ANTHEM OF THE ANGELS
act one, chapter two
(alternatively : telling sev off)
❛there's too many words left unsaid❜
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✦ 𝙉ARCISSA ✦
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𝙃arold, an owl Narcissa knew all too well, swooped into her room, circling above her head before he released the letter he had clasped in his talons. Narcissa gently put the letter on her bed once she caught it, moving to her dresser, where she plucked a piece of the uneaten bread she had on it and gave it to the owl, who affectionately bit her finger and Narcissa let out a chuckle.

"Bye Harry, I don't have a letter to give in return." The owl let put a screech, unsatisfied by this, for it had been three months since Narcissa sent a letter to Elora and Penelope. "Maybe next time okay?" Even the owl knew there was no next time, but all he did was swoop away and Narcissa let her eyes befall on the purple envelope. Penelope's favorite color. She wanted to read the letter but couldn't bring herself to. Not after her betrayal.

Here's the thing, to Narcissa, it didn't matter what color robes Penelope wore when she first met her, no, what mattered was her Carrow blood, her pure Carrow blood. That's what mattered to Narcissa, maybe she used Penelope, maybe, but it was far too late to apologize. Far too late but even if she could apologize, Narcissa was sure Penelope would never ever forgive her.

Narcissa knew Penelope well enough, she knew Penelope didn't beg people, she didn't forgive easy as well. What you do to Penelope Carrow, you get in return. Narcissa was ignoring her, and she was sure Penelope will ignore her soon enough. She'll give up on her soon enough, that Narcissa knew. She wanted to save their friendship, really, she wanted to but she just couldn't. She betrayed one of the most amazing people to ever exist in this dull world, and even if she could win Penelope's trust back, she could never live with herself knowing that.

Narcissa herself was still dealing with the fact that her mother was busy dying and her sisters all left home. They found a tumor the size of a golf ball in Druella's left lung, courtesy of her smoking like there was absolutely no tomorrow. Let's not forget that her own mother married her off.

(All because she said she doesn't want Narcissa to see her dying—fucking bullshit.)

Maybe that's why Narcissa wasn't writing to Penelope and Elora, maybe she knew that if she were to write a letter, all she would write is about her dying mother and her arranged marriage. It's not like she didn't know the man she was to be married to, she knew Lucius Malfoy and she had once helped him pick the books James and Sirius had knocked out his hands. (Despite him being a Prefect and them being like twelve.) But that didn't mean she truly loved him. Sure, she liked him, he's a fellow Slytherin and his blood is as pure as can be.

She couldn't picture herself being married to him, having his son or daughter. (But preferably son, Lucius will want a son, to carry his name. Narcissa wanted a girl, so she can shield her from being intoxicated by the dark side, just like Bellatrix. The change in her sister scared her, a lot and she didn't want to see it happen ever again.)

"Mistress Narcissa," A tiny, squeaky voice spoke, snapping Narcissa out of her reverie and she let her blue eyes travel to the house elf standing by the door and she swallowed hard. It was time. "Mistress' portkey leaves in an hour."

"Right, thank you Sindy." Narcissa smiled, despite the turmoil inside her and the tears threatening to fall.

Not only has she failed her best friend, but she's failed herself.

✦ 𝙋ENELOPE ✦
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𝙋enelope might be a Ravenclaw, the top student in her year, a prefect and the current running candidate for Head Girl, but she sucked at letters. Now, by suck, she really means that once she opens up, it's difficult to close back up. Every single purple envelope she sends to Narcissa contains a rose pink letter, stating all her worries and some secrets she can't tell Elora. She's not going to lie, Elora is her best friend but Narcissa understood the pressure of being a pureblood. Elora was a halfblood and she sort of had life easy. Sure, Severus completely wrote her off, as well as her mother sometimes, but Elora didn't understand what it felt like growing up with a mother who wanted her to follow the road she followed once or a father who basically mapped out her entire life.

In fact, Penelope now sat in the bustling Great Hall. Classes start today, and she has decided to sit alone at the Ravenclaw table, quietly looking through the Daily Prophet, trying to ignore the bold letters saying : HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED STRIKES AGAIN! MUGGLE FAMILY KILLED! She had a cup of coffee in her other hand, subtly sipping the hot beverage.

Truth was, she couldn't just ignore the headline. It was repeating itself in her head like a mantra. She couldn't ignore it as she once heard her mother and father talking about him, plotting ways on how to get her to join him. Her father thought the Dark Lord brilliant, and he passionately spoke about him as though the Dark Lord was his absolute everything and that scared Penelope. Her mother on the other hand, supported him but wasn't a follower. She believed that muggles should all be killed, let the world be pure. That's why Penelope planned on running away from home with Remus after her graduation.

"You've seen it too?" Elora asked as she sunk in beside the Ravenclaw, her bright yellow clashing against the deep blue tablecloth. "Loretta Simmons fainted when she saw the headline."

"I've seen it." Penelope confirmed, pressing her lips to her cup, indicating that she didn't really want to talk to Elora, who unfortunately didn't get the message.

"Sev was grinning." Elora said with some difficulty. They weren't on talking terms, but Penelope could see that Elora was worried about Severus, worried that he might join the Dark Lord.

"He's always liked dark stuff El, we both know that."

"Yes but he—" Elora suddenly inched forward, seemingly afraid that people will overheard what she was about to tell Penelope. "He wants me to join him Penny, he told me yesterday."

Penelope dropped the Daily Prophet, her blood running cold and she felt a shiver run down her spine. Elora was a Hufflepuff, the kindest soul to ever live, she can't join the Dark Lord.

"I'll be right back—look, go tell James to meet me after classes." Penelope spoke in a soft voice, one that had Elora confused but she followed the Order anyway, basically having to run after James as he and his friends left the Great Hall minutes ago.

Penelope rose from her seat, everyone looking at her and she ignored this. People feared Penelope Carrow and for good reason. She had the power in her hands and not to mention, every single person in her family went to the dark side, Maisie included. She made her way to the Slytherin table, where Severus was quietly talking to Regulus Black and Olivia Greengrass.

"Severus, we need to talk." Penelope announced, voice strong and confident as she looked at Severus with unimpressed look on her face.

"About what? Did Elora send yo—"

"No one sent me, and no one needs to." She snapped, eyes livid at this point and she grabbed him by the arm. "Now, like I said, we need to talk."

"Unhand me." Severus growled and Penelope released her death grip on the boy. Severus rubbed his now red wrist. "Fine, we can talk."

Penelope nodded, the turned on her heel, throwing a look back as if to tell him to follow her out the Great Hall and Severus did so, reluctantly.

"If you want to kiss You Know Who's soggy behind, do so and do so alone. You're not going to drag Elora into this." Penelope stepped dangerously close to Severus and the boy rolled his dark eyes at her.

"I was talking with our mother, who supports the idea, and Elora butted in. She's the one who decided she wants to join, I never told her to." Something shifted in Penelope. Elora lied. Elora lied to her and she didn't know how to process that thought. "Before you come and attack me Penelope, get your facts straight. Seems like my sister and your best friend lied to you—"

"She's not my best friend." Penelope's voice whispered, still shocked. Elora has never ever lied to her before, never. And this hurt Penelope a lot.

"Either way, don't—"

"Shut up Severus!" Penelope suddenly growled. "You don't get to tell me what to do, you don't get to boss me around. You wrote El off but you don't hear me saying you should just accept her as is." She huffed out. "Now, here's an order for you, go back to your filthy mudblood and leave me and Elora alone. She doesn't need you."

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❛friends stick together, no matter what❜
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