Foolish

"Camellia..." Lucius whispered as he stepped towards her.

His Camellia was standing right before him, staring at him with her watery blue eyes which were filled with hurt. Lucius stared at her face as tears slowly trailed down her hot, red cheeks.

"Camellia?" He said, reaching his hands out to touch her to see if she was real, but she turned away from him.

"Don't touch her!" Bellatrix exclaimed, aiming her wand at him.

Andromeda grabbed Bellatrix's arm once again and wrestled with her.

"Enough!" Druella Black said to her two daughters, who were rolling in the grass. "This is your sister's funeral for Merlin's sake!" The elder witch cried.

"Mum." Camellia murmured.

Lucius watched as Camellia went to her mother's side and embraced her.

"Oh, baby!" Druella cried over her daughter's grave, "My little baby!"

"It's all right mum," Camellia said softly, "She's at peace now."

"Yeah! Away from this worm of a husband." Bellatrix sneered, taking her place beside her mother.

She and Andromeda finally ended their battle and charmed the grass off their robes.

"Bella, please." Andromeda pleaded with her. "Mum's upset as it is."

"And dad had a stroke. I wonder whose fault is that." Bellatrix said sarcastically, glaring at Lucius. "And not to mention he ruined my new six inch heels, right when I was stumping him too!" she added.

Lucius ignored everything around him and focused on Camellia, his Camellia, who was standing right in front of him, holding her tearful mother.

"Camellia." He began, reaching for her once again, but her sisters pulled her back and shielded her from him.

"Stay away from her." Bellatrix said coldly, slapping him across the face.

"Bella." said Andromeda, then she turned to Lucius, "Lucius, don't." she warned. "Please."

"Step aside and let me be with Camellia!" Lucius demanded.

"Oh, I'll let you be with her all right!" Bellatrix said, raising her wand, but was held back by her mother this time.

"Bella! Cease this behavior of yours at once!"

"But mum! He killed her!" Bellatrix shouted pointing at Lucius. "And now he wants to kill Cissy too!"

Druella gave out a sharp cry at this.

"Bella!" Andromeda exclaimed, moving back to embrace their mother. "Stop it! You're upsetting mother!"

"Camellia." Said Lucius.

Camellia went around her sisters and stood in front of him. She slapped him across the face, leaving marks from her thin, painted nails, and said, "That was for my sister."

Lucius' face was turned when she had slapped him, but he didn't feel anything. Not even the four neat cuts on his cheeks or the blood dripping from them. His body was completely numb from drinking all the wine and firewisky he could find.

"Camellia." He said, grabbing her arm.

Camellia screamed at the sudden contact.

"Take your hands off my daughter!" Druella ordered him, "You took my child! Now you want take another as well! Have you no shame? You heartless man!" The witch cried before she fainted.

"MOTHER!" the Black sisters exclaimed, catching her before she fell and led her away.

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After the Black sisters and their mother left, Lucius returned to his study to contemplate what had just happened. At first, he wasn't certain if the event that just transpired was merely a figment of his imagination, but the more he thought about it the more everything made sense to him. His Camellia wasn't dead. She was still alive. She must've planned everything out with Bellatrix while he was recovering from the beatings and curses.

"Narcissa," Lucius said to the porcelain doll, which Bellatrix had forgotten and left on the ground for him, as a smile appeared on his face. "Your mistress is one vengeful little Slytherin..."

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The Black sisters ate their breakfast in the Black manor in silence, all upset with the events that had transpired. First they lost their young sister, their father had become bedridden, and their mother was also bedridden from exhaustion.

"Oh dear!" Andromeda gasped.

"What is it?" Narcissa curiously asked her sister, while Bellatrix lazily gazed in Andromeda's direction.

"Look here," Andromeda said, showing Narcissa the article on the Daily Prophet she was reading, "Six witches' remains were found in rural areas, mutilated beyond recognition. Authorities suspect a serial killer maybe roaming France!"

"Oh my!" Narcissa gasped.

"Six?" Bellatrix arched her eyebrow, "That's all they found?" she said more to herself than her sister as she sipped her wine.

