Chapter Text
The lavish mansion loomed in the dreary moonlight. It was darkened and deathly silent, except for the master study on the second floor. The room had been ransacked months prior, with papers and books still strewn about the room.
In the dim light of a few floating candles, a small child sat alone in the corner of the room with two middle-aged men standing on opposite sides of the large desk that was easily the focal point of the office. The men were arguing quietly, but the conversation was heated.
"I told you no. Get out of my house." The taller man looked haughty, his long blonde hair mussed and disheveled. He appeared to have been recently disturbed from sleep, adding to his foul mood.
"You owe me, Malfoy." The second man growled, tossing his dirty blonde braid over his shoulder. "I stood in your defense at your trial."
"And I stood in for yours." Malfoy hissed back, anger glinting in his grey eyes. "I owe you nothing, Yaxley, and you will not threaten me in my own home!"
"Something needs to be done with it!" Yaxley slammed his fist down on the desk, making the wood shudder. "It's not like we can just leave it somewhere."
"Just kill it!" Malfoy spat.
"And if he returns?" Yaxley retorted. The men stood in silence a moment, both turning to look at the child.
"He won't." Malfoy's voice was quiet and even, almost as if he was trying to convince himself.
"You don't know that!" Yaxley snapped. "If he comes back, raising his experiment will be the thing that spares us his fury!"
"And killing it will spare us our fortunes." Malfoy retorted. "The ministry is on a war path. I've already spent millions protecting myself and my family, I've not the funds to get caught with another tie to Him."
"It's a child."
"It's a weapon," Malfoy said, growing angry. "Merlin only knows what was in that ritual, Yaxley. What that child is capable of. I won't put my wife and son at risk, not again."
"You're the only choice, Malfoy." Yaxley snapped. "It's always been you."
"Why?" Malfoy frowned after several moments of silence. "Of all of them, why me?"
"You spared me," Yaxley said. "You already have one child. And you have less suspicious eyes on you. Even after your millions, you still have the deep pockets necessary for the task. The ministry will look the other way for you. Not all of us have that privilege."
"What woke you, Luci?" A younger woman, roughly in her mid-twenties, entered the room with a gentle knock. She had long black hair with golden streaks tumbling down her shoulders. She looked drowsy, dressed in a soft gold nightgown. "It's almost 3 o'clock..." She hesitated as she saw Yaxley, wrapping her arms around her chest nervously. "Lucius?"
"Nothing, Narcissa." Malfoy spoke up. "Head back to bed. I'll be there shortly."
"The ministry is still watching the Manor, Lucius." Her voice was soft and concerned, blue eyes snapping from sleep into a sharp focus. She turned back and forth between the two men, her eyes narrowing. "Why is Yaxley here?"
"Cissy, please-"
"I have a favor to ask, Narcissa." Yaxley pushed past Lucius to approach the woman.
"The answer is no." "Lucius snarled.
"I have a child for you."
"A child?" Narcissa's expression softened.
"Bellatrix's daughter." Yaxley looked nervous as the small girl sitting in the corner of the room looked up at them. Her red eyes held a threat. "Say hello to your aunt, child."
"Die." Her voice was tiny and cute, a direct contrast to her appearance. The girl was in a tattered, adult-sized dress shirt, her small, bare feet poking out of the bottom. It looked like she had perhaps never been bathed in her life, covered in grime and something dark that looked suspiciously similar to blood. Her black hair was heavily matted, reminiscent of the peacock nests in the menagerie that Lucius was so fond of.
"Such a darling." Narcissa immediately cooed and approached the child, examining the girl for injury.
"Cissy, I said no."
"What's her name?" Narcissa ignored his words, looking from the frowning child to Yaxley.
"Name?" He shrugged. "She wasn't given one."
"That's unhelpful." She frowned. "A child needs a name."
"We're not naming it, Narcissa." Lucius scowled. "We're not keeping it either."
"Her name will be Andromeda. She will bring us a renewal. A second chance." Narcissa gently kissed the toddler on the top of her head, ecstatic. "Say hello to Mummy, Andromeda."
"Narcissa."
"I gave you your son, Lucius." She snapped, glaring daggers at the older man. "You said no more births after Draco's nearly ended me, but she simply dropped into our laps. Bella is gone, imprisoned for life. I'm not leaving my blood alone to die. I'm getting my daughter." He sighed in resignation and Narcissa smiled brightly. "Now, your thoughts on a name for her?"
"Call it Avada for all I care. With that thing here, death is all that's in store." Lucius turned away, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"How old is she?" Narcissa asked, not certain how else to respond.
"She was kept under wraps with not a soul knowing of her existence, so who knows? You could get away with saying she's the same age as your brat. Isn't he almost two by now? Maybe even a year older than him. LeStrange told no one until the Aurors took them. Her final message was a warning and the location where the child was hidden. She'd been spelled to age quickly, but I think it's slowing. Should anyway."
"It should slow?" Lucius scowled at the other man. "What in Merlin's name did you morons do?"
"It's never been done before, Malfoy." Yaxley seemed particularly insulted by the other man's comment. "It took us sixteen tries to get one of the fuckers to survive birth. It only lived because of Bella's spite and determination."
"Sixteen tries for what?" Narcissa narrowed her eyes at the men as she lifted the child onto the sofa. "She isn't Rodolphus' child?"
"She's-"
"Pureblood." Lucius interrupted, glaring at the other man. "That's all that matters. Your sister's infidelity is of no importance. You can keep it, Cissy, as long as you drop the matter." She beamed immediately, instantly obeying Lucius' request. "It's time to depart."
"Thank you, Corban." Narcissa guided him to the door. "A sister for Draco is the greatest gift I could dream of."
"Not a word of this matter to anyone. Don't darken my doorstep again, Yaxley." Lucius scowled, dismissing the man with a wave. "And don't be seen leaving. They're still watching." Yaxley left with a pop.
"Let's clean you up, darling." Narcissa looked down at the child again with a smile. She cast a few charms and the child was instantly bathed, black curls brushed, and dressed in a child's light pink dressing gown. She continued to stare blankly at the adults before her, thoroughly unbothered that she was left behind by the only familiar face.
"She's better off not knowing anything." Lucius frowned. "Of tonight or anything before."
"Of course. Merlin only knows what the poor thing has been through. Obliviate." Narcissa's voice was calm and collected as she charmed the girl. The girl's eyes glazed softly, and she teetered for a moment. Narcissa reached down to her as she blinked away the feeling, tucking the girl's freshly clean hair behind her ear.
"Darling, you know that it's past your bedtime." She held her hands out to the child. Confused, the toddler accepted Narcissa's embrace as she was lifted into her arms. "You're due for bed. Say good night to your father, Andromeda."
Lucius met the child's eyes and they stared at each other for several moments in silence.
"Good night, Father." Her expression was indifferent, but her eyes held the emotion her face was lacking. Lucius couldn't hold back a shiver at the cruelty he saw there. Narcissa left with the toddler, cooing over her, as Lucius was left to himself. He poured himself another glass of firewhisky and sighed heavily.
"Dark Lord help us all."