"I hate professor McGonagall", 14 year old Narcissa Black annouced grumpily as she and Josephine Nott made their way on the third floor towards the library. They'd only been back to Hogwarts for a day, and professor McGonagall had already bombarded her fourth year students with homework, claiming that this year it was more important than every to focus on their studies. "She says that every year", Narcissa said with a deep sigh.
"Why don't we talk about something interesting, instead", Josephine suggested. "I heard Rodolphus Lestrange is courting your sister, he has a quite attractive brother, you know", she said with a wink and Narcissa snorted.
"Yeah, and the Giant Squid has learnt how to dance tango... seriously, Josie, Rodolphus is just a puppet, Bella doesn't really like him, and Rabastan chews with open mouth, and that's just disgusting", Narcissa said with a disgusted face, Josie shrugged.
"He's quite handsome, even if he's a bit thin, I prefer my men with broad shoulders", Josephine said with a smile. Narcissa just rolled her eyes, sometimes Josie acted like a giggling Hufflepuff. Narcissa had decided after ten minutes after her sorting that the other Slytherin girls were all equally silly. Elissa Crouch and Melania Parkinson had giggled hysterically at anything Stephen Mulciber had said and had bonded over that. The following days Josephine had done pathetic attempts to make their duo a trio without success. After a week she'd given up, and instead she'd concentrated on Narcissa, whom she'd decided was much cooler since she had two older sisters who both were beautiful, popular and smart. Narcissa hadn't been amused by Josephine's offer of friendship, she'd preferred spending time with her sister Andromeda and her friends, alternately on her own. Despite being a Slytherin, Narcissa had taken pity on the other girl and had formed a relationship that eventually had resulted in friendship.
"Because you've had so many men in you're life", Narcissa said to Josephine who merely smiled.
"You don't know everything, Cissy..."
"I hate it when you call me Cissy", Narcissa growled.
"Growling isn't becoming for a lady, Narcissa. Anyways, you have no idea who spent a whole week with us in France!" Josephine said euphorically.
"I don't know... McGonagall's grandfather?", Narcissa suggested sarcastically but Josephine didn't seem to hear.
"No! Sirius Black, he's so handsome, don't you agree, Cissy?" Josephine said dreamily.
"He's also my cousin. My Gryffindor cousin", Narcissa emphasized. Josie just shrugged and tossed with her long, brown hair. Josie wasn't a natural beauty like Narcissa's sisters and most of her family members, but she had a adequate appearance with brown hair that reached just below her shoulder blades, dark eyes and a small nose. Josie was about two inches shorter than Narcissa which meant she was around average height.
"Who cares if he's a Gryffindor if he's such a looker?" Josie asked.
"Your mother would care, and your father. Is he still hoping that you're going to marry Lucius Malfoy?" Narcissa asked and Josie sighed.
"Yes, he's hoping, but I don't think Lucius Malfoy is going to settle for the fourth daughter of Jebediah Nott and his neurotic wife. Not when said daughter isn't an exceptional beauty or has a huge inheritance to expect", Josie said sadly.
"As if Lucius Malfoy needs more money", Narcissa said with a snort and Josie smiled weakly.
"Well, I don't think he's very interested in me. Last I heard was that he was dating Rita Skeeter" Josephine said disapproving. Lucius Malfoy had been a sixth year prefect during Narcissa's and Josephine's first year at Hogwarts and was in many Slytherin girls' eyes the image of the perfect husband. Lucius was the sole heir to an immense fortune, he was found attractive with his blond hair and aristocratic features and on top of that he was polite, well-groomed and charming. Rita Skeeter, on the other hand, had also been a Slytherin, but had graduated before Narcissa's first year. She was known for her entertaining, but mean columns in a satirical magazine, and her sharp tongue. "I think I'll just have to accept the fact that I'm going to end up married to Douglas Greengrass or someone equally boring", Josephine sighed and Narcissa frowned.
"What's wrong with Douglas Greengrass?" She asked and Josephine snorted. Even though Douglas Greengrass was shorter than most boys he wasn't unpleasant looking and was always very polite, albeit a little shy.
"He has sweaty hands", Josephine said matter-of-factly. "And he's only the second son, he's not going to get a knut when Terrence has put his hands on the business and the Gringotts vault", she sighed and Narcissa shook her head.
