Happier Than They Had Ever Been
Chapter 1-Narcissa
It all began one stormy night as I was passing my father's room on my way to the dining chamber. The door was slightly ajar and as I crossed it, a protruding nail caught at the hem of my silk evening dress and I was obliged to bend down and unhook it. It was at this time when I heard my name mentioned inside.
I paused, hesitated and then pressed my face to the door in the most dignified way possible.
Father was seated at his desk, his fingers laced through each other and in the firelight I could see the signet ring sparkle on his middle finger. It was a Black family heirloom and had been in the family for almost eight generations. Father was immensely proud of it, as he was of all the other family heirlooms that we possessed.
He was leaning over his desk and speaking to my sister Bella! I nearly gasped and held my breath. I hadn't seen my sister for over five years, ever since her wedding to Rodolphus Lestrange. I knew, she had never cared for him or for anyone for that matter, preferring to serve the Dark Lord alone. Father had objected severely, wishing her to make an alliance with the pureblooded Lestrange family. Bella did not speak a word of protest (which was most unlike her), but never returned home again, even to visit. Not even to comfort us when we were in temporary disgrace two years later. Mother had said that she had never forgiven Father.
Even now I knew that she never would. Seated opposite him, her eyes bored into Father's and her teeth were bared as she snarled, "You wish her to form an alliance with a weakling?"
"Bellatrix", Father's tone was icy. " He serves the Dark Lord, and serves him well."
I flinched, expecting Bella to cower but she did not. She stood up.
"Not as much as he ought to, being fortunate enough to be selected by the Dark Lord himself," she said, her black eyes gleaming from her dark lids. "He is a disgrace. To the Dark Lord. To the rest of us, who serve the Dark Lord as he deserves to be served. He is a coward. A coward!" She whispered the last word, as if suddenly afraid to be overheard. Father looked taken aback, but soon regained his composure.
"He is rich...and his family comes of respectable and pure blood," he began.
"Blood!", spat Bella. "What do you know of blood? Otherwise you wouldn't have let your daughter marry that Mudblood."
I gasped. Bella had gone too far. My other sister Andromeda's name, had not been mentioned in the house for almost three years now. Ever since Father had disowned her for marrying a Muggle-born classmate of hers from Hogwarts; and he had forbidden any mention of her or her marriage. It was almost as if she had never existed.
"Bellatrix!", Father growled, standing up and reaching out to grab her arm. She twisted away with unsurprising agility.
"Impure blood has already entered our family, Father;" she sneered, "And you scheme to ruin us further. You wish to arouse the displeasure of the Dark Lord."
Father sat down weakly, and put his head in his hands. "But the Dark Lord favours him."
"Only for the present.", Bella said triumphantly. "Soon the misty veil he has cast over the Dark Lord's eyes shall fade and the Dark Lord will see him for who he is. And then," her voice had sunk into a malicious whisper. "And then he will have no name, no money, no blood to protect him when the wrath of the Dark Lord descends."
"But I have given my word."
"Take it back then." Bella's voice had a ring of finality. "Not unless you want our family's name to sink beneath the filthiest of bloods. Not unless you want to later repent having given Cissy to Lucius Malfoy."
My fingers went numb and I grasped the doorknob, my heart hammering. Where had I heard that name before? Then I realized with a thrill of horror, that it was my marriage they were discussing. Suddenly, I saw Bella come towards the door behind which I was standing, with Father following close behind. I scuttled over to the corner of the corridor and concealed myself behind the statue of my grandfather Pollux Black, and watched with big eyes as Bella strode down the long hallway, with Father vainly trying to keep up with her. I followed at a discreet distance and stood behind another statue.
Bella opened our main door and slipped out, her long black cloak flapping in the wind. As the door slammed shut, Father mopped his forehead and leaned against the door weakly, suddenly looking ten years older. The door to his right opened and Mother came out, her forehead creased, looking as if her worst fears were confirmed. Evidently she was aware of what had just happened.
"Are you going to do as she says?" she asked.
"No", Father's tone was menacing. "I have given my word and I intend to keep it. Narcissa shall marry Lucius Malfoy and no one else."