Andromeda side glanced at Bellatrix. No...She couldn't have...

"None of the witch have been identified as of yet, but authorities are looking to see if anyone has filed a missing persons report within the last month." Narcissa read. "How awful..." she murmured, placing her hand over her heart.

"None of them are worth your sympathy." Bellatrix said. "The filthy whores deserved to die!" she spat.

"Bella," Andromeda said, staring at her sister. "Must you say that about everyone?" She was not surprised at Bellatrix's outburst, since she did it that often – insult complete strangers.

"What?" Bellatrix shrugged, "If they are dead 'mutilated beyond recognition,' that means they must've done something deserving of the punishment for the crime they committed."

"Crime?" Narcissa wondered out loud, inclining her head, puzzled by what Bellatrix meant.

"The crime is of their murders, of course." Andromeda stated. "What else is there?" She suspiciously asked Bellatrix. Andromeda was bemused by the emotion in her sister's tone. Usually, when taunting or insulting others, Bellatrix's tone would be a mix of amusement and boredom. But a moment ago it was of pure hatred.

Bellatrix stared back at Andromeda's challenging eyes without flinching. "Yes, what else?"

Andromeda, stressed and tired, yielded before her sister's unaffected stare and said, "It's not right to speak ill of the dead, especially, when we don't know anything about them."

"Yes," Bellatrix agreed, "quite shameful of you, Andy."

"I'm sorry I even brought it up in the first place." Andromeda apologized, overflowed with dread and shame.

"It's all right, Andy," Narcissa replied, trying to comfort her, "you were merely informing us of the danger. We cannot return to France, seeing as there is a possibility of a serial killer still there."

"Not that we can leave, even if there is one. Father needs us here with him." Andromeda said, "And mother cannot travel in her current condition."

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Lucius straighten his dress robes for the umpteen, wanting to look impeccable for when he properly meets Narcissa. He was to meet with the Black sisters three days after the funeral to see Camellia's will. Lucius was enraged at Camellia for making him a fool, but he was more enraged at Bellatrix. No doubt it was his demented sister-in-law's handy work. His Camellia would never do this to him on her own according. Bellatrix will pay dearly for her role in this charade, Lucius vowed.

"It's…" Andromeda hesitated, finding it hard to find the right words to say to this man after what he had done to her sister, "Good to see you again." She greeted Lucius.

"The pleasure is all mine." Lucius replied, taking her hand and kissing it.

The last time she saw Lucius was at the wedding, but there were too many guests in attendance and not enough time for her to truly observe him. Andromeda carefully studied Lucius and noted how he appeared different, physically. In the owls that Camellia had sent Andromeda, she only believed a few of Camellia's kind words when describing Lucius. It was because she knew that her sister tended to be biased, since she favored Lucius so much. To Andromeda this man before her had not changed much from that nasty little boy she had meet years ago, he was just better at hiding his true colors.

Andromeda and Lucius were barely six years old, when their parents had arranged for a gathering of pure blood families in order to decide on who their children would wed. It was customary, her father told her and her sisters, to keep the purity of their blood and for them to wed into wealthy and respectable family or else they would shame them all. Her father also ordered them to invite Lucius to play the moment they see him and to pay attention to his interests. It would add to their already pure liege if one of them were chosen as his bride.

Andromeda fell in love with Lucius the moment she saw him. He was absolutely beautiful, with his white blond hair and light gray eyes. She wanted to play with him but she was too shy to ask. Later, she realized that it was good that she didn't play with him. Within seconds Lucius managed to make her fall out of love with him. Lucius was rude to his playmates, when the adults weren't looking, and outright took their toys, claiming they were his. He even tried to steal one of her sister's new porcelain doll, Cissy, but Camellia wouldn't have it and bit his arm. Both of their parents had to pull the two apart, for things were starting to get ugly.

