Pre-Books
September 1st 1989
First Year
"Where's father?"
He can't possibly plan on not coming?
Narcissa's mouth formed into a tight line at the question. She squeezed Draco's hand in an attempt to calm her self while standing across from Ara. She hated that she'd have to explain this to her daughter.
"Ara, dear, he was busy-" She began, sounding very solemn.
Ara bit the inside her of her cheek and tuned out any excuse her mother was making for her father's behaviour.
She couldn't believe he was actually going to miss this.
"-Not to busy to bid my child farewell," Narcissa, Draco, and Ara's heads snapped over to the voice.
Ara's smiled so widely, that her cheeks began to hurt, but she was too happy to let it fall.
He'd made it.
Draco immediately felt a sense of pride. He'd always seen his father as a role model and Lucius missing Ara's last moment before Hogwarts rubbed Draco the wrong way. But he was here now, and that was what mattered.
Narcissa gave her husband an unamused look, although deep down she was over the moon that he'd done the bare minimum and came to say goodbye to his daughter.
She hadn't had the slightest idea on how she would even begin to make it up to Ara if her own father couldn't even bid her a farewell.
Lucius went down onto one knee, so that he was at eye level with his daughter.
"I expect you to behave appropriately at Hogwarts, I think you'll take quite a liking to the place. Write home when you can, you know how emotional your mother gets about the thought of you gone," Lucius paused and threw a glance at his wife, "-Slytherin will be blessed to have you as a new addition,"
"Thank you, father," Ara's smile faltered slightly as she nodded along attentively.
It hadn't been the most heartfelt goodbye, but nonetheless it was still a goodbye.
Lucius proceeded to give her a small, tight, smile and a pat on the shoulder, which made her aware that he would indeed miss her. He then stood up and made way for his wife and son to say their respective goodbyes.
Purebloods were not big on public displays of affection. Which explained Lucius' behaviour. Fortunately, Narcissa was willing to overlook the tradition, for this situation at least.
She had hugged her daughter tightly, much to Ara's surprise, and began whispering a string of well-wishes.
"You'll do amazing and it doesn't matter if you don't get sorted into Slytherin, we'll be proud either way," She whispered the last part, giving her daughter a quick kiss on the cheek and then pulling away.
Narcissa proceeded to look up and wipe away tears that had yet to fall.
Mothers always knew.
She'd been able to sense that Ara was incredibly nervous about possibly being placed into another house, it was a silly thought to begin with.
Of course she was a Slytherin.
But, nonetheless, it was a mother's job to help their child feel at ease. And Narcissa had done so successfully, knowing that at least her mother would support her, no matter what, took some weight off of Ara's shoulders.
YOU ARE READING
The Outlying Serpent { Fred Weasley }
Fanfiction"I've heard that we're to be blessed with another Weasley this year," Sarcasm had always been her forté. "He's hardly a blessing, and an annoying excuse for a Weasley," Fred felt a sense of pride hearing her giggle at his joke, "-I've also heard th...
