Twin Dragon Heartstrings

by Ladyfun

After the Battle of Hogwarts, the Golden Trio's messiah-like status changes their lives forever; only Hermione remains skeptical about their new fame. Trapped, she is inexorably is drawn toward the last person expected: Bellatrix Black. Hermione loses her mind, heart, and soul… to the dark mistress. Yet,things have a funny way of working out. Endgame: Bellamione!(beta chrisdenvl)

36. Epilogue: The Next Generation, Part I

Author: Ladyfun

Pairing: Bellatrix/Hermione

Rating: Generally M, with occasional mainstream chapters.

Disclaimers: All of this (Ladyfun gesturing big wide circles over the computer with her hand) belongs to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing, and this is all for non-profit fun.

SUMMARY: After the Battle of Hogwarts, the Golden Trio's messiah-like status changes their lives forever; only Hermione remains skeptical about their new fame. When it becomes obvious who the real leader was of the group, Hermione feels choked by her own fame and inexorably is drawn toward the last person expected: Bellatrix Black. Hermione loses herself….body, mind, and soul… to the dark mistress. Fortunately, things have a way of working themselves out. Endgame: Bellamione.

A/N: Welp, here it is. The end. Thank you for taking the time to read this - I have no idea what got into me. First off, Thanks to the HP content beta, chrisdenvl. Thanks teenytinyirish for being a sounder And not stealing my onions! Thanks to you insane people who have let me pretend I'm actually a real life HP shipper - I'll save all my gratuity des for the last chapter.

CHAPTER XX. The Next Generation (Epilogue-part I)

She hated her.

Absolutely and completely hated the bloody guts right out of the damn girl!

Worse, there was no reprieve for poor Lucinda Minerva Black; everywhere she went, there she was. That girl! Her perfect, gorgeous, brilliant, and socially graceful slag of a cousin; she served only to remind Lucinda of all of her shortcomings: as a student, a woman, and as a Black!

She couldn't escape her in her private homelike, ever. As it were, their parents weren't just related, they were actually fucking friends! "Why can't they be like every other wizarding family and hate their extended relatives?" She groused to her siblings. She was promptly told to be quiet, as unfortunately, her traitorous siblings shared their parents feelings on the matter.

Worst of all, it felt like she couldn't get away from her even at Hogwarts! Though they should have seemingly been worlds apart, with Lucinda firmly entrenched in Slytherin (as her famous mother had been) and that creature, her cousin, was the poster girl for Ravenclaw; they seemed to always be forced together by circumstance. Academic prowess kept putting them together, as they were both apparently gifted and each jumped a grade in several classes.

Together, to the dismantlement of both.

They both played Seeker, for their respective houses; the comparisons were inevitable. Lucinda was the youngest Slytherin in history to make the Quiddich team; her famous mother had set the previous Slytherin record as a second year nearly forty years prior. It would have been great, if it weren't for the fact the feat was also replicated over at the House-That-Rowena-Built, as well.

Her.

The other "first year Seeker", donning the Quiddich Robes for Ravenclaw. Fortunately, they were relatively evenly matched despite their very different flying styles, and would tend to alternate between the two, as to who captured the snitch from match to match. Lucinda was totally fearless, bordering on reckless, when it came to flying; she was a real crowd pleaser as the spectators never knew what exactly to expect from her.

Once she even threw herself off her own broom, leaping off an opposing team's beater's back, diving into the stands... only to finally raise her hand in the air, triumphantly, with the snitch in her hand, amidst wild cheers.

She only broke three of her own bones and a mere 12 of various other people's bones, in the process.

Across the Pitch, the seeker for Ravenclaw couldn't have been more diametrically opposite if one designed it to be that way.

Tactical. Measured. Precise... She practiced an hour before everyone else, and would stay an hour after everyone else had left. Her determination and work ethic was legendary; she would study Game Tactics and knew the entire history of the sport. In contrast, her Slytherin counterpart was notorious for arriving at practice upwards of at least 30 to 45 minutes late, on occasion. Not always...but enough to get a reputation that was very different from her punctual cousin.

The poised Ravenclaw was practically introverted during a match, by design. She would throw off the other seekers with ease, usually male, (with the exception of Slytherin, of course) then she would attack and procure, grabbing the snitch out from under their nose with a wink and a cheeky grin. Often, you wouldn't even notice she was even in the game, until the referee would sound the whistle indicating she had caught the snitch and the match was over.

Lue Black just hated even saying her name.

There was something that would catch in the back of her throat, when she tried to say her cousin's name. It wasn't that she hated competition or pressure; she thrived on it, actually! Growing up in her storied family, you had to thrive on pressure, what with her famous parents and her already successful older brothers.

Her older twin brothers had already made a name for themselves in the world; Sirius was not only the All-Around Dueling champion, for the ICCLA Wizarding Championships, but had become the youngest winner for the English national team as well! Her other older brother, Godrick, had been, of course, Head Boy at Hogwarts, representing Gryffindor House. Presently, he was and working his way up the ranks at the Ministry.

All under the watchful eyes of her mothers. God. She hated when Lene was over, because the obvious comparisons were made, and she often felt like she came up short. Trouble was, she really wasn't interested in taking the steps to improve things like manners, poise, charm, make-up, and blah, blah, blah.

Hell, even her stupid twin brother Beedo loved the stupid Veela!

Beedo, and every other male in the castle, it seemed to the dark witch. They all loooooooooved her...stupid gits! Lucinda would grimace to herself. They didn't realize it was just her stupid Veela thrall, inherited from her two mothers!

That why, she rationalized to herself, she couldn't stand her, Lue surmised. Lene was so French, despite being born in England proper! So smug. So Veela. So glamorous, so perfect, and so feminine...all things her mothers wished her to be, that she never would be, in her opinion.

Her cousin seemed to remind her daily, in a painfully tangible way, of all the ways she would never measure up.

Apollene Black Delacour.

Merlin's asscheek! She hated even thinking the name, out loud. Lucinda wondered if she would be as good as her mother at casting the Cruciatus curse, someday. Because if she was, there was one blonde witch with whom she would like to try it out. Itching to, in fact. She chuckled to herself thinking that the blonde probably felt exactly the same way about her...but, hey. Bob's your Uncle.

And Apollene's her cousin. So there you have it.

Lue and Lene. Lene and Lue...how she hated that! She hated the comparisons, absolutely hated them. She always felt the sting of coming up short. In two weeks, they were going to have their eighteenth birthdays, and much to Lucinda's chagrin, they were going to have them together!

Given that they were only three days apart, and the eighteenth birthday was so monumental, their parents were joining forces. Their parents hadn't staged this little gimmick between Beedo, Lucinda, and Apollene in years, as cohorting friends from Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw could often be challenging.

Her mother, Hermione, always the rational one, often said that the bookends were easy - meaning the boy twins on either end of her were the ones that were easy. Her mother would add that it was the content in the middle that was challenging...meaning her and Beedo. It didn't help that she was the only girl in the entire Black brood, and the spitting image of her still beautiful but altogether frightening other mother.

Worse, said mother had taken over tenure as Headmistress halfway through her 4th year. She was twice as hard on her as she was on Beedo; and she seemed to turn a blind eye on any shenanigans' that Miss Perfect Prefect Lene Delacour would concoct! Granted, Lene was not in the middle of any shenanigans, really; if Lucinda were to be truthful with herself... and never to the degree that Lucinda was...ever.

Bella even acknowledged this to Lucinda; she said that she was a carbon copy of herself. She confessed, tiredly, once to her that she realized she had to beat the darkness out of her daughter, before it got the best of her. It was a challenging line to tread, and wasn't made any easier by the girl who had grown into a beautiful woman, without Bella even realizing it. The girl who seemed to effortlessly break just as many hearts as her beautiful cousin, perhaps even more.

The girl so much like her mother...

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXOX

The highly admired, classically beautiful, and still intimidating Headmistress of Hogwarts always found amusement with the sorting hat ceremony.

As much as she was loathe to admit it, she loved the pomp and circumstance of Hogwarts and all of its venerable traditions, despite the fact she spent such a great deal of her early academic career rebelling against it. She knew now, what she didn't know then...teenagers want rules. They want to know someone gives a damn about them, even if they fight it, tooth and nail.

That's why she loved the sorting hat. It seemed to always get it right, ultimately. She would secretly predict where she thought someone would go, in advance. Mostly, she was right, but occasionally she had the knuts shocked out of her. She and her wife had a highly competitive and longstanding tally as an ongoing bet between the two of them...a bet that would only get more heated once Hermione finally joined the faculty of Hogwarts, after her tenure at the Ministry was through.

