Malfoy would have returned….or else Dobby would never have left his post."

Narcissa's eyes raged in anger, she felt her self shaking with fury and let out a terrible kick which sent the elf flying across the room. The creature squealed, and Narcissa ran after it, grabbed it by the ear, before opening the lid of the piano and crushing the elf inside it, onto the strings.

"NEVER EVER DISOBEY ME AGAIN SHE SAID DROPPING THE LID"

Narcissa could hear the creature crying inside the piano.

She sighed then left the room running up the main staircase to Draco's nursery where his lessons were taking place. She barged in when Draco was trying to read something

"The…cat….sat…on…the-" he looked up at his Mother. Susan's eyes looked up and met hers.

"Hello Mummy" Draco said pleasantly "Have you come to hear me read?"

"Not right now Dragon…Miss Shard, will you step outside please?"

"Right now?" Susan said softly

"Yes right now, right this second" she nodded

Susan looked down at Draco then stood up and walked across the room and out the door. Narcissa shut the door behind them.

"Yes Narcissa" said Susan calmly

Narcissa's mouth twitched at the use of her first name

"Did you have something to do with my husband's early return Miss Shard?

"No…of course not" the woman frowned

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes…quite sure" Susan said with a slight laugh

Narcissa raised an eyebrow, was this woman mocking her

"Don't laugh at me!" Narcissa said pointing a finger in front of Susan's face

"I wasn't…I…Narcissa is there something the matter?"

"You bloody well know something is the matter!!" Narcissa said quickly in a low voice "You think I don't know what you're up to??"

"I really don't know what you're talking about" Susan said shaking her head and turning away. Narcissa grabbed Susan's arm

"Don't you dare look away from me when I'm speaking to you! You little-"

"Narcissa enough" said a woman's voice from behind her and two hands clamped over her arms. Narcissa glanced round to see Francesca.

"Frankie??" Narcissa said hysterically "What are you-"

Somebody unclamped Narcissa's hand from Susan's arm.

"Alexia?" Narcissa said looking at her brunette friend.

"Go back to work" Alexia said to Susan "We'll handle her"

Susan looked at Narcissa for a moment and then back at Alexia, she nodded and went back into the nursery.

Narcissa stood still shaking in her friend's grip.

"What are you lot doing here?" she said noticing also that Myra was with them. Narcissa tugged away from Francesca to face them "Didn't I tell you I would meet you at half past one? Did you not get my owl?"

"We got your owl" Myra said "But Alexia thought that there might be something wrong and it would be wise to check on you first…quite frankly I'm glad we did"

Frankie nodded

"Let's take this downstairs, and discuss it in more comfort" she said turning and leading the group down the staircase

"Narcissa…are you feeling alright?" Myra said taking a tea cup from a, rather bruised Dobby's, tray, after having heard Narcissa tell them what happened.

"Yes I'm feeling fine" Narcissa said coolly

"Mhm, it doesn't seem that way" Frankie shook her head "You've gone positively mad"

"Nonsense" Narcissa said rolling her eyes.

Francesca turned and grabbed Narcissa's cup out of her hand, pulled her out of her chair and pushed her towards a large mirror "Look at yourself…is that not a face of a mad woman?"

Narcissa looked, her usually neat face seemed terribly untidy. Her perfect white skin was flushed and blotchy, her eyes wide, and smeared slightly with eye liner. Her silky blonde hair was messy and sticking up out of place. Narcissa felt her hands shaking

"I'm not mad, I tell you! I know things! I can tell certain things that are happening which the rest of you are too blind to see" she said calmly looking at her face in the mirror.

"Cissy…these accusations are quite unfounded…you cannot accuse people of such things with so little proof"

"I'm trying to find proof so that the rest of you start to believe me! I will succeed, you mark my words. I shall prove something to you!!"

"Prove what exactly? That you're a raving lunatic who deserves to be locked up in St. Mungo's?" Francesca said shaking her

"Frankie really…" Alexia said disapprovingly

"This is your doing Frankie" Myra said "You put these ridiculous notions into poor Cissy's head, now look what you've done"

"I never meant for it to go this far…I thought she should be aware of what the situation might be…how was I supposed to know she'd turn out like this.

"No…thank you Frankie…I'm glad you opened my eyes. Who knows, had I been less aware, Susan may have been more obvious with her secrets. Then the situation would be so difficult to manage" Narcissa explained

"Narcissa…you cannot attack your staff" Alexia said shaking her head

"If you're so very worried then dismiss the woman" Myra said simply

"No…Lucius would be suspicious…I must find it out myself…then talk to him about it…I need proof that's all" Narcissa said sitting back down in the arm chair.

Francesca lit a cigarette

"Alexia…go up to that woman, tell her she's may leave early today…I really don't think it's a good idea to leave Cissy alone with her"

Narcissa eyed Francesca angrily

"And what about tomorrow?" Myra asked "Is the tutor only to return while someone is here to watch Cissy"

"I'll talk to Lucius about this" Francesca said after exhaling a small cloud of smoke.

"Oh no, you won't" Narcissa said looking up at Francesca "Don't you dare tell him I attacked the tutor…or that I was searching his office for evidence…if you do I shall never speak to you again."

"Narcissa, my hand on my heart, I promise I will simply tell Lucius that you dislike the tutor a great deal and we have no idea why…then he may ask you and you may ask him questions about her, back" Frankie nodded "Is that alright"

"Myra…Alexia…go with her when she does" Narcissa said looking away

"You've become bitter with this Cissy…where is the friend I once knew?"

Narcissa said nothing.

"I think we better leave her now" Alexia said "Come Frankie…Myra…lets go…I'll speak to the tutor before I leave. Goodbye Cissy"

"Goodbye Cissa"

"Cissy….goodbye"

Her friends said their farewells without a response from Narcissa

"I suppose we'll see ourselves out then" Myra nodded.

Narcissa listened to the women leave. She heard Alexia leave with Susan in toe, chatting about amiable things such as the weather.

Narcissa sat in her chair, glaring out the window.

Oh how she would prove it…then they will see.