Author's note: So I'm very excited that I'm at this point, because I've been working on this fic sporadically since 2013 and I've finally got enough confidence and chronological chapters completed to start posting it. I fully plan on completing this fic (mostly as I have most of the last chapters written out and imo they're the best ones) so I've decided to start posting it now. I don't know how often i'll update, but I'm dedicated to keeping on top of this fic. So here you go, I hope you like it.

The whistle of the old train blew noisily as the students wandered along the train carriages to try and find a place to sit, expelling steam into the air surrounding the hundreds of students still outside bidding farewell to parents. There were two of them, a taller boy with tousled mousy hair and pale blue eyes, the second a girl almost as tall as the young boy. She had piercing brown eyes and her hair was a wild mass of raven curls flowing freely behind her. Both of them dragged large brown suitcases.

"How much further Evan?" the girl asked, a clearly impatient tone to her voice.

"Not much longer, we like to sit right at the back, it's less crowded," Evan explained as they passed through the crowded train. The girl could feel groups of boys staring at her through the carriage windows, their eyes scanning every inch of her. She could feel them watching as she passed, covertly revelling in the attention until Evan shot them a look and they soon recoiled. Once they reached the far end of the train the pair took their seats, opposite them sat three boys.

"Alright there Rosier, who's this?" asked the closest, with a smirk.

"This is my cousin Bellatrix, she's a first year," explained Evan. Bellatrix shot him a look.

"I can introduce myself Evan," she asserted before courteously extending her hand to the young men the way she had been taught to when introducing herself.

"Bellatrix Black," she said confidently, studying the young man who currently held her dainty hand. He was thin with gangly legs and short brown hair, his dark eyes met hers.

"Wilkes," the young man replied. "I'm a close friend of your cousin's."

"Pleasure to meet you, Wilkes," she drawled, before then moving on to introduce herself to Jugson and Goyle respectively. She spent the rest of the train ride listening and occasionally contributing to the conversation flowing in their cart, pleased that she'd managed to make friends before even arriving.

Once they were off the train and the first years were separated from the other students as they made their way up to the castle. Bellatrix had kept to herself mostly on the way to the castle, she didn't want to find herself accidentally socializing with mudbloods or blood traitors, and she wasn't concerned about talking to anybody, she already had Evan and his friends. But she did like to watch them, to see the look in their eyes when they realized that they were sharing a boat with a Black, when they realized that they were inhabiting the same space and breathing the same air as a member of one of the oldest and wealthiest pureblood families in England. She smiled proudly.

Bellatrix's impatience grew when the first years were shuffled into an elongated line that snaked its way into the Great Hall, but she was fairly close to the front so she didn't mind all that much. While she waited she stared up at the roof of the Great Hall, admiring the deep purple of the evening sky reflected through it, a truly magical creation. She felt like she belonged there already, captivated by the magical energy and elaborate expression that radiated through every inch of the place. Amongst magic was where those with good blood should be, her father had taught her, and it was only now that she could truly feel it in her blood, the magical ability that ran through her veins.

It finally reached her turn and she strode up to the chair with the sorting hat and sat, feeling hundreds of eyes on her at the precise moment she sat down. She felt almost regal, looking down on all those that were below her at the tables. The hat shouted Slytherin after barely grazing the top of her head. She beamed with pride, knowing that she was where she belonged, ready to do her family proud as she had been taught to all her life. Bellatrix jumped off of the chair and made her way down the Slytherin table, enjoying the passing glances and thriving off of the cheers as she found Evan and his friends before sitting on the bench next to them.

"Welcome to Slytherin," said one of the boys on the opposite side of the table.

"Thank you," replied Bellatrix, before turning back to face Evan. She felt a nudge. She turned around to see a sandy haired and slightly plump boy, who was also a first year offering her his hand.

"Hi, I'm Avery," the young boy introduced himself. Bellatrix quickly tried to remember if she'd ever heard of the Avery's, or if her family had attended any events they had held, she came up blank, but returned the introduction nonetheless.

