Chapter 21
NARCISSA BLACK
It was rare for Narcissa to be surprised, yet her first trip into the Muggle World had truly left her with nothing but surprise. Ever since she had been young, Narcissa had been taught that the Muggles were nothing but savages, and their existence was meaningless in comparison to witches and wizards who ran the world.
And while not believing it entirely. Narcissa had thought them different. She had thought them primitive. And while they were different than witches and wizards, primitive they were not primitive.
They lacked magic, yet they made up for it through their unique inventions. They could not apparate, nor did they have brooms or floo. But they had cars and airplanes. Their pictures did not move, as theirs did. But they were able to capture moments and people just like them, and even have them capture them in a film that much resembled their own moving pictures.
They had cassettes, phones, and so much more. And over the next weeks, that single trip into Muggle London had turned into three, as she found herself intrigued by the world in which Muggles and Muggle-borns had grown up—the world in which Alder had grown up.
She had found herself looking forward to their little escapades, and the subtle glances they would exchange in the Hall, and in the Corridors, as if speaking in a language that only the two of them understood.
It was exhilarating. It was exciting. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before, and she could only hope that it would never end.
Yet some things were simply not meant to be, as she found herself holding two letters from her family.
One of them was a simple summons from their grandfather, as he ordered all of the Blacks to gather at the ancestral home during Samhain. It was strange and peculiar, yet it was the other letter that troubled her, for it was from her father.
It contained an order from him for her to mend things with Lucius, warning her in subtle words that her failure to comply would not end well for her. She should have expected this.
She did expect this, yet what she had not expected was how much it would pain her. She had begun believing that she had a future with Alder, that their little foray of love and new discoveries could overcome the politics and ambition of her father.
But she was wrong.
And in this moment of helplessness, she found herself reaching for the only person who could understand her pain.
"Ignore it," Andy added without any hint, as she tossed the letter on the bed, much to her surprise.
"What?" she gasped, thinking that maybe she had heard.
"I said ignore it," Andy repeated, as Narcissa found herself doubting the sense of her sister.
"But it's father. You know what he might do if he learns…." And she did not have the words to mouth the consequences of her actions. She knew very well.
Yet, despite her words, her sister smiled as her eyes narrowed.
"You have been so lost in your love that you have entirely missed the rumor, haven't you?" and she knew not of which rumor she spoke.
And she blushed at those words, as she asked, trying to shift away from Andy's attention.
"What rumor?" Her sister saw through her little ploy but chose to play along.
"Grandfather's not happy with Father, or the matches he has secured for us, and that was a surprise to her, for he had generally kept himself out of such matters.
"He was already against the Blacks making common cause with the likes of Malfoy and the rest, but father and aunt Walburga chose to go ahead without his blessing. But your letter forced his hand, and now he is going to re-evaluate the politics of our House," and so that was why Father was asking her to mend ties with Malfoy, so that she would not badmouth him in front of Grandfather.
"So, what should I do?" she asked again, and this time her sister did not answer instantly.
"That depends," she began, as Andy sat down beside her.
"If you want to be the perfect Black daughter, then accept our father's words and make amends with Lucius," and she felt her fists ball up at those words. As she imagined herself with Lucius again, she felt her guts twist in disgust and apprehension, as she remembered her times with Alder and how she would feel by his side.
"But I don't think you want that for yourself," Andy asked, already knowing the answer.
Inside Lucius, there was a darkness that would always keep her on edge. A darkness that had only continued to grow, one that she feared she could ignore no more. With him, she had to be the Narcissa Black, daughter of House Black. She had to be formal, polite, and perfect.
Alder was different. He was not blind to her faults, yet he embraced them—her ignorance, her prejudice, her politics. He embraced them all, as he showed her a new world, led her through new experiences and ventures that she would never have gotten a chance to live through otherwise.
He was kind and accepting. With him, she could just be Narcissa. She did not have to be the perfect bride or perfect wife. She could laugh, scream, and question without any hesitation, and she wanted that for herself.
She wanted to be Narcissa. Plain and simple, Narcissa.
"No, I don't," and the words left her mouth without any difficulty, as Andy grabbed her hand.
"Then you will have to take a stand sooner rather than later. Because for you and I love is nothing short of a battlefield…."
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SIRIUS BLACK
Him and Regulus did not talk much after that day. But things did change.
The two of them no longer treated one another like strangers, for where once they would pass by one another without even a nod, they would now greet one another and ask about the day if they so desired.
One day was not enough to wipe away years of misunderstanding and pain, but Regulus was far more forgiving as a brother than he deserved. It was why he found himself reaching once more for the letter from his grandfather, summoning him for a family gathering on Christmas.
He had promised Regulus that he would attend the meeting, yet it did not make him any less apprehensive about meeting his family once more, for though he now knew that he was no longer alone in his beliefs about blood purity in the House of Black, he also knew that none of them could speak up openly for him.
That he would have to be careful with his words lest he ruin the lives of his cousins and brother.
He would have liked to avoid it all, but he had made a promise to Regulus, and he intended to keep it.
"It's a full moon tomorrow," James's voice broke him out of his trance, as Sirius quickly pushed the letter under his pillow, and James's eyes narrowed.
"What?" he asked, again as James repeated slowly.
"I said that there is going to be a full moon tomorrow," his friend repeated, his plan obvious.
