The Marriages of Destiny

The Marriages of Destiny

Andromeda gasped as Ted suddenly took her hand in his own sweaty and warm palm and fell to his knees before her. With his free hand he fumbled through his robe pocket, searching desperately for something - aha. He released her hand quickly to open the small, navy-blue velvet box, before hurriedly snatching it up again and presenting the thing inside: a small, golden ring with a single diamond on it.

"An - Andromeda," he gasped, "willyoumarryme?"

You knew this was coming.

Andromeda gulped, her heart beating erratically in her chest, as she stared at the man before her. His glasses were slightly askew and his hair, as usual, was very untidy, but his eyes shined forth like beacons of hope. Those eyes, which told her whenever she looked into them what she was supposed to do for the rest of her life - be with Ted Tonks.

Andromeda Tonks.

What will they say? a part of her brain frantically screamed, showing pictures of her family in her mind's eye. Mother, Father, Narcissa, and Bellatrix...what will they say?

For you see, Tad was a Gryffindor. A Gryffindor and a Muggle-born. Never before had a Black ever married a Gryffindor or a Muggle-born. Never.

But then again, never before had a Black been in Ravenclaw, either.

He loved her. She looked down into his loving, familiar face, and felt her heart swell. This man loves me.

And I love him. Everything about him. The way his hair falls into his face when he studies, how brave he is, how he's forever tripping himself up and breaking his glasses - I love him!

"Yes, yes!" she choked, before her brain could bring up more protestations. Andromeda flung herself to the floor and threw her arms around Ted Tonks, tears streaming down her face. "I will!"

*

"Narcissa, I've come to speak with you about something very important. May I come in?"

Breathe. You knew this was coming.

Narcissa inclined her head coolly. "Of course," she said, her tone politely distant. She stood aside as Lucius Malfoy walked into the huge marble foyer of her parent's mansion, his strides sure and steady.

Narcissa knew why he was here, and he was aware she knew it, too. But, as if nothing were going on, he looked her straight in the eye, his gray-blue orbs as cold and icy as the frozen lake behind Narcissa's house, and said, "Might we go into the parlor?"

Gracefully Narcissa glided into the parlor, her face as distant and calm as any great poker-player's. From looking at her pale, flawless features, no one would have guessed at the rate her heart was going.

She was scared for a moment, as Lucius turned to seat himself in an armchair, that she might loose her control. Because that would have been a complete disaster, she said, "Pardon me while I see to some refreshments."

Lucius gave the small, permitting smile of one who is so sure enough of attaining something in the near future that he can wait a while to get it, and properly said, "But of course, my dear."

Narcissa left the richly furnished room and was halfway to the kitchens before she allowed herself to slow to a halt and lean against the wall. Her hands were shaking, and it was impossible to ignore the part of her that was currently suffering a painful death - the part of her that had been instilled by her older sister Andromeda. The part of her that was holding out for love.

She knew she couldn't turn Lucius Malfoy down. It was expected of Narcissa from the day she was born that she would marry a Malfoy. Her parents had been eagerly anticipating this match for all of her nineteen years.

Of course it had to be Narcissa. Andromeda was persona non gratis in every pure-blooded household in the wizarding world ever since her shocking first year, when she had been pronounced a Ravenclaw instead of a Slytherin. That was the outward reason for her exile, but it wasn't everything. There was the whole business with Tad Tonks, too.

Their parents had disowned her when she flatly refused to end her relationship with the Mudblood Gryffindor after leaving Hogwarts, and Narcissa hadn't seen her sister in three years.

They were the same year, Lucius and Andromeda. Narcissa tended to forget that; she saw Lucius as being much older than his twenty-one years. He certainly looked it - he -

"Can I be helping you, Miss?"

Narcissa was jerked from her reverie suddenly by the cautious question from one their hundreds (literally) of house-elves.

"Yes," she snapped, angry at being caught unawares and vulnerable. "Have refreshments sent up to the parlor immediately."

"Yes, Miss," the house-elf said quickly, and with a click of its fingers and a crack, it was gone.

Narcissa had nothing to do but turn around and walk back to the parlor, steeling herself for her destiny - the destiny that she could do nothing to change.

*

Bellatrix Black lifted one black eyebrow in amusement as she looked at Rodolphus Lestrange. He had cornered her in the Slytherin common room - thankfully, it was deserted - and asked her to marry him.

"Oh?" she said, taunting him, wanting to make him sweat. She was going to accept him, of course, but there was no sense in telling him that too hastily. She had known this was coming.

"Any why do you want to marry me, Rodolphus?"

Rodolphus blanched. Bellatrix was smiling at him with glee - a sick sort of glee - and she knew he was suddenly doubtful of his proposal.

"I, er," he stuttered.

The truth was, she had picked Rodolphus's twin brother Rabastan out long ago as the man fit to marry her - he was intelligent and handsome. However, he had never paid a whit of attention to Bellatrix, which she hated - she was used to being the center of attention, worshipped by all men. She had seen Rabastan as a challenge, and ruthlessly pursued him through her years at Hogwarts; but now, in her last year, she had grown bored of the game. Rodolphus shared a bit of his brother's intelligence and looks - not as much as she would like, but he would have to do. Besides, it wasn't as though she had to choose between the two. Rabastan would live with her and Rodolphus in their manor house, after all. That certainly was having one's cake and eating it, too.

"If you think I'll marry you without a reason," Bellatrix went on, circling around him, "you're certainly wrong." They were about the same height, which was rare - Bellatrix was considerably tall for a woman - and both dark-featured.

"Well," Rodolphus stuttered again nervously, "I - er - I care for you," he said hesitantly.

"Oh, you do?" Both black eyebrows went up. Oh, how Bellatrix loved this game!

"Er, yes."

"What about security?" she inquired, pouting prettily, her full, red lower lip protruded. "After leaving Hogwarts, where shall we live?" She twisted the ring he had slid onto her finger earlier, rubbing her thumb against the enormous, ancient diamonds and emeralds that adorned the platinum band. Not too bad.

Rodolphus looked relieved - this was a question he certainly could answer. "My manor home, of course. My mother is still alive, but unfortunately an invalid. She'll die soon, though," he said, as though reassuring her that they would have privacy.

"What of your brother? Must I share a house with both you men?"

"He has a house somewhere else," Rodolphus said vaguely.

Bellatrix felt her stomach sinking slightly - but only slightly. Bellatrix Black never gave up. She would seduce Rabastan someday, that she knew without a doubt.

"Hmm...I suppose I shall marry you. You're awfully darling for asking." Bellatrix patted his pale cheek. "I'll tell Mother and Father. They'll be terribly pleased. Au revoir, dearest!"

And that was that.