The beginning
It was a dark night in October. The mediwitch had left hours earlier, but Narissa Malfoy had only just existed her tub, slipped on her nightdress and robe, and slumped onto the fluffy mat letting emotion fill her and burst through with a wave of sobs.
Lucius jumped from the chair he had been resting in and rushed to her side. After washing her hair, spelling it dry, and tenderly pinning it up out of reach of the water, he remained near his wife, giving her the time she needed to process what had happened—now a second time— and ensuring her bath water remained warm. Clutching her to his chest, he wondered how many more miscarriages they would face in the coming years. His own parents had only had one child. He had never asked why; in his youth it seemed obvious. His parents were very married for no other reason than money and influence. Despite Abraxas’s mother being a half-blood, his father had spent his school years at the side of the Dark Lord and would accept nothing other than a pureblood bride, convincing his parents to arrange a marriage contract with French pureblood family to bring the Malfoys “back to their pure French roots.”
While Lucius loved his mother Hélène Malfoy nèe Moreau, she had often been distant and he was glad that his grandparents played a pivotal role in his upbringing. If Lucius never heard the phrase “pure French roots” again, it would be too soon. He was far more glad; however, that the love of his life was a Black witch. Toujours Pur. His father could have no argument to that.
His darling wife was currently heaped in a way that he had never seen. After last time, they cried together, mourned together, but he had never seen her go so still and empty as she had been in the tub.
A small part of him feared it was his fault. Malfoys had once been known for marrying halfbloods. What no one knew now was that, prior to the Statue of Secrecy, they often married Muggleborns and even Muggles. Of course, nearly always in the aristocracy and nobility, but it had at one time been common practice. Slowly, over the years Malfoys one by one egged on pureblood supremacy practices. It wasn’t heads of houses, but every Malfoy was a prominent figure in society. Soon Sanctimonia Vincet Semper had a particular meaning in public spaces, and the blood pool grew smaller. Malfoys would always be rich in power and influence, but the feats carried out by Armand I reported in the Family History seemed like legends in comparison to the magic capable of the family now.
Was this inbreeding the cause of their troubles? But Malfoys were still far more diverse in their marriages than many others in the sacred 28. At this point, the Weasley were more inbred what with Credrella marrying Septimus and Lucretia black marrying a Prewett. Even if there was interfamily marriage it wasn’t Cedrella or Lucretia’s fault of course. But already, Molly and Arthur had 2 healthy boys.
Cedrella Black. Lucretia Black. Blacks always seemed to marry Pure. That was their “thing” after all. But somehow, they always managed to stay fresh. It was a consistently robust family tree. There was the rather shocking union of Narcissa's aunt and uncle, but in hushed circles, it was speculated that it was a way to restrain the manifestation of Black madness that has started to bloom in Walaburga during her marriage season. Marry her off to her cousin, who did seem to truly dote on her. Keep all scandal contained.
But Narcissa was only tangentially affected by any of that. So why then had the pregnancy failed?
Lucious’s attention was ripped from that train of thought as Narcissa clutched his lapels.
“Why is this happening?”
The sound coming from Narcissa was like none he had ever heard before.
Her shrieks and wails intensified.
“I want”
Her body shuddered.
“I want my sister.”
Her voice was jagged and Lucius stilled.
“B-Bella?” His voice raised barely to a whisper.
“No-o” Narcissa continued to sob “I want Andromeda.” She clung to her husband and curled her body over his as she crawled into her lap. “I want Andromeda” she repeated.