I awoke the next morning in a euphoric mood at eight sharp and prepared to take a visit to my parent's house. If I was lucky, they might still be asleep, and I could sneak in and sneak out.
As soon as I opened the door, I was greeted by a wide-eyed house elf who was holding a basket of laundry in one hand and a frying pan in the other.
"Young mistress is home early from Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" it squeaked in a most unappealing tone that grated my ears.
I quickly shushed the elf and hissed, "Yes, and my visit will go unnoticed by my parents. Understand? I'm just here to get a dress, and then I'll be on my way."
The revolting little elf just nodded nervously and left me to sneak up the stairs to find my room. I heard footsteps just as I walked into my room. I had to hide, but where?
I decided to hide in my never ending closet, that way I could continue my search and apparate to Hogsmeade as soon as the culprit left my room.
I soon found out who had invaded my sleeping chamber. It was my mother; she was sifting through some of my perfumes on my vanity and decided on a small, pale bottle that I vaguely remembered smelled like sweet fruit. As soon as she left, I found the dress I wanted and apparated out of the house and into the crowded streets of Hogsmeade.
I made my way swiftly back to the castle by ten, just enough time to take a cool shower, eat some lunch, and do my hair, etc. . .
When I was finished, I admired myself in the full length mirror next to my bed.
I looked good for someone only eleven. My dress was a pale blue color, like the color of the perfume bottle my mother had borrowed, with matching colored robes. The hem stopped right above my knee. Lucius had informed me that it would be held primarily outside, and I wouldn't have a heat stroke in front of so many important socialites.
My hair was cascading gloriously down by back and stopped right at the end of my back. My eyes matched my dress perfectly, a dark blue contrasting with a pastel blue, brilliant.
I waked down to the corridor where Lucius was supposed to be meeting me. He invited another group of Slytherin, consisting of Goyle, Crabbe, McNair, and a few others I hadn't bothered to meet.
I stepped into the dim green light of the Common Room and was met with a few familiar faces. Apparently I was the last one down, but I didn't exactly feel too bad about it. It allowed me to give a grander entrance, and at least I wouldn't have to wait for any stragglers.
I finally reached the bottom of the stairs, blissfully aware of the appreciative glances I received from my classmates. Lucius was in the armchair nearest the fire. I couldn't really blame him either, the Slytherin Common Room was probably the coldest place in the castle.
He gave me a smile I gratefully returned and got up to escort our group to Hogsmeade. Lucius and I walked arm in arm in front as everyone followed along behind us, whispering cruel things amongst themselves about who knows what.
We finally came across a large carriage being pulled by imperial thestrals. I seemed to be one of the only ones who could see them, along with Lucius, McNair, and a few other Slytherins I didn't know. I entered the carriage first, followed by Lucius, and then Goyle, Crabbe, and then finally the stragglers.
The carriage was much larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside. I let out a sigh and decided to strike up conversation, "So, how long will the ride to the portkey be?"
"Not very long. About a half hour," he answered.
Oh my, a half hour? I leaned my head on the window to my right of me and propped my legs up in the seat across from me. If I was going to be shut up in a carriage with eight other people, I was going to do it comfortably.
Lucius saw how comfortable I had already made myself and laughed, to my irritation. I prefer not to be laughed at, even if it is just a little jesting fun.
He didn't seem as enthused as everyone else around us, but I decided I would ask about it later when he wasn't surrounded by his followers. After all, Lucius and I know had a prominent friendship, I didn't want to ruin it.
I may only be eleven, but my older sisters explained to me at the tender age of six about a person's social status and when the appropriate times to talk were. They had also assured me that I could talk to anyone I pleased because of our blood and social status but only to those worthy of having my attention.
Lucius seemed to notice that he wasn't as jubilant as he should be and shot me an uncharacteristic smile, not one of his feigned expressions.
Growing bored of inane chatter, I returned my views to the people around me. I recognized Violet Parkinson, sitting smugly across from Lucius, a fake smile plaster on her face as she tried not to show how fuming she was that I was sitting next to her boyfriend and that she was sitting next to Goyle, who was boisterously chomping away at cauldron cakes.
I was looking around when suddenly I realized what had been planned for this weekend.
The Dark Lord's meeting!
Lucius saw the now distressing look on my face, as did a few others that had said nothing the whole trip so far. I wanted to remind him, but wasn't sure if he wanted the current company hearing about this particular conversation.