"You can't just see a person for the size of their Gringotts vault, Josie", Narcissa said pleadingly. "It's only going to make you unhappy"
"It's easy for you to say. You're not the fourth daughter of a second son...", Josie said, almost hostile.
"I'm actually the third daughter of a third son", Narcissa said quietly but Josie cut her off.
"It wouldn't matter if you were the eight daughter of a twelfth son", Josie said. "You're a Black, and that's all that matters", the girls had reached the library and the new librarian, Irma Pince, was according to the rumours not as friendly as the retired mr Atwood, so they silently walked to their usual working place. After collecting a couple of books from the Transfiguration Section, the girls started to work, but it didn't take Josephine many minutes to nudge Narcissa and start whispering.
"So, what's really going on between your sister and Rodolphus Lestrange?"
An hour later Josephine's older sister Elinor, who was a Slytherin sixth year, had arrived in the library to collect her younger sister because they, along with Philippa, the second oldest Nott sister who was in her last year, were going to write a letter home to inform their parents that their little brother Gabriel had been successfully sorted into Slytherin last night. Narcissa watched Josephine unwillingly leave the library.
"I'll see you at dinner", Josephine said before Elinor dragged her off. Narcissa sighed and opened one of the books on her table, maybe she finally would get something done. After writing a third of the essay that eventually would be five feet, Narcissa put her quill down and stretched her hand. She hadn't been writing very much during the summer and her hand hurt. She was searching her bag for an apple when she saw a familiar face lean against one of the bookshelves.
"Regulus", she said and gave up her search for the fruit. "How do you like being a third year?" she asked and Regulus shrugged and sat down at the chair Josephine had been occupying.
"It's alright, I suppouse. Arithmancy isn't nearly as much fun Severus said it would be", Regulus said with a bored expression on his face.
"It's Snape we're talking about, Reg. And I told you Arithmancy sucks", Narcissa added and Regulus groaned.
"Yes, you're right, Cee. I should've taken Care of Magical Creatures or Ancient Runes", Regulus muttered.
"Or Muggle Studies, it would've been fun to see what your father would've said about that", Narcissa said teasingly and Regulus snorted.
"It's not my father I would worry about, just imagine what my mother would say", Regulus shuddered and Narcissa snickered.
"Scared of mummy, Reg?" she joked and Regulus snorted again. He had grown over the summer, Narcissa noticed. Before the summer he'd been shorter than her but now she was almost certain that he had passed her by now. His hair was longer, almost reaching his shoulders and even though he still was built as a seeker, Narcissa thought his shoulders were a bit broader than they'd been in July. Regulus was by no means ugly, but compared to his older brother, he came across as a less handsome.
"I'm not scared of mum, I'm just not driving her crazy like Sirius", Regulus said, saying the name of his brother with disdain. "When we're talking about weird siblings, what are Bella up to? Father mentioned she'd gotten an internship at the Ministry", Regulus asked and Narcissa nodded.
"Yes, she was there for a week", she answered.
"What happened?" Regulus asked.
"She cursed a muggleborn witch who worked in the same office, called her superior blood-traitor and said she was going to come back and kill them", Narcissa said tiredly and Regulus chuckled.
"Sounds like Bella...", he said, clearly amused.
"It's not funny, Regulus", Narcissa snapped. "She's going to end up being in big trouble if she continues like this. Always going on about 'The Dark Lord' and how amazing he is", Narcissa said worriedly.
"Cee! I can't believe that you don't understand, the Dark Lord is amazing. Well, he clearly has the right thinking", Regulus said and Narcissa saw how her younger cousin's eyes twinkled like a child's on Christmas.
"I don't know, Regulus, I'm not sure I like him. Killing people here and there, others going missing... it makes me uneasy, that's all", Narcissa said uncomfortably and Regulus shook his head.
"It's because you haven't met him..."
"You haven't either", Narcissa pointed out.
"It's different!", Regulus said so loudly that a couple of Ravenclaws three tables away looked up and shot him angry looks, clearly not happy to be disturbed.
"How is it different?" Narcissa asked and Regulus moaned.
