"Someone's in a good mood," Harry teased as he pulled away from an ecstatic Narcissa who had wasted no time when he arrived in their shared practice room and pounced on him. He held her close, relishing the sense of intimacy as he stared into her ash-gray orbs that seemed to sparkle in excitement.
Narcissa's response was to pull out a folded piece of parchment from the pocket of her school skirt and push it against his chest.
"Read it," she said brightly. Harry smiled and took the parchment from her hand. The smile on his face grew as he read it. Narcissa watched him, grinning, and she hummed happily when he planted his lips on hers once again.
Her arms came around his neck and she stood on her tiptoes, pushing herself against him. Their lips caressed each other lovingly as Harry held her by the waist, keeping her body flush against his.
With a deep breath, they pulled apart, eyes closed and foreheads resting together.
"I can't believe it worked out so soon!" She breathed, her relief obvious.
"I told you I won't let you spend any more time in that ponce's company than absolutely necessary, didn't I?" He asked rhetorically.
Narcissa hummed delightfully and pulled back. They gazed at each other fondly and Harry took her hand, leading her over to the desk in the middle of the abandoned classroom. They climbed on the desk, sitting side by side, and the blonde swung her legs about as she turned to glance at him through her eyelashes.
"You never told me what exactly you did though," she asked, curious. Harry smirked.
"It helps to have quality contacts in the right places," he replied. His non-answer did not seem to please her so she poked him in the ribs. Harry chuckled and grabbed her hand.
"Hey! No need to get so violent!"
"Don't do anything to deserve it then," she retorted primly. Harry grinned.
"Alright, I'll tell you."
Narcissa listened to Harry as he told her about the letter he had written to Great-aunt Dorea, expecting her to arrange a meeting between him and her grandfather, only for her to go a step further and have a serious talk with her father as well. She knew it would be a few months before her grandfather came back to Britain and she had in some ways resigned herself to having to put up with Malfoy and his unpleasant company for the foreseeable future.
Instead, her great-aunt had decided to save her from the unpleasantness by talking to her father the very next day, and she had received his letter this morning. The words were still crystal clear in her mind.
Dear daughter,
After an insightful discussion with Aunt Dorea, I have decided to put a hold on the ongoing marriage discussions with the House of Malfoy.
As such, you have my permission to abstain from abiding by the instructions contained in my previous letter.
It has also come to my attention that you might have proceeded to ally with another old wizarding house. If it is true, I want you to know that I have no qualms about you moving ahead with that endeavor.
I have faith that you will conduct yourself befitting your position as the daughter of the Ancient and Noble House of Black and will not do anything that might bring you or our family any dishonor.
I will meet you in a private room at The Three Broomsticks tomorrow during your next Hogsmeade visit for a more personal discussion.
Blessings,
Father
This letter was considerably warmer than the previous one, and Narcissa could also detect her father's familiarity in his words which was noticeably absent in the other letter. This one felt more like it was from a father to his daughter rather than from a patriarch to his charge.
Narcissa's smile had not left her face since she had read the letter, and it had taken her a considerable amount of effort to refrain from just shoving decorum to the side and snogging Harry senselessly right there in the Great Hall where hundreds of eyes could see them.
Although common sense prevailed, it did not stop her from asking Harry to meet her at their usual spot right after breakfast where she had spent a fair bit of time to show him her appreciation. It was fortunate that they did not have any classes and could spend as much time together as they wanted.
Harry smiled at the blonde who had snuggled up to him, resting her head on his shoulder as she caressed his chest softly. It was cliché. He knew it. Falling for someone at first sight was something he had always thought did not exist, but it had happened to him. Admittedly it evolved from mutual attraction, which, he assumed, must be how these things always started. The spark between them had existed from the very first moment they had laid eyes on each other, and it seemed to intensify with time.
He had not expected to find love when he agreed to make a time jump. Having lost everything he had to live in the previous timeline, he had assumed that he would simply carry out the duty he had been entrusted with. However, life showed yet again that nothing was predictable. Now he had people he loved and who loved him, and he would be damned if he didn't protect him to the best of his abilities.
