December 26, 1986

Clarissa Malfoy: Age 4 (born 1982)

Christmas had not gone so well for the Malfoy family, at least not for little Draco. He caught the Wizard's Flu on Christmas Eve and he felt even worse on Christmas Day. On the morning of the 26th, Narcissa ran her little boy to the healer's office for his fever was even higher. This left Lucius in charge of Claire.

The blonde little girl was seated on the floor of her room beside her bed. For Christmas, she received a doll house along with six new dolls, star stickers, and a kiddy salon set. Claire was a little upset, however, because none of her friends could come over to play. She was also a little disappointed because Narcissa told her that she could not paint her own nails.

After she was done playing with her dolls and after she had fully decorated her room with her stars, she went through her nail polish and makeup. She looked at it for a few minutes…very tempted, but Claire was a good little girl and would never disobey her mother. Well, not usually.

There was a knock on Claire's door.

"Come in," said Claire while she continued to examine some eye shadow.

Lucius opened the door and walked into the room.

"Hi daddy," said Claire sweetly.

"Hello," Lucius replied, shutting the door behind him. "Are you enjoying your presents?"

"Yes," said Claire, "I want to play with my salon set though."

Lucius noticed his daughter's face turn to a tiny frown. She had big blue eyes just like Narcissa that widened even further when she was sad. "Can't you just wait until mummy gets home? She and your brother should be back soon."

"But daddy…I'm bored!" Claire stood up and slumped onto her bed. "I can't do my own nails because mummy says that it will make a mess!"

"Floo a friend then." Lucius loved Claire, but was very easily irritated.

"None of my friends are home," the little girl sighed. "Astoria is shopping with her mum, Flora and Hestia are in Germany, and Charlyn has the flu like Draco!"

Lucius frowned. Why did his daughter have to be so adorable when she was sad? "Well, princess, I'm sure that you will figure something out…won't you?"

"Um…" Claire looked down at her presents. She ran her eyes over the cute little gifts for a few moments until she looked back up at her father with a sudden smirk on her face.

Looking puzzled, Lucius questioned her. "What are you thinking, Claire?" His daughter's smirks usually signified a plan.

Clarissa's smirk turned to a bright smile. She stood up, grabbed her mini bottles of nail polish, and giggled. "Pick a colour daddy!"

"Absolutely not, sweetheart," said Lucius as he slowly shook his head.

Claire frowned and her glistening blue eyes grew wider. "But I have been waiting a whole year to play with this!" The little girl walked back over to her bed and sat on the edge. She placed her hands over her eyes and began to cry softly. "All my friends are gone."

Lucius sighed. He wasn't the gushy type. He hated feelings, but he did love his daughter. Actually she was his favourite child—a fact that he would never admit to his family. Lucius placed a hand on her shoulder.

It was clearly an uncomfortable conversation, especially since he was just at a Death Eater meeting last night. How did he go from that to this?

"You see," he began, "only girls...erm…do nails."

"I am a girl, daddy!"

"But I am not, Claire."

"So?"

"So I can't have my nails painted."

"You can wash it off right away!" She wrapped her arms around his waist. "Pweese!"

"Claire-"

"Pweese?"

"Claire-"

"You can wash it off right away!"

"Fine, princess."

Claire let go of Lucius and jumped up and down. "Yay! What colour do you want?" She plopped back down onto the floor and took out all of the bottles.

Lucius sighed again. "Make them blue…just like those eyes of you and your mother."

"Why?" asked Claire.

"Because they always make me give in."