"Cissa, are you okay? What's wrong?" he asked, drawing away the rest of everyone else's attention if they had not already been collusively listening.
I leaned into him and whispered what I had remembered into his ear to where no one else could hear me. His face was blank for a moment but hastily returned to his blase manner. By now everyone around us had a vexed look on their faces.
He returned the whisper inaudibly, "We'll leave early tonight. I'll find a way to sneak us out, and we'll meet Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Evan, and Aaron outside of the Hog's Head."
I pulled back and gave him a wary look, but finished with a smile. At least he could figure things out on a whim. I knew one thing for sure, if we missed the Dark Lord's meeting, not only would we be pelted with questions by a livid Bella, but I would dread having to explain that we missed the meeting for a party. They would scalp us both.
We kept the conversation at a light level that I thought was perfect considering Lucius didn't even want the party. Violet continued to shoot daggers at me whenever possible. She really hated me, and I had only known her hardly two days! When I asked Bella about her that afternoon, she said that Violet had never been overlooked by someone younger than her before, whatever that means.
The carriage stopped, and I looked out of the window. We had stopped in front The Ministry of Magic, of all places.
"The Ministry of Magic?" I inquired once he had helped me out of the carriage, careful not to let me trip on the last steep step.
"Yes, my father has business here today and wanted to meet you all first," he replied, leading us into the building.
We walked in the building, and at once I noticed that it would look quite odd for a group of first and second years to be walking into the Ministry of Magic unaccompanied. I watched Lucius walk. He walked with a strut exactly like his father. His father was a rather intimidating man; it wouldn't surprise me if he grew up like his father. I'll have to see a change to that.
"Welcome, young Mr. Malfoy. Are these all of them?" she asked curiously, surveying us with a sweet look on her face at the sight of how close we were standing, which I'm pretty sure was too close for just being best friends.
He nodded nonchalantly with a bored look on his face, "When will my father be finished with his meeting?"
"Soon enough. He doesn't even want to be there, so he'll probably be leaving early," she said.
Lucius and I shared a conspiring look. We both knew that the center topic of his meetings was probably rights for protecting muggles from loathsome wizards and witches with murder on their minds.
We decided to wait in Diagon Alley when his father's secretary informed us that he would be occupied for the next half hour. Goyle and Crabbe went off into some sweet shop, McNair and his lot went off to survey the new line of brooms, while Lucius, Violet, and I stalked off to Knockturn Alley for some tea.
We sat down at one of the newest additions to the damask alley. It was rather quaint with its outside tables and dim lights strategically placed in each window. We sipped our cups in silence for the next half hour, not uttering a word except to comment on the shoppers who passed by with random and strange trinkets. Finally, we departed in search to find the rest of the group who was expected to meet his father.
We walked through the entrance of the Ministry of Magic once again and waited for the secretary to announce his presence. She took her time noticing us, to Lucius' annoyance. After a few more minutes of waiting, she let us go up to see him.
Walking into the elevator, owls flew high around our heads with messages tied to their claws. We came upon a door with 'Abraxas Malfoy' engraved in a gold nameplate hanging on it.
Lucius knocked on the door. When no one answered, he tentatively pushed open the door, only to find an unoccupied, very large, office bedecked in black and silver.
He cursed under his breath. Apparently this wasn't the first time that his father had left without acknowledgment. He turned to us and plotted deep inside his mind.
"Who can apparate?" he asked suddenly.
"I can," I replied in a hopeful voice. I looked around and saw that only McNair and an unnameable had raised their hand.
"Okay, everyone else will arrive in the carriage at around four. McNair, you side apparate with Coddington and I'm going side apparate with Cissa," he explained in a haste.
Lucius put an arm around my shoulder and I instantly felt a pull under my navel, followed by blurred vision. Before I knew what was happening, we landed in front of Malfoy Manor, shortly followed by McNair and Coddington.
He lead us up the narrow path to his greenhouse where the party would mainly be taking place. I looked around and saw some of society's most prestigious matrons and patrons. They sat at the lace decked tables, women gabbing away at the latest gossip while men discussed politics.
Not far off, I could see my own parents conversing with the Lestranges, our neighbors down the lane of about half a millennium. My mother was talking with Mrs. Lestrange while my father was talking with her husband with an unusually gleeful expression on his face, almost a smile. My father never smiles in public.
