The Three Sisters
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter world, which is trademarked by J. K. Rowling. I do not claim any ownership over any character in this work of fanfiction, nor do I claim any ownership over the Harry Potter world, nor do I claim any ownership over the vocabulary invented by J.K Rowling (including "pureblood", "muggleborn", etc.). One part of this work is a specific excerpt from J. K. Rowling's book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" – this excerpt is indicated by being in italics and the page number is provided.
Disclaimer for the image: The image was created using the "Tudors Scene Maker" from Dolldivine.
The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black
12 Grimmauld Place
"Kreacher was sent by Mistress to fetch Masters Regulus and Sirius. Mistress' brother and his wife have arrived with their daughters. Masters Regulus and Sirius should welcome their cousins."
"I'll be right there, Kreacher," replied Regulus, standing up from his desk.
"Kreacher already told Master Sirius but he refuses to come. Kreacher will be punished if Master Sirius doesn't come to welcome his cousins."
Regulus frowned, "Don't worry, Kreacher. I'll take care of it."
"Thank you, Master Regulus," replied Kreacher before bowing and leaving the room.
Regulus marched to Sirius' room and knocked on the door.
"Sirius?"
Silence.
Sirius was deliberately ignoring his younger brother and Regulus knew it.
"Sirius! Come on, please. Our cousins are here."
There was a bit of a rustle and Regulus pressed his ear against the door. Then, loud Muggle music started playing from Sirius' room.
Regulus blanched.
"Sirius, quit your provocation, you'll get us all in trouble. Why do you have to be so difficult? Do you know what they'll do to Kreacher if he returns to the living-room without us?"
The music was suddenly turned up so loud that the door shook with the force of the decibels.
Regulus flicked his wand and silence ensued.
Sirius strode to the door and opened it so forcefully that it banged against the wall loudly.
"How dare you!?" He was seething with anger.
Regulus flinched a little.
"I just... come on, Dromeda's down there and wants to see you."
Sirius hesitated and seemed to calm down a little.
"Dromeda came too?" He sounded slightly surprised; "I heard that her parents locked her in her room as punishment."
"It's true that Uncle and Auntie weren't pleased when Dromeda befriended that Muggleborn, but I think they've sorted it out."
Sirius narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean 'sorted it out'? What happened?"
Regulus shrugged his shoulders, "How should I know? Come downstairs and ask Dromeda if you want to find out."
"Fine," Sirius huffed and held his chin proudly high up in the air, strutting past his younger brother.
"By the way," he added, almost as an afterthought, "Gryffindor is set to win against Slytherin for the next match. Just a forewarning."
Regulus sighed and followed Sirius down the stairs.
Their aunt and uncle were sitting talking with their parents while their three cousins sat silently on a couch a bit further away.
"Ah," said Orion Black, "how nice of you to finally grace us with your presence."
Walburga narrowed her eyes at Sirius, "I'm sure Regulus would have been here much sooner if it hadn't been for that blasted Muggle music deafening our ears."
Sirius chose to ignore his mother's comment, even though his temper was flaring. He wouldn't dignify that statement with an answer. He was, however, a brave Gryffindor, so he held her cold stare firmly before his mother looked away with a sneer.
"My dear brother Cygnus and dearest Druella were just telling us that their daughters are entering honourable courtships with noble wizards."
She looked over at the three sisters. The eldest, Bellatrix, had black hair and black eyes. Next to her was the youngest sister, Narcissa, who had blonde hair and pale blue eyes, a stark contrast to the eldest sister. Further along the couch, the furthest away from her parents, sat Andromeda, the middle child. She resembled her older sister Bellatrix a bit, except that she had light brown hair and softer, wider eyes. All three of them were tall and had the same patrician beauty.
"Kreacher!" bellowed Walburga, "Serve the young ladies some tea and biscuits."
"Yes, Mistress," replied Kreacher hastily, still pleased at his luck of avoiding a beating due to Sirius' (and therefore also Regulus') lateness. He liked Mistress best when she talked to him about the noble pureblood families and explained how the wizarding world ought to be, and he liked her least when she beat him – although some of that anger and resentment was also directed towards Sirius, whose behaviour usually irked his parents to the point where they retaliated against all beings present – sons and house-elves included.
