Narcissa woke up at around eight thirty to the golden sun streaming through her window. It was a brilliant, beautiful day outside. Narcissa smiled as the golden rays warmed her face. Today, wonderful things would happen, she was sure.

She sat up in bed and gazed around. Golden letters spelt out her name above the top of her bed. Narcissa was proud to be a Black. Proud that years of traditions and acquiring wealth and carefully planned marriages had led to this day.

Then she remembered exactly what day it was. Andy was marrying Lucius, her Lucius, today. Narcissa felt her eyes welling up but angrily she brushed them away. Blacks don't cry, she told herself. Besides, she knew that Andy deserved this. Quiet, studious, caring, motherly Andy was a perfect match for commanding, ambitious, caring, lonely Lucius.

She certainly didn't deserve Lucius. Her grades were less than stellar, she was spoiled, she was too young, she didn't know the first thing about taking care of children, she wasn't even sure she liked them, and she was the youngest sister. Bella was already married. Now it was Andy's turn. And lastly it would be hers.

Narcissa sat herself in front of her vanity, and brushed out her own hair for a change. When she had been very small, her mother had done it. Nowadays, Andy usually did it. But Narcissa felt like doing this by herself for once. She pulled the bristles of the brush through her long, flaxen gold hair. She tied it with a baby blue ribbon and put down the brush, looking out the window.

A pale peach colored dress lay on the desk by the window. Narcissa frowned. She didn't remember picking that out the night before. The house-elves knew better than to choose Narcissa's clothes for her. She was much too picky. But Narcissa picked up the dress. It was just her style, form-fitting and a little low-cut but not too short and not too low-cut. The only one, beside Narcissa herself, who had the skill enough to pick something like this out for her was Andy.

But that didn't make any sense since today was Andy's big day. She wouldn't have had the time to pick out Narcissa's clothes for her when she had to be worrying about guests and bouquets and putting on her wedding dress.

Narcissa felt just the slightest bit of guilt. Here she was moaning away about Andy marrying her Lucius, and Andy had taken time out of her busy day just to pick out Narcissa's dress. She vowed to be perfectly sweet to Andy all day long and not let her see her cry, even if it killed her.

Narcissa slipped her arms into the sleeves of the dress, and tied the sash with a big, fat, floppy bow. She knelt over and pulled on sheer white tights and her fuzzy green slippers.

"Morning, Mother." Narcissa said as she entered the small dining room. Druella looked flustered. Wisps of graying brown hair had slipped out of her perfectly coifed bun. A curl threatened to burst out of the side of Druella's head. A plate of eggs and kippers sat to the right side of her, untouched. All Druella's focus was on a list in front of her.

"Morning, Cissa dear." Druella said, without looking up. Narcissa opened her mouth to tell her mother that she was sure that Druella had personally triple-checked every single detail, from seating arrangements and the guest list down to floral arrangements and napkins. But she stopped herself. For some reason, unlike Bella's wedding, which had been rather a quiet affair, Andy's wedding, without any encouragement from Andy herself, had turned in to a gigantic affair. Everything, every single detail had to be perfect. It probably had something to do with showing the Malfoys that even if the Blacks didn't have as much money, their old name held as much and more prestige than the Malfoy name.

Narcissa reached forward to the center of the table, and rang the small, gold bell. The soft pealings were enough to bring a house-elf called Patsy into the room. Patsy curtseyed.

"What would Missy Narcissa like from Patsy?" the small elf asked.

Narcissa pursed her lips. She didn't want to eat breakfast at all, but imagine the shame if she fainted at her own sister's, at Andy's, wedding. "Two slices of whole wheat bread with just a very small bit of butter."

Druella looked up suddenly from her lists and papers. "Narcissa, did you have dinner last night?" Narcissa rolled her eyes.

"Of course, Mother." She said. Actually she hadn't eaten any of the official dinner but Andy had dragged her down into the kitchen, where the elves had prepared her some soup and toast. Andy had watched her, to make sure she ate everything.

"Hm." Druella wasn't convinced, but she wasn't going to accuse her daughter of lying. At least Cissy was eating breakfast, and they'd deal with her eating problems once this wedding was over and done with. "Narcissa, I hope you are aware that you have a perfect figure, albeit you've been getting a little too skinny lately."

