L'amour Toujour
C1: Prologue
Black Manor, February 1981
The blonde woman hurried down the well kept lawn of the so familiar house to her, a little cradle in her arms that held her newborn daughter. "I promise it will be okay my little sweetling, your aunties are going to take very good care of you. Mommy is sorry that she can't be here for you." She said with tears in her eyes.
The little girl was oblivious as she was asleep, stirring slightly in her cradle's basket as she was gently placed under the awning of the massive doors that served as the entrance to the Manor.
She pressed a last kiss to her daughter's cheek before placing the letter onto the slumbering baby and using the knocker to let people know someone was at the front door. She knew the two Black sisters would take good care of her daughter because they both adored her and that they would raise her right, like she and her wife would've wanted.
It was also her only option, because as soon as Dumbledore and the Order got wind of the fact that she was still alive, they would try to move heaven and earth to first hunt her down to finish the job and then take and indoctrinate her baby, and that was something she would not allow, not after what happened with their oldest daughter.
She purposely waited a moment until she heard footsteps coming to the door before she made her escape, not really having a destination in mind, but knowing that she had to go somewhere where the Order would never find her and hope that one day she could return to her daughters.
As the door opened to reveal a statuesque blonde, the first thing she noticed was that no one was there until her eyes fell onto the crib that sat on her doorstep. "What in the world?" She said as she picked up the letter and the baby.
My dear Narcissa and Andromeda,
When you read this letter, I will have gone into hiding from the Order. It is too dangerous for my darling Luna to stay with me. It is better that the Order believes they succeeded in killing me.
I beg of you to take care of Luna. I couldn't bear another loss.
To my darling Bellatrix, I'm so sorry for not being there when it mattered most. I was so sure that we were safe.
We will see each other again when the time is right, my love. This I vow and then I will do everything in my power to earn your forgiveness and to never leave your side again.
We will find out the truth, my love.
All my love,
Pandora
"Oh Pandora, you can't catch a break can't you? Come one sweetie, let's get you warm." She said softly as she gently picked up the baby and walked inside, ordering one of the elves to immediately prepare a baby room.
As she walked into the parlor with the slumbering newborn, her sister quirked an eyebrow. "Who was that Cissa?" Andromeda asked softly.
Narcissa handed her older sister the letter and sat down with the baby in her arms. "I think what we were afraid of happened Andi. Pandora's so called accident that our sister was supposedly responsible for was staged by the old man and his gaggle of blind followers. For the time being Luna is ours to care for and raise."
"The poor girl, having lost not only her sister but her mothers too. At least she'll be among family." Andromeda said softly.
Narcissa nodded and smiled as she gently rocked baby Luna, who only now stirred slightly as she opened her gray eyes, murmuring softly as she cuddled into the blonde's arms. "That she will and she will know all of the love and warmth that comes with it, as well as knowing who her mothers are and what happened to them. We should withhold the truth about Pandora until she's older though. There is no need to traumatize her this early."
Andromeda nodded at her. "I agree, we'll explain to Draco and Dora that Luna will come to live with us for the time being."
"I'm sure they won't mind having their niece stay with us." Narcissa said softly as not to disturb the newborn too much.
Andromeda smiled at her sister. "I know they won't. I just hope we're ready to be mothers for three children now." The brunette said as she took a seat next to her sister.
"We'll manage Andi. We have plenty of means to make sure little Luna will be the woman her mothers want her to be." Narcissa said with a soft smile to the baby as their Head Elf Jupi popped into the room.
"Pardon my interruption mistresses, but we have finished your orders. We have put her room next to yours for convenience." The elf said respectfully.
The two witches smiled at him. "Thank you Jupi. I'm also sorry if I came off as a bit snappish earlier. I was merely overwhelmed by the situation."
"We understand Mistress Black. We took no offense." Jupi said kindly.
