Rememberance
Malfoy Manor (same evening)
Narcissa Malfoy nee Black scoffed as she sat down in her favorite chair in the sitting room of their home. She had sat down quite roughly, as her last guest had thoroughly annoyed her. Violet Parkinson had once again come to try and convince her that a betrothal between her daughter, Pansy, and Draco would be for the best. Betrothals were starting to fall out of favor in the wizarding world.
She knows Lucius would never sign one for Draco without talking to me... She also knows her daughter's chances are slim. Her face looks like a dog.
Narcissa sighed as Bippy, one of the Malfoy elves, brought her a glass of whiskey. While it was a muggle alcohol, she cared not one bit tonight. Violet had pushed her nearly too far this evening. First showing up with only a moments notice - How rude. - and using that flimsy excuse. I can't believe I bought that moronic excuse. If Draco was having an issue, he would have owled me. He wouldn't have asked Pansy for advice.
She slowly sipped her drink, reveling in the quiet of the house now that her guest had left. Lucius was in his study. She looked at the clock. Is it really that late? I better check on him. It's almost that day. He'll need my support. Narcissa rose from her seat and walked towards her husband's study.
Lucius Malfoy was a man like his father - at least to a certain degree. She knew that Abraxas Malfoy had been a terrible man. One that Narcissa loathed more than anything in this world. She had not grieved his death, only that she hadn't been responsible for it. He was the one responsible for making Lucius follow the Dark Lord and in turn responsible for the loss of their second child. Narcissa had been pregnant with a daughter just before the end of the war.
Abraxas, who would pass only a few years later, had pushed and prodded her to take the mark. She had refused, citing her place in the higher echelons of society and the fact that she couldn't always hide it. Lucius, for the most part, supported her choice and continued to talk his father out of his attempts. It turned out to be all for naught only weeks before the Dark Lord's fall.
He called upon them one night. Arriving at the manor without notice. He was adamant that Narcissa would take the mark. Abraxas had been talking to him about it. Pushing and prodding. Claiming she had to prove she was a true "believer". Her excuses were not good enough and even Lucius' word was worthless in the situation. Upon the second refusal, she was struck with the Dark Lord's fury. "CRUCIO!"
She shook her head to clear away the memory.
Breathe, Narcissa. He can't harm you. He can't harm Draco. Grandmother Melania is watching over our little girl. He can't harm her either.
Some days she wondered just how her life would be had she not lost their daughter. Would Lucius be able to show his love and affection for their children easier? Or would he be just as crass and only able to show them how he cared with expensive gifts? Would Draco try to imitate his father less? Would he be more open?
She sighed as she stopped outside the door leading to his study.
Lucius would be more open if she was still alive.
After two quick knocks and no answer, Narcissa entered the room. A quick glance showed her husband - passed out on his desk, bottles littered the top, and a small winkled photo in his hand. She attempted to rouse him.
"Lucius. Lucius, wake up. Go to the bedroom."
An unintelligible grumble was her response. Narcissa shook her head with a sigh. "You can't just drink it away. It's not going to disappear. Come to bed soon, you'll be grumpy in the morning if you sleep like that."
Lucius let out another unintelligible grumble and slightly shifted his head in a poor attempt at a nod. "I'll be in bed. Perhaps you can tell the Parkinsons tomorrow that we aren't currently looking to enter into any betrothals for Draco -" A snort cut her off.
"Really Lucius, have some manners. If Violet Parkinson shows up one more time - whether it's here or anywhere I am, where she just so happens to show up after me - and starts in about bethrothing our son to her pug faced daughter, I'll hex her. She seems to forget who my sister is."
Drunk giggles responded to her this time. She scoffed and left her husband to wallow in his misery for the rest of the night.
He must have drank more than it looks like. If only he tried to deal with those feelings and show Draco just how important he is to him. Damn Abraxas. Nothing like screwing up one child and killing the other.
Lucius' Study
Lucius had finally stopped giggling. If he wasn't drunk - and it was any other month - he would have calmed his wife and swore to talk to Cyrus Parkinson about his wife's actions towards Narcissa. He had already turned the Parkinson's betrothal attempt down... Multiple times.
May was a difficult time for Lucius. All it did was remind him of his failures. So many failures occured in May. It was as if magic herself was flipping him off continuously.
Why is it always May?
Lucius was three when his mother had told him she was with child. The child turned out to be a little sister for him. He had been excited and he adored his little sister. Aurelia Malfoy was born in the middle of May and Lucius was over the moon. He immediately adored her and promised he would protect her, much to his mother's amusement.
But that wouldn't last. As the years went by, and Lucius went off to Hogwarts, his mother worried. Aurelia was getting older and still no signs of magic. Lucius wrote to his mother and sent stories to his sister. As distant (or cold) as Lucius appeared to others, he adored his sister and was wrapped around her finger. The years continued and still no signs of magic from young Aurelia.
By the time of Aurelia's tenth birthday, even Lucius was worried. She had had no bouts of accidental magic. Their father practically ignored his own daughter, only asking he or his mother if "it" had shown any signs. Lucius had heard rumors that the Dark Lord his father followed encouraged the removal of Squibs. If his sister didn't show magic soon, well, it was a miracle his father hadn't removed her yet.
One evening, just before Aurelia's 11th birthday, while at home for the holiday, Lucius listened in on his father's conversation. He would be thoroughly punished if caught, but his father's associate had mentioned Aurelia ("and it, Abraxas? What of it's status? You can't keep appeasing your wife and our Lord. You need to pick.") His father had decided - if her letter didn't show up, Aurelia was to be "removed" from the family line. Lucius had rushed off, ready to panic, but he couldn't.
