luleh @ June 7 2003, 18:48:55 UTC

Oh, wow. The reaction to this should be interesting...

Eh, to say the least!

Er, feeling too stupid to comment on it properly.

sistermagpie @ June 7 2003, 18:51:51 UTC

Ack! Still loves Narcissa...off to see the barrister. Yipes!

Draco hasn't said a single thing about even the possibility of Narcissa being anything other than what he thought she was. I have no idea how he'll react!

princess_draco @ June 7 2003, 18:53:52 UTC

OMG, this is so horrible. Poor Narcissa :(( And Draco... I don't even want to know what will happen to him. I hope he will continue to work on his relationship with Narcissa and not give it up. I hope Lucius won't forbid visits or communication or whatnot between Narcissa and Draco.

kearie @ June 7 2003, 18:58:08 UTC

Poor Draco-- lying in the hospital wing with a busted knee, no Harry to kiss it better and soon, the knowledge that he is not a pure blood! Woe! Off to eat Italian ice to drown my sorrows...

notapipe @ June 7 2003, 19:14:24 UTC

You know, I thought Draco was already messed up for life.

I think Narcissa is overreacting, and Draco will see it like that too. Not that a destruction of his conceptions might not help him. And remember, he always has "Slytherin Rules" as a useful norm. He doesn't need to fall back on het only. right? please?

untiemybinds @ June 7 2003, 19:38:05 UTC

No, he doesn't have to fall back on het.

Remember, it could happen the other way around with Draco realising that het relationships aren't all there cracked up to be (Heh, like they ever are.) because the key people he looks up to and admires, his parents, can't even make it work out.

Plus, with all that's happening with him right now, he's going to need all the friends he can get. I'm pretty sure Harry'd be one of them. Though something does seem to be up with them, as Harry's stopped posting to Draco's entries and everything, hasn't he?

Narcissa's most probably overreacting, but then with the Malfoy's and/or NA, who knows?

luleh @ June 7 2003, 19:18:54 UTC

Actually, how does Narcissa jump to the conclusion that Lucius is running off to divorce her? He doesn't say so in his post, just that he's off to see the barrister.

Is this just a panicky assumption on her part? Did I miss something?

zorb @ June 7 2003, 19:23:10 UTC

That's what I'm wondering, too. Hm...

imochan @ June 7 2003, 19:33:02 UTC

I vote yay to Panicky Assumption. Lucius does say that they will deal with the new developments "accordingly". And Lucius being a Malfoy... and well, Narcissa being Narcissa... poor dear. :((

sistermagpie @ June 7 2003, 19:39:03 UTC

The barrister and her own paranoia, I assume. She's probably been raised her whole life to believe that not being of perfect lineage means she doesn't deserve to be married to perfect lineage so she thinks this is the natural result of things.:-(

black_dog @ June 7 2003, 19:40:47 UTC

Hmmm. What could the worst be, though? Narcissa is presumably magical, presumably a witch, so at worst PS himself is still pureblood, if not "Old" pureblood. Though I suppose it would be a shock to PS if Narcissa herself had muggle ancestors. Could he be monster enough to reject a non-pureblood mother?

Interestingly, the death of Narcissa's mother cuts two ways, if Lucius chooses not to release the investigator's evidence, asks us to take his own word . . . though that way lies paranoia.

I love the elegiac way you describe het as Draco's "last norm." A bit battered now, maybe, and out-of-warranty. Is it still serviceable? It's an interesting question -- his recent disorientations have certainly helped him grow, but if he loses his footing completely he may well pull back, reflexively, to the familiar and conventional. But for how long?

I admit I'm entertaining fantasies of Lucius remarrying, and the name carried on through another line, which might take some of the pressure off Draco to produce an heir. Meanwhile he will after all have the place in Cannes and, presumably, a competence to go with it. But the barrister business, as some have pointed out, could just be about administering the trust.

Meanwhile, I'm very worried about his knee injury. Can Pomfrey fix it, or is this the end of his Quidditch career? And, who will turn up at his bedside in his time of need?

Oh, mother of Hell!

Indeed. The suspense is ratcheting up nicely!

theantimodel @ June 7 2003, 20:26:37 UTC

...Lucius remarrying, and the name carried on through another line, which might take some of the pressure off Draco to produce an heir.

The grandmother liked Draco, it is possible that she would leave Draco the home in Cannes as protection against this type of thing happening and him being left with nothing. After all, presumably, she knew the truth about Narcissa...

Although I think I'm leaning towards them not divorcing and the barrister visit being for other reasons. It is quite probable that Lucius would need to meet with a barrister to discuss the exact terms of Narcissa's mother's will and Draco's trust.

jgoreham @ June 8 2003, 06:52:47 UTC

I wonder if maybe Narcissa has known the truth about her family history all along, and has been playing dumb. Now she feels the Private Investigator has discovered the truth as well, and since she knows what it is, she's presuming Lucius will take it bad.

No, that's probably not it. But the idea came to me really quickly as I was skimming all of this!

sistermagpie @ June 7 2003, 20:40:51 UTC

I'm glad I'm not the only one paranoid about Lucius' motives here, especially with the grandmother's death. I'm still not convinced he didn't off her somehow!!

