Ultraviolence

Chapter 40: The Other Woman

Songs: 

Strange - Celeste 

The Other Woman - Nina Simone (Mono; 2017 remaster) 

We must have been deep into spring but I felt nothing. Not warmth, not a lock of hair burning, not even a Stunning Spell. Nothing felt really real.

"We need to find my mother, she has to be here somewhere." His hand was still on mine, soft to the touch.

In the last years, the grand school hadn't changed at all. There were no flower patterns, no vintage music, no denim, no colors at all. Just regular students in regular uniforms. I noticed the skirts of the young girls heading to class or laying around by the lake were much, much longer than they were now.

"She's there, I think," I pointed to two young girls laying by a blossoming willow tree. "Come on."

They must have been no older than 15. I don't think he would have recognized her if I hadn't told him. I don't think I would have recognized her if I hadn't seen her only a few years after this day in Vesta's lair.

She was totally stunning. Her all-blonde hair was shining, literally shining against the golden sunlight of April or May. Maybe even June. But she looked so... simple. No diamonds, no cologne, no heels, no black, no mansion, and no Lucius.

"You know I would love to but I can't go, N. Forget it," said the other girl.

"Do you know her?" I asked him. He still remembered me before Samhain, maybe he remembered her too. "No," he answered, crushing my hopes.

"They don't suspect a thing! I already told you." Narcissa looked around the grounds. I followed her eyes, trying to spot the clues, who was she looking for? When she realized no one was paying attention to them, she leaned in slowly. "They think I'm with Lucius."

The girl smiled but her heart wasn't in it. "Lucius thinks you're with Lucius. Maybe you should be."

Her dark burgundy hair gleamed against the sun and her eyes, a butterscotch brown, were old and so familiar. Still, it felt strange to call her my mother, she was a complete stranger.

"You don't mean that," Narcissa said, almost asking for confirmation. "No," the girl smiled genuinely now. "No, I don't."

"You'll come to stay for the summer and we'll have our time. My father only cares for his work, my mother is off to the Americas by July, and Bella-" Narcissa stopped mid-sentence. I looked at him. "She's my aunt, she's sick to the head," he sounded uncomfortable.

"We don't have to talk about her now but I know we'll find a way for it to be just us two," another glance at the castle walls, and then Narcissa took hold of her hand. "We always do."

"Are they?" He turned to face me. "You know..." I didn't really feel like answering that.

"Okay," said the other girl, almost smiling again. I thought that she had just agreed to please Narcissa because when she smiled too, the girl totally beamed. They were both carrying golden pendants around their necks. The other girl wore a painting of a pretty blue eye, it looked like Draco's, it looked like Narcissa's.

"And you can't bring this," Narcissa ordered, her smile had not quite vanished from her face. She picked up a silver bow that was hidden behind their tablecloth. "It's too... Muggle."

"Well I am a Mudblood, you know," she chuckled. "And some of us don't come from luxury, I grew up poor. I'd starve without it. And I find it more useful than the Defensive spells you taught me, much scarier I think," she grinned before gently taking the weapon back. "I know the perfect hiding spot for it. I don't want you worrying about me, N."