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The Poisoned Apple	By : SeveranSnape Category: HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters > General Views: 2263 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: The copyright to Harry Potter characters belong to J. K. Rowling. Any other characters are purely work of fiction and any resemblance is co-incidental.

Chapter List
- 1-The Poisoned Apple
- 2-Chapter 2:
- 1
- 2
A/N: Heartiest thanks to those who thought my story was tempting enough to leave a review! *hugs* We will be entering in the main story now! Again apologies for any unintended mistakes and do feel free to correct me. There are a few things that would like to bring into your kind notice:
I am not being partial to any country or nation in this story. Britain and France are both great countries with rich history and heritage. Therefore the views of the characters are solely for the sake of the story.
I found 'the Château de la Grange-Bléneau' in Wikipedia and thought it might go well with the story. I know that the Château is uninhabited and the Chombrun's were not Pureblood wizards.They were Muggles just like us.
I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and please don't forget to rate and review.
Disclaimer: The copyright to Harry Potter characters belong to J. k. Rowling. Any other characters are purely work of fiction and any resemblance is co-incidental. No profit is being made from the writing and it is solely for entertainment purpose.
Chapter 2: The Lost Son of Malfoy.
The Château de la Grange-Bléneau, known as the official residence of the Malfoy family in France, is a huge medieval castle located in the outskirts of Île-de-France, the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-seven administrative regions of France. Originally recorded since the 13th century, the castle has belonged to several families: Courtenay, Aubusson-La Feuillade and d'Aguesseau. Ownership passed from the d'Aguesseau to Marquis de La Fayette, who lived there until his death in 1834. After La Fayette's death, his grandson, Jules de Lasteyrie married Olivia de Rohan-Chabot and the couple lived at la Grange-Bléneau for 54 years. Their son, Louis de Lasteyrie, sold the home to his cousin, René de Chambrun, in 1955, with a life tenancy, thus passing this Château from Muggle to their current Wizard owners.
In the year 1975, René de Chambrun's only daughter, Audré de Chambrun, was married off to Morpheus Abraxas Malfoy, son of Abraxas Malfoy of the well-known British Pureblood Wizarding family. The Château was currently in possession of their only son Julius de Chambrun-Malfoy, who inherited it after an early demise of his father. The building dating from the 14th century and altered slightly in the 17th century includes five circular towers from the 15th century and a chapel. The Château was surrounded by two plush gardens, three large fountains, a small forest in the North side of the Château and an all season fruit orchard.
It was a well acknowledged fact in the neighbourhood surrounding the Château that the Malfoy's, though rich and very influential, were social and well-mannered to their friends and neighbours, an uncommon trait for a family of their status. Julian Malfoy, the Man of the Château, was friendly and easy-going despite having a British father and being educated in a strange school called Beauxbatons. His mother, Lady Audré, although not a social peacock, was always ready to help her neighbours and never missed an invitation from them. Julian's only sister Lilian, considered the most beautiful girl of the neighbourhood, both by her friends and foes, was far from arrogant - with aristocratic manners of her ancestors admixed with cheery playfulness of the modern generation. All in all the family was considered pleasant company by those who knew them well.
What was not known about this popular and respected family by their common Muggle neighbours was that they were a cross between two famous pureblood families: the French Chombruns and the British Malfoys; a fact for which they were considered highly amongst the French Wizarding Society! Both families had rich heritages dating back to 10th century. True that the reputation of the British wing of the family: the Malfoy's, were highly compromised during the Second Rise of the Dark Lord Voldemort, but much to the gratefulness of the French Wizarding Community the Franco-British Chombrun-Malfoys neither participated nor supported any matters related with the Dark Lord. It was well known even to the French Wizarding Community that the British Malfoys carried certain prejudices regarding blood status but the French Malfoys were not such hypocrites! In fact they had many Muggleborn friends and lived comfortably in a Muggle neighbourhood.
But even such a polished reputation was not good enough to keep them out of general conversation. For one, the mysterious circumstances regarding the marriage between Morpheus Malfoy and Audré de Chombrun was still considered a hot topic of discussion and numerous speculation whenever elderly witches were gathered for any occasion and Lady Audré was out of earshot. The British Malfoys were no big French Lovers and visited France only upon emergency business or short holidays. Then why would Morpheus Malfoy, eldest son of Abraxas Malfoy, get betrothed to a French pureblood witch such as Audré? It was not that she wasn't pretty or aristocratic enough for a Malfoy; far from it, but still she was a French. Some speculated that Morpheus did not comply well with his father's narrow-minded prejudices and decided to leave the family for good. Others thought that he defied his father for his love for Audré. The real reason, due to lack of answers from the respective parties were of course: unknown.
