Ice and Fire

Sisters don't need words. They have perfected a language of snarls and smiles and frowns and winks - expressions of shocked surprise and incredulity and disbelief. Sniffs and snorts and gasps and sighs - that can undermine any tale you're telling. -Pam Brown

The Black Sisters

One mistake, that's all it took to ruin a family. They were told it was resist or serve, that there was no other way out. You either served the Dark Lord or you died. If only it were that simple, only so pure. The simplest of things, however, are never easy and rarely pure. If only she knew that from the beginning. If only she tried harder to convince her husband that he was going about things the wrong way. If only she stopped her sister from blindly devoting her life for a cause that wasn't her own. If only she herself denied to be branded. If only she heeded to Andy's advice and stayed neutral in the fight ultimately between good and evil.

She was told it would be a high honor to serve the Dark Lord. She was told that everything she ever wished and hoped for would become reality if she served him. Then why, if all that was supposed to happen, was her life slowly falling apart? It wasn't fair, and there was nothing that she could do to fix it. It was out of her hands now, as it was out of everyone's hands.

Her heels clicked on the broken stone walkway. She unconsciously drew her expensive cloak tighter around her body. Her blonde hair bounced back and forth as her strides quickened. Voices filled her head as she tried her hardest to push them back. Her breath hitched in her throat, and she found it difficult to breathe through her nose. Her lips parted, letting the frosty air escape.

It was evident that her life of luxury and privilege was still intact, despite the mistakes that were made. She was still married to one of the richest men in the Wizarding World. It seemed, however, that her life was empty. The absence of her sister made the world appear depopulated in her eyes. Bella. She could remember when they were little girls running around Black manor picking flowers. The memories of them together were faint now, and she highly doubted that she could recall the good times correctly.

"Name," a gruff voice snapped her out of her reverie.

"Narcissa Malfoy," she spoke curtly. "I am here to visit Bellatrix Lestrange."

The man flipped through a clipboard of papers. Dark circles resided under his red eyes. His face was gaunt and body lean. His lips were pale and cracked. His movements were shaky and uncoordinated. Narcissa held back a noise of annoyance.

"Cellblock seven," he mumbled. "It's highly guarded. I'm sorry, I can't give you permission to go down there."

"Did you not hear that my name is Narcissa Malfoy?" she challenged condescendingly. "My husband, Lucius Malfoy, and father-in-law, Abraxas Malfoy, have spent a great deal of money to keep this sorry excuse of a prison running. I think you should reconsider your decision of denying me access to see Ms Lestrange."

The man seemed to consider the woman in front of him for several seconds before her reached into a drawer and pulled out a badge that read, "Azkaban Visitor - 8". Narcissa grabbed the badge and fastened it carefully on her cloak. She then handed over her wand. Several minutes later, a man appeared to take her down to cellblock seven which had just been cleared of all Dementors. The new man looked just as sickly as the last.

The two walked briskly down the cracked cement floor of the prison. Several of the wizards banged on the bars of their cells and shouted obscene words to Narcissa. Others rocked back and forth in the corners of the cells crying softly to themselves. They turned left and a large seven was stamped on a weathered, granite wall. The shouting and crude gestures were continued to be directed at Narcissa. Several of the men were naked and reached their arms out of the bars to try to touch her. She flinched and kept herself close to the guard who was leading her.

One prisoner caught her eye. A young man with long, black hair stared at her from the back of his cell. His torso was bare and a distinguishing tattoo was etched upon his chest, a tattoo that had not been there the last time she saw him. His gray eyes were distant and burned into her. Narcissa felt a lump form in her throat to see her tortured cousin. Despite the fact that Sirius Black and Narcissa never got along, he was still family. Tears burned her pale eyes as she forced herself to look away. He was just another reason her life fell apart.

She walked farther into the block until they finally reached the prisoner she longed to see. Bellatrix was lounging on an old, dusty cot with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. Her black hair was in snarls. Her robes were twisted on her thin body and looked as though they had been intentionally ripped in several places. Bella took a drag of her cigarette as her eyes burned into her sister.

"If it isn't my perfect sister." Bella's voice was husky with sarcasm. "I hope you are only here to visit and not to become a guest in this humble abode. It isn't as luxurious as it looks."

"You have ten minutes," the guard spoke sternly as he unlocked the cell to allow Narcissa entrance.

"Only here for a visit, Bella," Narcissa replied once the guard left.

"Of course, your loyalty to the Dark Lord isn't as great as mine."

Narcissa stood stiffly with her back resting uncomfortably on the bars. There were so many things that needed to be said, but neither one of them felt it was the right place or time. They stood in silence for a couple minutes. Only the screams of the prisoners and Bella's puffs of smoke could be heard. Narcissa wanted to cry out in anguish, but she knew Bella would only see that as weakness.

