The Tempest

The Tempest


By: Max

[Disclaimer: see chapter 1]

Chapter 5: Narcissa’s Journal, part 5: Caught in the act


Lucius isn’t a total fool. He was highly suspicious and one evening in December it happened. He was with the dark lord; they were talking about another failed attack as Lucius casually said:” Just a moment, my lord. I get us something to drink.” He went out of the room. For a few minutes I was alone with the monster. Then Lucius was back and standing in the door he said: “I was right, my lord.”

Voldemort rose. “Then do what you have to,” he said with his cold, high pitched voice. With a “pop” he disapparated.

At this moment I became aware that I was in high danger, but I still believed my invisibility cloak could help me out. I rushed to the door – but it was too late. Lucius had his wand out and procured a whirling wind. It got my cloak – only for a moment, but long enough Lucius saw me running.

My luck was that he’s cruel. Instead of killing me with one “Avada Kedavra” he cast “crucio”. I fell down on the floor, screaming as pain exploded through all my body. I felt how my right elbow and two ribs cracked from the hard fall, but it was not as bad as the ache and burning in all my body. But Lucius wasn’t satisfied with one “crucio”. His rage made him come over to me, beating and kicking me, screaming like the madman he is. Pulling me up and throwing me against the wall, he roared: “Who, Narcissa? Who made you betray me?”

I knew he would kill me – and I wanted to give him real good reason. I loathed him so much I wanted him to suffer afterwards as much as possible and therefore I laughed at him: “Do you really need to ask? Who is it your lord and master fears? Who’s the most powerful wizard alive?” And laughing even louder, I added: “I’ve learned from you, Lucius: Only the best for a Malfoy. After getting an impotent wimp for a husband, I wanted at least to have a real man as a lover.”

Lucius became as white as a ghost. “Dumbledore!” he whispered with deadly hatred. “The old man is your lover?”

“Darling Lucius – he isn’t an old man when it comes to making love,” I said coldly. “You would be glad if you’d get your penis up at least half so often as he manages …” I lied. And I didn’t mind lying at this moment. I wanted to hurt Lucius –and let’s be honest: Didn’t he deserve it? “He’s my lover for years. You were such an idiot, Lucius. Even as you visited me once in Rome you didn’t notice that he was my neighbour. And he’s wizard enough to droop walls when he wants to …”

By “dropping walls” I suddenly thought of wards – and then I remembered: Voldemort had just disapparated. This meant: Lucius’ wards were still down!

Lucius had my wand, but my spare wand was in my sleeve and I gripped it and concentrated and felt the familiar tugging around my navel and then I whirled through time and space and bumped hard against something solid. Falling down on cold, frozen soil I felt how my left ankle broke and I cried in pain. Yet I couldn’t rest – I had bumped against your wards and they’d kicked me back so that I laid just in front of the Hogwarts gates. I knew Lucius would follow me and my only chance was to reach the castle before he caught me. So I tried to get up, but my leg didn’t support my weight and I couldn’t breathe properly and my mouth was full of blood. So I started to crawl to the door in the gate.

Suddenly I heard the “pop” of an apparition and at the same moment the rustle of strong wings and a thrilling sound, as beautiful and comforting as I’ve never heard something like that before. It warmed me and it gave me the strength to pull myself up on the gate and to fall over the same second as I heard Lucius’ scream: “Avada Kedavra!”

Green light shouted out of his wand and in the middle of the green suddenly a red and golden flame roared up – and then it became night around me and my last coherent thought was: “I’m back in the dark.”

Yet I wasn’t. I suddenly saw a tiny light in the darkness and then I heard your voice, not calm, but desperate and crackly: “Narcissa – don’t go! Come back!”

The light flickered, but I knew: It was you and I had to go to you and so I started to crawl again and suddenly my leg didn’t hurt and I could breathe again. I rose up and marched in the direction of the light and it became bigger and drove the darkness away and I was surrounded by brightness and light.

And then there was another voice, a female one I had never heard before. “She’s coming back.”

Once again you, quieter now, tenderly: “Narcissa …”

And then I saw the sky again, but it wasn’t dark and clouded, but bright and beautiful and it smiled to me and it wasn’t the sky, but your eyes. I felt your hand holding mine and I heard your voice, thick with tears and fof rof relief at the same time: “Welcome back, Narcissa.”

I was in a bed in the Hogwarts informatory. A mediwitch bent over me, Severus stood at the foot of the bed, but the most important thing was that you kneeled next to me, holding my hand.

“I’m not death,” I said and my voice sounded very hoarse.

“Actually you are not, but …” You looked at Severus.

He nodded and turned. “I will go fetch Draco.”

By now the pain was back – not so bad as before, but I felt a stitch on the right winkle of my mouth and I couldn’t open my right eye because it was swollen and my cheek burned and my ear ringed. I knew I must look terrible and so I said pleading: “No – I don’t want Draco to see me like this.”

Your thumb stroke over the back of my hand. “I think he should,” you said. “He should know what his father is like – for his own sake, Narcissa. You don’t want him to become another victim of Lucius’ violence.”

