Thank you for your continued support. Figured I'd post as I finished writing. This chapter ended up massive, so I broke it up in two. Hopefully the second part will come out later this week after a few edits.

~Naralanis


"How dare you break into my house! How did you manage to get past the wards?!"

"You may blast me off the tapestry, but I am still your blood. You married into this House – as far as it knows, the blood of your blood is welcome here."

Narcissa could feel the pain traveling up her arm from clenching her fists so hard. The silhouette standing in her personal library would haunt her dreams forever. The hand that held her wand was stiff as a board to her side, clutching it in a desperate grip, and yet it trembled so at the sight of her sister.

"Leave, now! Bella already suspects me. You shouldn't be here." Her voice felt cold and dead; she dared raise her wand towards Andromeda, who had just seconds before sheathed her own in a gesture of surrender. She made no movement to arm herself once more, but her eyes betrayed total and utter disappointment – it made Narcissa fell dead inside.

"You would raise your wand to your own sister?"

Narcissa found it in herself to snarl. "That is nothing compared to what Bella will do to you if she sees you. She will kill you." She said it and at once believed it – the fury with which Bellatrix had burnt Andromeda's name from their tapestry was just the tip of the iceberg. Narcissa had never seen hatred so pure, ire so intense.

"I can handle Bellatrix" Andromeda said with disgust. Narcissa couldn't tell whether she believed it or not.

"Listen to yourself. No one can handle Bellatrix – not even the Dark Lord."

"Leave this place, Cissy. Come with me."

Narcissa's arm faltered. Andromeda couldn't be serious.

"You must be out of your mind. My son is here, I will not leave him!"

"Then we'll take him with us! The Order will protect you, Cissy, I promise. Come with me, please, speak to Dumbledore – he will harbor no ill will towards you and Draco."

Narcissa laughed; her laughter was dry and humorless. It made Andromeda back away - it was the only time Narcissa ever reminded her of their oldest sister.

"You think it's so easy, don't you? You think anyone can pack up and leave, just like you did. You think anyone can turn their back on their family like you!" She accused, her wand hand trembling more than ever. Hot streaks of tears marred her cheeks; Narcissa resolutely refused to acknowledge such weakness.

"It wasn't easy! I never wanted to leave you Cissy; it was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do! Please, I beg of you, come with me. Bring Draco; you can still have a family!" Andromeda pleaded, daring to take a step in Narcissa's direction.

"Do not take another step!" Narcissa practically screeched. Andromeda froze in her tracks, her face belying her shock. "I have a family! My son, my husband, my dying father! And I have my sister, the one who never abandoned me and never will, the one who loves me as a sister should!"

"I love you, Cissy! Bellatrix will abandon you; her only love is to her Dark Lord. She will leave you if it comes to it. It's her nature." Andromeda reasoned, her eyes resolute.

"Never!" Narcissa barked back. "You don't know what's she's like, you don't know what she's been through or how she's felt since she lost Ophelia. You left! She needs me!"

Andromeda's expression held a hint of tenderness. "I cannot even begin to comprehend the pain of losing a child. But Bellatrix was on her way to madness before then, surely you must know that. She's lost Cissy, lost forever to His darkness. Please don't go the same way."

Narcissa lowered her wand, and made an enormous effort to inject as much venom as she could in her voice. "Unlike you, I stay for my family. I stay for those who need me."

The moonlight hit, unobstructed by clouds, just at the right angle for Narcissa to see the tears glimmering from Andromeda's eyes. She gripped her wand with more fervor; it wouldn't do to falter now.

"Cissy... please. I'm your family. I need you. I love you."

Narcissa righted her wand. "You were my family. You left us, you left me."

"Cissy, no. I beg of you, don't do this, please."

Narcissa could not move a muscle; Andromeda tried one more step towards her sister. Suddenly, the library door and surrounding wall exploded in a million pieces, scattering rocks and dirt on its wake. Both sisters coughed with the cloud of dust and turned to face the intruder; Andromeda was quick to grasp her wand and point it in their direction.

