"So Mrs Malfoy it appears that everything is in order concerning the paperwork now all we need is to know your new address of where you're going to be living." The smartly dressed wizard looked up from the impressive pile of documents on his desk to look expectantly at Narcissa,
"I'm sorry my new address?"
"Well yes Mrs Malfoy didn't Mr Malfoy explain this in his letter?" Narcissa shook her head, "I see, well Mrs Malfoy once the papers are filed I'm afraid that you will not be able to continue living in the house your husband brought."
"What?" Narcissa was fuming
"When Mr Malfoy sent back his papers signed and all organised he also enclosed a letter saying that once you had signed the papers and the divorce was finalised he wanted you out of the house. To remove all your possessions along with your sons and to leave. And not to contact him again unless it was concerning a need for money to give to your son." Narcissa pinched the bridge of her nose and breathed in,
"How long do I have before we are to be evicted?" The wizard consulted a file containing details of the Malfoy's divorce,
"You have until November the 1st but we require your new address by the end of the month."
"By the end of the month" Narcissa repeated weakly, the wizard nodded then held out his hand
"I'm sorry about Mr Malfoy not informing you about the finer details but I'm sure a woman of your stature wont find it too hard to find a new resident, Good day Mrs Malfoy." Shaking the mans hand Narcissa stood up and smiled tightly
"Good day, I'll see you at the end of the month." Stepping out of the office and into a fairly empty corridor at the Ministry of Magic, Narcissa felt a sudden overwhelming feeling of helplessness. She knew Lucius was a shallow man but she couldn't believe he was evicting her out of the house she'd lived in for twenty years, the same house Draco had been born in, had grown up in. This was just typical of him. Walking down the corridor and rounding a corridor she bumped into a tall young man with a shock of ginger hair. "I'm sorry I wasn't watching where I was going are you-" Narcissa stopped, straightening up she averted her eyes from the freckled young face now contorted with a mixture of emotions. "Mr Weasley I'm sorry for walking into you I wasn't paying attention, please excuse me," But before she could step round Ron his hand had whipped out and grabbed hold of her upper arm preventing her from moving.
"Because of the likes of you my brother is dead I hope you're happy," Narcissa clenched her jaw,
"Mr Weasley I suggest you let go of my arm, and as for your brother I'm sorry for your loss." Releasing Narcissa's arm as though it was red hot, he gave her a disgusted look,
"Sorry, do you really think that word means anything to me coming from you?" Feeling a prickle of annoyance run up her back Narcissa turned and walked down the remainder of the corridor, leaving Ron to watch her go.
Collapsing onto the tiled floor of the foyer in Malfoy manor Narcissa burst into tears "Frappy, FRAPPY!" A loud crack sounded, the small house elf dropped to her mistresses side,
"Mistress Malfoy what's causing you such distress? What can Frappy do?" Clasping a hand to her mouth Narcissa tried to control her sobs which were slowly becoming hysterical,
"Go to Minerva McGonagall tell her I need Draco to come home straight away."
"Of course Mistress Frappy will go right now," with another loud crack Narcissa was alone again. Looking up from the floor she caught site of the portrait above the fireplace anger flash through her, getting up she drew her wand pointed it at the impressive picture and shouted
"Confringo!" The portrait exploded, canvas blew through the air, wood smashed glass before littering the carpet in tiny pieces. Standing in the doorway chest heaving wand still trained on the place where the picture use to Narcissa glared at the mess on the floor, "I hope you rot in that cell you bastard." Pocketing her wand which had begun to spit red sparks due to her emotions she turned and walked up the stairs.
"Mr Malfoy your mother wishes you to return home immediately,"
"Is she ok? Is she sick, hurt?" Panic consumed Draco, McGonagall was standing outside the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom she'd called Draco out of the lesson he was now facing her white as a sheet.
"As far as I know she is fine but very upset, according to your house elf she was in tears on the floor. If you come now I can open up the Floo network through my fireplace." Draco nodded
"Thank you Professor," hurrying down the corridors towards McGonagall's secret office entrance he prayed nothing terrible had happened he couldn't take any more heartache. Reaching her office McGonagall opened a draw and removed a small pouch of powder held it out to Draco and smiled "I'm sure she's fine Mr Malfoy. Please send an owl ahead when you wish to return I'll make sure I send your homework to you if you are away for a long period of time ok?"
"Thank you again Professor, I really appreciate this." Stepping into the green flames Draco dropped the dust into the fire and spoke clearly "Malfoy Manor." In a flash Draco was gone.
