So it's been a while… over a month, and I'm sorry it's been so especially delayed! I wrote and re-wrote this chapter to many times, as it was supposed to be the peak of the story, and I had it in my head so good, but what I came up with never quite hit what I wanted it to *insert tragic violin music here*. So anyway, this is what I came up with; hopefully it works for you guys? It's a much darker chapter than any before and I'm not quite sure it flows right… but after spending about 15 hours on writing, rewriting and editing, I ain't doin' no more!
Poor Cissy. Still so much love for Lucissa.

Narcissa paced back and forth, her stomach in knots and hands shaking. They had been gone for two hours now, and there was little time left before the Ministry was bound to call – with her sister an escapee of Azkaban assisting the breakout of her husband, Cissy would be the first person they questioned. The heels of her worn-down boots echoed in the stone hallway of the manor as the eyes of the pale-faced portraits followed her steps. Draco emerged from a doorway to watch her walk, his face pale and drawn. She jumped at his quiet appearance.

"They've been hours," she said frantically, wringing her hands. "How long do they need?"

Draco stared blankly at the flagstone floor, the weeks-old bruise over his eye slowing fading and his lips whispered words his mother could not hear. Everywhere was quiet.

Narcissa, finally tiring of the cold entrance hall, strode towards the great oak doors and flung them open, deeply inhaling the unnaturally cold air. She strutted down the front steps and began pacing up the drive to the gates and back to the door, the gravel crunching underneath her feet as the white peacocks Lucius was so fond of fluttered past. The sound of her steps echoed across the grounds, muffled slightly by the high hedges and looming trees that lined sprawling lawns. The birds in the trees were silent.

Suddenly, without any warning, the air was wrenched by loud cracks all about her and one, short scream. Narcissa whirled around, her robes flying about her, and saw in front of her the crowd of Death Eaters she was now familiar with. Her sister, her magnificent, insane sister, was stood proudly next to the tall, white figure of the Dark Lord whose red eyes pierced through her own pale blue ones. At his feet, in a crumpled heap on the driveway, lay her beloved husband.

"Lucius," she whimpered, dropping her wand at her side and running forwards to him – it had been seven longs months since she had last laid eyes on him. The Death Eaters looked on grimly as she flung herself onto her knees next to him and reached out to cradle his face. She saw his sallow skin stretched tightly over his skull, his grey eyes sunken and hazy and she let out a small cry. "What have they done to you, Lucius?" she whispered, their eyes finally meeting after months apart.

"My dear Narcissa," said a high, cold voice above her. "He has received only the treatment he deserves."

Narcissa looked up, finally registering who it was. "My Lord," she said, looking up at him unashamed of her display. Next to him, Bellatrix looked disgusted.

"Get up from there," the dark sister spat. "You forget your place, Narcissa, you shame yourself!"

"Now now, Bella," the Dark Lord said silkily, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed Narcissa. "She is only attending to her husband. There will be time for formal greetings later." He indicated with a flick of his hand for his followers to enter the manor, waiting until they had walked in to speak once again to her. "Narcissa, where is Draco?" he asked, fingering his wand, his voice cold.

"Inside, my Lord," she replied fearfully, looking up from where she had been examining Lucius' face. "Will you be needing him?"

The Dark Lord smiled dangerously and looked up towards the house. "All in good time."

As he stepped towards the front door, his foot caught under Lucius and kicked him over. Lucius let a quiet cry of pain as the muddied hem of the Lord's robes trailed across his face.

Narcissa waited for the oak doors to swing shut before she turned back to him again. "Oh Lucius, what happened?" she whimpered. His hair, once sleek and soft, hung limp and listless and she could see, even underneath the filthy clothes he had been forced to wear, that he had lost a lot of weight.

His eyes, now in focus, roamed her frantic expression and he reached a thin hand to stroke a strand of hair behind her ear. "Cissy," he whispered as she sat him up and held him in her arms, "Cissy, it's been so long…"

Her head began swimming at the sound of his voice – a sound that had not met her ears in seven long months. Visits had been allowed less and less towards the end of the year. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him tight to her, pressing her cheek against his and letting the tears cascade down her face.

"Cissy, I'm so sorry," he whispered, his voice cracking as his shoulders shook. "I missed you so much. The guards – they did things to us, to the Death Eaters, things I can't even… and him, he's furious with me… I'm so scared, Cissy." All pride was gone from him, all dignity lost in the months in that cell, washed away with the grime and dirt of Azkaban.

They held each other for a few more blissful moments, not caring that they were resting on muddy gravel, not noticing the hazy rain that began to encase the grounds and remained unaware of the watching Bellatrix in the front room, looking at them through the window. Their embrace was only broken by a high-pitched scream that tore them apart.