Severus was gone, his black robes billowing around him. The mediwitch patted my arm and said: “I’m going to get a few potions. You’ll need a pain killer and some dreamless sleep potion and we’ll have to mend your broken bones, but don’t worry – in a few days you’ll be as good and beautiful as ever.”

She went away too and you conjured a chair and sat down. Sighing you said: “Although I would have wished for a less dramatic finish – I’m glad it’s finally over. The question only is: How do we handle the situation? If ccusccuse Lucius of an attempt to murder you he’ll know you are alive. And then he’ll try everything to get you. And even if he’s going to Azkaban – Voldemort would try to kill you. This would endanger not only you, but Draco. For his security I’d say: Be better death.”

“Hmm?” I said. My head hurt; therefore my thinking was pretty slow. “Do you think Lucius didn’t notice his killing curse missed me?”

“I’m sure he didn’t.” There was a tiny smile around your mouth – a grim smile. “He found a little ash where his curse had hit – and he was certain it was yours. But …” You rummaged in one of the inner pockets of your robe and then you laid – with infinite tenderness – a tiny, naked, ugly chicken that looked at me out of almost human black eyes on my blanket. “Lucius hit him …”

“Fawkes!” I had become quite fond of your phoenix over the last weeks and so I stroke softly over his head. “Poor Fawkes! You saved my life.”

You chuckled. “This time I was glad he cheated on me in our race. He was just the 30 seconds quicker he needed to save you.”

“Did Lucius see you?” I asked.

“No, he didn’t. He knew that a killing curse just in front of the Hogwarts gate would alarm not only me, but a few other people. He was just fleeing as I arrived.”

I swallowed. Not looking into your eyes, I said quietly: “There’s something you should know. I lied to Lucius. I said you were my lover.”

“Oh?” You raised an eyebrow and looked at me over the rim of your spectacles. “I’m sure you had reasons …”

“I’m sorry, Headmaster,” I whispered.

“No need. I was never before accused of something so flattering,” you smiled.

“But he will try to kill you!” I cried.

“I don’t think he was my friend before. So I don’t care that he’s my enemy now.”

Draco arrived – very pale and shaken and looking like a very small child in his dressing gown. He kneeled at my side. “Mommy – what did the monster do to you? I’ll kill him for this. One day soon I’ll kill him!”

Severus laid his hand on Draco’s shoulder. “You’ll get your revenge, Draco. But at the moment it’s no time for rage, but for cool thinking. We have to make sure your mother and you are safe.”

I think on this night my 16 year old son became a man – and he proved himself a true Slytherin. While I slept under the influence of the potions he sat with Severus and you in your office and planned.


In the morning it was him who came to me and informed me about your plan. “You are to stay at Hogwarts, mother. The headmaster is already working to make room for you in the main tower over his private quarters. There you will hide until he can get a real good new identity and a disguise for you. Professor Snape and I will attend your funeral …” He laid a letter with the Malfoy crest and Lucius’ handwriting on my bed. “My dear father informed me this morning, that the migraine you were suffering with was in fact a malign tumour. Learning that from your doctor – and I’m sure he’ll produce a healer who confirms this tale – and knowing that you would go mad, you decided to fi you your life and you sprang from the tower of the mansion. Be that you smashed yourself so much that your loving husband can’t bear to let somebody see your broken body. Therefore the coffin is already closed and the funeral will be tomorrow.” His eyes were cold and so was his voice. “I will of course be there to comfort my heart broken father.”

“Draco …” I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want his life become overshadowed by hatred.

Suddenly he smiled at me and then ook ook my hand. “I’m glad you’re there. And don’t worry about becoming bored while you must hide. The headmaster has got a private library you will love. And if it isn’t enough for you, you can ask him or me for getting you books from the big library. And I’ll visit you as often as I can. Professor Snape will pretend he needs me for assisting him in his private lab for a special project and from his lab leads a hidden stair to the headmaster’s rooms.”

I once again swallowed and blushed, cursing myself for the lie I’d told Lucius. But I had to tell Draco – before Lucius did. “Draco, there’s something you must know before you see your father. In our last argument I was so furious and so full of rage I wanted to hurt him as badly as possible. So I told him a lie …” Sweet Merlin! I had thought it would have been hard to confess it to you. But with Draco it was even harder. I needed all my courage to proceed: “I said I had a lover.”

“Oh?” Draco wrinkled his forehead. I saw that the chewed on this for a few seconds, but then he smile:” Who could blame you? He treated you like filth all the years …”

I breathed deeply before I jumped over the hurdle. “I said it would have been the headmaster.”

“What?” My son fell almost out of his chair. “Dumbledore? Your lover?”

“It was lie, Draco!” I reminded him.

He shook his head, looking absolutely flabbergasted. “Dumbledore! The old dodderer would rather get a heart attack than an erec …” He stopped in mid word as he saw my face – and yes, I was just to rebuke him sharply. “Mummy!” he cried. “You just said it was a lie.”

