Sorry about the short chapter, guys. :(
One
week. The words
echoed through Narcissa's mind as she walked placidly towards the
Gryffindor common room. She paused hestitantly at the portrait of the
Fat Lady, debating whether or not she should enter. "Flobberworms,"
Narcissa told the
portrait wearily. The Fat Lady nodded in agreeance, and the door
swung open. Walking into the common room, she immediatley noticed her
cousin looking rather distant. "Sirius?" she edged closer,
taking a seat next to him on the couch.
"He's ... dead,"
Sirius whispered, not tearing his gaze away from the flickering
flames.
Narcissa understood. She didn't have to speak words, to
throw over-rated and over-used sympathay to her cousin. She pulled
him close to her, and he rested her head on her, crying silently. "I
- I," he hiccuped through his tears, "didn't even get on
with him that well. It was always a competitive thing, you know,
between Reg and I ..." he trailed off, sighing heavily through
his tears.
"I know, I know," Narcissa murmured
sympathetically, kissing her cousin's head, her hands sliding around
him as she hugged him. He continued to cry silently for quite some
time, before eventually, falling asleep against Narcissa. Her own
eyes were beginning to droop, and with that she fell into a dreamless
sleep.
A
few hours later, she awoke, Sirius still asleep next to her. Her head
was resting on his. As her eyes adjusted to the lights and scene of
the room, she saw a pair of blue eyes glance at her curiously,
waiting for her to speak.
"What's wrong with Padfoot?"
Remus asked rather grumpily, his eyes lowering to the ruby carpet.
James was sitting on the next armchair by Remus, his expression one
of concern.
"Regulus ... is ..." Narcissa couldn't
finish her sentence. She lowered her gaze from James and Remus, a
tear rolling down her face. She was just coming to terms with it
herself. Her cousin - dead.
"I'm so
sorry, Narcissa." James said sincerely, a look of sympathay
crossing his usually humoured expression.
Remus wanted to wrap
her in his arms and tell her it would be okay, but somehow he
couldn't bring himself to do so. He looked at her intently before
speaking. "Was it Voldemort?"
"This ... this isn't
the time, Remus." Narcissa's eyes were still lowered, not
meeting his.
"Then when will be?" He replied
indignantly, leaning forward, pressing his fingertips together.
"Narcissa - you have to find this out-"
"And I
will!" She said, close to tears again, "but not right
NOW."
Sirius
stirred.
James shot a look at Remus that was confusement mixed
with surprise.
Sirius yawned slightly, sitting up, rubbing his
tear-stained face with aggrivation. He was rather suprised to see
James and Lupin watching him curiously, and his hand leaped to his
hair as he smoothed it out. "Hey Moony, Prongs ..." he
trailed off, his hand lowering to rest on his knee, his eyes
bloodshot. Sirius never cried ordinarily - he was pretty tough within
the group. "Mate, I guess it'd be rather inconsiderate asking if
you were alright or not." James smiled.
Sirius laughed,
before speaking hoarsely. "Regulus - he -"
"I know,
Sirius," Remus said quietly, his eyes over come with remorse for
his friend.
Narcissa paused. "I need to ... I need ... to
check on Bellatrix."
"Sure," Sirius replied,
looking at her. "Thanks, Cissa." He kissed her cheek before
she got up, and she kissed his forehead. Remus looked away pointedly
as Narcissa went to bid her farewell to him, and overcome with
confusement, she murmured goodbye and fled from the common room.
Emotions were running high and her mind was all over the
place. Regulus was
dead, Regulus was dead.
She
was running now, her blonde hair becoming messy but for now she did
not care; the only thing that mattered was finding her old friends.
Entering the common room, she looked around wildly.
Bellatrix was
sitting on the couch, no emotion displayed whatsoever.
"Did
... did you hear?" Whispered Narcissa, tears spilling down her
cheeks, her hands clenched.
Bellatrix considered her sister for
sometime before replying. "Yes." Her tone was so cold - so
uncaring.
"And you're not even bothered?" Narcissa
exploded angrily, advancing towards her sister.
"He betrayed
the Dark Lord," replied Bellatrix, and for the first time, a
flicker of anger crossed her face. She let her arms unfold, resting
one on the arm of the couch, staring up curiously at her sister.
Narcissa was shaking her head in disbelief.
"What?"
"He-betrayed-the-dark-lord."
repeated Bellatrix, rolling her eyes. "He wanted to back out.
Became too scared. Wouldn't attend meetings anymore. So, he got
killed."
Narcissa went white. "And you don't even care?
Your own cousin, Bella!"
Bellatrix's lip curled. "He is
a traitor. I doubt you will find anyone else to be sympathetic
towards his behaviour. If he were so scared of the Dark Lord, then he
should not of signed up."
"Perhaps he felt like he had
to," Narcissa whispered.
"Whatever," replied
Bellatrix, examining her nails with evident interest.
Narcissa
smiled. "So - if you stop having sexual liasons with him - will
you be dead too?"
Bellatrix shot up faster than lightning.
"What did you say?"
Narcissa didn't answer, she merely
smiled and walked away, out of the common room. But once outside, she
sat down against the dungeon wall, and let the tears flow.
