When Narcissa first entered the room, her greatest worry was that Daphne Greengrass would want to outright cancel Draco's betrothal contract or at least re-negotiate parts of it in favor of House Greengrass. In her mind, she was already preparing a list counter-arguments for both of these scenarios… only to have her preparations rendered completely irrelevant as the new head of House Greengrass did not bring up the betrothal at all. Instead, Daphne and Potter (Yes, the Harry Potter. The Undesirable No. 1 was in the same room as her!) started telling her an insane fairy tale about the dark lord being nothing but an orphaned bastard fathered by a muggle.
Narcissa did not think anything could surprise her even more today. Not after having witnessed the Greengrass heiress sitting calmly in the company of Harry Potter like he was her best friend in the world and not at all the blood traitor he really was. But their unbelievable tale certainly did it. As the two young adults continued to speak, there was a single thought prominent in Narcissa's mind the entire time.
'This must be a test! The dark lord must be testing my loyalty with this scenario!'
Of course, there were several problems with that theory. The most important being that it did not make any sense. As far as she knew, Narcissa did not do anything to make the dark lord this much suspicious of her. Granted, she no longer felt any kind of loyalty to the man and was even quite resentful. But nobody knew about that and even if they did, they were unlikely to care as long as she did not oppose the dark lord directly, which she didn't.
And then there were the other questions. Like why have Daphne Greengrass, a person who wasn't even a death eater yet, test her of all people? Was this some kind of initiation ceremony for the girl? A way to affirm her family's loyalty to Voldemort before she receives her own dark mark? Narcissa knew the dark lord occasionally liked to play mind games like this so it was at least possible.
But then again, if this was an initiation task for Greengrass, then what was the point of pretending the boy-who-lived was in front of her? Did the dark lord suspect her so much that he assumed Narcissa would actually try to join up with Harry Potter if she ever met him? Did he think she was that stupid? And why pretend that Potter was the new lord Black?!
Nothing made any sense! And it did not get better the more she listened to them…
The first mental shock came when Narcissa had to reluctantly concede that the boy in front of her was probably the real Harry Potter. She based that on her brief encounters with the boy in the past as well as Draco's exhaustive and unnecessarily detailed descriptions of their numerous interactions. More importantly, there were those looks of barely hidden contempt he was throwing at her, the sanctimonious tone of his voice as he spoke of the dark lord and his people, and the judgmental words – as if he was the only person in the room with conscience and morals. All signs of obnoxious Gryffindor golden boy that was Harry Potter.
And yet when Narcissa's emotionless mask broke down completely and she involuntary shed a tear or two as her suppressed emotions briefly overwhelmed her, the same boy was kind enough to offer her a tissue. He even allowed her to call him Mr. Potter instead of 'my lord' even though it was completely inappropriate. And he did so using very clumsy expressions which came with being raised by muggle filth.
In short, if the person in front of her wasn't the real boy-who-lived then he definitely ought to become one because he was even better than the original. So assuming for the moment that this was the real Harry Potter, the main question was obvious – what the hell was he doing with Greengrass?!
Narcissa happened to know that among Draco's year in Hogwarts, the Greengrass heiress has always been the most outspoken about pureblood supremacy. Over the years, she even managed to convince a few of her mudblood schoolmates to submit to their superiors. No sane person could ever accuse her of being a blood traitor. So how come Harry Potter, commonly thought of as the champion of mudbloods and blood traitors everywhere, was sitting next to her looking not only unharmed but actually happy to be here? He even had a wand on himself, for Merlin's sake!
Narcissa learned that when he pulled it out and used it to write the dark lord's supposed muggle name in the air in flaming letters before rearranging them to form an anagram. It was an impressive magical display but Narcissa's mind focused more on the fact he had a working wand in his hand.
'What the hell is Greengrass thinking?!' she thought with irritation. What was even more infuriating was that the girl clearly did not share Narcissa's concerns at all as she looked perfectly calm, despite sitting next to unharmed, unrestrained and fully armed boy-who-lived. And just as Potter, she possessed the same content expression that clearly did not fit the company she was keeping. Narcissa supposed it was possible that both Potter and Greengrass went utterly insane… but it was improbable. So what was she missing?
And regarding the story they were telling her, at first, she tended to dismiss it as nonsense. Tom Marvolo Riddle? Surely nonsense! She was willing to admit it was a clever idea and obviously a well thought out lie. But that's all it was – a lie!
At least that's what she believed until they actually started presenting her with some pretty compelling evidence, such as Potter's supposed encounters with the dark lord virtually every year of his magical education. There was no way for Narcissa to assess the truthfulness of most of it but she listened carefully, looking for signs of internal inconsistencies among his words – the surest way to spot a lie. And to her shock, she could find none. Potter's stories, although preposterous and improbable in so many ways, were certainly not out of the realm of possibility. Not when magic was involved. Importantly, what they told her was also consistent with few of the facts she knew for certain, even those Harry Potter didn't know about. She could think of nothing that would prove them false, and despite her great skepticism, was being forced to entertain the idea that they were actually telling her the truth!
