7th, Dark Lord Ascending: Sisters Black
Catty Engles

"My Lord," said a dark woman halfway down the table, her voice constricted with emotion, "it is an honor to have you here, in our family's house. There can be no higher pleasure."

She sat beside her sister, as unlike her in looks, with her dark hair and heavily lidded eyes, as she was in bearing and demeanor; where Narcissa sat rigid and impassive, Bellatrix leaned toward Voldemort, for mere words could not demonstrate her longing for closeness.

"No higher pleasure," repeated Voldemort, his head tilted a little to one side as he considered Bellatrix. "That means a great deal, Bellatrix, from you."

Her face flooded with color; her eyes welled with tears of delight.

"My Lord knows I speak nothing but the truth!"

"No higher pleasure… even compared with the happy event that, I hear, has taken place in your family this week?"

She stared at him, her lips parted, evidently confused.

"I don't know what you mean, my Lord."

"I'm talking about your niece, Bellatrix. And yours, Lucius and Narcissa. She has just married the werewolf, Remus Lupin. You must be so proud."

There was an eruption of jeering laughter from around the table. Many leaned forward to exchange gleeful looks […]

"She is no niece of ours, my Lord," Bellatrix cried over the outpouring of mirth. "We – Narcissa and I – have never set eyes on our sister since she married the Mudblood. This brat has nothing to do with either of us, nor any beast she marries."

"What say you, Draco?" asked Voldemort, and though his voice was quiet, it carried clearly through the catcalls and jeers. "Will you babysit the cubs?"

The hilarity mounted; Draco Malfoy looked in terror at his father, who was staring down into his own lap, then caught his mother's eye. She shook her head almost imperceptibly, then resumed her own deadpan stare at the opposite wall.

"Cissy, no, figure it out yourself," Andromeda snapped.

"But why?" Narcissa whined, flopping back on the lawn near the lake dramatically, throwing her wand arm over her eyes to shield them from the springtime sun. "You're so good at charmwork, and I just can't get the hang of the cheering spell, and Professor Flitwick will humiliate me again, and if you only-"

"Why you're afraid of that half-breed, I'll never know," Andromeda demurred, returning to her letter. "You're just a third year, and yet still, he only comes up to your waist."

Narcissa sat back up, eyes blazing, "I'm not afraid," she barked.

"You are, and it's embarrassing, now let me write," Andromeda scolded without lifting her eyes.

"I'm NOT," shouted Narcissa throwing a sharp little fist into her sister's shoulder. Andromeda shrieked and grabbed a handful of Narcissa's hair by her temple, yanking hard to the side.

"Ow, OW, stop it, 'Dromeda!" Narcissa pled, her head pitched painfully sideways and her hands flapping against her sister's grip.

Andromeda did not let go, her voice low and threatening, but a cheery smile on her face. "At just this moment, I'm writing to our beloved mother about how wonderfully the three of us are getting along during our time away from her, and how Bella and I are both looking after our dear, sweet little sister. I would sincerely like to write mother and for it to be the truth one of these days. Heavens knows you or Bella don't bother to keep her informed."

"You say you're looking out for me, then why won't you help me?" Narcissa sniffed, pouting angelically. Andromeda sighed and released her.

"Narcissa, you're so irritating. If I keep helping you, you'll never learn. Besides, I know it isn't Flitwick you're worried about being embarrassed in front of, is it?" Andromeda had returned her gaze to her correspondence, but a knowing smirk was on her face.

Narcissa went pink in the face.

Andromeda knew she had hit a nerve, and continued to goad her little sister, "You don't need a cheering charm to get all loopy and doe-eyed when a certain Lucius Malfoy is around, do you?"

Narcissa's mouth tightened into an unbecoming pucker and her nostrils flared. She leveled a perfectly manicured finger at her sister, menacingly.

"If you dare breathe a word to mother, Andromeda Delphini Black, I swear I will-"

"You'll do what?" Andromeda put her writing down, smiling viciously. She laughed, squishing her little sister's perfect cheeks between her thumb and forefinger, "You can't even master a cheering charm! What do I have to be afraid of?"

