Hi everyone, I hope this chapter finds you in good health. This will be the last chapter pertaining to Meissa's birthday. After this we will finally get into the adventures the girls will have in the Muggle world.

~MJB~

Chapter 10 - Sincerity

July 1st, 1992 - Meissa's 12th birthday (Wednesday)
Location: Nigri Sanctuarium

Meissa's first order of business, after putting away her presents and retrieving her familiar, was to simply spend time with her cousin. It's the first time she has seen him since their First year at Hogwarts has ended and she's rather curious about how things are going for him. Aunt Cissy and their godfather are, from last she checked, were discussing something that didn't pertain to them.

"So," she starts in a light tone, "how has your summer been so far?"

Draco looks at her for a long moment. "Father's been… teaching me."

"About family secrets?" she questions, toeing the line of proper etiquette. They're cousins but they essentially belonged in separate families. As the new Head of her Family there's a line she has to be aware of now when she discuss things with her cousin.

"For… for the most part."

She's not entirely sure of what to make of the tone in her cousin's voice. She's gotten so used to him being self-assured that it's rather off putting to hear the hesitation.

If she didn't know her uncle as well as she did she would have assumed that he was punishing Draco harshly. Uncle Lucius, as much as she dislikes him, would not lay a hand on his one and only son. She sincerely doubts he would even cast - no… she would not even swear her magic on it. She suspects that he would if he believes his son would benefit from the lesson.

In many ways Lucius Malfoy reminds her of a shark.

"Anything you want to talk about?" she asks carefully, idly running her fingers along her familiar's back.

"I… I'm not entirely sure of what to make of what he's been teaching me," Draco remarks as one of the House elves delivered refreshments and snacks for them.

"Is it something your mother would disapprove of?"

She didn't miss the grimace on her cousin's face.

"I suspect she would."

Meissa nods her head slightly, thinking about what he has said. If Aunt Narcissa would disapprove of whichever her husband is teaching Draco then… she's certainly concerned. "Will you be okay for the month?"

Draco doesn't answer her for a long moment, causing her to study him carefully. He doesn't look any different than usual. Same slicked back hair. Same round features, although she did detect a small bit of difference. It seems like he has lost a bit of baby fat along the cheeks. She studies his face for a bit longer before finally noting that his skin tone seems to be paler than usual.

It seems like he's troubled by something and she doubts Draco will be able to tell her if it involves his father and/or family related.

"I will be okay," Draco finally says in a low voice, holding the cup of tea close.

"Mm. Just try and stay true to yourself," she advises him, knowing there's nothing else she can truly say to him.

He doesn't say anything for a long moment before a sigh escaped him. "I'm not so sure that."

Meissa made a slight noise at that. "You know who are you, Dray. Before we started schooling at Hogwarts, you were someone who would've never said the things you have this past year." She watches him set the cup of tea down with a sharp clink, fully aware that she could've phrased that better. "Do what you think Aunt Cissy would approve and not what she would disapprove."

~MJB~

It was nearly six in the evening when Meissa's aunt and cousin finally departed for their home.
Severus went into his study to review his notes after ensuring Meissa was set for the rest of the night. He also took a sample of her blood - something about testing her blood for any allergy reaction to the regime. He also left clear instructions for the House elves to ensure that she is well taken care of for the rest of the night.

She's rather used to his focus on his potions that she doesn't really protest the whole situation. His focus has been a constant for her, a constant in the storm that has been her life. He's predictable as much as her godfather would hate to admit it. It's something she doesn't hold against him because she knows. She knows that his focus on potions, on the regime, is his way of caring.

In any case, once he was in his study and the house elves have finished fussing over her, she decided to retreat upstairs. At first she had every intention of going to her room but, as she stood by the staircase she felt a pull to go one more floor. With a frown she sets the kitten down on the ground, telling her familiar to stay out of trouble. She gets a grumpy protest from the kitten but the familiar turns and ran straight down the hall without further comments.

Amused by her familiar's reaction she walks up to stairs to the third floor. Barely half up the stairs she hears the familiar greeting from her mother's portrait. Unbidden a smile appears on her face as she rushes up the last of the steps and stood in front of the portrait.

She stands in front of her mother's portrait, nervously bouncing on the ball of her feet. Bellatrix, after watching her daughter for some time, starts to laugh. "Dearie, you look like someone who has eaten too much cake!" Meissa blushes and made an effort to stop bouncing. "Happy birthday, dearie," the raven-haired woman smiles at her daughter.

"Thank you," Meissa gave her mother a broad smile. She crosses her arms when she feels herself about to fidget again.

"Twelve years old," Bellatrix remarks softly, her sharp features softening slightly with regret. "I had so… so much I wanted to with you."

Meissa tugs on a strand of her hair, twirling it around her fingers as she bites her lip. "I… I wished we had that," she confesses softly.

