Symphony | Andromeda Black

Bellatrix

Not much happened for the rest of the term, unless you counted a new art shop opening in Hogsmeade, which Andromeda definitely did. She had no money, but would spend ages outside the window, looking in at the chalks and paints with longing. She had never used paints before. Druella had forbidden them, saying they would destroy the house. She wanted them so badly she thought she would burst, but she knew there was absolutely no chance that her mother would ever let her have them.

The summer began and they went home, Andromeda wishing her friends goodbye at the station, heart sinking as they went back to their cold, empty house. Druella and Bellatrix had another argument that evening, shouting echoing throughout the house. Andromeda went to bed early to avoid it and was half asleep when there was a knock on her door. She sat up, turning on the light and blinking in the sudden brightness.

It was Bellatrix, Narcissa with her. Her younger sister looked slightly puzzled, Bellatrix calm. She was holding two packages wrapped in brown paper, and she lingered by the door. "Can we come in?"

Andromeda was surprised to see her, but nodded, and her older sister came and sat on her bed, Narcissa on her other side. Although it was warm inside, Bellatrix was wearing a deep black cloak Andromeda hadn't seen before, fastened with a gold brooch.

"This is for you," she said, holding out one package, and Andromeda took it hesitantly. She turned to Narcissa with the longer one. "And this is for you."

"Can I open it now?"

"Well I'm not waiting for bloody Christmas," Bellatrix said with the flicker of a smile on her pale face. None of the Blacks were in the habit of swearing. Cygnus would have caned her for using even a simple word like that.

Andromeda carefully shelled off her wrapping, but Narcissa ripped hers right open. It was a doll. Not a homemade one, like her ragged Cassie, or even a plastic one like the ones Glenda's little sister had. It was a proper doll, almost as tall as a small child. Her hair was soft and black, her eyes big and blue, and she wore a dress with lace petticoats.

"Oh, thank you so much!" Narcissa half shrieked, because it was what she had always wanted, even though Druella now said she was too old for dolls.

"Keep your voice down!" Bellatrix hissed, looking towards the door, and she dropped it abruptly. Bellatrix elbowed Andromeda, who had paused. "Don't you want to see yours?"

Andromeda undid the last of the paper, and pulled out a glossed wooden box. She knew what it was. She hands started shaking. "Oh Bellatrix," she whispered. "Bellatrix –"

She eased open the lid slowly, trembling, and saw the paints in all their wonderful colours, the soft paintbrush.

"You were forever mooning after it in Hogsmeade," Bellatrix's voice was dismissive. "So I got it for you."

"But wasn't it expensive?" She whispered, her hands stroking the wood.

She shrugged dismissively. "I've got money."

"Thank you," she half whispered, hugging it to her tightly. "But...why did you buy us presents, Bella? Where are you going?"

Bellatrix fidgeted with the brooch at her throat. "We're going tonight."

Andromeda's head jerked up. "Going where?"

"To Rodolphus. We're getting married next week."

"But....does Mother know?" Narcissa asked.

"Of course not. You heard her, all this evening. She wants me to go back to school. I don't need to. The Dark Lord will give me everything I need. You two will have to pack quickly. The portkey's in a few minutes."

Andromeda stared. Bellatrix was talking too quickly for her fuzzy brain to understand. "But – to Lestrange Manor?"

"Yes," Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

"But - is Mother coming?"

"How many times? No! Why would I bring her?"

Andromeda chewed her lip, but it was Narcissa who spoke. "But she needs us to take care of her."

"To take care of her?" Bellatrix repeated. "Cissy, she should be the one taking care of us! Except she never has, has she? She's useless and we're better off without her. Come on, get your things."

She flicked her wand and her trunk marched in the doorway, Narcissa's following behind as clothes fit themselves into it. Andromeda imagined leaving Druella here, going to live with Bellatrix. Perhaps it would be better. Perhaps....perhaps Bellatrix would be happy with her husband, and they'd have lots of babies soon, and Andromeda and Narcissa could be close again......

But Narcissa was shaking her head, shattering the dream. "We can't go, Bellatrix," she whispered. "We can't leave her on her own."

"She leaves us on our own all the time," Andromeda fidgeted with the catch on her new paint box. "Cissy...."

"Don't you understand, Narcissa?" Bellatrix asked her. "You don't have to stay here anymore. You can come and live with me. We'll be a proper family."

"Without Mother," Narcissa said flatly. "With The Dark Lord."

"Mother's a drunk, Narcissa! She's a trainwreck. She doesn't care about us, she never cared about us, so why should we care about her?"

She had colour in her cheeks now, bright pink spots. "Come on, we're leaving in ten minutes."

Narcissa shook her head again, though she was trembling. "I'm not going, Bellatrix."

For a moment, Bellatrix stared, but then she snapped into action again, waving her wand so Andromeda's trunk flew towards them. "Suit yourself," she snapped. "Andy, put on your cloak."

Andromeda  couldn't leave Narcissa here alone. She wasn't even thirteen yet. She didn't know how to cope with their mother's moods or how to take care of herself properly.

Andromeda had always taken care of her little sister. She couldn't leave her.

"Bellatrix," she said quietly. "I'm not going either."

Bellatrix's magic collapsed, the trunk falling to the floor, clothes spilling out, and her shoulders shook before she had them under control.

"Fine then," she said, and her voice broke just a little bit, her dark eyes shining. "Stay here. See if I care."

Then she turned on her heel and stormed out, her trunk following behind her. They heard her on the stairs, and then there was no other sound.

"Maybe she'll come back," Narcissa whispered into the silence. They waited almost an hour before they gave up.

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In the morning, Druella woke up late. She ate little at breakfast, just coffee and a slice of toast, and she looked at her two daughters across the table.

"Where's Bellatrix?"

"She's gone, Mother," Andromeda said quietly.

"Gone?" She said, blinking at her. "Don't be ridiculous. Where would she go?"

"She left last night. She's gone to Lestrange Manor."

Druella shook her head and stood up from the table, going up the stairs, her daughters following, and entered Bellatrix's bedroom. The window was open, curtains fluttering in the slight breeze.

"Bellatrix?" She called. "Bellatrix?"

The bed was neatly made, and the pictures were all still on the walls, but all the shoes that usually stood in front of the wardrobe were gone. Druella threw the doors of it open, pushed the empty hangers aside desperately, clattering them together, and there, right at the back, were her Hogwarts robes, all alone in the vast wardrobe.