Floriculture

Hydrangeas, with their lush blooms and vibrant colors, carry a variety of meanings that can convey both positive and negative sentiments. In a more negative light, hydrangeas can symbolize frigidity and heartlessness, suggesting a cold or unfeeling nature. However, they can also be a gesture of gratitude, expressing "Thank you for understanding," which adds a layer of appreciation and acknowledgment. Specific colors of hydrangeas further refine these meanings. For instance, blue hydrangeas often represent a sense of apology and regret, as well as emotional frigidity. On the other hand, white hydrangeas are associated with boasting and bragging, yet they also symbolize purity, grace, and abundance, highlighting their dual nature. Thus, while hydrangeas might initially seem straightforward, their rich symbolism allows them to convey complex emotions and messages depending on their context and color.

“We have to get them back somehow,” Lucius said, pacing around the common room. Narcissa watched him walk back and forth for about twenty minutes, his agitation growing more apparent with each step.

“What’s with him?” Rodolphus asked Narcissa as he entered the room, his gaze following Lucius’s restless movements.

Narcissa glanced up, her disdain for Rodolphus barely concealed. She quickly turned away, uninterested in engaging. Bellatrix had been spending an awful amount of time with the Lestrange brothers, and Rodolphus likely assumed that connection gave him the right to speak to her. Taking the hint, he walked away.

“Look who I found trying to enter the room,” Evan announced as he entered, guiding Pandora with him. She looked thrilled and excited.

“How did you even get here?” Narcissa asked, genuinely curious.

“I asked people where to go, not that hard,” Pandora smiled as she joined Narcissa on the couch.

“Sibling thief,” Evan muttered, sitting across from the girls. He turned his attention to Lucius, still pacing. “What’s his problem?”

“He keeps insisting that we do something about James Potter,” Severus said, his eyes tracking Lucius’s movements. “It’s a waste of time.”

“Doing nothing would encourage them,” Lucius reasoned, stopping to look at Severus.

“So will doing something,” Pandora chimed in, drawing everyone's attention. “I mean, if they knew it was you.”

Lucius paused, considering her point. “Well, what did you have in mind?”

Pandora leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “We need to be clever about it. Something that won’t lead back to us but will still make them think twice about messing with you guys.”

Narcissa raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Like what?”

Pandora grinned. “We could enchant their brooms to malfunction during Quidditch practice. Nothing too dangerous, just enough to throw them off and embarrass them.”

Evan chuckled. “I like it. Simple but effective. They’ll be scrambling to figure out what happened.”

“But how do we make sure they don’t trace it back to us?” Severus asked, his skepticism evident.

“We can use a charm,” Pandora explained. “Something that activates after a delay. By the time they realize something’s wrong, we’ll have airtight alibis.”

Lucius nodded slowly, the tension in his posture easing. “I think that could work. But we’ll need to be careful. No one can know we’re behind it.”

“Agreed,” Narcissa said, glancing at Lucius. “We can’t afford to make any mistakes.”

“Then it’s settled,” Lucius said, a determined look on his face. “We’ll teach them not to mess with us.”

“The hell is a timed charm? Do you know how to do that?” Evan asked, turning to Pandora.

“Perhaps,” Pandora replied with a sly smile.

“I should vet the books you read at home,” Evan muttered as he looked at his sister. 

“Alright, everyone knows the plan,” Lucius whispered. “Pandora and Severus will use the jinx that will make the brooms fly in a straight line, no matter what the rider does. It’ll completely throw off their tryouts.”

Pandora nodded, holding up her wand. “We’re going to enchant the brooms with this charm that activates mid-flight. It’s subtle enough not to be noticed until it’s too late.”

Narcissa glanced around nervously. “And we’re sure this won’t be traced back to us?”

“Positive,” Severus assured her. “The charm will activate on a delay, and we’ll be long gone by then.”

“Let’s get to it,” Lucius urged, looking around to ensure no one was watching.

Pandora and Severus approached the Gryffindor broom shed, carefully selecting the brooms of the players trying out for the team. With precise movements, Pandora began casting the delayed straight-line charm, while Narcissa kept watch. As Pandora finished enchanting the last broom, Narcissa’s heart skipped a beat when she heard voices approaching. She recognized them immediately—Lily Evans and Alice Fortescue.

