Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Scott Fellman.
November 22, 1976 – Narcissa Pov
"How are you?" Lucius asked softly as he placed a hand on my shoulder. I leaned into him, and he held me immediately.
"I'm... wow." I said simply, really, I had no other way to say it. "Do you understand? " I asked Lucius, and I could feel him nodding.
"Overwhelmed? Surprised? Incredulous? Excited? Highly strung? And much more? " Lucius asked, and I chuckled.
"Yes, exactly like that." I said, amusedly, and Lucius also chuckled lightly.
"Do you... Do you regret letting Serena seal us?" Lucius asked carefully.
"Salazar, no!" I said quickly as I shook my head, "No, I'm… happy with that part, Serena… Serena completely trusted us. She told us a secret of that magnitude. I'm… flattered by that, and I can't really be mad at the opportunity that was presented to us, but… It's just a lot to take in in just a few hours." I said honestly, and Lucius sighed, hugging me from behind and hiding his face in the crook of my neck.
"I know, those... 'movies', our 'future', it really was... disturbing to see how it would all end if we had gone our own way." Lucius muttered under his breath.
"Hey, it wasn't all that bad." I said softly, using my hand to trace Lucius' jawline, "We were still together, two wars, and we were still together, through thick and thin, and… we had a son, a beautiful son." I smiled at the memory of Draco. He was perfect. "I can't wait until I meet him, if… we're meant to be again." I said softly. Lucius hummed.
"Forever." Lucius murmured into my neck, and I smiled brightly at him.
"Forever," I repeated softly, and we both fell silent, each other's presence reassuring to both of us.
…
"Powers and immortality are good too." Lucius said, and I laughed.
" Yes, they are," I agreed with Lucius.
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December 20, 1976 – Lucius Pov
" Oi, Malfoy! I need you!" I looked up from the papers in front of me and looked ahead, where the door had been flung open. I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows slightly. Bellatrix had Serena in her arms, carried like a princess. Serena had her face hidden in Bellatrix's neck as she gently kissed her neck.
"Bella? Serena?" Narcissa asked, confused, surrounded by fabrics and threads. We had both been in our room passing the time.
"What happened, Bella?" I asked as I stood up and approached the pair; Narcissa did the same, and I glanced at Serena quickly.
Drunk with love.
"And why does my power tell me that she is 'drunk with love'?" I asked, but my power didn't tell me anything else. If there was something wrong, even with the bit of information I could receive from her thanks to the defenses, she would let me know.
"Drunk with love?" Bella asked with a grimace before shaking her head. "I don't know, we were in the training room when she started acting like... like a drugged cat." Bellatrix explained with a sullen expression. I looked at Bella.
Enjoying, happy, in love.
I snorted audibly. Thank you, power. I really didn't need to know that, and Bellatrix's denial issues. I sighed and looked at Bellatrix, ignoring the feedback from my power.
"And… what do you expect me to do? Serena is the best of us at… healing or curses, or whatever happened to her." I said with a grimace, Bellatrix growled.
"I know, I just want to know what the hell happened to her." Bellatrix said, and I nodded; well, I could try to find out. "Serena, let Lucius look at you." Bellatrix said as she tried to separate herself from Serena, but Serena hugged Bellatrix's neck tightly, continuing to place kisses on her neck.
" Bellaaa I love you " Serena drawled affectionately. I could hear Narcissa laughing beside me.
"Oh, Salazar, this is worth gold." Narcissa laughed amusedly, and I couldn't help but let a small smile grow on my face. "Does anyone know how to use the 'phone' camera so I can record her? I'll be making fun of her for weeks." Narcissa asked excitedly.
"Here, let me go, honey." I said softly as I pulled out Serena's phone.
"I'll stick a stake up your arse if you keep that up, Malfoy." Bellatrix growled, and I looked at her amusedly. Her threat would have been more effective if she weren't slightly blushing and with a drunk Serena on top of her. I put the phone away in my inventory and raised my hands in surrender. Really, I wasn't afraid of Bellatrix, but she would definitely be more than capable of following through on her threats if I didn't listen to her.
