Escape ↣ Harmione

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter 34 - Mystery, Intrigue, Rescue

Minerva promised to look into what he needed, and he agreed he would go to the castle, tomorrow once Albus left. He tried not to worry about the elder witch as she returned them both to a quiet corner of Diagon Alley. He returned back to the Manor and went to find Narcissa. She was in a small sitting room a book lying open next to her on the sofa. The decanter on the tray was half full, and he wondered how far gone she was. He didn't usually spend his evening with her. Usually, he was down in the lab lost in brewing and research. But Minerva's reaction to the snake had made a rush of guilt flood him. He had been invited to stay to keep an eye on Narcissa, and so far he'd done a poor job of it.

"Severus," she greeted him, a hand indicating a chair. "Won't you join me?"

"Thank you." He sat in the chair and accepted the glass she handed to him. The level in the decanter didn't change, she could have drunk an entire bottle, and no-one would be the wiser. He raised the glass to his lips and took a mouthful of the liquid. Lucius finest whisky rushed down his gullet and warmed his stomach. Hell Lucius guarded this stuff jealously, and here Narcissa was knocking it back like it was cheap fire whisky. "One of the better vintages," he remarked.

Narcissa's smile was forced and brief. "There's no one but me to drink it."

They sat in quiet contemplation, he didn't really know how to talk to her. Unlike Minerva, he couldn't challenge her to a discussion of the latest research in their respective specialities. Nor could he complain about the Dark Lord or Albus. Or be a sounding board for her fears as he was for Minerva. His relationship with Narcissa stemmed mostly from his friendship with Lucius, and he wasn't sure that would last the discovery of his true allegiance.

"Have you heard from Lucius?" he asked, trying anyway.

"Yes," she admitted. "He wrote to say they were currently in Croatia."

"They are successful then?"

"He didn't say," she said. "I'm not sure that the Dark Lord has been so forthcoming with what it is he is looking for that success can be easily judged."

"But he is well?" he enquired, not meaning the Dark Lord.

"Yes, as well as can be expected."

He ran out of things to say and lapsed into silence again nursing his drink. Narcissa sat silently staring into the fire lost in her own thoughts. Eventually, his drink finished, and having had enough of the oppressive silence, he rose. "I will retire for the night is there anything you need me to see to for you before I do so or tomorrow?"

"No, no thank you, Severus," she answered, smiling a polite smile that went nowhere near her eyes.

He bowed and left her there.

His sleep was restless, his mind too busy trying to calculate the angles and risks to let him rest entirely. When he rose he washed dressed and went down to breakfast. Narcissa was already there looking no worse for her indulgence last night. He dropped the phial of hangover potion next to her soundlessly and took his seat. She inclined her head to him slightly, and he nodded in return. They ate and not a word was exchanged. When they had finished, he rose and took his leave retreating to his lab. He set to brewing a potion to muffle a magical signature, to allow him to transport Ollivander through the wards without alerting anyone. Time passed without him taking any notice when a soft knock broke his concentration, and he looked up to see the door open, and Narcissa entered bearing a letter.

"This arrived for you. I didn't know how important it might be."

Yet you brought it yourself rather than send an elf, he thought. He took the letter proffered and glanced down at it a worried frown showing on his face he didn't bother to hide. "It's from McGonagall," he said knowing she would have deduced that much herself. He broke the seal and read the letter, the frown getting deeper.