Trigger warnings - Major character death, domestic violence and implied rape/non-con
September 1973
"Now we've got perfect Regulus and perfect Cissy starting here too now" Sirius ranted away as he boarded the train with his friends ready to begin his third year of Hogwarts. "No doubt both in Slytherin, bloody perfect little shits eating up all that pureblood mania".
"I didn't know you had a sister?" James asked as he flopped down on the seat of the compartment, opening a chocolate frog. The frog hopped off onto the floor, Peter immediately trying to catch it by stepping on it and only squashed it instead. "Poor frog".
"She's not my sister" Sirius scoffed. "Narcissa, she's my cousin. Youngest of the black sisters—not that you could tell, all of us are dark and arrogant while she's blonde as fuck. We used to say she was adopted though my lovely mother insisted that's not the case. She's okay I guess but just like the rest of them. Uptight, standoffish, pureblood mania obsessed".
"Bridget Wenlock" James commented as he read off his chocolate frog card. "The arithmacer that was first to establish the magical properties of the number seven".
"The fact that the Arithmancy room is room 7a on the seventh floor corridor is rather ironic" Remus remarked.
"Who cares?" Sirius shrugged. "Numbers and that shite, rather boring. The only good thing is not having to go up and down the bloody stairs for that class seeing as it's on the same floor as Gryffindor tower". The stairs had been one of the least favourite parts of Hogwarts—while unlike Muggle schools the sports were optional at Hogwarts that seemed to be made up for in the ridiculous amount of stairs they had and the way that many of the students would be heaving out of breath at the top of them.
"Chosen your electives yet?" James asked.
"Yeah" he grinned and raised his eyebrows. "Muggle studies and care of magic creatures. My mother was absolutely fuming, all the more reason to go ahead. You?"
"Arithmancy and ancient runes. How about you Remus, Peter?"
The long journey had flown by with the friends catching up excitedly and eating lots of sweets before making it to Scotland. Upon arrival as usual, it was dark and they headed to the self-pulling carriages.
"Have a good summer, Snivellus?" Sirius sneered as the black-haired teenager clambered into a carriage with Lily and Marlene McKinnon.
"Much better than yours, no doubt" Severus retorted. "Based of what I've heard".
"How dare you—" Sirius began.
"Sirius, leave it" James said as he put a hand on his arm. "Let's go, I'm fucking starving".
"Okay" he agreed with a sigh as the four marauders climbed into the carriage and headed towards the school. As they had last year, upon arrival they all headed to the Gryffindor table after stopping off for a loo break, having their usual seats of being half way down the table—edging more and more towards the door and away from the authority figures as the years had gone on. The doors opened and as usual, McGonagall lead the first years in and they crowded around in front of the teacher's table as the sorting hat sung it's song.
"They get smaller each year" James snorted under his breath.
"Yeah. They do" Sirius agreed. "Poor Pete here still blends in with them".
"True" Peter shrugged as Narcissa Black was called up to be sorted into her house. "She your sister?"
"Cousin" Sirius corrected as Narcissa sat up on the stool after being called by McGonagall, the sorting hat was slowly lowered onto her head.
"C'mon Reggie!" Narcissa called as she walked the length of the Hogwarts express.
"Blimey cissy! Calm down!" Regulus huffed as he pulled his trunk along the length of the Hogwarts express.
"I am calm" she insisted. "Look, here's a free cabin". The two cousins went into the cabin and with the assistance of the Slytherin prefect lifted their trunks into the overhead compartment and then sat down. "So, you ready?"
"Yeah, bit nervous but I know I'll be in Slytherin. Not like my traitor brother".
Narcissa patted the older boy's leg.
"That's the spirit. Did you have a good summer?"
"It was pleasant enough" Regulus shrugged. "And you? How was your birthday?"
"As good as it could be, first one without…you know" the blonde sighed. Her sister andromeda had left in September the previous year to run away with Muggleborn Ted Tonks, in turn Andromeda was burned off the family tree and exiled. "Though that's not important. You got snacks?"
