Amortentia

Chapter Eight

Black Manor
Tinsbury, England
Date: Thursday, 2nd of December 2021

  Narcissa felt all of the air escape from her lungs as her mother pushed her into a chair. She heard mumbling but not coherent sentences. Everything sounded as if she were underwater. Druella knelt beside her and clasped her limp hand. Her world was crumbling down around her.

"Mom," Jenna pulled her away from her thoughts. "I think it would be best if you left. Lucius knows you're here,"

"Anita and Abraxas wouldn't let him do anything to her," Cygnus reassured her calmly.

"Lucius would never do anything to her," Druella added.

"He was so angry when he found out, grandma. I thought," her granddaughter's voice trailed off.

"He wouldn't hurt you either, my light." Druella's other hand found Jenna's small one. "Lucius Malfoy can be rational when he needs to be,"

Cygnus snorted, "Except when it comes to keeping his trousers pulled up,"

Narcissa dropped her mother's hand and walked away from the group. Her obvious discomfort caused Druella to glare at her husband, who seemed oblivious to the situation.

"Where is she?!"

The booming voice of her estranged husband was heard from downstairs. She watched as her daughter rose from the sofa with her wand clutched tightly in hand. He wouldn't do anything in front of Ara.

It only took a few moments before Lucius Malfoy was standing before them. The sitting room on the second floor was an obvious choice of where they would be. He had been an outsider looking in before they married. His job had been to watch their every move so that he could gain comfort with his in-laws.

This very room contained an abundance of monumental memories. Here all three Black sisters and Arabella Malfoy took their first steps. It would fill with laughter and music after important Ministry events or balls. Lucius and Narcissa shared their first kiss here after the Christmas party. Thankfully, none of the portraits were awake to notice.

Silence filled the room as Lucius walked in further. He saw Narcissa standing next to the window with a hand on her small pregnancy bump. It was his turn to be breathless. Narcissa was a true beauty, and when she was pregnant, it was impossible not to stare.

"Yes, Lucius?"

  Her cold voice sent shivers down his spine. Within moments, she had turned into the mortal version of Medusa. The glare on her face could have turned the bravest man to stone. Off to the side, he watched his daughter twiddle her wand between her fingers. One mistake and he could have his hand spelled off.

"You're with child,"

She smirked, "is it obvious?"

"Is it mine?"

"Of course. I wasn't the one having an affair,"

  Jenna and her grandparents felt their jaws drop open with shock. Never had any of them ever heard Narcissa be so bold. She bit her lip to keep her nervous laughter at bay. That was the last thing either of her parents needed to hear.

"You kept it a secret!"

"What was I supposed to do, Lucius? Owl you the news? You wanted nothing from me, NOTHING!"

Lucius shook his head, "You have no right keeping my child from me,"

"You mean I have no right to do to you what you are doing to me,"

"I want the children to bond with Sabrina!"

"They aren't children anymore. Our youngest is seventeen. She could take care of herself if she needed to! They don't need to bond with Sabrina. They don't need to only be with you to do so!"