When you think that you'll survive
Just don't try
Run and hide
My eyes are hollow like my soul
- Hollow Like My Soul, Emilie Autumn

Bellatrix Lestrange treated the girl with more revere than she had previously expected she would do after that day. She was certainly more indifferent to the change in Tempest's appearance than either Lucius or Narcissa. Narcissa's annoyance brought a slight satisfaction to Tempest, though it was simply because of the surprise which came with the annoyance.

"It's absolute nonsense!" she cried upon Tempest's defence of decision. "You were already such a boyish thing, strutting about the place in such a manner all the time, and then you go and do something so silly!"

In return to the comment, Bellatrix laughed- at least, cackled- and ruffled the short hair atop Tempest's head.

"You were ever such a prissy thing, Narcissa," she said, still laughing. "Guess that never did change."

"And you were far too much of a tomboy yourself," Narcissa replied, sniffing contemptuously. "I don't wish for you to be encouraging her."

"Oh come, Narcissa," Tempest said in a mock plea of sorts. "You mustn't halt Bellatrix in her ways, she is ever so much fun." Bellatrix smiled triumphantly, poking her tongue out at her sister.

"See? A bad example was exactly what she needed to put a smile on that face," she said triumphantly. Tempest laughed to affirm this point. It was true. Strange though it seemed, Tempest had found some form of affection for the woman. It was not much less than the affection she felt for Lucius- one that could not be described as love, but simply a great liking. And though what Narcissa felt due to this was far from jealousy, she could not help but feel irate at the fact that she was somewhat left out of a gathering.

"You are her only example, Trixie, and you know it. Make it a good one."

"I would attempt to defend my place as an example, but I would be wasting me time, would I not?" Lucius asked in a bored tone as he looked up from The Daily Prophet.

"And since when did you do very much that was productive with your time? The Ministry don't even make you do anything lately," Bellatrix pointed out with a scowl. Lucius smirked superiorly.

"Be glad of it, I shouldn't think the Dark Lord would be all too pleased if I allowed myself around such Muggle-lovers."

"Better that than lose your respect and station," Narcissa pointed out thoughtfully. "I shouldn't think he would be all too pleased if you were any less respected."

"True as well," Lucius admitted, though said no more on the matter other than remind them that it was his rank that earned him the right to remain where he pleased. The conversation continued with very little interest, though it was more a matter of filling silence than conversing. Tempest grew weary of simply sitting there, imitating interest, and looked about the room for the book Severus has set as homework for her year. She had already read it, although found that she was forced to read it again and again in order to make sure she had not missed changing details.

"What on Earth is that?" Bellatrix asked disgustedly upon seeing the book.

"It's a book," Tempest pointed out slowly.

"Unlikely. That's a weapon, I'm sure of it. I've never thrown anything smaller at Rodolphus."

"I prefer to read it than throw it," Tempest replied with a smile. "Severus lent it to me. Homework."

"Oh, yes," Bellatrix said bitterly, casting a look at Lucius. "Because someone thought it best he taught you, isn't that right?"

"I would have given the job to you had you not been so busy," Lucius said with a slight smirk. "He does the job well."

"Be that as it may, I don't like her interacting with a man like that."

"A man like what?" Tempest asked.

"Like…that! He isn't appropriate."

"I find him perfectly appropriate, Bellatrix, even if he is somewhat big headed."

"That being the tip of the mountain," Bellatrix mused. She shook her head. "I simply wish you could have taught her Potions yourself, Lucius. Or left out the subject all together! I've done very well in life without ever having to make a single vial of Veritaserum."

"Yes, but Trixie, that is more a matter of talent in spells than a lack of need for a potion." In return, Bellatrix sniffed contemptuously.

"But it still works. I should think a potion would have just slowed me down." Tempest laughed at Bellatrix's determination, and returned quickly to the book. Lucius looked up again, arching an eyebrow.

"Was I not supposed to test you on that?" he asked.

"You were, but I am sure we can both survive without the chore of doing so." Lucius shrugged, though did continue to seem doubtful. Tempest blatantly ignored this fact, keeping her nose thoroughly buried in the book. Bellatrix clucked her tongue once more before resigning to the fact that she could not persuade Tempest to do otherwise.

For once since she received the Mark, Tempest could not help but be glad of the burning sensation on her arm, just to distract from the boredom.

Narcissa sighed as the three other occupants of the room rose and fastened their nearby cloaks around them.

"We never do get a simple conversation, do we?" she said sadly.

"It was a very simple conversation, Cissy," Bellatrix said lightly before Disapparating with a crack. Tempest smiled weakly before taking hold of Lucius's arm and Disapparating with the same abruptness and lack of farewell that Bellatrix had.

