Chapter 11:
The fickle fingers of fate:
Narcissa ran through the front door of Andromeda's house, completely ignoring her sister and niece who were sat having breakfast. She hurried up the stairs and into the spare bedroom, she searched the room up and down but there was no sign of the beaded bag. She marched back into the kitchen and stood next to Andromeda, who was pretending not to notice.
"Ah, Cissy what a pleasant surprise, I thought you had left. I guess that was just wishful thinking", She muttered sarcastically without even glancing at her sister.
"Cut the crap Andromeda, where's Hermione's bag?"
Andromeda reached down beside her and picked up Hermione's bag off the floor. "I'll give you the bag if you take me with you."
"No, absolutely not. I don't even need the bag, I just need the list that's in it." Narcissa mentally kicked herself for saying that.
"hmmm" Andromeda searched through the bag, when she found the list she read down it, "It looks like the ingredients for a potion… but not one that I've heard of, why do you need this?"
"Christ Andy just give me the list!"
"Fine, don't tell me, but I'm coming with you."
Narcissa gritted her teeth, "Fine".
"Excellent, I'll get my coat."
(~/~)
"Cissy better hurry up, I've got a really bad pain in my ribs and I feel like hurting someone", Bellatrix was now sitting bundled up in the corner of her bed while Hermione paced nervously, "Would you stop pacing! You're driving me mad!" Hermione stopped and raised an eyebrow at the older witch, "Alright, more mad… just stop fucking pacing!" Hermione chuckled and sat down next to the witch. "Granger, I'm going to ask you something, all I want is an answer I don't want to explain why I'm asking."
"Okay…", Hermione was confused, but she had a sneaking suspicion what the question was going to be about.
They sat in silence for a few seconds, Bellatrix looked as though she contemplating actually asking the question.
"Is-", She hesitated for a second, "Is Andy okay?"
"Depends what you mean by okay."
"Just answer the question."
"Well, she's in good health physically, I'm not entirely convinced that her mental health is up to par but I think that must run in the family…Anyway I think she's just happy the Tonks is alive, things were looking pretty grim when we heard the snatchers had got Ted." Hermione did her best to fill her in, but if she was being honest, Andromeda was good at hiding her sadness and did her best not to let anyone in.
"I assume she still looks-… well you know."
"yes, unfortunately she is still incredibly attractive, that must also run in the family", She chuckled before realising what she had said then she turned a deep shade of red. At this, Bellatrix laughed almost manically but stopped once they heard a faint 'pop' outside the tent. "Wait here", Hermione didn't want Bellatrix to come outside in case it wasn't Narcissa. When Hermione stepped outside the tent she saw that Andromeda with her sister, she could see the daily prophet head line now: "Andromeda Black Slain By Her Own Sister". Hermione shuttered at the idea, she marched over to the two witches before they could get any closer to the tent. "I don't who's idea this was but either way if you", she looked at Andromeda, "go into that tent there is nothing either of us can do to stop Bellatrix from hexing you into oblivion." Hermione knew this wasn't true seeing as the older witch had just inquired about her sister's well-being.
"Hermione calm down, if this goes how I think it will she'll call me a 'filthy fucking blood traitor' and yell at me 'til I leave", Andromeda stated calmly.
Hermione sighed dramatically, "Let's just get it over with", Hermione walked back in to the tent, Andromeda and Narcissa followed, Bellatrix was lying face down on her bed and didn't move when she heard the witches come in.
"That better have been Cissy, because at this point I'm willing to slice open one of my arteries and let myself bleed out." Hermione winced at the thought.
"Yes it was Narcissa, and uhh.. well she brought….Andromeda with her", Hermione shut her eyes tightly waiting for the reaction that never came. When she opened her eyes again everyone was still in the same place. She watched as Bellatrix got up from the bed and approached Andromeda. Andy hung her head to avoid her sister's eyes, Bellatrix stood in front of her and the same thing. This was a very weird moment for Hermione; she had never seen the two witches in the same room let alone interact. It was so strange to observe the similarities in their mannerisms; as they both hung their heads like a child that had just been caught doing something naughty.
Bellatrix made the first move; she looked up through her eyelashes at Andromeda before awkwardly touching her hand. She strangely played with her sister's fingers; much like she had done with Hermione's when they were in the forest. They stood like this for a while until Narcissa, impatiently, piped up, "is someone going to say something soon, because last I checked there's a potion that needs brewing."
"Maybe we should go outside and start while they uhh… do whatever it is they are doing", Hermione pulled Narcissa outside to the fire. Hermione began to pull the ingredients out of her bag and lined them up.
"It's too quiet, why do you think it's so quiet?" Narcissa asked nervously.
"You're their sister, you know better than I do."
Narcissa sighed, "if only that were true."
Back inside the two sisters had sat down on opposite ends of Bellatrix's bed, still avoiding eye contact. Bellatrix broke the silence.
"If we don't speak they'll think I've killed you", she said quietly, looking at the floor.
"Yes, well the death option might be easier, but that would give you too much satisfaction, so I'll opt for the talking one."
Bellatrix forced out an awkward chuckle. She scooted over so that she was sitting next to her younger sister, she, again, took her hand into her own.
"We're going to have to talk about it sometime"
Bellatrix sighed and released her hand, "Fine, I'll go first" she said bitterly before hesitating, "I'm sorry" she said quietly.
Andromeda twitched a little before mustering up the courage to apologise, "I'm sorry too".
"so"
"yeah".
Outside Hermione and Narcissa sat in silence as they brewed the potion that Hermione had yet to explain. Narcissa knew she should wait until they were all sat together to ask what was wrong with Bellatrix but she was dying to know.
"Hermione…" Narcissa was interrupted by the sound of yelling coming from inside the tent. She caught Hermione's eye and they both instantly stood up and ran inside.
"WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LET IT GO?!" Andromeda shrieked.
"BECAUSE YOU RAN OFF WITH THAT MUD-BLOOD INSTEAD OF ME!"
"WHY DO YOU CARE?!"
"BECAUSE I WAS IN LOVE WITH YOU!?" everyone stood in stunned silence.
"Bella I-"
"Oh go to hell Andromeda, you didn't care then and you don't care now. At least Cissy stuck around and actually cared about my well-being!"
"Yeah and look where that got her, her son's depressed and her husband is a convict!" Andromeda angrily replied.
"Hey!" Narcissa was confused as to how this fight had turned on her.
"Well at least she didn't run off and reproduce with a mud-blood!"
"Oh because reproducing with Lucius Malfoy was a better decision", Narcissa turned around and stormed out of the tent. It was then both Bellatrix and Andromeda realised that Hermione was also gone. The two witches stood there for a few minutes.
"This has to stop Bella. There's no reason to drag Hermione and Narcissa into our problems." Bellatrix nodded then hung her head to hide the tears that were threatening to fall. "Bella please don't do that, you're making me feel guilty, and I know you don't actually love me, those tears aren't real." Bellatrix sniffed and turned away from her sister. There was an immediate pang in Andromeda's heart, she approached her sister and put her hand on her shoulder. When Bella didn't react or turn around she wrapped her arms around her waist, "I'm sorry", all Bella did was nod, "I loved you too".
Bellatrix sighed, "I should go find Hermione", and Bellatrix moved free of her sister's embrace and went outside. Once Bella was gone Andromeda sat on the older witch's bed and cried.
