Et Nulli Miseretur

The average time needed for preparation of the Draught Of The Living Dead is nine months, thirteen days, six hours. Two hours more, or less, and one can pour the whole cauldron straight away to the gutter. It is considered to be one of the most advanced potions to wizardkind, with experts estimating that there were not more than a dozen people in Great Britain capable of brewing it at that time. If the potioneer makes the tiniest mistake, it is lethal, and that's no exaggeration. Among the 217 ingredients, one has to add 46 gram of wormwood fusion, not 45, not 47, and not 46.5 either. Within the nine months of preparation, the concoction has to be stirred 11630 rounds on total, and stirring it only one round more makes the entire potion toxically poisonous.

The experts counting on the official list were two Hogwarts teachers, three present college professors, two retired college professors and five professional potioneers. Narcissa Black Malfoy wasn't counted among them, because the last time anyone had seen her brew a potion was during her NEWT exams, and no student, no matter how excellent otherwise, could dare to brew such a complicated recipe. On college, she hadn't attended a single potions class, but studied Literature and Philosophies. So much more amazing it was that she had developed to be a true authority for potions, a fact that not even her own husband was fully aware of. She cursed herself for not having started earlier with her efforts, so much woe could have been prevented if she had had the Draught Of The Living Dead sooner at hand - but now it was completed, she had tested it on some muggle kid in a very low dose; the kid had fallen down like dead and got up again eighteen hours later, unscathed and thoroughly healthy. To make absolutely sure, she had claimed to have found the kid and dragged him to a muggle doctor.

Unfortunately, she hadn't got the chance to give her darling the draught in time. She meant to pay him a visit next week, if only she could find a way to smuggle in the potion; she was on tenterhooks, waiting for disaster to strike - what if Draco was injured, or killed? What if Savvy wasn't there in the crucial moment? What if the Dark Lord decided that he had waited long enough? What if -

And then the night had suddenly come, quite unexpectedly, when all her careful preparations finally paid off. It wasn't a night of triumph though. It was late after midnight when she was woken up by loud noises, and in the next moment, Elsy ran into the bedroom, squeaking, "Mylady! Master Draco's here - he - he -"

Although she had been asleep, she was on her feet in a second. That Draco had come could mean only one thing, and now time was of the essence. Without even bothering for a morning gown, she sprinted downstairs, finding her darling on his way up, pale, shaking, sweating.

"Mum," he groaned, falling into her open arms. "Mum, I've cocked it up -"

She briefly hugged him, then grabbed his hand and pulled him downstairs again. "Come, come, love! We've got time for everything, but later! Come, hurry!"

Severus burst into the hallway, white in the face, too, and more than just dishevelled. Was that blood on his...? Never mind now. He saw mother and son, and hurried after them - in the moment that she saw him, Narcissa felt a pang of relief. The fact that Severus was still alive meant that he had kept the Unbreakable Vow, and that meant that Draco was no killer, which was a catastrophe in one respect, but incredibly wonderful in any other. The three of them headed for the extended dungeons in silence, Narcissa first, Draco next, Severus last, she orientated herself almost blindly, she had practised the way through the labyrinth many times over. There were many secret passageways in the ancient building, and she had chosen a very remote one. Even if an entire brigade of Ministry wizards was breaking into the Manor in this moment, they would need days to find this particular vault, and neither Bella nor any of Lucius' pals knew this way either.

She blocked the entrance nevertheless, just to make sure, and for the first time, she dared to slow down and turn to her son. He looked blank, his eyes imploring, but he couldn't get out a single word. She embraced him again, not letting go this time, muttering words of comfort into his ear, then gazed over to Severus, and she could read the words from his lips, 'We're doomed'. She faintly shook her head, backed out of the embrace and grasped Draco by his shoulders.

"Look at me, mon trésor, and answer only to my questions. Is Dumbledore dead?" He nodded and glanced over to his teacher in sheer despair. "I take it that you didn't kill him though?" He feebly shook his head. "Are there witnesses?"

Draco nodded again, and Severus answered for him, "The Carrows, Greyback, Lewis and Potter."

"Potter? What - okay. Listen, darling. I will take care of all this, but you must trust me. Do you understand?"

"I'm so sorry, Mum, I should have listened to you, I -"

"It's fine, love! Everything's fine between you and me, but now you must have faith in me. I will sort this out for you, I will, you must not worry."