"Is Slytherin green?" Regulus raised an eyebrow as he opened his trunk and took out chocolate frogs and some other sweets. The two cousins happily chatted away, ate their sweets and read some books during the long train journey to Hogsmeade—upon arrival in Scotland it was already dark as they disembarked the train.
"First years, this way!" Hagrid called.
"I say, who on earth is that?" Narcissa remarked as she briefly wrinkled up her nose.
"Hagrid" Regulus supplied. "The half-breed groundskeeper, he was expelled in his third year and Dumbledore kept him on".
"Charming" Narcissa remarked sarcastically, turning her nose up as she followed the half-giant to the boats with her cousin; the two youngest Black's clambering into a boat together as they went towards Hogwarts. The castle gleamed in the black sky as they approached it, climbing out of the boats soon after and making their way to outside the great hall. Narcissa black was first called to be sorted and walked up confidently to the stool and sat down, the hat being lowered onto her head.
"Hm, another Black! You could do well in Slytherin alongside the rest of your family, though there is potential. So much potential, so where to put you?"
"Slytherin please" Narcissa answered.
"Are you sure? I think you'd do rather well in Hufflepuff, away from your family or perhaps in Gryffindor with your cousin".
"No, Slytherin please".
"I think perhaps Huff—"
"If you so much as finish that word I shall personally cut you up piece by piece and then set you on fire".
"A true black it seems. Better be, Slytherin!"
Narcissa smirked and made her way to the Slytherin table, regulus joining her minutes later. The beginning of Hogwarts was of to a good start it seemed.
"You alright?" James asked as he noticed his best friends younger cousin walking around the school. Narcissa. He had met her a few weeks prior when she followed both Sirius and Regulus onto the train, having just started her first year at Hogwarts. She was swamped by her robes and looked terrified as she held her books while looking around. "You look like a lost lamb".
"I can't find the transfiguration class" she admitted. "Can you help?".
"Of course" James smiled. "I'm James, by the way. Your cousin Sirius' best mate".
"I know" Narcissa smirked. "You're the famous Potter. You two were rather mischievous on the train then at the feast".
"I have no idea what you're talking about!" James feigned innocence. "How's it going?".
"This place is rather daunting" Narcissa admitted.
"I felt the same when I was a first year too. Now in third year so it's easier".
"Easier to create trouble too?" Narcissa giggled.
"That's right" James confirmed. "Well this is your class. Good luck".
"Bye, James" Narcissa smiled.
"Bye, Cissy sounds lame, I won't lie. Hmm….. I think I'll call you … Izzie" James replied.
"Izzie?" Narcissa frowned lightly.
"It'll be our little secret" James said as he raised a finger to his lips. "I have to go. Some pranks to pull".
…
December 1973
"What's a little first year like you doing out of bed?" James asked. It was late at night, past curfew but James was hungry (again) and made his way down to the kitchen for a nice warm butterbeer and pumpkin pastie.
"Lost" Narcissa sniffed. She looked little more than a child dressed in her nightgown with her blonde hair in pigtails as she fidgeted with a little toy lamb in her hands.
"You really are a lost little lamb" James grinned though stopped at seeing her crestfallen face.
"Need help getting to Slytherin common room?".
"Please" she nodded.
"Follow me, Izzie. I'll make sure you don't run into Filch"
"Thank you, James".
…
March 1974
"Izzie" James hissed. "Pssst. It's me".
"What are you doing here? In the library?" Narcissa whispered.
"Pranking Pinch-whatsherface. What are you doing here?".
"Studying. Like any other student. Except I can't seem to do this defence against the dark arts homework".
"One would've thought with Bellatrix Lestrange as a sister that this subject would be easy" James chucked.
"If only" Narcissa agreed. "Though seeing as she's eleven years older than me and married, I just seem to be the 'annoying baby brat princess'".
"I have to disagree on that. Would you like some help? With the work" James offered.
"Okay, then" Narcissa grinned as she moved her books to the side. They remained in the corner of the library for a few hours until at last the homework was finished.
