It was a hard month for the Black family and Bellatrix hated every moment of being locked away in the miserable house. It was colder than normal and she only rarely saw her parents. Bellatrix spent most of her time with Narcissa. The little girl had gone almost mute during the past few weeks and she never spent more than a few minutes outside of Bellatrix's presence. Bellatrix knew that she was scared. Each night, Bellatrix would hold her little sister tightly in her arms and reassure her that she would always be there, that she'd never leave, but Narcissa's body would still tremble with nightmares and she'd always wake with a panicked look, checking to see that Bellatrix was there.

A week after the incident, two letters had arrived by owl on Bellatrix's windowsill. One was addressed to her and the other to Narcissa. She knew immediately that they were from Andromeda. Without looking at them, Bellatrix had taken them and thrown them in the fire. There had been a satisfaction in watching them burn, just as there had been in watching her father scar Andromeda's face from the family tapestry. She wasn't family, now. She was worse than a muggle to Bellatrix, she was a blood traitor. Someday, she knew in her heart, Andromeda would pay for her unforgivable actions. Bellatrix would make sure of it.

After a month of isolation, however, Druella came into Bellatrix's room to get her ready. Narcissa sat on Bellatrix's bed, never far, as usual, from Bellatrix. "The Lestranges are coming tonight," Druella informs the two girls. "Their sons will be staying with us for the next week. It is important that the two of you act in an upstanding manner. We must preserve our reputation with the family, especially since our recent… family tragedy. Is that understood?"

Bellatrix and Narcissa both nod stoically. Druella falls silent as well as she gently combs Bellatrix's hair back and picks a simple grey dress for her. She turns her attention to Narcissa and gently braids the young girl's hair back into a simple plait. Bellatrix watches Druella's fingers linger on Narcissa and Bellatrix notes the tears forming in her mother's eyes.

"Narcissa," Druella says gently. "How about we wear that beautiful blue dress we bought last summer? It'll make your eyes sparkle."

Narcissa gives an almost imperceptible nod and Bellatrix feels her hand forming into a fist and shaking slightly. It wasn't enough. Mother hadn't done enough. She had Father had barely said a word to Narcissa all month and now, now that she can finally see how much pain Narcissa is in… No. This little exchange of affection wasn't enough. It had been her that had taken care of Narcissa. She was the one that had sat up and held Narcissa, had cleaned her tears from her face, who had taken care of her. "Come, Cissa," Bellatrix finds herself saying. Mother didn't deserve any sort of comfort from Narcissa. Not when she had failed to be there. She holds out a hand for the little girl. "I'll get you dressed."

Narcissa slides off the chair and goes to Bellatrix, holding tightly to her hand. Bellatrix only looks back for a moment and sees a few tears falling down Druella's face, but she wipes them away quickly. She nods curtly to her daughters and excuses herself from the room.

Bellatrix shakes her head and focuses her attention back on her sister. She dresses her in the blue dress her mother had suggested and gets ready in her own as well. Almost selfishly, then, she unbraids Narcissa's hair. "You're much too old for braids, anyways," she says with a smile to Narcissa. "And you look so beautiful with your hair loose."

Narcissa nods again, still clinging to Bellatrix's arm. "Thank you, Trixy," she whispers and Bellatrix kisses the top of her head.

"Of course, little monkey. Now let's go down and see those buggers the LeStranges."

Narcissa nods and, still holding tightly to Bellatrix's hand, follows her sister out and down the stairs.

Rodolphus, Bellatrix thought time herself. It felt like years since she had seen him. Longer, even. She wasn't even sure what to say to him now. She was certain she wasn't the same girl he had kissed that day in Hogwarts.