I don't own Harry Potter. Obviously.

July 1966- Prologue

He was thrilled with the choice. Obviously the younger girl would be prettier but she would not be that strong. She would not be able to be left alone for long periods of time and would need constant social attention. At any other time it wouldn't have mattered but now they were on a crossroads and social needs would have to come second. They were on the brink of reform. No, the middle girl would be best. She would hardly be unattractive; she was a Black after all. He watched through the window as she played with two of her younger cousins. They were entertained and happy; she would keep his children the same. Through the window he saw her scoop up the younger one and spin him, laughing the whole time. Physical strength was something the small blonde girl would not easily possess. She would need someone to protect her. This girl would not.

"You're certain then?" Mr. Black asked coming up behind him. He nodded. The older man made no other reply to the young man of seventeen than to go to the back door. "Andromeda!" he called out. The girl stopped short and headed in as one of her cousins pouted after her. There was movement in the grass as Narcissa gracefully lifted herself from her spot and followed. He saw Bellatrix come in another door, called by her sister's name and was standing by the doorway.

"Yes, Father?" Narcissa asked as she reached the doorway first.

"I need Andromeda to come inside and listen," he told her. Narcissa nodded and waltzed quickly through the doorway to allow her older sister to enter. The curly brown haired girl came in and went to go stand by Bellatrix, watching her father, glancing at the other man.

"Andromeda this is Rodolphus Lestrange," her father said as soon as the door was shut.

"Hello," she greeted quietly, meeting his eyes only for a moment. Narcissa curtsied and Bellatrix nodded at him, recognizing him easily.

"Mr. Lestrange has asked for your hand in marriage. I have accepted it for you," her father told her matter-of-factly. She struggled to hide a confused look.

"What is it Andromeda?" Rodolphus asked before her father could attempt to cover it up. Let him be sure that she was good enough at coming up with excuses. She would have to learn to control her facial expressions but having a quick mind was not a bad thing.

"I remembered that there was a Lestrange in my sister's year at school and you reminded me of him. I was trying to recall his name so I might ask you about him if we spoke later," she said coolly. It was a fairly good excuse. It would do well enough.

"And did you remember it?"

"It's Rabastan, isn't it?

"Yes, that is my brother's name."

"Good, I'm glad I was able to recall it."

"I must be going then, Cygnus," he said, trying out the new name. He could call the stern man by his first name now that he was engaged to one of his daughters.

"I will see you to the door." The three sisters watched as their father left with the young man and waited until the thick door was firmly shut before doing anything. Narcissa wavered into a chair as Andromeda leaned against the wall.

"Oh, Bella," she cried out.

"Isn't it wonderful, Annie?" Narcissa asked Andromeda.

"Cissy would you go tell the elf to give Sirius and Regulus their lunch outside?" Bellatrix ordered. Her youngest sister sighed and then flaunted away.

"Bella," Andromeda whined again weakly. Her sister walked over beside her. "It's not that he's awful or that I wanted someone else it's just-"

"You dared to dream. I told you it would get you into trouble."

"But you dream."

"No one would want me. I'm too rough around the edges."

"I'm hardly Narcissa."

"No, you're not which makes it even worse."

"What's that supposed to mean? Wouldn't that make things better? Wouldn't it make me rougher around the edges?"

"You aren't rough enough to be left completely alone and you're not soft enough to just be allowed to be completely alone. You're in the middle and that's no place good to be."

"You're still making no sense."

Bellatrix sighed. "Nobody wants me because I'm too hard to control. I end up left alone. Narcissa is soft enough that everyone thinks, and is probably right, that they can leave her alone and she'll do what's expected of her. She can live the life she wants and be left alone because people assume, probably correctly, that it will be in the guidelines. You on the other hand are gifted with neither trait. You're too soft for people to just give up and too hard for people to think you have no dreams of your own. So you don't get left alone so you can't pursue your own dreams."

"But Narcissa can? That's not fair."

"You know as well as I do that she has few dreams. That's why she's allowed to have them."

"I know," Andromeda sighed. "Bella what if I just acted like you?"

Her sister grinned, "Then father would tan both our hides."

"Why would he do that?" Narcissa asked as she re-entered the room.

"If Annie became a rebel-like me." Narcissa giggled.

"You're not a rebel, Bella, you just think like a boy. And I like you like that." She looked up with adoring eyes at her biggest sister. Bellatrix patted Andromeda lightly on the shoulder and Andromeda smiled over at Narcissa, loving her sweet innocence. They were three sisters almost exactly two years apart from each. Narcissa was eleven; Bellatrix was fifteen. As of yet, they had no future. They did not know they were living on the crossroads. The sweet innocence was doomed to end.

Dear Reader and Potential Reviewer,

This is the prologue to my story. The meat of the story will be written in 3rd person limited, Andromeda's perspective. Obviously, the prologue is not.

The thing of it is that before I post the "meat of the story", I'd like to get some reviews to see if people would actually be interested in me posting the story. So here is the typical review begging. Please, please, please, please! (is that enough "pleases") I'd promise one of the male characters but frankly, most of them end up dead or evil or both by the time you've read through Deathly Hallows so um since this isn't AU um, I can't really promise you one of them. Sorry. Have a cookie for a review?

Thanks,

Poohdog

PS Yes I know Rodolphus marries Bellatrix and he does in the end, I assure you.

Edited for Rodolphus's Age