She is scared of the second-floor broom closet. She is even more frightened of the people and the setting that awaits her there.

Bella sits on an upturned bucket, staring at her youngest sister from behind a thick veil of her dark hair. Her eyes glint. 'Come on now, Cissy. Dromeda here wants to show you something.' She motions behind her with her eyes where Dromeda stands, rigid as rock. The same wild hair obscures her face too.

'Wh-what is it?' Cissy stutters. She chides herself, she always stutters when she is scared. It's a bad habit, unsuitable for a high witch like her.

'Show her Dromeda dear. Show her what she's worth.' Bella says, without moving her eyes from Cissy. Cissy's hands tremble.

Dromeda moves towards her, her steps jerky, like she's being pulled on strings. Bella instructs Cissy give her hand to Dromeda. Cissy's fingers are shaking and Dromeda's grip is slacking.

Bella is discreetly moving her wand behind her back.

Cissy's palm splits open. The blood stains Dromeda's hands and wand as she drops to the ground, her hands quivering in Cissy's and her sobs and apologies are echoing off the walls of the small room. Bella steps over the collapsed mess that is her younger sisters and deftly heals the wound close. It still leaves a scar.

Bella pulls up Dromeda by her hair, 'It's your sister's blood over your Mudblood pet's. Choose wisely, blood traitor.'

Cissy never stuttered again.


Here, Andromeda is 15, Narcissa is 13 and Bellatrix is 17