Narcissa's cry of outrage was cut off when Andromeda pulled her into a smothering hug, whispering conspiratorially in her ear, "Oh, Cissy, I'm teasing you. The Malfoy boy is rather dashing for all of his swaggering and boasting about his father. He may even fancy you."

Narcissa wrestled herself out of Andromeda's grasp, "You think so?" She whispered back, hopefully.

"Oh, I know so," Andromeda said significantly. "He is very certainly… a great big braggart."

"Ooooh!" Narcissa yowled and swatted at her sister, her rage deflating.

After a moment of giggles, Narcissa sighed dreamily and rested her head on Andromeda's shoulder. Andromeda stroked her sister's white blonde hair absently.

"Why don't you want mother to know, Cissy?" asked Andromeda, "She'd start waltzing through the halls knowing you'd be going with the pureblood heir to the Malfoy estate."

"That's just why," Narcissa moaned. "Have you seen how she pesters Bella about Rodolphus all the time?"

"Well, they're betrothed, aren't they?" Andromeda said dismissively.

"Yes, but see how they act around one another?" Narcissa lamented. "They've been forced upon one another since they were toddlers, and they just… they're not…"

"Madly in love?" Andromeda supplied sarcastically.

Narcissa didn't catch the scorn in her sister's voice and agreed emphatically, "Yes, exactly!"

Narcissa heaved what she thought was a hugely romantic sigh. Andromeda rolled her eyes. "I want Lucius to at least have a chance to like me without our families pushing us together."

"I'm sure you will," said Andromeda.

"So who are you interested in, 'Dromeda?" Narcissa needled.

"Oh don't you start." Having had quite enough of her sappy sister's romanticism, Andromeda pinched her until she yelped.

Just then, a loud bang came from behind them. Andromeda and Narcissa turned to see papers flying from a small group of Hufflepuffs sitting in the shade a few yards away.

A 2nd year Hufflepuff girl with brown, bobbed hair was jumping into the air, shrieking and crying, fixated on something above her. It was an exquisite chess set now floating ten feet in the air. A high-pitched, very familiar cackle made both of the girls whirl around to see their eldest sister, Bellatrix, pointing her wand at the floating chess set.

"Look girls, I got us a toy!" Bellatrix jeered, jabbing her wand at the chess set, rocking it, making rooks and pawns fall and roll across the lawn, the little Hufflepuff scrambling to pick up the scattered pieces.

Narcissa clapped her hands together and Bellatrix smiled.

"How sweet! It's rather ornate, isn't it?" said Narcissa, beaming up at her big sister.

"Rather," Bellatrix agreed. "So ornate that it must have been in a wizarding family for generations and generations." Bellatrix crouched down to the level of the little girl, still pointing her wand at the chess set, "Was it your family, sweetie?"

The Hufflepuff girl sobbed and shouted, "My mum and dad gave it to me for my birthday! Give it back!"

Bellatrix's mouth curled into a sneer, her eyes aflame, "And how did your Muggle parents get a hold of a wizarding chess set, especially one like this?"

"I don't- I don't know!" sobbed the girl.

"Hey!" A barrel-chested boy with disheveled blond hair and scruffy cheeks was marching towards Bellatrix, two rabbit, red-headed boys in tow. The blond boy already had his wand drawn, pointing at Bellatrix. "Leave Marian's chess set alone."

Bellatrix didn't even bother to stand up, but, crouching, she turned to face the boy, baring her teeth in a facsimile of a smile that Andromeda and Narcissa both knew to be trouble.

"If it isn't Ted Tonks, you sorry excuse for a wizard. You mudbloods sure do stick together like pond scum. Though I would have expected better from you Prewetts."

"That's funny, I expected nothing less than this kind of behavior from pureblood elitists like you, Black," teased one of the red-heads. "You're just going to have to get to know Gideon and me better. Say, how about a nice cup of coffee down at Madam Puddifoot's this weekend? Perhaps a warm beverage would take that ugly look off your face. What do you say, Bellatrix? Fancy a cuppa?" The boy made an elaborate bow in Bellatrix's direction, waggling his eyebrows.

"You date her, Fabian, and I will disown you," gagged the other red-head, identical to the first.