"I'm intrigued" James commented. "You do like believe in all that pureblood mania. Why?"
"We have magic, we can do so much more than muggles. Read minds, do magic Though why do some people see Muggles and muggleborn's as so superior? Like, what's so good about them?"
"It's not that" James answered. "I mean, just because you're a black it doesn't make you better than anyone. Just because you have two magical parents and say, someone else doesn't have magical parents it doesn't make that much difference. All of us are magical anyway, even without magic—what makes us so superior?"
"I suppose when you put it like that" Narcissa sighed.
"At the end of the day we're all humans. No matter our abilities, whether we can do magic, what we look like, who we love. We're all the same underneath, just people".
"Hmm, when you put it like that it does seem slightly wrong" Narcissa frowned slightly as she thought.
"Just, think about it" James squeezed the blonde's shoulder. "Just because it's been all you've known, it doesn't mean it's right". The fourteen year old grabbed his books and exited the library.
Halloween 1975
The fancy-looking eagle from the house of black swooped into the hall, depositing two pristine letters at the Slytherin table and then the final at the Gryffindor. Narcissa and Regulus looked at each other uncertainly, sneaking a glance at Sirius and seeing that he too seemed confused.
You are hereby betrothed to Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, to be wed on the 28th of August 1978
Regards,
Druella & Cygnus Black
"Congratulations?" Regulus offered.
"Could've been worse" Narcissa shrugged as she sipped her coffee. "Easily could've been worse. Better him than you—no offence Reg".
"None taken" Regulus smirked slightly. "The most eligible bachelor in all of England, not bad Cis".
"Better him than Evan. Or Sirius".
"They wouldn't quite go that far" Regulus snorted. "Besides, he's a Gryffindor. Wouldn't end well. Speak of the devil".
"Brother, cousin" Sirius greeted. "Might I have a word with you, Narcissa?"
"Okay, go for it" Narcissa shrugged.
"Not here. Outside, please".
"Oh for god's sake Sirius leave her alone and let her be happy" Regulus snarled.
"Reg, it's fine" Narcissa insisted. "Come on then, let's get this over with".
"I can't believe you're on board with this!" Sirius hissed.
"On board with what?" Narcissa frowned.
"Lucius Malfoy. Seriously? I mean, I know we're not close but come on! He's an arsehole".
"He's not that bad" Narcissa insisted.
"I don't trust the Malfoy's" Sirius continued. "I don't think you should either. I know you love the family and all, but seriously reconsider it. Don't go ahead with it, he's a bad influence".
"He's hot, dark and brooding, rich, pureblood, man of society. What could go wrong?"
"Merlin damn-it Cissy, just because he's hot and seems to have good publicity, it doesn't mean he's not an arsehole!" Sirius exclaimed. "Look, it's your choice of course. Just, choose wisely and consider how you want your life to turn out. Peaceful and not caring about things or discriminating against people for things they can't help, things that aren't necessarily a bad thing".
Sirius' words echoed in her head as she skipped dinner, not wanting to eat. Lucius Malfoy, the perfect pureblood husband. She'd get all she ever wanted, life would easily fall into place as it was all meant to be. Why was she starting to doubt it?
"It's been too long" James grinned as he saw Narcissa walking up and down the seventh floor corridor. Her eyes were rimmed red and sparkled as though she had been crying.
"What're you doing here, Potter? Shouldn't you be at the feast?".
"I should" James agreed. "But I'm not. You?".
"Bloody fed up of all those Slytherin's. Not that it matters. You?".
"What's wrong?" James asked with a frown. "You can trust me, Izzie. You know you can".
"We should talk somewhere private" Narcissa said as she continued to pace. A door appeared so she opened the door and went inside, it was a small room with a sofa and some books on a bookshelf. Perfect.
"I've just been told I'm to marry Lucius Malfoy" Narcissa sighed as she flopped down on the sofa. "August '78. To be fair I'm glad they're waiting until after my OWL".
"That's horrible!" James gasped. "Why? You're too young".
"I know" she agreed. "But hey, there seems to be a trend. Sirius left. Andy left. They can't have me leaving too".