“Pandora, we need to hide!” Narcissa hissed, pulling Pandora behind a stack of crates.

Lily and Alice entered the broom shed, their conversation drifting over to where Narcissa and Pandora were hiding.

“I swear, I saw something in here,” Alice said, her tone suspicious. “We should check it out.”

Before Narcissa could react, Pandora stepped out from behind the crates with a bright smile. “Hi! You must be Lily Evans!”

Lily blinked in surprise. “Yes, that's me. And you are?”

“Pandora! I’ve heard so much about you. Your work in Potions is amazing,” Pandora gushed, her eyes twinkling with genuine admiration.

Alice narrowed her eyes, clearly not buying it. “And you, Black? What are you doing here?”

Thinking quickly, Narcissa forced a polite smile. “Pandora and I were just curious about the tryouts. We wanted to see the brooms Gryffindor uses. No harm in that, right?”

Lily seemed to relax, though Alice remained wary. “Well, it’s not really a place for hanging out,” Lily said, her tone more gentle than Alice’s. “But I suppose there’s no harm done.”

Pandora seized the moment, her attention back on Lily. “I’ve always admired your academic achievements, Lily. Maybe you could give me some tips sometime?”

Lily blushed slightly, taken aback by Pandora’s earnestness. “Sure, I’d be happy to.”

Alice, however, was still suspicious. “We should get going, Lily. We have our own things to worry about.”

As the two girls turned to leave, Alice cast one last suspicious glance at Narcissa. “Stay out of trouble, Black.”

Narcissa breathed a sigh of relief as they walked away. “That was close.”

“Too close,” Pandora agreed, her playful demeanor slipping for a moment. “But it worked. Let’s get out of here before someone else shows up.”

They quickly exited the shed, rejoining the boys who had been keeping watch. Lucius nodded in approval as they approached.

“All done?” he asked.

“Done,” Pandora confirmed. “Now we wait for the show.”

As they made their way back to the castle, Narcissa couldn’t help but feel a bit of excitement and apprehension. The prank was set, and soon enough, Gryffindor would get a taste of Slytherin cunning with a dash of Ravenclaw wits.

As they walked back, Narcissa turned to Severus. "Fortescue is so hot and cold. One minute she’s trying to be friendly, and the next she’s suspicious and snappy."

Severus nodded. "Some people are just like that. It’s a defense mechanism, especially with the tension between our houses… and well, to her credit, we ARE suspicious."

“Don’t defend her,” Narcissa muttered. “One minute she’s trying to convince me about something and the next she’s so… moody.”

“You don’t have to like her,” Severus said. “But you do need to be careful. Not everyone will accept your choices, so you have to decide if you want to be true to yourself or stay with your people.”

Narcissa paused, thinking about his words. “That’s a deep thought. Stop using your brain.”

Severus smirked. “Someone has to.”

As they continued back to their common room, Narcissa couldn’t help but mull over Severus’s words. The line between being herself and staying loyal to her family was becoming increasingly blurred. The day of the Gryffindor tryouts dawned bright and clear. The Slytherins and Pandora gathered in the bleachers, ready to watch the chaos unfold. Lucius, Severus, Evan, Pandora, and Narcissa took their seats, trying to appear casual.

“This is going to be good,” Lucius said with a smirk, his eyes trained on the Gryffindor team assembling on the field.

Evan nudged Narcissa. “Ready to see the show?”

Narcissa nodded, though she felt a knot of anxiety in her stomach. She watched as James Potter mounted his broom, his usual confident grin plastered on his face. Nearby, Alice Fortescue looked equally determined.

Pandora leaned in closer to Severus. “Do you think it’ll work?”

Severus nodded. “It will. Just watch.”

As the tryouts began, the first few candidates flew without incident. Then it was James Potter’s turn. He took off with his usual flair, but after a few seconds, his broom jerked violently and shot off in a straight line, ignoring his attempts to steer.

“What the—” James shouted, struggling to regain control. The broom continued to fly, heading straight for the stands. He barely managed to leap off in time, landing awkwardly on the ground. The broom crashed into the bleachers, splintering into pieces.

The Slytherins couldn’t help but laugh, though they tried to stifle it.

