Chapter 10: Recollection and Regret
Draco Malfoy scowled. His break sucked. He did not know what happened Mother, but this was unacceptable. She had barely given him ten minutes since he came home. Yes, he was told she was dealing with a particularly difficult patient, but this wasn't like her.
And she had been so mean.
Probably meaner than Father was about his grades. He really wasn't doing that bad. He had mostly A's except in Transfiguration and History where he was trailing a P but McGonagall was a total bitch. He couldn't help it that his last History essay was a total disaster because of what happened to Granger. He really couldn't concentrate.
Mother hadn't like that when he said that though about McGonagall and he had been hit with scourgify in the mouth.
Then she took away his flying privileges because of his grades and the fact she had heard about his behavior at school.
She didn't seem to care that he wasn't one of the students who had tortured Granger and turned her into a rat, the fact he had mocked her at all was enough for her to confiscate his broom.
Never mind, he hadn't called Granger a mudblood since talking to her. And he wouldn't.
And he didn't get a new broom for Yule at all. Just some lame clothes and books. And Mother had barely even been there and when she came she didn't even look like herself at all.
Her hair was now all black and she had cut it all off. Okay, it wasn't really that short, but it looked like she was a filthy halfblood or mudblood. Pureblood women never wore their hair this short! Worse it wasn't even blonde anymore. It looked weird.
He may have told her she wasn't a Malfoy before and got hit with a stinging hex for his smart remark.
Father had later came into his room and reminded him it wasn't becoming to talk about a lady's appearance.
"But you even have to admit it looks weird. It's cut like a mudblood's now and it's not even Malfoy bonde."
"It's actually quite becoming," Father said in response. "It's the same color it was when I met her."
Father always took her side. Agreed with her about punishing him, even though he knew Father felt the same way about the Weasleys as he did.
And it was that fat sow and her son's fault that Granger was a rat now.
He still couldn't believe it when he heard the rumor mill about that. He honestly felt a little bad, he had left her all alone that day.
No, she had left him. He had to tell himself that. She had chosen to go back in the common room alone and as result was spending the holidays in a cage with cheese.
He had thought about going to the hospital wing to say hello, but apparently Pomfrey had her locked in her office they didn't want anyone else picking on her.
Not that that was likely to happen considering the Head Boy and Percy Weasley were both expelled and arrested on campus with Weasley's wand unceremoniously snapped on the way out. He doubted anyone would try anything, even the most stupid Gryffindor.
Dumbledore had pretty much given everyone in that house detention and had allegedly suspended a couple more students as well. Who knew what that bitch, McGonagall, would do to them after she returned from crying about Potter.
Potter. Another person he got chastised at about.
Apparently, she was outraged with how he had treated the dead boy.
"Really, Draco, you had to pick on an abused boy."
"I didn't pick on him," he said even though he knew he had.
"You're lying," She hissed. "Professor Snape told me everything you did."
He had been so mad that day when Potter refused to shake his hand, he knew it was because he was rude to Weasley but it shouldn't have kept him from shaking his hand. It was just good manners!
Or that's at least what he told himself. He knew he fucked up and worst he hated being called on it by Mother of all people.
Mother who usually was his biggest defender, but now seemed to be against him and turning Father against him too.
"Draco," She noticed he was scowling. "What's wrong, love?"
Oh, now she wanted to give him the time a day. He didn't know she had came in here. He was supposed to be working on his stupid History of Magic essay. He had completely scoffed off on the last one after Granger had been turned into a rat. He just couldn't focus and got a T as a result.
He didn't want to talk to her. He still couldn't stand looking at her this way. It wasn't that she looked bad, but she didn't look like Mother. And it wasn't just her hair she just everything. Most of the time he saw her she was wearing her work robes rather than the frilly robes she usually wore around the house. Her face wasn't as perfectly made up as usual either. He thought he had saw dark circles under her eyes the other day at Yule. Dark circles!
