Author's Notes: Written for Weekly Quick Fic #7 on writerverse, using the prompt "betrayal".

)O(

Andromeda had sensed that it was a mistake to go to Narcissa's home, but she had done it anyway. It had been six long years since she had run away, six years since she had seen anyone from her family, and she had thought (it was mad now, she saw) that Narcissa might miss her.

She saw that she was wrong the moment the door opened.

"You!"

Andromeda opened her mouth to speak, but Narcissa had her wand out already, and aimed at Andromeda's heart.

"How dare you," Narcissa hissed, her hand shaking. "How dare you darken my doorstep – you don't belong here, Andromeda; you're not welcome here after what you did!"

Andromeda shrunk back, holding her hands up in surrender, as if that would matter to Narcissa.

"It's been years," she pleaded. "Cissy, we don't have to hate each other – you're my sister, you matter as much to me than Ted does–"

"Do I?" Narcissa demanded shrilly. "Do I matter that much? If I matter so much, why did you leave?"

"I just–"

"Don't even try," Narcissa interrupted. "You betrayed the family. Don't try to excuse that, you won't be able to – you betrayed me, Andromeda!"

"I never meant to…" Andromeda whispered shakily, but Narcissa shook her head and raised one hand, pointing at the gates.

"Get out," she told her, and her voice trembled slightly. "Get out. You- you are no longer my sister. I want nothing to do with you. And if that hurts, well!" She laughed shrilly, a laugh that sounded more like Bellatrix's than her own. "You might have thought of that before you ran away!"

)O(

Fin