Chapter 7- Not Telling

"Oh Andy, you're not still sulking about grades, are you?" Bella laughed, coming in with her cheeks flushed from the cold outside. I had, admittedly, been sulking since term had ended, because to my absolute horror, Ted had just barely squeezed past with higher grades than me. I doubt anyone besides he and I even noticed, but he was unbearably smug, and I was mortified. I also knew that I would never hear the end of it from him. I could go on to become Minister of Magic and Ted would still remind me of that term in second year when he had better grades than I did. And I discovered I didn't like being second at all. Apparently the sorting hat had correctly noticed that aspect of my personality…I was competitive.

But Bella and Narcissa were in high spirits, as any normal child would be at the beginning of a long holiday from school, and they wouldn't let me remain in a sullen mood for long.

"Mother said we may go to Diagon Alley!" she announced. "Come on!"

"We can go by ourselves?" I asked incredulously. Although I was twelve, I could count on one hand the number of times I had been to wizarding England's most popular shopping district. My parents preferred to avoid such "common" pursuits, and would generally send the house elves to do their shopping, and had discovered that if you were willing to pay, everything you needed could be delivered. On the rare occasion they did go to Diagon Alley, they didn't want the added distraction of keeping track of the three of us.

"Not by ourselves, but with Uncle Alphard, and that's nearly as good, isn't it? Because he won't care if we go off a bit on our own."

She had the measure of him well enough, and I had to admit that the idea of Diagon Alley bustling with holiday shoppers and lined with decorations as I imagined it was an appealing idea. Besides, since I was not allowed yet to go to Hogsmeade on week-ends, I had no occasion to spend money, and so had saved what seemed then like a small fortune, and I thought of buying myself something at Flourish and Blotts or maybe the candy shop.

"All right, I'll get my cloak."

As we were emerging from the archway into Diagon Alley from the back alley behind The Leaky Cauldron, Uncle Alphard pulled a folded sheet of parchment from his pocket and consulted it.

"What's that?"

"It's a list of people I have to buy Christmas presents for."

"Christmas presents?" Bella echoed disbelievingly. "But we don't have Christmas, because it's for muggles."

"The family doesn't," he agreed. "But that doesn't mean other wizards and witches don't, and some of my friends have Christmas. It's a nice sort of thing. I've never seen why the family objects to having a nice dinner and giving each other presents, which is what most people do for Christmas."

"Mother says it's a stupid muggle tradition based on a stupid muggle superstition," she replied. While Bella regarded muggle ideas and traditions with contempt, Uncle Alphard examined them with a kind of detached interest, like an anthropologist studying some foreign and ancient culture. But apparently she was going to give up the debate in favor of our hopes to go off alone. "May we go to Madam Malkin's while you look for Christmas presents?" she asked.

"I suppose so. Stay together, and I'll meet you on the steps of Gringott's in an hour, all right?"

"Yes, Sir."

Bella had hit that age where she was starting to become very interested in her appearance and what she wore, and Narcissa had never not been that age, she was simply the kind of girl who had always been worried about how she looked. None of us ever looked anything but pristine, the clothes we wore, ordered by the house elves at Mother's instruction, were always very nice, but of an understated elegance that Bella was beginning to think was too young for her. Like any thirteen-year-old, muggle or magical, she wanted to start choosing her own clothes, and so it was no surprise that both she and Narcissa wanted to go to Madam Malkin's. I, on the other hand, was not really looking at robes, but shooting longing gazes next door at the bookstore.

"I'm going over to the bookstore for a few minutes."

They both gave me a look that expressed disbelief that I could find books more interesting than robes, but didn't object. The front of the bookstore, where they featured popular bestsellers and gift selections was crowded, and a long line wound around the checkout almost to the door, but I slipped through the crowd and upstairs where it was not nearly so crowded. I liked the old, obscure books, and you never knew what you might find in the back shelves and Flourish and Blotts.

"Now what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

I turned and put my hands on my hips. "What do you mean "a place like this?" It's the bookstore."

Ted shrugged. "Yeah, I know, I just wanted to say that."

"What are you doing here?" I had imagined that when he wasn't at Hogwarts he withdrew completely back into the muggle world of his family. I wasn't sure how the statute of secrecy extended to muggle families who had magical children, but I was quite certain I had never heard of any full muggles being in Diagon Alley.

