38 Ch38. Narcissa's resolve

Narcissa stared at the animated puppet that wore Death Eater attire in front of her as she raised her wand in preparation for a fight.

She didn't attack. Instead, she let the puppet start the fight and send a red bolt of energy at her. Narcissa's eyes attentively focused on the energy bolt that flew faster than a human eye could follow. Her instincts screamed at her to duck, roll, or simply lean to the side, yet, she did not dodge. Narcissa patiently waited and in a moment, the bolt was too close to dodge. Suddenly a rune shined on the ground in front of Narcissa, completely dissipating the bolt.

That was when she burst into motion. She made to chain several spells, starting with bone-crusher to the center of the puppet, fluidly swishing her wand slightly downward for a blood-boiler to the right side and ending her chain with a bludgeoning spell to the left of the puppet, completely cutting any and all directions for evading. All three flew at the puppet as if they were cast simultaneously.

The puppet was not some cheap toy, however. It was the pinnacle of enchanting and reacted accordingly. Determining the blood-boiler to be the weakest of the chain, it quickly jumped towards it, letting the two other spells sail harmlessly past it.

The calculations of the puppet were correct. Since it had no blood, the blood-boiler didn't do anything to it. The second the curse impacted the puppet, however, a wordless and motionless Expeliarmus also impacted it like a truck, sending it flying ten meters back.

The puppet was made out of very magic resistant material and quite sturdy. Unfortunately for Narcissa, the blow was not registered as lethal, so it stood up, sporting at most a few scratches, ready to continue.

Two other puppets sprang into action from the side-lines. Both firing another bolt of energy at Narcissa. As with the previous bolt, they quickly dissipated as they came in contact with the rune, giving Narcissa a chance to swish her wand at them.

She transfigured the ground behind one to a small hole while forcing it to take a step back due to quick Reducto. As it tripped on the hole, another well-aimed Reducto impacted its head, not leaving even a scratch but the blow was considered lethal. The puppet didn't stand up anymore.

The other puppet was made to side-step an Organ-liquefying curse, dodge Bludgeoning curse, leap out of the way of Difindo, all the while it cast bolt after bolt at Narcissa who quite contently stood in the same place she started at, protected by her rune while sending curse after curse at the puppet.

Suddenly the first puppet Narcissa fought against, joined the fray, trying to circle around Narcissa.

Clicking her tongue, she spun on her heel, her wand in her outstretched arm, pointing at the ground as she did a full circle around herself. Runes started appearing in the place her wand was pointing until they formed a full circle around Narcissa. As a bolt from the first puppet impacted the runic circle, it got deflected away from Narcissa. The second it impacted the circle, Narcissa's wand, and mind, led by the magic of the runes, snapped faster than the eye could follow right to the direction of the puppet, her magic flaring. Not even second after the puppet cast its energy bolt, it found itself at the Narcissa's wand point and the ground beneath it erupted in Bombarda Maxima, sending it flailing through the air, out of commission.

The last puppet used the minute distraction to get closer to Narcissa. She quickly understood the reason. Since the bolts aren't a threat, the puppet aimed for a body tackle.

A slight smile appeared on Narcissa's face as she waited for the puppet to get closer and as it was ten meters from her, She swished her wand.

"Avada Kedavra."

And the puppet fell lifelessly on the ground, registering a lethal blow.

A clapping sound reverberated through the training ground, coming from behind Narcissa. She swiftly spun towards it, her wand on the ready, only relaxing when she saw Andromeda approaching.

"Damn sister. These puppets may be old but still are fast enough to give problems to professional duelers! Three at once? Count me impressed."

"Well, Andy. When you live among Death Eaters..." Narcissa trailed off, making the atmosphere awkward.

Andromeda harrumphed.

"What's the reason for this workout, Cissy?" She asked.

"Ah, was trying out my magic absorbing rune..." Narcissa smiled but then grimaced as she saw her sister's expression lit in interest. It almost pained her to dash her sister's hopes. "No, it is a failure. It can't stop anything more powerful than Bone-shattering Curse."

"As if so many wizards actually knew a spell that packs more power than Bone-Shatterer." Andromeda grumbled.

"Well... anyway, Killing Curse? Aren't you afraid of being discovered by the government?" She asked as she handed Narcissa a bottle of water.

"Discovered?" Narcissa's lip twitched upwards.

"Here, dear sister?" She mockingly spread her arms.

"Ninety percent of the time, they won't report anything and the remaining ten percent can't penetrate wards of common households, least Black family wards." She informed Andromeda with an amused scoff.

"But... what do you mean most of the time they do not report anything!? They worked! Even some Death Eaters have been captured thanks to them. The tests clearly showed..." Andromeda looked incredulously at Narcissa.

"Of course they did, Andy." Narcissa openly laughed. "After all, it was Lucius's father who helped to set them up at the order of the Dark Lord himself. It would not do if they didn't get at least some of the more useless variety of Death Eaters."