"Draco," Cissy whispered, terrified. She scrambled to her feet, nearly slipping on the stones and ran back up the drive. She grabbed her wand hastily as she passed where she had dropped it only moments ago and burst into the house. Lucius pushed himself to his feet as quickly as he could, and with the little strength he could muster, stumbled inside after her.

"Draco!" Narcissa called out frantically, bursting into the front room from where the scream seemed to have come. The sight she was greeted with chilled her to the bone. The furniture was shoved carelessly aside and the Death Eaters were arranged in a loose circle around the dark room. In the middle stood the Dark Lord, Draco kneeling at his feet.

"Ah, Narcissa, you've decided to join us," the Dark Lord said pleasantly, his eyes flashing dangerously. "And Lucius too, how delightful."

Narcissa turned to her husband and held him tightly around the waist, keeping him upright. He had little power left.

"Draco and I were just getting reacquainted, weren't we?" the Dark Lord continued and began pacing back and forth in front of him. Some of the Death Eaters laughed shortly. "Why don't you and Lucius join him?"

Cissy guided Lucius into the centre of the circle and stood next to where Draco was kneeling. She saw a single tear fall down his face, and placed a hand on his soft blonde hair. He leant slightly into the comfort of his mother's protection.

"Now let us all be reminded of the feats that this family have conquered in the past year or so," the Dark Lord suggested, looking around the faces of his followers. Those without masks nodded grimly. Bellatrix looked upon the three with mingled fury and disdain next to her beloved master.

"Please, my Lord," Lucius begged. "Have mercy on us…"

"Silence!" the Dark Lord shrieked suddenly, drawing his wand and pointing it at Lucius, who was forced into his knees with a groan. Cissy closed her eyes and rested her other hand on his shoulder. She alone stood between the two kneeling men, knowing there was little she could do to protect them. A sense of foreboding settled across the group.

"That's better," he continued, the white skin of his hand almost matching the bone of his wand. "Now, last year, I asked a simple task of young Draco here," he indicated to the young man before him, "who failed me. My faithful servant Severus had to carry out the deed that was meant for Draco. This displeased your Lord, Draco."

Draco didn't dare look up as the sound of the Dark Lord's spell echoed. "Crucio!"

His yells rang out in the cold room as his body was flung once, twice, thrice into the air and he writhed and screamed in pain. Narcissa and Lucius winced as each scream pierced them like a blade, until the thud of their son's fall to the floor ended their torture. The shock of it nearly knocked Cissy off her feet and she felt her heartbeat race. She twitched, as if to stand in front of her son, but Lucius' hand shot out and grabbed her boot. She remained still.

The Dark Lord looked upon Draco's still body mercilessly. "Yes, Draco, your Lord was greatly displeased."

Draco stirred slightly and pushed himself up on his elbows. "My Lord," he whispered fearfully, not meeting the Dark Lord's eyes, "I never meant to displease you…"

"It matters not," he replied coldly. "You proved yourself of very little value to me, much like your mother years ago. It was not you, nor your mother, however, who disappointed me most." His voice resorted to the dangerous silkiness that was the most terrifying of all and his blood-red stare bore into Lucius.

"Are you going to kill me?" Lucius asked with a whimper, finally daring to look his master in the eye.

"Kill you?" he repeated with a high laugh. "Why, of course not, my slippery friend, for that would be far too easy. Lord Voldemort is not that merciful."

He raised his wand much more, and Lucius prepared himself for the unbearable agony he would have to bear, but it didn't come. Instead, a feeling of weightlessness and relaxation overcame him, and he was only vaguely aware of anyone about him.

Turn to your wife, and put the Cruciatus curse on her. The voice inside his head was cold, clear and familiar. He knew it to be that of his Lord's, and it seemed perfectly logical to obey. From the pocket of his grimy robes he pulled out his wand with the serpent head and turned to Narcissa, pointing it at her. "Crucio," he said simply, and dimly noticed her knees buckle as she cried out.

Stand up and do the spell again – but this time, mean it! Lucius thought the voice was being very reasonable, and obliged. He stood up, albeit shakily, and pointed his wand at the kneeling blonde woman. "CRUCIO!" he shouted, and her whole body was thrown into the air, her screams breaking through the mist that clouded his mind.

This is wrong, said his own voice in the back of his head. That's your wife. That's Narcissa. Stop it, you're hurting her.

Lucius found his hand raised and ready to perform once again, and couldn't stop himself from yelling the spell a third time. Her screeches broke the last of the power that the Dark Lord's spell had over him and he cried out, all haze gone, replaced by terror.

"Narcissa!" He dropped to his knees and reached out to take her hand, doubled over as guilt overpowered him.