"Christmas shopping," he explained, holding up a few bags. "I was looking for this book for my Dad."

It was a thick leather-bound volume bearing the title Wizard-Muggle Relations: A History.

"That sounds really boring," I admitted.

"I know, but he always says he's curious about how they've kept magic secret all these years and who's known about it and stuff, so…" he shrugged. "I'm almost done, I still have to get something for my sister though, and she wants…" he suddenly looked at me curiously, with narrowed eyes. "Hey, you're a girl!"

"No kidding?"

"No, I mean you can help me. Because my sister, she's fifteen, wants like make-up and stuff that witches use, not just the muggle kind. I have no idea about that kind of stuff, but you can help me."

"Um, I don't really…" I had no more clue about make-up than he did.

"C'mon, please? You'd be really saving my life. She's really mad at me anyway because I accidentally set off a dungbomb in her room…"

I raised my eyebrows slightly at "accidentally."

"…and so I should really make it up to her. And she's into all that girly stuff. Please Andy?"

I didn't say anything, but he must have seen acquiescence in my face, because he said "Let's go," and paid for the book for his Dad and then we went down the street a few stores to a store called "Wonder Witch Beauty Supplies."

"I found this place earlier, but I was afraid to go in by myself, because it's all girls. And it smells awful."

It didn't smell awful, but it was certainly a strange and overwhelming mixture of perfumes that seemed to permeate the store. It was, as he had said, full of girls. Girls in tight little groups trying out make-up, or hair care products, or consulting with one of the white-coated clerks. Although I had no idea what I was talking about, I figured Ted didn't know the difference either, and so figured I would pretend.

"What does your sister look like?"

"Oh, well, mostly like me. I mean, she's got the same colored hair and eyes."

"Oh, right," I nodded as though this made sense to me, and then looked around blankly. Then I just started picking out things that I thought looked cool, and he took all my suggestions as though I was endowed with some mystical knowledge of such things. Finally, we settled on scented lotion that was a different scent every time you used it, no-smudge eye shadow and mascara that would only come off if you used the special remover made for it, and magical no-chip nail polish.

"Phew," said Ted in relief as we exited into the fresh air of Diagon Alley. "She'll like that I figure. I totally don't get girls, but…oh-" he was looking over my shoulder, down the street. "There's your sister, and I reckon she's looking for you, so I should probably let you go. But hey, thanks, I really didn't want to go in that store by myself."

"Oh yeah, well…you're welcome. So…bye."

I turned to hurry back to where Bella was standing in the doorway to Flourish and Blotts, looked perplexed and annoyed, but he said "Hey Andy?" and I turned back briefly.

"Happy Christmas."

No one had ever wished me a happy Christmas before, so I wasn't sure how to react.

"Oh…um…you too."

"Where did you go?" Bella demanded when she spotted me. "And why do you smell like perfume?"

"I went into that shop down there, to look for…a birthday present for Annabelle. Her birthday is in January." That was actually true, and I was impressed with myself for coming up with such a realistic lie off the top of my head. Annabelle's birthday was in January and she was the kind of girl who liked make-up things.

"Oh," Bella didn't even question that. "What did you get her?"

"They didn't have the kind I wanted. Anyway, it doesn't matter, we still have twenty minutes before we have to meet Uncle Alphard."

"Cissy is having an ice cream with Patsy Parkinson, and there's one more store I want to go to."

"I'll come, there's nothing else I need to look for."

We passed Fortescue's, where Narcissa and one of her first year friends could be seen sipping milkshakes, and then, although I had not asked Bella what store it was she wanted to visit, I was surprised when she cut off Diagon Alley into a street that didn't look particularly safe. A sign posted crookedly on the side of a building read "Knockturn Alley."

"Bella…?"

She glanced back at me. "You don't have to come if you don't want. Go wait with Cissy."

I hesitated. My instincts were against going anywhere near the dark alley with shady looking characters lurking in the shadows, but I was also curious about what she was up to, and not about to let her go wandering in there alone.

