Pure-blood families were notoriously tight-knit groups of people who always had each others back. Three of the closest sisters you would ever meet were Bellatrix, Narcissa and Andromeda Black. None of them were much alike their other two sisters but at the same time it would be hard to tell them apart. Narcissa ran into her mother's room clutching the head and body of her favourite doll in either hand.
"Mother, Bellatrix has been cursing my dolls again and now all their heads have fallen off. The magic is too dark for me to repair them and I had spent a long time looking for these dolls!"
"Narcissa you are fourteen years old now meaning you should be old enough to entertain yourself without dolls. Why at your age I would be taking etiquette lessons for hours ever day just to ensure that I turned into a nice girl. Now run along and I shall have a word with you sister. Bella!" Druella called as Narcissa scampered out of the room with the famous Black scowl on her face.
A small pop told Druella of her daughter's arrival in the room and she frowned slightly but not for too long in case she got a wrinkle. "My, Bella, dear you don't have to apparate everywhere you so wish now just because you can. Would it have killed you to use the stairs?"
Bellatrix gave her mother, her best smile she had, and at once her mother's face softened and a faint smiled twitched at the corners of her mouth. "Mother, dear, why did you request my presence on this occasion?"
"Your little sister, Cissy, has come to me with a request that I ask you to stop decapitating her dolls. You know how awfully fond she is of them after she has spent her whole life collecting them. Now she'll probably resort to filthy muggle levels to try and mend them and we wouldn't want that, would we?"
Bellatrix shook her head with a condescending smile at her mother and then hurried out of the room and up the stairs. Bellatrix ran into her sister's room and found Cissa sitting with Dromeda on the bed sewing the dolls back together. Bellatrix at once jumped on Cissa and then yelled, "Tell tale!"
Dromeda hauled her older sister off her younger one and like the mother she was clearly meant to be said, "Bella, don't be mean, you shouldn't have taken her dolls. You know that she loves them dearly."
No one else could make Bella feel ashamed of her actions except for Dromeda and Bella bowed her head. "Sorry, Cissa."
Already Cissa had forgiven her and hurried over to hug her older sister as she hated arguing with anyone. In their little threesome Narcissa would always try and keep the peace between people however she could. She hated people being angry but was fiercely loyal to the people she loved. Dromeda worked less on keeping the piece and more often spent a lot of time reprimanding Bella as she was the only one she would listen to. Bella herself was hot-tempered and flew off the handle at the smallest thing but would worship anyone who had or gave her power.
There was a knock on the door and Dromeda who wasn't part of the sisterly hug shouted out, "Come on in!"
The door swung open to reveal a tall dark haired man who neither of the three would deny was handsome. "Bella!" he called. The raven haired girl gave her sister a final squeeze and then threw herself into her boyfriend's arms and kissing him passionately. They shared the kiss whilst Dromeda looked awkwardly away and Narcissa watched on in awe of her sister.
When they pulled back Rodolphus Lestrange grinned at the other two girls and said, "Hey Dromeda, hows school?"
"Schools fine thank you Rod," replied Dromeda in her politest manner like she had been taught by her mother. However she was squealing with laughter seconds later as he grabbed her into a hug and squeezed her tight. She was a deep red when she pulled out of the hug and then Narcissa stepped forwards smiling brightly.
Narcissa was undoubtedly the baby of the family even though she wasn't very young any more. She had long blonde hair that hung down her back and often she tied it back in a long plait that Bella would do for her. Dromeda had tried to do a few times but her fingers just weren't as dexterous as Bella's. Narcissa had pretty grey eyes that sparkled in the light and perfect straight white teeth which she flashed in a smile hundreds of times each day. She held out her arms to Rodolphus so he could grab her in for a hug and giggled when he did so.
"Alright Cissy? Hows school for you? Is that little Gryffindor runt still giving you problems or did my little lesson really teach him something?"
"I'm feeling great Roddy! School is a lot better now that the stupid boy has spoken to you though he won't tell anyone quite what you said. I rather suspect that it wasn't what you said but more what you did or threatened to do. But I highly doubt you'll tell me either way, will you?"
"Got to have some secrets!" he laughed jovially.
Then Druella entered the room and upon seeing Rodolphus proclaimed, "Oh, Rodolphus dear, it is very nice to see you again, it has just been too long. And how is your mother? She hasn't been at the club for a long while and I wasn't sure whether to drop by as I didn't know if she was ill or something else..."
Rodolphus bent down and pecked either of her cheeks and then said, "Mother has been ill for a while now but now with the help of Healer Malone she should be well within a few weeks and back to business. I was here today to see if I could steal Bella from you just for a few hours because we both rather need to get outfits for the ball tomorrow night."
