Chapter Sixty-Four: Veela Sacrifice

Claudia thinks. Cissy begins to.

(i) The characters and world of Harry Potter are the property of J.K. Rowling. I make no money from this.

(ii) Thank you to all the readers who have stayed with me through the writing of this tale. Your patience has been truly amazing and your continuing reviews are so appreciated.

(iii) I start my PGCE [post-graduate certificate in education] in the autumn. I'm excited to be going back to university for a year. I've already been sent my reading list 😊

(iv) Consider this a teaser chapter. More is on the way. But if I'd added that to this, it would have been enormous and totally unwieldy.

Claudia allowed herself to be pampered and looked after by the two elves the Malfoys had appointed for her. They were kind and gentle and she was in no condition to do anything but submit to their ministering.

She was still reeling from the magic they had performed and the change that had come upon Severus.

She'd known going into the soul-magic performance that a sacrifice would be demanded, but she hadn't expected to feel such anger, such strength as the euphoria of the curse breaking slowly evaporated. She felt like she'd never felt before. She wanted to take on her parents, the Veela elders and everyone who had ever hurt her. For too long she had allowed them to make her feel small, insignificant and weak. No longer. Now, suddenly, she felt like she was starting to come into her power. And what power!

She could feel it coursing through her, its potency like nothing she'd ever thought herself capable of feeling. Whatever that been blocking her power, that had gone. It had fled in the face of that Merciless Intensity that had attacked her very core as the ritual was being performed. She'd felt her magic meld with that of Harry's, she'd felt the power of their magic, their love and the commitment each and everyone in the circle had expressed, and she'd given everything she was, not worrying about what would be asked of her.

There had come a moment when there'd been blinding pain, but she'd submitted to it willingly, allowing herself to drift on the tide of pain, to ride the wave and not think that she was unworthy. The people who she had offered herself to had seen her as worthy. Therefore, she was, and she'd used that as her shield and allowed everything to pour out of her. If death was what was required, she would have died, knowing that she was dying for love, for truth, for something pure and good. How often were her Veela kin willing to do everything for power, now, she would do something worthy for love.

And thus, she hadn't fought, even when she'd felt the tearing of the very bindings of her magic.

Now, sitting by the fireside, the elves having quietly placed a cup of tea and a tray of biscuits and tiny amuse-bouche by her side, she nibbled and tried to get to grips with the changes that had occurred.

Claudia spent the rest of the day in her room. She didn't think it odd that no one disturbed her solitude, the elves bringing meals and snacks at the appointed time. Indeed, she didn't think beyond exploring her own magic within. She supposed everyone else would be doing the same. She didn't realise how unique she was in that she at such a young age had such a clear understanding of her magic and its place within her.

Eventually, when she was invited by Narcissa to join the family for lunch the following day, she made her way almost tentatively to the conservatory. She was more than surprised to learn about the interview Narcissa had just finished giving the newspapers. Draco, Lucius and Cissy were in high spirits with the masterful way the press and gossips had been dealt with.

Cissy was outwardly euphoric and happy to be praised for her superb handling of The Daily Prophet interview. She was even relishing the chance to talk about society gossip each week for the column she'd proposed. But, and there was that but… she was feeling utterly lost and torn since the curse had been broken. She'd been so caught up with the things they had to do, the part she had to play that her internal struggles were, as they had been for so long under the reign of the Dark Lord, deeply hidden beneath layers and layers of Occlumency.

She had had Severus teach her under the guise of helping him strength his skills during the months before Lily had died. They'd laughed, revealed themselves utter to each other and she had never let him realise how well she's mastered the art he'd then gone on to master so superbly. Sometimes she wondered if he had pretended to ignore her skill, just as she had pretended to ignore that she thought he was better than anyone she'd ever encountered.

It was a safety mechanism, their mutual pretence, denial giving them both a much-needed cover, for the Dark Lord would never have allowed anyone to be stronger than him in any sort of magic, much less something so potent.

Lunch over, Cissy had hugged Claudia. "We have so much to talk about, my dear," she said to the younger woman. "I can see how much you have had to think over in your eyes."

