Who: Narcissa Black and Scorpius Malfoy What: Two new arrivals. Where: Their apartment. When: Sunday, March 1. Warnings: Low. Status: Closed | Completed GDoc
This was all very strange. Narcissa knew she hadn’t apparated, nor had she used a port key or the floo network. So why on Earth was she in a place she hadn’t been five minutes before? She knew she wasn’t supposed to be here, she had been about to fall asleep at her parents’ home rather late in the evening, and now it was… morning? And she was outside. She knew she hadn’t been outside earlier…
And why was it daylight? She hadn’t stayed up that late. She was certain of it. Narcissa then became even more confused when a woman calling herself part of the Welcoming Committee approached her. She was handed some papers, and was told she was to have a guardian by the name of Scorpius Malfoy. A guardian She didn’t need one of those! She was an adult.
And who was this Scorpius Malfoy? She hadn’t heard of anyone by that name before. Yes, she was familiar with the last name of Malfoy, but she had never met a Scorpius. So she was stuck in this town called Madison Valley, and she was to live with a man she never met? Bloody brilliant. Only not so much.
She sighed softly, and headed toward the address she was given. She was apparently supposed to live here. Hopefully this Scorpius was at the address she was given. Within a few moments, she found what was supposed to be her home, and she wrinkled her nose slightly. Not exactly where she wanted to live.
Flicking her wand at the door, she murmured alohamora, and let herself in when she heard the lock unlatch.
--
Scorpius had arrived in town the previous night, and hadn’t been at all surprised at the reception he got. This was only his third trip to Madison Valley, but he was a bit older this time than the last time around.
The last time had been a bit of a revelation for him, actually. It made him turn himself around and grow up.
It was only this morning that he’d gotten the text about the room change, and that he would be getting a ward. Then the second message had said just who his ward was, and Scorpius resisted the urge to slam his head against the wall a few times. The last person he would ever think about being a guardian to was his own grandmother.
She’d at least been 18 the last time she was here.
He felt the slight push of family magic, and heard the door open while he was unpacking the few bits of clothing he’d managed to pick up from Walmart (and how he hated shopping at that store), and shoved the drawer shut to head into the living room.
“I gave you the room with the private bath. I figured you’d be less likely to hex someone that way.”
He knew his family, okay.
****
Narcissa studied Scorpius for a moment, her head tilting slightly. “You do look a bit like Lucius,” she said, as a greeting. Of course, she didn’t realize that he was related to her as well. She hadn’t married Lucius yet, and didn’t realize that Scorpius was the result of the union between her and Lucius. Well. he was really the result of a union between her son and his wife, but her son wouldn’t exist without her. “How are you related to Lucius? I have not heard the name Scorpius before.”
And he seemed to understand that she had a bit of a temper as well, because he understood that she could very well be quick to hex someone.
“How do you know me?” she asked. “How do you know me and I do not know you?” This whole situation was strange. She understood that he would know her name because he had been alerted to being her guardian, but... she sighed softly. “Bellatrix is more likely to hex someone, by the way.”
She loved her sister, but it was a true enough statement.
“I have lots of questions,” she decided.
--
“I never had the pleasure of meeting the woman, but I’ve heard stories about her,” he said as he walked over. “Scorpius Malfoy, son of Draco Malfoy, grandson of Lucius,” he informed her, holding out his hand.
“And I know you, because you’re my grandmother.” He wasn’t going to hide it, not with who he already knew was in town. And she would find out soon enough.
--
Narcissa blinked. She was at a loss for words, really. Which didn’t happen often. “Lucius has no son,” she told Scorpius. “Let alone a grandson. He isn’t old enough for a grandson…” Lucius was around her age. And if she wasn’t old enough for a grandson, neither was he. And then there were his next words….
“I’m not married to Lucius..” she started, speaking softly. “I’m not even pregnant!” Which was probably a relief to Scorpius, seeing as he probably didn’t want a pregnant ward. He probably didn’t even want a ward.
She studied Scorpius for a moment, trying to detect whether or not he was lying. He didn’t seem to be lying. He seemed to believe what he was saying, at least. “How are you older than I am if you are my grandson?” She shook her head slightly, trying to gather her thoughts.
“I suppose… if I am here, without knowing how, I can accept what you’re telling me as truth.”
--
Scorpius sighed and scrubbed a hand through his short hair as he sat on the couch. “What year was it back in England? Because it is the year 2020 here. I was born in 2005, and just recently it was 2032, and I was being forced to attend dress shopping for my fiance.”
Which, right now, he was thinking he would rather be in that dress shop with Louis and Simone, being forced to choose between satin and chiffon.
