Wel the paperwork now done, Bellatrix needed one last thing for her study group, students. More specifically pair of young Gryffindors to begin with. She had no interest in keeping her efforts secret, it would serve better to have all potential bullies deterred and seeking other victims than to have them facing one nasty surprise from Sirius. Especially as she might not be able to get him in good enough shape fast enough.
That meant that she needed to bully them into joining, shall the need be. Also, she needed to make it as public, as she possibly could... So where and when she could catch the Sirius and James in public? The great hall at the breakfast time.
She would definitely make a fuss this time though...
She came to breakfast a bit later that day to make sure that Sirius will already be there. And sure he was. sitting with James and two firsties she had not known, also with some Weasley, which one she did not know. And who does? They are simply too numerous to count them all.
So Bella strolled down by the Gryffindor table, noting all the looks she was getting, but not letting it be seen. Most looked at her with some combination of wariness and anger... one or two with fear.
When she arrived at where Sirius was sitting, Bella was positive, that the entire hall has already taken note.
Smiled at Sirius, that got his attention well enough. Bellatrix rarely smiled in public, and she almost never laughed. Sirius was in bad mood, he and his friends were to face double lesson of History in few minutes. But he did his best to sound pleasant when greeting his cousin with a nod and saying: "Good morning, Bella, what brings you here?"
Bellatrix faked an offended face and said: "Why? Can I not simply drop for a breakfast with my cousin? I do like you, you know?" to which Sirius answered: "You can, but you rarely make fuss of it for no reason at all" He gestured to a free spot next to him "but have a seat"
At this moment the redhead started a protest "Sirius, she is a Snake, we will not have snakes at this table" earning very annoyed looks from both Sirius, Bellatrix and to his surprise even a mildly annoyed one from James.
Bella fought an urge to down him with a good stinging hex, or better yet ticking one... he has not yet deserved her anger, but being a nuisance to Bellatrix Black was not advisable either.
Sirius saw his cousin"s stare and knew that Jack Weasley is in for a good dishing, at very least. He has already seen what his cousin is capable with curses and with words, she was already the force to reckon with.
And he wanted nothing of that at his breakfast. there was but one way, how to make Bellatrix drop the insult, to solve it himself. So he made a dismissive gesture in Bellatrix way and pierced Jack with one more stare...
"Jack, you will be kind enough not to call my cousin A Snake, else there will be trouble. She can sit with us, You may not believe me, but she fought off a band of Slytherin hooligans, that got us with the posters two weeks ago" That seemed to satisfy Jack for a second, but then he spouted "and why would a Slytherin protect Gryffindor?"
Sirius understood the question, be it any other Slytherin, he would ask it himself. But the words were accompanied by such a malicious tone, that he did not feel at all sympathetic towards Jack. Badmouthing some abstract Slytherins, Sirius could and likely would join his housemate. It was not nice, and deep down he knew that it was not kosher, to say the least.
But this was His Cousin, the brat was talking about, his cousin who he might not like the best, but who helped when necessary. His cousin who went to fight six bastards to save him from bullying...
Sirius was a bit surprised, but he actually felt really angry about it, but he was Black enough to settle emotions aside to be examined later and deal with miscreant at hand first.
His face grew darker, and Sirius looked at Jack the way you look at the dog who chewed yet another boot... "Jack, this is my cousin we talk about, I bet that had you have a cousin in Slytherin, you would not want me to insult them. I don't want you to insult Bellatrix, and this is the last time I am polite, next time your mouth open it better be speaking something polite..." he considered the issue solved and turned his attention back to his cousin, Bella sat at the table and in the meantime helped herself to a cup of coffee. How could she drink it, he did not know...
"So, Bella, why did you decide to upset every one of my house? Got a statement to make?" Bella sipped her coffee and deadpanned "Haven't I made one already, Siri?" She had a look of honest curiosity on her face, but Sirius was not buying that one, his cousin was testing him, he knew that much. But what was this test about? Also, the nickname irked him some, but not as much as it would a month ago. If someone takes up a fight for you, you don't go and complain about them using a term of endearment.
"Well, you certainly did..." Sirius chuckled "come to mind it is shame, that you are making the fuss by just sitting here, but have that be the point, you would do it a long time ago" He took a bite from his toast and some beans before he went on... "I guess that whatever you plan, the last fight is the reason why are you doing it" for this Bellatrix rewarded him with a small not and look of approval from Bella, then she prompted him with another question...
"and what kind of fuss do you think I am up to? No good?" Sirius totally knew that that one was a test. Anybody in the Gryffindor would most likely say "Yes" without thinking. And so would Sirius, if it was about any other Slytherin, but not about his cousin.