To date, their inappropriate and highly secret tally sheet read as follows:

Incoming Student: Mulcivid Lovegood Goyle
Bellatrix: Ravenclaw
Puppy: Slytherin
Hat Said: Slytherin

Incoming Student: Apollene Black Delacour
Bellatrix: Ravenclaw
Puppy: Gryffindor
Hat Said: Ravenclaw

Incoming Student: Wythe Alice Longbottom
Bellatrix: Gryffindor
Puppy: Gryffindor
Hat Said: Gryffindor

Incoming Student: Parker Longbottom
Bellatrix: Gryffindor
Puppy: Gryffindor
Hat Said: Gryffindor

Incoming Student: Bradye Lange the IV (yes, she was a girl)
Bellatrix: Slytherin
Puppy: Hufflepuff
Hat Said: Ravenclaw

Incoming Student: Amelie, Nadette, and Mauve Delacour Malfoy
Bellatrix: Slytherin or Ravenclaw
Puppy: Gryffindor or Ravenclaw
Hat Said: Ravenclaw

Incoming Student: Ancil Delacour Malfoy (their "oops" boy that came 6 years later)
Bellatrix: Ravenclaw
Puppy: Ravenclaw
Hat Said: Slytherin

Bella and Hermione's first two children had already landed in Gryffindor by the time they started wagering, prior to Hermione's tenure, so they only got to bet on their last four offspring. It still startled Bella occasionally, how huge their family was, when they were trying to get from point A to point B for various reasons . Their top secret speculations on their children were as follows:

Incoming Student: Beedo Albus Black
Bellatrix: Somewhere else, other than Hogwarts
Puppy: Gryffindor
Hat Said: Hufflepuff

Incoming Student: Lucinda Minerva Black
Bellatrix: Gryffindor
Puppy: Gryffindor
Hat Said: Slytherin

Incoming Student: Regulus Robert Black
Bellatrix: Gryffindor
Puppy: Gryffindor
Hat Said: Gryffindor

Incoming Student: Peweter Kennard Black
Bellatrix: Ravenclaw
Puppy: Slytherin
Hat Said: Slytherin

Over her tenure, Headmistress Black realized that no matter how bizarre the pickings seemed at first, the hat usually got it right. Although she got into a philosophical discussion with it one year regarding "self fulfilling prophecies," she asked it if there were any "wrong" picks or any ones that, in the hat's opinion, should have been redone.

The strange little hat sang a ditty, then said it would think about it, and get back to her the next year.

She wondered to herself if one of those "re-do's" would be the Potter children; after all, they came from the ultimate Gryffindor pedigrees between Ginny Weasley Potter and Harry "the chosen one" Potter, Mr. Gryffindor himself; and yet, the shock of the sorting ceremony when the first Potter child was sorted; surprise after surprise would unfold, as every single one of the next generations of Gryffindor's Weasley and Potters all got sorted...

...into Hufflepuff.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Bella mused to herself that It was one of the great privileges of being the headmaster or headmistress; that of the highly secretive relationship with the strange little sorting hat. Oddly enough, the woman once perceived as completely intolerant of anything different from a pureblooded wizard, now had a treasured relationship with a hat.

And of the many lauded wizards that had steered the direction of Hogwarts over the centuries, The sorting hat ranked Bella as one of his absolute favorites.

Bar none.

The hat had developed a deep fondness for the dark witch over the past few years. Considering the deeply troubled girl she once was, when she placed the peculiar hat on her mop of black messy ringlets when she was eleven, the woman standing with him now exceeded anything beyond his wildest expectations. But those "like Bella" are the ones most confounding to his job- those with a duality to their beings.

"Sorry Hat ...do you realize you're talking out loud again?" Bella said, kindly. She was carrying the hat back to her office, to be stored away for another year.

"Out loud, aloud, I am? Again?" Said the Hat.

"Did my ears deceive me? Does the great and venerable Sorting Hat of Hogwarts think it might've actually ...made a mistake?" She joked.

"Never! Posh!" It said, indignantly. "As you well know, Headmistress, the sorting hat does not make mistakes! However, it is inescapable, that there are those who proved more challenging than others. Clearly that ridiculous little tally list that you and your spouse have been maintaining...would speak to my challenges."

Bella felt her cheeks go crimson. "You know about that?"

"Of course I do! I see all that goes on here...and beyond."

"Really? why didn't you tell me then that I was going to get beat to shit by my father? You could have saved me a lot of pain, you know."

"That's not in my job description. Moreover, I cannot predict the future, I can only see what it is; I cannot change the past; and I dare not alter the future. I tell it only how it is, in that moment."

"Okay, okay. You've shared your philosophy with me many a time, Hat." Bella said. "Look, I'm trying to respect your position. I would be remiss if I didn't ask... I am curious..."

"As to what?" Asked the Hat.

"Well...Minerva always told me that I was the one exception...the one you missed. What do you think? Did you get it right with me?" The silence of the Hat was troubling. "Look, I won't harbor a grudge, or anything. I have no regrets, Hat. I just wonder ...would things of been different for me, if I had been a different house? I might not have been such a loner...I might have been, you know, a little happier and not so proud."

"Undoubtedly." The Sorting Hat replied. "However, that suffering, as difficult as it was and is, is what made you into the person that you are! It made you the person ready for...nay, thirsting for...someone like Hermione Granger."

"I suppose that's true. I guess there's no point in regretting the past."

"For what it's worth, I did struggle with you as is the nature with dual body individuals like yourself."

"What do you mean?" Bella asked, genuinely confused.

"My dear Headmistress. "You" are not the human form of you; and the human form undoubtedly was destined to go to Slytherin house, by example. However your Dragon form, the other half of you, was destined for Gryffindor. No doubt. That Dragon of yours, well, he put me in quite a conundrum. Ultimately, a slim majority of you leans towards your human form. Therefore, to Slytherin you went. Your wife was equally challenging, perhaps more so..." This strange little hat alluded.

Bellatrix cocked an eyebrow. "Merlin's beard, Hat! Don't stop oversharing now! What does that mean?"

"Surely, headmistress, you have the insight to realize my conflict. Her human form: clearly Ravenclaw."

"Yes." Chuckled Bella, in agreement. "No doubt about that!"

"However, the Dragon in her? Perhaps the bravest of Gryffindors, ever! So powerful is this tiny Dragon, in fact, that it overwhelmed her Ravenclaw leanings completely, and despite the cerebral nature of the muggle born witch, off to Gryffindor it was!" The hat said, dramatically. After a moment, it whispered confidentially to Bella, "Plus, I had to ensure Harry Potter would not die."

They both chuckled.

This whole time, we thought Albus was the mastermind, when in fact, it was a cloth and leather hat! Bella thought. What an interesting world we wizards live in.

She almost missed the key next thought of the aged Hat. "Yes, with Hermione Granger, struggle much I did! I never thought I would have to struggle quite as much ...that is, until I sorted another, a mere six years ago."

Bella's mind raced to the class that was sorted six years ago. She was thinking furiously... who was it? She knew that class, it was Lue's and Beedo's year group.

"You know Hat, I know that class pretty well, now. I think you actually did an admirable job with the sorting, actually!"

"Ahhh, that's the struggle. For I just don't know ...inside I hope ."

"Do you care to share? What's your dilemma?"

"Nay, Headmistress. I think you will not like... the answer." The hat said, cryptically.

"Try me. You'll be surprised. I promise not to bug you with additional questions afterwards that would pry into your hat-business, if that provides any reassurance." Bella gave a sly smile.

"Perhaps... perhaps." The curious little Hat murmured. "Well, I will tell you this: my dilemma with Hermione Granger was nothing compared to the dilemma I had with..." the hat paused. "Your daughter."

Bella inadvertently gasped. She almost dropped the hat.

"Dear Headmistress...do not drop me! I have not legs, remember!" It sang another little ditty, to Bella's frustration. After she thought she might scream, it finally shared the remainder of the statement. "The duality of heart in her is so diametrically different, actually, that I fear that someday it will tear her apart..."

Bella looked alarmed.

"Hat, I know that I said I would keep quiet, and Bollocks, I will... I will honor my promise. Understand, Hat, my dilemma! Yes, I'm an Auror, and a Professor, and even the Headmistress...but above all, I'm a mother first. Beyond anything else. I hope you understand that."

"Yes. You are all those things, I know. You are a wonderful parent, Bellatrix; surprising, considering you had such horrible models growing up! Be that as it may, that is why I hesitated mentioning thus that your daughter is not what she appears to be."

The pregnant silence between them was finally broken by the Hat. "Her future to you will be... unexpected."

Worry was emblazoned across the face of the dark witch. Not her daughter! Not Lue!

"But if it is any consolation, let me offer you this: she will not go through it alone . No, your daughter will be guarded vigilantly by a force equally powerful as she; Internally and externally her match. This I promise you."

"Hat..." Growled Bella, clenching her regal jaw line. "You're talking in riddles." Bella was clearly frustrated and concerned.

"Alas. It is the nature of the sorting hat! Now I am done talking about this. I have said too much already! Remember the future is the one thing we can change, the past we cannot."

Bella placed the hat on its perch, where it would reside for another year.

"Hat, before you go into hibernation...please. It's my daughters safety we're talking about, here. Could you perhaps tell me what your sorting dilemma was, with Lucinda?"

The Hat chuckled, seeing though the Head Witch in Charge. "Technically, that's a follow on question. However, given what you endured for the wizarding world, I will entertain it... just this once."

Bella leaned forward, in anticipation.

The hat spoke grimly. "The answer is: I don't know."

Disgusted, Bella retorted, "That's a copout, Hat!"

"It is, it is..."the Hat mused. "But actually, the lack of an answer is the answer. You dont realize this, but Bella, it's the first time I truly didn't know. You see, your daughter will have elements of great intelligence with the mind so sharp it could cut glass..."

"Ravenclaw." Bella nodded.