"Well look what we have here... a wee family reunion, it seems? And no one thought to invite me. I'm hurt."

Narcissa's blood turned cold at Bellatrix's voice; she did not dare spare Andromeda another glance.

"Bella..."

"Not a word from you, Cissy. I should have known. I've suspected it for a long time, but I never thought you'd stoop so low as to associate with filth. Frankly, I'm disappointed." The oldest Black said, twirling her wand in her fingers, not in the least threatened by two wands pointed at her.

"Lower your wand, Cissy; don't you dare defy me." She shot at her youngest sister. Narcissa's response was immediate – her arm lowered automatically, before she could even think about it. "Look at you. Pen-pals with mud! You disgust me!"

"Bella, no, I..." Narcissa tried weakly, her voice trembled with fear.

"I said not another word!" Bellatrix snarled, effectively silencing the blonde. Her gaze turned to Andromeda, whose wand arm visibly shook as she pointed it to Bellatrix's chest.

"And you... You've got a lot of nerve, showing your face here, Drommie." She gangly stepped forward, the click of her heels echoing menacingly on the marble floor. "But I'm glad. I've been itching to blast your face, just like I did to the tapestry."

"I'm not afraid of you." Andromeda declared stoically, though her expression betrayed her fear.

"We shall see, won't we? Do you really think you can best me in a duel, filth?" Bellatrix cackled; she felt so at ease she had yet to stop twirling her wand. Nothing about her posture announced her intention to attack, yet both sisters knew full well she needed but a split second to do a lot of damage. "You, who always excelled in... what was it, let's see... Herbology? Astronomy? Valid disciplines, of course, but if I remember correctly, you're well known for your in-depth analysis of... Muggle Studies, is it not? So in-depth, in fact, you spread your legs and accepted mud!" she shrieked.

"Mock me if you want, I don't care. I'm leaving, and I'm taking Cissy with me!" Andromeda barked, her determination as evident as her fear.

Bellatrix suddenly froze, and her steely gaze found Narcissa's panicked blue orbs. "Is that so, Cissy? You'd dare leave me for this traitor and her half-breed child?"

"No! Bella, I... no!" Narcissa cried. Bellatrix looked positively murderous.

"I should hope not... Do you know what I'd do to darling little Draco if you did? I'd rip his little fat limbs apart... bite those chubby cheeks until they bleed. You know I would; I don't care if he's my nephew. Betray me, and all he is to me is filth – you know how I hate filth!"

"Bella, no! No, I promise, I promise I wasn't going to!" Narcissa wailed, tears freely streaming down her cheeks. Bellatrix was unfazed.

"You monster!" Andromeda hissed. "She's your sister, not some pawn in your sick game!"

Bellatrix chuckled darkly. "Ah, yes, she's my sister." She said, her voice sickeningly sweet as she stalked towards the trembling Narcissa. "Unlike you. And she'll stay right here where she belongs – with her family."

"Stupefy!"

Bellatrix deflected Andromeda's clumsy spell without even blinking, and her blood-red lips tugged upwards in a shark-like grin at the pathetic attempt. The only emotion her features betrayed was maniacal glee.

"You'll regret that, Drommie." She made to raise her wand.

"Propulso!"

The spell came from the other side of the room. Suddenly, Andromeda's body shot through the window like a bullet, out of Bellatrix's range, shattering the glass in a deafening burst. The force of the impact was enough to push Bellatrix backwards. Before the Dark witch could fully regain her footing, she heard the unmistakable crack of Andromeda disapparating away.

"No!" she howled in fury. Her head turned, fast as a whip, to where Narcissa stood, her eyes wide, the wand that had just expulsed Andromeda out to safety tremulous in her hand.

"B-Bella, I'm..."

"You!" Bellatrix hissed wrathfully. Before Narcissa could blink, Bellatrix had stepped over to where she was, a hand painfully grasping her long blonde locks by the roots, pulling her head backwards in one swift, furious movement.

