Disclaimer:Think about. Me=J.K Rowling? No. That simple.
AN: Okay. So it's a little choppy and badly written at some parts, but it's 16 pages long, so give me a break. In general, it's a little violent at one part, and we get a little glimpse of the rocky marriage of the girls parents. Bella and Andie almost get along the WHOLE chapter! Yay! I was expecting to put a lot more violence and fighting, but I wasn't in a very good mood so I decided I'll put it off to depress me later! Oh and I even put in a little part that's completely pointless and short where they all get dressed up and go off to some party where everyone's drunk. It's going to continue from the end of the party next chapter. okay! time to thank my lovely reviewers!-
Soccergirl2044: Bella is nice most of this chapter. Oh and Narcissa will definitely and I mean definitely meet a good boy before she marries icky Lucuis. It is a major plot point. J
Griffins95: Well I'm glad you reviewed, even if it was a little late. And thanks!
Trinity Day: You reviewed twice so number 1: thanks number 2: you're right. Technically, if Dracos gloating is right, she should be in Slytherin. But, in order for the character I have created for Narcissa to be correct, she couldn't be a Slytherin. Charlotte should be in Gryffindor too, since Ron said all his family was in Gryffindor. But, I claim artistic merit! hehe. It will work out later! But thanks much for pointing that out.
Chapter 10
All their luggage was on the train as it began to jolt forward. Bellatrix looked at Andie with mild interest. She was speaking to Narcissa out of the corner of her mouth as she stared out the window. She kept flipping her light brown hair out of her face, in attempt to get it out of her blue eyes.
She knew they wouldn't be able to get through this holiday unless they made up. Temporarily.
"Andromeda." She called softly, "Come over here."
Andie looked at her, narrowing her eyes. "Why?"
"Just would fancy a chat." She patted the cushioning next to her. "Come on."
Andie looked at Narcissa, and Cissa shrugged aprehensively, mumbling, "It's all right. Just go on."
So she did, "Well, what do you want Bellatrix?" She asked coldly, with a grim expression.
"Well. We are going to have to tolerate eachother this holiday. You know how upset Mum gets when we fight."
"Taking other peoples feelings into consideration now? That's a big step for you." She spat, refusing to look at her.
"Listen. Can't we just call a truce untill we go back to school?" Bella said, a bit of desperation ringing in her voice.
"I thought we were going on just fine the way we were. I don't talk to you, you don't talk to me."
"Well, they're going to know something's up if we don't speak to eachother!" Bella exclaimed.
"They're going to know something's up if we don't fight, too." She replied sourly, and Bella groaned.
"You're insufferable."
"Oh, come now, Andie." Narcissa added in worriedly, "It can't be that difficult for you two to hold up a civilized conversation, can it? I mean…it would make everything so nice if you two just got alone, like you used too."
Andie sighed. If Narcissa asked of something, she knew it must be crucial.
"I suppose so. Okay, no rows. And we'll speak. All right." And put out her hand grudgingly, Bellatrix toke it with a satisified smile. "Truce?"
"Truce."
******
"Oh, Cissy! Andie! Bella!" Mrs. Black hugged all her daughters lovingly, as their father greeted them seriously, standing aside from affection.
"Narcissa, how do you like it?" Her mother asked, "School, and all?"
"Just lovely, mummy."
"And your friends? You've made some?"
"Of course. They're quite nice, Petra and Charlotte."
Her mother looked to Andie, "You watch after her, don't you, Andie?"
"Of course. But no one really threatens her or anything, mum, don't worry."
"Well, these are dark times." Her mother said softly, so her husband couldn't hear her. But he was conversing with Bella at the moment.
"Well. I have to say, Mum. You've raised a little heartbreaker. The boys are all quite fond of her, eh?"
Narcissa blushed, "Are not."
"Oh, I bet they are. They all roll in at this age." her mother was smiling, in a reminisint kind of way, "I remember. Don't let them take advantage of you, Cissy. You need to remain in control, before you have nothing left to hold yourself up. Boys can be so fussy…"
She didn't really seem to be talking to Narcissa anymore. Narcissa looked up at her mother, who noticed she was beginning to ramble, and rustled her hair, smiling.
