[̲̅C̲̅] [̲̅R̲̅] [̲̅U̲̅] [̲̅C̲̅] [̲̅I̲̅] [̲̅O̲̅]; a Malfoy family novel

Chapter Eighteen

Malfoy Manor
Wiltshire, England
Date: Sunday, 1st of March

"I will not have that boy fancy my daughter in front of me. I'll kill him."
~Lucius Malfoy

  Jenna squinted her eyes as she read the text before her. Draco hovered near her waiting for a response. They had come to a halt in their potion making. The spell more advanced than either one of them really thought. Finding some of the ingredients had been easy but the others made their lives difficult.

"The tears of the person they valued most?" Jenna asked. "That's ridiculous! I'm trying to locate someone not bring someone back from the dead."

Elliot thought for a moment, "How on Earth are we going to make someone cry without anyone getting suspicious?"

"Better question," Draco rubbed his temples. "How are we going to figure out who she valued most?"

  It wasn't much of a question for either one of them. The two men knew of the hunch Draco's grandparents had come up with a couple of weeks ago. If Jenna was Arabella, they would need to make Druella, Cygnus, and Narcissa cry. What seemed to be an easy task just got harder. Cygnus was the softy amongst the three and even that would take a while.

"We've been at it for three days guys," Jenna assured. "We were going to hit a dead end at one point. We all knew this," she looked toward Draco. "Right?"

"I guess you're right." Draco groaned. "But that doesn't provide us with a solution."

  Jenna leaned against the desk and tapped her fingered lightly. They all knew there had to be an alternative solution to the tears. Draco could ask anyone who his sister favored without anyone getting suspicious. She began to pull out another book when an idea struck her. It wasn't the best but it would have to do.

"Their hair!" She cried out excitedly. "We could use a piece of their hair instead. I learned somewhere that in spells it most of the time just calls for DNA. We could put each sample in a small vial and whichever one works will lead us to Arabella!"

"That could work, Draco." Elliot admitted. "It will also be easily provided. I don't feel like anyone in this family cries."

Draco nodded, "Alright. I'll take Anita and Abraxas. Elliot, you will take Druella and Cygnus. Jenna, that leaves-."

"Narcissa and Lucius. I know." Jenna groaned. "Why can't you have your parents?"

"Would you like to deal with Abraxas?" Draco asked.

"Forget I asked." They all walked out of the library and turned different directions. The plan was to have everything they needed by the end of the week. In their current situation, it was easier said than done.

   Jenna had wondered into the gardens breathing in the slightly cool air. The sun was hiding behind the clouds and it looked as if it could rain at any second. She loved the England weather. Sunny days were happy and nice but rainy days were rather relaxing. She toed off her shoes and sat down on the patio enjoying the feeling of the grass tickling her toes. Waving her hand water from the pond began to levitate in the air.

  Twisting her fingers, the water began to flow through the air beautifully. It began to produce small rain drops. She closed her eyes and waited for them to land lightly on her skin. The wind sent a shiver down her spine and danced through the loose strands of hair that had fallen from her bun. Smiling softly at the relaxed feeling she currently possessed. In the moment she decided to lay down feeling her entire body release the stress she had bottled away.

"Do you always do this? Or is it a new relaxation method?" Jenna's eyes shot open. Sitting up, she saw Narcissa Malfoy smiling down at her. "Just curious."

Jenna blushed, "I'm sorry. I was just-." She fiddled with the grass next to her.

"Miss. DuBaer, I understand." Narcissa assured her. "I would do the same thing when I was your age. Only I had to worry about my sister doing something to me when my eyes were closed."

Jenna smiled, "Yes, my foster siblings tried to pull pranks on me a majority of the time. Most of them being when my eyes were closed."

"Foster siblings?" Narcissa was confused. "You speak of your parents often. Do they bring in other children?"

Jenna's eyes widened, realizing that she had yet to share anything about her life with them. "No, my parents adopted me a little over a year ago. I was left on the door step of my first foster family when I was one. Ironically, it was on my first birthday as well."

"Oh," Narcissa frowned. "If you don't mind, what happened? Do you know?" They both took a seat on one of the lounge chairs that lined the patio. Narcissa sat straight with her legs crossed elegantly. Jenna, however, cris-cross and with her hands folded in her lap.

"I guess," Jenna twirled a piece of her hair. "I was found the morning after my birthday. My foster parents always said with great pride how calm of a baby I was." She watched Narcissa give her a soft smile and she continued. "I still have my outfit I was found in and my blanket."

"That's rather heart-warming." Narcissa commented.

"It is." Jenna laughed. "I don't know what happened to them, but I have a feeling I would have liked my birth mother."

Narcissa arched her eyebrow, "What makes you say that?" Her curiosity got the best of her.

"Nothing was pink. Everything was still girly, that I was found with but it wasn't pink." Jenna explained. "My pajamas were a sage green color."

"Oh?" Narcissa's eyes widened a little. That was the color of Arabella's baby grow. "A rather interesting color for a little girl indeed."

"Yes!" Jenna smiled warmly. "My baby blanket was also hand sewn. At least that's what it looks like. It's white with an emerald green ribbon sewn on the edge of a blanket. Although, it's rather odd. In the left corner it looks as if something had been ripped off of it."

  Narcissa's heart skipped a beat. A hand sewn blanket that was white with emerald green detailing. That had been what Anita had given her when she gave birth to Ara. Her name had been stitched into the left corner on a piece of silken fabric. It was ripped off the night she was kidnapped.

"If you don't mind my asking, when is your birthday?" Narcissa held her breath.

"Oh, it's April 27, 2004." Jenna smiled, not seeing the range of emotions Narcissa was feeling. "Why?"

"Just curious." Narcissa blinked back tears. A couple of moments in silence passed. "May I hug you?"

Jenna looked at her for a moment, "Sure."

  Narcissa reached forward and pulled Jenna against her. She felt Jenna tense up at first but relax a few moments into the hold. Her hair was soft and smooth. It smelled like rain on a crisp fall day. She felt Jenna's tiny hand rub her back gently. Her grip on the younger girl tightened not wanting to let her go. Breathing in the scent of her daughter one last time Narcissa let go of the younger girl.

"If you need anything, come to me.