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Chapter 44





Hello...Sister, dear.





"Where was I...ah, well, after assessing the damage, I sent Christopher off to update Albus, more to get him off my back about not moving with my injuries than anything."



"I've since figured that out, you naughty girl." Christopher injected, wagging his finger at her. The students grinned at him and nodded.



"Sorry, dear, but I had a job to do. You realize that now, don't you?"



"Yes, I do. Once an Auror, always an Auror. Proceed."



"Thank you. Anyway, I thought if I could keep Lucius occupied, help would come and he'd be captured, too. Maybe/. And that was a /big maybe."



"That's why you took your gun with you, isn't it?" Neville asked.



"Precisely, Neville. My wand was useless, but I had my gun in my pocket, if needed. I was hoping I wouldn't have to use it, but it became obvious, very quickly, that Lucius was not about to be captured, if he could help it. He did make it clear, however, that he wasn't leaving without /me/, dead or alive."



"Why did he want to take you? Is being the D.A.D.A. teacher that dangerous?" asked Harry.



"No. Apparently, Lucius was going to present me to Voldemort as a gift - one less Auror to worry about - and also I was to be Draco's first killing spell victim at his marking ceremony."



"What!" "How awful!" "Draco's A Death Eater?" "Blimey" "Will he dare come back?"



"Wait, wait/, everyone. I don't believe Draco had /any idea his father was planning all of this. I truly believe he would have been as much a kidnapping victim as I. He'd have had no choice, no say in the whole thing."



"Why wouldn't he go along with it? Like father, like son." Seamus muttered.



"Much as he dislikes me, I don't think Draco could just kill me, not without a lot of pressure from his father...and Voldemort. Moot point, as the party was canceled. For now."



"How can you be sure Draco hasn't become a Death Eater since that night?"



"I just don't' think it's happened yet. Voldemort is smart enough to figure out Draco has to make up his own mind, now, about this. Trying to pressure him would just push him away. Although, he probably is assuming Draco will come straight to him after school is over, this summer."



"He might force him," Justin shrugged, "even without his father being there."



"No, I doubt he would risk having an unwilling follower, especially one who could be harboring any resentment. Better to bide his time. Draco will come of age soon and summer holiday leaves him out in the open, to be contacted at Malfoy Manor. Waiting six weeks or so isn't that long for such a prize."



"What happens if he does join?"



"I don't honestly know. I do know he's really confused right now; mad at his father for being so stupid as to get killed by me, mad at me for killing his father. And, again, mad at this father for what he did to his mother."



"What? What happened?" Lavender gasped.



"Before Lucius came after me he'd beaten Narcissa into unconsciousness, for refusing to abort the baby she's expecting. Draco's going to be a big brother next fall."



"You're kidding?"



"About which, the beating or the baby?"



"Both."



"Nope, both are fact. And that information stays /here/," pointing to the floor, "too, people!"



"How do you know all of this stuff?" asked Hermione. "Who told you?"



"Professor Dumbledore told me, at St. Mungo's. He learned of it from Professor Snape, who he'd sent to Malfoy Manor, to break the news of Lucius' death to Draco and Narcissa, as Head of Slytherin House and family friend. He arrived right behind the Healer from St. Mungo's that Draco had summoned after finding his mother on the floor in the parlor."



"Poor Draco." Hermione breathed.



"/What/?" Ron cried.



"I mean it, Ron! It must have been awful for him, finding his mother and then learning his father was dead and that Lucius had been the one to do that to his mother. I mean, he's not my favorite person in the world, but I wouldn't wish that on /anybody/. Would /you/?" she replied hotly, hands on her hips.



"Well, no, I guess not. Sorry." Ron replied sheepishly.



"Well said, Hermione," Anna agreed. "Now, that news stays here, too, unless.../when Draco returns, and it becomes school gossip or common knowledge, then, the silence ban on /that bit, only, is lifted. Fair enough?"



The students nodded, still trying to absorb what they'd just heard.



"Wouldn't it be better to do a memory charm on us?" Harry asked.



"No. I want you to know all that happened and why/. From here on, there are no secrets where Voldemort is concerned. If it /affects one of us, it affects all of us.



"Now, the hard part, but, from my standpoint probably the most therapeutic: here's where I tell you what happened between Lucius and me in the garden.



X # X # X



Next thing I knew, I was in St. Mungo's. End of story. After hearing, later, all the other details about Narcissa and Draco finding her and what Lucius had done to her; I was less inclined to harbor too much guilt. Having to kill another human being is an awfu/l thing to be forced to do, even to save your own life, /but I've made an exception in this case. Maybe that's callus, but it's the way I'm going to handle it, for my own peace of mind."



"Frankly, I think you were too easy on him." Harry smiled at her. "Too bad you couldn't have captured him, along with the other three and sent them all back to Voldemort, wrapped up in ribbons, with a nice little note about what they'd been up to and he could have dealt with them."



"Right, Harry," Neville agreed, grinning. "But still, the three that are back in Azkaban will do well to stay there if Voldemort tries to break them out again, don't you think?"



"They're probably planning on doing just that, Neville," Anna nodded her head, smiling. "Safer in than out, I'd bet. Now...without further ado, it's time for today's lesson."



