*hides in a little corner* I am so so so so sorry! Life got in the way, and I've legitimately been working on this steadily for the last two (three?) months! I tried to make it a bit longer, just to make up for the dreadful length of time between this and the last chapter! A lot of people have been looking forward to this one, so hope if lives up to your expectations :)
Chapter Dedication: Anyone who reviewed, I'm not going to specify this time, but all of you who review are the most incredible people ever and the main reason I work on this story. Thank you so much, it means so much to me to hear from you guys.
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to J.K. Rowling
Note: I've been trying to upload this for the last week and a half. This is the first day fanfic has not told me error when I clicked on "edit Black Waters".
The days passed quickly, and each day brought a new preparation for the Yule Soiree. More dress robe fittings, jewelry testing, food sampling and shoe picking. Andromeda didn't take part in most of the preparation, but the stuff she did have to help with was boring, at least, in her opinion. Finally thought it was the night, Christmas Eve. Andromeda heard house-elves below bustling about, and Father yelling at people. Even the girl's personal house-elf, Hoppy, was employed to work with the rest of the elves tonight.
"Meda! Meda, I need help with the clasp on my necklace!" Narcissa yelled from her bedroom.
Andromeda got up slowly from her bed where she had been laying, and went to her sister's room where Narcissa sat, fully-dressed, only having to do her make-up.
"Cissy, why are you already dressed! The Soiree does not begin for two hours."
"We must be ready," Narcissa replied haughtily.
Andromeda sighed and fastened the necklace.
"Thank you Meda. You should begin to prepare yourself for the night."
"Yes Cissy," Andromeda replied with a teasing tone, leaving her sister's room and going into the bathroom. She pointed her wand at the elaborate bathtub and watched it fill with warm, bubbly water before taking her lounge robes off and slipping in. The water enveloped her and Andromeda closed her eyes to relax. Images of Ted and Sirius and even her Muggle book swirled before her eyes before she wrenched them open. Her head needed to be clear of all distractions. One accidental slip, if detrimental enough, could get her disowned.
No longer feeling the relaxing energies of her bath, Andromeda got up and began to dry herself off. Andromeda pointed her wand at her hair which immediately dried, although flat and not styled. Within the next hour the brunette did her hair and make-up, put her dress robes, shoes and jewelry on, and got herself mentally prepared for the overwhelming event that was the Yule Soiree. It was worse for Andromeda this year for two reasons, first, it was at her manor, and second, it was the night of her official engagement announcement to Rabastan Lestrange. She had to look perfect, act perfect, and overall, be perfect.
"Andromeda! Narcissa!" her mother yelled and both girls hurried down, fully ready.
At the bottom of the stairs the sisters met Druella, who was also fully prepared for tonight.
"Andromeda, spin," Druella commanded and with her arms out, Andromeda spun in a slow circle. Druella snapped her wand and Andromeda's corset, which she had purposefully left off, snapped onto her body, tighter than she expected.
"It is not proper for a woman of your stature to go out in a dress like this without a corset," Druella told her daughter sternly and Andromeda nodded, still trying to regain her breath.
"Narcissa," Druella said and Narcissa repeated her sister.
"Good, now, you both are forbidden to go upstairs tonight, you must stay down and socialize. Second, I am sick of your childish nicknames. You are Andromeda and Narcissa Black, and I shall tell Bellatrix the same. Third, Andromeda, you are to dance only with Rabastan tonight, and Narcissa, three different respectable men is your absolute maximum, although I urge you to stick to Lucius Malfoy. Neither of you are to do anything at all that will embarrass this family or else you will be punished. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Mother," the two girls replied.
"Good, now, prepare to greet your father, along with your aunt, uncles and cousins."
The two nodded and went to their Father's study where they could see figures moving.
Andromeda raised her hand on knocked lightly on the door.
Cygnus Black opened the door and looked at his two youngest daughters.
"Hello Andromeda, Narcissa," Walburga Black said.
"Hello Aunt Walburga," the two chimed.
Andromeda looked at her extended family, Aunt Walburga's long army green dress, Uncle Orion's proper dress robes, with a tie that matched Aunt Walburga's. Then Sirius and Regulus, dressed to look like twins, and Andromeda noticed that Sirius looked oddly stifled and annoyed.
"Boys, greet your cousins," Orion commanded.
"Hello," Regulus said respectfully. Sirius just waved, his face filled with contempt. Orion nodded happily.
"Father," Narcissa began, "Are we suitable?"
Cygnus circled his daughters carefully, "Yes, you are suitable, although Narcissa," he zapped his wand at her shoes and she lowered down two inches, "Do not try to fool me by raising the height of your shoes again."
