InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "keep your strength up sunshine"

Narcissa Black Malfoy (pure_cissa) wrote in all_roads,
@ 2008-03-01 01:02:00

Entry tags:

*thread-completed, bellatrix black lestrange, narcissa black malfoy, rodolphus lestrange

Warnings; Lestrange House [NBM, BBL, RL]
WHO: Narcissa, Bellatrix, Rodolphus
WHERE: the Unplottable hideout, "Lestrange House"
WHEN: Saturday, 1 January, 2000; nearing midnight
SUMMARY: Narcissa goes to issue a personal warning. COMPLETED THREAD.
RATING: PG

Unnoticed in her entrance two hours earlier, as the house was empty – no doubt post-massacre planning and celebration was taking place elsewhere – Narcissa had lit the fire in the house's front room and settled in a chair, one facing the door. The empty state did not bother her in the least, as she fully intended to wait as long as necessary, having all night to do so. Allyssa was sleeping with Carina in Carina's room, reluctant to be far from her right now, and Regulus had been asleep as well in a chair in Carina's room. If either girl awoke, he would no doubt see them back to sleep, but if someone did come to her room, she had instructed a house-elf to inform them she had been called out and would be 'late' returning.

Though casually so, her wand was in her lap beneath neatly folded hands as she stared into the fire, motionless and in shadow. The only change in this came when footsteps were heard, as then she grasped the wand completely and lifted her gaze from the fire to the door.

Ads by Project Wonderful! Your ad here, right now: $0

(Post a new comment)

blackeststar
2008-03-01 07:06 am UTC (link)

Bellatrix should have noticed that the fire was lit where before it had not been. Little things like that, small signs of someone else being in her home, would normally have led to her searching the house, wand in hand, to suss out the intruder. However, this time, after the excitement of preparing for the battle, the maddening experience of watching Carina, and the elation that came with hearing of the success of their massacre, Bellatrix made one small mistake. She didn't immediately notice the signs of her intruder.

She was halfway in the house and had taken off her cloak when noticed the familiar blonde woman sitting in the chair facing the door. Instinctively her wand darted to point at the intruder, as she would to any surprise, but it was just her sister after all so it lowered a moment later. The fire's flickering light had allowed Bellatrix to overlook her for an instant, but now Narcissa was here, and now, she knew, the real trouble would begin. A true intruder would likely be less trouble than this.

"For Merlin's sake, Cissy, you nearly got yourself killed, you should give us a bit more warning before coming to visit." Part of her knew why her sister was here, that she was about to be the recipient of her sister's hellcat anger, but part of her knew that no matter how bright her sister's anger, it would pass. They were the Black sisters, after all, the only ones left, and they had to stick together. Traitorous cousins aside, they were all they had left.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

pure_cissa
2008-03-01 07:15 am UTC (link)

Behind Bellatrix, Rodolphus bit back a curse and threw his cloak into a chair, turning warily to face Narcissa. Though he made no overt movements for his wand, it could be in his hand in a second if necessary. If it came to that, however, he knew there would be more problems than that, for Bellatrix would not doubt turn on him.

The 'hellcat anger' Narcissa was well known for among those who had been the closest to her would have been better than was motivated her now. That anger had come first, but had been first set aside by Carina's desire to have everyone in eyesight, preventing her from murder, and then later reasoned with when Rabastan had come home and kept her from finding Bellatrix and Rodolphus and injuring them severely. Now, her demeanor was calm and cold, her intent near diabolical in how clear her mind was and how little hot rage she felt. It was a state that was far more dangerous but far less obvious a danger unless one did not underestimate her, which people frequently did.

"This is not a social call, Bellatrix. Nor do I intend to stay long. What I have come to say is quite short indeed and best delivered in person."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blackeststar
2008-03-01 02:45 pm UTC (link)

Had they been through just a bit less together, Bellatrix might have been worried by that icily calm demeanor, but this was her sister, and she could not see how Narcissa could stay truly angry at her for long, no matter the circumstances.

"I know, I know..." She went to pick Rodolphus's cloak off of the chair, folding it neatly and sitting it back there before continuing. She couldn't shake her feeling of nervousness, as though something awful were about to happen, and she didn't like it, particularly after they had worked so hard to plan the New Years attacks and after the celebrations that had happened since.

