Hi everyone. This is my first HP fan fiction. I love Dramione fanfics and have been throwing ideas around. It's been years since I have sat down and allowed myself to write ideas down.
For all my other readers from other fandoms, I know I have a lot of nerve writing something new instead of going back to unfinished old stories…what can I say? I hit a block when it came to writing and I am just coming out of that. I don't know if I will return to my older stories…(honestly, I might need to reread them to remember where I left things-its been that long), but as always, I will do my best. That's all I can promise.
If I get a good response from this first nibble, I will continue. I currently have a loose outline and the first 4-5 chapters. Let me know your thoughts and hope you enjoy!
Tempest Winds
Draco
Narcissa followed Draco through the floo into the receiving room at Malfoy Manor. To look at her, there was nothing wrong, not a hair out of place, no wrinkles in her robes, not a chip in her nail polish. She gripped her gloves in one hand and her handbag with the other.
Draco and her were silent as they stared at each other, feeling the day drenched on them both despite their impeccable appearances.
"Tea," her voice said in a commanding, but regal tone.
Draco nodded once and followed her out of the room, his hands entwined behind his back. She stalked purposefully through the Manor halls, her heels making no noise on the marble. Charmed like his. Unnecessary noise was so plebeian.
The candles illuminated as they approached. They passed the sitting room, so Draco knew he was being lead to the solarium. When his mother was in a bad mood, she found the views of her gardens to be uplifting.
As they entered, Draco noted the immaculate tea set already laid, the screened French doors opened fully, allowing the spring breeze to waft in, carrying with it the scent of roses, lilacs and whatever else his mother had growing in the extensive gardens.
He pulled out his mother's seat and followed suit as an elf appeared, taking his mother's handbag and gloves.
Draco accepted the tea from his mother, taking it from her hands. From her hand, and not by magic, it was a gesture of comforting him and taking care of him.
"Thank you, Mother," he murmured, sipping it slowly and letting it work it's magic.
"Draco," Narcissa said after sipping at her own tea, "We need to be strong. With your father's conviction, we are left in a very precarious situation."
"Yes, Mother," Draco said, recalling the trial they had just come from. Lucius had been convicted of high crimes against the Ministry, breaking in with astronomical damages, assaulting and threatening minors, affiliating with known Death Eaters and Azkaban escapees at that, accessory to the murder of Sirius Black and aiding and abetting the Dark Lord's return.
He would never get out.
A sound in the otherwise quiet solarium caused Draco to seek the source, only to find it was his mother taking in deep, shuddering breaths.
Draco was alarmed. Malfoys did not crack. They did not show emotion. The fact that his mother was breaking just showed the distress she was in.
" I wasn't…gasping…pre-prepared…gasping…f-for," Narcissa stammered around a lump in her throat, a tear escaping.
The sight of the tear made Draco murderous.
Draco reached across the table, a foreign instinct, but this was already one hell of a tea at Malfoy Manor, why not honor his instincts?
"Mother, we will figure this out," Draco offered, his hand extended as his mother looked down at his offering in confusion then reached across and took his hand.
It was not normal, but it was nice. Like a safety rope connecting them on a hostile sea.
"It's just that…your father…he-," Narcissa said, her voice breaking again, but Draco knew what she was trying to get out. His father was in charge, he handled everything, called the shots, nothing was done in the Malfoy family without his say so.
Draco and his mother were reeling in the aftermath that Lucius wasn't here, guiding them.
A pop sounded in the echo chamber of the solarium, causing both Draco and Narcissa to jump, spilling tea.
"Dammit Jost," Draco barked at the elf that appeared, his mother on her last nerve.
"I beg your pardon, Master," Jost said anxiously, "It's just-."
"What?" He snapped as the elf was torn between clearing the mess and delivering his message.
"The Ministry," he said, his voice shaking, "The aurors are here, Master."
"Where-?" But Draco stopped at the familiar sound of a Ministry raiding party.
Aurors were stalking down the hall, their boots thundering against the marble.
Draco stood, standing in front of his mother as two of the massive group of officials broke from the group and continued toward Draco and Narcissa, the rest made their way throughout the corridors of Malfoy Manor, sniffing for anything they could get their paws on.
"Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Malfoy," the lead auror said as he stopped in front of them, "This is Belinda Lang, Chief Officer of Children and Family Welfare."
