I am in love with this fanfiction! it's one of the best I've ever read. I always enjoy reading fanfics written before the films were released because it's truly amazing to see the interpretation of these characters not being tainted by them, and this one was splendid! I loved the characterisation of Bella. It was exactly how I imagine her in her younger days, and it was so relatable to me. You captured her regal and prideful nature perfectly. Rodolphus was great and they truly were perfect for each other. I also loved her conversation with Narcissa and the contrast between Bella/Rodolphus and Narcissa/Lucius. You managed to show Bella's depth beautifully. Brilliant!

First Orion was Sirius father not bellatrix. Bellatrix father was Cynus black and her mother was a rosier

“Being in love with one’s wife is even worse than finding her interesting.” Now that’s a quote for the ages, isn’t it? My tongue is firmly in my cheek, of course. It’s such a perfect thing for a young man in this world and environment to say, though.

I have to admit that all the names started to blur together after awhile. I couldn’t keep any of them straight but for the main players. Of course, all the odd names are perfectly in keeping with the world, but my poor brain can’t handle it.

I love the description of Bella’s “traditional cycle of resistance.” Simply wonderful. And I agree with her on the dresses: who wants to look like “a sugared candy”? Her father’s response is perfect, too. And, of course, the way Cissa knows how to manage (or manipulate) her sister is wonderful. She is content to stay in the shadow of her sister because she knows how to get her own way without screaming.

And I love the little moments between Lucius and Narcissa. And the moment between the sisters also made me smile.

The description of the two sisters’ hair as sunlight and darkness was gorgeous.

I notice that you’ve used the word “smirk” a few times. Overuse of this word in fanfiction is a pet peeve of mine, and I have to admit that when I see it now, I cringe. I’m sorry. It’s just used so very often in so many fanfics.

The last sentence is simply perfect.

I think this is the first story I've read about Bellatrix and Narcissa when they were young, and I really like how you portray their relationship as sisters. The lines where Narcissa subtly gets Bellatrix to wear something else (That she could wear the rubies later, and convincing her to wear pearls, so they could look like sisters) showed that she knows her sister well and how to deal with/manipulate her. Bellatrix's indulgence of her sister's wishes seemed very much like an older sister giving in to her younger sibling.

Even though they're very different, and might not always approve of the other's choices, there is a sense they do care for each other here, which I think was my favorite part of this story.

Wonderfully written, and I liked the perspective on all of the characters; the first section was especially interesting and realistic seeming.

What a lovely story! Not only is it a perfect character study of the sisters and their suitors (I especially love Narcissa's oh-so-light-touched way of bringing Bella around to her will), but it really works as a portrait of a family as well. You can see how the sisters fit in with their parents and the missing roles that the disgraced siblings have left behind.

That was really quite spectacular. Very impressive characterisations, simply amazing. It left me more or less literally breathless.

I like how you write about Bella's wild and passionate spirit, but you break away from focusing on her dark side and insanity, and instead focus on something like love and romance. Personally, I don't think she could ever really love, but it's interesting to see how, despite that, she and Rodolphus still have a rather compatible relationship.

I also really liked the contrast of her and Narcissa. One's bold and loud, and the other is quiet and inconspicuous. And, of course, the exploration of the roles of women in that type of environment was fabulous.

Overall, an amazing piece!

Wow this is amazing. Seriously. I love the whole thing, every line, every word. Bella is written perfectly, and I love her and Narcissa together. You are a faaaaaaabulous writer! :)

This is a wonderful story, capturing the thoughts and personalities of many people, without including boring rambling, which, I might add, seems to not happen much, so well done! I enjoyed the opinions that Lucius and Rodolphus have on Narcissa and Bellatrix. I find Bellatrix's opinion on Love quite sad, and it has provoked quite a few thoughts. The style of writing fitted the plot, and it managed to be thoughtful without being corny and over done, which I think that in this case would be terrible. Good job! Definitely favouriting.

Not many stories are set in this time period, before the War and all the chaos that so many people use to define the characters.

This is a perfect piece that captures not only purblood soceity but the foundations of of everything that was to follow.

You have done a wonderful job of giving Bella humanity, small though it may be it certainly rounds her into a more interesting character and less of a crazed murderer.

Cissa I felt was very well done, we don't see it much in the books for obvious reasons but she is a cunnning woman in her own right who's views of family are the true core of her.

Well written and very, very engaging; bar far one of the best pieces I have read. XD

This is lovely! Your writing style is so elegant, and I love your characterizations of everyone in this fic-maybe the sisters the most, but it was nice to see Rodolphus, Rabastan, and Lucius fleshed out as well as they were, since they're not characters I read all that often. Great work! A favorite.

I favorited this a long time ago, I don't know how I didn't review this...

First of all, thanks for writing a BElla/ Cissa bonding fic, it's certanly rare to read about. You made them real sisters and really close. I loved the scene where they talked, it showed how different, yet how similar they are. They really know each other, and they see the other in aspects the world doens'r know about.

Obviously great charactersiation. I loved how NArcissa wasn't the dumb one, but the calmer one, the shy part of Bella(?). She knew how to care about people. Bella was amazingly done, I can easily see how she became the woman warrior in JK's books. Also I suspect it was the depparture of Andy and Sirius what made her do the first step to madness.

The pre-war pure blood society was brilliant. It was conservative, full of expactations for women and men alike, but also not entirely dark, as it was bond to became later.

The men were also well done. Both were in love, but only Lucius was inclined to actually say that aloud (I loved that;). He saw the real Cissa, as Rodolphus saw the real Bella.

Also loved the old fashioned style, the poetical descriptions, all the little details (like Rabastan beeing uncompleted beside Rodolphus, the way women were threated by showing the life of Cissa's mother... I could go on and on.)Your names weren't canon, but it's as if they were, you thought them out very well.

Owerall an amazing read. LOVED IT! Thanks for sharing. It§'s pitty you don't write anymore.

I must say I really, really enjoyed this story. It presented a wonderful look at high-class society and presented a wonderful commentary on the vice and the habits of the pureblood mentality-and the corruption that runs right underneath it. Of course, we readers know what will happen in the rest of the story, thanks to Ms. Rowling, but your depiction of what happens before is singularly brilliant.

I hope to see more of this from you. Excellent read.

Wow. What an /amazing/ story. I'm so glad that it was chosen as Story of the Week for the Reviews Lounge, Too.

You do an amazing job with characterization here. I really love your Narcissa - she's so much smarter than people give her credit for, and I feel like that's something that occurs in canon, too. Bellatrix is spot on, of course. So wild and passionate, yet unable to see love when it actually hits her. I can definitely see the connections between the girl you've presented in this story and the woman she becomes in the novel.

The hair metaphor/symbolism/what have you was simply amazing. I don't think I've read something so poetic and meaningful in a very long time, and certainly one of the best pieces of writing I've ever read on this site. Your words have a way of leaving my computer screen and manifesting themselves on my desk, if that makes any sense at all. I felt like I was there; I felt like I was reading the minds of all the characters you described.

Overall I'm just so impressed. Definitely adding this to my favorites list. Wonderful work - perhaps one of the best things I've ever read on this site.