A/N: It was intended as a one shot, but some reviewers wanted more. And I like Draco bashing. So Draco gets schooled by his former mother, and we get a bit more Harry and Hermione. Enjoy.

Narcissa Ascendent

Narcissa appeared with a pop in the alcove off the entryway of Malfoy Manor. Draco was not yet Head of House and couldn't change the wards to reject her. As Regent, she actually could block him from the manor, at least until he was recognised as Head. It was tempting, but she had more important lessons to teach him. That they would be ultimately far more satisfying to herself was of course purely secondary.

Her personal elf appeared beside her to take her travel cloak. "Welcome home, Mistress."

"Thank you, Mipsy. Is Draco home?"

"Yes, Mistress. He be in the Master's study."

Narcissa sniffed. It was either the brandy or Lucius' files. Or perhaps both. "I shall let him be for now. Meet me in my rooms."

"Yes, Mistress." Mipsy popped away with her cloak.

She climbed the stairs to the second floor and entered the master wing. Ignoring Lucius' chambers to the right, and their joint room ahead, she turned left to her private rooms. Mipsy was waiting.

"There have been significant changes to House Malfoy, Mipsy. I shall be returning to the House of Black. I need you to help gather my belongings."

Mipsy's eyes both widened and started to tear, but she knew her place. "Yes, Mistress." She popped away, and quickly reappeared with two trunks hovering on each side of her. They gently settled to the floor. "What can Mipsy do?"

Narcissa turned slowly in place, trying not to become nostalgic. She would take only things that were purely her own. Even her current robes had the crest of Malfoy on them. Best to make the cut quick and clean. She headed to her bureau, and pulled out the top drawers. Jewellery first. She lifted out the top case and opened it. It was one of her favourites, a beautiful diamond choker, a gift from Lucius after the birth of Draco. Suppressing the waves of emotion assaulting her, she closed the case and handed it to Mipsy. "We'll start with these."

"Yes, Mistress."

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A depressingly short time later, she was finished. She had only needed all four trunks because of the volume of clothes she considered strictly hers.

"Take them to the entryway. Call for Kreacher to collect them."

"Of course, Mistress." Mipsy and the trunks disappeared.

Narcissa went back downstairs and through the entry hall to Lucius' study. Steeling herself, she paused at the door, hand raised, then decided against knocking. Opening the door wide, she strode in. She had been right, it was both the brandy and the files. The snifter was over full, and the files were strewn about in an unorganised mess. She sniffed in disapproval. Draco was a pale shadow of his father, and look what had happened to him. She had a sudden memory of Draco as a small child, scribbling on a scrap of parchment while his father composed correspondence at this very desk. Even now he was a but a poor imitation. She shook her head to dispel the images.

He didn't even look up. "I told you not to return home. You're no longer worthy of the Malfoy name."

"I'm well aware of what you can do and when. It is not today. I am still your mother, and your Regent. There are still lessons I need to teach you, and I will."

"There's nothing that I wish to learn from you. Except perhaps how not to behave. Traitor."

"Draco, you can learn from history, from words spoken and written, from your elders, and from events. I've tried to teach you with the first three, now you will learn from the last."

Draco waved the parchment he was holding. "Malfoys do not fall victim to events, they shape them. As far as history and my elders, what I've learned from the failures of my parents is that a true Malfoy bows to no one and does not betray the family or its name."

Narcissa just shook her head at his shortsightedness. "I will remove myself to spare you the shame then. I am packed, and will be leaving. You'll not need to cast me from the family, the Head of House Black will dissolve my marriage and take me back into my family of origin. My only advice to you is that for the next week you consider the difference between goals and methods."

He finally looked up. "My goals are clear, the cleansing the House Malfoy and the destruction of the House of Black. Potter's foray into our world will be brief and painful. My methods are also clear, patience and convenient 'accidents.' Perhaps with public humiliation beforehand. As far as House Malfoy, it appears I don't even have to act, Potter is doing it for me."

He turned back to the parchment in his hands, reviewing the list of people who would do just about anything for the right price and be discrete about it. "Goodby, mother."

"Farewell, Draco. I expect I'll see you again in a few days."

"I don't see how, as after Friday the wards won't allow it."

"We'll likely meet at the Ministry. For some of us your father's execution is more than just about who inherits what."

Draco just waved her off.

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On Thursday afternoon, Narcissa stood at the gates, waiting patiently as the last of the Aurors apparated in with a quiet 'pop.' Justin McCrory, the lead Auror, checked over his group and nodded in satisfaction. He turned to her.

"Ms. Black, if you would be so kind."