"However, her loyalty and absolute devotion to the one she is destined to love will startle everyone. Including herself. She will defy the people she loves the most in order to fulfill this love."

"Oh, joy." Said Bella, sarcastically. "But the loyalty factor, I'm guessing is Hufflepuff."

The Hat waxed on, without stopping. "However, one cannot overlook the undeniable fact that she will show much greater bravery in the face of danger, bravery of such a degree, that it will overshadow even that of her famous mothers. That kind of bravery, of course, is epic. Bravery that will become legendary, in a family already full of legends..."

"So...Gryffindor, then?"

"This I do not know. I cannot tell which of her forms will become the most dominant! She is a very complex individual, and it bothers me that I cannot access her dual form. That has never happened to me ever." The sorting hat acknowledged

Bella was shocked. "But..but...she's not an animagus! She isn't like me.. she doesn't have a dual nature!"

"Hmmm. You know what they say about assuming, Headmistress!" The Hat chuckled. "Good night, old friend."

Conversation...over.

Just like that, it closed its eyes, hibernating for another year, leaving the cataleptic headmistress deep in her own thoughts. Marring the still beautiful face was the disturbing considerations the hat put in her head; Bella's face was painted with worry for her only daughter. Her beloved little one.

The one so much like her, it was scary.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Ginny didn't talk to Bella or Hermione for a good month, positive that they somehow influenced the hat. After a meeting in which Ginny pleaded with Bella to reconsider the pick, she shook her head.

"We have been friends for years, Bella. Years! I've saved your bride's butt on more than one occasion! How can you do this...this is obviously a mistake!"

Bella arched her eyebrows. "Really, Ginerva?"

She pointed her wand into Bella's face. "Don't you get all fucking righteous on me, Bel-

"CRUCIO!"

Bella had mastered the wandless unforgivable. She was nice to Ginny; she only kept it up for a few seconds. Just long enough to remind her who was in charge. Ginny pushed herself up on one knee, refusing to take Bella's hand for assistance.

"You fucking bitch! How did you know I wasn't pregnant?"

"Because I scanned you before I did it. You do, however, have a yeast infection...you should get that checked out."

"Polyester uniforms."

"Ugh." Bella groaned.

"Tell me about it!"

They both laughed, but Ginny quickly screwed her face back into a frown. "Hey! I'm mad at you! Stop changing the subject!"

"Look, Ginerva," Bella sighed. "I can't have anarchy, people getting all knackered and demanding re-sorting; and if I allowed it, especially for you and Harry, it would be arse over tits! It would reek of favoritism, and I'd have a mutiny with other idiot parents demanding resorting. I can't have that. But I can promise you this... you get one Mulligan. ONE. I will promise you this: give it until the end of the school year. If James Jr. is miserable, I'll re-sort him myself. But I predict, he won't be."

"No strings?"

"No strings." Bella said, reassuringly. "Plus, Ginny..." Bella's eyes went soft as she regarded the witch who had in effect lost her entire family. "Don't you think its time for the new generation of Weasley's to build their own legacy?"

Ginny dusted herself off, preparing to floo, saying nothing. She attempted to change the subject. "Impressive use of the wandless unforgivable, there, tiger." Ginny said, quietly.

Bella shrugged. "Meh! Have to be prepared...that wife of mine is a sex addict. Need to protect myself, you know, or she'd force her way on me, all the time!"

"Uh-huh." Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "I'm gonna get out of here before the Aurors show up, wondering who cast the unforgivable."

Bella chuckled. "Actually, they've stopped responding, once they realize... its my office."

"Are you fucking serious?" Ginny laughed. "Of course they have!"

Bella nodded, proudly.

"Well, in that case," Ginny said with a chuckle, "do you have any of that aged Black vintage Firewhiskey stash around?"

Bella looked shocked. "Ginerva Weasley Potter! It's three in the afternoon!" She said, mock scandalized. "Besides, we won't start drinking fire whiskey until 4 in the afternoon, when Fleur comes over!" She spelled open a secret compartment, revealing a well stocked liquor library.

"Holy shit!" Ginny said, eyes going wide. "It's the promised land!"

Bella chuckled. "My dear Mrs. Potter...at three in the afternoon, we drink my special cocktail. Comprised of liberal amounts of Pepper-Up Potion laced with scotch, port, and dried root of Aconite, it is the drink for 3 o'clock, precisely."

"Wow, what do you call it?"

"Bella's F&F."

"F&F?" Ginny asked.

"Yep. Bella's F&F...because you'll be raring to go afterwards... to fuck or fight, either one, it doesn't really matter which."

"Woah! I want one!" Ginny laughed. She quickly stopped when a loud boom! was heard in the floo entrance.

"Make zat two!" A familiar French lilt commanded, from the fireplace.

"Delawhore! You're early!" Bella grinned.

"Oui! I am actually 'ere on official business, Bella! I vaz sent 'ere by the Ministry, to determine ze cause of the 27th unforgivable cast from zis room in ze month of September alone!" Special Agent Delacour grinned.

"Translation." Ginny whispered to Bella. "Hermione sent her here to make sure you weren't killing some ignorant parents or students or both."

"Bah!" The French witch grinned. "C'est possible...'owever, I zink sat it will take me a long, long time to get to zat answer, oui? Especially since I was the only Auror who wasn't afraid to come investigate!"

"Oui!" The other two witches said, in unison. Ginny, eying her drink suspiciously, finally said, "Knees up, bitches!" and downed the whole F&F in one drink. Bella and Fleur gasped. "She'll be feeling zat later, ay Bella?" Fleur chuckled.

Bella nodded, in agreement. The three witches settled in, laughing and joking about life in general, until it was time for Bella to dine in the Great Hall and the other two dispersed to their various responsibilities outside of the Hallowed Halls of Hogwarts.

That night, Ginny got pregnant for the fourth time by her startled, but appreciative, husband.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

After one closed door punishment, the then 6th year defiantly glared at her mother, after withstanding the Headmistress' corporal punishment. It seemed like it didn't even phase her; this infuriated Headmistress Black further, that nothing seemingly touched the headstrong young witch.

"You cannot set fire to the Gryffindor Quiddich team's robes, Lucinda!" Bellowed her mother.

"Why not?"

"Because they were in them, you insane child!" Screamed the Headmistress, throwing her hands up in the air. Bella paced around her office, looking up at the portraits of Albus and Minerva. Minerva mouthed a gentle "patience" to Bella.

Merlin's kidney, that child would be the death of her!

That was her 6th year...

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

It wasn't until her 7th year that things would finally come to a head with Lucinda. That was the year that the infamous Tri-Wizard Tournament was brought back, on the 20 year anniversary of the infamous one involving the survivors, Harry Potter, and the now famous number one Auror team, Fleur Delacour and the late Viktor Krum.

Bella, reading over the Hogwart's invitation to the tournament, couldn't help but thinking about the old Auror Team One, and her eyes grew misty. She was still grieving, two years later, for the loss of Brady, Kreacher, and Krum.

All three had been awarded the Order of Merlin, posthumously, as had Fleur and Ginny. Harry, Hermione and Bella already had been awarded the honor, in the previous war, the "Big One." Notable, of course, was that Kreacher was the first house elf to receive the honor, ever.

Fitting, really, that it would be him. Winkie accepted it in his stead, a million eyes in tears, watching.

The true loss of these three souls was felt truly in the aftermath. Fleur had gone through partners in rapid succession, but none of them measured up to the chemistry that she and Krum had developed, so effortlessly over the years. She would fire them or they would flat out quit, unable to meet her expectations and standards. She had gone through four, in rapid succession, and Bella understood Fleur better than Fleur understood herself...its part of the reason she left the Ministry after Pap died; its too hard to develop that kind of trust in the pressure cooker that's Auror Team One. Fleur was feeling the growing pains, and was resultantly making noises of quitting, which distressed Hermione to no end.

Grumbling to herself, Bella knew-as usual- she had to fix this shit.

So she did.

Give a man a fish, he eats for a day...teach a man TO fish...well, you know the rest. Mused Bella to herself.

With that in mind, she told Ginny and Fleur to meet her for some F&F's, however, upon arrival, instead of Bella and a pitcher of F&F's chilling slowly, they were met by former Death Eaters in an ambush! Ginny and Fleur fought valiantly, coming to the brink of a mortal peril; that is, until Bella appeared, disapparating the figures, who turned into small rodents again, and scurried off.

"Vat ze fuck, Bellatrix!" Fleur demanded, her English heavily accented due to her fury, as well as the bleeding from various parts of her body.

"No shit! Blimey bat balls, you bitch!" Ginny concurred, equally pissed off. Ginny gestured toward Fleur. "Like Phlegm said, Bella! Vat ze fuck, Bellatrix?"

Bella chuckled. "Well, well, well. You two were impressive. You lasted at least ten minutes longer than I expected."

"What?" They both said, incredulously.

Bella rolled her eyes. "I can see I'm going to have to spoon feed you, just as I do with those ignorant children I teach as well, including your own." The grand witch, formidable in her tenure as Headmistress, raised her head regally and gave a melodramatic sigh.

She turned to Ginny. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you bored as shit, at home? Ever since your third concussion sidelined you off of competitive Quiddich forever? Are you telling me you're enjoying sitting at home in a gingham dress, baking pies, just like Molly...waiting for Harry to return home from work?" Ginny's expression said it all.