Claudia nodded. She was now unsurprised that this woman who claimed maternal privileges over her saw into her heart more clearly than her Veela blood-kin ever had. "I've done nothing but think since Harry and I returned to the Manor," she said in response. "Perhaps we can retire for tea after dinner. I still feel like there's so much I need to understand about myself. Talking to you, even trying to find the words to begin are still beyond me."

Narcissa smiled. "Of course. I've not even begun myself. I've been too caught up in these political stratagems. Post-dinner sounds perfect. But, my dear, have you spoken to Harry?"

Claudia shook her head. "I've not seen him since yesterday morning."

"Owl him at least," suggested Narcissa. "Young men often have fragile egos."

Claudia giggled. She knew Harry was not like those young men, but she also realised that Cissy was trying to make her reach out and not cut people off even as she tried to come to terms with her inner changes. "I will", Claudia said, before hugging Cissy with a quietly whispered, "I love you, Mother."

Narcissa let her tears flow in the privacy of her sitting room as Claudia returned to her chambers. The house elves knew to keep an eye on the young woman and ensure she was cared for. Even if she didn't come down for dinner, their after-dinner tea arrangement would ensure she wasn't alone for too many hours.

Another child had willingly accepted her as Mother. She'd so longed for children, she'd been so vehemently jealous of Molly and her brood, knowing she'd have lavished so much more care on her own if she'd been given so many since she had material comforts to allow her more time to give to them and not have to worry about annoyances like house-work. But now besides Draco and Astoria she had Hermione, Luna, Harry, Claudia, even if she so wanted to, Ronald and Percival. She was determined that the two latest Weasleys were going to get her brand of maternal affection. She might not know them now, but in time, she'd get to know them and make them realise they always had someone they could trust to talk to.

Narcissa had been brought up in a home that had shown love as a duty, a chain that bound. Step out of line and that love was removed. Sirius had been discarded for daring to be himself, so had Andromeda. Her sister Andy had wanted something more than duty, obligation and position, she'd wanted warmth, love and open affection, something pureblood families did not often contain. Narcissa had been too instantly in love with Lucius, someone their parents had approved of wholeheartedly to ever have to fight for her love as Andy had done. Andy had walked away rather than be parted from her Ted. Narcissa had never had her love tested, and since she and Lucius had forged their soul-bond, she'd never worried whether he had truly loved her or not. She knew he did, she knew how deeply committed he was to her and their child.

She wondered what would have happened if that bond had not been formed. Bella and Rodolphus hadn't had that kind of bond. Her sister had scoffed at such sentimental saccharine emotionality and had wanted something much more modern and prosaic. Partly because Cissy suspected that Bella had wanted more than anything to be Riddle's lover. If she had been bound to Rodolphus, she could not, would not be able to take other lovers.

But just because Narcissa had married the right man, and known from her teenage years that she had found her one true love did not mean that she was unaware of the hurt and loneliness that others went through. Oh, she'd perfected the ice-queen act to help her navigate the turbulent waters of society and politics, but it wasn't who she really was. Just as the shark was not truly all that Lucius was. They were parts they played, cloaks they used, but ones they both understood were only acceptable when they were with other people. When alone, Cissy was herself as was Lucius. That knowledge that they laid themselves bare, no pretence, no mask, allowed their love to deepen as the years had passed and more and more challenges presented themselves to be surmounted.

Perhaps that was why she and Lucius had been there for Severus. She hadn't been able to do anything when Andy had stormed out, Lucius and she had not been married, Draco had not yet been born, and as a young girl, living in the Black household, all she could do was silently wish her sister all the best as she'd angrily thrown her clothes into her school trunk and marched out to the shouts and insults hurled by their parents and Bella.

Now though, things were different. The war was over, truly over. There was time and freedom to reinvent herself, not just as a liberal and devious Slytherin who had survived the fall of Riddle with her position in society intact, but to slowly allow the false cloak she'd worn to disintegrate.

A/N: Love it or hate it, please let me know what you think.