Thanks again for reading everyone. Hope this next chapter is okay.
Into the Mist
James was cold. Granted it was to be expected given that he was standing in a deserted playpark in the middle of December, but still he hadn't expected it to be this frozen.
"Why are we here again?" Narcissa asked him, her voice wavering in the lowered temperatures. Although, at least she had thought to wear her fur lined jacket.
"I'm sure Sirius will be here soon," he replied, looking out into the failing light and hoping he was right. They had agreed to meet half an hour ago and James didn't understand what could be keeping him.
"Yes, but why outside, in the snow?" Narcissa practically hissed. James couldn't help but think she was being unfair, the ground was covered in ice, but it hadn't snowed so far.
"Because," a voice echoed from beside them, "it's Christmas time, most places are shut this time of year."
James turned with a smile to see his best friend strolling towards them from the trees.
"And this place wasn't too far to walk to. You remember we use to come here as kids Cissa?"
Narcissa fixed her cousin with an even stare, "I remember you pushing me off these swings, although that was in slightly better weather."
"That doesn't sound like me," Sirius laughed.
As the two cousins joked with one another James noticed a shadow emerging from the same trees that Sirius came from. Without thinking James drew his wand, before even noticing that it was Bellatrix Black he was pointing it at. Of course she had responded in kind, her wand out in a flash of movement that impressed James.
As the two stood opposite one another, almost frozen in the same stance, James heard Narcissa's voice echo from beside him.
"What on earth are you both doing? Put your wands down," she hissed.
"Sorry," James replied sheepishly, "It was just instinct."
"Same here," came Bellatrix' response, looking similarly embarrassed, "although at least I should be happy knowing you can protect my little sister if it comes down to it."
"Of course I can," James puffed, before turning to Narcissa who looked less than pleased.
"I can protect myself, both of you, I'm not some damsel in distress anymore." And she wasn't, James had to admit, with both he and Sirius helping her with jinxes and curses, Narcissa was becoming a force to be reckoned with. Not that James wanted to admit it.
"No one's arguing that Narcissa, I've seen what you can do," James said, smiling at her.
"Really?" Bellatrix asked, "Last time we got into an argument Narcissa threw a vase at me instead of even bothering with a hex."
"It was an ugly vase, and for the last time, we're not supposed to use magic outside of school." Narcissa snapped back, James was getting the sense this was a touchy subject. He threw a questioning look to his friend. Sirius just shook his head and gestured for James to join him on the swings.
"Both Bella and Andy used to call Narcissa the princess, and said she would never be able to protect herself in the real world. I don't think they really meant it, but she was always the…gentlest of the three of them." Sirius explained.
Yep, that would explain it.
"Bellatrix, if you've just come here to annoy me, why bother? I didn't see you standing up to protect me when Rabastan tried to rape me" Narcissa snapped.
James felt Sirius go still next to him, he deliberately hadn't told Sirius what had happened, it was for Narcissa to talk about, if she wanted to.
"What?" His friend interrupted, turning to James, "Why didn't anyone tell me what happened?" With a look of pain on his face that surprised James.
"It wasn't my place Sirius."
"And I didn't want talk about it," Narcissa conceded, moving to hug her cousin.
But James could feel his friend was struggling to control his rage, "I'm going to kill him."
"Thank you for saying that, but I don't want you getting into trouble for it, he's not worth it," Narcissa insisted.
"I should have been there, though." Sirius finally admitted, more to himself than anyone else, "I should have been able to protect you."
"I was able to protect myself though, that's what I've been saying, I'm not helpless."
"Besides, he's been taken care of now anyway." James had almost forgotten Bellatrix was there.
They all turned to her, "What does that mean?" James finally asked the question they were all wondering.
And, all credit to Bella, she didn't shift at all under the weight of their gazes.
"I heard you screaming at dad that night, I heard what Rabastan tried to do to you. Did you think I would just let him get away with that? Because of his blood?"
