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october 1997
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"𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢"
𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚍𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗
Violetta Narcissa Black has never been a big fan of Halloween. For many reasons she thought the holiday was rather insulting for the likes of her ― witches. So to take her mind off of the stupid holiday, Violetta invited Vivian and Gabriel over. She hasn't seen her friends in a long time and was unsure how much they knew of her current situation.
At first she was determined not to tell them because she worried her mother might somehow manage to get the information out of Vivian and Gabriel but she had to tell someone. Fleur was the only person who knew and just for safety reasons, Violetta had to tell someone else too.
Vivian was gobsmacked, speechless and angry ― and Vivian Gold was never angry.
Gabriel firs thought Violetta was kidding, then he thought he was so high that he's hallucinating things but soon came to realise that Violetta was telling the truth and that he wasn't that high.
"Do your parents know?" Vivian asked.
Vivian and Gabriel were aware that Violetta had challenged death and went home to see her family some time ago.
Violetta shook her head. "Merlin no. They knew something had happened when Abraxas took me to the Dark Lord when I was a baby but they don't know why or what was done to me."
"So Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy knew something had happened to their daughter but they never found out what? How are they still breathing? I thought your parents were these overprotective people who would literally do anything to find out everything about their children," Gabriel frowned.
"I know, shocking right."
"And what about Potter? What are you going to do with him?" Gabriel asked.
With a shrug of her shoulders Violetta answered. "We have a deal. He can't win without my help."
"And have you come up with how to destroy the Horcrux part in you?" Asked Vivian.
"Not yet but I will. I will figure it out," Violetta assured. "I will be fine."
Vivian wasn't too impressed with her friend's words ― she had a hard time believing Violetta. She knew her best friend well and could tell that whatever Violetta needed to do to ensure her safety was not well planned or planned at all.
"Please tell me you have at least some sort of a plan. You can't know when Potter is ready with his hunt and then he will come and claim the last Horcrux, you," Vivian said, expressing her concerns.
Violetta sighed. "I know that and I have a plan, I swear."
"Then please, share your plan with the rest of the group," Vivian said.
"I will tell you, once I have figured it all out," said Violetta and left the small living-room area to go to the kitchen.
Lately, she and Fleur have been thinking of getting a place of their own. They liked staying in the Leaky Cauldron but now that Diagon Alley has been terrorised it was only a matter of time they would be found.
They didn't want that.
Violetta wanted a small house, even a flat would do but one in Italy. Italy was the place where she and Fleur were the happiest ― it was a place of serenity to them.
"I swear to Merlin, Lettie, you are on a suicide mission!" Exclaimed Vivian and followed her friend to the kitchen.
The sweet dream of a place in Italy disappeared thanks to Vivian.
"I don't want to go and tell your parents that!"
Violetta rolled her eyes. "That won't happen, okay? Listen, why would anyone put a part of their soul into something or someone if it's not possible to take that small fragment of the soul out of it or them. That's just stupid. So all I have to do is to find out how to do it. I was thinking of going to Slughorn, according to Potter, he knows stuff."
"Or I can go to Snape."
"Snape?" Said Gabriel and frowned. "Why would you go to Snape? He's a Death Eater right?"
"And so am I, in a way. But apparently Snape plays for both teams. He's working undercover for the Order while doing the same for the Dark Lord but his real loyalties lie with the Order, apparently. It makes perfect sense since the Dark Lord trusts him and yet almost everything Snape has told him about the Order's plans have been useless."
Gabriel rubbed the back of his neck. "Remember when our lives were simple? The only thing we worried about was whether or not we got enough birthday presents."
"Oh how I wish those were my problems now," sighed Violetta.
"So you are worried?" Vivian said.
"Well of course I am worried but everything will be fine. I just need to find out what to do and how to do it. Maybe I'll find something from Regulus Black's diaries. I used to read them with the goal to find out what had happened to me and I never really focused on anything else. Maybe now I will realise other things when reading it," explained Violetta and handed Gabriel and Vivian a glass each.
Vivian arched her brow. "You think that's a good idea?"
"I don't know! Just give me an idea then," sighed Violetta and crashed down on the chair behind her.
Vivian was right ― Violetta knew it.
She had to come up with a plan as soon as possible. Waiting around and hoping for the best has not proven to be a good form of a plan so Violetta had to do something. Fleur has said this to her too but sometimes Violetta can hardly register what Fleur says when she's staring at her beautiful ocean eyes.
"My mum saw yours by the way," said Gabriel.
Violetta snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Gabriel.
"She did?"
Gabriel nodded. "Yep. They had tea or something."
"D-did your mum say anything about..."
"Your mum and dad? They were happy and relieved to see you," said Gabriel vaguely.
