The Night ™
Narcissa Black Malfoy was many things. She was a daughter, a sister, a cousin, a wife, a new mother, a Malfoy, and a Black. She was a proud pureblood, a cunning Slytherin, a noble woman, a powerful witch, and exceedingly loyal.
It was this last trait that seemed to be causing her the most problems, however.
Loyalty.
It was her loyalty that caused her to bite her tongue and smile when her husband announced that he had joined the ranks of the Dark Lord, who promised to bring the purebloods glory and to protect them from the likes of muggles and mudblood’s who were threatening their way of life. It was because of her loyalty that when her sister asked her to hide something of grave importance to the Dark Lord, even though the object exuded Darkness and Evil, she hid it in the rafters of their attic.
And it was because of her loyalty that when her baby cousin showed up at Malfoy Manor covered in blood, ash, and rubble with a lifeless body hanging limp in his arms begging for her help that she responded with, ‘bring her to the cellar’.
Narcissa needn’t wonder how she got here; she knew all too well. She was loyal, and she protected her own.
When exactly her disowned blood-traitor Gryffindor cousin’s muggle-born partner became one of her own, Narcissa wasn’t sure.
(The day you ‘died’)
“What have you done!?” Narcissa gritted through her teeth as she pulled the clothing off of the nearly-dead-witch’s body.
“’Cissa, please, I couldn’t leave her there-”
“Why not!?”
“She’s – she’s Sirius’, she’s...” Regulus took a steadying breath. “She’s Sirius’, Narcissa.”
“For crying out loud.” Narcissa growled. She wanted to argue, she wanted to scream and curse and tell him to dump this witch back where he’d found her. But she knew...
She knew she would have likely done the same.
When her son Draco was born, Narcissa had never felt so alone; her mother was long passed, her father was distant and cold, Bellatrix was insane, and she had long ago lost her favourite sister.
She thought at that moment of Andromeda and her husband and daughter.
If this had been Ted Tonks lying nearly dead on a hastily conjured drafting table, or their daughter Nymphadora...
Narcissa knew; her dog-like loyalty and her dragon-like possessiveness knew no bounds.
So, she pulled on all the blasted magic she could think of – light, dark, and ancient. Types of Oriental, coastal, Scandinavian and Aboriginal magic; anything and everything she could possibly think of to bring this witch back from the brink of death.
Spending her life as a dedicated pureblood meant spending a lot of time hiding away in libraries – no one could scold you for it, and you could hide away from whatever nonsense they were currently shoving down your throat. She thanked the deities for all of that time spent researching now.
Thoroughly exhausted and covered in another person’s blood, Narcissa stepped back as the witch finally took a breath on her own.
“Thank you, Narcissa.”
“Do not go thanking me yet, cousin.” Narcissa huffed. “What exactly is it you plan to do with her?”
Regulus stared dumbly at her. “Uhm...well, return her?”
Narcissa rolled her eyes. “Right, and then the Dark Lord suspects a traitor amongst his followers and kills us all for the act of disloyalty. Really cousin, did you hit your head in this battle or something?”
“Well, what do you suggest I do then, Narcissa, since you are clearly so much smarter than I?” He questioned hotly.
“This is not my mess, Regulus. You should have left her there to die.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why?” Narcissa asked incredulously.
“Why should she have to die? Hm? Because she was born into the wrong family? Does that make her evil? Fate does not make us evil, Narcissa; choices do. I did not choose to live as a pureblood, I was only born into this life. But I chose to follow the Dark Lord, and I chose to join this war. I choose to aim my wand at people who raise their wands in defense whilst I wield mine in hope for power and glory. So why her? Why should she die while I go home to eat from my silver spoon that was promised to me at birth?”
Narcissa balked at her cousin. “Regulus, what - what are you saying?”
But Regulus did not have a chance to respond before Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape and Barty Crouch Junior followed a small house-elf down the stairs into the cellar.