Narcissa touched the tip of her wand to the centre of the Malfoy crest, concentrating, and for the first time since the manor was built, all the wards were disabled. Even though she was outside the gates, she felt a sense of unease and danger as they fell. She pushed open the gates.

The Aurors nodded in thanks and apparated to the front doors, half of them disillusioning themselves. McCrory smiled and used the door knocker with significant enthusiasm. He was looking forward to this.

Less than a minute later the door was thrown open by an irate Draco Malfoy. "How did you get past the gates? Leave now, before I—"

McCrory just ignored him and unrolled his scroll. "Draco Malfoy, you are hereby evicted from Malfoy Manor, which is now under the ownership of House Black. You have twelve hours to gather your personal belongings and vacate the premises. All items being removed are subject to search, and any damage —"

"What?" Draco interrupted. "How dare you. Potter has no claim at all to Malfoy Manor, he's got his own bloody house to worry about. Leave immediately before I contact the Minister and report you for harassment."

The Auror smiled. "Ah. Let me explain. The Head of House Black has dissolved your parents' marriage. The penalty clauses, as agreed to by both families, require the return of the dowry. House Malfoy does not have nearly enough in assets to cover the debt, so Malfoy Manor and all its contents have been seized in payment."

Draco had turned several shades paler in dread, before giving way to anger. Damn his stupid parents, damn bloody Potter, and damn these smirking peasant Aurors. "I don't care what my parents did, this is my house, and tomorrow I will become Head of House Malfoy. You have my father in your cells, take this up with him. Now get off my property."

McCrory's smile became tighter. "We already served your father with the appropriate documents, as required. Malfoy Manor is now the property of House Black, and as of this morning, you are trespassing. If you do not take this time to gather your personal belongings, we will simply remove you—"

Draco's anger became rage, and overcame any rational thought. He pulled his wand and screamed "Redu—!" He was interrupted by several silent stunners from the disillusioned Aurors and dropped to the floor.

"Excellent," said McCrory, lowering his own silent shield. "Lindsey, collect his wand. David, pack him up for travel. Nigel, if you would fetch Ms. Black?"

Nigel popped away, as Lindsey carefully put Draco's wand into an evidence bag with a gloved hand. Draco was wrapped in ropes and levitated out the door. Nigel and Ms. Black arrived just as they were assembling to leave.

"Ms. Black, it seems we can do this now. You have the appropriate documents?" McCrory asked.

Narcissa handed over a small scroll, and he scanned it, confirming what he already knew.

"Thank you, Ms. Black." He handed her several documents adorned with seals of both the Ministry and Gringotts. "I hereby turn Malfoy Manor over to Narcissa Black, duly assigned representative of House Black."

Narcissa took them with a small smile. "House Black thanks you for your service today, Auror McCrory. I apologise for any associated…unpleasantness."

"Nothing we weren't prepared for. Good day, Ms. Black."

He slapped a portkey to Draco's hovering body and activated it, delivering him to a holding cell in the Ministry. Maybe they would process him before the hover charm suddenly collapsed. The Aurors all bowed slightly before popping away.

Narcissa slowly re-entered Malfoy Manor, briefly again as its Regent, soon to be its steward. Her dual role meant they wouldn't even have to hire Gringotts to rekey the wards. She closed the doors and headed for the study. Time to reactivate the wards and assemble the elves to notify them of the changes. She allowed herself a small smile of satisfaction. Part one of the lesson.

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Draco sat on the thin mattress covering the stone slab of his bed and fumed. He would have preferred pacing, but the cell was only two steps wide by three long, with bed and toilet taking up much of the free space. The sink was recessed into the wall. There would be more turning than pacing.

His thoughts raced in tight repetitive circles. Twenty four hours. He had been just twenty four hours from victory. Just one day short of emerging from the wars and their aftermath as the Head of one of the few surviving true Pureblood families. His hope for Head of two families was quickly dashed by bloody Sirius somehow outliving the rest of his family long enough to leave it to bloody Potter, of all people. A minor setback, really, now that he had time to think about it. Potter had no family, and no matter how many people he had outlined in his will, patience and money would see them all… become ineligible.

The memories of the meeting at Gringotts still caused him to shake with rage. Worse than being denied Head of House Black was his mother speaking to him in such a manner in front of inferiors. Not to mention her turning traitor against him and the Malfoy name. And such a betrayal. He still couldn't figure out how she made sodding Potter do all this, but she was added to the list of those that would pay.

