A/N: As I promised. Here it is. Enjoy. Bella is home, but now what? I can tell you what-but I won't. You'll have to read and find out.

Sneak Peek: For those who have been dying for Bella to tell Rodolphus: one of her sisters finds out first. I will tell you this much. Enjoy.

Thanks, Lia. Love!

Hannie, as always-for you!

Dark Bellatrix Black: I'll be updating that one too soon, promise. You are probably my favorite reviewer!

Everyone else who's continued to review: You are the reason I keep going.

Love, Review, ENJOY

There's no Place like Home

The morning the train arrived, Bella had managed to pack her things in haste. She grabbed only the essentials; anything else, she would be granted at home. She spent the train ride alone and reclusive; not willing nor wanting anyone's company, especially that of Rodolhpus (who had not tried to comfort her again) or her either of her sisters. The four-hour ride back into town consisted only of reviewing for her N.E.W.T.S but her thoughts would slip every now and then to the conundrum that lay ahead of her.

She still wasn't quite sure how she would deal with it, but she knew that truth was not an option. Every time she envisioned the truth, it ended with a subsequent upheaval of the Black family. She could picture her father raising his wand to Rodolphus, using the killing curse, no doubt; telling the ministry his daughter had been forced; she could see her mother pleading with her, demanding to know why she would do this to their family, why had she ruined the Black family name. Worst of all, though, she could see herself standing in front of an altar, hands clasped in Rod's, her huge stomach bulging beneath a white gown, pledging her life to him at the ripe age of sixteen. All of these images scared her to no end, some more than others.

Now, here she stood: barely six weeks pregnant (if she had calculated the date of conception, along with her missed menstruations correctly), outside of King's Cross, waiting for her mother. Her mind continued running idly through scenarios of how her mother would react to her. Her appearance hadn't changed very much in the last few weeks; she had put on a few pounds, but nothing drastic. Would Druella be able to tell right away?

Bellatrix was lost in her thoughts as she felt someone come to stand next to her; she turned, seeing Narcissa, who looked more than apprehensive about her standing so choice. Trying to lighten earlier tensions, and not having the energy to fight, Bellatrix smiled at her youngest sister and then hastily turned in the other direction. Descending the train platform was Rita Skeeter draped across a sullen looking Rodolphus' arms.

Rita appeared to be fawning all over Rod as her hands ran across his bandaged arms; his elbow still had yet to be healed. Madame Pomfrey had recommended a great healer by the name of Matilda Banglesh who was an expert at re-growing shattered bones and Rod was going to see her during the holiday. Rita's eyes immediately narrowed to slits, as Bellatrix turned to glare in their direction; Bella and Rod had fought—again—last night, but hadn't thought that they were over. The scene in front of her, however, now seemed to cement feelings of finality between them. Bella took a step in their direction; ready to give both of them a piece of her mind, but Andromeda stopped her with a tug on the arm.

"Bella, Mum is here," Andromeda whispered as she gently pulled her sister in the direction where their mother was coming from.

"I'm not daft, Andy! I can manage walking by myself." Bella retorted pulling her arm from her sister's grasp, picking up her luggage handle, and walking away.

Druella Rosier Black was a thin woman, around the same height as her eldest daughter, with golden long locks and bright blue eyes that matched those of Narcissa; her facial expression always haughty and her bone structure well defined. Most people were never sure how, exactly, to approach her. She was not cold, but she could be if pushed in that direction.

She smiled wide as she approached her three daughters. "Girls, come now. We have so much to do for the holiday preparations." Druella beckoned to her girls, who all stood apart from one another. Bella stood the farthest from others hoping that maybe, just maybe, Druella would not notice her.

Narcissa was the first to rush forward, smiling wide. "Mummy!" Bella could hear her call to their mother as she watched the matching blondes clasp hands. "The train ride was just awful!" Cissy continued, "Lucius Malfoy, the fifth year, picked on me the whole way home. He is so vile!" She declared in haste as their luggage was pulled from them and then, seemingly, disappeared into thin air. Bella knew better, however: the elves had come to get their luggage.

"Love," Druella cooed to her youngest, smiling as she did so. "You must really fancy Abraxas's boy, that's all I hear you talk about sometimes... Andromeda, Bellatrix, do well to keep up!"

