𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓖𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼 || 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲

Chapter 26 - Side of Me

           Wooden floors creaked relentlessly as Ophelia flew down the corridor passed the study room, her honeyed curls rippled behind her as her legs carried her towards Lucius' office as quickly as they could. Ophelia didn't even stop for breath as trembling hands fumbled with the knob of the office door.

"D-Draco is gone!" She barely choked out as she shot into the room, her entire body quivering with worry.

Lucius looked up from his work with furrowed brows, taking in the sight before him. Never had he seen her so shaken, not when she ran from him, or when she almost drowned in the Malfoy Manor lake, nor when she had gifted Marcus Macnair a blow to the face. He'd seen her frightened, anxious, furious, shocked, but never anything like this.

"What do you mean 'gone'?" Lucius asked as he pushed himself up from the desk, his eyes focussed on the trembling young woman.

"I- he wasn't- I couldn't-" She shook. Lucius approached her calmly, resting a hand on each of her arms he looked down into her watering bloodshot eyes.

"Breathe Ophelia," Lucius commanded gently, "now slowly, tell me slowly, what has happened?" Lucius voice was like calming soft silk, wrapping her up and making her feel soothed, safe. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

"I w-went to find him, to start some work, but he w-wasn't in his room." She told him between breaths. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she spoke.

"Have you checked outside? You know how he is with his brooms."

"I asked D-dobby to check outside... He l-looked for him, looked everywhere... he's not in the g-grounds." Ophelia finally choked out between shaky breaths. Lucius took a deep breath himself, before his lip turned up into a snarl.

"Narcissa." He hissed between his gritted teeth. He shook his head, his nose scrunching, as he let Ophelia free from his gentle hold, out of fear it wouldn't be gentle for much longer.

"Dobby!" Lucius barked, startling the governess.

The house elf appeared, he too shaking with fear.

"Y-yes master?" Dobby answered, twiddling his little fingers.

"No sign of my son on the grounds you say?" Lucius asked with bared teeth, turning away from Ophelia he leant against the nearest bookcase with a shaking arm, head down, hair falling over his pale face. Ophelia knew the shaking wasn't out of fear, or anxiety, it was anger, pure unrelenting anger. She gulped.

"N-no master." The house elf shook his head, his large eyes tearing up.

"My wife." Lucius growled. "Did she take him?"

Dobby's hands shook, the house elf was scared to answer, terrified of what his masters' actions would be when he did not like the answer.

"Master, Dobby saw Mistress come and go... but the young master was not with her..." The elf whimpered.

Ophelia shook her head in disbelief, her hands flying to her face, she dipped down to the sofa, where she perched on the edge. Elbows digging into her thighs she pressed her hands into her face and took another deep shaky breath. Tangled curls fell about her as she silently cried into her cupped hands.

She blamed herself, her actions. It had to be Narcissa. Dobby had to be wrong, had to have missed her taking Draco from the house. She had split the family, stolen the woman's husband. And in retaliation Narcissa had stolen her son from the only home he had ever known. She had a right to, of course, he was her son... but the shock of it ripped into Ophelia, and tore at Lucius even deeper. Over the course of her time there, she had really built a bond with the boy, and now, without any warning he was gone. No goodbye. Just gone.