Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Harry Potter series.
Losing
Dawn encroached Malfoy Manor not with daybreaks and the promise of sunlight, but with cold mist and the cries of a child. Narcissa sedated her son but could not shield herself from the worry of her sister's whereabouts. So she found her husband, awoken also by Draco, waiting in the morning room and sought distraction. If only she could fall asleep in his arms and forget the nightmares, both real and imagined, of the past month.
"He's sleeping now."
Lucius gazed at his wife with a weary smile. "Then Draco is the lucky one."
Narcissa nodded, sat next to her husband, and tried to close her eyes.
"The Prophet came," Lucius said.
The quietness of his voice startled Narcissa, and she wondered, feared, for a moment that it bore bad news.
Lucius pressed a finger against the frown which had overtaken Narcissa's face. He handed her the paper, explained, "I haven't looked at it."
Narcissa breathed a short sigh of relief. But as she read the front page, her throat tightened.
"Now too may the victors cry."
Narcissa tossed the morning paper to Lucius, and waited.
Lucius yawned; the wee hours spent tending to Draco robbed him of sleep just as thoroughly as had his Dark Mark. But his slack face tensed into a frown as he read the headlines. Over his shoulder, Narcissa saw the flashing photograph of her sister, and then the eerily still capture of the Longbottom Aurors.
"The Longbottoms were found in their home last night tortured beyond capacity... Suspected to be the work of well-known supporters of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange with two possible allies… the Cruciatus Curses performed have incurred devastating effects… Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom have been taken to St. Mungo's…" Lucius paused. "Tortured beyond capacity?"
Narcissa did not look at Lucius.
She merely asked, "Why did she do this?"
"The Dark Lord had made mentions of the Longbottoms in the past. They must have assumed the Longbottoms had information concerning his-"
"Lucius, I did not ask why they did this. I asked only about Bellatrix."
Lucius hesitated, then replied, "Your sister is delusional with grief, Narcissa."
Narcissa became rigid. "She is behaving recklessly because of it."
Reclaiming the Daily Prophet, Narcissa read, "Anyone with information on these persons is asked to owl the Ministry of Magic. Do not approach these suspects. Armed and highly dangerous."
Narcissa sat and begged sleep to overcome her. Instead, a noise from the parlor broke the morning's silence, and Narcissa was forced into awareness.
"Did you hear-"
"Yes, I heard it too."
Lucius stood quickly, a grim line across his face.
"Stay here," he ordered as he hurried from the room.
But Narcissa knew the source of the disturbance, and thus followed her husband into the parlor.
Lucius drew his wand and pointed it at the cloaked figure who stepped from the fireplace. Noticing this, the figure drew his own wand. Behind him, the grate erupted in green flames and a second cloaked figure appeared. This figure, however, did not draw a wand, but stepped from the hearth and lowered the cloak's hood.
"Oh, Merlin," Narcissa whimpered in relief, "You're still alive, Bella."
Bellatrix opened her mouth to reply but stopped as she saw Lucius's defensive stance.
"I knew we'd get a warm welcome," Rodolphus chuckled as he lowered his hood but not his wand.
"Put those away," Narcissa said stiffly.
Lucius complied slowly. Rodolphus complied only at the nod of agreement from his wife.
Bellatrix took a step forward as if to close the gap between herself and her sister, but stopped when she met Narcissa's conflicted look with suspicion.
"Good evening, sister."
"No, sister. Good morning."
Bella laughed, misinterpreting Narcissa's meaning.
"Yes, it is morning," Bella drawled. "I suppose you want me to apologize for intruding?"
"Your unannounced visit is less of an intrusion than the front page of this morning's Prophet."
With a tilt of her head, Bellatrix considered her sister. "Ah," she said, enlightenment dawning over her with a mocking whisper. "Cissy disapproves…"
Disapproval was not what Narcissa felt for her sister, however, as Bellatrix circled her. Though Narcissa warned herself that Bella's temper was surely frayed, Narcissa felt an inadequate fear or apprehension toward Bella. Instead, Narcissa worried for Bella.
