"Narcissa!" Lucias Malfoy stormed into his wife's study, red with rage. "Tell your sister that if I find that girl here again I will hex her!" She and been there three times already and it was only Monday.

Cissy sighed. After Evie recognized Bella as her mother's killer she had began refusing to talk. She would not eat or sleep at Bella's house either and often times she snuck some floo powder and came to Malfoy Manor.

Cissy shuddered to think what she did when she couldn't sneak the floo powder.

Draco was puzzled by Evie and ignored her, unable to find a way to deal with her cheerful nature. She smiled at him a lot, which no longer bewildered him but made him uncomfortable. Hugs and kisses on the cheek were frequent and he tried to avoid them at all costs.

The house elves were ill at ease, as Evie barely touched her food. She seemed listless and restless at the same time, Narcissa thought. She had taken on the raising of the child because Evie refused to be in the same room as Bella.

The months got colder and Lucias backed off when Narcissa stated that Evie was -more or less- going to stay. Finally, after months of scrying Narcissa smiled. Evie was out in the garden near the pond which had completely frozen over.

The little girl tested the ice cautiously and slowly, often tossing pebbles on thinner ice.

Several days later a package arrived with Evie's name on it. Thrilled she ran outside and put on her brand new skates, carefully skating on top of the smooth, solid ice which covered the pond.

She spent hours outside, breaking in her skates and then doing tricks. Her appetite increased, much to the delight of the house elves, and she was much more attentive.

She began making Draco play outside with her -bullying him into it without speaking- which greatly amused Narcissa. She showed him how to make a snow ball and throw it first, and then moved on to snowmen, snow angels and sledding.

Cissy watched them often and was happy to see Draco begin to relax ad smile. He seemed to enjoy his time with Evie and began to speak for her. Months went by and the Spring flowers began to take up Evie's attention and it seemed it would continue like that until one night at dinner.

"Aunt Cissy, may I please have lessons like Draco?" Narcissa dropped the fork she was holding as Lucias and Draco both stared, open- mouthed – at Evie. It was the first thing she'd said since she saw Bella.

"I'd like to be able to protect my mind, but more importantly, I want to know the basics for school." School was still several years off, but Narcissa and Lucias agreed that she should know Occlumency. Her lessons began immediately and she excelled in most of them. When hosting parties and dinners Cissy was always mentioning her "extraordinary niece, Genevieve" and her "Charming son, Draco"

Narcissa was not sure how, but having Evie for a play mate was helping Draco, he was confident, but if he got cocky Evie would take him down a notch. She would give him confidence when he became meek, and shared almost all her discoveries with him.

Narcissa didn't worry about their closeness until the day that her scrying mirrors revealed that neither Draco nor Evie were on the grounds of Malfoy Manor.