Different: The Story of the Black Sisters

Chapter Seven:

Bellatrix's Graduation

Dear Aunt Elladora and Uncle Alphard,

It's me, Bellatrix. I've written to you to invite you to my graduation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I hope you'll come; I've already reserved two tickets for you. Please send me an owl back as soon as possible!

Bellatrix Black

Bellatrix sealed up the letter and sent it with her owl, watching him fly away.

"Looking for something to do?" asked a voice from the corner.
"Rud!" she said loudly, as he embraced her. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be…"

"One month, Bella, one month until we can finally get married," he whispered in her ear.

"I still don't understand why you're here…"

"It's the Dark Lord. Tonight," he muttered in her ear, pressing his tattoo up against hers. She winced, feeling the pain and hotness.

"Right. So, you came this entire way just to tell me about the Dark Lord," said Bellatrix disdainfully, pushing herself away from Rud.

"Look, I didn't come all the way here just to see you push yourself away from me," he said harshly, pulling her back into his embrace. "If you didn't want to be a Death Eater, you shouldn't be dating me!" he said, squeezing her harshly.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you doing this? You've never treated me like this before…"

"You didn't act like you didn't care about the Dark Lord before. Now, if you don't act like…"

"Fine, I'll go! Gods, Rud! Just leave, okay?" said Bellatrix in exasperation.

"I'll see you tonight," he said, before stepping into the fireplace and flooing out.

"Damn!" said Bellatrix to herself, whilst sinking into the green couch near the window.

"Boyfriend got you down?" asked Narcissa, appearing in the doorway.

"How the hell would you know?" asked Bellatrix, hot tears streaming down her face.

"Just a presumption. Or is it the Dark Lord that's got you?"

"Shut up!" screeched Bellatrix.

"Whoa…temper…temper….sure the Dark Lord didn't hire you for that?"

"When are you going to stop talking about him? He didn't hire me…and how dare you insult him like that! Gods, don't you even know how to shut up?"

"Fine. I'll leave," said Narcissa huffily, walking out the common room door.

"Urgh…what an exasperating little…urgh!" said Bellatrix furiously, getting back to her potions work. "Damn bezoars…always getting in people's lives…" she muttered to the paper.

Ted Tonks was more than a genius at wand-work. On a lazy, hot,

Saturday afternoon, he'd frozen the turf of the Quidditch Pitch and made it several layers of thick ice…thick enough for his love, Andie, to display her talent for ice-skating.

"Like this?" asked Andie, skating backwards on the frozen ice again.

"Yeah, that's right! Why are you so good at this, Andie?" asked Ted, embracing her in the middle of the ice.

"I've only learned from the best coach in the world," she said, a little too sweetly, grinning softly.

He kissed her, she stopped him from continuing and put a hand up to his lips. "Not here, we've got to finish my lesson, remember?" she asked softly, skating around.

"You know…I'd like to race you," said Ted grinning.

"Race me?" she laughed, "What do you mean, 'race me'? On skates? Are you serious? I'll beat your sorry ass and then where would we be?"

"Oh really? You think you're faster than I am, Miss Black?"

She nodded, grinning. "Why, yes I do, Mr. Tonks."

"Alright," he said, a guttural sound escaping his throat. "On your mark, get set…go!" he yelled, and they both took off.

His strides were short and quick, skating faster and faster as he went. Her strides were long and gliding, though she matched his speed very easily.

"Think you're going to beat me yet, Ted?" she asked, panting.

"I don't know…you're sort of like a racehorse…never stopping for a breath…"

"I'll stop for one right…now…" she said, showing off her skills at the double axle as she plunged into the air and landed a bit shakily. He was several strides ahead of her by now.

"Ha ha! You can't win now, Andie!" he yelled, looking ahead.

"Wanna bet?" she asked him, suddenly appearing by his side. He tripped over his own feet.

"Who's the better skater now?" asked Andie triumphantly, ending near the edge of the lake.

He got up and staggered to her. "That…wasn't…fair…"

"Awww…sore sport are you?" she teased him.

"You…made…me…trip…"

"Hey…I'm not the one wearing those big old hockey shoes. I can see they throw you off balance," she said, the teasing tone still in her voice.

"You want to have a skate-off?"

"What's that?"

"A figure skating competition."

"Sure…since you can't skate…"

He chuckled. "Andie, Andie, Andie…you never cease to amaze me."

"I know I don't…that's the point, isn't it?"

"You think I'm a bad figure skater, don't you?"

"Well, during our lessons…I've never seen you in figure skates…"

He pulled out his wand and muttered a transfiguration spell, his skates instantly changing to figure skates.

"Whoa…we weren't supposed to learn that until next year! Why do you have to be so smart?" she demanded, bending over to examine his skates. "And why are they black?"

"Men's figure skates are always black. And I am a Ravenclaw, you know."

