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Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: MC Mondays
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Resurrect Romance
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Chapter 6
Lucius paced around the bedroom. "So, are you honestly saying you have no idea where your big sister is? Your pregnant big sister?"
Penelope silently shook her head.
Lucius stopped his nervous walking and stared at her with shrewd eyes. "Are you lying to me?"
"No. Do you honestly think I'd lie to you when she's pregnant? I was pushing her to talk to you. Why would I advocate her running away?"
He sighed. "Fine. I'm sorry I accused you of doing something so idiotic."
"Did it physically hurt you to apologize to a mere Half-blood?" Penelope asked sarcastically.
"I can admit when I'm in the wrong." Softer, he asked, "Where is she?"
Penelope tilted her head. "You're actually worried about her, aren't you?"
"Of course I am."
"Is it just because it's your child that she's carrying, or is it also because she's Narcissa?"
Lucius thought about whether he should be honest, but at this point, what did he have to lose? And maybe Penelope would be more willing to help him if she knew the depth of his feelings. "I care about Narcissa. I care about Narcissa in a way I've never cared about another woman. Now, are you going to help me find her or not?"
Penelope nodded. She took something out of her pocket. "Here."
Lucius looked down and recognized the neat script. "I thought you said you didn't know anything about Narcissa."
"I said I didn't know where she was. And that's true. She didn't leave a location. I wasn't going to even give you the letter unless I thought you sincerely wanted what was best for her. So, you passed the test. Congratulations. Now read the letter and find my sister and soon to be born niece or nephew."
He glared at her before he turned his attention to the letter.
Dear Penny,
I know you must be scared. I never meant to frighten you this way. It's just... I didn't know what else to do.
Mom and Dad told me something, something that could change everything.
And I need to find out if it's the truth. Although they have no reason to make up such a story...
I don't know what I'm going to do afterwards, but I don't think I'm coming back anytime soon.
Lucius has already began searching for his future wife, and I don't think I can stay and watch as he pledges his life to someone else, someone who can't possibly feel about him the way I do.
It hurts.
I wish I had the courage to tell him how I feel, but I don't. I guess I truly am just a coward.
I'm sorry that I'm leaving you without a proper goodbye. And I'm sorry, but I don't know when I'm going to contact you again.
I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.
And take care of our parents for me. Tell them it isn't their fault. Tell them I love them, and I know they love me. Tell them I'm sorry that instead of facing this head on, I ran away.
I love you always.
Narcissa
"What did she find out?" Lucius asked.
"I don't know. She never told me and our parents haven't told me either."
He sighed. "I guess I'm going to be having another pleasant conversation Edward then."
X
"What did you tell her?" Lucius asked as soon as he entered Edward's office without knocking.
"Do you have an appointment, Mr. Malfoy?" Edward asked, his tone as dispassionate as his spine was stiff.
"I don't have time for this. What did you tell Narcissa? Because whatever it is will provide the clue about where she ran off to. And I know you must want to find her as much as I do."
"Of course I do, but I don't think I have the right to tell you without her permission.'
"This is your oldest daughter. How can I find her if I don't know what she knows? She left to find out the truth. You can see how the two things are connected, right?"
Edward sighed. "You care about my daughter?"
He looked up towards the ceiling. "Again, I'm being asked about my feelings. First Penelope, and now you. I really was hoping to say it for the first time to Narcissa, and I managed to say it without saying the actual words when I talked to Penelope, but if it will get you to tell me..." He looked Edward Clearwater in the eyes. "I love Narcissa Clearwater. Okay. I loved her before the baby. I still love her. And I want nothing more than for us to be a family. I will have to fight my father for it, but now that I know she cares for me, I'll happily fight him. Okay. Now, tell me what I need to know so I can find her. Please!"
Edward smiled.
Lucius was taken aback. He had never seen the man smile, and it made him look ten years younger. Still, that didn't distract him from the situation at hand. "So, are you going to tell me what I need to know? Or are you going to continue playing games?"
"Okay. I had to make sure your feelings were genuine before you knew the truth. Knowing they are will make Narcissa feel better as well."
Lucius impatiently gestured. "And?"
"Narcissa isn't a Clearwater by blood. We adopted her when she wasn't even two."
Lucius swallowed. Some of the letter Narcissa wrote to Penelope made sense now. "Okay. That's big news, but—"
"It gets bigger. Her biological parents are Druella and Cygnus Black."
Lucius blinked. "That would make Andromeda and Bellatrix her sisters."
"Exactly."
"Why would they give her up? Pure-bloods, and especially Blacks, don't believe in adoption."
Edward sighed. "I don't know. I've never understand that myself. But when I saw that little baby—even then, she was beautiful—and we couldn't walk away from her. We didn't have Penelope yet, but we were having trouble conceiving, and we thought we might not be able to have a biological baby, so we took her without much thought. We knew we could love her. And we wanted to love her."
"So, she went to see Druella and Cygnus." He turned to leave, but Edward's voice momentarily halted him.
"Tell Narcissa we love her, and we want her to come home to us."
"She already knows you love her, but I'll tell her the second part," Lucius promised. And he left. He was on a mission, and he would find his future wife if it was the last thing he did.
(Chapter WC: 1,110)