Dealing with the Devil

Narcissa Malfoy was both miserable and furious. She had been so excited to see her aunt and uncle, and her younger cousins, Sirius and Regulus; she was the youngest Black sister, and so being around her cousins gave her the chance to act like a responsible older child. She loved dinner parties, too - dressing up, and elegant conversations, exquisite French food and a sip of her mother's wine when the dinner was finished. Pretending she was an adult, and not the baby of the family. She always looked forwards to such evenings.

But her older sisters, Bellatrix and Andromeda, had spoiled everything for her. Ariadne had been frantic when both girls were found to be missing, and she had berated her husband Orion for hours. They hadn't gone out. Narcissa had sat around in her lovely new ice blue dress waiting for her two sisters to come home, her arms folded, dwelling glumly on her ruined evening.

Bellatrix had apparated into the Black family's parlor at five in the morning. Ariadne said that it was a wonder the girl hadn't splinched herself and Andromeda; Bellatrix was obviously exhausted. She and Andromeda looked as if they'd gone through hell and back, but neither of them would say a word about their location. They'd stayed close-lipped as first Ariadne, and then Orion had shouted and scolded and lectured, and they were unusually friendly as they walked up the stairs to their separate rooms.

It all just made Narcissa furious. Andromeda, of course, had always been a pain - she always made a fuss about everything, and she deliberately tried to sabotage family gatherings. Bellatrix, though, had always behaved better. Bellatrix was unpredictable, but Bellatrix didn't go running off in the middle of the night only to return looking like mother's worst nightmare of mudblood trash. Bellatrix had never put her arm over Andromeda's shoulder like that, either, helped her up the stairs, put her head on Andromeda's shoulder. Bellatrix had never taken Andromeda's side in anything.

Narcissa had counted on Bellatrix.

And now Narcissa was alone in the parlor, still in her dress robe, still with her arms crossed, while her two older sisters slept, while Ariadne cried in the dining room, while Orion Black prepared for a grueling, miserable day at the ministry, working to forward the special interests group he headed along with his brother and the Malfoys.

Life just wasn't fair. Narcissa was the good girl. She didn't cause trouble, like Andromeda, or invite trouble, the way Bellatrix did. She got good grades in school - not terrific; she didn't want to show anyone up. She was friends with the right sort of girls and boys. She was nice to Lucius Malfoy, who was starting his seventh year, because Ariadne said it was a good idea to cultivate a relationship with that sort of man, and anyway, the Lestrange heir was already taken. She never did anything the least bit interesting, because Narcissa was supposed to be the quiet, dependable Black sister.

At the moment, Narcissa was feeling rather rebellious. In fact, Narcissa was just about to grab a handful of floo powder and disappear to her aunt and uncle's London townhouse (maybe they'd pay attention to her if she disappeared, too), when her mother looked up and snapped, "Oh, go get changed, Narcissa. There's no point in wrinkling up your dress like this. Put it on the hanger for Lorry to iron when she's done in the kitchen."

Grumpily, Narcissa got up, her legs numb after hours of sitting.

"And don't stomp!" Ariadne called out from the dining room, as Narcissa dragged herself up the stairs.

Dinner that evening was a chilly affair. Andromeda and Bellatrix sat next to each other on one side of the table, Narcissa sat on the other, and Orion and Ariadne Black glared at each other from their respective ends of the long mahogany table. Ariadne said practically nothing except a few barked orders to the house-elf, Scuppin, to bring in more wine. Orion glowered at all of them, especially his wife, and occasionally would start to criticize a flaw in one of his daughters at length before cutting himself off and sawing angrily at his roast.

Narcissa was the only one who felt like eating. Bellatrix and Andromeda only picked at their foods, and Narcissa saw scrapes and bruises on both of them, Bellatrix the worst. When Bellatrix stood, her legs shook, and Andromeda got to her feet immediately, solicitously helping her sister up the stairs. Narcissa stared after them, baffled as to what could have made former enemies so close.