"Not as quickly as her family would disown her!" Gideon roared, and both boys fell about laughing. The watching Hufflepuffs snickered appreciatively, even Marian smiled despite the situation.

Bellatrix and Andromeda leapt to their feet simultaneously. In a few strides, Andromeda had reached her sister's side, her wand aimed at the trio of boys. "You watch your mouth when you talk about my family," Andromeda spat.

The leader, Ted, leveled his wand at Andromeda, his face darkening. "Just give Marian back her chess set, we don't want trouble."

"You don't want trouble, Ted, we want plenty," Gideon and Fabian's light-hearted demeanor had fled instantly as they too drew their wands.

Bellatrix crowed triumphantly, "If it's a duel you want, we accept!" She made a whipping motion with her wand, and the chess set flew backwards towards the lake. Marian screamed.

"Arresto Momentum!" Bellowed Ted, stopping the gameboard in its arc before it hit the water. He pitched the chess set back to shore, rather sloppily, but it seemed to be unharmed and Marian went streaking after it.

"Pretty good, eh?" Ted said, looking pleased with himself.

"Sure, Ted," Gideon and Fabian said simultaneously.

"I dunno, 'Dromeda looked pretty impressed," Ted said, grinning at Andromeda cheekily.

"You wish," Andromeda bristled.

"Looks like it'll be a double date at Madam Puddifoot's!" jeered Gideon.

"Ted! It's Ogg! Coming this way!" shouted a skinny 4th year Hufflepuff. Ted and the twins quickly dropped their wands, secreting them in their robes.

Andromeda copied them, hissing at Bellatrix who still hadn't lowered her wand, "Put that away- you're inches from getting expelled!"

Grudgingly, Bellatrix complied, never taking her eyes off the smirking twins. Ogg, the lumbering gamekeeper stomped over to the confrontation.

A huge man of few words, Ogg let his presence do the talking. "Get," grunted Ogg, as way of dismissal, and the Hufflepuffs scattered, Marian carrying her chess set. Narcissa was suddenly at Andromeda's side, clutching her robes.

"I said… get," Ogg repeated ominously, planting a shovel in the ground he had carried with him right in the line of sight between Ted and Bellatrix. With a snarl, Bellatrix whirled away, stalking haughtily towards the castle. Narcissa fled after her. Andromeda made to follow her sisters.

"You just let me know about that coffee, 'Dromeda. Open invitation," said Ted Tonks, flashing a devil-may-care grin at her.

"It's Andromeda," she said between clenched teeth.

Ted winked, and Andromeda stopped short.

"Well, it's Ted, and you can call me that anytime. Let me know about that coffee. I think you'd enjoy getting to know me," Ted said, smiling infuriatingly.

She turned away as she felt a traitorous blush rise to her cheeks. Fabian and Gideon said something clever as she hurried to catch up with her sisters, but she didn't hear it, all she heard was Ted Tonks' carefree, hearty laughter. She turned a corner, heading towards the Slytherin common room, her mind in a blur, when she was slapped across the face.

Andromeda stumbled back a step, and Narcissa stifled a scream, both of her hands covering her mouth, staring wide-eyed at her eldest sister, her palm still raised. Bellatrix was there in front of Andromeda, spitting mad.

"Wha-?" managed Andromeda before Bellatrix slapped her again.

"That shameful display! He's muggle-born, Andromeda. How dare you let him talk to you like that? You're a daughter of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. How can you spit on your heritage, your family, your sisters like that?"

"I didn't-" started Andromeda, but Bellatrix cut her off.

"I see anything, anything at all like that again, and I will cut off your hair in your sleep and give it to Kreacher to wear as a wig," promised Bellatrix. With one last glare, Bellatrix spun on her heel and stormed away, "Come on, Cissy," she demanded. And Narcissa scurried off in her wake, shooting a frightened and confused look back at Andromeda, who stood in the hallway with a hand on her cheek.

31 years later

It was late when Andromeda finally got Teddy to bed. His constant changing features still hadn't settled into what Andromeda could tell would be a persistent appearance, but this wasn't her first time raising a metamorphmagus. Given how rare they were, she believed that she may be the most knowledgeable, still living witch on the subject. Maybe she should write a book.