"You don't have to stay in that family. You know you don't".
"But James, they're my family" she stood up and begun to pace. "It's practically all I've known. They'd find me and blow me off the tree".
"And you don't want that" James finished.
"No. You know I don't" Narcissa replied quietly.
"I get it, wanting to impress the parents" James said as he flopped on the sofa. "You don't have to do it. You can find another way".
"There is no other way and anyway, Malfoy isn't too bad" Narcissa said with a shake of her head. "He's alright, rich, not too much of an arsehole".
"Though he's obsessed with pureblood mania" James snarled.
"I know" Narcissa sighed. "I've been thinking about it, what you said. I guess that that pureblood shite is wrong".
"So don't marry him then!"
"I have to" Narcissa sighed. "I know, what they think is wrong. That the pureblood shite is wrong. They're still my family. Like my mother says, I'm in charge of my own happiness. Why am I even telling you this? You should go".
"I should. But do you want me to?" James asked.
"Not really".
"Then there's your answer" James smirked.
"Just leave, Potter. I don't understand anything anymore. I need to know what's happening".
"Look, you can't change what's happened in the past and I know how you feel now, ever since that time in the library. Your sister leaving, the engagement to Malfoy being finalised" James said as he brushed a blonde strand of hair behind her ear. "But for now, it's okay, you don't need to worry".
"Promise?" Narcissa asked as she moved her face closer to his.
"Promise" James said as she kissed him.
June 1978
"I see congratulations are in order" James remarked as he looked at his friends' hand. A large, glitzy, heavy looking ring adorned her slender hand.
"Thanks, James" Narcissa replied sarcastically.
"When's the wedding?".
"August, right after I turn sixteen. And they said school was prison".
"Do you want me to get Sirius to help? He escaped before".
"Leave it, James".
"He's been meaning to ask, how's Regulus?".
"Just leave me alone, James" Narcissa snapped. "I'm busy, I don't have time for this".
…
August 1978
"What if I'm … what if I don't like it, mother?" Narcissa asked slightly nervously. It was almost time for the wedding, she was in Malfoy manor clad in her white dress with her hair half tied back.
"This is your purpose in life, Narcissa" Druella answered. "You know you're in charge of your own happiness".
"What if Lucius isn't good to me mum? If I can't control how I feel?"
"Stop whinging, Narcissa" Druella drilled it into her youngest daughter as she always had done with her three children. "You are here to make a respectable pureblood marriage and produce heirs, no more nor no less. You can wallow in self pity and whinge—in which case you'll hate it, or you can simply learn to live with it and be happy. You're in charge of your own happiness".
…
"Well look who's front page news" Lily remarked as she held up the daily prophet. "Malfoy and Black have finally made their allegiance".
"Appears that way" James remarked, rubbing his glasses as he looked at the photo. She flashed a smile at the camera and fluttered her eyelashes at her new husband, showing of her expensive bouquet and dress.
"I know I wouldn't want a wedding like that. Too flashy" Lily scoffed. "Well for a start, if it was us the hair needs changing. Maybe your parents could invent something new for that, muggles do it all the time".
"Marry me" James blurted, retreating down to one knee. "Marry me".
"Mrs Lily Potter. Has a nice ring to it, I suppose?".
"I need to get a ring" James said.
"You do" Lily smiled.
September 1979
Regulus Black nervously paced as he awaited for Kreacher to return. With a crack, the small house elf appeared looking dreadful. This had to end. He'd begun to have doubts about the dark Lord, noticing his cousin sporting a large bruise on her cheek after questioning her husband about why they did what they did. Having his left forearm marred with the skull snake combination at the age of sixteen and becoming the youngest death eater had at first been a privilege yet as of late he was having his doubts. He knew that all the other's were out on a mission of sorts, that his cousin Narcissa would be home alone and apparated to Malfoy manor to find her looking tired and deflated as she sat upon the sofa, ankles crossed with her knees pressed together in the 'proper pureblood way to sit' as had been drilled into her from birth, a rather purple bruise marring her cheek.
