Chapter 49: Narcissa's Evening
The time was nearing midnight when Narcissa Malfoy finally finished her rudely interrupted bath. For the second time that day she dried and styled her hair, retrieved her writing supplies, and requested a fresh glass of wine from the elves.
Narcissa took a sip of her wine.
Their father must have taken Bellatrix on too many high-speed high-elevation flights when she was a baby. The wind must have stuck in her head permanently. She didn't need to share all her criminal indiscretions. Particularly of such magnitude. And most certainly not so callously.
At least, whatever made Bellatrix act like a perfect lady passed. That act was quite disturbing.
It was like Bellatrix wanted the younger witch to distrust and hate her. Narcissa resolved to talk to Bellatrix about her conduct. She thought she and Miss Granger were starting to get along...
Narcissa took another sip.
These were thoughts for another day.
She needed to get to what she was rudely pulled away from earlier, and go to bed.
If only she planned her morning visit differently... Then she wouldn't have discovered what she had. And then she wouldn't have found herself at the unfortunate place of providing unpleasant revelations.
"My Darling Andy, after so many years it's not my place but-"
The parchment floated into the fireplace.
Too familiar, too forward, too sentimental.
Too wrong.
Andromeda was not a darling and neither was she hers. Andromeda was a treacherous cow who left, who never wrote, who never replied, who sacrificed their family's unity on a whim, who cut Narcissa out of her life.
A deep reluctant sigh.
They both were children then though. Even if outgoing rebellious 15-year-old Andy seemed so grown up to shy quiet 12-year-old Narcissa.
Narcissa supposed she could let the past go... for the time being.
Andromeda lost a great deal, and deserved to know what she might be getting into once again.
Narcissa did not understand her sisters' penchant to pick the most unsuitable of suitors.
Muggleborn wizards, when those weren't in fashion… Pureblood wizards... destitute pureblood wizards, when those fell out of fashion… Not to forget the psychotic half-bloods.
Miss Granger was a great improvement.
Perhaps, Andromeda needed Ministry's Matching help too.
"Andromeda, I must apologize for the unfortunate facts I feel I must bring to your attention-"
The parchment floated into the fireplace.
Still too forward. Too presumptuous.
Narcissa regretted going unannounced.
Andy looked stunned at seeing her younger sister at her door, and so did young Mister Nott, when their eyes met in the hallway mirror.
Over the years, Narcissa imagined meeting Andromeda in a number of ways. This wasn't among them.
She didn't say she missed Andy, though she did. She didn't express her regret at Andy's terrible losses, though she did feel for her sister. She didn't even bring up the main reason for her visit, the what happened between you and Bellatrix question.
After the initial shock wore off, Andromeda stepped outside and closed the door into the house. She hissed that 'that was not what she thought ', and 'to kindly make an appointment the next time she wished to drop by', and waited for Narcissa to walk away before going inside her house.
Narcissa had seen enough.
The young wizard was out of his suit jacket and waistcoat. His button down was loose. His cravat was askew. He looked much too comfortable than was proper while visiting a single witch, a recent widow no less, in the early hours of the morning.
In Narcissa's opinion.
Andy's surprisingly short hair was out of place; one too many of her blouse ties were loose; and the Muggle jeans she wore were as tight as Ms. Granger's. She too looked much too comfortable in the presence of a young single wizard during such an early hour of the morning.
All of which indicated that that was exactly what Narcissa thought.
Narcissa idly wondered whether Andromeda would entertain the idea of a meet, if Narcissa did try to make an appointment... And then she wondered whether there was even a point... So many things happened since that first betrayal...
Bellatrix was getting back to normal. Learning what had happened during Andy and Bella's meeting became less important.
And the reconciliation felt as impossible as ever, anyway.
Several more crumpled parchments shared the fiery fate of the first two.
Quill's feather tapped against the thoughtfully pursed lips.
That was not the way.
"Dear Mr. Nott,
If our agreement continues to be of interest, please join me for tea.
Tomorrow at 5pm, at the Fortescues' new tea room.
~NM"
The owl with the missive was dispatched soon after.
Narcissa went to bed with a sense of accomplishment. And it was only fitting that the hidden fireplace came to life that same night.
'Mother… Mother!'
Her son looked different, grown up.
'I'm sorry it took so long to get back in touch once again! There were some things to take care off. Everything is fine.'
She couldn't wait to see her son and husband again. And Narcissa told him as much.
'Mum… are you sure you are alright? You haven't been to visit us…'
That surely was wrong.
'Draco, darling! You don't need to pretend, this is not a trap, there are no aurors.'
Draco looked even more troubled.
'Mother! I promise this is the first time we've spoken since August!'
Bellatrix eyed the odd piece of mail warily.
It came in the day before.
The owl very confidently dropped it into Bellatrix's lap before the witch had a chance to react. Suspiciously, the envelope had no markings. Even more suspiciously, though it was delivered by owl, the envelope's design and material were of Muggle origin.
The wards let it through so it had to be safe.
Then again, the danger could be stealthily hidden, or too unusual for the wards to detect.
The girl was due back from Hogwarts any minute.
Bellatrix grabbed harder into the letter opener. She wasn't about to admit any reservations to the girl.
If the Muggle-made correspondence held something awful, surely a few minutes won't kill her... and either the potion would work or the girl would fix her.
She made a quick decisive slice along the length of the unmarked envelope and stepped quickly away. When nothing happened, she stepped closer, flipped it gingerly by the intact corners and shook.
A few blonde hairs and a thin piece of parchment fell out.
She narrowed her eyes at the Malfoy's shade of blonde of the hairs, and snatched the paper.
"Aunt Bella, something is wrong at the Manor.
Mother made no sense.
I've been unable to get in touch since Sunday!"
End of Chapter 49