"So you're angry about what happened with the traitor's daughter, I understand that." She turned back to face Narcissa, her face still composed with a neutral look. "But you must have suspected that I would be forced to act when I was told nothing about who the stranger living under your roof was. THat bastard could have hurt you or Bastan, and I won't have it. And now that I know..." Her eyes flashed with something before returning to a calm, neutral look. "How could you, Cissy? He betrayed us! He ran away and faked his death and displayed more cowardice than I've ever seen in my life! And now you're here on his behalf because he's too frightened to fight his own battles, turning against your own sister to take the side of a traitor. This is MADNESS."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

pure_cissa
2008-03-01 11:59 pm UTC (link)

"Madness?" Narcissa repeated coldly, rising slowly from the chair. "What is madness, dear sister, is you abducting innocent pureblood children, a child you knew was of our blood because I told you so, no matter what the truth of that blood was, and holding her like some animal. That, Bellatrix, is cowardice, those are cowardly actions and you are more a coward than any I have ever met before. What I have come to say I have come to say on my own behalf. I have no doubt Regulus will deal with you in his own time and way, but you lied to me when I wrote to you and it is for that reason you will answer to me in part on this. You kidnapped a child. Such an action is monstrous and so far below your blood that I am forced to the conclusion you are no longer a Black as we were raised to be."

Behind Bellatrix, Rodolphus surged forward, but restrained himself before actually reaching both women and turned on his heel, moving to the window to hide the look of fury he sported, his cursing soundless but livid nonetheless.

Narcissa did not even turn in his direction despite his clearly furious pacing. Her gaze had not moved from Bellatrix, her posture had not weakened in the slightest and she had not retreated from the expectation of what her words would do. She had one thing left to say, at it was by far the most important and it was that she moved closer to say, until she was nearly toe to toe with Bellatrix.

"You are dead to me," she said quietly, the words emotionless but her eyes, if it were possible, even colder than before, "and if you or Rodolphus come near any of us again, I will not hesitate to eliminate you both as a danger, permanently."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blackeststar
2008-03-02 01:16 am UTC (link)

Bellatrix blinked a few times, concentrating on breathing steadily before replying. This had to be some tactic on her part, had to be some sort of ploy to get her to agree to leave the traitor's bratling alone. Well it was not necessary, not at all, as the time that she had spent with Carina BLACK was more than enough to persuade her that children were not something that she wanted to be involved with anymore.

"You're being rash." She said quickly, wanting to shrug it off as nothing more than a typical Black tempermental outburst even though the coldness to her sister's voice and look said otherwise. She wanted Cissy to throw something, to threaten to kill them with far more passionate words. No, this...this was thought out. Calculated. This could be permanent.

But it COULDN'T Bella wouldn't allow it. You couldn't just go through a whole life with someone as your sister and then cast them aside over a cousin who had faked his own death out of cowardice. Why, Regulus (if he was even going by that anymore) had not bothered to tell his family of his survival, why should he benefit from the their help now? She glanced to Rodolphus, wondering how he was handling all of this, from the intruder to her sisters eerily calm temper.

"I won't let you do this, Cissy." Her eyes were dark, still reeling from when her own sister had insisted that she wasn't acting as a Black daughter had been raised to act, but she wouldn't give up now. Her family was at stake. "I won't let you choose this coward over our family. He chose his fate, he chose to run away. We are sisters and we will remain sisters and even if you want to throw around phrases like 'dead to me' now, you're very much alive to me, and I will protect you." even from yourself... Bella inserted silently to herself.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

pure_cissa
2008-03-02 01:38 am UTC (link)

Without another word, Rodolphus stormed out of the room. Staying meant silencing the filth Narcissa spoke and while it would give him great satisfaction, it would turn Bellatrix on him. He would not let Narcissa Malfoy ruin his life. Someday, however, he would see hers ruined.

"I am choosing no one over my family, Bellatrix Lestrange," Narcissa said, as icy cold as before, but deep inside the denial of her sister, Bellatrix's clear inability to comprehend all of this, pained Narcissa. Bellatrix and Rodolphus had brought this upon themselves, and though Narcissa had ignored or forgiven much over the years, she could not let this go unpunished, even if that punishment came at a price far greater than any before. Regulus had left the service of the Dark Lord, he had escaped a violent death, but he had not run off with a Muggleborn or rejected his family and their beliefs. Regulus was not Andromeda or Sirius and she would not allow Bellatrix or Rodolphus to target him, even had they not gone after Carina. However, they had, and that move was unforgivable to Narcissa, the same as it would have had it been Allyssa, the same as it would have had they ever harmed Draco.