When the two oldest sisters were gone, though, Orion and Ariadne finally began to talk to each other. The tension in the room was tangible, and Narcissa had the sense not to say anything as Ariadne interrogated Orion about his day at the Ministry. Ariadne had never been pleased that her husband came so close to actually working - Orion's brother Aquilla was always in the Ministry too, of course, for both Black brothers were frequent lobbyists, but Orion, as the younger, spent most of his time doing paperwork or writing amicus curiae briefs or doing work which Ariadne thought fitting only for lesser mortals, not for Blacks.

Orion responded monosyllabically to most of his wife's questions, but finally he sighed, and put down his cutlery, folding his hands on the table. "Ariadne," he said, "The Malfoys will be having some sort of soiree two weeks from today. They have invited all members of the Black family to attend; it will be quite the social gathering, to celebrate Lucius Malfoy's coming of age - we must attend."

Ariadne nodded slowly, and Narcissa watched her mother expectantly. Ariadne had always had always competed with Lucretia Malfoy, and she would enjoy the opportunity to subtly criticize her rival's preparation for the elaborate event. Ariadne loved society parties, and she loved even more to disparage them.

"We won't be taking Bellatrix or Andromeda," Ariadne said abruptly.

"What?" Orion said, nonplussed.

"I won't let Andromeda out of the house until I learn where she and Bellatrix were last evening. Andromeda has flouted authority too often to be allowed to get away with it again, and Bellatrix - well. The girl thinks she's ready to behave exactly as she pleases simply because she's eighteen, and has left Hogwarts. If she wants to live under my roof, she'll behave with proper decorum, and she won't see anything but the inside of this house until she behaves like a proper daughter of the Blacks! She's been looking forward to the Debutante for months, I know, but she won't be attending any social gatherings until she learns to obey!"

Narcissa listened with quiet delight. Her parents never said anything interesting in front of her - she was always too young or too innocent, even if Andromeda and Bellatrix were only a couple years older. And now, Narcissa was with Mother and Father, and it was her sisters' turn to be left out!

Orion was frowning. "We can't go to the party without them, Ariadne. It wouldn't be fitting - it will, after all, be Lucius Malfoy's formal introduction to society, and if we don't have at least one of the girls there, it will look bizarre, especially now that Andromeda's come of age. You understand the necessity of appearances."

"Can I go?" Narcissa asked, surprising even herself.

Ariadne looked at her for a long moment, and then said, "May I go, Narcissa."

"May I go to the party? If it would please you, mother?"

Ariadne nodded. "Yes. Yes, I suppose you may, Narcissa. I suppose it's time you saw something of society outside of family parties. You're a bit young yet, but sometimes I think you're the most mature of your sisters. Well."

The dinner was silent after that, but Narcissa finished her roast lamb in happy contentment.

The next few weeks were a blur of anticipation for Narcissa. Her mother took her down to Diagon Alley and had her fitted for a set of new dress robes, the seamstress chattering on all the while about the riots a few days earlier. Ariadne, too, had new dress robes made in the imitation-Edwardian style that was becoming increasingly popular.

At home, Ariadne drilled Narcissa for hours on the proper behavior expected of her, and Narcissa glowed when her mother told her that she was the quickest of her sisters to learn. Not that it was surprising - Bellatrix never paid any heed to laws, and Andromeda flouted them purposefully.

Narcissa couldn't help but feel a little unhappy, though. Bellatrix and Andromeda simply refused to say where they had been and what had happened, and the two were becoming closer, driven by their shared secret. Narcissa was left out entirely. Bellatrix had never been terribly friendly, but she'd always taken the same side Narcissa had. They'd sometimes shared a gossip about Andromeda, and Narcissa had loved it. Bellatrix was ignoring Narcissa entirely now, though.

