AN: Hope you enjoy! Ironically, this is the lightest out of all my Sisters Black trilogy for all Bellatrix is the darkest sister. Dedicated to jayfeather for being the first to review :)

Chapter One: The Crowning of Bellatrix Black

"He's what?!" Bellatrix screamed. "Fucking no!"

"I-I'm s-s-s-sorry," the first-year stammered. "But you asked me to find out who was running for the Lord of Slytherin this year was, and I did tell you the truth - "

"Leave before I forget that I shouldn't shoot the messenger," she ordered.

Hugely relieved, the first-year scuttled off, leaving Bellatrix to continue pacing up and down the compartment. Moira Parkinson and her boyfriend Gordon Avery watched languidly from their seats.

"Don't take it so badly, Bella," Avery said. "Lestrange isn't such a bad fellow."

She rounded on him with such a frightening expression he shifted back away from her.

"Isn't such a bad fellow?" she repeated. "Perhaps not to imbeciles like you, Avery. But when he sees a person of greater intelligence - such as myself - he feels threatened enough that he has to resort to petty insults and pranks to redeem himself!"

Avery wisely refrained from pointing out that Bellatrix gave as good as she got in terms of 'petty insults and pranks.' Instead he watched her grey eyes narrow. Her feet were beating a tattoo on the floor, robes swishing around her ankles.

"I don't see any way to get around it," she said finally. "I will not accept anything other than Lady of Slytherin. If that means ruling alongside him, so be it."

Moira and Avery exchanged startled looks. Was Bellatrix Black, with her infamous temper, actually submitting?

She caught the look and sneered. "Fools! I do not give up. Blacks do not give up. But if I am Lady of Slytherin, imagine how easy it will be for me to arrange little 'accidents' for him..."

Her voice tailed off as she sank into a happy fantasy of throwing Rodolphus into a tank of sharks. Her companions breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't suffered a blow to the head after all.

The three of them were currently sitting in their reserved compartment on the Hogwarts Express. The train had just started moving, and Bellatrix had sent off her customary spy to inform her of the doings of her nemesis. It appeared that he was running for the position of Lord of Slytherin.

The Lord and Lady of Slytherin were a pair of seventh-years, selected out of a council made up of representatives from the Sacred Twenty-Eight pureblood families. Only the Abbott, Longbottom and Weasley families were absent due to being in other Houses. Bellatrix was the Black representative and had no doubt she would be chosen - she was feared and respected among the other families.

Unfortunately, she also had no doubt that Rodolphus Lestrange would be chosen as well. He was handsome, charismatic, rich and powerful - everything a Lord of Slytherin should be. But a Lord should also care for his people. He didn't care for anybody but himself.

There was a knock at the door. "Enter!" Bellatrix barked.

A Slytherin younger girl entered. "I was told to give you this." She handed her a furled piece of parchment before making her escape.

Bellatrix read the note. "Come, it's time to go. The Council's been called."

Avery frowned. "Already? Usually it's later on."

"Stop yammering and get your arse off that seat," she said impatiently. "We don't want to be late!"

He didn't quite dare to roll him eyes, so settled with groaning as he got to his feet and pulled Moira up with him. They followed along behind their mistress as she swept regally through the train. People pressed themselves to the sides to make room as she passed.

They reached the Council Compartment and knocked.

"Who is it?" came Travers' voice.

"Bellatrix Black for the House of Black, Moira Parkinson for the Family Parkinson and Gordon Avery," she answered.

"Password?"

"Nagini."

"Enter."

She pushed open the door. The compartment was draped in green and silver, members of each pureblood family sitting around a central table in order of importance. Her place was near the start. Only Alecto Carrow separated her from Rodolphus Lestrange, who turned to her and winked.

She felt her temper start simmering, always close to boiling point when she was with him. In the six years since she had first met him he had only grown better-looking. Quidditch (he had become Seeker and she had become a Chaser in fifth year) had stripped the remaining puppy fat from his body, making it hard and lithe instead of bulked with muscle. His black hair was fine and straight. Blue eyes gleamed, framed by long dark lashes, and his lips were currently pulled into a smirk as he looked at her.

She couldn't look at his lips without remembering the indignity of her first kiss. She set her jaw and slid into her seat.

"Now we're all here, we can begin," Ollivander said from the head of the table. "First order of the day: the Crowning."

Everyone around the table leaned forward imperceptibly.

"As you know, the main candidate for Lord of Slytherin is Rodolphus Lestrange."