Bella continued. "What a waste of an Order of Merlin recipient..." She turned and faced her BFF. "Do you mean to tell me, the alleged 'best' Auror of our time, you didn't recognize the intuitive bond you two already have? You trust Ginny, Fleur! Nay, I dare say...you view her as competent to have your back, even."

Their eyes both went wide.

The wise Headmistress continued. "And if my old Auror instincts are correct, I suspect the the Priori is regrouping. They won't be silenced by the little speed bumps of the Portugal debacle, or the Weasley compound drama to stop them. If this is the case, wouldn't it be nice to have a pureblood as your partner, Fleur, to access places someone like you could not?"

"But...but..." Stammered Ginny, truly flustered, trying to think of a reasonable excuse why she shouldn't do what Bella proposed. "Me, an Auror? It's kind of Harry's thing, actually." It sounded just as stupid aloud to her as it did silently in her head. "Plus...me-n- Phlegm? Isn't that a little ridiculous? Right, Phlegm?"

"You'll call me Fleur, Girl Weasel...going forward." The blonde Veela said, cooly. "Got it?"

Ginny frowned.

Three days later, Minster Granger-Black proudly administered the Oath of Office to Ginerva Weasley Potter, who joined the ranks of the elite fighting and law-enforcement division of the Ministry of Magic, while her husband - now her overseer as section Chief - pinned her Auror badge on, proudly, and unlike the other ones, gave her a sweet kiss, eyes filled with love and pride.

And unlike her husband, she was allowed entrance into the ranks automatically as an Order of Merlin recipient. Unlike her husband, she planned on going through the training anyway, making Hermione extremely proud of her. "Bloody hell! I'm a mother now. Can't be teaching my kiddos there are shortcuts in life." She reasoned, in the brief press conference that she entertained, following her pinning ceremony. A great deal of excitement had quickly mounted when the public got wind of the celebrity Ginny Potter coming out of retirement to join ranks with the equally famous Auror Agent Fleur Delacour to become the new Auror Team One.

To the dismay of the reporters, and to a lesser degree of Hermione and Harry, Fleur called the conference at exactly 15 minutes, and Ginny and Fleur gathered their traveling coats to depart. Agent Delacour gave a firm look to the press. "Zat is your 15 minutes we promised. We are done, here. Au revior!" And she started packing up her things, definitively.

"Where are you going?" Harry whispered to his wife, a little surprised by the abruptness.

"Phelgm and I are meeting Rosa and Bella for some F&F time! Auror Team One "team building" time, you know." Ginny whispered back.

"C'mon, Weasel. We're late!" The gorgeous blonde Veela said, with a swish of her robes. "I, for one, do not want to be ze one to explain why ve are late to Bellatrix, non?" Fleur flashed the remaining 2/3 of the Golden Trio a positivity wicked and breathtaking grin. She waggled her eyebrows at the Minister.

Hermione rolled her eyes, admonishing her friends before they left, "Fleur! Ginny! You tell Bella she needs to come home before tomorrow, you hear me?"

They nodded, disapparating with a pop! as their giggles wafted through the air, as they departed. Hermione and Harry looked at each other, and grinned. Life was good.

"I don't know how we didn't put that together before," Harry mused. "Gin's so damn happy now! It's perfect. It seems so obvious after the fact. I have to give it to that wife of yours, Hermione...Bella seems to be pretty insightful on some days, doesn't she?"

The Golden Girl nodded. "You know, Harry, when she puts on her Headmistress robes, and sits at the table, I'm stuck by the fact...well... its a little scary to me how much Bellatrix is resembling Albus Dumbledore more and more, these days!"

"Blimey!" He mused. "Hopefully, she won't start growing a long white beard, as well!"

"Yes...among other things, as well."

They smiled. "Y'know, I'm getting rather famished, Hermione. It would appear we've got some time on our hands, now. Any interest in a snack?"

"Always!"

Harry and his oldest remaining friend in the entire world, interlocked arms, and they went off in search of a bite to eat.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXXO

Grudgingly, Bella loaded the contingent selected by the facility to possibly represent Hogwarts as its champion, into the Hogwart's Express. They departed for the Slavic region of Drumstrang, excited about the change of pace and new opportunities. The contingent of 7th years headed to Drumstrang, who was hosting the Tri-Wizard tournament this year, was indeed a superlative group. Bella removed herself from the selection process, as her two middle children were candidates.

There was hardly any doubt that her daughter would be selected, obviously. Surprisingly, Beedo made the cut as well. In fact there were few surprises to Bella of the 40 students she loaded onto the train, save her easygoing son. She didn't like that the Daily Prophet already speculated who the "top" candidates were. In their article, they singled out the more obvious candidates and profiled them.

James "Junior" Potter.

Apolline Black Delacour.

Lucinda and Beedo Black.

Mulcivid Lovegood Goyle.

And the sentimental favorite, Fredrick Edward Diggory.

Fredrick was the nephew of the deceased Cedrick Diggory, killed in the previous tournament by you know who. The Profit predicted the Hogwarts Champion at 2:1 odds between Lucinda Black and Fredrick Diggory; while Lucinda was widely regarded as the more able and far more charismatic candidate, hands-down, her already famous "poor disposition" and "easy temper" would not serve a champion well. Thus, they gave the edge to Fredrick to represent Hogwarts; He was the Prophet's final pick.

The Daily Prophet considered him a lock. Fredrick was handsome, smart, well-liked, and an excellent athlete. If you squinted, other than his dirty blonde hair, one could imagine Cedrick himself.

Definitely Fredrick.

At the foreign school, however, the Goblet seemed to have its own ideas, irrespective of the Prophet's views. In the end, the Goblet of Fire spoke, as it spit out three names...and three names only, this time. It was rumored Hermione Granger Black herself had warded the Goblet this year, as to prevent any funny business.

For Drumstrang, the name that emerged was Béla Besenyei- the Drumstrang "up and coming" All-Around Duelist. It didn't surprise Bella at all; it was a fitting pick. She thought rather highly of the young man, prior to arriving; once at the Drugstrang castle, her opinion changed. It would appear he had a small case of hero-worship for the Dark Witch herself; he followed his hero, Bella, around like a lovesick puppy. It annoyed Hermone so much, in fact, on her visits to see Bella, that she threatened to Crucio him if he didn't stay at least 10 paces behind Bella at all times.

Normally these types of threats might get an adult in trouble, but this was Hermione Granger-Black, after all. She had a large line of credit, so to speak, at Drumstrang. She was treated like royalty, for Merlin's sake, every time she visited her family! The entire student body would gawk at her... There was actually a enlarged framed copy of the magazine cover of her and Kurt, that hung as a shrine walking into the dining hall.

Hermione would look at it, sadly, every time she passed. She would have endless patience for the young wizards would would pepper her with questions about Kurt, and what he was like. Hermione had endless patience for the students of Drumstrang...save one.

Poor Mr. Besenyei. His ill-advised crush on the Headmistress of Hogwarts would not endear him to England's Minister of Magic, at all.

It didn't deter the young duelist though. He took to writing Bella, instead. Parchment after parchment was scrawled on, asking about her opinion on this wand, or that spell, or the obstacles, or whatever. She was still considered one of the greatest dueling coaches to have graced the planet.

Plus, she was still pretty damn easy on the eyes.

Bella's children would give her endless sass about her admirer. "God, Mom, aren't you, like, 250 years older than he is?" Beedo laughed over a roll, at a private family lunch on one of Hermone's visit. To which Lucinda high fived Beedo, and they broke out into raucous laughter. Apollene, however, noting the scowl on her Aunt's face, merely blushed and did not join in, demurely.

Hermione gave Lene a wink. "Son, that's not very nice, nor accurate." He looked up. "Actually, she's 250 years older than me." Hermione corrected.

They all broke out in laughter, save Apollene and Bella. Tears falling from Hermione's eyes, she wiped them away as she continued. "That would make her 278 years older than dear Mr. Besenyei, son. Be accurate!"

Ignoring the hoots of laughter at the table, the quiet Veela looked to her Aunt. She leaned over, and murmured to her. "I zink zat you are gorgeous, Aunt Bella. You don't look 278 years older." Lene said, whispering to the disgruntled witch. "I zink zat you're still ze prettiest witch in the room, Auntie."

Putting an arm around her niece, Bella whispered back, "You always were my favorite, kid. I'm not sure where I picked up these idiots. All three of 'em."

"Kiss-ass!" Lue said, throwing a roll, hard, at Lene's head. The roll hit her squarely in the forehead, and would leave a bruise; it then bounced off her startled forehead, snapped up by the quick reflexes of Lue's dark mother, who gave her a reproachful look.

Wilting under the stare, Lue simply grumbled out, "Sorry, or whatever. Ma...can I have my roll back?" Lucindia reached out her hand.

An evil gleam crossed Bella's face, as she gripped the roll, tightly.

"Oh, shit..." Lucinda said, realizing the trouble she was in. "Ma!...Beedo started it!" Bella was slowly standing up from the table.