Next up was Alice Fortescue. She mounted her broom with a focused expression, determined to show her skills. But as soon as she was airborne, her broom started acting up, just like James’s. It veered off course, and no matter how hard Alice tried, she couldn’t control it.

“Not again!” she yelled, gripping the broom tightly as it sped towards the Quidditch hoops. At the last moment, she managed to jump off, but her landing was far from graceful. She hit the ground hard, wincing in pain.

The Gryffindor team rushed to help them. Meanwhile, in the stands, Pandora clapped a hand over her mouth, trying to contain her laughter. “It worked perfectly,” she whispered.

Lucius leaned back, satisfied. “Serves them right.”

Narcissa, however, felt a twinge of guilt as she watched Alice struggle to her feet, supported by Lily Evans. The sight of Lily brought back the memory of their recent encounter in the broom shed. Alice’s eyes scanned the crowd, and for a moment, they locked with Narcissa’s. There was suspicion and hurt in her gaze, making Narcissa look away quickly.

“They’ll figure it out,” Narcissa whispered to Severus. “Fortescue is already suspicious.”

Severus shrugged. “Let them. By the time they do, we’ll be long past caring.”

As the tryouts came to an end, the Slytherins dispersed, their prank successful. But Narcissa couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling. She knew she was walking a fine line.  Later that day, as Narcissa made her way back to the castle, she heard someone call her name. She turned to see Alice limping slightly, with Lily by her side.

“Black,” Alice called out again, her tone accusatory. “A word?”

Narcissa sighed, knowing she couldn’t avoid this confrontation. “What is it, Fortescue?”

Alice’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t play dumb. I know you had something to do with those brooms. This isn’t over.”

Lily stepped forward, looking between the two girls. “Alice, calm down. We don’t have proof.”

Narcissa folded her arms, trying to maintain her composure. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Maybe you’re just not as good on a broom as you think.”

Alice’s face flushed with anger. “This isn’t a joke, Black. People could’ve been seriously hurt.”

Narcissa glanced at Lily, who was watching the exchange with a frown. “Look, Fortescue, I have no idea what you’re accusing me of. Maybe you should focus on your own problems.”

Lily stepped in, her voice calm but firm. “If you know anything about what happened, you should come forward. This kind of behavior is dangerous.”

“Dangerous?” Narcissa repeated as she stared at them in disbelief. “Perhaps you should talk to your friends about being in dangerous pranks, especially with how they treat Severus.” 

Lily’s ears perked up when she heard Severus’s name. Narcissa knew that they were somewhat close but not sure about their relationship. Narcissa turned away but she felt someone reach for her wrists.

“Is that what this is about? Revenge?” Alice’s grip was hard, in fact, it was starting to be uncomfortable for Narcissa.

“No,” Narcissa pulled her arm away forcefully. “I have nothing to do with this, I merely came around to watch because you asked me last time.”

Alice, however, wasn’t swayed. “We’re watching you, Black. All of you.”

Narcissa forced a smile. “I’ll keep that in mind, Fortescue.” Her eyes followed Lily and Alice as they disappeared down the corridor. The prank had worked, but it had also drawn unwanted attention. 

Narcissa sank into the sofa in the Slytherin common room, feeling the weight of the day's events pressing down on her. Andromeda, already seated, patted the space next to her. "You look stressed," she said gently.

Narcissa sat down and rested her head on her sister's lap. "It's been a long day," she sighed. The boys were nowhere in sight, likely off celebrating their prank’s success, or maybe she had returned to the common room too early.

"Oh great, you two are here," Bellatrix said as she approached and sat next to her sisters. "I have an announcement. I want to tell you both before I tell our parents."

Narcissa looked up, curious. "What's going on, Bella?"

Bellatrix took a deep breath, her usual bravado softened by a rare moment of vulnerability. "I'm seeing Rodolphus Lestrange."

Narcissa made a face, unable to hide her distaste. "Ew, really?" she blurted out, then glanced at Andromeda, who couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, congratulations, Bella," Andromeda said, still chuckling. "If you're happy, then we're happy for you."

Bellatrix smirked, her confidence returning. "Thanks. I wanted you both to know first. It's important to me." 

Narcissa felt like that was a jab to Andie who rolled her eyes at the comment. Bella pointed at a sofa and Andie reluctantly followed. Later, Bellatrix and Andromeda sat together, deep in conversation. Narcissa watched them from a distance. She was glad her sisters were getting along again, but she also felt a bit left out.