In fact, Bellatrix was ignoring everyone but Andromeda. She stayed silently in her room during the day, and during the night she left home, never telling Ariadne where she went. The two fought often, Ariadne screaming that Bellatrix had no right to go anywhere without consulting her mother, and Bellatrix retorting that she was being stifled, and had every right to live her own life. It was farcically similar to Andromeda's fights with their mother, except that Andromeda never spoke a word these days, and never left the house.

Narcissa had tried to talk to her middle sister, but Andromeda wouldn't say a word - Andromeda had retreated into her own room, like Bellatrix, but Andromeda simply refused to come out. At night, Narcissa could hear low sobs from across the hallway. Occasionally, Narcissa wished she had the nerve to comfort her sister, or to just point-blank ask her, but always her daring failed her at the last minute.

And then, finally, it was the night of the party.

Narcissa found herself at the receiving end of Ariadne's fussing, her hair curled and face done up, her robes immaculately styled in the latest fashions for young ladies (Juliet gowns were enjoying a brief revival). At precisely eight o'clock, Narcissa was a confection of green silk and white lace, with her pale blond hair piled on top of her head in immaculate curls. Ariadne and Orion were dressed in more restrained robes of the traditional black. It was Narcissa who would attract attention for the lesser wing of the Black family.

Andromeda didn't come to see them out, but Bellatrix leaned on the stairwell, darkly beautiful and exuding disdain. Narcissa fought hard to keep herself from glowering at her older sister, but the casually arched eyebrows and supercilious smile infuriated the younger girl. She shot a death glare at Bellatrix, but the older girl only laughed.

"Oh, Narcissa, your first party. Try not to trip over your own feet, there's a dear."

By all rights, that should have elicited some response from Ariadne, but she sailed on by Bellatrix, paying her less attention than she would a fly. "Come, Narcissa; we aren't flooing - soot on that robe! - and you can't apparate, so we've arranged for a portkey.

Narcissa wrinkled her nose slightly, anticipating a moldy rag or a crumpled newspaper, and was pleasantly surprised to see a gold-embossed Malfoy seal, hovering outside their door. One finger extended slightly, Narcissa felt the familiar jerk and rush of air as she flew through the night to Wiltshire.

The Malfoy Manor itself was a grand and eclectic, some wings of the expansive building dating back almost to Hogwarts' founding, others constructed recently (in a wizarding view of the world, of course: the New Hall had been built in 1791). Specially for the party, lamps full of glowing fairies illuminated the manicured gardens before the great doors, held wide open to reveal the glittering entrance hall. Witches and wizards were arriving from across Britain - and even some from the Malfoy connections in France - for the society event of the summer.

Narcissa was nearly breathless from excitement, the nervousness making it difficult for her to keep her balance in the painfully high green silk heels (she was used to slippers). Orion, smiling benevolently at his daughter, offered Narcissa his arm, Ariadne smiling in approval as Narcissa carefully walked up the promenade toward the gates along with the other party guests.

They were greeted at the doors by carefully-liveried house elves, who offered the adults champagne; Narcissa wished that she, too, were allowed a drink, but knew better than to ask.

The glittering entrance hall, all creamy marble and gold, with little grottos off to the side, adorned with more fairies, was filled with guests. Malfoy parties were exclusive, but for so grand an event, every pureblood family in Britain, even the execrable Weasleys (though from the preferable Lancashire branch, rather than those of Ottery St. Catchpole), were represented.

Narcissa and her parents processed slowly through the glittering hall, towards the very back, where the Malfoy family stood, regal, receiving the homage of their many guests.

After a very bashful Mr. and Mrs. Augustin Parkinson had received their audience, Lucretia Malfoy, the formidable family matriarch, greeted Ariadne as though they were sisters - though, as Narcissa knew, there was about as much sisterly warmth between Ariadne Black and Lucretia Malfoy as there was between Andromeda and Bellatrix - at least, as much as there had been, Narcissa thought, repressing a scowl.