"Sorry, luv. Old age kicking in there."
"Oh mum, you're not a day past thirty five." Andie said lightly, "So what's for dinner?"
*****
Andie was tired. Long train trips always exhausted her.
As well as her parents. It was strange, her mother and Narcissa giggling girlishly, her father and Bella speaking seriously. She felt like an outsider.
It had always been. She didn't know why she ever expected anything to be any different when she came back each holiday.
She was quite famished, since she hadn't eaten since lunch, and it was well into the evening. They sat at the dinner table, the root of many family fiascos.
"And so I told him, I told him Edwina, don't be such a ham!" He was in the middle of one of his ever "hilarious" stories of something that had happened at the ministry, and he was wiping tears from his eyes, and her mother was smiling politely.
"You told him, Hieronymous." She said, laughing softly, "Oh girls. We'll go shopping tomorrow, all right? Now…I must go to bed." She smiled, then stood and turned from the table.
"Yeah. I'm stuffed too! The house elves will clear the table. You girls find your way to bed." He stood, a rather burly man, and followed their mother out of the room.
"Oh, shopping! I'd fancy a new pair of shoes." Narcissa said, and drew the fork to her mouth.
"Yeah. Mine are beat down to the heel." Andromeda said dully, she didn't really want to attempt any form of interesting conversation. "All right, who wants to play chess?"
*****
Things for the past two days had went by without event. They went out for a little bit with their mum, and Narcissa mainly wandered around the grounds, Bella studied, and Andie struck up conversation with the house elves.
Right now, suprisingly, everyone was in the living room. Their father was talking to the head of a Ursus Malfoy.
"Fascinating." He turned his head in the direction of where Andie and Bella were viciously playing chess, and Narcissa was watching with little interest, petting her cat. "Well, Ursus, I'll see you at the next meeting. Cheers."
He strode over to them, smile plastered on his face.
"Who's winning?"
Andie sighed, "Bella. I suck with strategy."
Narcissa furrowed her brow, "Then why do you always beat me?"
Andie smiled, still concentrating on the board as she ordered a pawn forward, "Because, Narcissa dear, you suck at chess."
Narcissa mock pouted, and Bella laughed, "Check mate! Third time. Did you want something, daddy?"
"Oh, Trixie, I just heard the news! The little training you and Lestranges kid are running? I always knew you'd be the one to start something like that."
Bellatrix squirmed in her seat, feeling the hot gaze of her sisters, "Oh it's nothing father." She tried to brush it off, but her father beamed.
"Keep making me proud." He said profoundly, and santuared off into the sitting room.
"Training." Andromeda repeated dumbly.
"Training." Bellatrix mocked, "Nothing you'd get. Now do you want to play again…"
"Don't try and blow this off! Who are you…what are you training for?"
"God, Andie, what makes you think it's your fucking business?" Bellatrix felt a bit of heat rise with her anger, and she stood, "Always butting your little nose into everything, and then you realize you didn't want to know."
Andromeda stood also, and Narcissa buried her face in her hands, a thought striking her…Not this again.
"Oh, I am so tired of you telling me what's my business and what isn't. I think I know."
Bellatrix smiled, "Strange. I don't think I know who's business is whos. I could just let a bit of your business slip to Daddy, couldn't I?"
Her mothers head perked up from the book she was reading, seeing the two girls having a row again.
"You shitface. You wouldn't dare!"
"Oh, wouldn't I?"
"Girls! I expect better behavior around your sister. Andie, I hope I don't have to wash out your mouth."
"Sorry, mum."
"Just, be good, all right?" Edwina sighed, and walked into the sitting room to find her husband scribling away to someone.
*****
They could never stop fighting. She didn't know what to do with them anymore.
She didn't really know what to do with anything anymore. Nothing seemed right. She couldn't keep control of anything, and the way things were slipping away, she knew people needed her to be on top.
Edwina Black was looking over her husbands shoulder, and the letter he was writing,
Lestrange-I'm glad your son and my daughter have been selected to run the death eaters training program at Hogwarts. I just hope you know that all secrecy prec-
Death Eaters Training Program? It echoed in her head, which felt like it was spinning.
