Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were walking arm-in-arm, silent at the moment- they had been speaking quietly earlier, but, as they walked down the corridor, they grew quiet. For, they knew that as soon as they turned an approaching corner, they would walk past the Popcorn Room, and the plaque containing the name of their son. Lucius' silence was in fact a stony hope, although one he would not express. He knew that Narcissa felt Draco was safe while Popcorn, but, every time they passed this way, as had become habit, he hoped to see his son, and not as one of hundreds of ambiguous kernels. And never did he say a word, as if to speak of the hope would destroy it
( ... )
At once all was a flurry of black robes and concerned murmurings. Draco was nothing less than the center of the universe, after all. And even if Narcissa had deep and well-founded misgivings as to the prospects for her son's safety, the presence of Draco would always be a joy to his mother.
"Are you all right?" she demanded. "Has anyone hurt you?" The expression on her dear boy's face -- every expression so well-known to Narcissa, so familiar, that she sometimes fancied she could feel his emotions herself when she saw them -- the expression on his face now was not a happy one.
Draco stumbled again, surprised by his father's spell. Was his mind addled? His father. And his mother.
"I love you." It was the first thing that came to his mind. There was relief and gratitude as well, but it was tempered by suspicion. He had been running.
Recovering, he straightened and moved to press his cheek to his mother's, to touch his father's shoulder. Obediently - he had been trained well - he took stock of himself. He was whole. Was he sane?
"I believe I am unharmed. What has happened? I am glad to see you, but... how have you come to Hogwarts? We should hide, for they are looking for me. Snape killed Dumbledore. But I disarmed him." He turned to Lucius. "How have you come, father? Are they seeking you also, or..."
Could he believe it? Had his father come to somehow set things right? "...are you free?"
Lucius knew better than to impede Narcissa's mothering in any way, and so stood silently as she asked their son a mother's necessary questions. Draco's expression spoke volumes to Lucius as well, although the reasoning for it came clear swiftly enough, from Draco's own mouth. Narcissa had filled him in on all she knew regarding the time that had passed while he was in Azkaban, and the burden placed on Draco had been heavy indeed
( ... )
These were surely his parents. His own hand tightened briefly on his father's shoulder. He smiled as his mother tucked back his hair.
"They will be looking for... Professor Snape," he corrected his earlier lapse, "Even more than they will be looking for me. He actually killed... Dumbledore." That was all right.
"But I do not understand." Perhaps he was befuddled after all. "What is wrong with Hogwarts? Apart from the usual." He waved his hand, in characteristic gesture that expressed the obvious but unspeakable.
"What do you mean, there are magical creatures who are students? There were not any this morning, apart from..." He waved his hand again. "The obvious. And their magic is debatable."
He smiled again, glad to see them all over again. His father. His mother. "It is good to be together, whatever has happened." He would take strengthening solution if his mother wished. He did not feel weak, but perhaps a little shakey with confusion.
Lucius was grateful for Narcissa picking up after he trailed off- since his mysterious relocation from Azkaban to Hogwarts, he had found himself more frequently at a loss, more often faced with uncertainty. Lucius was a man who liked to have a firm understanding of matters, solid ground from which to make strategic choices for the good of his family. But, there was a lack of this in the changed Hogwarts, Narcissa providing the only solid certainty- and now, there was also his son. At least if nothing else was right, this was
( ... )
Grindelwald. Truly a name to conjure with. For Narcissa, the famous wizard's presence was not quite the welcome marvel it would have been in her youth. Voldemort's treatment of Draco had taught Narcissa fear and distrust of Dark Lords. Grindelwald was a powerful, wise, ambitious wizard -- everything a pureblood and a Slytherin must admire -- but a shining star like Draco made such a tempting tool for Voldemort's plans, how could she hope he would not be so abused by a Grindelwald? She suspected envy in such men. No matter how powerful they became, they could never be what her Draco naturally was: the golden scion of an illustrious family, graced with the fairest of faces and the bluest of blood.