They had Apparated outside the house again, and the moment they entered through the door Rodolphus waited for them. Bellatrix did not seem in the least surprised to see him, nor did he look at all angered by the fact that she had not been with him.

"Where have you been?" he hissed at all three of them.

"We have only just been alerted," Lucius said slowly.

"And still you should have been quicker, or have been here already! He's asking for you- all of you. Merlin, he asked for me and I'm risking my hide trying to tell you to be quick!"

"Most romantic thing you've ever done, Roddy," Bellatrix said with a quick spout of laughter as they started towards the hall where Lord Voldemort was concealed. Their pace increased, and within moments they had reached the door and entered the hall. There were already three other men awaiting them apart from Voldemort himself. They looked up to see the new arrivals, though Voldemort did not move an inch.

"I would have preferred it if you had come quicker," he said slowly, his voice high and quiet. "Always take into consideration that you are here for matters of importance."

"It shan't happen again, my Lord," Lucius said solemnly. Voldemort turned his head slightly.

"Come forward. Quickly. Tonight is the night."

"Tonight?" Bellatrix asked in awe. "But, my Lord, we are-"

"Perfectly prepared," he finished. "And if not…well, we shall see, won't we? You have little choice in the matter."

"Why are we here, then?" Tempest asked brusquely. "Why is there no one else with us?"

"Because there is no one else I would trust with the job," Voldemort said slowly, obviously calculating things in his mind. "No one else has the talent or perseverance."

Bellatrix automatically raised her head slightly in pride, though was ignored- much for her safety, Tempest believed. They gathered round in a makeshift circle, each with their eyes laid upon the Dark Lord's solemn face. Tempest's eyes were ever so slightly lowered so that even she did not notice, but low enough so that she did not concentrate on his eyes. Over the months, she still had not quite become accustomed to them.

"You will need to be in the Department of Ministries, of course," he murmured in a low voice, obviously to be heard, though not loud enough to be open for questioning. "The only step of importance will be in the Prophecy room."

There was a pointed silence, not meant to be filled, and so it wasn't.

"He will bring others," Voldemort continued slowly. "You may kill any if you wish. Just leave Potter to me."

Tempest flinched slightly at this order, though was not noticed to her fortune.

"Go!" Everyone jumped slightly at the abrupt cry from Voldemort's throat, and took no more time in Apparating. Tempest had quickly taken Lucius's arm again, though was not sure whether it was due to necessity or fear.

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It was dark. At least, it would have been dark, had the crystal balls that were lined up so neatly, towering above them, been dim. It was their only source of light. No two Death Eaters stood beside each other. They walked silently- their footsteps inaudible- up and down the room, waiting. There could be no contact. They simply had to wait for Harry Potter to walk through that door. They could only imagine what was going on beforehand, though none of them truthfully cared.

When it came, it came quickly. Tempest looked up quickly when she finally heard the silence break. Someone had found them. Lucius. With the same quiet- silent- footsteps, she moved her way towards the sounds of speech. Bellatrix. That was the other voice she heard. Those were the only adult voices she heard. She was close enough to make out the speech. Of course. The first thing Bellatrix would do is tease the children mercilessly. Cruelly. Tempest was rather used to this cruel persona that she seemed to have, and so was not at all surprised that it was used now.

All the Death Eaters had appeared around the group by now. None of their face could be seen- their hoods were brought up and their faces were concealed by silver masks. Though the Death Eaters remained still, the children in the centre huddled closer together, their eyes darting from one face to the other. Only Harry Potter remained facing forward, towards Lucius.

"All you have to do is give it to me," he said in his low, drawling voice, yet with the slight anticipation visible in his voice. "I can show you everything."

There was a pause in which the boy stared at the orb that still remained in his hand.

"I've waited fourteen years," he murmured, though the sound was quite clear, crystal clear.

"I know," Lucius replied, false sympathy basing his words.

"And I can wait a little bit more, now!"

The speech was sudden, and none of them had time to prepare themselves against the cry of Stupify! that came from each of the group. They flew backwards, projected by the spell, and the hunt pursued.

She was sure that the one boy she followed was not Harry, and was glad of it. Instead she followed a slightly more dumpy, yet still undeniably quick, boy who threw a few haphazard curses. He wasn't skilled, to say the least, though any curses that did come somewhat close to her were powerful enough to have caused some damage. Fortunately, that damage came only to the crystal balls behind her.

Finally, one of the spells hit her, but it was weak enough to send her back only a few feet. The stop in her pursuit held her back long enough for the boy to run further off, and for another of the Death Eaters to start follow him. In the time that it took her to finally rise again to her feet, she heard one of the girls from the group shout Reducto! With a loud bang, a man she was sure that she was supposed to know disappeared from her sight.

