A Black Through and Through

Authors Note: The usual disclaimer about me not claiming to be J.K Rowling or whatever. I love her books, they're amazing. This story is just a "what if" thought. Enjoy it.

P.S It's rated PG-13 for cursing in upcoming chapters and possibly mild sexual situations.

P.P.S This, along with the Merope story, is a rough draft.

Chapter One: A Dance

She was perfect. She had long blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and a flawless complexion. She never said the wrong thing. She charmed all the right people. To top it off, she came from ond of the oldest, wealthiest, and well-respected families in the wizard world. She was, through and through, a Black.

Fourteen-year-old Narcissa Black sighed as she feverishly stirred her forgetfulness potion. Tendrils that had escaped from her hair tie now curled around her face and her cheeks were a bright pink. Potions was not her best subject and the liquid in her cauldron was turning a thick sort of grey instead of the intended smooth black. "Need some help, Narcissa?" asked Evans Rosier, hovering hopefully behind her. Narcissa shook her head, "no," she said shortly and Evan slunk back, looking disappointed. By the time the bell rang, Narcissa had managed a sort of black sludge which she handed in a flask to Professor Slughorn before hurrying out of the classroom to lunch.

Narcissa hurried up the Great Hall and slid into a seat beside Anne at the Slytherin table. "How was potions?" asked Anne by way of greeting. Narcissa poured herself some pumpkin juice, "lovely, as usual," she replied sarcastically, "Where were you?"

"The hospital wing," said Anne, who was now helping herself generously to some treacle tart "stomach cramps." Narcissa shot Anne a quizzical glance, "and yet you feel well enough to come to lunch and help yourself to a very large portion of treacle tart." She said skeptically. Anne turned slightly red, "oh, shut up," she muttered, pushing Narcissa slightly and Narcissa grinned.

Three tables away Sirius Black sat holding a small brown box in his hands. "What's in the box?" his best friend, James Potter, asked him. Sirius smirked, "oh just something I picked up at Hogsmeade this weekend while you were on your date with Sally Jones. How did that go by the way?" he cocked an eyebrow at James. James winced, "not too great, actually." He said, "She's a bit—"

"vapid?" Sirius supplied. James grinned, "yeah, that. Not like…" his gaze wandered over to where a certain pretty red head sat, Sirius followed his gaze. "Listen, mate," he said quietly, "Get over her, she's not worth it, find someone else."

"What do you think I've been trying to do?" asked James, sounding slightly desperate.

"Love troubles, Prongs?" the bemused voice of Remus Lupin asked the two boys. "Moony!" cried Sirius, "where've you been?"

"Oh… the library looking some stuff up for that vampire essay Bagshot assigned us." said Remus airily. His eyes alighted on the box in Sirius's lap. "What you got there, Padfoot?" he asked curiously and Sirius's smirk returned. "This, boys," he said, "is one of the latest products available from Zonkos. Filibuster's water proof fire works." he announced dramatically. "They're supposed to work indoors so I figured we could test them out now." He added, "See if they work." James leaned forward. "Do it, Padfoot," he urged eagerly and Sirius pulled the cover off the box with a flourish.

"So you know that complete cow Susan Abbot?" Anne asked Narcissa back at the Slytherin table. Narcissa nodded absently, gazing over at the Gryffindor table. Her cousin, Sirius Black, the one who caused all the drama in her family, was sitting there with two of his friends. They were chatting enthusiastically about something or other. Every once in a while Narcissa could have sworn she saw Sirius glance down the Gryffindor table to where Cassandra Cassiopeia was sitting with her friend Lily Evans. Stupid mudbloods thought Narcissa scathingly before returning her gaze to Sirius. Sirius looked so carefree, so happy. Blacks weren't supposed to look so happy, to be so careless and free with their emotions. Blacks Narcissa remembered her mother telling her do not wear their hearts on their sleeves. Narcissa sat up a little straighter and checked her reflection in a goblet to make sure her face was composed. Anne was still talking, "so apparently Susan got a—"Anne was cut off in mid-sentence by a very loud "BANG" and several people screaming. "Oh, honestly," Anne huffed as a spectacular display of fireworks suddenly went off in the Great Hall. Her eyes fell on Sirius Black and his stupid friends at the Gryffindor table. "Of course, it would be your disgusting cousin," she said to Narcissa. "How your family ever turned out someone like that I'll never know. What an idiot." she said contemptuously, but Narcissa wasn't listening. She was watching the display of fireworks and for a second, a very faint second, she allowed a hint of a smile to slide across her face before quickly suppressing it. The Blacks, were, after all, ashamed of Sirius, not amused by him. It would be very unwise for Narcissa to show Sirius some sympathy.

