Blind

Chapter Five

Draco pushed open the door to the Master Bedroom. "We'll start in here," he said. "This seems to be my parents' favorite room in the house." The other two glanced at each other and then at the statues standing outside the room, one of Lucius and one of Narcissa, both of them with narrowed, suspicious eyes. They seemed to be closely regarding their guests.

Hermione and Harry followed Draco into the large chamber and looked around. It was magnificently decorated with large portraits. The largest one hung over the bed; it was a wedding portrait of Lucius and Narcissa. He was dressed in black dress robes, trimmed with silver. She was in a wedding gown with a long train trailing her. Her veil was held in place on top of her head by a small tiara bearing the Malfoy family crest. Unlike the other portraits in the manor, the people in this one didn't glare down at the three of them or hurl insults. Rather, they seemed preoccupied with each other.

Draco waved his hand around. "You might find something anywhere in here. But you can't look around the bed."

"Why not?" Harry asked, turning his attention upon the large bed with its satin bloodred sheets and silk draperies.

"Because they put a charm on it that only allows the two of them to touch the bed," Draco replied sharply. "No one else can go near it."

Harry looked over at Hermione, who shrugged back at him. "Why would they do something like that?" His face then broke into a sinister grin. "Afraid their son might bring Pansy home and get some ideas?"

Draco glared at Harry. "It's more an issue of this room being sacred to them."

"So your parents are afraid of the other cheating on them?" Harry asked. "I could see it, you know, your poor ol' mum left by herself and turning to one of your dad's friends for a bit of comfort."

"My parents would never cheat on each other," Draco growled, his hand clutching the handle of his wand. "Never."

"Would you two please stop discussing the Malfoys' extramarital business and help me look?" Hermione asked impatiently as she crossed the room and flung open the doors of a closet. It opened into a whole new room, about as large as the Gryffindor common room, and each wall was covered with racks of clothing. It was obviously Narcissa's closet.

Hermione started pacing the rows of many colored robes and dresses. Harry and Draco followed in. At the back of the room, Hermione sighed and spun around. Harry and Draco had come to a halt by her.

"Nothing here that I can see," Hermione said somberly.

"Same he-Hey! What's this?" Harry asked, grinning as he pulled a hanger from a rack. He held up a skimpy green nightgown. "Well, I think we found Mrs. Malfoy's lingerie. Say, I hear Snape has a picture of her in this outfit on his desk-"

Draco turned a bright shade of red, snatched the gown from Harry, and shoved it back in its place. "If you're going to insult my parents, I'll kick you out of the house and your little weasel friend will stay right where he is."

"Let's just look elsewhere," Hermione said quickly, throwing a patronizing look at Harry. They turned to leave but Hermione stopped. "Say, Draco, is this all your mother's clothes? Would she have any elsewhere?"

Draco frowned. "I think this is all."

"Well, would she have some, er, maternity clothes in here?"

Draco narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Near the back, I'd think since she hasn't worn them for almost eighteen years. Why do you ask?" His face broke into a smirk, though his eyes were still full of suspicion. "Been making some more nasty little half-breeds to ruin the world?"

Harry reached for his wand, but Hermione shook her head. "Draco, I've found your mum in the hospital. Actually, I look after her, and she wants some new robes. Seeing as she's a very slim woman and most of this stuff is form-fitting, I figured she'd just want some bigger robes so she can be more comfortable," Hermione quickly explained.

Harry looked unconvinced at her explanation, but said nothing. Draco, however, looked anxious. "You've seen Mother? How is she? Where is she? Can I visit her?"

Hermione sighed. "She has told me that you are not to come visit her."

For the first time in their lives, Harry and Hermione witnessed a different Draco. This Draco had a look of disbelief and hurt washing over his face. He looked as if he had just been stabbed in the chest with a dagger. "W-w-what? Why would she say that?" he murmured.

"It's for your safety," Hermione explained. "She just doesn't want you to end up where she is."

Draco didn't say anything, but left the closet. Harry and Hermione walked to the back of the closet and found a rack containing rather large robes. "This must be her maternity section," Hermione said, reaching for a pale violet robe.

"There's another reason you're back here," Harry said. "More than for comfort, I'd say. What's really going on, Hermione?"

Hermione bit her lip as she pulled more robes from their hangers. "Well, Narcissa is, well-"

"Oh, that's exactly what the world needs when in the middle of some blinding epidemic. Another Malfoy loose in the world," Harry said bitterly.

"Maybe," Hermione said quietly. She placed the armful of robes in Harry's hands. "Here, take these." She then led the way out of the closet.

