TRIGGER WARNING; Contains mild gore in the form of injury.
One might think that seeing a father and son taking a stroll together would not be strange at all, but most fathers and sons are not Lucius and Draco Malfoy. Despite his constant prattling about how Draco was the future of their family, Lucius rarely seemed to have time for his son. Especially when no one was around to witness it. That's why Valentine found it so odd when she looked out a first-floor window and saw the two of them walking leisurely through the gardens. Lucius wasn't one for such things, let alone spending time with his own child.
Valentine paused, gaze narrowed in distrust. Lucius seemed to be talking about something important given the deepness of his perpetual frown and how closely Draco was paying attention. Draco always listened to his father but his attention was so raptly focused that Valentine knew this couldn't be a casual conversation.
She reached out and unlatched the window, pushing it open. She was hoping she might catch some of the words said but the wind was stiff that afternoon and they were too far away. Valentine wore a frown of her own.
It might be nothing.
That's what she tried to tell herself.
But what if it's not? What on earth could they even be talking about? Lucius never does anything but scold him.
They'd only arrived back at the manor yesterday afternoon and already something had caught her eye. That was never a good sign.
"Val." Narcissa called out as she spotted her from down the hall.
"What?" Valentine said tersely.
"Oh, really?" Narcissa huffed. "Would it kill you to use some of those manners I've been trying to sink into that head of yours?"
"It might."
"Don't be ridiculous." Narcissa rolled her eyes.
"Was there something you wanted?" Valentine arched a brow.
"It is a crime to converse with my niece?"
"It should be."
"I'll never understand where you learned all that sarcasm from."
"One of life's many mysteries, I'm sure."
"Val," Narcissa sighed, taking several steps closer. "Why don't you go visit Leah? You know how difficult things have been for her lately and you promised you would."
Valentine had every intention of visiting Leah in the next couple of days. From what she had heard, little had changed. Even if Valentine could do nothing but to talk to someone who clearly wasn't listening, at least Leah would know that she was there, that she hadn't been forgotten. Leah was the type to care a lot about that sort of thing. Yes, Valentine would be seeing her sooner rather than later but she did not want to seem overly eager for obvious reasons.
"I'll go when I feel like it since she's not going to stop sulking anytime soon." Valentine snipped.
"Val-"
"She's acting like a spoiled brat. Tell me I'm wrong."
"You're all spoiled, dear." Narcissa shot her a meaningful look. "And she's your friend. It wouldn't hurt for you to look in on her, I'm sure she'd appreciate it."
"The only thing Leah appreciates is loud noises and glitter."
"Be that as it may, I'll tell Rose to expect you tomorrow at the latest."
"I said, I'll go when I feel like it," Valentine growled.
"Well, then you better start feeling like it soon," Narcissa answered primly and stepped past her. "Tomorrow at the latest, young lady!"
"Don't hold your breath!"
-Pretending To Live-
Listening to Lucius rattle on and on to William about Ministry reform this and Blood Traitor that was always a dull affair for Valentine. And William didn't look like he was much better off than she was. Usually, he was accompanied by his wife who did all the talking for him, but Rose was currently staying home for Leah's sake, leaving him to handle all the social interactions on his own. Valentine pitied the man but luckily for Valentine, she was very good at tuning out the prejudice bullcrap that fell from Lucius's mouth like dead flies.
She glanced at Draco sitting beside her at the table. He was cutting away at his steak seemingly without a care in the world. He'd been avoiding her all day since she saw him speaking in the gardens with his father. She knew something substantial must have been said, she just had no idea what.
It could be another plot to go after Harry. Though after his massive stinking failure in second year it might be something of a stretch. But whether it has anything to do with Harry or not, it can't be good.
Across the table, Narcissa waved a hand at Emma and the maid stepped forward to refill the woman's goblet.
I doubt that Narcissa would tell me if she knew. If I haven't been told then I'm probably not meant to know and that just won't do.
Valentine stabbed at a piece of broccoli and drowned it in gravy before putting the whole thing in her mouth.
Narcissa shot her a warning look over the table and Valentine just arched a brow as if saying 'problem?'.
