(Untitled)

[comedyofmanors]

[Who:] Narcissa Malfoy, OPEN
[What:] Sloth, and why it's not much fun.
[When:] Week 7 - Seven Deadly Sins Event.
[Where:] The Mall.

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[bestlieutenant]

What in Merlin's name is this?

Bellatrix had been wandering the Mall in search of her sister to discuss the recent disappearance of their leader, as well as the other wizards. Narcissa was in tune with these sorts of things. Fingers on the pulse, and all of that. Sometimes the little details could go over Bellatrix's head, but that's where Cissy excels.

She found her in one of the restaurants... But she's curled up in a booth. Bellatrix's mouth dropped open. What was going on with Narcissa's hair? After taking a long moment to compose her thoughts, she finally dared to speak. "Are you ill?" she asked, with no shortage of concern.

[comedyofmanors]

Narcissa's eyes opened lazily and viewed Bella through strands of pale hair, somehow too out of it to register any surprise at her sister having found her, though she hadn't expected anyone to come across her. Before she could really think about what she was saying, she muttered, "No. I doubt it. Just tired. Do just let me sleep..."

[bestlieutenant]

"You doubt it? What are you doing, Cissy? This isn't like you." With a wave of her wand, Bellatrix transfigures the table into a chair so she can sit in front of Narcissa in her sprawl along the booth's cushions. "Your hair is a mess. I haven't seen you look like this since... Not since school. Don't tell me you've given into despair."

[comedyofmanors]

"I merely--"

She broke off, apparently exhausted by the effort of speaking, and struggled to sit up, eventually managing to force herself into an upright position and looking as if the action had drained her completely. She pressed a hand to her face for a few moments, eyes closed.

"No. I know. Not like me at all. I don't know, Bella, I simply feel so terribly tired." She ran a hand half-heartedly through her hair and then apparently gave up. "My hair's hardly relevant, I'll...do something to it later."

[bestlieutenant]

"Hardly. Apart from the fact that it's quite clearly a symptom," Bellatrix responded dryly. She exhaled a quiet sigh. "I've been promoted, Cissy. The Dark Lord has disappeared. I'm sure you've noticed it by now."

Then again, judging from the state of her... Perhaps not.

[comedyofmanors]

Her hand dropped from her face, and she stared at her sister, shock obvious in her eyes. "No," she said faintly. "No, I wasn't aware of it. Disappeared?"

That meant- what did that mean? Oh, hell, she couldn't think.

Lucius. She had to tell Lucius.

...but that would be so much work.

No, she had to tell him...

[bestlieutenant]

As if Bellatrix could read her sister's mind, she reached out to take her hand. "We can't tell Lucius. Not yet. Not until we've closed up the ranks and got everything sorted. You understand, don't you? I trust him, of course, but neither of us can risk a meeting with him until our... army is prepared."

Merlin, was army even really the correct word for this ridiculous lot?

"The Dark Lord isn't the only one who's gone missing. Apparently Lily Potter, and our dear cousin have vanished as well. It's very curious." Synonymous with disturbing in this case.

[comedyofmanors]

"Yes, of course," Narcissa murmured, squeezing Bella's hand limply- and not even thinking betray my husband for a makeshift army? She would address that later, when Bella was gone; for now, her mind needed to be clear and empty of strong emotion, so she pushed the idea away. "It would hardly be prudent to- yes."

Later, however, she had an inkling of what her next action would be.

"All the wizards," she said softly. "It hardly bodes well." She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "...I apologise; whatever you were seeking me out for, I doubt I'm currently capable of it."

[bestlieutenant]

"It's fine." Not really. But sometimes things simply must be fine for the sake of sanity. This was one of those times. Bellatrix smiled quickly. "I accomplished what I needed to. I've found you." Knowing that her sister hadn't disappeared as well went a long way to making things easier. For the moment.

"I'm off to meet with Rhade now to discuss things. I'll let you know what he and I have decided, and then you certainly should contact Lucius."

Not may, but should. "Be sure that you impress upon him that he should keep this knowledge to himself as long as he can. We need to maintain the order of things."