"What are you thinking so hard about?" Her gentle voice made him glance at her. She was staring up at him with curious eyes and Harry could not help but lean down to peck her lips.
"Nothing much, just wondering about what's to come," he replied.
Narcissa smiled.
"Don't worry. As long as our feelings are strong, we can face anything. You better make sure you keep up, got it?" She poked his chest firmly, a strict look in her eyes.
And there was the Narcissa he had known before this entire debacle. Optimistic, cheeky, and oh-so adorable. Harry chuckled and settled on a nod.
"As the lady demands," he teased. She gave him a mock glare before cuddling up to him once again.
"Have you thought about how you will approach Grandfather?" She asked after a few moments of silence.
Harry could not help but grimace slightly. Indeed he had thought about it, and he knew it was not going to be easy. What he had achieved so far was only temporary. If Arcturus Black did not agree, he was sure things would go back to square one, even though it might not be Malfoy.
There was always the chance of Narcissa doing an Andromeda and choosing him over her family, but Harry did not want that for her. No matter how much he wanted to be with Narcissa, he knew it would break something inside her, and he would rather not have her than do that to her.
He had to ensure Arcturus would acquiesce and to ensure that, he did indeed have a plan. However, it was risky.
The current Arcturus Black was different from the one he had known in the future. That man had weathered the loss of his family and was an old, broken soul, no matter how strong a front he portrayed. On the contrary, the Arcturus Black of this timeline was a strict man with staunch beliefs. Even though he had never held a discriminatory bone in his body, it did not mean he did not hold to the old beliefs. Tradition and the purity of blood were the essence of being a Black, and no one embodied it more than Arcturus Black. A cordial relationship with a half-blood was one thing, but agreeing to let his granddaughter marry a half-blood was something else entirely.
He had faith in Dorea, and he had faith in his plan. However, the possibility that it all might not be enough weighed in his mind more than he cared to admit.
Looking down at Narcissa who was staring at him with a concerned frown, he smiled and kissed her again.
"Go with me to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" He asked as he pulled away.
Narcissa looked up at him in surprise for a moment before her face lit up with a wide smile. With a nod, she kissed him again.
Harry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He would cross that bridge when the time came for it. For now, he was happy to enjoy this moment of tranquility with the woman he had fallen so hard for.
-Break-
Abraxas Malfoy sat alone in his study. His hands were clasped in front of him as he rested his arm on the desk, leaning heavily against it. His eyes never left the yellowed parchment that sat on his desk, taunting him with the words it carried.
It had been going smoothly. Their movement was gradually gaining momentum and his lord had successfully subjugated several prominent pureblood houses like Avery, Lestrange, Macnair, Nott, and Yaxley.
It was a testament to his lord's charisma and the nobility of their cause that the staunchest supporters of blood supremacy had seen reason and agreed to support their cause that had the power to change the world as they knew it.
However, having so much influence came with its set of challenges, particularly for his followers.
With so many powerful pureblood houses now supporting their cause, it made standing out among the masses that much more challenging. House Malfoy had been one of the first to declare its support, but it was now just another name in the long list of pureblood houses that had pledged their support to his lord.
Abraxas could not have it remain that way.
They were the Malfoys – the greatest of the lot. It fell on him to show his lord why he and his house deserved to stand head and shoulders above the rest.
For months, Abraxas had pondered upon various ideas that would enable him to establish himself within his lord's circle – as a person worth noticing, to be treated differently. His ambition called for nothing less.
Ideas had been concocted and discarded, and it was only when that blood-traitor daughter of the Blacks had absconded the house that he started pondering upon this idea of marrying his heir into the family.
The Blacks were regarded as the proudest of the pureblood houses, and they were one of the most prominent members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight alongside the Potters, whom they shared blood relations with. Having that house on their side would undoubtedly bring a significant amount of power and clout to their cause, and if he was the one to ensure it happened, then he knew he would be seen differently.
It did not matter that one of their daughters had turned a traitor and betrayed her family. It did not matter that the girl he was interested in for his heir belonged to a cadet branch of the house. The Blacks were the Blacks. The same blood flowed through their veins, and few revered the purity of blood as much as the Blacks.