"Alright cissy?" Regulus greeted.
"Hey Reggie" she smiled slightly wincing at the pain in her cheek. "Not too bad. You?"
"Eh, could be better" Regulus shrugged. "What's happened? Your face".
"Oh, this old thing?" The blonde put her hand on her cheek and waved her wand, glamour charm covering the ugly bruise. "I fell. Slipped in the shower".
"Narcissa" Regulus warned.
"Regulus" she retaliated as she raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow.
"Was it Lucius again?"
"No" Narcissa scoffed rather quickly. "Just a fall".
Regulus raised his eyebrows once more. "I'm not sure I believe you".
"Well it's the truth and that's that" Narcissa snapped. "Any reason you came? If it's to say about Lucius and I, our marriage is fine and well. He loves me, I love him".
"Because he certainly loves you if he did that simply because you're not pregnant!"
"And we've been married for over a year now, we need an heir! That's what I agreed to when we married, I don't want to have a kid quite yet but needs must. What are you doing here?"
"Can we go to the library? Just wanted to see if i could find a book on something. Don't want mother to know".
"Okay Reg" Narcissa agreed. "Sorry that I snapped at you".
"It's okay" Regulus smiled. "Why doesn't Dobby get us some tea and we can head over there?"
The blonde nodded and they headed to the library, regulus pouring over books and books on dark magic before eventually finding out about horcruxes.
"Hey cissy, has Lucius ever been entrusted with a special task?"
"What do you mean?" she frowned as she looked up from her book.
"Or Bella? Been given something for safekeeping".
Narcissa frowned briefly. "I think so. Lucius has some sort of diary with the name Tom Marvolo Riddle on it. Very protective over it. I know Bella has been entrusted with something too, she's more secretive. Any reason you're asking?"
"Just curious" Regulus shrugged. "Thank you. For that".
"No problem" Narcissa smiled as she slammed her book shut, setting it aside and leaning forward. "Now, what's been going on with you? You look shattered, you've barely eaten and seem rather jumpy. What's the matter?"
"I can't do this anymore Cissy. It's so fucking stupid, this pureblood supremacy. So many people are dying, the dark Lord isn't what he seems to be. I want out".
"If that's what best for you, go for it. Do the best you can until you know better, then once you know better do better. Though leaving The Dark Lord won't be easy".
"I know, I know" Regulus sighed. "He has these … it's really hard to explain. He's immortal. This war may never end. I need to do good in this war. I need to walk away from certain things".
Narcissa furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"
Regulus squeezed her shoulders. "This is probably the last time I'll ever see you. I want you to leave Malfoy when you can. Maybe not for a little while but you will get out of this shitty marriage and have a good life. Goodbye Cissy".
"Reggie" she called as she watched him walk away, black shoes echoing off the walls of the decadent yet vast library. Narcissa hid her face in her hands and wept. At the start of November when she went to Grimmauld place, Regulus' fate had been revealed. There was also a line connecting her to Lucius and going down into an empty space. She swallowed down the bile rising in her throat, hoping it was just morning sickness. She couldn't endure another month of not being pregnant.
November 1979
James and Lily ended up getting married in the Summer of '79. Things were beginning to get tense, Voldemort began to gather followers and brought them over to the dark side. Attacks on muggles and muggleborn's began. If he was honest with himself, James was getting scared of it all.
He found his anxiety increasing especially since Lily had confided in him that she thought that she was pregnant. He paced as he waited outside the bathroom, allowing Lily to take the pregnancy test herself.
"It's positive" Lily sighed with a smile as she walked out. "I'm pregnant".
James' eyes widened. "We're having a baby!".
"We are".
Lily and James became less involved with the order after that, then began to isolate in their home after learning of the prophecy. Harry James Potter was born at the end of July.
October 1981
He'd been happily playing with his son in the living room, Halloween evening. Though isolation was extremely hard after a while, and rather boring if James was being honest with himself. He loved Lily and Harry, there was no doubt about that. He shot up some purple smoke and smiled at Harry's joy as he attempted to catch it, they'd had dinner and Lily was clearing up in the kitchen. She appeared in the doorway and watched with a smile.
