alt_regulus | Narcissa

No. You misunderstand. He's injured himself.

And it's not my wine cellar that's damaged. The guest suite looks as if it's seen a massacre. So did Regulus.

Narcissa. He's tried to hack off his own arm.

I

I don't understand - Barty - do you mean he's tried to repeat Our Lord's first test of his loyalty? Remove the attachment in some sort of penance?

Surely that's what you're saying. Not

Oh, God.

No.

The good arm.

BUGGER!

Oh dear. I just read this morning.

It does look like he's pulled through, at least.

I'm so very sorry, love.

How are you doing?

Well, I'm not doing as poorly as Reg, that's for sure.

Things have been quiet, but I don't like it. My hand is just about healed; I'm foraging for the ingredients to Poppy's tea business and then I'm planning to nip off somewhere anonymous.

I don't like it either.

Be ready for anything. Even if it means showing your hand a little, I'd rather they knew you were an Animagus any day over having you in custody or worse.

Did you see what that... awful man wrote? For all his talk of how much he cares for children, he's not above using them for his purposes.

And even without that, she's a dangerous little thing, Sirius. For many reasons. You were never a thirteen year old girl, love, so you wouldn't quite understand. But it's worth a little extra caution on your part, I'd warrant.

What who wrote where?

Oh. I've just seen it. Yeah, what a prat. And daft, as well - who else would think my bit of fun last night was anything other than taking the piss?

Dangerous? How? Sorry, I don't follow.

Oh, my darling man.

For starters, she's a person. Yes, she's still a young person, but she's got very real (and very powerful) emotions to sort out at her age, and if she's anything like every teenage girl I've ever known, she's got a whopping dose of self-doubt too, and those shouldn't be toyed with. Or exploited. Any more than they already have been, that is.

I know you love your brother, dearest, but regardless of his intentions, he's twisted that girl into knots, and I don't want you making it worse. You're better than that. And regardless of what Lucius Malfoy says, I do not want you getting her in trouble, which is a very real possibility given your current title and her tendency to be contrary.

And it's hard to sort out what she's thinking behind it all too, making her a potential liability. I don't want you to underestimate her, or assume you know her. From what I've seen of her, she seems quite good at getting people to do what she wants -- and if she really is in Lucius Malfoy's right hand pocket, you ought to watch how open you are with her.

Half a moment, do you mean to say you think she really does fancy Reg?

No. That's ... well, it's ....

Hm.

I wouldn't say it's quite like that. Not in the way you think. And it's not quite that simple, either. But I wouldn't rule it out entirely.

Didn't you have someone totally out of your reach that you went a bit mad over when you were in school? Or is that just something girls do? Merlin, when I was only a year older than she was, I remember

Well, it's sort of embarrassing. But needless to say, I was very much wrapped up in it, and even though I wouldn't even say I fancied him, I certainly loved him very fiercely and deeply, in my way. It was all quite chaste, of course. But I ~~was~~ would have been just devastated if he'd come to harm, and I couldn't claim the familiarity that she can.

Course I had, Allie. Trouble is, she was a rather swotty prefect.

And then she went and married an Auror, if you please.

Anyway, it's a bit on the refreshing side to see someone else give a tinker's what happens to him. But I can't imagine she's sweet on him. You don't know Reg that well; he's got this way that keeps you from throttling him even when he soundly deserves it. I'm sure she's just interested in his jokes and such, and yeah, I guess I'm a connection to that. And if she's got Malfoy as wrapped round her wand as it looks, he'll not do more than grumble.

But I did see the bastard's comment, and it's got me to thinking, that perhaps they have some way of tracing comments back to the ones who make them. So if for no other reason than that, it's worth not encouraging her.

You really are too sweet for your own good, sometimes.

And there's more than one way to be twisted about. Even if it's not like that at all, it's caused her no small amount of pain to see him suffer as he has.

I just want you to think a little before you speak, love. And tread carefully.

Barty,

Narcissa's just told me. We are on our way.

There's not much good you could do here, but wait.

Nonetheless, Narcissa is adamant. She's just getting dressed and we ought to be there within ten minutes.

If I know my wife, she will insist on remaining nearby all night, if necessary.

I'm sure they will accommodate her as best they can. I've asked Winky to meet you and show you up. His elf is in with him. Couldn't be persuaded to let him out of his sight.

Lucius is not underestimating me.

Thank you for acting quickly. We are his family; we ought to be the ones to keep vigil.

Barty, are you quite sure this was ... self-inflicted? Only, you know what trouble he has Apparating. It's not possible it's a Splinch?

I'll tell you all I know when you arrive.

no.

Oh no.

he was supposed to be doing better.

I thought

He was, but

Pansy, I'm sorry, we must go and find out his condition.

I promise I will let you know what's happened once we receive an update from the Healers. And Mr Crouch.

I will apprise you soon.

please

how could he?

Psst. Spider-hunter.

I guess we'll have to wait and worry together. Well, not together. I don't want to get you into trouble.

But. I'm glad someone else is as scared for him as I am. That's all.

Sit tight, Black. We'll come for you.

You're welcome to keep looking.

I'm happy to lead the diricawl chase as long as you like. Why don't you send more Death Eaters out of the wards to try to find me? That'll make setting England to rights much easier.

Gryffindor.

sounds like you have quite a lot to worry about already.

but yes.

waiting and worrying and scared.

I'm sorry.

Oh, him? No, it's fine. Crouch's lads just tried to flush me into the open, that's all. Just a little excitement. Nothing to fret over.

Or. I suppose I ought to say: You should be very frightened! I'm going to come into your homes and steal your magic! They'll NEVER stop me! NEVER! (Evil laughter goes here, traditionally. Sorry, you'll have to imagine it for the time being.)

However, this situation with my brother is getting rather dire. On the whole, I'd rather be evading Crouch and Lestrange and their jackals than be where your friend is right now.

It's so much more difficult, I think, to save someone who doesn't really want to be saved. Who wants the opposite, in fact.

Well, you really ought to go drink tea with your dorm-mate and ignore the ravings of this dangerous criminal.

Chin up. I'm sure they'll put him to rights. Physically, anyway.

I feel so stupid asking about the stupid letter when he

and thinking he was doing fine

stupid.

and I am scared.

very.

rather face giant spiders any day.

you can set a spider on fire or blast it to pieces. But for this you've just got to sit and wait. and that's the worst.

Pansy, let's go down to the common room. We can ask the elves for tea to drink while we wait to hear from Mr Malfoy.

thanks

Narcissa

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