The Eye Of The Gazer
Chapter 10
Narcissa Malfoy's last portrait still hung in her old bedchamber on the wall opposite the turquoise blue bed. This was the only portrait in the unused room, and Narcissa felt lonely sometimes. But she did not ask to be placed elsewhere, for she felt at home here, and for the most part was content with her own company. Furthermore, when visitors called she had their undivided attention, and no one could hear the conversations she had with them. These visitors were fairly frequent: Lucius confided in her often and asked her advice; Bryony came to stare at Narcissa's beauty and chatter about matters both inconsequential and serious; Draco came because he missed her still, and wished to soothe the ache in his heart and remind himself of her.
But Draco had not been for so long now: he had said farewell months ago, and left for a Grand Tour of the continent. However, rumours travelled quickly around the house portraits. Narcissa had two other portraits at Malfoy Manor that she visited when the loneliness became unbearable: a wedding likeness in the Long Gallery with the other Malfoy family portraits, and another painting amongst the collection of miniatures in the dining room. Bedchamber Narcissa had not seen him for herself, but her miniature had told her that Draco had come home again last night: she had seen him emerging, travel weary, from the fireplace.
Narcissa was therefore surprised and a little hurt when her son did not come to see her on his first full day back at home. But two days later, the sound of the bedroom door opening roused her from her reverie, and she turned to see who the visitor might be. Draco entered, but he was not alone. She looked with great curiosity at his companion, for it was a young woman, and Narcissa could feel a strong power emanating from her
The two of them came to stand before her, and Draco spoke: "Hello, Mother. It's good to see you again. I'm back from my Grand Tour."
"So I see, Draco. You look very well." She refrained from enquiring why he had not called on her sooner, as she saw the way he looked at the young woman. Narcissa smiled at her.
"Mother, this is Gabrielle. We plan to marry, and so I brought her to meet you."
Gabrielle tossed her elegant head, and her mane of white-blonde hair shimmered as it moved. "Bonjour, Madame," she said, smiling and curtseying gracefully in a manner that Narcissa recognised as very Beauxbatons. "I am so 'appy to meet you. Draco 'as told me so much about you."
Gabrielle and Narcissa exchanged pleasantries, and then the three of them discussed the couple's wedding plans. The event was to take place in spring, but they had not yet decided whether to marry in England or France. They were to live at Malfoy Manor – Lucius had offered them a suite of rooms for their own exclusive use - but would maintain a French property too, for frequent visits to Gabrielle's family.
As the conversation drew to a natural close, Narcissa turned to Draco, and said to him, "Draco, would you mind if Gabrielle and I had a few words in private? Please indulge your mother's fancy, and leave us alone together for a few minutes."
Draco looked surprised, but left the room readily enough. The two women now regarded each other far more seriously, each scrutinising the other, weighing up the strength of the witch opposite. Each seemed to be waiting for the other to speak first. Finally, Narcissa broke the silence, speaking in French:
"You are part Veela. The power is strong in you, I feel it. Tell me what you see."
Gabrielle replied in French, "I feel the presence of a force greater than both of us. It draws me to you. You carry an artefact of great power. It could destroy us all if it is used in malice or for gain. Yet I feel a disconnection between you and this magical object. This last I do not understand."
"It is because I am dead. The artefact requires a living guardian. No, do not look alarmed, for it has chosen a new guardian already. But she is yet a child, so for now I keep the artefact safe for her, until her time shall come.
"But how much can you see? Can you tell what is this object that I keep hidden? The powers of a Veela are unknown to me."
"I cannot see anything," replied Gabrielle, "I merely feel that you have a uniquely magical object. The disturbance in the flux around you shows that you are its Secret Keeper, but does not reveal to me what you are holding. It does show the peril into which we could all be plunged should the object ever be misused.
"And as you are a Secret Keeper, I trust that your family is unaware of its existence?"
"Draco knows nothing at all. Lucius knows what I hold, for it killed me, and he discovered it with my body when I died; but he is aware of only a fraction of the power of this object. He will not speak of its existence: there are many ties that bind his tongue on this matter.
"But there is one other. Has Draco spoken to you of his sister?"
"His little sister, Bryony? Yes, he plans to take me to see her tomorrow." Gabrielle looked at Narcissa, and a flash of understanding passed between the two women.
"Ah, so it is she," Gabrielle stated simply.
When Gabrielle had gone, Narcissa pondered, wondering if the Subtle Knife possessed powers beyond even her own knowledge gained from the lore of centuries. Could it influence the minds of wizards who were unaware of its existence? For she could not believe that the presence in Malfoy Manor of a young woman in possession of Veela powers was a mere coincidence.
For did not the Knife itself bear the twin images of a Veela?
Bryony Chang did not concentrate very well on her lessons today. Miss Currer knew the reason: her small charge was excited at the thought of seeing her adored brother again, and not only that, but he was to bring with him a French witch who was his fiancée. Jane understood Bryony's impatience and lack of interest in her work, and forbore from chiding her pupil. In the end, she allowed Bryony to draw rather than study, which required less than her full attention, and meant that the child could chatter at the same time about the expected meeting. The conversation was very one-sided, but Bryony was too young and too single-minded to notice Miss Currer's reticence.
For her part, Jane was very ambivalent about encountering young Mr Malfoy once more. Two days ago he had barely given her a second glance, for which she had been extremely grateful. Lucius had told her frequently that she kept her best assets hidden away, and she was glad that she had not decided to alter her outward appearance at Gildenford Hall, for this had meant that in Draco Malfoy's eyes, she had effectively been invisible. But she dreaded him looking at her more carefully, and realising that he had seen her almost naked.