She just knew Hiernymous would eventually wrap Bella into this.
Edwina couldn't take it anymore. "Hieronymous Black. I cannot believe you."
He jumped, and turned around. "Believe what, darling?"
"You! You promised me the girls wouldn't be hurt by this! You swore you wouldn't get them involved. And now you've got Bella over at Hogwarts running a program for future killers?" She was squeeking. Because she rarely raised her voice, it sound incredibly strange when she did.
"It was not my idea, Edwina! She's running it, and it was her choice, not mine!"
"Oh, and you expect me to believe that. You know she gets so much pleasure in pleasing you. You know she does everything in her power to make you proud of her! Because you show her no attention unless she's showering you with exactley what you want to hear!"
He was red faced, the veins in his neck bulging with anger. His temper was so incredibly short, and usualley no one threatened it for fear of one of his explosions, especially his wife. His wife rarely did anything but let him do what he wanted.
"Don't you dare tell me how to raise my daughters! Don't tell me my mistakes! If there was anything wrong with them, it would be from your side of the family! You're lucky I toke you in, you dirty bitch!" He was screaming, not caring who heard. His wifes eyes were brimming with tears, and she stood behind the chair he had been sitting in, lip quivering, hoping she could figure out what to say.
"You toke me in? You were begging my father to have me marry you!" She squeeled back.
"Don't tell me what I did!" He kicked the velvet chair aside, and Edwina winced, "You don't know anything!" He raised his arm, and swatted her with his clenched fist across the face, and she banged against the wall, sliding down.
She was very weak and fragile, and looked it with her slim form. He gave her a swift kick before exiting the room in a huff.
*****
"They're fighting again." Andie said. Her and Bella had stopped argueing since their mothers shrill yells were evident in the next room.
"Suppose so." Bella sighed, "Mums been quite defensive lately, don't you agree?"
"It's strange." Narcissa said, "I'm worried."
"It's all right, Cissa. They've fought before, it's not like they're going to get a bloody divorce." Andie reassured her, and Narcissa shook her head.
"No…it's not that. She just seems really sad."
"What are you talking about?"Andie snorted, "Mum is always so cheerfull. It's sort of scary."
"Whatever." Narcissa rolled her eyes and left the room.
She knew her mother much better than either of her sisters. She knew the mask she put up never truly showed her emotions, and she knew when she was truly unhappy.
And there she sat. The chair was on the ground, and the tablecloth from the coffee table was askew. Her mother was burying her head in her hands, taking short sobs.
It was odd to watch someone you depend upon break down. Once she saw it, she wished she hadn't, but knew she couldn't leave her there.
Edwina looked up at her daughter standing akwardly in the doorway.
"Lo Cissa." She said shakily, and she stood up on weak ankles. She started to wipe her face, but it was hopeless as the tears kept on falling.
She went and embraced her mother best she could, and Edwina clinged to her like a three year old.
"I'm sorry, mum."
"I should know by now, shouldn't I?" She let go of her, and brushed herself off, and put the chair back into place with struggle. "If there's one thing I can tell you, Narcissa, it's this." She sat in the chair, taking a deep exhale, "Never let anyone control you. Never let anyone change who you are, or how you feel. Because if you do, you'll have nothing left. I know it's hard. But if you have one cause, make sure to follow that one. It will save you your sanity, and your dignity. Your happiness." She was beginning to cry again, so Narcissa sat on purple loveseat, trying to structure herself.
"I'll try, Mum. Do you…does Daddy make you unhappy?"
Edwina bit her lip, and looked up at the ceiling, thoughtfully, "I think I did that to myself a long time ago."
"I can tell. Lately you've been so sad." She said, and there was an akward pause, before her mother spoke again.
"I've been sad for a long time, Cissa. It's just now I'm giving up and showing it." She gave a sigh, and she stood up, walking gracefully over to the large window, and drawing the curtains, so sun could spring in.
She smiled a strange grin, "On days like this, it's hard to believe things could go wrong. It's supposed to snow. Suppose us girls can go out, and get our cheeks red, eh?"
