Narcissa Malfoy was wearing black again. She hated the colour, just like she hated attending funerals.
All the usual crowd were there; the Malfoys, the Lestranges, the Notts and the Rookwoods, to name just a few. The funeral was much like the others that they had attended, but this time there were some different faces. Among the handful of Blacks that were left Sirius was sitting among them. No-one could really blame him for being there, after all it was his father's funeral.
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"What's that filthy blood traitor doing here?" Bella hissed into her sister's ear. The two women were standing next to each other outside the mausoleum at Ravensden.
"It's his father's funeral" replied Narcissa sagely "you can't really blame him for wanting to attend." The strain of loosing Regalus had been just too much for Orion Black's heart and he had passed away a few days ago. Regalus had still not been found. Narcissa strongly doubted that he ever would be. She broke the news as easily as she possibly could to his parents, simply saying that he had died on a mission. No one else ever needed to know the truth.
"His father wouldn't want him here" Bella retorted snidely.
"Alphard, gave him half his gold you know" Narcissa tried to change the subject. "He's doing very well for himself apparently"
"You mean Uncle Alphard?"
"Not anymore."
"She blasted Alphard off the tapestry then?" Narcissa nodded in reply and Bella continued "Good. The Dark Lord has repeatedly said that we should cut all blood traitors out of our lives" she told her sister sagely.
"Really?" Narcissa feigned interest.
"The Dark Lord has honoured our family most highly, he said that Orion's death was a loss to the wizarding world, loosing a respectable pure blood."
Narcissa turned to see where her husband was. He was standing and talking to Bartimus Crouch, young Barty was standing with them as well. Narcissa thought he looked anxious. Seeing Bella followed her sisters line of view and whispered in her ear "We are taking him to meet the Dark Lord tonight. Barty has been requested into HIS very presence. The greatest privilege."
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Bella's talk of Lord Voldemort was soon cut short as the ceremony started and her sister left to rejoin the Dark Lord as soon as the funeral service was over, skipping the wake completely. However Bella's husband had slightly more respect for deceased relatives and Narcissa soon found herself talking to him in the parlour of Grimmauld Place.
"...and she hasn't been home for twenty seven days now" Rodolphus complained.
"And she's been with him the whole time?" Narcissa queeried.
"She won't willingly leave the Dark Lord's side" he sighed and ran his hands through his hair "I don't know what to do Narcissa. She's making a mockery of our marriage. I understand her dedication to the cause, but this is something else. He's all she can talk about."
"I don't know what to say Rodolphus, she's been obsessed with the Dark Lord since she left school and it's only getting worse."
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Lucius "Your Aunt is looking for you darling" he kissed his wife on the cheek tenderly.
"I'm sorry Rodolphus" Narcissa edged towards her Aunt "promise me you'll come to dinner next week."
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It had been a very long day and Narcissa was glad to retreat to the peace and quiet of home, however when she got there she was unnereved to see that there was somebody waiting for her. "Severus, to what do we owe the pleasure?"
"I'm sorry Narcissa, but I have to impose on you, I need your husband" he turned to address Lucius "he's asking for you."
"I'm sorry darling" Lucius' tone was apologetic "I have to go."
"I understand" she said softly, before dropping her voice so only her husband could hear her "be safe."
With two cracks Narcissa was standing alone in the hallway. She looked down and sighed, absent mindedly rubbing her belly. "Dont worry darling" she whispered "we'll find the time to tell him soon enough."
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It was two days later when Narcissa saw her husband again and by this time she was frantic. She had owled almost every family member, friend and acquaintance that she could think of and nobody had heard from Lucius. Not even Bella knew where he was.
Lucius walked through the door as if nothing had happened. Narcissa barely noticed his blood and gore splattered robes, she just threw herself into his arms. "Where have you been?" She hugged him even tighter "where have you been."
"Don't ask" was his only response, stroking her hair gently.
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Their tender reunion was soon interrupted by a loud knocking on the door "Magical law enforcement. Open up."
She took a deep breath and thought through her options,"Go" she instructed as she kissed his cheek "I'll deal with them."