"Bella, no!" Narcissa cried in pain; her wand clattered to the floor. Bellatrix ignored her cries as she pulled and pulled with irate force.

"I had her! You'd rather save a traitor, Cissy? Is that what you want, to join Andromeda and her Muddies? Is it? Answer me, filth!"

Hot tears flowed from Narcissa's eyes as she shut them; she didn't want to risk opening them and meeting her sister's murderous glare.

"Bella!" Narcissa sobbed as she felt her sister's wand softly touching the skin of her throat and travelling to her chest, leaving a trail of heat and fear.

"You need to learn, pick where your loyalties lie. Maybe I'll go have some fun with my nephew; what do you think of that? Maybe that'll help you make up your mind?" Bellatrix quipped, practically singing.

"Please, no, please! Bella, please, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't hurt him!"

Bellatrix's grip on her scalp tightened, Narcissa whimpered. "You've been a bad girl, Cissy. I have to teach you a lesson." She whispered through gritted teeth at Narcissa's ear.

"Bella... no..." Narcissa protested weakly.

Suddenly, Bellatrix's hand and wand were gone; Narcissa dropped to the floor on her hands and knees, weak and terrified. She heard Bellatrix's heels stalking around her until they suddenly stopped. She did not dare look.

"Open your eyes, Narcissa." Came Bellatrix's voice, as cold as Narcissa had ever heard it. "I want you to see what I'm about to do to you."

Unwillingly, Narcissa tentatively opened her eyes. Bellatrix had her wand pointed directly at her – her arm was perfectly still. She was like a statue; Narcissa couldn't even tell she was breathing. Bellatrix smiled wickedly.

"You need to know how much I mean this." She said in the same cold tone. Narcissa could not stop her trembling.

"Crucio!"

Narcissa woke with the scream stuck deep her throat. Her body jolted from her bed in sheer terror, and somehow the walls of her room seemed to reverberate with the echoes of her sister's curse. Worst still, her body felt as if the curse itself had rekindled anew, leaving a deep, agonizing burn in its wake.

The vivid memory of the first and only time Bellatrix Crucioed her had fueled several of her nightmares through the years. The last time they had plagued her dreams, however, had been when news of the mass breakout from Azkaban had reached her ears – Bellatrix herself had followed such news not long after, pallid and gaunt and crazy, barely a shadow of her former self. All that remained was the madness, ad Andromeda had warned her so long ago. Narcissa had walked the halls of her own home afraid of her sister – every twitch of her dark eyes made her flinch in expectation of the pain.

Narcissa ran a hand over her forehead, finding it dripping with sweat. Her sheets were soaked, and her nightgown clung uncomfortably to her body. It was still dark outside – not that it mattered; she would not be able to sleep again.

Huffing in disgust at her state, she angrily grabbed her wand from her nightstand and vanished the evidence of her terror as best as she could in her altered state. Another frustrated flick of her instrument summoned the clacking of a tea set in her kitchen; yet another made the water boil.

It was Hermione Granger's fault. What was Narcissa doing, accepting the offer after the measliest kind of peer pressure there was? Her mind had withheld the scrutiny of the Dark Lord himself; surely she could decline an invitation to dinner.

But no, not when Hermione Granger and her insufferable insistence were concerned. All Hermione had to do to convince her was bat her big brown eyes.

Did it make her terribly selfish, to enjoy the girl's companionship? Narcissa had become practically a recluse in the years after the war; it was refreshing to have intelligent conversation. Who would have thought she'd find it in Hermione Granger? Could she not have it with someone less complicated?

No, she pondered. Her choices in life had made her life complicated, and so it would be until the end. That was not something she could or would ever escape.

Making amends in silence and discretion was one thing. Narcissa would rather build a dozen Wellness Wards than suffer through one dinner under the scrutiny of all her former enemies. She didn't fool herself to think they could ever be her friends – she did not deserve any. Surely Molly only invited her year after year out of pity or at Potter's behest.