"We are doing it then," Sirius asked, as excitement bubbled inside him, and James nodded.
"Yeah. Alder's given us the go-ahead as well. We can finally help Remus now," and though it had been perilous work that had taken them over the better part of a year, Hogwarts now boasted four illegal animagi.
Alder had led them through their final transformation a few weeks ago, and now they were comfortable enough with their animal forms to help out Remus.
"I plan on surprising him with our forms tonight. You in," and of course, he was in.
"Do you really need to ask that?" and James grinned, knowing the answer already.
"No," James answered, before his eyes narrowed.
"But I do need to ask you a question?" and Sirius nodded.
"Ask away," and his friend moved like a blur as he reached for his pillow, and he was too late to react, as he failed to stop him.
"James…" he called out, but the dark-haired boy jumped away in an instant.
"What secrets are you keeping from me, Black? Who is this special girl who has got you so hooked…" yet he stopped, as those eyes skimmed over the letter, as Sirius felt a pang of shame and guilt course through him.
"Give it back," he said, and James' face shifted as he slowly gave him back the letter.
"Sorry," he added as Sirius took it back.
"I thought it was from a girl, and you were trying to hide it from m…" and Sirius waved it away.
"It's not, obviously," and James did not say anything, as he simply plopped down on the bed in silence, though Sirius could tell that he wanted to say something.
"Say it," he could not bear it anymore, as James' eyes snapped towards him.
"Whatever is on your mind, say it," he clarified, as James began.
"You are thinking of going to that, aren't you?" and they were best friends for a reason.
"Yes," he could not lie to him.
"Why?" James asked.
"You hate your family," and he was reminded that he had not shared what had happened between him and Regulus with him, nor had he told him about the secrets of his cousins.
Although the latter was not something he could really share.
"I thought I did, but I met with Regulus a few weeks ago," and he told James about their meeting, and the Potter boy listened in silence, and by the end of it all, he was speechless.
"So, you are telling me that the dark-haired boy in the club had been Regulus," and Sirius nodded, as James shook his head.
"Damn! I never would have guessed that," James was obviously surprised, as he added.
"That is a lot to take in," he added, and of course it was. Hell, even Sirius was still coming to terms with the fact that his entire family was not evil incarnate.
"And Regulus is not alone," he added, just to give him the entire context.
"There are others in my family who do not agree with the blood purist agenda, but just like him, they cannot be open about their feelings," and after knowing that he could not simply abandon them.
Sirius was not the kind to do that.
"Really? Who?" James asked, and he shook his head.
"Don't ask that. It's not my secret to share," and James backed off, as he whistled before shaking his hand.
"It seems like the Black Family is full of Black Sheep," and he had thought so as well, as both of them broke into a chuckle.
"What! It was right there," James argue, and what could he say. It was well said.
"Still, I have to attend, but I just can't find it in myself to face mother, and my entire family, all by myself," and James did not make light of his problems, for he was amongst the few who understood them.
"You need an ally," James added after half a minute of silence.
"What?"
"In the meeting, you need an ally," James repeated, and Sirius nodded.
"Let me ask mother, maybe she will know someone who could help you," and that was the first idea, and though it was a bit strange, he had no other option.
"Sure," Sirius added.
"Speaking of mother, the Longbottoms wrote to her over the weekend," and that was a name he had not expected to hear.
"Why?"
"Frank wants us to spend Christmas with him to help him with his wedding and shit," and Longbottom was their senior, and a good friend. He was a simple enough man who had somehow landed himself one of Hogwarts ' most sought-after girls.
"Who else will be there?" he asked, for Frank's circle was not so big, given his shy nature.
"You, me, Tonks, and maybe Alder," and that was about it.
The Longbottoms had a large enough manor to house them all.
"I don't think Alder will come," Sirius added, and James nodded.
"Yeah, but Tonks will," and he was interested in knowing a bit more about the Hufflepuff boy for other reasons as well.
"You in?" James asked, and Sirius nodded.
"Sure," he answered, as James went back to their initial topic.
"I am going to go and get Remus. The four of us will meet in the Astronomy tower in an hour," and Sirius nodded.
"I will get Peter," and with that, their plan for the night was made, as they each jumped out of the bed to deal with their respective problems.
And an hour later, with the Moon up in the sky, the four Marauders gathered in the Astronomy tower, as a pale and ghastly looking Remus asked nervously.
"What is it about?" the dishevelled, ill-looking boy asked as the three of them stood in a line.
"We have something to show you," James began, bubbling with excitement.
"You know how we have always wanted to help you during the nights you transform," and Remus's face shifted.
"You can't," he whispered tiredly.
"No one can," he added dejectedly, as Sirius chimed in.
"Not as humans, we can't. But a year ago, the three of us hit on a plan," and Remus's head snapped towards them, as his brows furrowed.
"What have you done?" he gasped, fearing the worst.
"Since we cannot accompany you as humans, we will accompany you as animals," James finished, as he closed his eyes, and suddenly the air shifted as his body began to shift and morph before a stag stood where James once stood, as Remus's eyes widened in surprise.
Peter was next, and he turned into a rat, a bit larger than normal, as Sirius smiled.
"I give you, Prongs, Wormtail, and Padfoot," and with that, he closed his eyes, and the familiar sense of magic hit him, before he felt his words and body shift, as he transformed into his animagus form.
"You damn bastards…."
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