If it happened to somehow bring the Potters into the fold as well, then it was most fortunate.
He was about to proceed with the proposal when it came to his attention that Corvus Lestrange had somehow got the same idea. He was newly assimilated in their movement but it did not make him any less scheming or ambitious. The man wanted to make a strong impression early on.
However, instead of Narcissa, Corvus Lestrange was plotting to move for both the daughters. Rudolphus for Bellatrix and Rabastan for Narcissa.
Abraxas had to give it to Corvus. He was one reaching snake. It would have been easy to feud over this affair. However, he also knew how to best go about these things. They were both doing this for the benefit of their respective houses and their cause was the same. It was foolish to have discord amongst allies.
As such, he had arranged a meeting with Corvus Lestrange this past summer to come to an understanding. Lestrange was not an idiot, and he had seen reason in his argument. As a result, they had agreed on the terms – Narcissa for Lucius and Bellatrix for Rudolphus, with the entire Black estate divided equally once the house fell after their lord's victory.
It was an open secret in the pureblood circle that Sirius Black had no interest in taking up the lordship, which left only young Regulus Black as the one in line. A child – one who could be taken care of easily.
Once their heirs married the daughters who would be the only remaining descendants, they would have absolute control over the family assets. Losing half of the possible inheritance was a very bitter potion to swallow, but he acquiesced. It was not as if his house was lacking in galleons or assets, but half of the Black estate was still a massive amount. They were regarded as one of the richest houses in the entirety of Magical Europe for a reason, after all.
Abraxas was also happy with the arrangement because his house would be getting the saner twin and not the maniacal one. He had heard about Bellatrix from Lucius, who, much to his combined shame and ire, was undoubtedly scared of the girl. He had almost lashed out at his heir when he had first heard him talk about the girl in that apprehensive tone of his. To think that their heir of House Malfoy would be fearful of a witless girl like that…
But when he was told that all the boys in Slytherin steered clear of the girl, it made him pause. There might have been something off with the girl, and if it was true, then it was in his best interest to pursue the hand of the other twin for his son.
When Corvus told him that he would prefer Bellatrix for Rudolphus, it took all he had to not dance around in joy. Lestrange could keep the madwoman. He was happy with a pureblood princess for his son.
He knew about Cygnus Black and his precarious position in the House of the Blacks. The man had been doing horribly since his eldest had fled the family. Abraxas had nothing but disdain for the weakling. After all, how could a proud son of a house as powerful as the Blacks let himself give in to his weaknesses? Just because his daughter ran away with a mudblood? It was simply an asset that had lost its value. Nothing else.
However, Cygnus Black had done exactly that. He had lost himself in his grief over the loss of his daughter, and the results were there for all to see. His stock in his family had fallen and his business had been making recurring losses until he could not sustain it anymore and had to sell it for a value much less than the market rate.
Little did the man know that he had been the one to push his business down with carefully laid out schemes. Bribing the workers to produce substandard goods and ensuring the shipments were either sub-par or delayed was an easy enough ploy. How the man had noticed nothing was beyond him. Perhaps his so-called grief had made him senile.
Abraxas did not care though. He had the man right where he wanted him.
The iron was hot, and he had struck.
Cygnus must have seen him as a savior when he had proposed for Lucius and Narcissa to be wed when they graduated from Hogwarts, and the expression of abject shock and undisguised hope on the pitiful man's face had almost made him chuckle. However, he had controlled himself and maintained the visage of a loving father who wanted the best for his son.
His manipulation of the situation and the possibility of a match with his house – something he knew Cygnus believed he could have never arranged for his daughter ensured a significant step for him toward the realization of his objective.
As agreed between them, they had sent letters to both Lucius and Narcissa, conveying what they had agreed to and how they expected them to behave.
Only the official contract signing remained, which was only a matter of time. Arcturus Black was away, and he was expected to not return for a few months. He could wait for that long. There was no rush anyway.
Everything was done, after all. He was on the verge of winning…
…Or so he thought.