Valentine knew she was stirring the pot for no good reason but no amount of etiquette was going to turn her into a delicate little flower.
Personally, I think I'm more like a venus flytrap or a sundew. Something carnivorous at the very least.
When dinner drew to a close, Narcissa made a beeline for Valentine but both she and Draco were already heading off in the opposite direction without a moment's hesitation. Avoiding Narcissa forever was impossible and that scolding would come whether Valentine avoided her for a decade or ran away and joined the circus, but she currently had more on her mind than a lecture on how she should eat more gracefully.
Beside her, Draco had seemed to have forgotten that he himself was supposed to be playing a game of avoidance himself.
"Did you see Mr Lovat's face? I swear I have never seen him look so bored."
"The fact that you noticed that he had any kind of human expression at all is impressive enough. But then again, your father could bore the paint off a wall if he really tried. It makes me wonder how you survived your little walk today."
Draco nearly tripped over his own feet, grabbing Valentine's arm for support.
"That bad, huh?"
Draco frowned deeply and quickly stepped back.
"No, actually. And you shouldn't talk about him like that."
"God, it's like you and Narcissa are allergic to the truth." Valentine scoffed.
"You know it isn't proper to bad mouth the head of the family like that."
"And you know that I'd give my respect to a cinder block before ever giving it to him." She grumbled. "His head is about as thick as one."
Draco sighed and shook his head, not saying a word. He knew this was a battle not worth fighting.
Watching him again from the corner of her eye, Valentine knew he was hiding something.
"Did your father give you another riveting lecture on how to stand straight? Or was this week's subject how to sound like the most pretentious ass in the room?"
"Neither." Draco shot her a terse look. "We talked about...you know..."
"I do?"
"He was just reminding me about keeping an eye on you when we get back to school."
Valentine rolled her eyes.
Nice save.
"As if I'd let anyone dictate my actions."
"You know what he's like." Draco scoffed. "He just wants me to be ready to take over the responsibility of the family one day. It's really not that strange."
"Strange? No. Irritating as all hell? Yes."
"Uh-huh." Draco nearly dared to roll his eyes at her before stopping himself. Then, with the most unconvincing yawn Valentine had ever seen, he stretched his arms up over his head. "Anyway, I'm about to drop dead so I'm going to head to bed."
"It's not even seven."
"Don't judge me, I'm tired!" Then Draco took off up the hall before Valentine could say another word.
Wow. He's totally not hiding anything. Nope. Not at all.
Valentine was about to follow in that direction herself, going to her own bedroom, when she heard a low voice approaching and footsteps. She turned just in time to see Lucius and William pass at the end of the hall. They were too focused on their conversation to see her standing there. Lucius, again, was doing all the talking, leaning in close to the other man and speaking quickly. Then they were gone without ever noticing her at all.
They must be heading for Lucius's office.
-Pretending To Live-
The light of the candle danced across the stone walls as Valentine approached The Intersection. Her footsteps echoed along the tunnel. Aside from her breathing and the near-silent crackle of fire, it was all she could hear. She moved quickly. Lucius and William had a decent head start on her and
Valentine hadn't used the passage in some time but it remained her own special secret. Even Draco and Leah didn't know. To Valentine's knowledge, no one knew.
The Intersection looked the same as it always did. Ignoring the other routes the tunnel extended off into, Valentine set the candle holder down on the floor and looked directly up above her to a trap door.
She had to jump up to grab hold of the latch. It took her several tries to get it open but she managed. She ducked out of the way as the door swung open and revealed the fifteen-metre high shaft inside. She then had to jump again, this time pulling down the extending ladder attached the shaft wall.
She scooped up the candle off the floor again and pulled herself up onto the first wrung. It wasn't always the easiest of the climbs, especially with only one hand. In many ways, Valentine was strong, physically not being one of them. It was tough but it was doable. Valentine supposed she couldn't complain, being so successful in so many other parts of her life.
It took her several minutes to make the climb, rung by rung. As she neared the end, there was a cool draft from above and a familiar voice. The shaft had widened about ten inches, reaching up to the bottom of the floor of her uncle's study. There was no trapdoor here to enter into it. This was made entirely for the cause of eavesdropping and Valentine could certainly get behind that.
