Chapter 4
The Black Lion
Chapter 4
Sitting in the Malfoy garden having lunch tea, Narcissa sighs softly. After the war, her life has gone completely 180. First, her husband is currently in Azkaban. Second, her son was hiding inside the manor from the world. Lastly, she’s been doing inner work on herself like her mind healer told her to. All she could think was whether everything she'd learned from her family was a lie.
‘Yes,’ she decided. Family was everything to her but sadly her family was full of hate. The Black family talked about family but destroyed its members.
‘And you followed like a sheep even when you didn’t agree.’ she reprimands herself in her thoughts. Over the years she held her tongue because she thought it was better to lose some members and not all of them. In honesty, she realized it was because she sought out her family's approval. With her blonde hair and lack of a star name, she had always felt the need to prove she belonged among the Blacks. As the years went on with the family everyone started to drop like flies.
Andromeda
Sirius
Regulus
Everyone she was close with. Gone, scorched or dead. Hell, even her sister Bellatrix she lost. No, she wasn’t cast out, she just lost her mind to the family's magic.
The names started as a whisper then got louder and louder each time her mind chanted the names.
Andromeda
Sirius
Regulus
Bellatrix
Then again louder.
ANDROMEDA
SIRIUS
REGULUS
BELLATRIX
Overwhelmed by her thoughts she leans her head back and takes a deep breath. The cool breeze breezes by as she releases her breath. Relaxing more in her chair she hears a soft “pop” near her. She raises her eyebrow and looks at the elf that just popped into her house garden.
“Yes, Kreacher?” she asked even though it was a question it came out more like a statement.
Kreacher winces at her tone of voice. Yes, Lady Malfoy is not very pleased with him for just popping in, unfortunately, he needed her help even if he did something that she told him not to. Standing as tall as he can he wrings his hands and his ears flattens slightly, he opens his mouth to speak but no words would come out. Trying again he speaks but all that comes out is stuttering and fumbling over his words
Growing tired of the house elf Narcissa stands up fire and irritation in her eyes.
“Come Kreacher” she commands as she begins to walk inside the manor. Ever so obedient Kreacher follows behind her. Walking into the house and down the hall she passes her son.
Draco stops and looks at the scene in front of him. His mother walked with determination and a slightly reprimanded-looking house elf followed behind her.
“Mother?” he questions with a confused tone.
Ignoring him she continues to walk into the floo room. Going to the fireplace she throws in floo powder and sticks her head in and calls on Spinner’s End.
“Severus come through right now!” she calls out to Severus Snape. She waited for a couple of minutes, once she didn’t receive a response she called out again “Don’t make me come through Severus.” she tried again her voice radiating irritation.
Not waiting for a response she steps out of the fireplace and waits for him, to come through. Tapping her foot lightly she was starting to get impatient. A green flame overtakes the fireplace before an annoyed Severus Snape steps out.
“Narcissa, I don’t have time for this. I’m very busy” he groans, pinching the bridge of his nose.
With a snort something she would never do in polite company she responds. “Yes, busy hiding. Something you and your nephew seem to have in common.” with a scolding tone.
Ignoring the sarcastic remark he looks at her expectedly, a look of asking why he was called there. With a smirk on her face from his nonresponse she raises an eyebrow.
“Kreacher is having a problem and Merlin knows I don't have the patience for him right now so it’s your turn to deal with him.” she tells him.
As all eyes are on him, Kreacher shifts from foot to foot even more nervous. He begins to form a sentence.
“The tapestry… it’s changed,” Kreacher stammered, twisting his fingers. “Missy Lion she and Master Sirius passed out. Death…”
Severus raised an eyebrow he wasn't sure if he understood the house elf at all. Narcissa seeing the confused look on his face sighed and looked over at her son who seemed to have a contemplated look on his face.
“Kreacher we-.” she begins to say but is interrupted by her son.
Draco walks over to the elf quickly and kneels to look him in the eyes.
“Are you saying Hermione and Lord Black are hurt?” he asked Kreacher.
Kreacher nods happy someone was understanding him.
Draco takes a deep breath. “Did something in the tapestry hurt them?”
Again Kreacher nods. Draco bites his lips, slightly nervous Hermione was a muggleborn it’s no telling what dark curse fell on her for being near the Black Family tapestry. He needed answers.
“What changed on the tapestry?” he asked the elf urgently.
“Master Regulus death day changed.” he whispers most people wouldn’t have been able to hear what the elf said but the room was so silent they all did.
Narcissa gasped, her mind spinning.
‘No, that’s impossible. It couldn’t be… could it?’ Her fingers tighten around her wrist as she begins to think staring at Kreacher. The thought that Regulus could still be alive sent a thrill of hope through her chest, but just as quickly, doubt crushed it. It must be a mistake. It has to be. Glancing over at his mother he turns back to elf again looking him in the eye.
“Changed to what?” he asks him his voice hard.
“Death day is no more.” Kreacher tells him, hope in his voice. Hope that his master was truly what the tapestry suggested.
Draco felt his pulse quicken. “Are you saying the tapestry..” he hesitated, the words catching in his throat, “...is claiming that Regulus Black is still alive?”
Kreacher nodded, his large eyes gleaming with something Draco couldn’t quite place hope, perhaps, or desperation.
The room fell deathly quiet. Narcissa's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief. Severus, always composed, looked stunned, his gaze narrowing in thought. No one spoke as the weight of Kreacher’s words settled over them like a thick fog.
“Bloody hell,” all three of them respond.