Invenio Cognatus

Prologue.... 16 years ago...

"Lucius, this is unacceptable. I have filled the role of the supportive Death Eater Wife for long enough! Things have gotten way out of control and I will NOT allow you to drag our children into this! I will not allow Draco and Adriana to become pawns for your Dark Lord!" Defiance blazed in her eyes as she stood up to her handsome husband. A man with the looks of an angel but the soul of a devil.

Once again Narcissa wondered what had happened to the man she had fallen in love with. Impassive and proud yet gentle in private. Respected and feared but passionate. Possessive and cunning. The epitome of what a Pureblood wizard should be. Sitting in front of the Slytherin common room fire, they had schemed and planned their ambitions for the future. Both proud of their Pureblood heritage, both disdainful of those rabble Mudbloods. Lucius would one day be Minister of Magic and Narcissa, with her devious and calculating mind, would help him attain it. They seemed perfect for each other with their beauty, intelligence, and ambitious natures. Or, that was what she had believed when she married him right after Hogwarts. Any Pureblood witch would have been proud and honored to become Mrs. Lucius Malfoy.

For the first few months their partnership was everything she dreamt it would be. Eventually Narcissa realized that her husband was not the same man she had fallen in love with. Instead she was married to a cold, cruel man who had pledged his life to the fanatical whims of a powerful Dark Wizard. Lucius was a member of Lord Voldemort's Death Eater ranks. He had been lured in by promises of knowledge, wealth, and, most importantly, power. Power over muggles, power over Mudbloods and power over wizards who opposed the Dark Lord.

Narcissa secretly mourned the loss of the man she had loved, but like any true Slytherin, she was determined to turn the situation to her advantage. She became just as cold and impassive as Lucius. She was a supportive Death Eater Wife and the perfect hostess for social events. She helped Lucius with his schemes to gain favor and discredit other Death Eaters to move up in the ranks. Throughout the plots and intrigues, Narcissa still had ambitions for Lucius to become Minister of Magic. She used her cunning to gradually shift his focus from Voldemort to the Ministry.

When Narcissa found out she was pregnant, she hoped Lucius might lose interest in the Death Eaters and their dark revels. She believed her husband's coldness and cruelty would soften when he learned of the tiny life they had created. All her hopes were ill founded. Lucius remained as cold as ever. He was pleased that she was pregnant for he desired a Malfoy heir. When she discovered she was pregnant with twins, his only comment was that one must be a boy. During her pregnancy, Narcissa continued to play the role she had perfected, but inside she began to doubt her ability to sway him away from Voldemort.

When Draco and Adriana were born, Lucius seemed pleased with them. He spent more time at Malfoy manor with his family. But as time went by and the novelty wore off, he lost interest as he moved up further in Lord Voldemort's ranks. Narcissa become horrified as the attacks became more vicious and violent, and the victims started to include prominent wizards, including Purebloods. When Narcissa discovered Lucius's plans for Draco to lead the next generation of Death Eaters, she knew she could no longer sit back and watch her family fall apart.

And staring into the blank, cold, gray pools of Lucius's eyes, she stood her ground and played her hand. "I will not sit back and let the Dark Lord consume our children's lives like he has done with yours. I have supported you in all things but I will not let you do this!"

"And who do you think you are that you can stop me, wife?" Lucius's eyes narrowed as his lips formed the characteristic Malfoy sneer. "Who do you think you are speaking to? I am LUCIUS MALFOY and the head of this family! I am the right-hand of the DARK LORD. NO ONE can tell ME what to do!"

"Then BE the head of this family. Be a FATHER and a HUSBAND. Be the man you were meant to be! Not some lackey for a crazed half-blood," Narcissa spat out the word, "who will fall one day and drag you and the rest of this family WITH HIM!" Narcissa ended her diatribe as tears started to fall down her face. One look into Lucius's face let her know that she had gone too far. She took a step back and reached into her robe as he raised his hand and backhanded her with all his strength. Narcissa hit the ground and rolled, ending on her back. She looked up at him with her wand pointed at his chest.

"Never touch me again," she whispered as she tried to ignore the pounding in her head. She could feel his handprint on her jaw and her body ached from where it had hit the polished hardwood floor. Her eyesight was cloudy and she didn't notice Lucius held his wand by his leg. "If you do not, Lucius, become the man these children deserve then I will take them and leave. Nothing you can do will stop me. If I have to go to the Aurors and turn myself in, then so be it. I WILL get them away from Voldemort," and with that Narcissa began to utter a curse but it was too late.

"EXPELLIARMUS! CRUCIO!" Narcissa's wand flew out of her hand as she doubled over in convulsions. Lucius towered over his wife as the unforgivable caused wave after wave of excruciating pain to course through her body. "Narcissa, my dear, NO ONE threatens me. No one threatens me and gets away with it. How do you think I achieved my place by his side? I must admit I am surprised by your... lack of dedication to the Dark Lord. You are a fine actress. Now, what to do with you?" Calmly Lucius paced around the bedroom, ignoring Narcissa's gasping screams. "Killing you would be most preferable; however, the Dark Lord wishes to keep a low profile until he finds the Potters. And, of course, Draco must be raised as a proper Malfoy heir. Someone must educate him on his Pureblood heritage and I am a VERY busy man." His eyes started to gleam as a plan formulated in his mind. "FINITE INCANTATUM!"

Lucius leaned down to look into his wife's face as her body spasmed from the aftereffects of the curse. "Let's find out how great an actress you can be. Perhaps all you require is the proper... motivation." The last thing Narcissa saw before she lost consciousness was Lucius's cruel smirk.