Chapter 36 - Portia

"L-Lucius…who is she?" Narcissa said pointing up at the woman looking down at her "Who are you?" she said to the painting. The painting ignored her and looked at Lucius and sat down in a chair in another part of her painting.

"She won't answer you…I muted her"

"Muted her?? How?...and goodness why??" Narcissa said shocked. She had never heard of muting a painting, Narcissa had heard of using Silencio, but it wore off very quickly.

"Its difficult magic…very difficult indeed…we had to even have the painting edited to make sure" Lucius explained pointing to the woman's face. Narcissa squinted and looked carefully, she saw a few very tiny black lines on the woman's lips.

"It looks as though her mouth has been sewn up" Narcissa said

"It has been painted in such a way, so should the spell ever for some reason wear off, she will still be silent until we can redo the spell."

"A silent portrait…how…how horrible" Narcissa said softly "And kept behind a black curtain in a dark unexplored hallway….what did this poor woman do to deserve such a horrible fate?"

Narcissa knew that occasionally…in terrible cases, a person, usually deceased, could be punished for there crimes against their family by covering their portrait so that they could not look out. Narcissa guessed too that the frame had been blocked off so that she could not pass to her neighbouring frames. "Lucius, who is she?"

"It does not surprise me that you do not remember her…I cannot believe you two would have met often…and when you did I doubt you would have spoken much. This is my sister"

"…your sister?" Narcissa said looking up. No doubt this woman did indeed look like true Malfoy, so much like Lucius…and she could also see traces of Claudia in her.

Narcissa suddenly briefly remembered a face at her Wedding. And a flash of her walking though the house on a few visits before Narcissa was married to her brother. They had never spoken much and Narcissa recalled the sister may never have been very social. Or perhaps she was several years older, and that she had nothing to say to young Narcissa. "I had forgotten you had a sister…where is she?"

"Narcissa…it is my sister who I've been visiting every Wednesday morning"

"…huh?" Narcissa said confused

"I'll show you tomorrow"

---

Narcissa dressed early next morning, dressing in soft robes of faded aquamarine and silver. She pinned her hair in place and slipped on her kitten heeled shoes.

"Dobby" Narcissa said, not taking her eyes off the mirror.

The house elf suddenly appeared

"Yes Missis Malfoy?" the house elf said shaking slightly

"I'm going out this morning, see to it that Draco is dressed and fed and explain to the tutor that I am not here to greet her as I am visiting a relative"

"Yes Missis Malfoy…anything else?"

Narcissa placed another pin in her hair

"No…that is all" she said finishing, and taking a slight step back to examine herself.

"Yes Missis Malfoy"

Narcissa applied a soft coat of make up. Nothing too fancy. She understood that the circumstances of what she would do today were hardly going to be happy, but she could manage to make herself look presentable.

Narcissa made her way down the stairs where Lucius was waiting for her

"Do you wish to eat anything before we leave?" Lucius asked solemnly

"No…it's quite alright" Narcissa answered in a similar manner

"Shall we leave then?" Lucius asked

"Where is it we're actually going Lucius?"

"You'll see" he said darkly lowering his face as he pulled on his cloak

"No tell me now" Narcissa ordered, still not entirely trusting him

"…St Mungo's" he answered turning away from her walking towards the front door.

"St Mungos?!" Narcissa repeated "Why on…your sister is there?"

Lucius said nothing but held the door open for her.

Narcissa nodded, not sure what to expect.

They walked in silence through the gravel drive and out the front gates of the Manor. They both apparated to St Mungo's in silence.

---

They apparated straight into the St Mungo's reception, the room was crowded as usual/Narcissa had been a few times in her youth, and then again several times when had been pregnant with Draco. It had not changed very much although it seemed slightly lighter and slightly busier too. Lucius quickly turned away from the crowds, turning her with him.

"It would be wise if we covered are faces" Lucius said

"Why?" Narcissa frowned

"It should be most incriminating for our family if we were to be recognised…"

Narcissa's frown deepened. She had been to St. Mungo's plenty of times without covering her face…what could possibly be so bad. Nether the less Narcissa pulled the hood of her pale green robes over her head, it was rather large and loose so covered the top half of her face as well as the sides. The only way she would have been recognisable would have been if someone were too look at her straight in the face.

Lucius pulled the hood over his face too in a similar way, and walked with towards the lift.

"Which floor are we going too?" Narcissa asked in a soft voice so that anyone near by would not hear her or recognise her voice

"Fifth" Lucius explained

Narcissa looked at the sign

Fifth Floor…..Spell Damage

Narcissa bit her lip, what was she about to see? What did this have to do with Lucius' sister. Narcissa had not seen the woman in years, how long had she been in hospital? Narcissa could not remember the last time she had seen her…she could not even recall her name.

They took the lift to the fifth floor and left, Narcissa walking slightly behind Lucius who was walking boldly ahead.

Narcissa's eyes followed the signs they were moving in.