"You will watch this!" the Dark Lord screamed, his eyes ablaze as Lucius flung himself at her side. "CRUCIO! CRUCIO! CRUCIO!"

Again, Narcissa's body was thrown into the air and writhed and squirmed and was slammed back down onto the hard wooden floor each time. The Death Eaters in the circle looked uncomfortable as Narcissa's agony pierced them like blades.

"My Lord, please!" Bellatrix said suddenly, turning to her master. She feared for her sister as the blonde Black was smashed back onto the floor again.

He turned to her furiously and sent her back with a Stunning Spell, hardly bothering to waste words on her. She flew backwards and hit stone fireplace, crumpling to the floor in a dark heap in the ashes of the fire that had long burnt out.

The other Death Eaters began to back away from their master as his fury rolled off him. The two Black sisters, at opposite ends of the room, both lay unconscious from their Lord's toxic fury, the Lord who knelt down to face the Malfoy family.

"Look at yourselves," he spat, poison in his voice. "You're nothing but scum." His red eyes flashed and he got up to face his other followers. "Let us leave Lucius and his disgraced family to reflect on what they have done. They are not to be treated as equals, but as the traitors that they are."

The Death Eaters around them nodded stiffly, not looking at the Malfoys but inclining their heads towards their Master.

The Dark Lord put his face very close to Lucius' and grabbed it, forcing Lucius to look at him. "You're worthless to me now, Lucius," he said very quietly. "You're very lucky I didn't kill you tonight, and if you hadn't owned such an accommodating manor I would have already. The Dark Lord forgives those who deserve to be forgiven; sadly for you and your family, you lost that luxury the day you lost me that prophecy." He stared at Lucius for a moment more and then hit his face away before straightening up.
"You're a disgrace, Lucius." Draco looked up, terrified, for a moment and saw the Dark Lord as he spat on his father's robes.

The air was filled with cracks as the assembled Disapparated on the spot, and soon the Malfoys were left alone in the house, Bellatrix still Stunned in the corner.

Draco and Lucius remained trembling beside Narcissa for a long time as she drifted in and out of consciousness, each holding her hand. Not a word was said to the other, despite all the questions that remained unanswered, but there would be a time and a place, and this was not it. Draco had missed his father, they had been on good terms before Lucius' arrest, and he had always looked up to him. Lucius had always been in high places when Draco had been growing up, and always had time for his son – and the money. As a child, Draco had never gone without and it was his father who had helped to teach him how to walk, how to fly and how to brew his first potions. Despite what everyone thought, Lucius loved his son unconditionally, and it was the fear of Draco's prospects after his arrest that kept Lucius concerned the most. He could cope with his fall from favour with the Dark Lord – for that may be temporary anyway – so long as Draco remained well and with good prospects.

"Father," Draco said very quietly after a while. "Father, I'm sorry."

Lucius looked up at him with the same grey eyes that looked back at him, and felt a lump in his throat. "No son, it is I who should be apologising. I let you down." His voice was hollow and ragged as he looked at Draco – his wonderful, perfect Draco.

"You didn't let me down," Draco replied, staring his father in the eye. "You could never let me down."

Lucius opened his mouth to reply, but by the fireplace, Bellatrix was stirring. The pair watched fearfully as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. In amongst the ashes, she found her crooked wand and stood up, not bothering to brush down her dark Death Eater robes. The grey soot stuck to her as she looked around.

"You!" she spat as her gaze landed on the huddled family. "You cost me my position by the Dark Lord's side!" She stormed over to them, brandishing her wand and casting them aside. Narcissa lay motionless still, her eyes shut and arm resting at an awkward angle. Bellatrix crouched down and pointed her wand to her temple. "Rennervate," she muttered, and Cissy's eyes fluttered open.

"Bella," she whispered, looking up at her sister fearfully. "Bella, I'm so sorry, I never meant to…"

"Hush, sister, it is not you that I blame," Bellatrix replied not unkindly, and glared towards Lucius and Draco who were now standing warily near the door. "It is that disgraced husband of yours, and your son who failed to perform the greatest task ever to be assigned to any of us. That boy could have gone down in history, but instead he dishonoured us all."

Narcissa pulled herself up and faced her sister. "Draco is a good man," she began, her voice shaking and eyes flashing. "He doesn't need to kill anyone to prove himself to us, and his soul remains umblenished."

Bellatrix drew herself up and stood over her younger sister furiously. "Fuck his soul, Narcissa, look what's happened!" she exclaimed. "All three of you have been punished and are lucky to live to tell the tale, you stupid wench! You've lost all honour amongst our ranks, with mine swift to follow, thanks to you and your blessed family!" Red sparks flew out of the tip of her wand.

