Et Nulli Miseretur

The house was nice. It was small, cosy and handsome, with white-painted shutters and climbers meandering around the doors and the gutters, with a well-kept little garden and a low white fence. Pretty. Narcissa tried to remember when she had been here for the last time - ten years ago? Twelve? More?

She went up to the front door, rang the bell, put up her best smile and stretched her arm out, tinkling with the tin pot in her hand. Andy opened the door, smiling, too, and Narcissa disguised her voice, claiming she was collecting money for charitable purposes - children in need - and when Andy quickly dropped some coins in the tin, she pretended to be unwell and asked for a glass of water.

She was very proud with her disguise today, not even her own sister had recognised her so far. She had turned herself to look pretty old, with white curly hair and lots of wrinkles around benign, hazel brown eyes. She had even adopted a special walk, slowly, onerous, like old women would walk when their hips were aching. Narcissa rarely flattered herself, but she found this to be her transfiguration masterpiece, for the time being.

Andy, being herself, was terribly kind, asked her in, offered her a chair, a glass of water, or a cup of tea, offered to fetch her husband to take the exhausted lady home... As soon as she had shut the front door though, Narcissa said in her normal voice, "Please, Andy, don't get a shock now."

Her sister's jaw dropped. She narrowed her eyes, scrutinising her visitor closely, and asked in a tone of utter incredulity, "Cissy? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. Please, can you jinx your windows and door imperturbable? No one must see or hear me here."

"Still ashamed with me then," Andromeda taunted her, not moving a finger. "In that case, you can go as quickly as you've come!"

"Oh, stop talking such nonsense, Andy. Why do you think I had come, anyway?"

"That's a very good question, indeed!"

Narcissa drew her wand and performed the spells herself, before pointing it at herself and regaining her usual appearance. "For a start - how are you?"

"Never missing the proper form, are you?"

"Thank you very much, I am fine, too!" Narcissa said scornfully. "For heaven's sake! So how is Ted? And the children?"

Andromeda looked flabbergasted. "Listen, Cissy, I've heard what's happened, but still! You cannot just walk in here, and -"

"I think I just have, and excuse me, but you could calculate that I haven't made such efforts only to hear how you are. These false teeth were truly uncomfortable. Is your offer of a cup of tea still valid?"

Andromeda nodded reluctantly, leading her into the kitchen. Narcissa settled on a stool, waiting in silence for her tea and taking a look around. Andromeda had made herself a very cosy home, yes. Not quite Narcissa's own style or taste, but nice and inviting, with small, unmagical paintings on the walls that Ted might have done, of ships and piers and the sea.

Andromeda handed her a cup, asking once more, "So? What have you come for?"

"I need your help. Yours, your daughter's, and everybody else's who can so something for my son."

"What?"

Narcissa didn't beat about the bush; she told her sister in plain words about Draco's involvement with the Death Eaters, that he was in grave peril, that Voldemort would never leave him alone, that she had only faked his death. She also told her what she wanted her to do, and what she was willing to offer in return.

"What if he is really dead, Cissy?"

"He couldn't be, I've made the potion myself. And don't play to be scandalised, Andy - what else could I have done?!"

"Cissy - you're mad! You -" Andy poured herself a brandy, offering Narcissa one as well, but this one shook her head. Andy swallowed her drink with one big sip. "If it's true what you're saying, and I don't suppose that you're making this up - you've got to get away from there! You've got to -"

"I can't. I can't do anything as long as Lucius is in prison. I'd condemn him!"

"Sod Lucius, for goodness' sake!"

"Let's not get started with this again, Andy. I know you cannot stand him, you know I cannot live without him. I'll do nothing that endangers him even more. Still... If something happened to me, Draco would be stuck in that grave, on his own... He must go somewhere else. Please, Andy! Nymphadora is one of Dumbledore's lot, she's an Auror. Talk to her, I beseech you. And if you don't want to do it for me, do it for him, please! He's just a child - it's not his fault. You remember him, he's the sweetest boy you could imagine, he's just -"

"What set of people have you got involved with, Cissy! I hope Lucius is worth the trouble, but then again, I know he's not!"

