Merlin's beard! I only realised today that it has been 20 days since my last update, and I felt really bad. Mind you, since the date for the Pottermore general release has been postponed, I did consider a boycott on posting, but I figured that would only really hurt me… And also CRINGE at the last chapter. I read it back again and it's probably the worst bit of fanfiction I've written since I was like, 11 *facepalm*.

I hope this is worth the wait, but I fear it's not… I'm just raring to get to the next chapter, hence the shortness of this one. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this!

It was back. The Mark was back.

Lucius had hardly dared to believe it. But it burned and he had no other choice.

It was a fairly unsuspecting evening; the warm June breeze drifted gently across the manor grounds as the sun began to set, turning the sky a stark pink against the blue. Inside the stone walls it was quiet. The only sound that could be heard was from the kitchen, where two house elves murmured to each other whilst going about their evening chores. The owners were taking an early evening together. Narcissa had been sat across from him in the library, draped lazily across the sofa with a letter from their son as Lucius sat in his winged chair by the dying fire, a glass of port in his hand as he watched his wife thoughtfully.

Suddenly, the glass slipped through his loose fingers and smashed on the floor. Droplets of the drink splashed onto the glowing logs, making them hiss and Narcissa looked up in alarm.

Lucius let out a gasp and he unexpectedly clutched his left forearm.

"Lucius?" she asked swiftly. "What is it?"

His eyes were fearful and he stood up, turning to face her completely, the broken glass crunching under his feet as he took one step forward. "It can't be…"

Cissy stood up and strode towards him, reaching for his left hand. She took hold it in her own and brought it up between them, reaching for the sleeve and then pushed it back slowly, her stomach in knots. There, against his soft pale skin, was the inky black mark that only meant one thing. Their eyes were wide and fearful as they looked at one another for a moment.

"Go!" Narcissa said suddenly, panic writhing inside of her. "Go now!"

"Cissy, I-"

"Just go!" she repeated anxiously, letting go of his hand and pushing him towards the door.

He marched with her to the door and turned, pulling her to him in a tight embrace and kissing her lips quickly and passionately. "No matter what happens, I love you," he said defiantly as he pulled away slightly before pulling his arms around her for a moment more. Cissy felt his warm lips press into her hair. Before she had even had a moment to catch her breath he was gone.

His footsteps echoed down the hallway as he coldly ordered one of the house elves to fetch his hooded cloak. Cissy shuddered, remembering the last time he had needed the black Death Eater robes; that night he had returned with magical blood on his hands.

The seconds eventually stretched into minutes and there was nothing Cissy could do but wait. She sat in one of the embroidered chairs resting either side of the great oak doors and gazed blindly at the moving shadows cast by the setting sun. With knuckles pressed to her mouth, he mind began to wonder. What was happening now to Lucius? Images flashed across her mind; Legilimency, the Cruciatus curse, or worse…

The Malfoys hadn't exactly been devout followers during the Dark Lord's absence and had wasted no time in renouncing him, denying any involvement with him and swearing allegiance against him. Lucius wasn't in for a warm welcome.

And what was to happen now that he was back? It seemed unlikely that he'd start up again from where he left off, so how long until the world knew of his return? And how exactly did he return? Narcissa shuddered at the thought of the Dark magic involved for such a task and prayed that Lucius hadn't been witness to it.

And who had returned to the Dark Lord's side again? Snape seemed a safe bet for starters – he was the one most shocked by the fall and logically would be the most eager to join the ranks again. Slowly, her mind turned to her sister. Not that sister, of course, she wasn't a sister at all – she was merely something that had once belonged but turned away from what was right, what was true. At that moment, Cissy thought, Bellatrix would be in her cell in Azkaban feeling the burn of the Mark on her arm and going crazy at the thought of not being able to be at her Master's side; that is, if she hadn't gone mad already.

It had been years since Cissy had seen Bella, and as she sat by the doorway in the cold, draughty manor she remembered her sister's parting words; "He cannot be dead, for he cannot die… he'll be back, mark my words Narcissa, he'll be back…"
She shuddered as gooosebumps appeared across her skin. "Cobbles!" she called out to the house elf suddenly. "Cobbles, bring me a blanket and have one ready for when the master returns, he will be chilly after his journey."

