QLFC: Season 10, Round 5

Team: Kenmare Kestrels

Position: Captain

Family: Black

Prompt: Suspense

Word Count: 2870

Warnings: Non-graphic mentions of Blood and Injury, Minor Character Death, Scary demon-like creature

Notes: I was working on this fic in the adjunct professor lounge at the college where my sister teaches, and in the lounge is the door to the elevator machine room. So there I was, writing, and just as I was hinting about the scary stuff and considering if I should make some scary stuff happen and the elevator machine room started making sound (just normal elevator room sound) and I kid you not I literally jumped, then turned to the door and said "Excuse me, I am writing a horror story, please don't."

A single drop of blood fell from his hand onto the carefully drawn runes awakening the ancient power of the ritual. He smiled and drew his wand, not bothering to heal the cut on his palm. The incantation was long, but he had been studying it for months until the words seemed engraved into his heart. The Latin syllables fell off his lips like music, beautiful despite their meaning. Soon they too were completed. All that was left was to make his request and the spell would be released.

"Wherever in the world they may be, find those who I will trust but will betray me, and destroy them."

He smiled and the ground rumbled around him and the spell began its search.

…..

Narcissa sat in the sitting room, her hands delicately folded on her lap, trying to keep her legs from swinging. She just had to wait a few moments longer, then it would be just the five of them! And Analee, the house elf, but she didn't count, all Bella would have to do is threaten to punish her if she told Mother and Father what they did; Analee was too scared to disobey Bella.

"Well, it's time for us to go," Uncle Orion said. Narcissa did her best not to look too excited at the news.

"As we told you before, the Gala will last until late tonight, long after you all are in bed," Mother said. She looked at Bella in a way that seemed to say even you Bella. You're not above the rules.

Narcissa looked over at Bella, who was giving mother one of her smiles that said she was just pretending to be obedient. "Of course, mother. I'll make sure Analee sends us all to bed on time."

Bella is a liar, Narcissa thought. Not in a bad way… as long as she let the rest of them stay up too. Narcissa said her goodbyes to Mother, Father, Aunt Walburga, and Uncle Orion like she was expected to, and then, finally, they were gone. Narcissa watched as they left, listening for the click and magical whirr of the front door closing and locking.

"Now that the adults are gone—" Narcissa turned to look at Bella as Bella spoke "—what shall we do?"

"Can we play a game?" Sirius asked, bouncing in his chair. Clearly Narcissa wasn't the only one excited by their evening together. She glanced at the corner as a shadow seemed to flicker across it.

Bella laughed. "Like what? Hide and seek? We're not babies!" she said.

"No!" Sirius said. "Like… uhm…"

"Why not hide and seek?" Andy said. "It's ever so much more fun here than at Grimmauld Place!"

"Because It's boring!" Bella said. "Besides, if we're going to spend the evening together we should spend it together, not hiding from one another." She glanced towards the door, and her eyebrows drew together a little. Narcissa followed her gaze but nothing was there. Bella was talking again, her expression back to the mysterious playful smirk that she'd been sporting before. "How about we play The Haunting of Magehill Tower Asylum."

Narcissa scrunched up her nose. She hated that game, it was scary.

"Mother says Reggie's too young for scary things," Sirius said.

"I'm not," Reggie protested. "I'm only a year younger than you are."

"Maybe you're right," Bella said. She was using her mocking voice though, so Narcissa knew she didn't really mean it. "Maybe you're both too young for that game."

Both Sirius and Reggie protested loudly at that, and Narcissa couldn't help but giggle. Bella always knew how to upset people in funny ways. Even Andy, who usually scolded Bella when she made Sirius and Reggie upset, was stifling laughter.

"I'll go get the game," Narcissa said. She waited for Bella and Andy to nod then ran to the sitting room door. It was dark in the hallway, maybe a little darker than normal, but Narcissa didn't mind. She'd lived here all her life, she could probably find her way around if someone cast a darkening charm on the room. She opened the hidden cupboard under the stairs and pulled out the board game. They had played it several times before, never with Sirius or Reggie though, but she knew the mystery was different each time. Andy had once explained how the charms worked once, but Narcissa didn't remember. She turned to go back to the sitting room, as a slight movement at the end of the hall caught her eye.

"Hello?" Narcissa said. No one responded. She shook her head and started down the hall. It was probably just a house elf. Maybe Bella had sent Analee to fetch something for them to eat from the kitchen.

The others were sitting in a circle on the floor when Narcissa got back. That was another thing they wouldn't have been allowed to do if Mother and Father were home, sitting on the floor wasn't proper. Narcissa supposed that someday she'd care to be proper, but not yet. Maybe when she started Hogwarts next year.

"I've got the game," Narcissa said. She sait down between Andy and Reggie and set the wooden box in the middle for Bella to set up. "Who goes first?"

"Whoever saw a ghost most recently," Bella said.

