Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

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Narcissa glared at the morning paper. She was about prepared to hurl it at the owl that had brought it to her when the bird wisely flew out the window. It was such a travesty of justice. There was no justice. It wasn’t fair. Her family was gone and no one would be punished for her loss.

The young and extremely popular Harry Potter had been acquitted of charges for using the Killing Curse. But he wasn’t acquitted because he didn’t do it. No, they were letting him go because the council had deemed that Potter’s actions were justified and necessary. How could it have been necessary for that little prat to kill her husband? Lucius had had his faults and there was a certain amount of cruelty in his nature, but he didn’t deserve to die because of it.

That Potter brat deserved to die. He put it all in motion. So many of the bad things that had happened in Narcissa’s life had happened because that stupid child had failed to die. He set into motion the events that lead to her husband’s death and her son’s disappearance. She hated him. She had hoped he would be sentenced to life in Azkaban or worse. But of course not, he couldn’t be sentenced at all because he was Harry Bloody Potter.

Tears stung the back of her eyes. She threw the paper to the ground and retrieved a bottle of firewhisky with a quick murmur of Accio. She grabbed the bottle as it floated towards her and drank directly out of it. What did she care about proper etiquette? She had nothing left. Her family was gone. Her husband was dead. She would never find her son and even if she did he would be tossed in Azkaban for the rest of his life. Draco would not get a free pass. He wasn’t Harry Potter.

She gulped until the firewhisky was gone. She knew there wasn’t another drop in the house. It was something that she had been using rather liberally as of late.

With her favorite mind numbing substance gone, she knew it was time to make a choice. What was she going to do? Her husband was gone. Draco was gone. She all alone in the giant mansion, without even a house-elf to keep her company. It was clear that there was nothing left for her there.

She tossed the firewhisky bottle against the wall, grabbed her traveling cloak and left the house. She didn’t bother to take any of her possessions. They no longer meant anything to her. Without Draco and Lucius, nothing meant anything to her. Bringing her possessions with her would only remind her of all that she had lost.

Flinging the door opened she was met by a gush of cold wind. Normally, the cold would send shivers through her body, but that day she felt nothing. She could feel nothing beyond her grief and loss.

Common sense told her that she should have a plan. She should know where she was going and how she would get there. But she had no where to go. Everyone she had ever loved was gone. Her son, her husband, Severus, and even Bella. Lucius was dead. Draco was missing. Severus and Bella were both in Azkaban and there was nothing anyone could do to save them from their fate. She knew. She had tried everything.

She walked into the blistering cold, feeling nothing. She simply walked. Eventually she would end up somewhere, or perhaps the exposure would kill her. However, she doubted death would come to her. That would be merciful and the world never seemed to feel any need to be merciful to a Malfoy or a Black, for that matter.

Her hair tangled in the wind and tears fell down her cheeks. She knew that she looked like a crazy person, but she didn’t care. Most people had thought her crazy since she was a child. They thought her sisters were crazy too, especially poor Bella, but they were wrong. The Black sisters had never been crazy. They had been lost, just like Narcissa was once again.

As she walked her bitter thoughts continued. She thought of Lucius. What he was like when she married him. He was no where near as hard or cruel in those days. She had loved him and he had loved her. They had been happy—until the Dark Lord entered their lives. He stole Lucius’ happiness, his spark, and eventually his life.

She thought of her son—her precious Draco. He had been the most adorable and well-behaved child. He rarely ever cried as a baby, always content if he could sleep in her arms or Lucius’. As a child he had been the perfect son to her. He had remained the perfect son to her until the Dark Lord took him as well. Hatred surged through her each time she thought of the monster that had destroyed everyone she loved.

Her mind turned to her sister—her beautiful Bella. Growing up, Bella had always been the one she turned to for help and advice. Her big sister had raised her, far more than her parents ever had. Bella had always been a little wild, but she had had a good heart. She loved her family and was only loyal to them. At least Bella was only loyal to her family until the Dark Lord got a hold of her. Once she was in his grasp the sister Narcissa loved quickly disappeared, being replaced by a much colder woman who could no longer love with the same intensity. But it didn’t matter. Narcissa still loved her. And Narcissa knew that in her own way Bella still loved her too.