"He'll kill you! And dad! And me!"

"No, he won't. I will talk to him, and you know that I can be quite persuasive. I've found a very good place for you to hide away. I'll give you a sleeping potion, you rest and recover, and tomorrow, we'll talk."

"But -"

"Tomorrow, Draco," she said very urgently. "Follow me now. You, too, please, Severus. Mutabor!" She tipped a couple of stones in the wall and a hole appeared, big enough for a grownup to climb through. There was a passage behind it, leading out of the boundaries of Malfoy Manor, to a spot from which they could disapparate. On their way, she made both of them recount what had happened exactly, taking mental notes.

Once they were out, she grabbed Severus' and Draco's arm very tightly and apparated to the cave with them. They both marvelled at the place, and possibly the fact that a five or six cauldrons were standing there, filled with various liquids. Severus was an expert potioneer, he did recognise the potions and shot Narcissa a very intrigued glance. "I admire your foresight, Cissa -"

"You'll hopefully admire me some more, after tonight..." She ushered Draco to lie down on one of the camp beds, tugged him up and fished for a small vial next to the bed. "Drink this, chéri. It'll put you to sleep."

"But I've got to see the Dark Lord! Mum, he'll -"

"He'll be in very high spirits because Dumbledore is dead, mon trésor. Trust me! All right? You've got to trust me!"

"I do, but -"

"Drink," she said imperiously and he obeyed, helpless. His eyes fell close in the next second, she plucked a couple of his hairs, and she got to her feet again, turning to her old friend. "Remember this place very well, Savvy. You've got to be capable to apparate here by yourself."

She dropped the hairs into one of the cauldrons, stirred it, then cut a strand from her own hair and mixed it into the next cauldron. "Draco - left hand. Me - right hand. Remember it well, Savvy!"

It dawned on him what she was doing and he gave a deep groan. "Good lord, Cissa! What if -"

"If he chooses to kill my son tonight, you'll come back here, put Draco under an Imperius and have him drink this. You'll stage his death - my death if you will - and make him drink that -" She pointed at a third and fourth cauldron. "Draught of the Living Dead - and that's the one we did in school, remember? Once the burial is over, you'll take him back here. There are supplies for roughly one year - you've got to show him how to use a tin opener, he'll figure out the rest, I hope... Anyhow, I know you'll manage, and we've got to hurry now."

She filled a hip flask with Polyjuice Potion, drank some of it and transformed into the spit and image of her own child. She jinxed her night-dress to resemble Draco's school robes, kneeled down once more, kissed him on the forehead, muttered a goodbye that he couldn't hear, and together with Severus, she apparated to Lord Voldemort's camp. There was a huge party going on - after all, the great foe was dead - and both of them were hailed and received ample of applause. Narcissa smirked timidly and let herself be dragged along by Severus until they found the 'master'. They both kneeled down at once, muttering words of awe and respect and kissed the hem of his robes.

Predictably enough, Lord Voldemort would merely see the negative side of all this. Narcissa repeated everything she had heard form her son, Severus helped out now and then, until she finally got the crucial bits. She made her voice quaver, "Mylord, I had no chance to complete the task! I have never performed the Killing Curse before, I was still focusing when he -" She beckoned at Severus. "He just wanted to outshine me! I would have killed him, I've worked so hard for this, I've come so far and -"

The Dark Lord intensely looked at her, than turned back to Severus. "He's got a point there, Severus! Please, remind me why I have ordered you to keep your hands off Dumbledore?"

"So I would be able to keep my role as a spy some longer, Master. But please, allow me to remark that my role as a spy was done with in the very moment of Dumbledore's death this way or that. He was the only one fooled by my ham acting, and only because of his influence over them, the others tolerated my presence! Dumbledore had his Phoenix Order patrolling the school tonight, there was fighting in the hallways and staircases, and when I got to the top of the Astronomy Tower, I found that Draco had already disarmed Dumbledore and was composing himself to be able to perform the Killing Curse. Since half a dozen members of the Phoenix Order were threatening to break through the barricades that our comrades had put up, I measured that we had no time to lose, and what is more - I didn't think it beyond Dumbledore to have some tricks yet up his sleeve, even if he had lost his wand. So I killed him straight away without thinking twice."

