The Brightest Sun

Chapter 36

Late 2013

It wasn’t until she had sat her son down for tea and began rambling inanely on various topics that Narcissa realized something was very wrong. He was well past the years when he would keep things to himself, but Draco still had a strong streak of independence when he thought things were best kept quiet.

Only at mention of the Ministry did she see any reaction from him, the slightest expression that he had not mastered fully in the face of someone who knew him as well as his mother. She had feared things between him and Astoria had soured, and while relieved to know there was nothing wrong between them, the idea of the Ministry causing some sort of chaos left a bad taste in her mouth.

He found her three days later, Carina in his arms as he handed the little girl her toy broom. Herakles had been ecstatic at the thought of giving the child a broom, and Draco had proven unable – unwilling – to refuse his daughter.

Her grey eyes followed the little girl flying in low circles around the room before he caught her attention.

“The Ministry has found an elemental in Germany, and they plan to allow the Unspeakables to get their hands on them.”

A sudden sense of dread overcame her as she stared blankly at Draco for a moment before her mind caught on.

“An elemental?” she asked lowly, eyes focused on his. There was the slightest bit of anxiousness present, a small tick he was normally able to hide.

He grimaced, acknowledging the unspoken words.

“Who knows?”

“Harry, Ernie and Neville,” he listed. “Wilkes brought this to us.”

“Of course she did,” Narcissa murmured. “Emmeline Wilkes is old enough to remember what happened the last time an elemental had surfaced.”

“They plan to slip it into the next budget review as part of Magical Cooperation’s increase,” he told her.

Smart of them, she grudgingly acknowledged. But then, the Ministry wouldn’t dare pursue this unless they knew it would face little opposition.

“It seems we have our work cut out for us,” Narcissa replied, plotting on what would have to be done.

The second sign that things were very wrong was the letter sitting on her desk, lying innocently on the front page of the Daily Prophet.

Yule had recently passed, and the Prophet was blazoned with a photo of Herakles and Elia, little Maia held lovingly in her father’s arms as the children surrounded them. It was taken at the Longbottom party, Harry taking Maia along and letting her rest in one of the bedrooms in the family wing as the Prophet crowed over the first look at the youngest Potter-Black.

Herakles making frequent appearances at gatherings all those years ago had tipped Narcissa off to the importance of the woman who would become his wife. That they were planning to host a ball of their own was enough to set alarm bells ringing in her head, and Narcissa resolved to get to the bottom of it before her tea date with Elia.

Herakles wouldn’t give anything away, she knew. The man was particular about keeping his worries quiet. Elia might, but Narcissa hated asking even from someone she loved as a daughter.

It was for that reason that she found herself in Black Manor, swallowing her distaste at having to ask her father for assistance.

Cygnus Black III had spent enough time wallowing in self-pity upon realizing Andromeda’s actions, swinging between pride and rage. She had thought it curious that he was willing to ignore his upset upon news of Herakles and Elia’s relationship, crowing in joy at their marriage and practically dripping with smug satisfaction upon the birth of Maia.