"He's worth every minute and every pains, Andy. Of all people, I thought you would understand."

"Understand how you could throw yourself into the arms of a ruthless scoundrel? Certainly not! 'Tis madness! Do you think you can win this game?" Andromeda gave a dry chuckle, void of any humour. "You can't play in both teams, Cissy!"

"I've never been a team player to begin with, you know that. I want to protect my family, Andy, you'd do the same if you were in my place -"

"I'd never be in your place because I'd never have married a bloke like your Lucius, Cissy! It's chiefly his fault!"

"Leave Lucius out of this," Narcissa snarled, biting down her vexation. She didn't endure to have her husband ill-spoken, but it wasn't wise to quarrel with Andy just now. She wanted her to do herself a great favour, and this was absolutely prerogative. "Whatever crimes you accuse him of, you will not deny that he has raised a decent child that has -"

"That has almost killed two perfectly innocent children, Cissy! Whatever you say, don't give me that nonsense about Lucius' qualities as a principle-giving father! That man will be your undoing, I knew it all along, this vile little bastard, this -"

Narcissa took a deep breath. "Don't talk of him like this, Andy -"

"And why not? That's what he is, he's not serving his time in Azkaban for speeding on his broomstick!"

"Please, Andy, don't-"

"Fact is that you have married a man who wouldn't flinch from killing some helpless children if he's asked to! Who's the principal servant of a crazy murderer! A cowardly hypocrite! I despise Bella for what she's done, but at least she had the guts to stand up for what she believes in! She went to Azkaban, while your good Lucius sneaked back to our side, pretending he had never done anything at all!"

"That's what he is to you, Andromeda. To me he's been never anything but a caring and loving and attentive husband, and a good father for my son. Don't try and make me defend the Dark Lord or the Dark Order, I don't care for them, or what Lucius has done for them!"

"The deepest circle of hell is reserved for people keeping to neutrality in times of severe crises!"

"Draco nor I have done anything reprehensible!"

"You are wrong to assume that there was more to people than their actions, or omissions. In the end, these actions and omissions are all that matter."

Narcissa gave her a long look. "I'm not asking you to save Lucius. Please, all I want is that you help Draco. He hasn't done anything, ask your daughter, she'll tell you that he couldn't do it, that he couldn't have killed Dumbledore. He is a good boy, Andy! You know him. Please, don't let him down."

"Tough luck, Cissy. I couldn't ask Nymphadora for help even if I wanted. We're... We haven't been speaking for almost a year now."

"I beg your pardon?!"

Narcissa could see how uncomfortable Andromeda was with the topic, but by the by, she made her recount the whole story. She wouldn't believe what she heard though, exclaiming after all, "Oh Andy! Now who's the hypocrite here?!"

"Oh, shut up!"

"You of all people!"

"You of all people, Cissy! What would you have done in my place?!"

"Oh, Draco did bring home a most unsuitable girl -"

Andromeda smirked scornfully. "What was wrong with her? Not pureblooded in the twentieth generation?"

Her sister merely chuckled. "She lacked everything I'd wish for in my son's girlfriend. Esprit, eloquence, talent, charms, nonchalance, elegance... But even though I wasn't exactly happy with his choice, I certainly didn't kick her out of the house, for Christ's sake! What have you been thinking, Andy!"

"I didn't kick him out!"

"But still! She's your daughter, Andy! The only thing that counts is whether she's happy or not, right? And also, being your daughter, you could have figured that she wouldn't give in like that!"

"Now I know that."

"Well, tell her! Tell her that you've behaved shamefully, that you sincerely regret everything and that you miss her terribly!"

"You only want us to make up so I can talk Nymphadora into taking in your son, Cissy!"

"That's only half true, Andy... Yes, of course I want you to plead Draco's case. But my child hasn't been speaking to me for ten months either, and it has been the most painful experience of my life. Go and reconcile with your daughter, Andy. We're in the middle of a war, you might regret it if you don't seize your chances now."