When Narcissa entered the Slytherin common room at the end of the day, worn out and hungry—Transfiguration had been hell that day, how McGonagall expected her to be able to transfigure guinea fowl into guinea pigs was beyond her—she immediately noticed a small group of students clustered around the notice board. "What's going on?" she asked, elbowing her way into the group to read the board. Belle Zabini, a pretty dark-haired third year turned around, "there's going to be a ball." She told Narcissa. Narcissa frowned slightly, "Oh really? When?" Belle moved aside slightly so Narcissa could read the sign.

December 23 a Christmas dance will be held in the Great Hall from 8:00 to 12:00. All fourth year students and above may attend , formal attire required.

"Going to go, Narcissa?" Belle asked, "I might," replied Narcissa, "I usually go home for Christmas but maybe mum will let me stay for this. What about you?"

"Oh, I don't think so," said Belle, "I mean, I'm only a third year so I can't go, can I? Unless…."she turned to Narcissa, "if I were asked by an older student, could I go?"

"I would assume so," said Narcissa, "they can't exactly forbid third years and below as dates."

"Yeah…" said Belle, scanning the room thoughtfully. Her eyes alighted on Rabastan Lestrange who was sitting in a corner alone. "Think I'll go talk to Rabastan," Belle said, making a beeline for the corner, "talk to you later, Narcissa," she called over her shoulder. "Bye," Narcissa grinned.

"Narcissa!" this time it was Anne, who was hurrying through the stone door leading to the Slytherin common room, "you saw the announcement?!" she grabbed Narcissa's wrist and dragged her over to a couch by the fire. Plopping herself down (Narcissa carefully sat down beside Anne, smoothing her robes as she did so) she turned to look at Narcissa, "you're going, right?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Narcissa slowly, "I still have to ask mum."

"You have to go!" exclaimed Anne, grabbing Narcissa's wrist again. "Hogwarts never has dances! Oh…." she shivered in delight, "what are you going to wear?"

"I really don't know, Anne," Narcissa started, "I mean I still have to get permiss—"

"—I think I'm going to wear my pink robes," Anne gabbled, ignoring Narcissa's lack of enthusiasm. "You know, the ones with the frills along the edge?"

"Anne, I—"

"Ooooh…." Anne's eyes suddenly lit up, "who are you going to go with?"

Narcissa sighed, half-amused, half-annoyed by Anne's girlish enthusiasm for the ball. "Anne, maybe we should—"

"—Peter Parkinson is starting to get quite handsome, isn't he? Ohh…." Anne suddenly shuddered, "Imagine if you were asked by Snape. What a creeper."

"Anne!" Narcissa had had enough. Anne turned her bland brown eyes on Narcissa. "Yes?"

"Maybe we should do our homework." Narcissa said, indicating the heavy schoolbags lying at their feet. Anne's expression fell, "oh but Cissy, it's only six o' clock, why don't we go to dinner instead?"

"No," said Narcissa firmly, "last time we did that we were up till midnight doing work and I got a D on my Grindylow essay. We're staying here." As if to punctuate her point she pulled out a roll of parchment and a quill and wrote "The Role of Wizards in the French Revolution" across the top. Anne sighed, "fine," she said dejectedly, pulling out her own quill and parchment, "you're right."

An hour later Narcissa put down her quill, "finished," she said triumphantly, rolling up her scroll. She glanced over at Anne's parchment. "Hold on a sec," said Anne. She scribbled something at the bottom of her parchment then rolled it up. "There!" She stood up and stretched. "C'mon," she glanced at Narcissa. "Let's go to dinner." She offered her arm to Narcissa, who took it gracefully, and the two Slytherin girls proceeded to the Great Hall.