She said nothing as Lucius discussed the persons present at Hogwarts.
She only smiled, and stroked her son's lovely hair. Cropped so short! Why, when it could be his crowning glory, like his father's? Well, but the fashions of youth must be indulged. She wouldn't dream of seeing Draco anything less than au courant and à la mode"I
( ... )
Draco's lips parted as he looked between his parents. His expression was not in any way slack-jawed, but rather it signified the need for swift Slytherin reconsideration of all the factors he had already calculated
( ... )
((This sub-thread takes place the next day- Narcissa's parts in the setup included with permission.))
Lucius had been content to let Narcissa direct the rest of their day. For too long, she had been without their precious boy, and required the opportunity to make up for months of being forced to worry, unable to dote upon her Draco. Although there were matters he wished to speak to his son about, they were those darker aspects that he chose to shield his wife from. She did not need to risk herself in such involvements to provide the remarkable support she did for the family, and he did not need to insist upon dealing with them immediately. Perhaps their chosen rooms were cramped and dull compared to Malfoy Manor, but their surroundings hardly mattered. They were a family again, and, for the first time in weeks, Lucius finally felt truly released from prison. He had to- the influence of Azkaban was something that he'd never be able to shake off entirely, but, he could choose to overcome its effects. Draco's well-being was a motivating
( ... )
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"Are you all right?" she demanded. "Has anyone hurt you?" The expression on her dear boy's face -- every expression so well-known to Narcissa, so familiar, that she sometimes fancied she could feel his emotions herself when she saw them -- the expression on his face now was not a happy one.
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"I love you." It was the first thing that came to his mind. There was relief and gratitude as well, but it was tempered by suspicion. He had been running.
Recovering, he straightened and moved to press his cheek to his mother's, to touch his father's shoulder. Obediently - he had been trained well - he took stock of himself. He was whole. Was he sane?
"I believe I am unharmed. What has happened? I am glad to see you, but... how have you come to Hogwarts? We should hide, for they are looking for me. Snape killed Dumbledore. But I disarmed him." He turned to Lucius. "How have you come, father? Are they seeking you also, or..."
Could he believe it? Had his father come to somehow set things right? "...are you free?"
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"They will be looking for... Professor Snape," he corrected his earlier lapse, "Even more than they will be looking for me. He actually killed... Dumbledore." That was all right.
"But I do not understand." Perhaps he was befuddled after all. "What is wrong with Hogwarts? Apart from the usual." He waved his hand, in characteristic gesture that expressed the obvious but unspeakable.
"What do you mean, there are magical creatures who are students? There were not any this morning, apart from..." He waved his hand again. "The obvious. And their magic is debatable."
He smiled again, glad to see them all over again. His father. His mother. "It is good to be together, whatever has happened." He would take strengthening solution if his mother wished. He did not feel weak, but perhaps a little shakey with confusion.
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She said nothing as Lucius discussed the persons present at Hogwarts.
She only smiled, and stroked her son's lovely hair. Cropped so short! Why, when it could be his crowning glory, like his father's? Well, but the fashions of youth must be indulged. She wouldn't dream of seeing Draco anything less than au courant and à la mode"I ( ... )
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Lucius had been content to let Narcissa direct the rest of their day. For too long, she had been without their precious boy, and required the opportunity to make up for months of being forced to worry, unable to dote upon her Draco. Although there were matters he wished to speak to his son about, they were those darker aspects that he chose to shield his wife from. She did not need to risk herself in such involvements to provide the remarkable support she did for the family, and he did not need to insist upon dealing with them immediately. Perhaps their chosen rooms were cramped and dull compared to Malfoy Manor, but their surroundings hardly mattered. They were a family again, and, for the first time in weeks, Lucius finally felt truly released from prison. He had to- the influence of Azkaban was something that he'd never be able to shake off entirely, but, he could choose to overcome its effects. Draco's well-being was a motivating ( ... )
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