Hermione had been surprised to see Professor McGonagall come into her Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson and had been even more surprised when she asked to speak to Draco. When the lesson had ended and Draco hadn't returned she'd grab his and her own books raced from the classroom and straight to the Great Hall expecting Draco to be there already eating lunch. But he wasn't, nor was he in Potions, nor when she went looking for him at tea time. A slight sense of panic began to set in when she hadn't found him by curfew. Trying to take her mind her missing friend Hermione went back to Griffindor town and settled down to look over her Potions and began to make copies for when Draco returned, but no matter how hard she tried the was a niggling feeling of knowing something was wrong. As 10:30 drew closer and her eyes started to close Hermione gave up making Potion copies, packed her stuff up and headed for the dorms. Just as she was reaching the staircase there was a tapping at the window, a beautiful dark grey owl was flapping wildly outside it's beak tapping urgently a letter was attached to it's leg. Feeling hope rise in her chest Hermione leapt across the common room flung open the window and ripped the letter from the exhausted bird's leg, relief poured through her at the site of Draco's writing. Opening the letter she was slightly surprised to find only a few lines scribbled in the middle of the parchment, it read…
Hermione, mother has received some terrible news we have to be out of our house and into a new one by November the 1st but we have to be in possession of a new property by the end of the month. Father's only condition for signing the divorce papers was that we moved out. I needed to come home to help mother she is distraught, I'm sorry I left without saying anything but I didn't have time. I hope you're ok write to me soon. Draco.
Dropping into an armchair Hermione reread the letter, anger welled up inside her how dare Lucius kick his family out? Grabbing a clean sheet of parchment, ink and quill she began to scribble a quick reply…
Draco, I'm so sorry to hear about what Lucius is making you do. Please tell your mother I hope everything gets sorted. I'll make copies of all our lessons so you don't fall behind too much. Please write when you know you're coming back. Hermione.
Attaching the message back onto the Owl she carried it to the window and let it take off into the darkness. Her feeling of something being wrong had been correct, pulling her tired body out of the chair Hermione headed for the stairs again, her bag dragging behind her the letter still clutched in her left hand. Reaching the four poster bed she flopped onto it welcoming the soothing comfort it brought, "tomorrow I must finish those copies for Draco" muttered Hermione half asleep already still fully dressed.
Waking up in his own bed felt strange, the house was empty but that wasn't unusual with only his mother living in it with him there was no reason for it not to be silent. He found his mother sitting in the kitchen a mug of steaming hot honey and lemon clutched in her hands; she was staring at it intently as if her answer lay in its golden depths. Pulling up a chair in front of her he sat down and placed a hand gently on her arm,"Mother?" she looked up surprised then grimaced.
"There's only one other place I've ever lived in and that's my childhood house whether it's still standing is a different matter I'll go and see today." Sipping slowly from her mug she watched his reaction he didn't look that bothered at the possibility of living in the Black family house but then again I would mean separation from everything he hated now, namely his own father. "Call Frappy darling have some breakfast there's no point in worrying I'll get everything sorted," Draco smiled at her, he wasn't worried but he could see she was desperately.
"What's the time mother how long have I been asleep?"
"It's only 8:30, and don't worry I'm not expecting you to be up every morning at school time. I think I might keep you off a week so I can run ideas past you for new places." Draco nodded, finishing her tea Narcissa placed her cup down stood up and kissed the top of Draco's head, "I'll be back by noon, if the place is still standing I'll make inquiries then we can go and have a proper look ok?" he nodded again, rummaging in her cloak pocket she brought out a tiny gold key and handed it to him, "If you want to go to Diagon Alley make sure you're back by 2 at the latest here's my key to Gringotts don't take too much out. And Don't buy meaningless stuff please." Taking the key Draco pocketed it then got up and follow his mother to the front door, "I'll see you later be good and keep safe." Then turning on the spot she vanished leaving Draco alone in his soon to be ex house. Closing the door Draco walked back through to the kitchen to find Frappy washing his mothers mug up,
"Good morning Master Malfoy can I get you any breakfast?" After Dobby had been set free Draco had been exceptionally annoyed, but he'd gotten use to not having a servant to wait on him hand foot and finger. So soon he learnt to do this by himself and since then hadn't really felt the need to ask the new house elf to do things for him, but today he really wasn't feeling up to being self sufficient so he nodded and said
"Yes please Frappy just a few pieces of toast and a glass of orange juice will do, I'll be in my room if you could bring it up." Frappy smiled and bobbed her large head up and down,
"Of course Master Malfoy of course."
