Grouse: to grumble; complain

April 2, 1968

"Cissy, come on," Andromeda hissed, seizing her little sister's wrist and yanking hard.

Narcissa let out a loud yowl of protest.

"Let go of me! I'll tell Mummy!"

Andromeda rolled her eyes, but dropped Narcissa's arm. Her sister could spin any story into her being the victim and Andromeda the devil. At seven it had garnered her a grudging respect from her sisters, but at thirteen even Bellatrix found it whiny and tiresome.

"Then quit making faces and move," Andromeda snapped, hurrying along the crossed London street.

"I don't see why we're spending out Holidays tramping around these disgusting alleys," Narcissa sniffed, digging a lacy handkerchief out of her pocket and pressing it over her nose.

"You're the one who's been complaining about not having enough potions ingredients. What about thanking your wonderful big sister for taking you shopping rather than sipping Aunt Walberga's nasty tea – Sirius, so help me, if you touch that mangy dog, I'll jinx your fingers off!"

Sirius withdrew his hand and scampered back to Andromeda's side with a sullen look on his face. Regulus, swinging off Andromeda's hand, snickered and Sirius aimed a kick at his brother.

"But why couldn't we have used the Floo?" Narcissa whined behind them, stepping gingerly over a dirty puddle on the pavement. "Like normal people?" `

"Because Sirius and Regulus smashed the vase with all the powder in the fire this morning.

"Uncle Orion could have apparated to get more this evening."

"It's only a couple kilometers from Grimauld Place. It won't kill you to walk."

"If I catch some atrocious Muggle disease, it will be all your fault."

"Duly noted," Andromeda muttered dryly, grabbing the back of Sirius's collar as he swung around a lamppost.

"My feet hurt, Andromeda. I'll have bunions thanks to you. Do you know how common that is? And the street smells like petroleum."

Andromeda gritted her teeth. This was the last time she tried to do something nice for her sister.

A/N: Short, rather pointless, and doesn't put Narcissa in a terribly flattering light, does it? Sorry 'bout that. I don't actually hate her or anything. I just find some sort of strange pleasure in writing her and Andromeda as teenagers and Narcissa always comes off as, well, whiny and narcissistic in my head. Go figure. :/