When the adults had finished shaking hands, Lucretia turned her cold grey eyes on Narcissa. Ariadne, with a hard smile on her face, gave the introductions. "This is our youngest daughter, Narcissa. I am afraid that our two eldest daughters were unable to attend tonight, but Narcissa did so want to come."

Narcissa curtsied low, a delicate blush on her face, until Lucretia lifted her up with a gloved hand. The Malfoy matriarch was tremendous - not grossly fat, but decidedly stout, she was as regal as a queen. Her silver robes were bedecked with diamonds, as was the tiara in her mass of silver curls. Abraxas Malfoy, though a dignified and impressive personage in his own right, was nowhere near as stupendous.

"Ah, Narcissa. I have heard so much about you from my son, Lucius, whom I'm sure you know?"

"We have been acquainted at Hogwarts," Narcissa said, blushing prettily again. "We're both in Slytherin, ma'am."

So they were; in the presence of the formidable Lucretia Malfoy, Narcissa had quite forgotten that the party was in honor of Lucius. The Malfoy heir, standing by his father, was smiling slightly, in immaculate black and green dress robes, his long hair tied back with a silk ribbon. He truly looked like a man, for all his youth, Narcissa thought - he was tall and broad-shouldered, his face more masculine than his father's pointed visage; he had his mother's air of command.

"I am pleased to see you, Narcissa," Lucius said with a smile. "I had been expecting Bellatrix, but I must say, I am not disappointed that you are attending in her place."

Lucretia Malfoy looked displeased at her son's indiscretion, but Narcissa laughed happily. She had always liked Lucius, though she'd never thought her schoolgirl affection was returned - he, like all the other boys, had had eyes only for Bellatrix.

"Shall you be joining your father with his Ministry work when you leave Hogwarts, Lucius?" Orion inquired, his face a polite mask.

"I think so," Abraxas replied for his son. "Lucius received nine O.W.L's, you know; we were very pleased."

As the adults began discussing their children's accomplishments at Hogwarts, Narcissa found herself growing a little bored. It was all very well to be the subject of conversation, but she hardly wanted to talk about Hogwarts. In her party things, in this grand and magnificent mansion, she had thought she would be dancing, or making sophisticated conversation about anything but school marks!

Lucius, too, looked rather put out. While Abraxas and Orion debated the relative worth of the O.W.L. versus the N.E.W.T., Lucius said softly, "They are being rather tiresome, aren't they? Father's done this with every family to have a child at Hogwarts, you know, and we've had to greet twenty-eight families so far."

"Oh, I know!" Narcissa said, though she didn't, really, never having been to a party like this before. "Mother does this every time we're at my uncle Aquilla's home in London. I'd much rather talk about something interesting - we're in Hogwarts enough, we don't have to talk about it in the summer, don't you think?"

"We'll have to have a talk all our own when they," and Lucius jerked his head toward the adults, "let us alone. I really am glad it's you here tonight - Bellatrix always tries to steal all the attention, and sometimes I can't even believe that Andromeda's a sister of yours."

"Oh, I know!" Narcissa said again. "Bellatrix probably would have come, except she snuck out of the house, just after we'd gotten home from Hogwarts! Mother was ever so put out, and so Bellatrix isn't allowed to go anywhere until she says where on earth she can have been - and Andromeda was gone, too, you know, with Bellatrix! Really, Bella is getting just as bad as Andromeda about some things."

"She's always been that way. I remember, two years ago she was with your parents at my uncle's estate in -"

But their conversation was forestalled, when Lucretia Malfoy said, her voice not entirely apologetic, "It is so lovely seeing you again, Araidne, Orion, but I'm afraid we simply must greet our other guests. You'll join us at the high table for supper?"

"Oh, of course!" Ariadne said, clearly delighted that even the lesser wing of the Black family had warranted seating with the Malfoys themselves.

