Chapter 1: Druella Black's Guide to Perfection
Author's note:
Hey! I'm new to fanfiction and this is my first. The Black sisters were very intriguing in the books and so this fic is about them. Mostly canon. Reviews would definitely prompt fast updates. Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciation even more so.
"Stop chewing your nails, Andromeda. It's unbecoming for a lady and frankly you look disgusting", spat out the cold voice of Druella Black, sounding like a whiplash across delicate skin. Sixteen year old Andromeda Black winced and muttered an apology. She glanced furtively at the huge pendulum clock, silently willing for the gold dials to move faster.
Today was the big day. Her sister, Bellatrix-the eldest of the three daughters of Cygnus and Druella Black- was getting engaged in a lavish ceremony to her long time beau Rodolphus Lestrange. Andromeda and Narcissa, the youngest of the sisters were sitting with their mother in the grand parlor, going through the arrangements of the evening for the nth time. It was only natural- when you were a Black, your every move demanded perfection. Clumsiness and rash behavior was frowned upon and a normal person's definition of 'fun' was considered to be the grossest of crimes and yielded stiff punishment.
"Mother, Slinky hasn't ironed my party robes yet", the whiny voice of Narcissa Black broke the icy silence prevailing over the parlor. Druella, who was going through the guest list with a smug expression on her formidable face, was furious at being interrupted. "Then summon her Cissa and make the good-for-nothing twat do the job", she hissed menacingly. "And don't interrupt me again."
Narcissa scowled, her perfect face getting pinched. There was no denying to the fact that Narcissa was the most beautiful of the three sisters. Her straight, almost white blonde hair, icy grey eyes and full pink lips on her pale translucent skin made her appear like Aphrodite herself. She was the perfect daughter-obedient, submissive and sweet on the outside and possessing a cunning and manipulative mind behind the sweet demeanor. She understood the politics of the social circle, the ways of the pureblood society and conducted herself with admirable grace. At only the delicate age of fourteen, she was already the belle of the society, with men-both young and old- fawning over her, trying to win her affections, which she had set aside for one particular man- Lucius Malfoy. The Malfoys were a well known pureblood family with a high social status, rivaling that of the Blacks. Druella couldn't get more pleased. Lucius Malfoy was the sole heir to his father's fortune and family name. Such a match could only have been 'made in heaven'.
Andromeda-the middle sister-the one who was reprimanded was chewing her nails was just as pretty. One might think that the constant inbreeding due to marriage to cousins would mar the Blacks' beauty but their aristocratic looks held strong and striking, turning heads everywhere. Andromeda wasn't Aphrodite like Narcissa but she was no less magnificent. Her glossy black hair fell in curls to her waist, her chocolate brown eyes blazing like molten cocoa and her olive toned skin as smooth as the silk she wore. She was in a sharp contrast to Narcissa's icy beauty. While Cissa's beauty dimmed everyone in comparison, Andromeda's warm aura beautified everything with its brilliance.
"Cissy", Druella's voice echoed across the enormous room. "Call Bella", she said. "It's time to get ready for the party. You too, Meda", she looked at Andromeda who was lost in a novel. "Get your nose out of that trash. It's going to serve you no good. For goodness sake's get ready and do find yourself an eligible man. You are sixteen and unattached. Merlin knows you will remain a spinster for the rest of your miserable life if you go on like this", she huffed and marched out of the room.
Meda sighed. This was routine. She was constantly pestered to find herself a nice pureblood man, her future groom, as soon as possible. It wasn't as if men didn't want her. She could have them drooling at her feet at her whim but there wasn't anybody that she particularly liked. Her favorite Uncle Alphard had told her, "Marriage is the sacred union of two souls, not some business contract. If you marry at all, marry for love." Somehow Meda hadn't found her 'love' yet.
"Merlin Meda!" Cissy exclaimed. "Mother's right. Guys fawn over you and you hardly notice. If I hadn't seen you salivating over Roderick Lockhart's picture, I could've sworn that you were a queer", Narcissa sniggered. Meda laughed and shoved her sister playfully. "I'd rather snog girls than look twice at Malfoy", she shot back, snickering as Cissa's eyes narrowed.
Narcissa's retort was cut off by a loud bang as the parlor door was slammed open and Bellatrix strode inside, her black robes billowing behind her, cheeks flushed and hair mussed.
Bella Black was….something else. She had a dangerous kind of a beauty-the fatal kind-that made her seem even more glorious than Narcissa. Her thick black hair, fell straight to the middle of her back, her heavily lidded eyes that could seem hopelessly bored in one instance and dangerously mad in the next, glinted in the soft light. She was rash and confident, arrogant and merciless. There were very few witches and wizards who could match her in a duel. She was powerful and she knew it and she didn't hesitate to exercise that power to get what she wanted. Unlike Cissa, she didn't hide behind a mask of demureness and vulnerability but spoke her mind. This power and arrogance made her even more breathtaking than her sisters.
"Where in the name of Merlin's most baggy shorts are you coming from?" Cissa asked, curiously taking in her disheveled state. Meda looked on, having a fair idea about her sister's endeavors. Bella gave a lopsided smile, her full lips curving into half a smirk. "I'd gone to meet Rod of course", she stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Cissa gasped dramatically and Meda grinned, her suspicions confirmed.
"It's no way for a lady to behave!" Cissa admonished her.
Bella snorted in the most unladylike manner and flipped her off rudely. "Couldn't care less" she said, emphasizing each word separately. Meda laughed.
Bella was the rebel of the family. She refused to follow the carefully set rules by Druella Black-they were so beneath her. Being the perfect lady was the last thing she desired but strangely this heightened her appeal even more. Bella was undoubtedly the jewel of the family-the son that Cygnus had so desperately craved and never had- the one who had never followed Druella Black's guide to womanhood but had won the battle for dominance nevertheless. Narcissa was the pretty little perfectionist and sweet Andromeda was the oddball, never quite fitting but always striving to live up to her mother's insanely high expectations.
So that was the first chapter- just sort of an introduction to the epic story ahead. Review!