Author's note: Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing the story. It means an awful lot. =D

Chapter Three: Brunch

It wasn't often that Andy spent the night at home. I slept in her bed, curled up close to her. (Whenever I had the opportunity, I clung to my sisters' sides.) We drank our nighttime tea in her bed and she told me stories. Andy was the storyteller of the family. While Bella lied, Andy merely stretched the truth into something fun and entertaining. She had always been good at storytelling and she read a lot, so sometimes she repeated the books she read into less words and bedtime stories.

That night, we stayed up until the early morning hours, laughing and talking. We only talked about happy things – boys, kissing, and music; just to name a few – and never anything that made us upset. I wanted to open up to Andromeda, but it had just been so long. It almost didn't seem worth it anymore.

We fell asleep sometime around four in the morning. I stirred when the sun was peaking through the windows (we'd forgotten to draw the curtains) and Andy was climbing out of bed. She kissed my forehead and told me to go back to sleep. I did as she said, but it felt as though only five minutes had gone by when I heard her voice again.

"Cissy," she whispered. "Wake up." She gently placed her hand on my shoulder. "It's after ten… brunch will be soon. You need to get up, Cissy."

I sighed, took a deep breath and then popped my eyes open. Andy smiled at me. "Do I have time to take a shower?" I asked sleepily.

"You, no," she said. "Someone might have time, but you…." She smirked.

I made a face and then stuck my tongue out at her. "Pick out something for me to wear and I'll try to be done within ten minutes."

Then I hopped out of my sister's bed. I made a dash from her bathroom, which connected her room to Bella's room. I quickly showered and by the time I was finished and then left the room, Andy had laid out something for me to wear. It was a simple white sundress with a halter-top. I applied make-up that was appropriate for the morning, as my mother had taught me, and then made my way to the dining hall.

As I turned the corner around to the stairs, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror on the wall. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought that maybe, just maybe, she was here again. The past three years had been a lie. My heart beat faster. My head was telling me to be logical, but nothing made sense anymore. I turned slowly to face the mirror, my eyes staring at the ground and then lifting to stare at the person in the mirror.

Golden locks. Blue eyes. It could be her… but I only saw my own reflection. My make-up was soft and barely visible, just like my mother had told me it should be. I was twelve when she first taught, after my insistent begging. But I was only allowed to wear it to Sunday brunch. My lips twitched into some sort of smile at the memory before it was too much to think about. I turned away from the piece of glass and hurried toward the dining hall.

"Narcissa," my father said in his deep voice when I entered the room. I stopped in the open, airy doorway and looked across the room at him. Everyone else was seated at the table. "You're late."

I glanced at the clock behind my father. "Daddy," I said with a roll of my eyes as I walked to take my seat next to Andromeda, "it's two minutes passed eleven. Give it a rest."

"Well, I have news," he announced.

I sat down, grabbed the folded cloth napkin and place it on my lap. Then I took down at my father. "News?" I repeated, glancing at Bella, who shrugged, and then at Andromeda, who was looking at my father as well. I grabbed my glass of iced water and took a sip.

He nodded, but looked a bit wary. "Why don't we eat a little before we talk, shall we?" he suggested, but it was more of a demand.

There was a murmur of agreement. The food was already piled on the table. There was always an array of food – bacon, eggs, French toast, pancakes, crumpets, potatoes, sausage and cinnamon bread – but I always went for the fruit salad. I never ate any of the fattening foods; it had once been my weakness, but since my mother's death, I no longer allowed myself to enjoy such luxuries. (Plus, I'd begun to notice that Bella was putting on a bit of weight and I wondered if it had anything to do with Sunday brunch, so it was more of a reason to stay away.)

In addition to fruit salad, I liked to drink coffee on Sunday morning. It helped to fill me up and gave me a bit more energy than tea.

"Are you going to tell us your news, Papa?" Andy finally asked, breaking the silence. All three of us called my father something different; Bella called him 'Father', Andy usually called him 'Papa' and I'd always called him 'Daddy'.