"I think it was foolhardy," Narcissa decided.
Bellatrix stopped her pacing and hovered by Narcissa's shoulder.
"Such condescension isn't very nice, Cissy."
Narcissa huffed in frustration. "Do not lecture me about niceties, Bella. Not when your behavior has received you entitlement of the Ministry's Most Wanted."
"An honor!" Bellatrix cackled.
Narcissa remained cold to her sister's jokes.
"If we disagree, Narcissa, don't worry yourself. Rodolphus and I came here just to find a place to sleep for the night, morning."
"No," Lucius said.
Narcissa silently thanked her husband from saving her the grief of having to deny her sister herself.
"No?" Bellatrix turned to her sister.
Lucius spoke again. "No. You dared risk alerting the Ministry of your whereabouts by coming into my house by Floo. I will not have two wanted Death Eaters in my house when Aurors arrive to make inquiries."
Bellatrix, ravaged by exhaustion and raw expanses of unchecked emotions, gave a cry of disbelief.
"Get out," Lucius hissed.
Bellatrix glared furiously at Narcissa.
"You would turn away your own-"
Narcissa exploded with a helpless cry, "You would have me endanger my family, my only son?"
"I am your family!" Bellatrix roared.
Narcissa winced but knew no way to make Bella understand the need to protect a child.
Lucius drew his wand. "Leave."
Bellatrix shrieked incredulously. "You coward."
Lucius pressed his wand into Bellatrix's throat.
"You dare call me a coward," he snarled, "when you yourself are so afraid to face reality."
He grabbed Bellatrix's wrist. Pushing up her sleeve to expose her skin, Lucius forced Bella's empty left forearm in her face.
"The Dark Lord is gone, Bellatrix."
Bellatrix yanked free her arm and spat in her brother-in-law's face.
"Only to those too weak to seek him out."
Lucius, his face several shades of red, repositioned his wand between Bella's burning eyes.
"How do you propose to find him locked in Azkaban?"
Narcissa gasped.
"Lucius, don't."
"Get that out of my face," Bella said, pushing aside Lucius's wand.
Lucius, however, did not waiver. "How, Bella?"
Bellatrix scowled.
"Didn't think about Azkaban, did you?" he continued.
"Prison is nothing if for the service to the Dark Lord."
"Prison is nothing for the service to the Dark Lord either, Bella." Lucius paused. "Reasoning has never been your strong suit, has it? Tell me, Bella, what useful information did the Longbottoms give you? Was your little temper tantrum worth it?"
With a mad cry, Bellatrix launched herself at Lucius's face, claws flailing and face livid.
Lucius pointed his wand and sent Bellatrix flying backwards.
Rodolphus drew his own wand as Bellatrix jumped up with the agility of a feline.
"Stupefy," Bellatrix snarled.
"Protego."
"Expelliarmus."
At Rodolphus's spell, Lucius's wand flew from his hands, and Bellatrix sprung forward.
"Cruci-"
"NO!" Narcissa shouted. Her own wand pointed shakily at Bellatrix. "No, Bella."
Breathing heavily, Bellatrix face was an image of viciousness that startled Narcissa.
Behind Narcissa, Lucius muttered, "You've always been so brilliant at proving points, Bellatrix."
Bellatrix took a step forward, and Narcissa mimicked the action. Bellatrix gave Narcissa a look, as though she had just registered her younger sister's presence. Or as though she was appalled that her younger sister would stand up to her. Bellatrix scoffed at her little sister's audacity.
But Narcissa did not back down. "Put your wand away. I think you've had enough fun with that spell; no need to ruin my husband."
Having been tested in front of both her husband and brother-in-law, Bellatrix was not to cooperate. She gave a small, horrible chuckle and took a step closer to Narcissa. Though almost equal in height, Bellatrix, deranged and armed, towered over Narcissa. With an imperceptible gulp, Narcissa reclaimed her footing. Bella might be angry, maybe even a little mad, but Bella wouldn't fight Cissy.
