The trio walked back up to the castle in silence, when they reached the Slytherin Common room, where they were met by a very panicked Narcissa who was frantically asking people If they had seen Bella, while a bored looking Lucius was trying to convince her that it wouldn't be that great a loss to the world if Bella was dead anyway. While Bella merely laughed at this comment and asked him if he had seen any Gryffindors recently, Rodolphus did not take it so light heartedly and attempted to hex Lucius who caught completely unaware dodged just in time, Bella laughed

"Your getting quite used to having to dodge curses like a common muggle aren't you Lucius, if your not careful soon you might start resorting to muggle duelling" Bellatrix Sneered.

Lucius, who already looked as though he was ready to punch Bellatrix, now looked positively murderous.

"Shut your mouth Trixie, or I will…"

"Will what Lucius, going to curse me??" Bellatrix laughed, but Lucius could tell she was more serious now after he had used her pet name.

Lucius could tell it was pointless to try and argue with Bellatrix, but fortunately for him he knew the one thing that really got under Bellatrix's skin, something she had been forbidden by her mother to do anything about….

"Come on Narcissa, my dorm is empty at the moment, and I don't know about you but I don't feel like doing much sleeping…"

Bellatrix screamed in rage and flounced out of the common room, Narcissa made to go after her, but Rodolphus stopped her.

"I'll go" He headed off in the same direction as Bellatrix, and soon found her sitting in their favourite spot at the top of the west tower.

"I know, I know I shouldn't have started a shouting match with him, my mother would be most displeased, he is a perfect pureblood suitor for Narcissa, they are made for each other"

"Nope I wasn't going to say anything like that, actually I was going to remind you that we only have one more month left until Christmas, so you shouldn't lose your temper too much as we all have to share a house for two weeks, it will be very claustrophobic anyway, without you two hexing each other every few minutes" Rodolphus smiled.

" YOU hexed him!! You are so hypocritical! Ugh did you HAVE to remind me, chances are the four of us will have to share a room, so we will have to put up with the sound of Lucius screwing my younger sister all night!"

"Well I could always distract you from it" Rodolphus said suggestively

"And HOW might you do that exactly?""Like this…" He said as he ran his hand up her thigh and kissed her softly on the lips"

"Okay Maybe sharing a room wont be too bad" she smiled and let Rodolphus lead her back to the boys Dormitories, which were thankfully now empty.

The next few weeks were relatively un-eventful, excluding the fact that Rabastan was given 5 months detention for being caught with the new potions assistant Miss Rowle, in one of the broom sheds.

Christmas was soon upon the group, and Lucius, Narcissa, Rodolphus and Bellatrix headed back to Black manor for Christmas; along with Sirius, Bellatrix and Narcissas' cousin, who as it turned out, was one of the fourth years who hexed Lucius (One of the only things he has ever done right according to Bellatrix), his girlfriend Juliet Crouch, Andromeda, the middle Black sister and her boyfriend Evan Rosier. Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Narcissa and Lucius were, as Bellatrix had predicted sharing a bedroom, which was fortunately separated by a screen, but Bellatrix still was not happy about it.

Andromeda, Evan, Sirius and Juliet were also sharing a room. Bellatrix pleaded with her mother to let her and Rodolphus swap with Sirius and Juliet, but was worried that Lucius might resort to blows, if he was forced to share a room with Sirius, and Druella Did not want to get any blood on the carpets. Although Sirius' mother Walburga Black had congratulated Lucius upon his arrival for sending Sirius to the hospital wing with a spear from one of the suits of armour in the castle sticking out of his thigh, and bleeding profusely. She said he needed the message that he must not associate with blood traitors hammering into his head. Lucius was more than happy to oblige, as he spent every moment that he was not with Narcissa attempting to seriously maim, injure or kill Sirius, and none of the rest of the Black family seemed to be doing much about it, with the exception of Andromeda, but even her attempts were very half hearted.