She sighed as she sat a cup of tea and plate of ginger biscuits towards him.
It was unfair, she knew those were his favorites.
"This is bloody stupid," he said not being able to focus on his essay.
Narcissa looked at him but didn't say anything.
"Who even cares about what happened in the seventeenth goblin war? It's not like it's relevant since the forty-seventh goblin war turned all the previous ones around."
"Based on your History grade, I'm sort of surprised you retained that."
He glared at her.
"You got a Troll on your last essay." She stated. "Your average is now clearly a Poor when you were told an Acceptable was unacceptable for us."
"Only because of…"
"Only because of what, Draco?"
He hadn't told them about the fact he kept staying up at night blaming himself for Granger. It was so silly, but he couldn't help but thought maybe he could've insisted on helping her. Maybe he could've made her see Professor Snape or someone and then she wouldn't be trapped as a rat now.
Not that he'd ever admit that to anyone.
His mother sighed as she stroked his hair. He always told her it made him feel like a baby when she did that, but admittedly he had missed her doing it the past few months more than he realized.
"I understand it's been a difficult term, love, but you can't keep on the way you've been acting."
"You don't have to defend them," he said. "You never defend me."
She sighed heavily. "I'll always defend you, Draco. But I don't want you to become a monster."
"A monster!"
"Yes, a monster because that's how you've been acting." Before she added, "Did your father and I really teach you to treat other people so cruel?"
She looked almost hurt when she asked that. He didn't understand why she'd be. She and Father had done nothing but treat him right. Well, until this break anyway then she had took away his broom which he pointed out.
She shook her head, "No, no. That is not what I meant, Draco. At all."
"I didn't mean anything by calling Granger those names, Mother. And Potter he made me so mad. Weasley is just such a blood traitor."
There was a sad look that came over her face when he said this, "Your punishment will continue."
"What?"
"Actions have consequences, your punishment will continue. Your Father and I will make sure that Professor Snape is aware you're grounded." She said before adding, "I'll see you at Easter."
"What? Your not dropping me off at the train?"
He then noticed she was wearing in her healer robes—again.
She nodded. "An emergency case came up. I wanted to tell you goodbye before I left."
"You haven't been here any this holiday!"
But she was already gone.
Narcissa wanted to cry. Her talk with Draco had not been as fruitful as she had hoped. She was hoping they'd at least part on good terms, but he was still being as stubborn as a Gryffindor.
She hadn't wanted to say goodbye this way, but she would not be dropping him off at the train later this afternoon or for that matter she'd likely not be home tonight.
Not that that was that big of a surprise since she hadn't really been home much since Harry had been in the clinic, but she wasn't even going to the clinic. She was going to Bern.
Sirius's healer had contacted her. Apparently, he wanted to talk to her.
She felt like she was going to puke since she got the letter, she was not sure how she was going to even address the man or tell him about Harry.
Harry who was currently with Andromeda and was in the process of regrowing his leg.
He was doing so much better since the ritual. It amazed her. It was probably that all of Potter's work was finally gone. She really needed to look in healing journals and see if she could piece what she did.
But she didn't have time. She had to consult with Poor Hermione Granger's mother at St. Mungo's. Andromeda had actually referred her the girl's case.
She was at first a little caught off guard since Granger she thought was a mudblood, but apparently her mother was a squib and her biological father had been Lupin of all people.
Fucking Lupin.
She thought that guy would be too depressed to fuck with someone, but he had a child who ended up being adopted by a muggle of all things.
Narcissa hadn't thought much about that man in a while. He was another friend of her cousin's. Not as close as James, but closer than Pettigrew. She didn't even know Pettigrew even had a sister, but hiding squib relatives wasn't exactly new.
By all accounts, Emma Granger had made a very successful life outside of the wizarding world. She was a muggle tooth doctor and owned her surgery with her husband.
