Sub Rosa

A/N - I ave caught up with myself in writing this so the pace up updates may slow a little, sorry, but I like to make sure the chapters are at their best when I post them. Thanks as always to my wonderful beta, Kate, whom I adore! Thank you all for your reviews, you make me blush!


Chapter 51 – Tea with Narcissa

Kathryn sat in Albus’s office and watched the young Slytherin girl as she sat in shock. Albus had delivered the news as gently as possible, but there was no easy way to tell a child that she had just lost her father.

The child sat as still as a statue, her eyes unfocused and blank. Albus continued.

“According to your father’s will, in event of his death Professor Snape is to assume the duties of Head of your Line.” Minuet continued to stare uncomprehendingly at the Headmaster. “Since there are no sons, your cousin Tate will inherit the house and grounds. Your mother and sister have been allowed to stay there for now, but will need to find somewhere to live.” Albus stopped then, as it was obvious that the girl had tracked nothing beyond the first statement that her father was dead.

“Minuet?” Kathryn reached out to the little girl who looked up at her with bewildered eyes. She pushed herself out of her chair and stepped towards Kathryn, groping blindly for some comfort. Kathryn pulled the girl into her lap and held her, rocking back and forth, patting her hair, and giving what little she could.

It was long moments before the girl began to cry. When the tears did finally begin to fall, she sobbed with great racking shudders that passed through her and shook her small form. Kathryn stroked her back and made soothing noises, knowing that there was nothing to say, nothing to do and that only time would ease the girl’s distress. Time could ease it but nothing could ever remove it completely.

Three hours later, having placed Minuet into Harry’s, Draco’s and Hermione’s care, Kathryn stood before the gates of Malfoy manor. The hardest tap dance of her life was before her. To smile and simper and make nice with Narcissa Malfoy while the memory of Minuet’s distress was fresh would require a deeper coldness than any she had pulled around her since Cairo.

She called on the image of an old pain. She remembered Thomas Perrine, how he died and how she had held him as the burning curse twisted its way through his guts, his last kiss still on her lips.

She called up that image and the one that followed, as she hunted his murderer through the streets of Leningrad. She remembered the coldness she had felt as she pushed the knife between the dark wizard’s ribs and watched him die, shrieking and foaming pink around his lips.

When she had chilled herself and frozen her soul, she stepped through the gates of Malfoy manor.

Narcissa greeted her, dressed in lavender and gray. Kathryn had chosen an ice blue gown with silver trim that Grand-mére had given her for Christmas. It had full sleeves that hid her extra wand and her knives perfectly.

“Kathryn dearest!” Narcissa air-kissed her and fluttered her lashes disingenuously.

“Narcissa, so good to see you!” Kathryn simpered with a sweet smile. “You have no idea how pleased I was to receive your invitation.” Kathryn twittered as they settled at the elaborately set table. “Society is quite lacking at Hogwarts.” Leaning back in her chair and waving an airy hand, Kathryn made a moue of distaste.

“I can only imagine, you poor dear!” Narcissa nodded and gave a delicate shudder. “Mudbloods, half-bloods and monsters!”

Kathryn contented herself with a feeling look towards Narcissa and waited for her hostess to serve the tea.

“Draco is always a spot of brightness, of course.” Kathryn said as Narcissa handed her a fine bone china teacup. “You raised a perfectly delightful young man, Narcissa.”

“Yes, Draco has never given a moment’s worry.” Narcissa agreed. “That is one of the things I so wished to speak to you about.” Having been given her opening, Kathryn took it.

“Not that I wasn’t delighted for any excuse to visit, my dear, but why on earth did you want to talk to me about Lillith DracDraco?” She kept her tone light and pleasant with a hint of puzzlement.

“Well, honestly, there were other things I wanted to talk to you about as well.” Narcissa fluttered as she poured more tea and served up some rather elaborate chocolate things with mousse centers and chocolate shavings on top. Kathryn picked at them daintily.

Something brushed her mind and Kathryn went on full alert. From the outside, there was no visible change, but Kathryn began to run a series of equations through the back of her mind, while keeping her surface thoughts strongly on the tea and Narcissa’s conversation. Voldemort was trying to get access to her mind.

She kept her smile, but inside she felt a tinge of panic. She was not particularly skilled at Occlumency, certainly not in Severus’ league. She could fool most Legilimens with her mathematical shenanigans, but a concerted effort on the part of the invader would break her defenses. She would have been wearing a blur device that Madam Chanel had invented if she had known there was a chance she would be read. She hadn’t expected this and honestly, she should have.

She had underestimated Narcissa and Voldemort and she only hoped it wouldn’t be a fatal error. He had to be in the Manor somewhere, as distance was a hindrance to Legilimancy.

“I was thinking maybe you could talk to Severus about shinghing for me.” Narcissa continued and Kathryn prayed her quick mental reorganization hadn’t caused her to miss anng. ng.

“Well, Severus isn’t a very persuadable man, Narcissa.” Kathryn temporized. Narcissa made a little pout and flounced in her chair. Kathryn studied the effect with fascination, she hadn’t known it was possible to flounce while still seated.

“Yes, but Bella went on and on about him and now we all want to try him and he won’t even reply to our letters.” Kathryn allowed the quick flash of temper to travel to her watcher. She built up a sense of possessiveness and fed it to

“Am I to understand that Severus slept with Bellatrix?” The look of triumph on Narcissa’s face was very poorly disguised.

“Oh dear, I assumed you knew.” Narcissa placed an artful hand on her delicate bosom and attempted to look contrite. Bitch, Kathryn thought savagely, keeping that thought hidden behind a particularly complex quadratic equation.

“No, I didn’t” She fed her own natural jealousy and made it larger for Voldemort’s benefit.

“Well, truth to tell, he was fulfilling a ...request, from an old friend.” Narcissa ducked her head coyly. Kathryn manufactured a sense of relief.

“Oh, well that’s different.” She smiled at Narcissa. “I understand the necessities of duty, Narcissa dear.” Look at me, I’m a good little pureblood, Kathryn projected cheerfully.

“So, I take it you don’t share then, dear?” Kathryn sighed and leaned back in her chair, fixing Narcissa with an appraising look.

“When I am done with him, of course you can do what you want. As long as he’s mine though, don’t touch.” She gave a lupine smile and watched as Narcissa flinched a bit. She allowed coldness into her thoughts and anger at Narcissa’s presumption.

She doubted whether Voldemort knew what love really was, so there was no need to let him see her feelings for Severus. Possession and jealousy, these were things Voldemort understood, so she gave them to him, keeping the more tender emotions hidden in ge oge of numbers.

“Of course, dear, I do understand.” Narcissa had a very satisfied expression on her face and Kathryn figured she must have been fishing specifically to find out how much success Severus was having “wooing” Kathryn. “But about Draco and dear Lillith. He tells me that she is planning on going to University before they are wed.”

“That is her plan.” Kathryn spoke in her best non-committal tone.

“But surely there is no need for that?” Narcissa seemed geely ely puzzled. “She won’t need an education as Mrs. Malfoy, everything she could ever want will be provided for her.”

“I’m sure that is true, however she wants the education to better herself. Draco mustn’t have an ignorant wife.” Kathryn poked Narcissa deliberately with that last comment.

Happily, Narcissa switched to more neutral ground and the conversation devolved to clothing and gossip. Kathryn kept her mind and her tongue under tight control for the rest of the afternoon, but she was very glad to finally escape from both Narcissa’s boring conversation and Voldemort’s prying tendrils of thought.