Bella folded her arms across her chest and sighed with some relief as her mother walked ahead of her. Good thing, Bella thought, Mum didn't get too close, and, perhaps, she didn't notice... Bella turned to steal a glance in the train's direction. She could see Rodolphus waiting for his parents (Rita still hanging on him). He was watching her as she walked off. A part of her wanted to wave, smile, or go back and rush into his arms; but the other part of her did as she willed: rolled her eyes, turned, and continued on.

Before Bellatrix knew it, they were standing in the safe spot for apparition and portkeys. Her stomach soured as the portkey came into view. Would she be able to make it though without losing the contents of her stomach? She had been dizzy and nauseous for days. She was sure that both side-apparition and portkey would do her no good.

"Bella," Druella called as Bella starred down at the familiar silver-handled cup that lay before her. "I'll side apparate with Cissy, while you and Andy take the portkey."

Bella did not fuss. Instead, she shook her head, signaling "yes" and picked up the cup, waiting for Andromeda to grab the other end; once Andy did so, they both were jerked through a black hole. Bella could feel her body compress and her head began to spin; this wasn't good. The sisters landed, with a soft thud, on their feet in the Black Manor courtyard.

Immediately, Bella could feel the contents in her stomach rise to the surface; she was going to throw up. She took off running in the direction of the house as she felt the bile burn her throat; she was too slow, however, and she felt her body jerk as everything came rushing forward.

"Bella!" Andy called after her, apparently startled by her sister's sudden reaction; closely behind her were Narcissa and Druella, who had just landed.

Bellatrix hunched over a rose bush, her stomach wrenching, as she felt hot and sweaty. Andy bent down to comfort her, but Bella pushed her away. "Leave…." She broke off; more fluids amassed from her mouth as Andy wrinkled her nose.

"Andromeda, move aside so that I can tend to your sister." Druella called out as Bella's posture stiffened. Surely this incident would be a dead giveaway of her pregnancy. "Bella, Love…" Druella's soft, matronly voice called to her. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Mum, she has been under the weather lately," Andromeda interceded before Bellatrix had a chance to speak. "She was throwing up at school as well." Bella let out a grunt of disapproval followed by a glare as she inched back from her mother.

"Why didn't you owl to tell me, Bellatrix? I swear sometimes you can be so hard headed." Druella shook her head in disdain. "What if you had come down with Spattergoit or something? ... Twiggy!" A large pop lit the air and Twiggy, one of the many Black house elves, appeared.

"Yes, Mistress." The stubby creature spoke, bending low upon knee, ready to do her bidding.

"Prepare Bella some ginger tea along with some dry toast, clean this mess up, and ask Master Black to come here."

"Mum!" Bella pleaded, not wanting to be touched by anyone, let alone her father. She feared if too many people got too close to her they'd discover her secret. "I don't need daddy to pick me up, I can stand just fine. I'm okay. I just got dizzy from the portkey. I'm sorry."

"Nonsense, Bella. According to Andy you've been sick for a couple of days now, let me help you."

"Andromeda does not know what she is talking about. I'm fine, now please, just give me some air." Bella pleaded as the house elf disappeared, against Bella's pleas, with a loud pop. "Daddy isn't even home."

"It's Saturday, Bella. The department of Mysteries is not open. Now, don't be silly, let your father carry you into the house. I don't need you coming down with another dizzy spell and ruin another rose bush."

Suddenly, Cygnus Black appeared with a loud crack. "Druella, dear what is it? I have an important letter to…Bellatrix, what are you doing on the ground? Get up this instance!" His voice broke off as he saw Bellatrix sitting against the ground, a nose-rotting stench rising up.

"Daddy, I've tried. Mum won't let me." Bella started, but Druella cut her off.

"She's sick, Dear, probably the Spout Flu. I'll call for a healer later, but I need some helping getting her into the house. I didn't want to take the chance of levitating her and her getting sick again; I like my rose bushes."

Bellatrix felt humiliated as she sat upon the cold, wet, ground. She was still dizzy and was sure that if a healer were called she'd be found out at once; she pulled her cloak closer, the cold chilling her bones.

"Oh, alright. Girls…" scoffed Cygnus as he leaned over slipping one arm under Bella's legs and using the other to support her back. "Bella, how much have you been eating?" He asked, almost-teasingly as he struggled with her extra weight for a moment.

"Oh, Cygnus, she's a growing girl. Leave her be."

Growing…Bella thought as she shifted in his arms, wanting desperately to break out in tears. She threw a dangerous glare in Andromeda's direction.