She looked nothing like her brother either, Narcissa thought, as she eyed the woman. She was a slim built woman who was a little taller than Narcissa with dark hair and eyes. Having seen a picture of her daughter, Narcissa knew she looked a lot like her when she wasn't a rat. However, Emma's teeth and hair seemed to be under control.
"Healer Black," she said holding out her hand.
The woman shook it, but Narcissa could tell she was weary. Probably because her daughter had been treated so horribly.
"You're the geneticist that Healer Tonks was referring us to." The woman said.
"Yes," Narcissa said knowing that was the muggle term for blood disorders. Inwardly she rolled her eyes at such a term, but instead she addressed the girl's mother. "I am going to run some diagnosis spells on her after I get some more information about your family.'
The woman nodded.
"I know your brother is an animagus, is anyone else in the family?"
She shook her head. "Sort of surprised Petey was able to transform into a rat really. He was sort of useless as a wizard, despite what Father said. I think he was just glad he didn't have another squib in the family. Mother and I were an embarrassment enough."
Ah, yes, Buella Pettigrew. The Molly Weasley of her generation, except she only had two kids instead of seven. And she had no existence about Emma Pettigrew Granger until Andromeda brought it up the other day.
She frowned, trying to remember if she had ever done Buella's tree growing up. She didn't think she did, or she did it was a very faint connection probably because she was a squib.
"I had no idea Buella was a squib," Narcissa said. "Then again, I never really hung out with Pettigrew."
"Your husband did though, didn't he?"
"Husband."
"Sirius Black?" She said, "I'm sorry I just assumed since your last name was Black that…"
"Sirius is my cousin once removed," Narcissa said. "But he really didn't have much to do with Peter after he married Bella. Even then, I think Remus was probably the closest to Peter out of the three."
Or who tolerated him the most. She remembered Bella had all but made Pettigrew a persona non granta after they married and from what she could recall Siri had mentioned that Potter only just tolerated him.
She could see why even if she didn't know all the unsavory things about the man. She was just glad that Harry's scans had come back clean on abuse of that nature. She'd probably go to Azkaban and kill the man otherwise. She had heard rumors though that not all the children in Gryffindor house were that lucky.
Yet, another mess for Albus to deal with she supposed.
Between the troll incident, Hermione's bullying, Quirrell abruptly leaving at the end of the semester, and Pettigrew it was no wonder Fudge had been able to insert his lacky as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. She would've had Lucius object but at this point, Draco was already pretty much being homeschooled on the subject anyway, so she didn't see a point. Besides, they had other things to worry about.
"My brother is a disgusting piece of shit," Emma said though wincing as she said that she looked at Hermione.
"She can't understand us," Narcissa said.
"I'd like to think she might…"
"No, no, we charmed her cage to be silent. We thought it might calm her down a bit that and I didn't want to possibly upset her with some of the things we'd be discussing." Narcissa said.
Emma sighed. "So, she hasn't listened to any of my soliloquies about how I'll turn my office into a library if she turns back into a human."
Narcissa shook her head. "Likely not. Andromeda said they did it because she was super skittish when she came in. It seems like she has settled a bit though."
"She has," Emma looked at the girl turned rat who was happily gorging on some corn—that seemed to be her favorite activity. "Maybe settled a little too much."
Narcissa knew what she meant. She had read the observations. Hermione, well, acted like a rat, not a girl.
"Her tail is better," Narcissa said trying to at least give the woman some good news before bringing up what she wanted to discuss.
"I suppose I can thank your sister for that," She said. "The strong potions worked a lot better than whatever that glorified school nurse at Hogwarts was giving her."
Narcissa raised an eyebrow but knew that it was in part due to the fact that they had strengthened the potions and tailored them to the girl's blood. Finding out that the girl's biological father had made them run some more tests and they did find a dormant lycanthropy gene in them which affected the girl's healing and probably affected her hair as well, she thought, thinking of the unfortunate bushy mange Hermione had before her classmates had cruelly given her a hair removing tonic. She also was worried that it might be what was affecting her staying a rat currently right now too and if that was the case they were going to get creative with how to resolve the problem.
