Finally Belonging Somewhere-Part 24:
That same night Narcissa was hoping that she'd tired Aurora out enough for her to just fall asleep without the nightmares. She knew that she was exhausted but her mind couldn't shut down properly. Lucius had only just settled into sleep when a loud, piercing scream echoed around the Manor. Narcissa was instantly awake and didn't even bother with her robe as she flew through the door.
By the time Lucius had managed to get through to Aurora's room Narcissa was sat in the rocking chair with an extremely distressed Aurora held close to her, trying to settle her.
"What in Merlin's name has her this distressed?" Lucius asked before Narcissa just shook her head signalling that now wasn't the time to talk about it.
"She's not settling down this time," Narcissa conceded after a few more minutes.
"Take her to your music room. It helped with Draco remember?" Lucius said before going and grabbing Narcissa's robe and helping her to put it on before following his wife to her music room. He waved his wand and the lights came on softly and he went and sorted a fire out whilst Narcissa went and sat at the piano with Aurora and thought about what to sing.
"Everything will be OK Little Flower," she said softly to the crying and shaking girl in her arms.
"Lavender's Blue," Lucius said softly before Narcissa nodded and she wrapped one arm tighter around Aurora before she began to play and then softly began to sing.
"Lavender's blue,
Dilly dilly,
Lavenders green.
When I am King,
Dilly dilly,
You shall be Queen.
Who told you so,
Dilly dilly,
Who told you so?
T'was my own heart,
Dilly dilly,
That told me so.
Call up your men,
Dilly dilly,
Set them to work.
Some to the plow,
Dilly dilly,
Some to the fork."
She paused and took a look down and Aurora had begun to calm down and she kissed the little girl's head before she carried on singing.
Some to make hay,
Dilly dilly,
Some to cut corn.
While you and I,
Dilly dilly,
Keep ourselves warm.
Lavender's green,
Dilly dilly,
Lavender's blue.
If you love me,
Dilly dilly,
I will love you.
Let the birds sing,
Dilly dilly,
Let the lambs play.
We shall be safe,
Dilly dilly,
Out of harms way."
Narcissa paused her singing again and could see that Aurora was finally beginning to fall asleep. She felt an arm around her and was surprised to find Lucius had enlarged the piano stool and was sat down beside her. Once again she kissed her foster daughter's head and finished the lullaby.
"I love to dance,
Dilly dilly,
I love to sing.
When I am Queen,
Dilly dilly,
You'll be my King.
Who told me so,
Dilly dilly,
Who told me so?
I told myself,
Dilly dilly,
I told me so."
Narcissa finished the lullaby but carried on playing and she finally felt Aurora relax into her. She breathed an instant sigh of relief and rested her head on Lucius' shoulder.
"Finally she's asleep again," she breathed a sigh of relief, "I thought she was never going to go back off."
"So did I. I think tomorrow you should tell her more about our families. Whilst I'm at the Ministry in the morning show her your family tree, or even show her the tapestry," Lucius said, "yes she'll find out about our missing baby but she needs to know. Now bed."
Before Narcissa could even protest Lucius had both Narcissa and Aurora in his arms and he carried them to the master bedroom and soon he and Narcissa were asleep again.
Narcissa woke up the next morning to find Lucius already gone. She was still tired but she couldn't sleep. She quietly summoned Daisy and Lilly and asked her Elf to start the breakfast and Lilly to watch Aurora and see that the girl was dressed and brought to the parlour once she was awake.
Both Elves nodded before Narcissa rose from the bed and got dressed and made sure Aurora was safely tucked into the middle of the bed before she headed to the Tapestry Room and looked at it before gathering the information she required before heading to the parlour for breakfast.
She was unsure when Aurora would wake up so she decided to eat her fruit so the French Toast could stay warm until Aurora had woken up. She knew she was going to have to ask Aurora about the nightmare but right now she was grappling with the fact that she was going to be telling Aurora about the missing baby. She thought it might be better for Aurora to discover and ask her that way because Narcissa herself had no idea on how to approach the subject with the 11-year-old.
Her thoughts were disturbed a while later as Aurora finally appeared and Narcissa smiled as Aurora sat down in her chair and soon the two were eating the French Toast.
"Narcissa…what am I doing here during half term?" Aurora asked.
"We thought it would be an idea for you to get to know the Manor before you came to stay at Christmas," Narcissa said, "it is rather big. Now today I'm going to show you the Black Family Tapestry and show you about my family, just for this morning. This afternoon Lucius will tell you about his side of the family." Aurora just nodded before she carried on eating her breakfast.
Eventually Narcissa had cleaned Aurora up and took her to the Tapestry Room and began to show her the Black Family Tapestry. She began to explain from the outside in.
"So here are my parents Cygnus Black the Third and Druella; she was a Rosier before she married my father. You can see my sister Bellatrix and me with Lucius…"
"Why are there two names under yours and Lucius'? You only have one child…"
Narcissa sighed; now she would have to explain all. She led Aurora over to the sofa and sat her down.
"In March 1984 I gave birth to a second baby, a younger sibling for Draco but the baby wasn't breathing and it was rushed out of the room. Lucius and I never saw the baby again," Narcissa explained, "our child is alive though because the Black Family Tree doesn't have a death date."
"So I'm just a replacement child?" Aurora said before she rose from the sofa and she hurried off and got lost but found herself by Narcissa's music room so she went inside. She could see a barre set up and looked around and eventually found a pair of pointes and put them on before she went over and put the music on and began to dance.
Lucius came home at lunchtime and found Narcissa sat on the floor in the Tapestry Room.
"Cissa…?" he asked softly.
"She hates me. Aurora hates me. I told her about the baby and she jumped to the wrong conclusion and rushed off somewhere and I don't know where she's gone," Narcissa said, her voice wobbling.
"Lilly!" Lucius said and the House Elf appeared from nowhere, "find Miss Aurora and report back as soon as you've found her." The Elf nodded and Lucius sat Narcissa on the sofa as they waited for news on Aurora. A pop was soon heard and Lilly appeared,
"She's in Mistress Narcissa's Music Room…I think you should see Master," the Elf said before being dismissed.
Narcissa wasted no time and hurried to her Music Room where she stood in the doorway and was soon joined by Lucius and they just stood there and watched Aurora dancing almost as well as Narcissa herself could dance. All they could do was smile and watch silently, not wanting to disturb the 11-year-old dancing when she was clearly enjoying herself and having fun. They just remained silent and watched.