"The fault lies not with them, Bellatrix," Narcissa replied angrily as her strength began returning to her body. The moments with the Dark Lord just passed were a blur to her, already she could only remember the pain, the blinding, flaming pain and Lucius… Lucius standing over her and causing it…

"You're a fool!" Bellatrix shrieked, "and you shall die for it, mark my words! You care too much for your husband and son to see what matters to us – what was always supposed to matter, Cissy!"

"And what was that, Bella?" Narcissa retorted angrily as her sister began pacing furiously.

"Power!" she screeched, suddenly pouncing towards her and grabbing the sides of her arms. "It was always about power!"

Narcissa's arms began throbbing as her sister's hold on them tighten, and she could see up close the deranged look in Bellatrix's eyes; the wild madness that had always existed, only ignited in Azkaban and moulded by the Dark Lord. Narcissa began struggling against her grasp furiously as Bella hissed in her face.

"S-s-stupefy!" shouted a shaky voice from the doorway, and Bellatrix was blown a few feet away from her sister. Draco stood stock-still as if Stunned himself at what he had just attempted to do; he had just attempted to attack not only his aunt, but also the most powerful and skilled Death Eater of them all. Bellatrix's eyes widened, and slowly, her face broke into a smile – a gloriously terrifying smile.

"Draco!" she exclaimed, still smiling as she began to take small steps towards him. He began backing away. "Draco, Draco, Draco. I am impressed you know, trying to take on me. But didn't mummy ever teach you the rules? Never challenge a witch or wizard more powerful than yourself, else you don't stand a chance!"

Suddenly her wand was like a whip and she launched into a full attack, spells leaving the tip continuously and Draco hardly had time to conjure a shield. Her laugh became wild at his desperate struggle and Narcissa darted as quickly as she could to where her wand had been dropped as the Dark Lord attacked her. Draco cried out as a spell hit him and he fell to his knees to the sound of Bellatrix's delirious cackle and her footsteps became more erratic – Narcissa grabbed her wand as Bellatrix raised her own for one final spell and it would all be over and-

"PROTEGO!" roared a voice near Draco, producing a spell so powerful that it knocked Bellatrix off her feet and her wand was knocked out of her hand. Narcissa looked wildly around for the spell that saved her son and saw, shaking and trembling, Lucius, his wand still raised and robes rippling from the aftershocks.

Draco watched his aunt scramble to her feet and look around wildly for her wand, muttering furiously.

"Lucius," Narcissa breathed as she saw all power and energy drain from his face. He dropped to his knees as Bella scrambled up.

"You've made a mess of your life, Cissy, and you'll die for it!" Bellatrix spat as she passed her sister, her robes fluttering about her.

"Go home, Bella," Narcissa said coldly, not caring to glance at her again.

The echoes of her footsteps quietened, as did the sound of her destructive spells on her way out, and Narcissa hurried over to her husband and son, at last.

"My darlings," she murmured, kneeling next to Lucius' tired figure and Draco, who was still shaking. Without saying anything, she wrapped her arms around him and stroked his soft hair until the shakes ceased.

"I think I'll go to bed now," he said meekly, looking to his father who was lying on the floor, and his mother, who watched him with sad eyes.

"Draco, I'm so sorry, for everything," she whispered, hot tears spilling down her cheeks as she thought of all the pain she had caused him. His youth had been stolen from him, his dignity, his home, his family… everything that had once mattered to the Black sisters now dissolved into nothing, meaningless nothing.

He paused by the door. "I know."

She waited until she heard the heavy door to his apartments close to speak once more. "Lucius," she whispered, stroking his hair away from his face. "Lucius, thank you. You saved him."

His eyes fluttered open. "He's our son. There's nothing I wouldn't do for him now. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you." His voice was quiet and weak but his gaze was strong and the hand that grasped hers was firm and secure. She closed her eyes at his touch, and leant down to press her lips against his for the first time in what seemed like a millennia and they finally found a moment of peace in the darkest time of the age.

Miles away, in the place Bellatrix had always called home, a gentleman visited her house. He beat her, tortured her and exhibited his power over her once more, his red eyes flashing as she renounced her loyalty from her family to him solely, at whatever cost.

Thank you all for your wonderful support, I could not continue writing without it! I hope you all have a very happy Christmas, and I send out a metaphorical Molly Weasley-eque Christmas jumper to you all, and a fantastic new year! Your support for this fic over the past 6 months still blows me away. I could not have asked for more – those who voice in reviews or merely favourite and subscribe, it all means a lot!

Also, there will be only a few more chapters of this, so if you want a specific thing covered, mentioned or included, feel free to suggest!

A few of you mentioned doing the Unbreakable Vow, and I considered it, but seeing as JK covered it so magnificently, I felt me doing it would be somewhat of an anti-climax, but thank you for the suggestion :D