Andromeda froze in her tracks with her jaw hanging open.

"Close your mouth before a house-elf makes a nest in there." Narcissa rolled her eyes. "So? What would you like to discuss, sister?"

Andromeda recollected herself and her lips thinned.

"Can't I just visit my sister?"

"You can." Narcissa's brows started twitching in annoyance. "But if you wanted to have a sister's talk you would give me a proper heads-up. No. You appeared out of nowhere. Here. In the training room of Grimmauld Place 12. One of the most out of the way rooms there is in the house."

Do not make me doubt your intelligence by saying your visit is a coincidence, Andromeda. You are clearly bothered by something." Narcissa coldly rebuked.

Andromeda deflated and released a defeated sigh.

"I'd like to know your intentions towards Lord Black." She asked bluntly.

"My intentions?" Narcissa asked, not understanding what exactly Andromeda wanted to know.

Andromeda's cheek reddened.

"You forgot to apply the silencing spell yesterday, Cissy. I... your squeals were quite loud." She whispered, making Narcissa's pale skin flare into crimson-red and start spluttering.

Andromeda, as amused as she was due to her sister's embarrassment, pressed more.

"I-, If this is some intricate manipulation you..."

Narcissa's embarrassment abruptly turned to anger and her eyes narrowed.

"Manipulation?" She sharply interrupted her sister, making her shut up, but then grit her teeth. "In a way, yes. I do intend to manipulate Hadrian."

Before Andromeda could protest, Narcissa continued in a resolute and firm tone.

"But me having sex with him was just that. I wanted to again feel the pleasure while showing my Lord my worth. I wanted to make him understand that keeping me near will be worth it."

"Like a sex toy?" Andromeda asked, not liking the way her sister talked about her actions, momentarily forgetting her reason for confronting her sister.

"Yes." Narcissa spat venomously and her voice raised. "If he desires a sex toy, I will gladly be just that!"

Both sisters glared at each other, Narcissa with a slight hostility while Andromeda in confusion but an unwillingness to back down.

"I served Lord Voldemort." Narcissa eventually said, her tone bland. "He was a cruel master. Very painful too." She unconsciously rubbed her neck as if massaging a bruise.

Andromeda's gaze softened and a sudden urge to comfort her sister flared in her chest.

"Before that, I served Lucius. These were the most painful years of my existence." Narcissa's eyes got even more deadpan and lifeless than before and Andromeda's eyes gained a pitying glint.

"And after Lord Voldemort's fall, I again had to serve Lucius but now without him being able to make me suffer. So... he tried to do anything to make my life as uncomfortable as possible without actually hurting me or his House."

Narcissa's eyes peered straight into Andromeda's, hardened, cold, and dangerous.

"Now I have a new master. One who cares." She uttered, her voice gaining a slightly happier undertone but was still as hard as steel. "When I used my Legilimency on him, the first thought he had was how to make this marriage more comfortable for me. For the first time in my life, a man who owned me cared about my feelings. So yes, dear sister, if my master wants a sex toy, I will be there to provide him as much sex as he wants and make it damn enjoyable. If he wants me to bring Wizarding Britain to ruin, I will do exactly that. And, if I am ordered to find a way to kill Dumbledore, I WILL find it!" She strongly stated.

Andromeda gulped, unable to gather her thoughts at the absurdity of what her sister just said.

"What about your manipulations then." She blurted out the first thing that came to her mind and instantly regretted it.

Narcissa's face slacked, anger leaving her. She, as if aged suddenly, showed a tired expression.

"Andy," She slowly drawled, resisting the urge to give her sister a ridiculing sneer. "our Lord is eleven."

Seeing Andromeda's uncomprehending expression Narcissa wanted to facepalm but continued in a calm voice as if explaining something to a child.

"Yes. He is mentally an adult. But... a lord, he is not. He is too childish, too prone to mistakes." Seeing Andromeda cross her hands on her chest, Narcissa knew her sister was not listening fully, and she would have to provide better arguments if he wanted to make her point clear.

"Yes. I am going to take care of every mistake Hadrian makes. But I am also going to show him when and exactly what he did wrong and how could he do it better in the future. Teach him how to make effective use of his Lordship. Teach him his privileges and how to take advantage of the law. And among those things, I will show him my worth."

Narcissa's face again bloomed in a sweet smile.

"That is the extent of my manipulations, dear sister. I will make sure he damn well knows I will do anything for him. Even if it means meeting my end at the Dark Lord's wand when he comes back, as Lucius likes to preach." Her eyes shone in determination.

"I was never loved by any man who had power over me so I certainly do hope my services will make Hadrian genuinely fall in love with me and cherish me. I will do it because I want to feel safe and loved. Even if it is possible to call what I do a plain manipulation. The contract allows it because I mean no harm to my master, Andy."

"I just hope you won't go too far, sister." Andromeda quietly relented.

"Don't worry. Everything I do, will, in the end, benefit Hadrian more than myself." Narcissa nodded and walked away.