"Come on Harry, time for bed" Lily said.
"Aww" James pouted. "Five more minutes? Please?".
"I gave you an extra half an hour James" Lily chuckled. "It's half seven, way past this little man's bedtime".
"Dada's getting quite tired himself" James sighed as he stood up with Harry. "Time for bed baby. Night night". He handed the tot over to his mother and threw his wand down onto the sofa, stretching and yawning not paying much attention to his surroundings. He heard a blast in the hallway, the door having been crashed in. He watched with horror as he saw the hooded figure with red slits for eyes, the very man they'd been in hiding from. Voldemort.
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off—".
Voldemort hissed something that James couldn't hear. James was thrown into the air and landed on the floor unconscious.
Lily screamed from upstairs as she heard her husband thump on the floor, most likely dead. She dropped Harry into the cot as she piled boxes and chairs up as a barrier to Voldemort, picking her son up one last time as she stood by the cot. The door was blasted open and she dropped Harry into the cot, arms stretched wide to shield her son.
"Not harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"
"Stand aside you silly girl … stand aside, now"
"No, not Harry. Kill me instead, please!"
"My last warning"
"Not Harry! Please … have mercy. Have mercy. Not Harry, please not Harry". There was a flash of green light and Lily Potter took her last breath. Voldemort moved to the cot, wand in front of him as he looked at the baby, wanting to see the light leaving his eyes. It began to cry, realising that it was not his father. Voldemort opened his mouth and said those two words.
"Avada kedavra".
…
James Potter came around to Sirius stood over him. He rubbed his bleary eyes and began to sit up.
"Thank fuck mate" Sirius sighed as he helped him sit up. "You're alive".
"You-know-who" James gasped. "He was here … where's Lily? Harry?"
"Lily's gone" Sirius said quietly.
"No" James gasped as he clutched at his chest. She couldn't be gone, she couldn't. They'd been under the Disillusionment charm. Peter betrayed them. "Peter…"
"I know" Sirius sighed. "I know".
"Where's Harry?"
"He's here" Sirius glanced over at the makeshift playpen that he'd conjured up behind him. "He was crying … some sort of cut on his forehead".
"Let me see my son" James huffed as he used the wall to steady himself. "You-know-who?"
"Disappeared. Tried to you know … little Harry. Though he's survived it".
"Survived the killing curse" James frowned. "We ought to head to St Mungo's".
Narcissa Elladora Malfoy nee Black was absolutely fed up with the direction her life had gone into. Her eldest sister Andromeda had fled the family at the age of twenty and as a result, to try prevent history repeating itself, she had practically been engaged to Malfoy since she was eight years old. A part of her wished that she'd left like her sister and cousin Sirius, been brave enough to defy her family and leave. Though at the end of the day they were her family, and family meant everything.
Being married to Malfoy was not at all fun. She had to have sex with him every two to three days until she had become pregnant, and even if that hadn't happened he would use the cruciatus curse on her. It had taken over a year, though in November of 1978 she had become pregnant with her son Draco. She sighed as she looked at the cot with Draco standing on it as he bit into the bars of it. Her sixteen month old son, born six weeks premature after The Dark Lord had learnt of the prophecy concerning a baby born at the end of July, the same time that Draco was due. As a result of his prematurity, he was rather small for his age and behind on some of his milestones though to Narcissa, her son was perfect. And even though she had thought Malfoy would never take her to bed nor force himself upon her again after the birth of Draco, she had found out there was another bun in the oven. It turned out that he did indeed want the youngest black sister to become his wife, so he could expand the Malfoy bloodline indefinitely believing that he could get more heirs.
