Originally written for a challenge over at The Golden Snitch (an awesome forum you should really really check out) but I lost sight of the prompt I was going to use it for (pun not intended as it was for the World Sight Challenge lol)

I decided to make a multi-chap for many times Narcissa Black was a complete prankster/troublemaker because that's my headcanon and nobody can convince me otherwise. :)

Please review? Even just a few words enough to make an FF author very happy and keep writing on. :)

Once upon a time, in an old Scottish school upon the hills, there was discussions and petitions to celebrate every witches and wizards favorite holiday with a ball. Masquerade ball.

After many heated arguments between teacher versus teacher, it was finally decided with a firm yes. Students were overjoyed. Some took it upon themselves to wear the most lavish costumes they could afford. Poorer students made their own with a touch of magic.

This is what the ball was about — magic.

For this particular girl, it was about dancing with the most handsome Hufflepuff in the school.

A very difficult task for a Slytherin love-struck girl.

"Honestly, I look like a fool." Andromeda whispered while looking horrified at herself in the mirror.

Her youngest sister was kneeling at her feet, adjusting the skirt to the correct length with bobby pins stuck in her mouth — only pausing to roll her eyes at Andromeda's inner drama.

Cissy mumbled between the pins, "You wanted to go the Muggle route." Only a hint of her sister's crunched nose depicted her displeasure at Andromeda's decision.

Andromeda tugged down the skirt, "Is it suppose to really... fluff out?"

"It's called a poodle skirt, Andy. Yes, it's suppose to do that."

She took a glance at Cissy's calm reflection in the mirror. "How do you know this about Muggle fashion?" Andromeda twirled and watched the skirt flow in the air, ignoring Cissy's sqawk of indignation at her motion. "Where did you get this anyway?"

"I have my ways." Cissy responded cryptically and stood to adjust the jacket length with a muttered spell and then set on the task of removing the pins.

Andromeda pursed her lips, "Mother would be displeased."

"Mother will never find out." Cissy sighed, "Just like she'll never find out about that Muggle boyfriend of yours." Her younger sister's blue eyes met her darker ones with a grave expression.

All Andromeda could feel was her heart tightening in her chest from guilt and sorrow. She quickly broke eye contact and fiddled with her bracelets. They were silver and pink, like the rest of her costume. "Why are you even helping me?"

She could feel Cissy wrap her arms around her waist, hugging her from behind. There they stood. Sister and sister. Andromeda's darker hair was a direct contrast to Narcissa's blonde hair. She was taller than both Cissy and Bella — a fact that Bella was always quick to argue against — and the similiarities only seemed to be in the faint structure of their faces.

"Because..." Cissy tilted her chin up so she could look at the both of them in the reflection. "Our family was once proud in the fact that we were together. Blacks stand by Blacks. Family fights for family. Even if I am the only one who carries on that tradition..." Cissy leveled a firm gaze at her older sister. "I will proudly do so."

Andromeda could feel her eyes start to water slightly and she brushed them away hurriedly. With a light-hearted laugh, she commented. "That still doesn't explain why you know Muggle fashion, Cissy."

Cissy pushed her forward playfully. "A Slytherin girl has to keep her secrets." With a final tug on her own emerald robes, she placed a small matching mask over her own face. "Are you ready to make your little Hufflepuff friend faint?"

Andromeda retorted, "Are you ready to begin your secret affair with that Malfoy boy?" She smiled at Cissy's slight blush and placed her own pink mask upon her face.

The things that one would do for love.

...

This was it.

"You...uh..."

"You like?"

"You look beautiful. How did you..."

"I had help. From a dear friend." She smiled gently. "For this night, no one knows us. We are just one of the dozens of dancing couple on the floor."

"That's -"

Across the ballroom, she caught the sight of a young emerald witch watching them.

With smile, Cissy looked away.

Andromeda Black held out her hand to the stammering young Hufflepuff who could easily be called the most handsome boy in the school and said. "Ted Tonks, would you care to dance with me?"

This was being love-struck.