"Well, it doesn't make you a better skater than me anyhow."

"I'll skate first then, and you can determine who's the…"

"Well…look who it is!" shouted a voice from the other side of the spring green grounds. "Cousin Andie, how delightful it is to see you…SCRATCHED OFF THE FAMILY TREE!" howled Sirius, his three friends following in his wake.

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "Hello, Sirius."

"Picked up figure skating, have you?" he chuckled.

"Yeah, it's pretty good to get away from it all."

"I imagine so, after last summer's events."

"You really need to get out more, Sirius," retorted Andie.

"Since when do you hate me?" he demanded.

"Since you took advantage of my friend Maria last spring. You know, the raven-haired girl you took to the Spring Fling, shagged and then never saw again?"

"Oh…her. Well, she didn't seem so smart to me…even for a Ravenclaw…"

"And then did the same thing to my friend Marissa at the Fall Ball."

"She was kind of…"

"And then, eight months ago, at the Halloween Dance, followed up by the Christmas Prom and the May Day Celebration, you had a group of giggling girls you got drunk that surrounded you…"

"Those were the times…"

"And you wonder why I'm upset with you?"

"Aw…Andie…c'mon…you know I'm the only one you still consider family."

She paused and smiled. He walked over to the ice and hugged her. "Good to see you, Sirius."

"Yeah, you too. And who exactly is this?" he asked her, releasing from her embrace. His friends grinned at Sirius, Ted, and Andromeda.

"This is Ted Tonks, my fiancé."

"So this is the lucky guy that got my beloved cousin kicked off the family tree. Sirius Black at your service."

"Good to meet you," said Ted, extending his hand for a shake.

"Ted, these are Sirius's friends, James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew," said Andie, introducing Ted. "They're all in Gryffindor, which is why we don't see them so often."

"Right."

"So…James…where's Lily?" asked Andie, still in her ice-skating shoes on the ice as she asked Sirius's friend about his girlfriend.

"She's doing…"

"There you boys are. I was looking all over for you incase you caused some…" said Lily, walking up to the little group. "Trouble…" she finished.

"Hey Lil," said James warmly, kissing her forehead.

"And aren't you going to introduce me?" she asked.

"You two are too mushy for your own good. Lily, Andie and Ted, Ted and Andie, Lily," said Sirius bored-ly.

"You figure skate?" Lily asked, her attention focusing on Ted's and Andromeda's skates.

"Yeah…he's been giving me lessons ever since first year."

Lily lifted her head to look at their faces. "Interesting. Why do you two figure skate?"

"Just to get our minds off of things," responded Ted. "It's actually a real stress reliever."

"Maybe we should try this, James," said Lily, one of her eyebrows raised as she turned to her boyfriend. He looked at her like she was crazy.

"Are you kidding? Figure skating? Me? Ha ha…very funny. Naw…I'll stick to Quidditch thanks."

"We were actually going to have a competition between us…will you judge, Lily?" asked Andie politely.

"Well…actually…we have to get back to the common room for study…" started Lily and Remus nodded enthusiastically.

"Nonsense…we'll stay and judge," said Sirius.

Lily and James looked at each other bored-ly. "Sirius…" she whined.

"Now…I haven't seen my cousin in years! C'mon, let me just see what she's done to herself…"

"Fine…" groaned James, transfiguring some grass into a large blanket that Remus, Peter and Lily immediately plopped down on.

"Go on! Skate out onto the ice! Ladies first, Mr. Tonks," said Sirius, signaling Ted off the ice, as Andie stayed in the middle.

"Wait a minute…you need an ice-skating outfit!" said Lily, waving her wand as Andie's t-shirt and sweatpants were replaced by a red, spaghetti strapped, glittery v-neck ice-skating dress.

"Lily!" squealed Andie, covering parts of herself with her arms.

"C'mon Andie…it's all in the sport…I'm the announcer…" said Sirius, grinning. "Now go on and get to the middle…"

"But I don't have a routine…"

"Then what was that you made up before?" he demanded.

"It wasn't truly a routine or anything…"

"Welcome gentleman and lady to the Hogwarts First Annual Ice-Skating Competition!" said Sirius, very much like an announcer as his friends and James' girlfriend clapped politely. "First up, we have…Andromeda Black!"

Andie responded hilariously perfect to the crowd. She threw up her hands in a pose, and started skating.

Picking up speed, she started to glide around, her hands moving about freely. She had no idea what she was doing, and as Sirius announced from the booth at the top of the Quidditch Pitch, students started to mosey in to watch, sitting in the stands of the Quidditch Pitch.

"She is now attempting a double…no…triple! It can't be!" said Sirius dramatically, "she's landed a complex triple spin thingy! Excellent…and her routine ends with a dazzling finish. Can we get a round of applause for Miss Andromeda Black!" announced Sirius.

