Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. The credit belongs to J.K. Rowling
A Tale of Three Sisters
Part 3
"What time is it? I'm starving?" complained Henry Chambers as he searched around the room for a sign of Professor McGonagall and the first years.
"It's almost time," answered, Andromeda's friend, Cynthia.
"You've been saying that for ages. What, did they all fall in the lake or something?"
The large oak doors opened, sending an almost immediate silence over the hall. Professor McGonagall entered with a pack of first years behind her. She began walking down the aisle between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, the first years in tow.
"So Which one is she?" asked Cynthia.
Andromeda scanned the group of first years for a few moments before spotting her sister. "That one—the little blonde one." Narcissa was towards the outside edge of the group, completely visible to anyone who wouldn't look right over her. She was much shorter than Bellatrix and Andromeda.
"Wow,"
"What?"
"She looks nothing like you. I mean it's just surprising because you and Bellatrix look so alike."
"Yeah," replied Andromeda. Besides the height difference, Narcissa was also very blonde, highly contrasting Bellatrix and Andromeda's dark hair, and had blue eyes, also unlike Bellatrix and Andromeda's dark eyes.
As Narcissa walked past a group of Ravenclaws who were eagerly watching the first years, she sort of turned up her nose. Seeing this, Andromeda felt slightly embarrassed. Narcissa was in the school for two minutes and she was already declaring herself better than other people. Cynthia laughed, "Well now she looks like Bellatrix." Andromeda couldn't help, but laugh too. Obviously being at school for five years, Bellatrix had established to everyone around her that the Slytherins, especially her and her select group of friends, were better than everyone else. "Except she more glares than turns up her nose," Andromeda added. She loved Bellatrix, but truthfully it was very hard to make a case for Bellatrix among her Ravenclaw friends, who Bellatrix and her friends often tormented, especially the muggleborns.
Andromeda watched as Narcissa walked passed her part of the table. She could have sworn Narcissa saw her, but her lack of changed expression was not a good factor in deciding. She saw Narcissa's head turned towards the Slytherin table. Andromeda turned her head slightly to see behind her. She noticed what looked like a small smirk come over Bellatrix's face. Narcissa definitely saw her. Andromeda couldn't help feel a pang of disappointment. Narcissa had always been a bit closer to Bellatrix than Andromeda, and ever since Andromeda's sorting into Ravenclaw it had only gotten worse.
The first years finally reached the front of the hall and merged into a large blob. Professor McGonagall was now in front of them, holding a long scroll of parchment. Her gaze turned toward the sorting hat, who, after a few seconds, began its song.
When the song was finished Professor McGonagall began to explain the sorting process. "I will call your name and you will come forth and sit here," she pointed to the stool, where the Sorting Hat had just been sitting. "Then I will place to Sorting Hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses. After your sorting, you are welcome to join your new housemates at their tables." She began will children whose surnames began with the letter A. Andromeda thought it was a large amount; however, her anxiety to watch Narcissa's sorting might have been affecting her judgment. Finally, Professor McGonagall called, "Black, Narcissa." Narcissa emerged from the crowd and settled herself, very elegantly on the stool. For the brief second that took Professor McGonagall to put the hat on her head, Andromeda had a brief glimmer of hope. "Please, not Slytherin," she begged silently. Narcissa was already so impressionable by Bellatrix that having her in the same house and exposed to Bellatrix's group of Slytherin friends could only make it worse. "Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gry…" she wouldn't even bother wishing for Gryffindor because all the magic in the world could not make that happen.
"Slytherin!" the hat bellowed. Andromeda's stomach dropped. She watched regretfully as Narcissa sauntered over to the Slytherin table, who was cheering abnormally loud, thanks to Bellatrix's friends. She took a seat next to Bellatrix who welcomed her with a kiss on the cheek and a proud hand on her shoulder. For a few seconds, Andromeda just looked at them. They look such like sisters. They had that bond that she knew she would never have with either one of them.
As the sorting finished, Andromeda turned her focus back on her own house table. Seeing all of her friends, she was filled with a new feeling—the happiness of being back at school. In school, she could say what she wanted and think how she wanted. In Ravenclaw, she could be herself. She scarcely could imagine herself expressing her opinions in Slytherin. She took one last glance at Narcissa and Bellatrix. Whether she was in their house or not, she still was their sister, and it wasn't like she was alone. In Ravenclaw, she had her own family.