"Bellatrix Black," she answered, watching the realization of who he was talking to spread on the young boy's face.

"Black," he began, looking at her as if she was almost royal. "My parents attended one of your parents' social gatherings during the summer, they've never hosted one, but they've been to many," The boy explained, highlighting his parents' status. He flinched under Bellatrix's unyielding eye contact, accepting himself as inferior.

The evening dragged on and the cheers rose every time a new first year joined the Slytherin table. Bellatrix and Avery began to talk for a while, introducing him to Evan and the others. Avery told stories of his father's time at Hogwarts and all the rumours he had told him and Bellatrix shared stories that her family had told her and also which teachers her family warned were muggle lovers, at which Avery grimaced, his eyes revealing an unsaid promise to cause as much trouble as possible for the teachers mentioned, and Bellatrix would be happy to join him.

Another exceptionally loud cheer rocked the Slytherin table, the loudest of which coming from a group of older boys a little further down from Avery and Bellatrix. A first year boy came strutting down towards them, stopping momentarily as one of the loud older boys ruffled his hair and placed a large arm around the boy before playfully shoving him further in Bellatrix and Avery's direction. Bellatrix hadn't paid much attention to the other new Slytherins but this one stood out. He exuded the charm that could only come from being raised in the heights of upper class society like she was, his confidence rivaled hers, and his look of contempt for the students on the other tables mirrored her own.

The boy inserted himself between Bellatrix and Avery and sat down on the bench. Avery clearly thought this rude, but Bellatrix did not, honestly she shared a sense of entitlement and she probably would have done something similar if she did not already have people to sit with. She now had proper chance to study the boy, she had to know who he was, why he felt himself to be up at her level? He had dark brown hair that curled slightly at the ends and hazel eyes, an eye colour which Bellatrix had rarely seen, he was well groomed with a charming smile and she could tell immediately that he was from a very wealthy family. She cleared her throat and the boy turned to face her.

"And your name is?" she drawled, clearly and confidently, sending her direct focus onto the newcomer. The boy smirked, looking her up and down swiftly.

"Ladies first," he replied, both taking immediate control of the conversation and quickly directing attention away from himself, an unusual feature of a standard greeting but one that inspired intrigue. A cheeky glint appeared in his eyes as they bore into Bellatrix's, confirming the sense of arrogance that he exuded when he first joined the table.

"Considering that you just placed yourself between Mr Avery and I in the middle of our conversation, I think that you should introduce yourself first," Bellatrix countered, challenging his authority and replacing it with her own, but he didn't shy away under her stare like Avery did, he matched it.

"Ladies first, I insist," he began, flashing Bellatrix another charming smile, but struggling to hide his annoyance that she was challenging him, which only fuelled her more. "And besides, I must know who you are in order to decide whether to apologize or not."

"Bellatrix Black," she answered silkily, extending her hand lazily for the boy to take. She hoped to see his reaction, see the look on his face when he realized who he'd been speaking to, but grew frustrated when his arrogance did not waver. He must think himself pretty important, she thought as she waited for his answer.

"Rodolphus Lestrange," he replied, taking her hand gently in his own and giving it a slight squeeze. He noticed Bellatrix's eyes boring into his and offered an assertive stare that mirrored hers exactly. He attempted to subtly study her facial expressions, assess his impression on her, but her charming poker face would not falter.

"In that case Miss Black, you have my sincere apologies for interrupting your conversation with Mr Avery," said Rodolphus, bowing his head slightly. Bellatrix flashed him a smile, acknowledging him as someone of equal status. He could prove to be a powerful ally, she thought to herself.

"Good," she replied, still flashing the same confident smile, presenting him with a challenge. Rodolphus kept face, though on the inside he could feel himself filling with intrigue. Bellatrix Black had just sparked his interest even more. He brought his eyes back up to hers, matching the mischievous glint in them, accepting her challenge.