The Fearsome Name of Riddle

Bewitched

TW: mention of emotional control and abuse behaviours

Cold fingers wrapped around Victoria's hand on platform 9 ¾. Octavian had not left her side since she came back from St Mungo's, his usual adventurous nature subdued as he clung to her. 

The shouting he had expected upon her return. He had run to the top of the stairs hoping to see her but the panicked yells had stunned him. His mother never begged for anything, she had never needed to. Victoria Malfoy was the Lady of the new world, anything she wanted, she got. 

And then, she emerged from the parlour room and she didn't look the same. Victoria was distant, vacant almost, like she couldn't quite see everything going on around her. His father kept his distance though his mother didn't seem to want him to. Octavian was used to her being kind to him but after the hospital, it didn't feel like her. He didn't understand it but he wouldn't let her out of his sight again, he had made a promise to his brother. 

A bustle of parents stood around, wrangling restless younger siblings as they all waited for the scarlet train. The sound of a baby screaming echoed off the stone walls, loud over the chatter. 

"Victoria." The shrill voice of Walburga Black made Victoria jump, her hand tightening around Octavian’s. "Steady on there, I didn't mean to scare you." 

Victoria turned slowly, eyes searching out for the voice at a delay. Octavian frowned up at her as he pulled her around to face Walburga. He looked around for Regulus or Sirius but Walburga stood alone. Ever observant, Octavian watched Walburga frown suspiciously at them. 

"What are you doing here?" Victoria asked, her eyes not quite meeting Walburga's. "Sirius hasn't started school yet, has he?" 

Walburga chewed her lip for a moment, looking over Victoria and shooting Octavian a look that made him want to hide. "No, he hasn't. Druella didn't have the time and Cygnus would never care enough to clear his afternoon, he's more interested in Bellatrix's summer wedding than her final grades. So, I said I would collect the girls." 

"That's nice of you." Victoria smiled faintly and Walburga's frown deepened. 

The matriarch of the Black family leaned forward to get a better look at Victoria's eyes. A sort of green haze misted over the glacial blue of her irises, a magical fog that made her look almost drunk. It took a powerful wizard and a strong intention to perfect the imperius curse. Full control with no noticeable tells. The Dark Lord had power enough, he had used the curse before, but his intention seemed to lack its certainty.  

"Merlin’s beard, Victoria." Walburga nearly whispered, reaching out for her childhood friend and pulling her into a hug. "I'm so sorry." 

Victoria winced as Walburga held her tight, the bruises on her ribs still bothering her. Walburga released her immediately, her look of horror heavy set in her eyes. She had known Victoria all their lives, been close like sisters for most of it. Her strength and her vicious independence had been integral to Victoria's character since before she could talk. All of it stripped away in an utterance of a word. 

"About what?" Victoria asked, smiling as she took a deep breath to ease the ache in her chest. "You've nothing to apologise for." 

“Victoria, you've been—” Walburga started but couldn't finish, hand on the side of Victoria's face, thumb brushing beneath her eye. What could she do? What would flying into a rage get either of them other than something worse? 

“In an accident,” Victoria said, her response carefully posed and automated. “But I'm quite well now, there's no need to worry.”

Paralysed by the horror set deep into her soul, Walburga simply stood watching her friend's vacant expression as the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station. Steam billowed around them and escaped up to the glass ceiling, passing between them. Victoria's face obscured in the smoke, pushing her further away.