May 1975

"Cissy!" Andromeda gasped as she pulled herself in the window of the girls "playroom", now a room used for the girls favorite pastimes; a library for Andromeda, potions lab for Bellatrix, and spare closet and storage for all the beauty potions, clothes and accessories that didn't fit into Narcissa's chamber.

"Where have you been?" Narcissa demanded, tossing her brush down onto the vanity where she sat. She had been in the middle of brushing her hair after being forced to go on an outing that afternoon with her mother. It had been windy outside and her long white blond hair had been mussed.

Andromeda pulled her robes out from a cupboard along the wall. She quickly changed out of her muggle jeans and blouse. "I was out." She responded carefully, pulling her robes up and fastening them.

Narcissa rolled her eyes. "I could see that. Who were you with? And why in merlin's name where you wearing muggles clothes? If mother or father ever saw those you'd be in so much trouble."

Andromeda grabbed the muggle clothes off the floor and shoved them into the empty cupboard. "I was out with Teddy, okay? He wanted me to meet his family, so I bought some muggle clothes as to not freak them out. They're not used to wizarding robes and such."

Narcissa stared at her sister. "You can't be serious. What if mother and father found out? I thought that was over!"

Andromeda shook her head sadly at her younger sister. "Do you only care about what mother and father think? Can you not understand that I love Teddy? I'm so tired of this, Cissy." Andromeda flopped onto the armchair next to Narcissa's vanity. "I just wish there was some way we could be together." She closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose wearily.

Narcissa hated seeing her sister in pain. She may not care about a whole lot in life beyond how she looked and what her parents told her, but she did love her sister. She sighed out loud.

"Mother and Father will do something drastic if you tell them or they find out somehow." Narcissa looked over at Andromeda, she patted her hand. "And if Bella finds out, he'll probably end up dead. She's gone off the deep end into this 'Dark Lord' stuff. You can't see him anymore. I don't even know how you even find time to see him. You've been out of Hogwarts for years!"

Andromeda looked guiltily up at her sister. "Well, He works at Mungo's with me. And you know how I work every weekend on overnight shifts?"

Narcissa gasped at her sister's admission. "No! You don't…"

Andromeda nodded. "We stay at his apartment in London. I don't actually work at all on the weekends. And I've almost got enough saved up in my own vault to leave and get a place on my own."

Narcissa stood, looking at her sister like she had never seen her before. Andromeda stood and grabbed her sister's hands.

"You can't say anything! I want so badly to get out of here, Cissy. I can't live like this. I'm not like Bella. I can't stand to be around her anymore, with all those horrible things she has done and how she brags about them. And I'm not like you; I can't be happy married off to some rich pureblood."

Narcissa sat back down on at her vanity. She knew her simple life was going to be radically changed. She didn't want to think about it. "I need to get ready. We have the party at the Malfoy's tonight. Father says they have an announcement to make. I would bet my life that it's Lucius's engagement to someone. I envy whoever it is; he's such an attractive man. And his money! I wouldn't mind marrying him, even if he was a jerk like they say, for that fortune."

Andromeda sighed, she knew her sister was changing the subject to avoid thinking or talking about it. "Please Cissy. Don't tell them." She whispered as she walked out of the room to ready herself for the evening.

Bellatrix wandered on the outskirts of the Malfoy's ballroom. She liked to watch how people interacted, how they lied, manipulated and schemed their way into power. She had been born into a privileged family, and she was soon to be married into one. But she knew that it was only her blood that made her important to her master now. Her pure wizarding blood made her valuable to him and her devotion made him happy. Her marriage to Lastrange was merely to appease her father. She knew he was easily swayed and knew she'd have no issues with him when it came to her devotion to the Dark Lord. He would soon see how important it was and join her in the cause. Together they would be the most devoted to the Dark Lord and together they would rid the world of those not worthy enough to carry a wand.

For now, Bellatrix was loathed to find that she had to eradicate a problem from her own family. She had followed her sister Andromeda this morning, only to find her meeting up with a muggleborn from their school days. It almost made her blow her cover, she wanted to kill him for touching her sister like he did, like a lover. But she had a plan, knowing her father was about to announce Andromeda's betrothal to Lucius Malfoy, she'd keep the information from her father and Abraxas Malfoy. She'd use it to make sure her dear sister never saw that filth again.

Narcissa smiled and chatted with a plethora of people throughout the night. No one seemed to know what the big announcement was. There was a rumor that suggested Lucius was to be engaged to a girl from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic who was part vela. Narcissa hoped that wasn't the case. She'd been watching Lucius for years, they had been in the same year at Hogwarts and he was the most popular boy in Slytherin. He hadn't turned her down, because she had enough intelligence and pride to not put herself out to be rejected. He merely treated her as he treated any other girl, with a cool indifference. She supposed that perhaps Lucius was being careful, knowing his father had already chosen a suitable mate for him and not wanting to muddle it up with a relationship he knew was doomed to failure.

