Narcissa Black stood in the guest room. Since Bella had been staying there since Lucius' arrest two years ago it was just Bella's room. The best room in the house. It had a wide window facing the open grounds. Green curtains with silver trimmings hung down loosely around the window as though they too were affected by the sorrow that covered the house. She, Lucius, and Rodolphus were all confined to house arrest as the trials were taking place and Draco was separated from her staying in a house filled with other under age or barely of age Death Eaters.. Bella would have been here too if it weren't for Molly Weasley. She could not condemn her though; she was just a mother, a mother whose child had been in danger. Narcissa would have done the same thing had it been Draco.
But she still missed her sister. There was no way Andy would ever talk to her again. Not when it was because of her beliefs, well her family beliefs, that she had lost not only her husband but her daughter and her son-in-law. And now Bella was gone too. Lucius was to be convicted along with Rodolphus but Harry Potter had informed her that he was going to testify on her behalf. He knew she did not support the Dark Lord and anyone with the Chosen One who Lived Twice on their side was sure to avoid Azkaban. He had even apologized that he had not been able to get her an Order of Merlin.
As grateful as she was to avoid Azkaban, she would be alone. Her baby was grown up, her sister was dead and her other sister would never talk to her again; while her husband and brother-in-law would be imprisoned. And she would alone in the big manor filled with so many memories.
The warm May Day mocked her; she closed the curtains in Bella's room and lay down on the bed, her face on the pillow, just breathing in the scent of her sister. Bella might not have been sane after her long sentence in Azkaban, but she had still been her sister. Narcissa could still see the happy girl who had scored an O on her NEWTS and proceeded to rub it Andy's face as she had gotten an EE in Divination ruining her otherwise perfect score. She would never see that girl now did she realize the cruelty of wizard portraits and photographs. They could move and talk but they weren't... them. She continued to lay on the bed crying until she fell asleep surrounded by and abandoned by her sister's essence.
And that is how Rodolphus found her the next day. Lucius was busy with drink trying to drown himself in alcohol rather than dwell on his mistakes. Rodolphus on the other hand felt Narcissa's pain. What had started as a marriage of convenience and heirs had turned to one of love the day he comforted his sweet Bella when she had found out that she was unable to carry a child to term and it was a miracle that she could even conceive. While Lucius still had his wife and son Rodolphus' only comfort was knowing that he wouldn't suffer in Azkaban as he had no happiness left. He sat next to Narcissa rubbing her back as she began to cry again. He reflected back on the woman he had grown to love.
Bellatrix Black. A young beauty with very curly hair, though being eleven himself she was still quite 'yucky'. The first Slytherin of the 1962 school year. The hat had called her house before it had even been fully placed on her head; of course being Bella she still forced the hat onto her head only to have it call Slytherin again. She had been a master at all her classes, even Defence Against the Dark Arts which she had slept through most of the time claiming the class was useless as 'no one using the Dark Arts would ever attack a pureblood.' She stayed top of her class all through the first year.
Second year came and went and yet again she was on top, although this time she paid more attention in Defence as the Professor in the subject was teaching not only very good hexes and jinxes but also all the reasons why the students needed to learn defence. He talked about all the dark magic in the world and it captured Bella's attention for the rest of her life. This was also the year that the Blacks and Lestranges had arranged a marriage contract between their children. Ten-year old Andromeda was also to be betrothed to his younger brother Rabastan. They were not told that yet though.
Third year came and they found out about the betrothal, it was also the year that had the longest sorting of a single student; Andromeda Black. Never before had a student sat so long under the hat, everyone could see tears forming in her eyes, whether it was from what the hat was telling her or from the length of time, he never found out, but she was eventually sorted into Slytherin and ran straight into her sister's arms.
Rodolphus was interrupted from his musings as Narcissa sat up. She looked at him with tears in her eyes and stood up, back straight with perfect poise. She apologized for her outburst and said she would return shortly with tea. Narcissa was truly the perfect pureblood wife. Alone again he went back to his thoughts and he realized he would suffer in Azkaban. The Dementors would suck every memory of his wife from him. He would never again see the twinkle in her eye or the shy smile that had been just for him.
It was then that Narcissa returned with the tea. She poured him a cup and handed it to him before returning to the window. The weather outside was finally reflecting the turmoil and grief felt throughout the house. The wind was howling and the heavens had opened. The victorious would say the earth was mourning the loss of people like Fred Weasley or Colin Creevey or even Snape. Those that were mourning in silence could just say that the Earth was weeping for everyone.
The following weeks were torturous for Narcissa. First was Rodolphus' trial. They tried him for every crime he had committed. He pleaded guilty and received a life sentence in Azkaban. His only comfort was that they had allowed him to put his memories away in a pensieve before leaving. He died of starvation three weeks into Lucius' trial. He couldn't bring himself to eat as he didn't see a point in living anymore.
Lucius' trial was even worse for Narcissa, he was almost sentenced to the Kiss and it was only because of Potter saying he wasn't loyal to the Death Eaters, due to the fact that he went against Voldemort to try and find his son, and the fact that Lucius was too drunk for his pride to get in the way in denying it. He too was sentenced to a life sentence in Azkaban.
Then came the trial of her baby boy. She felt so guilty that he had been forced to take the Mark. How did this happen? How did her baby, the little boy she had held in her arms when he was sick and had rubbed his back as he cried about finding a dead bird on the grounds, end up on trial? She had been under many Crucio curses but she had never felt pain like she had when he had been sentenced to five years in Azkaban. Who sends a child there? He was just a boy! He would come out changed, he wouldn't be her Draco anymore he would be a stranger changed in a way she could never know.
Then it was time for her trial. She was accused of harbouring a criminal. That was it. She would have only received community service. Then the Potter boy stepped in. He recounted the story of his death and resurrection. How Voldemort had cast Avada Kedavra at him and he had survived yet again. He went on to say that he could not have survived a third time if Voldemort had found out he was alive. He was still alive only thanks to the risk Narcissa had taken. She had saved his life and by extension the Wizarding and Muggle world. She was actually almost given an Order of Merlin for her heroic actions.
She couldn't stand it anymore. If she was in Azkaban then she would feel like she could atone for her sins. Since her release she had taken to sleeping in Bella's room. It made her feel connected to her family. And there was the window. She could look out over the whole grounds. What would she do without her family now?
She decided to write a letter, a very important letter. The letter was found by Aurors three days later. It was found in Bellatrix's room, on the desk. In front of a picture of Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Lucius, Narcissa and Draco who were all smiling and waving. It was on the desk next to the big window with the green drapes with the silver trimming. The window was broken, it had been smashed from the inside leaving a gaping hole between Malfoy Manor and the plummet below. The tear stained letter was found next to the window which a hopeless Narcissa Black had jumped through.