There was a squeak of reply that echoed through the empty halls and she shivered again. She pulled out her wand a muttered "Incendio," pointing at the empty fire grate across the hall and readjusted herself in the chair to await the return of her husband.

What seemed like hours later he stumbled in. Narcissa, who had just been nodding off at last in the same chair, jumped and clutched for her wand in the now dark hallway. The fire had died out and the last few embers were still glowing, sending out small flickers of light.

"Lumos," Cissy muttered and the tip of her wand lit up. She raised it up and saw her husband leaning against the door steps from her, struggling to catch his breath. "Oh Lucius," she whimpered, seeing the agnuish on his face. She dropped her wand and closed the space between them, pulling him into her arms and clasping his head to her shoulder.

"Cissy," he breathed, resting much of his weight on her. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too," she half-laughed nervously, exhaustedly, and stepped back. "I did wonder, perhaps, if I would see you again this evening."

"Cissy, I have to tell you," he whispered anxiously. "I must tell you everything."

She crouched down to pick up her wand and pointed it along the hall. The candles were suddenly lit, throwing a flickering, yellow light across the dark stone features of the house. "He told you to?"

"No," he replied, walking slowly towards their rooms, "but I must tell you anyway. Everything is about to change."

Five minutes later, they were sat in their chamber on the sofa before a roaring fire, a glass of Firewhiskey in Lucius' hand. Narcissa was curled up against his chest, fingering the embroidery on his waistcoat lightly. "So what happened?"

Lucius threw back his drink and shivered. "That's better." He placed the glass on the floor and gently took her hand, resting his other arm across her back. "Where do I begin?"

"The moment you Apparated to him."

Slowly but surely, Lucius told her what he had witnessed; how the Dark Lord really was back and how the presumed dead man Peter Pettigrew had helped him manage it, how he remembered Bella and her husband especially, how he already planned to call upon the Dementors and giants once more… and the Potter boy. The true reason for the Dark Lord's downfall was not the Potter boy, but his mother, his loving, foolish mother that had died for him. Narcissa listened silently as Lucius told all, until finally, he faltered.

"And Potter… he got away."

Cissy sat up and looked at Lucius. "Got away?" she repeated. "How?"

"The Portkey, it took him back to Hogwarts. The Dark Lord was furious; I thought we were all going to die. But by that time Muggles from the village had heard the boy's screams, and a few called out to us from the edge of the graveyard. Of course, we disposed of them, and it helped the Dark Lord's anger to take it out on them, but the chaos that ensued proved problematic for us. After that, we left."

"And the man on the inside, at Hogwarts? Was it Severus?"

Lucius shook his head. "I doubt it. Dumbledore keeps too close an eye on him, as did Moody this year, from what Draco said in his letters at least… I don't know who it was Cissy."

They gazed into the flames in silence for a while and Cissy sank back onto him again.

"What should we do about Draco?" she asked quietly.

He sighed. "We leave him as he is. He can't know too much, that'll look perhaps, ah, suspicious, and Potter will have told Dumbledore by now so things at Hogwarts will be tighter once more and we don't want to blacken our name – others will be far too keen to do that themselves , they need no assistance from us."

She yawned "How long will it be before the Ministry takes up arms?"

"Knowing Fudge, not long. He's writing letters to Dumbledore every other minute, although I can't think why, that man's the worst thing to happen to Hogwarts let alone the Ministry, so anything he says Fudge'll believe I expect."

"Sounds like the Dark Lord's return was far from the one he wanted," Cissy muttered.

Lucius gave a short laugh. "Indeed it was, my dear."

"I'm just glad you're safe again Lucius, I was so worried," she said quietly, her emotions threatening to make the better of her.

"Cissy, I'm okay," he replied soothingly and kissed the top of her head.

She sniffed. "I had all these thoughts running through my mind, all these images…"

"Don't torture yourself," he whispered, stroking her hair. "I'm safe. I'm here Cissy. I'm here."

Thanks again for all your kind reviews, favouriting/subscribing, it's lovely to know that you fans are all out there supporting fan writers like me! Twenty House Points to you all, on me ;)

Also, happy Halloween to you all! I went to a Halloween party over the weekend dressed as Voldemort .I painted myself white and I even had a green plushie snake draped across my shoulders. Like a boss. Any other Potterheads out there go Potter-style? So much respect to you if you did – enjoy the partying/trick-or-treating!