Different: The Story of the Black Sisters

Chapter Five:

Narcissa Joins and Andromeda gets Blasted

It was a perfect night for Narcissa, her sisters were all over her, telling her stories of their first two years…Narcissa couldn't wait to experience hers; and all three of them would catch the train to Hogwarts tomorrow.

"The boys are so fun to look at…" said Bellatrix breathlessly.

Andie punched her arm gently. "You already have a guy, what are you complaining about?"

"Well…Rud's nice and all…but…well…it's always good to window shop!"

"Trixie!" squealed Andie, doubling over with laughter.

"What?"

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say!" said Andie, flopping down on her bed.

"Am I supposed to follow this?" asked Cissy.

"Oh, little Cissy…you are quite the lucky one…" said Andie enviously.

Cissy wrinkled her delicate little nose. "And why am I so lucky?"

"You are so lucky you won't meet the son of a bludger you'll marry until your wedding day."

"I've already met him," said Narcissa simply.

This caused her two sisters to sit up. "What?" they both asked curiously.

"Yeah…I've already met him…not that great, though…"

"Oo…what's his name?" asked Trixie excitedly.

"His name is…"

"Yes?"

"Is…"

"Out with it…"

"Lucius Malfoy."

Trixie and Andie squealed with delight. "Are you serious?" asked Andie.

"The Malfoys are the richest, oldest, and purest pure-blood families in all of Europe! Are you serious, Narcissa?"

"Yes," said Cissy grimly, "I'm serious."

"That's wonderful!" exclaimed Trixie.

"No, it isn't."

"Why ever not?" asked Andie, now at full attention.

"Well…he kind of did this stuff to me when we all went to the chamber music concert a few years ago…" started Narcissa, repeating the story.

"Woah…he was really that mean to you?" asked Andie, eating a chocolate frog.

"Yeah…yeah…he was. I hate him. I never want to see him again."

"Don't you get it, Cissy? You don't have a choice! None of us have a choice! If they abuse us, we can't tell anybody, do you understand me? You can't tell anybody!" said Trixie harshly, shaking her eleven year old sister.

"I haven't told anybody other than you guys!" defended Cissy.

"And nobody else can know. None of us can ever report our future husband's abuse to us, no matter how tough it gets, alright?" asked Trixie harshly.

"Fine," said Andie, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Yes, Trixie."

"Nobody must ever know."

"Rud, are you sure?"

"All the pure-bloods are in on it. My entire family and yours, too. It's only normal that we do this."

"And…you don't think Dumbledore will catch us?"

"That old coot? Naw…he'll be too busy doing other things. Besides, the Dark Lord will make sure this goes through," replied Rudolphus at quarter to midnight.

"When's the first meeting?" asked Bellatrix.

"In fifteen minutes. You know how to apparate, right?"

"Ever since you taught me two years ago."

"Alright…I want you to think of an abandoned muggle club. Hold my hand and I might be able to help you apparate…"

Bellatrix and Rudolphus apparated out of the Slytherin Common Room with a small pop.

"Trixie? Trixie are you in here?" asked Cissy, getting up out of bed as the lightning woke her up. She walked over to her oldest sister's bed. It was perfectly made…not even slept in yet. "Lord Voldemort," she whispered softly. "Trixie and Rud are with Lord Voldemort…damn…they're Death Eaters…"

Andie Black sat in the Ravenclaw Common Room at midnight, finishing her potions essay that was due tomorrow.

"Monkshood…" she muttered to herself as she flipped through her potions book. "The properties of are used in most common potions…" she muttered to herself.

"Hello Andie," said Ted quietly, walking down the stairs in his t-shirt and pajama bottoms.

"Good Evening, Ted," said Andie, looking up from her potions essay to notice her best friend.

He laughed as he realized what she was doing. "It's midnight, Andie. You should be asleep."

"Well, at least I finished mine instead of having a master plan to flirt with the potions teacher…"

"I do not flirt with Professor Naiveté!" said Ted indignantly, taking a seat next to Andie.

Andie shook her head. "Boys," she muttered under her breath.

"So, are you going to go to sleep or should I watch you until you do?" he asked.

"It's my life! Since when do you care?" demanded Andie; when she was tire, the tiniest little thing could tick her off.

"You are really pissed."

"Yeah? You think I'm pissed now? You wait until I'm through with you, Theodore Tonks, you'll regret…" she started yelling, Ted leant over and kissed her lips.

"Pissed off enough?" he asked her softly.

"What was that for?" she whispered.

"For being my friend when nobody else would," he said quietly. "You liked it?"

"Was that your first kiss?" she asked him, blushing as she lowered her head.

"Yeah…it was yours too, wasn't it?"

