Vanity and Pride
Chapter One: The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black
 
When I come in, you start to sue
Don't worry, don't worry
I got it.
I'm so full of me there's hardly room for you to breathe

 She was beautiful.

That was one thing one must understand when it came to Cedrella Black. She was not called 'the beautiful middle child of Arcturus Black' because her parents or strangers liked to flatter her. That was not how the Black family worked, and that was why people took her nickname into consideration. Her mother and father told her she was beautiful because it was an honest accusation. They did not hold back when it came to criticizing their three daughters, and they most certainly did not fail to remind Cedrella's sisters that she was the most attractive of them all.

Cedrella's aunts and uncles were just as jealous as her cousins and sisters when it came to her beauty. They were disappointed that they had not had the chance to bare such a child, but they did not deny she was a useful pawn when it came to their family. Cedrella would make a fine wife to a rich Malfoy or Crouch, earning the Blacks even more power.

However, being 'the beautiful middle child of Arcturus Black' had its down sides as well. It was definitely the reason she was never close to her sisters, or her female cousins. Yes, she played pretend with Callidora on occasions and Charis would often ask her to curl her hair, but there was a tension between the girls that never had a chance to mellow out over the years. Cedrella was often isolated to her older cousin, Pollux, for entertainment. She did enjoy his company. Pollux was much more fun to play with than her timid sisters. He, unlike many other members of the Black family, knew exactly how she felt. Just like Cedrella, he was the most attractive and talented out of his siblings, as well.

But none of the hidden jealousy or greed mattered now, for a party awaited Cedrella downstairs in which all of the Black family members attended. She was to be boasted upon for making Head Girl, and they were to bite their lips in order to not sneer in her direction.

Cedrella's reflection in the long, golden mirror smirked back at her. Long, raven hair cascaded down her back in carefully arranged curls. The deep colour of her violet robes made her icy blue eyes stand out like two stars against the blanket of a night's sky. Her body reflected her conceited nature, one eyebrow cocked, and one hand on her hip.

She was beautiful, yes, and had a much too proud attitude to match it.

She buckled her heels around her ankles and sprayed a thick veil of sweet perfume before exiting her room. Clicks could be heard going down the grand hall as she made her way toward the ballroom, accenting her feline-like walk.

Only four people were occupying the large room, for it was still quite early. Not everyone had arrived yet, and Cedrella sighed loudly to get the attention of her family.

Callidora, her eldest sister, was sitting in an armchair and looking into the flickering fire with an unfocused expression. Her grey eyes she had inherited from their mother seemed shallow against skin that had paled over the past few years. A few pale strands of hair had escaped the jewelled clips holding her long hair. Never had Cedrella noticed how much her sister resembled their mother, Lysandra.

To Cedrella, Callidora was a disappointment. She was so ashamed of how her sister's future turned out that bile rose up in her throat every time she looked at her paling face. Being called princesses their entire lives, they were not aware that they would be deprived of the one thing they longed for when they grew up; a prince. And as they were children, they stupidly vowed to marry handsome men that had power, wealth, bravery, and passion. They took turns being each others' princes as they played in the gardens, being normal girls. It was their dream to live happily ever after.
But what they failed to comprehend was that they were not normal girls; they were Blacks. They were to marry whomever their parents chose, and they were to pretend to be happy about it. They were pawns to the family, women to bare heirs.

Maybe the reason Cedrella could barely look at her older sister without her lip curling was because her hand was entangled with that of Harfang Longbottom, a loud and plump man who was ten years older than Callidora. He was disgusting compared to the handsome men that came from the Black family, but he had money. His wealth earned him an arranged marriage with Callidora, and much to Cedrella's disappointment, her sister married the oaf without a single word of protest. It was as if the girl she grew up with, that dreamt of her knight in shining armour, had vanished and left her body filled with a soul who, never talking out of turn, always stood behind a man she did not even care for. And now they sat beside each other in awkward silence while Cedrella pretended to not see either of them.

Callidora looked much like their mother, but at least their mother had a backbone.

