Chapter 10
"I got a letter from the ministry today," Andy told Ted when he got back. So far they had had their nephew living with them for five days and things were looking up. Draco had stopped crying on the third day, maybe resigning himself to his new home, and since then things had been easier for the entire family.
The four of them.
"And what did it say."
"The date for Lucius trial and the details. It also said that if we thought it was best, now he has a record we can go for custody of Draco, even when our oh so dear brother in law comes out."
"Hang on Andy, that's a bit extreme isn't it?" he said to her, keeping a baby from the only parent it has. Was that right?
"I don't think so. Not if we can take better care of him which I think we obviously can."
"Andy you have to keep this in perspective. As much as we can take good care of him, he is Lucius' son."
"And as people so often seem to forget these days he is also the son of my deceased sister." she said to him. No there was no way she was going to let her down. She did not believe in pure blood mania but she did believe in blood ties. In loyalty to one another. She had to teach that to the new generation. To her daughter - and her nephew.
"I think what you are trying to do is admirable. "
"But you don't think it is the right thing do you?" she said to him.
"I think it is too soon to call." he said honestly.
They had to wait and see what went on at the trial. If things went well for Lucius then things were going to be complicated. If not then they weren't. . He had always wanted to be a father to a son. He adored his baby girl. She had always meant the world to him. But he wanted a big family. If they keep Draco then it was going to grow with out having to wait nine months. He smiled at that thought.
Andy could not argue his point.
What he said made good sense. She just wanted someone to tell her she was going to be allowed to keep the boy.
It was at that moment that she heard a cry from upstairs. "Sounds like his lordship is awake. Do you want me to do the honours."
"No I want to get him used to me." she said to him as she took his bottle out of the fridge. She was going to be his surrogate mother. He had to get used to her and fast. She knew that he was going to have to get used to his uncle. But that could come in time. With them it had to be fast. Draco was still young enough to form a bond with her. She only regretted she had not been in his life so far. She should have been there for him from the start. As she was on her way up the stairs she could hear her nephew waking up, moaning slightly. Still he wasn't crying as he had been on the first days of his arrival.
"Good afternoon my sweetheart." she said as she went into the room she thought of as his now. "Is my dragon awake?" she asked.
Upon hearing her voice he stopped moaning and looked up at her with his big grey eyes. "I think he is." she said picking him up.
Nypmh, on hearing him, came in to the room in time to see her mother sitting down in a chair by the side of the crib.
"You know I don t think he is so bad now he has stopped crying." she said to her.
"No he isn't." she said to her. He was a sweet boy, really he was. Tiny hands, tiny toes.
"Is he going to be my new brother?" she asked.
"Yes I think he is. I hope he is. I think he would like to grow up next to you. You be a big sister. Would you like that?" she asked her.
"I think so. It would be fun to have some one I could play with."
"Well that should not be too long." she said. "Draco is a very strong and healthy boy." Andromeda said as Draco took to his bottle like a duck to water. His cousin run her fingers through her hair. If he remained with them then he was going to be doted on forever by the two of them and he would be well loved.
"Mother why does Draco not have a mama?" she asked. She didn't understand. It was a hard thing for a five year old to understand what death was.
"Because god called her to his house. And when she had her son she got sick." she tried to explain.
"And uncle is in jail?"
"yes he is. So he has been left with me you and daddy to look after him."
"What about when he gets out?"
"I haven't figured that one out yet sweetheart."
_
Andromeda had never been to Azkaban., she had never wanted to. But now she felt as if she had to go, she had to see her brother in law.
It was important for Draco's well being.
And so she had left the children in the care of her husband.
The island was so cold. She saw now why they said no happiness could be felt here. Because there was nothing, but darkness.
She was here to see her brother in law but she knew she had two blood relatives here.
This was where they were going to live out there days. The judgement on the two of them had already been passed. They would never return.
And she was glad. She did not want people like that on the streets. Even if they were related to her.
"You are going to have fifteen minutes in with your brother in law Mrs Tonks. Then you are going to have to leave."
"Believe me I don't even plan on spending that long with him."
When she got to the cell she was shocked by his appearance.
When she had seen him at school he had always been immaculate, and he wasn't how she remembered.
"Well how the mighty have fallen." she said as she walked in. she wasn't normal one for gloating. But this time she couldn't help it.
He looked up at her. For a moment she was sure he didn't know who she was.
"What the hell are you doing?" he asked,
"don't you want to hear any news of your son." she asked,
"Draco…Dragon. Where's he?" hoped flashed in his eyes. She had come with news of his son, his boy. How long had it been now since they had been together. He didn't know. All he did know was when he thought of his son his heart literally ached in his chest, like a cancer which spread through his libs. He couldn't rid himself of the pain. There was in fact only one cure and that was Draco.