"Only serve Miss Bella and Miss Cissy," said Druella Black (née Rosier), "Miss Dromeda is currently forbidden to eat or drink anything but water for she has not lived up to the expectations of her pure blood."
Bellatrix shot Andromeda a nasty glare and sneered arrogantly before determinedly turning away, facing the opposite side.
Narcissa remained facing forward, stoically, her face betraying no emotions whatsoever.
The four adults discussed pureblood responsibilities and honours while Sirius dragged Andromeda outside to 'show her the garden'. As soon as they were out of eyesight from their parents, he reached into his pocket and pulled out some biscuits.
"For you," he said, stuffing them into her hands, "Nicked them just now, no one saw anything, not even that filthy tattletale Kreacher or dear, best son Regulus."
"I can't," she whispered, "They've put some kind of hex on me – they can tell when I eat. I tried and..." she pulled back the sleeves of her dress to show some wide, red marks on her arms, as if she had been burned with a hot iron.
Sirius gasped, and then shook with anger, "Those repugnant...!"
"Shh," Andromeda tried to soothe him.
In the living-room, Regulus had taken Andromeda's empty seat on the couch and was making small-talk with Narcissa about Hogwarts and school subjects.
Cygnus had just finished explaining to his sister Walburga that he would only allow his daughters to marry wizards of the purest blood. His wife, Druella, nodded towards her two remaining daughters on the couch, and continued, "Bella is friends with only the most respectable wizards and witches from Slytherin (Walburga felt a wave of anger for her Gryffindor son Sirius), of course. Her friends include Evan Rosier, a distant relative of mine. And we've recently brought to her attention that Evan Rosier's good friend, Rodolphus Lestrange would be a most advantageous match. The Lestrange family is, as we all know, one of the sacred twenty-eight, ancient, noble, always pure, magically gifted, rich and powerful."
Orion and Walburga nodded their assent. "A most fortunate alliance for two noble pureblood families," agreed Orion.
Bellatrix spoke, her whole demeanour reeking of arrogance, "Of course, a member of the the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black cannot settle for anything less."
Cygnus and Druella beamed and looked very proud of their daughter.
"We didn't have plans to marry our youngest just yet," continued Druella, "We prefer to focus first on the eldest and to finish with the youngest, but Narcissa recently told us about a possible courtship with Lucius Malfoy, a very noble and respectable pureblood family as well. We've been invited to Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire next week. I believe if we don't hurry, we'll have the youngest married off before the eldest!"
There was laughter around the room.
Bellatrix smiled encouragingly at Narcissa, who smiled back a small smile and blushed slightly.
Bellatrix, being the eldest and behaving the most according to her pure blood (which made her the favourite child, closely followed by Narcissa), was granted the privilege of sitting with the adults to discuss important, noble politics.
Young, quiet Narcissa remained on the couch with her younger cousin Regulus.
"So," Regulus smiled, "You and the Slytherin Prefect, eh?"
Narcissa blushed slightly and nodded, "I really like him," she whispered.
Regulus nodded, "I don't know him that well. What's he like?"
"He's very nice and attentive to me." She lowered her voice a little before continuing, "I think Bella's brash behaviour sometimes annoys him a little, but he puts up with it for me. They've always hung out in the same group of friends and I'm not part of that group because I'm younger, but Lucius cares for me and... he asks me for my opinion about things... and he's quite calm like me. We talk about a lot of things together. He's always been nice to me but I think he's really started to notice me this year. He has serious intentions, that's why we're invited to Malfoy Manor."
Regulus nodded and smiled, "It sounds like he makes you happy."
Narcissa smiled back, "He does. I can see myself having a family with him."
Night-time
Andromeda sat on the windowsill, looking outside into the gloomy night. Suddenly, she heard a faint noise of light footsteps approaching. She whipped her head in the direction of the noise, and held her wand at the ready.
"Oh, it's you," she said when she saw Narcissa approaching, holding her wand with a light at the tip, "I thought it was Bella."