'Well done, Savvy,' Narcissa thought, thinking that he was the only one she knew capable of lying even more smoothly than she could - and how hard it had been to teach him at first, but she continued to scowl at him to keep up appearances.

"Summarising, the job has been done, not by the one assigned for it, but you've succeeded much farther than I had expected you would. I hope you do not expect me to refrain from punishment though, Draco!"

"Mylord, I am yours. I can only hope for a mild punishment, though I know... I have failed you, master, but not for a lack of good will or true faith!"

Voldemort announced that he'd give it a thought and that they were dismissed for the moment. Narcissa took another sip from the small flask, hiding it just in time before her sister appeared on the scene, wildly embracing her. "I knew you'd make it, boy!"

"But I didn't, aunt..."

"Because that idiot there butted in!" She, too, glared at Severus, and rolled her eyes to the ceiling next. "And I had thought we'd finally get rid of you, Snape!"

He sneered. "So sorry to have let you down, Bellatrix!"

"However, I'm so proud with you! Cornering Dumbledore! Disarming him even! Alecto's told me all, you know. And that idea with the Cabinet - I've got to admit at last that you've been right all the way! Smart like your mother, and you'll have a share of your dad's determination in time!"

"Please, aunt Bellatrix, you're the Dark Lord's most treasured follower, please, put in a good word for me! Don't let him kill me, please!"

"Nonsense, kid! The master won't kill you, I'll see to that! I cannot spare you a just punishment, but it will be adequate, to be sure." Oh yes, I will. I am elated, and that the kid hasn't got the chance to come to the very end wasn't his fault but his own mother's - screw you, Cissy, you of all persons ought to have faith in your own flesh and blood! I won't allow that all the hard work I put in this boy comes to nothing. He'll achieve greatness, he has the natural disposition for it - not even his overprotective, overanxious mother could change that. Cissy's detrimental influence has made Lucius soft, but it's not too late yet for their son.

I go to the master and beg for my nephew - successfully so, I must say. He hasn't meant to kill the boy anyhow - originally, he thought his death would be the perfect punishment for his father's failure, but Draco's tenacity, his resourcefulness convinced him that he could be very valuable to their cause. And what is more - he got the boy's parents in the palm of his hand as long as he can threaten them to have Draco killed.

Draco - or who appeared to be Draco anyway - was called for, and the Dark Lord contented his wish for punishment by briefly practising the Cruciatus Curse on him. He took it better than anyone would have expected, and afterwards, Snape coddled over him and ushered him to drink something, which was universally believed to be a painkiller, but actually contained a sip from the hip flask, that Narcissa had slipped into Draco's over-robes, to maintain the transformation. Narcissa pretended to drink reluctantly and continued to shoot belligerent glares at her friend - it was best if the he didn't appear too closely linked to the family.

Bellatrix offered to accommodate her apparent nephew, since the Manor was sure to be raided by now, but Narcissa credibly declined, truthfully claiming that the Manor had at least half a dozen vaults that no Auror would find, and that there was still the possibility to stay in the secret hiding place underneath the floor of one of the living rooms.

"Shall I take you home? I'd love to see your mum's face!"

"Well... I reckon I should see her by my own first. Thank you nonetheless, aunt. I guess - I guess your - well, intercession with her for my sake will be much needed, but only tomorrow. She - I've behaved very irreverently, and she's mad enough with me as it is -"

"She's not mad with you, Draco. She's just concerned."

Narcissa was astonished with her sister's consideration. "Yes, well, all the same. I've got to face her myself for a start. I hope she's proud with me, enough to make her forget the rest... See you tomorrow, aunt Bellatrix, and - thank you once again for - for standing by me tonight."

Of course, she did not immediately go back to Malfoy Manor. She looked after her sleeping child, dripped some more potion into his mouth to ensure that he wouldn't wake up before the next afternoon, changed back to her own clothes and returned home. Predictably enough, half of the estate was in shambles already, she counted at least a dozen Aurors, and one of them shot right at her.

"Where are you coming from, Mrs Malfoy?"

"I've got my son out of harm's way, Mr -"

"Williamson, Ma'am. I'm the head of this operation and you -" He gave her a poignant, menacing glance. "- you will lead us to your son at once!"

"Certainly not, Mr Williamson. Most certainly I will do no such thing."

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Audendo... Brave deed hides great fear.