HIS Side of the Family

Title: HIS Side of the Family Pro/
Author: Runewolf (Runewolf@writeme.com)
Rated: PG13
Pairing: W/? TBD
Genre: BtVS (Season 3, Gingerbread)/HP Crossover.
Disclaimer: All things BtVS belong to Joss Whedon, et al. All things HP belong to JK Rowling, et al.
Distribution: Twisting the Hellmouth. Otherwise, please ask with URL, so I know where to go or direct.
Author's Note: Sequel to Family Ties. Hints of spoilers of season 6.

PROLOGUE

Narcissa Malfoy contemplated the family portrait standing above the parlour in her private sitting room. Narcissa, Draco and Lucius Malfoy. Three people, the whole of the surviving Malfoy line. Until today. Until she found out that the tragic accident that had befallen Lucius' sister all those years ago had not been as final as she had believed.

Until she had found out there would soon be a fourth Malfoy to add to the portrait. Possibly. A fourth being to consider in the endless machinations of politics. And so old. So fully formed and doubtless tainted by a MUGGLE upbringing. Narcissa swallowed. She had almost considered... removing the girl from the equation until she had glanced through the folders that Lucius' minions had aquired for him from the Salem academy.

The academy had a longstanding policy of not admitting those born on Hellmouths to their school. Evidently they had found they tended, almost invariably, towards the dark arts. The logic had been that if they were not trained, they would never progress beyond the most minor of magics. For most wizards, wands and proper training were essential to get to the point where they were dangerous. Without them, they almost always took themselves out of the equation. As the rat girl almost had.

Not so for the most powerful. But then again, that was so few of the wizarding world. So few had the potential to get that powerful. And most did tend to come from the old families... who would never go near a Hellmouth. Too dangerous. You had to be mad or running from the wizarding world to even consider it.

A powerless witch when Voldemort was in power? Where better to go?

Narcissa picked up the transcript of the admittance committee of the Salem Academy. The panic and confusion of the group almost wafted off the scroll as the words flashed back and forth. "The girl WILL be a force for good who may fall to evil. She may be torn by the dart of love and rip across the veil of worlds to tear the chosen from her just reward as she may tear the shell of darkness that shields the agressor." Seers. Total drivel. But enough drivel to make the academy consider lifting the ban.

Enough to make the academy consider bringing in the child so that she learned how magic worked. And how magic couldn't work. The constraints that appeared to underly the whole system. Wands were necessary... unless you had developed extreme focus of will. Complicated spell and components were necessary... unless you had sheer power enough to compensate. Yes, there were benefits of civilized system. There were fewer accidents. There were controls.

But there were also limitations. When you're handed a wand at ten, will you ever be truly motivated enough to put it away and learn how to focus without it? To do without the ease and minor power boost? Narcissa could think of few who had even tried.

She gazed at the bowl of sugar cubes on the table. One shivered slightly. It should have flown into her tea. But it never did. She sighed. Lucius' message had said that the girl could move things with precision. Just with her mind. That meant she was already tapping into the power.

Power and presence. The double edged sword that every Malfoy wielded. Power was harder. You had it or you didn't. The child evidently had it. Presence... presence would be hard to teach. She had drilled Draco from birth. What to wear, how to walk, what to think. How to deny the enemy any trace of a hold. Any trace of a weakness.

Time would tell how much of a Malfoy the girl could be. Narcissa's smile gained an edge of satisfaction. She would have the advantage of a very good teacher. She had wanted a daughter... hopefully she could keep this one.

END PROLOGUE