Narcissa groaned. "No, I hate that rule. It means you or Andy always go first," she said. Neither the manor, nor grimmauld place had any ghosts. In fact, Narcissa had never seen a ghost.

"What if," Andromeda began, her voice higher than normal the way it was any time she was trying to be diplomatic.

"I saw a ghost," Reggie said.

Narcissa stared at him. There was no way he'd seen a ghost! She didn't even try to stop the little bit of jealousy that creeped into the back of her throat.

Bella's sharp laugh cut through the room. "When?" she asked.

Reggie straightened up. "Today when we were outside the manor. It was like a big black shadowy person standing outside the window."

"Ghosts are white, Reggie, not black," Sirius said.

"Well this one was black!" Reggie said.

Sirius looked like he was going to say something, but Andy cut him off. "I guess Reggie's going first," she said.

Narcissa looked at Bella to see if she was going to protest, but Bella was just staring at Reggie, her eyebrows drawn together. "Which window was it outside of?" Bella asked.

"That one," Reggie said, pointing to the window by the southeastern corner of the room. "It was looking inside."

Narcissa looked closer at the window. Nothing seemed off, even though a small knot was forming in her stomach.

"Alright, fine," Sirius said. "You saw a ghost, you go first."

It took almost ten minutes for Reggie to complete his first turn. Narcissa tried to be patient, he was only five, after all, but it was hard. Sirius went next, and while his moves weren't particularly helpful, at least they were fast. Bella went next, then Andy. Finally it was Narcissa's turn. She stared at the clues and doors on the board. Andy always said it was best to look at the clues first, but Narcissa never understood them anyway.

"I'm going to try the Memory Charm Ward door," Narcissa said. She moved her piece to the door and the lights in the sitting room flickered. She looked at Bella then Andy in confusion. That had never happened before. The board was already twisting into the Memory Charm Ward. The lights were probably nothing. A single word flashed across the board, almost so fast Narcissa couldn't read it. "Run." Narcissa reached to pull her piece back to the door to the Reception Room when the lights went out again. She couldn't help a little squeal escaping her as cold magic from the game board brushed against her hand.

"Alright, cut it out Bella," Andy said. She sounded mad.

"I'm not doing anything," Bella snapped back. Narcissa had never heard her sound like this before, she sounded almost scared. Bella wasn't scared of anything.

"Siri," Reggie said, so quietly that Narcissa almost couldn't hear it.

"I don't think I like this game," Sirius said loudly. At least he didn't sound scared.

Narcissa looked around the room again. The only light was coming from the sky outside which was still a little light even though the sun had set. All the candles and lanterns and even the fire in the fireplace was out. She shivered.

This isn't a game.

The words seemed to come unbidden into her mind. Regulus scooched closer to Sirius, who wrapped his arm around Reggie's shoulders.

"Analee," Bella called.

Analee didn't come.

"Analee, come here now," Bella called again. "She should be back with the snacks already." Narcissa watched Bella's face as she looked around the room. Her brows were drawn together again as her eyes swept over everything until she became very still.

Narcissa began to turn to follow Bella's gaze, but Bella reached across the board and grabbed her wrist, her eyes still locked on the same spot behind Narcissa.

"Let's go to the Kitchens to find Analee," Bella said. "She can restart the lights." She stood up sharply, pulling Narcissa up with her. "Come on, all of you."

The lights were all on in the hall, and it wasn't at all dark like it had been when Narcissa went to get the game. She followed Andy to the door to the servants' stairs. Narcissa had never been to the Kitchens before. Mother said it was no place for a young lady. The house elves worked down there, and she had no reason to go looking for them. The door to the kitchen was open, and Andy didn't hesitate to walk to it, so Narcissa followed.

Narcissa's eyes widened as she looked into the kitchen. Not at the giant fireplaces with various pots and kettles and spits cooking over them, or at the shelves full of different ingredients, or at the table with fresh fruits and vegetables piled on it. It was Analee that made Narcissa's eyes widen. She was lying on the floor with a smashed tea kettle in a puddle of tea beside her. She looked… she almost looked asleep, except she wasn't moving at all. Narcissa knew what that meant. She felt Andy gently grab her shoulders and steer her out of the kitchen. Her heart was pounding as if she'd just run ten laps around the house. She hated scary things. Hated them.

"Bella," Andy said, breathlessly, like she too had been running.

Bella stepped past Sirius and Reggie and looked in the kitchen. Then, wordlessly she shut the door. There was silence for several moments. Narcissa tried to think of the bright side. There had to be one, right?

"We need a new plan," Bella said. "My wand is in my trunk upstairs—" Narcissa turned to look at Bella. If she was getting her wand, that meant things were bad. Really bad. "—we should—"

BANG

The door to the main hall upstairs slammed shut and the dim lighting in the hall flickered. Narcissa stumbled back into Andy, who tightened her arms around Narcissa like a hug. Reggie was clinging to Sirius' sleeve, and once again Bella looked scared.

"We can take the servants' stairs up," Sirius said. He turned to look at Bella. "Right?" This time he looked scared.