With a pang of fear, Cedrella often wondered if the reason she had come to hate her sister so much over the past two years was because she was looking at her own future unfold, for their was only a two year age difference between the girls. Maybe this was how she would look one day, her face emotionless and her vivacious attitude gone. Maybe she would be married to some ugly man that talked too much and was much too old for her; a man she hated.

She refused to accept it. Cedrella Black would never end up like her older sister. She would marry a man that was just as attractive and ambitious as herself; a man that was even more handsome and charming than her cousin, Pollux.

In the window seat, her grey eyes scanning a book, sat Cedrella's youngest sister, Charis. She looked like a carbon copy of both their mother and eldest sister, from the white-blond hair to the pale, fragile skin. Charis was two years younger than Cedrella, and still did not fully understand how their family worked. An arranged marriage was not something she worried about. She cared more about reading, school, and playing with their younger cousin, Dorea Black. If only she knew that after she left Hogwarts, plans had been made to marry her off to Caspar Crouch, a young, nervous looking boy about her age.

To Cedrella, her sisters were spineless, clueless girls. She often wondered how they even managed to get into Slytherin, though everyone always said that the Sorting Hat takes your choice into consideration. Every member of the Black family, in order to not be shunned by their family, chose Slytherin.

Arcturus Black, her father, strutted across the floor, over to his middle child, a smile creeping over his face. It was not a warm smile, but an amused smirk that Cedrella had inherited from him.

He cupped her cheek in his large hand, looking her up and down with a scrutinizing glare. There was no denying that Cedrella gained her dark beauty from her father, a man who donned black hair that was unharmed by grey and black eyes that wore a menacing expression at all times. He was a quiet man, but a handsome one. It was the famous Black traits that he had gotten from his father, Phineas Nigellus Black. With high cheeks bones, an angular nose, and arched eyebrows, he appeared much younger than he actually was. It was also quite apparent that Arcturus favoured his middle child, the daughter who looked so much like him, by far.

"My beautiful Cedrella," he murmured, "I am so proud of you."

She smiled and leaned up to press her lips to her father's prickly cheek.

"Where is everyone?"

"Probably held back by the weather," Harfang Longbottom announced in his booming voice that annoyed Cedrella to no end. Blacks always spoke softly. They did not need volume to get a point across.

"I told them they should have not tried to fly in such-" He was cut off sharply by Cedrella's sneer.

"I didn't ask you," she hissed, narrowing her eyes at the plump man. He looked taken aback, his eyes darting toward his wife. Callidora did not dare try to upstage her sister. She knew she would regret such a move, especially in front of their father.

Arcturus's laugh was all too proud of his quick-mouthed daughter. He laid a hand on her shoulder, still smiling.

"Back down, Cedrella," he said. "No need to be hasty. The others will be here soon enough."

She rolled her eyes and sat herself down in a chair as far away from her brother-in-law as possible. Lysandra, Cedrella's mother, made a move to pour her a cup of hot tea. Cedrella snorted at her mother. The only time Lysandra ever poured tea herself was when she wanted to get close enough to criticize her daughter thoroughly.

"Perk up," she snapped at her daughter. “You should be ashamed of the way you act toward a man with so much power like Longbottom.”

Cedrella scoffed.

"This gathering is in honour of you, so try to be pleasant,” Lysandra continued. Her painted red lips pursed together tightly as she waited for an acknowledgment from her daughter.

Cedrella sneered at her mother. "I didn't ask for a party."

"Nonsense," Arcturus barked. "Getting Head Girl is something that will be celebrated."

"Indeed," Callidora murmured under her breath. She was still looking intensely at the fire that was roaring in front of her. Cedrella's head shot up to look at her sister directly in the eyes for the first time that evening.

"What's that?" Cedrella snapped. "Is that jealousy I hear?"

"I have no reason to be jealous, dear sister."

Cedrella ground her teeth together.

"You have every reason to be jealous," she said bitterly. "You were never Head Girl, you never had parties in your honour, and you most certainly-"

"Enough!" Lysandra shouted. "Arcturus, will you please tell Cedrella to stop undermining her sister?"