He had decided that he needed to save his sister. He rushed to tell his mother, who shushed him. In his rush, he nearly missed that Aurelia was in his mother's sitting room. "My apologies Mother, Aurelia. I wanted to talk to you, but it can wait until morning." He turned and went to bed for the evening. The next morning he tried to warn his mother, but she cut him off.
"Lucius. Your father has decided. He is the head of house and we must follow. If she doesn't receive her letter, there's nothing we can do."
He returned to Hogwarts, but not without begging his mother to reconsider.
How could she let him do that to her own child.
His thoughts were to protect Aurelia.
Mother will surely reconsider. She'll save her.
Lucius sent letters daily to his mother, begging her to save Aurelia in every one.
The day after Aurelia's 11th birthday, Lucius received a letter from his father. It simply stated that "it" had been removed and was not to be spoken about again. Lucius was furious at his father, but more so at his mother. She could have saved her, but she didn't.
Lucius decided that the only way to get back at her for her indecision was to become like his father. He shut down. He turned into a smaller version of his father, just like Abraxas had always wanted. He was distant from his mother more and more each year. Yes, he still grieved her when she passed, but he blamed her for Aurelia's death.
Every May became hell for him. It only got worse when Narcissa was pregnant with Draco. He had been terrified that it would be a daughter. His father made comments about what would happen if it was a girl. "Hopefully it won't be like IT was. What a disgrace IT was." Lucius bit his tongue each time the comment was made, but ranted and raved to Narcissa in the eveings in the privacy of their room.
He counted himself (and Draco) lucky that he was born as he was. Narcissa was happy and a good mother - strict but affectionate. She reminded him of his own mother in that way. She was the affectionate parent, but not one to be trifled with. When she was with child the second time, Lucius' fears came back in full force. They were even stronger when it was confirmed they were having a daughter. Narcissa tried her best to keep him calm but all he could think of was Aurelia.
Two days before what had been Aurelia's birthday, his father came to him demanding that Narcissa take the mark. He thought he had talked him down. He thought wrong as the Dark Lord showed up the next night demanding that Narcissa take the mark to prove she was "truly a believer in our cause". Nothing could dissuade him and Narcissa lost their daughter that evening from his anger at her defiance.
Yes, May was hell for him. Every May Lucius drank himself off the edge. He kept it to a limit when Draco was at home, but now he was at Hogwarts. So Lucius could drink until he couldn't see nor care how he looked. He drank and talked to Aurelia - using his only photo of her left, taken on her fifth birthday.
Merlin she was so tiny.
That last thought entered his mind and Lucius took another hard sip of his liquor before letting his head lay on the desk for the evening.
Next morning
Hogwarts - Slytherin House, 2nd Year Boys Dorm
Draco groaned as he sat up in his bed. He hadn't slept well. His sleep had been plagued by strange dreams that he couldn't remember. If he believed in divination, perhaps he'd go and ask the professor about them... But he didn't and the older students all openly talked about how Trelawney was a drunken hack.
"You good Draco?"
Draco turned and looked at his roommate, Theo. "I'm fine. Didn't sleep well. Too much snoring."
Blaise, sitting up in his bed, laughed. "Sounds about right. I have to ask one of the older ones if they'll strenghten my silencing charms. I swear those two" he stopped to motion over towards Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe's beds "are louder than a hundred dragons."
Theo gave a short nod. "Isn't that the truth."
Draco hurried to get ready for the day and called out, "I'll meet you at breakfast. I've got to send a letter."
Blaise made a comment about him being such a "momma's boy" but Draco ignored it. It wasn't his fault that his mom sent him treats every week and Blaise's didn't. He wasn't even sure if that woman remembered she had a kid. Blaise never seemed to talk about her much - just that she was constantly with a different guy and traveling. He only mentioned his grandfather and talked about how close they were. Oh well, it wasn't his business.
Draco left the common room and started to head towards the owlery. His letter contained some pleasantries - his mother would scold him if he didn't write a proper letter after all - and then mentioned the strange pulling sensation. He really didn't understand it and he had never heard her (or any tutors) mention something like it, but his mother researched a lot - especially if it would help him or his father.
He walked, lost in his thoughts, until a voice called out.
"What are you doing here Malfoy?"
Draco froze and looked around. He was in front of the damned Hospital Wing, again! Of course he was... and so was the perfect golden boy, Potter.
"I asked what you're doing here Malfoy!"
He groaned, realizing that Potter wasn't going to just shut up and let him leave. "I was taking a stroll Potter. Got a problem with that?"
Draco rolled his eyes as Potter marched closer to him, "Why are you near the hospital wing?"
"I can walk wherever I please, Potter. You're not my mother."
"Malfoy!"
Whatever Potter was going to say got cut off as Madame Pomphrey opened the Hospital Wing's doors. "Mister Potter. Mister Malfoy. Need I remind you two that you are outside of the Hospital Wing, where my patients are resting?"
She paused, eyeing both boys until they shook their heads. "Good. Now get going. You both have classes and you need to eat your breakfasts. Mister Potter, you can come and visit after classes, if you wish. Do you need any care, Mister Malfoy?"
Draco quickly shook his head and headed off to try and get to the owlery this time. He rubbed at his chest again, the strange pull causing the pain again.
Again. And of course I'd run into Potter. What is going on with me? Ugh, I better mention this to Mother.
He paused as he entered the owlery and quickly added this newest moment to his letter before sending it off.
Hopefully Mother will have an answer.