Pretty In Pink (And Green)
Chapter One:
When You're A Black

"Cissy, you do have to promise me that you won't wind up like–" Bellatrix sneered "–that blood traitor."

I sighed. "Bella, you're being ridiculous. I won't wind up like her; you know how I hate Mudbloods. Meda–"

"Don't you dare speak that name, Narcissa!"

"Fine, she never hated Mudbloods. You recall as well as I that she always used to stand up for them in family debates."

"That is true, I suppose. Though that would mean that we have to watch out for darling cousin Sirius, Cissy. And by us, of course, I mean you."

"Of course I'll watch out for him, Bella. By the time he gets home for Christmas, he'll be as Slytherin and you and I. He is a Black, after all."

"But of course, Narcissa, but so was she."

I nodded to show my agreement with Bellatrix, but mostly I was just wondering why she was here. Term started tomorrow, and she must have wanted to tell me something dreadfully important.

"You turn sixteen before Christmas holidays, Cissy. Sixteen is a very important age."

So that's what she wanted? I scoffed.

"No."

"Why not, Cissy? You always wanted power, glory… you can get it all now, through the Dark Lord!"

"Bellatrix," I said, turning away from my packing and facing her for the first time, standing up to my full 5'5" frame, "I want power, yes, of course. I'm a Black, all of us want something – power, money, fame, glory, jewels, something. However, I am not going to sell my soul to him. Yes, Bella," I sighed, cutting her off, "of course I agree with him. However, I don't want to risk my life for agreeing with him. I want power, yes, but through a conduit – a wizard. I'll be the most powerful woman in the world – hidden meekly behind the most powerful wizard in the world."

"Hidden?" Bellatrix prompted, interested now.

"Well, technically. People will see me, of course, though they'll assume that I'm just a trophy wife. They'll all assume that I'm pretty, rich, though a bit dim-witted. They won't see that I'm clever, calculating, manipulative, and completely determined to get what I want."

For the first time in my memory, I saw something like respect shining in Bellatrix's eyes. "I had no idea that you were so… determined, Cissy. I won't ask you again to join the Dark Lord. Clearly," she said, rising, readying herself to take her leave, "you are still a Black, through and through, my dearest sister. Your ways of getting what you want are just as devious as mine… albeit in different ways."

She sighed, pulling on her traveling cloak. "I bid you adieu, sister. I'll see you at Christmas, of course."

"Of course, Bella. It's been a pleasure having you here to keep me company whilst I pack." I was lying through my teeth; I wanted nothing more than to see my sister out the door. I wouldn't be able to breathe properly unless I did.

If she saw through my lie, she certainly made no show of it, as she left almost immediately afterward.

I sat down on my bed, holding my favourite throw pillow to my chest, absently playing with the tassels. I was thinking of ways that I could achieve my goal. I'd told no one of this goal of course – except my sisters.

Andromeda I'd told when I was thirteen, when the goal had entered my brain. I'd been in second year and Andromeda was already dating that – that blasted Tonks who took her away from us. She'd told no one but Regulus and I one evening, while Bella had gone to a party with our parents, and Aunt Walburga and Uncle Orion had taken Sirius to pick out his first racing broom (and presumably a day out to town). It had been Andromeda's job to watch us, and Regulus – who was sweet and thoughtful even then – had been worried that Sirius wasn't going to come back. Andromeda and I worked together to calm him, to no avail. She managed to pacify him with a secret. She was dating someone – a Hufflepuff – in secret. She didn't tell Regulus (or even me) that he was a Mudblood. None of us knew that until she had married him last year. Was it only a year? It felt like so long, and I really did miss my sister. I had a reputation to hold up, and had only cried about her in front of someone once – Regulus right after she'd left, we were both sobbing – and privately only twenty or so times. When I'd told Andromeda of my goal, she'd praised me. She told me that I was clever and pretty enough to do it flawlessly, and a Black, and we didn't lose. She was the catalyst for my goal. If it hadn't been for her, I might actually be considering Bella's offer right now.

Bellatrix. I hadn't wanted to tell her, for fear she'd insult me or try to manipulate me into thinking that her way was right, and so her acceptance was very shocking – and suspicious. Bella and I had never been particularly close – Bella wasn't close with anyone, except maybe the Dark Lord, and never had been. She honestly didn't miss Andromeda's presence at family gatherings and soirées. I did, though by now, thankfully, it had reduced to a dull ache whenever her name was mentioned.

"Cissa?"

I looked up to meet a pair of grey eyes. It could have been any one of my family – though the innocence clearly said that it had to be one of my younger cousins.

"Why are you crying?"

Belatedly, I noticed that tears had been rolling down my cheeks and my long, upturned nose and onto my pillow, staining it.

My first impulse was to lie. I would miss home. But then I blinked, looked at him, and realised that it was Regulus. I didn't need to hide anything from him, he'd never tell.

"I merely... miss Andromeda. That's all, Regulus."

"I miss her too," he said, sitting down on my settee. "I can't imagine what I'd do if Sirius were disowned."

I'd forgotten that he was ten years old. I always did, as he was my youngest cousin, and as such I always pictured him younger than he was. But at his age, I would sit at home and anxiously await any owls from my sisters, and hoping that I'd get my Hogwarts letter soon... it was always terrible and heartbreaking to see Meda and Bella off at King's Cross. I'd taken to trying to spend as much time away from them as possible, to lessen the pain.

That must be how he must be feeling now. That's why he's not shadowing Sirius.

"He won't be," I said firmly. "Andromeda is the only one who will leave this family, Regulus. She has to be. We're already starting to break from the inside – who knows what Bella does, then there's the two of us questioning everything but saying nothing, and then there's Sirius..." I broke off. Sirius had Bella's sheer talent, arrogance, and temper, but Andromeda's courage to stand up for his beliefs. If any of us were to break and bring down the once Noble House that was becoming less of a stone manor house and more of a house of exploding snap cards, it would be him, without a doubt. "No one will leave this family, Regulus. We'll remain as noble and strong as we've always been. There's always a few who get blown off of the tree every generation... we were just unfortunate enough to be close to the one of ours."

I think that he believed me, but he had mastered what Meda had nicknamed "Le Masque de Noir" - the mask of Black – so well that I couldn't read any of his emotions anymore.

"You're right," Regulus said, nodding. "Though I still miss her."

"As do I, my dear cousin," I sighed, meaning every word. I stood up and walked toward the door to my bedroom. "Now, shall we go downstairs and see what everyone else is doing?"

"Wait, Cissa, I wanted to talk to you. I wouldn't have come into your bedchamber otherwise."

That was true, so I sat down next to him. "What is it?"

"I'll miss the two of you," he said, suddenly hugging me tightly.

"I'll miss you, too, Regulus. I always do."

He released me. "Promise me you'll take care of Sirius?"

"I promise you that I'll do everything in my power."

It would turn out to be true, but at that point, my power wasn't nearly influential enough.

A/N: Title credits go to the Parselmouths. They always will for this fanfiction, as I've decided on using titles from Parselmouths songs and albums since they, for the most part, fit this fanfic. Also - I feel like I have to specify - there is NO Blackcest whatsoever. There's family, and then there's romance... but no one in the Black family falls for another Black. Just so that's clear. And this is also not in the same universe as Disenchanted, In The Life of Skye Black, Forget and Not Slow Down, Lily's Guide to Life, Perfect Situation, Drowning Lessons, Ten Reasons To Hate Being a Teenager and Regina, which, blimey, I just realised are all in the same universe. Wow. It's due time for a not-Disenchanted-verse fic, and here it is.