"Be good, Bella." Narcissa scolded her sister, Bellatrix just growled.
"Just tell me what the hell is wrong with her," Bellatrix growled, a vein throbbing in her forehead.
"Okay, okay, okay." I finally said it, and I looked back at Serena, pushing my power over her even further.
Drunk with love, intoxicated with love, drunk with love, drunk with love.
"My power keeps telling me she is drunk with love. What was she doing before… this?" I asked curiously, Bellatrix grimaced.
"She was reading that book Dumbledore gave her," she said, and I nodded.
"The book is still in the training room, isn't it?" Bellatrix nodded, "I'll be right back." With that, I quickly left the room and walked to the basement. At a glance, I could see the book on the floor. I walked over to grab it and went back to my room.
Once inside, I saw Bellatrix sitting on the bed with Serena on her lap, and Narcissa next to her, taking pictures with her phone. I could see Bellatrix's eye twitch with each photo Narcissa took. I suppressed a smile and approached.
"I got it," I said simply. I grabbed the speed-reading glasses and started reading. Really, these glasses were cheating.
A book written by Albus Dumbledore to teach the concepts of ancient magic, which is capable of magnifying emotions, both positive and negative. Given Albus Dumbledore's personality, the book primarily focuses on how to magnify positive emotions, especially love.
Serena Snape seeks a way to suppress or neutralize the lust of her power known as La Verità de Magia Baiser without detransforming or losing all her power, which is impossible since the center of her power is lust.
I theorize that if she couldn't suppress lust, highlighting the other emotions would cause them to 'cancel' each other out, or at the very least make her less likely to lose herself in lust by focusing on different emotions.
The emotion chosen should be one much stronger than your lust.
Her love for Bellatrix.
Serena heightened her love for Bellatrix to the point that it is overwhelming her, leaving her 'drunk with love'; she unconsciously continues to use ancient magic to keep the love levels overwhelming her and leaving her unable to think or feel anything other than her love for Bellatrix.
Her theory was correct, but she failed to calculate the levels to which ancient magic could magnify emotions.
Okay, that was a helpful power; thank you. I closed the book once I finished reading it and looked at both sisters, explaining everything my power had come to.
" Aaawww, that's so cute." Narcissa squealed as Bellatrix growled with a slight blush. I dared to use my power on Bellatrix once more.
Relieved, flattered, loves Serena, happy.
"Just tell me how to undo this," Bellatrix growled. I smirked at the dichotomy of my power and Bellatrix's attitude.
"Give me a second." I looked back at Serena.
You need to overwhelm love with other emotions. Knock her out. Wait for her to fall asleep. Use-
I informed them both of what my power had discovered, and Bellatrix became thoughtful. She stood up again, holding Bellatrix in her arms, and walked to the door.
"Thanks, Malfoy. See you later, Cissy." Bellatrix snapped as she walked out of the room. Before she left, I looked at Bellatrix once more with my power, and I grimaced. I really didn't need to know what they were going to do with it.
Lust.
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December 23, 1976 – Lucius Pov
I knocked on the door softly and waited for Father to answer.
Abraxas Malfoy heard the call, waiting long to assert his dominance.
Thank you for your help. I couldn't have figured it out without you.
Mockery is not the product of a strong mind, Lucius Malf -
Yes, the power.
Lucius Malfoy's need to kill-
"Come in," I never thought I would thank father for interrupting my thoughts. Starting to argue with my own power was ridiculous. I opened the door and walked in to see my father standing.
Abraxas Malfoy: excited, jubilant, longing. Hand on the letter, he has just received good news, news from a close acquaintance.
"As you know, there's a gala opening soon. Get ready, there's someone I want you to meet; you have to impress him," my father said.
Abraxas Malfoy's voice is filled with respect and dedication; there are few people for whom Abraxas Malfoy would show such emotions. Tom Riddle, Abraxas Malfoy was talking about Tom Riddle, hoping to introduce his son, Lucius Malfoy, to Tom Riddle in the hopes of pleasing him and gaining his favor, with the ultimate goal of having his son also enter Tom Riddle's inner circle.
I almost felt as if my blood had frozen, but I suppressed all external movement.
