The Baby
Disclaimer: NOT MINE
The Black sisters, we were charming and popular. Everyone knew us and loved us, we were always picture perfect. I was the oldest, the smart one, my dark hair cut short for easy management as I cared more for books than appearances. Then there was Bella, the charming one. She could charm the trousers off the Devil himself just to get her way. She was prettier than I, her shining black hair was long and thick, and her dark eyes were almost exotic in the flickering candlelight of Hogwarts. Then there was the baby.
Narcissa Black was the most beautiful of us. She had luckily managed to escape the wretched black hair Bella and I had inherited and was given a stunning golden blonde in its place. Her eyes sparkled a clear crystal blue, like mine. She was everyone's favorite, including mine.
I know that you aren't supposed to have a favorite sister, but I did. I babied Cissa from the start. She was an angel of the light, meant to shed well upon the black house in which we lived.
She would dance in Momma's garden and flowers would bloom brilliantly where her feet had trodden. Narcissa, our little flower, was the joy of everyone in that dark house.
My Hogwarts years went on and I met Ted, the pimply Hufflepuff without a clue in potions. I was made to tutor him and fell in love. Sweet Cissa was the first to know. She was eleven and the pride of Slytherin with Bella.
After my graduation, I and Ted became engaged and I ran away from home, my family, the dusty house of black to be with him. Not even thinking twice about my sisters, neither Bella whom I couldn't ever save nor Cissa who deserved more than the icy house. Ted and I were happy and away.
I received one letter after I ran away, from Cissa:
Dearest Andromeda,
Please come home. I miss you. Bella is nice enough but so cold. She says that when I grow up I will be cold too. She says that I will be married to that mean boy, Lucius and he will make me so cold. She says that you were foolish and weak and will die a painful death for the hurt you made us feel. I miss you Meada. Please come home. Momma is mad.
Your sister,
Narcissa Black
I put it in a box under the bed and never looked at it again. I cleared my mind of charming Bella and pretty Cissa, until yesterday.
It was a scalding hot August day and I was attempting to find a few birthday gifts for Nymphadora when I saw a lovely woman with golden blonde hair, wearing a deep navy velvet robe walking through Diagon Alley with a tall scowling boy with almost silver hair.
"Look Mother." He drawled as he passed a few children around his age. "A mudblood."
"Shut up ferret face!" One of the boys screamed, charging at him, his friends held him back.
"Oh, Weasley?" The woman said silkily. "Didn't your mother teach you that it's rude to begin public brawls? Then again, its rude to have more children than one can afford."
With that, she continued walking. "Come Draco."
The blonde boy smirked. "That was brilliant mother."
"I believe it was Draco." She smiled cruelly, very much reminding me of Bella.
I followed them into Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, where they were greeted by a dozen employees and then Madame Malkin herself.
"Good day Missus Malfoy, Master Malfoy." She nearly bowed. "How may we assist you today?"
"We've come to buy Draco some new dress robes." The beautiful blonde said. "He will be attending one of his Father's business balls and would do well with a new one."
"Black, I presume?" Madame asked, conjuring up many fine expensive black fabrics, silks and velvets.
The woman had turned to find her son and instead caught my eyes. There was a flicker of recognition and then maybe sadness before she turned back to Madame and asked for the heavy velvet.
"Isn't it a bit warm for velvet, Missus Malfoy?" A younger, clumsy looking employee blurted out before slapping a hand over her mouth in horror.
"Chrissy!" Madame hissed, "Get back to the machines at once!"
The woman stood still and silent, the sneer wiped from her porcelain face. "Draco!" She called softly. "Come let Madame robe you."
The boy glided gracefully to his mother and I gasped out loud. He grinned at her comfortingly and I swear I knew right then and there who they were. There stood the baby, with her own baby.
"Narcissa?" I asked before I could stop myself. "Cissa?"
She sneered, fixing me with a cold hard glare. "You will address me as Missus Malfoy, No one calls me Narcissa."
"Cissa? Please." I reached out a hand to touch her and my skin was burning, as though I'd touched ice.
"Do not touch me, traitor." She hissed, and those eyes that had once held joy were now full of cold malice.
"What is it mother?" Draco asked sensing his mother's distress.
"Nothing Draco," Narcissa answered him. "It's just cool in here."
"Are we leaving?" He asked her, extending his arm like any well trained upper classed young man would.
"You go ahead Draco." Narcissa eyed me coolly. "I'd like to look at something first."
I backed against the wall as my little sister rounded on me.
"I am cold." Narcissa whispered. "And you are so warm."
"Cissa," I began. "I'm sorry."
"No." She said standing tall. "You aren't. Bellatrix was right all along."
With that, the baby walked out of that shop.
Perhaps if I could shake my sister's voice from my head, I'd get some rest. My heart aches and I cry hard broken sobs. I bury myself in blankets but it's no use;
I am cold.
"There is within me (and with some sadness I have watched it in others) a knot of cruelty born by the stream of love, much as our own blood sometimes bears the seeds of destruction…"
-James Hurst; The Scarlet Ibis