"Would you like to meet my father?" he asked.
"Of course," I replied a little shocked. I heard he was an intimidating man, but I had never personally met him. Of course I had seen him at my family's parties but never had I been introduced to him.
He lead me through gaggles of society women who stared after us and walked away, probably to find my mother and inquire why I was with Lucius Malfoy, of all people at his party.
We walked through corridor after corridor until we came across a massive mahogany door with ivory serpents encrusted into the handles of the door.
Lucius cautiously knocked at the door, earning a gruff 'come in' from his father sitting on the other side of the colossal door. He opened it and motioned for me to step in, and he soon followed in suit.
His father looked up from his paperwork he was working on. That's when I got a good look at him; he had blonde hair that was slightly tinted with a few silver hairs near his temples, stormy grey eyes, and a sharp, pointed face.
"Yes, what is it?" he asked, curiously eyeing me over. I can only imagine what jumble of thoughts were going through that ancient head of his.
"You requested my presence to tell you who I have invited," he replied in a respectful voice.
Abraxas Malfoy nodded his head in an approving way before he continued, "And this is?"
"Narcissa Black, daughter of Cygnus and Druella nee Rosier Black," I replied in a tone matching Lucius'.
He stood from his desk and walked around to fully face us without anything obscuring his view. I lowered myself into a dangerously low curtsey. When I came back up, I held my hand out for a formal handshake. Abraxas seemed slightly taken aback before shaking my hand. Obviously, no one had ever dared request his hand in such an informal manner, nonetheless and eleven year old.
"How is school going Ms. Black?" he inquired in his normal haughty voice.
"I have adjusted just fine. Thank you for your interest," I retorted with a sincere smile.
I thought people said he was eerily imposing.
"Now, Lucius, I would like to discuss who you have invited," he said turning to Lucius. I took this as my place to exit. I bid my goodbye to Abraxas and walked passed Lucius with a reassuring smile. It seemed to take off some of the pressure from his face, though he still looked tense.
I shut the door with a quiet snap and made my way down the labyrinth of hallways. It was going fine until I came to the second floor. I looked for the staircase but couldn't find it wherever I looked.
I felt hopeless until I found a portrait of a slender blonde nonchalantly stitching a pillow. She looked serene and peaceful; I was unsure of whether I should bother her or not.
I decided to ask her since I had no chance of making it out on my own. When I walked over, she just kept on stitching and stitching until finally I had to clear my throat to catch her attention.
She looked up at me, started. I looked at her more closely and noticed that she had blue-silver eyes.
What a beautiful combination of colors.
"I was wondering if you could direct me in the direction of the nearest staircase to the first floor," I asked in a polite manner.
"And just who are you?" she asked in a wary tone. Her eyes darted to the next portrait down the hall of a man that had a striking resemblance to Abraxas and Lucius. He must be Lucius' grandfather.
"I'm Narcissa Black. My father is Cygnus Black," I replied in the same civilized tone, my smile never faltering.
Just as I finished my thought, the man from the portrait down the hall barged into her portrait. In his haste, he nearly knocked the pillow out of her dainty hands.
"Oh, hello, Brutus," she greeted the intruding guest. He silenced her with the flick of his large hand, and proceeded with surveying me just as Abraxas had.
"Penelope, who is this?" he asked the blonde woman suddenly.
"This is Narcissa Black. Her father is Cygnus, I believe," she replied in a soft voice.
He scoffed at this, "She looks nothing like a Black. She is pale, blonde, and her eyes blue. I remember Cygnus; he resembles a Black: dark hair, dark eyes, mischievous. I do believe they had two other daughter, Bellatrix and Andromeda. I don't recall a third daughter."
"Brutus, she is indeed a Black. She just takes after her grandfather Pollux. You do remember Pollux don't you. He married Irma Crabbe. They Cygnus and Walburga," she corrected knowingly.
"Walburga, how could anyone forget her? She was always so loud but always proud enough of her blood status, I'll give her that," he returned.
I had to laugh at this; Aunt Walburga was very outspoken, preaching of blood purity. This seemed to draw their attention. They had apparently forgotten I was here since they freely conversed among themselves.
"Aunt Walburga is quite a character. Although, I really do think that she means well," I said in a pleasant voice, "and I was born 1955, only a year after Lucius was born."
