Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Harry Potter series

Babysitting

The five cousins sat around a table in a room all by themselves. Their mothers had decided, somewhat foolishly in Narcissa's opinion, that as Bellatrix would be entering her fifth year in the fall, she was thus responsible enough to watch over Sirius and Regulus as the sister-in-laws had tea in a separate, more placid setting. However, as it always was, Andromeda was acting as the responsible adult, watching carefully as everyone sipped –or in Sirius's case, slurped- their tea with varying amounts of amusement.

"Sirius… don't do that," Andromeda warned gently as Sirius leaned back in his chair so that the front two legs left the ground.

"Why not?" Sirius challenged.

Andromeda smirked. "Because, you'll tip the chair over and fall to the ground."

Narcissa watched as Sirius grinned from ear to ear.

"You can't tell me what to do, Droomie," he taunted, sticking out his tongue as he proceeded to rock back and forth in his chair even harder.

Suddenly, the chair seemed to give out completely and Sirius fell to the floor with a clatter.

Narcissa shot her sister a suspicious glare. And indeed, Bellatrix was struggling to conceal a smirk of her own behind her cup of tea. Andromeda rolled her eyes before turning to Sirius who was standing up slowly, flushed with embarrassment.

"You might not have to listen to Andy, but woe to you if you don't listen to me," Narcissa heard Bella mutter darkly.

Narcissa went to kick her sister under the table. However, she missed, perhaps fortunately, and instead made contact with Andromeda's leg.

"Ouch! Sirius, I'm serious –oh shut up, Bella, it's not that funny- if you don't stop it I'll tell your mother what a pain you've been."

Narcissa felt a slight twinge of guilt at the look of gloom that spread over Sirius's face. She knew that he was hardly used to Andromeda actually scolding him; she coddled him more than anyone else and thus was his favorite.

But the mood shifted as Regulus, having successfully built a tower out of crumbs, reached across the table to grab hold of the tea pot to add a moat to his creation. His fingers fumbled on the handle and the teapot tipped over swiftly. Bellatrix jumped out of her seat with a start, barely missing being soaked by the hot liquid that now stained the table cloth, chair, and carpet.

"Regulus!" she shrieked "Are you so impatient that you can't just ask for the tea to be passed? Are you as dim as your brother?"

Regulus frowned down at his saucer as he mumbled, "I didn't mean too."

Narcissa saw this as a perfect time to end the tea party and quickly suggested that perhaps they played a game instead. While she wasn't completely eager to chase after her two little cousins for hours upon end, it seemed like a fine alternative to letting Bellatrix strangle them on the spot.

"Play what?" Regulus asked hopefully.

Bellatrix grinned maliciously. "I've got the perfect game," she said in a sickly sweet voice. "Why don't you two run and hide somewhere, then, after awhile, I'll come and find you."

Narcissa had the feeling that such a game would consist of Regulus and Sirius hiding for hours in cramped stairwells while Bellatrix made no effort whatsoever to find them.

Andromeda seemed to have similar thoughts, "How about we think of another game."

"I'll bet you can't catch us," Sirius decided, jumping out of his seat and racing out of the room.

That was all the challenge Bellatrix seemed to need as she dashed after Sirius.

Regulus followed pursuit, waddling happily behind them. Andromeda shrugged, running after them, and Narcissa brought up the rear. Sirius ran up the large staircase quickly, but Bellatrix's legs were longer and, bounding up the stairs two at a time, she was on his tail in no time at all. Regulus tripped over one of the steps and began to cry so Narcissa scooped him up gently and poked his nose.

"Don't cry, Reggie," she cooed. Narcissa smiled at him, all too familiar with the crying tactics of a youngest child.

Regulus gave her a goofy smile and the fake bought of tears stopped as quickly as they had started.

"Let's find your brother," Narcissa said as she carried him up the stairs.

"I can walk!" Regulus declared, squirming in her arms.

Narcissa was tempted to point out that his walking abilities were questionable, at the least, as it was he who had tripped walking up the steps. However, she merely shrugged and let him run ahead of her.

Following Regulus, she saw both of her sisters running after Sirius as he turned into a room at the end of the long hallway. Eventually, she and Regulus caught up with them and entered the room. Finally, it seemed that Bellatrix had also caught up with Sirius.

Bellatrix swooped upon Sirius and wrapped her arms around him, lifting him into the air.

"Hey!" Sirius exclaimed as he was dangled upside down in an almost affectionate manner.

Bellatrix smiled as she spun her cousin around and around through the air. Sirius was laughing wildly as his head whipped around in circles. Narcissa couldn't help but think that the only reason that Bella held a sort of eager disdain for Sirius was because of the overwhelming similarities between the two. Though they were almost nine years apart, the likenesses couldn't be ignored.

