Author's Note: No, the ages are not canon. The birth order is though. This is indeed a one-shot, hope everyone enjoys! Read and review and make my day!
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own these characters. Ms. Rowling graciously lent them to me for the purposes of this little story.
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It was a cool summer night and the air was ripe with possibilities. Bellatrix Black flitted across the garden, using her mother's wand, as she was only sixteen and not quite of age, to arrange the bouquets of black roses and light the lamps that lit up the black skies.
Andromeda Black, fifteen, nervously arranged the drinks. Gilly-water, fire whiskey, gin…their parents would be furious, but Bellatrix insisted- "It's not a party without a few drinks, Andy!"- and Andromeda found drinking a tumbler of gin helped loosen her up, helped her not be too timid around the mighty Slytherin purebloods that frequented her sister's parties.
Narcissa Black, thirteen and beautiful, stood by the crystal pond in the garden, studying her reflection. This was the first party Bellatrix let her come to, and she couldn't be more excited. She let her long, golden hair shimmer down her bare shoulders as she twirled around, letting her white dress fan out above her dainty slippers. "How do I look, Bellatrix?" she asked, craving her eldest sister's approval.
Bellatrix ignored her, focused on making the garden turn into a magical place, a place of dreams. Andromeda took pity on her baby sister. "You look amazing, Cissy."
Narcissa smiled happily. "When will the guests arrive?"
Bellatrix almost skipped over to a waiting house-elf, thrusting her mother's wand into its hands. "Any minute now," she purred, fluffing up her ebony curls. Her dark eyes were set off beautifully by her blood red dress that left little to the imagination.
"You look great, Bella," Andromeda remarked, a little jealously. She always felt like the ugly duckling when compared to her beautiful sisters.
Bellatrix tossed her a bright smile. "Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself, Andy," Bella remarked, taking notice of Andromeda's gleaming copper ringlets and pretty mint green dress.
Andromeda giggled as the first guests began to Apparate in the garden. The three Black sisters beamed with excitement and played the role of gracious hostesses perfectly.
The boys (and the guests were mainly boys, as Bellatrix had been in charge of the guest list) flocked to Narcissa, who flourished under all the attention. She sat on a bench, the perfect princess, her male subjects spread out by her feet.
The remaining boys who weren't with Narcissa followed Bellatrix, as they took shots of alcohol, and danced in the garden. Bella flung her arms out and laughed as she spun in a circle, her ebony hair streaming around her, drunk on the alcohol and on life itself.
Andromeda tried to mingle with the crowd, laughing a little bit too loudly, drinking a little bit too much. She lacked the poise of her younger sister and the gaiety of her older sister. She knew this, and was always trying to make up for it.
The party raged on throughout the night. Bellatrix was led into the house, giggling and smirking at her sisters, by a tall, handsome boy. Narcissa found her prince, a blonde boy, who was cold and beautiful, much like Narcissa herself. And Andromeda couldn't find any boy that she liked as much as that boy from school, the boy she was forbidden to see. So she let a proper, pureblood, Slytherin boy cover her with sloppy kisses as she laid back and thought of that beautiful, forbidden boy.
Bellatrix came back out to the garden, her dress rumpled and her eyes gleaming as she searched for her next conquest. Narcissa fell asleep in the lap of the beautiful, cold boy, who stroked her golden hair as he showed off a tattoo on his arm and laughed mirthlessly. And little Andromeda reluctantly let the Slytherin boy inside her, as tears formed in her clear gray eyes.
As the sun rose, the guests left. Bellatrix's various conquests left without a word to her. Bella tossed her curls like it didn't matter, but the way she gulped down the remainder of the fire-whiskey and crumpled to the ground said otherwise. Narcissa's prince kissed her softly on the lips, and left, leaving Narcissa dreamily staring into the clouds. And Andromeda's proper Slytherin boy grinned and pushed himself off her, leaving Andromeda in a ball. She wept for herself and for that beautiful, forbidden boy.
After a bit, the three Black sisters regained their composure. Bellatrix brushed off her blood red dress and slapped on a cocky grin. Narcissa stood up and tucked away her pleasure, leaving a pleased smile as the only evidence. And Andromeda straightened up, discreetly wiping away the blood, the reminders of her terrible mistake, and forced a smile on her face.
"I think this party was a success," Bellatrix said loudly.
Narcissa giggled. "I think so."
Andromeda bit her lip. "It definitely exceeded my expectations."
Bellatrix grinned at her younger sisters. "Of course it was a success. The Black parties are always a success."
Andromeda nodded. Their parties always were a little wilder, a little more fun, a little more unforgettable.
Bellatrix shrugged as she flounced in the house to change. "Well, how could it not be a success?" She turned back to her sisters. "We're the Black sisters."
"The best of the best," Narcissa said confidently.
Andromeda twirled a copper ringlet around her finger, staying silent, just nodding in agreement.
Because there could be nothing less than agreement. Yes, they were the Black sisters. And they were indeed the best, the wildest, the most unforgettable, of all the pureblood witches.
fin.