“Who knows, you might be from another reality where you will not marry Lucius, and possibly end up married to Potter or Longbottom instead.”
It could happen, somewhere.
--
“I just graduated from Hogwarts,” she told him. “It is 1972.” She thought she probably should be a bit more concerned about his questions, but if she was to believe him when he said he was her grandson, she shouldn’t question his train of thought. Of course he would want to know what year it was for her. Just to make sure he knew when she was from, or something.
“So not only did I get pulled into a strange place in America, I got pulled into the year 2020?” she asked. “And you were pulled into the past?”
Narcissa stared at Scorpius for a moment, then laughed softly. “Longbottom or Potter. Funny,” she said, smirking slightly. “I would much rather marry Lucius, thanks.” She actually liked Lucius. She would be so mad if she ended up a Potter or a Longbottom. “Besides. I can see a bit of Black in you,” she said, after a moment.
“You have a fiance?”
--
He knew it would be a few years before she married Lucius, since his father wasn’t born for several more years. Which meant it was still early before the stupid war.
“Two of them, actually. Louis and Simone.” Not unheard of, but very rare in their world, and he refused to be ashamed of them.
“Which is why, if you could please, not say anything right away about who your guardian is. I was very close to a few people the last time I was here, and I want to speak with them before they find out from someone else I’m here.” Carson and Jill especially.
--
She remained silent for a moment as she processed that information. He had two fiances. She decided that he had nothing to be ashamed of, though. Some people never got married, and there Scorpius was. Getting married to two people at the same time. “Where did you meet them?” she asked, finally. “You’re lucky, you know. You have two people to spend the rest of your life with. Some people don’t even find one person to spend the rest of their life with.”
Narcissa nodded slightly at his request. “I will not say a word until you want me to.” While she felt that she didn’t need a guardian, she would at least do that much for him. After all, this man was supposed to be her grandson, right? She was loyal to her family, and he was part of her family. Even if it happened to be very strange to her at the moment.
“Family’s family, right?”
--
“And some people go through partners like they’re cauldron ingredients.” He didn’t know how some people did it, over and over. The one time he’d had to leave someone behind had sent him into a depression for months. He couldn’t imagine getting ‘tired’ of someone and just moving on to another.
“Louis, I’ve known him since he started Hogwarts. He was a year behind me, and my former classmate’s cousin.” He wasn’t about to tell Narcissa that Louis was a Ravenclaw. It was infinitely better than a Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, but still not a Slytherin. “We started dating a little over four years ago. We met Simone two years ago in Paris while at an international potioneers meeting, and she decided to keep us both.”
Which was the best and only way to put it, because that was what had happened.
“Family is family, even if it’s the family you choose.”
---
“It seems like she made a wise decision,” she said with a small smile. Yes, she had already decided she liked Scorpius. Even though this whole situation was a bit odd. And even though she didn’t believe she needed a guardian. At least her guardian was a family member, right? Even one who didn’t exist yet in her world. At least it was something.
“I am glad you have found someone,” she said, honestly. “Two someones, in fact.” She just hoped it would work out well for him, though she didn’t dare tell him that she had uncertainties. She knew that wouldn’t go over well, and while she didn’t usually care about things like that… this was a new environment. She could try something new, right?
“I am just glad to hear it is Lucius I am to marry,” she admitted. “Some of the other people I know… I prefer him over every one of them.”
---
“I won’t say your future is going to be easy, and at times it is going to be decidingly dark, but just remember one thing if you do remember me and this place: Lucius will always be true to you. No matter how bad it seems, when he truly has to make a choice, he chooses you and my father.” Because that had been the one thing his father had told him about the war, that Lucius hadn’t been a good man, but he’d chosen his family in the end.
Scorpius glanced at the clock on his phone and smiled. “Now, I will let you get settled in, figure out where things are and change your room to how you like. I need to go see a princess about some gossip, and to pick up some clothing we can tailor.” Because from what he’d seen, the fashions hadn’t changed much in the last four years, and Narcissa was still going to hate it all.
“I shouldn’t be gone for more than two hours.”
---
She offered Scorpius a small smile. “That is very reassuring,” she told him. Because she hadn’t been completely certain about Lucius, honestly. Knowing he remained true to her and their son? It made her decision to marry him that much easier. Because she knew that she was expected to marry someone, and Lucius seemed like the best option. Especially knowing that he was true to his family.
Narcissa nodded slightly, “Do not let me keep you here. Go, do what you need to do.” She could keep herself busy for a few hours. She could keep herself busy for as long as was needed. “And getting some clothes tailored seems like a fantastic idea.”
She knew that she would likely hate all the fashions here. So getting some tailored clothes was an excellent idea.