"Yes Father," Narcissa muttered, her cheeks red with embarrassment.
Then there was a small Pop! and Alphard materialized next to them in his best dress robes.
"Hello," he said, nodding his head towards them.
Andromeda smiled widely, "Hello Uncle Alphard."
"My, my, don't you girls look all grown up," he said looking at them, "And Sirius and Regulus, when did you two get that tall?"
"That's enough Alphard," Walburga snapped, "No need to gush incessantly."
"Bellatrix, Rodolophus and Rabastan shall be here any moment," Cygnus said, "Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange will be joining them later on in the evening, with the rest of the guests. We shall wait for them in the hall."
Everyone shuffled out of the now crowded office and into the hall where Bellatrix, Rodolophus and Rabastan stood, having clearly just Apparated in.
"Hello Father, Uncle Alphard, Aunt Walburga, Uncle Orion," Bellatrix said then she turned to her sisters with a smile, "Hello Meda and Cissy."
"Bellatrix, no more of these foolish nicknames, it's Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa," Druella snapped joining them in the hall.
Bellatrix sighed, "Hello Mother."
Druella's lips curled with dissatisfaction as she looked at her eldest daughter.
"Your dress is atrocious," Druella began, "The color is horrendous, the cut is hideous, and those shoes are, well, where did you get that thing made?"
Andromeda took notice to her sister's dress, which was blood-red with a low-cut neck, an odd ruffling pattern that looked made of a flaky material, and shoes that were black, shiny, and finished in skinny and obscenely high heels.
"I will not have any daughter of mine looking like a Mudblood slut," Cygnus sneered.
"Your make-up is far too dark Bellatrix, you look like you're modeling for Mudblood Whores Inc.," Walburga finished.
"And where is your corset? I see where Andromeda gets her nasty habits," Druella said snapping her wand and Bellatrix's center immediately buckled in as Bellatrix lost her breath.
"Rodolphus!" Cygnus snapped and the man walked up, with a manner of ease around him.
"I am terribly sorry Cygnus, I just could not persuade her out of it, and you know how I would never like to displease my lovely wife, I did not realize it would be quite so, revealing," Rodolphus lied through his teeth.
Walburga made a flicking motion with her wand and half of Bellatrix's make-up vanished, leaving her face much lighter. Finally, Druella twirled her wand a few times and an undershirt appeared to cover Bellatrix's chest and her heels dropped a few inches.
"There, now you are at least presentable," Druella sighed, flicking her wand one last time to darken the red to a burgundy.
"That is enough Mother," Bellatrix, who's lips had been pursed the whole time, snapped.
"Very well, we must act calm, guests will be arriving soon," Druella instructed and everyone began attempting to act naturally.
"You look splendid Andromeda," she heard a voice in her ear and turned around to see Rabastan Lestrange leering at her.
"Hello Rabastan," Andromeda sighed.
"Would you like to see the ring?" Rabastan asked casually, as if it wasn't the sign that she was losing her freedom.
"No thank you Rabastan," Andromeda told him walking away towards Bellatrix, who was sulking in the corner.
"Mother seemed as if she was ready to Avada Kedavra you," Andromeda said.
"Mother isn't in charge of me anymore," Bellatrix replied, her lips pursed.
"You know she is just trying to help," Narcissa said, joining the conversation.
"Mother has made it her personal goal to spite me every chance she gets," Bellatrix told her sisters tersely.
"That is enough chatting girls, I see carriages," Druella snapped, and her demeanor changed to pleasant as the first set of guests walked in.
"Hello, how have you been, may the house-elf take your coat?" Druella asked respectfully making small talk. And that is what they did for the next hour, made small-talk, until Cygnus tapped them all lightly on the shoulder.
"It is time to go upstairs, we will be announcing the hosts in approximately five minutes," Cygnus told the family and they all slipped upstairs quietly and hid away in the nursery.
"Hello ladies and gentleman, and welcome," Cygnus said from upstairs, his voice magnified to echo around the house.
"I would like to present the Black family, starting with my lovely sister Walburga, her husband Orion, and their children Sirius Orion Black and Regulus Arcturus Black."
Everyone clapped respectfully as the family of four walked down the stairs, Walburga in her glory, and Sirius' face showing as much contempt as an eleven year old face could.
"Next, my dear brother Alphard Black," Cygnus said and Alphard descended the stairs by himself.
"Next, my lovely daughter Bellatrix, and her husband Rodolphus Lestrange," Cygnus said and Bellatrix and Rodolphus descended the stairs, hands grasped.
"Our turn," Narcissa said to her sister and they linked arms.