•••••
Narcissa Malfoy was comfortably seated in the parlour with her sister-in-law Audré de Chombrun-Malfoy just about to take a sip from her evening coffee when the door swung open unannounced and Lilian burst in, in a state of alarm.
"What'z it Lilian?" her mother enquired in slightly accented English. Usually they conversed in French but it was impolite to do so in the presence of an English guest.
Lilian was panting. "It'z Brother Draco! He'z not well!"she answered, "I saw him apparating in apparition point while I was in the garden and he waz crying when he ran inside Château. Then I followed him inside but he slammed the door on my face. So I came here to notify Aunt Narcissa!" she looked at Narcissa.
Narcissa was on her feet in an instant and left the Parlour almost running, closely followed by Audré and Lilian! The guest chamber assigned for Draco was on the second floor. As soon as Narcissa reached there, she tried to open the door only to find it: locked from inside.
"Draco, my boy! Are you alright?" she called after her son all the while hoping he hasn't cast a Silencing Spell.
She received no answer. The occupant either chose to ignore his mother or was oblivious to her queries.
"Draco!" Narcissa pounded the door, "Draco, please open the door!" she was on the verge of tears now.
Another ten minutes passed but no amount of pounding, yelling or crying from Narcissa was successful enough in yielding the door to be opened. Use of various unlocking spells also met the same outcome.
"What if he harms himself, Audré?" Narcissa burst into tears and started pounding the door with more force. Audré, meanwhile, called the resident House-Elf matriarch Peggy to bring the keys for all the doors of Château.
Once brought, Narcissa eyes them with suspicion. "How can these Muggle keys open the damn door when all my unlocking spells have failed?" she asked incredulously.
Audré smiled kindly at her. "These are no Muggle keyz, my dear. They were specially made upon my father's order by the famous 'Klemens Key-makers'. No spell or ward can prevent them from opening the door. Also the Man or the Lady of the Château can rightfully use them so that no thieves or plunders can misuse them!" she explained while searching the right key for Draco's door.
Narcissa was still unconvinced and watched in silent disbelief as Audré inserted a very simple Muggle-looking key into the lock and turned.
The door opened without any protest.
Narcissa almost burst into the room and looked around. It was a spacious suite consisting of sitting room, study, bedroom, bathroom and a balcony- now almost dark. Audré gave her wand a flick and the small chandelier hanging from the ceiling was lighted. Everything seemed to be in order except for Draco who was nowhere to be seen.
"Draco!" Narcissa called desperately, "Draco! My boy! Where are you?"
Something crushed against wall on their left and they immediately followed.
They found Draco in his bedroom – his neat silvery blonde hair ruffled, impeccable clothes wrinkled and elegant face tear-stricken! He kept throwing a ceramic statuette to the opposite wall then repairing and summoning it non-verbally to throw it once again.
Narcissa knew better not to question his son in that state: he looked angry, depressed and extremely agitated. Instead she crossed the room to reach her disturbed son and hugged him tightly in her arms.
"It's okay, Draco dear! It's alright." she said gently in his ear comforting him as she stroked his already messy hair soothingly.
Draco released the statuette which crushed once again and hugged his mother as he broke into an uncontrollable sob. "I saw him Mother! I saw him!" he said, crying.
His mother did not enquire whom he had seen. She knew Draco would reveal it eventually and kept stroking his hair gently.
Draco calmed down after a minute. "I am crying like a silly child." he said wiping his eyes in his sleeve.
"It is alright to cry sometimes." his mother assured him, "It helps in releasing bottled up emotional pressure." she released her son and looked up at him, her own eyes tearful. "Draco, please promise me that you'll never lock yourself up again. I almost died in fright when I couldn't open the door. Thanks to your aunt's prompt actions; else I thought I have lost you forever." She shuddered at the very thought, "You are the only one I have, Draco! Please have pity on your poor mother and don't ever try to lock yourself up or harm yourself. Promise me?" she pleaded.
Draco nodded silently. His mother looked relieved.
"Would you like some water?" she enquired. Draco let out a deep breath and nodded again.
Narcissa guided her son to the nearest chair, motioned him to sit and handed him a goblet of water offered by Audré who was standing silently at the door with her daughter; watching the pair.
Draco emptied the goblet in one go and cleared his throat. He looked at the other occupants of the room and took a deep breath as if bracing himself.
"I saw him today!" he announced to them.
"Who did you see, dear boy?" his mother asked in a carefully casual tone.