"I know, dearie." Bellatrix sighs as she shakes her head, crossing her arms in a manner not unlike her daughter's. "Regardless, you have grown." Bellatrix gestures to her daughter, "I've seen you grown into a fine young lady."

Meissa smiles shyly at her mother. "Thanks mother."

Bellatrix laughs slightly. "Mother? I thought you'd be calling me mumma." The raven-haired girl blushes as she covers her face, prompting her mother to crackle in amusement. "Since when have you been calling me mother?" Bellatrix asks after she finally managed to stop crackling.

"I… Since I was old enough."

"Ah… since you were old enough to be told about my crimes."

Meissa grimaces at the blunt statement but made no attempt to refute it. "You will always be my Ma," she starts before she straightens her back and looks determinedly at her mother.

"But I've left you the responsibilities of the House," Bellatrix remarks before her daughter could continue. The raven-haired woman gestures to her daughter's hand where the signet ring was visible. "Twelve years old and already you're the Lady Black."

"You don't believe I can do this?"

"I believe you can," her mother counters. "I have no doubt that you can do whatever you set your mind to."

With that Bellatrix waved her hand towards the door, which led to the telltale click of the door unlocking, before disappearing out of the frame. Meissa blinks at this before she takes the cue for as it was. She mutters a bye to her mother's portrait before she enters the safe room.

Once the door has shut behind her she takes her time to cross the room. She has already removed several books from the shelves, at the moment they're currently sitting on her desk waiting to be read. She wants to say she hasn't taken any of the weapons down from their slots on the wall but that would be lying. She did take one that was similar to what she used to practice with when she was younger and took fencing classes.

She had fenced for a little bit when she was younger but stopped after she turned eight years old. She can't exactly remember why she quit in the first place but after a few close calls she had to admit that playing around with the sword wasn't a good idea. Tripping over one's own feet with a honed sword made for a heart stopping story - not that she'll ever tell anyone. Certainly not to a certain blonde Slytherin and brunette Gryffindor. She values her life a bit too much to ever relate the story to them.

She finally reaches the table where the Pensieve is and, after a moment of hesitation, locates the bottle for her 12th birthday. As she studies the untidy scrawl on the label she debates if she wants to know her mother's message. She wants to know what her mother planned for her twelfth birthday but at the same time she's unsure if she'd able to handle the disappointment. To know just how much she meant to her mother.

Meissa stares at the clear glass vial, watching as the mist swirls within until she finally removes the stopper and pours the memory into the basin. Before she could psych herself out she dives into the memory.

~MJB~

"Jehanna!" Bellatrix calls out as she walks through the newly built house, heading to the second floor. She didn't get an answer as she follows the sound of her daughter's cries. "Jehanna, where are you?"

By the time she has reached her daughter's nursery she still hasn't gotten a response but decided to worry about it later. Instead she goes to her daughter's cradle, picking the crying toddler up with a soft shush. "Hey," she whispers to the girl, petting Meissa's thick russet curls. "What's wrong baby girl?" She carries the toddler over to the changing table. "Do you have a full pamper?"

She lays the toddler down before she cast a few spells to change Meissa out of her dirty pamper and into a clean one along with a new outfit. "There we go," she coos to the sniffling toddler. Warm brown eyes, rimmed with tears, looks up at her as she tries to get her daughter to cheer up. With a smile on her face she gently catches Meissa's tiny fists and gets her to laugh.

Meissa stares at the scene as she watched her mother play with her younger version. She follows her throughout the whole house, watching how her mother cared for her instead of leaving her to the house elves like she knows most purebloods do. Throughout the whole memory, her mother spoke to her, telling her stories that - to Meissa's surprise - did not once involve the war or anything related to the Dark Arts.

To find out that her mother isn't as obsessed with her precious Dark Lord is a shock. She's so used to people telling her how fanatical her mother that to see an actual contradiction to popular belief makes her wonder.

She's still not sure who Jehanna is - no one ever did respond to the name - but she has to wonder if it's the same person who wrote the book. It's not altogether a common name, to her understanding.

"Bella," Meissa hears a warm voice as footsteps approached her mother. She turns to look at the owner of the voice but before she could see their face the memory ended and she was left facing her mother who had a grin on her face that looks similar to the one she has seen on her own face.

"Happy Birthday, Meissa," Bellatrix says with a light laugh. "I hope you didn't get too embarrassed watching me take care of your one years old version. In case you didn't realize, it's the day after your first birthday with me," Bellatrix continues. "I was going to show your first birthday but… well, let's just say your first birthday was a bit too crazy and there are some things best forgotten." Bellatrix laughs awkwardly before she clears her throat, straightening up. "I know that if you're watching this it means… well, I hope, if nothing else, you know that I love you." Bellatrix crosses her arms with an awkward look on her face, her fingers alternating between her dress and hair. "I promise, dearie, that I will always love you and I will always be proud of you."

~MJB~

Sorry for the cliffy but I'm sure all of those who have followed The Proud and Noble Black, can imagine Meissa's reaction to the memory.