𝕭𝖆𝖙𝖙𝖑𝖊 𝕾𝖈𝖆𝖗𝖘 || Fred Weasley

Prologue

"No, Lucius!" Narcissa Malfoy said sternly. "I will not have the Dark Lord in our house with my child!"

"You mean to say our child," said Lucius. "He will not harm— "

"How can you be so sure?" Narcissa asked.

"We are not his enemy, Narcissa," he said calmly.

Narcissa looked down at her daughter in her arms. She rocked her back and forth to sleep.

"We know what she's capable of. The prophecy," she said. "And if he ever found out — I will not let her be a pawn on his chessboard."

"The prophecy is safe, locked inside my vault with high security, protection charms," he assured his wife. "We shall raise her right and carry on our proud family name."

:::

"I believe — I have heard, Lucius, of your newborn child," said the Dark Lord as he walked around the table. "Yes... a daughter, isn't it?"

"Yes, my Lord," he replied. "Born on the sixteenth of June."

"Sixteenth of June... " repeated the Dark Lord. "How... precious she must be to your new family. May I see her?"

Lucius glanced at his wife as her sister whispered something in her ear.

"Well? May I?"

"Yes, my Lord." He couldn't look into Narcissa's eyes, which were looking at him in disbelief. "She is asleep right now, in the nursery."

Lucius stood and so did Narcissa. They walked side by side, Bellatrix Lestrange following close behind.

"Cissy," she said. "I suggest you— "

"Through here," said Narcissa, ignoring her sister.

She opened the door quietly and cast the Wand-Lighting Charm, lighting up the space in front of her.

She pointed her wand towards the baby in the crib. She had short, blonde hair, similar to her mother's. She was only one and a half feet tall, wrapped into a thick blanket.

"Ah... I can feel it," the Dark Lord spoke. "Magic flows through her veins... powerful magic. When she is old enough, she shall join us. She will be of great use."

"Of course, my Lord," Lucius said, bowing his head.

:::

"How could you!" bellowed Narcissa. "I told you!"

"Cissy, don't you see?" said Bellatrix. "If she doesn't join, she will turn. She'll be a disgrace to the family, just like Andromeda and Sirius! Just saying their names makes me want to rip their hearts out."

"Bella," said Narcissa sternly. "I will not have the Mark branded on her arm at such a young— "

"She will not," Lucius said. "But we still support the Dark Lord and she will stand with us and she will know authority."

:::

"Mum, what's this?" the three-year-old asked her mother. She held up a bottle labeled Alice Longbottom.

Narcissa glanced at her sister as she took the small vial. "Go to your room, Cassie."

"But— "

"Your room, now, Cassiopeia Evelyn Malfoy."

The girl huffed, stomping away to her room. Once the door had closed, Narcissa turned to Bellatrix across the room.

"What have you been doing?" she asked. "What's this?"

"Frank and Alice Longbottom," she replied. "They must know something. I'm going to— "

"Bella," said Narcissa. "I'm sorry, he's gone."

"Gone? How stupid and naive could you possibly get?" said Bellatrix. "He's not gone! He'll come back!"

"Bella, there's no point," said Narcissa. "He was killed by a boy! He's not coming back!" Narcissa paused for a moment. "If you're continuing what you're doing, get out of here."

"Cissy— "

"No, Bellatrix!" Narcissa raised her voice. "I will not have my daughter around you when you're off doing who the hell knows!"

"Fine then." She Disapparated, leaving Narcissa alone in the drawing-room.