"Scorpius!" Draco replied cautiously.
Narcissa tensed and exchanged a nervous look with Audré. "Where did you see him, dear?" she asked trying hard not to sound alarmed.
"Near Tuileries Garden." Draco leaned against his chair and answered his mother.
Narcissa shook her head in obvious disbelief. "Draco, I know you are very upset but…" she started but her son cut in. " Mother, I know what you are thinking but I am not out of my rockers and I definitely did not hallucinate!" he pressed on the point.
Narcissa groaned in frustration, "Draco, dearest, you must realize your claims are impossible!" she pleaded.
Draco looked livid. "I know Mother but I assure you I am not mad. How could you even imagine that I am…" he almost exclaimed but Audré stepped forward. She cast a warning look at Narcissa and looked at Draco when she spoke: "Now, now, Draco! We certainly don't think you are going mad, dear. So there is no need to be excited about that." she said calmly, "But I think it will be better if you could explain us the events. Don't you think so Narcissa, dear?" She asked her skeptically.
Draco looked at his aunt. Ever since their visit to France at his Uncle's home two weeks ago, he has found this elderly woman to be a very logical yet an easy-going person. It was new to him. The women he has encountered in his life were not gifted with such qualities and thus he could not appreciate enough his uncle's choice of a better wife. He had a feeling that he could rely on her intelligence.
Draco nodded and gestured the ladies to take seats. Once seated, he recounted the afternoon's events calmly taking great care to mention every single detail. When he finished his mother and Lilian looked shocked but Audré looked thoughtful.
It was Narcissa who broke the silence, "But Draco, dear, as I have already said it is not possible! Scorpius died at the age of two!" she exclaimed.
"Do you think I don't know that already?" Draco growled at his mother, "I know Scorpius died at the age of two and my other two children died unborn in their mother's womb!" he shook his head in disgust as he spoke, "I also happen to remember that my wife Astoria died just a month ago from heavy bleeding following her second miscarriage! There is no need to remind me all those wonderful facts, Mother!" he spat.
Narcissa visibly paled and flinched at her son's reaction but Audré took charge again. "Calm down Draco!" she said gently and Draco looked at her again. She looked thoughtful, her brows in a deep frown, "We all understand that you have been through a lot but losing temper will not get you anywhere. Narcissa is just as shocked as you might have been." she said looking straight at him.
Draco failed to argue. He knew better now that this woman was made out of different material.
"However, I must admit you have made me curious."Audré continued in a thoughtful voice, "I would like to find out what happened in the real." she fixed Draco with a piercing look.
Whatever reaction Draco had expected previously, it was clearly not this; he had thought no one would believe him and react as if he has finally gone crazy which would be followed by weekly visits to some psychotherapist! Narcissa has already reacted as he had expected her but there she sat, his aunt Audré, contemplating the incident under different light like she believed his every word. She was, as if, offering him a curious and impossible hope. He searched her face for any sign of fake interest but found none. This black haired and blue-eyed witch, about whom his father had always reserved most scathing and hateful comments, was perhaps the most intriguing person he has ever met. Draco himself could not rationalize afternoon's events; especially when he himself knew that Scorpius indeed died two years ago. But he could not also forget the boy who looked so much like his dead son.
"Forgive me, Audré dear but I fail to comprehend what you mean!" Narcissa said looking positively scandalized by her son and sister-in-law's behaviour.
"In a minute, dear." Audré said smiling kindly at Narcissa as she cast a meaningful look at her daughter and said: Lilian dear, please be a darling and give your aunt and cousin a dose of Calming Draught while I go to fetch something of importance!" Lilian nodded at her mother and Audré left silently.
Narcissa and Draco both were curious to know what was going on Audré's mind but try as they might it was beyond their capacity. They remained silent as Lilian brought some Calming Draught and served them and Draco drifted once again in the memories of the afternoon while Narcissa silently prayed her son's recovery.
When Audré entered Draco's room ten minutes later she was carrying a shallow basin full of Rune markings.
"A Pensieve!" Draco exclaimed, he was now beginning to understand his aunt's motive, or at least he thought he did.
"Yes. A Pensieve" Audré offered as she placed the object carefully on the table before Draco, "It belonged to Morpheus. You surely know that he was one of the Chief Warlocks in French Wizengamot and was required to witness many memories provided by convicted criminals. Pity, Julian does not use it like his father did but some of Morpheus's old colleagues still visit us only to use this beauty." she seemed proud as she tapped it with her wand and the Pensieve glowed.
