CHAPTER 7: The Conversation

The streams of light leaking through the curtains became stronger and stronger, rousing Bellatrix from her slumber. She sat up, disoriented. She could hear muffled voices every so often and the occasional clinking of china coming from downstairs. Something compelled her to get up from the bed, although she was still exhausted and her muscles ached. She walked gingerly around the room, pausing at the window to stare into the glass. A gaunt-looking woman stared back at her. The woman's eyes were dark yet seemed to be glowing, and her skin was deathly pale, framed by a mass of unruly black girls. Bellatrix shook her head and stepped away from the window. Of course, she hadn't seen her reflection clearly for years now, but it was still quite a shock. She looked clean and almost pleasant, if only she didn't appear so... worn.

Curious as to what was taking place downstairs, she open the door slowly and made her way along the hall, almost tip-toeing. When she reached the staircase, she peered down into the entrance hall first. Finding it empty, she patted her pocket to check for her wand before beginning her descent. The voices were becoming clearer. It appeared that Lucius was sitting at the table in the dining room, and Narcissa was finalising her breakfast preparations between the kitchen and the dining room. The scents drifting from the kitchen were overwhelmingly pleasant, and Bellatrix was so caught up in smelling them that she failed to notice her sister leave the kitchen carrying a tray loaded with breakfast.

Narcissa stopped in her tracks and threw the woman standing in the shadows a surprisingly venomous glare. Of course, she couldn't scold her with Lucius sitting merely metres away. Shaking her head and now feeling more nervous than she had previously, she joined her husband in the dining room, leaving Bellatrix to sulk behind the door. Bellatrix had no intention of leaving, however. As much as she disliked Lucius, something compelled her to stay and overhear the conversation. Whether it was the lack of human interaction for half a decade, or the fear that Lucius would force the truth out of Narcissa, she wasn't quite sure.

x

Narcissa gently slid the tray onto the table and allowed Lucius to help himself to servings of scrambled eggs, sausages, tomatoes, mushrooms and slices thick buttery toast. For herself, she took only one slice of toast and a spoonful of egg, as for some reason she wasn't very hungry anymore. Lucius glanced between the plate and his wife's face questioningly, and his silvery eyes seemed to burn into hers. Narcissa looked down at her plate and pressed her fork into the toast.

"I would have imagined your appetite would be larger," Lucius mused, "considering your journey in the middle of the night."

"I thought so too. Perhaps I have come down with something overnight," she ventured quietly.

"Well, that would be a shame," he spoke, through a mouthful of eggs and mushrooms. He swallowed quickly, and continued. "It's interesting, you see..."

"Hm? How so?"

"...Interesting, because I happened to come across Mr Parkinson in Diagon Alley only yesterday."

Narcissa stomach seemed to drop out of her body.

"That's... that's nice, dear," she smiled, although it felt more like a grimace.

"Nice indeed," Lucius replied, his expression turning into that curious smirk of his. "Although I was rather confused by something he told me."

Narcissa forced down a mouthful of toast before responding. "And what was that?" she asked, feigning innocence.

"Well, I merely enquired of you, as I believed you to be staying with the pair of them," he said, as if he was carefully picking each individual word. "However, he seemed very confused, and replied that he was quite sure the Parkinson family were entertaining no guests at present."

"I'm not one to make a fuss, you know, perhaps he never noticed my presence..." Narcissa reasoned, but Lucius continued on.

"Oh no, but then his wife joined him, and was equally confused. It seemed they knew nothing of the whole matter!" Lucius chuckled darkly before his eyes narrowed into a glare. "It was rather embarrassing, you know, finding out from another couple that I had been lied to by my wife."

Narcissa stabbed her fork violently into the toast, her eyes swimming with tears.

"I'm sorry to have been such an embarrassment, Lucius," she whispered, not knowing what else to say. Surely she had been found out, but she wasn't sure what would be the least dangerous thing to say, so she kept silent. It was safer to let Lucius do the talking. Suddenly she became aware that Bellatrix would still be listening from outside the room, and desperately hoped that she would keep away. The last thing she wanted was anyone to get hurt, and between her sister and her husband, someone was bound to.