Moans and groans greeted that statement, until they saw her pointing to her clock on the desk and the bell rang, signaling the end of lessons for the day.



"See you at dinner!"



X # X # X



Draco did return the next weekend and entered the Great Hall with Professor Snape, who walked him to his place at the Slytherin table and then proceeded to his own seat at the staff table.



The rest of the school were making an deliberate effort not to turn and look towards the Slytherins, but those who were facing in that direction kept the others notified of what transpired.



Pansy Parkinson moved to sit next to Draco, pushing Gregory Goyle down the bench and turning her back to him, devoted her attention exclusively to Draco. Vincent Crabbe, sitting on the other side of the table, exchanged looks with Gregory and shrugged. Pansy whispered in Draco's ear and gave Vincent a withering look. Draco nodded and ignored his two friends, obviously to show he blamed their fathers for the failed attempt at kidnapping Professor Twigg-Jones.



Crabbe and Goyle were at a loss as to what to do or say, so they devoted themselves to their dinners, which they ate in silence.



X # X # X



Professor Twigg-Jones entered the Great Hall from the side door and slid into her chair just as dinner started. After the main courses, she stood, walked around the back of Dumbledore's chair, bent over and whispered in his ear. He nodded and she left by the same side door.



The D.A. members exchanged looks, but Neville leaned forward so the group could hear him and whispered, "She's still not feeling quite up to snuff. I had tea with her today, and I know she puts on a brave face for us, but she's still a little depressed. Uncle Christopher says it's a natural reaction and he's trying to help her work through it."



"Look. Draco just noticed she's left," observed Hermione. Draco and Pansy were whispering and looking toward the staff table.



"Well, at least he hasn't lost his ability to put that stupid smirk on his face," sneered Ron. "He probably thinks she's scared to face him, the git."



"Ron, don't be silly, he's not that stupid," Hermione relied, "Egotistical, yes, but stupid, no."



"I've been watching that cow, Pansy, drape herself all over Draco. He loves every minute of it, and then some, I bet." Ginny added, with a wicked grin..



"Ginny!" gasped Hermione.



"What? You don't think so?"



"Of course I do, I just wish I'd said it first."



The girls dissolved into a fit of the giggles, while the boys looked at each other and shrugged. Un-noticed by the D.A., Draco says something in Pansy's ear and they grinned slyly at each other.



X # X # X



Narcissa sat at the secretary desk, quill poised over the piece of parchment, as she gazed out of the window, her mind miles away. Shaking her head, she brought her thoughts back to the task at hand. She'd caught herself day-dreaming a lot lately, mostly about the baby; she was hoping for a girl.



But, she really needed to concentrate and finish the last few thank you notes to those in the Wizarding community who had sent her letters of condolence. The list wasn't very long and it was a chore she despised.



She had gotten over her bitterness about those 'friends' who were suddenly so solicitous of her and her future. Where had they been all those months when Lucius was in Azkaban and she had sat alone for days? The nosy hypocrites. So she had composed an upbeat, positive, almost relentlessly cheerful standard reply which she was copying and sending to them all. After a determined half an hour she was done. Finally!



She dropped the quill and stretched her long, thin, pale fingers. Standing, she turned, thinking she would go the kitchen for a bite to eat, when she looked up and gasped, hand flying to her throat.



"/Bella/!"



"Hello, sister, dear."



"I didn't hear you come in."



"You were concentrating; scratching away, busy, busy."



Bella strolled over to the table and looking down, reached out and picked up one of the notes, smiling slightly.



"Always doing the socially correct, well mannered thing, aren't you? Thanks you notes, how quaint."



"Did you notice? There isn't one addressed to you, Bella, as I received no apparent sympathy from you or any other member of Lucius' 'band of blood brothers'."



"Hardly surprising, considering his unauthorized, failed attempt at kidnapping that bitch Twigg-Jones deprived our Master of four followers."



"Ah, but the sympathy I speak of was not about his loss, but mine/. Your Master could have shown me /some token consideration. But, then, realistically, I didn't expect any.



"Oh, but he is /concerned about you, Narcissa, dear.../and your baby. How will you survive? I, myself, have volunteered to help with the child when it arrives and of course, Draco has a place reserved for him at our Master's knee. The Dark Lord will be his surrogate father, and continue his education when he leaves Hogwarts this year."



"But...he has another, final year to go before graduation." Narcissa looked at her sister through narrowed eyes.



"Draco will be ready to join us as soon as he comes of age next month. This will be his last year at Hogwarts."



"And with what authority are you making that statement. I'm his mother and he will complete his education. I won't hear of him not finishing school!" Narcissa's voice was rising and she was aware of her sister starting to smile at her, which made her even more upset. "That's the final word on that subject. I won't entertain any other suggestions about my son's education. Not until he graduates and then it will be his decision."



"His decision can be made after his birthday next month, sister of mine. When he comes of age you won't be able to say or do anything about his future. His future is at our Master's side."



"Get out!"



"Temper, temper, little sister. I'm only..."



"/GET OUT/!" Narcissa picked up the ink well from the desk and threw it at Bella, who Disapparated, leaving only her ringing laughter echoing around the room.



Narcissa slumped back down on the chair and buried her face in her hands, crying.