I looked up at him, chewing on a piece of melon. He smiled at the four of us (Rodolphus was sitting next to Bella). He seemed satisfied with himself. "Take a guess," he urged us. "It's something exciting… something that hasn't happened in a while."

Bella was the first to speak: "Did you get lai—"

But Rodolphus quickly popped his hand over her mouth and offered my father a smile. My father barely seemed to have noticed what my sister was about to say, which was quite a surprise. Bella, as I've said before, was known to be crude. If he did notice, he didn't react to her. I ducked my head and suppressed a giggle. Andy kicked me under the table and I peeked up at her, biting my bottom lip to stop myself from smiling.

"You're not getting married, are you?" Andromeda asked.

The room filled with an awkward silence. My father shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Bella glared at Andy from across the table, Rodolphus stared down at his plate and, this time: it was my turn to kick my sister.

"Why would you say something like that, Andromeda?" my father asked his tone soft and struggling to stay even.

Next to me, Andy shrugged. "I'm sorry, Papa," she apologized. "I just… I was worried. I didn't think before I spoke."

My father looked grim, but then he gave her a soft smile. He reached out to cup the side of her face with his large hand. "I understand, dear," he said quietly. Then he took his hand back and looked at me. "Any guesses then, Cissy?"

I looked around the table once before settling my eyes on my father. I shook my head. "No. Sorry, Daddy," I replied in a small voice.

"I think you'll be excited." He winked and then leaned back in his chair. I dropped my fork, suddenly not hungry, and gave him my full attention. I had a feeling I was not going to be excited. My father grinned at the four of us. "We will be attending the Goyle ball this Wednesday."

Silence so loud filled the room. I stared hard at my father; surely this was a joke! I felt angry and it was difficult to breathe. My father refused to look my way. I forced myself to look at my sisters. Bella looked somewhat indifferent, but she was excellent at concealing her feelings. She was studying my father. Andy was staring down at her plate, her mouth a thin line.

"Daddy," I said forcefully, standing up. My chair fell backward, dropping to the floor. Everyone looked up at me now. "Wednesday?" I shook my head. "Wednesday is—"

"I know what Wednesday is, Narcissa," my father hissing, giving me a warning look. "I also know that we haven't attended this ball for two years now—"

"We haven't gone to any balls in two years!" I shouted. "Why this ball? I'm sure the Parkinson's are having their ball some time soon. And if you want to attend a ball so badly, then why aren't we hosting our own damn bloody ball!"

My anger had risen well passed its normal range. I never got this upset, not anymore; but Wednesday, to attend the very same ball…. No. No, no, no. He was just playing a joke on us, but it was beginning to get out of hand.

He rose from his seat slowly, a sign that he was angry. "Narcissa," he said in a low voice, "you will not raise your voice when you speak to me. We are going to this ball. It's been too long since we've been. Do you understand—"

"No!" I shouted once again. "I don't understand! I don't understand why we're going to this ball! You can't… this isn't fair! Why are you doing this! Find a different ball!"

"Narcissa!" he hollered back.

"No! I said 'no'!" I screamed. I could feel the tears rising in the back of my throat. I wouldn't cry, I wouldn't cry, I wouldn't cry.

"Bellatrix!" my father yelled, turning to face my older sister. She looked taken aback. "Control your sister!" Then he turned back to me. "We are going to this ball!"

"Will you manage to be sober?" I snapped, my eyes flashing anger. I knew I had a hit a nerve when I saw the mad look in his eyes. Before he could get his hands on me (oh, I knew he wanted to), I turned and fled from the room.

I could hear my father's booming voice calling out for me to stop and turn around, but I ignored him. I ran to the back doors and slipped outside. The sun was hot on this June day. I dashed across the stone desk, down the stairs into the gardens and didn't slow down until I reached the familiar path to edge of the gardens.