I gasped back a sob, and watched as Father and Mother made their way to the dining chamber. I crept out of my hiding place and waited for them to be out of earshot before I proceeded to the dining chamber myself. I paused outside its door and opened it a crack.
"What will Cissy say?" I heard Mother ask.
"Nothing", Father replied curtly. "She knows her duty."
"But Cygnus, he..."
"Druella, Lucius is a fine young man. He is influential, rich and his family comes of pure stock. Moreover, he serves the Dark Lord well. Your Cissy will be part of another prestigious and powerful family and besides I have already replied to Abraxas Malfoy."
"But Bella said..." Mother began.
I didn't want to hear those words repeated. The very mention of the Dark Lord sent quivers down my spine. I opened the door and both Father and Mother fell silent as I entered.
Father was seated at the head of the table and Mother was at its foot. I made my way to the centre and sat at Father's left.
We had just begun our first course when the rest of the family trooped in. Mother, anxious to please, immediately started dispensing soup. My uncle Orion seated himself beside Father on his right and next to him sat Father's brother, Uncle Alphard. Then Aunt Walburga, Father's sister, swept in. With an approving glance in my direction, she sat next to Father on his left, opposite Uncle Orion. Their children, my underage cousins Sirius and Regulus Black, sat opposite me.
Though silence at the table had never been a new thing, I felt very uncomfortable that night. I wished someone would say something. I glanced at Father but he was looking at me. I immediately bent my head and picked up my goblet. As I took a sip, my eyes fell on our family motto that was engraved on the rim of my plate, 'Tojours Pur'. Suddenly the word 'duty' resonated in my head, in Father's voice.
I gulped and set the goblet down with a noisy sloshing sound and a loud clunk. Instantly all eyes were on me. I could sense Mother's and Aunt Walburga's glares on me and my face grew hot.
Sirius chuckled and as their glares shifted to him, I breathed a sigh of relief and looked up. Sirius was looking at me, his eyes dancing with amusement. I nearly smiled at him but under Father's stern eye, dared not.
My cousin Sirius Black was the eldest son of Uncle Orion and Aunt Walburga, yet had been quite a disappointment to both of them. For by the tender age of eight, he had decided to go against the principles of our family. Much to the chagrin of everyone in the family, he had been Sorted into Gryffindor when he had joined Hogwarts, while all the rest of us had been in Slytherin. My aunt Walburga detested him and never bothered to hide it; while my uncle seemed almost indifferent to him, both preferring to shower all their love on their second son, Regulus.
But Sirius never seemed to care. The only one in the family he ever displayed affection to was my sister, Andromeda. He alone was unsurprised when she announced her decision to marry a Muggle-born wizard to all of us. But like me, he never saw her again.
My cousin Regulus, was different. Though Sirius was the rightful heir of the Black family, it was Regulus who received the most, both in care and love, when it was obvious where his priorities lay. My aunt regularly mourned the fact that he had no chance of being Father's heir, as Sirius had been born before him. Though he was not even half as handsome as his brother, Regulus had a presence: a cruel commanding air about him just like Father did, that made him perfect to head our family.
He was gazing at me now, with icy indifference. I felt a rush of annoyance and then bent my head, ashamed of myself. The engraved words at the edge of my plate caught my eye again. The ebony lettering made a stark contrast with the fifteenth-century goblin wrought silver it was engraved upon. It seemed almost to pierce my eyes.
As soon as everyone had begun on their third course, I rose and excused myself, feeling the weight of my duty too much to bear.
Up in my bedchamber, I tried to recall where I had heard the name before. Lucius Malfoy. It did strike a chord in my memory but I wasn't sure. I slept fitfully that night, repeatedly waking up trembling, from nightmares involving the Dark Lord punishing an unknown man and me as we knelt before him.
I had never been more thankful to wake up and get dressed, when morning finally arrived.
I slipped down to the dining chamber before everybody else and silently picked at my food till they all left.
I wrapped my black cloak around me and donning my hood, I crept out of the house. Standing on the doorstep, I pulled out my wand and Apparated right in front of the Lestrange Mansion, Bella's current home. I took a deep breath before knocking. An ancient house-elf answered the door and looked up at me inquiringly.