"Don't throw me under the bus, Lue! You threw the roll!" Beedo corrected.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Lucinda muttered, turning and high-tailing it out of the room, Bella close behind. The remaining three ate in comfortable silence, mulling over the various sounds of crashes and breaking objects and swearwords coming from Lue.

"S'il vous plait...Auntie, do you zink zat you should... intercede?"

"Nope." Hermione said, taking a swig of Pumpkin Juice.

"Vraiment?"

"Vraiment." Hermione confirmed with a grin.

"But it sounds like Lucinda is getting a little...um, wounded."

Hermione nodded, thoughtfully. "She probably is." She remained firmly seated. With a smile, she patiently explained to her niece the unique relationship her wife had with their only daughter. "Beedo and I have long ago learned not to attempt to interject any rationality or sanity into this...oh, what would one call it? This valuable "mother-daughter time"...I suggest you do the same, dear niece." She said with a shared chuckled with her son.

They went back to lunch, with the other two returning, with new cuts, burns, and scrapes. After confirming nothing was broken they all sat back down to eat. Pulling from her robes a charred and dirty roll, Lucinda bit into it with glee, though her cut lip made it painful to chew.

"Awesome rolls, mom."

"Thank you, dear." Hermione said, smiling. "Good job with the roll, Lue."

She shrugged. "I think Ma let me win."

Bella's face revealed nothing. "Speaking of winning, kids, I think we need to talk about the selection of the champions ... especially that one from Beaubuxtons. Fleur told me that she can't stand her..."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Great! Poor girl. Now Bella automatically hates her, too."

They all laughed, knowing it was true.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The Champion for Beaubuxons, the subject of their lunch conversation, was equal parts qualified, and equal parts annoying.

Zoé Perec was the national wizard chess champion as well as a champion swimmer; she won some type of French beauty pageant before she had even arrived at Beaubuxons. Ratcheting up the drama was the fact she was 1/2 Veela, and in one of the rival clans of the Delacours. Pretty, Intelligent, Athletic...and ruthless. She was determined to win, and was not happy to see the potential champions brought by Hogwarts.

"Does she always wear that annoying scarf?" Beedo asked Lene.

"Always. Toujours."

"Well...its as they say...totally fug."

"Fug?" Lene asked, confused.

"Fucking Ugly." Interjected a familiar voice, behind her. "Get with the program, Cuz, and get with it quickly! I have a feeling that crew over there has it in for you. They've been staring at you, nonstop, this entire time. From the minute we entered the dining hall."

"You are wrong, dear cousin," Lene said, cooly. "Zey have been staring...at you."

"Me?" Lue said, in disbelief. "You are a dumb blonde. They couldn't pick me out if I was in a line up with Pigmey Puffs."

"I am not sure zat I could, either."

"Nahh...you ladies are both wrong!" Beedo interrupted. Waving his hand up and down his body, he looked his sister and his cousin, delivering with a straight face his theory that "Them bitches be starin' at ...this!" His hands roamed his body once more, for effect. "They're staring at this hot piece of man sex on a stick."

The two witches laughed and laughed, disregarding everyone else in the dining hall. Bella regarded her children and her niece with curiosity.

That's odd. They're laughing, together...and no one's bleeding.

It didn't escape the former Death Eater's eye that several eyes, not just hers, were also trained on the Hogwarts students, particularly at her niece and her daughter. She didn't like it. Add that "attention" to a long list of things she wasn't happy about. First and foremost, was the young stalker she had, who happened to be the Drumstrang champion; second, was the fact this was the longest time apart she and her bride had spent, and her sexual organs were fossilizing, she was convinced; third, and most dreadfully, was the entire scenario when the Goblet spit out a name that shocked her. The Goblet determined the Hogwart's Champion representative for the dangerous competition would best be represented by none other than:

Apolline Black Delacour.

Bella gasped when her name was read aloud.

Bella had mentally prepared herself for Diggory's nephew to be picked in the great circle of life; but that was not to be. Grimacing, she took in the shocked looked of her niece, and collected herself enough to give her a reassuring smile. She even sent her a wink. What she saw next was even more interesting...all of the Hogwarts students were all celebrating and being silly teenagers, as they should be.

All but one.

Her daughter , Lucinda, seemed to be standing guard. She was surveying the dining hall, taking in everyone's expression carefully. More than once her eyes fluttered to Zoe, and where her line of sight was. It seemed to both Mama Black and Daughter Black that Zoe Perec kept her gaze intently focused on Lene more often than not. Bella watched Lue murmuring a wandless spell, and then noted the tiny retractable ears that were sent zooming, undetected, underneath the Beaubuxton's table.

Bella smirked. She noted to herself that Fleur could relax...it would appear Bella's "mini-me" was on the case.

XOXOXOXOXXOXOXO

The first challenge was very similar to All-Around Dueling (and obviously the one that Drumstrang had entered as their challenge). The Drumstrang champion clearly had an advantage, and won it, easily. To their credit, Zoe and Apollene did admirably, coming in tied at second. The second challenge was similar to the maze; however the Hogwarts' student was clearly distracted.

Someone had put itching powder in her sheets, and she was kept awake all night...

Zoe was tied for first, and Hogwarts trailed behind. However, that little itching powder stunt wasn't going to happen again; Lue took it upon herself to move in with Lene. Everywhere she went, Lue went.

Truthfully, it did make Lene's life a lot easier. Although Lue's insistence she eat and drink her food before Lene did, to make sure it wasn't poisoned was a bit much. She saw her cousin huddled with her Grandmere discussing it. She heard whispers of "you check ze wards?" "yes, every night, Grandmere." and so on.

She wasn't sure when Lue started calling the Delacour matriarch her own Grandmere, but oddly enough, it didn't bother Lene. One night after speaking with Apollene, Lue returned to the room crying.

"Vat? What iz it, chere? Lene said, concerned.

"Nothing." Lue said, gruffly wiping her tears away. "Grandmere- I mean, your Grandmere, told me that when I grow up, fully grow up, it will mark her passing. She said it's coming soon. It was some bullcrap about the exchange in the circle of life. She's fucking cryptic sometimes!"

"Tell me about it!" Lene rubbed reassuring circles on her cousins back, which for some odd reason, Lue actually felt reassured, and not annoyed.

"I...I just am not ready for her to go."

"Bah! Grandmere will outlive us all!" Lene scoffed.

Lue looked at her seriously. "No, she won't, Lene. That's the deal." The young witch looked haggard, and defeated. "Apparently, there will come a time I am called to do something, soon. She gave me her usual talking in riddles, so I have no idea what or when. However, in order for me to do it, she passed on something to me in order to be successful."

"You? Why you? Not to sound selfish, but Why not me?" Lene said, confused.

Lue shook her head. "She said you didn't need it. But I did. I just don't want to be the reason she's..." Lue broke off, actually crying.

Lene tried her best to comfort her cousin, but it was hard, without knowing any of the strange details. Not to mention, it was a tad disconcerting to see her normally abrasive and tough cousin fall apart.

She gently kissed the side of the troubled witch's head, murmuring, "well, zen, it must be important for you to have, cousin. And if it goes this way, well, as sad as it vill be, I zink that she will be alive...in you. C'est vraiment?"

Lue said nothing, just holding on to her cousin, and crying, for reasons she didn't fully understand.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

The third task was a variation on the Grindylow challenge, and had Bellatrix written all over it.

The champions were lowered into a lava pit, blindfolded. Already present on a platform in front of them, hanging over the lava pit, were two people selected from the respective champion's life. Two valuable people, for different reasons. The champion had to think quickly, and had a mere 5 seconds to decide who to save, for the rope would only hold the weight of two people...not three.

The champions had to choose wisely.

As the final challenge began, Lene felt her stomach drop as she was lowered down for what felt like forever...she felt herself come to a jerking halt, and her feet were placed on a platform, in a harness. The instructions were read to the champions, and she thought she heard the Bela swear in either Russian or Bulgarian, she wasn't sure.

Then, it was time. Her stomach dropped. For all three champions, their blindfolds were removed all at once. On cue, all three champions gasped as the giant metronome counted off the time above them, and "their people" were revealed to them.

FIVE SECONDS REMAINING!

For the Drumstrang champion, it was his two parents: his muggle father, and his wizard mother. For the Beaubatons, Zoe Perec was faced with the decision to chose between what appeared to be a classmate of hers, with a pug-nosed girl, clearly important to her; and another girl, her older sister, Ava. The people chosen for the Hogwart's champion proved the most interesting, however; Apollene had the difficult choice of picking either her aunt, Bellatrix Black... or her cousin, Lucinda Black.

FOUR SECONDS REMAINING!

The crowd gasped!

The burning flames licked their bottom of their feet. To the champions and their people, it felt awfully real...and awfully dangerous. Lene closed her eyes.

Who do I pick? How on earth do I make that awful decision?

Then it came to her...clear as day. Lene knew what she had to do. The Hogwarts champion looked possessed, as she raced across the podium, leaping over the ballast, and with a swashbuckling gesture worthy of any muggle movie, she slashed the restraints off of one of her captives.

Lucinda.

Grabbing her around the waist, she advised, "Hold on, cuz!" as the zip line yanked them up, and out, of the death trap pit below. The jumbotron announced that Hogwart's had finished, with a record four full seconds remaining. Now safe, the two witches peered down into the lava pit. Lue looked frightened, but Lene did not.