Pureblood wives should be seen and not heard was often a popular phrase. She remembered that time she questioned Lucius on where he was going and why muggleborn's were so bad, only for him to Cruciate her. She learnt her lesson and never asked that again. Unfortunately that was not the last time she had the curse used upon her. Despite being seen as the Slytherin Ice Queen who would agree with all this, the nineteen year old was disgusted by it all. Having been married at sixteen, then forced to get pregnant straight away and been tortured when she wasn't pregnant, life as Mrs Malfoy had been nothing but hell. Wanting to avoid another punishment, she made sure Draco was asleep before beginning to walk down to the drawing room. She couldn't risk her baby seeing this, no matter what.
There was something odd in the air tonight. Their usual visitors were gathered around the parlour, Bellatrix was more erratic than usual, the Lestrange brothers were doing Merlin know what though they were accompanied by Barty Crouch Jr. Narcissa was glad she was pregnant, that way she didn't have to join in with the death eater activities or entertain them. It was simply absurd—the fact that the dark Lord wanted to kill a baby, a baby that easily could've been her son had he not been born premature.
Though something had happened that Halloween night, The Dark Lord had vanished and it was looking likely that the death eaters would be arrested. Once Draco had fallen asleep in her arms she transferred Draco to the sky blue pram she'd purchased (Lucius had been opposed to the muggle contraption, though begrudgingly agreed to let her have it) and shrunk her trunk down and put it in the under-basket, keeping her wand in the holster of her robe as she made her way along the manor, pressing her hand to the slight swell of her stomach.
"Oh little one, what have we gotten ourselves into? I'm sorry Draco. I truly am. Though we're leaving tonight. This ends, tonight" she whispered as she made her way up to the door of the drawing room, pressing her ear to it.
"Frank and Alice Longbottom" Bellatrix murmured. "They know something, they must do! Born to those who thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. Their brat was also born as the seventh month died".
"Very clever bellatrix.." Rodolphus drawled. "We should head off. Did anyone hear that?".
"Hear what?" Rabastan frowned.
"Someone's eavesdropping I believe" Lucius sighed. With a wave of his wand the door opened revealing Narcissa Malfoy standing there with her son in the pushchair.
"How much did you hear?" Lucius demanded.
"I have had enough, Lucius. I'm leaving".
"How much did you hear!" Lucius repeated as he began to raise his hand.
"Just … the part about Frank and Alice Longbottom".
"Shit" Bellatrix murmured. "Now what? Well we obviously have to keep her restrained in some way.. she cannot be trusted. Accio veritaserum".
"She was planning to leave … why? Where to?" Lucius demanded once more as he pouted the potion down the witches throat.
"I don't know, nor do I care. I've had enough. I'm sick of you and your obsession with that bloody Voldemort person. Where is he now, anyway?"
"How dare you" Bellatrix spat. "How dare you speak his name! Sister or not, you have no right!"
"And you!" Narcissa turned on Bellatrix. "This is madness. Can't you see?"
"Me, mad?" The eldest Black sister cackled.
"Well … I mean" Narcissa gestured to her sister.
"How dare you! You have no right. I have put up with your stupid ideas because you are my only sister—but this ends! Now".
"And what exactly do you have planned?" Narcissa asked as she rolled her eyes and raised an eyebrow.
"Perhaps this will loosen your tongue" Bellatrix said, "crucio". Narcissa fought hard to keep her composure as she bit her lip and wobbled slightly, Bellatrix's curse ending shortly after. She knew that her sister liked to use the Cruciatus curse in segments of thirty seconds on, thirty seconds off—at least when she somewhat cared about the individual she was torturing. After a few seconds of release the curse was inflicted once more and the blonde fell to the floor.
"Okay" Narcissa panted, her face pale and forehead dripping with sweat. "Okay. I'm bloody sick of this. Sick of this marriage, sick of this death eater shite. I'm leaving, I'm taking my son with me".
"Why you bitch!" Lucius snarled. "I have put up with your bullshit for long enough purely based on the fact that you're a Black, pretty and less insane than your sister".
"Oi, shove off Malfoy!"
"Shut it Lestrange! I have had enough of all this, enough of you refusing my marital bed due to the alleged morning sickness and I refuse to let that go on any longer. Bellatrix, you and the others go, I shall catch up with you later".
