Ad Mortem Festinamus

She jumped up and fell down to her knees beside her husband, who was cringing in pain. He had grabbed his left underarm and collapsed on the floor, his face contorted, gasping for breath, moaning heartbreakingly.

"What is it, Lucius? What -"

He couldn't answer, and for a minute, Narcissa was deadly scared that he was having a heart attack - but the only heart attack she had ever witnessed had looked differently. She comprehended that it was something with his arm, but he wouldn't let go, turning blue in the face with the lack of oxygen. She produced her wand and cast a relaxing charm on him, muttering soothing words and making sure he started to breath again properly before doing anything else.

She then took a closer look at his arm, rolling up his sleeve and seeing the possible cause for his pain at once. The Dark Mark - god, what was this - it was kind of flashing, from black to red to black again, practically pulsating, as if there was a snake underneath his skin trying to burst out. She knew a couple of healing charms, but she had no idea what could help here, and besides, both her mind and her pulse were racing. What could it mean? This was no calling, definitely - no use calling someone by sending him to the floor in agony -

She screeched on top of her lungs for the servants, sending one of them to fetch Abraxas. She bedded Lucius' head in her lap and stroke his forehead. "My love - Lucius - what - what - is there anything I can do -"

"Burning - tearing - scourging -"

"Breathe, mon amour, breathe!"

She was panicking - they couldn't call for a Healer, this was the Dark Mark after all! Or they'd send for a Healer and obliviate him afterwards, or... Abraxas stormed in, for the first time in his life looking as if he truly cared for his son. As soon as spotting the origin of this one's pain however, he put on his familiar sneer.

"There you go! That's what you get for meddling with this bastard!"

"Please, Father, not now!" Narcissa cried, shooting him an imploring look. "What can we do? He needs help!"

"He needs a sound thrashing, as soon as this is over!"

"Father! If you don't want to help your own son, do it for my sake, at least! For Draco! I really, really need your support now, he -"

"Lucius!" From downstairs, a familiar voice was crying, and Narcissa shouted back, "In the parlour, Savvy! Quick! You've got to -"

She was so agitated, she didn't even wonder what Severus was doing here, or why he would yell all through the house. Important was that he was here. The kid - he'd always remain a kid for her, even after graduating from college - knew his way with all sorts of Healing Charms, potions and other medicine. There might have been a time when she was his superior, but nowadays, he was one of the greatest wizards that she knew, particularly when one regarded his youthfulness.

He came sprinting into the room, his face ashen and - sooty?, and taking in the situation with one glance, he whipped out his wand, waved it and muttered something under his breath. Lucius instantly slackened, his spasms loosened, his face relaxed. Severus knelt down next to his friends and Abraxas, uttering in a hollow voice, "Make haste, Lucius! He's gone. Dead. I've seen it. He's - just gone."

"What?!" Narcissa gaped at him, incredulous.

"I'll tell you everything later. The Dark Lord is vanquished, that's all you need to know for now. Go and turn yourself in. There'll be investigations, heads will roll - go and turn yourself in now in the very moment when he's gone, so you can claim he had imperiused you. It'll make your testimony more credible when you go at once!"

It didn't happen too often, but in these minutes, even Abraxas was pretty speechless. Narcissa's main sentiment was nervous anxiety - Severus was right, time was of the essence, though she was terrified by the idea of Lucius in the hand of some Aurors. She tried to get her head clear. Voldemort was gone - she wanted to assume for now that this was true. Everyone connected to him would be called to account for their doings. Just in how much danger was Lucius? Could he be incriminated? Yes, she decided without hesitating. Knowing these rabid dogs from the Dark Order, they wouldn't falter for a second dragging anyone with them! Even if there were no innocent eye witnesses, his buddies would snitch on him if they could gain anything by it. A plan formed in her head.

"Ziggy - you go and bring me the purple box from my laboratory. Abraxas - please, be so good and don your most impressive robes. You'll accompany Lucius - please! Severus - is it really sure? Are you dead sure that it's true?"

He nodded. They quickly berated what to do; Narcissa found what she had been looking for - a small vial with an antidote for Veritaserum - and gave it to her father-in-law. He and Lucius set off at once, Narcissa swore she'd follow in a few minutes, after fixing Draco, and then they were gone already. She was paralysed with confusion. On the one hand - he was vanquished?! This was too good to be true! On the other hand - what if they didn't buy in Lucius' ad lib story? What if - could they imprison him?! What sorts of crime could he possibly be linked to, and what punishment was in store for them?

