THE SNITCH | narcissa black malfoy

ii. who flirted with rodolphus

"Parkinson, a word?"

Bella looms over Nora Parkinson, her gaze severe. The seventh-year quickly scuttles upright in her armchair. Behind Bella, Cissy cannot help but smirk in satisfaction. Despite a lack of title, Bella still commands fearsome respect from her dormmates.

"What is it, Bellatrix?"

"I hear you've been sniffing about my betrothed, Nora."

Nora pales, her mouth wrinkling with deference. "Bellatrix, I would never overstep so grossly—"

"My sister says otherwise," Bella interrupts blithely. "Are you calling my sister a liar?"

Narcissa steps from behind Bellatrix to face Nora with her unrepentant stare. All three sisters have inherited their mother's glass-blue eyes. Yet against the pale winter of Narcissa's fair features, her Rosier blue eyes shine most coldly.

Nora crumples with defeat. She can barely defend herself against one Black sister, but she is helpless against two. Bella's eyes narrow now that the prey is caught.

"How dare you—"

But Bella's tirade is cut off by Nora's gargled animal-like scream. "You little snitch!" Nora screeches as she launches towards Narcissa, her crimson nails clawing like daggers. "No wonder the Seeker is doing his best to catch you, you backstabbing bitc–"

Nora is thrown back as a sudden swarm of soap bubbles fills her mouth. Her garish fingers fly to cover her face as she tries not to retch.

Cissy, too stunned and insulted to react, looks to Bella, but Bella's walnut wand is nowhere to be seen. With a nod of her head, Bella jerks to behind Cissy. Her eyes dark and furious, Andromeda steps up to point her larch wand right in Nora's face.

"Your mouth needs some washing, Nora." The icy tone sounds alien in Andromeda's tongue. Of the three sisters, she is rarest to anger. Narcissa is sweeter, but Andromeda is always their calm harbor. The rarity of Andromeda's ire only makes her contorted face more terrifying. "You should know better than to be so uncouth to a Black."

Nora's face purples as she gurgles through the suds in her mouth. She collapses to the floor with horrible gasps. Appeased but still stone-faced, Andromeda waves her wand to release her.

"I'm sorry," Nora wheezes, as she sucks in lungfuls of air. "I'msorryI'msorry I'm sorry!" Her last sorry is a wail of desperate noise. Fear has sapped all fight from her.

Cissy looks between her sisters, wondering which will finish the girl off. In most instances, Bella deals the final blow. But in most instances, the hex originates from her, too. Cissy looks at Bella, expectant. But her eldest sister looks askance at Annie with a proud gleam in her eye.

Andromeda needs no cue. She steps towards Nora with menace, her wand lowered but still taut with warning. "What have we learned today, Parkinson?"

"Don't talk to Rodolphus," Nora replies, her eyes downcast. On her knees, Nora is a pathetic sight. As Cissy takes a moment to look at her, she realizes Nora is still in love with Rodolphus. Poor fool. Everyone knew school relationships were only temporary dalliances. A Parkinson is no match for a Black, let alone three of them.

"And?" Annie presses, her eyes narrowed with danger.

"And never speak against one of you," Nora mutters, turning away from them. She wipes off remnant soap suds from her mouth. If Narcissa knows Andromeda's hexwork, Nora will hiccup bubbles for days.

Satisfied, Andromeda steps back. She looks towards Bella with an arched eyebrow – after all, Nora had been collected for Bella to punish.

In a rare act of benevolence, Bella waves the girl off. Nora scatters from their presence. An unbreakable trio, they watch her flee.

Once they are alone again, Narcissa cannot help but ask. "I am grateful, but... I did snitch on her." She echoes the insult without malice. "Besides, Bella never would have let her near me."

"She would've called you far worse if I didn't shut her up," Andromeda snaps. "Nora may be a seventh-year, but she should never dare insult one of us."

"After all," Bella drawls, "Only we can call you a little snitch." She shares a commiserating smirk with Andromeda, who relaxes with a roll of her eyes. Even Cissy cannot help but laugh at that.