“My, my, don’t tell me you’ve plundered some booty for us, dear Reggie!” Barty exclaimed excitedly.
“What, pray tell, is the meaning of this?” Snape asked as he eyed Regulus and Narcissa skeptically.
“We were wondering where everyone got to – oh.” Mulciber added as he stepped down into the cellar with Goyle trailing behind him.
“I found her at the set-up.” Regulus said plainly after throwing up a hasty occlusion behind his eyes.
“I see. And why exactly is she here.” Snape asked again.
“Did you...heal her?” Lucius guffawed.
“Why waste your energy on a pathetic mudblood?” Mulciber asked.
Narcissa stayed quiet and allowed Regulus to swim his way out of this on his own. She would not risk her own life protecting his mistake.
But what made it a mistake?
Narcissa had never once questioned the pureblood rhetoric that her parents entrenched in her. Not when she first stepped foot into Hogwarts. Not when she watched her classmates get bullied and harassed for their muddy blood. Not when it was announced she would be wed to her own cousin upon graduating from Hogwarts when she was only twelve years old, and not even when she was again announced to be wed to Lucius Malfoy instead at thirteen, after said cousin was sorted into the wrong house – bringing disgrace to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black; and not even when her older sister defected from the family by falling in love with a filthy mudblood.
She looked at Regulus then. As the baby of the family, Regulus had seen all of this. He had witnessed the announcement of his big brother’s betrothal to his first cousin when Sirius was only ten years old. He saw the fallout and witnessed Sirius be ignored, embarrassed, and humiliated that first summer home after being sorted into the wrong house. He watched Sirius get tortured, brutalized, and starved every summer after that until he left home for good. He watched Andromeda be chastised and forced to choose between her family and her heart for falling in love with the wrong person. He watched Bellatrix descend into madness as she became more and more involved with Dark Magic.
Regulus, the baby of the family, had witnessed all of this.
Narcissa thought of her own baby then, upstairs being looked after by a house-elf whilst she was downstairs with her husband and his house guests while they argued over who had more of a right to this unconscious witch’s body than the others.
Did Regulus make a mistake?
Did she?
“Hmph, well, we’ll see how long this lasts.” Mulciber spat at Regulus before the five newcomers moved back upstairs leaving Narcissa alone with Regulus and the witch.
Narcissa watched as Regulus used Legillimency to peer inside the witch’s mind before he spoke. “You’re awake.”
The only response Regulus got was the tightening of the witch’s eyes.
“Squeezing your eyes shut will not change the fact that I know you are awake.” He commented with an eyeroll.
Narcissa watched as Regulus continued to monitor the witch.
“Yes, I am talking to you.” Regulus responded verbally.
A beat of silence.
“Very elegant.” He muttered.
“Indeed, you are.” He quipped again.
Narcissa watched as you peeled your eyes open and blinked against the light above you; she heard your neck crack loudly as you turned your head towards Regulus before your face fell.
“You can’t be serious?” You rasped disbelievingly.
“Close, but no.” Regulus smirked as he stood and moved toward the table you were lying on. “The name is Regulus. Regulus Arcturus Black.”
Narcissa watched as a look of panic crossed your features as you took in Regulus.
“I don’t suppose you happen to know occlumency, do you?”
You shook your head in response.
“Shame. Well, for your sake, I hope you are a quick learner.” Regulus said before he stupefied you.
“This just got an awful lot more complicated, Regulus.” Narcissa commented quietly.
“I know.” Regulus sighed before he turned to his cousin. “Narcissa, please, will you help me?”
Narcissa looked between her cousin – the only relative she really had left – and the unconscious witch beside him. Suddenly, the witch wasn’t just a nearly dead burden – she was a chance. An opportunity for more. An opportunity to do better. An opportunity to have better.
“I do not want this life for my son.” Narcissa admitted quietly.
“What?”
