THE SNITCH | narcissa black malfoy

i. who broke the music box

The clatter of smashed glass is impossible to ignore. Cygnus stalks into the parlor with storm clouds in his eyes. He stops at the broken music box at the foot of the cabinet then turns his furious gaze upon his three daughters.

They bow their heads with guilt, not one daring to face him.

"Well?" Cygnus prompts. "Who did this?"

The silence stretches before them as taut as a tripwire. Cygnus steps nearer to Narcissa, whose chin quivers from the force of not meeting his gaze.

"My little angel," he coos. His palm tucks under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "How could I be mad at you, little Narcissa? Was it you who broke the box?"

With her wide eyes tilted upwards, Cissy cannot search her sisters' forms for the answer. So she tells him the truth with a small shake of her head.

"Hmm," he muses. "I thought as much. But Narcissa, if I do not know which one of you did this, then I will be forced to punish all three."

"It was Bella!" she blurts. Father has never punished her, the baby of the family. But his wrath is known well throughout the house, and Narcissa does not wish to incur it. "It was an accident, but Bella–"

"Thank you, Narcissa," Cygnus cuts her off with a pat of her head. She preens with triumph until she looks over to see Bella, not enraged but aghast and pale. Cygnus grabs Bella by the wrist and drags her into his office. With a slam of the heavy mahogany door, Andromeda and Narcissa are alone.

When she turns to Andromeda, Annie is the most furious Cissy has ever seen her.

"You little snitch," she hisses. Annie snatches Cissy's wrist, not unlike the way Father had grabbed Bella's. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"It was the truth," Cissy pleads. "Bella did break it, and Father was so angry so I–"

"Never snitch against us, Cissy." Annie presses on Cissy's wrist with meaning, though not enough to hurt her. "Never against the family."