Her climbing arm ached and she stretched her shoulder out awkwardly in the narrow space. Then she leaned back carefully, feet braced against the rungs, back meeting the wall behind her. She allowed herself to rest her arm while she listened.
Lucius was talking and probably had been the whole time.
"-nobody besides the involved parties must know for obvious reasons." He said.
"Of course," William replied.
"Could you imagine the scandal if it was to get out?"
"We would be ruined."
Lucius scoffed.
"By a society that doesn't deserve us no less. One day, William, one day they will see this is for the best. Our world is going steadily in the wrong direction and it is up to us to put things right. As they say, birthrights bring certain responsibilities and this is ours."
What is he ranting about now?
There were footsteps and the sound of clinking glass like that of a decanter or wine glass. William didn't reply.
"What has Rose said about the plan?" Asked Lucius.
"She agrees that something must be done but worries that such drastic measures will cause us more trouble than it's worth."
"That's what Narcissa said." Lucius huffed. "Women will simply never understand the things we must do to protect our families. Is this really a world we want our children living in? I suppose sometimes they just can't see past their biological needs to nurture and coddle."
Alright, that's disgustingly sexist but can we get back to the plan? What plan?
"I mean really, Narcissa needs to step back and let Draco be a man instead of a child. He'll never grow up as he should with her constantly mollycoddling him. He should be learning by my example as I learned from my father before me. That is the way things have always been, have they not?"
"Hmm." William answered.
Valentine wondered if he was even listening at this point. Unfortunately, she was and it was pushing her closer and closer to death.
We get it. You're a sexiest, bitter, emotionally distant old bastard with a lot of money. We hear you. But. What. About. THE PLAN.
"Well. Regardless of how the women feel about this. Things will go ahead as planned. Everyone is in agreement that this is the perfect time to act."
"Hmm."
"I'm glad you agree."
Agree? I think he's falling asleep up there.
"Yes, everything is set in place, we simply need to wait," said William. "And with that being said, I should return home. I promised Rose I wouldn't be late."
"Of course, of course. I assume Leah is still...well..."
"Hmm."
"She'll lose interest in her sulking soon enough, never you worry."
"Thank you and enjoy the rest of your evening."
"I shall so long as that little heathen stays far away from me."
Valentine rolled her eyes.
Good to know he slanders me in private as well.
She heard footsteps and then the door open and close. Lucius was still complaining about her attitude problem as he led William out into the hall and all sound faded away.
Valentine cursed aloud. Nothing about the vague conversation had given her anything to go on. It was something apparently drastic that Lucius believed would make their world better but that didn't exactly narrow things down.
Why can't anything ever be straight forward?
-Pretending To Live-
The next day, Valentine found herself standing in the fireplace of the Lovat Manor. She really had planned to visit after all. Narcissa had suggested that Draco stay behind so that Leah could have her best friend to herself for someone on one 'girl talk'. Draco couldn't have been happier to escape what was sure to be another awkward and depressing affair.
Coward.
"Valentine." Rose stood from an elegant chaise lounge with a welcoming, yet sombre smile. "Thank you for coming. This means a lot to us."
"I'm sure." Valentine hummed indifferently.
"Leah's still in her room." Rose spoke softly. "No one has managed to convince her to leave but the maid did get her to eat something last night so at least there's that. Baby steps are still steps after all."
She didn't sound completely sold on her own words. She looked as though she was going to keep talking and Valentine made a beeline for the exit.
"I'll talk to her."
Valentine made her way down the hall and into the foyer, heading up the stairs. She'd spent enough time in the Lovat Manor as a child that she didn't need an escort. She knew these halls as well as she did Hogwarts or Malfoy Manor. Down another hall, around another corner, she came upon Penny, the maid, loitering outside of Leah's bedroom door.
The maid tensed as she saw Valentine approach. Just as Valentine knew Lovat Manor well, its occupants weren't strangers to her own manners.
