Bellatrix and Andromeda
The rain tapped against the window in the dark, spacious house. It was on the second floor, on the single wall where the vines hadn't been trimmed, for they had been there for as long as the House of Black had existed officially.
Two young girls were rowing again. The first one, a dark girl with heavily lidded dark eyes and black curls, was taunting her younger sister. Her younger sister was crying and tugging at her soft brown braids, tied by red silk ribbons.
"Bella! Give me my dolly!" she howled.
Bellatrix smiled innocently and rushed to the window, opening it. "Come and get it!" she said in honey sweet tones. "Or is little Andie too fwightened to climb down?"
Her sister growled and pounced on her, but her violent outburst was unnecessary. Bellatrix was suspended upside down, as if by an invisible hook, and Andromeda shrieked with delight. The dark girl hit the ceiling and shouted, "I'll get you for this one!"
Suddenly, they heard big, heavy steps from their hand-carved staircase. The elder fell in a heap on the floor, got up, and went back to sit on her bed, glaring at her sister but not daring to make another move, while Andromeda tensed, bit her lip, and went to recuperate her doll, pressing it against her chest, for it was their father coming.
Cygnus's mental instability was legend in their family, one of the marks that showed that interbreeding could cause nefast damages to later descendants. The two Black sisters were all afraid of him, and even Druella kept a safe distance from her husband during his bad days. She had taught her children to do the same; it was one of the primary reasons they never descended to the main floor other than during mealtimes and when demanded.
He opened the door, ran a hand through his long dark hair while his dark eyes surveyed the bedroom, and then he smiled, though not reassuringly. "I heard commotion upstairs. Would you girls enlighten me on what had happened? Perhaps you, Bellatrix?"
Bellatrix regarded him calmly and Andromeda had to admire her courage. "We were rowing, Father; however now all is well."
Cygnus sighed; perhaps it was one of his better days. "You girls know well that fighting is not permitted in my house. Bellatrix, Andromeda, you two are lucky, as I am in a remarkably good mood today, because you have a new baby sister, so it will go unpunished, just this once."
The girls looked at each other, grinning. "Will we get to visit Mummy in St Mungo's, then, Father?" inquired Andromeda. "And the new baby?"
"Yes." Cygnus glanced at their wardrobe and called, "Jackie!" A young house-elf appeared and stared at his master. "Master called?"
"Of course he did. Jackie, see to that Bellatrix and Andromeda get properly dressed for this atrocious weather. I will be waiting downstairs."
While Jackie dressed them, Bellatrix and Andromeda chatted about how the new baby would look like, all argument seemingly forgotten. However when they walked out, clad in fancy coats, Bella whispered in her sister's ear, "I'm still not finished with you, Andromeda Elladora Black."
Andromeda was so excited at the prospect to be an older sister able to boss around a younger one that she didn't hear her sister. Once they got to the hospital, they followed their father quietly until he opened the door to one of the rooms and said, smiling, "You may enter now, girls."
Druella was sitting on the bed, eating her breakfast, and something like a grin flittered across her haughty Rosier features. She had blue-green heavily lidded eyes and curly pale blond hair with golden streaks in it. "Hello, Bella, Andie," she greeted warmly when she saw them.
"Mummy!" cried Andromeda, and even Bellatrix let her guard drop. They rushed over to hug her while Cygnus kissed his wife's forehead. "Are you feeling well, darling?" he asked.
"I am fine, Cygnus," said Druella. "I've never felt better, really." She turned to the girls. "So, did you want to see your new baby sister?"
"Yes!"
She gestured to the crib next to her. "She is probably sleeping in there."
Cygnus bent down and picked her up. The baby's eyes were closed, but then she opened her eyes. They were a striking shade of icy sky blue, framed by pale eyelashes, and the little bit of hair on her head matched Druella's colour. "Meet Narcissa Corona Black," he said.
The older Black sisters looked at each other and unknowingly, made an identical mental vow to always protect their sister and be there for her.
I decided to re-submit this, as it would be a waste if I deleted this story, and I've gotten a few other ideas for this. So, this fic will not only include Sirius and his generation (Bellatrix, Andromeda, Narcissa, Regulus), but also Draco, Tonks, Scorpius, and maybe even Teddy.
Please read and review!
