The Distraction

I stumbled out of the fireplace in my bedroom and sneered at the solid grey decor in mild disgust. I briefly considered altering the color scheme, just to vent some tension, but really, grey is a very relaxing color. I crossed the bedroom and went into the small sitting room that led into the hallway. As I put my hand on the doorknob, a knock came from the other side.

    Flinching slightly, I opened the heavy door to find Mrs. Malfoy standing before me.

    "Oh, you are here," she said, smiling at me. "I was starting to worry."

    "I'm sorry," I said, trying my best to form an ingratiating smile. "I was just about to come down."

    "So I see. I was hoping you were here. Dinner is ready, and I'm sure you're hungry."

    I stepped out into the hall and shut the door behind me. Narcissa started walking towards the stairs, so I followed.

    "I do hope you've gotten your appetite back," she continued.

    "Oh, I have," I thought of the calming potion Tonks had given me. It really was working wonders. We reached the head of the dark staircase and I started down, already thinking of food. Such a change from this morning. It took me a moment to realize that Narcissa was no longer beside me.

    I turned about a quarter of the way down to see her still standing on the first step. "Is anything -- "

    "No, no, nothing's wrong, dear. I was just wondering ... how was your appointment?" The last part was almost a whisper, as if she were afraid of being overheard. I frowned up at her for a moment, trying to gauge her reasons for this behaviour.

    "Oh, that? Fine," I said, feeling a bit uneasy. "There was a man with a wand jammed in his ear; I saw him in the waiting room. Quite livened up my day."

    "That's nice dear," she said absently, shaking her head. Only when her eyes came back into focus did I realize that they had been clouded over the moment before. Finally, she started down the stairs and I waited for her to catch up before I started moving again.

    A few steps down, Narcissa stopped again. I turned to look at her, and saw the dazed look back in her blue eyes. "And the results?" she whispered.

    "Positive. Our Lord will have his heir," I said, adding a bit of extra flair to my proclamation.

    "Oh, well, that's nice dear. Come along. I don't want to have to charm the food warm again." She gave an airy little laugh and started down the stairs once more. I stayed where I was until I heard her heels clicking on the marble floor, then turned back to gaze up the stairs. Someone else was in this house, and that someone else was putting Narcissa under the Imperius Curse.

* * * * *

After dinner, at which I ate a mite too much I think, I sat in one of the many parlors with Narcissa, both of us reading books. She had some wizarding romance novel, the type of which I am publicly disdainful, but peek at every once in a while. I was was attempting to amuse myself with 'Dracula' but it just wasn't working. After nearly two months, I would have killed and eaten someone for a bit of television. Things were just too bloody quiet, but not for long.

    A few hours into our evening reading, there came a great deal of noise from the entrance hall. My host and I both froze. Malfoy Manor was protected by the strongest wards, and only a Malfoy, or the Dark Lord himself, could lower them. But since when would Voldemort feel the need break in?

    Suddenly, a scurrying little creature, one of the house elves, streaked into the room, showing fresh bruises on it's dark skin and panting for breath. "Miss! Miss! Master has sent Corky here to announce Master's arrival!" the little elf squeaked.

    "Oh my gods! Lucius!" Narcissa breathed, half rising from her chair, one thin, white hand laying on her chest.

    More elvish voices sounded from the hall, beckoning someone with the words, "In here, sir! In here!"

    I blanched and dropped my book. The Master of Malfoy Manor was home.