"He is already ruined," Bellatrix sneered.
Narcissa's blood boiled as Bellatrix looked down upon her as she would a commoner of dirty birth. The present forms of Lucius and Rodolphus vanished with Narcissa's vision.
"Do not talk about my husband."
The statement seemed to hit Bellatrix oddly, for she scoffed quietly, then stepped back to reexamine her sister.
"I see."
Two words, and Narcissa felt her resolve crumble. Bellatrix thought Narcissa was choosing sides. Because Bellatrix dealt only in absolutes and extremes, she didn't understand that Narcissa could harbor devotion to both husband and sister. A part of Narcissa ached to correct this misled thought. A crueler part longed to use Bella's fear to toy with her already thinned emotions.
"You don't see," Narcissa decided, "and that's your undoing."
"You're choosing Lucius over me."
Narcissa shook her head wearily at Bellatrix, forever the petulant child.
"No. No. I'm choosing Lucius over a dead wizard."
Bellatrix clearly did not understand this turn of tongue, for she tried to throw it back in Narcissa's face.
"As the Ministry is well aware."
"Oh, very good, Bella. How astute of you to bring the Ministry of Magic into this argument," Lucius drawled.
"Yes indeed, Lucius. Enjoy their misled mercy while you can. Cower under the protection of your precious Imperius Curse," Bella said. "Woe to those remaining few who have not yet cast aside bravery."
"Listen to this Slytherin queen lecture me on bravery, chastise me for a lack of loyalty." Now Lucius scoffed. "Bravery, loyalty, foolhardiness. Why, dear Bella, you are the very portrait of a perfect Gryffindor."
"Your slick words might keep you under the Ministry's favor, Lucius. But see how forgiving your true master will be when he learns of your treachery."
"Being in the business of treachery, perhaps he'd understand," Lucius replied coolly.
At this taunt, Rodolphus joined his wife in her indignation.
"You've always been a great one to make bold comments when there's no chance of a fight."
"Don't dispel fighting yet, Rod. I'd take this worthless-"
"Not while you still call yourself my sister," Narcissa said. She was beginning to share her husband's wishes that their uninvited guests were gone.
Bellatrix and Rodolphus shared an infuriatingly exclusive glance, as Narcissa looked imploringly to her husband. But Lucius took the sound of Draco waking as an excuse to leave the volatile situation.
"They have to leave. Do not give into her," Lucius ordered before disappearing.
Narcissa heard the distant cry of her son, and suddenly thought of Barty. So young, and so easily manipulated by power to do as Bellatrix wished. And Rabastan, missing too. Surely they were not-
As Bellatrix fumed at Lucius's retreat, Narcissa addressed Rodolphus, who again loomed wearily but not weak in the shadows of his wife.
"Rodolphus," Narcissa spoke, her voice pinched with apprehension. "The Prophet suspected four Death Eaters. Where is your brother? What happened to Barty?"
Rodolphus pulled himself away from the marbled edges of the fireplace upon which he had been leaning. He considered his sister-in-law with a disdainful frown.
At the condescension that lined Rodolphus's mouth, Narcissa hated the whole ungrateful lot of them. She cared only for the safety of her family, longed only for peace of mind, yet they attacked her with contempt.
"We decided to split up," Rodolphus said slowly. His stare questioned Narcissa, as though he doubted her intentions. "We thought it would be the safest way to travel, less noticeable."
How quickly the world turned its favor and fear that Death Eaters who had so recently ruled wherever they travelled were now forced to move in secrecy.
"To travel," Narcissa realized suddenly. She fixed her attention on her sister. "Not far?"
Bellatrix laughed. "Of course we're traveling, seeing how we're not wanted here and the Leaky Cauldron is out of the question."