"Miss Lestrange." Penny bowed her head respectfully and then cast a solemn glance at Leah's door. "Miss Leah is in her room. She said she doesn't want to be disturbed."
"Well, that makes two of us. I wouldn't be here if Narcissa hadn't nagged at me until I was ready to neck myself." Valentine rolled her eyes and peered last the maid. "Is the door locked?"
"No, Miss." Penny shook her head. "Mr Lovat had a charm put in place so she couldn't lock herself in. For her own safety, of course."
"Move."
"I'm sorry?" Penny frowned.
"I said move." Valentine hissed as she took a step forward as Penny made a quick dash to the side.
Valentine raised her leg with terrifying speed and planted her boot against the hardwood door, kicking it open with a crash as it hit the wall.
Penny gave a startled gasp that Valentine ignored. She stepped into the room as if it was her own. The heavy feeling of sorrow was still present from the last time she'd visited, only now it was thicker and almost suffocating. Like it had been left in the air to smoulder.
Leah's room was not one you would assume would feel as such. The walls were painted brightly with flowers, clouds and birds on the ceiling. The space was littered with toys, clothes and random items that Leah always seemed to have an abundance of. It was like Leah's own personal treasure trove and yet Leah herself was nowhere to be seen.
"Hello?" She said, far too casual for someone who had just kicked in a door. Valentine frowned and looked about the room. When she visited last, Leah had nestled herself in her blankets on her bed and not moved for days. Now that makeshift nest sat empty without her.
"She's under the cot, Miss." Penny spoke softly, lingering in the doorway.
Valentine turned her gaze over to the corner of the room where the cot sat. It was white and delicately carved, lined with white lace and chiffon. Valentine couldn't understand for the life of her why Leah had kept it. It was a crib for a baby, which Leah, despite her personality, was not.
She moved forwards, stopping several feet before it.
"Leave us." Valentine dismissed Penny without another glance.
The maid seemed to hesitate for a single moment but then she muttered a quick 'Yes Miss' and closed the door behind her.
Valentine could see a tangled lock of caramel hair splayed across the floor, peeking out from under the cot.
"What are you doing under there?" She sighed incredulously. She waited for an answer, although not expecting one.
Then she turned and walked over to the bed, stopping to scoop up the pile of unopened letters on the floor.
"The others miss you, for whatever reason. You should have just come with us to Highcourt Estate instead of sulking. Blaze was particularly concerned, you know. He probably misses having someone to take the bait on all his asinine jokes."
Valentine was still left in silence and it ripped a hole in her chest. She sat herself down on Leah's messy bed and began to sort through the envelopes.
Oh, come on, Leah. Usually, we can't get you to shut up.
"You're only making this worse but not replying to your letters by the way. Let's see." Valentine flicked through them. "One from Draco, three from Liam. Ugh, one from bloody Parkinson. That should go straight into the trash. One from Hasani. Four, no wait- five letters from Blaze. Honestly. Has he got nothing better to do than fret about you? I suppose he wouldn't. He barely has a life outside annoying you." Valentine cast a glance over to the cot. "You should send him a reply to shut him up. As it is, you're going to have to explain to everyone why you ignored them all summer. Why do you always have to do things the difficult way?"
Please. Leah. Say something. Say anything. Get mad even. Just say something.
"Blaze and I actually had quite the sickening conversation." Valentine stood up from the bed, one of Blaze's letters in her hand. "He was concerned about you and it was absolutely maddening. He spends three years calling you an idiot and then gets all worried like a nursemaid."
Please, Leah.
Valentine ripped open the envelope and unfolded the letter. She recognised Blaze's slanted scrawl and several small spelling and grammar mistakes.
Well. If there was ever a person who could get a reaction out of Leah, it's Blaze.
She began to read aloud;
Leah,
It's me again. Blaze. Well, you probably knew that before you opened the letter. That's if you actually read it. You seem like the type to just rip envelopes opening without checking.
Liam invited us all to his place for a couple of days. You should come with us if you want to. And I want you too as well, you nut. It'll be fun. I kinda miss having someone to make fun of, but if you come I promise not to. Okay, so I'll try not to. I'll try to be so nice you won't even know it was me. The Quidditch Cup is coming up too. So, maybe you can come to that if you're not up for Liam's?
