Determination, Broomsticks, and Dinner

Monday, 9 June 1986

Morning

The Malfoy Manor was quiet at night but quieter in the mornings.

There were only 5 occupants in the house, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, Draco and Darcie, their children, and the house-elf Dobby, who took care of almost everything that was to be taken care of in the manor.

Almost four days had passed since the events of the birthday, the morning visit by the Healer, and Darcie and Daphne's new bond tied by a string of secrecy and mutual trust and respect.

The next few days had seen some subtle changes in Darcie's behavior that had failed to go unnoticed by the eye of her mother. The young witch's strolls into her father's private library had almost doubled. If previously she had been learning at an outstanding pace, then now she seemed to have a purpose more zealous and targeted than before. Something about her had made her go even more reserved and solitary, to her mother's chagrin.

Sitting on a chair in the withdrawing chamber on the 2nd floor, Darcie looked thoughtful, her eyes gazing out at the reddening sky through the tall windows. In her lap, there was a copy of today's Daily Prophet, opened on Page 16. She looked down and reread the headline - RECALLING THE LONGBOTTOMs TRAGEDY. Her aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange, was the star of this article, but the Malfoys were mentioned too, though not outright.

"The-boy-who-lived," she murmured, folding the newspaper, pictures moving on its crisp pages as if they had lives of their own. Harry Potter was a name she had been hearing about since she had started to make sense of her surroundings. She had also noticed how exuberantly her father kept mentioning his name in the wizarding circle whenever there was a social gathering or formal event. She had seen the accusing gazes full of doubts against her family, and she had also heard the blatant talks of her father being a true Death Eater in the support of the one-who-must-not-be-named.

Darcie had learned to not dwell on these things. That time had passed, and she had too many things to learn and accomplish. Great were the wizards who had come and gone, and great would be she when her time would come. She didn't have the luxury to question and seek answers related to anything that had nothing to do with her goals.

And for now, it was only one. Wands. She must learn everything about them. But Darcie, in the last few days, had come to learn that it wouldn't be that easy. For her to even start walking on that path, she must have basic knowledge of major Magical fields. There was only one way to do it: read, learn, and practice. Memorize everything.

Time was running out, she'd thought last night. The longer she delayed taking necessary actions, the more arduous would be the journey later on when she would enter the school.

Darcie took a deep breath and nodded to herself.

"Darcie!" Draco's voice echoed through the Long Gallery. She stood up, placed the newspaper on the table neatly, and turned around. Her brother panted, stopping at the threshold of the chamber. "It's father," he said, beaming. "He's finally letting me ride Nimbus 1500. Are you coming?"

Darcie nodded. "Let me change first," she said.

The front of the manor had many gardens with gravel-lined paths running through them. The back of the manor, though, expanded into a vast, grassy area with a small pond in the middle. It was a beautiful place for a pleasant stroll, and her mother hosted her tea parties here as well if the weather permitted so.

Today, there were two chairs placed around a white round table. Her father was standing near the table, admiring a flock of albino peacocks darting far beyond the pond. Her mother was sitting on one chair, drinking her morning tea with freshly baked cookies. And on one side, holding three brooms over his thin shoulders, was Dobby, Draco kicking him and laughing as the house-elf fumbled to not drop the brooms.

Darcie had changed into loose pants and a coat for the training. She approached her father and stood by his side. "You aren't going to the Ministry today, father?" she asked.

"Never go somewhere where money can reach first," Lucius told her, smiling. "Draco! Bring them here."

Draco snatched the Nimbus 1500 from Dobby, gave him another kick, and ran towards them. The house-elf staggered on his little legs and followed.

"I have charmed the brooms to not go above 40 miles per hour," Lucius said. "Don't go beyond the lawn, OK?"

The children nodded. Darcie stepped away and went towards Dobby. "Let me help," she said, grabbing the two brooms. "Sit down and rest."

"Dobby thanks Ms. Darcie," the house-elf said, his voice squeaking out of his tired lungs.

These brooms were last year's birthday gift from her father. Two Comet 220s, though Darcie had shown little interest in flying. She had spent even less time on the toy broomsticks, and if it wasn't for it to be a necessary skill, she wouldn't have touched Comet ones either.

Now she felt different about them. Seeing her brother with Nimbus and her newly developed magical powers, she felt more confident about the prospect of souring into the sky. Attraction, yes. That was the word.

Both Lucius and Narcissa had taken out their wands as the children took positions, Draco on his Nimbus and Darcie on Comet 220.

"Now, listen," Lucius said, standing in between them. "Give a gentle push using your feet. Let the Broom glide until you have a feeling of control over it. Then stir the broom's nose and fly to the pond and around it, and return. No fancy maneuvers and no gaining of height. OK?"

Darcie nodded.

"Draco, say yes," Lucius said sternly. "I will not have you make a mockery of our family name, even when no one's watching."

"Yes, father," Draco replied. But he seemed too engrossed in his broom for him to listen to the second part.

"Do it, then," Lucius ordered and backed away.

Darcie pressed her toes against the grass and mud, and the broom lifted her off the earth. She grabbed the broom's handle, her legs resting on the two curved hooks at the joint of the handle and bristles. She could feel the effect of cushioning charm as well. But the moment she reached the height of some 15 ft in the air, all thoughts and planning disappeared from her mind.