But what finally pushed Narcissa over was when they showed her the photograph of the original death eaters along with the Hogwarts yearbook from 1945. The dark lord in the photograph was a perfect match for the person whom the yearbook called Tom Marvolo Riddle. The yearbook had a valid magical seal from Armando Dippet that she recognized, confirming it wasn't tempered with.
And as for the photograph, Narcissa was familiar with it as her father-in-law was one of the men it showed and there was its copy hidden in a secret vault in Malfoy manor. Over the years, Lucius got rid of all the incriminating items connecting him to the dark lord. All except the photograph as it had always been a huge point of pride for his father. Even after Abraxas Malfoy, like so many others at that time, died of dragon pox, Lucius just could not bring himself to get rid of it.
"Dark lord is a halfblood…" she finally breathed out. 'This can't be happening!' she thought desperately, close to a nervous breakdown. It was at this point when Greengrass offered her a drink which Harry Potter then poured for her. She gratefully accepted and downed it almost instantly even while furiously contemplating what this horrible news meant for her family.
Most of the Malfoy fortune squandered… Lucius imprisoned for over a year… her sister completely enamored of a halfblood… her only son almost killed while forced to do his bidding… their beautiful home completely ruined... and all for a filthy bastard son of a muggle pretending he was a pureblood of the noblest descent!
Their dishonor could not be greater.
Narcissa paled and went completely still, aside from her lower lip quivering. In that moment, she realized that she just might go down in history as the greatest blood traitor of House Black there ever was. Even Andromeda did not stoop so low! Her wayward sister might have fallen in love with and spread her legs for a mudblood filth but she never served him. On the other hand, the crime Narcissa and her family committed out of ignorance and stupidity was much greater and she doubted there was any absolution for it. She briefly glanced up at Harry Potter, expecting him to immediately banish her entire family out of House Black with extreme prejudice. It would be well within Potter's right as lord Black to curse them for thousand generations for having put a halfblood above purebloods in their thoughts and actions. But fortunately for her, Harry Potter was the last person to hold that against her, being a halfblood himself…
She was still amazed by how Harry Potter ended up being the next lord Black. She didn't want to believe it at first but that part of the story ended up being simple and quite convincing – Sirius Black named him as heir in his will and since there was Black blood in the boy, it was a valid action according to the family charter.
Upon learning of this, Narcissa became very angry as her son Draco was the male heir presumptive and everyone always assumed he would become the next lord after Sirius Black died. She briefly wondered if there was anything she could do to fix this but was coming up empty. Even assassinating Harry Potter would not help her as that would automatically disqualify her entire bloodline from being eligible to inherit the lordship. It was the same reason why Lucius never had Sirius killed while her cousin rotted away in Azkaban.
Another option would be using Potter's halfblood status against him seeing as the Black family charter explicitly required both lord and lady Black to be purebloods. Narcissa felt a surge of happiness as she recalled that detail, thinking that it meant Potter's claim to Black lordship was entirely void. But then she also remembered that both of Potter's parents were magical, despite his mudblood whore of a mother. As such, Harry Potter would have been considered a pureblood during the time when the family charter was written and thus acceptable as heir.
So unfortunately, the only way for Draco to become the lord of House Black now would be for Potter to die without an heir (and without the Malfoys being the cause of his death in any way) or for him to marry a mudblood or halfblood girl with a muggle parent. Narcissa supposed there was a chance of both of these scenarios happening someday but it wasn't something that could be done immediately. Therefore, she put her thoughts regarding the Black lordship squarely at the back of her mind for now.
"Obviously, a halfblood bastard son of a muggle who doesn't acknowledge his place cannot be allowed to rule the purebloods of Magical Britain," Greengrass finally told her after a long period of silence during which Narcissa came to terms with her new and very disturbing reality.
As a response, Narcissa could only nod in complete agreement. The very thought was repulsive to her and went against everything she was taught as daughter of House Black. Halfbloods could have their place in magical society but only if they acknowledged the superiority of those with purer blood. Those who refused to do so were only fit to crawl in dirt! Due to her ignorance, she might have unwittingly betrayed everything she believed in before but that certainly ended now…
"I'll be honest with you, Narcissa," the girl began and captured her undivided attention. "House Greengrass and its allies are going to see to the false dark lord's destruction," she proclaimed confidently, surprising Narcissa with such an open declaration. "And when the pretender falls, I won't have my sister tied to a family who supported him until the end," Daphne finished with a chilling promise.
'Here we go…' Narcissa thought, finally realizing what Greengrass was after. She did not bring her here to discuss Draco and Astoria, or at least not directly. Instead, she wanted support from her family. 'And if I don't give it to her, she's going to break the contract… and who could blame her?'