Nudging her worried cousin, Lene reminded her of an important fact. "Relax, Lue! Zis iz ze infamous Bellatrix Goddamn Black we're talking about here...watch!"

Sure enough, Bella removed her restraints, wandlessly. She freed herself seconds before she was going to fall into the lava. Smirking up at the crowd, she then transfigured into her dragon form, flying upwards towards the rim.

"See?" Lene said, smiling, arm around her shaking cousin.

"That totally sucked!" Lue said, breathless."I never could have done that! You were right Lene...you made the right choice."

THREE SECONDS REMAINING!

The other two champions were struggling. The young boy kept looking haplessly between his mother and his father, unsure of what to do. And Zoe? She looked panicked. Completely, totally, panicked. Then, the young duelist saw the red dragon flying about overhead, circling them in the pit, and he got an idea.

TWO SECONDS REMAINING!

They were descending closer to the flames, when the Drumstrang champion made a decision. He freed his father, his foot burning slightly, and zipped up to the rim. As he ascended, he looked at his mother, and cast a releasing charm at her bonds. Once free, the witch propelled herself upwards blasting underneath, joining her son and husband in a tight embrace.

Bella was taking her time to ascend, keeping a watchful eye on the Beaubaton situation. Zoe was struggling, looking back and forth between her panicked sister and her equally distraught friend. The shouts from about were growing louder.

ONE SECOND REMAINING!

With an anguished cry, she leapt towards both of them. She tried to wrestle both free, trying to shrink them as to allow them all to zipline, unfortunately, she panicked. They were beginning their rapid descent, lower and lower toward the pit. The pug nosed girl let out a anguished cry as the lava burned her left foot.

"Merde! Merde!" Cried Zoe, struggling with the bonds.

TIME IS UP!

As the three girls descended at an even more accelerated rate towards the fire pit, Bella, caught sight of the struggling witches. In her dragon form, she swooped down, placing the three of them on her back. Unfortunately, she ended up searing her belly in the process. With a hiss, the dragon flew toward the top of the pit, while Zoe Perec hung her head low, in shame.

"I get it..." whispered Lue. "No one was in danger, as long as you could make a decision! Failure to decide...well, that's a different story."

Lene nodded, pinching her cousin's nose and smiling at her fondly.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The championship had been awarded, and it was time for the Winter Ball. As fate would have it, Apollene and Béla had tied; however, since he won two challenges and Lene won one, the tiebreaker went to him. That meant third place went to Zoe Perec; Lue commented that she might even be more dangerous out of the competition than during the competition.

However, none of that mattered to Hogwarts; Lene had redeemed herself, and this year, no one died.

Beedo escorted the two most beautiful witches to the dance, his cousin on one arm, and his sister on the other. Upon seeing his sister, he gasped, making comments such as "holy shit, you're actually pretty!" and the like, to her glares. Lene looked beautiful, as always. The three of them had a blast, and Beedo discretely "disappeared," at one point, to discuss a few things with Bradye, leaving the two witches alone.

They looked at each other, uncomfortably, their safe buffer now gone.

"Want to take a walk, by the lake? Cool off?" Lue suggested.

"Absolutely!" Lene said, a grateful sigh of relief. "I am so tired of all zee staring eyes."

Lucinda laughed. "Oh, the curse of being gorgeous!"

Lene's head snapped around, and she looked at Lue with laser focus in her eyes. Focusing on her cousin, she asked demurely, "Did you just call me ... gorgeous, Lue?"

Lue was grateful that it was a dark night with minimal moon coverage to hide her blush. "Awww...Don't get worked up, princess. It's just a figure of speech." She cleared her throat as she felt the Ravenclaw slip her arm into her own as they walked off to the lake on this very interesting night. Little did they realize, the "interesting" things were about to get even more... interesting.

XOXOXOXXOXO

"What...what iz zis?" Lene said, nervously.

Apollene had found herself alone and currently surrounded in the basement by a sea of Blue.

"Listen to her. She tries to sound like one of us." Scoffed the ringleader. "You are an embarrassment to your heritage, you stupid girl!" Zoe sneered.

Lene narrowed her eyes, but it was too late.

"Accio wand!" Zoe commanded quickly. The durable wand flew out of Lene's hand.

Damn it! She thought. Concentrating, Lene thought to herself. I know you can hear me. Help me. I'm in the basement, by the fountain's entrance.

"Hey!" One of Zoe's sidekicks, Silve, grabbed the sleek wand. "Mmm. Vine wood. Sleek. Wait a minute..." The unattractive Beaubuxton furrowed her brow. "I know zis wand - isn't zis -merde- isn't zis 'ermione Granger's wand?"

"Granger-Black. And yes, it was my Aunt's wand."

"Was?" Snorted the pug-looking girl, who was fingering it, greedily. She was practically drooling at fondling the famous witch's wand.

"She doesn't need it. My aunt and mother both mastered wandless magic, long ago."

"Zen she will not mind if we break it!" The ugly girl snorted, with a cruel laugh.

From the shadows, appeared another figure, who pushing through the sea of blue. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, toots." Her voice quiet, but commanding.

Fear flashed in the sidekicks' eyes, registering who it was administering the casual threat. She paused, stammering. "I...ah. I never said-"

"Oh really? Then you wouldn't mind giving my mothers' wand, back to me, then." She stared down the pug-like witch, who was beginning to sweat. "Oh, I forget. You beaubuxtons aren't that bright...two languages is probably taxing. Donne-moi ma mère wand!" Lue's French was perfect. The wasn't a trace of an accent whatsoever.

Lene, despite her danger, arched an eyebrow at Lue, who merely shrugged.

Well, well, well. Somebody speaks French! Lene projected.

Je ne suis peut-être, je n'ai peut-être pas...Lue projected back. Hey! Blondie, you need to focus. Dumb and dumber look like they're trying to conjugate a verb, over there. Head up!

That was when the ringleader interjected. "And why is that? " Zoe said, defiantely.

Her eyes burned with fire with the new arrival. Her eyes focused in on lasers aimed directly at Lue. Lene didn't like how her eyes were raking up and down her cousin's frame. She felt tinges of ...anger.

"Well, see, 'cause it's like this, Perez, Perec, whatever your name is...you see, I have my other mother's wand," Lue said, holding up the bent 12 3/4 walnut wand, with the dragon heartstring core like Lene's. A murmur went throughout the small group, knowing what that meant, exactly.

Great and Terrible things both had been accomplished with that wand...

Lue grinned, and continued. "...and this is the wand that loves to cast the Cruciatus curse, oui?" The crowd gasped. Lue waved it in the air, for effect. The dramatic swish it made through the air punctuated the silence. "And in case that was lost in translation, let me rephrase it: C'est la baguette qui aime à jeter la malédiction Cruciatus, oui?"

The group was stunned, and silent.

Lene looked at Lue with an unspoken gratitude. I'm so glad to see you. You got my message, then.

Lue was staring at Zoe, while communicating with Lene. I did cousin, how did you get yourself in this mess?

Lue, although communicating silently with her cousin, had her every fiber of being on alert. Lue's hand was firmly on her wand. Lue quickly glanced around the circle that had them in a tight blue perimeter. As if an unspoken battle plan developed between the two cousins, they went back to back, keeping an eye on the entire circle.

The silence was finally broken by the ringleader, Zoe, who was insolently applauding.

Clap, clap, clap.

"Bravo, Madimoselle Black. Your French is brilliant! No doubt you've been practicing with your cousin? I detect the commoners' accent."

She felt her cousins' ire sprout up. Lue immediately cautioned her. Don't be stupid, Lene. She's baiting you. Don't take it. You're smarter than that!

You're right, cousin. Out loud, Lene said, "Alas, I cannot take credit for my brilliant cousin. I did not even know she spoke French."

"How do you think I've been eavesdropping on you and Auntie Fleur, ding dong?" Lue said, causing several of the Beaubuxtons to inadvertently laugh, much to Zoe's irritation. She quickly got them back into the fold, into the sea of blue.

"Zut, you kill me, cousin! But sometimes I could just kiss you...however, I think there is someone who would love to kiss you more!" Lene wheeled around, facing the ringleader of her attack, square in the face. A furious Zoe Perec stared back at her defiant face. "C'est blauge...am I right, Madimoselle Perec?" The beautiful Ravenclaw zoned in on the ringleader, enjoying the red flush of embarrassment she caused to form on her cheeks.

Lene had hit the nail on the head.

"Madimoselle Perec...You seem to be entranced by my cousin, you stare at her so."

Lue chuckled, sounding eerily like her mother, the dark witch. "Ah, Lene. What have I told you, time and time again? If I were to date a chick, it sure as hell wouldn't be a Fug one!"

"Fug?" Said Zoe's dour right hand gal, still clutching Lene's wand in her hand.

Lene rolled her eyes. "Fucking Ugly! Fug! Really, do zey keep you locked in a cave in Beaubuxtons? I am so glad I didn't accept my admission zere!" Lene huffed.

Lue continued to chuckle. "Ouch, Cuz! Speaking of fugly..." she turned her gaze to the right hand gal. "You going to hand that wand to me, or am I going to have to do something you'll regret?"

"I...I..." She stammered, looking between a dangerously calm Lue and her enraged friend, Zoe.