"So you know Lucius?" Brutus asked in a now curious voice. It was quite a relief from his disdainful voice he had been previously using.
"Of course, I met him at the beginning of first semester at Hogwarts," I replied with my smile still, to my amazement, plastered on my face.
I was aware that it was now getting dark and the party would start wondering where Lucius had gone off to, but I went into pristine detail about what had happened to me since the beginning of Hogwarts, anyway.
"Good, that Potter boy deserved to have some sense knocked into him," he said with a quite amused expression on his face. Penelope seemed to be amused as well, but hid her smile behind her hand.
"Bellatrix said the exact same thing," I replied with a cheery tone of voice and a smile to match it.
"Narcissa, dear, don't you want to get back to the party?" Penelope asked after we lapsed into a moment of silence.
"I could stand a few more hours without listening to the mindless babble of Pureblood women talking of the newest fashion in France or whatever they talk about. I would much rather prefer to talk to interesting people, such as you two," I told them, unsettling myself from the chair I had previously made myself comfortable in.
Brutus found this comical, but Penelope seemed slightly offended by this remark.
"I'd much rather prefer talk of politics with the patrons of society," I told them honestly.
"Why is that?" Brutus asked in a dignified tone.
"Politics are interesting; they actually affect people; whereas, I would rather have crystal balls shoved down my throat than have to carry a conversation on which fabric is more extravagant, silk or chiffon," I exaggerated with wide hand motions.
Just as Penelope was going to riposte, Lucius hastened down the hall at the sound of my voice.
"There you are, Cissa. I've been looking everywhere for you," he said, catching his breath.
"Hello, Lucius," Brutus said coldly with a sneer.
"Grandfather, grandmother," Lucius replied with his own sneer and a stiff nod of the head.
"Are you still courting with that pug-faced Parkinson girl?" Penelope asked in a spiteful manner, her lip curling at the mention of the name 'Parkinson'.
"Yes, I happen to still be courting Miss Parkinson," he replied cooly.
"Well, Violet will probably be waiting for us, Lucius," I cut through the snarky comments.
Lucius started walking ahead of me in the opposite direction, discreetly motioning for me to follow. Before I followed, I commented, "Godric knows she would go into cardiac arrest if she knew we were up here alone. Well, that's a Parkinson for you, now isn't it?"
They snickered in the silence as I bid my goodbyes to the both of them and quickened my pace to catch up with Lucius.
We rejoined the party outside and tried our best to ignore the stares we received as we laughed about what I had just told him. I told him everything I had talked about with his grandparents.
"They were truly horrid when they were alive, which is why we sort of ostracized them," he replied when I finished my account of the conversation.
"They seemed lovely to me, especially your grandfather. He may be a little strong-opinioned, but he was cordial enough once he discovered I was a Black," I returned.
"Figures," was all he said before Violet's livid face came into view. Lucius made to turn away before she could see us, but I turned him around before he could go anywhere.
"The best way to handle this is to go head first into the eye of the hurricane, Lucius," I explained with a smirk.
"Fine, but you're coming with me. Just in case she kills me, I want a witness," he retorted with a grimace as we strolled over to Violet.
"Hello, Violet," Lucius said, his words dripping with honey.
"Lucius! Where have you been; no one's seen you all ni-," she started, but then her eyes rested on me, " And you're with Black again."
"Yes, Narcissa and I just went to visit my father," he replied with malice at the referral of my last name.
"Oh, look, I see my mother. Lucius, would you like to meet her since you invited me to your father?" I asked, saving him from the clutches of Violet.
"It's only fair, I suppose," he answered sarcastically.
Before Violet could utter another word, we were already walking over to where my mother stood on the arm of my father, inanely chatting with her socialite friends.
I walked in front of her gabby friends, disregarding them like Bella had taught me. They didn't say anything, just stared at my back with slight disdain.
"Mother, Father, this is Lucius Malfoy, one of my friends from Hogwarts. He graciously invited me to the party tonight," I told them chipperly.
"Nice to meet you, Mister and Misses Black. I have had the . . . pleasure to meet your eldest daughter, Bellatrix," he greeted.
"And you, young Mister Malfoy," my mother replied with a gleam in her eyes. She seemed to have immediately forgotten of her friends, now more focused on the young, blonde boy standing in front of her, standing side by side of her daughter.
The rest of the party went on without a hitch, until it was almost time to leave for the meeting.