Eyes swivelled to him. He inclined his head, like a king to his subjects.

"And the main candidate for Lady of Slytherin is Bellatrix Black."

"But, Ollivander," Evan Rosier said, "I don't think it would be very... beneficial to have Black and Lestrange ruling together."

"I am aware of that," Ollivander responded. His huge silver eyes were murky. "But personal history has no bearing on the Crowning, and if they choose to accept their titles there is nothing to be done."

"I for one," Bellatrix cut in, "will do my utmost to ensure Rodolphus and I coexist peacefully." She flashed him a sharp smile, baring teeth.

"So will I," he said with a dark grin of his own. No-one believed either of them for a second.

"Be that as it may, it is not our place to question your domestic problems," Ollivander said solemnly.

"Domestic problems?" Bellatrix gasped. "You make us sound like a married couple!"

"Aren't you?" Invidia Crouch asked with a raised eyebrow. "You certainly act like it. Constant arguments, death threats... I was under the impression Rodolphus would ask you to marry him as soon as you left Hogwarts."

"I was going to," Rodolphus mock-confided, "but I see she's a shrew that no man can tame. Will you be my wife instead, fair Invidia?" He gave her one of his charming grins. Those gathered around the table snickered. Bellatrix felt the unreasonable urge to cut Invidia's tongue out so the little slag would be unable to make any more high-pitched giggles.

"So, moving on," Ollivander said although his voice was still amused. "All in favour of Rodolphus Lestrange as Lord of Slytherin?"

Nearly every hand rose. Bellatrix's didn't, nor did Moira's after a glare from her best friend.

"All in favour of Bellatrix Black as Lady of Slytherin?"

Once again every hand rose, except of course the one belonging to Rodolphus and his best friend Marcus Prewitt.

"It seems the two of you are our new rulers," Ollivander concluded. "Do you accept the crown?"

"I do," they said in unison.

"Sounds like wedding vows," Goyle muttered. He was instantly speared by two pairs of eyes.

"Very well. In that case..."

Ollivander took his wand out and tapped it thrice against the table. Two silver crowns set with emeralds unfolded like smoke from the tip.

"I name thee, Rodolphus Lestrange, Lord of Slytherin and Master of the Blood. I name thee, Bellatrix Black, Lady of Slytherin and Mistress of Deception!"

The table erupted with cheers. With slightly trembling fingers Bellatrix reached out and set the crown closest to her on her head. It fit perfectly on top of her black locks.

Finally. She'd only been waiting for this moment her whole life.

Something of what she was thinking must have shown in her face, because Rodolphus caught her eye and smirked.

"Not so fast, Bella. I'm your co-ruler, remember. Anything that happens has to be approved by me too."

She gave him a saccharine smile. "Killing you off shouldn't be too difficult."

He roared with laughter. "You can try, darling, but it'll be harder than you think."

Her surroundings faded away as she leaned closer to him, uncaring of the gazes riveted on them. "I never lose, Rodolphus. You'd do well to remember that." Her breath whispered across his ear, hot and ticklish.

"You may never lose," he said, "but I always win."

"What's the difference?"

Before he could answer, Rosier interjected with a whistle. "Damn, I can feel the sexual tension from here!"

"Shut up," Bellatrix snapped. For the first time she noticed the scant distance separating them and jumped away like she had been electrocuted.

"No, really," Invidia said. "The two of you need to blow off steam in the nearest broom cupboard, or you'll end up ripping the clothes off each other in the middle of the Great Hall."

There was more laughter. Bellatrix's cheeks crimsoned. She saw Rodolphus open his mouth and knew without a doubt he was about to make some crass comment, so she took action.

"Silencio!"

He gaped, unable to form words.

"Now that's got been rid of," Bellatrix said brightly, "I think that my first order as Lady will be to ban all and any jokes, references or innuendos relating to Lestrange and I." Her gaze slid towards him. "I don't think my lovely co-ruler has any objections, right?"

He snarled soundlessly at her. She only laughed.

"Anything else?"

There was a pause, then Ollivander broke it.

"It seems, Bellatrix," he said, "you are just the person Slytherin has been looking for."

"I know," she said smugly. "It's just a shame that I'm hampered by this idiot here, but all's well that ends well. And that one's ending pretty soon, if I have anything to say about it."

Rodolphus scoffed. Flicking his wand, he nonverbally cast off the Silencing Charm. "We'll see, sweetheart. We'll see."