Amortentia

Chapter Twenty-Six

St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries
London, England
Date: Saturday, 18th of December 2021

"We tried everything we could— Lady Black, it is advised for you not to see her yet! Lady Black!"

"Druella!"

"Mother!"

  Anita, Andromeda, and Cygnus took off after their wife, friend and mother. Draco had yet to return from Malfoy Manor, which made the others stay where they were. Elliot slowly sunk back into his chair, unfocused on the doctor and nurses that were chasing after his grandparents and aunt.

"They didn't give any information," Jenna stated. "All we know is that 'they tried'. That could mean anything. They tried to save Narcissa, they tried to save the baby—both— what the actual fu—?"

"I don't believe that even in the state he is in father and mother would approve of that language," Draco said, taking a seat beside Elliot.

Jenna crossed her arms, "You know, I have never once cursed in the presence of this family. It irks me entirely as there have been several moments it has called for such language,"

All three Malfoy siblings sat with their arms folded and feet resting on the center table. Their minds were raving with every dark and light thought known to man. Minutes turned into hours and no one looked as if they were coming back any time soon.

Astoria had shown up for a little while. Neither of them could tell if she said or did anything. Every time the doors to where their mother was swung open, they looked up only to be disappointed by the person standing on the other side.

Deep down, Elliot and Draco hoped to Merlin that their father would show his face. A faint tapping would be heard, and they would look up. However, it was never a tall man with platinum blonde hair and a serpent cane that they would see.

"This is getting ridiculous." Elliot huffed. "They've been back there for hours!"

Jenna was curled up on the sofa. Her dark hair covered most of her face as she slept the long evening away. She had made it a point to tell the healers that they wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. Although they quickly obliged, it took quite the effort.

Arabella's resting form was the first thing Lucius Malfoy noticed upon entering the quiet wing. Her face still held the stress from the morning's events; her state of sleep wasn't as restful as it seemed to the untrained eye. His boys stopped their nervous pacing under his gaze.

  Quickly, both of them moved to sit down next to their sister. Lucius, unbothered by the lack of trust, sat on the opposite side of the room. It had been Anita that set him an owl demanding his presence at St. Mungos. The threat of being disowned was his true motivator.

"Is," he paused as Draco and Elliot looked over at him. It was difficult for them to hide the disgust on their faces, but they managed. "is Narcissa alright?"

"We don't know," Draco answered gruffly.

"They went back there earlier and haven't returned. We have yet to get any news," Elliot somewhat lied. He didn't want to believe that his mom or little sibling could be dead.

Lucius nodded and proceed to stare off into space. He could hear both his daughter and son's voices echoing in his brain. What moment at Abraxas's funeral could Ara be speaking of? He and Sabrina had agreed to not let her attend the funeral.

"Father," Draco's voice broke him from his thoughts. He looked up to see a red-eyed Cygnus approaching them. His heartfelt like it could explode at any moment; his stomach started to do endless flip-flops. Could this be it?

He watched as Cygnus knelt beside his children, careful not to wake Arabella. Their grandfather said something incoherent to the duo, much to his dismay.

His sons stood and left the wing with sagged shoulders. However, they didn't go through the Floo as Lucius had thought they would. Cygnus walked over and stood in front of him which blocked his children from view.

"Can I help you with something, Malfoy?" Cygnus practically spat venom at him. "Last I heard, you didn't care about your child or my daughter. The same daughter who spent more than half of her life loving and tending you," He crossed his arms with his wand gripped tightly in his left hand.

"Where did you send my children, Cygnus?" he was in no mood to argue.

"I believe that it's none of your business, and keep your voice down. You don't want this one; why should you claim them?"

"It's not like that,"

"Really?" Cygnus gasped. "Enlighten me,"

_______________________________

"You are both naturals,"

  Narcissa watched as Elliot passed the baby to Draco. He was already a big brother. However, her youngest wasn't used to not being the baby. It suddenly dawned on her that Arabella didn't know how to say hello, only goodbye.

Draco and Narcissa's peaceful lives had been ruined. However, Ara and Elliot never had one and most likely didn't feel any different in this new situation. Her oldest was used to coming home from Hogwarts to seeing Lucius in his study and her in the garden. If they weren't in those locations, they were together. 

  Arabella and Elliot were accustomed to the separate lives everyone was living. They knew if they needed Lucius he wouldn't be there. It broke her heart for her babies. Although he was tough on him during the war, he had been a great father to Draco. He would be to Ara and Elliot as soon as he slipped from Sabrina's grasp.

  Her mother and father had told her about his encounters with their children. It wasn't Lucius. Once again, he had been spelled, bewitched by Sabrina. There was nothing any of them could do at this point. Every time they took two steps forward, they took five steps back.

"Mother," Draco's voice caused her to look up from her lap. "Father is in the hall. Would you like me to—?"

"Send him in," ordered Narcissa.

Anita stood from her place at the foot of the bed, "Cissy, are you sure? We don't know what he is doing here,"

"Anita, I already know you made my daughter place a protection spell on the baby," she may have been out of it on the way in, but Narcissa knew what the tingling sensation meant.

"Who is this?" He asked, calmly. His finger traced the baby's round cheek. Lucius smiled slightly as he watched his child curl into Anita's chest at the touch.

"Lucius," his steel-grey eyes flicked over in her direction. For a moment, his gaze softened at the sight of her. "meet your son,"