Narcissa walked down the hall to her sister's room. Now that Bellatrix had gotten married and moved out it was much quieter and there wasn’t as much to do now that there weren’t wedding preparations.
Although her parents had made it clear they would begin planning Andromeda’s wedding with Rabastan very soon. And she would probably be engaged herself to Lucius within the next year or so since she’d be graduating the next summer.
Narcissa got to Andromeda’s bedroom door and knocked softly, not wanting to disturb her already sleeping parents. She heard her sister swear quietly.
“Andy? It’s me”. Narcissa said. “Can I come in”?
“One second”! Andromeda called back urgently. Narcissa raised an eyebrow curiously. Her sister wasn’t one to keep secrets from her very often.
After about ten seconds of waiting Andromeda opened the door.
“Hi”. She said, trying to be casual. “What’s up”? Narcissa could tell she was hiding something but didn’t comment.
“I was just wondering if you wanted to talk or do something. There’s not much to do right now. I know it’s late, but”- Narcissa trailed off when she caught a glimpse of a half packed bag on her sister's bed. “Are you going somewhere”?
“No”. Andromeda said quickly. Too quickly. Narcissa raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest, doing her best to imitate the look her oldest sister used to give her. “Fine, come in”.
Andromeda grabbed her arm and yanked her inside the room before shutting the door. She locked the door and cast a silencing charm on the room before looking at Narcissa.
“What’s going on”? Narciss asked. “Why are you packing”? Andromeda looked nervous as she bit her lip and looked at the ground.
It was then that Narcissa realized what was happening. Andromeda had only been threatening it since her engagement was announced, but now it was really happening.
She was leaving. For good.
“No”. She shook her head. “No you can’t. You can’t leave”. Andromeda looked at Narcissa and she could tell her sister had made up her mind. She was going to leave. “Why”?
“Cissa”. Andromeda reached for Narcissa’s arm, but the younger of the two backed away. Andromeda withdrew her arm. “Cissa, I can’t stay”.
“But why”? Narcissa asked. “I know you don’t want to get married, but there’s no other choice”.
“Yes there is”. Andromeda exclaimed. “It shouldn’t have to be like this! I shouldn’t have to marry some man that mother and father picked out for me! I should be able to marry who I want. Someone that I love. And someone who loves me too”.
Tears brimmed in Andromeda’s eyes and another realization hit Narcissa. She was talking about someone. Not Rabastan. Another person. Someone else she had fallen in love with.
“Who is it? Maybe father could make an arrangement”. Narcissa stated. Andromeda looked away. “I won’t tell anyone if that’s what you want. Not even Bella, but if father knows you want to marry someone else and he approves... maybe he could do something”. Andromeda took a breath before speaking.
“He’s a hufflepuff. He was in my year. Muggle born”. Narcissa’s eyes widened.
“Oh”. She knew her parents would never approve of anyone but a wealthy pureblood man.
“But it doesn’t matter. Father would never change his mind about this pairing. The only other suitable match in his eyes is Lucius and everyone knows you two will be married eventually”. Andromeda stated. Narcissa frowned.
“But the difference is you two actually care for eachother. I have no feelings for Rabastan but disgust and hatred”.
“Bella doesn’t like Rodolphus that much”. Narcissa said quietly, trying to say anything that might make her sister stay.
“Yes, well Bella is willing to do anything as long as she’s praised by the family and gets in good graces with those awful people”. Andromeda said bitterly.
“When are you leaving”? Narcissa asked. Andromeda looked at her before glancing away.
“Tonight”. Andromeda said. “This is the last of my bags”.
“Oh”. Narcissa replied. She didn’t know what else to say. The two stood in silence for a minute before she spoke again.
“Where will you go”? Andromeda looked wary to tell her but spoke anyway.
“My boyfriend’s family’s house. After that I’ll reach out to Uncle Alphard. He always did say if I needed something to let him know. I think he sensed I wanted out”. Narcissa nodded.
“What if mother and father look for you”? Narcissa asked nervously and Andromeda went to her closet. Narcissa noticed a couple packed bags in the corner. “This won’t look good for them”.
“I don’t care”. Andromeda said as she put a shirt in her bag. “They had a secure match for Bella and you’ll have a suitable marriage soon enough”.
“Aunt Walburga will burn you off the tree”.
“I hope she does”. Narcissa’s eyes widened. “She’s an awful person anyway. I know you’ve seen the way Sirius always looks scared around her. I wouldn’t be surprised if he left eventually too. Plus…. I’ll be happy to leave most of these people behind. Not you, Sirius or regulus. But the others”.
“What about Bella”? Narcissa asked.
“I think she suspects something is going on. She keeps ‘checking in’ on me. And all she talks about is this Riddle man. She doesn’t care about me, only if I keep up the family image”. Andromeda said bitterly.
