My Sister's Keeper
By: Mortania Hottersander
A/N: I do apologize for the delay in my updating of this story. But seeing as how it has been a dreary day here I decided what perfect weather for me to pen a few lines.
Disclaimer I play with everything.
Chapter Two: A Bright New Day
It had been a week since Bellatrix had been lain to rest in the dirt, which-I suppose is probably the best rest she's ever gotten since she was a young girl. The weather, though it was summer had suddenly been very dreary with rain accumulating, flooding occurring and the water in the pool we owned was more filled than I had ever witnessed it. I had taken to packing that envelope out to the sunroom with me for afternoon tea more than once, in fact, though the rain was streaking down the glass dome-there was something comforting in the rain.
I reached my hand in the envelope, pulling out a beautiful black book with a 'B.B.' embroidered upon the over in a silver thread. This journal was familiar to me because our father had gotten each of us such a book when we had begun school. Mine had the initials with N.B. and our sister Andromeda's had A.B on the cover. Whatever house we were sorted into were the colors on the cover. Mine had been a purple color and Andromeda's was blue. Naturally, father had been disappointed in 1964 when Andromeda started schooling at Hogwarts.
Bellatrix, being the eldest sister had just entered into her third year of schooling when Andromeda was accepted and began attending. I was only nine at the time, but I remember when father had received a letter from Andromeda and Bellatrix after the sorting. Bella had started her letter quite comedic.
My dearest Father,
It is with great sorrow that I write you to inform you that Andromeda Druella Black is NOT carrying on the family tradition of being placed into Slytherin. But fear not! She is not in Hufflepuff (Merlin forbid) or Gryffindor (Thank you). She's in Ravenclaw. I told her studying all the time wouldn't be healthy. Send Cissy my love.
-Bella
It was actually one of the letters I'd already put away that she'd left in the envelope. Naturally that just made Andy into the easy target. Then, when I'd gotten sent to Hogwarts-Bellatrix had turned 15, and I was sorted into her beloved Slytherin House.
I turned to look at the black book in my hands though and opened the front cover. It opened to the page from the first day Bellatrix had boarded the train heading for Hogwarts.
Journal-
I woke up this morning to find this book on my desk in my room. Father had attached a note explaining why he could not go to the station to drop me off with this and he was extremely apologetic about not going with me to receive my Walnut and dragon heartstring, 12 & ¾ inches wand. Typical father, although, he did do me a favor and buy me this book. That most CERTAINLY will make up for the fact that the man is never around. If I have "daddy" issues…it's because of that man. That is quite beside the point. I'm heading off to the wonderful institution of Hogwarts to begin my wizarding training. As though I haven't learned anything from reading the Black Library…Mother tells me I have nothing to fear that it'll all come naturally to me because I am from the Black family and we're a pureblooded family centuries old. We'll see.
-Bella
Journal-
Got sorted into Slytherin. Excited as hell. Met this boy named Andrew Avery, a sixth year. He's gotten a younger brother about Narcissa's age. Says that he's got this really prestigious club he's part of. That if I join it when I'm trained up a bit, I'll be part of the master bloodline. I think I might consider it. I after all, do want to expand my contacts.
-Bella
Andrew Avery. Of course, it was him that got Bella involved with the Dark Lord. There were times when I had wondered whether or not she had first fallen in love with him before Rodolphus. But then I have to remember that she met Rodolphus after he had started Hogwarts with me and he and Bella had been arranged to be married. I think honestly, she never really loved Rodolphus. I pulled out the photo of Bellatrix on her wedding day, and chuckled at the memories that had been made that day and the days and weeks leading up until that day.
flashback
"Bellatrix Amata Black, will you please quit fidgeting or else the seamstress is going to poke you hard with the needle." Druella Black scolded her eldest daughter who was moving to look at the back of her wedding dress.
"Mum, why in the Name of Merlin couldn't I wear a BLACK DRESS?" Bellatrix asked, smacking the seamstress' hand. Narcissa came out from behind the curtain, wearing a black strapless dress which she was trying to pull up over her small breast. "And why does Narcissa get to wear Black?" Bellatrix pointed at her little sister.
"Are they ever going to grow?" Narcissa was looking down her shirt, her hands cupped over her chest. Bellatrix couldn't help but laugh at her younger sister. "I mean, really?" She looked almost distressed. "How is Lucius going to find me attractive if I don't have anything for him to grab?"
"Narcissa! You will stop that this instant. Bellatrix quit laughing. And you can't wear black because you're the bride. You wear white because you're untouched." Druella spoke sternly to her daughter. "And this is not a funeral it's a wedding."
"Untouched my left arse cheek," Andromeda muttered from one of the chairs. Bellatrix threw the nearest item she could find at her middle sister, which happened to be the pin cushion that the seamstress was holding. "And yes Cissy, maybe on your eighteenth birthday your breast might come in. It took me that long." Andromeda said, ducking the flying pin cushion.
"Well, you're doomed to marry Avery, so that's what you get for having small breasts." Bellatrix spoke while holding her head up proudly. "I get to marry to the Lestrange family and Cissy is due to marry into the Malfoy family. You're the only one with the raw deal."
"I'm not marrying Avery."
"Yes you will young lady, or be disowned." Druella Black glared at her middle child with a warning on her face.
"Bellatrix, I don't know why you're complaining, you look marvelous in white." Clarice Hottersander-Whittinghamshire, one of Narcissa's friends that had been asked to be a bridesmaid in the wedding spoke from one of the other chairs. "And Narcissa, your breasts aren't that small your dress just needs taken in a little." Clarice glanced over at Andromeda who was looking through the jewelry she had to choose from.
"I'm complaining little Claire because I don't like white. I never have, and I never will." Bellatrix looked at Narcissa and winked.
---A few days later---
The ceremony had been absolutely beautiful. And now everyone was sitting at the reception where Rabastan Lestrange had been hitting on Clarice, who was very much married-he had even tried sneaking his hand up Miranda Hawthorne's skirt at one point and managed to have a drink dumped on him. Narcissa had been dancing with Lucius Malfoy, her intended, and one of the Groomsmen. Bellatrix had kind of gotten her way when she had changed into her cocktail dress for the reception-she was wearing black-with light pink, of course, because mother wouldn't have it any other way. Her hair was absolutely beautiful as well.
Yes, my sister had been quite the beautiful bride. I put the book down beside me on the table and got up, it had quit raining and the sun was shining. It was time for me to take a walk in the sunlight maybe I could put off thinking about her having children another day. But today, I wanted to think about her in her wedding dress.