"Is he dead?" Sirius asked, despite all his talk, even Sirius sounded shocked that his cousin might be capable of such a thing.
"No," Bella almost sulked, "Rudolphus wanted him alive, he is in St Mungos now. But he suffered and I doubt he'll ever get the full use of his left hand again."
"Rudolphus was okay with that?" Narcissa questioned, sounding as baffled as James felt.
"He understood that Rabastan should never have touched you. And besides I told him if he got in my way that I would kill him too, he'd never beat me in a fight."
"I…I don't know what to say Bella, you shouldn't have."
James could understand her hesitation, he had wanted to hurt Rabastan as well, but to hear Bellatrix talk about it as nonchalantly as going out to lunch was scary.
"Of course I should have, we are Blacks. It's important for everyone to understand that we are just as strong as ever and that they can't hurt us and get away with it. I reminded dad of that as well, he was an idiot, he should have demanded restitution from the Lestranges."
Restitution? What century were the Blacks living in?
"Yes, because it's all about family." Narcissa sneered.
"No, I didn't mean it like that, I would never let anyone hurt you, not because we're Blacks but because you are my sister and I love you." It was probably the most human thing Bellatrix had said all night. "Now please, come home."
James looked at Sirius, "Is that why she's here? To convince Cissa to come home?"
"All I know is that she wouldn't let me leave the house without her."
James was still watching Narcissa, he could see the indecision in her face when Bellatrix had mentioned going home, he knew she was worried about how her parents would react.
"Both mum and dad want you to come home, I promise."
Narcissa looked to the two boys, still sitting on the frozen swings. "Sirius?"
Sirius sighed, almost regretting having to agree with his older cousin. "By the time I got home the Lestranges had excused themselves and everyone was arguing, it was almost nice for it not to be about me, but it seemed both my mother and yours disagreed with your dad about what he had said."
"Aunt Walburga agreed with me, she said that if dad let the Lestranges treat his daughters like whores then that was all anyone would see us as."
"What do you think James?" Narcissa finally asked him, her eyes looked red as if she was holding in tears.
He went to her, still not sure what to say or what Narcissa wanted him to say, "I know I love you, I am hopelessly and painfully in love with you. No matter what you choose here. If you want to go home that's okay, you can always come back and stay with me. But if you're not ready to go back there then just give me the signal and we can leave and go back to mine."
"I won't leave you, this time. I'll stay with you back home." Sirius promised.
James could feel his heart in his throat. He didn't want Narcissa to go back there, no matter what anyone said he just couldn't believe she would be safe there.
"I love you too James." Narcissa smiled.
"But you're going home?"
"I am, I have to deal with what happened with my family. I need to talk to them. I have to be brave, I've been spending too much time with Gryffindors. But thank you for being there for me, for letting me stay. I'll owl you and let you know how things are. And we can still spend New Year together."
"I know you can protect yourself Cissa, but Sirius," he turned looking at his friend, "Look out for her. And I will definitely see you at New Year," he said, kissing her.
"Don't worry Prongs, I've got her back." His friend replied, before offering Narcissa his arm "Shall we?"
And with one last kiss Narcissa left James' arms. "I love you," she whispered before departing into the mist.
"You know, I've never seen him care about anyone as much as he seems to care about Narcissa." Bellatrix interjected, nodding at Sirius' departing figure.
"You just don't know Sirius very well." James replied, not entirely sure about what Bellatrix was trying to get at.
"Well, I knew him well enough to know he'd be meeting Cissa here, and I knew enough not to tell him about what Rabastan did. I do believe he'd have killed him."
James shifted, there was something unnerving about the eldest Black sister, and he knew she was trying to get under skin about Narcissa.
"Goodbye Bellatrix, good luck with the wedding." Now that was one family event that would be interesting.
"Goodbye…Prongs is it? You know, you seem okay, I think you would be good for Narcissa." And with that she followed Sirius and Narcissa into the mist. Leaving James feeling slightly unsure of what had just happened
