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“Regulus” Narcissa said, hushed, as if she were about to reveal her deepest, darkest, most deprived secret, which this was in a way, her secret, “I must ask for your assistance in something” Narcissa continued before sweeping around to check no one was watching them, she leaned in closer to Regulus “something family related.”
“Of course cousin,” Regulus answered visibly confused but happy to be involved and invited to help his older cousin anyway, “should we find somewhere more private to discuss?”
The walk to the secluded, dungeon classroom was silent, not even their footsteps were loud enough to penetrate the silence, these two were the quiet cousins, they were not Bellatrix or Sirius commanding attention wherever they went, nor where they Andromeda, whose smile and welcoming demeanour would sing out on its own anyway, instead they were the silent cousins, the youngest siblings, content to stay within expectations. Not wanting to, or more specifically being brave enough to, move outside of the place society held reserved for them, they were Slytherins, through and through, snaked content to lie in wait for as long as they needed.
Only once they had reached the empty, unused classroom, hidden in the most deserted area of the dungeons did either of them say a word.
“Cissa,” Regulus started, “are you alright?”
“I'm fine,” Narcissa answered, sharply, before sighing and deflating,” I just need your help, regarding our family, specifically our parents”
“You're not planning to run away are you?” Regulus questioned, quickly, the forced smile on his face not quite covering the lines of worry that had suddenly appeared at the thought, it had not been long since Andromeda’s swift, but dramatic departure from the house.
“No, no” Narsicca started, letting out a short chuckle, “nothing like that, I would never leave, not if you were still there”
Narcissa tried to placate Regulus’ worries, he was the youngest and subsequently had a fear of the day his family would grow up and leave him. They both knew it would not be long before Sirius packed up and left and with Bellatrix long gone off to the Lestrange ancestral home with her husband and Andromeda’s sudden departure to live with her muggle-born fiance, soon-to-be husband, Regulus’ fear of being alone and his insecurities had been running amok around his head, and his cousin knew it.
“Oh good,” Regulus replied, the relief clear on his face, “so what is it then?”
“Well…” Narcissa started, unsure how to introduce the subject, “Mother and Father want me to get married.”
“And that’s a good thing, is it not?” Regulus replied, looking slightly confused again, they both remembered the younger Narcissa who would make her sisters and cousins dress up to enact the many scenes of her dream wedding, he was unsure of how this news was causing Narcissa to look this distressed.
“It is... However,” Narcissa started, unsure of how to go on, “they’ve been discussing marriage contracts.”
That was it, the knut had dropped, the words hung in the air, neither party knowing quite how to approach them.
“Okay,” Regulus started, slowly, “and what do you need me to do?”
Narcissa seemed to relax instantly, as she realised Regulus agreed to help her, “I need to marry Lucius Malfoy.”
The statement hung in the air momentarily, just as Narcissa’s last had, before Regulus replied, “Are you sure? Is that your choice?”
Narcissa nodded before she started speaking again, “Mother and Father were discussing the other Lestrange boy, Rabastian, as he was originally promised Dromeda, but not officially, and he’s decent, but you remember what their father was like,” Regulus shivered at his memories of his encounters with Lord Lestrange as a child, understanding Narcissa’s dismissal, “and their other ideas were, well… they were discussing a proposal to your Mother and Father.”
Regulus paused for a second, “Who for?” Regulus asked, apprehensive.
“Whoever they decided best…” Narcissa responded, turning to look at the wall.
“And I assume a child would be a requirement of these proposals,” Regulus started, knowing part of Narcissa’s fear of her fertility after the night of Andromeda’s departure. Narcissa nodded, silent, a hand coming up to fiddle with the black streak of her hair, “Okay, I understand, I assume you have a plan, what do you need me to do?”
Narcissa’s eyes, starting to look slightly watery, shot up to Reglus’ face and before either of them knew it, Narcissa had her arms thrown around Regulus’ shoulders and her face in his hair.
“Thank you,” Narcissa whispered into Regulus’ hair, she pressed a kiss to the crown of his head before taking a step back. “I need you to help convince our parents that Lucius is a good option, get Sirius in on it if you can, anything you can think of, just get them thinking of him. I need them to think it’s their idea, if I bring it up then it's a stupid idea, but if one of our parents brings it up then the others will listen.”
Regulus nodded, “I’ve got it Cissa, you’ll be fine,”