"How did you get cigarettes?" Narcissa broke the silence between them.

"You can get anything in Azkaban if you are willing to pay the right price," she replied with a look of disgust. "Naturally, everything but your freedom."

They lapsed into silence again as Bella flicked her cigarette at the opposite wall. She adjusted herself on the hard cot so that she could lean her head against the wall. Her eyes were heavy with weariness.

"Is this worth it?" Narcissa burst out. "Living in this nightmare to prove your brainless loyalty to a man who is dead?"

"The Dark Lord isn't dead!" Bella roared as she jumped up from the cot. "When he reemerges from the depths of hell that Harry Potter laid upon him, those of us who remained unconditionally devoted to him will be repaid in the highest of respects!"

"Yes, yes," Narcissa snapped with disdain lacing her words, "let's hope by then you aren't dead or driven insane by the Dementors!"

"You don't understand what the Dark Lord is capable of, Cissa! If you did, you would not be doubting the life he is offering you!"

"What has he offered me?" she challenged. "A sister and cousin who are in prison? A cousin who is dead? A husband who had to pay his way out of Azkaban? He has given me nothing but grief!"

"Reggie deserved to die for doubting the Dark Lord! Sirius isn't even a Death Eater! As for me, I am happy to live my life here until the Dark Lord brings salvation!"

"Don't be daft, Bella."

"Don't be so pessimistic, Cissa."

Their time was up. Narcissa bade her sister a farewell, but only got a cold response. Her vision blurry with tears, Narcissa raced out of Azkaban prison. She just wanted to go home. She just wanted to hold her baby in her arms, to sing him asleep. She wanted her husband to kiss her and hold her. She couldn't deal with everything and remain strong at the same time. It was just too hard.

Narcissa expected Lucius to greet her when she returned home. However, they fought about her visit to Azkaban. They had never had such a fight before. They were usually a well-tempered couple that only had disagreements. Never flown blown fights that ended in Narcissa crying.

"I forbid you to ever go to Azkaban again!"

"You forbid me? You can't forbid me! I'm my own person!" Narcissa argued. "She's my sister!"

"You're sister was stupid enough to pledge her allegiance to the Dark Lord in court!"

"You hypocrite! You pledged your allegiance to the Dark Lord as well!"

"I did not announce it in the likes of Dumbledore and his lackeys!"

"Maybe so, but you can't keep me from seeing her!"

"We are being watched, Cissa. The Ministry is watching us very closely. If we associate ourselves with Death Eaters, then I am going back on trial! Do you want Draco to be raised without his father?"

"I didn't even want to join in the first place..." she whispered.

Lucius grabbed her wrists and pushed her up against the nearest wall. He drew her wrists together above her head. He then wrapped his right hand around them while taking his left hand to wrap his fingers on either side of her chin. He pushed her head against the wall and stared at her with disapproval shining in his eyes.

"Don't let me hear you talk like that again," he whispered dangerously. "I will not allow my wife - a respectable Malfoy - to even think of joining Dumbledore's foolish crusade. Do you understand me?"

"Master Malfoy, Mistress Malfoy," a high-pitched voice squeaked, "Master Draco is wanting to see yous."

"A Malfoy does not associate themselves with low-life criminals," Lucius whispered fiercely. "You will not see her again."

Lucius let go of his wife and stepped back several steps. He straightened his robes and announced he was going to tend to Draco. Closing her eyes tightly, Narcissa sank to the floor. A shaky hand reached up to cover her mouth as a sob emitted from her throat. The house elf stood rooted in his place. His floppy ears were down and his big eyes were filled with tears. It was as though he wanted to comfort Narcissa.

"Get out!"

Narcissa grabbed the closest vase and threw it at the house elf, who disappeared with a snap of the fingers. The vase shattered against the wall. She let out a scream of frustration before picking herself up off the floor. She straightened her clothes and swiftly made her way upstairs to clean herself up.

The next couple of days in Malfoy Manor were unbearable. It was the first time in Narcissa's life that she considered leaving her husband. A side of him that she had never seen before emerged. He was angered and controlling. He hired other wizards to follow her when she left the manor to ensure that she wasn't going off to Azkaban. If there was on thing that Lucius could do that would slowly kill his wife, it was taking her away from her beloved older sister. As children, Narcissa and Bellatrix were inseparable.

Narcissa was soon discovering that she was a prisoner in her own home. The only thing that kept her sane was her son. Draco was her light in a pit of darkness. If she were childless, Narcissa was convinced she would have killed herself. With the dim outlook on her life, she soon began to try to come out of her depression with drinking. However, it only drove her into a more severe depression.

It was January 1982 that Narcissa left the house with the plan of shaking off her guards. She wandered around Diagon Alley for several hours before Disapparating to her sister Andromeda's home. Looking behind her to make sure no one saw her leave the dressing room in a clothing store, Narcissa knocked on the wooden door.

