Springfic: "Burning Bridges" for liliths_requiem
Title: Burning Bridges
Author: Quietliban
Recipient: liliths_requiem
Character(s): The Black Sisters
Rating: PG-13
Word-count: 1,628 words
Warnings (highlight to view): None
Summary: Why wouldn't Narcissa and Andromeda reconcile after the war?
Author's Notes: To liliths_requiem I hope this has enough angst for you! I had a bit of angst myself writing it, but it was worth the challenge. Also, thank you to the kind and speedy lady who is my beta. You are a star. All remaining errors are my own.
Betas: empressvesica
Burning Bridges
the last sister (the successful one)
She sits at her writing desk; back-straight, arm stretched with her fingers curled around the quill. She is poised to write but hesitation pulls her back from the parchment and the pot full of deep black ink.
A breeze rattles through the house and she watches as the curtains billow. Narcissa reaches for the inkpot with her quill. The 'A' bleeds into the parchment and her hand falters at the sound of the sharpened point scratching across the uneven surface.
The remainder of the name flows pleasantly across the paper and Narcissa stops and looks at it.
"Andromeda."
Her fingers pinch the shaft of the quill with enough pressure that it feels like it might break. She doesn't believe she can go on-feelings of anger and betrayal swirl in her gut and it might have been yesterday-Narcissa takes the quill away from the parchment.
"You must swear."
Those had been Bella's words spoken with authority and anger. Narcissa had been scared of her sister that day, frightened by the strength of emotion in Bella's eyes. It had been the first time Narcissa had been unsure in following her usually calm and collected elder sister, but Aunt Walburga had been there too, and Aunt Walburga was strong and calm and had always commanded Narcissa's respect, and so she had sworn. She had joined hands with Bella while her Aunt was the third, and she swore that Andromeda was no longer her sister, no longer her relation, no longer a Black and that she, Narcissa Black would never seek contact with her so long as she lived…
Narcissa shakes her head to rid herself of Bella's phantom, but Bella's fierce expression lingers and she throws her quill away from her; it lands softly, spotting ink of the writing desk in a way that does not satisfy. Narcissa clenches her jaw and grinds her teeth.
Andromeda's presence today had made her wish for reconciliation, as had the expression on Draco's face as he had looked upon the child in Andie's arms.
Narcissa reaches for the quill again. She gets ink on her fingers and the parchment she had begun writing on is ruined. She takes out another piece. This one is crisp and white and Narcissa is careful not to smudge the words she writes. Tears threaten to fall from her eyes, but she blinks them back. This is letter is just one of the many that must be written: too long have the consequences held her words at bay.
the second sister (the despised one)
She stands in the crowd, dressed in black, just like them. She stands in the crowd holding her baby grandson close to her, willing him not to cry. She herself does not cry, even as her sister's name is read out in dull tones. She does not mourn her sister.
Andromeda scans the crowd, looking for her other sister, the living one. Narcissa must be here, if family duty compelled even Andromeda to come to this farce of a memorial service. She searches the faces behind her, trying to find pale hair and haughty expression.
She is successful. Narcissa and her son stand close together. Pain is written on Narcissa's features while her son's is kept carefully blank. Andromeda breathes in and pulls Teddy closer to her chest. If there were a time for this, it would be now. Her heart beats faster inside her chest.
The first step seems easy, even as she pushes her way through disapproving bodies. She fixes her eyes on her sister and her nephew and notices when the boy tenses and the way Narcissa does not look at her, instead preferring to exam the details of her shoes.
Andromeda shakes a little as she reaches them; fine tremors disturb Teddy and the baby cries - a sharp piercing sound that cuts through the sombre silence. Andromeda looks at Narcissa expectantly, studying her sister's features which look tired and worn, before glancing at the grey face of her nephew who is tugging at his mother's arm. Narcissa placates him with a hand that takes up his fingers but still refuses to look at her. Andromeda attempts to calm her bubbling anger, focusing on trying to quieten Teddy.
"You should take him home." Draco is the one to speak and Andromeda is surprised. He is looking at both her and Teddy with curiosity and there is a touch of warm to his face that is absent in his mother's.
"How and why?" Andromeda replies.
"The same way you brought him here. This is no place for a child, even that one."
Andromeda looks down at her grandson. He is quiet now but his hair has changed from drab brown to an alarming purple shade. Andromeda is reminded for a moment of her daughter as a child. She sighs. "Perhaps, especially this one?" she asks with raised eyebrows.
Draco stiffens at her words and by his expression Andromeda thinks he may be affronted.
Narcissa has still not set eyes on her and Andromeda looks pointedly from Draco to his mother.
"Mamma?" Draco attempts to get his mother's attention, but Narcissa is stubborn and she will not look up, at least as far as Andromeda can tell.
"Mamma." Draco's voice is tinged with impatience and Andromeda can feel her anger resurfacing. This is not to be borne.
"Mamma, tell me what is wrong?"
Narcissa looks at her son then, but is careful not to meet Andromeda's gaze.
"There is nothing wrong, my darling."
"Then tell me why you won't greet Aunt Andromeda."
Andromeda watches as her sister tenses her jaw and closes her eyes. She opens them again.
"You have no Aunt Andromeda, Draco." Narcissa's voice is cool and clear and each word feels a little like a Cruciatus curse. Andromeda forces herself to be calm. Little Teddy in her arms begins to cry.
Andromeda pulls the baby closer; his cries are louder and sharper than before. Once again disapproving eyes fall upon them. Andromeda wants to speak and she opens her mouth to do so, but any words are lost. Narcissa has chosen her family, and Andromeda must choose hers, with a curt nod to Draco, Andromeda turns and carries both herself and Teddy out and away from the crowd of mourners.
the first sister (the dead one)
Her mother is screaming. The sound of her cries follow Bellatrix through the house. She tries and tries but she can't get it out of her head. Even shut away in the reading room where muffling charms are embedded into the walls to keep the quiet, Bellatrix can hear her mother's screams.
The first book is easy. She 'accios' it off the shelf and it hovers in front of her, its embossed title glinting in the light. It's so easy to cast a severing charm and watch it fall into two. But that is not enough. It does nothing to calm her seething frustrations, nothing to quiet her anger at such a betrayal.
Bellatrix screams, the force of it hurts her throat and tears sting her eyes. The books around her are called off their shelves and split apart. Sheets of paper and hard bound covers flutter around her feet and Bellatrix continues to scream.
This was not meant to happen.
"Bella?"
"Stupefy!" Bellatrix turns quickly at the sound of her name, not caring who it is that is peering in through the door. It turns out to be Narcissa whose red-rimmed eyes are shocked, frozen in place. Bella stalks up to her and grabs her wrists. "You will never leave me. Promise! Promise, you will never leave me."
Narcissa cannot respond and Bella puts her face close to her little sister's. "Tell me you will never-" Bella pauses. The thoughts in her head becoming too chaotic, too overwhelming. She stares into the eyes of her stupefied sister and wishes all of the sudden that it wasn't so; that Narcissa's eyes weren't red because Andromdea hadn't left and that today was a happy day, because today should have been a happy day.
Bella turns away and looks at the reading room. She does not see the wreckage she has made. She does not look at the ruined books and the empty shelves and see the destruction she created. Instead, she sees fuel. Fuel to the fire that is her anger and it is so easy, so very easy.
"Incendio!" Bella watches as the flames burst into life and for a moment she feels calm as the flames turn from white hot to yellow-orange-red to black.
The fire does not burn for long enough. Suddenly Aunt Walburga is there with Kreacher and Narcissa is unfrozen, yelling and pulling her away. Bella resists until she realises she has been pushed outside the reading room door by Narcissa and Aunt Walburga combined.
"What is the meaning of this?" Aunt Walburga is looking at her with shrewd eyes and Bellatrix composes herself trying to find the calm she just had a moment a go, but it is gone.
"Narcissa?"
Bellatrix looks at her younger sister. She looks frightened and wary and Bella wants to reach out, but refrains. Narcissa remains silent.
"I didn't want Cissy to leave me, like Andie did."
Aunt Walburga looks aghast at the mention of Andromeda's name.
"I see." Aunt Walburga studies Bellatrix closely and then glances at Narcissa. She appears thoughtful. "Bellatrix, you know there are other ways…"
Bellatrix can see a glint in her Aunt's eye. "Other ways?"
Aunt Walburga direct them both by the shoulder towards the kitchen. "Yes, other ways that aren't quite so drastic or immediate."
Bellatrix lets Aunt Walburga guide her, a strange sense of calm settling in her tummy.
Author: Quietliban
Recipient: liliths_requiem
Character(s): The Black Sisters
Rating: PG-13
Word-count: 1,628 words
Warnings (highlight to view): None
Summary: Why wouldn't Narcissa and Andromeda reconcile after the war?
Author's Notes: To liliths_requiem I hope this has enough angst for you! I had a bit of angst myself writing it, but it was worth the challenge. Also, thank you to the kind and speedy lady who is my beta. You are a star. All remaining errors are my own.
Betas: empressvesica
Burning Bridges
the last sister (the successful one)
She sits at her writing desk; back-straight, arm stretched with her fingers curled around the quill. She is poised to write but hesitation pulls her back from the parchment and the pot full of deep black ink.
A breeze rattles through the house and she watches as the curtains billow. Narcissa reaches for the inkpot with her quill. The 'A' bleeds into the parchment and her hand falters at the sound of the sharpened point scratching across the uneven surface.
The remainder of the name flows pleasantly across the paper and Narcissa stops and looks at it.
"Andromeda."
Her fingers pinch the shaft of the quill with enough pressure that it feels like it might break. She doesn't believe she can go on-feelings of anger and betrayal swirl in her gut and it might have been yesterday-Narcissa takes the quill away from the parchment.
"You must swear."
Those had been Bella's words spoken with authority and anger. Narcissa had been scared of her sister that day, frightened by the strength of emotion in Bella's eyes. It had been the first time Narcissa had been unsure in following her usually calm and collected elder sister, but Aunt Walburga had been there too, and Aunt Walburga was strong and calm and had always commanded Narcissa's respect, and so she had sworn. She had joined hands with Bella while her Aunt was the third, and she swore that Andromeda was no longer her sister, no longer her relation, no longer a Black and that she, Narcissa Black would never seek contact with her so long as she lived…
Narcissa shakes her head to rid herself of Bella's phantom, but Bella's fierce expression lingers and she throws her quill away from her; it lands softly, spotting ink of the writing desk in a way that does not satisfy. Narcissa clenches her jaw and grinds her teeth.
Andromeda's presence today had made her wish for reconciliation, as had the expression on Draco's face as he had looked upon the child in Andie's arms.
Narcissa reaches for the quill again. She gets ink on her fingers and the parchment she had begun writing on is ruined. She takes out another piece. This one is crisp and white and Narcissa is careful not to smudge the words she writes. Tears threaten to fall from her eyes, but she blinks them back. This is letter is just one of the many that must be written: too long have the consequences held her words at bay.
the second sister (the despised one)
She stands in the crowd, dressed in black, just like them. She stands in the crowd holding her baby grandson close to her, willing him not to cry. She herself does not cry, even as her sister's name is read out in dull tones. She does not mourn her sister.
Andromeda scans the crowd, looking for her other sister, the living one. Narcissa must be here, if family duty compelled even Andromeda to come to this farce of a memorial service. She searches the faces behind her, trying to find pale hair and haughty expression.
She is successful. Narcissa and her son stand close together. Pain is written on Narcissa's features while her son's is kept carefully blank. Andromeda breathes in and pulls Teddy closer to her chest. If there were a time for this, it would be now. Her heart beats faster inside her chest.
The first step seems easy, even as she pushes her way through disapproving bodies. She fixes her eyes on her sister and her nephew and notices when the boy tenses and the way Narcissa does not look at her, instead preferring to exam the details of her shoes.
Andromeda shakes a little as she reaches them; fine tremors disturb Teddy and the baby cries - a sharp piercing sound that cuts through the sombre silence. Andromeda looks at Narcissa expectantly, studying her sister's features which look tired and worn, before glancing at the grey face of her nephew who is tugging at his mother's arm. Narcissa placates him with a hand that takes up his fingers but still refuses to look at her. Andromeda attempts to calm her bubbling anger, focusing on trying to quieten Teddy.
"You should take him home." Draco is the one to speak and Andromeda is surprised. He is looking at both her and Teddy with curiosity and there is a touch of warm to his face that is absent in his mother's.
"How and why?" Andromeda replies.
"The same way you brought him here. This is no place for a child, even that one."
Andromeda looks down at her grandson. He is quiet now but his hair has changed from drab brown to an alarming purple shade. Andromeda is reminded for a moment of her daughter as a child. She sighs. "Perhaps, especially this one?" she asks with raised eyebrows.
Draco stiffens at her words and by his expression Andromeda thinks he may be affronted.
Narcissa has still not set eyes on her and Andromeda looks pointedly from Draco to his mother.
"Mamma?" Draco attempts to get his mother's attention, but Narcissa is stubborn and she will not look up, at least as far as Andromeda can tell.
"Mamma." Draco's voice is tinged with impatience and Andromeda can feel her anger resurfacing. This is not to be borne.
"Mamma, tell me what is wrong?"
Narcissa looks at her son then, but is careful not to meet Andromeda's gaze.
"There is nothing wrong, my darling."
"Then tell me why you won't greet Aunt Andromeda."
Andromeda watches as her sister tenses her jaw and closes her eyes. She opens them again.
"You have no Aunt Andromeda, Draco." Narcissa's voice is cool and clear and each word feels a little like a Cruciatus curse. Andromeda forces herself to be calm. Little Teddy in her arms begins to cry.
Andromeda pulls the baby closer; his cries are louder and sharper than before. Once again disapproving eyes fall upon them. Andromeda wants to speak and she opens her mouth to do so, but any words are lost. Narcissa has chosen her family, and Andromeda must choose hers, with a curt nod to Draco, Andromeda turns and carries both herself and Teddy out and away from the crowd of mourners.
the first sister (the dead one)
Her mother is screaming. The sound of her cries follow Bellatrix through the house. She tries and tries but she can't get it out of her head. Even shut away in the reading room where muffling charms are embedded into the walls to keep the quiet, Bellatrix can hear her mother's screams.
The first book is easy. She 'accios' it off the shelf and it hovers in front of her, its embossed title glinting in the light. It's so easy to cast a severing charm and watch it fall into two. But that is not enough. It does nothing to calm her seething frustrations, nothing to quiet her anger at such a betrayal.
Bellatrix screams, the force of it hurts her throat and tears sting her eyes. The books around her are called off their shelves and split apart. Sheets of paper and hard bound covers flutter around her feet and Bellatrix continues to scream.
This was not meant to happen.
"Bella?"
"Stupefy!" Bellatrix turns quickly at the sound of her name, not caring who it is that is peering in through the door. It turns out to be Narcissa whose red-rimmed eyes are shocked, frozen in place. Bella stalks up to her and grabs her wrists. "You will never leave me. Promise! Promise, you will never leave me."
Narcissa cannot respond and Bella puts her face close to her little sister's. "Tell me you will never-" Bella pauses. The thoughts in her head becoming too chaotic, too overwhelming. She stares into the eyes of her stupefied sister and wishes all of the sudden that it wasn't so; that Narcissa's eyes weren't red because Andromdea hadn't left and that today was a happy day, because today should have been a happy day.
Bella turns away and looks at the reading room. She does not see the wreckage she has made. She does not look at the ruined books and the empty shelves and see the destruction she created. Instead, she sees fuel. Fuel to the fire that is her anger and it is so easy, so very easy.
"Incendio!" Bella watches as the flames burst into life and for a moment she feels calm as the flames turn from white hot to yellow-orange-red to black.
The fire does not burn for long enough. Suddenly Aunt Walburga is there with Kreacher and Narcissa is unfrozen, yelling and pulling her away. Bella resists until she realises she has been pushed outside the reading room door by Narcissa and Aunt Walburga combined.
"What is the meaning of this?" Aunt Walburga is looking at her with shrewd eyes and Bellatrix composes herself trying to find the calm she just had a moment a go, but it is gone.
"Narcissa?"
Bellatrix looks at her younger sister. She looks frightened and wary and Bella wants to reach out, but refrains. Narcissa remains silent.
"I didn't want Cissy to leave me, like Andie did."
Aunt Walburga looks aghast at the mention of Andromeda's name.
"I see." Aunt Walburga studies Bellatrix closely and then glances at Narcissa. She appears thoughtful. "Bellatrix, you know there are other ways…"
Bellatrix can see a glint in her Aunt's eye. "Other ways?"
Aunt Walburga direct them both by the shoulder towards the kitchen. "Yes, other ways that aren't quite so drastic or immediate."
Bellatrix lets Aunt Walburga guide her, a strange sense of calm settling in her tummy.