Narcissa smiled and nodded at him as she and Andromeda made the trek upstairs to lay the girl down for the night. It was well past her bedtime and since they were probably going to have to be up a couple of times in the night, they too could use their night's rest.
As they gently placed Luna in her new crib and tucked her in, the two sisters smiled at each other. "I'll take the first feeding tonight and prepare a few bottles, tomorrow we'll set up a schedule." Andromeda said softly.
Narcissa nodded at her. "Then I'll take the second. I think we have some formula left. We also need to go shop for clothes and everything else she might need. I don't suppose you have any of Dora's newborn clothes left?"
"None that are salvageable unfortunately, even with magic. She was quite rambunctious if you remember." Andromeda said softly as they made their way out of the room and back down the stairs.
Narcissa couldn't help a slight twitch of her eyebrow. "Yes, I remember very well, and it is not gotten better as she got older."
Andromeda smiled at her sister. "It's not that bad. You're just used to Draco not being a fussy baby. I know the moment Dora was revealed to be a Metamorphmagus that we were in for quite the ride."
Narcissa only smiled at her. "That is very true, but in light of our new development, I'll be going to bed now. I'll see you in the morning Andi."
"Good night Cissa. Can I assume that you'll set up the notification ward before you go to sleep?" Andromeda asked softly.
The blonde merely nodded and smiled at her sister as she took her leave, leaving the brunette alone with her thoughts.
Black Manor, July 1988
By the time Luna was seven years old, she was growing up to be just as bright and perceptive as Pandora and Bellatrix and the two sisters had decided that it was a good time to tell her the truth.
Since it was summer and both Dora and Draco were busy running around the garden, Luna was in the library which was her preferred place to read or study when her siblings were too loud for her liking.
The three children loved each other very much of course and usually spent a lot of time together but it was very clear early on that their interests were vastly different as they got older. Luna enjoyed everything educational, while Draco was more obsessed with flying and Quidditch. Nymphadora was mostly interested in being as much of a teenager as she could get away with, which usually got her scolded by Narcissa.
Because Andromeda was out in the garden keeping an eye on her daughter and nephew, it fell to Narcissa to tell their adopted daughter the truth, and of course the first place she went to go and look was the library, and as she walked in she had to smile at how her daughter was curled up in the couch. "I thought I might find you here sweetie."
Luna smiled at her mother. "Hello mother, I figured this was a better use of my time, since Dora and Draco are being so loud."
Narcissa smiled sweetly and sat down next to her. "I figured as much, but I actually wanted to talk to you for a bit if that's okay."
Luna nodded and marked her page with a marker before giving the older blonde her undivided attention. "Of course mother, I will always make time for you."
Narcissa smiled and pulled the petite blonde into her lap. "That's sweet babygirl, but I'm afraid what I have to tell you might shock you a bit, and I really need you to hear me out fully before responding. I'm not your real mother, but rather your aunt. You were left on our doorstep when you were just a week old by your mother Pandora, and it is not because she didn't love you, far from it. Your mothers both love you very much, more than life itself, but circumstances at the time were so dangerous that she saw no other choice but to leave you with the only people she could trust, your aunt Andromeda and myself. Our sister Bellatrix is your other mother and unfortunately she was arrested on false charges shortly after Pandora had an accident that was said to have killed her, or at least that is what they wanted everyone to think.
In truth, and I must urge you not to tell anyone of this once you go to Hogwarts, at least not until you know who you can implicitly trust, your mothers are both still alive. Pandora is in hiding until such time it is safe for her to come back to us. So far every request we filed to visit your mother in Azkaban has been denied but I am sure that she too will find her way back to us at some point in the future.
When you go to school in a couple of years, you will heard a lot of stories about her, and I want you to know that most of them are false. She did not torture anyone and she certainly didn't kill anyone. She is a bit unstable because of a Curse on our house, but she is not the insane woman people will make her out to be.
You will hear a lot of things about our family when you go to Hogwarts, but know this sweetling. Your aunt and I will always love as if you were our own daughter, nothing will ever change that."