"I assume you have a plan in mind?" she asked carefully while gauging the girl's reaction.
Greengrass responded by pushing over a piece of paper. "Indeed, we do. But first… here is a list of oaths you will swear before we share it with you," she said before adding with a smile. "I am sure you understand."
Meanwhile Narcissa stared at her in shock. Not over the fact she was being asked for secrecy oaths. She expected as much. She also fully expected that should she refuse Greengrass' offer, she would be leaving her manor with memories thoroughly wiped. No. Narcissa's shock was over Greengrass using the pronoun we and the short glance she shared with Potter as she spoke it.
'Did she mean her family and their allies or the person sitting next to her?' Narcissa wondered as her eyes briefly flicked over to Potter who stared right back at her. Before agreeing to oppose the dark lord she needed to know for certain.
It's not like it was a difficult decision for Narcissa otherwise. She felt no loyalty to the dark lord and would have preferred that he never returned even before coming here today. After learning his true nature, she definitely wanted him dead again and this time forever. But there were questions that just had to be answered before she would feel comfortable making such a huge and irrevocable commitment. The first and foremost being whether Greengrass was even truthful when saying she planned to destroy the dark lord.
'Would Daphne Greengrass oppose the dark lord after finding out he was a halfblood muggle bastard albeit a very powerful one?'
The answer to that question was a resounding yes. From everything she knew about the girl, Narcissa was certain that Daphne Greengrass was a pureblood idealist – she honestly believed pureblood supremacy was the best social system that benefited everybody, including the mudbloods, and that everyone should embrace it. Narcissa thought that was admirable as too many people nowadays subscribed to their ideology simply because they were purebloods themselves and wanted the associated power and privilege.
But people like Daphne Greengrass were in it for the principle of things. She would be a pureblood supremacist even if it wasn't in her interest. And yet despite being an idealist, Greengrass wasn't a naive fool and understood how the world worked. She knew many people would not see the things the way she did and that she would need to convince them first.
Narcissa would never forget the speech that the Greengrass heiress made at the Young witches social club two years ago. In theory, it was a youth organization for girls formed by the Ministry of Magic. In practice, it relied heavily on private donations and Narcissa Malfoy was one of its most generous sponsors, giving her a lot of influence over what went on there. During one of the meetings which she attended as a guest, the issue of pureblood supremacy came up. For the sake of the discussion, Narcissa decided to play the devil's advocate and argued for muggleborn equality during their debate, using all the foolish notions regularly spewed by Dumbledore and his supporters during the Wizengamot sessions. Naturally, Daphne Greengrass offered a strongly dissenting opinion when it was her turn, arguing for the superiority of purebloods.
Not only did the girl manage to effectively counter Narcissa's arguments, her infections enthusiasm managed to convince and rally the other girls. By the time her speech was done, the purebloods were smiling while the halfbloods were whispering among themselves and nodding their heads in agreement. There were also two token mudblood girls who were practically in tears at that point. One of them later submitted to serving her superiors and Narcissa strongly believed that Daphne Greengrass and her honest, passionate stance on that day very much contributed to her decision.
As such, Narcissa was absolutely certain the girl in front of her could never support the dark lord after learning his true blood status. Not even if Voldemort offered to make her his second-in-command or something. Daphne Greengrass would never accept a halfblood who does not know his place in any position of authority. In that sense, Narcissa could probably take her word for granted. The fact she had the boy-who-lived sitting next to her definitely lent credence to her sincerity.
But of course, it also immediately begged the question regarding Harry Potter's mysterious involvement and his exact role in the plan…
'Would Daphne Greengrass agree to work with Harry Potter after learning the truth about the dark lord?'
Narcissa was much less sure about that. It was conceivable Greengrass would see Potter as preferable over the dark lord since Potter's blood status was technically superior. Also, there was some truth to the old saying the enemy of my enemy is my friend. However, even so, Harry Potter was still a very dangerous enemy in the long run and she sincerely hoped that Greengrass was not so foolish as to believe otherwise.
Based on what she has seen so far, Narcissa's best guess was that Potter and Greengrass had formed some temporary alliance of convenience until the dark lord was gone. If so, she desperately needed to know the details of Potter's involvement and how much of the decision making process would be controlled by him. She needed to know that by supporting this alliance, she would not be destroying the Malfoy family for good.
"I am curious what Mr. Potter thinks of this plan?" she finally asked after wondering for a long time how to phrase her question. It was closest to Whose side you're on? as she could get without sounding foolish and desperate. She suspected her tone was still very much desperate but it could not be avoided. She had to know.
Greengrass smirked at her words before sharing a look with Potter who smiled at her in return. Like something they expected would happen finally happened and they shared an inside joke over it.