"No, it's fine," I insisted, hurrying to catch up with her. The street couldn't have been anymore different than Diagon Alley. Instead of being filled with people and sunlight and bright holiday decorations, it seemed deserted, the shop windows dark, some of them blacked out so you couldn't even tell if they were open. The few people who we did see did not stop to chat with one another, they didn't even make eye contact, just hurried past.

The store Bella paused in front of was called "Borgin and Burkes" and didn't look any more welcoming than the others on the street, but at least seemed to be open. She took a deep breath, and then pushed open the door, stepping into the gloom delicately. I stuck close to her because there seemed to be a chill as soon as we entered the shop. As out eyes adjusted to the darkness, we saw that the proprietor was behind the counter, and looking at us incredulously. I suppose it was not every day that young girls came into his shop alone.

"I think you're in the wrong shop," he said, sounding annoyed.

"No, I'm not," replied Bella, a ring of authority to her voice. "I'm Bellatrix Black. I believe you have something for me."

His manner changed immediately. "Ah, Miss Black. I did not realize…Yes, yes, I have the item you need."

From under the counter he produced a package wrapped in brown paper, only a few inches square in size, but giving no indication by its shape as to what it might be. Bella did not open it, but merely paid him and the slipped it in her pocket, glancing around with a look of distaste.

"Let's go, Andy. Thank you, Mr. Borgin."

"You will tell Mr. Lestrange that you received it?" he said quickly, somewhat nervously.

She turned back from the doorway and gave him a hard look. "Yes."

As we walked back toward Diagon Alley I waited for the explanation that I was sure was forthcoming. When she said nothing, I finally asked.

"What is that?"

"Nothing."

"Bella, tell me."

"It's not important Andy, it's nothing bad, just something I…needed. Don't tell Uncle Alphard and Cissy, okay?"

"I will, unless you tell me what it is."

She stopped, at the junction of Knockturn Alley and the rush of Diagon Alley, and looked at me. "I will tell you, but not yet, okay? I promise I will. You won't tell, will you?"

I didn't answer, just sighed and looked away, but she knew I wouldn't. She hugged me quickly.

"Thanks Andy."

"At least it isn't pink," remarked Bella, looking in the mirror. She had been admittedly quite worried about what Mother might make her wear for their winter ball. She wished for hard, sharp dramatic colors that would have suited her best, but Mother thought such things were not appropriate for young girls, who ought to be dressed in white or pastels. Luckily, the ball that they were holding for the winter was being called an Ice Ball, so all the ladies would wear white. While it didn't really suit her, that somehow made her appearance all that more striking.

Still not thirteen, Cissy and I could not go, and so we watched jealously as she got ready. Apparently at the summer ball she had conducted herself well enough that she had not been banned from all future events. In fact, Mother had grudgingly admitted that she could be charming when it pleased her to be, and a number of guests had commented on how bright their oldest daughter was. Mother, who sometimes looked at her like she couldn't imagine where Bella had come from, had been almost disbelieving.

"Ahem," we all turned to the doorway, where someone cleared their throat, and there was a long moment of silence. Sirius was in the same year as I was at school, but he was about six months older, and thus had already turned thirteen. He was standing there in the stark black and white evening wear, looking uncomfortable and squirmy like most men do when they're forced into formal clothes. And yet despite being our cousin, and the boy we had known all our lives, he looked devastatingly handsome. He was also nervously unaware of it. "This is supremely humiliating. I feel like an idiot."

"You look fine," said Bella, in an extreme understatement. "C'mon, Mother will start screeching if we don't get downstairs."

Sirius gave us a smirk as he turned to go. "Don't stay up too late, children."

Narcissa and I looked at each other, and then she shrugged.

"He cleans up all right."

The night of the winter ball had always been one of my favorite times, but with Bella and Sirius not with us it was actually rather boring. We still sat on the landing above the ballroom and watched our parents and their friends, and now Bella and Sirius. Everyone was beautiful and seemed happy and carefree.

"Look, there's Lucius," murmured Cissy, picking him out immediately despite the distance and the strange angle we watched from.

"You really like him, don't you?" I asked, not sure how she could be so certain, at eleven.

"I think he's handsome, and he's nice to me. He doesn't act like I'm some stupid little kid." She shrugged. Narcissa was so entirely self-assured and self-sufficient that she was harder to talk to than Bella, whose wild turns of mood also meant that you knew whatever emotions she was experiencing at any given time. With Narcissa, we only knew what she was thinking if she chose to share it. Except when it came to Lucius, we all knew how she felt.