Lucius entered the common room, a small bouquet of white hydrangeas in his hand. "For you, Cissa," he said with a smile, handing the flowers to Narcissa.

Narcissa's face lit up with a genuine smile. "Thank you, Lucius. They're lovely."

Severus trailed behind him, looking slightly awkward. "Hi," he said, giving a small nod.

The three of them sat down together, and soon they were deep in conversation. They shared stories and laughter, finding common ground in their experiences.

"I feel like you two are parenting me somehow," Severus remarked with a wry smile.

Lucius chuckled. "Maybe we are. Someone has to keep an eye on you, Sev."

Narcissa laughed, feeling lighter than she had all day. "We're just looking out for each other, that's all."

“Who knows what you’d be doing if you were left alone in your own mind,” Lucius chuckled, as he looked around. “Where’s Evan?”

“Spying on Pandora,” Severus said. “Because of the whole Lily Evans thing.” 

Narcissa was about to reply when she saw her sisters shift in their seats. Bellatrix and Andromeda's conversation had started to grow tense again. Narcissa noticed Andromeda's jaw clench and Bellatrix's eyes narrow. Although they remained civil, it was clear that an undercurrent of frustration and hurt was simmering just beneath the surface.

Finally, Andromeda couldn't take it anymore. "You just don't understand, Bella!" she snapped, standing up abruptly. "I need some air." She stormed out of the room, leaving an uneasy silence.

Bellatrix looked after her sister, her expression a mixture of sadness and betrayal. Without thinking, Narcissa reached for Lucius' hand, seeking comfort. Narcissa glanced at Lucius, who gave her a small, reassuring smile before gently pulling away.

Narcissa turned to Severus, unsure of how to proceed. "Sev, can you find Andie?" she asked softly. "I need to talk to Bella."

Severus nodded. "Of course, I'll see if I can calm her down," he said, heading out in search of Andromeda.

Narcissa sat down next to Bellatrix, who looked more vulnerable than she had ever seen her. The fierce, unyielding exterior that Bellatrix typically wore like armor had cracked, revealing the very human emotions underneath.

"Bella," Narcissa began gently, 

Bellatrix looked at Narcissa. "I just don't understand her, Cissy. She's making choices that could ruin her life. Our parents won't forgive her if she keeps this up."

"I know," Narcissa said softly. "But maybe it's not about understanding her choices. Maybe it's about supporting her, even if we don't agree."

Bellatrix shook her head. "I don't know if I can do that. I want to protect you, Cissy. I don't want you to get caught up in whatever Andie's doing."

Narcissa felt a surge of affection for her sister. "I appreciate that, Bella. But we can't shield each other from everything. Sometimes, we just have to trust that things will work out."

Bellatrix looked away, her gaze distant. "It's hard, Cissy. I'm trying to be the older sister, the protector. But it feels like I'm losing Andie, and I don't know how to stop it."

Narcissa reached out, placing a comforting hand on Bellatrix's arm. "You're not losing her. She's still here, and she still loves us.”

Bellatrix nodded slowly. "I'll try, Cissy. For you, and for Andie, talk to her for me."

Narcissa walked out of the common room, Lucius close behind, as they searched the halls for Severus or Andromeda. They turned a corner and immediately saw Severus walking back towards them.

“Not here,” Severus said, shaking his head.

Narcissa glanced over his shoulder and could have sworn she saw someone pulling Andromeda away. She felt an urge to run after her sister, but Severus shook his head again, giving her a meaningful look.

“What?” Lucius blinked, confused.

Narcissa took the hint and nodded. Whatever was happening, it was something Lucius would not be happy to see. She shouldn’t risk it. Slowly, she began to understand what Bella was so scared about, or maybe her mind was just playing tricks on her.

“Not here then,” Narcissa said, taking Lucius’s hand and walking in the opposite direction.

As they rounded another corner, they bumped into the Marauders. James Potter stood at the forefront, his posture confrontational. The air grew tense as Lucius and James locked eyes in a heated stare down.

“Watch where you're going, Malfoy,” James said, his tone dripping with disdain.

“Funny, Potter,” Lucius replied coolly. “I was about to say the same to you.”