"You can rest easy, my lady…" Potter said even as he put his hand on the table next to Daphne's and their fingers joined together. Narcissa watched the scene with bated breath as Harry Potter lifted her hand from the table without any protest from the girl. "… Harry and I are in perfect agreement," Greengrass finished even as the boy-who-lived brought her hand to his lips and gave her knuckles a loving kiss.
The Greengrass heiress did not break eye contact with her as this was happening, her icy blue eyes sending the message over with such intensity that Narcissa almost felt like cowering before their display. No words were necessary at all. With one look, Daphne managed to communicate over everything she wanted Narcissa to know – Harry Potter was hers.
"I see," she said with serene expression, doing her utter best to hide the inner turmoil she was experiencing at this latest revelation. It was like wool had been lifted from her eyes. Finally, Potter's presence here and his mysterious involvement with Draco's future sister-in-law were starting to make sense!
In retrospect, she should have considered this option and now felt very foolish for failing to do so, especially since she could sense their magical auras practically grasping at each other ever since she sat down. All this time, she thought it a sign of struggle and disagreement between them, perhaps even hatred… while it was truly an indication of the opposite.
'Oh, Greengrass, you clever little harlot…' Narcissa thought with admiration. She resisted the urge to give the other blonde a nod of respect. She would certainly deserve it seeing as Daphne Greengrass accomplished something many heads of pureblood families thought about but never had a chance to even attempt – she neutralized Harry Potter as a political threat.
And what a threat he was.
Ever since the dark lord's first fall, Narcissa's pureblood peers were concerned about the orphaned Harry Potter and the possibility of him becoming an heir to Dumbledore's political cause. Although there were no indications of the old man grooming him in that direction, it was still a very big risk given the boy's universal popularity among the general public. Everyone knew and loved hearing about the boy-who-lived! Which would give him a big chance to win almost any elections. Especially since Harry Potter could potentially draw support from the entire blood status spectrum – he was a son of famous muggleborn witch, giving him a significant pull with the muggleborns. He was halfblood himself, thus making him easily relatable to the other halfbloods who nowadays made up the bulk of magical population. And considering Potters were an old and respected magical family, he was also acceptable for many of the more liberal pureblood families. Harry Potter's popularity would even attract the people who did not care about the blood status debate one way or the other.
In conclusion, the boy had a potential to become a very dangerous political enemy as an adult.
Before the dark lord returned, many pureblood lords and ladies wondered just what to do with that threat. Few suggested an assassination but the smarter and saner ones realized that this problem could also be an opportunity – to make use of Potter's immense popularity by turning him to their side. It was a difficult and uncertain prospect but the resulting benefit would be worth almost any risk.
And of course, one of the best ways to turn a young man's opinions completely around was to get him involved with a suitable young lady who could manipulate him in the right direction! Even if the girl failed to turn Potter, matching the boy-who-lived with a pureblood witch from one of the old families would undermine his political position among the diehard muggle-lovers and mudblood supporters. Enough to ensure he does not become their figurehead. So knowing marriage was the best way to take care of the boy-who-lived, many purebloods hoped to match him with one of their daughters or sisters as soon as the boy reached a marriageable age. For example, Narcissa knew for a fact that Lord Carrow planned to throw both of the younger twins at him if that's what it took.
Of course, after the dark lord returned, the question of Potter's marriage became irrelevant as the boy was going to die. But now it was the dark lord who had to die and therefore, the question of what to do with Potter was back on the table… or rather it used to be on the table as it appeared to have been decisively dealt with by the Greengrass heiress.
Narcissa was not sure what the nature of their relationship was. Whether it was genuine or if Greengrass merely seduced Potter and was now making him do her bidding. Narcissa thought the second option was entirely feasible given the girl's impressive beauty that would no doubt catch the eye of any young man, Mr. Potter included. Ultimately, she supposed that it did not matter and the important thing was that Harry Potter has been dealt with.
The more she thought about it, the more she was also impressed by how Greengrass managed to solve virtually all her most pressing problems in a single stroke of brilliance. In Harry Potter, she not only obtained an ally against Voldemort but also secured her family's position in the post-war world. Marrying the boy-who-lived would give her complete and undisputable legitimacy even after two generations of her family were known to be supporters of the dark lord. Daphne would also be securing her family line as from what Narcissa knew about Potter, he would likely not object to his children carrying the Greengrass name. In fact, the girl was in perfect position to permanently terminate the Potter family line if she so chooses. 'And wouldn't that be a good riddance?' Narcissa thought and chuckled inside, realizing that even the Black lordship could still pass onto Draco one day unless Greengrass lets one of her children take the Black name.