Next she thought of poor Severus. He had supported her and her husband through everything. He had been the one thing she could always depend on, a constant in the madness. It was because of her dependence that he was rotting in Azkaban. He had managed to escape the clutches of the Dark Lord. He was almost free. And she had taken that freedom from him. His vow to protect her son had cost him his freedom.

Finally, she thought of someone whom she hadn’t seen in years. Her thoughts turned to her other sister. The sister who had been disowned. The sister she was told to forget. Andromeda. Andy had been a parent to her, much like Bella. She loved Narcissa and cared for her. After she was disowned she had pleaded with Narcissa for years to let her in her life. But because of the Dark Lord and the life she and her husband had chosen to lead, she could never let Andromeda back into her life. Now it was too late. Andromeda would never forgive her after all these years of abuse and neglect.

Fresh tears filled her eyes and she looked down. For the first time she realized that she walking through snow. A real shiver went through her. She glanced around, realizing that she had no idea where she was. Perhaps death would come to her after all.

She continued to walk until finally a large sign appeared out of nowhere. It was a wooden sign with the words THE GREEN DRAGON painted on it in sloppy green letters.

Slowly she approached the door. A smile crossed her face as she realized it was a tavern. That was exactly what she needed, another bottle of firewhisky. She pushed opened the door and stepped inside.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

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Stepping inside the pub, Narcissa expected to be greeted by a blast of heat, however, she felt nothing. She approached the bar, still shivering from the cold. Glancing around, she saw that it was hardly well decorated, but what could she expect when it was located in the middle of nowhere. It was remarkable the bar could stay opened at all. She doubted that wobbly tables and flickering lights were the reason the place was deserted.

She took a seat at the bar and was greeted by a large man with bulging belly and a huge smile.

“Good evening, Madame. What can I get you?� he asked in a cheerful voice.

“A Firewhisky; and could you please light the fire?� she asked pointing towards the cold, empty fireplace. “I must have become chilled outside.�

The man waved his wand and a glass of Firewhisky appeared in front of her. “I would light the fire, Madame, but I’m afraid it would do no good,� he told her with a strange smile.

“Why not?�

“It’s just the way it is,� he told her with a shrug. “I’ll light it anyway, but don’t expect to warm up.�

Again, he waved his wand and flames appeared in the empty fireplace.

“What are you doing out this time of night?� he asked her. “This is a strange part of the country to see such a pretty woman all alone.�

“You could at least tell me your name before you start questioning me,� Narcissa snarled as she downed her entire glass of whisky and motioned for a refill.

The barkeeper filled her glass with a smile before responding, “Of course, how rude of me. I’m Blenkinsop Waterbut, Narcissa.�

She stopped short, with the glass halfway to her mouth. “How do you know my name?�

“I have seen the Daily Prophet. You and your family members have been staring there lately.�

“We certainly don’t get the coverage that bloody Potter does,� she muttered.

A chill ran through her. She realized that Blenkinsop Waterbut had spoken the truth when he told her that the fire would not warm her.

“Harry Potter is not the picture of all that is perfect in the world, as many believe,� he told her. “He has his faults. There are many of them and they are glaring. He is the hero now, but he will fade. Eventually, everyone fades away. You have seen it happen yourself, have you not? Wasn’t your eldest sister once the picture of all that was strong and beautiful? Wasn’t your son the rising star of the Malfoy family? Wasn’t your husband practically the king of the wizarding world, everyone bowing towards his will?�

“How the hell do you know so much about my family?� she snapped as a wave of nausea swept through her.

