Touch of Madness

   Lucius sat slouched in his favorite overstuffed armchair. The muggle chair with it’s flip up foot rest was a sharp contrast to the prim deep green leather covered chairs that made their home in front of his massive desk. His study was a mix of indulgent comfort and high-end business. All in the greens and greys by his Slytherin ancestors.  The sage green microfiber was soft on his bare forearms and the delightful scent of garlic stuffed olives rose from the bowl in his lap. Popping one in his mouth he leaned back and enjoyed the warmth of the spring sunlight through the floor to ceiling windows.

   A soft creak caught his attention as the door opened.  Tossing another olive in his mouth he peered around the back of his chair to see who had intruded on his solitude. A small house elf in a designer soft blue tea towel shuffled toward him wringing her hands. Pippy never left her mistress’ side and this didn’t bode well for Lucius.

   “Master Lucius, yous must come quick sir! My Lady Cissy has gone mad she has!” The little elf’s voice trembled with worry. Lucius launched himself out of his chair and thundered across the antique carpet, narrowly missing the corner of a low bookshelf.

   A million thoughts ran through his head. His beloved wife had not been the same since the end of the war. She had done the round of parties but sank out of society after a few months. It was now almost a year past the end of the war and she rarely left her wing of the manor. The house elves popped their heads out of doors as he passed, his frantic behavior an oddity for the normally calm, composed man.  Draco slunk after him wondering had his father in such a tizzy.

   He slid into Narcissa’s bedroom and tripped over the dirty robes on the floor. Sobbing echoed out through what even he thought was a disgustingly large closet. Without bothering to stand up he half crawled, half ran towards the sound. 

   He found Narcissa curled into a ball on the cool tiled floor. Boxes, bottles and potions vials surrounded her, some smashed and others with the contents spilled making rainbow puddles around the bawling woman. Her robes were thrown over her head, shaking and heaving with her hysterical cries. Lucius got down beside her and drew her into his arms.  “Hush my love, tell me what’s wrong?” He rubbed her back and crooned quietly into where he figured her ear was.

   Draco silently entered the bathroom and eyed the mess. He got down on his knees and picked up a box the he was sure he had seen somewhere else. It was box of muggle hair dye. A smiling woman was running her fingers through almost white blond hair. The box boasted it was a no drip foam without peroxide. No harsh chemicals and soothing essential oils for lustrous shine. The corner of his mouth quirked.  He tapped his father’s shoulder gently and handed him the box. Lucius looked at it and slowly peeled back Narcissa’s robes off her head.

   He was met with a blotchy face streaked with tears and topped by a lemon yellow, straw colored streaked mess. His eyes widened at the sight and self preservation kept him silent.

“I-I-I’m s-s-sorry” was sobbed into the crook of Narcissa’s extremely damp old work robes. “ I’m go-going grey! Old awful grey!”

   Lucius wasn’t sure what the problem was. He had more than a few grey hairs himself courtesy of growing older and letting a mad man ruin his life with threats to his family. It was a fact of life.  He smoothed out her awful hair and whispered words into her ear that made her smile.