** Hey people. This thing has been stuck in my head for a while and I'm trying to clean up that place. It's been a long time since I've written anything, so I'm a bit rusty and I apologise if I'm being clumsy. This fic is rated T for now, but it may change later as I'm still adjusting some things. I hope you will read it, enjoy it and leave a review.

- Leo

"Lucius!"

The desperate cries of a man reverberated throughout the halls of Malfoy Manor, followed by the distinct sound of a baby wailing.

Not long after, the Master of the Manor came down the stairs in a huff, irritated that the newcomer had woken his son. Merlin knew that putting a 3 month old baby to sleep was a challenge to say the least and seeing as his wife had insisted that they took care of him rather than letting the house elves take him during the night, sleep was a precious thing.

It wasn't until he reached the bottom of the stairs that he realised that the crying did not in fact come from his son. The sound was much too fragile compared to the powerful screech his son had perfected. The boy had big lungs, that much was clear.

No, this was the sound of a newborn, now mixed with the sobbing coming from the man sitting on the floor. He was sitting on his hunches, a small bundle in his arms and a figure lying very still next to him.

Lucius frowned, not quite comprehending the scene before him through his sleep addled mind. It was unacceptably late that he recognised the curly hair as that of his best friend.

Footsteps came rushing down behind him and the gasp that followed told him that his quick minded wife had analysed the situation much faster than himself.

"Evan!"

In an uncharacteristicly inelegant manner, Narcissa ran to his friend, and sat down next to him. She examined the figure and Lucius saw her eyes widen. It wasn't until he heard her choked sob that he shook himself out of his stupor and walked hesitantly to the small group huddled on the floor. He sat down gently next to his friend, putting a hand on his shoulder. He had an idea as to what might have happened, but he needed confirmation.

"Evan? What happened?" he softly asked.

The baby was still crying and he barely heard his friend whisper "I think she's hungry"

Narcissa sniffled and reached for the baby with shaking hands. "May I?" she gave the man a small watery smile. He hesitantly shifted the bloody bundle so it was easier for her to grab hold. She took the newborn as if she might break at any time and turned around to protect her modesty, realising that her bra was already soaked with milk. The baby eagerly latched on.

"What happened?" Lucius repeated gently.

"They came for us" the man whispered brokenly, looking at Lucius without really seeing. Lucius kept quiet, waiting for his friend to continue.

"The wards held, but Celeste…" his voice broke as he said his wife's name. He cleared his throat. "The water broke. Everything went so fast and there was so much blood!" he started crying again and Lucius's heart broke for him. "I couldn't take her to St. Mungo's. You know they would have killed the both of us and taken our baby."

Lucius sneered involuntarily. He knew exactly what would happen. The order didn't have enough solid evidence of his own involvement with the Dark Lord, to sway certain individuals that he happened to donate some money to – at least not yet. Evan had been caught red handed though, trying to steal the list of muggleborns that were supposed to receive their Hogwarts letters. He was lucky to escape, but the Order took this as confirmation that he was bound on killing muggleborn children.

Morons.

Lucius slowly stood, and reached an arm to help Evan stand, but the man stayed put, rocking back and forth, crying his heart out. Lucius sighed.

"Ellie!" he called out, tapping his foot impatiently. Not long after, he heard the small pop that signaled the arrival of a young house elf.

"Ellie, bring me a calming draught from storage and prepare a room. We will also need an extra cradle. Thank you."

Ellie looked at the scene with wide eyes, wringing her ears. "Should Ellie also find clothes for Master and Mistress' guests? Ellie will only levitate. Never touch" she squeaked.

Lucius almost smiled at the elf. Almost.

"Yes, thank you, that will be all."

Narcissa sat rocking the baby who had fallen asleep. She smiled at the little girl through her tears. Her mothering instinct had taken over upon hearing the baby wailing, but now that she had stopped, the severity of the situation started sinking in.

Celeste had died in childbirth and Evan was on the run.

"Evan, is it alright if I go to clean her a bit?" she asked as gently as possible.

Evan just nodded numbly, still just staring ahead. Narcissa wondered if he even registered what she was saying.

Nonetheless, she stood and walked upstairs. The blood the baby was still covered in from her birth, had dried and needed to be taken care of.

She went to the bedroom, where Draco was still sleeping soundly and she smiled lovingly at her son.

"Our son is going to be very spoiled, but he should be able to share with you" she whispered to the sleeping infant in her arms, picking some of Draco's clothes out of a drawer for the baby to wear. She cleaned away the worst of the blood, deciding that washing her would only wake her up.

Ellie was too slow with the cradle, so she extended Draco's crib with a spell, and laid the girl next to her sleeping son. She smiled softly - they made quite the pair.

She left the room and hurried down the stairs. She found that Lucius had managed to pull Evan to a standing position and was trying to lead him into the drawing room. He sent her a sad, significant look over his shoulder, gently nodding towards the body still laying in front of the fireplace in the entrance hall. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to cry, but nodded to her husband anyway as she heard him speaking gently to the broken man he was half carrying to the sofa.

She would do what needed to be done. She always did. She closed the door behind the gentlemen with a soft wandless spell and sat down softly next to her friend. She and Celeste hadn't always gotten along. Evans parents had tried to negotiate a marriage contract with the Blacks, but when it was clear that they weren't interested, his parents had to settle for a Greengrass.

Celeste Greengrass was, as far as Narcissa was concerned, not a second prize though. She had always thought that Celeste was smarter, more powerful and more beautiful than herself. Even now as she lay on the floor, her body getting colder by the minute, she looked stunning with her curly brown locks framing her now unnaturally pale face.

Celeste was in her night gown, but the bottom half was almost entirely soaked in blood. It hadn't dried yet, due to the sheer amount, and it had been smeared onto the floor. It was clear that she never had a chance and Narcissa knew it was due to the curse that ran in the Greengrass family.

Narcissa caressed Celestes face and finally let the tears fall in earnest. She cried for Celeste, she cried for Evan and she cried for the little motherless girl, asleep upstairs.

"Mimsy!" She called through her tears. The telltale pop sounded and Narcissa didn't wait for the elf to request orders. "Mimsy, go to my wardrobe and retrieve one of my white nightgowns and then please take Celeste's body –" Her voice broke "Please take her body to one of the guest rooms upstairs and clean her. When you've done that, dress her and lay her on the bed. Light candles in the room and let me know when you're finished."

The elf stared at her wide eyed, but did as asked.

With a pop, the elf disappeared with her friend, and Narcissa was left alone with a bloody floor. Not having the stomach to look at it for too long, she gave it a scourgify that was a little too rough, leaving the floor where the blood had been, a little too bright compared to the rest. The elves would just have to work harder tomorrow.

She stood with a sigh and ran a hand down her face, trying to compose herself before she joined the men in the drawing room.

They sat on each their sofa, facing each other, but staring into the fire. She went to sit next to Lucius and even though both had registered her arrival, none of them moved. It wasn't until several moments later that Evan sighed heavily and leaned back in the sofa and looked at them.

"I need your help."

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