The Black Sisters

seventy-eight

head up

shoulders back

eyes open.

that's what bella told her.

Nod, smile, agree.

always agree.

Bellatrix stood right beside her younger sister as the two walked down the candle lit hallways. She noted that Dorea's breathing was uneven and almost heavy. She noted that Dorea wouldn't look up from the marbled floors, always staring at her feet as if scared to look at the paintings on the walls. Scared to accept this was no longer a nightmare. 

The riddle manor was anything but welcoming, it was dark with flickering candles. You'd expect it to be cold, like an icy chill swept through the halls constantly but that was only dorea's imagination. The manor was actually kept rather warm.

The longer dorea looked at one spot the more she imagined blood seeping through the tiles, staining her lace socks. She imagined blood trickling down the walls and rats scurying in the corners. This was unlike any manor she'd been to for parties or occasions, the Riddle manor had an aura around it. It was as if you could smell the danger, taste the horrors, feel the terror. It was as if the moment you stepped inside your heart skipped a beat, your hands shook, your legs trembled. Dorea felt as if her brain had frozen over, just like the time she snuck off to the muggle movies with Sirius one night and got the largest slushy.

The two girls paused in front of double doors. Bellatrix turned to face Dorea, eye to eye. Dorea; the younger sister she'd always adored dragged into this mess.

"Head up bear. Don't let them see in your head. Don't give them the satisfaction of fear. Stay low, don't draw attention. If they ask a question answer it, if you don't know the answer don't make one up Tom will know. If they make a joke laugh at it. Nod when necessary. Blend into the background. Just breathe, be calm. Don't let them see your fear, don't let them smell your hurt." Bellatrix spoke rather quickly, she raised her hand to Dorea's cheek softly running her thumb on the slight indent of the large scar haunting Dorea's skin. "and most importantly, if you disagree with anything do not argue. An opinion is simply a luxury we Black's can no longer afford." She then straightened up, and her hand settled back by her side. Dorea nodded looking up at her sister with pleading eyes but Bella gave her a look. Almost as if a switch had been flipped dorea's eyes became blank, her face held no emotion.

The two opened the double doors.

Dorea expected a long terrifying dinner table with a million chairs and goblets full of blood as if they were vampires. She should have known better. 

She was greeted with the overwhelming smell of liquor and cigarettes. Everyone seemed to be just chatting with one another. A lounge room with mostly young adults, a few older people and then she locked eyes with the boy she'd wished on every star not to see.

She couldn't bare to see the hatred.

But to her surprise he looked straight back at her, he then raised his hand to his collar bone, tugging on the chain he still wore. her face remained empty but her eyes twinkled in an unrecognisable way. She pulled from bellatrix's side and hurried to Regulus' side.

They sat in the back on a small couch. For a moment neither of them said anything, both trying to figure out where they stood with one another. Dorea waited for regulus' to say something but he didn't. So she did.

"do you still want chocolate cake?" she paused and met his eyes "with raspberry filling and a mountain of frosting?"

After a moments blink his eyes turned up "yes, I've missed my best friend"

"I've missed you to"

They would've hugged. They would've smiled but they remained speaking these heart felt words with blank faces and almost frowns.

"I shouldn't have blamed you" he whispered

"I was to blame"

"I pinky swear" he moved his hand to in between them, angled so it was only visible to them, his back blocking their hands. "to never leave you again, as long as you do the same" she locked her pinky with his "I swear reggie" The two smiled for a moment before realizing how childish and improper it was to stay giddy with their pinkies interlocked. they laughed quietly, trying to hold their giggles in as the room hushed.

He was just how she remembered him; Tom. intimidatingly tall, with a mess of dark curls, haunting eyes and the most horrifying smile.

He began to address each person with specific comments about previous "missions". Dorea didn't understand any of it. Her heart beat quicker but her face lay blank. her knees threatened to bounce as his gaze landed closer to her and Regulus. her breathing wanted to quicken, her eyes wanted to widen, she wanted to run. But she sat chained to that couch beside Regulus'.

"ah our two newest and youngest members. I'm glad you made it" he spoke as if they had a choice. the two nodded like bobble heads.

"you two are so uptight, relax" a man from the opposite side of the room spoke, he had a voice of someone who had clearly already reached complete relaxation and carelessness. 

"I think it's good they're scared, it's good they know we're not all bark and that we do bite" a smooth womans voice spoke from another corner. Murmers of agreement rushed over the room and the two couldn't help but tense up the slightest bit more.

Tom recognised the look in their eyes. It was blank but he could tell their brains were moving quicker. He could tell they were intelligent kids unlike some of his mindless followers. he dind't know the motivation to join his group so suddenly after their very clear rejections. but he could tell it wasn't because they just suddenly supported the cause. he smirked as he approached the two teenagers.

As he attempted to break down their mental wards. Both had been built up; occlumency. he could get the information from other sources it was just so much more fun to see them on their last strand of will. Their last thread of sanity. He continued to walk toward them.

"you two better have a good reason to hide from me" he smiled as Dorea's hand began to shake. The fear in their eyes was tremendous.

"Tom you haven't welcomed me yet" Bellatrix spoke from the other side. Coming to her rescue. Thank the heavens. "you must have skipped me"

Doorea and Regulus both relaxed a bit as he turned his back to them and began to address Bella.

Though this was a horrible mistake.

because it proved to Tom how much bellatrix cared for her sister.

Bellatrix lestranges one and only weakness.

Who would've guessed it'd be her own little disgraced sister.

Tom's brain churned at the information.

The world does work in mysterious ways i suppose.

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Sorry it's been forever

Schools just been a lot.

I'll update as soon as I can

-Caroline