My friend and I have started a new story! This one, obviously. The prologue takes place during each of the three Black sister's sorting, but chapter 1 will start with Bellatrix's final year.
We hope you enjoy!
Black As Ink: The Tale of the Black Sisters
Prologue
September 1st, 1962
A smirk passed across the pale, sullen face of Bellatrix Black as she looked around at the other students who were starting Hogwarts this year. They were all utterly pathetic, especially the boy standing next to her who looked as if he was about to eject the contents of his stomach onto Bella's shoes, and as she noticed, she took a few not-so-small steps away from him. How embarrassing would it be for him if she had to hex him on the first day of school? It was obvious to Bellatrix that none of these students, save a few who she'd known for as long as she could remember, had not been brought up as well as she had. Nasty half-bloods and mudbloods, contaminating the magical world!
"Hello First Years, in a few moments you will pass through these doors and join the rest of the students, but first you must be sorted into your Houses. They are: Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Slytherin," a woman who looked to be in her thirties or so said as she stepped out of the large doors that stood, looming over the small eleven-year-old children.
"Bella, what House d'you think you'll be in?" Rodolphus Lestrange, or Roddy, asked as he pushed through the crowd to stand next to the girl who'd been his friend since they'd been small.
She narrowed her eyes, and snorted at him. Apparently Roddy had decided to show his true colors of being a complete and total imbecile. "Slytherin, of course! Who do you think I am? Some little half-blood or mudblood?" the girl asked in utter disgust that he would even have to ask such a question, she had been sure to lower her voice when she'd said 'mudblood', apparently the lower class witches and wizards saw the insult as rude, and improper. "No. I'm a Black. A pureblood!"
Before he had the chance to respond, the sea of children was moving into the long hall that seemed to already be packed with students. Bellatrix held her head high, shoving her way to the front of the crowd, and smiled rather arrogantly as the sorting commenced. Her name happened to be the first on the list. Just because I'm so much better than all of them. She thought, waiting for the moment she knew her name would be called.
"Black, Bellatrix," the woman who had led them in called out, and in the same manner as she had entered the room, Bellatrix walked to the small stool and sat down, she wasn't nervous or afraid at all. She was better than any of the students in any House by Slytherin. She had no doubt about where she'd end up. The hat had barely touched her long black curls when the decision had been made, as if there really was much of a decision needed.
'SLYTHERIN!'
Eventually Roddy and few others she recognized as friends of the family ended up in Slytherin as well. She didn't particularly care who was placed in other Houses, she didn't want anything to do with any of them. Slytherin was by far the best place to be.
XXXOOOXXXOOOXXX
September 1st, 1964
Andromeda Black stood outside the large, formidable doors that she knew led into the Great Hall, where hundreds of older students awaited. Among them was her elder sister, Bella, who was a Third Year Slytherin.
Most students were excited for this day, and to be honest so was Andromeda. It was impossible not to be excited, but excitement wasn't the strongest emotion Meda was feeling. That emotion happened to be fear. Fear of rejection, fear that Hogwarts would be too intimidating for her, and most of all, fear that she wouldn't be placed into Slytherin, of course that would lead to it's own set of problems.
Meda's worrying time was cut short when a tall, thin woman stepped out of the Great Hall. Bella had told Meda that this woman was Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House and Transfiguration teacher. She didn't like Slytherins too much. That was okay though, because Andromeda could tell from first glance that she didn't very well like Professor McGonagall, either. She looked too mean.
Meda successfully tuned out the speech about Houses, she knew all that already. She'd grown up knowing it. In her opinion it wasn't necessary information, according to Bella the Sorting Hat repeated it all anyway in a long, boring song. Couldn't they just explain it all to the idiots who didn't already know later? Luckily before she knew it, she was sitting on the stool after hearing her name called.
It took a moment of consideration, but the hat finally called out 'SLYTHERIN!' and Meda immediately ran to sit with Bella who smiled approvingly, and gave her sister a small hug. Now, only Cissy had to get in to make the sisterly trio complete. One more year. Slytherin really was the best place to be.
XXXOOOXXXOOOX
September 1st, 1965
Narcissa Black, the youngest daughter of Cygnus and Druella Black, stood in the very front of the group of first years. Even now they all called her 'Ice Queen', it was possible that they derived it from the fact that, as far as she knew, she was the only Black ever in existence to have the white-blonde hair that she did. She didn't think that was too likely though. She was called the 'Ice Queen' for her personality, she was cool, uncaring, and slippery. Unless of course, you happened to be one of the few graced with being her friend, in that case she was one of the kindest people you'd ever know. Now, though, was not a moment to be nice. Not when the ever timid Bartholomew Avery had decided that because he was afraid his father would beat him if he didn't make Slytherin, that he could hold her hand!
She was in the process of trying to think of the best way to detach him, when Professor McGonagall finished her speech on which House was which, and the line of First Years moved forward. 'Thank Merlin for small miracles,' she thought gratefully as she was able to separate herself from the disgusting boy she'd been forced by her parents to be nice to until now. She was at school now, and what could her parents do to stop her from telling Bartholomew exactly how much she detested him? Nothing. Nothing at all.
She shot a smile across the room to her sisters, Fourth Year Bellatrix, and Second Year Andromeda, which was returned by two nods and a smile from Meda. Bella didn't smile often, and it wasn't likely she'd let other people see her smile.
Cissy had been warned that 'Black' would almost always come first on the list. Luckily she knew Bartholomew would end up going first.
"Avery, Bartholomew," Professor McGonagall called out in a croaky kind of voice, the kind you have when you're almost, but not quite, over a very nasty cold.
It gave Narcissa happiness to see the boy pale and walk with shaking legs to the front of the room. That joy multiplied when he knocked the stool over and his face turned to be bright red and he scurried to fix it and sit down. She thought then that it couldn't get much better, oh, but it did. The hat sat on Bartholomew's head for five whole minutes mulling over what House he would fit in. After the long deliberation period Bartholomew was placed in Slytherin and he walked, wiping tears from his still red cheeks to the table full of jeering Slytherins.
"Black, Narcissa," the middle-aged witch called out, apparently not wasting any time after how long Bartholomew had taken to be sorted. She sounded really impatient and almost angry. All the better for Cissy to work with.
The girl tossed her hair over her shoulder, and walked very, very slowly up the three or so stairs (she didn't bother to count them, you see) and sat down very, very slowly, earning herself a level glare from the already angry looking witch. Narcissa put on her best, innocent smile and waited as the hat was placed on her head.
'SLYTHERIN!' came the almost immediate, very anticipated shout from the hat. She smirked, her mirth shining in her pale face as she walked regally to sit with her sisters.
"Nice one, Cissy," Bella hissed, grinning her approval. Apparently she'd caught the obvious trick to make McGonagall angry. Narcissa's grin widened and she looked to the front and watched the rest of the sorting in silence.
Finally a few people she didn't recognize, as well as two of her closest friends: Lucius Malfoy and Jenna-Anne Bulstrode were sorted into Slytherin. Narcissa watched as Professor McGonagall sat at the staff table, red in the face, obviously angry. Oh yes. Slytherin was definitely the best place to be.