Narcissa turned to look at Bella again too.

"Yes," Bella said, setting her jaw. "I'll go first, then Sirius and Regulus, then Narcissa, and Andromeda you'll go last. Let's stick together." She walked past them again, her shoulders pulled back confidently, but Narcissa was pretty sure it was just a show to make Sirius and Regulus feel better.

The servants' stairs were creepy. Most of the steps creaked, and there was dust and even cobwebs everywhere. By the time they got to the third floor where their rooms were Narcissa could hardly believe they were in the same house. She was glad to leave the stairs into the hallway, so glad that she almost didn't care that the lights were off up here too.

"Is it the ghost I saw?" Reggie asked quietly.

Bella turned sharply, so sharply that Narcissa almost winced too. "It's not anything. Just the magic in the house acting up a little." Bella was lying. This time Narcissa hated that she was lying.

"But what does it want?" Reggie asked. Clearly he knew she was lying too.

You.

Narcissa breathed in sharply as the word popped into her head. The voice didn't sound like hers, just like the voice earlier hadn't. She almost didn't notice the way Reggie was looking around as if he had heard it too.

"Let's just find my wand," Bella said. She turned back down the hall, and screamed. It was a short scream, but still it seemed out of place coming from Bella. Narcissa didn't blame her though. Down at the end of the hall was a shape. A tall black shadowy figure. Like a ghost. The one Reggie had seen.

It started moving down the hall towards them. Narcissa felt like she couldn't breathe. She wanted to see a ghost, but not like this one. Andy said all the ghosts at Hogwarts were nice, this didn't feel nice. The manor didn't even have a ghost, or it hadn't before. She didn't want this ghost to haunt them. She felt hot tears pricking her eyes at the thought. The ghost was coming right at her. Well almost. It passed Bella but disappeared when it reached Regulus. Narcissa was in the middle of trying to breathe a sigh of relief when Regulus turned around.

He looked angry. His eyes seemed somehow darker than Narcissa had ever seen them before. He took a step towards Narcissa, then another.

"Reggie!" Sirius called. He grabbed Reggie's arm, but pulled back, staring at his hands as if they were burnt.

"Bella," Andy's voice was strangely calm, "go get your wand."

Bella didn't move.

"Bella now."

The urgency in Andy's voice seemed to shake Bella into action, and she turned and ran to her room.

Reggie was still moving closer to Narcissa. She began backing away from it, Andy was backing with her.

"What do you want with me?" Narcissa blurted out.

Reggie's expression didn't change at all. "You will betray him. He has called for your death. The little boy's too." His voice still sounded like Reggie, but cold and emotionless.

"Let him go!" Sirius shouted. He ran forward and grabbed Reggie's arm, biting back a painful cry.

The dark shadow seemed to burst from Reggie, swirling out of him and knocking Sirius to the ground. Reggie collapsed like a puppet. His hair seemed wet like he'd been doused in water. The shadow was approaching Sirius now, and Narcissa could feel the knot in her stomach growing. It had killed Analee. It was going to kill Sirius too. She glanced at Reggie. He was still moving, a small stream of water coming from the side of his mouth pulsed with his breathing. Something deep inside Narcissa said Sirius wouldn't be still breathing if the shadow got to him.

She stepped forward, shaking Andy's hand off her arm. "Stop!" Narcissa said. "It's me you want, leave him alone!" Her voice and hands were shaking.

The dark shadow did stop. It seemed to pause as if considering its actions, then moved so fast that Narcissa barely had time to stumble back into Andy as it came flying towards her. She squeezed her eyes shut as Andy wrapped her in another hug from behind. She didn't want to die.

She could practically hear her heart beating. The pressure from Andy's arms increased. Then it was over.

Andy's arm's relaxed. She opened her eyes, Reggie hadn't moved, Srius was half laying on the floor, half leaning against the wall, and Bella's wand was still pointed at the space right in front of Narcissa. The stillness of that moment seemed to last an eternity, then Bella rushed to Reggie's side.

She pointed her wand at his throat and muttered, "Anapneo."

Reggie took a deep breath in and sat up, coughing a little. "Is it gone?" he asked. His voice was hoarse.

Bella nodded. "It's gone." Narcissa had never heard her voice sound softer than it did right then.

"How?" Andy asked.

Bella just shrugged, and there was silence for another long moment, other than the light sound of Sirius moving over to Reggie. "I guess," Bella began. She paused to think again. "I guess it was sort of like accidental magic, I just used my wand to guide it."

There was another long silence, and suddenly Narcissa was exhausted. She walked the few steps it took to get to Bella's side and kneeled down, resting her head on Bella's shoulder. "Can I stay in your room tonight?" she whispered.

She watched Bella's face as Bella looked up at Andy. "Let's all stay in my room tonight."

…..

The five Black cousins never spoke of that night again. It wasn't until after the Battle of Hogwarts that Narcissa finally understood what the shadow had meant when it said You will betray him.