Sirius, even at six, was stubborn and rebellious. Bellatrix, as a rule, was wild and reckless. Sirius couldn't sit still for more than five minutes and Bellatrix would rather die than attend stuffy social gatherings. Their dark black eyes were framed by wild dark locks of curly hair. Sirius laughed at the thought of danger and Bellatrix greeted adventure with open, waiting arms. Even as they laughed, for now Sirius was being subjected to a merciless bought of tickling from Bella, Narcissa was alarmed at how the sound blended together like a peculiar harmony.

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Sirius howled in between fits of violent giggles.

"Never!"

Sirius struggled against her hold fruitlessly. "Bella, I mean it, my ribs hurt!"

Bellatrix only laughed harder as she continued to tickle him.

"Aw, poor wittle baby."

Sirius thrashed, growing obviously weary. "Put me down, Trixie."

"Don't call me that, you little brat," Bella ordered with a snap, paying no attention to Sirius's plea.

Narcissa gave a shout of surprise as suddenly the hems of Bellatrix's robes caught fire. Bellatrix promptly dropped Sirius and searched desperately around the room for a means of distinguishing the flames.

A sort of maternal instinct overcame her as Narcissa put her hands over Regulus's ears just in time to block out a torrent of profanities.

Narcissa tried to hide a grin and Andromeda laughed loudly as they watched their sister battle with the flames Sirius had accidently produced.

Finally, shaking with laughter, Andromeda raised her wand and shouted, "Aquamenti!"

The flames were extinguished successfully, but Bellatrix was soaked from head to toe.

"Did you want to wait till I was reduced to a pile of ashes?" Bella shot angrily at Andromeda, shaking the water from her robes.

"I considered it."
Bellatrix ignored this comment with an irritable huff, but spun around to face Sirius who was rolling on the floor snickering gleefully.

Narcissa loosened her grip on Regulus, thinking that it might soon be necessary to restrain her sister instead. Indeed, the look the eldest Black bore was formidable and livid. However, Sirius didn't seem the least bit frightened, in fact he laughed harder.

"Bella! You look like a soggy banshee!" he giggled, pointing up at her.

With a sort of growl, Bellatrix grabbed his wrist quickly, the other hand clenched tightly.

Sirius yelped as she made a movement to attack him, darting out of the way just in time.

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU, SIRIUS!" Bellatrix roared as she chased her little cousin around the room for a second time.

The mad chase managed to encompass the whole room, sending the surroundings into disarray. They were like two bulls running through a china shop.

Narcissa jumped out of the way as the pair headed her way. Sirius grabbed his brother's hand and pulled him away from Narcissa.

"Run, Reggie!" Sirius ordered as he knocked over a night stand, causing Bella to swerve.

The two boys darted to the other side of the room where the door to an adjoining bathroom stood open. They pulled the door tightly behind them and Bellatrix skidded to a stop just in time. She leaned against the door for a moment to catch her breath then smiled with a delighted cruelty as she grabbed an overturned chair and propped it under the handle.

"There," Bellatrix declared, wiping her hands, "that should hold them for a little while."

Narcissa sighed in disapproval, "Bella, you're a terrible babysitter."

Bellatrix shrugged as she sat down in the window seat.

Narcissa studied Bella for a minute wondering what her sister's children would be like. Probably just as deranged as their mother, she decided. There was no way her sister would produce and raise normal children, anyway.

"Really, though," Narcissa began again, "You shouldn't keep them locked in a bathroom."

Bella laughed. "Yeah, I should have locked them in a broom closet. Oh come on, Cissy; don't look at me like that. The stupid kid set my robes on fire."

Narcissa thought that Bellatrix had little room to talk as she had very recently caused him to fall out of his chair, held him upside down for an extended period of time, and then promptly threatened to kill him. In fact, Narcissa couldn't help but think that she had to keep as much of an eye on her oldest sister as she had to Sirius and Regulus.

"He's only six, Bella," Narcissa reasoned.

"Oh come on, Cissy. Don't make excuses for him. I'm sure I didn't act like that when I was his age," Bellatrix argued as she attempted to dry her hair.

"No, of course not," Andromeda replied unblinkingly, "You were much worse."

Bellatrix had opened her mouth to retort when Sirius and Regulus began to pound on the door.

"Bella," Sirius whined, "Let us out!"

Narcissa looked over to see if Bellatrix would move. As she had suspected, Bellatrix didn't so much as bat an eye. With a sigh, Narcissa walked over to the door and pulled out the chair and opened the door. Sirius scurried over to Andromeda who laughed as she pulled him onto her lap. Regulus clutched Narcissa's robes with wide eyes, looking as though he had escaped a most certain death.

"Bella," Andromeda sighed wearily, "Don't ever have any children."

Author's Note: Well, that was my first attempt at a Black cousins fic, so I hope it was vaguely believable... I'll probably write some more scenes with all five cousins, so any suggestions would be a great help! Thanks for your continued reading and reviewing; updates should arrive soon!