Narcissa

Resolutions

"Regulus, darling. Cover up well, it's too cold."

Aunt Walburga seemed truly out of place in that snowy wasteland, like a small black spot in a white painting, as she hurried to her son to better adjust the hood of his jacket on his head. "I don't want you to catch a cold," she said thoughtfully, before straightening up and resuming walking with her husband.

"I don't want you to catch a cold, blah blah blah," Sirius mocked him, walking several steps away from them. Narcissa turned to him to give him a murderous look, then she noticed that Regulus was coming towards her.

"Hey, Cissy!" In an instant, two large bright eyes stood before her, so similar to those of her brother Sirius, yet so different in the amazed admiration they turned to her. From his mouth, his breath condensed into clouds of smoke as he caught his breath after running in the snow. "How are you? And why isn't Bellatrix here today?"

Every year, the Black family would gather with other pure-blood wizarding families to celebrate the arrival of the new year. No Black had ever missed this important ritual before.

"I think she had other commitments with her husband," Narcissa replied, uncertainly.

Sirius, who hadn't missed a word, shouted from a distance: "I know what commitments Bellatrix has, with that criminal Rodolphus Lestrange." Once again, Narcissa gave him a nasty look.

"But how do you put up with your brother?" she then asked Regulus, her nerves on edge.

"I don't put up with him, in fact!"

Together, they continued to walk behind their relatives, as the sun slowly began to set over the mountain peaks. When they finally reached the celebration site, some witches and wizards were already busy lighting a bonfire. As tradition dictated, those present were to form a circle around the fire and throw into the flames everything old that they had brought.

Narcissa sat down next to Regulus and stared at the fire as if hypnotized. "Any resolutions for the new year?" she then asked her cousin, to break the silence.

He replied immediately, as if he hadn't had to think too much about it. "I hope to make amends for the pain Sirius inflicts on our family every day." On the other side of the fire, they saw him throw an old family heirloom into the flames, drawing disapproving shouts from his parents. "And what are your resolutions for the new year?"

Narcissa forced herself not to think about Lucius anymore. "I don't know," she said, shrugging.

"Oh, come on... I know there's some desire you want to fulfill. We all have at least one," the young man insisted, leaning towards her with curiosity.

"I would like... I would like a certain person to ask for my hand." Narcissa lowered her head, and a sad smile played on her lips, reddened from the cold. "Silly of me, isn't it? But isn't that what all girls want?"

Regulus began to wring his hands, the flickering lights of the fire reflected on his childlike face. "Rest assured, only a madman wouldn't want you as his wife."

"The problem is, he's really a madman!" Narcissa turned to her cousin. "Anyway, you're very sweet, Reg. Thank you."

He blushed slightly, thinking that Narcissa had never been so beautiful as on that New Year's Eve, under the stars and pale moon, next to the big bonfire. His heart started to race when he saw her face approaching slowly and, instinctively, he closed his eyes and opened his lips. He felt a slight sense of disappointment when she brushed his cheek with a kiss, but he was happy for the contact nonetheless.

"Happy New Year, cousin."

"It will be for sure."