Bellatrix's joke lacked all qualities of good humor as Narcissa worried about the future safety of her sister, when she might next see Bella.
"You didn't really think we were giving up after the Longbottoms?" Rodolphus scoffed.
Narcissa remained silent; the difference between thoughts and hopes was lost on the Lestranges.
"No, no! Frank and Alice were only the beginning," Bella said. "Just an appetizer, if you will."
Narcissa grimaced, if what the Prophet said was true, she hated to think what would follow such a mess.
"You're disgusting."
"Don't wrinkle your nose at me, Narcissa. We are at war."
"The war is over, Bellatrix!"
"The war will never end," Bella disagreed. Her delight in cruelty which had played upon her face was now replaced by a stony resolution. "The war is not over until we have won."
"Spoken like a true warrior," Narcissa spat bitterly.
Bellatrix didn't flinch. "Thank you."
Narcissa held Bellatrix's stare as misunderstanding mounted between them. Silently, Narcissa begged her sister to undo the past, so that she could face a future in which her sister did not need to hide from the world over which she had once ruled. But after experiencing so much of the past with Bellatrix, how could Narcissa not see it come to something like this. Whatever this was exactly.
Narcissa felt a stab of fear as she wondered if this was goodbye. If Bellatrix would leave Malfoy Manor only to find herself in Azkaban, or worse… But that was silly. Bella couldn't die, and though she was fanatical, she wasn't nearly stupid enough to be captured. Narcissa gazed worriedly at her sister, and willed Bella to understand that she wasn't allowed to leave Narcissa alone in a world with such uncertainty.
"We have to leave," Rodolphus said, taking a pinch of Floo Powder from the mantle.
"The Ministry isn't monitoring the Floo Networks?" Narcissa found herself protesting with reason, something that would never persuade Bella.
Bellatrix shrugged. "They might be. But if we don't give them a few clues, they'll never find us."
She winked at Narcissa, and the danger of the situation became less real. Everything, for that moment, was a game. Bellatrix had that power, to make everything a game.
"Go ahead, Rodolphus, I'm right behind you."
Rodolphus stepped into the fireplace surrounded by swirling tongues and uttered the name of a location unfamiliar to Narcissa.
Bellatrix paused awkwardly as she stared at the spot from where her husband had just vanished. Narcissa stared at the back of her sister.
"I won't be gone that long," Bella said. "Just long enough that the Ministry gives up hope."
"When you find your Dark Lord, you mean."
Bellatrix turned around. "I wasn't going to insult your intelligence, Narcissa."
Narcissa raised an eyebrow.
"Where are you going?"
"South."
Narcissa wondered if she could get away with asking for more details.
Bellatrix's abruptness suggested otherwise.
"We need to travel south. I just have a feeling."
"A feeling?" Narcissa repeated.
Bellatrix nodded. Narcissa drew a shaky breath. Bellatrix rolled her eyes.
"I trust my feelings," she said, a little defensively.
"They're the only things you listen to," Narcissa noted.
A smirk crept into Bella's face.
"How much are they asking for me?"
Narcissa sighed; she could not begrudge her sister indulgence even in their untimely parting.
"10,000 Galleons."
Bella laughed.
"10,000? I'm worth at least twenty."
Narcissa smiled in the wake of her sister's grin.
She said softly, "I wouldn't turn you in for fifty."
"Your loyalty, Cissy, is touching."
"It's for you, Bella."
At this, Bellatrix gave a thankful laugh and cast her sister a weary smile.
"I'll be back before Christmas."
Narcissa could only hope. "Of course."
Bella disappeared with a flash of green flames, and her last promise haunted Narcissa. It was almost December, and victory seemed as far away as the distant warm weather of reassurance. Narcissa shivered, stared into the empty fireplace.
Author's Note: This is neither happy nor prompt as promised, so please forgive me. Summer is close upon us, so perhaps then I shall have more time to devote to fanfiction as I would like. Thank you for your faithful reviews!