Instead of their father turning to reprimand Cedrella, he glared at his wife. His young-looking face took on a horrifying trance, and his wife visibly backed down.

Lysandra looked much older than she really was, appearing to be ten or so years older than her handsome husband. Her long blond hair was kept in a tight knot, and her once strikingly beautiful face had been worn from years of becoming an ambitious wife of a Black. She may have had a big mouth and an opinionated nature, but she was just as scared of her husband as everyone else.

“Are her words not true?” he questioned, coming up behind his beautiful middle child to stroke her dark hair. “I don't believe Callidora ever even became a prefect. Cedrella has every reason to be proud.”

Lysandra looked like she was choosing her words carefully, calculating her thoughts in order not to displease her husband. Cedrella smiled up at her father.

“This is why she acts so conceited, Arcturus,” she sighed, sitting in an armchair. “You are constantly excusing her attitude-”

“And I will continue to do so,” he said softly. “Cedrella is not as passive as her sisters, and that is why she will go much farther in life. She's a Black, through and through, and I am not about to start mellowing her out to match your branch of the family.”

Charis did not even bother to look up at the obvious comment toward her and Callidora. She was much too used to having to listen to their father go on about how wonderful their sister was, how their quiet nature was nothing compared to Cedrella's lively one, or how their fair looks appeared quite plain next to Cedrella's dark beauty. All of the Black daughters were attractive, but both Charis and Callidora knew they held no competition to their father's favourite daughter.

The fire turned a bright green and made a large flame in the chimney, revealing Uncle Cygnus. Everyone jumped up to greet their guest, all of them slightly relieved to have something to take their mids off the thick tension in the room.

“Brother!” Arcturus beamed, patting his older brother on the back. Soot from the fire puffed off his jacket as he smiled broadly at everyone in the room.

Uncle Cygnus was much larger than Cedrella's father, but just as handsome. He too had dark hair and black eyes to match, though his hair was streaked with silver. There was no doubt that he earned his graying hair from trying to keep his reckless son, Pollux, in check.

“Cygnus!” Harfang jumped up to shake hands with the man. Cedrella's uncle winced at the loud greeting.

“I thought you were going to fly in,” he continued. “Good thing you didn't. Lighting would strike you down from the sky tonight.”

Cygnus took off his extravagant and rather large coat and handed it to the family house-elf.

“No,” he grunted. “Had to take a safer form of transportation this evening, I'm afraid. How's my pretty little niece?”

Cedrella walked over to her Uncle and gave him an irresistible smile. “Splendid.”

“Head Girl of Slytherin,” he mused as he looked her up and down. “My, my! Did you know that your father and I were both Head Boys in our time?”

She nodded, her blue eyes sparkling.

“Of course you know,” he chuckled. “Yes, your father and I both were, and your Aunt Belvina was Head Girl. Can't say the same for your Uncle Sirius.”

He winked at her. “He was quite the troublemaker back in the day.”

“Where is that bloke anyway?” asked Cedrella's father. “He said he would be here.”

“Yes, yes,” he said. “I believe he's coming. Don't get in a knot, Arcturus. Your favourite brother would never let you down.”

Cedrella's father only smiled. It was quite obvious that their oldest brother, Sirius, favoured their youngest brother over all. He even named his firstborn Arcturus.

With another jump of the fire, out came Cygnus's wife, Violetta, and their youngest daughter, Dorea, who was a year younger than Charis, stepped out of the fireplace.

Violetta was a plump, short woman with muddy brown eyes and wispy brown hair that had faded to a dull shade the color of sand. She was very loving, much more so than Cedrella's mother, but she was not attractive in the least. Dorea, unfortunately, earned her dull looks from her mother, not being touched by the Black beauty. She often did not bother to make eye contact with her elder cousin. She feared that her envy would show, for Cedrella was sure that Cygnus told her countless times that she paled in comparison to his beautiful niece.

Dorea immediately walked over to where Charis sat quietly in the window, looking over her shoulder at the book she was reading. She knew that Charis would not judge her like the others.

“Where are the others?” Cedrella demanded.

