Chapter 2- Christmas

It was Christmas break. Out of the two Black sisters still remaining in Hogwarts, Narcissa chose to stay behind to increase her chances of being a prefect the next school year. Andromeda went home and so did Rabastan and Severus. No one was in the 4th grade girls dormitories except for her but that didn't scare her even the least bit. Narcissa
grew into a beautiful young lady. Beauty, she found out, brings a person to many places. Almost everyone who yearned for status wanted to befriend her, every boy served her every wish. Life was going well for Narcissa Black until she woke up one day to find her sister
sitting in the common room when she was supposed to be at home.

"Dromeda?" Cissy called. "Is that you?"
"Cissy," her voice was weak. It was frail. Narcissa immediately knew something was wrong. Dromeda was crying.
"What's wrong?" Narcissa paused. Unsure of what to do"You don't have to answer that first Andromeda, people are coming down. We better go to the Great Hall and for you to have your breakfast."
"I can't come out looking like this." Narcissa wiped her sister's tears away and freshened her up for a few minutes.

They went to the Great Hall together and Narcissa wondered why Slughorn couldn't look at them and why McGonagall and Dumbledore looked so worried. They sat down on their usual spot in the Slytherin table. Not much people were awake. Narcissa looked up. The owls were coming in.

"Dromeda?"
"Yes, Cissy?"
"What's happened at home? There's still a week left before you're supposed to return here?" before Andromeda could answer, a large eagle owl dropped a newspaper and a letter in front of her. Her father's owl. Narcissa opened the letter.

"Narcissa dearest,
Here at home, we are in a state of shock. Andromeda is no longer part of our family. Your mother burned her off the family tree as she has been seen with a mudblood. When asked who, it was a Hufflepuff, Ted Tonks. Andromeda said she would marry him and not a pureblood. It was all too much, Cissy. Hope you understand. You are forbidden to talk to
her as she in not your sister any more. The news is on the front page. She had brought such shame to our family. Be strong, keep your head up. You are still a Black.
Signed, Cygnus, your father."

Narcissa couldn't talk. She couldn't even look at Andromeda, she grabbed the paper and read front page. There was a picture of their family but the article read, "No Longer a Black", the story was all over the news, she knew. She stood up and grabbed the things her father sent her and went to Professor Dumbledore

"Professor? You knew about this? You allowed Andromeda to stay here even if the break's not yet over?" her voice was soft.
"Good morning Ms. Black. First of all, I did. This must be a hard time for you but remember, it also is for her." Dumbledore replied"I know sir. Thank you but I can't talk to her right now. Thank you for opening Hogwarts." Narcissa turned around and walked towards the Slytherin dormitories not even stopping for anything. She put a lock on the door and she cried.

Narcissa didn't want to see Andromeda, she didn't know how to face her. She carefully avoided her sister as the days went by. She mostly stayed in her room and wrote to Severus and to her sister, Bella would never reply though. Things started to get more and more difficult when the students arrived from the break. Everyone knew of the scandal but
it seemed that Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and most of the people in Ravenclaw loved Andromeda even more because she stood up against her family's awful rules. Narcissa barely saw Andromeda. She was always with that awful Ted Tonks, her no-good friends, and her troublemaking cousin and his friends. Sirius.

Even though Sirius was her cousin, Narcissa liked Severus more than him. At least, Severus knew how to behave himself unlike Sirius who practically threw away his Black
family name, much like Dromeda. Narcissa thought.

The 7th year's graduation and NEWTs were coming, if she wanted to talk to her sister before she loses connection with her, she has to do it within the hallowed walls of the school without her family especially Bellatrix knowing. Her father and mother sent letters and sweets regularly always with the reminder that they only had two daughters,
it pained Narcissa to see Andromeda shunned away like that but it was her choice from the beginning. Narcissa's popularity wasn't by any chance decreased much to the disappointment of the jealous girls in her dormitory. They would always bring up the scandal upon which Narcissa would reply, "it's a good thing blood traitors are thrown out of the family before it does any harm to others." The boys in Slytherin would still cater to her every whim, encouraged by their doting parents who pushed their sons to try to win over a Black's heart, but it seemed Narcissa's heart was made of stone. No one succeeded in swooning her and winning her over, they actually looked like servants of hers but they enjoyed it still.

Narcissa came down late, there was no one left in the common room. Everyone was already in the Great Hall. Narcissa hurried to get dressed, she didn't have any immediate class but it was so improper to be late, she rushed across the halls still retaining her grace. There was someone walking past the doors of the Great Hall. Narcissa followed the person and then she saw who it was. It was Andromeda. Narcissa wanted to turn around and leave but her sister already saw her

"Cissy?" Andromeda called. "Is that you?"
"Andromeda," Narcissa coolly replied.
"Cissy!" Andromeda ran to her, dropping her books in the way. "It shouldn't be this way, Cissy. It shouldn't."
"It was your choice Andromeda, you knew what was going to happen if you still continued your dangerous views."
"Dangerous?! Cissy, don't tell me they got you already? This is not dangerous. Whoever said having pure blood roots will give us the right to step down on others? We are all wizards and witches here. Everything's the same! Please understand Cissy. I don't want you to be like them."

