Chapter 6

It was with a heavy heart that Narcissa ate her breakfast the following morning. She felt so stifled by Lucius. All night she had been tossing and turning, unable to relax and fall asleep. It was simply impossible to go on living like this. She could not live with a man she did not love, who was so cruel and so dominating. How she had managed for three years already Narcissa could only wonder at. She supposed that she must be finding it particularly difficult after his being away for so long. She had had a glimpse of life without Lucius, which made going back to living with him so hard.

As Narcissa was finishing her breakfast an owl swooped down through the open window. The great eagle owl landed on the table beside her, and held out its leg in a most regal fashion. Narcissa recognised the spiky, blood red handwriting at once. It was from her sister. Bellatrix did not often write to Narcissa; Narcissa knew that her elder sister thought her rather insignificant and not very intelligent. Narcissa had merely married a powerful man, done her duty and kept the pure blood undiluted. Bellatrix on the other hand was in the thick of the action, fighting with other pure bloods for their beliefs and working for the Dark Lord. It was rare that Bellatrix paid her little sister any attention.

Narcissa curiously unfolded and read the note. It was very short.

My dearest Cissy,

I would be most happy to see you this morning if you would grace me with a visit. Just a little sisterly get-together.

My fondest regards to you and Lucius,

Bella

A faint flicker of a smile darted across Narcissa's cold face, amused as she was by Bellatrix's false declarations of sisterly affection. Still, Narcissa was curious about what Bellatrix wanted and not at all unwilling to leave the manor for a while.

Bellatrix and her husband lived, like the Malfoys, in a large manor. Though the Malfoy manor was large, grey and imposing, the Lestranges' was nothing short of terrifying. No muggle ever approached anywhere near the dwelling of Bellatrix and Redolphus. Narcissa and Lucius had protected their manor with anti-muggle charms, the sort which prevented stray muggles stumbling upon the house unwanted. Bellatrix on the other hand did not mind muggles coming. The area was so thick with the dark arts that any non-magic person so foolish enough as to try and approach would probably come out again unrecognisable. Bellatrix enjoyed the sport, something Narcissa didn't quite understand, but then, she'd never had the same sadistic side as the eldest of the Black sisters.

Queen of composure, Narcissa did not even stumble as she arrived by floo at the Lestranges' grate. She stepped neatly out into their hall and took out her wand to vanish away the soot which had found its way onto her flowing white robes. She was in the front hall of her sister's house, it was dark stone, and had very little light. Long red velvet curtains hung at the few windows, and brackets on the walls held lit torches, even though it was the morning. Sinister looking portraits lined the walls, and when Narcissa arrived a painting of a little girl in a pale pink dress who looked rather out of place in the sinister gloom, ran out of her frame and along the line of paintings on the wall.

Narcissa walked up the hall, and gazed out of the window. The mansion was set in some woods. Gloomy, dark woods that no traveller would want to be lost in.

In only a few moments Narcissa saw the little girl from the painting arrive back in her frame, panting slightly. This was followed almost immediately by the entry of Narcissa's sister, Bellatrix.

"Cissy my darling, it has been so long." Bellatrix walked across the room to where Narcissa was standing, her hips swaying elegantly in her long clinging robes of blood red. Narcissa's grey eyes met Bellatrix's heavy lidded black ones as they took one another in. Narcissa was one of the few people not afraid of Bellatrix. It wasn't that she did not believe Bellatrix capable of cruelty, for that would be extremely naïve. Nor was it that she thought she was safe from Bellatrix. Family certainly meant something, but Narcissa knew Bellatrix would not hesitate to harm Narcissa if she acted against her. It was more that Narcissa understood her sister, knew her ways and how she would react to things. In this sinister mansion most people would have been afraid to hold a private audience with the powerful witch who was now taking Narcissa's arm. Narcissa merely sighed.

"Bella, I do wish you'd let some light in. You live in such an unpleasant environment."

Bellatrix laughed. "You always know how to pay a compliment, Narcissa. But you know I like it like this. And I do love making people simply terrified to meet me." They were passing the painting of the little girl when Bellatrix turned to it suddenly. The girl shrank back as though trying to make herself small and insignificant. Bellatrix laughed. "Ooh, you're a good little girl. Now, you make sure you come and get me if anyone else calls, won't you, my pretty little thing." The girl nodded frantically and Bellatrix smiled. "Good." The two sisters continued towards the door. Just as they were reaching it Bellatrix pointed her wand over her shoulder Narcissa heard a crack issue from it and a scream from the little girl. "Just teaching her her place," smiled Bellatrix, evilly.

"Oh, indeed?" asked Narcissa, "And is she a new acquisition?"