Luna smiled and cuddled into the blonde. "At least some of the things make sense now. Thank you for telling me mother. I know it couldn't have been easy to keep this a secret for so long, but what happened what was so dangerous?"
Narcissa smiled at that, having expected that question. "Around the time you were born, there was a war in our world, a war the Muggles have no clue about. We sided ourselves early on to the side that we saw had the best interest of everyone at heart, but through the actions of others we were painted as the bad people in this conflict. They twisted our beliefs into something dark and started calling us the Dark Side, while they proclaimed to be the Light. Two distinct camps formed in the wake of this divide, on the one side is the Order of the Phoenix who proclaim to be the Light and fight for the so called 'greater good' while on the other side there are the Death Eaters, which is a name they gave us to try and make people see that we were evil. We simply call ourselves followers of our Lord who wants to make things right in our world, which is a conversation for when you're older.
For now we'll get back to what happened. You also had a sister, who we believe to be one of the first casualties of the war. Her name was Hermione and she was the spitting image of Bellatrix, as you are a spitting image of Pandora. The Order attacked the home your mothers shared and while we never found out what really happened, we know is that Hermione was gone when they regained consciousness. Our Lord in retaliation went after one of the Order's most important followers, and in that he lost his life, although he had taken precautions which will allow him to eventually return. It was the night the war entered a dormant phase which persists to this day, but we know that at some point in the future it will make its return."
Luna nodded at that. "I understand, and while it is a lot to take in, I think I will be able to come to grips with this in time."
"I know you will sweetheart, because you are a very bright young woman, who will undoubtedly go far in life. We are so immensely proud of you." Narcissa said sweetly.
Luna smiled at her mother, because even though she now knew the truth, Narcissa would always be her mother. "Will I be asked to make a choice of sides mother?"
"Unfortunately, eventually you will, but that is far in the future. It is nothing for you to worry about now. Just know that whatever happens, we will always tell you the truth. You and your siblings were unfortunate to be born into this war and therefor left without a choice." Narcissa said softly, with emotion clear in her voice.
Luna merely smiled at her and cuddled into her. "I will always side with the family that loves me. I would never side with the people that broke it apart."
Narcissa smiled sweetly and pressed a kiss to the top of the blonde's head, holding her adopted daughter close while they sat mostly in silence.
Black Manor, July 1992
Narcissa had never felt more nervous than she did right now, because for the past six months all the news she had heard coming out of Hogwarts hadn't been good and she was glad that they were finally coming home.
The worst part was that the old man had done nothing to protect the students, choosing to sit back just like he had done the first time this had happened.
It was also the reason she had asked Andromeda to pick up their children from Kings Cross, because she was far too afraid that her emotions would get the better of her when she saw her babies again.
She also had a lot of questions for their youngest because this had been her first year and there had been precious little communications over the course of the year. She was eager to find out how she had settled into her House.
Expectedly the blonde had been sorted into Ravenclaw like her mother and Narcissa had been filled with pride for her adopted daughter. It had been clear very early on that the petite blonde was going to be in Ravenclaw and both Andromeda and herself had tried everything in their power to nurture and feed her curiosity and intellect.
To take her mind off the potential things she was going to hear the moment her children were home, she was working on making them all a lunch that they would love. She knew very well the limited options at school, so offering them something they only had at home was sure to be appreciated, especially by Nymphadora who had graduated this year, although the young Metamorphmagus had no clue on what she was going to do now that she had finished school.
The moment she had taken the last of her pancakes out of the pan, since she felt every meal should be made with love instead of magic, she heard the distinct crack of apparition in the living room, sending the last of breakfast to the dining room under a warming charm before she made her way to the living room to welcome her children home.
Draco and Luna both smiled brightly at her. "Hello mother, it's good to see you again." Draco said kindly.
Narcissa smiled and gathered her children in her arms. "I'm so glad you're home again. I was beside myself with worry. I want to know everything that happened this year."
