ice cold

Narcissa Malfoy. 25. Wife. Daughter of Hera. Mother. Death Eater

[cissaxmclfoy]

MARLENE:

Marlene paused, slightly taken aback by the other woman’s tone. Couldn’t she tell how embarrassed Marlene was? Truly, she would’ve felt awful if anything had happened, but nothing did. She even would’ve offered to pay any Healers’ bill they accrued, though she knew for a fact that it wouldn’t have even dented their vault in the slightest. Still, it was the thought that counted. Right…?

“I - yes, you’re right,” she replied. And just when she was about to respond further, young Draco laughed. It was an adorable sound, and Marlene’s face softened as her eyes flicked to the boy. After a moment, she returned her attention to his mother, though not quite meeting her eyes as Marlene’s mother had told her etiquette demanded. 

“Yes, I quite agree with you.” Marlene paused and clicked her tongue, calling Persephone (somewhat reluctantly) back to her side. “I suppose I’m not used to putting Persephone on a leash, a mistake I will not make again in the future.” The dog in question looked up at Marlene with what could have been annoyance and huffed loudly before sitting and curling her tail over her front paws. Her posture seemed to say Look how well-behaved I am, I don’t need a leash.

An uncomfortable silence followed before Marlene somewhat naively asked, “Are you enjoying yourselves?” Perhaps it had just been a mother’s instinct that made Narcissa snap at Marlene. She wouldn’t know, having never been in the same position, but she could at least try to extend an olive branch.

Sooner or later, Pureblood training would set back in and dull the red flaming paranoia that set off an alarm in her mind. It couldn’t be helped, any time Draco was unhappy - or gods forbid hurt - that feeling ignited. All rationality and sense of composure seemed to vanish, Narcissa focused on protecting her son. He was, admittedly, all she really had left; that had to be why she was so fiercely protective. That could happen when you were crushingly afraid.

Or maybe the reasoning was something else. Maybe it had to do with Hera. That was the excuse that Cissa told herself, at least. She as living up to her mother’s expectations even if in so many other ways, she had seemed to fail. Being a mother was the one thing she could succeed in, that came naturally to her. And it had from the moment she had become one.

Hearing Draco’s joy at a dog gave Narcissa moment of pause. It was almost enough to snap her out of it. He was fine, and more than that, he was happy. “He likes her.” She spoke, the words coming out with more fondness than the others. It was hard for her not to soften, thinking of Draco. That too was her way of saying, the dog was fine. If her son was enjoying it, there was no reason to cower away; perhaps she was over-indulgent of a four year old. Even if she was, she didn’t care. 

And there it was, the training Druella had instilled into her. If her adoptive mother thought the youngest was doing any less, she would be furious. “Persephone, I assume that’s her name.” She spoke, words having lost some of their former harshness. Now it was a bitter taste in her mouth, one Narcissa had to hide; no point in thinking of Andromeda’s godly sibling, particularly when that would lead to Andromeda. “Yes, we have. Isn’t that right, Draco?” But he had gone back to trying to get the dog’s affections. 

[cissaxmclfoy]

OPHELIA:

Narcissa always was the more practical of the pair and a dainty smile graced Ophelia’s lips at the comment. “I suppose you’re right,” she sighed, taking another sip of her hot chocolate, eyes watching as the children skated around with an intense purpose. The nostalgia this party seemed to create made her feel as though she could live forever trapped in a snow globe just like this one. 

Glancing to the blonde woman again, Lia raised her eyebrows. “Then again, we all need a little bit of joy nowadays, don’t we?” she smiled, eyes moving down to Draco. Her smile widened then, and she pointed to the ice skating rink. “Have you been having fun, though? Winter is a lovely time of the year. I wish we could have a little bit more snow right now.” Something about the snow made Lia feel as if she were living in a fairytale, rather than in the nightmare that was almost consistently her life these days. 

It was all meant as a festivity of some sort, so Narcissa would treat it as one. She loved Christmas and winter altogether (part of the charm, being a December baby, she assumed) but it was hard not to be confused by the sudden shift. July was no time for winter and yet, the holiday cheer was everywhere. It was nostalgic and beautiful, but surreal all at once. “Well, of course I’m right, I always am.” She grinned, the arrogance light but present all the same, a trait that came from Cygnus more than Hera and Druella combined.

Her eyes trailed out to her son, floating along almost like an angel. Her very own miracle, right there, where she could admire him and appreciate others who did the same. “It’s only July, there’s no real reason for snow quite yet. Though I’ll admit, I do undestand, I love snow myself. But to answer your question yes, we’ve had a lovely time so far. Draco is enjoying himself, that joy seems to be contagious.” As long as her son was safe and happy, Narcissa never had any complaints, or at least she told herself as much.