“I told you,� he replied. “Your family is well known. You chose to live your lives in the public eye.�

“I didn’t choose any of it,� she snapped. “I didn’t choose the Dark Lord. I didn’t want Lucius to join him. I didn’t want Bella to join him. I sure as hell didn’t want Draco to join him. I didn’t even want Severus to be in the middle of it. I have always cared for him. But I went along with all of it. I acted as though I believed in it. I lost my other sister because of it; and in the end, I lost them all because of it.�

“You loved them all very much.�

“Of course, I did,� she paused briefly and then added, “Why am I talking in the past tense? I still love them. I want to know where my son is. I want to help Bella and Severus. I want to see them out of that horrible place. I want to finally welcome Andy into my life.�

“Have you ever thought that perhaps your sister and Mr. Snape need to be where they are?� he asked. “I know of their crimes.�

“You know what the Ministry decided the public should know. There is more to both of them than that.�

“Of course there is,� he told her smiling softly.

“Are you making fun of me?� Narcissa growled.

“Not at all,� he replied. “I know you speak the truth. There is more to the story than meets the eye.�

“I just wish I could have a second chance with my family,� she muttered, staring into her half empty glass of alcohol.

“What would you do differently?�

“I wouldn’t let Andromeda walk away. I would tell her that I loved her. I would stand by her instead of siding with my parents. I would do everything I could to keep Bella, Lucius, Severus and my precious Draco away from the Dark Lord.�

“You know in your heart that none of that would have worked. Andromeda was determined to go and if you chose to keep her in your life than Bella and Lucius would have left you. Your husband and your sister were clear about their beliefs and their desire to follow the Dark Lord. There was nothing you could have done that would have kept them from that fate. Severus too, would have ultimately chosen the same path, regardless of your objections. And your son was interested only in his family name and honor. Nothing would have stopped Draco from taking the Mark.�

“Then what should I have done?�

“Loved them,� he told her simply. “Narcissa, you did what you could for your family. You loved them and they knew it, even Andromeda. She knew that you still cared. She even knows that Bella still cares.�

Finally, Narcissa shook her head, trying to shake away her growing headache, fatigue, and nausea.

“How do you know these things? How do you know what my family felt?� she demanded as she regained herself.

“It is my job to know, Narcissa. Please, don’t be afraid. I’m here to help you,� he said as another sad smile crossed his face

“Help me what? Who are you? What is your job?�

Blenkinsop Waterbut extended his hand to her. “You’ll find out very soon. It’s time. You are ready.�

Her mind was filled with crazy thoughts. She wanted to demand answers or run out the door. But something stopped her from doing either of those things. Somehow she knew that he was telling the truth. It really was time and she really was ready. She only wished that she knew what she was ready for.

With a deep sigh, she accepted his hand.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

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Blenkinsop Waterbut led her behind the counter to a large wooden door. Something about the door caused Narcissa to shudder. Without even realizing it, she stopped dead in front of the door. She could not move forward. Her body simply wouldn’t allow it. She was paralyzed by irrational, unexplainable fear.

“Narcissa?� Blenkinsop asked softly.

“Y—you were w—wrong,� she stammered. “I’m not ready. I don’t know what’s going on, but I can feel that I’m not ready. Please, don’t make me go in there.�

He let go of her hand, studying her patiently. His eyes were kind, but sad. It was clear that he cared what happened to her. There were very few people who ever had.

“You are ready,� he told her. “You understand. You know in your heart that there is nothing more you can do for your family. You understand that they know how you feel. There is nothing left for you to come to terms with.�

“I don’t understand. Who are you?�

“I am a guide, Narcissa. I am here to guide you.�

“Guide me to what?�

“I can’t tell you that. You need to walk through this door. Once you are inside, everything will be explained. It will be all right, Narcissa. It is necessary.�

Before she could reply, Narcissa was hit with a wave of dizziness. She reached for her head and tried to remain on her feet. It had certainly been a rough few weeks, but there was no reason for her to be feeling so ill. Chills were still running through her body.

Seconds later, the strong hands of Blenkinsop Waterbut reached out to steady her. It felt good to be held. She missed the sensation of Lucius’ touch.

“Narcissa, it is time,� he told her. “You need to do this. There is nothing to be afraid of. I will go with you.�

“What’s going to happen to me in there? Why do I feel so sick?�

“I can’t answer those questions now,� he told her patiently. “You need to enter the room. Everything will be explained then.�

Fear continued to hold her immobilized.