She gazed at Severus, realising that he was still there. "What are you doing here - shouldn't you go to the Ministry, too? What if -"

"I needn't do that, Cissa... Dumbledore will vouchsafe for me, I'm sure..."

She cast him a long glance, half admiration, half incredulity. "You -"

"Yes... I reckon I've got to go nonetheless, I -"

"He's gone... He's gone! We're - we're free, Savvy! God! Now if Lucius can go free, this will go down in history as Liberation Day, it'll - how could that happen, anyway? Oh, and I told you guys that he was not immortal!"

"I have no idea how it happened. Or perhaps I do, he - he tried to kill the kid, you know, and... and..."

He turned his head away; Narcissa got a sudden notion what was bothering him so much. If Voldemort had managed to get to the Potter boy, he must have got past the boy's parents for a start... Little Lily Evans -

"Is she - has something happened to Lily?"

"She is dead, of course," he said bitterly, jerking his head around to scowl at her, looking defiant. "Figure out why she is dead, and He is dead, and only the boy lives, Cissa!"

She didn't know what to say, although she thought she understood. If Lily Potter had - had sacrificed herself for the child, this one was untouchable. She tried to remember - this was Ancient Magic, but she had read something about it once... "God bless her," she whispered, reaching out for her friend's hand and pressing it briefly. "She's saved us all!"

"Yes... I reckon she's saved everyone but herself..."

Her motherly instinct set in. "What about the boy?"

"He's alive... Dumbledore will take care of him. - I think I've got to leave, and so have you, Narcissa. Especially today, a young mother with her baby in her arms will work miracles. Lucius needs you now."

She got up. "Yes! Yes... And you?"

"We'll meet again soon, I'm sure. Good bye for now." And he marched out without further ado. She watched after him for a moment, composed herself and went over to Draco's room. He was sound asleep; she stood in front of his cot and looked at him. A silky strand was curling in the middle of his forehead; one of his chubby fists before his tiny nose, the epitome of peacefulness and innocence... Had Lily Evans truly given her life for her son? Possibly. Yes. Every mother would do the same if she got the chance. Narcissa would have given her life at once if that meant that she could save Draco.

She summoned a white romper suit and carefully lifted the child out of the cot, trying not to wake him up while changing his clothes. She wrapped him up in a woollen blanket, pressed him to her chest and left for the Ministry, too. She made a little detour though, apparating to the house of the Goyle family. She had to ring three times before Norma Goyle would finally open, shaking and pale. Graham had sustained the same fit like Lucius - Merlin, Narcissa should have asked Savvy what he had done to stop Lucius' pain. She swiftly related to Norma what she had heard, and urged her to take Graham to the Ministry, too.

Not fifteen minutes later, she had found Abraxas, sitting and waiting in one of the Ministry's long corridors. Lucius was interviewed by some exhausted Auror doing the night shift; Narcissa and his father adjusted their own testimonies, just in case. Suddenly, two Ministry wizards jogged along the corridor, shooting them some perplexed glances and crying in passing, "It's over! The war's over!"

They were followed by others; in less than half an hour, the entire Ministry staff appeared to have shown up, exhilarated with the happy news. Someone came over to them. "How can I help you on this joyous day, Ma'am?"

Narcissa had adapted an expression of anxiety mixed with happiness. "My husband - but your colleague is already helping him, I guess - he's had some sort of shock - my father-in-law and I figured he might have been under the influence of an Imperius Curse, so when he awoke, we thought it safest to bring him here... But is it true? Is it really over? We have nothing to fear?"

The old wizard gave her a radiant smile, "Yes, little lady, there is nothing more to fear. Tell me - you're Cygnus Black's daughter, aren't you?"

"You know my father?"

"Indeed I do! Which one are you? I always mixed up the names of you three... Narcissa, right? I am Mr Withers, perhaps you'll remember me?"

No, she hadn't got a clue, but that didn't matter. "Mr Withers! Of course! Now that you - please, Sir - would you be so kind and look after my husband?" She rocked the sleeping baby in her arms, bringing him to the attention of the wizard. "We were so - so shocked! I'd like to make sure he is all right, you see..."

"Of course, my dear! Cygnus' daughter, look at that... Come, we'll have a look together. He'll be pleased to know that his wife and - son or daughter?"

"Son, Mr Withers, Sir. This is our little Draco!" She presented him the child with a proud smile; knowing how irresistible he was. He looked like a cherub.

"Lovely! Just like his mother! Just come with me, dear, we'll sort out whatever it is with your husband. You ought to return home and celebrate - and the little one needs his cradle, too. The paperwork can be finished later."