"M..Madam Lestrange?", I stammered. To my surprise I found that that my voice was slightly shaky. Then she ushered me into what looked like a waiting chamber and said squeakily,
"My mistress will be with you shortly. Who may I say is calling?"
"Miss Black", I replied, my voice now steady. The house-elf immediately bowed and scuttled away into an inner room. I sat down delicately on a high backed chair and surveyed my present surroundings. The house looked as gloomy and magnificent as my own, but seemed slightly smaller. On hearing a sound from the adjoining room, I walked towards the door and finding it slightly ajar, tried to peer inside.
A man...no, not a man, a being sat upright on a chair in the centre of the room. A pale creature with red eyes and thin, snake-like slits for a nose. Feeling nauseous, I staggered backwards, when suddenly, it dawned on me that the creature I was looking at was the Dark Lord himself. I took another deep breath and tried to focus.
Bella stood with one hand on the Dark Lord's chair her eyes gazing at him with something akin to adoration. Flanking her on either side were her husband, Rodolphus Lestrange and his brother Rabastan. I noticed the house- elf standing respectfully, a little distance behind as if waiting for something to end before approaching Bella.
Kneeling before the Dark Lord, with bent head was a man whose face I could not see, but whose hair was as silvery blond as my own.
"You have good news for me, Lucius?", the Dark Lord's voice was high and cold; it sent numb trickles of fear down my back. Then I realized with a start that the man kneeling before the Dark Lord was the man I was expected to marry.
"Yes, my lord"
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room grew tenser, as if even the walls were listening.
"Was everyone killed?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Were there any witnesses?"
"One, my lord. A Mud-blood from the Magical Law Enforcement Office"
"Did you kill him?"
"No, my lord. But he was Imperiused and Obliviated. He has no memory of what he saw."
"Good." The Dark Lord spent a few minutes in silent contemplation. The man at his feet continued to stay there. Rodolphus and Rabastan looked at each other.
"My lord," Bella's tone was soft, softer than I had ever heard it. The Dark Lord lifted one long white hand and Bella felt silent immediately, her head bowed.
"Meanwhile, I intend to stay here for a few more days, by which hopefully, we should have made further progress."
"My lord, we could never be more honoured." Bella moved forward slightly, her lips curved in an adoring smile while her eyes glowed with an intense passion of the kind no one had ever kindled in her before. But the Dark Lord was looking down at the figure kneeling at his feet and waved a dismissive hand.
"You may leave, Lucius."
It suddenly dawned on me that if I did not want to be discovered, I had better leave. I turned back the way I had come and stood by the door, trying to appear calm and patient.
The door swung open and in strode Lucius Malfoy, his walk purposeful and aristocratic. On beholding me, he stopped. There was no sign of recognition in his eyes. It was evident he had no idea who I was.
He was dressed in black robes and carried a staff in one hand. His silvery blond hair cascaded over his shoulders, slightly disheveled and there was a nasty gash on one cheek. Yet I found that I could not drag my eyes from his face. His eyes were a steady gray and they stared into mine gravely but curiously. I stared back, my feet rooted to the ground.
A sudden clatter of footsteps outside drew my eyes away from his. Bella appeared at the doorway, the house-elf at her heels. On seeing him, her eyes glittered like two hot coals, narrowing with hatred.
"Out, Malfoy", she snarled through gritted teeth.
He turned unhurriedly but disdainfully, towards her.
"It would be my utmost pleasure," his mouth curled into a sneer, "Madam Lestrange."
Bella seemed to cringe at those last words and she pursed up her lips as if to spit at him. But he only smiled mockingly, and with a contemptuous bow, swept towards the door.
Bella turned to me.
"Cissy," she seemed almost worried. "Narcissa. What's the matter? Why are you here?" She grabbed my hand and led me to an inner door. She went in and as I paused with my hand on the door, I glanced at him. He was standing at the main door, with one leg and his staff over the threshold. As the wind ruffled his long hair, he looked at me, his arresting face calm once more and smiled. Then he stepped out; the door banging behind him.
Inside, I turned and faced my sister.