“Oh, they are coming, love,” Violetta said as she hugged her niece quickly. “You know Pollux wouldn't miss a chance to see you.”

Cedrella bit her lip with excitement. She had not seen Pollux in months.

Uncle Cygnus and Aunt Violetta went to sit on the small couch in front of the marble coffee table next to Cedrella's mother. Callidora only greeted her aunt and uncle with a curt nod before sitting next to her husband once again. Charis and Dorea ran upstairs to look at a trinket Charis had purchased in Diagon Alley earlier that day.

It did not take long for another flame to rise and reveal Uncle Sirius, a man much older than her father. His hair was completely grey, his faced creased with age. His hair was worn long, brushing his shoulders and he now had to lean on a cane.

“Where is my little niece?” he asked in a mock angry voice. “Getting Head Girl and trying to make her poor Uncle Sirius look bad!”

She laughed, flattered, and walked over to him to give him a kiss on the cheek. He let out a bark-like laugh.

“Aye,” she started. “Uncle, I could never make you look bad.”

He nodded, taking her hand in his free one. He raised it up to his lips politely, making her giggle like a little girl. Her older uncle was so charming. No wonder her father loved him so much.

“I'm afraid your aunt and cousins couldn't make it,” he sighed. “Hesper's showing her age and the children are getting older, having families of their own, you know.”

“Shame,” she muttered politely, though she could not have cared less whether they came or not. She never did care for Sirius's wife or children.

Sirius waltzed over to where Arcturus was sitting and drinking tea, immediately going into conversation over something in whispered tones. Cedrella thought she had picked up the name Phineas, the name of her uncle whom she had never met, for he was disowned years ago for standing behind Muggle rights. It was something she rarely heard about, but she knew exactly what she needed to know; that if she were to ever, ever disagree with her family's belief in keeping the Wizarding World pure, she would end up just like her Uncle Phineas.

The room was starting to fill with conversation as Cedrella impatiently bounced on her heels. She nearly fell over when the burst of another flame startled her.

Out came her cousins, Cassiopeia and Marius, Uncle Cygnus's children, and Pollux and Dorea's siblings. Cassiopeia was much like her youngest sister, never looking directly at Cedrella. She had long, auburn hair and muddy brown eyes that always held the same loving nature as her mother's. She was Callidora's age, yet she had not married. Cygnus was not as forceful when it came to his daughters as Arcturus was with Cedrella and her sisters.

She, like Dorea had walked directly to Charis, immediately went to visit with Callidora and Harfang, only giving Cedrella a curt nod. It seemed as if the female family members always had their respective cousins who they would gossip with, except Cedrella.

They were simply jealous.

Marius, her cousin who was in the same year at Hogwarts, smiled meekly over at her. He was always as quiet as a mouse, always polite, and always looking as if he were walking on a tight rope. They all knew why. If any one got the worst amount of criticizing in the family, it was Marius, for he was the family joke. He was terrible at magic, no matter how much effort he put into it, never being able to amount to his god of an older brother, Pollux.

“Congratulations, Cedrella,” he said softly, barely looking at her in the eye. He was visibly scared of his outspoken older cousin.

She scoffed, turning away from Marius, and back toward the fireplace. She was in no mood to deal with him.

Cedrella groaned. “Where is he?”

“Pollux?” Marius squeaked.

“Yes,” she huffed. “Who else would I want to see so badly?”

“He said he had something to take care of before he arrived,” he muttered back, looking at his shoes. “Should be here soon.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, I'm glad you can comprehend something in that hazy head of yours.”

“Now, now,” Arcturus sighed. “Be a lady, Cedrella.”

He flashed a smile at her, his white teeth gleaming. Cedrella could not help but grin in return.

“Are Belvina and Herbert coming?” Sirius barked.

“Later tonight,” Cygnus answered. “I think they dared to fly.”

Harfang snorted from across the room. “Won't be here for hours, then.”

“I just hope to Merlin that my son didn't do the same,” Cygnus sighed, taking a gulp of tea. “I wouldn't put it past him though.”

“Hush,” Aunt Violetta hissed.