"Of course, Rodolphus, you can have her all afternoon as long as she is back by seven as we have a meeting she must attend."
"Thank you, Mrs. Black, that is very kind of you."
"Oh, Rodolphus, please call me Druella, you've known me long enough by now. I'll see you both later then," she finished and after giving them one final smile walked out. Rodolphus leant down and in one fluid motion swept Bella off her feet so he was holding her bridal style. She laughed as they apparated from the house leaving Cissy and Dromeda alone again.
As Narcissa resumed her sewing of her dolls she asked casually, "So Dromeda, how come we haven't heard about you and some boy at school getting together? Trying to keep it quiet or does he not want everyone knowing?"
"I just don't know yet whether he and I can be something?" she replied in a very non-committal manner.
"How can you not know whether it is going to become something good or not?" Narcissa asked interestedly.
"I don't think you really listened to what I was saying there Cissy. I didn't say I did know if it will I said I didn't know if it can become something. Look you're only fourteen, I'm sixteen so I wouldn't expect you to understand such things."
"Don't say things like that Dromeda! Are you saying that if mother and father found out about this relationship they would be disappointed?"
Narcissa was abnormally observant when it came to unsaid things and Dromeda wasn't really surprised she had worked out what she meant. "Is he a muggle?" she asked. This did take Dromeda by surprise. She blushed a deep red and then looked away from her sister so her face didn't completely give her away. Unfortunately her face didn't matter because her body language had already done it.
"Is he a Weasley? A Gryffindor? A girl?"
"I'm not a lesbian! But it's worse than that..." Dromeda said with a small groan and then buried her head under her pillow. She knew Narcissa would wait until she resurfaced to confront her and so she just went ahead and faced her fears. She sat up and looked at her younger sister and then said, "It's a muggle."
"Oh. Well you're right Mother and Father are going to do their nut in when they find out but it will be better to tell them sooner rather than later. Don't worry, I don't think that there is anything wrong with falling for a muggle, that's just the way life goes sometimes."
Dromeda buried her head in her sisters shoulder as she was pulled in for a long sisterly hug. For a minute it felt like the rolls had been reversed and she was the younger sister not Narcissa. "I have to go out tonight with Lucius because he has got tickets for us to see some sort of opera at the grand old theatre in London. This is going to be the first time him and I can go out together without needing a chaperone, now that I am fourteen."
Dromeda really was happy for her sister as the girl deserved everything she got in the way of happiness. "You want me to do your hair and make-up for you?"
"Please Dromeda!" Narcissa replied her eyes shining with eager anticipation at the kind offer. Usually Dromeda would do her hair and make-up when they had some special event to go to so this would be such a nice treat for her. Narcissa soon hair her hair beautifully curled in lovely ringlets and her golden hair hung down to her waist almost. Her eyes were a stunning pale blue flecked with silver and needed little make-up to emphasise but Dromeda had still done an amazing job.
Narcissa took a look at herself in the mirror once her sister was done and then threw herself into her arms screaming, "Thank you!"
The three Black sisters might have spent a lot of their time arguing about petty things but no one could deny the way they loved each other. When Narcissa pulled away Dromeda's kindness seemed to stretch even further and she asked, "Would you like to borrow some of my nice clothes?"
Narcissa looked like she was about to cry when Dromeda pulled out a green dress with diamonds round the v-neckline. It gathered under her chest and then flowed out along the ground with more diamonds pressed in at the bottom. She looked perfect for her date with Lucius as Dromeda knew as well as any that he would expect her to arrive looking impeccable and beautiful. And her baby sister did look beautiful she thought as they heard the bell ring; a house-elf would get it.
"Cissa!" they heard their mother call up the stairs and Cissy turned to Dromeda with a smile to say, "Thank you so much for my clothes, hair and make-up Dromeda, this really is the nicest thing that a sister has ever done. I'll see you when we get back, don't tell them until I do."
As she watched from the top floor, down through the staircase, she saw Lucius take one look at Cissy and pronounce her, "Stunning." She felt a twinge of jealousy that she couldn't just have her beau come to the house and pick her up in the same manner. Then Dromeda began to wonder if, with her family out for the night apart from her parents (Cissy would stay with Lucius family though of course in separate rooms, and Bella often stayed over Rodolphus') that she might be able to sneak off and see him.
Dromeda waited until midnight struck and she heard her parents go to their bedroom for the night. Half an hour later she knew they would be fast asleep and so she slipped out of her bed and went to her wardrobe. From it she pulled out a knee length skirt and a blouse – smart and pretty, but practical unlike her ball gown style dress she had worn all day – and then left the house. She was not legally allowed to apparate yet but she found a house elf who had to oblige her request to apparate her to the muggle village as she was it's master. The elf soon disappeared muttering things about how it would have to punish itself that night.