"Oh, a good snow would be wonderful." Narcissa meant it, hoping something could cover up these things that always ended up rising up so quickly.
******
Bella was annoyed. She knew why they were fighting.
Poor Mumsie didn't want her to fall into the dark arts like her father. Boo hoo.
Her mothers persistance against death eaters had always been suprising since she never really seemed to care about anything much. Sort of sat there.
But of course, she didn't want her parents to fight about her. She liked her mum, still, even if she was pretty weak.
And then Narcissa went in there, all high and mighty, to fix everything and make her mother feel better.
She'd been in there for what must have been an hour, doing god knows what.
She must be better by now.
"Come on, Andie, let's go find Narcissa."
"Find Narcissa? We know where she is." Bella rolled her eyes.
"Just come on." Andie shurgged and followed Bella.
There they were, laughing merrily, as snow began to fall outside.
"Hello, girls! Come on, come join us." They were sitting on the floor, writing something out.
"What cha up to?" Andie said, and said likewise with Bella.
"Deciding what to get everyone for Christmas!"Squeeled Narcissa.
"Who's everyone?" Andie asked.
"Friends, family. Whoever. It's nice to have everything written out when you shop." Their mother said, looking thoughtfull as she scribbled something down.
So there they sat, for a little bit, watching the snow fall, and thinking of Christmas, which was three days away. They had already bought many of their loved ones gifts, but it was something to do for those who they hadn't gotten to yet.
Later they went out into the snow, and practically froze to death. Bella and Andie pelted eachother fiercefully with snowballs after getting in a small argument about something or other.
Soon, they were shivering and in for cocoa, when something sprung up.
They were in the Tea Room, and the fire was crackling away. Andie and Narcissa were playing a game of exploding snap.
Bella was sitting near her mother sipping the cocoa, letting the warmth run through her.
"You sure you don't want to play?" Narcissa asked for the third time, and Bella shook her head.
"Never liked the game."
"Your loss!" She giggled happily.
"Bella. Come here, just for a second." Her mother called.
She did so, sitting next to her, leaving her hot chocolate on the coaster.
"What is it, Mum?"
She paused, pursing her lips, her face looking youthfull in the dim light of the fire.
"I know what you're running at Hogwarts. I think you know I know that."
"I know, but mom…"
"Bella, hush. This isn't a lecture. This is a suggestion. I've been meaning to tell you exactley this for a while." She looked at her daughter, with peircing blue eyes, "I want you to know, that this death eater business, it's completely glorified. It's not luxury and it's definitely not power. It's being a servant. Now, if you really want to do this, I can't stop you. But I thought I had raised you to be above an obidient servant. The only place it will land you it a dripping cell in azkaban, above all else fates."
Bella was burning with embaressment, and a bit with anger. Her mother didn't understand anything about it! And the fact that she was pretending she did was completely ludicris.
How she had said it so shortly, acting as if this was some kind of freakin "wise advice"…it was dumb!
"Sure mum. I know." She said sweetly, returning to where she was sitting.
*****
"Christmas! Wake up Andie, it's Christmas!" She was hitting her sister on the head with her pillow, and Andie rolled over moaning.
"Oh, bugger off, Narcissa."
"But, Andie it's Christmas!"
"It's also six in the morning!"
"You're no fun. Rule is once I wake you up, we go wake everyone else up. That's the rule."
"Fine, fine! I'm getting up…"She rolled out of bed, and they wandered over to Bella's room to find her already awake, and brushing her hair.
"Let's go?" She asked, tiredly, and they trudged downstairs, to find their parents sitting at the kitchen, talking lowly.
"Morning, girls."
"Morning." They said in unison.
"Can we open our presents now??" Narcissa was bouncing around, since she was the only morning person in the family.
"Yeah, yeah. Go on, go get started, and we'll finish our breakfast."
The house elves had seperated their gifts into piles. Each had their own pile, and each was seperated into friends and family.
Andromeda's pile from her friends was larger then family, and the opposite for Bella.