"How interesting," Draco sneered, "Because we are not well with these never ending raids and throwing my father in jail."
The head auror glanced toward Belinda, who stepped forward and smiled at Draco kindly. She reminded him of Madam Pomfrey.
"Yes, Draco" she said, "We understand that this has all been very challenging for you. And your mother. That's why we're here, we want to help."
"We don't want or need The Ministry's help," Draco snapped.
The auror shot him a warning look, but it was his mother's hand on his upper arm that silenced him.
"Draco," she said, her voice back to the cool and collected Narcissa Malfoy with no creases in her robes, no cracks in facade, nor any shaky voices.
"We were just sitting for a tea," Narcissa informed them as if she was delighted they had intruded, gesturing to the tea, "Won't you join us?"
The two glanced at each other again, causing Draco to see red. They took a seat, their tea magically filling.
"Mrs. Malfoy," the head auror said, " My name is Auror Fogelsbee, and as you can guess, we are performing a search of the Malfoy premises by order of the courts."
Narcissa simply nodded and said, "I see. The paperwork?"
He handed over the warrants allowing him to do what he wanted. Narcissa placed them in her lap, waiting for whatever they were going to say next.
Draco barely controlled the rage boiling inside. He was practically shaking with it, but his Malfoy training was better. Malfoys do not crack.
"Additionally," the Auror Fogelsbee said, his tone different than normal, "The courts are temporarily placing your son, Draco, under protective custody. Due to the-"
"No," Narcissa gasped, her hand going to her heart.
"-Serious crimes your husband has been convicted of- ,"
Draco felt like he was going to be sick, his mother looked terrified and unhinged.
"NO!" Narcissa said more firmly, frantic disbelief in her eyes.
"-The courts and the Office of Children and Family Welfare have begun an investigation to determine the status of Draco's welfare in this environment."
"You will NOT take my son," her body shaking violently, standing now as sparks fizzled from her fingertips.
"Mother-," Draco began, surprised by the wobble in his own voice, standing to move to her side. He couldn't understand…how could they do this?
Suddenly Narcissa was immobile, here eyes moving desperately between Draco and the two Ministry employees, her breathing heavy and clearly under distress.
"Let her go!" Draco demanded, attempting to draw his wand and instead watching it sail through the air to Auror Fogelsbee's hand.
"Draco," Officer Lang said in a calming tone, but it was anything but calming to him, "Your mother is fine, she can understand everything we are saying, we are just protecting ourselves."
"RELEASE HER NOW!" Draco roared, the indignity his mother suffering in her own home was causing him to lose his grip on everything.
"Draco if you don't calm down, we will be forced to do the same to you," she said in that same tone.
He felt them then…tears. On his cheeks. He felt powerless then. Not in control of his own destiny.
"You can't do this," he said weakly, gesturing to his mother. He knew they could though. They took his father this morning.
Officer Lang studied him for a moment and then glanced to Narcissa.
"Mrs. Malfoy, we are going to release the hold on your person, but be aware, if we feel threatened it will be placed back while we explain what this protective order entails," Officer Lang warned in a clear tone.
Suddenly, Narcissa was back in her own power, gasping and choking back sobs.
"Please," she begged, "Don't take my son."
"This is temporary, Mrs. Malfoy," Officer Lang said gently, "Until the investigation is over."
Narcissa just sobbed, her body shaking.
"Draco will come with us where we will transfer him to a safe home where he will be looked after until we determine that this environment is safe for him," Officer Lang said.
"Once the investigation is complete," Officer Lang said, "There will be a determination on the the best environment for Draco."
"I would never allow Draco to come to harm," Narcissa choked out.
"While he is in custody, you will be permitted to visit him on regularly scheduled visits," Officer Lang continued, watching Narcissa and Draco's body language carefully.
"First my husband and now my son," Narcissa said angrily and in despair, her makeup smudged and smeared by the tears continually streaming down her face.
"Do you have any questions for us?" the auror piped up finally, handing a stack of papers that gave them permission to take Narcissa's son.
"Jost," Narcissa said, the elf appearing at her side with tears down her face.
"Please get the Malfoy council," Narcissa said, her voice shaking as she tried to calm herself, unfolding the packet of information handed to her. Jost disappeared as fast as he had arrived.