“I do not want Draco growing up worried about who he will be betrothed to before we even send him off to Hogwarts. I do not want him watching children be jinxed or hexed for being born to the wrong family – or worse – be the child jinxing or hexing them. I do not want to watch him slowly lose every single person that ever meant anything to him because they could not adhere to the same drivel. I do not want this life for him.” She took a deep breath.
“I want more for him, Regulus. I want better.”
Regulus searched Narcissa’s face for a few moments before nodding.
“Let’s do better, then.”
October 31st
“Okay, explain the plan to me one more time.” You muttered as you continued to pace a hole through Narcissa’s vintage Persian rug. Regulus fought the urge to groan and repeated the plan that Dumbledore had discussed with him for a third time.
“Remus Lupin has been made secret keeper of the currently vacant cottage in Godric’s Hollow. He, as Peter Pettigrew, will meet the Dark Lord in the town square of Godric’s Hollow at eight o’clock tonight. He will then escort the Dark Lord to Potter’s cottage where I will be in the form of James Potter and Narcissa in the form of Lily Potter. Apparently, to no one’s surprise, Sirius has demanded he be there – so Sirius will be there in his animagus form as will Professor McGonagall, and Dumbledore will be hidden under Potter’s invisibility cloak. Dumbledore has the sword of Gryffindor, and Narcissa was able to purchase Basilisk venom from Borgin & Burkes on Knockturn Alley, which means the Order will be able to slay Nagini without resorting to unforgiveables. I, however, will have no qualms firing an avada at the Dark Lord, so we will see how the rest plays out. Either way, he will die.” Regulus spouted in monotone.
You seemed to consider this as you continued pacing. “And I...”
“And you are staying here.” He said with finality.
“Why?” You asked petulantly. Regulus did not find it at all endearing.
“Because you have to look after Draco.” Narcissa offered.
You softened at the mention of the boy but seemed unconvinced. “You have a manor full of house-elves; I’m sure Dobby wouldn’t mind-”
“It has to be you, Y/N.” Narcissa said. “It needs to be someone who will not be swayed, regardless of who shows up and starts barking orders.”
Your head fell back in resignation as you looked at the ceiling.
“Okay?” Regulus asked quietly.
“Okay.” You admitted in defeat, bringing your gaze back to him.
Regulus offered you as kind a smile as the youngest Black and a chronic Slytherin could manage. “Your nose is bleeding again.”
“God damnit.” You muttered as you conjured a tissue into your hand and held it to your nose. More and more of your memories were flooding back in, and - just as the Healer had suggested - it was extremely painful. Not only were you now privy to migraines, nose bleeds, and the occasional seizure; you had an overwhelming sense of anxiety laying its damned wet blanket over you. You were somewhat annoyed that your memories appeared to be attacking you now when you would have benefitted from not remembering all of the reasons why this plan had to go just right.
“Why did it have to be Halloween?” You muttered miserably.
*ೃ༄.ೃ࿐
“Why did it have to be Halloween?” James whined. “I love Halloween.”
Lily patted her husband’s shoulder in sympathy, though neither her face nor her tone held any warmth. “You can love Halloween next year.”
James and Lily stood in the doorway of 12 Grimmauld place with Harry strapped to James’ chest. Sirius triple checked their bags before shrinking them down and putting them into a backpack and placing it onto Lily’s shoulders.
“Okay, explain the plan to me one more time.” He ordered the Potter’s.
Lily and James shared a quick glance before the former rolled her eyes.
“We’re heading to an undisclosed location. We are to set up protection wards the second we get there, and we are not to leave until Sirius’ patronus reaches us. If, in the event that we do not receive a patronus from Sirius or Moony in the next two days, we are to assume that the plan has failed. In that case, we are to begin heading west via muggle transportation and make our way to Ireland before boarding a flight to Canada where we are to remain for the rest of our lives.” She relayed to him in monotone.