Narcissa curtsied once more before following her parents off, looking regretfully over her shoulder at Lucius, who winked at her slightly before turning to shake Mr. and Mrs. Antonin Dolohov's hands.

For a full forty-five minutes before dinner, the party guests mingled. First Narcissa was dragged off by Ariadne to the Ladies' Reception Room, where Narcissa was introduced to Mrs. Parkinson, Nott, Mulciber, Crabbe, Goyle, and Lestrange (Rabastan Lestrange, a school friend of Lucius Malfoy, was also in attendance, though not in the Ladies' Reception Room). Narcissa had to endure repeated conversation about her school accomplishments, and by the time the guests were called to dinner, Narcissa was beginning to think that parties might be rather more tiresome than she'd assumed.

Dinner was lovely, though. Most of the guests were served dinner on the back lawn in the rear of the great Malfoy Manor, but the Blacks had been invited into the special dining room, where the Malfoys themselves dined. The room was sumptuous, decorated with heavily embroidered tapestries and the portraits of many Malfoy forbears, who were watching the party with obvious interest; and the food was magnificent.

Over leg of lamb and lobster bisque, Narcissa basked in the conversation which, after all the introductions were made, was finally more interesting than what kind of marks Narcissa had received on her Transfiguration finals in her fourth year. Narcissa loved gossip, and this was the best sort of all - who had married whom this June, and weren't the Parkinsons the worst sort of social climbers, and hadn't Mrs. Mulciber's gown at the Ministry Cotillion been simply grand?

Narcissa couldn't speak, of course, being only fourteen (fifteen in August), but she listened to it all, reveling in her elegant silk robes and the delightful conversation. She and her parents had been seated towards the wrong end of the table, unfortunately - Aquilla and Cassiopeia Black were practically next to Lucretia Malfoy, to Ariadne's disgust - but it gave Ariadne the chance to speak rather more freely about Lucretia Malfoy's tasteless choice of fairy lights rather than the more traditional candles.

Narcissa couldn't help but wish, however, that she was a little closer to Lucius. He was surrounded entirely by witches and wizards his parents' age - even Rabastan Black, his best friend, wasn't allowed to sit next to him - and he looked dreadfully bored. During the soufflé, Narcissa ventured a smile in his direction, and was delighted to see that he smiled back - and winked, again!

Finally, the dinner was over, down to the last morsel of imported cheese, and it was time for the dancing.

This was really what Narcissa was excited about - there were many young ladies at the party, though not so many in the dining room itself, and most of them were there for the chance to dance with Lucius. The Malfoy heir was still too young for marriage, of course, but now that he was of age he was eminently eligible for the next dew years. Had Andromeda been there, Ariadne would doubtless have tried to shove the girl into Lucius's arms, despite the fact that the two of them despised each other on instinct.

The Great Hall was just as magnificent as the rest of the Malfoy Manor. Directly in the center of the sprawling mansion, it had been redone in 1897 in the style of an Italian Villa, to suit the tastes of the still-legendary Eleanora Malfoy; a grand staircase led from the second floor family apartments to the left of the hall, and in the balconies overseeing the magnificent marble Hall, a small orchestra had struck up a waltz.

For the first dance, to Narcissa's utter chagrin, she found herself partnerless - Orion was, of course, dancing with Ariadne, and the few young men were all with girls closer to their own age. Narcissa realized unhappily that she was easily the youngest girl in attendence.

For the second dance, her father took pity on her, and rescued her from her lonely velvet chair while Ariadne flirted shamelessly with Aurelius Lestrange. It was lovely to dance, and Narcissa enjoyed herself, but too soon the waltz was at an end, and Narcissa was partnerless, again.

For five whole dances, Narcissa watched the adults glide around the dance floor, resplendent in their robes. The eldest Lestrange girl, Cornelia, was especially lovely - her tawny hair was tamed by pearls, and her robes, magnificently pink and gold, positively glowed next to her skin. She danced first with Alaric Mulciber, and then, to Narcissa's distress, with Lucius Malfoy himself.