“That’s not true”. Narcissa insisted. “She loves you”.
“Maybe. But not enough to let me live my life the way I want”. Andromeda stuffed a few things in her bag before zipping it up. “Not like you”.
“What do you mean”? Narcissa asked.
“I mean, that even though you’d like me to stay, you won’t stop me. I know deep down you know that I’m right. That this isn't a good life for me”.
“I guess so”. Narcissa said quietly. “Are you going to leave a note or anything? Or will you just leave”?
“I have a note. All it says is that I’m leaving and not coming back. That’s all they need to know”. Andromeda took a piece of parchment out of her desk drawer and handed it to her younger sister.
By the time you’ve read this I’ll be long gone. I do not intend on returning. This is my choice, no one else’s.
“Why did you add the last part”? Narcissa asked.
“I didn’t want them to think you had anything to do with it. Because you didn’t. You don’t deserve to face any consequences for my actions”. Andromeda said. “I want you to live a good life”.
Tears started to fill Narcissa’s eyes.
“Will I ever see you again”? She asked.
“I’m not sure”. Andromeda said solemnly. “I hope so, but there’s no guarantee”. Narcissa nodded.
“I understand”. Andromeda looked up with surprise visible in her eyes. “I may not like that you’re leaving but you deserve to have a good life too. Even if it’s without me”.
Andromeda smiled sadly. She wiped a tear off her cheek and grabbed her other bags.
“I hope you get everything you want”. Narcissa said as she set the note on Andromeda’s pillow. “Go live the life you deserve”.
“I will”. Andromeda walked forward and wrapped her arms tightly around her younger sister. “The same goes for you. And if you ever need me, don’t hesitate to look for me. I’ll always be ready to help”.
Narcissa dug her face in her older sister's shoulder, trying to stop the tears from spilling out of her eyes.
“Take care of Sirius and Regulus for me”. Andromeda said as she pulled back. Narcissa nodded as she wiped away her tears. “I am sorry I have to leave you”.
“I’m sorry you feel like you need to leave”. Narcissa said. Andromeda smiled sadly. She walked towards the door and unlocked it.
She went to open the door but turned around first.
“Good luck. I love you Andy”.
“I love you too Cissa”.
Narcissa left quickly and rushed to her bedroom, closing the door behind her quietly. She laid on her bed and let the tears fall.
And sure enough the next morning she was woken by the sound of her mother screaming.
“Cygnus, she’s gone”!
1984
It had been years since the night Narcissa had last seen her sister. Much had happened since then. She was now married with a son.
Narcissa was holding the hand of her 4 year old son, wishing she hadn’t chosen today to take him to Diagon alley.
Hogwarts letters would have been mail fed our a few days prior and there were at least a hundred families out shopping for the upcoming school year. But she had promised four year old Draco she would take him out that day.
She walked into Flourish and Blotts, her son’s small hand grasped firmly in her own, so he couldn’t run off. As they walked towards the kids section Narcissa stopped in her tracks at a familiar voice.
She hadn’t heard it in years but she still recognized it. How could she not. It was the voice that told her stories and sang to her when she was upset as a child. The voice that laughed with her. The voice that was a constant for most of her childhood. And there it was again.
She turned her head, ignoring the slight tugging on her hand from her son. She first saw a tall brunette man with his hand on the top of a young girl’s back. Probably a soon to be first year student based on the shelf they were viewing. Her hair was bright purple.
On the girl’s other side was the woman whose voice she had heard though. A woman with long brown hair, wearing jeans and a navy blue sweater. A perfectly normal looking woman but she was so easy for Narcissa to identify.
Andromeda.
She just stared at the back of her head for a few seconds until Draco tugged very sharply at her hand.
“Mama”! He exclaimed loudly. She looked down to see her frustrated son pointing to the section he wanted to go to.
She heard a gasp and looked over to see her older sister looking between her and the little boy. She had undoubtedly heard Draco’s cry. The two women locked eyes.
“Andy”? The man asked. “Is everything ok”? She shook off her shocked expression and turned to her husband.
“Yes. Everything is fine. Dora, you’ll most likely need both of those”.
“Ok”. The young girl said happily.
At that moment Draco managed to break free of his mother’s grip and ran to the children’s book section. Narcissa ran after him and when they went back to the checkout counter, the family of three was gone.
But they’d see eachother again. They didn’t know it yet, but they would.
After the second war would start and end.
After Andromeda would lose both her husband and only child.
After Andromeda was left with only her grandson.
That’s when she would see her sister again. When she truly needed her. Because it turns out Narcissa wouldn’t be the one to reach out. Andromeda would.
And Narcissa would answer.