As odd as it may sound to you for I am the woman who once broke in your house and who betrayed and lied to her husband more often than she told him the truth: I hate lying. And I would never lie to you or to Draco. Therefore I decided to tell him the entire, humiliating truth. “Draco, it was a lie in so far as the ‘old dodderer’ –as you so ghastly put it – never showed an interest in sleeping with me. But I didn’t lie about my feelings for him.”

“Moment … “Draco looked at me as if I had just grown an entire set of new heads. “You want him as a lover?”

I nodded. “Yes, Draco and even more: Albus Dumbledore is the only man I’ve ever loved. I fell in love with him before you were born and I will love him until the end of my days.”

“But …” Draco had eyes as big as saucers. “I don’t understand … I mean … mother, look at you! You’re a beauty, you’re breath taking. Don’t tell me Dumbledore doesn’t notice. So … I mean ….” My son was stammering and he blushed as he said finally: “Why don’t you seduce him? I mean – if he’s still up to sex … I mean I hexed a boy once in my dormitory because he said a man would have to be blind, impotent or gay if he wouldn’t feel attracted by you, but he was actually right and so if Dumbledore isn’t out of the game … I mean …”

I started to laugh. You must admit: The situation made for it. My 16 year old son trying to convince me that I should seduce his headmaster! “Draco – you wouldn’t faint by the thought of it?” I teased him.

Draco shuddered. “Brrr – I’d rather avoid to think of it,” he said. “I mean he’s really very old. And all that hair! But if you want him … I mean it’s you who would have to deal with the hair.”

“I always liked his hair,” I said.

Draco was for a moment silent, and then he grinned. “He’s sometimes a bit eccentric, don’t you think? When I first came here I found him very odd and … unnerving. It’s said he’s the greatest wizard alive, but he’s always looking as if he would only play around. And if you get him for a teacher …”

“I had him as a teacher,” I reminded my son. “When I came to Hogwarts he was the transfiguration teacher.”

“And? Did he ever do something serious? We got him two weeks ago in potions – Snape was away for a conference. Dumbledore taught us hair improving potions! The girls were of course delighted …”

I smiled in the memory of our “special treatments”. “He is good with hair …”

“Mother!” Draco looked almost infuriated. “The most powerful wizard alive, the former partner of Nicolas Flamel – and hair potions! And as we had him once in transfiguration he changed everything he could lay his fingers on to sweets. He made even Professor McGonagall’s desk to candy – and she needed hours to change it back and she was so livid we thought she’d change him into a canary!”

“He wouldn’t have liked that,” I laughed. “He’s into bigger bird. His animagnus form is a beautiful, big falcon.”

Draco sighed. “You probably don’t know how much he is into birds! Blaise Zabini spent last summer a few days here because his parents were in America and couldn’t pick him up the first week of holidays. Afterwards he told us he went for swim in the lake – but there was Dumbledore too and he paddled happily with a rubber duck.”

I found this funny, but I’ve always liked your playfulness. Telling so I made Draco shaking his head.

“Great,” he sighed. “I shall get you a stuffed dragon for Christmas then.” Becoming serious again, he looked in my eyes. “It seems the two of you have a rather strange taste.”

I felt so light headed I giggled. “Why? You won’t confess to me you’re in love with Professor McGonagall?”

Draco neither shuddered nor laughed. Seriously he said: “Her husband would give me a run for my money. Augustus McGonagall is the Headmaster of the Auror’s Academy – I don’t think one should mess around with his wife. But … I’m in love with a Gryffindor and when father learns about that I’m probably the next one who’s to fall from the tower.”

“The muggleborn little genius? Her …. How was her name?” I asked.

Draco shook his head. “No, it’s not Hermione Granger. It’s probably worse. It’s Ginevra Weasley.”

This name I know. The Weasleys are favourite enemies of Lucius. He hates Arthur Weasley, a warm hearted and always kind man, to the core. And I remembered even more: “Wasn’t she the girl your father gave Riddle’s diary?”

“Yes.” Draco nodded. “And she was very brave.”

“I remember.” I smiled at my son. “She seems quite a remarkable young witch. I’d like to meet her …” The thought that I actually was death made me suddenly sad.

“Her parents are very close to Dumbledore. Perhaps he’ll allow us to tell Ginny. Then you could meet her. I’m sure …,” oo’s eyes beamed with pride and tenderness, “… you will love her. I mean …” Now he became a bit awkward. “I love her, Mummy, but … I mean … I find her very pretty, but … she isn’t such a stunning beauty as you. She’s got freckles – very cute … and she’s a red head.”

“Important to me is that she appreciates you and that you love her,” I said firmly.

“I love her very much,” Draco said promptly. “And I think she loves me too and I want to marry her when we’re ready with school.” He smiled at me. “I think we’re going to become very happy, Mother. I will get Ginny and at least five cute redheaded kids – and you’ll get the headmaster and …”

“Don’t say I’ll get half a dozen redheads too!” I sighed. “For this I feel actually too death.”

“Red heads?” Draco wondered.

“Red heads. Our taste is alike, Draco. The headmaster was a red head once too. Only he wasn’t as red as the Weasleys, but more auburn.”

To be continued …