A/N: I struggled with this chapter, forgive me because it's so short!
12 Grimmauld Place
Christmas soon fell on Hogwarts and Narcissa forgot all about people looking at her, she awoke one chilly morning to find that the castle grounds had been doused with a feet of snow in the space of a single night. She had thrown herself out of bed and ran toward the window, staring out at the great grounds that were now layered with white. Narcissa was particularly partial to snow and to winter in general. It was her favourite time of year; she enjoyed the grand decorations, the present giving and the whole atmosphere of the holiday.
As was tradition, the Black family celebrated their Christmas together, so Narcissa, Bellatrix and Andromeda left Hogwarts one afternoon and travelled with their parents to another Black household, this one situated in the heart of London.
There was snow there too and in the small square in which the house stood it remained mostly untouched. It was a Muggle housing district that was, Narcissa supposed, quite scruffy. The houses were tall and built with grey bricks and were considerably old, for Muggle houses, at least. Narcissa had often stood outside, and gazed up at the once-grand building and wondered what it used to look like, before the Muggle's came and wrecked it, as they tended to.
Cygnus usually made the same comment every time they arrived outside 12 Grimmauld Place, but this time he remained quiet and instead shot a knowing look at his wife who shrugged in return. Naturally, he was appalled at the fact that his sister had chosen to reside in a Muggle area, when really it was the opposite. The Black family had been in that house for decades until Muggles started moving in next door, across from the street, and all around but they were far to proud to give up their home.
Narcissa's Aunt Walburga occupied the house with her husband, Orion and their two young sons Sirius and Regulus. Her Uncle Alphard, Cygnus' younger brother also lived there too, as he had no wife or family of his own.
Cygnus rapped on the door. Shouting could be heard from inside, high, shrill shouting that was unmistakably the voice of Walburga Black.
'… SIRIUS PUT THAT DOWN. GET AWAY FROM THERE!'
Bellatrix laughed, Narcissa smiled and Andromeda did neither, instead she looked mildly disgusted.
'ORION, CONTROL YOUR CHILDREN. I WILL NOT HAVE THEM BEHAVING LIKE THAT.'
'Yes, dear!'
'DON'T "YES, DEAR," ME, JUST DO IT, WILL YOU.'
'Yes, dear!'
The door was opened eventually by a startlingly younger version of Cygnus, but instead of the tamed hair of his brother, he had long, dark curls that reached beyond his shoulders and a unkempt black beard.
'Dear brother!' He exclaimed with an easy smile that caused cracks and wrinkles to form around his eyes, as if he spent much of his time laughing.
'Alphard.' Cygnus nodded stiffly and became quite stiff-lipped.
'Come in, come in.' He held open the door and allowed them all to pass. 'Lovely to see you Druella, stunning as always. Bellatrix, Andromeda, how you've grown! Little Narcissa, precious as ever.' Alphard ruffled her hair as she passed and gave a broad smile.
From a door way off to the right a slim dark-haired man emerged, holding two young boys by their arms as if he were escorting them from the room. He was a tall, weedy man with shortly-shaven black hair. His face had a kind quality to it, but he looked exhausted, almost as if he hadn't had a decent night's sleep in seven years.
He smiled weakly when he spotted them, and in his momentary distraction the two young boys took the chance to run off and away, disappearing upstairs further into the house. He made to call after them, but gave it up as a lost hope.
Cygnus chuckled, it was no secret that he'd always wanted boys of his own.
'Boys, eh?' The man, Cygnus' brother-in-law, Orion asked.
Cygnus snorted. 'I wouldn't know, would I?'
Orion looked sheepish for a moment, and rubbed the back of his head. 'I guess not.'
'ORION. IS THAT CYGNUS? BRING THEM DOWN HERE, DINNER IS ALMOST READY.'
With a great, heaving sigh Orion led them down into the basement kitchen.
