Drabble: Spinner's End Redux
Title: Spinner's End Redux
Author: dexstarr
Word Count: 100 x 4
Rating: PG-13
Challenge: slytherin100: Prompt #133: Wait
Characters: Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy
Author's Note: "Spinner's End" in Half-Blood Prince is one of my favorite chapters. This drabble series is my theory of what happened before that chapter. This is actually my second attempt at this prompt; the first has turned into a 3k and growing story. Ack!
Disclaimer: Not mine.
***
Bellatrix, customarily the one in perpetual motion, chaos and confusion personified, watched bemusedly as Narcissa paced wildly about the drawing room. Her sister’s normally immaculate robes were mussed, her usually pale cheeks were flushed pink.
"Calm down, Cissy."
Blue eyes snapped at black. "You? You're telling me to calm down?"
"If you've raised him as I'm sure you and Lucius have, then there's nothing to worry about." Bellatrix rose and stood in front of Narcissa. "You should be honored, Cissy. Draco understands the importance of being chosen by the Dark Lord."
"You can't possibly understand, Bella. You don't have children."
***
Bellatrix laughed, a thin and cruel sound. “Any children of mine would be elated to do the Dark Lord’s bidding.” Another wicked laugh, and she continued, “But as I don’t have any, I will help Draco.”
Narcissa jumped slightly, surprised by Bella’s offer. “You will not!” She sank into the chair her sister had vacated, hands clenched in her lap. “I’ll have to… yes… I’ll ask Severus. Elf! Cloak!”
The loud crack of the obedient house elf, carrying Narcissa’s cloak, didn’t quite cover Bella’s snarl of rage. “You will not ask that… that traitor! Narcissa, wait and think about this!”
***
Narcissa ignored her sister’s words as she directed the elf to put on her black traveling cloak, and to fetch matching leather gloves. She had made up her mind: now it was time to act.
Bellatrix tried again. “Cissy, you need to stop, and think, and wait, before you act. You don’t want to anger the Dark Lord.”
The pale blonde laughed, somewhat hysterically. “Do you realize the absurdity of you telling me to wait?” She began pacing again, nervously.
Seeing her sister wasn’t in a reasoning mood, Bellatrix summoned an elf for her own cloak. “Now isn’t the time -”
***
Bella’s sense of uneasiness grew as Narcissa charmed herself back to pristine perfection: fixing red eyes, disheveled hair, and twisted robes. “Think, Narcissa! Asking Snape for help? What would your husband say?”
But that, apparently, had been precisely the wrong thing to say, for her sister’s ice-blue eyes lit up frenetically. “Lucius would approve! Don’t shake your head at me, Bella, you know he would.”
Bellatrix let out a growl of pure anger. If her sister wasn’t careful… the Dark Lord wasn’t known for his mercy… “You’re not supposed to -”
Pop.
Her sister was gone.
“Damn it! Narcissa, WAIT!”
Author: dexstarr
Word Count: 100 x 4
Rating: PG-13
Challenge: slytherin100: Prompt #133: Wait
Characters: Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy
Author's Note: "Spinner's End" in Half-Blood Prince is one of my favorite chapters. This drabble series is my theory of what happened before that chapter. This is actually my second attempt at this prompt; the first has turned into a 3k and growing story. Ack!
Disclaimer: Not mine.
***
Bellatrix, customarily the one in perpetual motion, chaos and confusion personified, watched bemusedly as Narcissa paced wildly about the drawing room. Her sister’s normally immaculate robes were mussed, her usually pale cheeks were flushed pink.
"Calm down, Cissy."
Blue eyes snapped at black. "You? You're telling me to calm down?"
"If you've raised him as I'm sure you and Lucius have, then there's nothing to worry about." Bellatrix rose and stood in front of Narcissa. "You should be honored, Cissy. Draco understands the importance of being chosen by the Dark Lord."
"You can't possibly understand, Bella. You don't have children."
***
Bellatrix laughed, a thin and cruel sound. “Any children of mine would be elated to do the Dark Lord’s bidding.” Another wicked laugh, and she continued, “But as I don’t have any, I will help Draco.”
Narcissa jumped slightly, surprised by Bella’s offer. “You will not!” She sank into the chair her sister had vacated, hands clenched in her lap. “I’ll have to… yes… I’ll ask Severus. Elf! Cloak!”
The loud crack of the obedient house elf, carrying Narcissa’s cloak, didn’t quite cover Bella’s snarl of rage. “You will not ask that… that traitor! Narcissa, wait and think about this!”
***
Narcissa ignored her sister’s words as she directed the elf to put on her black traveling cloak, and to fetch matching leather gloves. She had made up her mind: now it was time to act.
Bellatrix tried again. “Cissy, you need to stop, and think, and wait, before you act. You don’t want to anger the Dark Lord.”
The pale blonde laughed, somewhat hysterically. “Do you realize the absurdity of you telling me to wait?” She began pacing again, nervously.
Seeing her sister wasn’t in a reasoning mood, Bellatrix summoned an elf for her own cloak. “Now isn’t the time -”
***
Bella’s sense of uneasiness grew as Narcissa charmed herself back to pristine perfection: fixing red eyes, disheveled hair, and twisted robes. “Think, Narcissa! Asking Snape for help? What would your husband say?”
But that, apparently, had been precisely the wrong thing to say, for her sister’s ice-blue eyes lit up frenetically. “Lucius would approve! Don’t shake your head at me, Bella, you know he would.”
Bellatrix let out a growl of pure anger. If her sister wasn’t careful… the Dark Lord wasn’t known for his mercy… “You’re not supposed to -”
Pop.
Her sister was gone.
“Damn it! Narcissa, WAIT!”