She turned back to the window. Narcissa went to stand behind her and looked out of the window as well.
"Dromeda... why do you complicate your life so much?"
Andromeda sighed, "Cissy, why are you here?"
Narcissa took out some a loaf of bread she had been hiding under her robe and placed it on the windowsill. "I got this for you from the kitchen."
Andromeda looked down at the bread and sighed again, "Thank you. But I can't eat it. Father and Mother will know."
"Oh," Narcissa sounded surprised, "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Andromeda eyed Narcissa warily for a bit before deciding that her younger sister was strong enough to face the truth. She pulled back her sleeves and Narcissa gasped in shock.
"They found out last time and punished me."
Narcissa looked up from the wounds into Andromeda's eyes. Narcissa had tears in her eyes, but she wouldn't let them spill.
"They... you know... they still love you..."
Andromeda snorted, "They have a funny way of showing it."
"They want what's best for you."
"How do they know what's best for me? I think Ted is the person who's best for me."
There was a short silence.
"I think you are able to find a pureblood wizard that you love with all your heart."
"If Lucius was not pureblood, if he was half-blood or muggleborn or a Muggle, would you still love him?"
Narcissa paused for a moment and then said, "That's beside the point. You should be naturally inclined to find your soulmate in your own kind."
Andromeda snorted and replied, "My own kind? They've managed to brainwash you quite well."
Narcissa ignored that last statement and continued, "Don't you want to ensure your children will be capable of magic? How could you live with the guilt if one of your children was not gifted with magic due to their father's lineage?"
"That's ridiculous. First of all, I'm not as convinced as you are that magic and lineage are necessarily related. There are squibs in prominent pureblood families, even in ours, even though the family tries to hide it. And children of Muggleborns are usually as equally magically gifted as children of Purebloods, with no more likelihood of being Squibs. Second, Squibs and Muggles are people too, and they can be happy without magic, and perhaps I would be fine with having a kid who couldn't do magic – maybe they wouldn't resent me for it."
"It sounds like you're just trying to convince yourself because of Tonks."
Andromeda sighed, "The sort of nonsense that our parents spout... it's been drilled into me so much that it's hard to get out of my system, but the more I think about it, the more I realise... Ted is a good person and the fact that he's muggleborn doesn't stop him from being a great wizard. And I think Sirius is right on a lot of things. I've even been thinking if 'pureblood' or any blood status even means anything at all... is there even such a thing?"
Narcissa was staring at her open-mouthed. "How can you doubt it? Where's your self-esteem? Don't you love and value yourself enough to realise that you deserve better than a Muggleborn? You could enter a honourable marriage with a good pureblood wizard who will treat you well and respect you and your status."
Andromeda was no longer looking at Narcissa, but back towards the window instead. She started muttering, seemingly more to herself than to her sister, "Sometimes I wonder if I deserve Ted. I realise it myself that I'm still prejudiced and I still believe some of that pureblood supremacy... I partly blame our parents for their incessant lectures on the topic. I think Ted deserves to be with someone who values him fully, not someone who looks down at his blood status, not someone whose family would dismiss him. Yeah, perhaps all I'm good for is a pureblood as****e like Flint."
They were silent for a long while.
"It'll hurt them if you don't marry a pureblood wizard. They'll think you haven't gotten the best life you could get. It might even break our family if you marry a Muggleborn. Our parents and Bella would be crushed..."
Andromeda interrupted Narcissa swiftly, "Bella was there when they punished me. She saw it. And she's the one who saw Ted and me and ratted to our parents. She called him a... a..." Andromeda shook with anger, "She said I'd been snogging a ... 'mudblood'".
Narcissa's gaze on her older sister was pitiful.
Andromeda stared at her, "You think she's right, don't you?"
Narcissa remained silent but Andromeda guessed her answer.
"Of course you do," she said coldly.
Another silence. Annoyed, Andromeda stood up and walked towards the door. Before leaving the room, she turned back and said softly.
"Thank you for the bread. And... think about your decisions. You're a bit young and naïve sometimes... we all are... but I think you shouldn't let Bella have this much influence on you."