Sirius shifted uncomfortably, casting a quick glance at Narcissa. Narcissa, feeling the tension rising, decided to intervene. “Let’s not do this here,” she said, her voice steady but firm.

“Yeah, we’re not looking for trouble,” Sirius added, his eyes darting between James and Lucius. “Let’s just move along.”

James looked at Sirius, clearly taken aback by his friend’s unexpected call for peace. “You’re serious?”

Sirius smirked slightly, a flicker of his usual humor breaking through the tension. “Always.”

Narcissa met Sirius’s gaze, and for a brief moment, they shared a mutual understanding. “Come on, Lucius,” she urged, pulling him away gently. “It’s not worth it.”

Lucius gave James one last withering look before allowing Narcissa to lead him away. “This isn’t over, Potter,” he called over his shoulder.

James rolled his eyes but remained silent as the Slytherins walked away. Narcissa glanced back at Sirius, who gave her a small nod of thanks. The encounter had been defused, but the underlying animosities remained.

Once they were out of earshot, Lucius huffed in frustration. “I can’t stand him.”

“I know,” Narcissa replied, her voice soothing. “But we can’t let them get under our skin. We have more important things to worry about.”

Severus, who had been quietly observing the entire exchange, nodded in agreement. “She’s right. We need to stay focused.”

Reluctantly, Lucius agreed, and the three of them made their way back. 

A few days later, the atmosphere in Potions class was thick with tension. Professor Slughorn, aware of the rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor, had paired students from the two houses together in an attempt to foster cooperation. Narcissa found herself standing next to Alice Fortescue, who was still limping slightly from the Quidditch tryouts incident. Alice cast a suspicious glance at Narcissa as she settled into her spot.

“Today, we’ll be brewing a Fire Protection Potion,” Slughorn announced. “It’s a complex potion, but I have confidence in your abilities. The ingredients list is on the board. Work together, and let’s see some excellent results!”

Narcissa glanced sideways at Alice, who was already measuring out the ingredients with precision. She sighed inwardly, determined to make the best of the situation.

“Here,” Alice said, handing her a jar of salamander blood. “We need to add three drops after it reaches a simmer.”

Narcissa took the jar and nodded. “Fine,” she replied, her tone clipped. “You handle the belladonna, and I’ll get the fire seeds.”

As they worked in silence. Alice’s limp was a constant reminder of the recent incident, and Narcissa couldn’t shake the feeling that Alice was still suspicious of her involvement.

“So,” Alice said, breaking the silence, “about the other day in the library…”

Narcissa stiffened. “We’re here to make a potion, Fortescue, not chat.”

Alice rolled her eyes. “I’m just saying, we could try to understand each other better. We’re going to be working together a lot in the future.”

“Let’s just get through this class,” Narcissa replied curtly, adding the fire seeds to the cauldron. “We don’t have to be friends.”

Alice sighed but didn’t push the matter further. She added the belladonna with a careful hand, and the potion began to turn a vibrant shade of orange.

“Stir counterclockwise for three minutes,” Alice instructed, and Narcissa complied, her movements precise.

The potion started to emit a faint glow, indicating they were on the right track. Despite her initial reluctance, Narcissa couldn’t help but feel a small sense of satisfaction at their progress.

“Almost there,” Alice said, a hint of a smile on her face. “Just the salamander blood now.”

Narcissa nodded and added the drops carefully. The potion turned a shimmering gold, signaling its completion. Professor Slughorn made his rounds, stopping by their table.

“Well done, ladies!” he exclaimed, clearly impressed. “A perfect Fire Protection Potion. Ten points to both Slytherin and Gryffindor!”

Narcissa allowed herself a small smile. “At least we didn’t fail,” she muttered.

Alice chuckled softly. “See? We can work together when we try.”

Narcissa didn’t respond, but she couldn’t deny that they had made a good team. As they packed up their things, Alice limped slightly, causing Narcissa to glance at her with a guilty face.

Alice noticed the look and straightened up. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about the tryouts, Black,” she said, her tone icy. “I know you and your friends were behind it.”

Narcissa’s expression hardened. “Believe what you want, Fortescue,” she replied. “But not everything is about you.”

Alice’s eyes narrowed. “You’re right. It’s about trust, or the lack of it.”

They left the classroom with a tentative truce, the animosity between them slightly softened by their shared success but still overshadowed by suspicion.

