Turns out I was the one who couldn't sing. Every note of Under Pressure was brutally butchered by my shaky half tenor. Lily looked ready to pull her hair from her braids when Hermione decided that Snape and I may be best with the bum ba dums.

"Pressure! Pressing down on me." Hermione's voice wasn't striking, but it was pleasant enough.

"Pressing down on you, no man asks for." Lily was a soprano. Her voice leaned toward the higher notes yet it didn't quite tinkle how it should. They passed the lines between each other, sharing the chorus between the four of us.

Our first completion of the song was disappointing to say the least. Hermione tried to coach us as best as she could, but it was like the marginally less blind leading the blind. Snape -or as he insisted I call him now, Severus- was advancing quicker than I. He understood his voice in a way most people didn't making it easier for him to control it.

I, on the other hand, struggled to keep pitch. Every note sagged and fell flat like the water logged branches of an old birch.

"No, no, no." Hermione yanked a hand through her curly hair, "go ah." I did, holding the note as she shoved on my diaphram. The note came out clearer than before, but it was by no means good.

"Good," Lily was quick to praise us. She stood before us, "now together."

We left the Room of Requirement with homework.

My assignment seemed rather simple. Holding a base note shouldn't be so impossible, but Merlin it wasn't easy. There was only one person I knew that I could actually sing. Many days I spent my time sitting in her lap as she sung from whatever song book she could find.

My mum, Narcissa, would be a part of the fight after all in a way she'd never expect.

Bellatrix's laughter rung through the corridor. There had never been a time I'd heard her sound like anything less than a psychotic witch. Yet today, she sounded normal. Her dark hair was a bunch of beautiful curls tied back with her tie. She was a combination of dark hair and eyes and porcelain skin.

I'd never seen my aunt anyway but negatively and some part of me was sad. How many curses did it take to turn this girl into a raging maniac?

"Mu-uh erm Narcissa, right?" My mother paused. Whatever she was once laughing at had faded from her mind as she regarded me.

"Yes, that is me." There wasn't a hair out of place. Every platinum blonde strand lay obediently against her shoulders while a few locks were styled to fall over her shoulders. "May I help you?"

I jerked back to alertness, "would you mind if I escorted you? I have a few questions for you." She nodded warily, moving again towards the stairs.

"I heard through the grape vine that you were an exceptional vocalist."

There wasn't much of a reaction, but I knew my mother. She was hiding the pleased feelings that coated her skin.

"A lady must be proficient in something."

Bellatrix slid into the conversation, "Why do you want to know?" A bit of her unhinged attitude shone through but at 15 it was playful. "If you're really a Malfoy you'd know that Cissy has already accepted the proposal from your cousin."

"Oh no," I held my hands up in a sign of good will, "It's nothing like that." I assured them quickly, "you see the thing is my friends and I are performing at the talent show this year, but I'm afraid we aren't very good."

When she said nothing I pushed harder, "I was wondering if you could teach us." She thought it through as she walked. Bellatrix remained silent as we went, off in her own little world, but something had turned her expression inwards. She was unhappy.

"And you're a Malfoy?" Mum asked once more for clarification.

"Yes," hopefully she didn't ask me to prove it. The Malfoys weren't a particularly large family, but no matter what tests were run my blood would run pure. There could be no argument about my heritage even if Abraxas performed the test himself.

"Oh come on Narcissa you can't be considering it!" Bellatrix screeched, "He's friends with two mudbloods." My hands clenched at my sides, but my face remained even seeing as how I need my mother's help.

"Enough Bella," Mum looked up at me for a moment, "What is your name?"

"Draco."

She repeated it, "well Draco. Id like to ask a favor of you as well. Your cousin is charming enough." The concession pained her, "but I need more. We dont...connect and long story short I need him to make more of an effort. If you swear that you'll try I'll do the same."

"Deal," I didn't think about it. If anyone knew how to schmooze my dad it was me. She grinned.

"Deal."

We lingered a moment, my mind running through various scenarios as she did the same. Bella was sulking. She didn't like that her sister would be consorting with muggle borns.

"This is our destination." Mum nodded toward the Slytherin entrance. Understanding her unspoken words I bid them both good night, kissing their hands as a courtesy.

*******XxX

I didn't expect Bellatrix to sit with Severus and I the next day for breakfast. She dropped down next to me an ebony curl handing in her face like bait.

"Morning Draco," She filled her plate with bacon and ham, skipping the fruits and loaded up on fat and cholesterol instead. It made Hermione's healthily piled plate look almost refined. She tapped her chin with her nails as she scanned the table.

"Hey muddy," Bellatrix waited, but when Hermione's head remained down she grew agitated, "you know I'm speaking to you so why don't you pay attention?"

Hermione lifted her head up, scowling, but holding her ground.

"I have a name. Until you learn to use it you can get up and get it y-yourself." Her voice shook as she -doubtlessly- was faced with the woman who tormented her on the Manor floor. Bellatrix smiled, mistaking the weakness in her voice.

"Hand me the sausage, muddy." Hermione continued to scowl, no longer trusting her voice. "Hand it to me now!" She sang, loudly, causing the girl beside me to slide a little closer to me.

At this point I could almost see what she saw as she looked at my young aunt.

"Fine." Hermione stood with her, taking a handful of sausages and flinging them at her. A smile cracked the porcelain facade of her frustration. Intimidation and shouting were all things Bellatrix excelled at, but Tom Foolery was her calling. Before long that little smirk had broken across her face in a grandiose grin.