"Next are my other two lovely daughters, Andromeda Elladora and Narcissa Cassiopeia."
Andromeda and Narcissa slowly walked down the stairs, the only thought in Andromeda's mind being 'please don't trip'. She remembered when Ella Burke had tripped a few years ago, Ella still couldn't get married off and she has been out of Hogwarts for years. Luckily though both girls made it down without tripping, and turned to watch their parents enter the ballroom.
Druella as usually guided with an air of grace that only she could obtain, and Cygnus made it a point to glance at all the important people in the room and avoid the rest. Finally they finished and everyone moved to sit down for the main course. Andromeda was seated with Rabastan, and Narcissa, Lucius, Evan, Marcus and Annabelle were also at the table.
"Where is Grace?" Annabelle asked curiously.
"I believe she is seated with Jane," Narcissa answered glancing at a table that contained most of the sixth year Slytherins along with Grace and Flora.
"I'm curious as to why I was seated with a table full of such beautiful ladies," Evan said with a smirk.
"I am terribly sorry Evan, but I do not believe in marriage between first cousins," Andromeda retorted.
"Thank you for the compliment Evan," Narcissa replied and Evan just grinned.
"Dinner, is served," Cygnus said flicking his wand as the food appeared in front of them.
"It looks lovely," Annabelle said beginning to eat her salad.
"It tastes just as good," Marcus said.
"I love the Yule Soiree," Narcissa gushed as she ate and Andromeda laughed lightly.
Then there was a sound of a knife clinking with a glass and all chatter ceased as Cygnus Black stood up.
"Hello, I would like to welcome everyone to this year's Yule Soiree," he started and everyone clapped respectfully, "I would also like to take this moment to announce a very special event, the engagement of my middle daughter, Andromeda, to Rabastan Lestrange," and everyone clapped again as Andromeda blushed and Rabastan just smiled lightly.
"Finally they announce it," Marcus muttered under his breath.
Rabastan leaned under the table and slipped the ring on Andromeda's finger. It felt big, and heavy, and Andromeda knew the instant it was on her finger that she would hate it, but her curiosity got the better of her and she took a peek. It was the ring that Rabastan had sent for her approval on her birthday, but on her finger it looked much different, it looked, wrong somehow. She couldn't explain it, but the ring was no longer an object of beauty to her.
"It's an heirloom," Rabastan whispered and Andromeda did the typical 'smile and nod'.
The rest of the meal was spent catching up on their short break so far, and then the tables vanished, and the music began.
"Would you like to dance Narcissa?" Lucius asked and Narcissa nodded enthusiastically, taking his hand and following him onto the floor.
"Annabelle?" Marcus held his hand out and she took it gratefully.
That left Andromeda standing awkwardly next to Rabastan. She knew a woman never asked a man to dance, it offended the man, and made the woman look like a Mudblood whore.
"I am going to have a word with my brother, excuse me," Rabastan finally said leaving her standing alone, until she saw her Uncle Alphard beginning to walk over.
"I believe I owe you a congratulations niece," Alphard said and Andromeda tried to smile.
"Thank you Uncle."
"I am sure your marriage will be, easy enough," Alphard tried to console her.
"I am sure," she replied, not wanting Mother to overhear her talking bad about her, fiancee.
"As much as I hate to leave you standing alone, I see my dear sister motioning me over to yet another one of her low-grade pureblood single friends, excuse me," Alphard said patting Andromeda on the shoulder and leaving her alone, again.
"Congratulations" Grace asked, and Andromeda looked to see that Grace had snuck up beside her, "Enjoying the Soiree?"
"Thank you Grace, and yes, it's lovely," Andromeda lied.
"Your estate is beautiful, the garden is just splendid," Grace told her.
"Thank you, if you'll excuse me, I must find Sirius, I've been told to keep an eye on him."
Grace nodded and Andromeda walked away, figuring she might as well find Sirius, as not to have lied to Grace. She finally found him by the snacks table, Aunt Walburga or Uncle Orion nowhere in sight.
"Hello Sirius," she said. He waved in response.
"Are you enjoying the ball?" she asked, and he just nodded.
"Sirius, why aren't you talking?" Andromeda finally asked her cousin and he pointed to his throat.
"A Silencing Charm?" Andromeda asked quietly and Sirius nodded.
"Come along, I'll remove it," Andromeda sighed and Sirius grinned following her out of the ballroom. She performed the counter-curse and Sirius gave a huge sigh.
"Thanks Andie!" he said throwing his arms around her.
"You're welcome Sirius," she said, tempted to ruffle his hair.
"Listen, do not tell Aunt Walburga or Uncle Orion I removed the charm, just, try not to speak in front of them at all, is that alright?"