After taking them into the drawing room, her parents ordered Camellia to apologize. She refused and threw a tantrum, screaming that Lucius had to apologize to her. He was the one trying to steal her toy. Her parents were able to calm her down but her father made the mistake of suggesting that she apologize anyways, for having bitten him and drawing blood. Another tantrum was thrown, much worse than the first, and ended with her parents swearing to buy her ten new dolls, and a completely new wardrobe for the coming season...her sister had her poor parents wrapped around her little finger. But with all the gifts, she still refused to apologize even if she was right or not.

"Is Bellatrix and Narcissa joining us soon?" inquired Lucius.

"Yes, they will be with us soon." replied Andromeda.

Lucius inclined his head in amusement. His shy, little Camellia must be having second thoughts about this theatrical production of theirs and Bellatrix must be giving her words of encouragement. When Bellatrix and Narcissa entered the room, they took their seats without a word.

"I believe we haven't been properly introduced." Lucius slightly leaned forward to address Narcissa, who was across the table from him. If this was what Camellia wanted, then he'd humor her…for now.

"Oh dear…" giggled Narcissa. She placed her palm over her mouth, displaying her perfectly manicured long nails across her pale cheek as if to mock him by reminding him of how cleanly and quickly she could rake them through his skin. "Have you forgotten me already?" she said having each of her blood red nails positioned correctly where she had cut his cheek. "I thought I properly introduced myself to you just the other day at my sister's funeral." She finished as she gracefully placed her hand down.

"Well, his head is quite thick." Bellatrix snickered.

Andromeda sighed. Lucius looked as if he could handle himself in a duel. But she doubt he would do well in two on one and she's quite certain her dear sisters would not play fair. And she didn't want to get involved and point her wand at her own sisters.

"I do apologize. I was numb from your sister's," he side glanced at Bellatrix, "earlier introduction."

Narcissa and Bellatrix huddled close together and snickered. Leaning back, Narcissa took out her hand fan and began fanning herself. "It's so hot in here…" she said in a lazy tone.

Lucius was about to tell her that if she was so hot; he could help her out of her tight dress. But he was too distracted by the object in her hand to say anything. He arched an amused eyebrow at Narcissa's fan. As Lucius recalled, the scenery painted on the fan, of mountains and lakes, was the exact view that could be seen outside the balcony window, where he and Camellia had their honeymoon. Lucius grinned at the memory. They spent a month in the castle he owned in the south of Spain, making love whenever and wherever they pleased.

Lucius' eye hooded as he sank into his seat, his thumb involuntary traced invisible circles on the armrest of his chair. The most vivid memory he had of their honeymoon was when they were sitting in the balcony, enjoying the view and each other. He was holding Camellia on his lap as he made love to her. Camellia slowly sank into him and moaned as she relaxed. Resting her head on his shoulder, Camellia pressed her cheek onto his. She cupped the other side of his face, her thumb tracing invisible circles over the skins beneath his ear. Her simple touch was synchronized with his thrusts and it was the sweetest sensation he thought he ever felt. When she moved her thumb slowly, he would thrust slowly; when she spun it faster so would he. It was as if he was no longer in control of his own body and she took over his pace through her thumb. Amazing, was what Camellia had murmured through her pants after she came.

"Dear brother-in-law," said Narcissa, "are you all right?" Closing and lowering her fan, Narcissa leaned forward to reveal a hint of cleavage, "You don't look…well at all." she said as she slowly sank back into her chair, in a manner of which reminded Lucius very much of how she sank onto his lap that day, and moaned as she relaxed. Smiling innocently, Narcissa opened her fan in a set of smooth movements and continued to slowly fan herself.

Lucius gripped the armrest and forced the memory aside. He had to admit, Camellia's little tactic was effective. She knew what that scenery would do to him. Back then, both had their eyes glued to the view and didn't look at each other because they wanted to experimentally feel one another, physically, rather than see what the other was doing. Camellia was the first to tear her eyes from the scenery and kissed him. The passion between them was heightened that day as they reached a new level of emotions within the other's arms. So that was her plan, the minx! She wants him to fall on his knees, sexually frustrated, and begging her to return to his bed. Well, someone's going to be on their knees - but it certainly wouldn't be him!