Andie got lots of candy from Sirius, which was placed in friends, since he had been disowned from the family recently. She got some muggle book from Ted, which she had to conceal. She got lots of clothes and make up from her family and friends, and Narcissa got her a photo album already full of pictures, and Bella gave her a box of sugarquills.
Bella got lots of books, a chess set, and ten new sets of robes from her family. Lestrange sent her a book on the dark arts. Narcissa got her a jewelry box, and a necklace, and Andie got her a a box of sugarquills.
Narcissa got a fair amount of clothes and books from her family. Petra sent her a book on Quittich, and Charlotte sent her a book on advanced transfiguration, telling her to study up.
And while they were eating their lunch, prepared by the house elves, she received a very unusual gift.
There was an owl rapping at the window, carrying a large package. They let it in, and it wheezed at the weight of the package.
"Ooooh it's to Narcissa!" Andie exclaimed, "Ooooh and there's a note!"
"Give me that." Narcissa snatched the package and note from Andies hand and skimmed through the note.
Dearest Narcissa-I have been watching you from a far, gasping for breath when you look my way.
I saw this, and it's beauty reminded me of you. Though, in fact, it cannot compare.
Andie snorted, "Oh Narcissa I love you Narcissa. What bloke sent you this?"
Narcissa shrugged, as there was no signature.
"Told you, she's got boys in her spell." Andie mumbled to her mother.
"Well it's not signed. It could be sent from a girl" Commented Bella with a smirk. "Yes, I think I saw Mrs. McGonnagal eyeing you the other day."
"Gross, Bella. Really gross." But Andie and Bella were in hysterical laughter, Bella was holding her side, and Andie was rolling on the floor.
Her mother smiled, "Go on, at least open it."
She lifted the sides of the box, and inside was a smaller box.
She lifted it, feeling it's soft texture on her thin fingers as she opened it.
She gasped, "Oh my lord."
It was a necklace, completely entraced with diamonds, and a large ruby in the middle. There was also a set of earings, made of diamonds and tiny rubies.
"Jeeeez!" Andie whispered, and had stopped laughing, "This guy's gotta have some moolah on him!"
"Oh, Narcissa it's beautiful. Wonder if they're real." Bella said softly. "Seriously, this guy is completely mad for you!"
Narcissa was blushing crimson. God, she was going to kill this boy.
"Well, when I was a girl, we only sent eachother love notes, you know like secret admirer sort of thing." Said her mother loftily, "I suppose this one wanted to go all out."
She felt so strange, knowing some boy out there had gone out of his way to woo her when she paid him no attention. It embaressed her.
****
"Cissa?" Bella yelled from the bathroom, "Are you going to wear you necklace to the party?"
"Suppose so!"
"Well, if you're not going to, I want to borrow them because they match my dress robes."
"What about the necklace I gave you?"
"It had saphirres on it. That doesn't match red."
"Well." Narcissa walked over to the bathroom door, which was closed as her sister primped herself for the New Years party, "Then how about we switch necklaces, since I'm wearing blue."
"All right. But is it the same shade of blue?"
"I don't care! I just want to wear a necklace!"
Andromeda smiled, as she watched her sisters. The party wasn't for another three hours, so she wasn't getting ready for another two.
It was a stupid get together of all her fathers death eater friends. It was moronic.
Normally, she'd be in a dreadfull mood at being dragged to one of these things, and would lock herself in the bathroom Bella was now occupying, but she was too tired to disagree.
Last night, she had snuck out of the manor, and flew to Dublin on her broom. She met Ted in a muggle club where they wouldn't be recognized, and had snogged in the unisex bathroom. It was a bash. But she also had gotten no sleep.
It was hard to maintain a relationship, but the fact it was not allowed made it half as fun. Sometimes it was a little fun to be daring.
She did a spell when she returned to make the bags under her eyes disappear, a spell her mother had taught them all when they were very young, because a girl must always look her best, even when she got no sleep last night.
****
"Andie, tell me your ready! I'm not waiting." Bella complained.
"One sec!" She fastened the back of her orange dress robes, and stepped out.
"Stunning, Andie!" Narcissa said softly.