Sirius nodded and ran off. A few minutes later Andromeda followed and returned to her table where she sat by herself.
"Andromeda, why are you sitting here by yourself? People will begin to talk!" Druella scolded coming over to her daughter.
"I cannot find Rabastan, he left to talk to Rodolphus ages ago," Andromeda replied.
"Well Rodolphus is dancing with Bellatrix, so him and Rabastan could not be talking."
"I am afraid I do not know then Mother."
"This will not do, in the mean time, do not just sit here, mingle," Druella said leaving her daughter.
Andromeda stood up and walked over to Jane Mulciber, who was also standing alone.
"Hello Jane," Andromeda said pleasantly.
"Oh, hello Andromeda, congratulations" Jane replied.
"Thank you, how is your evening?"
"I am having an excellent time," Jane said, sounded very well rehearsed, "And you?"
"I am having an absolutely lovely time," Andromeda lied, then she saw Bellatrix get off the dance floor with Rodolphus, "Excuse me, I must go speak with Bellatrix, I hope you continue to enjoy the evening."
Andromeda scurried off as she saw Bellatrix practically running out the door with Rodolphus. Andromeda finally caught up to them, but just barely.
"Bellatrix!" Andromeda called out, "Where are you going?"
Bellatrix turned around and Andromeda noticed a manic look in her eyes, and her right hand was gripping her left arm.
"I'm afraid Roddy and I must be heading off dear Meda," Bellatrix said looking around frantically.
"Bella, you cannot leave, Mother will throw a fit," Andromeda said, and then she saw Rabastan walking up to them, also clutching his left arm.
"We'll go on ahead, talk to your sister, but come in a minute" Rabastan said to Bellatrix, Apparating away. Rodolphus followed his brother.
"Bellatrix, please do not leave, you cannot leave, Mother will, Mother will disown you!"
Bellatrix let out a harsh laugh, "Mother will not disown me for honoring the family name." Bellatrix's hand slipped from her arm and Andromeda saw a flash of black on her sister's arm. The brunette moved to her sister and yanked her hand away forcefully. There she saw a repulsive jet-black skull head and snake slithering on Bellatrix's pale arm.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Bellatrix asked, stroking her arm like it was a child.
"Bellatrix, you cannot join, him, the things he does, they are not fit for a woman of your stature, and they are hideous, and repulsive!" Andromeda said through her shock.
"He is cleansing the world for people like us Andromeda!" Bellatrix cried happily, "All the possibilities! No more Mudbloods, or Muggles, no more filth at school, or in Diagon Alley, or anywhere. We will finally take our proper place, on the throne of the world."
Andromeda flinched away from the woman she thought was her sister.
"This-This-This isn't you!" Andromeda yelled, but her words were lost to the wind as Bellatrix Apparated away to some unknown destination. Andromeda stood there, staring out into the garden, trying to decipher what she had just learned about her eldest sister, when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you ok Andie?" Sirius asked quietly and Andromeda turned around to look at him.
"I'll meet you in your room, Aunt Druella and Uncle Cygnus won't notice," he said scampering away. Deciding not to risk walking inside, Andromeda Apparated to her room where Sirius was just entering.
Sirius stared back at Andromeda, the hard look in his eyes that she had noticed him wearing more often.
"Remus told me that when he's upset his Mother makes him homemade milk and cookies, and James told me that his Father takes him flying around the backyard, I know you don't like flying, but I could find a way to get milk and cookies?" Sirius said cautiously to his favorite cousin, who almost started laughing at Sirius' simple mind.
"That's alright Sirius," she said, her voice sounding hoarse, "Will you just tell Mother and Father that I was not feeling well, and that I have gone to bed not wanting to infect anyone else?"
Sirius nodded, gave his cousin a hug, then walked out of her room.
Andromeda sat on her bed and looked at the ring again, then took it off her finger and set it down on the dresser. It was much too gaudy to wear regularly. Her thoughts swirled in her mind and she couldn't keep a coherent thought going. Finally she gave up and went to read her now worn-out copy of Islands in the Stream. As always, she flipped to her favorite passage and began to read:
Being against evil doesn't make you good. Tonight I was against it and then I was evil myself. I could feel it coming just like a tide ... I just want to destroy them. But when you start taking pleasure in it you are awfully close to the thing you're fighting. (40-41).
And ... there you go, the Yule Soiree chapter!
Hope you liked it, any feedback? Send a REVIEW!
Thanks for being so patient with this update. I've already started the next chapter, but I can't guarantee anything ... my inspiration comes and goes with the passing days. I promise to try as hard as I can though to get the next one up soon!
-dancergirl7