Once they were out, they saw Draco standing by the large windows on the other side of the room. His hand was resting on the handle of a glass door, leading out to the balcony. Harry and Hermione glanced uneasily at each other, but Hermione's attention was drawn to the bedside table nearest them.

"Oh! Exactly what I was hoping to find!" Hermione cried joyously. Harry frowned at her and Draco even turned as she bounded towards the table and picked up a wand that had been laying on it. "Say, Draco, is this your mum's?"

Draco nodded and returned to the window.

"I dare say she could use this," Hermione murmured to Harry as she slid the wand into her pocket. "Here, I'll take these robes and I think that's all we'll find here."

"Hold on," Harry said. "I'm just wondering...." He cautiously stepped over toward the bed and placed his hand on one of the draperies. "OUCH!" He quickly withdrew his hand as some sparks fell to the floor.

"Harry!" Hermione said, coming over. "What happened?"

Harry held up his burnt and blistered hand.

"I told you it can't be touched," Draco said, smirking.

*************

Hermione laid the various robes and Narcissa's wand out on her bed. "We didn't get very far in there, but I think we need to start searching when Draco isn't around."

Harry nodded. "Yeah. Maybe we should check out ol' Lucius' office. Bet there's lots of stuff in there."

"Well, yes, that's an idea," Hermione said. "When do you think the best time would be to do it?"

Harry grinned. "One minute, all right?" He slid out of the room and soon returned with his Invisibility Cloak clutched in his hands. "I say we go for it now."

Harry threw the cloak over Hermione and himself and they crept out of the room and down the hall.

"Do you have any idea where his office is?" Hermione whispered.

Harry held his finger up to his mouth. "Shhhhh. I hear something."

Hermione and Harry tiptoed, careful not to let the cloak "swish" too much. They could hear footsteps hurrying up a staircase. "Let's follow," Harry said excitedly.

They hurried after the fading steps and soon found themselves behind a shadowy figure hurrying down a corridor towards a large black door with a plaque reading Lucius A. Malfoy's Office. "Alohomora," a woman's voice said and the door popped open. The figure looked over at Harry and Hermione and then slipped inside, closing the door firmly behind her.

"Bellatrix Lestrange," Harry muttered. He whipped out his wand. "I could finish her, right here, right now."

"No, Harry," Hermione said firmly. "We have other things to worry about. She's in Lucius' office, but I think I've found another room which might prove helpful. Come on."

Hermione grabbed Harry's wrist and pulled him through several corridors, down a staircase, up another one, and down another corridor. She came to a halt in front of another large black door with a golden plaque on it. This one read Library. Hermione pushed the door open and as soon as they stepped in, lights all along the walls flickered on.

"Wow," Hermione said, breathless. She was looking along the shelves of books. The room had two levels and shelves covered every inch of wall space on both floors. She ran over to a shelf devoted to large black books. "Look at this, Harry! A book for every generation of Malfoys!" She ran her finger along the bottom row. "Absalom Malfoy, Ahab Malfoy, oh, here's Lucius! And look, Draco!"

"Insane," Harry muttered as he surveyed a shelf devoted to the history of the Dark Arts. He turned to face a large curtain on the other side of the room. "What do you suppose is behind that?"

Hermione shrugged as she went over to a small mahogany desk in the middle of the room. Harry went over to the curtain and yanked it open.

"A half-blood!" shrieked one of the characters in the large portrait he was now staring at. She was around thirteen years old and dressed in dark blue robes. She had long dark hair, much like the girl who was seated by her.

"Oh, Bella, shut up," a boy's voice said casually as he came strolling into the portrait. Harry drew in a breath. The boy was handsome and had dark hair and a cocky smile. It was his godfather, Sirius Black. He looked at Harry carefully. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"Probably. Associating with half-bloods is just the thing you'd do," a younger boy who greatly resembled Sirius replied.

The last member of the portrait was staring down at Harry curiously. She was about ten and had blonde hair that contrasted greatly with the dark hair of the others. However, she had the same cool grey eyes the others had.

Harry looked at the plaque underneath the picture. It said The youngest generation of Blacks: Bellatrix Black, Sirius Black, Andromeda Black, Regulus Black, and Narcissa Black. "Er, Hermione, I think we've found one of Narcissa's refuges in this house. There's Black memorabilia here!"

"Harry, come look at this!" Hermione cried, pulling a bowl carved with ancient runes from the bottom drawer of the desk she was now sitting behind.

Harry peered at the white mist floating around in it. "A Pensieve," he murmured.

"Would it be wrong to use it? You know, look into Narcissa's memories?" Hermione asked uncertainly, but she answered her own question. "No, we must. There could be clues in there."