Closed Ward

The Closed Ward? Why that was only for people in hospital for long periods of time. Usually (as said in her mother's words) "the insane."

Narcissa bit her lip. There was a terrible omen in the Pureblood traditions, if there was one thing which kept the superstitious lot in fear; it was madness. Narcissa knew that Claudia was quick to insult Narcissa but calling her mother an "insane alcoholic" because Claudia too knew the terrible shame madness caused a family. If old Pureblood family had a relative who had been plagued by madness from birth or later in life, they would rarely or never be heard of again. Whether they were killed or sent away would remain a mystery. So this was why Lucius wanted to cover their faces when going to this ward.

Lucius walked into the Closed Ward. Narcissa immediately felt she was surrounded with terrible terrible luck. Here were these crazed wizards and witches, walking past them with strange glazed over looks in there eyes. Narcissa felt quite faint as she saw a wizard walk into a wall several times for the sake of it, and she grabbed Lucius' arm in fear when a mad witch laughed hysterically in her face.

Her heart raced, and she willed Lucius too quickly explain what was going on so she could get out of this place.

Lucius stopped by a closed off room, where I guard stood in front of. Lucius lowered his hood, and Narcissa followed suit.

"Identification please" the guard said stiffly

Lucius took out a his Ministry of Magic work identification card. The guard nodded and looked at Narcissa

"She's my wife" Lucius said

"Very well, but Mr Malfoy, if you come to often like this she'll become disorientated and you know what will…"

"Yes...I know…I don't plan on coming two days in a row in the future, just this once"

"Mm…she needs order" The guard explained handing Lucius back the card and unlocking the door. Narcissa gulped and stood closer to Lucius as he slowly stepped into the room. Narcissa stepped in behind him, he through an arm out so that she would not go any further, like a doe checking the surroundings of a field when with a fawn. Narcissa's eyes followed Lucius' gaze.

It a smartly decorated hospital room, decked with rather attractive furniture. Which, seemed strange with the modern hospital décor; there was a four poster bed, an antique writing desk and a cushioned settee. sat a tall thin figure sitting on an ornate wooden chair looking out of the window onto the busy muggle street. She was dressed well, in blue chintz robes. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a loose pony-tail.

Lucius did not move nor did he say anything at all.

Narcissa remained silent, waiting for the figure to do something.

Lucius must have come to the finalisation that she would make no reaction to them so ventured forward very slightly. He must have stepped a little too close and the figure suddenly twitched irritably. Narcissa took several frightened steps back away, her eyes wide and scared. Lucius looked at Narcissa and made a hushing motion.

"Portia" Lucius said in a deep quite voice.

Ah of course, that was her name Narcissa remembered suddenly as he said it.

Portia moved her head slightly and stayed there.

"You've not caught her at her best" came a voice from behind Narcissa, Narcissa nearly jumped out of her skin. She never knew anyone was behind her until she turned around and saw a smallish, fattish woman sitting in a chair watching Portia from the other side of the room.

Lucius looked at the woman sitting in the chair and nodded before turning back to look at Portia.

"She's not very social today, especially now, this is out of her routine…she needs order" the old witch stated

"We won't make a habit of this" Lucius said softly "Portia" he took a closer step

"Don't get too close, she bit Healer Pickwick's hand the other day, right to the bone…can't say what she might do today. Mostly she's been sitting looking out that window"

"Portia…the dress looks beautiful on you" Lucius said "….Do you remember Narcissa?"

Narcissa looked up at Lucius; she had never seen his face look so tender, so almost frightened, yet very calm.

Portia suddenly stood up out of her chair and walked closer to the window.

"Has she eaten anything today?" Lucius asked the witch on the chair

"No…not since yesterday…not a drop of water even. If she don't eat in the next two hours we're gonna have to restrain her and force it down her"

Lucius walked very slowly up to his sister and stood beside her looking out the window

"Watch it, she's in a very funny mood today, can't place whether she's up or down"

"Lucius do listen to the woman, who knows what she might do"

Lucius ignored Narcissa and pointed at something outside the window and said something to his older sister. Narcissa watched them, the two siblings. Portia who was very much taller than the petite Narcissa, was an inch or so shorter than Lucius.

Portia suddenly made a angry movement and walked away from Lucius, flapping her arm out as if to tell him to go away, and she walked to another window to look out of that instead.

"Portia?" Lucius tried again. Portia became suddenly agitated; picked up a beautiful looking, glass ornament that was on the bedside cabinet and threw it at Lucius.

"LUCIUS!" Narcissa shrieked, Lucius quickly dodged the ornament, seeing the thing flying again the wall smashing into thousand pieces.

Portia snarled like an angry dog at her brother.

Lucius took out his wand and muttered

"Reparo" at the object which immediately fixed itself. Lucius picked it up and placed it on a high shelf.

"Sir, Madam, I really do think you should leave now, you haven't caught he on the best of days, come back next Wednesday at the normal time" the woman said getting up slowly and opening the door for them.

Lucius nodded taking a last look at his sister before leading Narcissa out of the door.

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