Andies hair was it a bun on the top of her head, brown curls spiraling in her face, and at the nape of her neck. She wore a string of pearls, and a spaghetti strap orange dress robe.
Bella was in a sleeveless tight red dress to her knees, she wore her sisters jewlery and let her straight black hair hang past her shoulders.
Narcissa wore a strapless blue dress, her hair half up, straight were it was left down, and curly were it was put up with her mothers hair pin. She wore Bellas necklace, which brought out the blue in her eyes.
They decided to floo to Datura Haze's estate.
"Dreadfull business, I hate to floo."
"Well, we can't apparate, can we."
He scoffed, "We can. They can't." He gestured towards the girls and Edwina laughed.
"Well, it was your idea to bring them." She snapped, "I don't think it's a place to bring young girls, but…"
"Oh, Edwina, we're not doing anything. It's just a party. They're be dancing, and music, and drinks."
"It's that last part that worries me." She muttered.
"Oh, Edwina, everyone else it bringing their family!" He exclaimed esasparated.
Edwina Black stood, her flowing purple dress robes truly showing off the figure she had been maintaining all these years. Her blond hair was tied out of her blushed cheeks. Her eyelids fluttered as she exhaled, "All right, let's go."
They all stepped into the fire, saying "Hazes Estate!"
They arrived, entering the awefully decorated ballroom. There was a table of food set out, and an orchestra was playing. People stood around chatting.
"Well, isn't this la te da." Andie muttered to Narcissa, and she nodded.
"Very." She whispered back sarcasticly.
*****
Bella was happy. She was surrounded by the great minds of the death eaters.
"Lestrange!" She saw the black haired boy standing by the spiral staircase.
He turned, and gave a lopsided grin at the sight of her.
"Hello, Black. Receive your Christmas gift?"
"I did. I was just coming over to thank you. Listen, I'm sorry I didn't get you a present, it's just…"
He waved his hand, "Oh, shut up. I don't care. Let's go get some punch."
"I thought it was spiked?" Bella asked as they neared the table.
"Half the benefit."
Bellatrix smiled as he handed her a small cup.
"Well, then what's the other half?"
He grinned again, taking a swig of his punch, "Drinking it with you."
****
Narcissa sat with Andie, boredly drinking the only non alcoholic beverage at the party…water.It was two hours into the party, and everyone was drunk.
"Where's ol' Trixie?" Andie asked.
"Disappeared with Lestranges kid."
Andie nodded, pausing, then said solemnly, "They're snogging aren't they?"
"Most likely. Bella was drinking the punch."
"Okay they're definitely snogging."
People were staggering across the dance floor, even when the music stopped.
"Jeez. I'm never seen more people drunk in my life."
"Hey, what about that Christmas party back in 73?"
Andie smiled, "Okay. That still wins. So…1975. You excited for the new year?"
"Sure."
Suddenly, they heard a voice, smoothly cut in to their left. " I am."
A Lucuis Malfoy stood before them, tall and lean, and grinning, "Well, Narcissa. Care to dance?"
Narcissa looked to Andie who looked she was about to barf.
"Sure." She answered shakily.
It was pretty weird, having an older man touch her hips as they spun around. No. It was really weird.
Once the music was done, he leaned over, and whispered in her ear, "That was lovely. Can't wait till you hit eighteen." She looked up at him, offended, and he winked.
She ran back to her sister.
"Ew!" Andie exclaimed, "He's like twelve new years older than you! He was older than you when you were born!"
"Don't rub it in!" Narcissa muttered. "Nasty." She said, shaking her head.
****
"Sometimes I like chocolate frogs, but ever since one jumped at my face, and gave me a black eye, I've had little liking for them." Lestrange said, and Bella laughed.
"Oh my gosh! Are you serious!" They were in the back room, away from the dancing drunk men, singing their lungs out to the orchestra music.
Suddenly they heard a bell strike, and everyone yelled, "Happy New Year!"
Lestrange leaned down, and moving Bella's hair out of her face, and kissed her softly on the mouth.
He broke away quickly, and Bella blushed as he mumbled, "Happy New Year."
**** AN:(yay I got ride of that stupid blank space that's always down here!)