Narcissa was also absolutely certain Daphne Greengrass would never let Potter support mudbloods. In fact, she was more likely to manipulate Potter into supporting purebloods instead. Which meant the ridiculous muggleborn campaign was as good as finished! Harry Potter was the only person who could have potentially continued with Dumbledore's life long fight to make mudblood's equal. But none of that would be happening with Greengrass pulling his strings! And when those filthy cretins see their precious savior with someone like Greengrass, their entire movement will be demoralized for years, if it even recovers in their lifetime…
Of course, Narcissa was basing all her thoughts on the assumption that Greengrass was the one manipulating Potter. Should it be the other way around… should Potter be the one manipulating the girl towards pro-muggle agenda…
'No!'
She absolutely refused to entertain the idea that Harry Potter somehow managed to turn Daphne Greengrass pro-muggle. She refused to believe that the girl who made mudbloods cry and convinced them to surrender with a single speech could be turned! Even then, a small flicker of doubt still festered within Narcissa. She would have greatly preferred to be absolutely certain but it was not possible. Directly asking Potter and Greengrass more questions about their relationship was useless as they could simply lie to her. Perhaps a discreet observation of their behavior might help but it would take time.
'I guess I will just have to make a leap of faith here,' Narcissa thought somewhat unhappily before looking up at the couple. "House Malfoy and its allies will pledge full support of your goals," she began before adding. "Provided the following concessions are met…"
If there was any doubt left in her whether this was the real Harry Potter, it was put to rest as the boy became visibly annoyed at her words. As if the fact she was going to ask for something in return was completely inappropriate. Meanwhile Greengrass merely raised an eyebrow and asked. "Which are?"
It was a very good question and Narcissa pondered the answer ever since they asked for her support. She wished Lucius was here right now as his negotiating instincts were always better than hers. Her husband would immediately be able to tell how much House Malfoy could afford to demand from the couple in front of her. Unfortunately, Lucius wasn't here and it was left up to her as Greengrass would want an answer from her right now.
Narcissa supposed the key question was whether they needed or wanted the support of House Malfoy as the former would allow her to obtain a much better deal. She was doing her best to estimate the strength of House Greengrass and their allies as well as Potter's merry band of blood traitors and mentally compare that against those who were bound to oppose them. She would need more time to think about it but she had a feeling her family's support could very well be the tipping point. That would allow her to be quite bold with her demands…
But in the end, it all came down to the other person she was negotiating with. Had it been just Greengrass, then Narcissa would attempt to extort significant concessions from her because she knew the girl aimed for decisive tactical advantage. And for that, she needed Narcissa's family and their power block.
But there was also Harry Potter to consider.
And sadly, Narcissa knew the boy-who-lived would fight Voldemort regardless of the Malfoy support. He was smart enough to want it but bold enough to make do without it if he had to, which drastically narrowed Narcissa's negotiating position. The fight against the dark lord would happen regardless of her answer and Narcissa could not allow her family to be caught on the wrong side of the war. And halfblood Voldemort was definitely the wrong side as far she was concerned. Therefore, Narcissa finally decided to play it safe and go only with the essentials.
"There are only three requests we have," she began, trying to put them at ease. "Firstly, the betrothal contract between Draco and Astoria will stand. There will also be no reprisals towards House Malfoy and our allies after the war, be they criminal or financial," she said and knowing that protecting them after war might not entirely be in the couple's power, she added. "To the latter, you and Mr. Potter will provide your full public support after the war," she told them.
Daphne Greengrass nodded. "I have no problem with my sister's marriage as long as it is what she wants. I also don't intend to see her new family imprisoned or destitute. We agree," she said and Potter nodded as well, albeit rather stiffly. Encouraged by their acquiescence, Narcissa continued with a more personal request but one she strongly felt was necessary to avenge the iniquity visited upon her household.
"Our second request is that Nagini, the dark lord's pet snake, be killed… preferably in excruciatingly painful manner," she said with a murderous smile. Out of all the humiliations her family endured, having to suffer that disgusting beast in their luxurious home was the worst in Narcissa's mind.
Potter and Greengrass shared a brief surprised look before they nodded in unison, looking rather amused. This time it was Potter who answered, "We have no objection to that whatsoever… agreed," he told her with a grin. Narcissa nodded gratefully while also making a small mental note of Potter actually speaking on behalf of Greengrass. She then moved to the third and final condition. One which she knew was bound to be the least palatable for the couple, hence leaving it to last, but one which she felt very strongly about.
"Our last demand is that my sister is kept alive and that she does not go to Azkaban after the war," she told them after which a deathly silence fell on the room. This time, the look shared between Greengrass and Potter upon hearing her request was much longer and more awkward. They were also no longer amused at all. Narcissa knew she was asking for a lot given Bella's crimes but her sister was the only one from her birth family for whom she felt any kind of affection. She loved her sister and could not… will not lose her! Especially not to a pointless war started by some filthy halfblood bastard.