To tire him out she made faces at Teddy that he would copy like a chameleon, then she gave him his favorite duckling doll to snuggle while falling asleep, and watched as his little feet became webbed, his hands became feathered, and his cute button nose grew a suggestion of a beak as he slipped off into dreamland.

Exhausted, Andromeda retreated to the kitchen for some much needed nettle wine.

She spent a few moments cleaning the kitchen and living areas of her house even thought it was a redundant practice now that she lived alone. The place was impeccable, the messy ones had always been Ted and Nymphadora.

It had been a few weeks since she had seen any from the Order, though Molly Weasley had asked her around to dinner a few times that week. She was fond of Molly, but not of the clutter and chaos of The Burrow. In her middle age, she got headaches more often, and could not stand the constant chatter and messiness about her without developing an intense migraine.

She sank into her armchair by the shrinking fire, nursing the bottle of wine. There, above the mantle, hung a picture of the family she had lost. Ted, Dora, and herself bundled up in fall weather clothes, wrapped up in a threeway hug. She found the pose a tad saccharine, but Ted and Dora had loved that picture, so she kept it. Every day she missed her strong, warm husband, and bouncy, clumsy girl more, not less.

There was a letter on the end table from Harry that she had neglected to open. It had arrived earlier that day attached to a long package that had taken three owls to deliver. She hadn't the energy to deal with the latest shenanigans from her grandson's godfather, but she supposed she would have to open it sooner or later. She took another sip of wine to stave off the gathering headache.

Andromeda,

Hope you're well. How is the garden coming? Ginny and I are fine. I've been on some difficult cases at the Ministry, so I haven't been home half as often as I'd like, but during Quidditch season, Ginny's rarely there at all, so it evens out. Will see her on the pitch soon, though!

Holyhead Harpies are going to the semi-finals if they beat the Kenmare Kestrals! I believe there's a pretty big turnout coming to this match, and I've got plenty of spots available, even with Hagrid taking up four seats on his own. There's always a place for you and Teddy in our box. I finally got Bagman to change it to Dumbledore's Box instead of naming it after me. Bit embarrassing, that.

How's Teddy? Favorite animal still a duck? Has he been to see Victoire again? I know 2 years is far apart in age, for now, but Bill said she certainly enjoyed poking at him when he was over this weekend. I hope to come around sometime next week for a while. Say, Wednesday?

Speaking of Quidditch though, I got Teddy a little something. Don't worry, it's not a real racing broom, it only goes about a foot off the floor. My godfather got one just like it for me when I was young. Hope he enjoys it, maybe I'll show him the basics on Wednesday.

Til then,

Harry

A broom. Of course. Andromeda sighed, exasperatedly. She knew Harry tried, but he was only 20 himself, barely of age, working himself to the bone, and constantly under pressure from the Ministry to take on highly visible projects. He was more of a big brother than a father to Teddy. When had he ever offered to make dinner when he came over? Or actually scolded Teddy for doing something naughty?

Andromeda sighed again. She was being unfair. She could just imagine Ted admonishing her, tweaking her nose, and telling her that Harry meant well. He'd grow into the whole godfather thing, but he was still a kid himself at the moment.

But, oh, how Andromeda wished she didn't have to do this on her own. She reached for some knitting, and was about to lose herself in thoughts of the life that could have been, when a sleek black owl swooped through her window and deposited a small scroll tied with a neat, alabaster ribbon on her lap.

I'm coming over.

-Cissy

Andromeda stared at the note in her hand for a good minute, exchanged a nonplussed look with the owl, read it ten more times again, glanced at the back of the note, glanced at the clock (9:23pm), then topped off her wine and drank deeply.

A small pop sounded from outside Andromeda's front door. Andromeda jumped to her feet as if scalded. She had not truly believed Narcissa was planning to come. A faint tapping came from the front door. Andromeda whipped off her apron, shoved it under the seat cushion of her armchair, made a dash at her hair in the mirror besides the front door, then took a deep breath and glided to the entrance hall.