"I'll be with Rodolphus" he breathed into her ear before dashing towards the fireplace.
Narcissa waited until the last few sparks that betrayed her husband's presence before she opened the door.
"Good evening Madam. We're following up for the second Auror division. Can we come in? "
She didn't reply, but opened the door wider, allowing the blood-traitors who were after her husband into her home. It felt wrong. Very wrong.
"We were hoping to speak with your husband, is Mr Malfoy home?"
"No" she said bluntly "he isn't."
"Do you have any idea when he'll be home?"
"To be frank with you, I don't. My husband is far too cowardly and pig-headed just to come and say that he's sorry. But I'm sure he'll come crawling back sooner or later. "
"Do you know where your husband is?"
"I have a fairly good idea" she sighed "He's with Rodolphus Lestrange"
"At the Lestrange townhouse?"
"It's Doubtful, there's no way Bella would let his sorry carcass stay there, Bellatrix Lestrange is my sister, don't you know" the Law enforcement officer nodded impatiently "well as I was saying. They probably wont be at Bella's. If I were you gentleman, I would start by looking in the Leaky Cauldron and try every bar and pub between there and the bottom of Knockturn Alley. No doubt you'll find my husband in one of them." Now was the time to make the act truely believable "And if you do find him, firstly I would like to apologise for his state. Secondly, if it's not too much trouble, could you return him home. We're expected at the in-law's for lunch tomorrow and I refuse to go alone. My mother in law is a right had you see, never thought I was good enough for her precious boy."
They were quick to cut her off, assuring her that they would bring her husband home to her.
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Nearly an hour later the Aurors entered the Wonky Wand. It was a small, grubby, dingey bar with an easily bribed landlord. It was here that they found Lucius Malfoy and Rodolphus Lestrange, both deep in their cups, having been there (according to the landlord) for the past two days.
"Mr Malfoy?"
"What do yer want" Lucius slurred glaring at them.
"We're from the magical law enforcement office. We need to ask you both a few questions." Lucius waved his hand at them theatrically, gesturing for them to continue, "we have reports that you were seen in the company of a wanted dark wizard, and his followers, the Death Eaters. Can I ask you both where you have been for the last forty-eight hours?"
"Nonsense" roared Lucius, perhaps a little louder than he meant it "Been here for the past two days"
"Well not two whole days" Rodolphus chipped in with a cheery grin on his face, swaying slightly "we were at mine for at least 3 firewhiskeys."
"Yeah" grumbled Lucius "until that harridan you married threw us out onto the street."
"Well Narcissa is pretty upset you know, that barmaid was very pretty."
"I didn't touch her" Lucius retorted sulkily.
"Can anyone verify your story" the law enforcement asked with a sigh, he hadn't believed that Lucius would have joined Lord Thingy anyway, he was only checking it up as Crouch had been complaining that they hadn't been doing enough work.
"Ask Worthington, he's been serving us for the whole time. Worthington. " Lucius called across the bar "WORTHINGTON" the barman turned his head in the groups direction "How long we been in 'ere now?"
"'Bout two days by my reckoning", the barman drawled and the officers nodded their thanks.
"Well then, Mr Malfoy, how about we take you home?" They put one arm under his shoulder and hoisted the swaying wizard up, half carrying him to the nearest floo.
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Narcissa was in bed by the time the magical law enforcement squad brought her husband home. She law between the silken sheets reading the latest copy of witches weekly. She was just getting into the juicy article that Rita Skeeter had written about the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry, when her husband came into the bedroom.
"The next story in that rag you call a magazine is going to be about the marital problems of the Malfoys, you do realise that" Lucius drawled.
Narcissa wasn't too sure if he was upset or not. As she had just stopped the entire auror division from launching themselves at Malfoy manner, she didn't really care. "It's a better headline than 'Notorious Death Eater Lucius Malfoy, sentenced to life in Azkaban', don't you think darling."
"Cissy, I'm sorry."
"I know" she said simply "But you have to be more careful Lucius, especially now."
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It was the right time, she decided. It wasn't perfect, but in these unpredictable day s waiting for perfect would simply take too long.
"I can't have my baby growing up without a father."