As Narcissa left the Potions classroom, she found herself walking down the corridor, her mind still lingering on the uneasy partnership with Alice. She was about to turn a corner when she noticed Alice a few steps ahead of her, heading in the same direction.

"Why are you following me?" Alice demanded, stopping abruptly and turning to face Narcissa.

"I'm not," Narcissa replied coolly. "The dungeons are just this way."

Alice huffed but didn’t respond. The two girls continued walking in silence. As they reached the staircases, Narcissa spotted Lucius, Severus, and Evan waiting for her.

“There you are,” Lucius said, a smile playing on his lips as he glanced from Narcissa to Alice. “Busy day?”

Narcissa nodded, her gaze flicking back to Alice, who stood a few feet away, watching the exchange with a wary expression. For a moment, their eyes met, and Narcissa saw a mixture of curiosity and distrust in Alice’s gaze.

“Let’s go,” Severus said, breaking the moment. “We have things to discuss.”

Narcissa nodded and turned to join her friends, her thoughts still partially on the other gir;. She felt a strange pull of conflict—part of her wanted to clear the air, while another part felt the need to distance herself from the Gryffindor girl. As they walked away, Narcissa couldn’t help but glance back one last time. Alice was still standing there, watching them go, her expression unreadable. The silent exchange between them spoke volumes—neither of them was ready to bridge the gap, but both were aware of each other.

“You’re quiet,” Evan noted.

“Just thinking,” Narcissa replied, her mind still on the conversation with Alice and the look they had shared. She shook her head, trying to push the thoughts aside. “What were you saying?”

Lucius leaned in. “We need to talk about the next steps with Potter and his friends.”

“I thought we agreed that it wasn’t worth it?” Narcissa crossed her arms, ready to nag the boys.

“He’s being stubborn about this,” Severus said, giving Lucius a pointed look.

“We should lie low for a while,” Narcissa reasoned. “Drawing more attention to ourselves isn't going to help.”

Lucius sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Maybe you’re right. But I hate letting them get away with it.”

“We’ll get our chance,” Evan interjected. “Patience, Lucius.”

Narcissa nodded, feeling relieved that the topic was shifting. “Speaking of chances, are you both ready for the Slytherin tryouts tomorrow afternoon?”

Lucius’s expression brightened at the change of subject. “Absolutely. I’ve been practicing all summer.”

“Same here,” Evan said with a grin. “I’m feeling pretty confident.”

“We’ll be there to watch and cheer you on,” Severus promised, looking at Narcissa for confirmation.

“Of course,” Narcissa agreed. “Wouldn't miss it for anything.”

As the conversation shifted back to Quidditch strategies and tryout preparations, Lucius and Narcissa found themselves walking slightly ahead of Severus and Evan. The corridor was quiet, the chatter of students from other houses fading as they moved further into the dungeons.

“Hey, Cissa,” Lucius said, his voice softer now that they had a bit of privacy. “Thanks for standing by me. I know I can be... a bit much sometimes.”

Narcissa laughed lightly. “A bit much? That’s an understatement. But you’re passionate, and that’s a good thing.”

Lucius smiled, his expression softening as he looked at her. “I appreciate you saying that. It means a lot coming from you.”

Narcissa blushed slightly, feeling a warm flutter in her chest. “Well, we’ve been friends for a while now. I know you’re always looking out for everyone.”

Lucius glanced around to make sure they were out of earshot of the others before he spoke again. “I just wanted to say... if it weren’t for you, sometimes I think I’d lose my way. You keep me grounded.”

Narcissa felt a rush of warmth at his words. She hadn’t realized just how much her presence meant to him. “I’m glad I can help, Lucius. We make a good pair.”

Lucius stopped walking for a moment, looking at her intently. “Yeah, we do.” There was a sincerity in his eyes that made Narcissa’s heart skip a beat.

Before she could respond, Lucius reached out and gently took her hand. “For luck tomorrow,” he said, giving her hand a light squeeze.

Narcissa smiled, feeling a bit shy but also touched by the gesture. “For luck,” she echoed.

They continued walking, hand in hand, until they reached the entrance to the common room. As they parted ways to join Severus and Evan, Narcissa glanced back at Lucius and felt… shy?

Oh Merlin, I need to tell my sisters.