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Bellatrix is smiling when she walks in.

And she doesn't stop smiling for a moment when she sees where she is, not even a flicker.

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Narcissa is calmly sipping a cup of tea when the door opens. Once it does, however, she barely gets the cup back on the saucer without breaking it.

"Bella?"

Now her expression changes, just slightly.

"--Cissy?"

"Bella, you're here? Are you all right?" She rushes to her sister's side, only to realize something is rather wrong.

"You're... you're so young."

[ooc: OH. Dude. The thing. With the thing. Uh. Ping me? :D?]

"Well, you haven't aged well, have you, dear?"

Oh yes.

It's Bellatrix. Same (not totally there) look in her eyes there always was.

Oh yes. Same look in her eyes, same sharp tongue.

But not the Bella who escaped Azkaban.

"I have been under some stress lately." Narcissa lifts her chin with practiced grace, a reaction of habit to criticism.

"It does show. There are spells to cover those things, you know."

"Yes, perhaps I will look into those." Her words are clipped, but she keeps reminding herself that it's just Bella being Bella, and herself, she's probably still a flightly debutante to her sister.

"I take it you're well. When... where have you come in from?"

And always, always will be, really.

"Visiting Mummy dearest. We had some details to talk about," waving a hand idly. "And you must be from far ahead of me in time, seeing how this place works."

She's eyed.

"Rather far indeed."

"Mummy?" Narcissa looks startled and briefly looks past her sister to where the door should be. Her compsure is regained quickly, though.

"It appears so." She agrees quietly. "Draco is seventeen already."

"Oh? Is that your cat?"

Narcissa blinks and furrows her brow.

"No, he is my son. We're further apart thean I thought, then."

"Apparently." Loftily.

"It sounds like a lovely name for a cat."

Narcissa ignores that.

"He is here, as is Lucius. They will both recognize you, I'm sure."

"Malfoy? Oh darling, you didn't." She's given a pitying look.

"Well, you could have done worse, I suppose. Always thought he was a poof, though. Not that I could say much, but really, Cissy."

"Really what?" She snaps, eyes narrowing.

Lucius was the perfect choice, Draco their perfect prince and she had her perfect, wizarding fairytale life.

...yes, this is what she told herself up until very recently.

"Nothing, dear. I'm sure you're very happy."

Well, yes. And no. But what could she tell Bella? What should she tell her?

"It's wonderful having them both here with me." That, at least, was true, and harmless.

"Is it?" A bit distantly. "God knows I'd kill myself if I had to spend much time with Rodolphus."

That gets a bit of a smile from Narcissa.

"Yes, well, some of us did marry for more than appearances, dear."

"Why the hell you'd marry Malfoy, then, I truly don't understand."

"I love Lucius, and he feels the same about me. We have a perfect marriage."

"Of course you do."

Narcissa is, not surprisingly, tiring out. Bella, even at her best (worst?) is exhausting.

"Will you be here long? Will you be back?"

"I don't think I'll stay, no. The patrons here--present company excluded--aren't to my liking."

"Understandable." She smiles slightly again. "If I could leave I would have done so long ago for much the same reason."