Narcissa wrinkled her nose at her mother. "You're my mother. You have to say that. Where's Andy?"

Druella sighed. "Andromeda, I believe, went for a walk through the gardens. She woke up even earlier than I, and left a small note on her door. I'm so pleased that she's finally reconciled herself to this marriage. It is a perfect match."

Narcissa was confused. Andy never woke up early if she could help it. All this time she'd thought that Andy had only pretended to be upset about the marriage so as not to hurt her feelings. But Andy hadn't wanted it. And she still didn't want it, Narcissa was sure. No matter what Mother said. Narcissa's head spun. She had to find Andy, to fix this for both of them. She stood up, abruptly.

Druella was still talking. "-Narcissa, where are you going?" She asked as Cissy stood up and walked out of the room. "Narcissa!"

"I have to fix everything!" Narcissa cried out. She took the steps as fast as she could manage in her pale peach dress.

She pushed open the door to Andy's room. Her heart pounded. Dolls gone. Pencils and charcoals gone. Magazines gone. Clothes gone. No mess on the floor. The floor! There was a floor. Nothing tangled in the sheets. The bed was made. The bed was never made.

Narcissa slipped down to sit on the bed. Andy, Andy, oh Andy. Her big sister, her protector, her best friend. Where was she? Was she gone?

Another house-elf, one called Mindy this time, pushed open the door. "Miss. We is finding this in your bed." She held out a scarlet envelope. Narcissa didn't move, so Mindy placed the envelope in her hand.

The door closed. With blood rushing to her face, and heart beating fast, she tore open the envelope. The handwriting was Andromeda's. She unfolded it and read.

My dearest Cissy,

My baby sister. I don't expect you to understand how I feel. His name is Ted. He is beautiful and perfect and I love him. I could never marry Lucius, even if you weren't in love with him. He is cold and uncaring, bloodthirsty and status-obsessed.

I couldn't marry anyone Mother and Father deemed acceptable because only purebloods are acceptable to them.

That's right, Cissa. Ted's a muggle-born.

A mudblood as Bella would say. And you know what? I don't care. It doesn't matter because I love him. Blood means nothing. It is just a way for the old families to control the way that we live and spread their propaganda.

The Malfoys will be angry that I broke the engagement. Mother and Father will have to find some way to appease them. You can marry Lucius. But please consider what you're doing before you suggest it.

I know you see Lucius as an angel, as the perfect man. But the truth is, Bella and I have seen him otherwise. He is capable of terrible things. He doesn't like to be contradicted. He could hurt you if you cross him.

If you don't choose him, there are other men you will fall in love with. You are only seventeen, baby. I know that feels terribly grown-up, but you still haven't lived life yet.

I've considered this decision over and over. If it hadn't been for you, I would have left in a moment. Bella isn't Bella anymore. She looks like Bella. She dresses like Bella. She even talks like Bella. But Bella could never have done the terrible things that the monster she's become has done. I've never been close to Mother and Father. You were always Mother's favorite and Bella was always Father's.

Even though this was the only possible solution, it was hard to leave. I might never see you again. Mother and Father will forbid you from seeing me. You might not want to see me ever again.

Don't see this as me choosing him over you. I still love you the most. No one can ever take your place in my heart.

And I can hardly bear to leave you alone. Who will protect you now? Because seventeen is not old enough, no matter what you say.

If Lucius is half as good, half as wonderful, half as perfect as you say, then he'll take care of you. I predict that you'll have a blonde little boy who looks just like you and Lucius, and he'll have three little sisters to boss around.

Love always,

Andy

P.S. Come and visit any time.

P.P.S. Eat your vegetables (and everything else too).

P.P.P.S. You know I love you, right?

P.P.P.P.S. I love you, Cissy.

Narcissa dropped the letter, and collapsed on to the floor. Oh, oh, ohhhh, it hurt. Andy, Andy, Andy, oh, Andy. How could she have done this? Narcissa sobbed, racking her body with heaves. This should have been the happiest day of her life, when Andy said she couldn't marry Lucius. But this was the worst day of her life. She would never see her big sister, her protector, her Andy, ever again.

Narcissa spent the entire day crying on the floor of the room that had been Andy's. Blacks don't cry. Narcissa cried.