Appearing in a large over grown courtyard Narcissa gave a small gasp, Black Manor looked derelict. No one had lived here for almost 20 years not since she had moved out to marry Lucius and her mother had died. Bellatrix had never wanted it, too many painful memories not to mention she had been in Azkaban for fourteen years then on the run then had lived in Malfoy Manor. Andromeda had been disowned so theoretically she couldn't have it unless everyone died then she might have a chance, but still looking at it now who would want it? Stepping carefully up to a dirty window Narcissa peered inside everything was covered in debris dust and moss, "Nothing a good cleaning spell wont fix; I hope" she whispered to herself. Turning away she mad her way through the broken paving and out through a small archway Narcissa found herself looking out over a the various parts of land attached to the estate. The fields were covered in long grass and brambles that reached over into the garden making everything look like a scene from an old fairy tail, a broken statue lay scattered round the centre it's visage pointing to the sky. Turing to look up at the building she wasn't surprised to find ivy covering one half of the wall, it had managed to brake its way into on of the upper floor windows glass was caught in it's trailing stems. There was defiantly no one living here, which satisfied Narcissa to and extent now all that she had to take care of was getting permission to move back in.
Draco walked up and down Diagon Alley, there was barely anyone there, the shops were all open but no one was inside. He'd gotten money out but now didn't really feel like spending it, sighing to himself he turned on the spot and vanished there wasn't really any point in being in town if he wasn't going to shop. Appearing on his front steps Draco was surprised to see his mother sitting by the fountain on the front lawn clearly deep in thought. "Mother?" she looked up then smiled
"Hello darling you're back early, I thought you'd be in town,"
"I wasn't really in the mood to shop. What were you thinking about just now?"
"How long it will take to fix up the Black estate, the Ministry says we can move into it as so as we like but it's going to take a while to make it habitable."
"So have you given them the new address?" Narcissa nodded
"Maybe if I talk to Professor McGonagall she'll allow you to stay an extra week or so, to a get started on one wing of the house, just enough to make it liveable in." Draco thought about this,
"Mother could I ask you a question?"
"Of course Draco," a prickle of heat rose up his back
"Hermione has been so nice to me this term I was just wondering if she could perhaps stay for the first week of the Christmas Holidays?" Narcissa looked at her son this was the first time he'd asked to invite one of his friends unprompted,
"If she would like to come round and doesn't mind staying in a half built house, of course she is welcome." A smile broke out over Draco's face, he couldn't explain it but Hermione made him happy and every time he was with her he was relaxed and never felt like he had to put on a charade. Getting up from the bench he was sitting on he made his way back to the manor leaving Narcissa still sitting by the fountain she had gone back to being deep in thought.
Walking round the upper floor of Malfoy Manor Draco thought of all the memories he had of this place, all 18 years of his life had been spent here. He'd grown from a boy to a man inside the many rooms of the house, laughed and cried. He'd lost his freedom and soul to one man who had walked these corridors as though he owned them, of course to the others who had also resided between these walls he did. It was going to be hard leaving but what choice did he have? And deep down he knew it was the right thing to happen, if they didn't get out now they never would, a completely clean start a new name a new house a new life. He'd already started his new life at Hogwarts, he'd changed and he could feel it running through him; the happiness. Coming to a halt in front of a large oak door a sigh issued from his lips behind this door had been a room that when he was younger he'd used as his shield, a room he spent many hours in with both his parents; their room. Lifting the latch he pushed the old door open. The room before him hadn't changed in appearance but it lacked emotion, dust danced in the light coming from the draw curtains. The bed was made but obviously hadn't been slept in for many, many years, while Voldemort had been living in the house barely no one slept if they did it was in a chair or standing up. But even before that neither of his parents had slept in the bed, his father had slept on the floor above while his mother had slept in the room next to him. He hadn't been able to understand it at the time, it wasn't until he'd reached the end of forth year that he realised that their marriage had been nothing more than a show. A way to create the perfect image of a perfect pure-blood family, an arranged marriage through name and blood ties alone, no love no emotion just an act. It had made him doubt his very existence. Sighing again he closed the door and descended the stairs, Frappy was busy making lunch when he reached the kitchen, I smell of chicken soup filled his noise, "Frappy," the little house elf turned and nodded,
"Yes Master Malfoy what can Frappy do for you?"
"Nothing I was just wondering how house elves get to be such good cooks?" A glassy look came over her giant pale eyes,
"Frappy can't remember Sir, Frappy can't remember before coming to work for your family Sir." Draco shook his head
"It's ok Frappy I was just wondering, The soup smells good, thank you for making it," Frappy smiled and tear sliding down her cheek
"You is very welcome Sir very welcome." Walking out of the kitchen he bumped into Narcissa who was eavesdropping just outside the door,
"Your Aunt used to treat the house elves with such a caring nature too,she used to get beaten for it by your grandfather." Draco stiffened, whenever his mother spoke of his Aunt Bellatrix he didn't quite know what to say he just nodded in acceptance. Walking away from her she turned and said "Where are you going lunch will be ready in a minute?" Turning half way to the office he smiled and answered
"Well I've got a letter to write inviting my friend round for the holiday haven't I?"
The computer crashed the other night while trying to upload this chapter but i still hope it's to everyone's liking?