Eventually, and to her mild surprise, it was Potter again who answered, "Very well. You have our word that we will not harm your sister in any way and she will not go to prison," he said with a shadow of nervousness on his face that he failed to hide even as he spoke the words. Likewise there was a very brief surprised look on Daphne's face before she nodded in agreement too, her face made out of stone.
'Oh, Potter… you'll have to do better than that,' Narcissa thought, realizing what was happening. "To clarify, Mr. Potter, when I say my sister, I mean Bellatrix, not Andromeda," she said, enjoying how the boy winced after she saw through his inept subterfuge.
Potter was about to open his mouth but before he could, Greengrass put her hand over his on the table, stopping him. The girl then said, "Bellatrix Lestrange is widely considered as the dark lord's most loyal servant," she began and when Narcissa did not dispute the statement, she continued, "Do you mean to claim she can be convinced of the truth?" Daphne asked skeptically.
Narcissa scowled upon hearing that question. She desperately wanted to say yes but knew it would be a wishful thinking at best. "No… Bellatrix will never believe us. She'll never accept the truth about the dark lord," she admitted with downcast expression, knowing Bella was completely obsessed with the man. Even if they could prove to her that he was a halfblood, Narcissa did not think it would make a difference at this point. All of Bella's love she never had for her husband or her ultimately unborn children was, in a very twisted way, directed at the dark lord. He was her everything.
"Then I am really not sure what can be done to save her, Narcissa," Greengrass said with a touch of sympathy. "By your own admission, your sister will fight for the dark lord even until the end. Even if she survives the fight, she cannot be allowed to go free. Her crimes are too severe and too many," Daphne said while briefly glancing at Harry Potter with worry.
"I am not saying she should go free… she can't be free. My sister is far too dangerous for that," Narcissa tried to explain her position better. She loved her eldest sister but she was also no fool. She realized Bella was unstable and therefore, a danger to the society. "All I want is that she be allowed to live and is not thrown in Azkaban," she told them.
"Well, what do you suggest then?" Potter asked impatiently and Greengrass nodded, both of them looking expectantly at her for an answer.
Narcissa licked her lips before saying, "Exile. My sister can be forcibly retired to one of Malfoy properties outside of Britain. Strong magical measures can be implemented to keep her there," she revealed, clearly surprising both the young adults in front of her.
The idea she proposed to them was not something she thought up on the spot but rather an old plan she and Lucius formulated years ago in case they ever managed to have Bellatrix released from Azkaban. The idea was to then imprison her at one of the Malfoy properties in France where she could live out the rest of her life in luxury befitting her family name while also being unable to harm anybody. It was a standard historical practice of House Black for dealing with its mentally unstable members.
Greengrass looked at her thoughtfully before saying, "Would you excuse us for a moment?" she asked and without waiting for her answer, she activated a privacy ward over the side of the table where she and Potter were sitting.
After doing that, the couple leaned to one another and commenced an intense conversation that Narcissa could no longer hear. It was obviously a passionate argument as they both gesticulated around wildly. And yet it seemed to her their words were not spoken in anger as they still managed to share loving glances and occasional touches even as they argued. It went on for about ten minutes during which they would talk and occasionally glance in Narcissa's direction. Rather than being bored as she waited for them to finish their private discussion, carefully watching them in silence actually allowed Narcissa to learn several important things.
The first was that Potter and Greengrass likely already had some sort of plan for dealing with her sister… plan she seemed to have demolished with her request. Or otherwise, their conversation would have been much shorter. Rather than being concerned, it served to impress Narcissa. It told her they weren't fools as any decent plan for undermining the dark lord would have to necessarily deal with his top lieutenant as well. It made Narcissa feel a little more comfortable about joining them.
She also gained another assurance this really was Harry Potter in front of her when she saw him holding a hand in front of his mouth to prevent lip reading, a habit he no doubt picked up on the Quidditch pitch. It made Narcissa smile in amusement as even the most basic privacy wards prevented lip reading as well. Every pureblood knew it but it was entirely feasible that muggle-raised Harry Potter didn't. Eventually, Greengrass gently slapped his hand away from his mouth and gestured at Narcissa, no doubt explaining the fact to Potter. The boy looked little embarrassed but kept his hand down from that point on. Narcissa could not help but smile even more at that – it could not be denied that they made a cute couple.
Which brought her to her most important observation – and that was the fact neither one of the young adults seemed to dominate the other in the conversation. She also watched their body language very carefully and did not get an impression of Greegrass tricking Potter with her body or feeding him love potions as she originally assumed. Oh, it was obvious the boy was absolutely smitten with her but Greengrass appeared to be attracted to him as well. It suggested their relationship was reciprocal and not a one-sided affair!
Narcissa was mildly concerned by that as she simply could not imagine how such a thing could have happened. How could the boy-who-lived have fallen in love with a blood supremacist and she with him? And come to think about it, what could have happened with Potter's two bookends now that he had ended up in the clutches of Daphne Greengrass? Especially with that dirty mudblood who followed him around since his first year in Hogwarts.