And to think she had been looking forward to the dancing, too! She'd dreamed that she'd be swept off of her feet by dashing young wizards in elegant dress robes, that they would escort her across the dance floor until dawn, that she'd even be the belle of the ball (the last she knew had been ridiculous). She hadn't thought she'd be the wallflower nobody wanted to dance with!

Narcissa was feeling very sorry for herself when her extended study of the Malfoys' elaborate marble floor was interrupted by a pair of shiny black leather shoes. The owner of these shoes, she discovered, was extending his hand to her, in an invitation to join him on the dance floor.

"I could hardly allow you to sit out the entire night's dancing," Lucius Malfoy said.

Delighted, Narcissa got to her feet so quickly she staggered, having forgotten that balancing on heels was entirely different than walking on ballet flats. Lucius steadied her, one hand resting on the small of her back. Beaming gloriously, she allowed him to escort her onto the floor.

For the first dance, she hardly spoke at all, too delighted to be dancing to say anything. When the last strains of the spirited Viennese waltz had faded away, however, to be replaced by a sprightly gavotte, Narcissa felt sure that Lucius would excuse himself. To her surprise, however, he merely smiled at Giovanna Montague, and kept his strong but gentle hands firmly clasped about Narcissa's own.

As they whirled about the dance floor, Lucius whispered in Narcissa's ear, "I know I really should have danced with the Montague girl, but she's an unbearable cow. She never stops talking, and it's always about the silliest things."

As Lucius lifted her into the air for a perfectly-timed spin, Narcissa threw back her head and laughed.

They danced five times in a row. After the gavotte, Narcissa had again thought Lucius would leave her, but instead they began to talk about family, and politics, which in the wizarding world were practically the same thing.

Narcissa had always liked Lucius - had been a little in love with him practically since her first year - but he had never paid her much attention. He had been polite, distant, and altogether out of her reach, being two years older than her, and from his fifth year on, a prefect to boot. Now, however, he was interested, solicitous, and generous in his conversation. Narcissa didn't know why, but she hardly wanted to stop for questions. It was too perfect an evening to spoil.

She flattered him shamelessly, and he returned every compliment in turn, even going so far to say that in a few years he was sure she'd outshine even Cornelia Lestrange.

And then, after a slow minuet, Lucretia Malfoy appeared practically out of nowhere, a tight smile on her face. "It's so lovely to see you enjoying yourself, Narcissa, but I'm afraid I simply must ask Lucius to see his other guests."

And Narcissa was left, stranded in the middle of the floor, as Lucius was led away by his mother to meet to the Boots' oldest daughter. Just before Narcissa turned to walk back to her seat, she saw Lucius turn his head slightly toward her and mouth the words, "I'll be back."

With decidedly more spring in her step, Narcissa decided that perhaps she'd go out onto the lawn, instead.

The night air was cool, and for a moment Narcissa wished she'd brought the velvet cape she'd left in the Ladies' Reception Room. She acclimated quickly, however, and drank in the scene.

Many of the party guests were either too old or too bored with dancing to spend their entire evening in the Great Hall, and the back gardens, especially the sloping Lawn, had been set aside for after-dinner conversation. The Pavillions where dinner had been hosted for the majority of the guests were still up, with House Elves offering little trays of confections, and glasses of champagne.

Narcissa was rather tempted to try to snag a glass of champagne for herself, but again resisted. It wouldn't do to ruin the evening by disobeying Ariadne, who had remained strict with Bellatrix and Andromeda about underage drinking, too. Narcissa wasn't sure quite what to do with herself - strolling the lawns was all very good, but she didn't really have any company, and it got tiresome quickly.

Seeing her father, Orion, with a group of his Ministry friends, she sped up to join him - but at the sound of hushed voices slowed, and then halted behind a stand of fir trees, listening intently to the conversation.