The letter he had received from Cygnus Black this morning had been unexpected, and the contents of the letter had made him wonder if it was all some silly joke.
Cygnus Black had decided to stall the betrothal. He had mentioned a reason. And the reason was something he had a hard time coming to terms with.
He looked at the letter and read the paragraph once again.
However, after discussing with my daughter I have been made aware that she is reluctant to marry Lucius. I am not jesting when I say that she is quite vehement in her desire. It is for this reason that I believe it would be prudent to stop these negotiations before they proceed any further. I have informed Narcissa about the change of events and I would ask you to do the same to your heir Lucius.
The letter had devolved into the standard way of greeting and he had paid no mind to anything after that.
It seemed Cygnus Black's weakness had reared its ugly head once again. The man's so-called love for his daughter must be the reason why he was not treating this negotiation as the business that it was. Narcissa was his asset, and he was happily letting her become a liability, for both the Blacks and the Malfoys. His eldest's absconding must have made the man fear for a repeat, and he had given in to his daughter's demands of not wanting to be betrothed to his son.
It was something he had not counted on. All the reports had told him that Narcissa Black was a dutiful daughter who would happily put her happiness and wants aside for the sake of her family. For her to so vehemently disagree with the prospect of marrying Lucius meant whatever the matter was, it was very significant.
There were several possibilities. The girl could have her eyes on another man like her elder sister. That could explain her reluctance. However, given how Cygnus had said in his letter that Narcissa was quite vehement in her disagreement, he could not help but wonder if it was something about his son and his conduct instead.
There was a third possibility which was undoubtedly the worst of the lot.
It could be a combination of both factors. Narcissa could be infatuated with another man and had her grievances with his son as well. If that was the case, then it was a challenge he would have a hard time overcoming.
Abraxas gritted his teeth and crumpled the parchment, throwing it away in the fire.
All his plans hinged on this match going forward. If this did not happen, then he would lose more than a place of prominence in his lord's ranks.
He did not fear for his heir's prospects. He could arrange any other match for him.
However, none of the other houses were the Blacks. There was a reason why they were so revered in the pureblood circles. The respect his house would have garnered from having an alliance with that house alone would have been immense, and the prospect of having half of their estate which was a considerable sum was just an icing on the proverbial cake.
It could have been the entire estate as well. After all, no one knows the future, much less Lestrange.
Now, everything was in jeopardy.
No, things cannot end like this!
Abraxas thought furiously about what he could do. He would need to devise a new approach, and for that, he needed to learn about the girl's motivations. Just what was so wrong about his heir that she was so vehement in her disagreement? Just what was up with the girl and did she indeed have her sights set on someone else? Questions that he needed to be answered before he could take another step forward.
Perhaps it was time for him to have a serious talk with his heir.
-Break-
To say that Lucius Malfoy had been having a bad day was like saying Dumbledore really shat roses.
It had started with that blasted early morning encounter with Peverell. He had been having a bad feeling since that meeting, and what followed during breakfast had not done anything to reassure him either.
Narcissa had ignored him during breakfast, instead choosing to eyefuck Peverell right in front of everyone. He was not an idiot. He knew what those looks meant.
It begged the question though. Why?
She had been the perfect lady until the previous day, and even if it was an act, it gave no one any reason to talk, unlike what had been happening since breakfast today.
Not having classes didn't give the masses anything better to do either.
She had chosen to show disinterest in him throughout the breakfast, not that he had been in the mood to engage her in a conversation either. However, once she got that letter, her disinterest turned into outright ignorance.
She had taken her leave without even bothering to glance at him, and as far as he was aware, the girl had vanished after breakfast. No matter how much he tried to look for her, she was nowhere to be seen. It was as if she was not even on school grounds.
There was one person who could know where she was though, but there was no way he was going to ask that maniac.
Although he did notice something. Peverell was also not with his usual posse.
It was not hard to put two and two together, and coupled with the smug grin on that demon-girl's face whenever he looked at her, he knew.
Narcissa was with Peverell, and Merlin knew what the two were getting up to. He had barely managed to keep his anger under control after that realization.