"Of course, Father, may I know who this is?" I asked politely, and my father nodded with a happy smile on his face.
"It's the dark lord; he wants to meet you." He said firmly while glaring at me.
Abraxas Malfoy secretly threatens Luc-
I don't need something so fundamental. I can figure it out on my own.
"Of course, Father, I won't embarrass you," I said calmly. Father nodded satisfactorily… perhaps… I could try? ... I took a deep breath before choosing my words carefully. "Although… father, there are… rumors, that the dark lord is… a half-blood… I took it upon myself to dispel those rumors, obviously, but people keep talking." Father's expression flattened.
"Don't be silly, Lucius. Of course, he is a pureblood, a direct descendant of Salazar; he will take care of us straight to the top, where we belong." Father said with conviction, I let my power flow.
Abraxas Malfoy is using occlumency, hiding information, and his reaction; he put up walls when Tom Riddle's blood status was mentioned. Abraxas Malfoy knows about Tom Riddle's blood status as a half-blood. Abraxas Malfoy was Tom Riddle's classmate during school; he definitely knows that Tom Riddle was a half-blood. Abraxas Malfoy took it upon himself to hide Tom Riddle's blood status.
Abraxas Malfoy cares not for Tom Riddle's blood status; Tom Riddle is powerful, and Tom Riddle seduced Abraxas Malfoy with words and power, ensuring him more of both. Tom Riddle appealed to Abraxas Malfoy's greed. Malfoy knows this, but believes Tom Riddle will grant it to him. Abraxas Malfoy knows Tom Riddle's power intimately, having seen it in person; he is convinced that he cannot be defeated.
Abraxas Malfoy, a die-hard fanatic of Tom Riddle by free will, a Death Eater by choice, will never separate from Tom Riddle as long as he continues to give him power, prestige, and gold.
He won't let Lucius Malfoy leave the fold, capable of using Narcissa Black as leverage, he has no qualms about hurting her, blackmailing her, cursing her, or some other way to coerce them both.
Abraxas Malfoy is more than happy with Tom Riddle's results; he attends the Death Eater 'raids' with glee, he enjoys-
Enough! I stopped my power babbling. I could feel the bile rising in my throat, but I suppressed it once more, standing firm in front of my father; he must not notice anything.
"Of course, Father, I had no doubt, I was just… warning you about the rumors that may circulate so you would be prepared." I said, while licking my lips. Father nodded and made a motion with his hand.
"Very well, I'll take care of it; you may go." He said simply, "Oh, and one last thing, Miss Snape must also attend, the Dark Lord wants to meet her." He said simply, and I stopped.
Abraxas Malfoy considers Serena Prince to be a valuable asset after proving her worth with potions by creating the Wolfbane Potion, even though he believes werewolves are unworthy of it. Abraxas Malfoy is willing to use Serena Prince in any way to keep her in Tom Riddle's good graces, no matter what the consequences for Serena Prince. Even if he is not able to use her, he will try to use her any way he can to keep her in Tom Riddle's good graces.
"Very well, father, I will make sure she is prepared, although I am sure she will be attending with the Black family. I was with Lord Black at the ministry today to complete the paperwork for the betrothal of Bellatrix and her. In addition to getting Serena elevated to Lady Prince without any issues, as of this afternoon, she is now Serena Prince, Lady Prince." I Report to father. father stood still.
Abraxas Malfoy was shocked, thinking quickly over the newly acquired information. Abraxas Malfoy is satisfied with Lucius Malfoy's results. Abraxas Malfoy is altering his plans for Serena Prince, intending to keep her under control and utilize her as needed through Lucius Malfoy.
I almost let out a sigh of relief.
"Well done, son, very well done." Once, those words had filled me with pride and a feeling of warmth, but now… they seemed empty, like ice in my veins. I knew what I had to do.
"It's nothing, Dad, it was something easy." I said modestly, and he nodded, not saying anything else. It was my signal to leave. I turned around and walked out of the room.
I have… I have to get Serena's seal to use against Father.
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January 1, 1977 – Narcissa Pov
"We need to talk about Serena," looking up to see Bellatrix seriously.