She smiled. "Want to do it again?"

"I think that'd be perfect," he replied, touching his lips to hers gently.

They kept on snogging until they saw the fire blow out.

"We'd better get some sleep," said Ted, breaking away. "But I want to ask you something."

"Shoot," she replied, looking into his eyes, "but I don't want a marriage proposal…"

He laughed and then continued. "Will you be my girl?"

"Well, that's a step in the right direction…"

"I take that as a yes?"

"Yes."

"Goodnight, Andie."

"Hey, Ted?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't say anything to anybody…world travels fast around here…and the last person I want to know about this is…"

"Bellatrix," they said together.

"And Marc."

"Who's Marc?" questioned Ted.

"Long story."

"We've got time."

"He's my…er…betrothed."

"What?" he asked slowly.

"It's different when you're a pure-blood. I was betrothed when I entered Hogwarts…look…it means nothing, okay? It's just for blood, and I don't like him or anything…so please don't hate me for it!"

She said this all very fast…as if waiting for Ted to blow up at her. "I'm not upset. I just didn't know. Are you made fun of because of your bloodlines?" asked Ted.

"No. I mean, they didn't before I was sorted into Ravenclaw. But…no pure-blood has ever been sorted into Ravenclaw…and…"

"You don't have to say anything else. Personally, I'd rather be in your position than in mine. Nobody in my family has ever done magic, and none of them know what I'm talking about when I try to explain about it…"

"I'd rather be you. In my world, everybody knows everything about magic that there is to know. And what nobody else understands is that you have a 'tradition' to uphold. Especially if you're a girl. You have to date a pure-blood, be courted by a pure-blood, get married to a pure-blood, have at least one pure-blood boy, you can't have a job, and you have to feed everybody. Life for me couldn't get anymore damn hard."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Look, I'm tired…remember…don't say anything to anyone, okay?"

"I promise."

"Goodnight Ted."

"G'night Andie."

"I can't believe we actually did it!" said Bellatrix happily as they apparated into the Slytherin Common Room.

"'Course we did! You know how proud this makes me, Bella?" he asked her, snaking his arm around her waist as they tottered to the couch in front of the fire.

She lifted up the sleeve on her left arm. "I don't know, but it sure was hell when they branded it on. It still hurts…"

"I'll fix that…" said Rud, tracing circles around the outside edge.

Bellatrix sighed. "That feels damn good…"

"I would envelope you in a fierce snogging session, but we've got to get some sleep…tomorrow's the potions final…and you know we can't miss that."

"Just one kiss?" she begged.

"You know it won't be just one kiss, Bella."

"Then several…please?"

"Fine…"

Bellatrix walked up to the girl's dormitories…

"Where did you go?" a small voice demanded in the dark.

"Who's this?" asked Bellatrix, her wand lighting up as she spun around to see Narcissa's face lit up on her bed.

She grabbed hold of Bellatrix's left sleeve and pushed it up, gasping loudly as she stared at the dark mark.

"Narcissa Desdemona! Damn that you're up this late! Damn it all! I hate that you're such the…"

"You went to be one of Voldemort's followers, didn't you? I told you not to do that, Bellatrix! You cold get in big trouble! Since when do you…"

"Since when are you Aunt Elladora? Hmmm? Telling me what to do? I'm fifteen and a half years old! I can take care of myself…"

"Apparently not, or else you'd be responsible!" growled Narcissa.

"You're only eleven; you don't know what it's like to live! You haven't even kissed anybody, or broken a curfew, or…"

"Yeah, but, newsflash! I love you, Bellatrix, and since mum's dead and dad probably is, too, I'm going to have to act responsibly on your behalf! Damn you, Trixie!" she said, pushing Bellatrix into her bed as she stormed off to her own.

"Great. Now my little sister's telling me what to do," said Bellatrix to herself. She was having a breakdown and she knew it.

What she'd witnessed that night was different than everything else. There were already 20 Death Eaters including her. She wished she could rewind her life and do today over again…but she couldn't get rid of her new-found status with the Dark Lord.

Andie Black had been dating Ted Tonks for just over a one year now, it was almost summer…which meant she was almost a fifth year, Bellatrix was almost in her last year of Hogwarts, and Narcissa was almost a third year. It was time.

Time to tell everybody that she wasn't going to marry Marcus…and that she had been dating a muggle-born.

The three Black sisters arrived at their Aunt Elladora and Uncle Alphard's house for the summer.

"Oh, girls, give me a kiss!" said old Aunt Elladora, her hands on Narcissa's shoulders as she kissed Narcissa's cheeks. "Well, come in, come in! I can't wait to hear all about your year at Hogwarts…"

And then she spotted Bellatrix.