Sirius was oblivious to the people that had entered the stands, he jumped out of his chair when he heard applause other than his friend's.

"Miss Black, answer the question, please!" trilled Professor Slughorn to Narcissa Black.

Narcissa sighed. "The Draught of Living Death uses the ingredients of asphodel, wormwood, valerian roots, and sophorous bean. The Draught of Living Death causes the drinker to fall into a deep sleep; the time in the deep sleep depending on the number of ingredients added. While brewing this potion, it should emit blue steam. The half-way stage should be of a blackcurrant color although at a later stage it should turn the ideal color of lilac," said Narcissa bored-ly.

Professor Slughorn looked shocked. "Well done! Fifty points to Slytherin!"

The other third-year Slytherins around her looked thoroughly shocked as they all stared at her. Whispers broke out amongst them.

"Quiet! Quiet, please!" shouted Professor Slughorn, tapping his wand against his large cauldron. "Well. Hmm. Now that we have finished an overview of The Draught of Living Death; your assignment is to have two rolls of parchment on it, due tomorrow. All of you except Miss Black of course," he added, winking at Narcissa. "Class dismissed!"

Narcissa slowly headed up from the dungeons. 'Great,' she thought to herself, 'I'm going to get some stupid invitation to the Slug Club now…'

"Hey, Cissy! You were really brilliant in there…" said ashy third year boy.

"Whatever," said Narcissa.

"Will you go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" he asked timidly.

"I'm engaged," she said simply, giving him an evil look.

"To who, a nineteen-year-old Malfoy?" he asked, chuckling.

"Look, you mudblood, it's none of your concern who I'm engaged to. If you must know, I am engaged to Lucius Malfoy! What do you expect? I'm a Black! I'm part of one of the purest families in all of England! And you can just buzz off, okay? Okay. Buh-bye!" said Narcissa hotly, storming up the stone steps.

The Slytherin Common Room was unusually quiet for this time of day, but for Narcissa it was perfect. Time to catch up on a bit of reading.

"Good afternoon, Cissy," said Bellatrix, sitting in one of the green armchairs.

"Bella," said Narcissa a bit on the scornful side.

"What's wrong with you? Boy troubles?" sniggered Bella.

"Ha ha ha. Why hasn't your lovely fiancé been around here more often?" retorted Cissy.

Bellatrix turned red. "How in the hell to you know about Rudolphus?"

"Word travels fast around Hogwarts."

"Look, you aren't going to tell anybody."

"I never said I was! Gods, who did you think I would tell? Andromeda?"

"DON'T EVER SAY HER NAME AGAIN!" yelled Bellatrix.

"What is she, Voldemort?"

"AND DON'T SAY THE DARK LORD'S NAME EITHER!" exploded Bellatrix again.

"Fine. Gods, you are such a 17-year-old freak."

"And you aren't a 13-year-old one?"

Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Excited for your graduation?" she asked, sitting down in an armchair next to her sister.

"You mean excited to get out of this large black hole and get out to see the rest of the world? Then, yeah, I am pretty excited."

"You can't wait to get away from them, can you?"

"If by them, you mean Uncle Alphard and Aunt Elladora…hell yes!" she exclaimed.

"They are a bit…er…old-fashioned…"

"Old fashioned? Old fashioned? Who starts a family tradition of cutting house-elves heads off when they get too old to carry tea trays? Sometimes, I just want to take Aunt Elladora's head and put it on a tea tray."

Narcissa laughed. "No, you know what we should do, though? We ought to make a screaming portrait of her like there is in cousin Sirius' house…"

"Oh…don't even talk about her! She is by far the most annoying woman I've ever met in my entire life!"

"Well, I see this conversation is going nowhere…"

The two sisters sat in complete silence for a while, until Narcissa added something quietly. "I wonder how Andie's doing."

Bellatrix started to shake with rage, but compressed it as she replied to Narcissa's comment. "I…don't…"

"Sorry…just…a question."

Silence again.

"I wish we could go back to the way things were before," murmured Narcissa.

"I sometimes think about it. But An-an-Andromeda is…a…a traitor. And we really…we really can't do anything about it…" replied Bellatrix softly, a tear running down her cheek. "Gods, sometimes, I just wish I could be different. What would it be like being a mud-blood? You know? I bet it's easier to be one then it is to be a pure-blood."

"Bella…" started Narcissa, reaching her pale hand across to touch her sister's arm.

"I feel that if I just hold on a bit longer everything will turn out wrong. I just…can't. I mean…I don't know what I mean anymore! All this stupid crap with Rud, and the Dark Lord, graduation, our damn cousin, Sirius, everything! Everything is collapsing around me and I just can't do it anymore, Cissy, I just can't!" exclaimed Bellatrix through her hands. Tears were streaming down her face.