"It just is! Ask Bella, she can explain it"
"What? Exactly how involved is Bella in this?" Narcissa whispered furiously and Regulus realised a little too late he'd said too much.
"Ehum... not very involv..."
"Regulus!" the Ravenclaws looked angrily at the cousins again but Narcissa didn't care. "Is that the reason she's dating Rodolphus?" she asked quietly and Regulus nodded.
"Yeah, at least that's what she said, that Lestrange is her ticket in", Regulus said and swallowed.
"Stupid, stupid Bella", Narcissa muttered under her breath. During their childhood, Bella and herself had been polar opposites with Andie in the middle trying to play peace-maker, usually without success. It seemed like Bella and Narcissa had different opinions on everything. If Bella wanted a silver necklace, Narcissa preferred one in gold, Bella's favourite pastime was experimenting with curses on the house-elves, using her mother's wand, while Narcissa preferred sitting in the library reading a book or drawing. Bella was her father's favourite, Narcissa was the third daughter no one had ever wanted and a poor substitute for the son her father had longed for.
"I actually came looking for you for a reason", Regulus said and Narcissa looked at him surprised.
"Really? Why?" she asked curiously and decided to forget Bella for a moment.
"I was going to ask if you could help me out in Transfiguration this year, McGonagall insists that I need guidance", Regulus said and rolled his eyes.
"Tuition, you mean?" Narcissa asked teasingly and Regulus groaned.
"Yes, tuition, obviously I'm failing", he said sullenly. "Can you please tutor me, Cee?" he asked and glared at his cousin, Narcissa smiled and shook her head.
"Sorry, cousin, you should've asked earlier. I'm already tutoring Leslie Fawcett and Jasper Turpin this year"
"You're turning me down for a stuttering Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw who is more than able to get an O in Transfiguration by himself? I'm your cousin!" Regulus said incredulously.
"Leslie Fawcett isn't a mute, Regulus, she just doesn't talk as much as you do. Did you know that she confided in me before the summer that she's dating Declan Finnegan?" Narcissa said unaffected, earning a dark look from Regulus. "And concerning Jasper, he is very nice, and if I can be of any assistance I am more than happy to help him with Transfiguration", Narcissa said with a pleased look on her face.
"I bet he has other things than Transfiguration in his mind...", Regulus muttered.
"Jealous, Regulus?" she asked teasingly and Regulus snorted.
"No, I just don't want one of my cousins to be known as the slut of the family", he said darkly and Narcissa laughed.
"I think that honourable title goes to your brother"
"You're might be right on that one... Anyways, can you tutor me?" Regulus asked.
"I told you no" Narcissa said and Regulus moaned.
"Pretty please, Cee", Regulus said pleadingly but Narcissa shook her head, still amused, it wasn't everyday Regulus begged for something.
"No, but I can recommend someone. Lily Evans in my year is quite good in Transfiguration, sure, she's not as good as me bu..."
"She's a mudblood", Regulus stated coldly and Narcissa rolled her eyes.
"Does it matter? She can still teach you Transfiguration, she made this really cool thing with a flower petal before the summer...", Narcissa said eagerly but the stony expression on Regulus' face remained.
"She's a mudblood, Cee, I can't have her as a Transfiguration tutor, it's against my ethics", Regulus protested.
"Your ethics? Fine, I have another suggestion but you won't like it", Narcissa said coldly.
"As long as it isn't a mudblood..."
"It most certainly is not. In fact, it's someone who has just as pure blood as you", Narcissa said and saw how Regulus' facial expression changed from disapproval to anger. "That's right, ask your brother. Sirius' is really good when he wants to be"
"I can't ask Sirius! I would have to kiss his shoe or grovel in the dust for an eternity", Regulus protested loudly, the Ravenclaws on the other table gave up their studying and left.
"Your choice", Narcissa said and picked up the book she was going to bring back to the common room. She was just going to leave when she turned around. "Now when I think about it there is someone else you could ask. Don't worry, he's pureblood, and he's brilliant at Transfiguration. You should get along well because he's arrogant and annoying, just like you", Narcissa said and Regulus frowned.
"Who is it?" He asked and Narcissa smiled.
"James Potter, I have to go now, I have a date, pardon, meeting with Jasper Turpin in an hour and I have to get some dinner first