"Thank you for your concern, Narcissa, but I am well. It is as you say the heat in this room that's causing my discomfort."

"Sorry to give you the wrong idea." Replied Narcissa, "It was not concern for you that prompted me to ask…it was more of curiosity."

Andromeda fidgeted with her fingers in her lap, wanting to leave the room for some fresh air. The sexual tension in the room could be cut with a knife. It was suffocating her and making her quite uncomfortable, thought Bellatrix was enjoying this. It was pure entertainment to her. Andromeda's dislike of Lucius was increasing as she watched the scene before her. He's practically gliding from one of her sisters' to the other! Who's next, Bella? Fortunately, the ministry officer who was in charge of Camellia's will, entered the room and interrupted Narcissa's teasing.

As the meeting proceeded, Lucius, noticeably to the witches, was ignoring Narcissa the entire time. By the end of the meeting, the officer politely excused himself after asking Lucius and the Black sisters' if there were any objections to Camellia's decision to divide her fortune among her sisters' and only left one key vault for Lucius. Lucius didn't object to Camellia's decision and accepted the key. He stared at the key in his hand for a short while before he turned to Narcissa, studying her face and body language to get a clue of what she had left him in the vault.

Not seeing any signs from Narcissa, Lucius excused himself from the room as well and headed for Gringotts. Lucius did not know why but he felt like he needed see what was in the vault. The number carved on the key was one-hundred and ninety-six. If Lucius remembered correctly, nineteen-sixty was the year he and Camellia first met.

There was a table in the center of the vault filled with velvet boxes neatly arranged side-by-side, varying from size and color. Lucius cautiously scanned the dimmed chamber to be certain that Camellia or Bellatrix didn't place traps in it. After clearing the vault, Lucius proceeded toward the table and picked up one of the boxes that were closest to him. Carved in the box was the date, twenty-fifth of Aprils, nineteen-sixty. Lucius studied the numbers on the box, not remembering anything specific event involving the date. Opening the box, Lucius found a diamond blue bracelet. Carefully taking the bracelet out of its box, Lucius examine the oriented item. He had never seen the item before and placed it back in the box and picked up another one. He chose a box the farthest from him and this time he remember the date. It was the ring he had custom made for Camellia on the first of January, nineteen-seventy-two.

Slowly, Lucius put the box back on the table and tightened the hold he had on his cane. Is this what he thinks it means? Picking up another box, Lucius found the ear rings Camellia wore on their wedding day. Dropping the box on the table, Lucius reached for the largest box there and threw it open with his wand. Inside was his Camellia's wedding dress. Lucius reached his hand to feel the satin textile, and winced as he pricked his finger on a pin near the collar. He watched as his blood dripped onto the skirt and dissolve into the fabric.

Lucius stormed into his manor, destroying anything within his line of vision with the wave of his wand. He could not believe this! Camellia was returning everything he ever gave her! Everything from the day they met! Even those he did not remember giving her! It could only mean one thing. She was showing him that she was no longer in love with him and was going to start a new life - without him!

Lucius marched into his personal chamber, expecting to find Cissy standing on the vanity, staring at him –mocking him! Lucius turned to the vanity where she usually stood, but there was no trace of her.

"DOBY!"

"Y-Yes, sir." The elf stuttered, cowering on the floor.

"WHERE IS CISSY?" Lucius demanded.

"Ma-mada-m t-t-took her."

"WHO?"

"M-Madam t-t-ook her an-and e-e-verything!"

Lucius looked at the vanity at once. He did not notice it before because he was too distracted by Cissy's disappearance, but now he saw that the miniature set of hair brushes and combs were gone as well. Lucius rushed to the wardrobe that contained Cissy's custom made garments and found it completely empty.

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Andromeda entered the drawing room to find Narcissa humming to herself as she gently brushed her porcelain doll's hair. The doll was wearing a white Sunday dress with light blue trimming.

"Is she new?" asked Andromeda, admiring the doll.

"No," replied Narcissa with an innocent smile.

