Rating:
PG-13
House:
The Dark Arts
Characters:
Bellatrix Lestrange Narcissa Malfoy Sirius Black
Genres:
General
Era:
Multiple Eras
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix
Stats:
Published: 12/20/2003
Updated: 12/20/2003
Words: 1,305
Chapters: 1
Hits: 899

God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs

Smelltastic

Story Summary:
While mere mortals sleep and angels keep their watch of wondering love there are tidings of comfort and joy at Grimauld place.

Posted:
12/20/2003
Hits:
899
Author's Note:
Dear Mum,


God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs:

And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All others doth deface:
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

******************************

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by;

London lies in a thick envelope of jewelled darkness; the cold December air crackles with something that makes the inhabitants of the city stir in the twinkling of the serene moon: something of promise, of the possibilities that will come with the dawn.

While mere mortals sleep and angels keep their watch of wondering love, the inhabitants of the tall Georgian townhouse condescend to slumber as they pretend to ignore the creeping dawn festivities. They pay little attention to the Muggle festival: brash, new, tacky. There will be a party, of course - but there are always parties. There will be no joy, no hope and peace and goodwill to all men. The Blacks are above such weaknesses.

Brightly shone the moon that night,
though the frost was cruel,

Yet in the high turret a girl slips down from the windowsill and lays her fingers tentatively on the piano, letting the keys vibrate slightly before she begins to play softly to the night.

'Christmas,' she whispers. 'It's Christmas'.

Silent Night, Holy Night,

All is calm, all is bright,

The door opens and a second figure creeps in, a swish of dark hair and a half smile, a second pair of arresting grey eyes, a second cautious hand on the piano as they wait for the last arrival. The meeting is not planned but on a night like this it is inevitable.

The first girl's hand hesitates over the carol - 'If Aunt Eugenia finds us playing Muggle...' Her blond hair brushes the keys causing them to tinkle.

'Who cares, it's Christmas.' The final girl soars in on the cool air, her smile as dark and beautiful as the night. She sits down at the piano letting her long legs drape over the stool, her arm looped around the waists of the other two girls as she turns the page of the music.

'Cissa, don't play that drabble: tender and mild, it makes me feel nauseous!' Bellatrix laughs and begins to play the lower chords of a carol. Narcissa takes the upper melody leaving Andromeda, encircled between them to play the tune.

Sing, choirs of angels,

Sing in exultation,

Sing, all ye citizens

Of heaven above;

She pulls the untidy low notes and precocious high notes into a soaring tune which filters through the house, becoming faster and more confident until they are laughing and singing in between the notes.

"Sire, the night is darker now,
And the wind blows stronger;
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer."

'Very meek and weary, Bella.' The door opens and a boy stands illuminated in the doorframe with a much-practised smirk that doesn't quite make it to his eyes. Three heads turn and two dark untidy heads with identical pairs of grey eyes meet for a moment. The battle lines are drawn in one intense gaze.

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in you tonight.

'I didn't know Gryffindors came out at night,' Bella simpers. 'I thought you stayed tucked up in your beds.'

'Well, it's midnight - I knew you'd be out on the prowl and thought I'd spend some quality time with my dear family,' Sirius replies, his voice light but hard.

And in despair I bowed my head:

"There is no peace on earth," I said,

"For hate is strong and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men."

'Christmas,' Narcissa whispers and then her voice grows stronger. 'It's Christmas, and we aren't at school: we're here, however much we hate it. Sirius...sit down.'

Sirius sits down. Squashing onto the piano stool next to Bellatrix, their arms brushing against each other. He can't play so he sings the king next to her page, their voices getting louder and louder as they compete with each other until they are laughing as well. These are dangerous songs, Muggle notes, and they are united in the illicit thrill of the tune, like the kisses they sometimes share. Soon they are as they should be, a laughing wild mass of Black energy.

"Peace on the earth, good will to men

From heaven's all gracious King."

The world in solemn stillness lay,

To hear the angels sing.

The door moves, Narcissa's hands falter on the keys and the tune falls apart. Not parents, nothing to spoil the night.

For Mighty dread had seized their troubled mind.

Sirius wonders at his cousins, their tune is so perfect together and so lost without all three of them. The door is shut behind the last arrival.

'Reggie,' they all exhale with relief, although the younger two try to hide it.

'You're not supposed to sing Muggle songs.' Regulus looks appalled. Sirius and Bellatrix bare their fangs like wolves in a pack. Moving together as they close ranks, their feigned differences forgotten.

Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

'Not going to go crying to your Mother, are you?' Bella slips her arm around his waist and laughs highly and dangerously. Sirius is less deceptive although their sentiment is as always the same- he glares at his brother and opens his mouth.

'It's Christmas, I don't care about them.'

'Christmas: Bella, Sirius...stop it,' Andromeda says and they do. Bellatrix because although none of them know right and wrong they know love all too much, throw themselves to its mercy and hope it won't drag them apart. Sirius because it is Meda and he's starting to realise that she's different, that she deserves more than their tainted love can give her. He loves her but he knows that his sullied pureblood love will never be enough.

What can I give you?

Poor as I am.

'Muggle-lovers,' Regulus whispers, betrayed. Andromeda's hand goes to Sirius arm to stop him going for his wand. She wishes she was Regulus's age and she could see the world in Black and white, in them and us. She hopes when he starts to see the grey the shock won't kill him.

And, through all his wondrous childhood,
He would honour and obey,

'I'm no Muggle lover.' Bella says and it's then that she starts to sing.

God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs may nothing ye dismay.

Sirius laughs despite himself. The thought crashes through his head as her voice echoes in his ears - Merlin, I love you - and he repels it with a laugh and joins in the song, finding Regulus's voice alongside his own.

For Jesus Christ our Saviour was born on Christmas Day.

So they sing. Because it is Christmas and because they all know that the love they share will soon destroy them, cast them off into the night. As the dawn creeps in they know it is the end.

Bella and Sirius kiss before the sun rises and they depart to dress for breakfast. He finds Andromeda in the hallway, laughing to herself as she reads a letter on Muggle paper. She hugs him and their lips meet but she falters and shakes her head, the letter safely in her pocket. Narcissa carries a sleeping Regulus to bed and thinks of peace and goodwill, knowing it is not what the dawn will bring.

"Peace on the earth, good will to men

From heaven's all gracious King."

The world in solemn stillness lay,

To hear the angels sing.

**************************

To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray;
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.


Author notes: A BIG thankyou to Hannah for all her help in betaing this. Merry Christmas everyone!