"She is. She was a charming little muggle girl from the town. Ah, such a shame to loose one's parents when walking in the woods. And she had such a beautiful angelic little face too." Bellatrix made as if to wipe a tear from her cheek. "Such a shame that I had to destroy it."

They were seated in the dining room eating lunch when Redolphus entered the room. "Aah, Redolphus, you have returned." Bellatrix got up from her seat and glided over to the man who had just entered the room, who was pulling off his hooded cloak. He nodded in acknowledgement to Narcissa, and sank down onto a chair. He was dirty, and had a long cut down the side of his face that was oozing blood.

"I'm exhausted, Bella." He said.

Bellatrix sat on his lap and kissed him. "Oh my poor dear… your darling Bella will take care of you. And what have you done to your face?" She traced down the cut with one of her long, sharp nails. Redolphus closed his eyes and groaned. Bellatrix flicked her nail and sent droplets of blood across her husband's cheek. "I am talking with my sister at the moment, Redolphus, but I shall soon be ready for our task this afternoon." Redolphus opened his eyes lazily and nodded. Bellatrix delicately licked the finger with her husband's blood on it, kissed him once more, then stood up. "Narcissa, let us walk. I have something I wanted to ask you."

They walked in silence for a while, wending their way through the woods outside. It was not until they were some distance from the house that Bellatrix spoke.

"Cissy, I shall be blunt. I wanted to ask if you knew anything of Andromeda."

Narcissa stopped in her tracks. They never mentioned their sister. The middle of the three Black sisters was an outcast. Her name was never spoken by any of them. Bellatrix stopped too, and turned to her sister. Narcissa found her voice.

"You know I don't. None of us is in contact with her."

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes slightly and stepped towards Narcissa. They made a striking couple. Both were tall, slim, beautiful, but Bellatrix was dark: her hair, eyes, even her long flowing robes all spoke of darkness and the night. Narcissa was white and icy cold. Bellatrix reached up and touched her sister's face. "You were always so beautiful, little Cissy." Narcissa said nothing. "You know you are. Everyone knows you are. But you are so cold. Even Lucius says so." Narcissa frowned slightly, but still did not speak. "I wish you would open up to me. You know you can trust me. We may have done different things with our lives but we still remain the best of sisters and friends, do we not?" Bellatrix seemed to be waiting for an answer.

"I hope so, Bella."

Bellatrix sighed, and drew Narcissa to her. "There are good days ahead for our kind, Cissy. With the Dark Lord getting stronger and stronger, nothing will stand in the way. He shall lead us all to victory."

Narcissa spoke. "Why do you ask about Andromeda?"

Bellatrix paused. "We have recently found out that our wretched sister has joined none other than the Order of the Phoenix." Bellatrix seemed to seethe suddenly with anger. "Not only has the fool and traitor left the family and all her pride behind her, she is now actively working against us! I cannot believe it! It seems she has followed in the path of our cousin, Sirius. Only now do I think I can really appreciate the shame that his parents and brother went through. It is a disgrace, and she must pay for it." Bellatrix sent a jet of blue light at a bird that was watching them from a nearby branch and it exploded.

Narcissa remained composed, but inside she was angry too. She was angry with Andromeda for joining the Order, as Bellatrix was. To be fighting against your own family – she didn't think Andromeda would go that far. But Narcissa was also angry with herself for feeling, just for a fleeting second, a stab of jealousy at what Andromeda had done. It was so like Andromeda to do as she wished, running away, marrying a muggle, being friends with 'the wrong sort', and now she had done the ultimate and joined forces with the enemy. However, there was still something Narcissa did not understand.

"Why did you think I would know anything of her?" she asked her sister.

"I didn't think you would. But you were always closer to her than I was. I just thought you might know something. Her address… her husband… does she have any children? I don't know these things." Bella sounded bitter and regretful. To most people this might make it sound like she regretted not being on better terms with her sister. Narcissa knew Bellatrix only regretted not knowing these things because it meant Andromeda would be harder to find. Harder to kill.

"I know nothing." Narcissa was glad of it, too. She did not want to be responsible for the death of her sister. "Bellatrix, I must leave. I told Lucius I would be back…"

"Well of course you must go, my darling Cissy. I wouldn't want to be responsible for keeping Lucius waiting." Bellatrix smirked. "We shall see each other soon, I expect, Narcissa."

Narcissa apparated back to the grounds of the Malfoy manor, still deep in thought about Andromeda. She wondered where her sister was, and what she was doing. It was only when she was in the parlour where Lucius had said to meet the artist that she realised the artist was already there. Narcissa gave a start. The man standing with her husband was the same man she had seen at the party who had looked at her so strangely. She was sure of it. Those penetrating dark eyes were recognisable on anyone. Lucius stepped forward.

"Narcissa, this is Mr Benjy Fenwick."

Thank you for reading, please send me a review.

Coming soon: The artist begins his work