Andromeda took a closer look at the doll and gasped. "It that…" she fell into the chair beside Narcissa and brushed her fingertips against the doll's cheek.

"Yes." Said Narcissa, "Doesn't she look adorable in her new Sunday dress, Andy?"

"Yes, yes she does." Andromeda agreed.

Years ago, their father had porcelain dolls made for each of them. Each doll was the exact copy of its owner; the craftsman even used their real hair and old dresses on the dolls. Andromeda and Bellatrix no longer had theirs. Narcissa and Camellia were the only ones that still had their dolls.Bellatrix used her doll as target practice, throwing rocks at it, among other things. It was broken beyond repair, even with magic, and their father never purchased another doll in place of it, knowing she would destroy it just like the last one, maybe worse.

As for Andromeda's, her doll mysteriously disappeared. The only thing she could find was a shoe. She suspected Bellatrix had something to do with it as did their parents. But Andromeda did not voice her suspicions and declined her parents' offer for a new one. It would probably disappear like the last one and receive a much worse fate.

"How did you get Lucius to return her to you?" asked Andromeda.

"Lucius?" Narcissa huffed, "did you forget that Cissy originally belonged to me, before Camellia barrowed her."

"Right," agreed Andromeda, "Camellia didn't want to get hers dirty during the play date and took yours instead."

Narcissa nodded, "And Lucius tried to steal her from Camellia."

"And she bit him." Finished Andromeda, "I had never seen father so angry."

"She did draw blood." Said Narcissa, recalling how she fainted at the sight of Lucius' blood.

"And Bella screamed "yes' and kicked him in the stomach." Andromeda was putting it lightly.

Bellatrix actually stomped on Lucius multiple times, until he was unconscious…and until she broke her two inched heels. The guests stared in horror and some fainted. Their father had to pull her off him and scolded her. Bellatrix was pardoned from her punishment, claiming she was protecting her weak, defenseless sister from the bully. Andromeda did not believe a word of it, even back then. She thought Bellatrix just wanted to hit something, saw her opportunity and took it. Lucius was so traumatized by the incident and, fortunately for Bellatrix, forgot about her heels and only remembered that Camellia bit him.

"I always wondered how anyone could begin a relationship like that." said Andromeda.

"You could say… Lucius fell in love at first bite." replied Narcissa.

Both covered their mouths and laughed at Narcissa joke.

"What's so funny?" inquired Bellatrix as she and Rodolphus joined them.

"Oh, nothing…just some reminiscing of the past." Said Andromeda.

Bellatrix crossed her arms over her chest and snorted, feeling left out. "Rodolphus, you remember Andromeda." She reintroduced them.

"It is pleasant to see you again." Said Rodolphus, taking Andromeda's hand and kissing it for longer than he should.

"Ask her to bed, why don't you!" bellowed Bellatrix.

"No, love, of course not. I was merely admiring how much she resembles you and your beauty." Replied Rodolphus.

Bellatrix snorted in disbelief and gave her husband a look that said he'd pay for this later.

"Hello, Rodolphus." Said Narcissa as she turned to face him.

Rodolphus was taken aback by the sight of her and thought it strange, having attended her funeral a few days ago. "Camellia?"

Narcissa smiled, "No, I'm Narcissa. Camellia's twin."

Rodolphus took a close look at Narcissa and nodded. "Yes, I remember. But wasn't there three of you?"

The witches laughed at this. "No," Narcissa shook her head, "the third one you saw was this." She held up the doll for him to see.

"Ahh…yes." He said, observing the doll, "The crafter of this doll is exceptionally skilled."

"Father would have nothing less." Said Bellatrix, "It was worth every galleon." She smirked, inclining her head in reminisce.

Andromeda and Narcissa exchanged suspicious looks and eyed Bellatrix.

"Right…" said Narcissa. "How is Rabastan?" she asked, being polite, though she could care less for him.

"Bedridden." said Bellatrix.

"Has he caught a fever?" inquired Andromeda.

"You could say that." Bellatrix shrugged, but by the haunting look on Rodolphus' face, Andromeda knew that it was much worse than a fever.