Kindred

~Chapter 11~
Three nights he had sat in his office perusing the current problems faced by his position. They were no closer to finding Arianna’s attacker and by the end of the week he had to send Draco Malfoy away from Hogwarts. He still had to tell the boy, and it was a chore he was dreading. He sat perusing the options when a knock sounded on his door. He bade them to enter and cocked his head at the man standing in front of him. “Professor,” he greeted the man quietly.
“Headmaster,” the man returned.
“To what do I owe this pleasure?” Dumbledore asked carefully.
“I understand Narcissa Malfoy has revoked her sponsorship of young Draco at this institution.”
“That is correct, but what concern is that of yours?”
The second man ran a hand through his hair “Without a sponsor, he will not be able to remain here...I would like to remedy that situation,” he said quietly.
"You?" Dumbledore asked in surprise.
"Yes, me. Young Mr. Malfoy's absence here would create quite an impact. It is not something I am willing to stand by and watch happen." The man said deferentially.
"Very well, I will inform..."
"No! This remains between the two of us."
Dumbledore watched him carefully "As you wish Professor."
The man exited the office as quietly as he had entered.
Dumbledore spent the rest of the evening contemplating that strange turn of events.
Professor Snape walked down the hallway to check on the Slytherin common room when he was accosted by The Bloody Baron, the ghost of Slytherin house.
“Professor! You must come, quickly!” came the gravelly voice.
“What is it?” he asked tersely.
“Mr. Malfoy...Miss Pansy sir, please quickly!”
“Hades!” the professor roared as they flew down the corridor to the dungeon stairs.
He burst through the door to find the two Slytherin’s facing off, wands drawn voices raised “You tried to kill her you bitch!” He screamed.
“Too bad it didn’t work!” She hissed back.
There was a collective gasp from the students circled around the pair. “Miss Parkinson!” Professor Snape barked.
She turned, an innocent look on her face. “Professor, I only meant...I wouldn’t have minded, I did not try to kill the little witch!”
“You did too! I can prove it!” Draco thundered wheeling around and grabbing a tiny first year girl by the hand “Tell him Margery! Tell him what you told me,” he said pushing her towards Professor Snape.
The girl looked terrified and he felt bad for her. He moved behind her and settled his hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay Margie...” he whispered.
The girl looked down at her feet “It’s true Professor Snape...she...paid me to follow Arianna...and I was in the tree when she used the body bind curse on her and pushed her in the lake,” the girl said quietly.
Professor Snape’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Pansy. “Well Miss Parkinson?”
Pansy opened her mouth “She’s lying!”
“I am not!” The girl yelled, “I can prove it,” she said her fingers going to her throat. “She gave me this.” The girl pulled the silver locket from the throat of her robes. Pulling it off she handed it to Professor Snape.
“She stole it!” Pansy yelled.
“I doubt that Miss Parkinson. You and I are going to see Dumbledore. Draco, put away your wand.
Draco pocketed the wand and squeezed the girls shoulder. “Thank you Margie,” he murmured.
She looked up at him longingly. “You’re welcome Draco.”
Pansy had used the girls obvious crush on the Slytherin prince to bend her to her will. It was only when she heard Pansy threaten Draco as well that the girl had ran to him and told him he was in danger.
In the end Pansy was expelled from Hogwarts, and sent home under house arrest, her wand broken in two and forbidden to use magic ever again.

Several weeks had passed since Narcissa Malfoy sent the letter to Dumbledore informing him of her decision not to continue sponsorship of Draco at Hogwarts. She had fully expected them to send him home, where she could work on talking him out of the ill advised affair with the former Princess of Transylvania. Since the incident with the Parkinson girl she was no longer an option but Narcissa persisted. She had located a French pureblood family and had begun talks with them concerning joining the families by way of their children's marriage. She couldn't do it as long as Draco was at Hogwart's under that little witch's influence.

She appeared in Dumbledore's office one early December day. "Headmaster, I want to know why you have not sent my son home to me," she said haughtily. "Did you not get my letter?"

"Yes Mistress Malfoy, I received your letter. However, you did not specify you wanted Draco sent home."

"I thought that would be obvious...he no longer has a sponsor."

Dumbledore let the smile play on his lips "Oh, but he does Mistress."

Narcissa was taken aback "Excuse me? Who on earth is sponsoring my son?" she fumed.

"I cannot discuss that with you Madame. I am late for dinner and really must beg your leave," He said standing and walking to the door.

Narcissa stood open mouthed as the wizard exited the room. Huffing she followed Dumbledore, Draco was coming home with her one way or another. She was tired of all these games. She had a family to protect and she wasn't about to give up yet.