I glanced nervously over my shoulder and hurried along the pebble path. At the end of the gardens, there was an iron wrought gate, hidden by the tall hedge. My sister's, along with myself, had discovered it years ago. Beyond the gate, there was a short clearing and then a bundle of willow trees. Beneath the trees was a pond. We had often snuck out for a twilight swim when we were younger and still a family. As far as I was concerned, the property behind the gate was ours; we just didn't use it nor did our parents tell us about it.

I slipped through the gate and closed it. Sometimes, when our family would hold a ball, all three of us girls would sneak to this side of the gate and sit down by the hedge, listening. It was where we slipped away when the adults were getting tipsy; it was where Bella told us about her first kiss (and, years later, her first time having sex); it was where Andy admitted having a crush on a professor at Hogwarts; and it was where I'd told my sisters (rather excitedly) that I'd begun my period. It was a place all of our own, where there were no rules, no boys, no adults, no arguments and no hardships.

I walked to the willow trees. I brushed their leaves away as I entered the sacred area. There was a deer drinking from the pond, a baby lying at its side. The doe looked up when she saw me. She stared at me for a moment and I stopped walking. She studied me some more and then turned away from the pond, leaping off. The fawn jumped to life and followed its mother out of the clearing.

I sighed and walked to the dock. The sun peeked down between the treetops, warming me just a bit. I sat down on the dock and took off my shoes. Then I scooted to the edge of the dock and dropped my feet into the water. The water was cool and my legs looked even paler beneath the water. I stared down into the water and then began to move my legs around, making small splashes.

"Cissy."

I jumped at Andy's voice and twisted to face her. She offered me a smile and then gestured to the spot on the dock beside me.

"Is it alright if I join you?" she asked, taking a small step forward.

I nodded and turned to stare at the water once more. Andy stepped onto the dock and I heard her take off her shoes. Then she dropped down beside me, plunging her own legs into the cool water. I looked up at her.

"You put on quite a scene back there," she said. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I looked away from her to stare once more at our legs. I shrugged. "There's not much to say," I admitted. "Daddy is being ridiculous. There are lots of other balls to attend; why do we have to go to this ball? I just don't understand."

Andy was quiet for a moment. "We need to make an appearance into society," she said quietly. "We can't hibernate in this house forever. You used to love balls. It'll be fun, Cissy. It'll be like we're a family again."

"If Daddy can handle the night with alcohol," I mumbled.

Andy bumped me with her shoulder. "Give him a chance," she told me. "And even if he can't… at least you'll be out and socializing. I worry about you, Cissy; all you do is stay in the house."

Someone has to take care of Daddy and remember Mummy, I thought.

I felt like asking Andy why, if she worried about me so much, she never invited me to tag along when she left the house. If she knew I wouldn't leave the house, then why didn't she opt to spend time with me? Why didn't she force me to get out every once in while?

But I kept those thoughts to myself. While I was angry with my sister for this, I knew why she did it: she blamed me for our mother's murder as well. I didn't deserve to socialize; it was my job to stay in the house, trying to fix a drunken father and remember our mother every day, but not allow myself to feel anything.

Andy wrapped her arm around me and pulled me into her. I rested my head on her shoulder. "We'll go shopping for new outfits," she said enthusiastically. "Papa said he'd buy us all new outfits for the ball – even Rodolphus!" She began to laugh.

I giggled along with her for a moment. "Bella's going?" I asked, pulling away from my sister and looking into her face. That would make the night eventful and a little less boring.

Andy bobbed her head. "Papa is forcing her," she explained with a sly grin. "She had a few choice words to say to him about it…."

I grinned, imaging the vulgar words coming out of my sister's mouth. I could picture my father growing irritated with her profanity rather than the fact that she was fighting with him about attending a ball.

"If we have to go," I decided, standing up, "Bella has to go, too. She's still part of the family." Andy looked up at me with a smile and I held out my hand to her. She grabbed it and I helped her up. Then we headed back into the house, hand-in-hand.