“I—I can’t.�

“You can,� he told her, holding out his hand to her again.

Staring into his eyes, a wave of calmness went through her. She knew that he was telling the truth and that he meant her no harm. If he believed that she must enter the room beyond the wooden door than she was certain that it was true. In that moment, she knew that she could trust Blenkinsop Waterbut.

Again, she took his hand, but this time there was no sigh. She took his hand in complete trust. And when he swung opened the door and they were both engulfed by a bright white light, she was not afraid. She knew that this man would not allow harm to come to her. When he stepped into the light she followed.

Once inside the room, the light was blinding. She could no longer see Blenkinsop Waterbut, but she could feel his warm hand. She knew that he was with her and that thought brought her great comfort.

For a few moments there was nothing other than the blinding light, but eventually the light began to fade. Finally, she was able to see again. She could see Blenkinsop Waterbut and behind him she saw two other figures. They appeared to be male, but they were too far away for her to be certain.

“What’s happening?� she asked. She felt no fear, only curiosity. She also realized that she no longer felt ill or cold.

“Narcissa, I believe you know this now, but The Green Dragon is not an ordinary pub. Actually, it’s not a pub at all. It is a place of passage, where the soul travels from world to the next. Narcissa, you remember leaving your house and going into the snow and cold. You must know that a body could not survive that kind of torture for long.�

“Are you saying…�

“The Green Dragon only appears to someone after their soul has left their body. It appears when the deceased needs to say or hear certain things before they can move on. You died in the forest a short distance from your house, but before you could ever move on you needed to understand that your family knows you love them. I believe you understand that now.�

Shockingly, Narcissa was not surprised to hear of her death. Somehow, she must have known. She simply wasn’t able to accept it before.

“I do understand that now.�

“There is one more thing you need to know,� he told her, the sad smile returning to his face. “Do you see two figures standing behind me?�

“I do.�

“They are your loved ones. They have come to greet you and welcome you into the next world. One is your husband and the other…� he paused, “is your son.�

Narcissa gasped, “Draco! It can’t be.�

“I’m sorry, Narcissa. He was killed shortly before the fall of the Dark Lord. Your son was found by one of Voldemort’s followers and killed. Voldemort ordered that you were not to be told.�

She shook her head. Not Draco. The thought of her own death was nothing compared to thought of her sweet son being gone from the world. He should have had his whole life. Why did it have to be stolen from him?

“Who did it?�

“It does not matter.�

“It matters to me.�

“The person who killed your son will pay for his crimes.�

“Who was it?�

“Narcissa, it does not matter. Draco is happy now. You will be, too. Go to your son and husband. You don’t need to worry about murdering Death Eaters anymore.�

“What about Bella?� she asked. “What about Severus? They’ll be all alone in that horrible place. There isn’t even anyone left to visit them.�

“There is nothing more that you can do for either of them. I know that it is hard to leave them behind. I had this same conversation with your son. He was very worried about you, his aunt, and his mentor. But life is as it is. It is time for you to move on. You can no longer be with the living, but know that when Bella’s time comes and when Serverus’ time comes, you will be there to greet them. You can welcome them with opened arms and it will mean more to them than you can understand right now.�

She stared at him with huge eyes. The thought of leaving Bella and Severus to rot sickened her. They were her family. She needed to help them.

“Narcissa, you have done all that you can for them,� Blenkinsop Waterbut told her. “They know that. They love you and they will both be happy when you are waiting for them on the other side.�

She still felt reluctant.

“Your husband and son are waiting,� he told her with a smile.

Finally, she nodded, knowing that it was time. There really was nothing she could do for Bella or Severus. She would have to wait for them. Maybe Andromeda would find it in her heart to visit Bella.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped away from Blenkinsop Waterbut and towards the two figures. At first she moved slowly, but soon she found herself running. Lucius’ face came into view first and than Draco’s.

She was seeing her family again. They looked happy and healthy, which was something she had not seen in a long time. They were even smiling. She rushed into her husband’s arms and for the first time in years she felt as though she was home.