The 'I' in Family

Chapter 9: The Connection

Author's note: A little bit of a long chapter, but I had fun writing it. Imagining the Black sister's relationship when they were so young is so sweet and I love it.

Also, for context, Bellatrix is eight, Andromeda is six, and Narcissa is four.

November 3, 1959

"No, Andi, you're not doing it right!"

The four-year-old girl shoved her older sister over with somewhat surprising strength for someone so young. Andromeda rolled her eyes.

"It's fine," she said. "Honestly, Cissy, I don't see the problem with it."

"I do," Bellatrix said. She had already finished getting ready and was helping her younger sisters. "I thought Mother was teaching you by now. I was five when I started learning how to make someone's hair look nice."

Andromeda grunted in frustration but said, "She has. I'm just not good at it. Not like you."

"Right," Bellatrix said. "Obviously. Now, I'll do Cissy's and you'll be next, Andi."

"I thought mine was okay," Andromeda said.

"Not... really," Bellatrix said. "Sorry." She turned to Narcissa and began combing her hair.

"D'you think he's going to know you very well?" Narcissa asked Bellatrix. "Because you'll be off to Hogwarts in three years, and he won't see you except for holidays."

Narcissa was talking about their new cousin. He'd been born just a few hours ago, and as soon as their Uncle Orion arrived to tell them the news that they had a new cousin—and not only that, an heir, as the girls didn't have any brothers or any other first cousins yet— Druella had immediately told the three girls to begin preparing to meet him.

"I suppose we'll see, won't we?" Bellatrix asked. "Who knows? When he's older he'll probably do something worthy with his life, like Mother and Father want for us, and our aunt and uncle will want for them. And I'll do that with him, of course."

"Maybe I will, too," Narcissa said.

"Andi?" Bellatrix asked, turning to look at her.

Andromeda hesitated. "I... I guess I will," she said.

"Hmm," Bellatrix said.

"Why does it matter, though?" Andromeda asked. "Bella, you're only eight. You don't need to act older."

Bellatrix's eyes seemed to flash in somewhat anger or frustration for a moment, but she only gave a smile and went back to fixing Narcissa's hair. She was currently braiding some of it.

After some silence, Bellatrix finished fixing Narcissa's hair and said, "There. Do you like that?"

"I love it, Bella," Narcissa said. "Where's the flower hair clip? I want to wear it."

"It only looks good on you," Bellatrix said. "Andi, it's on the desk behind you."

Andromeda turned around, grabbed the clip, and gave it to her older sister. Bellatrix helped her put it on.

Narcissa was the youngest of the three, and looks-wise, she was the odd one out. Instead of the Black family dark hair and pale, light eyes, her hair was blonde and her eyes were blue. Andromeda and Bellatrix, on the other hand, looked very alike.

"Now you, Andi," Bellatrix said. Narcissa stepped away from the mirror and began to dance as if she were the ballerina in the music boxes the girls' mother had.

"Don't ruin you hair so soon, Cissy," Bellatrix said before turning to fix Andromeda's hair.

"Right," Narcissa said, but she kept twirling.