Sirius beamed at her and kissed her cheek. “Right-o, Red! But, not to worry, you’ll be hearing from my patronus in no time.”
Remus watched with a small smile from the staircase. He knew Sirius was trying to stay positive mostly for himself; he’s been in such a state since you were taken, and he was running on fumes waiting with bated breath for this to be over so you could return home - return to him. He had so many questions about so many things; questions for you, questions for Regulus, questions for Dumbledore. Remus watched his friend become manic, almost as if Sirius was the one expecting the full moon at the beginning of next week. The friends tried to stay patient with him, but they were all looking forward to this being over.
“It’s me and my family they’re after, I should be here to end this.” James muttered.
“And you’re our family, Prongs. So, we’re here to end this.” Sirius responded.
“He didn’t just threaten you and Lily and Haz, he threatened all of us.” Remus added.
“I owe her my life, guys. I owe it to Vix to see this through.” He responded, shifting his gaze between his two friends.
Sirius’ eyes welled at the thought before he quickly shoved his feelings back down into his stomach – he’d deal with those later; for now, he had a megalomaniac to kill.
“You’ll have the rest of your life to make it up to her, Prongs.” He offered with as much a smile as he could muster.
James gave his friend a sad smile of his own before enveloping him in a bone crushing hug.
“I’ll see you soon, Pads.”
“Once the mischief is managed.” Sirius answered.
As Lily, James and Harry left Grimmauld place and apparated to location unknown, Remus and Sirius exchanged a look.
“Ready to finish this?” Sirius asked Remus.
“I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life.”
*ೃ༄.ೃ࿐
The clock tower in Godric’s Hollow’s town square rang signifying eight o’clock. Remus tried rubbing his clammy hands against his cloak, not wanting his hands to be slick when it came time to brandish his wand. Thankfully, with the full moon this close, and it (by the grace of every god) seeming to be a ‘manic moon’, Remus was at his strongest, and he would not be letting that go to waste.
The rancid smell of dark magic permeated Remus’ senses signifying the arrival of Voldemort and his last horcrux.
“My dear boy,” Voldemort sang out, “are you ready to face victory in the name of your Lord.”
“Absolutely, my Lord, it is my honour to help you see this through.” He responded verbatim to what Dumbledore coached him on.
“Lead the way.”
So, Remus did.
In what felt like a death march, Remus (as Peter Pettigrew), a twelve-foot snake and melted-wax figure looking Tom Riddle made their way to the Potter’s cottage in Godric’s Hollow. Remus listened to the sound of his heartbeat and Nagini’s skin sliding along the gravel lane as he unlatched the hook of the fence and made his way up to the door.
He looked behind him to see Voldemort smiling victoriously at the house as it materialized in front of him. Remus turned back to the red painted door and knocked three times, paused, knocked once, paused, knocked twice more.
“Come in!” The sound of Lily’s voice filtered through the wood of the door and Remus heaved a breath before opening it in front of him.
“Hey Pete!” James greeted as Remus stepped inside. “We just put the kid to bed, glad you could come by.”
Remus watched as James turned his back to the door and continued toward the kitchen whilst Voldemort and Nagini let themselves in. With a quick flick of Remus’ wand, the door shut and locked behind them. No way out now, fucker.
“Come on in, Peter! I’m just making something to drink, would you like one?” Lily called from somewhere in the house as the trio continued in, watching as a cat wandered its way towards the kitchen seemingly unawares of the company behind it.
As they passed a hallway leading to a half-bath, Padfoot began to bark.
“Oh, come now Pads, it’s just Peter! You know him.” James said as he came back out into the hallway where he saw his good friend Peter in the company of Nagini and Voldemort.
Voldemort whispered something in parseltongue and in response, Nagini poised to lunge.
When the snakes body elongated and her neck stretched as she launched to sink her fangs into James, Sirius had turned back into his regular form, and with the sword of Gryffindor swung at the snake, severing its head from the rest of its body; the snake’s body and its head fell to the ground with a sickening wet thud.