"- but if there's really a new Dark Lord, we shall have to take sides soon," said a portly man Narcissa thought might be Gerald Rosier.

"I shouldn't like to take sides before we know his strength," Themistocles Wilkes said, his voice so low Narcissa could barely hear.

"I say caution, too," Narcissa heard her father say. "I'm all for the purification of the Wizarding race, and kicking the muggleborn trash out of the Ministry, but his methods, if the rumors are true, go too far... from what I've heard, he's only been in the country for four years or so, he spent a long time in Eastern Europe - he has strong ties to the Russians.

"The aurors are having a devil of a time tracking him down, too. They think he's down in Wales somewhere, going by his apparition patterns, but he could be in Tanganyika for all they know. He's a nasty piece of work from what I've heard - indubitably powerful, and a charismatic man, too. Most of his followers are young, you know, just graduated from Hogwarts, or else they're from the criminal element. Makes you wonder, doesn't it, what sort of man would employ werewolves to do his bidding."

There was a low murmur of assent from some, and then the man Narcissa thought was called Rosier asked, "Do you know where the Malfoys stand, Orion?"

"Abraxas is a cautious man, as am I," Orion replied slowly, "but Lucretia hasn't a cautious bone in her body. If she were younger, I think she'd pledge her support. From what I've heard, Lucius, their son, might be getting himself involved in all this dark business."

"Excuse me," a man Narcissa did not know interjected, "but while everyone always seems to be talking about this new Dark Lord, I hardly know anything for sure - I haven't even heard his name. We all know about Grindelwald, but I haven't heard so much as a whisper of solid, substantiated fact about this new one."

There was a moment's deadly silence, and then Orion Black replied, "It isn't wise to speak his name from what I've head, Yaxley. I know it's superstitious, but - well, it's Old Magic, the importance of a name, and I think this new Dark Lord has something special about his own title. I'll tell you what he calls himself - I don't know his true name - but you oughtn't repeat it. He calls himself Lord Voldemort."

Narcissa felt a shiver run down her spine inexplicably. She'd never even heard the name before - knew only the barest rumors of this new Dark Lord - but it made her afraid nevertheless.

Then, before she could hear any more of the conversation, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and Lucius's voice.

"There you are! I've been looking for you. What are you doing here?"

Narcissa laughed softly, but put a finger to her lips until they were away from her father and his friends. "I was eavesdropping," Narcissa admitted. "They were talking about this new Dark Lord. Do you know, I only just found out his name!"

Lucius's smiling face became suddenly more somber. "It isn't wise to speak it, Narcissa. I know you're young, still, and don't know much about these things, but there are dark times coming. I think that it will be for the best, in the long run, but I don't want you getting mixed up in it if you can help it. Things are going to get dangerous, and I worry that - I just don't want anyone to get hurt, you least of all. Everybody's running scared, even my family."

"Do you know something about him?" Narcissa asked, curiously.

"Only a little," Lucius admitted. "But I want to know more. My father is - well, he doesn't dare find out anything, for fear of tainting the family name, but I think the Malfoy family honor would be improved if for once we showed a little of our old courage. I want to find this man, Narcissa, this wizard who has put such silent terror into the Ministry, and I want to -" But he stopped, looking chagrined. "This is no talk for a party!"

"No, I think you're right," Narcissa said. She hadn't liked being called too young to know. She was almost fifteen, and not some child anymore - and after the Malfoy heir's flattering attention all evening, she was feeling unusually self-confidant. "I think you have to take a stance. Those men back there, my father's friends, are old and cautious. They don't dare do anything, don't dare even stand up for what they believe in. If you're brave enough to do something, well, I'll stand behind you!"

Lucius stopped their walk, and smiled at her, his eyes kind and his handsome face genuinely pleased. "I would be proud to have you at my side, Narcissa."