"Oh, Bellatrix, dear…you look exactly like your mother. You are absolutely stunning!"

So, that would make Andromeda…

"Oh. Hello Andromeda," said Aunt Elladora, not even looking at her. "You look okay. So, Bellatrix…tell me all about your darling Rudolphus! You must be very excited to get married to him in just a year…"

"Oh, yes, Aunt Elladora!" said Bellatrix, a note of sarcasm in her voice. Aunt Elladora didn't notice.

"Well, everybody sit down, sit down!" she said, motioning to the large table in the dining room. "So, Narcissa. Enjoying yourself at Hogwarts?" she asked her pleasantly.

"Yes. I really like learning about charms and transfiguration."

"Good, you'll need both when you're a mother. I just got word from your dear Lucius, he's waiting for you patiently…though he says that he'd hope you'd hurry up and be eighteen!" Aunt Elladora laughed. "He's such a sweetheart, isn't he?"

"Yes," said Narcissa, trying to hold back laughter.

"Rudolphus has been such a dear as well," said Bellatrix sarcastically. Aunt Elladora didn't get sarcasm.

"Oh, really? You two will make a great married couple! You'll produce me an heir, won't you?"

"Uh…why not…" said Bellatrix, looking over at the other two, who were also trying to hold back laughter.

"Good. I wouldn't want anybody to not get married and not keep the line going. That would extremely barbaric and useless. Don't you girls wish that everybody was pure-blood? I mean, if there were no mudbloods, then we'd all be pure-bloods and our way of life could be sustained forever."

The girls simply stared back at her, eyes blinking. "Well, I suppose you are all too young to care about that sort of thing."

"Well, I've got an announcement to make," said Andromeda. She knew it was time to tell them about Ted. "I'm…um…" she suddenly faltered.

"Yes? Go on with it, Andromeda…" said Aunt Elladora disdainfully.

"I'm dating this guy…"

"Yes, we know you're dating Marcus Flint, Andromeda, you don't have to tell us…" started Bellatrix.

"Never mind this. You all are scheduled for a portrait sitting this afternoon. I have your dresses all picked out for you in your rooms. You'd better get ready; the painter will be here soon…"

The three girls headed up to their separate rooms quickly.

Andromeda stepped into her old room. It was musty, and had the smell of mold on the walls. She wondered why her room was like this, considering that Narcissa's and Bellatrix's were perfect.

She opened the closet to find one red evening gown that was absolutely hideous. The shoulder capped sleeves came down to her elbows, and an ugly pair of red gloves hid everything that the dress didn't.

"I am not wearing this," she said to herself, pulling out her wand. She muttered a transfiguration charm and watched the sleeves and gloves disappear. A small owl flitted around her window.

Dear Ms. Black,

You have hereby broken the rules of underage wizardry. Since you are fourteen years of age, and not sixteen (the year in which you are allowed to use magic), this is your first warning. If you use magic during the summer holidays or any other time you are not attending Hogwarts whilst you are underage again, we shall come and snap your wand.

Sincerely,

Madame Hopkins

Underage Wizardry Department

Ministry of Magic

London

It was good that she'd transfigured her dress in one charm, or else she'd be in trouble. There, now the dress was suitable.

Opening the door to her old bedroom, Bellatrix stepped inside and smelled in the scent of the Black house. She slowly walked over to her old closet.

Inside was a long, midnight black evening gown and that was it. Bellatrix shuddered…she knew that if anybody found out she was a Death Eater (besides Narcissa and Rud, who'd sworn not to tell anybody), she'd be caught by the ministry and she knew it.

She thanked the gods that she was sixteen as she transfigured a pair of socks into long gloves made out of snakeskin.

Much better.

It was nothing more than Narcissa was used to; she just wished she got a new one like Andie and Trixie. It was her old dress from when she was nine…grown to fit her. It was boring and safe, and she hated how she looked in it. Point given, she didn't have much to show off (she was only twelve), but still…something more daring or at least more interesting than that of the yellow and pink flower dress that was five years old.

Aunt Elladora watched all three of them sit on the bench in the courtyard, her arms crossed over her chest. She was outraged at them! Especially Andromeda! She'd picked out the perfect dress for the annoying little fourteen-year-old whom she hated. And she transfigured them! Andromeda Desdemona was a disgrace to the family name. A Ravenclaw! Who in the world was a Ravenclaw and a pure-blood? That was crazy talk, but Andromeda had managed it.

The only one that pleased her 100 was Narcissa, who always did what she was told. Andromeda was always rebellious and Bellatrix always wanted the center of attention and always got her way. Like today. She'd added a pair of inappropriate black snakeskin gloves to that elegant black halter-top dress Elladora picked out for her.

