Dove In A House Of Crows

Ted’s quill was bust. He was trying to just get on with it because he was in the library and getting a new quill meant trekking all the way down to the Hufflepuff common room. But then it spluttered and he had ink spattered all over his hand and shirt. “Unbelievable. First the sawdust, now this,” he muttered, trying to wipe some of it off, but only succeeding in smearing it further. He glanced up in irritation at whoever this person was who gave such an unhelpful comment, but gulped back any angry retort when he realised it was Narcissa. “Well, what would your wise advice be?” He tried to be as pleasant as possible.

Narcissa wasn’t the sort of girl to be caught in stained clothes, or in anything less than perfect upkeep really. Even when she was alone, she required her appearance to be well kept, and well kept, Ted Tonks, certainly was not. She didn’t know what on earth had been on his shirt before the ink which stained down the front, but it was hardly even noticeable now. “Well, I’d start with not rubbing it in.” Narcissa said, dryly. He was a wizard, even if he wasn’t a pure one. He ought to know at least a simple cleaning spell. 

James couldn’t help but have an opinion. He’d consumed more firewhiskey than he probably should have before seeing the birthday girl. His inhibitions were lowered and he had no filter. He’d just tried to seduce Emma Vanity for no reason, for crying out loud –and without success, might he add. In any event, it led to him spewing a lot of things before he could think them through.

She prickled at the mention of her house mates, especially Alecto and Amycus. She didn’t know the dark haired girl, not well anyway, but Amcyus he wasn’t like Potter said, he wouldn’t hurt the ones he cared for, he wasn’t so selfish. He wouldn’t hurt Narcissa. 

“I know you love me and all, but I didn’t think you’d help me fuck up some fourth years” Amycus smirked, before settling with a rather warm smile as he gazed over at her.

Narcissa couldn’t help the smile that danced on her mouth. “Help, that is a strong word, my dear.” She said, drawing herself up from her chair and coming towards him, to lower herself down, onto his lap.

“You’re so kind,” she crooned with a playful twinge of sarcasm, her hand instinctually curling around her sister’s own, grip gentle, but firm. Ever since they were small, Andromeda relished this sort of contact from her younger sister; a comfort only she could provide. Bellatrix never understood it, but then again, Bellatrix didn’t understand much affection in the first place. The light kiss to her cheek brought out a small smile from her, which was quick to disappear a the subject of their mother. For a long moment, she sat in silence, not sure how to phrase what was resting on the tip of her tongue, and not sure she even wanted to say anything at all. 

“I am merely honest.” Narcissa, said with a smile gracing her painted lips. It was the perfect, delicate and charming pureblood reply, but after the slightest pause she added, “And I love my elder sister.” She loved the small smile on Andromeda’s lips as she kissed her cheek. Ever since her youth, Narcissa had taken pleasure in coaxing affection out of people, in making them want her touch, her approval, and Andromeda certainly did, but the joy Narcissa felt at seeing her sister’s smile was of another kind too. It was the kind of joy one would normally feel when making someone they care for deeply happy, if only for a moment. 

Emma’s smile both widened and softened when Narcissa sat beside her and reached over to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. Her faint blush worsened when her friend was adamant that Regulus would be mad for her. She couldn’t help but wish that it were true. At her next words, however, Emma looked away and down at her hands where they rested in her lap. “I fear I am hardly suited to him at all,” she admitted quietly. “I am beneath him by birth…and as you say, he’s a better man than any I’ve known. What I wouldn’t give to be so lucky…” She sighed but looked up again and offered another, more faint smile. “I fear I am terribly smitten with him. I know better… I should be more in control of myself, Cissy, but it’s so….difficult with Regulus. it drives me mad.”