The Climax of Christmas was to be the Ball at Black Manor on Christmas eve. Every year the large pureblood families took it in turns to host a ball on Christmas eve, the year before had been the Lestrange Ball, and the year before that it had been the turn of the Carrows. So the day before Christmas eve Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Narcissa and Lucius went to Paris to Choose Dresses for Bellatrix and Narcissa. Lucius had been very keen to go and help Narcissa choose a dress to wear, as for Rodolphus…well shopping was not really his favourite activity, but Bella had forced him to come along, as she did not warm to the idea of spending all day watching Lucius 'help' her baby sister into dresses. So they were all stood in Madame Attrices dress shop, Lucius and Narcissa had disappeared into a changing room under the pretence that Narcissa had got 'stuck in her dress,' Rodolphus was helping Bellatrix into her dress, but they didn't bother moving into one of the changing rooms, much to Madame Attrices horror.

"Mmmm Bella you look so delicious in this dress" Rodolphus murmured as he softly kissed her neck

"Yes I think I prefer the red one too, it reminds me of the cruciatus curse," Bella laughed

" Ahhh yes my dear, you look so deadly when you're having fun…It makes you even more irresistible"

At this point Madame Attrice felt she had to intervene for the sake of decency so she lead Bella away to look at Dresses on the other side of the shop. Rodolphus was stood alone imagining what Bella would be wearing under her dress on Christmas eve, and when he would get to find out when he felt a burning sensation on his right arm, Lucius burst out of the changing room, and spoke to Rodolphus.

"Do you feel it burning?" Lucius was a newly initiated Death Eater; he was inducted into the circle along with the Carrows, Mulciber and Dolohov a few weeks after Bella, Rodolphus and Rabastan.

"Yes I do we must go to him at once." With that they both apparated to Riddle Manor to meet with Lord Voldemort.

--

With a crack they both arrived at the intended destination, and at once they knelt before their master. Rodolphus took his place beside Bella who must have felt the Mark burn just as they had done and just deserted Madame Attrice, it was this blind Loyalty that was displayed by Lucius Bella Rodolphus and Rabastan that meant that they were steadily gaining respect in the death eater ranks, despite the fact that they were the youngest members.

"My Death eaters. I have something to discuss with you of utmost importance to you and your friends safety. On Christmas eve I will naturally be attending the Blacks Christmas Ball, and I wish to have the sole use of the Master study suite on the fourth floor, I will not be disturbed, this is very important to my plans, and must not go wrong. You are to do shifts and take turns making sure that I am not interrupted. I also have intelligence that the Ministry may be planning a raid on the Party, hoping to catch me there, so I must also be hidden and it must not be widely known that I am attending. Ensure that this is done correctly, or those who fail will be treated severely. That is all."

With that he apparated away. Two older Death eaters assigned shifts to everyone, Bella and Rodolphus were to patrol from 10:45 to 11:15 under the pretence of making love in the corridor, this way no one would question them. Bella thought this a perfect excuse, and was more than happy, Lucius on the other hand was not happy with his lot, he was to patrol with Rabastan, and pretend to be kissing in the corridors. He was none too happy with this, and so he swapped with Amycus Carrow to Patrol with Dolohov under the pretence of a lost watch.

They all apparated back to Madame Attrices shop to find Narcissa trying on yet another dress. Bella sighed and picked up the red dress she had been trying on earlier before they had been called away, she turned to Madame Attrice.

"My Father will pay for this and whichever one Narcissa chooses" Madame Attrice knew to trust Bellatrix's word. The powerful pureblood families were her best customers, so she would do virtually anything to retain their custom, and that included not taking payment immediately

"Very well Miss Black, I trust your Mother will be dropping by shortly to pick up her own dress, and your Fathers suit?"

"No she will not unfortunately, she is out dining with Aunt Walburga and Mrs Goyle today, she will probably send Kreacher long to pick up Aunt Walburgas dress and her own later today."

With that Bellatrix took Rodolphus' hand and walked from the shop, leaving Madame Attrice to deal with Narcissa's indecisive nature.

When they were outside Rodolphus pulled Bella onto a bench by the River Seine

" Now we have ditched my tiresome sister and her loathsome boyfriend what shall we do now Rod? We are not expected back until 8 and if we go back earlier we will only be made to entertain and be disgustingly nice to all the people mother has invited to the ball this evening, no doubt you will be fawned over by old women with nothing going on, and I will no doubt be groped by some lecherous old, so we have all day to waste."