"I'm…I'm sorry. It's not over, Bellatrix. You and Rud…you make a great team…and you'll…you'll be married forever…"

"BUT WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!" she sobbed loudly.

"Everybody has a choice, Bella. Between what is right, and what is easy."

"What's with you?" Ted Tonks asked Andromeda as she sat in the Ravenclaw Common Room staring at the fire.

Andromeda just shook her head.

"C'mon, Andie. Tell me. There's nothing you can hide from me for long," he comforted, grabbing her hand and squeezing it.

"Bellatrix's graduation," she replied softly.

Ted released her hand and sighed. "When is this going to stop, Andie? All you talk about these days is your sister!"

"What do you want me to talk about, Ted? The new edition of Hogwarts, A History?" demanded Andromeda.

"Well, actually, I wouldn't mind if we…"
"You are so hypocritical! Only a month ago, you were fixed on your brother's marriage disinigrating! Isn't that the same thing as this?"

"I know…but this is your sister! Bellatrix is DEATH EATER SCUM, Andie!"

"We USED TO BE SISTERS! AND WE WERE REALLY CLOSE SISTERS AS A MATTER OF FACT! AND IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT TED THEN I GUESS YOU SHOULD JUST SHUT UP AND NOT TALK TO ME AGAIN!" bursted Andie.

Ted was silent. "I don't want that," he said clearly, and quietly.

"WELL THEN I GUESS WE AREN'T MEANT TO BE"

"I SAID I DON'T WANT THAT!"

"Oh. Sorry then…" said Andromeda, blushing.

"Two years, you know. Then we can get married," smiled Ted.

"I love you," replied Andromeda.

"I love you, too."

Darling Bellatrix,

At this time, Uncle Alphard and I cannot attend your graduation. It is very regrettable, but we have some personal business to attend to. I'm sure you'll find 2 others to invite to the graduation, you could invite Narcissa and Rudolphus! I'm sure they'd love to attend!

Love,

Aunt Elladora

Bellatrix opened the letter on afternoon of her graduation, disappointed but more then anything, angry at her Aunt and Uncle for not being the good parents they told everybody they were as she ripped up the letter and cast it into the wind.

"They couldn't make it could they?" asked Narcissa, coming up behind her.

"No. But it doesn't matter anyway, does it? It's not like I expected them to come anyways."

"So, who are you going to invite?"

"Well, you of course."

"Of course…and Rud?"

"I don't know. He didn't seem that interested in attending."

"Well, who else are you going to invite? Not…" she laughed, "Andromeda?"

Bellatrix just looked at her.

"Are you serious? You want to invite mud-blood scum to your graduation?"

"She isn't a mud-blood…just a mud-blood lover…"

"Now you're defending her? Bella!"

"Fine, I'll invite Rud! Are you happy now?"

"Quite."

My dearest Rud,

It seems that I have one ticket left for my graduation today, and I would like to cordially invite to it. My ticket is enclosed in this envelope. Please respond with your answer soon, so I can refund the ticket if you cannot attend.

Love,

Bella

Bella,

I cannot give any information out to you before the graduation, but I can say this.

I will already be there.

Do not respond to this owl, it will look suspicious.

Like I stated above, I will already be there, the minute they say your name.

See you very soon,

Rudolphus B. Lestrange

"What in the bloody hell does he mean by 'I will already be there'?" asked Bellatrix.

"I think you know what he's talking about, Bella," responded Narcissa quietly.

Bellatrix and Narcissa stared at each other. "Death Eaters…the Dark Lord…" mouthed Bellatrix.

Narcissa nodded.

"Oh…my…"

"Don't you see? It's a big rebellion! The last thing the Dark Lord would want is for mud-bloods to graduate! You'd better pack your things. I'll put a disillusionment charm on the trunk, and then we'll guide it down to the graduation ceremony, and Rud will guide it out, and you'll make your escape."

"That's brilliant! How do you think of these things?" asked Bellatrix.

Narcissa shrugged. "That doesn't matter. Pack your stuff, this afternoon will be a long one."

"Welcome all to Hogwarts 3003rd Graduation Ceremony!" announced Professor Dumbledore. "We will start the festivities as soon as possible to avoid any delays, as we all know the dangers that are arising within this world."

Dumbledore went about making a speech of the dangers of Death Eaters, the rise of Lord Voldemort, and the memories the 7th years had made throughout their journey of Hogwarts.

"Allen, Virginia!" shouted Professor Stone, as a tall, thin young woman stepped up to the platform and received her license of wizardry.

"Bowen, Roger!" was given his license of wizardry.

And then…

"Black, Bellatrix!"

Twenty or so small 'pops' filled the atmosphere of the Hogwarts Grounds. Bellatrix was given her license just before a voice echoed through the grounds.

"I AM LORD VOLDEMORT!"