"Carina and Regulus, as well as Draco, Daphne, Allyssa and Rabastan, are my family," she continued, chin lifting. "You lost the right to be the same the moment you stole Carina away and then willfully kept her when you knew the truth. You have my final word on this and I will not repeat myself."

It was only then that Narcissa looked away from Bellatrix, looked away as she walked away.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blackeststar
2008-03-02 02:02 am UTC (link)

"What in the name of Salazar are you doing?" Bellatrix demanded, cheeks flushing with fury. "I did what I had to do to protect YOU. Any sister would be concerned if they hear that the other has taken in a virtual stranger. I spent hours looking through the little of the Rosiers that I COULD from here and I discovered NONE of them that could have been a Mr. Aiden Sarcelles. How was I to know that you weren't so hungry to have family around you that you overlooked the fact that there was no obvious link and accepted him? I didn't want you swindled into raising someone else's little brat, and I didn't want him to hurt you or Bastan. I did what HAD to be done. I did what I would have wanted someone else to do if I were in your situation."

She flexed her fingers and then clenched them just as swiftly. She wouldn't reach for her wand, she wouldn't. Tearing up her own home would accomplish nothing and Narcissa wouldn't be intimidated by a few shards of glass.

"I am your family, Narcissa. I was your family first and I have never stopped being your family. What are you going to do, blast my name off of the Black family tree for protecting you?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

pure_cissa
2008-03-02 02:25 am UTC (link)

Though Narcissa paused, she did not turn back around to face Bellatrix. She had been under no delusions that her sister would accept this, but she also refused to continue to repeat herself indefinitely. The longer she stayed, the greater the danger this cold resolve would prove to be. There was also the danger it would flame into heated anger and she knew, if it did, that would be the final showdown between the two of them. Even if she was cutting Bellatrix completely out of her life, even if while furious she had wanted Bellatrix gone, Rabastan had made her understand she would have never forgiven herself if she had taken Bellatrix's life... and he was right.

But, it was time to leave, to put Bellatrix literally and figuratively behind her.

"As it apparently slipped your notice, I have been protecting myself for many years, protecting myself when you cared only about your Cause.," she said quietly, cold and without resentment. "As for the tapestry? Even if it were in my possession, I would not blast you off, as I have never been and never will be the one to alter that damnable thing. This is my personal choice, Bellatrix. I am not taking your name away from you, nor your inheritance, but I am removing you from my life."

She paused again as she reached the doorway leading out of the front room, but still she did not turn around.

"Goodbye, Bellatrix," she said quietly and left the house.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blackeststar
2008-03-02 02:47 am UTC (link)

Bellatrix watched Narcissa stride out of the room, her mind whirling with a million different things to say or do to make her stop this ridiculous behavior but she thought of nothing good in time. She closed her mouth after the futile search for the right thing to say and sighed heavily. Damn.

"Rodolphus!" she called, unsure of what her next course of action should be, or even if there should be one. She wanted him near now. Her sister had always been the one of the biggest constants of her life, and with her gone, she wanted her husband that much nearer. Her fingertips closed over her wand. Perhaps they would go out and exact revenge on the wizarding world at large for this. Perhaps he would make love to her until she could hear their hearts hammering so loudly that other thought was impossible. Perhaps he would break things and amuse her until thoughts of Cissy were past, but whatever he would do, she wanted it done quickly.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

famedwolf
2008-03-02 02:57 am UTC (link)

Rodolphus, however, was no longer in the house nor even in the general area. Staying had meant losing control, staying had meant dealing with Bellatrix once Narcissa was gone, and both of those things would have been doomed to make he and Bellatrix fight to the near death, for he knew no matter how much of a bitch Narcissa had been and would be, Bellatrix would hear no wrong said about her, tolerate no wrong done to her. It was best he clear his head far form the temptation to retaliate against Narcissa or say the things he often refrained from saying.

There would be no comfort this night.

(Reply to this) (Parent)