At least Andromeda would not be present, she mused. The thought filled her with regret and relief at the same time – Andromeda was perhaps the most complicated part of her life. Narcissa padded her way through her sitting room, her bare feet cold on the stone floors. She had a stack of rejections from Gringotts, all signed Andromeda Tonks. Andromeda would not accept her kind of apology, and Narcissa would never be able to offer anything more.


Hermione woke up late on the morning before Christmas. Her room smelled pleasantly of gingerbread biscuits – a little present from the castle House Elves. Her bed was warm, but the day ahead was one full of excitement, and a little last-minute shopping. Never let it be said Hermione Granger wasn't a planner. She just happened to overplan – it was either finishing her grading or buying presents. The Professor in her won out in the end.

It was no matter: Hogsmead was positively glowing with holiday cheer. Even the Hog's Head, usually so dreary and grim, managed to participate in the festivities – the actual Hog's Head at the storefront sported red hats with enchanted bells: one on the head and one for each tusk.

For Teddy, Hermione found a beautiful desk set that came with an enchanted phial of ink: it would change color as he wrote. The young woman thought he'd get a kick out of it, especially as his first year was fast approaching.

For George and Angelina, who had welcomed little Fred into the world earlier that year, she bought a crib with a Quidditch mobile, charmed to fly around. For Ron and Lavender, she went full-Muggle – a baby monitor. Mostly, she just wanted Ron to struggle and then end up loving it.

Most of her gifts had already been bought. Now, however, she had to account for an extra guest – she had repeatedly told Narcissa not to worry about bringing gifts, but she had not included herself in that warning. She wanted the blonde to receive a gift from at elast one person, especially since she'd probably have an awkward time during the dinner. It was up to Hermione to make it go as smoothly as possible – avoid the heavy talks about the past.

The past. That gave Hermione a grand idea.


"Oh! Look at us! We're so Christmassy!" the brunette exclaimed once Narcissa opened the door to her quarters. She desperately wanted to roll her eyes, but Hermione actually looked well put together in her deep red dress. The dress had a discreet silver trim; it was festive in an understated way.

"Red, for a Gryffindor. How predictable." She joked. Hermione looked indignant.

"I should say the same to you, Madam Slytherin Green. It looks gorgeous, don't get me wrong, but also very... predictable, as you say." Hermione quipped right back.

Narcissa shrugged her shoulders in that annoyingly elegant way Hermione came to associate only to her. "What can I say? I look good in green." She defended, her voice light and airy.

"That you do" Hermione agreed, hiding a slight flush. "Shall we get going? Our Portkey will go in a few minutes."

Narcissa groaned. She detested travelling via Portkey. Hermione was sympathetic.

"I know, I know, but it's better not to apparate in the Burrow. It can get cramped, y'know."

"Ms. Granger, are you trying to come up with more reasons for me not to attend this little soirée?" Narcissa drawled. Hermione just laughed.

"Soirée! I don't think I've ever heard anyone actually use that term, uppity."

Narcissa finally did roll her eyes. The night would be long.

Despite their humorous banter, Hermione could tell Narcissa grew more and more uneasy as they made their way to the Portkey she had arranged in the courtyard. She grew silent, and her posture gradually became rigid. Her mouth had set into a thin line.

"Hey" Hermione murmured, lightly touching the other woman's arm. The Portkey – a candle holder – had begun to emit a faint glow. "We can leave the moment it gets too uncomfortable to you." She reassured. Narcissa's eyebrow rose up.

"We?" She inquired.

"We." Hermione confirmed with a smile, reaching for the Portkey. "I'm the one who got you into this mess, am I not?"

Portkey travelling was as unpleasant as Narcissa remembered. Thankfully, they landed on their feet; Hermione was there, hand at her waist, ready to catch her at the slightest imbalance. They appeared exactly at the illuminated center of what looked to be an open tent, obviously charmed for warmth, where the entire Weasley Clan – plus a few others – had gathered. Their arrival dropped a blanket of complete silence onto the festivities; Narcissa wanted to disapparate on the spot, but Hermione still held onto her wand arm.

"'Mione! Ms. Black! You came!" Cheered a joyous voice nearby.