It had been a few hours since lunch, and he sat in the Slytherin Common Room with his usual crowd. As if knowing something was troubling him, they were all quieter than usual. Lucius did not pay any attention to anything though. The uncertainty was bugging him and he could do nothing but stare furiously into the fireplace.
His staring session with the fire was interrupted only when he heard the soft sound of an elf apparition. Eyes narrowed in disdain, he stared at the pitiful creature that was holding a scroll for him.
"Put it on the table and scram," Lucius hissed. The elf bowed pathetically and obeyed.
For a few seconds, Lucius stared at the scroll, wondering just what his father might want to talk about. They rarely communicated during the school year, with his letters having become rarer ever since his mother had passed away a few years ago. Now, their letters were mostly concerning any potential alliances or similar correspondence that happened once or twice every few months. Receiving a missive from him so early in the school year was indeed surprising.
Feeling the scrutinizing eyes of his allies on him, Lucius reached forward and untied the scroll. As he unfurled it and read, his eyebrows started to rise until he was staring at the parchment with wide eyes. Disbelief was etched across his face as he took in his father's words. The scathing remarks of disappointment for not carrying out his duty as expected of him cut deeper than any wound, but it was nothing compared to Cygnus Black's decision to stop the negotiations. All because of his daughter's vehement reluctance to marry him.
He had known. Deep inside, he had known that Narcissa loathed him. He carried the proof within him. A sense of pain that had erupted from within his being when he tried to touch the girl.
A sense of immense loss washed over him, and unbidden, Peverell's mocking words from the morning came to his mind.
You were never in the running, asshole.
The words did nothing but feed his fury.
"The fuck's with the long face?" Rudolphus grunted like the ape that he was, not that Lucius paid him any mind. His eyes raked across the parchment once, twice, thrice. He committed each word, each remark to memory, and the more he read, the more his ire grew. At himself. At his father. At that bitch. And at that asshole who had dared to take what was his to claim.
Without a word, he rose to his feet and stalked out of the Common Room. His rage was palpable, and his allies easily saw it for what it was.
Rushing behind the blonde, they exited the Common Room before falling in step beside him.
Lucius could pay no attention to his surroundings. His mind was numb from the words of his father. The sense of humiliation at being snubbed in favor of some filthy half-blood was drowning him in the ever-deepening pit of despair and rage, and it needed an outlet.
There was only one possible outlet his rage demanded to be unleashed upon, and as he made his way into the courtyard, his eyes fell on someone who could arrange it for him.
He was disgraced and his bloodline was walked over. The pride of the Malfoys demanded nothing but repayment in the filthy blood of the one who had dared to slight him.
-Break-
Augustus Rookwood was a pragmatic young man with an analytical mind. He believed in taking proper stock of a situation before taking any action. His patience had been a huge contributor toward him rising through the ranks in Slytherin and becoming one of the strongest players in the tactical game that was played in the dungeons.
Contrary to what many believed, Augustus was not a lackey of either Malfoy or Lestrange. He simply recognized the power those two families possessed in the administration and knew he did not need to do any heavy lifting when those three were already there. He could easily sit back and give a nudge here and there, thus contributing his fair share and not implicating himself in any manner.
Malfoy and Lestrange were assets, and that was it.
The moment he had seen Lucius' face when he was reading that letter, he had known that it was something very bad.
The man was lividly striding toward the courtyard with malicious intent, and when his eyes fell on the group in the middle, his sense of caution kicked in.
As quickly as he could, Augustus cast a Privacy charm and a Silencing charm around his group. Once he was done, he grabbed Lucius firmly by the shoulder.
The young man turned around roughly, and damn did he look livid. He was sure Lucius would have done something he would have surely regretted, and now was not the time for him to go down. Lucius was the face, and he would need to remain on the playing board for the foreseeable future. He had his vested interests as well, after all, and they required Lucius to be present.
"You dare put your hands on me, Rookwood?" Lucius snarled, violently shoving him back. "Who the fuck do you think you are!?"