"Exactly my point: a growing girl. If she continues to put on weight, what respectable pureblood man would want her? Merlin knows that Rodolphus Lestrange is far from a good choice; I've heard things about him, Druella." He continued on as they reached the inside of the manor. Cygnus carried her through the drawing room, into the foyer, and up the side stairs to her room.

He set her down on the grand bed, dressed in an emerald bedspread, said nothing to her and walked out. Little conversation was ever shared between Bellatrix and her father, for Cygnus dismissed her hard-headed tendencies as insolence. He could not see how bad she actually craved for his attention; using any means necessary to gain it.

She lay down against the bed, starring up into her bewitched ceiling to see a shooting star crossing the night sky. She turned over, seeing that her luggage had been brought up to her room. Wearily, (she was still feeling a bit off), she got down off her bed and headed towards her trunk.

She opened it to see her potions book lying hastily on the top of some clothes. She picked it up and made her way back to her bed, just in time to hear a knock on her already opened door. It was Druella, followed by Twiggy, who carried a silver tray in hand.

"Bellatrix," Druella called out. "Don't unpack, that's why we have elves. Twiggy…"

"Yes, Mistress. Twiggy will see to it that Miss Bella's things are unpacked at once." The elf jeered happily to serve his master. He scurried over to Bella, handed her the tea and plate.

Bella set her book down and took the tray from the elf. She was neither hungry, nor thirsty, but did so to appease her mother.
"Drink up, Bellatrix. I'll need you well over this holiday. We have a lot to do before Christmas. We're having a dinner party, and I'll need your help."

"Isn't that why we have elves, Mum?" She questioned with disdain, wrinkling her nose as the tea hit her throat; it was disgusting.
"Of course we have elves, but other things need to be attended to as well. Monday, I am taking you, Andromeda, and Narcissa shopping for new dresses. I've already given your measurements to Madame Ree. She expects us there early; she's pulled some samples for you all to try on. After that, we must find presents for Sirius and Regulus; and, if you're buying something for Rodlophus, we will do so..." She continued on, but Bellatrix was not paying much attention; her stomach still upset.

"Now relax for a bit while I go owl a healer." Druella finished, dismissively.

"Mum, I do not need a healer." Bella protested, her hands beginning to shake.

"I need you well, Bella, for the holidays."

"My catharsis exactly, Mum. What if you call a healer and she tells me that I have to be on bed rest? Who will help you for the holidays then? Narcissa? I think not. Besides, a healer is a waste of galleons when I am perfectly fine. I was turned upside down by the portkey, that's all; my sickness at school was due to improperly prepared food." Bellatrix pouted, praying to Merlin that her anxiety wasn't showing through. A healer would ruin everything, including the plans she had yet to form in regards to her child.

"Galleons aren't the issue, Bella. We have more than enough of those. I just want to make sure you're well. You are a bit pale, and Daddy was right about the weight."

"Now I'm fat?" Bella groaned defensively.

"I didn't say that! Your clothes are just a little snug; that's all. Look, I haven't time to argue with you today, Bella. Drink your tea, eat your toast, take a nap, and, if you don't feel better after that, I'm calling Madame Delores."

As they continued to talk- well, argue -Twiggy scurried about the room tidying it up and putting things back in their place; including Bella's trunk and its contents.

"I will feel better. I was just dizzy and I had an empty stomach. Your meddlesome daughter just became a bit over zealous; Andy forgets I am the oldest."

"Bella, do well to mind your sisters. As you said, you are the oldest, so act like it." With that, Druella stood and headed towards the door, walking out.

"Mind them?" Bella muttered angrily when her mother finally left. She turned to the elf. "Twiggy, close my door when you leave."

"Miss," Twiggy called, bowing low to Bellatrix. Bella handed him the silver tray of half-eaten toast and cold tea. He then hurried off with it, closing the door behind him.

Silence surrounded Bella as she lowered herself down against the bed and gazed up into the charmed ceiling, seeing the night sky. It was late afternoon, but Bella could not help but to feel exhausted. It was feeling that had become all-too-frequent as of late and she did not understand why. Yes, she had cried herself to sleep for the past three days, but that wouldn't really make her this tired. Would it? She felt like she had been hit by the Night Bus or something.

For a while, Bella just lay on her back, starring aimlessly; her eyes opening and closing as she felt tired beyond belief. She tried to will herself awake in hopes of getting out of bed, but to no avail. She felt time was drawing near; and soon, everyone would know what she had done: her stomach showing like a scarlet letter.