Chapter Twenty Three

A/N: Thank you to Nevaeh -Rose Malfoy for reviewing the last chapter.

For weeks after her meeting with Andromeda, Narcissa carried the secret inside her with the caution of a glass ornament, worried that the slightest off glance or slip of the tongue would shatter her reputation completely. There was a part of her mind that asked her why she cared, that a reputation was only other people's thoughts and that her sister ought to come first. But then she remembered her conversation with Lucius, and the thoughts disappeared. 'She did what was best for her, not the family.' Narcissa reminded herself; however harsh it might sound, it was the truth. 'Now you have to do the same.'

It was a simpler thought than it was an action, especially when it came to the end of the school year. At school, it had been so much easier to pretend that all this fuss with Andromeda had never happened- after all, her sister had graduated already, so she would have been missing regardless- but Grimmauld Place was another matter entirely. Even after all the months that had gone by, the smell of smoke still permeated through the lower levels of the house, a constant reminder of the blemish on the family tapestry.

Narcissa alighted the train alone, the first time she had done so since she was young. Every time before, she had her sisters by her side, or Sirius, but they were all gone now. Even Lucius had left her to her own devices, citing a need to get home before his father returned from the Ministry.

She remained alone throughout her onward journey, with the exception of the wizened elf her aunt had sent to meet her. The young woman did not relish the experience. Being alone meant she had no distractions, and no distractions gave her the chance to think.

When the majority of students returned home from Hogwarts, they would be joyful to return to their old bedrooms. But when Narcissa crossed the threshold into the dusky wallpapered room, all she felt was cold, the way she always had done. The only thing that had ever made the room tolerable was knowing her sisters were just a few feet away; now, even that could not comfort her.

"Is everything well, Miss Cissy?" asked the house elf. The girl thought she remembered her aunt calling him Kreacher.

"Absolutely." she answered, plastering a false smile onto her face. She did not quite know why she was lying to a house elf- after all, his opinion did not matter in the grand scheme of things- but it made her feel a little better to see the creature seemed to believe her.

She was left alone again not long after, perched on the edge of her bed and looking around the room, desperate to find a small comfort in the emotionless space. In the end, only thought came to mind, and after a few moments of running through the potential for disaster in her plan, she waved her wand towards the door, and set about executing it.

Even having heard the lock on the door click shut, charmed not to allow entry to any but the one who had cast the spell, Narcissa's hands shook violently as she picked up her quill, droplets of ink staining the surface of her dark mahogany desk. This was one of the most dangerous things she had ever done, and certainly one of the most important. 'You are a Gryffindor at heart.' she reminded herself, the Sorting Hat's words echoing through her mind. 'You cannot be afraid.'

Once she finally summoned the courage to begin her treasonous act, she could not think of what to say. It took another dozen minutes before she finally put quill to paper, knowing that if she took too long, she would lose her opportunity altogether.

Dear Andromeda,
I know I promised that I would write, and this is the first time I've been brave enough to do it. I know that you're my sister, and that relationship is more important than any foolish rules, but we are both aware of the penalties if this letter is found. Don't worry, I promise I won't let it be.

But no sooner had the reassurance been etched onto the page than Narcissa put down her quill, a haze falling over her mind. What else was there for her to say that Andromeda did not already know? The quiet sound of footsteps on a nearby landing forced her hand.

I can't say much- Aunt Walburga is home and it'll only be so long before she notices I'm missing. I just wanted to reassure you that I love you, Andy, and I hope I'll be able to see you soon. We'll find a way to make it work, I promise. There must be a way to get through this.

I love you, my dear sister, no matter what anyone else says, and I hope you love me enough to understand my situation. Don't write back to me at home, it's too dangerous, but once I return to Hogwarts, it'll be easier to be secretive.

Best wishes,

Narcissa.

Waving her wand quickly across the page to dry the ink, the young blonde ran to the cage still sat beside her trunk and released her owl, tying the small scroll to its leg before the bird could even chirp its confusion. Pleading for the owl to be quieter, she opened the window and sent it on its way, hoping that the message would find its way to Andromeda without falling into less loving hands.

Once the owl was out of sight, Narcissa fell back on her bed, clutching at the pillow for the sake of having something to embrace. 'I hope I wasn't wrong.' she told herself, holding the pillow tighter as a wave of fear overcame her. 'I hope that no one finds out. I don't even know what they'd do if they discovered a Black daughter still communicating with a Blood Traitor, even after I've been told to keep my distance.'

But even the danger could not dull the warm feeling in Narcissa's heart, knowing the joy her brief words would bring her sister. After all, she was telling a person she loved that she would continue to love them no matter what, and what could be wrong with that?

A/N: Not the most action-packed chapter, but I felt like it was important to show Narcissa will continue to be loyal to Andromeda, even if she concedes to being secretive about it. Please review!