[cissaxmclfoy]

SIRIUS

“If you hook a left, mate, you’ll run right into a dead end. I’ve done it twice.” He leaned up against the hedges of the maze, looking down at Draco. He could see much of his cousin in the boys features, her softness seeming to radiate out of the boy. Narcissa had always been different than Bellatrix - the one thing that gave Sirius hope in a world where he didn’t feel like there was any.

Seeing Narcissa had been something that he had lived without for many years, after he had run away from home. She had done what was expected of her and cut ties with him, though it could be said that he had been the one to sever ties first. He had made the decision to lave, to distance himself from the family that was suffocating him, and she had stayed, as was expected of her. 

“Good to see you, Cissa.” He meant the words, a smile crossing across his lips at the sight of her with her son. He wanted her to be happy - and it seemed that she was, even if he couldn’t understand her choice in spouse.

The voice was all too familiar when Cissa heard it, and she smiled to herself before it could be contained. She knew that she wasn’t meant to love her cousin anymore, nor Andromeda, but it wasn’t that easy. Maybe it was for Bellatrix and the rest of the Black family, but not her. It had been worse to be the one left behind, in her opinion, even if nobody else was allowed to know that. There were some things that she knew had to be kept to herself.

She kept herself from turning to face him for a moment, trying to regain her composure but it was a futile attempt. Draco had noticed him, and looked to his mother for confirmation; he was a shy boy, and talking to anyone was always easier said than done with his age. “He’s a friend love, it’s okay.” She promised quietly after a moment of hesitation. Chances were she could regret it, but Draco was still young, still listened to her. 

And then she did look to Sirius, the smile remaining. It would be safe for now, she figured, with so few people around. Even if anyone was around, it wouldn’t be their - her, she corrected herself - family. That was when it became dangerous. “I could say the same, Sirius.” She smiled. A pang in her chest went off like a curse, knowing she shouldn’t introduce Draco, but by gods she wished she could. “You seem well.”

[cissaxmclfoy]

LUCIUS‌:

“We could always blast our way out through the walls, if need be,” Lucius teased, stepping up behind Narcissa and pretending that he had thought she was talking to him rather than their son. He leaned close and gave her a smirk that glittered almost as much as the icy walls of the maze, but was considerably warmer.

Mazes were not Lucius’s favorite garden feature – their home had one of course, because such a thing was expected of a proper garden, but it was solely decorative; few wix over the age of ten would have actually found it difficult to navigate, given the height of the hedge – being that there was no way to charm or coerce or cajole them into giving up their secrets as there was with people, but what Draco wanted his indulgent parents made sure that Draco got, and Draco had wanted to go into the maze – so his parents had obliged.

Lucius wasn’t sure exactly how Narcissa felt about mazes, but she hadn’t made any objection to his short hedges nor had her enthusiasm for their current activity seemed all that genuine when Draco demanded it, but he did have a feeling she would object if he started reducto-ing the ice to get them out – even if only due to the fuss it would cause. “That would be rather tacky though I suppose, wouldn’t it?” he continued with a dramatic sigh. “Well Draco my dear, it looks like we’re in your hands now. Only you can save us. Better lead on before we all freeze to death.” Lucius shook his head mournfully, hiding his smirk from his son before shooting his wife a wink.

It was an odd combination of temperatures, the chill from the charmed ice rising up into the muggy summer air overhead, but there certainly wasn’t any chance of someone freezing to death today – well, not unless some hapless Muggle or blood-traitor managed to get themselves caught down a blind alley with no witnesses, perhaps. Wouldn’t that be a charming addition to the day’s festivities? Lucius filed it away as a possibility for later and leaned over to whisper the idea in his wife’s ear, careful to make sure that Draco didn’t overhear and blab about it too loudly in excitement; he was only four. One had to keep in mind his childish limitations, precocious perfection not withstanding.

It took Draco a moment to notice that his father had arrived, having been fixated on trying to make a decision. She always found it adorable when he did that, with the way his entire face seemed to knit together in determination. He always wanted to make choices when he could, even if only four. Narcissa never stopped him; she never would. Maybe it was her heritage or simply herself, but encouraging her son came as second nature. 

But then he did notice, and he began giggling in the innocent way that only a child could have. He remained oblivious to the way Narcissa had rolled her eyes at her husband’s words. It wasn’t a surprise that was his first thought, even if it was excessive. Making a scene at something so public was an incredibly Bellatrix thing to do, and Lucius too, she had come to learn. In most ways she usually didn’t care one way or the other, but Draco being exposed to violence and harshness of any sort was something she desperately wanted to avoid. 