They both nodded and relaxed in her embrace. "Of course mother. There is a lot to tell you though, so it might take most of the afternoon." Luna said softly.
Narcissa smiled at them. "Then we'll have our usual end of school year breakfast first, I've made all of your favorites, even yours Dora."
The Metamorphmagus grinned and hugged her aunt, expectedly tripping over her own feet just before reaching the blonde, with Luna and Draco being aware enough to step aside as Narcissa caught the girl. "It's good to see some things never change, dear."
"It's good to see you too aunt Cissa, and no, I don't think they ever will." Dora said with a smile.
Narcissa smiled at her as they all made their way to the dining room, so they could all share a nice breakfast together before officially starting their summer.
During breakfast they talked a little bit about what their plans for this summer were, but mostly it was time spent in silence, all of them glad to be mostly complete, since they would never be truly complete with Bellatrix, Pandora and Hermione there.
"So Dora, what exactly did you plan to do now that you've graduated?" Andromeda asked kindly.
"Honestly Mom, I don't know. I really don't want to work in the Ministry or become an Auror, but I don't know what else there would be for someone with my skills." Nymphadora said honestly.
Both women smiled at that, having expected this answer. "We figured you might say that, and we just want you to know that there will never be any pressure for you to do anything. We were merely wondering and would hate to see you waste away." Narcissa said with a soft smile.
Dora smiled at that. "I won't aunt Cissa. I was hoping you two would be okay with having me travel our properties for the summer so I could do some proper inventory lists. I know that has been on either of your to do lists for a long time now and I honestly wouldn't mind making myself useful in this way."
The sisters shared a look at that. "That is a great idea sweetheart, and we certainly don't mind having someone to catalog what we have in our many properties, you are also right in saying that we've had too little time for this." Andromeda said with a soft smile.
Dora nodded and smiled at her mother. "I know, which is why I offered. It will also keep me busy for the foreseeable future, and I also wouldn't be opposed to eventually managing those properties, because honestly, that seems like the best use of my skills."
"We agree with that, because while you are clumsy at times, you are certainly very well organized. We have the utmost faith in your abilities." Narcissa said kindly.
Nymphadora merely grinned at that as they continued the rest of breakfast in relative silence, and afterwards they made their way to the den, where they could all talk in peace about what had happened this year.
As they took a seat in the den, with Luna expectedly cuddling up to Narcissa, since the young blonde had been very close to the blonde ever since everything was revealed to her. "So, what exactly happened this year that the old man was so reluctant to tell us?"
Luna and Draco shared a look before smiling at the blonde. "A lot happened mother, it all started when someone wrote on a wall that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, in blood, and not soon after people started turning up petrified whenever there was a new message. A lot of these talked about the enemy of 'the Heir' which given who apparently built that chamber makes sense." Draco started softly.
"It was people from all houses too, but most of them were Gryffindors. My best friend actually got petrified." Luna said softly, with a hint of sadness in her voice.
Both Narcissa and Andromeda looked shocked at that. "We had no idea that things were so bad at Hogwarts. Did they find out what was causing this?" Narcissa asked softly.
Draco nodded at her. "Yes, because of course Potter managed to find out what was happening, undoubtedly because of the things Dumbledore told him. It was a basilisk hidden in the chamber, and it turned out that the youngest Weasley was the one that was the one that was seemingly possessed by something dark and she was to be the last victim, until Potter miraculously saved the day again, much like he did last year."
"A basilisk? In the school? That is beyond dangerous. How could Dumbledore let this happen?" Narcissa asked to no one in particular with outrage clear in her voice.
"Calm down Cissy. We'll certainly ask these and other pressing questions at the next board meeting. What matters is that our children are all home and safe." Andromeda said in an attempt to calm her younger sister.
Narcissa took a deep breath and nodded. "Of course, I'm sorry dears, why don't you tell me the more safe stories."