"No Lucius" Narcissa whispered. "Please don't do this. Not in front of Draco, please".
"You've had your chances to redeem yourself, and you've failed. You give me no choice, Narcissa. I shall catch up with the rest of you soon. Let's hope this next child isn't weak like our current one".
The worst of it was yet to come. The feeling of his body against her's. Her sisters enjoyment. It was horrible, to top it off, Draco was there. Thank merlin he was asleep. Everything began to fade, black spots clouding her vision.
James and Sirius awkwardly paced the room they had in St Mungo's. Harry was sat on the bed and put his foot in his mouth while his godfather and father waited anxiously for the doctor to come. Eventually, Healer Tonks entered the room alongside Dumbledore and Madame Pompfrey.
"And I have told you, Mr Dumbledore, unless explicitly requested by the patient or in this case the parent/guardian of the patient you have no right to be here. Get out!"
"What're you doing here?" James frowned slightly at Dumbledore.
"Andy!" Sirius gasped.
"Long time no see" Andromeda greeted.
"How can you still bear to be in the same room as Sirius after his betrayal?" Dumbledore asked.
"It wasn't Sirius" James snarled. "It was Peter, Peter Pettigrew".
"I told you you should've just let me go after that rat!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Lashing out won't do any good Sirius" James snapped. "We changed our secret keeper at the last minute. Peter betrayed us, Dumbledore".
"Nonetheless for Harry's safety due to Lily's sacrifice he should go to Petunia Dursley where shall be protected by blood magic—she is the only living relative".
"Now I have no idea what exactly you have planned, but the safety of my son is paramount, regardless of that blood magic shite to do with bloody petunia" James said.
"Dumbledore, if you are not going to be any help get out of my office" Andromeda rose from her chair to her full height, eyes flashing dangerously. "So leave, please. Poppy, you can stay if it's okay with James".
"That's fine" James nodded as he sat down on the bed with Harry. "We'll be in touch, Dumbledore".
Andromeda had checked both Harry and James over—apart from a mild concussion James was okay and Harry's miracle was simply unexplainable, though was urged to head back to the hospital if he ever worsened or James had any worries. Not wanting to head back to Godric's Hollow for the night, James took the floo to Sirius' flat and stayed in the spare room. His flat was rather baby friendly—having a stair gate by the kitchen, a travel cot set up in the bedroom and a highchair by the dining table though James didn't want to leave his son alone, bringing him into bed with him and waiting for Harry to finish his bottle of milk before the baby dropped off to sleep, his father simply looking at the ceiling wondering if they'd ever be safe. Voldemort had seemed to disappear, though that was at the expense of his wife's life and what could only be described as a miracle when it came to Harry surviving the killing curse.
By the time Narcissa had come around, Lucius was no where in site. Neither was her father-in-law, Abraxas. She overheard an auror saying how Evelyn Malfoy, her mother-in-law, was already down at the ministry and that Abraxas was in a holding cell. Groaning slightly, she raised her head to see what was happening.
"Mrs Malfoy? I'm Hestia Jones, your husband has been taken in to Azkaban for death eater related activities. Your sister is also there. They shall have a trial soon".
"Okay. Where's Draco?"
"Crawling around somewhere I suspect. Are you okay?" Hestia asked, concern in her voice.
"I'm fine" Narcissa choked as she sat up slightly using the settee to steady her as she pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath to calm her stomach. "I'll be alright, just feeling a bit off".
"You're shaking".
"Hunger I'm sure" she briefly laughed. "Just morning sickness. Must've fainted again".
"Well, if you're sure.."
"I'm sure" Narcissa confirmed. "Anyway, I have things to do, places to go. I assume I'll be receiving an Owl soon with regards to the trials?"
"Yes that's correct".
"Okay. Well I'm off. I'll be staying elsewhere for the time being".
Author's note: in this story, Narcissa and Regulus are roughly the same age and approx two years younger than Sirius (Narcissa born August 1962, Regulus September 1961). Chapters will be updated every month on the twenty-second.