But now! Now he was in jail for assaulting an Auror. Bloody peons had no right being on the grounds, much less threatening to evict him. After tomorrow, the lot of them should be working for him, except for the ones that brought him here. They would be sweeping Diagon Alley by hand. When he got out of here….

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Narcissa followed the Auror through the twisting hallways of the DMLE detention area. She was unpleasantly familiar with this part of the Ministry, though this time she was in fine dress robes rather than prisoner garb. The hallway ended at a heavy metal door with another Auror behind a desk in an alcove on the right. She looked up at their approach.

Narcissa's escort said, "Narcissa Black to see Draco Malfoy."

The Auror opened a small wooden box on the desk. "Wand in here, please."

Narcissa placed her wand inside. The Auror then opened a thick book and handed her a quill. "Sign here, please."

Narcissa signed her name on the first open line, barely remembering to write Black instead of Malfoy. The Auror grunted in satisfaction, then stepped to the thick door and banged on it with her fist. A small panel slid aside and a gruff voice asked, "What?"

"Narcissa Black to see Draco Malfoy."

"Keep your robes on, he's almost ready." The panel slid shut with a heavy 'thunk.'

They stood in silence for a few more minutes before there was a set of more heavy clunks and thunks, and the door swung slowly open. "This way," said the guard with the gruff voice.

The hallway was wide, with heavy metal doors on both sides. Two guards stood at the far end, one more fell in behind them. The guard opened the first door on the right. "Don't try to reach over the line. Bang on the door when you want out."

Narcissa entered the small room and the door boomed shut behind her. Draco was sat on the other side a metal table. A bright blue line bisected the table and in fact the whole room, and she knew a nasty shock if not unconsciousness was in store for whoever tried to cross it. Draco steadily glared at her, but said nothing. She sat primly in the chair on her side of the table, removing her gloves and folding them neatly in front of her. She rested her hands on them to avoid the cold of the table, and waited. Patience was a valuable attribute, another small lesson she would try to teach.

Draco continued to glare at her, but could only hold out for a few minutes. "Well? Did you come all the way down here just to stare at me?"

She smiled thinly. "I came to say goodby to your father. He faced his death with the grace and pride as befits his station. He did note your absence."

Draco flushed red, with anger or embarrassment she couldn't tell, but said nothing.

"I debated whether to spare him the shame of your failings of the last week, letting him die thinking that the Malfoy name would rise again to power in Britain." Draco flushed redder. "But in the end I couldn't. He was still Head of House, and whatever the politics and legalities, the husband of my heart. He deserved to know."

Draco leaned forward and opened his mouth, but Narcissa stopped him with a simple raised finger.

"Do not speak. You have failed your father, myself, and the Malfoy name enough. It's hard to imagine how you could have done worse. We trained you for years, and you were outmanoeuvred by someone who had bare weeks to learn what you failed to understand in a lifetime."

"Bloody Potter and that mudblood—"

Bam! Narcissa slammed her open hand onto the table, startling him into silence. "Do not speak! You will listen to the final lessons your parents and these events have to give you. Whether you actually learn is up to you."

She composed herself, folding her hands on her gloves again, and took a deep breath.

"Your father and I had to nearly bankrupt ourselves to keep you and I from jail or death. But we had the Manor, enough money to start with, but more importantly an Heir to carry on the Malfoy name and to take advantage of the power vacuum that currently exists. What we couldn't imagine is that you would completely bollix it up even before you were Head of House."

"I remind you of my advice to consider the difference between goals and methods. My goal, and what should have been yours, was the preservation of the Malfoy name and line. The Head of House Black was prepared to hand that to us on a silver platter, and all we had to do was smile politely and say thank you."

Draco couldn't keep it in any longer. "Potter isn't fit—"

Bam! She struck the table again. "I do not give you leave to speak! I don't care if it was a demented house elf sitting there! It still would have been the Head of House Black, with the power to save or destroy us. Walking into that room and seeing this," she jabbed a finger at the Black Crest woven into her new robes, "should have alerted you immediately that things were not going to go as expected."

Draco focused on the crest, seeing if for the first time. He frowned. He didn't recall seeing Potter or Granger wearing the crest.

She leaned back in her chair. "The mere presence of anyone else at all should have alerted you. Even the fact that the meeting was held before you became Head of House was an important clue. The proper thing to have done was to keep all your options open while you gathered enough information to make a decision. Instead, you annoy, insult, and even threaten the Head of the most powerful family left in Britain. In less than fifteen minutes you took us from accepting an offer of alliance to begging for crumbs."

