BLACK MOON ⍋ Remus Lupin

Chapter SixtyFive- A Choice. (part one)

Narcissa's POV

Artemis blew out her candles with a sadness in her eyes that I couldn't understand at first glance. She exhaled deeply and looked up finally smiling at me, though exhaustion shone through. I placed the small cupcake on her bedside table and wiped the tear stains from her face. She was obviously overwhelmed with the evening. She could never hide her emotions very well.

She cried for the gesture of a cupcake seemingly.

I struggled to cry. Expressing myself in such way never came naturally, though I understood how beneficial it perhaps was to cry for some. It didn't feel necessary for me. A waste of energy perhaps. What was crying going to achieve?

I helped her out of Andromedas old dress, a few of the buttons stiff and hard to get out of alone, Andy looked picturesque in it I remember. I shook the memory out of my head.

I lingered watching Artemis as she let her long hair down from the updo it was forced into. Her hair slightly knotted at the back, not falling straight.

She was but a child, I could tell she was confused about how her future was about to unfold. She has been sheltered from the outside world so long, it was natural to be afraid. I believe this opportunity will be the best, scariest offer she will ever accept. He wasn't entirely all that pleasant to look at, but that wasn't the main aspect of this adventure to focus on. I had hoped she was seeing past such unimportance.

I believed I knew everything about myself and the world around me at eighteen, what my future looked like and how to achieve it and now almost twenty-two, I can tell I knew so little. That false confidence is what got me through. Discovering you were wrong about what you wanted can be exciting, Artemis will look back upon being hesitant towards this situation and feel foolish for wanting something different.

To feel like you don't have everything under control at the age she is must be terrifying, and so I do have some empathy; especially when observing how small she appeared despite a frame that could stand so tall if only she'd find the strength. I could imagine feeling forced into something quite significant that holds such potential for growth feels horrifying to her.

I have never had a strong bond with my family, I believe we all could agree the strict nature of the household threatened relationships from ever becoming stable, but I understand the importance of loyalty and sticking by their side and I'll do everything within my power to keep my loved ones close and to watch them thrive- even if that's from afar in some cases, though not provided much choice.

That's why I'm so fond of Lucius, he promises me a family I can spoil. I can't wait to be a mother, though it feels like I've been one my entire life. It's what I'm good at and I adore the vision of treating my family with fairmindedness and experience the freedom to enjoy indulgence. That is what it means to be a pure-blood, and I believe my family has a warped idea of teaching us about it. We come from generational wealth, there is no need to prove ourselves worthy of the glory that comes with that blood right. My future family will never have to work or beg for the treatment they deserve, it is a birth right upon being born into a powerful family. My future family will understand their entitled to whatever they feel they deserve, and I will support them through every step. That's something we never received growing up but should have been provided. The tough lessons throughout the years had their meanings, though I believe their message has been lost in translation a number of times.

I had thought an arranged marriage would be perfect for Artemis. To have her own freedom and be taken care of, create and adapt to new responsibilities. Building your own future is an exciting prospect and it helps starting it within a family that has generational wealth. I was excited for her to become excited; this was a sign that she was leaving this house if anything...but she hadn't recognised the richness of the opportunity yet.