Draco, laughing and shouting, had already pushed the Nimbus into a run towards the pond. But Darcie stayed, her eyes closed. A light, chilly breeze confronted her, hitting her face and her long white-gold hair. She had felt this before. Many times. She knew the sky, it seemed to her. She knew the wind, its myriad forms, and the heat souring through the clouds. Gliding. Flying… Slithering.

At the last word, her eyes snapped open. Magic exploded around her, but every bit was in her Control. She loosened her grip on the handle, leaned forward, and willed the broom to go forward.

The wind screamed in her ears, engulfing the gasps of Lucius and Narcissa.

Left, right, and straight, she looked like a green blur slithering in the air like ink strokes on paper. The moment she reached the pond, she let go of one of her footing on the broom. The Comet 220 wasn't known for its swiftness in one place, but it had excellent stability. Darcie tilted at a 90-degree angle, and in a smooth arc, traced the edge of the pond, the peacocks taking to the air behind her.

Draco gaped at her as she passed by him like a bullet and then she came to a stop just over Lucius, who had his wand pointed at her.

A smile came naturally to her now. Darcie had never felt so free before. Why wasn't she doing it already? Why wasn't she already cutting through the air, clouds, and storms? What had been holding her back?

"Darcie!" Narcissa came running for her. "Come down. Now!"

Darcie pushed her weight down, and the Comet 220 followed her command like a loyal servant. Her feet touched the grass, and she found she was already missing it.

"What were you thinking?" her mother asked, looking horror-stricken. "What if you had lost control again, and what if you had fallen? How could you do this?"

Darcie saw her mother's eyes glistening silver. The accident she had met on her birthday seemed to have affected her mother more than her, it seemed. But Lucius was a different case altogether. Her father was staring at her as if it was the first time he had noticed that he had a daughter. His eyes were gleaming, and pride had taken the centermost position in all the emotions in his heart.

"How did you do it?!" Draco asked astonishingly, landing behind her. He looked as troubled as awed by his sister's bizarre stunt.

Darcie shrugged. "I don't know," she answered. "It just felt like I could fly. It… felt natural."

Lucius guffawed, putting his wand back into the cane. "Good," he said. "From now on, you both will practice daily before breakfast. Dobby, if anything happens to them, your head will be on the wall beside your ancestors. I will order another Nimbus 1500 for you, Darcie."

Dobby shook, but except Darcie, nobody cared for the deep fear in his large green eyes.

"No, father," Darcie rejected. "I think I will stick with Comet 220 for now. Once Draco becomes familiar with his new broom, he can help me with it." She would never steal this feeling from her brother. If there was one thing in which Draco felt he was better than her, then that was brooms, she knew. She wouldn't let their parents' expectations come in between her and Draco. With time, he would warm up with her new skills by himself, Darcie reasoned.

Lucius scowled but nodded at her rejection, and Draco's tensed shoulders slackened as well.

"One more round," Draco asked expectantly. Narcissa looked as if she would refuse, but Lucius was a step ahead of her. "Yes," he said. "Focus on brakes and acceleration."

Darcie's grip on her broom tightened, the wind picking up, beckoning her back to its embrace.

*

*

Later that day,

Evening

The kitchens of Malfoy Manor were on the ground floor, in the left wing towards the north. This section also housed a buttery, a larder, a scullery, and a chapel-turned-storehouse.

The kitchen, well lit and logically planned, had a central area for preparing the food, a large hearth with an open fire for cooking, and ovens for baking. It was linked to the Dining Room, resting on the left wing of the manor's first floor just above the kitchen, via service stairs.

On a long table, Lucius was seated at the place of the head of the house. Narcissa was on his right, and the two children were on Lucius' left.

Darcie had just finished her dinner, sitting on Draco's left, and furthest from either of her parents. The moment her father finished his drink, she knew it was now or never. She took a deep breath as her empty plates and glasses vanished.

"Father," she said, eyes moving towards her. "I want a magical suitcase with an extension charm, big enough for an extensive library."

Draco laughed under his breath. But her parents looked at her oddly. Darcie had scarcely asked for something that was valued this much before. She had a thing for books, but till now, an odd collection from her father's study room had been enough to satiate her curiosity.

Magical Suitcase. Now, this was a big step for her to take.

"No." Narcissa refused flatly. "You already keep yourself holed up in the withdrawing chamber," she said, looking at her. "The last thing I want is for you to vanish into your suitcase. Not to mention, the Extension Charm is advance magic and highly controlled by the ministry."

Lucius returned to his dinner while Draco just smiled, eating the dessert. Narcissa scowled, but the wine soothed the lines on her face.

Darcie never asked for something twice. A yes, or a no, had always been sufficient for her. So when words came out of her mouth, Draco was the first to snap his head at her, looking completely shocked.

"I need it," she said, her green eyes brimming with pride, and looking at her father (-"Blimey!" Draco exclaimed-). "When did we start worrying about what the ministry would think or not?"

Both father's and daughter's eyes matched. "Very well," Lucius said, smiling. "I will pull some strings."

"Lucius!" Narcissa fumed. "Don't encourage her…"

"It's OK," Lucius chuckled. "She is a Malfoy, and if she wants a toy, then she can have it. But promise me you would use it sparingly, Darcie."

Darcie didn't show her elation, unlike other children. She did look happy to her mother and her father, though. "I promise, father," she said. "I will also try to attend to more guests, mother."

This did less to calm Narcissa down. "Don't play with food, Draco!" she snapped.

Under the table, Darcie's fingers curled into a fist. With this, she had finally taken a big step onto the path of attaining greatness, she knew.

Only books remained now. And she and Daphne had already made plans for that.