Dromeda hurried through the town until she came upon the house that she had been too many times before, always in secret. She could see from her view as she walked up the path that Ted and his family (mother, father, three sisters, two brothers) were sitting talking and playing cards. Gently she knocked on the door and then waited until Ted's father opened it.
"Good evening, Mr Tonks, I wonder if I may see Ted?"
"Why of course my dear do come along in! We were just playing cards in the living room and if you two lovers wish then you may certainly join us. Though I would completely understand if you would rather go upstairs together to talk or whatever. Come on through! I must say you are the most unusual time chooser for a girlfriend that Ted has ever had, isn't she Maureen?"
"Oh, is it Dromeda? Dromeda come on through!" she called out. Dromeda did walk on through once Ted's father took her coat and hung it up on one of the pegs. She walked into the room and smiled everyone in there and everyone in there smiled back at her. Ted was sitting in his mothers arms on the sofa with her smiling up at his loving girlfriend and it was clear that Mr. Tonks had been sitting next to him before the doorbell rang. Anna was sitting on the floor by the fire, painting her toenails a bright green colour. Clarissa or Claire was playing cards with them but at the same time had a thick book in her left hand making it clear she was multi-tasking. Martina or Marty for short was still young at only seven but she loved playing cards and always had her devilish face on when playing. The two brothers, Emmanuel and Robert, sat on the floor with identical smiles plastered on their identical faces.
Ted pulled gently out of his mother's arms and then got up to give his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek. "You want to stay here or go up to the room?" he asked her quietly as everyone started up talking again.
"Would you mind terribly if we just stayed here with your family? You know how my family aren't really into being together as a family so coming here is a nice break to do just that," she replied equally quietly into his ear.
Ted smiled at her and said, "Of course." Then he led her over to the oversized patchwork armchair that filled a corner of the room and pulled her down onto his lap in the chair. She smiled as she snuggled up against his chest gently and listened to the casual conversation that filled the room – free of Politics and arguments. Then she zoned back in as Ted's mother Joan and his father Colin asked as they leant forwards, "So when are we going to meet your parents, Dromeda? Do you still live with them or someone else?"
"No, I live with my younger sister only because they passed away a while ago. We are cared for by a very dear friend of mine who is of course old enough to take responsibility for us even though I look after the house."
"My dear, you do know that whenever you wish to come and stay here for a night or as long as you like, you are most welcome? Please don't hesitate to drop in on us at any time because there is always someone at least at home. If you and your sister ever need a break then you can always come here. Could we meet this sister of yours at some point?"
"Of course," she replied with a fake smile that they didn't see through. Andromeda leant against Ted's chest and he wrapped his arms round her thin body and pulled her closer. When he realized she had fallen asleep in his arms he didn't bother to wake her and just closed his eyes as his family left them to go to their own beds.
Dromeda woke the next morning feeling good to be waking up in Ted's arms but then she froze. She glanced at the clock and saw it was ten in the morning and at once leapt from Teddy's arms with a terrified look on her face. Teddy was half-awake and she said quickly, "I have to go but I'll be back to see you soon!"
She was gone back to her own house before he could say anything in time to find her mother and father standing in her room looking angry. "Andromeda Mercutio Sarina Black, you have a couple of seconds to explain why you didn't sleep in your own bed last night."
"Last night I got an owl from one of my friends from school, Patricia, you remember her," Andromeda lied fluently, "Her grandmother died last night and she was utterly devastated, you know, like anyone would be. She really needed someone to look after her last night so I flooed over there in the early hours. Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up."
"Oh, is Patricia alright?" Druella asked and at once hers and Cygnus' faces softened considerably.
"Well she's pretty cut up but I think I managed to get her feeling a lot better you know," Andromeda lied.
"Then you must invite her over, as it's never good to remain in a negative environment in a time of sadness. Come on, I shall go and owl her mother right now," Druella said to Andromeda's horror.
"Mother really I don't think-!" Andromeda started but she was at once cut off by her father speaking – a rare occurrence.
"Nonsense Andromeda, don't be so ridiculous all the time. Now stop answering back to your mother and let her do what she wants to do-"
"I lied! I lied, alright, I wasn't at Patricia's house and her grandmother hasn't died as far as I know. I was at someone's house last night but I really don't see how it is any of your business who they are," Dromeda snapped.
"We are your mother and father, you shall respect us and you shall tell us at once whose house you were at last night," Cygnus demanded.
"I was at my boyfriend's house if you must know," Dromeda snapped the anger now building inside her. She stormed across the room to look out of her window as the news sunk into her parent's minds. She knew that they would want to know more about him but for a few seconds she could kid herself that nothing bad was going to happen. Then her mother said, "Who is he?"
"He's a muggle."