Maybe she couldn’t protect him forever for the way that Purebloods behaved, from the cause she had all but been forced into supporting. But he was a baby, even still. None of it was something he needed to see. “Just a bit. Perhaps we don’t cause a commotion.” She spoke, a small smirk in place as her eyes went from Draco to Lucius. It grew into more of a genuine smile as he talked to their son. The small moments like that were the ones she appreciated most.

Draco looked between his parents and went back to looking around before pointing toward a corner ahead. The choice was made, and even if Narcissa had never been openly fond of mazes, this one hadn’t been too terrible. (Though if she thought about that too much, it was certainly because of her son.) “That way, then.” Narcissa smiled to her son, one of the few people ever to get a true one, glancing back to her husband. She heard his ideas then and internally rolled her eyes. “Not now, he’s enjoying himself.” She added quietly, knowing it wouldn’t stop him. To her husband and their people, the youngest Black sister was all for purity. It was only silently she could ever scoff at it. “Unless you’re so determined, love, we can find fun while you’re busy.”

[cissaxmclfoy]

I know it looked like I had become a bitch. But that was only because I was acting like a bitch.

[cissaxmclfoy]

MARLENE:

Persephone seemed to be enjoying the Christmas merriment almost as much as Marlene herself. Perhaps her earlier musings had been right; she had kept herself apart from her peers for far too long, with only her dog for company most days. Alternatively, Persephone had had only Marlene to interact with, and she seemed to be preening under all the attention she was receiving. Marlene was a little uncomfortable still, but Persephone kept the worst feelings at bay. 

Most of the time, Marlene could successfully ignore the ghosts clamoring for her attention. Granted, due to the heavy wards around magical places, Muggle ghosts didn’t bother her in Diagon Alley. And because the Wizarding population was much smaller, there were proportionally fewer ghosts around. There were enough to make Marlene avert her eyes so to discourage interaction, though. 

As Persephone led her around another corner, Marlene tripped over something. Or rather, someone. A very small, very blond, someone. “Oh, Merlin!” she exclaimed from her fallen position on the ground. Looking up, she sighed in relief to see that she hadn’t knocked the child over too. “I am so sorry!” she added. 

As she climbed back to her feet, Marlene was surprised to see that Persephone had sat in front of the small blond boy. Her head was tilted inquiringly. Persephone normally wasn’t very fond of children. Their small, grabby hands were often far too rough for her liking, though she would endure a select few with exaggerated patience. Intrigued, Marlene watched silently as Persephone hesitantly reached out and nudged the boy’s hand with her nose.

When Marlene finally looked up at the adult accompanying the boy, she recognized Narcissa Malfoy. Her Pureblood training, instilled by her mother, trickled back to her. “I apologize, Mrs Malfoy,” she repeated more formally. “I’m afraid my dog was rather more eager than I’d anticipated to get out of the house.” Her cheeks heated softly when she realized what she’d said, but it was true no matter how reclusive it made her sound.

The sound of Draco’s yowling pulled Narcissa back to earth, drawing her eyes away from the frosted walls of the maze she had looked up toward. Her maternal instincts, always present, kicked in immediately at the mere sound, and her muscles tensed. A surge of relief went through her when she realized he was okay. Draco was tougher than he looked. Just like her. It was hard to disguise the sigh of relief at that. 

Lifting her eyes from her son, Narcissa was quick to notice the dog. It was well behaved, she could give it that much; and Draco seemed curious. But then, he was four, and often curious about most things; but so long as no harm was coming to him, then the youngest Black sister wouldn’t have any reason to complain. She was a pretty enough dog, that was true too, but Cissa would remain solid until she knew that the dog hadn’t caused Draco to make sure a noise.

And then she heard the voice, and her attention was pulled yet again, this time to the woman who had been with the dog. She was on the ground, and that was all it took Narcissa to put together that whatever had happened, she had to be responsible. Marlene McKinnon, she recognized, from school and Pureblood events alike. That tended to be as far as she ever paid attention to anyone outside her family. Even then, her son was the only one to ever constantly have tabs kept on him.

“And yet the dog kept its composure.” She spoke, words clipped. That wasn’t anything new, Narcissa had accepted her ice queen persona from a very young age and not much had changed. Just as the words left her mouth, Draco began laughing, the dog’s affections bringing him joy. They would never have a dog in Malfoy manor, but he could have his fun. “Perhaps pay more attention next time. There are children around after all, it would be a shame if one were to be trampled.”

[cissaxmclfoy]

July 29, 2018, 12:25pm Christmas in July OPEN

There was nothing quite like Draco to remind Narcissa of all the innocence that still existed in the world. Even in the middle of the summer, when the wizarding community of London decided to celebrate Christmas. The youngest of the Black sisters, Narcissa had always been fond of the winter, and having her son made the holidays more special. And while Florean’s decision to have the festivities seemed sudden, she wasn’t going to say no. 