Does this girl not think for herself? What in the hell does Zoe see in her? Lue

What happened next, happened very quickly. Lene's hands shook, even hours later, when she recounted the events to her Aunt Bella.

Zoe snatched the wand from her friend's hand, and got ready to snap it across her knee. Before she could do so, however, Lue cast a wandless spell. The Slytherin, looking like a young Bellatrix incarnate, full of fire, encanted loudly:

"CORREPORETUM!"

Zoe slammed to the floor, forced to slither and crawl towards Lue, forced to hand over the wand.

"Why thank you, Princess. I'll take that!" She grabbed back Hermione's old wand, and getting ready to hand it back to her cousin, in the instant she turned her head away from the dangerous French champion, Zoe cast a "Stupify" directly at the unsuspecting Slytherin. Instinctively, Lene draped herself around her cousin, uttering a wandless "Protego!" shielding her cousin.

The spell ricocheted off Lene's well timed shield, and splintered off Zoe and the two girls flanking her, who screamed. It broke Lue's concentration, and her previous spell was countered by the talented French witch, no longer forced to slither on the ground.

She stood up, aiming her wand at the two Hogwarts students. Lue and Lene looked around. They were outnumbered, 10 to 2. All twelve girls had their wands up, at the ready, pointing at the others. Although a few of the Beaubuxtons looked like they were wavering, there were enough that weren't, such that it wasn't going to be pretty.

Lue spoke, her voice deepening. "I'm going to give you one last chance to walk away, Zoe Perec. One chance. Because 10 to 2 is not fair."

"So you have noticed, you Braggart, zat you are outnumbered, oui?"

Lue cackled, sounding eerily like Bellatrix Lestrange. "Stupid girl! When I said it wasn't fair...I meant for you!"

Zoe's girl Friday cried out, scared. Frightened, she screamed. "Mon dieu, regardez ses yeux! Ils avez transformé rouge ! Ils ne sont pas humain!" (My God, look at her eyes! They've turned red! They aren't human!)

Lue spoke again, her voice much deeper. "Stupid, stupid girls!" Her fingers were elongating, gripping her wand tightly. "Don't you know who my mother is? Don't you know who trained me in the dark arts?"

A gasp went through the crowd. Two of the flightier girls scurried away. They all looked afraid, all expect Zoe.

She looked... aroused.

"Really?" Zoe said. "Let's see some of zee dark arts, zen, while your girlfriend bleeds to death!" Aiming her wand at Lene's head, she started incanting the curse, "Sectumsem-" but she didn't finish it.

Lue screamed out, "NO!"

Throwing her body between the spell and Apollene, Lue raised her hands and defended her by conjuring fire from her very body and hurling it at the crowd. She literally threw balls of angry Fiendfyre-like flames towards their attackers! The steaming red balls of fire seemed to originate from Lue's hands, while she was breathing fire at them simultaneously. Only Lene saw Lue's eyes, yellow and slit like, with flecks of red.

Screaming, the Beaubaton's robes on fire, the bullies quickly dispersed, seeking shelter away from the crazed Slytherin. It was oddly silent once they disbanded, and Lue could hear herself breathe. The two Hogwarts students, now completely alone in the basement, both were shaking. Lue was wincing with pain, trying not to cry.

Fortunately, the Ravenclaw gathered her wits about her, first.

"Quick! Lue, let's get ze hell out of here, okay?" Lene gathered her shell-shocked cousin, still wincing with pain, and managed to apparate them to the Hogwarts quarters, without anyone official noticing the injured girls. Lene warded off the room, as to not allow anyone to hear them or enter.

Once safe, it was only then that she took in how injured her cousin truly was.

"Merde! Oh, Lue..." Lene gasped. The dark witch's hands were bleeding, the flesh burnt and ripped off her palms. Her face was bleeding. Her robes were a charred mess. "Lue...We need to get you to Madame Pomfrey-"

"No!" Protested Lue, adamantly. "She'll be forced to tell my mother, then I really will have something to cry about! She'll kill me, Lene! You don't know what it's like...no! Lene, please...No Pomfrey."

"But...zes wounds! Zey are serious, belle!" Lene looked truly distraught.

"You're a damned Veela, Lene! Arn't you supposed to know shit, you know, like how to heal this crap? So do it! I saved your ass...you owe me! No Pomfrey!"

Lene swore, under her breath. "Zes could get infected! Zen you would scar..." Lene touched Lue's wounded lips, so gently. "... your pretty face."

"Aww. That's sweet. You think I'm pretty!" Lue winced with pain. Closing her eyes, she growled. "Now, hurry the fuck up! You're the reason I'm in this mess!"

The words stung. It was true, after all.

Lene set about getting the things her Grandmere had taught her, and the dittany she had stowed in her bag. She spelled off the top layers of the burned robes, and gasped at the extent of Lue's burns. She cast a quick cleaning spell, sterilizing the surgical field, as it were. Lue grimaced in pain, but did not cry out.

Next, steeling her nerves, she took the small dagger, and slit her own wrist. Letting her blood drip onto the worst of the burns, she incanted something in an unfamiliar language, casting ancient Veela blood magic. Lue groaned with relief, as a warm relief flood over her skin, and the wounds started to heal. They exchanged a silent look of understanding, while Lene gently applied the dittany to the remainder of Lue's skin.

Wait here, she said wordlessly to her cousin. I'm going to go get you a healing draught from my bag.

Reappearing with the vial moments later, Lue chuckled. "What else you got in that bag of yours, cousin?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Actually, I would..." Lue said, with a yawn.

"Later. You need to rest, now, Cousin."

"You don't mind if I sleep in your room? Mine seems...so far away..." Her lids were getting heavy.

"Of course not." Lene said, with a gentleness Lue didn't expect.

Yawning, the Slytherin asked, "How on earth did they lure you down there, Apollene? That wasn't very smart, you know."

Averting her eyes, she said, "It was a note from you, in your handwriting, actually. A perfect replication. You said it was urgent and to come alone. It said you were in trouble."

The dark-haired Slytherin frowned, nearly nodding off. "You know better than that. If I was in trouble, I would have contacted you in our way." Lue said, referencing their unspoken language with each other. The language they had used when one or the other was in serious trouble, that was not legillimancy. They never bothered questioning it, and other than Beedo, no one knew they could do it.

Lue firmly felt that the adults should be kept to a "need to know" basis, only.

Lene sighed, gently stroking her cousin's matted hair. "I'm going to have to go find Aunt Bella and tell her, you know. We want this story to come from us- because she will hear about it. 12 burnt Beaubuxtons will rise to the level of her interest, especially since two Hogwarts students were ...erm, involved." She said, quietly.

"No, Lene!"

Wordlessly, she coaxed her cousin. Lue, you know I'm right. You want the story coming from us, not that awful Zoe's version. She'll probably say we lured them down there and attacked them!

"Okay, fine!" She yawned. "I'm so sleepy! Hey...you didn't drug me, did you?"

"I did. You need to rest, or you'll never get better. I know you would have been up in an hour, on the lookout for those girls."

"You think you're so smart, don't cha?"

"Well, I am in Ravenclaw..."

Lue snorted. "And I'm going to sleep. Night night." She closed her eyes.

Lene leaned over, kissing her cousin on the forehead. "Good night, dear cousin. Thank you...for saving me." She got up, putting on her cloak, and set off to find her Aunt. She decided to ignore the strange butterflies that were reeking havoc on her belly, as she gazed at her sleeping cousin.

She's actually quite beautiful when she's not scowling, thought Lene.

Lue blissfully fell into deep slumber, surrounded by the scent of her frustrating-but admittedly beautiful- cousin. For the first time in years, she slept through the entire night, wrapping herself around her cousin when she returned and slid back to bed.

The Ravenclaw didn't fight off her sleeping yet grabby cousin; it was surprisingly sweet. And if the young Veela were to be honest, being an only child was occasionally lonely, especially in contrast to the boisterous Black brood. She didn't consider her "half-brother" Draco a brother; he was more like yet another parent. Their relationship was complicated, at best.

But there was no relationship more complicated than the tempestuous one she shared with her dark cousin, Luicinda. Yet, somehow, it didn't feel so complicated in this moment, really. Lene sighed, leaning back into the Slytherin, nestling into her cousin's arms. Lene noted a feeling she never felt before...it took her a moment to pinpoint it, exactly. The feeling?

Completeness...

Lene finally felt complete.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXXO

It was a delicate situation, all around. Although the Beaubaton girl had started the conflict, without question...Lue and Lene defiantly finished it. The Beaubatons were far worse for the wear, and Madame Maxine refused to discipline injured girls.

"Weak! You're being weak!"

"Zese are not you're little soldiers, Bellatrix, or your fellow Death Eaterz; non, zey are young, innocent girls!"

"Young girls, yes; innocent, NO. Should I remind you that they actually were the ones that jumped my girls, and need to learn rules, and manners!" Bella huffed.

Maxine pulled a hissy fit of epic proportions, threatening to void the results of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, to everyone's varied degree of panic. There was a lot of money to be made for all three schools, but frankly, Bella couldn't care less. In the end, it took Fleur and her mother, and some heavy coaxing to save the tournament.