Violetta arched her brow the same way her mother does. "But...?"
"They know something's up," Gabriel said. "Apparently there was something different about you."
"Well obviously there's something different about me. I no longer participate in the Death Eater business and I am in a relationship with a woman," shrugged Violetta — pretending that those were the only things different.
Gabriel shrugged. "Or they have a thing called a parents' intuition and they know there's something actually wrong. You know, you are a Horcrux and shit."
"Maybe but I'm not going to tell them. They are already on very thin ice with the Dark Lord. If they find out what he did, they are going to confront him and then, they are going to get killed," said Violetta. "I don't want that. I made a fucking deal with Potter to make sure they will be fine."
"Okay, okay. It's going to be fine," said Vivian, noticing her best friend's distress.
"I know. That's what I've been saying," Violetta said.
There was tension in the air ― tension which has never quite reached the group of friends before but now it was there. Violetta was lying through her teeth and her friends knew this but they knew better than to pressure her any more.
"Good. I am glad we are all in an agreement," sighed Violetta. "Can I ask you something?"
Vivian and Gabriel nodded.
"Look after my family," said Violetta. "I can't do it, not while I'm still disowned."
"But I thought your father was going to..." started Gabriel but Violetta shook her head.
"I mean he said he will but I told him not to. I can't really betray the Dark Lord if I'm spending my time with him in the meetings. This is the only way," explained Violetta.
Gabriel smirked. "Who would have thought that Violetta Narcissa Malfoy or Black, whichever you go by nowadays, betrays the Dark Lord and makes an alliance with Harry Potter."
"I know, I am full of surprises," grinned Violetta. "But only because this might just get my family out of trouble."
"So you still support the pureblood cause?" Vivian asked.
Fleur wasn't a pureblood but a half-breed.
Purebloods ― the ones who support the Dark Lord ― wish to get rid of mudbloods and half-breeds.
Violetta didn't want to get rid of Fleur.
"I don't know," admitted Violetta. "If it wasn't for Fleur, I might.."
Vivian smiled. "I don't know if I had said this before but I am glad you found her."
"Me too," chuckled Violetta.
"Imagine if you hadn't," said Gabriel.
Violetta shook her head. "I don't want to."
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Reading Regulus Black's diary was like entering his nightmares. He was a sad boy and Violetta felt bad for not noticing it the first times he had read his diary. He was lonely, in pain, abused and brainwashed to believe in blood supremacy. He had no one. His mother was a horrible woman, his father was a little better but never raised a finger to help Regulus or Sirius if their mother was giving them hell.
Regulus didn't have many friends and when Sirius was disowned and left for good, he had no one other than Narcissa. And then the Dark Lord had made Violetta into a Horcrux and because of Regulus' loyal nature, he had to lie about it to Narcissa.
Violetta has always known that her mother's childhood was not an easy one and neither was Narcissa's cousins' but Violetta had no idea just how horrible it truly had been.
The abuse, the curses Walburga had used on her sons were insane ― Walburga Black made Bellatrix look almost sane.
Violetta could remember how she used to think that Sirius Black had been mad for leaving his family and turning his back on them ― now Violetta wondered why he didn't leave earlier.
Violetta has had a good life with her family. She was never abused by her parents ― only verbally abused by her grandparents and while it wasn't nice nor okay, it was better than what Sirius and Regulus Black had been through.
It was slightly difficult for Violetta to think ill of her great-aunt ― the woman had been quite nice to her and Narcissa. Violetta didn't know why Walburga had been nice to her and Narcissa but apparently Walburga didn't want to be a mother. She was alright with being an aunt and a great-aunt but not a mother.
"Are you alright?"
Violetta turned to look at the threshold where Fleur stood.
"Sure," sighed Violetta.
Fleur walked over to Violetta, sat on the bed and pulled the brunette into her arms. Fleur kissed the top of Violetta's head, assuring her that she was safe.
And that's how Violetta felt.
Safe.
"Something upsetting you?" Fleur asked, brushing her fingers through Violetta's brown hair.
"I always knew my mum's childhood was horrible and so was her cousins and sisters' but I never really realised just how horrible it truly was. When I first read Regulus' diary, I guess I was too blind to it all. All the Death Eater shit he had to do... it was horrible..." Violetta explained.
"And then apparently he died trying to do the right thing but he never made it...."
Fleur frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
Violetta couldn't be sure but from what she understood, Regulus had been on a mission to destroy Horcruxes but died doing so. She recalls her mother telling her that Regulus was killed but the circumstances of his death were shady and no one truly knew why and how he had died.