Both Draco and Luna nodded and smiled at her. "My year was as normal as it could be, but my dear sister had quite an interesting year I believe." Draco said with a smile to Luna.
Luna smiled at him. "It was a bit weird not being here all the time, and while some people looked a bit weird at me, one girl was very kind to me and we quickly became best friends. She is one of the smartest people I've ever met and she is incredibly kind. She helped me a lot with my homework whenever I asked for help, at least before she was petrified by that basilisk."
Narcissa smiled sweetly at her youngest. "That's great to hear sweetie. It does my heart good to know that our baby girl has made friends. We were honestly a bit worried."
"She is great and even though she is a Muggleborn she is very interested about everything concerning magic, not to mention gifted. The only things she sometimes seems to struggle with is Potions and Herbology, everything else she was at the top of her class, or at least the parts she was there for." Luna said with a soft smile.
Draco nodded in agreeance. "She's in my year, and honestly I've never seen a Muggleborn with such an aptitude for Potions, and she's a great partner too. We've been paired up for most of the year and she's taught me as much as I taught her."
"She sounds like a very talented young witch. What is her name?" Narcissa asked softly.
"Her name is Hermione Granger." Luna said with her usual dreamy smile.
Narcissa and Andromeda shared a look at that. "Hermione you said? And she's a Muggleborn?" Andromeda asked softly.
Both Draco and Luna nodded at that. "Yes, as far as we know she is a Muggleborn, and while Dumbledore has overtly tried to get her to work with Weasley and Potter, they despise her for her intelligence, and she on her turn despises them for their stupidity." Draco said with a smile.
Narcissa and Andromeda nodded at that, sharing a look to discuss this later tonight when the children had gone to bed, and for most of the afternoon they talked about the school year, both women being very interested in the girl Draco and Luna kept talking about.
…
Later that evening Narcissa and Andromeda were in the library, sitting in one of the many comfortable nooks they had built over the years. "Could it really be her Cissa? Could it be our long lost niece?"
"It's too early to tell Andi, but Hermione is far from a common name, and it is certainly not a name I've ever heard from a Muggle. We'll have to pay close attention to everything Luna and Draco tell us about her, because if it is her, it means that the old goat had a hand in her disappearance. Bella will flip a lid when she hears this." Narcissa said softly.
"That's putting it mildly. She'll be out for his blood if she ever gets out, and honestly I can't say that I could blame her." Andromeda said in a similar tone.
Narcissa nodded at her. "No, and I don't think that either of us would stop her because we would react the same way when it involved Dora or Draco. I think when our Lord comes back he'll allow her to take his life."
Andromeda nodded at that. "Have you heard anything from the faithfuls Cissy?"
"Not as of yet. The last I heard they were still looking for him, and are having trouble locating him. I'm sure one of them will find our Lord at some point and make preparations for his return." Narcissa said with a soft smile.
Andromeda nodded and smiled at her. "Let's hope they do, because I have a feeling that once our Lord returns he will want to hit the ground running, so to speak. He wouldn't want to waste time with pointless destruction anymore."
Narcissa nodded at that. "I have the same feeling, and I think the first order he'll give is to free the inner circle that is still in Azkaban. He'll want Bella home so she can start to heal."
"He is far from the only one, because I know the moment Bella is home and we tell her of what happened she'll stop at nothing to find Pandora and Hermione. I just worry how she will react to find Luna here." Andromeda said softly.
"Honestly, I think she'll be glad that she was raised by family and that we told her the truth. Her reaction to us raising her daughter isn't what I'm worried about. Her reaction to Dumbledore trying to kill her soulmate is what worries me more." Narcissa said with a worry in her voice.
Andromeda nodded at that. "Truthfully, I think we might need to hold her back from doing anything rash when she finally returns home."
Narcissa merely nodded at that as the two sisters spent most of the evening in silence, both having a lot to think about after the unknowing bomb shell Luna and Draco had dropped on them.