Augustus caught his footing and ignored the tone. It was not the time nor the place to comment on it.
"What are you doing, Lucius?" He asked in return. Without allowing him to reply, he continued slowly with a hint of a warning in his voice, "I know whatever was in that letter was not pleasant, but attacking the Gryffs in front of everyone like that would worsen it all. Don't forget we are still in school, and there are tens of students around us."
"Like I give a fuck about that anymore," Lucius hissed. "That bastard Peverell and his whore will get it soon enough, but it's their turn first. I'll send Peverell a message right here right now!"
"I agree," Augustus interjected heavily, somewhat suspecting what the crux of the issue was. And it seemed so did Rudolphus, who had his grievances with Peverell. The brute snarled, "Peverell dared to take your bitch from you!?"
Augustus seethed to himself. The one time the idiot had decided to use his brain… Sighing, he looked around for help from his other allies, all of whom looked reluctant to speak up when those two were so riled up.
"Listen, you two," he began in a measured tone. "I know you want to get back at Peverell, but this is not the time or the place. Tomorrow is the first Hogsmeade visit, and you know Peverell will be there. Disguise yourselves and jump him when he's least expecting it. Doing it here in school where anyone could see you is recipe for disaster. There's no need to charge in like the brash Gryffindors. We are Slytherins. We wait in the shadows and attack when our victim least suspects it."
He stared down the two livid wizards while simultaneously nudging the wizard behind him to speak up.
"Rookwood is right, Lucius," Yaxley said firmly. "Take today to come up with something and do whatever you want to Peverell tomorrow."
Lucius stared at them for what felt like hours but was only a second or two. With a furious grunt, he stalked off. They watched him go when Rudolphus grunted, "You lot better not disappoint tomorrow. Peverell's overreached this time."
Spitting to the side, the eldest Lestrange also walked off with his brother following in tow. The rest of the wizards exchanged nods of understanding and walked away.
-Break-
Narcissa Black walked through the corridor that led to the Slytherin Common Room after spending the entire day with Harry.
After they were done enjoying their closeness as a new couple, they devoted a few hours to spellcasting.
She had to admit that he was one capable wizard, and not for the first time, she wondered who his tutors might be. There was no way one would teach battle spells as part of the school curriculum or help someone develop battle sense and awareness.
There was a reason, and she could not lie and say she was not curious. However, she was not going to pry. It was Harry's secret, and she was confident that he would tell her when he was ready.
She was no slouch either, but Harry was on a whole new level. If she had to guess, she would say he was easily beyond the level of a regular auror, and that was commendable.
As Narcissa walked through the doors to the Common Room, she spied Malfoy sitting with his usual crowd near the fireplace. To her slight surprise, no one looked up when she entered. A few who were looking around did pause to stare at her but she swiftly ignored them and walked forward.
It was only when she was in front of them that they finally noticed, and Narcissa did not fail to notice the rage in Malfoy's eyes. She wanted to smirk but she held back.
"Heir Malfoy, it is my belief that you received a certain letter from your father today?"
Narcissa had deliberately chosen to throw Malfoy's previous words back at him and damn it felt good to have the upper hand in this exchange. She could not wait to put it all behind him, already looking forward to a life of love and happiness with Harry.
It seemed Malfoy did not miss her intention either, as his jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed even more.
Narcissa had to commend him on the restraint he was showing. She still kept her smirk in check.
Malfoy did not reply, instead settling on giving her a curt nod.
"Splendid. And I hope you have no qualms about it?"
Yes, she was feeling vindictive. And she was willing to let it out by being petty. If throwing his insignificant words back in his face was enough then so be it.
This time, Malfoy reacted even more. His grip on the couch tightened and she saw his fingernails digging into the black leather.
"I'm glad to see that. I'm sure you will find someone who would be more suited and willing to assume the role of the lady of your house. Have a good evening."
A few eyes widened at the slight but Narcissa did not react.
Smiling prettily, she turned around and walked away. There was no need to say or do anything.
Malfoy was insignificant and she had a date to look forward to.
She was sure the next day was going to be a blast.
TBC.
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