She opened the door hesitantly. It was her little sister, Narcissa, dressed elegantly in a silvery, clingy, backless evening gown made of silk that flowed like water. Her neck and ears dripped jewels and her sleek flaxen hair was knotted in a stylish coif at the base of her graceful head. Andromeda was suddenly very away of her house slippers and cardigan.

"Do you have any wine?" said Narcissa a little louder than necessary and stumbled inside. The illusion was broken.

Andromeda conjured another goblet, and filled it to the brim with nettle wine, topping herself off, and raising her glass. Narcissa clinked, winked, and drank deeply.

"I could get in sooooo much trouble if anyone knew I was here," hiccupped Narcissa conspiratorially, slumping down into a high-backed chair in the kitchen, missing it at first and sending the chair scraping into the counter.

"You will be in double trouble if you don't keep it down," snapped Andromeda. It was odd how easily it felt to scold her little sister, even though they hadn't spoken for decades.

"Oh, I've been keeping it down all evening," Narcissa whined. "Lucius is such a blabber-mouth, I can't get a word in edgewise. And it's all his family and friends anyway. I simply can't stand any of the members of the Witch Way Neighborhood Watch. I mean, of course, I'm chairwoman, but still, they're so tiresome."

"You've been at a party?" Andromeda couldn't quite settle in to the conversation. It seemed so stilted. They were both ignoring a very, very large hippogriff in the room.

"A ball, yes. My son… Draco," Narcissa clarified, shooting Andromeda a glance as if questioning whether or not she knew she had a son.

"Yes, Draco," Andromeda confirmed. She knew plenty about Draco.

"Well, Draco's engaged!" babbled, Narcissa, acting the perfect preening mother, "to a beautiful young woman, Astoria Greengrass, you've heard of her? Cronos and Rhea's younger daughter," said Narcissa.

There was a moment of expectant silence. Andromeda took a sip of wine. Narcissa tapped a foot against her chair.

"Congratulations," dead-panned Andromeda.

"Thank you," Narcissa said, finally embarrassed.

Another long silence threatened to engulf Andromeda's immaculate kitchen. The hippogriff in the room grew larger. The passage of time between them, the banishment from the Black family, the war, Narcissa's allegiances, her last biting words to Andromeda about Ted's parentage and upbringing, the long, long time since they had ever spoken to one another. Well, no time like the present. Andromeda drew herself up, steeling herself against the unpleasant conversation that was about to take place, "Narcissa, it's been-"

"You're invited," Narcissa said wildly, cutting Andromeda off before she could start.

"To… to the ball?"

"The wedding. You're invited to the wedding. Draco wanted to invite you."

The silence that had threatened before, landed firmly now. Both sisters were stunned momentarily. Then, unintentionally, at the same time, raised their glasses again and drank deeply.

"You must let Draco know how flattered I am," said Andromeda carefully. "He's certainly… grown up."

Narcissa looked down at her glass, biting back the unbidden anger that showed in her face. "He certainly has. Astoria and he both have quite different… views than Lucius and me. But the new generation always does, do they not? He's been asking about you, and he's never done that before," Narcissa said, looking confused.

Andromeda understood perfectly. When she had married Ted, Andromeda had never once thought that Narcissa would understand. Narcissa was swayed by power, in love with the idea of being loved, and would always strive to make her parents happy. Andromeda had always been a dutiful, loving daughter, but when Ted came along, that all went out the window.

This invitation from Draco was rocking Narcissa's carefully choreographed world, and her son's changing views were getting to her. But she loved her son fanatically and was trying to understand. The wall between the sisters that had been nurtured on both sides for decades just might have a crack in it, and Draco was perhaps the only person who could have put it there.

But it was all coming too little, too late.

"It's good to see you, Cissy. You certainly haven't changed much," Andromeda cooed, "you used to wear clothes much too old for you, now they're much too young."

Narcissa looked scandalized. "Well what about you, 'Dromeda? Are you already in your dressing gown, at this time of night? Shameful."

"I don't have a nanny to raise my boy like you did, Cissy. Some of us enjoy working for a living."

Narcissa tutted, despite herself, the tension in the room had relaxed a little. They were sniping at each other as they had done as girls.

After a slight pause, Narcissa ventured, "The boy? Edward? I got the birth announcement."