Harry James Potter personally stepped forward to greet the new arrivals, and just like that, the party resumed. The music started back up, as did side conversations, floating trays of drink that had stopped in their tracks zipped through the air once more.

"Harry!" Hermione cheered back, letting go of Narcissa to envelop her friend in a bear hug. Thankfully, Narcissa did not have to stand alone for long – Potter quickly directed himself to her in a respectful, overexaggerated bow.

"Ms. Black, allow me to say how happy we all are that you accepted our invitation. Please, make yourself at home!" He said.

"You are very kind, Mr. Potter. I apologize for not coming sooner."

Introductions were brief, but pleasant. Narcissa dreaded meeting Ronald Weasley, but he was so assiduously hospitable it threw her for a loop. Lavender Brown, his betrothed, was equally kind and pleasant to be around.

Narcissa had always known there were many Weasleys, but her limited and stiff interactions with the clan over the years had not painted an accurate picture. They were everywhere, and she wondered how such a family managed to proliferate so efficiently. Molly Weasley had been a busy woman, and clearly so were all of her kids – Harry and Ginevra had one rambunctious toddler and another one on the way; Bill and Fleur had an inquisitive daughter, George and Angelina touted their young son – Fred – wherever they went. Even Percy Weasley, a bespectacled man Narcissa had known from Fudge's Ministry, married to Audrey Campbell, had managed to grace his family with twin girls – Molly and Lucy, two vivacious little devils that would no doubt bring their father several headaches.

There were simply too many to keep track.

It wasn't long after dinner until the Weasley matriarch herself set her eyes on Narcissa. The blonde had been dreading that particular encounter, going so far as to occupy herself in conversation with almost any other Weasley she could find, even Arthur – Molly had killed her sister in cold blood... Narcissa's family had made the Weasley's lives unbearable at every opportunity. It was bound to be tense.

Once again, she was proven wrong. Molly, now finally free from cooking and fretting about everyone else, saw her and resolutely made her way through the throng of family surrounding them; before Narcissa could get a word in edgewise, the matron's arms had snaked around her, squeezing with all their might.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry could not stop the peals of laughter that bubbled up once they saw the ever-stoic Narcissa Black on the receiving end of one of Molly's famous rib-crushing hugs. Narcissa looked pathetically childish in Molly's arms, especially with the way the woman swung her from side to side.

"You came!" Cried Molly, clearly overjoyed – for what reason, Narcissa couldn't fathom. "I'm so glad you came! I never thought you'd come, but Draco has been adamant that it was only a matter of time! I'm happy Hermione could make you come to your senses!" She practically squealed, finally letting the other woman down.

"Thank you for your kindness, Ms. Weasley" Narcissa finally said once the air returned to her lungs. She found it in herself to shoot the Golden Trio a glare – their laughter stopped immediately.

"Call me Molly, dear. Come, let's talk about that adorable grandson of yours!"

To Narcissa's surprise, the evening passed incredibly quickly. At some point, everyone went from the tent to the cozy Weasley living room. Molly grilled her on all things she could talk about with ease – her grandson, her work, Draco. Before she realized, a tipsy Hermione had taken a seat by her side, and an equally inebriated George Weasley settled at her other side. They both looked giddy.

"Now! The kids 'ave gone to bed" George whispered conspiratorially. "Time for us big kids to open presents!"

Hermione laughed; her cheeks were rosy from the eggnog she had consumed, no doubt. Narcissa found it in herself to chuckle at the brunette.

The gift exchange proceeded in utter anarchy – each Weasley seemed to compete to hand out gifts faster than the other. Each and every one comically declared their gift to be the best of gifts ever gifted. Narcissa was surprised to receive a fancy bottle of Honeywine from the Potters, as well as a rare tome on the history of the study of Potions from the Longbottoms. Molly gifted her a pair of cozy, homemade mittens that were astoundingly comfortable – though they would not go with any of the expensive clothes she owned, Narcissa truly appreciated them.