"You are right Bella…and I know just the way to waste it, our family owns a manor in the French countryside, I feel like skating and there is a huge lake there." Bella smiled and closed her eyes.

" That sounds perfect darling, France is always beautiful when it is winter, I love watching you skate as well" she purred

" Lets go then" Rodolphus grabbed Bellatrix's hand and apparated to Le Chateaux Du Point, the Lestrange's French Residence.

With a crack they arrived in front of a Large manor house, it was a pale sandy coloured with four floors, it had ivy growing up the trellised walls, Rodolphus knocked on the large rustic front doors, and they were opened by a small house elf, that went but then name of Roffé

" Roffé get Miss Black a Suitable clothing for ice skating, and a pair of boots, and get my outdoor clothes as well." Rodolphus ordered

" Wow Rod this place is beautiful!"

"Yes it is rather, but wait till you see outside. The lake is amazing! The actual house used to belong to the Muggle King centuries ago, but one of my Ancestors was travelling through France and saw this house, he wanted it but there were too many muggles living here so he imperiurised the peasant muggles to fight against the king, which wasn't hard as they were very weak"

Bellatrix Laughed " Yes Typical Muggles, no sense of self preservation and so stupid weak"

"So he started the Muggle war in France. Then he put a Fidelius charm on it, and cast charms on it so that when the muggles come to here they see only a ruined castle, but they never come near to it as one of the charms cast on it is similar to the charms on Hogwarts, and it makes them feel an unexplained sense of dread, so they soon return to the safety of their small muggle towns" laughed Rodolphus

"Master the drinks are ready and the clothes are in the guest bedroom, next door to your own, I also took the liberty of preparing your own boots."

"Very well…I'll show you to the bedroom so you can change. Then I'll meet you back here."

Rodolphus lead Bellatrix up the stairs and to a door on the right.

"This is the guest room, ill meet you in five minutes."

Bellatrix entered a huge room and on the bed she found a deep red coat, with a cream fur lining, and a thick dress in the same shade of red there was also a pair of black gloves. She quickly changed and walked down stairs with her cream boots in hand. She walked over to Rodolphus who was wearing a jacket of a similar colour to Bellatrix's and some black trousers.

"Are you ready Darling" He said as he offered her his arm.

"Roffé have two cups of cocoa ready for us upon our return"

"Yes Master" The house elf squeaked

Bellatrix took his arm and they proceeded to walk outside. When they reached the lake they sat on a near by bench which Rodolphus warmed with his wand, and put their boots on. Bellatrix finished first, stood up and walked to the edge of the lake

" I'll race you!" She said

" Okay..but prepare to be beaten" He smiled

They had reached halfway across the lake, and were neck and neck when they saw a bird flying towards them, it was silvery, and as it got closer they realised it was in fact a patronus, they both stopped and waited until the bird, which now could be identified as a Hawk flew towards them. When it reached them Druella Blacks voiced rung around the lake.

"BELLATRIX BLACK WHERE ON EARTH HAVE YOU BEEN?! We have been worried sick!! You don't tell anyone where you have gone! Your poor sister has been crying!! For all we know you could have been KILLED!! Return home this INSTANT and send a message back telling us WHERE you are!! Oh and by the way if Rodolphus is with you which I SINCERELY hope he is tell him his mother wishes him to talk with his brother about conducting himself properly with women in public, Mr and Mrs Crouch were MOST scandalised with what he was doing under the table with Julia!! She says that she will see him tomorrow and that she would have sent word herself but that AWFUL house elf Motty broke her wand, needless to say that she has been VERY severely punished." And with that the Hawk disappeared with a puff of smoke, Rodolphus and Bellatrix burst out laughing.

" Hahaha What HAS Bastan doing now!! Actually no I don't want to know…haha 'Proper conduct around women in public, trust him" Laughed Rodolphus

"He was probably feeling her up under the table when her mother was watching, honestly I don't know how she deals with it! "

"Neither do I!! Ahhh well we best be getting back or your mother will worry, I'll send word back so she knows I have been looking after you". He pulled out his wand and murmured a few words; a silver wolf pounced from his wand and leapt off into the distance.

--