"Thanks," She grabbed a sausage that had landed on her vest, flopping it around. Mum sat beside Severus, regarding her sister with well hidden amusement.

"Bella have some breakfast." She pulled the pork laden plate towards her, keeping it from her meat crazy sister, "and you only ate meat yesterday. Today is a fruit day." Mum doled out two wise portions, garnishing the plates with sliced apples.

"Cissy you are literally no fun." She plopped on to the bench making mocking faces as she went.

"If you want to score a husband you'll need to make sure you keep your waist small."

"But I don't want a husband!" The batty girl cried. Mum hushed her violently, losing the composure that made her so regal.

"Stop saying that. People are going to start believing that you're a lesbian."

Bella finished chewing an apple slice, "guess what, Cissy?"

"Don't you dare."

"Are you gonna guess?"

"I'm not interested in guessing." Her tone was pinched, shoulders drawn. As someone who had been personally scarred by spankings, I knew that tone. It was enough to make me straighten up and hold my fork properly. Bellatrix, however, wasn't interested in cooperating.

"Well I'll tell you."

"No you wo-,"

"I am a lesbian! Your sister likes sisters."

She gathered a bunch of grapes in her shirt, picking one off of the vine, "coming Granger?" Her tone had gone casual. It wasn't surprising that she had taken an interest in the girl who flung food yet stuttered her reply.

It was doubtless that Bellatrix had seen the fear in her fellow Slytherin's eyes and found it interesting. She'd want to know why someone who was afraid had dared to throw meat, but still stand close to her pureblood protector.

She didn't understand her bravery and -if I did say so myself- she liked it.

I'd never seen Hermione flounder for an answer before. She was torn between digging her fingers into my arm and questioning her sanity. Bella's methods were unfollowable, her desires were unclear, but what was clear was her sincerity. She wanted Hermione to follow her and her reasons weren't nefarious.

Maybe there was hope for her too and it was beautiful.

"You can't seriously be offended that I called you muddy." She began filling her cheek with the little purple balls.

"And then tried to intimidate me?" Hermione scoffed and bit into a strawberry, "guess I'm a little sensitive. Honestly, how would you feel if I called you an inbred?"

Bella laughed, grapes escaping from their prisons. "Oh you are a delight Miss. Granger." She snickered a while longet even while mother and I were frowning. We were not inbred. Our family lines were examined extensively before each match was made. While some families over looked marriages between second cousins there were no sibling mating rituals going on either. "You see I deal in truth and Tom Foolery. How could I get excited when inbred is what I am. Draco and Cissy and I are inbreds. Severus is a cross breed and you," She sighed happily, "you are a mutant. Your magic came out of thin air and for that you don't belong here and you don't belong there. But you're here now and I find you exciting."

"I don't understand are you insulting me or aren't you?"

When your methods stumped the brightest witch of her age that should have been enough to make you certifiably insane.

Bella sighed as if she was tired of explaining herself. "Neither!" She insisted, "I'm just telling the truth. I find its better than not knowing where you stand with me." She ate the last of her grapes, "so come on. I'm excited for Hogsmeade and Cissy for help me decide between my zipper jacket and my hoop skirt." Hesitantly Hermione clambered from the bench. Her expression was twisted as if she were inspecting an abstract painting.

"I think you're insane." She told her truthfully, but no matter what she thought she followed the goofy, curly haired girl out of the Great Hall. The last I heard from them was Bella's wild laughter and another proclamations.

"Oh you're so fun!"

"Have fun, Miss. Granger," Mum called amused.

"Is she going to be alright?" Lily asked. She looked on as both curly heads of hair disappeared out of the door, but she wasn't concerned. Oh no, Gryffindor's golden girl and Slytherin's pet was jealous. I could see it in the set of her jaw and sense it in the waves of her aura.

"Possessive much?" My mother finished a grape before continuing with her taunting, "one would think Miss. Evans was possessed by the same affliction as my sister by the look on her face."

"Jealous of what?" Lily picked at her eggs, "There's no law that she can't have other friends. She's better friends with Draco than she is with me and it's fine."

"Yes, but Draco was never a contender." Mum leaned forward a little, "You're her best girl friend -at this school at least- and you don't like the competition Bella proposes."

"And what makes you think Hermione even wants to be friends with your crazy sister?" Sev asked. His plate was full, but nothing had been eaten, "I mean Hermione is the kind of girl who needs to be respected by her friends. Bellatrix doesn't respect her." It was a wonder that he came to her defense at all seeing as how he'd been glaring daggers since Lily got here.

"Oh and what would you know, you…" She grimaced in distaste at his unwashed hair, "person."

"Well I'm friends with her."

"Yeah, these two weeks have probably been fun, but you don't know her. You can't even wash your own hair."

Snape scowled, subconsciously touching the tendrils of dirty hair. "I wash it plenty. Potions work just makes it greasy."

Mum nodded, seemingly in understanding. Her attention was off of her breakfast now as she touched his hair.

Her repulsion was not faked. Only twice had that expression been directed toward me and one of those times it was Pansy fault.

"Oh this won't do." Her slender fingers fell to his arm. She hoisted him toward his feet, "We've work to do." She decided, "Draco we will practice after dinner tonight. Don't be late."

That left Lily and I.

"They took our friends."

Lily bit into her apple, silently seething as she watched her best friend skulk off beside the platinum angel that was my mother.

"Yeah," and then under her breath, "the bitch."

From this chapter on I plan to alternate between main characters. I think Hermione, Lily, and Snape deserve some of the spot light.