"Bella doesn't have very much influence on me," countered Narcissa.
"Then why do you look up to her? Don't you realise she's doing these things to me because she's full of hatred?"
"She cares for you! She's worried about you! She was just doing what she thought was best..."
"She was there when I was being tortured by our parents. She just stood there looking gleeful. She has a twisted mind and she's heartless. But you're not like her. I still have some hope for you..."
"What do you mean?"
"Are you sure about Lucius Malfoy?"
"I love him," Narcissa replied quietly.
"He's evil, Cissy. He might not show it to you, but he really isn't a good person. He and Bella... they're involved with this shady gang of Slytherins... with Rosier and that Snape kid..."
"I should turn his proposal down because you disapprove of his school friends? Then why shouldn't you turn Tonks down because our family disapproves of his family?"
"Because some things are real and others aren't, regardless of what generations of ancestors may have said. Delving into the dark arts and planning to join the cause of a Dark wizard... that's real. Blood status? I'm not so sure."
And with those words, Andromeda left, leaving Narcissa, her pale face lighted by her wand, her brows furrowed, thinking intently.
The letter and the broken family
Dear Cissy,
I see you've completely ignored the invitation to my wedding with Ted Tonks. You didn't RSVP but I still had the hope that you might show up, or at least write back to me.
Are you seriously going to ignore me because I married a Muggleborn? We're just two people who fell in love and got married, it's hardly a crime. If you love Lucius as much as I love Ted, you should understand.
We could stay in touch without anyone else finding out. Please.
Love,
Dromeda
Narcissa never replied to her sister. She broke off all contact, along with the rest of her family. She lost a sister because that sister married a Muggleborn. She lost a cousin because that cousin ran away from home. She lost an uncle (Alphard) because he gave his runaway nephew some gold. (I changed the plot slightly here, I decided that Alphard gave Sirius money already much earlier before he died, not just in his will)
Throughout the years, she was often tempted to write to Andromeda, but she never did. When she heard the news of Nymphadora Tonks' birth, she wrote a congratulation letter... but never sent it.
And then she had her son. Draco became the centre of her universe and he was all that mattered. Having Draco brought her even closer to Lucius and his dark activities. It consolidated her pureblood supremacy. If she'd not married pureblood Lucius, she wouldn't have had Draco. Her world made sense.
Triple Funeral
After the funeral of Ted Tonks, Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin and Remus Lupin-Tonks, Andromeda was sobbing uncontrollably while the baby Teddy was in the arms of his godfather Harry Potter. People were now starting to walk away. Through her tears, she suddenly saw two blonde heads and she choked slightly. The blonde woman had her hand on the shoulder of a young man, and they both looked uncertain as to whether they ought to be here or not. They were standing further away than the rest of the crowd. The women's eyes met and Andromeda could tell that Narcissa wasn't sure if she and her son were welcome here. She was looking at Andromeda as if expecting her to kick them out. But Andromeda was tired of the endless fighting. She had just lost so much. Her husband Ted, her daughter Dora, her son-in-law Remus, who grew on her over time. She wanted to be happy again, with her beloved grandson Teddy.
She took Teddy from Harry's arms and walked towards her sister and her nephew.
"Narcissa. Draco."
"Andromeda."
"Aunt Andromeda."
Andromeda had never met her nephew before and she looked at him appraisingly. He looked very much like his father. He had a pale, pointed face with grey eyes. However, his grey eyes held some emotions that were identical to the ones in Narcissa's blue eyes.
Narcissa spoke quietly, "We're very sorry for your loss."
Andromeda nodded. She didn't think she could speak.
There was a short silence and Narcissa continued hesitantly, as if unsure what Andromeda's reaction would be.
"I think you ought to know... it seems likely that Bellatrix killed your daughter."
Andromeda nodded again, angry tears welling up in her eyes. She cleared her throat. "I know. They examined the wands. Her wand is the one that..."
She couldn't finish her sentence.
Suddenly, Draco gasped. Following his line of sight, Andromeda looked down at Teddy, who had changed his hair colour from blonde to green.
