I apologize for the wait; my computer was having problems.

Bellatrix POV

The welcoming darkness encased me as I gazed tiredly out the open window. Sleeping faces of Azkaban criminals plastered onto the walls of my room remained silent. Number twelve Grimmauld Place was full of slumbering witches and wizards and only I sat awake.

My mind wandered to Patrick Diotrix as I turned to the wanted poster with his face upon it. I thought of how his slim figure had mysteriously disappeared, how he had broken Professor Beery's body-bind. He was quite handsome, with his tan skin and dark brown hair. In the poster his locks were sticking out stubbornly in all directions, unlike the loose way it had been spilt across his high cheekbones when he was at Hogwarts.

No matter how handsome he was, no one was more beautiful than Tom through my eyes. I pictured the pale boy laughing with his family, enjoying his Christmas. In this picture, his smile was illuminating, as it always was.

The peace and silence of the night was penetrated as rustling against the leaves outside drew my attention towards the window. I gently laced my fingers around my wand that lay on the table beside me, but I dropped it to the floor when the tall figure leaped through the window.

"Tom!" I cried gleefully, wrapping my arms around his slim body. I looked up into his face and stepped away in horror as the pale skin darkened and the eyes turned silver. Before I could crouch down to pick up my wand, I fell to the floor.

He slung me over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing and stuffed my wand into the pocket of his jacket.

Patrick Diotrix had whisked me away and had no plans of returning me.

Tom POV

A muffled scream awoke me from my dreamless slumber. Instinctively, I grasped me wand firmly and hopped out from under the heavy blankets. As I trudged down stairs, half-asleep, another cry met me. Though, this one was loud and rang throughout the house.

I ran to foyer and stopped dead in my tracks.

All I could see was his tall figure bent over her non-moving body.

Forcefully, I took three great to where they were. He was crumpled over her and as I pointed my wand at him, he looked up.

My father toppled over onto my mother spilling blood on her from the knife in his stomach. I heard him whisper quietly, "She's gone," before his shallow breaths ceased.

I pushed him onto his side beside my mother. There they lay, side by side, the same glossy stare upon their pale faces. I knelt next to them, and slowly, I lowered my head onto my mother's shoulder, silent tears escaping me.

I began to lift myself from the cold floor. My hand touched metal and I gingerly placed the heavy golden locket in my palm, the gold stone engraved with the name that ripped fire through my chest.

Black.

Patrick POV

I couldn't grasp why the Parselmouth had so much interest in Bellatrix Black. Her family was very well known throughout the wizarding world, but there had to be more than her blood that appealed to him. The only other thing I noticed about her was her temper. She yelled and screamed and eventually I had to put a Silencing charm on her. I could almost feel the anger that coursed through her.

Maybe he liked his women feisty. I chuckled aloud and Bellatrix attempted to squirm. The corners of my mouth turned up in a grin. I was beginning to admire her tenacity.

As soon as we were far enough away from Grimmauld Place, I held her to my shoulder as tight as I could and Apparated out of the very heart of England.