It had taken a great deal of courage to give in to her desire for Lucius, and allow him to make a woman of her. She would never regret it, for he had opened up a whole new world of possibilities for her; she for whom the pleasures of the flesh had previously been a mystery shrouded in whispered rumour. Lucius had obviously not regretted the experience either, for he had persuaded her to pay him a second nocturnal visit, with the promise of more "lessons" from her self-appointed teacher.
It had taken much less courage to visit Malfoy Manor that second time, and Lucius had shown her once more that he understood her body and its secret desires far better than its owner. Jane had been slightly shocked when Lucius' kisses had continued slowly downwards, and he had then used his lips and his tongue on her most intimate parts, for she had never dreamed that anyone could do such a thing; but following her initial exclamation of surprise, when he had asked her if she wished him to stop, blushing deeply Jane had told him no; for the feelings were so pleasurable she never wanted him to stop. Even now, she grew hot thinking of his tongue massaging her to an ecstatic climax, and felt an answering twinge between her legs.
But later that night had followed that embarrassing meeting with Draco, and his joking words, hinting that she was but one of Lucius' many mistresses; and the unspoken words too: that he would also like to have her. Jane did not know how to respond to such badinage, she was unused to such sly, worldly hints, and her instinct was to shy away, and avoid the man who caused such confusion in her mind.
Two o'clock came. Books, parchment, quills and Muggle colouring pens had been tidied away. Bryony had washed her hands to remove the ink, and Jane had inspected the small witch to see that she was clean, neat and presentable. They did not have long to wait before the expected knock on the door. It opened, and in strode the younger Malfoy, accompanied by an elegant young woman with long white-blonde hair. Bryony could not wait, she ran to greet them, and monopolised the attention of both guests with her smiles and her chatter. She presented Mademoiselle Delacour with a drawing she had just made especially for her, a childish but recognisable picture of a colourful bride and groom. Gabrielle was suitably gracious to the proud artist, and kissed her on both cheeks in thanks, delighting Bryony.
For her part, Gabrielle was charmed by Draco's sister, and remarked on the child's difference from her beau. "She is so dark, Draco, but ze rest of your family are all so blonde. And when will I meet 'er muzzer again? I wonder if she will remember me after so much time?"
Draco looked embarrassed. He had not considered meeting Cho Chang because he mainly chose not to think about her at all. He now saw that this could look very odd indeed to his fiancée. However, Gabrielle was no fool, and changed the subject by asking Bryony to take them around the garden, as the weather was so good today.
As the three of them left to go downstairs, not one of them noticed that Jane Currer had once more slipped away unremarked.
Cho was busy in her tiny fitting room at Cho's Chic. Before her, arms held rigidly out from her sides, stood Minerva McGonagall, wearing a calico mock-up of a long tailored jacket, bristling with pins. Cho stood back, critically surveyed her handiwork, and asked the Professor to please turn around slowly. The Head Teacher of Hogwarts complied, her straight back belying her age.
Cho had been a little surprised to see her in the shop, for she remembered her former teacher's own idiosyncratic style, mainly consisting of a variety of green tartan robes; also she was not known to be particularly rich. However, Professor McGonagall had an important position of authority, and a businesslike appearance was expected in these changing times, plus she had recently been awarded a clothing allowance by the governors: so here she was, spending the whole of this year's allowance on one well-styled garment that she hoped would serve her for many years. Acknowledging the Professor's penchant for tartan, Cho had persuaded her to consider a jacket in Rob Roy black and red, as worn by the famous poet Topaz McGonagall, who was her ancestor. Minerva McGonagall had been unsure at first, so attached was she to her familiar green, but Cho had lain a swatch of fabric over her shoulder, and shown the older witch in the mirror how flattering the colour was for her. She had also pointed out that red was one of the Gryffindor House colours, whereas green was a Slytherin colour. These two facts, and Cho's reputation as a designer and tailor, had convinced the Professor, formerly head of Gryffindor, to accept Cho's suggestion.
Cho was just opening her mouth to speak, when there was a knock at the door, and she heard Alan's voice: "Cho, I'm sorry to disturb you, but it's very urgent. Can I open the door?" Cho opened it from the inside, to see Alan standing there with one of the Gildenford Hall house elves by his side, gazing anxiously at Cho with huge green eyes: it was Bryony's nursemaid.
The elf, obviously distressed, spoke immediately: "Oh, Mistress, Nanny has terrible news! Little Miss is hurt, very bad! Little Miss is in hospital, and Nanny is sent to fetch her mother. Mistress must come now!"
Cho's eyes widened in shock, and for a moment she stood there rooted to the spot. But then she recovered, and turned to her customer. Professor McGonagall responded by saying, "Go at once! Now! Clothes can wait!" Cho did not need telling twice, and as she disapparated, the last thing she saw was Alan, the Professor and Nanny all watching her, their faces almost as white as her own.
Notes:
1. The Subtle Knife is borrowed from Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. It was first introduced in Chapter 10 of The Female of the Species, where my version of Pullman's knife is described in more detail.
2. William Topaz McGonagall was a real Scottish poet, famous for his terrible poetry, especially The Tay Bridge Disaster. With a name like Topaz, I just had to make him into a wizard! He wore the Rob Roy tartan at least once for a formal occasion. JKR is believed to have borrowed his name for the professor, so making him her ancestor is quite appropriate.