The Malfoy Principle (On Hiatus)

What Is She Doing Here?

Sirius frowned as he easily hid in the Forbidden Forest outside Hagrid’s Hut.  He could see the Malfoy heir smirking, surrounded by his goonies. He reminded him of Lucius. He quickly found his target,  Harry Potter. His frown deepened when someone stepped in front of the teen boy. White-blonde hair hung down the person’s back. It reminded him of the woman who held his heart. He quickly shook his head of her memory. She wouldn’t be here.  In his distraction, his paw stepped on a twig and it snapped. The person turned toward the noise and Sirius felt his heart stop. Icy blue eyes looked at him as the woman tilted her head to the side.

“Saphira,” he whispered as the shock began to settle. She looked almost the same.  He noticed time had taken its toll and there were time-lines around her eyes.

“What are you doing here?” he asked himself as he sunk back further into the forest. He didn’t need her to see him like this. Not until he exonerated himself. Not until…he proved he was framed.

“You hear something, Miss Phira?” Hagrid asked when he noticed the woman’s attention to the forest behind his house. Saphira quickly shook her head and turned back to the student she was assisting.

“Must’ve been a threstral…”

**

“What is she doing here?” Sirius ran a shaky hand through his tangled, unkempt hair.  His mind whirled as he remembered the way her hair flowed down her back, the way her ice-blue eyes melted when she looked at the students.

“I need to see her again,” he muttered to himself as he quickly thought of a plan to sneak into the castle. 

**

“Hippogriffs are extremely proud creatures, and like Professor Hagrid said, don’t take very well to disrespect,” Saphira remarked as she easily curtsied in front of the massive creature and waited for it to bow toward her. The class waited in anticipation. Some even held their breaths.  However, their breathless waiting was for nothing. The hippogriff gracefully bowed toward the blonde and Saphira smiled as she approached the creature.  The class stared in awe as she stroked the majestic creature’s neck.

“Why don’t all of you try it? Remember respect the creature’s wishes. If it doesn’t bow back, don’t approach it,” Saphira reminded the students as each student went up to their own hippogriffs. Saphira smiled when she noticed most of the students did well. Neville Longbottom trembled as he bowed at his hippogriff.  A sudden yell and a loud squawk earned her attention as she turned to see her nephew on the ground, clutching his arm. The hippogriff he had approached snorted at him before walking away.

“Draco!” She shouted as she ran to him. He looked up at her in surprise before he fell backwards, motionless.

“Hagrid!” Saphira called for her colleague when she found she couldn’t lift her nephew by herself. Hagrid was by her side instantly and lifted Draco into his massive arms.

“Go! I’ll take the class,” Saphira ordered as Hagrid nodded and practically ran back to the castle. The rest of the class turned to Saphira expectantly, still in mild shock.

“Alright class, slowly head back to the castle. No running and no panicking. We don’t need the hippogriffs to be alarmed,” Saphira announced easily. She couldn’t let the students hear the panic in her voice. She couldn’t let them see her tremble. She couldn’t let them see her weakness over her nephew. No one other than her family and Severus would ever understand the love she held for Draco.

“Come along!”

**

“What happened?” Lucius demanded as he and Narcissa stood in the Great Hall with Saphira, Severus, and Albus. Hagrid looked at the ground sheepishly.

“Well, uh, y’ see─” Hagrid began to explain before Lucius cut him off viciously.

“I will have your job for this, you half-breed oaf!” Lucius snarled as Saphira winced at the insult.

“Lucius, there’s no need to be so vindictive. Calm yourself. Draco is fine. It was just a scratch,” Saphira tried to ease her older brother’s anger to no avail. He now turned on her.

“And you! Where were you? I thought you were supposed to be protecting the students,” Lucius accused as Saphira stared at him. Severus frowned.

“Lucius,” he began darkly, wary of the blonde’s temper.

“Lucius Malfoy! How dare you talk down to me like that! I am your sister! Not some squib! You will treat me with all of the decorum and respect I deserve! What happened to Draco was an accident! Now quiet your incessant ramblings and threats!” Saphira hissed after she pushed past her friend. Lucius and the others stared at her. She had caught them all off-guard, she noted warily.  Lucius grumbled darkly before nodding his head. Narcissa let out the breath of anticipation she had been holding and Severus relaxed his clenched fists.

“Mr. Malfoy, your son is fine. It was merely an accident as Professor Black said,” Albus remarked as he stepped forward. Lucius sneered at him before turning swiftly and storming out of the castle. Narcissa sighed before she quickly followed him.

“Well that went well,” Saphira mumbled darkly as she turned and left her three colleagues.

“Don’t worry, Hagrid. I’m sure this will all blow over,” Albus consoled the fidgeting half-giant as Severus rolled his eyes.

“Extremely,” he drawled before following after Saphira.

**

“Aunt Phira, that animal attacked me!” Draco complained when his aunt visited later that day.

“Draco Lucius Malfoy, you listen to me. You know I love you, but your father has thoroughly spoiled you. And I have to admit my fault in your attitude as well,” Saphira’s voice was sharp and firm. Draco could only stare at her. It was the first time she hadn’t tried to console his wounded pride.

“I told you to respect the hippogriffs, but you didn’t listen. I don’t know if this will teach you anything about respecting bigger creatures, but I pray to Merlin it does. Draco, darling, you are a brat,” Saphira remarked bluntly.  Draco felt his jaw go slack.

“Aunt Phira!”

“I’m sorry, Draco, but I’m only telling you because I care about you,” Saphira excused with a soft smile.

“It’s not fair,” he grumbled, his feelings hurt. Saphira patted his blonde head softly as she let out a quiet giggle.

“Life isn’t fair, darling nephew,” she replied easily before turning to leave him alone.

“Is father angry?”

“Not at you. I made sure of that,” Saphira reassured the fidgeting boy as she disappeared from the medical wing. She sighed before leaning on the door. The wood creaked from her weight.

“You really do spoil him, Lea,” Severus accused as he appeared in front of the blonde.

“Tell me something I don’t know, Severus,” Saphira replied with a soft smile.