Harry tapped the mist with his wand and it began to swirl. "Follow me," he instructed Hermione. He stuck his face in the bowl and soon was falling head first into the bowl. He landed in what appeared to be a parlor. With a thud, Hermione landed next to him. They looked over to the fireplace where a young girl dressed in light blue robes was standing. With her blonde hair piled on top of her head and her tall, slim figure, they recognized her as Narcissa.

"She's aged well, hasn't she?" Hermione asked amusedly. "Looks a lot like she does now."

They peered over her shoulder to look at the parchment she clutched in her hand. It read:

Mr. Arviragus and Mrs. Perdita Black are pleased to announce the betrothal of their youngest daughter, Miss Narcissa J. Black, to Mr. Agaememnon C. O. Fodge.

Harry and Hermione glanced at each other in surprise then turned back to Narcissa who had thrown the parchment in the fire and was now content to watch it burn.

"Narcissa! Get down here now!" a cold voice shrieked. The door to the parlor was flung open and a dark-haired witch in green robes burst in. It was Bellatrix. "Get downstairs now," she said coldly. "The ball is about to begin."

"A bit unpleasant today, aren't we?" Narcissa said coolly as she followed Bellatrix out of the room.

"You'd be unpleasant, too, if you had to marry my fiance," Bellatrix snapped back.

"What? You know him?" Narcissa asked in surprise. "Well, that's certainly an improvement because I've neither met nor heard of my new fiance." Narcissa sighed.

"Yes, I've met him several times and I despise the man," Bellatrix said. "And you've no need to get acquainted with your fiance because you're only fourteen and have plenty of time. Just get a boyfriend. In some aspects, it makes the whole situation much better. Then again, it can make it worse, too...." Her voice trailed off as they neared the ballroom.

"There you are!" a dark-haired woman cried anxiously. "Most of the guests are here and we need to get in there now!"

"Yes, Mother," the girls echoed in bored voices.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," a drawling man's voice said. Harry and Hermione looked up to see a tall man with a pale, pointed face and sleek white-blond hair cross the room. It was Lucius Malfoy.

"No problem at all," Mrs. Black said smoothly. "Now then, you just take Bellatrix's arm. After all, this is your party! Oh, and here is your father! Ahab! We were just about to proceed..."

An older version of Lucius crossed the hall.

"Wonderful," Ahab drawled.

The Blacks led the way, and Lucius lazily extended his arm and Bellatrix hesitantly took it and followed suit. Narcissa was left alone with Ahab Malfoy. She looked over at him uncertainly.

"Here," Ahab said, extending his arm to her. Narcissa smiled and took it and they crossed into the ballroom, Harry and Hermione at their heels.

"Wow," Hermione breathed as they entered the cavernous room. It was dark and gothic, dimly-lit, but it was still beautiful. The ceiling was made of dark green glass that gave off an eerie glow on the stone black walls.

"Wait, we're at an engagement party for Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy?!" Harry asked increduously.

"Well, at the moment, she's Bellatrix Black, but yes, I'd say we are," Hermione replied. "Not quite the happy couple, are they?" She nodded to where Bellatrix had strode to the other side of the room and was immersed in a conversation with a young boy. Lucius had strolled to the other side of the room and was watching the couples twirl around him with narrowed eyes. "And there goes Narcissa! Let's get nearer to her!" Hermione dragged Harry over to the side of the room that Narcissa was tentatively creeping toward. She quietly slid into a spot near Lucius Malfoy.

Lucius, having noticed movement at his side, peered over, but his gaze returned to the dance floor. Suddenly, he did a double take and looked up and down Narcissa, who looked lost. He slid next to her.

"And who, might I ask, are you?"

Narcissa looked up in surprise. "I-I'm your future sister-in-law, I suppose. Bellatrix's youngest sister."

"I was hoping for more along the lines of your name," Lucius said.

"Oh!" Narcissa said, flushing a deep crimson color. "Narcissa Black."

"Narcissa," Lucius repeated, letting the name roll off his tongue. "You know, it'll be completely impossible at future family functions, showing up in this house, sitting next to Bellatrix at dinner, all the while thinking about what I'd rather be doing with a different member of the family...."

It took a moment for Narcissa to register what he had just said to her, but when she did, she blushed even more furiously. However, a smile crept onto her lips. She looked like she wanted to say something. Suddenly, she blurted out, "Would you care to dance with me?"

"Taking the initiative?" Lucius asked, amused. "Here, let's do it properly." He bowed to her. "Would you care to dance with me?"