Bella gave pause when she saw Apollene Senior. Grasping her hands, the Headmistress pulled the matriarch off to the side, privately. Bella's expression was grave. "Madame Delacour..." She lowered her voice. "You are not well."

"Oui." She murmured to the worried witch. Tsking her concern away, she simply said, "it iz just ze circle of life, Bellatrix. It is time, for my ozer grand baby! So I gave her the essence of my Veela. It was time for her to use it; we cannot both have it."

"I'm sorry. I'm not following...?"

Madame Delacour looked incredulous, stunned that Bella did not know. "Your daughter, Bella. Surely you know...? She transfigured, last night!"

"I..." Bella was speechless. Lene had left out that little nugget of information. "Into what? A Dragon?"

"I zout you knew! No, not a dragon, like 'er famous mere; it was what she requested, as a baby, from her very soul. She transformed into a Veela...to save mon autre fille grand bébé...Lene."

"I...I...I need to sit down, I think."

"Moi aussi." Concurred the tired French Witch.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXO

At the funeral of Apollene Delacour Senior, shortly after the championship, Bellatrix and her daughter got into a terrible fight. It lasted all the way back to Hogwarts, and Hermione threw her hands up, telling Beedo to just keep out of it and enjoy his time with Bradye.

Days later, Lue was summoned into the Headmistress office, and reprimanded for something she was only "partly" responsible for. She claimed to not understand why she had been called into the headmistress' office.

"What don't you understand?" Bellatrix raged. "And now, I come to find out, Apollene Delacour has sacrificed herself for you? This is the gratitude you show? This is how you repay her sacrifice, how you show her you're worthy of it? You're no better than the immature, ungrateful, little shithead I used to be! Destined for Asakaban..."

The biting words stung Lucinda hard. Bella's mini-me muttered at the turned back of the woman who was both her Headmistress and her mother.

"You turned out alright, didn't you?" She said, defiantly.

Bella whirled around, furious. Her eyes were blazing. She stomped up, directly into the face of the rambunctious young girl. "I turned out alright? Alright? If you only knew how fucked up I was, child! You arrogant, over privileged, insensitive brat! I was beaten every day in my teenage years! I was malnourished from fourteen years in Azakaban prison, while undercover for the order! I died, at least twice, and your mother brought me back! If you knew how broken I was...and deranged...."

Interrupting, and her chin jutted out, the young girl muttered, "I think you're still deranged, if its any consolation."

Bella slapped the cheek of the mouthy student who happened to be her only daughter.

Hard.

What's more, she didn't apologize for it. She didn't even bother looking remorseful, or even a little bit guilty!

Lucinda looked shocked, feeling her cheek. Regarding her coolly, the older witch sneered. "Your other mother isn't here to bail you out, Lucinda." Hissed Bellatrix. "It's just you and me, no Mommy Hermione... which is for the best. Why...?"

A malevolent grin slid across her face, that was absoultey chilling.

"...Because I understand you better than she does; I understand the darkness that dwells in your heart...she doesn't! " She stood directly in front of her daughter, who looked very small in the moment.

Bella hissed. "Lucindia Black, I know you better than you know yourself; I know who you are..." Bella was pacing around the girl who remained silent with fury.

"...You..." She paced around the younger girl.

"...are... "

"...ME!" The Headmistress let it sink in.

"But, unfortunately, there is no Hermione Granger to save you, Lucinda! In my case, despite my being so lost, my wife was one of a kind, and never gave up on me! And I'm going to tell you the harsh realities, Lucinda Minerva Black: There is no one that will love you like that, and therefore there is no one to save you. I am saying this because it's true: You need to save yourself, before its too late."

"Is that all?" Lucinda said, not meeting her eyes and keeping her guards up from the master legillimans.

"Yes. That's all. So you know, I'm done hoping, with you, Lucinda. You continue to disappoint me, over and over again."

Fighting the stinging tears threatening to come from her eyes, the young woman frowned. "Well, at least I'm consistent, ay Mommy Dearest?" Lucinda turned on her heel, marching out of the Headmistress's office.

She felt the pain seep through her pores, as her mother could hurt Lucinda like no one else. The troubled Slytherin worshiped her Mother; and as she stormed out of her office, she failed to notice a figure in the shadows, pressed up against the walls.

The figure that stormed immediately into the Headmistress' office, shortly after Lue's departure.

"Yes?" Bella said, eyebrows arched.

"Zat...zat...zat was 'orrible! Totally unacceptable, Aunt Bella!"

"Excuse me, Apollene?"

"You had no right to talk to 'er, not in zat fashion!" The Ravenclaw was shaking, she was so furious.

"Excuse me, I had every right, I'm sure. You are talking,out of turn, Ms. Delacour. 20 points from Ravenclaw." Bella said, a warning tone lilting in her voice.

"Bah!" Lene scowled. "Here are ze reports you asked from Professor Lovegood, Headmistress." She practically threw them on the ground in front of Bella. "She is tied up with some magical creature at ze present." She turned and walked away, pausing only to hear the Headmistress utter a parting salvo to the departing Ravenclaw.

Bella's calm voice stopped her in her tracks.

"She wouldn't do the same for you, Lene...what you just did. Standing up to the Headmistress...brave! Yet, risky and altogether...stupidly noble. Lue is not like that. She'd relish throwing you under the bus."

Lene turned, narrowing her eyes to her beloved Aunt. "I zink that people rise or fall to ze expectations of ze people around zem, oui? And I also zink I have learned a great deal about my cousin in ze last five minutes that I did not appreciate before." She jutted her chin out, defiantly.

"And I have to correct you, Aunt Bella. It is you zat does not know your daughter well...I zink I know ze real her zat I am willing to see. I see ze possibilities in her...not ze failures! Bon soir, Aunt Bella."

In turning to leave, the pretty Ravenclaw failed to notice the borderline evil grin settling on Bella's face as she looked up smugly to Minerva's portrait. Once she was gone, Bella cast her eyes up at Minerva.

"My dear Minerva...Can I say it? Can I say, "I told you so?" Pretty please?"

Minerva's portrait scowled. "Oh for pete's sake! Fine , you grudge keeper! Fine!"

"Say it!"

Minerva grimaced. "You were right, Bella."

"Music to my ears." The dark witch grinned. "That shyite never gets old!"

"More importantly...do you think it worked, Bella?"

The dark witch looked at her incredulously. "Now you sound like Hermione and Cissy! Of course it worked! And to quote a dear friend of mine..." The former Slytherin looked around her office, feeling very satisfied. "...I love it when a plan comes together!"

"That's my line!" The portrait of Kingsley said from the far wall, chuckling. "And I do indeed love when a plan comes together. I believe this was my idea as well..."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Lene found her in the Prefect's bathroom.

Just like always, she sensed where she was located. This was an odd gift, which she attributed to her Veela heritage. The trouble is, it only seemed accurate when applied to Lucinda Black. She decided early in her first year, however, keeping your enemies close was a good thing, as well. Her ability to sense Lue had only gotten infinitely stronger since they returned from the tournament.

Their eyes sought each other's out, every meal. Occasionally, they still slept together, if one was having a rough night. those "rough nights" seemed to be piling up, more and more frequent as of late, requiring sleepovers...often.

She paused, outside the prefect's bathroom. The Ravenclaw was stymied. She didn't know what to do. She was good with facts, and knowledge; but she was no loyal Hufflepuff nor a brave Gryffindor, by any means. So she found herself here, with nothing to say. She stood, awkwardly, hovering in the doorway, and wondering if Lucinda had mastered the Crucio yet.

"No." Lucinda said, out loud breaking the silence. "I haven't mastered the Crucio. I am, however, getting pretty good at Legillimancy."

"Mon Dieu!" Apollene said, horrified, cheeks tingeing rose red. "I...I..." The Veela stammered.

Hell with it, Lene thought. She's reading my mind, anyway. In a split second, Lene had decided what to do. She crossed the length of the Prefects bathroom planting herself squarely in front of Lucinda. She took her hands, and placed them on either side of the startled witch's face, cupping her cheeks.

"What zat woman said to you, back zere, in ze office..."

"You heard all that?" Groaned Lucinda. "Great! Just great!" cutting her off.

"Stop!" Commanded Lene, in an uncharacteristic voice. "Stop it, now, Lucinda!" Leaning in closer, narrowing her eyes while she spoke, Lene continued. "She iz wrong, you know. Wrong, wrong, wrong!"

Lucinda tried to concentrate, but her head felt woozy, and she was starting to develop a headache. She closed her eyes, inhaling the air that smelled of peppermint and jasmine. She kept her eyes closed, trying to steady herself. It seemed that the closer Lene got, the dizzier she felt...Lue closed her eyes, concentrating on taking deep breaths.

She stopped breathing altogether, however, when Lue felt her body being slammed against the wall, hard. The familiar smell had climaxed to a fever pitch; she felt like she might pass out...

But her feet weren't moving.

Lue opened her eyes, attempting to focus. "Lene...what are you doing?"

Lene's eyes were no longer blue. Lue was surprised, but not shocked, to see they had filled with yellow, with noticeable flecks of red peppered throughout. Lue felt Lene's nails digging into her, as she gripped her shoulders, holding her against the wall.

"What am I doing?" Lene laughed harshly. "I am doing some zing zat I should have done back at Drumstrang, actually..."

TBC.