Narcissa knew that Emma didn’t, couldn’t, really believe her when she said that Regulus was going to be mad for her, but she still wished that the dark haired girl would. She knew her cousin better than anyone, loved him more than anyone, and of course he would go crazy for her, he would care more than he ought to, enough to cause trouble. “You are perfectly suited for him.” Narcissa reassured her friend. She was somewhat taken back by the openness of their conversation, but not off put. “By birth, yes you are beneath him, but you are everything a pureblooded woman ought to be, and more. My dear, do you not see that despite your lower birth you have become on of the most respected girls of our time?” She asked, her hand moving from Emma’s dark curls, to her slender shoulder. “If there is anyone who you can let go with, it is Regulus. He will take great pleasure in driving you so mad, you have no choice, and believe me, you will adore doing the same to him with a little time.” A small smirk curled on Narcissa’s lips, the slight innuendo in her words making her blush only slightly. She wasn’t embarrassed by thinking about Emma and Regulus together in more intimate manners, she had thought about Regulus like that before, though of course there was no possible intention to act on those thoughts, just a love that was far too deep for her cousin, deep enough that once in a while it was dangerous, but Emma, Emma was perfect for him, and she wanted nothing more than to see the two together, to see them happy. 

Emma’s smile widened ever so slightly when her best friend smiled at her like that. She went willingly in to Cissy’s embrace and she ducked her head slightly at the compliment. Narcissa was, without doubt, far lovelier than she and more elegantly dressed by far, and in comparison Emma certainly paled. But the fact that her words were sincere anyway made her smile a little warmer. “You’re too kind,” she murmured.

Beauty was important, especially to a creature as vein as the youngest Black girl, but grace, manners, and elegance, self control, they all mattered more, and Emma had more of all of them then nearly any other pureblooded woman. The very sight of the two friends together frightened the other pureblooded girls, for they were perhaps the two most promising in the generation, or at least that was how it seemed. “Not to you.” She murmured, looking her friend in the eye, and remembering the wounds she had healed. Narcissa could never be kind enough to repay Emma. 

She pressed her lips together, looking away from James in distaste. Up until that moment, he had been agreeable, but that was the thing about Gryffindors, they could not go long without condeming her house, calling them all slimy stakes, and that, that lack of grace and utter disrespect was exactly what made her dislike the students in red and gold. “When have I, hurt you, James?” She asked, turning her eyes back to him. “When have I hurt anyone you know, called any of your friends any offense words, with perhaps the exception of Sirius, whom left me when I was only fourteen years old, and who broke my heart?” There was a cold infallibility to her voice. “I have done you, and your kin no wrong, and yet you judge me, because of my house, because of my name, but don’t you claim to hate my house because we judge people, people like Miss Evans because of a title, and a title alone? Muggleborn.”

Terrance had simply been washing, however when he heard that familiar voice, the voice of the youngest Black girl whom he had harmed the night of the party, he would be lying if he said he wasn’t shocked to see her standing there. “Are you wanting round two, or something?” he smirked, his eyes casting down her, before he went back to lathering the body wash over his muscles, not being self-conscious at all in standing there naked. “What’s so important? Are you missing me already?”

“Not this time, my dear.” She said cooly, her eyes boring up, into his. She refused to let on her discomfort at being here, she refused to cry like a child, she refused to show him any bit of pain, because as he had once said, if she cried out it would all be so much worse, so she wouldn’t cry out, she wouldn’t scream, she would bring him to his knees with a whisper. “We have matters to discuss.”

Some days she admired the way Regulus could cast away his mask so easily, and display what lay beneath. Narcissa’s was painted onto her features, and she’d forgotten how she was to peel it off most of the time, even when she just wanted to fall into Regulus’ arms. “It shouldn’t.” She said with a soft sigh, but she wove her fingers with his, and lowered herself down to sit beside him with perfect grace. It would not be fair to ask him to bear this weight for her, not the weight of his own brother, who had no right to impose himself on Narcissa, let alone Regulus through her, but keeping secrets from her cousin seemed sinful. “Sirius came to see me.”