"He is with my husband."
Lucius shook his head. "You to can't have him. Your blood traitors."
"My husband is a muggle born. And if your son is crying it is Ted's arms he is in."
Lucius shook his head. This was his worse nightmare he was sure of it. His son in the arms of that man.
"Is the only reason you are here to remind me that he isn't with me. Because if that is the case, then believe me you can not make me feel any worse than I do. Is he ok? Does he miss me?" he asked desperately.
He missed him so much. He was so empty and cold all of the time. There was no way out of it.
"He is safe with me.""That doesn't answer my question."
"What do you want me to tell you, that he has been crying for you day and night?"
"If it is the truth yes." he nodded.
"Then ok. He hasn't been eating and he barely sleeps. Looks for you constantly. Is desperate for the father who cant come back."
He banged his head on the wall.
"I thought that was what you wanted to hear."
He shook his head. He wanted him to be happy. But he wanted him to be happy with him. "I want him."
"It is too late for that I am afraid."
"But he is my son."
"And he is our nephew."
"Not to me, not in our eyes. Me and Narcissa. We wouldn't want you near our son. She is going to be waiting for me and him when we get out." he said.
And Andromeda knew he meant it. He really thought he was going to see her . It was as if he was going insane.
"That isn't going to happen. The evidence against you is going to be too strong you know it is. You are not going to get out of here for a long time and by the time, if you get out he is going to be a grown lad. And he is going to grow up under my eye and my husband. He might even call Ted dad."
He looked at her as if she was some one to fear. What she was saying was all of his fears. That he was never going to go home. That he would never see his boy again.
He wanted her to stop. He wanted her to shut up.
"No your wrong. I am going to come home and me and my son are going to be back together, no matter what you say." he said shaking his head.
She almost felt sorry for him. And she could have if it wasn't for the fact he had left his son when he needed him. Draco was his child.
What he had done was unforgivable.
"He is gorging to have a good home with me and Ted. I hope you are going to be able to see it in time. And what I really came to say was I am going to apply for custody."
"Of my son?" he asked as if she wasn't making any sense.
This could not be real he thought to himself. And what she said had to be a sick joke.
"yes of Draco. You see since I have taken him in I have come to love him. I have had him all of seven days, a week."
Was that how long he had been in this hell hole. He had lost track of time.
"I am going to protect him if it kills me. If it kills you." she said to him. "He is like my own now. So you can met me in court if you ever want your son back. But then I forget. You are going to court, aren't you?" she said with a small laugh.
"your sick." he said to her..
"that makes two of us. Only I am standing up for a cause I believe in, my nephew. But I suppose so were you. I don't think it is going to sound to good to the judge do you? Remind me Lucius what was your cause?"
He couldn't speak.
"Cissy would be ashamed of her so called beloved if she could see you know.."
"Your not fit to say her name."
"She was my sister. My nephews mother. And she's is dead. She's gone. You will never see her again."
Utterly broke n Lucius sank to the ground and begun to rock himself. There was nothing more he could do.
-
"Oh Andy did you have to go and torment him like that." said Ted as Andy told him what she had done.
When she had decided she was going to go and see him she had said nothing for fear he was going to talk her out of it. And she had had to go.
"You think I did the wrong thing." she asked him.
"I don't think you should have tease a parent with his child no."
"Well I am a Black. You accepted that part of me when we married.""It is not an excuse." he shock his head.
He felt shame in what she had done that day. It had been wrong.
"I know you have your morals Ted. But I have to defend what is mine."
"But Draco is not yours, he is Lucius's child."
"He is my sisters. Not his."
"Ok. Ok." he said as his frustrated mounted. "Ten, fifteen years looking to the future, you fight for Draco. Do you see a boy who is grateful or one who is angry at being kept from the only parent he has. If Lucius is in prison then that is going to be fine. But if he is not. You have to think of the consequences for the boy and what they are going to be."
"The only one I see is my nephew having two parents and a sister. And growing up in a safe, happy, secure home." she said to him angrily.
Author note: thank you to all you wonderful people who reviewed and I am so sorry this took so long to up load. I have a truck load of excuses ( holiday, school, my 18th birthday, coursework, my aunt returning from her retreat, revision, uni applications (it really is all go at the moment)) and I hope their vgood enough.
But for now chapter 10 is done and I hope to get chapter 11 up before the first week in December is out.
Please review again! (It will make poor Lucius feel better if you do…)