"And I'm sorry you became one of them." Cissy said. She was holding back her tears. She turned to leave. Andromeda pulled her back.
"Cissy," she cried. "Please. I won't be happy you know that if I force myself, to believe what is not right."
"And I suppose this is right?" her voice was cracking.
"I didn't leave! They removed me from the family because of my views. Is that what family is?"
"But you were part of that family Andromeda. And you just threw it all away. Now I can't even look at you and not be repulsed at what you did! Tell me. How did they find out. You never told me about this."
"They were, they were talking about arranging my marriage to a pureblood." her robes were soaked. "Father said a lot of requests and arrangements are being offered, they would be choosing later that night, you see? They knew Bella had dozens of men chasing after her even until now but they weren't sure for me. Mother said I carried the Black looks but they haven't heard anyone I actually liked so they would be the ones choosing for me and that was when I said I do like someone." Andromeda looked down.

"I said he was a Hufflepuff who was also a prefect, now the head boy and that was how we met. I said he played Quidditch and that he's a chaser for their house team and I said a lot of things but they didn't seem to hear. Mother asked about his blood status and when I said muggleborn, things started to go downhill." Andromeda paused.
"I have done nothing wrong! Cissy! Believe me! Ted, Ted is a good man and he's the one I'm going to marry."
"What did Bella say?"
"Bella arrived when we mother started to reprimand me about the disgrace I will be doing. Father was just silent. Mother and Bella said, they won't tolerate this. Mother said I was such a fool to be turning down a good life offered by dozens of able pureblood families
like the Thurkells, Mulcibers, Wilkes, Yaxleys and so many others. So any others I don't care about and so I said no of course. I said I would marry Ted and that if they just give him a chance, everything would be okay. That's when Bella screamed."
"Bella screamed?"
"She cursed me and slapped me and father didn't do anything. He just left and went to his study. He didn't say anything. Mother left Bellatrix with me and proceeded to remove my name and face from the Black family tapestry over at aunt Walburga's. Sirius heard, of
course, that's how he knew. When mother returned, I can't even describe Bella, she was her worst self. She was frantically shouting at me the whole time, mother told me to leave so I ran upstairs took my wand, luggage, my owl, whatever I could take from my room, and went down and apparated to the Leaky Cauldron. I wrote to professor Dumbledore there and he made arrangements for me to go and stay at Hogwarts and that's when I saw you again Cissy." she said. "You don't know how happy I was to see you. But then, the letter came and then it was on the front news. I knew it was a matter of time before it would
reach the press, father sent owls immediately saying they have rejected the requests and one of the people must have made a theory."

Andromeda wasn't crying anymore.
"Dromeda. I know how you feel but it's just not the same anymore alright? And it won't be. Things are different, i can't even bring myself to talk to you in public."
"Cissy, please."
"I'm sorry Andromeda. I agree with mother and Bella. I can't do anything about what you did can I? But if I could i wouldnt have let you fall in love with a mudblood. You destroyed everything Andromeda!
You shouldn't have done it."
Andromeda was speechless. "I have to go now. People will be coming out of the great hall in a while and I don't want them to see us talking or them to see you crying so freshen up Dromeda." narcissa picked up
her sister's books while her sister freshened up. Cissy handed the books to Andromeda and said. "You're not family anymore Andromeda. When you graduate, we won't even get to see each other more or less talk to each other so while there's still a month for you here in
Hogwarts remember it's the time Im going to talk with you but there's nothing else after that."

Narcissa walked away feeling a terrible pain in her heart. Was she too harsh? A part of her said she was but another part said Andromeda deserved what she did. She ruined Cissy's trust and her family's name and that was that. Narcissa didn't feel much better but she got a hold of herself and she continued walking away. By this time, there were tons of people scattered around the hallways. She couldnt see Andromeda anymore. She saw a familiar, familiar figure. It was Severus.

"Severus!" she ran towards him, her wand tucked safely in her robe.
"You didn't have breakfast this morning?" he inquired.
"No." She was avoiding his eyes. Severus was studying something called Occlumency and Legilimency. He told her about it and she did not want him to know what just happened between her and her sister

"Where are you going? Isn't the common room this way?" she pointed to her left. She was eager to eat some of the pumpkin pasties her mother sent her.
"If you must know, I am headed to the owlery."
"The owlery? Why?"
"To mail a letter?" Snape said sarcastically.
"I know that Severus. But why now at this time? It's still so early." she groaned.

"We'll have our first class after 10 minutes, no need to waste time."
"If you say so. I'll go your way." Narcissa talked the whole way to the owlery. Talking to Severus always made her feel better. It was such a change knowing that there was someone who would actually listen and keep what he heard to himself and Severus was always there for that reason. They reached the owlery and Snape began to write a letter
addressed to a very familiar name to Narcissa.

"Lucius Malfoy!" At once, Narcissa felt giddy and light. She seemed to forget even for awhile her problems. Severus seemed to notice this.
"Is there any problem?"
"I didn't know he sent you letters." she pointed to the piece of paper Severus was holding.
"Well, he does."
"Really, Severus! Since when?" she was obviously amused.
"Since always, Cissy."
"I never knew it was always. I always thought it was just time to time like birthdays and all that but still, Lucius isn't the type who does that right? Oh, that made my day!" she laughed.
"What made your day? Lucius' letter? Seeing his name?" he inquired.

"What? No. Of course not. YOU made my day! You're hilarious!" she looked away again.
"You don't have to hide it, Cissy. I know you like Lucius." he said.
He tried to his smirk.
"Shush Sev!" she threw a punch at him. "Wipe that smirk off your face! What is it you two are talking about anyway? Let me see! What's that word? Is that "eater?" she reached for the envelope but Snape was quicker.
"It's Private." his smirk vanished.
"Sure, Severus," Narcissa knew how to deal with Severus when he suddenly got all cranky and sensitive. She flashed him an innocent smile. Severus mailed the letter and they went down for their potions class with Narcissa badgering for information about Lucius. Snape
frowned.