"Regulus was going after Horcruxes. Apparently he had had enough of the Dark Lord's terror, especially after what happened to me. I'm not sure because no one can tell me but I think he died when hunting down those Horcruxes. I mean, it makes sense. Everyone always said that I'm like Regulus Black but at first I thought it was because of how determined I was to become a Death Eater but now I think it might be because now I'm hunting Horcruxes too. Now I am the one who is trying to get rid of the Dark Lord."
"How do you feel about that?" Fleur asked.
Violetta shrugged. "He did die..."
"But you won't," said Fleur and made Violetta turn towards her. "You won't die because we are going to be prepared. From now on, we will spend every waking moment trying to figure out how to unmake you a Horcrux or how to get rid of that part in you. I nearly lost you for You-know-who's cause. I nearly lost you to that darkness and I'm not going to lose you again. You won't end up like Regulus Black. Not while I still have a heart that beats."
"Besides, I don't want to be the one who needs to tell your parents that their daughter has died. Vivian and Gabriel don't want to do that either and neither do your brothers. So unless you want to be the one to tell them that, you don't have another choice than to live."
Fleur's determination was admirable. She wasn't giving Violetta another choice and she appreciated that. Violetta was a pessimist much like her father and while the thought of death was not pleasing, she couldn't help but wonder if she was going to make it out alive. But Fleur made her think she was.
History couldn't repeat itself.
And Violetta didn't want to die.
There was so much to live for.
There was someone she had to live for, she needed to live for.
Violetta had her dream ― a dream of a small house in Italy. A small house where she and Fleur were going to grow old. They would live there in peace and quiet with no worries in their minds. At the moment the dream felt unreachable, almost impossible but Violetta has never been a person who gives up.
"So maybe we should just get up and start looking, right? We can't really waste any more time," said Fleur.
"We can start looking tomorrow," said Violetta and moved herself closer to Fleur. "One day won't make a difference."
Fleur smirked. "You better be right Violetta Black or I will be giving my eulogy in a short time."
Violetta rolled her eyes and brought her lips on Fleur's, muttering. "I have never been wrong in my entire life."
"Oh really?" Chuckled Fleur and moved her lips from Violetta's. "What about the time you took that sweet tattoo? The one covering your forearm."
Months ago Violetta was still in a bad place and making jokes of her decision to join the Dark Lord's ranks might have made her angry but now she was able to laugh about it.
"I thought it was cool," said Violetta innocently. "How was I supposed to know?"
"Didn't your parents beg you not to take it?" Fleur said.
Violetta grinned. "They should have known better. I don't listen."
"I know you told me this before but why did you do it? Why did you take the mark if your parents were so against it? And why turn away now?" Fleur asked suddenly.
Taken back by the question, Violetta closed her eyes for a second to take a moment for herself. She has wondered the same thing but she still didn't have the perfect answer. She was going to try anyway.
"I was taught that purebloods were superior to everyone and everything. That's what the Dark Lord's cause drove for or so it seemed at first. Then I am a woman, a woman stuck in traditions like I need to marry early on in life and have heirs. I was never really given any other choice but taking the mark.... that felt like another choice. Like I could do something else than be someone's wife and mother."
"And my grandfather has always hated me and I knew that taking the mark might please him, and it did. Not for too long but still..."
Violetta took a break from speaking, giving herself some time to breath and think. She was looking up at the ceiling but was aware that Fleur was there although she was too nervous to look at the blonde.
"It was interesting at first and when that was all I have ever believed in, it was the only thing to do really. But at first, I didn't have to hurt or kill anyone but then dad got sent away and things took a bad turn..."
She took a deep breath in, trying to forget about the times Bellatrix hurt her because she couldn't kill anything or anyone.
"I blamed Potter for dad's imprisonment but the Dark Lord could have gotten him out if he wanted. He did but waited a year. The Dark Lord doesn't care about anyone but himself. My family has made many mistakes and he won't be nice to them even if he wins."
"And I don't know... now I think it might be nice to finish off Regulus' mission," Violetta finished her thoughts.
Fleur nodded ― she understood.
"Well then we have no other choice than to make this work. For you, and for Regulus Black," said Fleur. "Because I want that small little house in Italy with you. I want to grow old with you and maybe eventually meet your parents."
"You want to meet my parents?" Violetta repeated.
"Why not?"
Violetta grinned. "I guess they will be okay with you, especially when I tell them that you helped me. When I tell them how happy you make me, they have no choice than to like you."
Fleur rolled her eyes but chuckled. "Sure thing, your parents will like me. Just like they liked me when they blamed me for your coma."
"Well that one was kind of your fault," smirked Violetta.
"Oh come now!" Fleur giggled and pulled Violetta into her arms, making the brunette laugh.