Over the years, Draco had told her great many things about illustrious miss Granger. So many, in fact, that Narcissa was sometimes concerned about her son's interest in the mudblood. Draco would always vehemently claim he hated her but there was a thin line between hatred and love. And it would certainly not be unheard-of for a mudblood to try and seduce an heir in order to improve her social standing – a constant nightmare of every pureblood mother. Narcissa was very grateful to Mother Magic that the mudblood was so average looking and that it was Astoria Greengrass who ultimately caught Draco's eye.
From Draco and Astoria, Narcissa also learned of the mudblood's foolish confrontation with the Greengrass heiress several years ago that had earned her the pureblood's girl scorn. Rumor had it young Daphne later asked her parents to receive Hermione Granger as a birthday gift that year so she could properly educate the mudblood on her mistakes. And that her parents seriously considered the request only to find out Dumbledore had the girl constantly protected when outside of Hogwarts, just like all the other people connected to Harry Potter.
But if Potter was with Greengrass now, then there was a good chance Granger finally got what she deserved and was lying dead in a ditch somewhere. If so, Narcissa would certainly not be shedding any tears over her. Not after that vicious bitch assaulted Draco.
When they finally lowered the privacy ward, it was Potter who started the conversation, going straight to the point. "Your sister cannot be allowed to fight in this war. Therefore, before we make our move, she will be taken away from this country."
"Taken? You mean kidnapped," Narcissa scoffed at his euphemisms.
"Yes, for her own safety," Greengrass said resolutely. "She will be detained. Our people might even help her to let go of the dark lord in her mind… but she will not be harmed. After the war is over, she will be remanded to your custody as long as your security precautions meet with our approval," she finished.
Narcissa stared at her for a long while, pondering her words. "Very well," she finally said, knowing it was probably the best she could hope for. "I'd like to have details of that in writing, please," she then said and the girl nodded.
"There is one more thing," Potter then said, making her switch her attention to him. "Bellatrix Lestrange will be declared a blood traitor and permanently banished from House Black," he informed her with a tone of finality, making her blood run cold as the thing she had been dreading finally happened.
Both her sisters banished as blood traitors! What a disaster…
"Draco and I?" she immediately asked, greatly fearing the answer. She had no viable defense in case Potter decided to banish them all.
"You two can stay," Potter said after few tense seconds. Then he smirked and added, "As long as your family stays loyal to our cause and you don't challenge Bellatrix's banishment in any way, that is," he added slyly, earning a big approving smile from his girlfriend.
Meanwhile Narcissa let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. Knowing she really had no other choice, she said, "Very well, I agree."
She guessed she should feel lucky given how Potter probably hated her entire family. She then paled as she remembered one more thing she should probably mention, especially if Potter planned to mess around with House Black memberships. Originally, she did not plan to bring it up at all but the couple was bound to find out, either by questioning Bella or after the war. And when they did, Narcissa and her son could very well be banished as well for not telling them about it sooner. And she could not allow that to happen.
"There is one more thing," she began very reluctantly, making the other blonde raise her eyebrow and Potter look at her with interest. "… I- I'm almost certain Bella recently birthed a bastard child fathered by the dark lord… a girl."
The couple's reaction to the news could not be more telling as Potter gave her a look of bewilderment, seemingly too stunned by the news to even speak. Meanwhile, Daphne's expression twisted up like she just swallowed a lemon. "Where is it?! Is it with Bellatrix?" she demanded of Narcissa in a very cold and slow voice.
"No," Narcissa replied carefully. "As far I know, the infant was immediately handed over to Lady Rowle to raise. Neither my sister nor the dark lord showed any interest or affection for it whatsoever."
Greengrass thought about it for a moment before sighing and nodding solemnly. "I'll take care of it," she said, making Potter look at her with worry. In his Gryffindor naivety, her probably wondered just what his girlfriend meant by that.
Meanwhile, Narcissa had a very good idea. She knew she just sentenced her niece to death by revealing her existence to Greengrass. But she had little choice as that cursed child connected them too closely to the dark lord. It was an unacceptable threat to her family's reputation and had to be dealt with. Besides, it was a bastard fathered by a halfblood bastard son of a muggle – best to get rid of such compromising embarrassment. Even Bella would agree with that if only she could still think clearly.
"Very well," Narcissa said in resignation.
"Splendid, it's settled then!" Greengrass declared loudly, signaling them to move on from the very uncomfortable topic. On the table, she joined her hand with Potter's again. The boy was still looking at her uncertainly but calmed down at her gesture. With her other hand, the blonde pushed the parchment with the oaths she wished Narcissa to swear over. "Now if you would make your oaths, my lady… and we shall discuss our plan."
