Violet Summer: Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter 35: The Third Memory - Part Four

"Narcissa Malfoy..."

Wolfe stood, his eyes intense as he studied the memory before them, fixated on Narcissa and Mathias. Toni was bewildered by the sight of her; she hadn't seen Narcissa in a long time. This memory was unfamiliar to Toni, stirring curiosity and wonder. The fact that Narcissa was present in this memory puzzled her. Looking at Draco, she noticed his soft eyes upon his mother. What was Narcissa doing here, and why did she want to help Toni?

Narcissa stood before Mathias, her eyes intently on him as if seeing him for the first time. The others gave her scolding looks; none of them seemed pleased to see her. Mathias was momentarily softened by the sight of his old friend, but the agony of his daughter's screams quickly pulled him back.

"I can help her, Mathias," Narcissa said, her voice faintly soft.

Roan shot up quickly. "No! Absolutely not! We can't trust her!"

"For all we know, she'll probably purposely make it worse!" Gus added, scowling at Narcissa.

Narcissa's brow rose. "She's a child. I have no interest in harming children, Jackbuck."

"You... You know this curse then?" Mathias asked, knowing well that he didn't want to hear the answer.

"Do you want me to help her, or no?" Narcissa asked, her face showing a challenging look.

Mathias struggled with an answer. He wasn't sure if he could trust her, and the insistence from the others made it more evident that perhaps he shouldn't. However, the screams of his daughter were palpable, and his pride was put aside as he gave her a pleading nod. Narcissa smiled in response.

"Put her back on the table," Narcissa ordered as she removed her gloves and placed them on a nearby counter. They gently placed Toni back on the table, and Mathias noticed a subtle frown forming on Narcissa's face. "There are far too many people here. Please, let Mathias and I handle this."

"Absolutely not," Lupin protested.

Mathias looked sharply at all of them. "Wait outside. All of you."

"Are you mad?" Roan sneered.

"You said you wanted to know who your enemies are, Mathias," Lupin said, pointing directly at Narcissa. "That, right there, is your enemy."

"He's right, Mathias. We can't trust her," Kathryne chimed in.

"Enough!" Mathias snarled. "I will choose who treats my daughter! And I will allow whoever to do so if it means she will live! Now get out! All of you!"

They all left with low and grumbled heads, giving disapproving looks before Bratchet closed the door behind them, still very confused. Narcissa let out a heavy sigh, as if the weight of the pressure had lifted.

"I appreciate you trusting me," Narcissa said to Mathias. He glared at her.

"If she dies, so do you," Mathias warned.

Narcissa gave a slow nod and turned back to Toni as Mathias held her down. She studied the curse carefully and slowly brought her wand toward Toni's wrist. The wand began to glow brightly, and Mathias watched as the black lines in Toni's body slowly receded, retreating to the edge of Narcissa's wand. Toni's screams soon stopped, and after a few minutes, her eyes closed, and her body was free of the curse once more. Mathias let out a heavy breath at the sight, pressing his thumbs around Toni's temples before gently kissing her forehead.

Mathias' attention then turned to Narcissa, giving her a challenging look. "Thank you," he said in a low whisper.

The group lingered for the night, including Narcissa. She had warned them that the curse might come back if there were any lingering traces. She refused to explain the cure or how it worked, which irritated the others. Mathias kept his composure about it, and Bratchet provided some mild potions to keep Toni steady for the time being. The group's eyes never strayed far from Narcissa, and they all still felt she couldn't be trusted. Mathias kept his distance as well, offering only the occasional gesture.