Bellatrix could be up to no good, but was not necessarily so. Sirius knew that she subscribed to the Family above all else, the narrative of his Father and uncle, one that was less gross than what his mother spouted around if he had to be honest with himself.
So when he finally made his mind about the answer he said: "Depend on the perception I guess, definitely you are not going to hurt the family, right?" he got a nod in response.
"No, I am going to protect it" that made Sirius curious, he could imagine several ways of such protection, and few were to his liking. Most appalling was the notion of being told to "befreind" some of older students whose families were indebted to Blacks, to act as his guard...
"How," he asked, thinking of other options, there were artefacts providing quite a lot protection to the wearer, even as a mere first year he knew that. But most of these were considered Dark and hence of limits at school.
He also did not fancy the notion of his cousin scrambling in the fight whenever he gets in the trouble. Sirius did not like the idea that he needed saving at the first place, but also he felt a pang of guilt at the position his inability to defend himself put Bellatrix in...
Of course, she could do so, and he had little doubt that she would, definitely after the last showdown, that night he saw Bella in whole new light, as a power to reckon with... He dared not to think about things she might do if he got seriously hurt.
But Sirius Black wanted to be his own person, and in that moment he understood that being his own person means being able to stand for himself. With violence, if necessary.
Bella left her cousin a few moments to think before dumping the news on him: "I got a permission to run small version of the Flitwick defence club, and you are going to attend, as is James Potter, and whoever you regularly hang out with, if they want to." she was looking straight into his eyes, and her facial expression left no place for doubt. This was an order.
An Order, he did not like. An Order he felt like taking the proper reaction to the level nine. An Order, he knew, was not for debate. An order he would follow whatever else will happen.
James, however, had not had the experience that comes with growing up with Bellatrix Black and was going to oppose being ordered around by her. Sirius did not know which side to take, he would love to side with his friend, after all, most of his family and their values did little so far to grow on him, except Bellatrix"s occasional compassion and Andromeda"s good heart.
Yet, he knew that she was right, they needed training and the professor they had was a joke of a teacher... His cousin was surely capable enough and invested enough to teach them all basics of defence. So he decided to wait for James and his arguments against and then make his decision.
James for one was surprisingly polite when he started speaking "look, Black, I am grateful for your help, without you, the bastards would be taking shots at us with stinging hex even now. Also, I don't know what did you do, but they keep from all firsties nowadays. You are not all bad, but you ask a lot, you know? Coming here and ordering us around. People will think that we are cool with Slytherin, and you with Gryffindor, ain't gonna be good for any of us" Sirius was proud of his friend.
Bella took a while before responding to young Gryff, first, she mercilessly wiped the anger, yes, he was dismissing her offer of help... But she knew that Potter tried his best at being diplomatic about it. She owed him the same courtesy. And he did think of potential repricutions for her as well or at least pretended to do so.
Lord, was this house animosity tiring at times... Especially since Sirius had his head about not going in the Slytherin...
"Yes, I know what I am asking, Potter, I am asking you to step over no man"s land, and to put your very reputation in the risk. I am asking you to put your trust into someone your parents would most likely disprove with vigour" at this point James almost unwillingly nodded... "and I am asking you to do thing many of our classmates see as a treason nowadays, am I correct? Also thanks for being a polite young gentleman, and for pointing that I put my skin on the line as well if we are doing this" She gave James small smile " it's tiresome really, given that Godric and Salazar were once thick as thieves..." Bella chuckled at their times, if our predecessors were acting the way we do nowadays, I bet that they would be getting a lot of common detentions processing some slimy potions ingredients down in the dungeons, or ploughing the school garden muggle way..." that elicited a chuckle from Sirius and few more. Even James smiled.
"Also You are not going to do it for me and I am not going to do it for you, if that is any comfort, I am the bad Slytherin, protecting the family interests, in this case, Sirius well-being and you are good Gryffindor, protecting your friends safety, will that work?"
She felt that she was getting there, but that pushing further right now would be stupid. She would let the Potter boy think it all over and count on Sirius giving him a good advice, so she added "I sure as hell am training Sirius, as for you, I would love to teach you, mostly to be honest as a way of protecting Sirius, but I can not make you. Make your mind about it..." she finished her coffee, and turned to Sirius "We will see each other on Saturday at nine, get your wand and something you can exercise in, got it?" Sirius nodded without great enthusiasm, but nodded anyway.
Bellatrix felt that she accomplished, what could be accomplished that morning. She gave one arm hug to her cousin, just to annoy him a bit, and stood up. Looking at her pocket watch she reminded them "and you two have History in few minutes. Sirius, don't listen to anything Binns say, and read it in good books, got it?" that got another few smiles...
With that, she departed