The Last Goodbye
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the drawing room of Malfoy Manor, it's golden light softening the sharp edges of the dark, opulent furniture. Bella stood by the fireplace, her fingers tracing the cool marble, the warmth of the fire doing little to ease the chill inside her. The manor had been her home for years, but now it felt more like a cage—one built by her mother’s sins and the war she couldn’t escape.
She didn’t turn when soft footsteps approached from behind. Narcissa had always moved gracefully, her presence like a quiet storm—calm on the surface, but carrying a weight that demanded attention. Bella felt that presence now, heavy and bittersweet, settling over her like a warm blanket on a cold night, both comforting and suffocating.
“Bella,” Narcissa’s voice was soft, but it carried a tremor that betrayed her. Bella stiffened as Narcissa’s hand came to rest gently on her shoulder. When she turned, the older woman’s pale blue eyes were filled with something rarely seen in them—regret.
“You’re sure about this?” Narcissa asked, her tone controlled, but the hesitation was clear.
Bella’s throat tightened. She nodded. “I need to go. I need to get away from...everything” She waved her hand vaguely, the gesture encompassing the manor, the magical world, and the memories that clung to her like shadows.
Narcissa studied her, her gaze softening. Her hand slipped from Bella’s shoulder to cup her cheek, a rare gesture of tenderness. “You deserve that peace, Bella. You deserve the chance to heal from what this war has taken from you.” Her voice wavered, and for a moment, the aristocratic mask cracked, revealing the vulnerability beneath.
Bella swallowed hard, her gaze dropping to the floor. “I don’t know if I ever will. Not after…” Her voice faltered. The things she had done—the betrayals, the choices—haunted her, etched into her memory like scars.
Narcissa’s hand fell away, her expression growing solemn. “You shouldn’t have had to make those choices. None of this was supposed to touch you. Not the war, not the Dark Lord, and certainly not…” Her voice trailed off, her eyes distant as she recalled the years that had led them here. “I thought…I thought I could protect you.”
Bella’s chest tightened. Narcissa had tried—tried to shield her and Draco from the horrors of the war. But it had never been enough. Not with Bellatrix’s influence looming over them like a storm cloud. Bella had been forced into that world, just like Draco, and neither of them had come out unscathed.
“I let my fear control me,” Narcissa admitted quietly. “I should have fought harder. For you, for Draco.” Her voice broke, just barely, and she looked away, as if the shame was too much to bear. “I was so afraid of what might happen to my family that I allowed him—allowed them—to tear us apart. I let them use you.”
Bella blinked back the sting of tears, forcing them down. Narcissa’s guilt only deepened her own. “It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have stopped anything.”
Narcissa shook her head, her eyes glistening. “I should have tried. I should have kept you safe from my sister, from her madness. I thought by keeping you close, I could protect you, but I was wrong. I failed you. I failed you and Draco.”
Bella’s breath hitched as she lowered her voice, almost afraid to speak the fear that had haunted her. “What if I’m more like her than I want to admit?”
Narcissa’s eyes widened, confusion flickering across her face. “More like your mother?”
Bella nodded, turning slightly away, her arms wrapping tightly around herself as if to hold the pieces together. “There were moments…during the war…when I did things. Terrible things. Things that still keep me awake at night.” Her voice cracked, her throat tightening. “But it wasn’t just following orders. Sometimes I felt…something else. Like a part of me enjoyed it.”
Narcissa’s breath caught, her face softening with concern, but she said nothing, waiting for Bella to continue.
“I’ve tried to tell myself it was the heat of the moment, that it was just survival, but there were times…” Bella’s voice grew quieter. “There were times when I didn’t feel guilty. I felt powerful. Like it was right. And what if that’s because of her? What if it’s in me too? Her madness…her darkness.”
Narcissa stepped forward, placing her hands firmly on Bella’s arms. “Bella,” she said softly, her voice steady but kind, “your mother’s madness wasn’t something she was born with. It was something she let consume her. Bellatrix made choices—terrible choices—that led her down that path. But you’ve fought against it every step of the way.”
Bella shook her head, her tears blurring her vision. “How can you be so sure? I hurt people. Sometimes I didn’t even feel bad about it.”
Narcissa’s grip tightened, her voice gaining strength. “You’re not your mother. You made those choices because you were forced into a war, not because you craved power or destruction. You fought to survive. And even when it could have been easier to let go, you didn’t. You stood up to her, to the Dark Lord. That’s something Bellatrix never could have done.”
Bella’s chest tightened, her emotions swirling. “But what if it doesn’t go away? What if it’ll always feel like this?”
Narcissa’s hand brushed a stray tear from Bella’s cheek, her expression softening. “War changes people, Bella. It scars you, twists your emotions. What you’re feeling—the guilt, the fear—isn’t madness. It’s your conscience trying to make sense of everything. It’s proof that you care. That you’re still fighting.”
Bella blinked, her heart heavy. “I just don’t know how to fix it. How to fix me.”
Narcissa gave her a small, sad smile. “You don’t have to fix everything right now. Healing takes time. And you won’t be able to move forward if you’re constantly surrounded by reminders of what happened here. That’s why you need this time away. To figure out who you are, not as Bellatrix’s daughter, but as Bella.”
The words sank in, heavy and slow. “And what if I don’t find her?” Bella asked, her voice barely audible.
”You will,” Narcissa said softly. “Because you’re already stronger than you think.”
Bella took a shuddering breath, the tears finally falling as she nodded. Narcissa pulled her into a gentle embrace, rare and unfamiliar, but Bella welcomed it. It was the first time in a long while she felt something close to safe.
When Narcissa stepped back, her composure returned. “Your father will help you, Bella. And maybe being somewhere far from all of this will be exactly what you need.”
Bella swallowed the lump in her throat and gave a small nod. She wasn’t sure if she believe it, but she had to try.
”Goodbye, Bella,” Narcissa whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
Bella paused, turning to take in the drawing room one last time. With a steadying breath, she reached into her pocket and retrieved her wand. She glanced back at Narcissa, her heart heavy with the weight but lighter after sharing her fears. “Goodbye, Aunt Narcissa. I’ll write to you and Draco once I’m settled.”./p>
Narcissa gave a small nod, her pale blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Be safe, Bella.”
Bella took one final look around to find her luggage and then with a quiet pop, she apparated, reappearing in a discreet magical zone just outside a bustling Muggle airport. The air here was brisk, filled with the hum of distant engines and the chatter of travelers. She steadied herself, smoothing her jacket and tucking her wand safely out of sight. For the first time in years, Bella felt a flicker of something foreign and fragile—hope. She took a deep breath and stepped forward, blending into the crowd as she moved toward her next journey.