Arabella Black, The Daughter Of Padfoot (Redux)

Chapter 9

"Avada-"

"Expelliarmus!"

The decorated wand flew out of Lucius's grasp, and hit the bookshelf behind his desk.

Narcissa held her wand at her husband, the first time she had ever done so, and scowled in distain at him.

"What the bloody hell are you thinking?" Narcissa demanded, "She's a child"

"She needs to learn-"

Narcissa knelt down to the young girl, sweeping the damp curls out of her face. Arabella was lightly shivering, but otherwise unconscious, "She's not our child to teach" She reminded him coldly, "Arabella needs a firm hand but, what were you doing to do to her?"

"I wasn't actually going to cast it" Lucius defended, "I just wanted to scare her"

"Do you plan on telling Severus that? After she tells him that you tortured his daughter?" Narcissa snapped, silencing her husband, "Dobby!"

The wide-eyed house elf appeared, "Y-yes, Mistress?"

"Take Arabella to the guest room and tend to her" Narcissa ordered, "You will speak to no one about this, and do nothing else until I order it"

"Yes, Mistress, o-of course" Dobby took Arabella's clammy hand and apparated them away.

Narcissa stood, straightening out of skirt, "I hope that you can explain yourself"

"That girl is bound to be a blood traitor just like her father" Lucius barked, catching his wand as it flew back to him, "Just because you have a soft spot for the girl, because she reminds you of Bellatrix, does not forgive her insolence"

"Sirius Black may be her father, but she's Volkov by blood. They ruled Russia, unafraid of the Dark Lord of his power" Narcissa snapped, "That girl is more powerful than either of us, we will teach her like we taught our son. It's our job to teach her the important of Blood Purity but torturing her is not the way to do it"

"That girl is not a Slytherin, Narcissa" Lucius warned his wife, but staying away from her in her wrath, "What will we do then?"

"We work around it, as we always have" Narcissa turned her back on her husband, "What will we do about Snape?"

"We will make her forget this happened, if it pleases you" Lucius held his tongue.

"I will see to it" And with that, Narcissa left the study. Lucius watched his life leave, glaring at her back. She would soon learn that her way was wrong, but he would be damned if he left her get away with this with Draco.

~~~

Arabella almost immediately regretted opening her eyes. Dull pain seized her body, she groaned loudly.

"Good. You're awake"

Arabella lifted herself up and sat against the gaudy headboard, "Aunt Narcissa?" She muttered croakily, squinting across the room.

Narcissa was across the room, sitting by the window petting Arabella's owl.

"How did I get here?" Arabella questioned, straining herself to remember the situation, it was all a little fuzzy.

"No, pretty girl, you wouldn't" Narcissa spoke softly, "You and Lucius had something of an altercation. You ran out of the room and tripped on your way down the stairs"

Arabella touched her head, wincing as the pain throbbed behind her eyes. It must have been quite the fall. "An altercation?" Arabella muttered, "About what?"

Narcissa stood from the chair and sat on the edge of the bed next to Arabella, "You must be careful about what you say" Narcissa gently patted the girl's knee, "I understand Slytherin does not appeal to you because of your brain, but others will not"

Narcissa looked away from the wide-eyed, trusting young girl. Arabella was too free willed, too stubborn for her own good. Much like Andromeda had been, before she was disowned.

"I didn't... mean to make him angry" Arabella apologised, rubbing her head, "I'm sorry, Aunt Narcissa"

"I know, Arabella. Don't dwell on it too much"

"How long has it been?" Arabella whimpered pitifully, "Is Severus coming to get me?"

"Lucius wrote him not too long ago, don't worry. Severus will take you home and you can rest" Narcissa promised, "Just lay here for now, I'll bring you something for that headache until then, okay?"

"But-"

"You're my responsibility, pretty girl. Those stairs are a death trap waiting to happen, I've always told Lucius so"

Arabella laid back, too tired to argue as Narcissa left.

~~~

Without Arabella, Spinner's End was eerily quiet. More quiet than it had been in years, actually. It left Severus time to maul over Primrose.

In their youth, she had never taken anything seriously and lived for the rush of being a wizard. Because of it, she shared a close friendship with James Potter and Sirius Black. The three of them were the Bain of his existence, even now.

Primrose had been his best friend, once upon a time. But she hadn't spoken to him much after Severus called Lily a Mudblood, and it had only been because of Diana's intervention that Severus hadn't been on the end of Evans, Potter and Black's wrath.

Something had changed about Primrose during those last years at Hogwarts. Something that had twisted her, molded her into an entirely different person. Severus didn't know what happened, but he remembered the look on Lily's face when Primrose finally snapped at her in the Great Hall during sixth year Christmas.

His inner musings were abruptly interrupted by an unfamiliar owl swooping into this home, landing on the kitchen table with a loud hoot.

Severus untied the letter from its leg and unfolded it to reveal Lucius's familiar scrawl.

'Snape,

Arabella had an accident at the manor. It wasn't serious but you should come get her as soon as you can.

Malfoy'