As if coming to his name like a trained dog, an abrupt pop could be heard less than three feet away from Cedrella, revealing the one and only, Pollux.

 
Cedrella cried in surprise and ran over to throw her arms around the neck of her handsome cousin. He chuckled happily, swinging her around in a circle before letting her back down to her feet.

“Pollux!” she cried, giggling. “You menace! I haven't seen you in months and I was sure you wouldn't come.”

He smiled down at her with an impish grin, showing his beautiful teeth. His hair was as black as Cedrella's, cut neat so you could get a view of his intense black eyes. An expensive scarf hung charmingly around his neck.

Pollux Black had to be one of the most handsome men in England, and he was completely aware of it.

“Do you think so little of me?” he inquired, laughing. “I am only late because I had to pick up your present!”

“A present?” she gasped.

He pulled out a small velvet box from the inside of his midnight blue robes.

“For my gorgeous, favourite little cousin,” he said, bowing as he handed the box to her.

She grabbed the box and popped it open. Inside sat a silver necklace with the Black family crest dangling from the chain. Across the chevron that was held by two greyhounds on their hind legs was her name written in beautiful script.

“Thank you!”

He grinned and took the box from her.

“Turn around and lift your hair,” he commanded.

She complied and he gingerly clasped the necklace around her delicate neck. Turning swiftly on her heels, she planted a kiss on his cheek. He winked at her.

“You’re late!” Violetta reprimanded. “I told you to be here at seven, sharp.”

“And I came at eight with an expensive gift,” he said, taking his eyes off his cousin for the first time since he had arrived. “Isn't that how the Black family works?”

The room roared with laughter as he went to stand beside the fire. Cedrella looked down to admire her necklace, smiling at the fact that Callidora and Charis would have never received a present from Pollux. He did not even show his own sisters or brother the kind of consideration he did to Cedrella.

“He gets his charm from me!” Uncle Sirius barked. “And his good looks, I'm afraid.”

Cygnus scoffed at his older brother.

“Yes, and your lack of self control,” Violetta murmured, sipping at her tea.

“Oh! Almost forgot,” Pollux said, slipping his hand back in his robes. “Saw your friend down in Diagon Alley. He told me to go ahead and give you this since the weather would set his owl back a couple of days.”

He handed her an unopened letter that was sealed with a stamp that curved into an extravagant “M”.

She opened it eagerly and read it over twice, beaming. It had been weeks since she had received a letter from her best friend.

Cedrella,

Heard you got Head Girl. Congratulations! It looks like we will be lurking the halls together, for I got my Head Boy badge just a few days ago. My brother, Abraxus, is down for the week for some reason that my parents refuse to tell me. He is as grumpy as he always has been, but the news my parents enlightened him with seems to have made him somewhat pleasant to be around.

I am going to cut the letter short because I want something to talk about on the train ride tomorrow. I just thought I would tell you the good news. Cannot wait to mess with a few first years!

With love,
Tiberius Malfoy

“Tiberius got Head Boy!” she exclaimed. “Isn't that wonderful?”

“That is wonderful,” Cedrella's mother said. “That boy is so charismatic. It's beyond me how he doesn't have a drop of Black blood in him.”

“Agreed,” Cygnus commented. “Doesn't surprise me he would get the badge. I wasn't counting on Marius to get Head Boy like his brother.”

Pollux made a noise of agreement with his father.

“Hush, you two,” Violetta hissed. “Just stop.”

Cedrella paid no mind as Marius quietly made his way into the library where he would probably stay the rest of the night.

The house elf came in with a tray of glasses filled half way with expensive red wine. Everyone took one -Pollux secretly taking two-, and Arcturus raised his promptly.

“A toast,” he declared, letting the room grow quiet. “To Cedrella, who continues to give the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black a member to be proud of.”

Cedrella watched as everyone drank to her name with a smirk. Everyone was here in honour of her; her aunts and uncles that secretly wished they could call her their own, her cousins and sisters that envied her, and her mother and father that thought she was the moon.

Yes, Cedrella had a reason to be conceited. She was 'the beautiful middle child of Arcturus Black', after all.