"Andy, what do you think of Rudolphus?"

I turned and looked at her. She was looking down at the floor, and I followed the direction of her gaze and found Bella by the contrast of her dark hair and white robes. She was leaning against a wall, and Rudophus was talking to her. He had one hand placed on the wall next to her shoulder, and as we watched he leaned in slightly to say something quietly.

"I don't know. He's always nice to me, but…I don't know why he likes Bella so much. He's so much older than her."

"Yeah, I thought that too," she admitted. "She likes him too, but…maybe not for the right reasons."

I remembered our unexpected trip to Borgin and Burkes, and how the man there had mentioned Mr. Lestrange, and I was surprised by how perceptive our little sister really was.

The next morning we woke up to gray skies and that threatened snow, and when I woke up I saw something silvery sitting on the desk. Rubbing my eyes and sitting up, I saw it was a silver wrapped package.

"What's that?"

"Huh?" Bella was still asleep, her face buried in the pillow.

"That package, what is it?"

"Dunno…" she mumbled.

Seeing her lack of interest, I climbed out of bed, shivering in the cold, and went over to investigate. It was a silver wrapped package that bore a card that read "Andy" and I felt a sense of foreboding. He wouldn't, would he? He couldn't possibly be that stupid.

Glancing over to where Bella was still sleeping, I plucked off the card and opened it apprehensively.

Dear Andy,

Happy Christmas even though you don't celebrate Christmas I reckon you should get a present. I wasn't going to get you anything because I thought it might annoy you but I saw this and it seemed perfect for you. Well, you'll see why.

Don't worry though, the store I bought it from has a special delivery service, and it's charmed so no one can see it but you. Cool, huh? I hope you like it.

Merry Christmas,

Ted

p.s. The invisibility spell goes off when you open it, so be careful.

I prodded the package, which seemed entirely solid and visible to me, then grabbed it and hurried back to my own room, where I set it on the desk and watched it suspiciously for a moment. Finally with curiosity overcoming me, I delicately untaped the silver paper, and opened the small box. Sitting on a bed of cotton was what looked like a small glass ball. I picked it up delicately, for a moment it looked like it was empty, but as I held it up I saw it twinkled with tiny, perfect stars. As I stared at it, I realized what it was- Andromeda. It was a perfect reproduction of the constellation in the tiny little glass ball.

I was both surprised and uncomfortable. It was incredibly beautiful, and obviously perfect for me, but adolescent boys weren't known for their sensitivity when it came to choosing gifts, and the fact that Ted was so right on made me uncomfortable. He was supposed to be exactly what I knew him to be- an annoying, difficult, teasing, muggle born boy who would not leave me alone because we had somehow ended up sitting next to each other in class. He wasn't supposed to have any insights into me, and it made me both irritated and nervous whenever it seemed like he did.

"Andy, where are-" Sirius burst into the room, still in pyjamas. "There you are, Auntie says…what's that?"

"Uh…"

"What'd you get? How come you get Christmas presents and the rest of us don't? Who's it from?"

Before I could answer him, or even tell him not to, he had picked up the card. He wasn't trying to snoop or be mean, he was simply curious and didn't give me a chance to say anything to stop him. He looked at the card, then up at me, and then back at the card.

"Oh…Hell…Andy…"

"Sirius, it's-"

"Is something going on between you and him."

"No! Of course not, don't be stupid. He just…kind of…thinks we're friends."

"Are you?"

"I…I don't know."

He set the card down on the desk, looking at me thoughtfully. "Well, I don't know him very well, but he seems like a good guy. You know, Andy…" he paused for a long moment, as though choosing his words carefully. "I know how things are between you and Bella, but…the world won't end of you disagree with her."

"I know that."

"Do you? Okay," he shrugged. "Anyway, Auntie sent me up to tell you guys to get ready for breakfast, and in her words "do wear something appropriate as we're having guests." Better hurry too, she had that look." He turned to go.

"Sirius?"

"Yup?"

"You won't tell anyone, will you?"

He shook his head slowly. "No, I won't. Everyone in this family has secrets, I suppose you're entitled to yours too."