Chapter 2

Secret- Keeper

One Year Later (Third Year)

"You filthy blood-traitor! You call yourself a Black… you aren't our sister!" Bellatrix's shrieks could be heard in the entire great hall. It was just breakfast in the morning and she was already making a lot of noise. "So?" she eyed her little sister, Andromeda from head to toe. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Andromeda simply frowned and sat along with Narcissa and Severus. "And you honestly had the courage to ignore me! Ha! Why you little—"

Bellatrix was aiming for Andromeda but Severus blocked her way with a displeased sigh, "Leave her alone, Bella."

"Oh shut your trap, Sev!" she answered back but sat down still, avoiding Andromeda's gaze. "I don't even stop you from meeting up with that filthy mudblood—"

"—Lily Evans is not a…." Severus stopped. "She—no.. Just don't say that!"

"What's wrong, Severus? Can't deny she's a mudblood?"

"Oh enough with you two," Lucius had just arrived and joined them, took the seat in front of Narcissa and drank the pumpkin juice there. "In the first place, Severus, why did you have to be friends with Evans in the first place? Potter always tries to be pals with her and you hate that bloke."

"I think I know how to choose my good friends, Lucius, thank you very much," he defended and just continued to eat, not wanting any more of this nonsense. "You could always pick Avery," Lucius replied but he noticed his friend's attention was long gone already. He sighed in disappointment and continued, "As for Bella, I think you ought to know that you really do have anger issues."

"Finally, some sense!" Andromeda supposed and walked out before Bella or Narcissa could stop her. The eldest sister cursed under her breath and simply ignored the boys in anger. Silence fell upon them until Narcissa broke it off, "Um, Lucius? What's the schedule today?"

"Oh, right," Lucius replied. "Potions, Double Herbology, Double Divination, and History of Magic."

"Thank the heavens," Bellatrix sighed in relief and stood up, her bag in her hands. "Well, I'm off."

Lucius asked Narcissa, "What's with her?"

"She likes Dark Arts, remember? She's been asking Mum and Dad to teach her about it the entire summer. There's no Defense today. Anyways," she stood up. "Shall we?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Severus, are you coming?"

"Of course I am, you twit. Who'd like to be left alone here anyway?" Narcissa and Lucius just giggled and the three went to Potions class together.

At Potions Class…

The lesson started but Lucius just pretended to listen. He never liked potions and he never will. Almost dying out of boredom, he tried chatting with Severus but it didn't seem to work because he was too preoccupied—and not to mention addicted—to potions. "Severus… Seve—"

"—And you need to mix the standard ingredient with the….." As Lucius predicted, he was far too busy copying notes and carving them into his head. Lucius rolled his eyes and turned to Narcissa on his right instead, "Cissy." She was also copying notes but unlike Severus, she paid attention to him, "Yes?"

"Don't you ever get bored of Potions?" he asked.

"Well, I don't like it that much… I just write things down for the fun of it. I even draw, see?" Lucius took a look at the piece of parchment with lots of scribbles. But what really caught his attention was her drawing of five friends. One was obviously Bellatrix. He easily identified her with that big messy hair. She was frowning, probably because beside her was… Andromeda? I think so, Lucius thought.

At the very side was Severus with that blank expression of his. Beside him was Narcissa, smiling with an arm around her waist. Lucius was shocked and saw that it was a handsome long-haired guy that was smiling at her. At first, he thought it was him (and blushed because of that thought) but he thought as well that the man was far too good-looking. Sure, he sees himself as handsome but he would never imagine being that attractive to actually have Cissy.

She deserves someone very attractive, nice, and respectful, he thought. Besides, she drew this. She'd never draw me that way… or is that really me? "Cissy, who's this bloke?"

"Hm?" she looked at her drawing as well and her face immediately turned tomato red and stammered. "Th-that's uh wha… that's Sirius, our cousin." This quickly confused Lucius, "But I remember you telling us you and Bella despise him the way Sev hates Potter. Never mind that. Who's that girl who he's got his arm on?"

Narcissa—if it was even possible—turned redder and stuttered even more. "U-u-uh… Th-that? Oh. That. That's… That's just our other cousin. I'll have that please," she took the piece of parchment back.

"But, Cissy," Lucius replied. "The lady looks very much like you."

"Ha-ha. Of course," Narcissa said, avoiding Lucius's gaze. "She should be. She's related to us. Anyway, it's my drawing, Lucius. And I say that's her."

"Class dismissed," Professor Slughorn said and many students raced their way out the door. "Excuse me," Narcissa said with her feet facing the floor. She moved so fast away that Lucius barely reached her. His jaw was still dropped out of muddle. He was just staring at the door too.

"Oh please," Severus stood up, taking his things. "Please don't tell me you're in love with her, Lucius."

In a flash, Lucius dropped all the books Severus had just finished picking up. He was looking very, very angry. "What the bloody hell was that for, Lucius?!" Severus asked, levitating the books up again on the table. "D'you got a problem?"

"Yeah, Sev. You telling me that I love Cissy."

"Oh shut your trap," Severus took his books. "It's obvious."

"Well," Lucius replied. "You liking Evans is quite obvious as well."

"SHUT. UP."

The two glared into each other for a long time that they were the only ones left in the room already. "Fine," Lucius said as he put his bag on his shoulder. "I admit that I do… do… do have an interest in Cissy. But do you really like Evans?"

"Yes," Severus replied. "Look, I won't tell anyone about you and her but don't tell anyone about it too."

"I don't trust you that much, Sev."

"Then why did you admit it? Ugh, stupid. Rock, paper, scissors, then."

"What?" Lucius couldn't believe it. "I never knew you were this childish! No wonder you like Evans—"

"Oh stop complaining."

"Fine, then. If I win, I'll tell Evans about it. If you win, I'll keep our secrets. Rock, paper, scissors." Lucius had a paper while Severus had…? "Ha! A stick? A stick, Severus? There's no—"

"Avada Kedavra," Severus replied with a smirk on his face. "It's a killing curse. I win. We keep the secrets."