Eleanor Snape- Book 5, Part 2

Meeting the Mud-Lover

As the weeks went by, I grew more and more independent, with the exception of an off day every week or so, where I didn't want to leave Lucius's side. I no longer needed him or Narcissa to sit with me to take my nap or go to bed, although I often woke up in the middle of the night and crawled into bed between them.

During the day, they could leave me along for a while, if needed, but never for bery long incase I got distressed. When ever I did misbehave and wouldn't calm down, Lucius would punish me by making me stand in the corner or make me sit alone in my room until I've calmed down enough ot let me back out.

Healer Green shortened my sessions adn Therapy to every othe rday, both on seprate days. I didn't have to go at all on Sundays.

When the weather got really cold, cold enough that Lucius wouldn't let me outside, I turned to swimming in their indoor pool, which was even heated. Lucius would accompany me, his hair tired back and himself dressed in one of those old-time 'male bathing suits.' I just wore a tee shirt and boxers, as I had when I went to the beach.

This is how most days were spent, almost like a schedule. Infact, that's what it was. Healer Green said that that's why I had been doing so well, becaue they were keeping me on a tight schedule. I wasn't sure how that helped, but apparently it did.

the eather turned colder as fall turned into winter,like wise, October and November moved into December. This, of coruse, meant Christmas.

I wans't sure what to expect for a Malfoy Christmas. I had been there before, but now things were different. I wasn't expecting a ball or anything like they had done in the past, nor did I want one. I might have been improving, but I still didn't want ot be in teh middle of a big group of people I didn't know. Anyway, I wasn't sure what to expect.

I woke up a week before Crhistmas, feeling drearier than usual. I hadn't taken my Combination yet, but it was still odd. Something in the air felt strange. I got out of bed to see Virgo and Orion were no where in sight; a hint that something ws off from usual.

Something told me that instead of going to take a shower, I should skip it and go down stairs to breakfast. I was halfway down when I ran into Narcissa, quite literally. I ran directly into her. I stepped back, surprised. In doing this, I saw that it wasn't her, but a woman I didn't know at all.

She looked a lot like Narcissa, with her fair features, but somethign about her gave her a vibe much like Bellatrix's. Actually, he more I looked at her, the more she looked like the darker of the two Black Sisters. She had black hair that fell around her shoulders in lose curls. Her stricking brown eyes, which were brighter and prettier than mine, had flecks of green in teh irises.

My chst tightened. I didn't know who this woman was, but I didn't want her there. I didn't know her. I didn't know what she wanted, and I didn't like the fact that she looked so much like Bellatrix.

"L-L-Lucius!" I finally got out, my voice cracking with panic. "Lucius! Lucius!"

"I'm coming!' He called from somewhere down the hall. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"There's a woman here... and she's not Naricssa!" The woman eyes me in alarm. "Lucius!"

"Shh..." My caretaker was suddenly behind me. I whipped around and threw my arms around him. "it's okay. This is narciss'as sister." I peeked at her, then looked up at him in lots of cunfused fear.

"Bellatrix?!"

"No." He frowned. "Bellatrix was Narcissa's sister, but this is her other sister."

"Why is she here?" I asked, not caring that she was standing right there nad could hear every word I said.

"Because, she is Narciss'as sister, and we are going to share the Holiday with her."