Andromeda smiled proudly, "Teddy is a Metamorphmagus like his mother."
She looked Narcissa straight in the eyes, with an air of defiance. Narcissa understood what Andromeda was trying to convey – not that it mattered to Andromeda, but being a Metamorphmagus showed great magical ability and this was a way of showing Narcissa that half-bloods, and even half-werewolves, were capable of great magical prowess.
"Your first cousin once removed," Andromeda said, handing Draco the baby.
With Draco busy cradling the baby, Andromeda hugged her sister and whispered in her sister's ear "Thank you for not bringing Lucius."
Narcissa nodded to show that she understood. Then, it was her turn to hold the baby.
She looked down at Teddy and felt her heart ache for this adorable baby who would grow up without his parents.
Her eyes filling with tears, Narcissa looked up at Andromeda and said, "The reason I lied to the Dark Lord was because I was worried for my son's safety. Isn't that what we all want in the end? To ensure that those we love are safe and happy?"
Andromeda nodded and took Teddy back into her arms, looking at him adoringly.
"It's all I ever wanted," she replied softly, "Ted and I weren't too keen on Dora becoming an Auror and joining the Order of the Phoenix because we were worried for her safety. But it's what made her happy. She was always such a strong spirit. We were also worried about her marrying a werewolf but Remus never did anything that could endanger her – always religiously took the wolfsbane potion. And they were happy together and..." Andromeda sobbed a little, "And look at my adorable grandson."
She was looking at Teddy as if he were the centre of her universe, much in the same way Narcissa looked at Draco.
Sixteen years later
Draco and Astoria stood on Platform 9¾ with their son Scorpius and Scorpius' second cousin Teddy. The Malfoys had come to see Teddy off to Hogwarts. Daphne (Astoria's older sister), her husband and their son were also there.
"You'll watch over my nephew, won't you, Teddy?" asked Astoria.
"Of course!" agreed Teddy grinning, "In exchange for the new Nimbus 3001."
"That is so Slytherin of you," groaned Draco, but he couldn't suppress a smile. He and Astoria had always spoiled Teddy so much that he wondered the kid could still find things he didn't have.
"What's wrong with the Nimbus 3000 we got you last year?" asked Astoria, genuinely surprised.
"Er – it made the unfortunate acquaintance of the Whomping Willow," said Teddy, staring ashamedly at his feet.
"Sounds familiar," said Draco, looking over at Harry Potter (who was seeing his son James off, as well as his godson Teddy) and nodding curtly, "Well, we'll think about it. (Teddy grinned, knowing it meant he had won.) Shouldn't you go say goodbye to your grandma Dromeda and your godfather?" he asked.
"Will do," said Teddy.
Three more years later (aka Nineteen Years Later p.753)
p.756 excerpt from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
James had reappeared; he had divested himself of his trunk, owl, and trolley, and was evidently bursting with news.
"Teddy's back there," he said breathlessly, pointing back over his shoulder into the billowing clouds of steam. "Just seen him! And guess what he's doing? Snogging Victoire!"
He gazed up at the adults, evidently disappointed by the lack of reaction.
"Our Teddy! Teddy Lupin! Snogging our Victoire! Our cousin! And I asked Teddy what he was doing —"
"You interrupted them?" said Ginny. "You are so like Ron —"
"— and he said he'd come to see her off! And then he told me to go away. He's snogging her!" James added as though worried he had not made himself clear.
[end of excerpt]
Draco watched with amusement from afar. When Teddy walked back towards them, his bright blue hair a bit rumpled and with a wide smile on his face, Draco started laughing.
"What?" asked Teddy defensively, running a hand through his hair that was turning pink.
"You didn't come to see Scorpius off, did you? You came here to see Victoire off. The Potter kid is telling everyone." Draco and Astoria laughed. Scorpius was still too nervous about his first trip to Hogwarts to relax and join the laughter.
Teddy grumbled something under his breath that sounded like "Annoying brat".
Draco laughed even harder, "Just what I always thought about his father!"
Teddy playfully hit Draco on the arm but he was smiling slightly, "Hey, that's my godfather you're talking about!"
The End