A.B.
The first night was the hardest. Knowing the door opposite hers led nowhere now. The wooden door, with its delicate carvings, now belonged to no one. Initials that no longer fit anyone.
B.B.
Andromeda stared at the ceiling, tossing and turning in bed. She had always struggled to sleep—both as a child and now, as an adult.
‘It's because someone is thinking of you, that’s why you can’t sleep,’ Bellatrix said, a soft smile playing on her lips. ‘I’m thinking of you now, see?’
Andromeda grinned. ‘I hope you stop thinking of me.’
‘Never.’
Andromeda was certain Bellatrix wasn’t thinking of her now. Bellatrix Black, her beloved sister, had married and moved out of their childhood home. It was fine, Andromeda told herself, pressing her eyes shut.
It wasn’t like she was really gone—just a quick rush through the fireplace. She should be happy. Happy that Bella had a life of her own now. Bellatrix Lestrange. That sounded so strange.
But deep down, Andromeda knew this was only the beginning. Soon enough, the initials on her bedroom door would no longer belong to her either. She shook her head.
Bella was her other half, her sister, and best friend. Not exactly twins, but close enough. Eleven months separated them, and Andromeda had rarely spent any time away from Bella—except for those eleven months and the whole year Bella was at Hogwarts without her. The worst year of Andromeda's life, possibly.
The hours of sleep she had that first night were thin and stretched. Not necessarily bad dreams, but dreams that only made her thoughts spin more. Sleep was the one time of day she wanted to stop her mind from turning. But no, she had to dream.
Instead of her older sister waking her the next morning, it was Narcissa. Andromeda’s stomach dropped slightly at the sight of her younger sister. After all those hours spent awake, she had almost forgotten Narcissa was still there. The room next to hers. N.B.
“Are you okay?” Narcissa asked gently, her golden locks bouncing with each step.
“Yes, sure,” Andromeda shrugged, pulling on her usual Sunday dress, matching Narcissa’s.
Narcissa tilted her head, eyeing her with quiet concern.
Andromeda tugged the dress over her head, the stiff fabric itching at her skin. She had never liked these dresses—not as a child, not now. But she did like how Bellatrix’s and Narcissa’s dresses were identical to hers, with only the ribbons in their hair to set them apart. Narcissa’s was blue, Andromeda’s green, and Bellatrix’s red.
“You know we’re visiting them for dinner today,” Narcissa said with a smile, tying Andromeda’s ribbon into her curly hair.
“I know. It feels a little silly, being upset that she’s gone, when she’s just a Manor away,” Andromeda sighed.
“Well, the sister sleepovers had to end someday,” Narcissa chuckled softly.
With a glance at the grandfather clock, Andromeda grabbed her sister’s hand and hurried down to the dining room. The clock struck eight as both sisters sat at the table. Their parents, Cygnus and Druella, were already seated, their eyes carefully watching them. One chair—next to their father—was noticeably empty.
Andromeda and Narcissa didn’t speak, because they knew they were not allowed to. Not while eating.
Druella’s eyes hovered over them. She didn’t speak, but Andromeda could hear her words precisely in her mind: Sit straight. Use the dishware that fits. Don’t speak unless spoken to.
A scratch at the window disturbed the silence. Andromeda flinched, jerking her head toward the source.
Aster, their family owl, a large brown hawk, perched on the windowsill. Two letters were clutched in its beak. Narcissa glanced at their father, who nodded once. In an instant, Narcissa was at her feet, opening the window and retrieving the letters.
Andromeda immediately noticed the Hogwarts emblem on one of the envelopes. The letters seemed thicker than usual. Narcissa handed her one, and Andromeda tore the parchment open, slightly ripping it.
“Andromeda,” her father murmured disapprovingly, flicking his wand to conjure a letter opener with the Black family crest. But Andromeda was already reading ahead. The first letter was the usual acceptance notice for the upcoming school year, along with the long list of school supplies. Andromeda skimmed it, already familiar with the routine. But then her fingers brushed against a second, smaller parchment tucked inside.
Dear Miss Black,
We are proud to announce that the Professors at Hogwarts have decided to appoint you as this year’s Head Girl! Andromeda’s eyes stayed fixated on the elegant script.
Head Girl.
The words leapt off the page, and a smug grin slowly spread across her face.
“Prefect,” Narcissa’s voice cut through her reverie. Andromeda’s brow furrowed.
I’m already a Prefect, she thought, trying to suppress the irritation. Narcissa held up a silver badge, the emerald-green lettering catching the sunlight. The reflection danced on the polished silverware, but Andromeda’s attention remained fixed on her sister’s soft smile and the word on the badge: Prefect.
Her grin faltered for a moment. Obviously, Narcissa would receive a badge too. “Well done, Cissa,” she said, her voice steady as she offered a nod.
“You deserve it.” Narcissa beamed.
“Thank you. Though I imagine I’ll have a hard time keeping up with you, Head Girl.”
Andromeda glanced down at her own badge, tucked inside the envelope. It was identical in design to Narcissa’s but marked with the far weightier words: Head Girl.
“Oh, Merlin!” Druella’s voice rose suddenly, breaking the moment. She clapped her hands together, a wide smile on her sharp features.
“My beautiful daughters! I knew you wouldn’t fail me!” Her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulder as she leaned forward, eyes gleaming with pride. Andromeda forced herself to meet her mother’s gaze. The warmth of her accomplishment cooled, just slightly.
People always said Narcissa was an exact copy of Druella with touches of Black. While her mother's hair was pin straight and golden, Narcissa’s was curled. Druella’s nose was pointy like an elf while Narcissa’s was straight. Andromeda’s eyes flickered from her mother back to the badge inside the palm of her hand.
Bella was never Head Girl, Andromeda thought with a small, surprising jolt. Of course not. She couldn’t go a day without docking other Houses’ points when she was Prefect.
A smile tugged at Andromeda's lips. Bellatrix had never cared for rules, preferring to break them outright. Andromeda didn’t care for them either—she just hid it better.
Cygnus summoned her and Narcissa to the drawing room after breakfast, delivering his usual speech about honor and responsibility. Andromeda heard this one so often, she could've recited it in her sleep.
“This is not just an achievement,” he said, his voice laden with pride. “It is a reflection of the Black name. Every misstep shames us. Toujours pur.”
Always pure.
Andromeda tuned him out by the time he reached the family motto, her gaze drifting to the tapestry behind him. She nodded when expected, offering the perfect response: “Of course, Father.”
As they left the room, Cygnus’s parting words echoed in her ears. Your success belongs to this family. Ruin it and you ruin us.
Andromeda’s lips curved into a faint grin. Perhaps. But I wear the fucking badge.