This was not insomnia induced believe it or not, I just thought it would be a proper and rather unsettling intro to Bella's true teenage years as the Death Eater recruitment become an active thing. Enjoy!

Also I lied, I can't sleep so this happened...still, have fun!

So while the Headmaster had effectively managed to avoid harshing my calm by being understanding and sympathetic towards my actions, the rest of the school seemed to split into one of two groups.

Group A.) I was an unstable Dark Lady in the making and should be avoided at all costs because who knows what I would do to anyone foolish enough to cross my path.

Group B.) I behaved as an elder sibling should have and was fully justified in setting a precedent for what would happen to anyone who crossed me and mine.

Most of the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs went to group A, all of the Ravenclaws and Slytherins went into group B.

Cold logic and cunning tended to bite through the Chivalrous rhetoric the Lions and Badgers seemed to treat as gospel.

Not that it really mattered to me regardless, my third year passed in a blur of classes, wasting time with my boys, making sure Andi was keeping up with her decorum studies and eating her veggies, all while trying to keep my head down.

Because, I had realized after the fact that my little stunt to protect my sister rather idiotically kinda, sorta, maybe, flagged me as a potential recruit for Voldemort's group of masked fools.

Really, that was something that just pissed me off beyond words, I punished a Gryffindor for his actions against my little sister and suddenly I'm qualified to become a mentally deficient megalomaniac's follower?

Because, reasons?

Was it because I am unapologitcally ruthless? Was it because I was creative in my punishments? Was it because I found amusement in the deserving idiots ongoing pain?

Thoughts for another time...or never again...the latter seemed preferable honestly.

Regardless, as my third year ended I was approached by none other than Lucius Malfoy as I was helping the first and second years get their belongings together for the trip back home for the summer hols.

While the rest of the school may fear/respect, or respectafear me all of Slytherin knew I looked after our under years without objection viewing them all as my personal wards.

So while performing my self appointed duties as class mom Lucius stood behind me at a slightly uncomfortably close distance as I helped a sputtering first year gather up her spilled gob stones off the floor.

I couldn't help sighing as I grabbed the flustered blondes hands and weaved our fingers together while resting my forehead against her's grinning lightly as our gazes locked, "Love you need to relax. You grab those potential stink bombs like that they'll explode in your face. Finish folding up your clothes and I'll gather the rest of your toys, ok Annette?"

The girl let out a sigh, smiled, and nodded, "Thank you Bell!"

Shaking me head I gathered up the various stones and once the bag was full I placed it in the girl's trunk while turning and meeting the fourth year's gaze evenly while raising a brow in contempt.

"What exactly do you want Lucy Goosey?"

Lucius sighed at that while shaking his head, "For starters could you stop calling me that, please?"

I scoffed while glancing to my side, "Get Rudy to stop calling my Trixie and we'll have an accord."

He grimaced at that, "Right... Look there is a ball planned for midsummer at our manor this year, not associated with the ministry mind. This is completely independent, and I was asked to deliver an invitation to you."

My brows furrowed at that while taking the wax sealed envelope from him in honest confusion, "An invitation to me, not for my family?"

Lucius looked uncomfortable while nodding slowly, "Yes Bella...just you..."

I snapped wax seal open and pulled the thick and obviously expensive card from the envelope, reading all the pertinent information about the time and place I found myself lost in confusion until I flipped it over and read the message scrawled across the back of the card in green ink.

I look forward to meeting you once again young Bella.

~Tom

I just stared down at the card for a few moments before one thought crossed my mind.

Fuck. Me. Running