Lucius' smirk returned to his face.

"This does leave us in a curious position, does it not?" he chuckled. "You disappear suddenly and claim you're visiting a friend. That friend confirms there was never any visit." His tone became more serious. "Then you return home in the dead of the night, exhausted and nervous, and postponing our conversation until... now. So far, it has been remarkably one sided. I think it is your turn to contribute."

Narcissa stared down at her lap and remained silent.

"It seems you need a little prompting. How about... why, I'm still quite certain I heard more noises and voices than necessary when you came home last night." He paused as if he was thinking hard. "I am also unsure as to why you returned at such an hour. Surely if you were staying with someone, you could have left in the morning?"

Narcissa opened her mouth to speak, but could not think of a response.

"And then I was sure I heard your door open twice rather than once last night." Again he paused, but this time he seemed to be examining Narcissa, looking for any betraying signs in her face.

"There's also your new correspondence with the trai... with Andromeda to consider-"

"Andromeda has NOTHING to do with this!" Narcissa cried. "Leave her out of it!" She was slightly shocked by her own outburst, but she couldn't help it. Bellatrix now knew about her contact with Andromeda – Bellatrix who claimed she didn't regret killing that woman's own daughter – it seemed she was doomed on both sides now. Lucius looked at her even more curiously, and his eyes were much darker. No one spoke for a while.

x

Bellatrix stopped breathing for a moment, as a surge of mixed emotions rose up in her like she was going to be sick. She leant a hand against the wall to support herself, stunned.

Andromeda? Narcissa had come looking for Bellatrix after she had reached out to... her. That traitor, that filthy traitor, who ran away with a Muggle boy, leaving a burnt hole in the Black family tapestry and a jagged wound in a young Bellatrix's heart, one that she covered up like it was a crack in the wall but she knew would never heal, how could it ever heal...

She shook her head, trying to clear such ridiculous thoughts. If she'd manage to suppress anything related to her for all these years, even when she faced her daughter in battle, what would be different now?

But she felt so betrayed – she trusted Narcissa, she always had, and this just was just wrong. There was no way she could justify getting back in contact with Andromeda, not after everything that had happened, and not when she's trying to bring Bellatrix back into her life –

Bellatrix kicked herself. She should have seen this coming. It was obvious now. Narcissa wanted them reunited, the three Black sisters... Bellatrix felt an odd pang of longing, mixed with anger at her youngest sister's naivety. They could never return to how they were as children. It was simply impossible and foolish to even entertain the thought.

Voices came from the room again, and Bellatrix composed herself to listen. She would have to confront Narcissa later.

x

"Clearly there is something stressing or upsetting you, Narcissa. Perhaps it would do you good to tell me."

"No, I'm fine, everything's fine!" she pleaded. "Things have just been... different for me lately. I just needed some time to myself..."

"Your explanation leaves much to be desired."

"There's nothing more to say..."

Narcissa leapt backwards in her seat as Lucius slammed his fist down on the table, making all the silverware in the room tremble.

"I will not tolerate this from you any longer." It was clear his light hearted attitude was gone. "You have deceived me and embarrassed me, yet you continue to look me in the eye and lie to me. I am your husband, Narcissa, and..." he swallowed almost nervously yet spoke in a threatening tone, "and you will tell me what the hell is going on here because I'm sure as hell not listening to another word of this... of your bullshit-"

His words were cut off when the sharp tip of a wand pressed hard into his throat and a hand twisted itself through his hair roughly, preventing his head from moving an inch. He rolled his eyes back to try and see his attacker, but could see no further than the high ceiling arching above them. He looked desperately across the table to his wife, his heart beating ferociously in his chest, but she was gazing terrified at whoever it was standing above him.

"Don't..." Narcissa breathed. "Bella, please..."