To clarify what I see in other posts, it appears that Lucius doesn't know what the news is at all, right? The P.I. has warned him the news is "very bad" but hasn't told him what it is yet?

I do hope Draco's okay after the Quidditch match. If you take too much away from this character he's not the character anymore. Randomly putting somebody besides Draco in as Seeker against almost-undefeatable-Harry doesn't seem that interesting. There's no history. It's just Quidditch.

Though it might be sweet if Draco had to get some physical therapy this summer and fly with Narcissa to do it.

black_dog @ June 7 2003, 21:16:46 UTC

I'm still not convinced he didn't off her somehow!!

Really, I just have to laugh evilly at the image of this tiny, elderly women getting her massage therapy from the "well developed" Gunther. I'll bet she seemed "awfully relaxed" after he was through with her. I wonder if he came recommended by Lucius?

And is there some unconscious verbal slippage when Lucius says Gunther's new role is to "service" both him and Narcissa?

it appears that Lucius doesn't know what the news is at all

That's how I read it too. And for all we know, this could be misdirection. Maybe to a "Muggle" P.I. it's a wizarding background that's creepy and suspicious.

If you take too much away from this character he's not the character anymore.

Yeah, but of all the things that could make PS further question his identity, not being able to play Quidditch might be an interesting (if tragic) one. I don't know, though. Canon has skele-grow for missing bones, but I don't remember exacly why Goyle's finger couldn't be regrown. It's just a worry, I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Though it might be sweet if Draco had to get some physical therapy this summer and fly with Narcissa to do it.

Ah yes, and they could do it at Dogear, so that Remus could give lessons to Narcissa, and Harry could help PS with his flexing exercises . . . Or at the manor, where Gunther could help break him in . . . ;)

sistermagpie @ June 7 2003, 21:39:03 UTC

Yeah, it could be really interesting if Draco had to deal with a real interesting...how could the drama queen deal with it? It's kind of sweet actually, to see somebody who's usually such a wimp take such a painful injury and get the snitch anyway. He deserved to win!

Gunther could be a rather interesting addition to the Malfoy home indeed. I would love Draco and Narcissa to fly together. Especially if Harry helps.

Good lord, I'm imagining, like, Seabiscuit here but with brooms!! Somebody stop me!

black_dog @ June 7 2003, 23:00:27 UTC

Good lord, I'm imagining, like, Seabiscuit here but with brooms!!

<3's. *dies*

valtyr @ June 7 2003, 20:02:19 UTC Muggle?

It doesn't even specify she IS Muggle-born. It just said disquieting.
It mentions Remus' parent- and I thought they were wizards, what with the special arrangements for Hogwarts and such. Unless I've missed a post where Remus said he was Muggle-born, in which case never mind.

dragynville @ June 7 2003, 20:13:24 UTC Re: Muggle?

Actually, Lucius said the news was "very bad" and that he was disquieted by the "turn of events". :)

However, I agree with you. Knowing Lucius, it could merely be that she is pureblooded but not of elite bloodlines.

anjaliesque @ June 7 2003, 20:10:46 UTC

Since we know it doesn't specify Muggle ancestry, perhaps she's part something else. Veela? Cliche as it is, that wouldn't be so bad. Giantess? Heaven forbid. House elf? Quite frightening.

dragynville @ June 7 2003, 20:14:34 UTC

House elf?

Well, that could explain why Draco's so short. XD

anjaliesque @ June 7 2003, 20:21:15 UTC Re:

It would, wouldn't it? And wouldn't he absolutely die of shame to find out that Dobby's a long-lost relation? Imagine the TV Guide blurb: Draco must find solace in Hero Harry's arms, who has a reputation for protecting both mixed-bloods and house elves, and together they battle the demons of his murky past, while snogging in-between. Mmm, what a lovely soap opera. :D

dragynville @ June 7 2003, 20:31:59 UTC

Fighting social mores and institutions... <3their love is so PC<3 XD

imochan @ June 7 2003, 20:32:27 UTC

That is so NOT cool. XD

dragynville @ June 7 2003, 20:34:41 UTC

I know. SO squicky. XD

sheron @ June 7 2003, 21:01:02 UTC

Whoever plays turpinol I love the part where she writes "Malfoy was there as well, but I suppose he passed out eventually as he was a bit unconscious."

"a bit unconscious", *chortle*
That's my favourite quote for the day.

dragynville @ June 7 2003, 21:19:56 UTC

As usual, Millicent puts it all in perspective. ;D

imochan @ June 7 2003, 21:38:15 UTC

Am madly hearting 3rdPerson!Draco. >:D Spontaneous, uncontrollable side-effect of the painkillers, or a well thought-out, pretentious cover for his pathetic, bed-ridden self, do you think? ;D

dragynville @ June 7 2003, 21:50:45 UTC

Pretentious cover definitely. This is Draco we're talking about. XD

hezzabeth @ June 8 2003, 02:54:32 UTC

I'm really hoping we get to see third person draco in his journal , it would be hilerious.
I wonder if he'll get shiny?