"I'll get it!" a childish voice rang from beyond the door.

The door opened to reveal a small girl around the age of nine with vibrant purple hair surrounding her pale heart-shaped face. Narcissa couldn't help but cringe at the sight of her so-called niece's appearance. Forcing a smile onto her face, she asked for Andromeda. The girl opened her mouth and shouted, "MUM!" at the top of her lungs. The girl stared at the woman before her, oblivious to the fact that the woman was her aunt.

"Nymphador-"

"Mum!" the girl shouted. "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Tonks?"

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop changing your hair to outrageous colors like that?" Andromeda snapped back.

"I can't help it! I sneezed, and it turned purple!" the girl replied annoyed.

"You say that every single time, Dora! I just cannot under-" Andromeda broke off when she saw Narcissa standing in her doorway, "Cissa!"

Andromeda strolled forward with her arms outstretched. She pulled her baby sister into a tight embrace. Narcissa cringed slightly and hesitated before she slipped her arms around her sister as well. The sisters had not seen each other since Andromeda moved out of Black Manor and married that Mudblood, Ted Tonks. Their parents disowned Andromeda and wanted nothing to do with her. She was marked a blood traitor for the rest of her life.

"Andy," Narcissa whispered as she pulled away from the embrace.

"Long time no see!" Andromeda exclaimed as she stepped to the side to let her sister through the threshold.

"Likewise."

The house was small and the living room was decorated in an array of mix-matched furniture. On the end tables were pictures of Andromeda, her husband, and daughter. Narcissa picked up one photo to see a fifteen-year-old Andromeda in Slytherin robes with her arms around to Ravenclaw boys, one who happened to be Ted Tonks.

"Would you like something to drink?" asked Andromeda.

"No, no thank-you." She sat down the photo onto the end table.

"I didn't see you at Bella's trial," Andromeda commented.

"No," Narcissa replied as she looked up at her sister, "Lucius didn't think it was proper."

"It wasn't much of a trial anyways," Andromeda announced as she sat herself down in the nearest chair. "Bella just shouted a whole bunch of bullshit about how she was going to be repaid for being a loyal follower to the Dark Lord."

"Bella was never able to keep her mouth shut."

"Always loyal though... sort of surprised she wasn't in Hufflepuff." Andromeda grinned impishly.

Narcissa didn't say anything to her sister's comment. She sneered slightly and turned her head away. She couldn't help but think it was a mistake to go to Andromeda's, but with Lucius, getting more controlling, Narcissa just needed to get away.

"Why are you here, Cissa? I'm sure you don't need to borrow money or a pair of earrings," Andromeda said with a hurt tone in her voice. "We both know that you're at least ten times richer than I'll ever be - considering you married into a rich, respectable family and didn't get blasted off the Black family tree. I'm sure it's not for a little reunion with mother, father, Uncle Leo, and Aunt Cassi. I'm sure that you're not here to discuss Sirius or Regulus either."

"I don't need money nor am I here to discuss our family."

"One would think that family would be what you would want to discuss."

"You were disowned by the Black family when you decided to marry that Mudblood," Narcissa snapped. "You could have everything, yet you have nothing because you couldn't marry into a reputable family!"

"For someone who is disowned, I certainly care more about our family than you do! Who was at Regulus's memorial? Who was at Bella's trial? Who was the one who went to the Ministry after Sirius was taken to Azkaban to figure out what happened? Not you, that's for sure."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Andy! Don't go pretending like you're the perfect, innocent sister in all of this!"

"Don't start on me, Cissa," Andromeda roared. "You were too caught up with Lucius that you didn't even realize what was happening to our family! Bella's a Death Eater, you know that? So was Reggie. They say Sirius is one too, but if Sirius is a Death Eater then I'm Grindelwald."

Narcissa unconsciously ran a hand over her left arm. The dark mark burned faintly in her arm, but it was nearly gone now. All the marks were nearly gone now. They were quickly disappearing for the Dark Lord was gone - but for how long? How long would Lord Voldemort cease to exist in a post-war England? Surely, he wasn't dead. He often talked about how he went to extreme measures to ensure that he wouldn't be killed. What extreme measures could they be though?

"It was a mistake coming here," Narcissa mumbled as she slowly made her way to the front door. "Sorry to have wasted your time, sister dear."

Andromeda merely sneered at her sister as she watched Narcissa leave the house. With a loud WHACK! Narcissa slammed the front door shut. Straightening her coat, she Apparated back to the clothing store in Diagon Alley - hoping that her guards didn't notice she left. Sure enough, when Narcissa stepped out of the fitting room, there stood two of her guards trying to seem interested in a selection of dress robes. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Narcissa made her way out into the streets of Diagon Alley.