[̲̅C̲̅] [̲̅R̲̅] [̲̅U̲̅] [̲̅C̲̅] [̲̅I̲̅] [̲̅O̲̅]; a Malfoy family novel

Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Dear? Are you going to join us?" Anita called out.

  Lucius looked at her with suspicion. His mother favored Ara to Draco, why hasn't she said anything? Her green eyes studied him carefully, waiting for him to take a seat.

"Why haven't any of you said anything to her? She's been gone for days." He threw the cloth napkin over his lap. Lucius assumed his daughter would follow.

Andromeda looked around the room, "Lucius, who are you talking about?"

"Ara, she's over the—." When he pointed to the doorway, it was empty. Arabella had just been there looking disheveled and tired.

"Father?" Draco asked. "No one is there. You walked in and froze."

  Narcissa's blue eyes widened as she looked up from her notes. She observed him as his mother had only moments ago. Looking for a reason for him to be acting like this, of course.

"That's not possible, Draco. We were all talking to her. She even talked to Andromeda, called her Andy."

"Yes," Andromeda nodded. "that's what she calls me, but Lucius..." her voice trailed off. "I haven't seen her since Christmas."

  He had imagined it all. Everything had seemed so real to him. The way she acted, everything she said. It was his daughter he had been talking to. His princess, who didn't act like him or think like him, but found a way into his heart.

"I didn't sleep well last night. It must have been a dream." Everyone nodded in agreement, except for Andy.

  Andromeda Tonks has always been observant. It was a skill her professors at Hogwarts told her to hold onto. Eventually, it would help her during two wars, and scope out the older man her daughter brought him. She never missed anything.

  Andy taught Jenna to be the same way. To always be observant; watch a room and the people in it before saying something. She drilled it into her during their magic lessons. The same lessons where she taught Jenna to Astro-project.

  Lucius thought his daughter had been there, and maybe, she had been. Astro-projection can only work for a few minutes before it becomes dangerous. Jenna had been scoping the room when he found her. She finished the spell. The thought put a small smile on her face. They would win this after all.

"If we could all speed this up, that would be lovely. I am requiring everyone's help for decorating the ballroom."

"The ballroom? Did I miss something, Narcissa?"

She nodded, "Mister. Williams found a luring spell for us to do. We have to set everything up the exact way it was the day our loved one was taken. It will not only bring that man forward but also bring Jenna back."

"So, our ballroom?

"Looks the way it did when we were celebrating Arabella's first birthday."

The energy in the room shifted as the words left Narcissa's mouth. It had been ages since they had spoken about that day..

"Alright, on with it." Cygnus clapped his hands together and everyone stood.

Lucius took this time to grab Andy by her arm and usher her into the nearest deserted room. A look of fear came over her as she turned to look at him. He knew he had done horrible things, but she couldn't possibly think this was something awful.