Bellatrix leant down close to Lucius' ear, letting her curls fall into his face, and suddenly he knew exactly who he was at the mercy of.

"Never speak to my sister like that again."


Andromeda sighed as she wiped the crumbs from her sandwich off her pretty blue dress. This particular Black family picnic was far more stiff and awkward than usual. She looked up and met her older sister's eyes, seeing the mutual understanding in them. Like always, Bella was brave enough to make the first move.

"I'm going for a walk," she announced, standing up abruptly and staring expectantly at her sisters. Cissy's eyes lit up and she moved to stand along with Andy, but her mother clutched onto the fairer girl's arm.

"Narcissa, you must stay with us," Druella commanded, looking to her husband who nodded.

"Yes, little pet, we have some matters of importance to discuss," Cygnus confirmed. He always spoke of his youngest daughter with affectionate little nicknames. Her obedient and pleasant nature made her a natural favourite, although her headstrong eldest sister was always intriguing to him.

Cissy sat down, resigned, and nodded. "Of course, father."

Bella shrugged and lead her other sister away into the trees.

"Bella, what do you think they're going to talk about?" Andy asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Bella snapped. "They're discussing her marriage."

"I... I just thought... I mean, she's only twelve, Bella!" she stammered. "They haven't even arranged a definite match for me yet, and I'm fourteen."

"Yes, well it seems the Malfoys are eager for their little prince Lucius to get his hands all over our baby sister," Bella scoffed, crossing her arms tightly.

"He's a bit of a prat," Andromeda giggled.

Bella couldn't help but laugh too. "Of course he is. We've always known that."

"Cissy doesn't think so."

"I'm not surprised. She's easy to charm." Bella sighed. "She'll be the only one of us content with marriage then. As much as I despise the Malfoy boy, if he makes her happy..."

The two sisters were silent then, as they walked arm in arm through the forest.

"Is there... was there ever someone else, Bella?" Andromeda asked timidly after some time.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean other than Rodolphus. Obviously," she added, as Bella sniffed disapprovingly. "I just wonder, sometimes, about what it's like for the others who don't have this decided for them."

"Andy, there's no chance. This is how it has to be. Our blood is pure and noble and it must be shared with those of equal status." She carried herself with pride and spoke determinedly but unhappily. "For once, our parents know best."

"Rodolphus is such a prat too, though!" Andy cried.

"I know, I know, but at least he's half decent looking..." Bella argued, although she sounded uncertain. The two sisters had now reached the silvery expanse of the lake, and they sat down on the rocks together.

"I don't want you to marry him," Andy said. "You're too good for him, Bella."

"I don't want to marry him either. I don't want to get married, ever, to anyone," Bella whispered, looking over her shoulder. "Alas, I must. It is the way things are."

Andy looked sadly up to her sister. "Well, I can hope they pick Rabastan for me, and then we would see each other often."

Bella smiled at her sister. "That would be nice." Finally she had found one good thing about her marriage to Rodolphus that would take place after her final school year had finished. It would be lovely to have regular contact with one of her sisters, and she couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty when she hoped it would be Andromeda. She had always been more upstanding and independent than their youngest sister, and Bella loved her all the more for it. They were similar in so many more ways than their looks, although Andromeda had a calmer temper and knew how to calm Bellatrix down better than anyone else.

"You never answered my question before," ventured Andy, interrupting her sister's thoughts.

"No. There was never anyone else." Bella looked at Andy and smiled. "I don't have the time, having to look out for you two – fend off all those dirty teenage boys after my pretty little sisters..."

Andromeda laughed happily and leaned against her sister. "Thank you. It means a lot to us, Bella," she gushed sarcastically, sending both sisters into another fit of giggles.

The pair of them stayed seated by the lake until dusk, when Cissy came to fetch them and all three girls returned to their parents huddled together, whispering nervously about their futures.


I am sorry this took so long but I made up for it with a longer chapter... possibly the longest yet. I hope you like it, please review!