Narcissa curtsied back and replied, "I'd be more than honored to, Mr. Malfoy."

"It's Lucius," Lucius said, wrapping an arm around her waist and grasping her hand with his.

"Oh," Hermione said quietly, watching dolefully as Lucius spun her around the dance floor.

Harry nudged her in the side. "Look at Lucius' dad over there!" Ahab Malfoy was standing in the shadows, but they could see the look on his face. It wasn't one of anger, but more of surprise and longing. "Wonder what's got him?" Hermione shrugged.

They continued watching the couple dance for what felt like a good hour. Suddenly, a bell rang throughout the hall.

"Dinner!" Mrs. Black cried. "The dining hall is just this way, if you please!"

She and Mr. Black led the guests into a large dining room. The long table situated in the middle of the room could easily seat about 150 guests, though it was rather thin. Bellatrix unhappily slid into a seat next to Lucius, who had sat across from Narcissa.

Dinner was fairly quiet with only a low rumble of chatting voices. Hermione and Harry were crouched in a corner where they could see Lucius and Narcissa in plain view. They kept sneaking smiles at each other, and none of the other guests paid any attention. Suddenly, Narcissa gave a small cry, "Oh!"

The other guests turned to look at her.

"Narcissa, dear, is something wrong?" Mrs. Black asked coldly.

Narcissa had turned a bright shade of red. "N-no, Mother, I'm fine. Just a bit excitable, I suppose." She smiled at her parents, who glared back at her, but soon returned to their meals.

Narcissa looked over at Lucius who was grinning mischievously. She looked ready to smack him, yet she was clearly suppressing a laugh. Hermione was sniggering behind her hand, and Harry looked wildly over at her. "What are they doing?"

"Well, with a table so thin, I'd say they got into a slight game of footsie. And by the looks and sounds of it, I'd say Lucius, er, well, he didn't quite stop with her foot."

Harry frowned, but figured it was best not to inquire anymore.

Dinner slowly past and the guests made their way back into the ballroom. Lucius had taken Narcissa by the hand and dragged her into a curtained corner of the room. Hermione and Harry stationed themselves right outside the curtain. "We want to give them some privacy," Hermione said, grinning.

"I don't think they're worried about privacy," Harry replied. The sound of some intense snogging was filtering through the curtains.

Suddenly, they could hear Lucius murmur, "So, where in this big house would I find the youngest Black's bed chambers?"

Narcissa let out a small moan. "Oh, Lucius, you must understand, I'm not just any girl. I'm better than that, you know, just sleeping with anyone, especially when we've just met. But-" She let out a slow, drawn breath. "I-I'll be right back."

Narcissa slipped through the curtains and Harry and Hermione got a brief glimpse of Lucius' face, which seemed stricken. They then followed her onto the large balcony adjacent to the ballroom. Surprisingly, no one was out there.

Narcissa pounded on the balcony railing. "Damn you, Agaememnon Fodge!" she screamed into the air. "Damn you! Who do you think you are? You're interfering with my life, my dreams! DAMN YOU, DAMN YOU, DAMN YOU!"

"Wow, this is serious," Hermione muttered sadly. Suddenly, they were surrounded in black, doing a slow somersault, and landing back in the Malfoy family library.

"That was it?" Harry asked, perplexed.

But Hermione didn't answer. Her head was buried in her arms and her shoulders were heaving. She looked up at Harry, her face tear-streaked. "I never knew, Harry, I never knew. Even today, when Narcissa kept begging for him, I never realized that they seriously cared for each other. I guess he always seemed so cold, and I figured she was a trophy wife, but by the looks of it, they were in love, Harry! And I haven't told her yet, and now I can't bear to-"

"Tell who what?" Harry interrupted.

"I didn't tell Narcissa that-that-that her husband is gone!" Hermione cried. She looked into the Pensieve. "It must hold more secrets. Sure, we didn't come out with a whole lot today, but we learned that this is a tight relationship, or I suppose it was, and that they weren't initially supposed to get married. What if this Fodge character turns up later? We need to hear from him! Oh, Harry, do you understand how much I want to help them?!"

Harry frowned. "Actually, I don't, Hermione. This is the Malfoy family we're talking about. In any other circumstance, they would kill you!"

"Well, perhaps that's true, but still, that's not important to me," Hermione said sternly. "Besides, how do we know that Narcissa is like Lucius or Draco? We have no evidence of that...either way, I'm solving this thing for her, Harry. Her life is now ruined and the least that can happen is that whatever caused that is caught and punished! You can help me if you want, Harry. Or you can be as bad as the Malfoys, and let your prejudice stop you from doing what's right."