"Yes," she said uncertainly, "Draco's guardian in the event that we can't care for him is Severus Snape."
"Because of the investigation, all decisions on Draco's temporary placement will be with the courts," Officer Lang said, "Ideally placement with a family member is preferred, however, certain criteria needs to be met. As the Malfoy or Black family has no living relations that have-,"
"Not been incarcerated," Narcissa grit out.
"Or are currently evading incarceration," the auror pointed out tersely.
Narcissa grit her teeth, then said, "Severus Snape is a respected member of the wizarding community and a professor at Hogwarts. Draco would be in excellent hands."
"Severus Snape is indeed very respectable," Officer Lang allowed, "But his history-,"
"I see," Narcissa said, "He is marked so he is not suitable, despite being cleared of all charges."
Officer Lang and Auror Fogelsbee nodded dumbly as Draco wondered who he would end up with. So if anyone who had a criminal record or were in possession of a dark mark were ineligible, only half-bloods, mudbloods or blood traitors were deemed acceptable.
Draco knew that this immediately eliminated all of his family, not that he would want to go with them, and the other families within the Sacred Twenty Eight.
"The Office of Child and Family Welfare have several homes as options for Draco," Officer Lang said reassuringly, "But we did have a potential solution that might be preferable to you over the others."
He just wanted to be with his mother, here.
"And if I refuse?" Draco asked, truly worried about his mother's mental state if she lost her husband and son in the same day.
"Your mother will be placed in custody for refusing to turn your care over the the courts."
His mother…in Azkaban …
Draco and his mother were both silent, both their minds trying to figure some loophole way out of this nightmare.
"Solicitor Yaxley," came the booming voice of Wilfred Yaxley, "Representing Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy. It looked like Jost had pulled him from his lunch. Yaxley was also being put through the wringers by the Ministry and the Malfoys today.
"Merlin, Narcissa!" Yaxley stated dumbfounded at her state of distress, "What's this about?"
"Solicitor Yaxyley," Auror Fogelsbee said when Narcissa was unable to form an explanation, "We are here to perform a search of the Malfoy premises by order of the courts. We also notified Mrs. Malfoy that Draco will be placed under a protective order pending an investigation to determine if this is a suitable environment for him."
"How utterly preposterous," Yaxley blustered, snatching the paperwork from Narcissa's shaking hands and rifling through them, "Who the hell is Officer Belinda Lang?"
"Sir," Belinda said, clearing her throat uncomfortably,"I am Officer Lang with the Office of Child and Family Welfare."
"What is the basis for questioning this boy isn't in a perfectly loving home?" Yaxley snarled.
"Based on the seriousness of the crimes of his father, including aiding in the escape of Azkaban prisoners, including his sister in law and her husband, known Death Eaters and murderers then harboring known said death eaters and escaped prisoners, possibly in this very home. Oh yes, and aiding the return of You-Know-Who as well as infiltrating our Ministry and destroying magical property while assaulting and threatening children. Do you believe that is a good start on why we are wondering if Draco might not be in the best possible environment for him to thrive throughout his adolescence into adulthood?" Officer Lang said in an even and challenging voice that showed she was not one to back down from the intimidation of Yaxley.
"Yaxley," Narcissa, said, swallowing back more sobs, "We will cooperate if it means we can get Draco back quicker."
Draco inhaled sharply, looking at his mother who held up a hand to him, warning him to be quiet.
"Ms….Lang," Narcissa struggled, surely forgetting the name of this woman already, "You mentioned a potential living situation that might be more…amenable."
Officer Lang broke the deadlock gaze she had with Yaxley and focused her attention back on Draco and his mother.
Her eyes became less hard and she nodded once and said, "That is correct. After reviewing the Malfoy and Black lines, there was anyone that we could consider acceptable. But then-"
"You can't be serious," Yaxley burst out, waving the paperwork angrily, "She is-"
"Mrs. Malfoy's only suitable relative," Officer Lang interrupted, "She and her husband have impeccable records within the Ministry, have raised an upstanding if not unique Junior Auror and are one of the loveliest couples I am honored to know."
"She can't be the only option," Narcissa murmured as if to herself, rubbing her forehead as if a headache was brewing.
"Mother, who?" Draco demanded.
"Andromeda Tonks," Narcissa said, "Your aunt."
Okay, so be gentle, but let me know what your thoughts are. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed.