Chapter Text
“Cissy, are you seriously considering marrying this buffoon?” Andromeda yelped.
6th year Slytherin student Narcissa Black was getting ready at the vanity at the end of her sister’s bed. Her older sister, Andromeda Black, sat behind her arranging Narcissa’s golden locks into an elegant twist. That was one of the perks of your sister being Head Girl. You had plenty of privacy for sisterly gossip.
Narcissa sighed, “Andromeda, you heard what mum and Bella said. We must marry. All of us. It’s no use fighting the inevitable.”
Andromeda stopped in her tracks and made eye contact with her sister in the mirror. “We may all have to marry but that doesn’t give them the right to dictate who we decide to bond ourselves to for eternity.”
Narcissa took over her hair in Andromeda’s absence. “We are ladies of nobility. We have a duty to marry accordingly.”
Knock, knock
Narcissa rolled her eyes, “Please tell me that isn’t the incessant Hufflepuff next door.”
Andromeda sighed as she rose to get the door, “Well, seeing as Ted is the only other person who could be knocking, hence his Head Boy status, I should think that it is.”
Narcissa scoffed, “You’d think Dumbledore would’ve had some standards on who he placed as his student authority, especially when he chose you. You are the only thing making this school year tolerable. We needed a Slytherin on trusting Dumbledore’s right hand side this year. What with the Chamber being opened and all, our house would’ve been the first to blame without your influence.”
“Not by Ted. He’s not like that.” Andromeda frowned.
“Believe what you wish, sister. That Hufflepuff is the same as the rest: gullible ‘til the last.” Narcissa said.
Andromeda paused before opening the door and looked at her younger sister, “Be nice.”
“No promises.” Narcissa muttered under her breath as she primped in the mirror.
Andromeda opened the door to a cheery smile. Ted Tonks was the definition of happiness, at least that’s what Andromeda thought.
“Hey Andi!” Ted’s eyes brightened as soon as he set eyes on the Head Girl. He looked behind her and somehow smiled even brighter when he saw the younger Slytherin, “Hi Narcissa!”
Narcissa nonchalantly acknowledged him, “Edward,” without looking away from her reflection.
Andromeda smiled warmly at the boy, “Ted, what do I owe the pleasure?”
“I know with the recent developments regarding the Chamber of Secrets and all, the students must be frightened out of their lives. I wanted to see if you would be interested in planning an event to raise school spirits!” Ted suggested.
Narcissa guffawed, “You want to organize an event putting every student in the same room when there is a mass murdering monster on the loose?”
Ted’s eyes widened.
“Good luck with that one, Andromeda.” Narcissa said scathingly as she gathered her items. “I’ll be heading back to the dungeons before your Hufflepuff over there comes up with another clever idea to get us killed-” she stopped in between the Head Boy and Girl and leaned in menacingly to Ted, “or worse, expelled.”
With that last comment, Narcissa briskly made her way down the stairs and out of the Heads’ dorms.
Andromeda and Ted did not utter a word for at least two minutes following Narcissa’s dramatic exit.
“She’s becoming more and more like Bella each day.” Andromeda finally said, astonished.
Ted perked up, “What was that?”
She cleared her throat and shook her head, “Nothing, sorry. What was it you had in mind, Ted? For the, erm, event?”
“Ah!” He smiled as he gained his bearings, “I was thinking something of a Fall Festival.”
Honestly, did he really think a Halloween party would fix a monster being on the loose? Hufflepuffs must really be daft.
Narcissa rounded the corner leading her to the Slytherin dorms and there he was. No. Not Ted. It was her betrothed.
Lucius Malfoy, in all of his glory, stood regally at the entrance of the Slytherin common room. He hadn’t noticed her yet; however, she knew he had been waiting on her arrival. She ducked behind a pillar and slowed her breathing. This was the man she was going to marry. She barely knew him and yet, one month after she finishes at Hogwarts, she will be married.
She was only six and ten. She would be married before she turned twenty and she didn’t even know the man she was to marry. Well, she knew who he was in a factual sense. But she didn’t know who he was inside, in his core.
She remembered when her mother first told her of the betrothal. It was just the summer prior. Druella Black called her daughters down to talk about plans as Bellatrix just finished her studies at Hogwarts.
“Now, girls, all three of you know that once you finish your studies you will be expected to marry in order to bring honour to The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Bellatrix will have her wedding to Rodolphus Lestrange at the end of November. Your Headmaster has already been informed of my expectations regarding your attendance to this union.”
Bellatrix smiled shyly, “He really is dashing girls.”
Druella slapped Bellatrix’s hand, “Ladies do not gush.”
Bellatrix winced in response, “Sorry, mum.”
“As for your matches, Andromeda and Narcissa, your father and I have found strapping young men to be your betrothed.” Druella said.
“Mother, you can’t expect us to just marry whomever.” Andromeda said exasperated.
“Excuse me, Andromeda. You’d do right to watch that tone.” Druella said pointedly as she slapped Andromeda’s wrist. “It is not whomever. We have chosen these suitors specifically for our daughters. Our daughters deserve the best and we simply provided. You should be grateful.”
“Grateful?” Andromeda scoffed and she rose, rubbing her sore wrist. “I should be grateful that my parents are selling me and my sisters off like cattle to the highest bidder. Oh! But it’s okay because they come from a long line of nobility. No matter that the man is twice the age of my daughter!”
“Our betrothed aren’t twice our age. Are they, mother?” Narcissa interjected worriedly.
Druella’s cruel demeanor softened at the sound of her youngest’s voice, “No, not to worry my dear. You actually go to school with your betrothed. He is the young Lucius Malfoy in the year above you.”
Narcissa smiled softly, “Thank you, mother.”
“So, Cissy gets a boy only a year older but Bella has to settle for a man who is over seven and twenty?” Andromeda exclaimed.
Druella’s eyes sharpened like lead as she rose to face her middle child, “You’d do well not to patronize your mother. I have half a mind not to send you back to that insipid school for your final year. Maybe if I had kept you home, made you learn what it meant to be a true lady, you would’ve been able to earn more suitors to choose from. Now, with your myriad of accomplishments and accolades-”
“Being Head Girl and Prefect is an accomplishment.” Andromeda interjected.
“-you will be forced to marry the young Bartemius Crouch Junior.” Druella spat.
“Barty Crouch? The boy is ten years old.” Andromeda said, shocked.
“Eleven,” Druella corrected. “He is to start Hogwarts with your favourite cousin, Sirius.”
“You are to have me marry an eleven year old?” Andromeda asked with disgust.
“He’s the only suitor desperate enough to take you.”
“Andromeda, sit down.” Narcissa whispered sharply as she pulled her sister back down into her seat. “We must invite our husbands-to-be to the wedding!”
“Yes, you should.” Bellatrix agreed. She shifted her eyes to gloat at Andromeda, “Don’t worry, Andromeda. I’m sure we can make an exception to our ‘no children’ rule for your fiance.”
“You shall invite your suitors when you get to Hogwarts.” Druella smiled smugly, “Remember what I always say: trust the process.”
Narcissa breathed deeply and remembered where she was. Lucius Malfoy was waiting for her in front of the Slytherin common room.
trust the process.
She turned around and walked past the pillar. Lucius’s face lit up at the sight of her. She smiled inwardly.
“Good evening, Lucius.” She greeted him warmly.
“Good evening, Narcissa.” He smiled elegantly. Everything he did was elegant.
“I believe it to be appropriate to extend an invitation to my sister’s wedding in November. I was wondering if you would accompany me as my date for the evening.” Narcissa said with finesse. She was doing well so far.
Lucius’s eyes widened in surprise but he quickly recovered, “I would be honoured. Shall we?” He offered his hand to her.
“We shall.” She smiled as she took his hand and they walked into the Slytherin common room together.