FORTY-SIX

                                    

                                          
FORTY-SIX:
                          
It was a restless night, as one could have expected. I got up, early in the morning; there was no point in staying in bed much longer. I got dressed in the only cloaks available to me and made my way to the dining room, just like old times. Except, unlike old times, Narcissa and my mother were there to greet me. Narcissa looked pale and worried, unnaturally ill. I looked to her in concern, "Narcissa, are you -"
                          
"Lucius never returned home last night." She blurted out, inhaling heavily, "Neither did your father, or Rabastan."
                          
I looked to my mother, tears forming in my eyes, "They're not dead." My mother said bluntly, "They were sent to Azkaban. They couldn't get out of the Ministry in time before the Aurors showed up. We're the only ones who made it out." She said to me. 
                          
I looked to my mother confused, "But - father - he's gone again?" Despite the information being laid in front of me, clearly. I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that my father had been taken from me, once again. 
                          
"They'll be fine. As long as the Dark Lord is safe, then we are safe." My mother stated, "Don't be wasting your tears, darling." My mother waltzed out of the room and into the living room without saying another word. 
                          
Narcissa remained where she stood, tears escaping from her eyes. "Everything is going to be fine." I said to her, approaching her and holding her shoulder gently, "He'll be fine."
                          
"I just don't want him hurt." She sighed, "I saw what that place has done to my sister and I can't bare to see my husband go through the same thing." 
                          
"But you never know, the trial might go in his favor." Narcissa gave ma a look. I cleared my throat, "Well, if the Dark Lord can get my mother and father out once, he can most certainly do it again."
                          
"You're very kind, Bexley." I brought Narcissa a cup of tea and left her alone for the rest of the morning. My mother wandered the house, looking for something to do. It baffled me how she was so calm in this situation. My father was back in prison and my mother's main concern was where the Dark Lord was, what food was stored in the kitchen and what she could do to entertain herself while waiting to hear from the Dark Lord. It was astounding.
                          
As midday approached, my mother was in her room, doing only she knew what. Narcissa remained in the dining room; writing. To whom, I did not know. My heart felt heavy of the previous nights' events and I couldn't seem to shake the cold shiver down my spine. In the spur of the moment, I walked outside the front door and disapparated. I apparated to the a place I could call home; twelve Grimmauld Place. I walked up the short pathway and knocked on the front door hard. My heart was pounding and my palms were sweaty. I was nervous to see who was on the other side of that door. The door eventually was swung open and a pale Mrs Weasley stood at the door. Her face dropped more than it already was. "I'm so sorry." I said, a lump forming in my throat. 
                          
Mrs Weasley didn't say a word. "Who is it, Molly?" I heard a voice call from the end of the hall. Mrs Weasley still didn't answer. The figure walked to Mrs Weasley's side; Remus Lupin. "Ah." He said, his voice weak and unstable. "Come on in." He said, stepping aside and letting me enter the house. "Just down in the dining room there."
                          
I walked forward and entered the dining room, my head bowed. Around the table sat Mr Weasley, Tonks, Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt. Mrs Weasley and Lupin also sat down but there was a noticeable chair empty. Sirius' chair. "Words cannot describe the pain and loss you all must be going through right now." I sighed, clasping my hands together tightly, "I just came here to apologize and to lay it all on the table." The room remained quiet, "I got this mark on my arm to symbolize that I was loyal to my family. I followed my mother and father into battle last night in the Ministry which ended in such horrible consequences. I never thought anyone would get hurt, especially at the hands of my mother. Sirius was a great man, despite being disowned from the family - my family. He still took care of Iris when I needed him most. All of the Death Eaters that were involved last night were captured and sent away to Azkaban; including my father and my uncle, Lucius. It breaks my heart to be missing yet another part of my family. But after speaking with my mother this morning, she has no loyalty to my family, her family. Her only loyalty is to the Dark Lord. My loyalty is to my family which includes Fred and Iris." I gulped hard, "I know that many of you in this room may not like me or appreciate my decisions these past couple of months. But I am standing here, apologizing and letting you know where my loyalty lies. I do not want to see my parents hurt and yet, I never want to see any of you hurt. My heart lies with my family which includes both my parents and Fred and Iris and I will do everything in my power to protect them from harm, even if that means getting hurt in the process. I just - I know this may sound ridiculous coming from me; the person who almost killed Tonks last night, but I am sorry. I just don't want there to be bad blood between us." The room still remained quiet, "Well," I sighed, "That's all I had to say. I best be going."