"Now, Draco, please remove the memory of this afternoon and place it in the Pensieve." Audré gestured Draco to the Pensieve, "I may not be as professional as your uncle was in this matters but I helped him in many cases as a prosecutor and therefore can distinguish between a true memory and a false one." She said confidently.
Draco resisted an urge to roll his eyes at his aunt's attempt to appear modest. He knew for a fact that his aunt was considered a well known prosecutor in France. Instead he placed the tip of his wand to his temple and concentrating hard, removed a silvery strand of memory. He dropped it carefully on Pensieve which immediately started to swirl.
While Narcissa observed the silvery liquid carefully Audré took a deep breath and plunged her face into the Pensieve.
Minutes passed on silently. Everyone waited silently in anticipation as Audré watched Draco's memory and when she came up finally, everyone was holding their breath. The room had an atmosphere of a court just before pronunciation of sentence.
"Well, it's real!" André finally announced, she looked at Draco and then at Narcissa "It's real Narcissa." she repeated.
Both Narcissa and Draco slumped back in the respective chairs: one out of fatigue and other out of relief.
"Oh! Merlin! Are you sure Audré?" Narcissa croaked while Draco stared at his aunt. For a moment he himself had thought that everything was his imagination.
"Positive. Draco was not hallucinating." she affirmed, "In fact I am surprised at his ability to produce such clear memory in a state of shock. I must admit I am impressed, Narcissa. But the most curious thing is that the little boy in his memory is exactly a miniature of Draco. He is hardly five or six and yet looks so much like him. Had I not known beforehand, I would have thought that they are father and son." she motioned Narcissa to the Pensieve, "Go on, see it yourself Narcissa." she said.
Narcissa obliged without further ado followed by Lilian and when they finally came up both women had shock written on their face; especially Narcissa.
"But how is that possible?" she asked incredulously her Grey eyes full of questions.
"Exactly! That is the same question playing in my mind too." Audré said thoughtfully her eyes now fixed on Draco who has not spoken since he dropped his memory. "Surely, Draco can enlighten us." she said.
Draco shook his head. He had been pondering over the same question. "I have no idea, aunt! I have never seen that woman in my life." he said confidently, "The only woman I have ever had children with was my wife Astoria, who is dead now. I never had any affair with any other woman." he looked at his Aunt's eyes, "I know it's hard to believe considering my reputation as an Ex-Death Eater but I am not a womanizer." he said, "You can even subject me to Veritaserum but I assure you my answer will be the same. Besides she is a French woman." he looked defensively at his aunt, "Please aunt, I mean no offense but you surely realize I was brought up in an environment not very friendly towards the French and my father never missed an opportunity to remind me of that. But I assure you I don't share his ideas anymore." he said solemnly.
Silence followed Draco's sincere admission. Then Lilian spoke for the first time, "Then you don't have any Prejudices against the French?" she asked quietly.
Draco looked up at his cousin's face expecting a sincere answer. "I can't tell that about everyone but surely I don't have any against you and aunt Audré! You two are probably the most amazing woman I have ever met and I sincerely ask for forgiveness for slamming the door on your face." He replied.
"Of course we are! Are not we, Lilian?" Audré laughed and the tension broke. Narcissa and Draco smiled in response and everyone felt relieved.
"Now Draco, I think you have had enough emotional outburst for an evening and therefore should leave the matter for now." Audré told her nephew as she stood up, "Go, take a bath and present yourself for dinner and meanwhile let me think how I can find out the boy and his mother."
Draco nodded in approval and stood up. A hot shower sounded like a good idea. "His name is Adrian." he said to his aunt.
"I already noticed that, Draco." Audré said, "It'z not a very common French name, rather British I should say. It will be good clue in our pursuit. She frowned, "Now dear, go and relax yourself! We have plenty of things to discuss after dinner." she patted him in the shoulder and left with Lilian in tow.
Draco watched their retreating form and then turned to his mother. "I am very sorry, mother. I should not have yelled at you." he said looking at his feet.
Narcissa stood up and hugged her son. Draco melted on her touch, "It's alright, dearest! I know what you are going through and don't blame you to the slightest." she said gently stroking his silvery-blonde hair. "Now I think you should follow your aunt's advice and go to take a bath." she released her son, "Audré really is an amazing woman. My opinion of her has changed remarkably after this evening." she smiled at him, "Take your time and see you at dinner."
"Yes, mother!" Draco smiled at his mother. Narcissa left and Draco stood there for a moment contemplating what his aunt was about to do to find out the boy before turning to leave for bathroom, his mood considerably lighter.
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The Poisoned Apple