And I'm sorry by the way. About always being a jerk and about how sad you must feel right now. I doubt I'm making it better but I don't know what else to say.
Don't tell the others, but when I got home the first thing I did was cry. For like a whole three hours. My face was so swollen afterwards that it looked like I ran into a brick wall. Isn't that pathetic? (If you try and use this against me later I will destroy you Lovat)
Anyway, please reply this time, since you didn't get back to me on my last one. I really want to hear from you. You're still annoying but I want to know that you are okay.
Blaze.
"Awe." Valentine cooed. "This is disgusting. You should burn this."
Valentine folded the letter back to its original shape, waiting for any kind of response from Leah. More silence. Valentine had been prepared for a one-sided conversation. She knew Leah was too upset to be considerate of others, she knew Leah couldn't be blamed for how she felt, but regardless of all if that, Valentine felt irritation bubble up inside her that she most certainly had not been prepared for.
Oh, come on! Blaze practically just poured his vulnerable little heart out to you and you still have nothing to say? Are you freaking kidding me?
Valentine's face changed from indifference into a deep scowl and she marched over the heavy draw curtains. She grasped a handful of the velvet fabric and yanked them open. Light flooded the room and immediately Leah screeched.
"NO! Close them! Close THEM!" The shout was so abrupt and panicked that Valentine almost jumped. Leah's voice was dry and desperate like she'd been dehydrated for days. "Close them now! Close them!"
Then that irritation inside Valentine bubbled over to anger and before she even knew what she was doing, she clenched one hand and thrust her fist through the glass panel of the window.
Valentine heard the sound of shattering glass before she felt the pain, that compared to the headaches brought on by the parasite lodged in her head, was practically a papercut. The sound silenced Leah, hidden away under her cot.
Valentine paused and blinked. She stared at her fist pushed fully through the glass, shards and razor-sharp edges slicing open her hand and wrist. Blood was already trickling down the cracked window pane.
Why...did I do that?
"We heard Leah shouting and glass-!" Rose froze in the doorway, Penny standing just behind her. "Val!"
Valentine sighed in annoyance.
Oh, this is just fantastic.
"What in the world happened?" Rose and Penny rushed over to her.
Valentine eyed them in irritation and then started pulling her hand back through the jagged glass.
"Val, don't-" Rose tried to stop her but it was already done.
She moved, she sliced her hand further on the glass, feeling a piece cut through the centre of her palm and more scrape along her open wrist and the top of her hand. It hurt, oh boy did it hurt, but Valentine barely flinched.
"Oh, my God." Penny gasped.
Valentine looked down at her hand with an arched brow. Wrist to fingertip was bathed in blood. The skin of the top of her hand was torn open obscenely, as was the skin at her wrist which was now bleeding profusely as the veins had been sliced open. She saw a small shard of glass embedded in the flesh of her palm and frowned.
Well. That wasn't supposed to happen.
Rose and Penny were on her in seconds.
"We need something to stop the bleeding." Said Rose.
Penny paused for a second before hurrying to untie her apron from her waist.
"I'm fine. There's no need-" Valentine tried to wave them off but that much blood tended to make people nice quickly.
"We should get you back to Malfoy Manor. Narcissa will probably want you taken to St Mungo's." Rose grabbed one of her shoulders gently. "You'll be fine, Valentine. Just hang on."
"Did you not hear me? I said I was-"
Penny reached for her forearm and started wrapping her apron around her wrist and hand as Rose ushered her out of the room. This left Leah alone to stare at the blood dripping from the broken window on to the floor and the trail leading out the door.
Valentine looked over her shoulder back into the room as the two women had seemingly forgotten Leah at that moment. The girl was still hidden from sight. Valentine's frown deepened.
"Really, there's no need for this!" Valentine hissed but she was being completely ignored.
Instead of walking the entire way, Rose apparated them swiftly down to the fireplace. Then in a flurry, Penny threw a handful of Floo powder and they were engulfed in flames.