These thoughts sat ill with Narcissa. If this was the case, and he was just going to wait for his father's announcement, she was most definitely not the chosen mate for Lucius Malfoy. She kept the mask in place, not allowing the snakes that she surrounded herself with see her distress. These girls would use any slip to ruin her reputation.

Feeling her mother's gaze, Narcissa looked up to see her sisters standing next to Druella on the other side of the ballroom. Her mother lifted one hand and beckoned Narcissa with a crook of a finger. She made her way over and stood next to Andromeda.

"What is going on?" She whispered in Andromeda's ear.

"I have no idea. But…"

"Shh!" Druella hissed. "Your father has an announcement." She pointed towards the middle of the ballroom where Cygnus stood next to Abraxas Malfoy and Lucius Malfoy.

Narcissa stared at the group in the middle of the ballroom. She looked up quickly to make eye contact with her sisters. Bella looked giddy and Andromeda looked frightened. Narcissa couldn't understand either's look. If her father was to announce her engagement to Lucius then why would Andromeda look scared, and why in merlin's name would Bella look so excited about it. Bella hardly looked excited about any good news.

Narcissa ignored the oddness of her sisters and turned back towards the center of the ballroom. She straightened her shoulders and pulled a genuine smile to her face. She waited expectantly for her father to call her forward.

"You all are gathered here for a special announcement." Abraxas called over the din of the ballroom. Everyone quieted and turned to gaze at the trio. "I have hosted this ball to announce the engagement of my only son, Lucius to a beautiful pure-blood witch." He nodded towards Cygnus.

"Andromeda, come forward."

Narcissa felt as if she had been stunned. It took all her concentration to not let her mask slip. She watched numbly as her sister stumbled forward towards their father. There was a look of fear and disbelief. She was livid. How dare her father choose Andromeda! She wasn't nearly as beautiful as Narcissa. She didn't even like Lucius! She wanted to marry the mudblood!

Andromeda stood next to Lucius who looked her up and down, evaluating the dark green dress robes she wore. He placed his hand on her lower back and whispered something in her ear. She snapped her head towards him with a loathing glower.

"It is my honor to announce the engagement of Lucius Malfoy to Andromeda Black. The wedding will be held in three months time in this very ballroom. Thank-You." Abraxas called regally.

Andromeda pulled herself away from Lucius grip and excused herself to the powder room. Narcissa, seeing her sister's distress and desperately wanting to know what he said to set her off, followed quickly. She pushed the anger and jealousy deep inside, not allowing her mask to slip. She knocked on the door.

"Drom? It's Cissy. Let me in." She called.

Narcissa heard the latch and let herself into the room, pulling out her wand and locking the door behind her. She saw her sister leaning over the sink, clutching the sides in her hands.

"Can you believe that!" Narcissa shouted, finally letting her true emotions on the matter overflow out her mouth. "Why would he choose you to marry Lucius? I am just as pureblooded as you are and I am the same age as Lucius!" She paced across the small room, looking up and seeing her reflection in the mirror she paused. "I'm a better match. We would have had such beautiful children."

Andromeda laughed harshly; dropping to her knees she rested her head on the sink. Soon her laughter gave way to tears as she shook violently. Narcissa looked down at her sister on the floor.

"Drom? Are you okay?" She dropped to her knees and awkwardly placed her arm around her sobbing sister.

"Am I okay?" Andromeda yelled as she stood, shaking off her sisters arm. "Cissy, did you really just ask that? No! I am not okay." She glared up at her sister. "You may want Lucius as a husband, and from what I can tell he'd rather have you anyway. But what in the bloody hell can I do about that now? We're engaged. The only way I can get out of this is to die. Or somehow convince Lucius to break the engagement. But, that's about as likely as asking you to give up your mirrors. He won't go against his father's wishes."

Narcissa turned her gaze back to her reflection in the mirror. Her blond hair was curled softly and cascaded down her back. The candles that lit the room gave her hair a warm golden glow, it almost shimmered in the dancing light. Her face was subtly enhanced by glamour charms, not enough to be obvious, but enough to make her eyes appear larger, her cheekbones to protrude just enough, and her lips to appear perfectly kissable. She had chosen her gown was cut perfectly to create an hourglass curved figure, just slightly on the too slender side. It was icy blue and dropped just low enough to cause a man's stare to wander. She looked perfect.

"You say he would rather have me?" Narcissa said softly as she watched herself in the mirror. She could convince him to chose her instead, she was positive. All she needed was leverage in her direction or leverage against her sister. She had both.

AN- I am kind of sad and discouraged. I was really excited to start writing again and I was excited about my new story and I only got 2 reviews on the first chapter. I'm hoping this one gets a few more, or I dont know how much more I'll write on it. We shall see. I hope you enjoy, and if you do read please leave me a review and let me know!

-Sarah