She caught up with him just outside the dining hall and called his name. "This is not finished!" She hissed coming to stand in front of him.

"Mistress...I have duties to see to." He murmured as he saw Draco and Arianna walk across the foyer hand in hand.

Arianna sucked in a breath at seeing Draco's mother standing in front of Dumbledore. She felt his fingers tighten around hers. "We'll get through this love, one way or another." He whispered.

"I want him home!" Narcissa hissed as her face reddened with anger.

"I am not coming home Mother." Draco murmured as they joined the growing crowd around the two.

"Oh yes, you are Draco. If it's the last thing I do you will be home where you belong!" She rounded on Draco her chest heaving as the anger took hold of her.

"No mother I am not! I am where I belong," he said wrapping his arm around Arianna's waist.

Several of the teachers had made their way to the foyer and were standing behind Dumbledore, a silent show of force.

Arianna trembled, she had been dreading this. She knew Draco loved her but in the face of the woman who had allowed such terrible things to be done to him she was afraid he would acquiesce to her wishes.

"Malfoy Manor is no longer my home. When we graduate, Arianna and I will be married and there isn't anything you or anyone else can do about that." His voice was deadly calm.

Narcissa's eyes grew wide with rage. "Draco I will not tolerate this insolence... You will not be marrying that good for nothing tramp. She's a half blood and worse yet a bastard to boot. She is beneath you!" she screeched reaching out to grab her son's arm. Draco jerked back as she tried to pull him out of Arianna's arms.

"I don't care!" Draco yelled "I love her, and what's more she loves me! Not that you would know anything about love! I will not give up the only person who has ever cared about me!"

"Oh, but you will." An evil smirk crept across her face. "You see my darling boy, you will not be able to marry your pretty little witch as long as you don't know who her father is." Narcissa glanced around the gathering. "If you had paid attention in class, I'm sure you would have heard Professor Binns mention the marriage law," she said smugly.

Draco felt Arianna begin to tremble. Keeping his arm around her waist he pulled her tighter against his side. "We will find away around it... we will be married if it's the last thing that I do," he said his voice holding every ounce of conviction that he felt.

Narcissa glared at the couple. "There is no way around it!" she hissed. "What are you going to do? Live together like common trash and raise tons of bastard babies?"

For the first time Arianna spoke "What marriage law? What are you talking about?" she asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

"There is a law, instituted by the Ministry of Magic, no female is permitted to marry a wizard without the express consent of her father." Professor McGonagall told the girl.

Arianna's eyes widened as she looked up at Draco. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Narcissa glared at the girl smugly "So you see, you will never be permitted to marry my son. No half blood tramp is going to taint the Malfoy blood!"

Arianna reeled back as if she had been slapped. "That is enough mother! I will not stand idly by while you insult the one person who has ever shown me love. We love one another and there is nothing you can say or do to change that," Draco said his eyes growing heated with anger when Arianna attempted to pull back from him. He knew she was ready to bolt. His arm tightened around her to keep her at his side.

"Enough!" a voice thundered, echoing despite the crowded hall "They will be married."

All eyes turned to the sound and the throng of people parted as the tall man strode to the knot of arguing bodies. "Professor! Really! This is none of your concern!" Narcissa hissed as he came to a stop.

"Oh, but it is Madame." He murmured, his eyes shining.

The room was silent as all eyes stared at him.

He took a deep breath "I hereby give my permission, with great joy, for my daughter Arianna to marry Draco Malfoy."

"Your what?" Narcissa snarled. "Are you trying to tell us that you...you are her father?" She stuttered her eyes searching the pale face for any hint of deception.

He nodded pushing back a strand of long, black hair. "I am." He murmured, but his black eyes were not on Narcissa, they were on Arianna.

Arianna was in shock, she couldn't speak, she could barely breathe as she stared back at him.

Likewise Draco was staring at the man, as was everyone in the room.

"I don't believe you!" Narcissa screamed in frustration.

He held out his hand and pulled back the sleeve of his black robes. There, on his wrist was a tattoo, an intricate S. "Her mother had the same tattoo as does she."

Arianna's eyes grew wide as she stared at the tattoo on his wrist. Numbly she pulled back her own sleeve and turned her hand over revealing the mirror image of her own tattoo. She'd asked her mother once what it meant and her mother told her one day when she was old enough she would explain it to her. Her mother had died before she ever had the chance to explain the meaning of the tattoo's.

Arianna looked up into the eyes of the man who had not only given her life but the man she loved. "Thank you." She whispered, her voice shaking.

Severus Snape smiled down at his daughter gently "I would do anything for you my child."