For Narcissa Black, things have never been black and white. Only every shade of gray, dark and light, and whatever is in between. Being the youngest of three sisters made it so. Especially since her two older siblings had such different opinions and each wanted their little sister to follow in their footsteps and "do the right thing".

"Do the right thing." She couldn't even count how many times she heard that piece of advice. Her parents, her cousins, aunts, uncles, sisters, friends at school. All of them. All wanting her to do their version of "The Right Thing."

For Bella, it was becoming a follower of the Dark Lord. For Andromeda, it was get as far away as possible from her parents purist rantings. For her parents all she needed to do is make a smart match, and live as the perfect trophy wife. Even Lucius had his own expectations of her. Happily stand behind him, support him through decisions that she wasn't sure she wanted him to make.

All gray. Never clear, never easy.

That is until he came into her life.

She made a decision all those years ago. Followed her parents hopes for her, and married the young Malfoy boy. She made a smart match, and stood behind the husband that they chose for her. She will never forget the look in her sisters eye's when she told them. Bella mustered as much excitement as proper, before quickly leaving the room to join her one true love, The Dark Lord. But Andromeda just sat there, with disgust and pity in her gaze. Narcissa lowered her eyes and justified her decision aloud with all the lies that had been fed to her. Andromeda just nodded, said she was disappointed, before silently leaving the room.

She may have felt the slightest pang of regret, but brushed it away so quickly before she could even comprehend what it was. She was making the right decision, the way down the path her parents wanted. She had to believe that.

That was the last day they spoke. The next day Andromeda moved out and family rumors ran wild about her marrying and then settling down with a Mudblood. Disgusting.

Narcissa spent the next few years blindly following the man she had grown to love. She didn't know what else to do. She had made her choice and she had even convinced herself that she was happy.

But she never felt true happiness until she held her son for the first time. And with his first childish glance, the soft grip of his hand on her finger, a wave of understanding crashed over her.

This was why she was here. This little boy right here. To make him happy, and keep him safe. Forget her sisters, and her parents. Her only concern was, and forever would be for Draco now.

This love is what led her to Spinner's End nearly two years ago. This love led her to try and deceive the Dark Lord. This love kept her with her husband when he had shamed her.

And once word broke out that her boy was at Hogwarts when the Great Battle was taking place, that was when everything became black and white. Only by pretending to still follow the Dark Lord would she get to her son and see that he is safe. Only by forming an alliance with an enemy she had been helping to destroy for nearly four years would she ever again be able to step foot in that castle. And suddenly it was black and white, right and wrong. And there was only one choice.

When that monster commanded her to check and see if the Potter boy was still alive, that was when she made her decision.

She made it for her son, for the sister she always loved, and herself. All by herself. For once. And she knew she wouldn't regret it.

"Is Draco alive? Is he in the Castle?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Yes." When he hissed that back to her, as quiet as she was, she stopped caring about everything else.

Taking a breath she did what she had to. What she needed to do. What was right.

"He is dead!"