Paused in the shade of a tall elm, hidden from the sight of the other party guests, Narcissa looked deeply into Lucius Malfoy's grey eyes. She was very aware of everything at that minute - the chittering of fairies in the elm tree, the breeze coming up the slope, how naked she felt in these beautiful dress robes, cut so much lower than her normal Hogwarts uniform. "May I ask you something, Lucius?"

"Of course."

"I do not mean to be rude but - you have never paid me very much attention, yet tonight not only have you danced with me far more than propriety would demand, you left your guests to find me. Why?"

Lucius did not speak for a long moment, and Narcissa was afraid that she had offended him after all. Then he said, softly, "It is very hard to explain, but - well, this party was not for me, for all that it is about me. It's so that my parents can show off their wealth, and flaunt their power and influence. It's crass, but we are wealthy enough, and powerful enough, that people are bringing their daughters here in the hopes that my parents will begin to look for a suitable wife, now that I am of age, in the hopes that I will take a fancy to some daughter of a noble House.

"You saw Cornelia Lestrange, and Giovanna Montague - neither of them like me in the slightest, believe me, but their parents simply adore my surname, so of course they have primped and prepared all day so that they can make eyes at me across the dance floor. You've been the only one all evening to make decent conversation, the only one not to practically fling yourself at me."

He stopped again, and there was a fierce intensity in his face. Narcissa was reminded that for all his large and gentle hands, he had a name as a duelist at Hogwarts, and the way all the first years avoided him in the common room when he was in a temper.

"Take Cornelia Lestrange - I'm only just seventeen, to her I'm practically a child - she was the Head Girl when I started Hogwarts! And yet, her family have fallen on economic hard times with the rumors of war again and nobody wanting to invest in English trade, so they're going to try to sell off their daughters, practically. It's not as if this were the middle ages, either - for all that we have maintained our traditions, this is the twentieth century, and men don't use their daughters as - as galleons anymore! I know for a fact that Cornelia Lestrange is in love with Perseus Macmillan, she loves him, Narcissa, but here she is, trying to flirt with me, practically shoving her -"

He was furious, and Narcissa rather thought it was more than the flattering attentions of a beautiful older woman, but she did not ask. That was not what he needed at the moment. Instinctively, for Narcissa felt intuitively what this proud young man wanted from her, she reached up with her small, pale hands and stilled the trembling in his shoulders. He looked deep into her eyes again, and smiled softly, now calm.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let my temper run away with me. I shouldn't be spoiling your evening just because I'm out of sorts."

"I'm only fourteen, and maybe I don't know very much," Narcissa said, though at the moment she felt like a very old fourteen, with Lucius Malfoy so close. She could smell his sweet musk of perfume and sweat, and thought she could see a freckle on his nose. "I - I couldn't be like Cornelia Lestrange. She's beautiful, and I - well, I must be like a child to you; I certainly am to the other men here, like your friend Rabastan. I'm sure my mother would love it if I were to - to make eyes at you, but I'm not like Cornelia. I couldn't make myself do that.

"Oh, that came out all wrong! It's not that I don't like you - really and truly, Lucius, this has been such a wonderful evening, and I'm so terribly flattered. It's just that I don't have the courage to flirt and prance like the other girls. I like you a very great deal, Lucius, and that's all I can offer - not beauty, or witty conversation, or even much money. I'm the youngest daughter of the lesser Blacks."

Lucius reached out to take Narcissa's chin within his large hands. "That's why I like you," he said softly. "Because you're honest, and because you haven't lied to me once all night."

And then, in the shadow of the great elm, they kissed, softly, and broke apart, softly.

"Will you wait for me?" Narcissa asked quietly. "To come of age? I will be old enough soon; three years is not so long, is it?"

"I would wait twenty for you, Narcissa," Lucius said softly.

Then, together, they walked up the sloping lawn, and danced, together, the whole night long.