Blackgrave Manor

Blackgrave Manor

Chapter 13.

Narcissa stood very still. She did not resist when Lucius took her hand; she even let him draw her to the door, one small step after the other. When they stood even with Hagrid, though, she stood still again, absolutely still. Perhaps if she stood this way long enough, Lucius would simply be swirled away with the turning of the earth. She would not need to explain anything, she would simply be still and quiet and . . . And alone?

"Darling?" Lucius asked.

"I . . . I can't." 

"Darling, exert yourself. You will soon have every opportunity to collapse."

He didn't understand. How could he? Narcissa barely understood herself. She pulled her hand free and rubbed at the red mark on her palm. If only she could fly through the sky like the ravens . . . But no, she must crawl along the ground, making one pitiful step at a time. "No," she said. "No."

"Of course you will, dearest. Don't be silly."

"No," Narcissa whispered. "I'm not coming home."

"My love, you are making this far more difficult than is necessary. All you need to do is walk out of the house . . ."

"Listen! I'm not coming home."

Now Lucius stood still, utterly still. "Narcissa. Do you know what you are saying?"

"I'm leaving. I'm leaving everything. I can't come home with you."

"Darling . . . Why are you doing this?"

Narcissa wasn't sure herself. She never was, and with Lucius' pale eyes running over her face she felt even less certain. "Um . . . I . . ."

"You're exhausted. You don't know what you're saying. Come." 

"Lucius . . . I do know what I'm saying. I think."

Lucius sighed, and moved his wand in the lazy swirl Narcissa knew so well. She felt the spell building, ready to wash over her the way huge black clouds roll over the moon. Narcissa shut her eyes tight, and clenched her hands. No, she thought. I can't go back.

Something behind her eyes flashed like lightning. She opened them in surprise. The spell was gone, and Lucius was staring at her. Such empty eyes. Narcissa couldn't even see her own reflection.

"You understand," Lucius said, "that you no longer have either a home or a family?"

"Blackgrave Manor is mine"-- the land was, anyway-- "and Draco is my son."

He smiled mockingly and turned away. His feet tapped the stairs like periods, like the end of the world.

Narcissa was left behind in the gray house. Alone, and empty-- and free! She looked about her, and saw again Hagrid's great body, covered in ice. Poor man. He was so caring, so brave-- how had Lucius ever managed to turn such a glowing, friendly person into ice? Without her wand, though, Narcissa could do nothing. She vowed to return and help Hagrid, as soon as she could find one.

In the meantime, then, this was goodbye. She stood on tiptoe, and kissed the end of his dark beard.

Narcissa was turning to leave when she heard a loud cracking sound. She spun around in surprise, and saw the ice splitting and heaving. Cracks ran up Hagrid's beard, across his broad shoulders . . . Soon his bright black eyes were free again, and then his mouth.

"Narcissa!" he cried. "Yeh saved me!"

"But I didn't do anything," said Narcissa.

"But yeh did. Yer warm heart-- I don' know how yeh did it, ma'am, but yer amazin'."

Amazing. Brilliant. Narcissa remembered Lucius' pale flat eyes, his mocking smile. He thought she was ornamental. Hagrid thought she was . . . important. Intelligent. Brave, even. "Let's go," she said.

"Go where? Where's that-- that Malfoy of yers?"

"He's not mine. Not any more. I thought . . . Do you think the giants would let me build a little house, at the bottom of the hill? And maybe you could visit sometimes, in between your diplomatic missions?"

"Visit? Really? Yeh'd let me visit yeh?"

"You could stay a while, if you like. Bring Iris, even."

Hagrid's face broke into an astounding grin. Narcissa felt her entire being swept up in his smile.

"I'd love ter stay with yeh," said Hagrid. "When do yeh think yeh'll start buildin'?"

There was a thump downstairs, and a woman's voice screaming. "You! What are you doing in my house?"

"I think we should go now," said Narcissa. "I think . . . I think one of the Dursley people has returned."

They rushed downstairs and out the back door. In the distance Lucius' voice murmured reassuringly, and the Dursley woman screamed, "You! I don't care how rich you are, I don't care what my husband says . . . Robber! Thief!"

Hagrid and Narcissa walked to the train station, hand in hand.

finis.