Vile Temptation

SIX

SIX
Change of the Wicked

Narcissa was home alone the next day. For a dramatic change, the Malfoy brothers had left the house together in attendance of the same meeting. The details were unknown to her and she suspected it would continue to be. The males were dressed in their most darkest colours that morning. Lucius had cladded himself in robes with a number of finer details and layers. Helios was much the opposite, taking to just a black pair of dress pants and a collared fleece jersey on his top half. Narcissa suspected there was another tight shirt underneath it where his necklaces hid.

The manor was dead silent. It usually was, but there was usually a subconscious knowingness when someone else was with her that provided a sense of comfort. There was none of that now.

Narcissa had spend most of the morning walking up and down the hallways, nothing apparent on her mind besides boredom. She wasn't yet confident enough to venture again to the west wing and check on Helios' progress. The artefact he had shared with her was probably the most exciting thing that had happened to her in a good while. She felt obsessed with it, or at least the idea that it did something, unlike her.

A family portrait caught her attention. From before Mrs Malfoy passed away. The matriarch even looked fragile and brittle in the picture. Pale and ill, barely able to stand next to her seated husband. Lucius stood on Abraxas' other side. He was as solid as a statue, switching from subtly looking at this father and the camera lens, attempting to keep his face as emotionless as possible. Helios, unsurprisingly, contrasted with his brother again. Though he stood straight, there was a laxness in his posture and the ever-present crooked smirk on his face. His chin was pointed down, staring at the camera through his eyelashes looking like he was up to no good.

She had never noticed the picture in the foyer before. Narcissa would've thought its golden frame would have made it more noticeable. "Your curiosity will kill you, girl." It was a steady and morbid voice that originated from the usually silent portrait of Abraxas Malfoy. Narcissa's eyes widened considerably, aghast at his sudden words. Narcissa could feel her mouth part in shock. "You have no need to personally concern yourself in the businesses of my sons. Stay out of the west wing...I will only tell you once." After that, Malfoy Senior left the picture frame leaving Narcissa to argue with herself. What would Lucius say about this? Better yet, what would Helios think.

Narcissa was certainly not having a good time in the Malfoy Manor, and something needed to be done about it.

The brothers arrived home in a flurry near on midnight. The familiar crack resounded around the halls and at the groaning Narcissa picked up her pace to meet them at the foyer. Lucius had slumped himself on Helios, the latter looking unhappy at the support he was giving. Lucius was well beyond disheveled, sweat trickling down his temples, and breathing erratic.

Helios dropped his brother haphazardly on one of the leather sofas as Narcissa marched toward them. Fear and panic. Lucius had curled in on himself, shivering like he had been out in the cold for hours.

"He's fine, Narcissa." Helios assured without a care for his brother's condition. "Certainly more of a princess than you are." Narcissa sent him a quick glare, pressing the back of her hand on Lucius' forehead. Lucius' shame only grew the more his brother spoke, knocking away Narcissa hand, sadly attempting to turn over.

Helios moved wordlessly to the infamous portrait, tapping on the frame. Abraxas materialised and Helios began speaking quietly to his father, glancing occasionally to Lucius. Narcissa, though her back turned, heard a huff of air expel through Malfoy Senior's nose, already picturing the rotten man turning his nose up in her and Lucius' direction.

Narcissa heard Helios return to the side of the sofa, scanning between both his brother and her. "Go to bed, Narcissa," Helios stated, taking on a stern voice she hadn't heard before. She assumed this was more so Abraxas speaking through his son. "I'll settle my dear brother down for the night in a guest room, I have no doubt he'll be a pain tonight."

Narcissa stood up, marching around the couch with anger etched on her face. Helios saw this, she knew, taking a half step back and arching a brow. His pale eyes narrowed slight when she dug her finger in the middle of his chest. "Have you not a sliver of sympathy for the way your brother is feeling?!" Her eyebrows were drawn together, this would cause wrinkles if she didn't stop. "You cannot order me away, not while my husband is in real pain."

Helios craned his neck down, she could feel the air coming from his nose. What were once pale eyes were now a stormy ocean. Helios was heated now, Narcissa felt it in the magic he let off like the night of her wedding. Now he stepped forward. "I advise you, Narcissa, to lay off our business less you get caught in it too. Have a sense of self-preservation and get to bed."

Narcissa wanted to cry. Helios had been almost lovely just the day before, especially compared to the recent behaviour of Lucius. He had ruined it in just a few sentences. The foyer was dead silent, not counting the rough breathing pattern of Lucius. The mood in the room had dramatically escalated and grown heavy. Narcissa stepped back as though his words had physically burnt. Maybe they did in an obscure way. She was disgusted at him.

Her face pleaded now. Narcissa throat had gone dry as her eyes stung. "Please," she whispered. Narcissa was feeling desperate, she could feel her forehead crumple. More worry for wrinkles. "Can you please just tell me why?" The woman looked at him, searching for any crack that would give her a chance at putting the puzzle pieces together. Helios' eyes flickered, Narcissa could spy the internal debate flying around in them. She would even forgive him for everything that had transpire if he just spoke.

Finally, he turned his head toward his brother. "Lucius," he sighed and the weight moved off his shoulders, "has received the Dark Mark, a high honour."

Narcissa's world shifted, or maybe it's foundations fractured.

...

v.t. fact/s
        Narcissa is in fact a princess. Rich family, high class, and has never been told no. I see her as the most sheltered of her siblings at this stage in their lives.
Abraxas is indeed a bad person. Narcissa knows this but doesn't expect his extremely oblivious disgust for her- and Lucius. He's bias and resentful of almost everything. He's aware of this.