The Black Sisters: A short oneshot retrospective of Narcissa, Bellatrix, and Andromeda. At the celebration of Narcissa's eleventh birthday. No warnings, just fun.
Disclaimer: All characters, locations and bits within are property of J.K. Rowling and/or Warner Bros Studios.
TO LOVERFAERY: For being my 100th review on 9 Years with the Marauders, she got to pick some characters from HP and I wrote a fic for her. I hope you enjoy it!
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"Abraxas! So lovely to see you again, of course, do come in. Hectate!"
The little house elf hobbled forward and took the large coat and hat that Abraxas Malfoy removed and dropped on him disdainfully. Narcissa looked up to peer at the man, but her mother's fingers dug more deeply into her shoulders and she lowered her head demurely again.
She was the birthday girl today, wearing a powder blue dress with a large pink sash. Her soft blond hair had been done up in ringlets by her governess, and it was tied back with a big pink bow. Even though it was her special day, it really wasn't.
For this was her eleventh birthday. Among the Purebloods the eleventh birthday represented the very reason that they were superior to everyone else. It was essentially a coming out party, to celebrate the fact that yet another child in the family was going to be sent away to study magic at school. For that reason, it was more a birthday for her parents than it was for little Cissy. Their third and final daughter was growing up.
"My son, Lucius." Abraxas dragged a boy forward. "He is 12 this year."
The two grown-ups looked at each other pointedly while Narcissa eyed the blond in front of her. He sneered, and she stuck out her tongue, crossing her arms over her chest. A moment later, Abraxas was moving away from the door, dragging his son along with him.
"You should get to know Lucius when you start school." Her mother said, and Narcissa made a noise and wrinkled her nose. "Don't do that, it's unladylike."
A few minutes later, a familiar pair of faces arrived, with two children in tow. "Orion and Walburga! So glad of you to come. You are the last of the guests to arrive."
"Yes well, our sons have a tendency to... cause delays." Orion said haughtily. "You know Sirius and Regulus well."
"Indeed I do, welcome. Well, Narcissa, since everyone has arrived, why don't you do the honors of taking Sirius and Regulus to the children's room with everyone else?" She was finally released from her mother's vice grip, and she turned and flounced towards the hallway, not even paying attention if Sirius and Regulus were following.
That is, until Sirius pulled on one of her ringlets. She squeaked indignantly and looked at her younger cousin angrily. "Don't touch me! I'm the birthday girl!"
"Have you ever heard of birthday pinches?" Sirius said with a grin. Narcissa squealed and took off, away from Sirius' wicked fingers.
"Dromeda! Bella! Make him stop!" She said, nearly in tears as she finally arrived in the small sitting room where the children were supposed to gather.
Sirius ran in behind her, cackling evilly. Bellatrix, the oldest person in the children's room, grabbed the back of his dress robes and shook him like a small dog, glaring down at him. "You leave Cissa alone, you hear?"
"Or else what!" Sirius demanded, flailing a bit in Bella's firm grip.
"Or else." Were her only words, and she set him down.
Sirius grumbled rebelliously, but then wandered away. Andromeda smiled brightly at him, and handed him a stack of papers and some crayons. He looked at them in annoyance, but soon enough the two of them were making drawings together.
Narcissa collapsed into a chair, ignoring that the skirt of her dress was getting crushed and wrinkled because she wasn't sitting in the proper "lady-like" way that her mother had taught her. She didn't feel like it.
A few minutes later Sirius was laughing again, and he ran over to thrust his drawing under her nose. "I made it for you, Cissy!"
She looked at it, turning pink from anger. The drawing was of Narcissa, who was apparently a great big balloon of blue and pink with yellow sticking out at the top. "That's so mean!"
Bella peered at the drawing and covered her mouth to hold back a giggle. "Oh Cissa, it kind of does look like you... how many petticoats are you wearing anyway?"
Narcissa screwed up her face angrily and pushed Sirius. It took her a full minute to extract herself from the armchair because of her voluminous skirts, and during that time Bella was chuckling wildly. "Stop it! You two are so mean!" She shrieked, stomping her foot.
Andromeda stood, walking over and wrapping a hand around her younger sister's shoulder. "Now now, Cissy. They are just trying to make you upset."
Narcissa shook her shoulder off and sniffled. "I hate you all!" She cried, storming out of the room.
Bellatrix starting laughing, and Sirius did too. However, a look from Andromeda shut them all up, and they slunk to separate corners of the room. This was after all, a regular occurrence at Black family gatherings. Sirius and Bellatrix couldn't stand each other, but they loved ganging up on the younger cousins to taunt them mercilessly.
An hour later, Narcissa was sitting on a chair. Her mother's fingers were once again gripping her shoulder, and she was sitting up as straight as she could while the governess brought out the cake. Dutifully Narcissa smiled and blew on the candles. After the children had all been given slices they were sent right back to the sitting room so that the adults could talk without being interrupted by their meddlesome children.
Narcissa sat on the floor, even when the governess tried to get her to move, since she was ruining her dress. She didn't care, and she sat quiet with Andromeda, as they cut out paper dolls and started playing with them.
"Mine is named Scorpia!" Narcissa said excitedly as she put a frilly green dress on the little doll.
"Ha! What a stupid name!" Bella said haughtily as she sat in a chair. She was obviously bored, twirling one black curl around her fingers. She was also chewing the gum that their mother had forbidden – and confiscated – and was popping it every so often.
"You aren't so special!" Narcissa said angrily. Andromeda rolled her eyes. "I'll tell Mother you are still chewing that gum! You might as well be a Muggle, you have no manners!"
Bella shot her an angry look. "Don't you call me that!"
"Muggle!" Narcissa repeated.
Andromeda cleared her throat. "Both of you, stop it."
Bellatrix settled back in her chair, and Narcissa stuck out her lower lip in a pout. Andromeda looked over at Bellatrix and gave her a look. Reluctantly Bella rolled her eyes. "Scorpia isn't a stupid name."
Narcissa smiled softly. "Really?"
"Yeah yeah. It's okay. I bet Lucius would like it."
The blond turned red all over again, and even Andromeda was giggling as Narcissa tried very hard not to look hopefully over at the boy across the room.
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A/N: So there they are. As far as I can tell, based on what they reveal in the stories, I kind of figured that Bellatrix would be the semi-rebellious older sister who likes to pick on everyone, Andromeda would be more motherly and kind (and a mediator between her siblings), and Narcissa would be the most girlish one, and probably with a hint of a temper. And of course Sirius is such a little git, without the calming influence of James and Remus and Peter. xD
I hope you liked it!