“No!” Voldemort cried before Dumbledore ripped the invisibility cloak from his form and Lily exited the kitchen. Suddenly, the forms of Lily, James and Peter and the actual Dumbledore, McGonagall and Sirius stood with their wands aimed at Voldemort.
“What have you done?” Voldemort seethed at Remus. Remus smirked in response.
“I won.” He said simply.
Voldemort growled as he pulled his wand from his cloak, blocking an expelliarmus from Dumbledore and a bombarda from Sirius.
“Incarcerous!” McGonagall shouted and Voldemort was bound by invisible restraints.
Dumbledore stupefied the flailing Tom Riddle and the six exchanged glances.
“Did...did we do it? Did we just...stop Voldemort?” Sirius whispered.
“It feels sort of anti-climactic, does it not?” Lily asked before she cast a quick finite over herself, revealing Narcissa Black. Remus opted to follow suit and shed the skin of his rat of a friend.
“Narcissa?!” Sirius balked, earning him a smirk.
“Hello, cousin.”
“But, why? How?” he asked.
James followed suit and cast a finite, melting away the enchantment and leaving behind the form of Regulus Black, causing Sirius to choke back tears.
“Reggie...” he whispered reverently.
“Sirius.” Regulus responded with a curt nod, seemingly unable to meet his brothers’ eyes.
A sob tore its way through Sirius as he lunged himself at Regulus and embraced his little brother. “I can’t believe you’re alive.”
“Disappointed?” Regulus asked, seemingly unable to figure out what to do with his own arms which were pinned under Sirius’ grasp.
“No, not in the slightest.” Sirius answered honestly as he pulled himself back from his brother only to bring his hands up to clasp either side of his brother’s face and scrutinize him. “You’re really okay?”
Regulus’ brows scrunched together at his brother’s words. “Could be worse.” Regulus responded in a whisper.
“Why don’t we catch up later, once we have everyone together again?” Narcissa offered with a soft smile. This seemed to snap Sirius into action.
“Yes! Okay, yes. Let’s go get Y/N and then we can send the Potter’s a patronus!” He exclaimed as if were a child being told they were heading to the mall to meet Santa.
Remus chuckled and even Regulus seemed to smirk at his brother.
“You go, Minerva and I will escort Mr. Riddle here to the Ministry.” Dumbledore said with a wink at his four former students. “Thank you all, for your bravery and cunningness today.”
The four offered Dumbledore varying levels of smiles: Remus a wide one, Narcissa a polite one, Regulus’ looked more like a grimace and Sirius’ mouth stayed downturned as they watched the headmaster and deputy headmistress leave with Voldemort in tow.
“Let’s get the band back together.” Remus announced, and Narcissa held out a portkey for Remus and Sirius to use to travel to Malfoy Manor.
“See you there.” Narcissa said as she and Regulus spun and apparated to return to you.
Regulus and Narcissa were just heading toward the vine covered gate when Remus and Sirius fell unceremoniously from the sky.
“Fuck, I hate portkey’s” Sirius commented as he stood with a grimace and wiped grass stains off his jacket.
“Don’t be so dramatic.” Narcissa commented from her place as the two men joined her.
“That’s like asking a fish not to swim, dear Cissy.” Sirius responded with a smirk.
Narcissa gave him a fond eyeroll before leading the way to the hidden library.
“PUT THE BOY DOWN!” The shrill voice of Bellatrix could be heard. The sound caused each of their throats to tighten as they all took off in a run towards the library.
“Get away from us!” Sirius heard you shout back.
As the four of them rounded the corner, Sirius saw you standing with a crying Draco Malfoy in your one arm as you bounced him consolingly while your wand was in the other aimed at Bellatrix in front of you. Behind Bellatrix stood Barty Crouch Junior and Mulciber.