"I think Ms. Bellatrix can go in the middle," said the artist, pushing her over to the middle of the bench. "And you can go here, Ms. Andromeda…and yes…push that strap down…there…and Ms. Narcissa…there you go. Alright, now just hold that pose for about fifteen minutes and this portrait can hang in your living room for ages…that's it…here we go…" said the artist, taking out his wand as he started painting.

"How long do I have to stay like this?" asked Andromeda through smiling teeth.

"I don't know," said the grimacing Bellatrix.

"Would you two move over, you're hogging half the bench!" said Narcissa, who was sporting a frown.

"And fix your shoulder strap, would you, Andie? It's really annoying me…" said Bellatrix.

"How about you shut your mouth and show everybody your Dark…"

"Okay! Okay! All done! Bella! It is a masterpiece!" said the artist.

"Beautiful. Excellent job," said Aunt Elladora, handing the artist a bag full of galleons.

"Look, Aunt Elladora…Bellatrix, Narcissa, there's something I've really got to tell all of you…and Uncle Alphard, too. I…"

"Oh, Andromeda, can't it wait until dinner?" asked Aunt Elladora dramatically.

"Well, yes…I was hoping I could postpone it until…"

"Young Mistresses and Mistress Elladora, we house-elves invite you…" squeaked a tiny house-elf on their way in, "to the welcome feast!"

The house-elf clapped his hands and food appeared at the table. He vanished right after that.

"I bid you girls welcome to our home," said Uncle Alphard, smiling as he watched them all come in.

Uncle Alphard was everybody's favorite…except Bellatrix's that is. "Oh, Uncle Alphard!" exclaimed Andromeda, running over to her favorite uncle. "I couldn't wait to see you!"

"As I couldn't wait to see you, Andromeda. Look at how you've grown!" he said, kissing her forehead. "It's wonderful to see you all! Especially you, Bellatrix, what a woman you've become!"

Bellatrix raised her eyebrows and looked away from her uncle.

"And…and you, Narcissa! Eleven almost twelve! You sure are a pretty little thing, aren't you?"

"Thanks, Uncle Alphard," she replied coolly.

"I have some news for you all. I just finished with the writing of my and your aunt's will."

Andromeda stopped eating. "Really? Do we get anything?"

"Andromeda, dearest. You get a good amount of gold, since you are my favorite niece."

"How much is this gold?" questioned Andromeda, tilting her head and smiling.

"You'll find out soon enough, you little un-human creature of filth," said Aunt Elladora, raising her eyebrows and evilly smiling at Andromeda.

"Now, now, Elladora…no need to call her that…" said Alphard rationally.

"So…okay…hurry up, Andromeda. Out with it," said Bellatrix, cleaning her fingernails.

"Um. Right. You guys know Marcus Flint?" she asked timidly.

They all nodded. This wasn't going to get any easier.

"Well…okay," she took a deep breath. "I'm not going to marry him. And before you say anything, I'm dating another guy that I think I might like. And he's a muggle-born."

Silence.

"What did you just say?" demanded Aunt Elladora.

"I'm dating a muggle-born."

"YOU ARE DOING WHAT? AFTER ALL WE'VE DONE FOR YOU? AFTER ALL THESE YEARS OF TAKING YOU IN AS OUR OWN CHILD? YOU ABANDON US? YOU ABANDON THE BLACK FAMILY NAME? YOU LITTLE WENCH! YOU UN-HUMAN CREATURE OF DISGUSTING FILTH!" screamed Aunt Elladora, her face red as she stood up and spat at Andromeda's feet. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

"What?" whispered Andromeda, her eyes filled with tears.

"YOU HEARD HER! GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!" exclaimed Bellatrix, suddenly joining her aunt's crusade.

"Young Bellatrix, what a pleasant surprise that you will join me…GET OUT!" she shrieked, as she and Bellatrix pulled out their wands.

"ACCIO ANDROMEDA'S SUITCASE WITH ALL HER THINGS PACKED!" screamed Bellatrix.

"I'VE NEVER BEEN MORE INSULTED IN MY WHOLE DAMN LIFE!" screeched Andromeda, tears falling down her face in buckets. "ISN'T ANYTHING MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU THAN BLOOD?"

"NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN BLOOD YOU PIECE OF MUD-BLOOD SCUM! OUT OF MY HOUSE! YOU ARE NEVER TO CONTACT ANYBODY OF THE BLACK FAMILY AGAIN! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD, ANDROMEDA DESDEMONA MUDBLOOD? HELL, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S CLEAR…OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

In one tragic conversation and a harsh push, Andromeda Desdemona Black was pushed out the door, never to be seen in the Black family again.