Arriving back in the main sitting room of Malfoy Manor, Rose sat her down on the first couch she saw, calling out for help all the while.
Draco must have been nearby as he entered the room only seconds after.
"What happened?" He asked after stumbling through the doorway. Then he saw Valentine's hand wrapped in the apron that was more red than white at this point. He turned deathly pale. "Val, your hand!"
"I'm fine," Valentine grumbled under her breath and gestured flippantly at Rose. "Draco, tell her I'm fine."
"She's already bled a lot. Go get help." Rose nodded to him. Draco stood there still, too shocked to move. "Draco, get your mother!"
Draco seemed to find himself and nodded shakily, quickly leaving the room.
It was now that Valentine noticed Penny had stayed behind and she was left with Rose flitting at her side.
"Everything is going to be just fine." Rose caressed Valentine's hair tenderly, sitting down beside her. "You're being very brave. Now, can you tell me what happened?"
Valentine made a show of leaning away from her, lifting herself half over the arm of the couch.
"Do not touch me."
"Oh, you poor thing. You must be in so much pain!"
"Only when you're sitting this damn close to me." Valentine tried to wriggle further away.
"Val, you need to be careful not to bump your arm," Rose said quickly. "You should sit still before you hurt yourself even more."
"I'm fine!" Valentine gritted her teeth.
Draco suddenly returned alone.
"Where's Narcissa?" Rose asked immediately.
"I sent a maid to go find her and another to get medical supplies" Draco replied swiftly before turning his attention to his cousin. He was still as pale as before. "Are you alright?"
"Don't you start that." Valentine growled at him as he approached carefully.
"That's a lot of blood." Said Draco, eyeing the bloody apron.
"Yes, thank you for pointing that out, I hadn't noticed."
"What did you even do to it?"
"Glass."
"Glass?"
"Broken glass."
"Broken glass?"
"Broken glass tends to be rather sharp."
"Obviously, but that's not what I meant."
"Valentine Druella Elladora Lestrange! What have you done to yourself now!" Narcissa was then rushing in like a storm, followed by both Haley and Emma.
Hearing her full name shrieked like that was far more painful than glass ever could be.
Draco stood there still, giving Valentine an expectant look. She sighed.
"I punched a window."
Narcissa froze for a moment, staring down at her niece blankly. Then she erupted again.
"For the love of- Why!" The woman threw up her arms in frustration. "Why would you do that!"
"You'll know when I do." Valentine grumbled, leering at Haley as the maid shuffled timidly forward and began to remove the blood-soaked apron.
"There's no need to worry Narcissa." Rose went to stand beside her friend. "She's a very brave girl. She'd been very calm this whole time."
"She only has two different emotions, Rose." Narcissa pursed her lips. "Indifference and anger. Now, we are going to St Mungo's right this instance."
Valentine caught wind of Draco sniggering and sent a glare his way.
"What are you laughing about?" She sneered.
"I'm sorry, but why did you punch a window?" Draco was visibly trying to hold back laughter.
"Because I wanted to. It's always been a life-long dream of mine to put my damn hand through a window!" Valentine hissed. "Why the hell do you think?"
A giggle escaped Draco just as Haley peeled away the last layer of apron and Valentine shoved her back so she could stand.
"What are you-?" Draco didn't have time to finish as Valentine lifted her injured hand and smeared a long streak of blood down his cheek.
"Gross! Val! I can't believe you just did that!" Draco immediately panicked and reached up to wipe it away with his shirt sleeve.
"Draco Malfoy don't you dare!" Narcissa descended upon him practically out of nowhere. "You're wearing white!"
"But look at what she did!" Draco pointed accusingly at his cousin who was still bleeding everywhere and wiping it off on her dress.
"Valentine! What did I just say!"
"Was I supposed to be listening?"
"Oh, look you're dripping all over the carpet! Emma, where are those bandages! Move quickly now!"
"We must stay calm, Narcissa!"
"Mother didn't you see what she did! Mother!"
It was now that Lucius Malfoy took one step into the room, paused and then took three steps back out. He had decided that this was not his problem.
"Not today."