"Even if the right goal was the demise of Potter, Granger, and House Black, the worst method you could have chosen was to openly announce your intent to destroy them from a position of weakness. Infinitely better would be to ally with them, become relied upon, trusted, valued, and then slip a dagger between their ribs or a poison in their Christmas dinner."

"Having lost that opportunity, we were now reduced to fighting for personal survival, but you forbade me from discussing even that with you, thus sealing your fate. So I took the only choice that was left to me. I am now, once again, Narcissa Black, and shall enjoy all that being a member of House Black entails."

"Potter held all the cards with control over the marriage contract, and I know I taught you extensively about how marriage contracts work. Allied, we could be valuable or paupered. Brought into House Black, we could be powerful or cast out, nameless. You vigorously pursued abject poverty. I gratefully accepted power."

Draco sat, silent and pale, as her summary of the meeting washed over him.

Picking up her gloves, she methodically put them on. "I leave you with a few final lessons. The first is that actions have consequences, something that somehow you have failed to learn before now. In retrospect, your father and Severus continually cleaning up your disasters has done you a disservice. You are now the victim of your own choices. Do not think to blame Potter or I for your current circumstances."

She stood. "The second is patience, of which you seemingly have none. The sentence for attempting to curse an Auror is two years in Azkaban. You have no money to buy your freedom, or even hire an advocate, and I am in no way inclined to assist you. Your father's last wish was that I do not. Perhaps some time to think, and gain appreciation for all that you've lost, will do you some good."

She placed her hands on the table and leaned in as close as the blue line would allow. "As for the third, I would have you strive to recall the small details of the meeting you so thoroughly mishandled. Ms. Granger had a stack of parchment in hand, and was ticking things off the top sheet from the moment we arrived. They were prepared for anything we might have done. Potter may hold the power, but of the two of them, who do you really think figured out what to do with it? And of the Malfoy family, of all the followers of Lord Voldemort, who remains free, wealthy, and safe?" She placed a hand slowly on her chest. "You have always viewed women as tools or toys. Do so again at your peril."

Just before she knocked on the door, she turned. "Shortly, you will become the Head of House Malfoy, such as it is. I hope you enjoy the fruits of your labours."

Draco sat, mute, the next two years of his life stretching out in front of him like a great chasm. He was completely unaware of his mother's exit, or the blue line fading away so the clerks could pass over the inheritance paperwork.

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Harry opened his eyes as a colourful tropical bird landed on the arm of his chaise lounge. He could now identify it as some sort of toucan, but he still wasn't sure which species. He took the parchment from its bill and reached over to grab a few figs for it. It lined them up neatly in its bill and flew up to the top of his palapa to eat them.

He unrolled the parchment and started laughing.

Hermione rolled over and propped herself up on her large beach towel. She could stand a lot more sun than Harry could. She tanned, he just turned red. "What's so funny?"

"A message from Gornuk. Draco managed to exceed all expectations. He tried to cast a reducto on the Aurors that came to evict him. He's serving two years in Azkaban, and Narcissa is installed as the steward over the former Malfoy Manor. She barely had time to unpack before she got to move back in."

Hermione stood and stretched, Harry enjoying the view greatly. She caught him staring and smiled. She kissed him on the tip of his nose. "Thank you. Budge over." She sat on the edge of the lounger. "Only two years?"

"Well, he didn't even complete the incantation before he was stunned, wrapped up, and portkeyed to a holding cell. The intended victim had a shield up, so they decided he wasn't really much of a threat."

"I've heard of time off for good behaviour, but never for incompetence."

"Heh. Regardless, he's out of our hair for a while, and Narcissa's out of Grimmauld again. Should be safe and quiet if we wanted to head back."

Hermione snuggled into Harry, resting her head on his shoulder and draping herself over his right half. "Why would we want to go back?"

Harry wrapped his arms around her, breathing in the smells of sea and vanilla and coconut and the indefinable scent that was just her. He closed his eyes again and sighed contentedly. "Good point."

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Two Years Later

It was late, just before closing. It was already dark, and the clouds spit down rain in uneven bursts. The door opened and closed quickly, the bell so coated in dust and grime that it barely tinkled. The store had suffered greatly in the last two years, barely staying open. Mr. Borgin looked up from his counter to see a slight figure in a ragged dark robe and hood standing silently in the entry way.

"Well?" he asked impatiently.

The figure reached up and lowered its hood, revealing the pale face and hair of Draco Malfoy. He took a deep breath.

"Greetings, Mr. Borgin. I find myself in need of employment."

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A/N. So, part two. Hope it lives up to part one. I couldn't resist throwing in the last little scene. Every war seems to rise from the ashes of the one prior.