"I am going to try to transform her back since her tail is doing better," Narcissa said. "I just want you to know not to get your hopes too excited."
Emma frowned, "You don't think it will work."
Narcissa didn't want to lie to the woman, "No, but I want to try. I suspect what's going on, but we'll have to double check before we move on to the next phase."
Like expected, the counter curse did not work.
Emma frowned noticing that nothing happened.
"We'll try again at night when its a full moon." Narcissa said.
"Full Moon…why…"
"Remus Lupin was infected with lycanthropy, Dr. Granger, and I believe your daughter may be affected by it too."
Bern, Switzerland
He didn't know why he had asked Cissy to visit him.
Maybe it had thought they were distant for so many years it seemed odd. Maybe it was that he was still trying to deal with two realities in his head, it didn't make much sense. Maybe it was because he knew seeing Cissy would remind him of her.
He was surprised when she actually answered that she was coming, even more surprised that she was there.
Or surprised at how exhausted Cissy looked.
For better or worse, Cissy was vain. The years he could tell were good for her. She looked pretty much like she had the last time he saw her though her hair was shorter now and it was back to being black. She was also wearing healer robes than the usual flimsy dress style of robes she wore in her off hours.
"I just got off of work," she said noticing him looking at her. "You look well, Siri."
He raised an eyebrow, "I look like a fright."
Though he knew that wasn't the case anymore. He did look a lot better than he did when he came here almost like his old self. They had been giving him rejuvenation potions and treatments that had seemed to melt years off, there were some things though that would stick with him. Hence, why he expected he would be in Bern for a while.
"You look better than you did," Narcissa said. "I always did like the work this place did. It's why…"
"You had Lucius request to send me here," he said. "I figured out who the solicitor was, Cissy. My mind may not be what it was, but I am not as out of it as I was a few weeks ago."
"I can tell," she said.
"I ordered us some hot chocolate," He said. "They still won't give me actual tea. They say it will counteract with one of the many potions they have me taking."
She looked at him.
"I'm currently on twenty potions," He said, "Twenty-one if you count the tonic."
"That bad?"
"Not all of it is Azkaban related," he said. "My mind is a wreck."
A weird look came over Cissy's face.
"So, you know then…"
"Know what, cousin?"
"That I was married to Bellatrix."
She was taken aback.
He shook his head, "Aunt Druella would be harping on you about not doing you occulumency enough. Then again, I'm one to talk. Shields completely gone. Though it's not entirely my fault."
"Mother can go to hell," Narcissa said. "But yes, I became aware of your connection to Bella recently."
"She's not herself," he said.
"Or not the Bella you knew," Narcissa said not wanting to tell him that a part of her thought the exact same thing as she took a sip of the hot chocolate that had been delivered. It had to be some of the best hot chocolate she had ever had.
He didn't deserve false hope, neither of them did.
Sirius looked at her, "I'm pretty sure someone messed with her head too if they messed with mine. Probably more. I….I know, Bella. She hated the cruciatus curse with every single part of her being after Druella…"
Narcissa blanched at the mention of her mother's name. She knew Druella Black had the same love for the cruciatus curse as Bellatrix if not more. She had used it on Narcissa a few times before she had agreed to marry Lucius and then when she hadn't conceived right away.
She could only imagine with Bella's problems.
"She used it on her didn't she," Narcissa asked.
Sirius nodded. "Several times. She almost broke her. Remember the wedding…"
Narcissa groaned. She had only been fifteen at the time, but she remembered how Bella had been days before the ceremony and after slightly shaking for months.
"I want you to…I want to see if there's any way she can be looked at by someone." Sirius said, "I…it's not fair for her to be here, Narcissa. She isn't in her right mind if what happened to me happened to her."
"And what happened to you?"
"You don't even want to know."
Chapter 11 Preview: We have some fucking hearings.