It was no surprise that Draco was well behaved in public, for a four year old he always was. His eyes lit up at everything they passed, asking more than once if Christmas had come early. In a way, it had, but Narcissa couldn’t say much else. There were plenty of things that he seemed to be excited to do, and it was all she could do to make a mental list to remember what all he asked for, silently vowing to take time for it all.

But, now, they seemed to have gotten lost inside of the extraordinary maze. Of everything that was set up, it wasn’t Narcissa’s first choice in activity but she had agreed anyway. He seemed to be enjoying it, even if they were lost. “Okay love, which way do you think?” She asked her son, almost oblivious to anyone else appearing nearby.

[starsdaily]

[cissaxmclfoy]

OPHELIA:

☞ open starter. ☞ located just outside the ice skating rink.

Lia had never quite learned how to skate. She always admired people who did know how, though, and watched now as they floated about the ice like little angels. The children made it look so easy but Lia had never quite been good on her own two feet as is. Taking a small sip of the cocoa that warmed her hands, she couldn’t help but smile. Christmas was her favorite time of the year, after all, and not just because of the children who were skating in front of her.

Without looking at the person next to her, she sighed. “Don’t you wish we could do this all the time?” she asked, the seduction of the day seeping into her bones.

Draco's eyes had lit up when the Malfoys had arrived at the festivities. He was young, but already displaying the same love for wintertime that Narcissa had always held; maybe it was selfish, but the blonde witch hoped that would never change. In particular, he had asked his mother to skate practically the moment that they had arrived. Never one to tell her son no, Narcissa had agreed and they had set out for the rink. They took to the ice like a pair of blonde angels, and once Draco began to tire Narcissa took him for a break. 

Finding somewhere to sit and get him a snack, she glanced up at the sound of a voice. Raising an eyebrow, she shook her head. “If we could do this all the time, then it would eventually lose the appeal.”

[cissaxmclfoy]

I'm in class and bored to death. Ask me things.

Harry Potter: Tell us about a scar on your body

Hermione Granger: What is your favorite book, how many times have you read it, and why do you love it?

Ron Weasley: Something you're afraid of?

Luna Lovegood: One thing that makes you different from everyone else.

Fred Weasley: Can you do any magic tricks? What is the best one you can do? If you can't do any, what's the best one you've seen?

George Weasley: What is the best prank you've ever played on someone?

Neville Longbottom: Tell us an embarrassing story.

Narcissa Malfoy: Do you have a good relationship with your family? Who are you closest to?

Voldemort: If you were to create a Horcrux(s), what would it be and why?

Bellatrix Lestrange: Have you ever loved someone who could never love you back?

Ginny Weasley: Have you ever been in love with an unexpected person?

Hedwig: If you went to Hogwarts, what kind of pet would you bring? (ex: cat, owl, rat, frog)

Draco Malfoy: Is it better to be feared or to be loved?

Rubeus Hagrid: What is your favorite mystical creature?

Dolores Umbridge: Make a list of rules that your family (or whoever you choose) would have to follow if you made the rules.

Lucius Malfoy: What is your most prized possession?

Molly Weasley: What is the proudest moment of your life?

Dobby: Who are you most loyal to?

Sirius Black: Have you ever been accused of doing something you didn't do?

Argus Filch: What's the worst job you've ever had?

Dudley Dursley: How many presents do you usually receive on your birthday?

Peter Pettigrew: Are you a leader or a follower?

Cedric Diggory: Have you ever had a near death experience?

Albus Dumbledore: What is the greatest obstacle you have ever overcome in your life?

Minerva McGonagall: What is your favorite spell?

Severus Snape: Are you a trustworthy person?

Remus Lupin: If you transform into any one animal or creature, which one would it be?

Uncle Vernon: What is your favorite day of the week?

Mad Eye Moody: Who is the bravest person you know?

Arthur Weasley: What do you think is the best "muggle" invention?

Professor Sprout: What is your favourite class that is offered at Hogwarts?

Nymphadora Tonks: If you could change one thing about your appearance what would it be?

Moaning Myrtle: What is something that always makes you cry?

James Potter: Would you risk your life to save someone you truly love?

Lily Potter: What color eyes do you have?

Professor Trelawney: Have you ever dreamt something was going to happen and then it happened?

Mr. Ollivander: What would your wand look like?

Lavender Brown: Who is the last person who texted and have you ever had a crush on them?

Cho Chang: If you were on the Quidditch team, what position would you play?

Aunt Petunia: What is your favorite flower?