Rescuing Dragons

The New Flock

 "I have a sister! What are you talking about?" Draco stood up from his chair and stared at his mother as if she was crazy.

"Your father and I had just broken up. I was upset and I... spent the evening with a friend. When I realized I was pregnant, I went to France and stayed with my aunt to hide it from my family. Aunt Lyra asked to be her legal guardian. Nobody else knew except Aunt Andromeda. Your father and I got back together a couple months after I returned to England."

Draco sat back down slowly, looking at his mother as if he had never seen her before. "So you haven't seen her again since yesterday?"

Narcissa looked uncomfortable. "I felt it was in her best interest not to be involved in my life, and it would have made things... difficult for all of us."

He stared at her even longer this time. Narcissa looked at her hands for a few seconds, then lifted her head proudly to look directly at him. "Do not judge me, Draco. I did what I felt was in the best interest of my family and the child."

"So I have a sister that is...how old?" He was still trying to make sense of this.

"She turned twenty-one last October so almost three years older than you. Her name is Raven Black. She moved here from France a couple weeks ago and recently accepted the position of Potions Master at Hogwarts."

Draco looked shocked. "How could she possibly teach potions at that age! Does she know the caliber of teachers who had that position?"

"Yes, I am sure she does," Narcissa said, getting irritated. "Her father is Severus Snape. He was twenty-one when he started teaching at Hogwarts, and Raven came highly recommended by..."

"Snape! You were with...how could you...were you drunk?"

Narcissa gave him a scornful look. "Severus and I were friends and were drinking. He was in love with Potter's mother and had just been told — on his seventeenth birthday — that she was in a serious relationship with James Potter. I had just found out...well, let's just say your father was only faithful to me after we were married."

Draco sat thinking, one hand on his head. His mother had seemed distracted when he and Astoria had arrived. When she had encouraged his father to show Astoria the newest clutch of chicks from the peacocks, he knew it was an excuse to talk to him alone. Well, this explained the close relationship his mom had with Snape. He had wondered why she felt comfortable asking him to be his protector after the Dark Lord ordered him to kill Dumbledore. Even though Aunt Bella didn't trust Snape, his mother did. He could have immediately reported her treachery but instead had made an Unbreakable Oath. It all made sense now. "So, I have a half-sister who grew up in France and whose father is Severus Snape. Why has she moved here? Is she looking for money?"

"Of course not, Draco! Aunt Lyra died a few months ago. I told you about it but you never knew her so it may not have meant much. Raven came here for a new start."

Draco was not convinced. "It still seems a little suspicious for her to just suddenly show up at our doorstep. How long has she known you're her mother?"

"I asked Lyra to tell her about me when she turned seventeen. We started corresponding shortly after that."

"You've been writing to her for over four years and never thought to tell me before this?"

"The Dark Lord had just returned. Your father and I felt it was in your best interest not to say anything unless it became necessary. After all, you were still a child then."

"Oh, and what a bloody wonderful childhood! I've been an adult for almost two years now. I think you could have told me I had a sister before now."

Narcissa was getting weary of being the recipient of so much anger. "Look, I cannot change what happened and I did what I thought was best. You can get angry with me if you think that will help, but I plan on inviting her to dinner in a few days and would like you and Astoria to be there."