As quickly as the group had appeared in their sight, they disappeared through a door at the end of the corridor. She gritted her teeth as Bellatrix came to an abrupt stop beside her- it was strange how lost they had become in the maze of crystals, but they did not dwell much on the fact. In fact, the battle suddenly became somewhat more hungry, and each of them dissolved to the dust that represented them.

Already they were posed for attack. Prepared.

For a short while.

The group was easily confused by the movement around them, which Tempest took part in until she felt a hand pull her aside harshly. Ignoring the sudden feeling of dizziness that overwhelmed her, Tempest clearly heard Lucius whisper urgently into her ear.

"Stay hidden- he has not yet said you must be noticed."

Though the fact irritated her, Tempest gritted her teeth and tapped a finger upon her head, whereupon she felt an annoyingly similar feeling of something cold and wet trickling down her back. All commotion had come to a stop, and she stood still where she had been dragged, unable to be seen. Each of the Death Eaters had one of the children who had come in their grasp- Tempest noted Bellatrix had hold of the boy that Tempest herself had chased- and a wand pressed against their throat. They circled a large object in the middle of the room- the veil. Tempest had been told about it briefly once before, and took little notice in it. The only two left in the centre of the ring that was now there were Lucius and Harry Potter, who still gripped onto the prophecy.

"I am going to make this very simple, Potter," Lucius said slowly, his teeth gritted. "Give me the prophecy or watch your friends die."

Tentatively, Harry's arm reached out, still with a tight hold on the prophecy. Lucius smirked ever so slightly as he reached out in return for the crystal ball.

"Don't do it, Harry!" shouted the boy, though Bellatrix quickly tapped his throat- a reminder of sorts. Tempest closed her eyes, not sure what she was supposed to will to happen. Deciding it best to follow Lucius's judgement rather than a stranger's, she prayed the prophecy would reach his hand. Fortunately, it did.

To their misfortune, it did not remain.

The moment that Tempest opened her eyes, she found the battle had already begun. Sirius. She saw him alongside Harry, casting as many spells as possible at Lucius. The sight caused her to blink twice, as if to verify it all, though it did not remain so for very long. With very little hesitation, she rose herself from the spot she had been sat at and thought quickly of a spell- any spell- anything to help the situation. Once more she decided it best to support the side she had been pushed towards, and yet decided upon something that would cause little to no damage.

She muttered the incantation Confringo quickly under her breath, directing the spell at a small rock that lay nearby Harry Potter's foot- it was fortunate that the room held a very earthy tone, and also fortunate that it seemed Harry was quick to react as the rock burst into flames. The sudden jump meant that he pointedly missed a curse sent by Lucius, though his own spell was cast across the room into the wall.

It was almost slow motion from that moment on. There were so many smaller battles going on, not a single one of them that Tempest took an interest in apart from Lucius's. She watched with a severe curiosity, watching all three move in some sort of strange dance. It escaped Tempest's notice that there was still one person who she could not see at all. The point at which she knew who was missing was when it was too late.

Bellatrix appeared only a metre away from where Tempest stood, silently appearing and casting a spell immediately upon arrival. It was almost too quick to identify until the words echoed through her mind. A shot of green light blasted from the tip of Bellatrix's wand, hitting Sirius squarely in the chest. His features did not seem to change at all, despite the curse. Perhaps there had been no time for a change. It was almost too quick a way to die, really.

She could see that Harry watched with just as much disbelief as she did as Sirius fell into the veil. The silence from the boy afterwards left the dreaded realisation in her throat. He didn't know. He did not know what was hidden beyond the veil- if anything, that is. Tempest stood frozen until finally the realisation seemed to dawn on the boy's face. She felt herself fall forward slightly until she saw one of the men from the Order grab hold of his arms, halting him in his actions.

That despair soon dissolved, replaced quickly by anger. It was evident even from the distance she was at. Ignoring the hands that tried to restrain him, Harry ran quickly towards the doorway Bellatrix had only just herself left through. Should she have been a sillier child, Tempest would have worried for her friend, but knew very well that Harry was in no state to cause any damage. Lucius was still left in the room, dishevelled, and surrounded. Tempest thought little of the fact at the time- he was powerful, he was quick- and began to run herself towards the doorway. She held no worry for Bellatrix, she simply was curious as to how Harry would react.

There was little time before He came. Tempest remembered clearly having been told to follow Bellatrix when finally the Dark Lord came- it was the time for their exit, they were not to be caught. Bellatrix flinched slightly when Tempest grabbed hold of her arm until the realisation dawned on her mere seconds after the contact, and the two were engulfed by the green flames before they had a chance to mutter a word.

And as quickly as it had all started, it stopped.

Bellatrix and Tempest were launched into the familiar hall of the hideaway manor, no one else in the room as of that moment. Only a few moments later Rodolphus Apparated in the centre of the room, alongside the other Death Eaters that had joined them.

Except one.