"Don't worry about it, no one expects you to give them anything in return." Hermione had said at one point, clearly mistakenly reading some trepidation into her posture. Narcissa rolled her eyes for the second time that night.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ms. Granger" she said, her adopting a faux-haughty tone. "Do you truly think I would come to such a soirée" she put heavy emphasis on the word, eliciting laughter from her companion "without being adequately prepared?"

"Oh, come off it!" Hermione quipped, nudging her on the arm. She was truly inebriated for such a familiar gesture. "You didn't have any time to prepare; don't even pretend you managed to snag things for everyone here."

"Ms. Granger, you underestimate me." Narcissa said with a wicked gleam in her eye. In one swift motion, she stood in the Weasley's cramped living room – all conversations seemed to automatically stop as her presence grew in the room.

"I would like to thank you all, especially Molly, for the wonderful evening. I appreciate your kindness from the bottom of my heart – I hope to give you all a few things as a token of my gratitude. Do accept my apologies; I was rushed to acquire them, but I do hope you like them." Narcissa said, her voice clear and airy. All eyes were on her, and more than a few puzzled looks were aimed in her direction. Nevertheless, she continued.

"For all the fathers in the room" she said, deftly waving her wand. "I give you all a season's pass to all Premier League Quidditch matches for the coming year."

"By Merlin's saggy tits!" Came Ron's delighted squeal from one corner, followed by the muted smack of Lavender's head connecting with the top of his head. Ginny managed to contain a similar outburst from her husband with a mere glare.

"For all the mothers" Narcissa continued with a smile "I give one year of service at Madame Dubois Wizarding Spa in Provence, France."

"By Rowena's perky tits!" Shouted Angelina with a happy grin as the room broke out in laughter.

"To Molly, our gracious hostess, I give something a little more special. Thank you for your hospitality, your kindness, and your welcoming arms – though I will pass on further hugs." Narcissa quipped, earning a Molly-patented eye-roll – a good natured one. "Molly, to you I give tickets to every show on Celestina Warbeck's upcoming tour."

Glass shattered, screams were heard. Narcissa was once again grasped by the waist and swung side to side as Molly hysterically thanked her.

It was a long night, but in the best of ways.


"Neville told me about Black Manor. That is a wonderful, wonderful thing you're doing, Narcissa." said Molly, after thanking the blonde about a million times.

The party had died down. Some had gone home, some were scattered about the Burrow, napping, eating, or relaxing by the record-player. Narcissa had remained on the same couch, and Molly had joined her at some point in the evening.

"Thank you, Molly" Narcissa said, still timid around the woman, despite her display of confidence earlier in the night.

"It is incredible, what you have done with your life, darling. Harry has kept us updated, and so has Hermione. It seems you're settling well at Hogwarts, aren't you?" Molly inquired, her tone and eyes kind as could be.

"Yes" Narcisa confirmed. "Yes, I believed teaching suits me quite well. When I'm not dealing with incompetent seventh-years, that is" she added dourly.

Molly laughed. "Oh, I'm sure you'll get them back in NEWT shape in no time. Hermione told us a bit about your Potions research. When is it that you'll get your Mastery?"

"By the end of term, if all goes well." Narcissa was inwardly giddy at the prospect of receiving her Mastery so soon. It was something she had wanted since she was a little girl.

"It will, I'm sure it will!" Molly said, and Narcissa could tell that she meant it.

Narcissa was working on formulating a response when a breathless Ronald dashed into the living room, his face beet red.

"Mum! Ms. Black! Oh, uh, there's, uh, there's someone you should see!" He yapped in a breathless groan.

"Move, Ronald. It's time I speak with my sister. Will you excuse us, Molly?" came a silky smooth voice from behind him.

Narcissa felt her blood turn cold in her veins; she had gone years on end without hearing that voice, but it was unmistakable. She felt as if she had just heard it pleading with her in her personal library at Malfoy Manor.

Andromeda walked into the comfortable space, beautiful and cold as Bellatrix had once been.

"Happy Christmas, Cissy."