"We call him Teddy. After his father," Andromeda stated. Narcissa swallowed at the mention of Ted, but held her ground.

"He's two now. Would you like to see him?" Andromeda asked. Narcissa shook her head fiercely, jeweled earrings flashing in the dim light trickling through the kitchen windows, sending patterns over the walls.

Andromeda's heart fell. She had pushed Narcissa too far. Maybe some things were irreparable.

"Next time," Narcissa stuttered, trying to salvage the moment, but rising to her feet.

"Next time," Andromeda said, quite unsure whether or not there would be a next time. She walked her sister to the door. "Tell Draco thank you, and that I'll think about it. But regardless of whether or not I'm there, there will be a big, big present from Aunt Andromeda."

Narcissa smiled absently, but her eye had been caught by a portrait over the fireplace of the smiling family of three. Andromeda regarded it as well. They both knew that they were thinking of the third Black sister. The one they had lost. Maybe the one they had lost even before she died.

"Bella… she…" Narcissa started, nodding towards the picture, but not taking her eyes from the giggling, happy girl with bubblegum hair. Andromeda had engulfed a chortling Nymphadora in a suffocating hug, kissing her hair and temple.

"Yes," confirmed Andromeda numbly. She knew what Narcissa was asking. Bellatrix, their sister had killed her beautiful, wild daughter, Bellatrix's niece, during the Battle of Hogwarts and had robbed Andromeda of her purpose for living.

Narcissa caught the hollowness in her voice. For the first time that night, Andromeda's younger sister didn't seem nervous or uncomfortable. She seemed infinitely sad. Narcissa and Andromeda considered each other. Andromeda's chin had lifted, her jaw was set, and there was a haughty look in her eyes. Narcissa was reminded of how similar Bellatrix and Andromeda had always looked, and how different she was from the two. The wall that had been between them all these years was still there, and it wasn't coming down. Too much had happened.

Narcissa embraced Andromeda sweetly, kissed her cheek, lingered but for a moment, and then was gone, apparating from the front stoop. Andromeda closed the door and went back to her knitting by the fire. She did not cry.

Andromeda did not go to Draco's wedding. She did, however, send an embarrassingly large gift. She did not see her sister again in her home, but anonymous gifts would turn up every so often out of the blue for Teddy. She wasn't sure if it was Draco or Narcissa's doing. She liked to think it was both.

Narcissa never met Teddy personally, but Draco did. Teddy was unsure and suspicious of his cousin, so the visits never lasted long. Draco wasn't great with children, and Harry and Ron had filled Teddy's head with plenty of prejudice toward him, a fact Andromeda greatly resented. Draco's visits dropped off as Teddy approached Hogwarts age, and even though they didn't go swimmingly, Andromeda appreciated them greatly.

Slytherins were never much for great shows of emotions, and despite everything, Andromeda was still a Slytherin. She did, however, write that book on raising metamorphamaguses which gained moderate success, and organized a wizarding playschool that she operated out of her home. She was known as a strict disciplinarian and a steadfastly reliable baby-sitter. No one could compare to her gardening prowess. She loved Teddy, and he loved her, but Andromeda led a solitary life apart from her quiet social calendar. If you asked her in her later days, if she was happy, she would respond that she was as happy as she was capable of being.

A few notes about this drabble.

It started with my trying to figure out a situation in which Draco would babysit Teddy. Ultimately, those ideas weren't half as interesting than delving into the relationships between Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa, which birthed this story.

Harry and his friends aren't looked upon in the nicest of views in this story. I believe that is Andromeda's view, though. Ted and Tonks really softened her. Losing them so cruelly, she would revert to her Slytherin-ish ways.

I assigned Andromeda's middle name to be Delphini, it comes from a constellation, just like many of the other Black names.

I also chose Astoria Greengrass's parents names, Cronos and Rhea, following the Greengrass's naming traditions of naming after Greek Titans and characters.

If you read J.K. Rowling's drabble about Draco on Pottermore, his change of heart after the war is real, but Rowling says it strains his relationship with his parents which is why I thought it was important to keep Narcissa from totally reconciling with her sister. It's obvious they are very different and have grown apart, but there's still some regret there.