Narcissa was quite impressed by the wording of the oaths they forced her to make as she did not see any immediate loopholes in them. And she was even more impressed after they finally started telling her about their plan.
Given their youth, Narcissa felt some trepidation about that. She feared they would either wish to rush heedlessly into danger or propose something which was naïve or impossible. But she was pleasantly surprised to learn this was not the case and their proposals, while certainly ambitions, were very much level-headed and realistic. She suspected they had some help with them, at the very least from Greengrass' Selwyn grandfather. But even on their own, they projected a clear image of competence.
And as she quietly listened to them, Narcissa also had to admit that Potter and Greengrass made a really great couple. They strongly reminded her of her early years with Lucius with how much they complemented each other as they explained their plan. Harry Potter had a clearly superior tactical knowledge and instincts whereas Greengrass was able to see and formulate their strategic goals. She would tend to decide what had to be accomplished but had no problem allowing the boy-who-lived to tell her how.
The more Narcissa listened the clearer it became to her that if this relationship went on then she was looking at the new power couple of their time. Between Greengrass' ambition and deviousness and Potter's fame and influence, it was virtually inevitable. It was a future she originally wanted for Draco and his wife but had to finally accept the fact her son just wasn't interested. But perhaps being closely related to the power couple of their time by his marriage was the second best thing she could hope for… or at least it was a very good start.
For her peace of mind, Narcissa needed to find even more unequivocal way to bind House Malfoy to the powerhouse forming right in front of her eyes. A way to publically demonstrate her family's loyalty… and luckily, she found one.
The plan Greengrass and Potter came up with to forever end the dark lord's reign was really good – intricate, clever, well-thought out in its details… and needless. Completely needless.
Making unnecessarily complicated plans even when there was a far simpler solution was a common folly of youth so the two of them could be forgiven for it. But Narcissa was a more experienced witch and knew that when a halfblood bastard does what Voldemort did, you do not make complicated plans to correct the problem – a disgusting cretin like the false dark lord is not worthy of your time! Instead, you destroy the problem with overwhelming force! Rip it all out, root and stem…
"Why don't we just nip this in the bud?" she finally spoke up, interrupting the rest of their speech. At their questioning looks, she then told them her idea. It was much simpler than theirs and very much overwhelming in its force. When she was finished, she smiled with satisfaction.
"You- you'd really do that?" Potter stuttered out after a moment of stunned silence before adding, "I find that difficult to believe." Meanwhile, the other blonde just looked at her with contemplation.
"Do not underestimate the determination of House Malfoy, Mr. Potter," she retorted fiercely. "The dark lord nearly destroyed my family. There is very little we'd be unwilling to do to get rid of him," she told him while briefly glancing at Greengrass who gave her a very small nod of understanding.
"But what about your property… your servants!" Potter continued to protest, not giving up.
"There is nothing left in my home which I would consider valuable," she replied truthfully. Everything of value was either removed by her long ago as a precaution or was already stolen by the dark lord's minions. "And as for our remaining loyal servants, they shall be warned in time," she assured them.
"What about the prisoners?" Greengrass suddenly spoke up. "From my father's notes, I understand the dark lord is using your dungeons as a detention facility."
Narcissa cursed internally as she completely forgot about that. She was about to suggest they were simply the unfortunate casualties of war but was glad she didn't because Greengrass looked at her pointedly and said, "They certainly must be rescued before we even entertain your suggestion, wouldn't you agree, my lady?"
"Yes… yes, of course," she agreed hurriedly while still cursing herself.
"Who exactly is imprisoned in your home?" Harry Potter asked with sudden interest. He asked exactly the question Narcissa was hoping he wouldn't ask. "I am not really sure," she answered diplomatically but mindful of the oath she swore earlier, she was also forced to add, "Here are the names I know of for certain…" she said and began to list them. Narcissa expected that some of the names would be poorly received by the couple in front of her but she was still unprepared for the pandemonium that followed.
"You have Luna! ... You have Ollivander!"
Potter and Greengrass each cried at the same time, no doubt for their own respective personal reasons. Narcissa cringed as the couple yelled and vented their outrage on the only target they had – her. "We have to get them out of there!" Potter finally declared while the girl nodded vehemently and said. "Yes, I agree."
"I suppose you are right… we should be able to arrange a rescue at some point," Narcissa said noncommittally but it was not enough for the boy-who-lived, it seemed.
"Not at some point… now!" Potter said resolutely. His statement might be considered childish in its petulance if it wasn't for the steely determination in his eyes. It served to remind her that this boy was no child anymore but an experienced war veteran ready for anything.
"S-surely you can't mean right now!" Narcissa stuttered in disbelief and looked over at Greengrass, hoping for some sort of support from the level-headed girl. But sadly, it was not coming as Daphne merely shared a single look with her boyfriend before the same steely determination appeared in her eyes as well.
"On the contrary, Narcissa. I think right now works perfectly for us…"