“Bella!” Narcissa called causing the witch to turn her onyx gaze on her for a second, though her wand never faltered in its aim at you.
“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, NARCISSA?!” She screeched.
“Bellatrix, get away from my son this instant.” Narcissa barked. Remus took this opportunity to try to move closer to you and Draco, which earned a purple spell being shot at him from Junior’s wand.
Suddenly emersed in some kind of gothic-style Western standoff, every witch and wizard in the library had their wands pointed at someone and someone’s wand pointed at them. One errant sneeze and someone would avada or be avada’d.
“Bella, you’re frightening Draco.” Narcissa tried quietly.
“He’s frightened, Cissa, because you’ve left him alone with the likes of a FILTHY MUDBLOOD.”
“It’s over, Bellatrix.” Sirius shouted. “Voldemort has been captured, he’s on his way to Azkaban as we speak.”
Bellatrix’s already rage filled face contorted in pure outrage. As the Death Eaters were distracted by the news of their leaders down fall, Regulus and Remus began duelling with Mulciber and Junior. Narcissa and Sirius both shot curses and hexes at Bellatrix at the same time, but she quickly defected.
“You, you-you FILTHY BLOOD TRAITOR. You’ve betrayed your kind and defied OUR LORD, YOU INSOLENT-” As Bellatrix continued to rage, you began to slowly side-step your way over to Narcissa and Sirius while cooing at Draco. Sirius kept his gaze locked on you as you kept yours on Bellatrix, and both of your wands stayed on their mark. Remus had Mulciber in a muggle choke hold looking far too pleased with himself as Regulus cast an expeliarmus at Junior.
“YOU SHOULD BE DEAD! I KNEW BETTER THAN TO LET THOSE STUPID, STUPID MEN USE YOU AS THEIR PLAYTHING.” Bellatrix seethed at you, now standing directly beside Sirius, keeping the arm holding Draco just behind him. “YOU WEREN’T EVEN GOOD ENOUGH FOR A WHORE!”
At this, Sirius shot a curse at her which she deflected and began rallying more off. Bellatrix brought her other hand up to her hair and then swung her hand forward. Flying towards Sirius, you and Draco was Bellatrix’s cursed blade.
Narcissa took but half a step to her right, placing herself directly in front of you as she cast an avada kadavra at her sister. Bellatrix’s eyes rolled back as she fell to the ground with a thud and the room became deathly quiet save Draco’s sniffles.
“Oh my gods.” Sirius breathed.
Remus and Regulus were readying their captives for the Auror department as Sirius turned to face his cousin, only to find her holding her chest as blood seeped through her robes and fingers.
Narcissa slowly began sinking to the ground as you gasped and held Draco’s head to your shoulder to shield his view.
“Cissa, no!” Sirius cried as he helped lower his cousin onto the rug. Narcissa took some gasping breaths as she looked at Sirius and you, and then at her son.
“Y/N.” Narcissa called weakly.
“I’m here, Narcissa.” You offered through a sob.
“Take care of my son. Take care of Draco, please.” She begged you.
She turned her gaze to Sirius. “I want better for him. I don’t-I don’t want...” She trailed off as she choked, blood appearing in the corners of her mouth. “I don’t want him to be raised with so much hate. I want – I want him to only know love.”
She looked back to you as you bounced her son back and forth. “Make sure he knows love for me?”
You nodded emphatically as tears trailed down your face. “I promise to do good by you; both of you. He will always be safe with us, Narcissa.”
“And loved.” Sirius added.
Narcissa smiled at the two of you. “Thank you.” She said as she closed her eyes and let out a shuddering breath.
Narcissa Black Malfoy was many things. She was a daughter, a sister, and a cousin. She was a wife, and new mother. She was a Slytherin, a noble woman, and a powerful witch.
Narcissa Black Malfoy was extremely loyal. And it was this last trait that cost Narcissa her life.