September 21, 1968.

Slytherin Common Room.

Two days had passed since her meeting with Professor Riddle, and Bellatrix had not cracked open even one of the books he had given her. She was too busy replaying the same scenes over and over in her mind.

Today was her seventeenth birthday. The tantalizing prospect of entering adulthood meant not only the freedom to Apparate and perform magic outside of school, but greater confidence in her abilities to serve Professor Riddle as his follower. He had promised her a place within his movement! Nothing filled her with greater joy than imagining herself casting curses for him on some bloody battlefield in the future. She hoped he would come to view her as a powerful witch, even if that seemed somewhat contradictory to the image of her kneeling on the classroom floor.

Some of Bellatrix's friends were planning a not-so-surprise birthday party. Acantha Selwyn and Lucy Greengrass led her immediately back to the Dungeons from the Quidditch pitch where their Housemates had all gathered to watch the Slytherin-Gryffindor match. It ended in a triumphant Slytherin victory. Her birthday party would likely intermingle with the Quidditch team's own celebration. She didn't mind, as it would simply mean twice the amount of alcohol.

The ornate silver and green tapestries of the Slytherin Common Room had been enchanted to display 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELLATRIX" in blinking lights, so that there was no mistaking whose party it was, if the black balloons decorated with designs of the Black family crest hadn't already made it apparent.

Both of her sisters would arrive soon—Narcissa was too young to drink anything more than light butterbeer, of course—yet nothing ever stopped her from finding occasions to go shopping for a new party dress. Andie promised to come as a sign of good will, and her favourite cousin, Evan Rosier, was invited with his gang of Slytherins, including Rodolphus Lestrange, Murray Mulciber, Augustin Avery and Nicholas Nott.

Bellatrix was less than thrilled that at least two of them were probably only coming because they wanted to try to get inside her knickers, although the gang was beginning to view her with more respect this year after seeing evidence of her powerful Dark magic. They knew that she was not just a delicate flower, or a marriage prospect. In the past week alone, she had cast a particularly vicious hex on an unsuspecting Gideon Prewett. Gideon's family were blood traitors, and he was a favourite of Dumbledore. It had cost Slytherin 50 house points, but none of the guys held it against her, as they all hated the miserable git that much.

"Hey, Bella!" Evan called out to her as he walked into the Common Room.

He was a cousin on her mother's side, the Rosiers, and was descended from the pureblood French aristocracy. He had the characteristic good looks of his forebears, with a strong jaw, prominent brow bone and deep brown eyes. His easy charm and friendliness made him popular, but a propensity to use Dark magic to get ahead was still an almost-innate instinct for anyone with the Rosier surname.

"Hey Evan, thanks for coming! I'm chuffed that you could make it. You could be celebrating your Qudditch victory with Gemma Parkinson or Cordelia Fawley."

Evan was a bit notorious for having several girlfriends on the go at once, and their jealous spats sometimes spilled out into the school's corridors. Bellatrix had a playful rapport with Evan, and both could get away with saying things to each other that anyone else could not.

"Nah, I wanted to spend time with my favourite cousin. Who else knows how to cast the entrails-expelling curse like you?"

Bellatrix was pleased she was gaining her own notoriety for her use of Dark Magic.

"Well, sorry to disappoint, but I won't be using that one tonight. Not unless Andromeda gets seriously on my nerves" she laughed.

He put down a small gift-wrapped package and a bottle of premium firewhiskey on a side table, and soon Bellatrix noticed Rodolphus had arrived with Mulciber, Avery, and Nott.

"Nice to see you, Bella. You look…err…really good tonight."

Bellatrix had made some effort tonight by taming her curls into sleek braids, secured in place with snake pins that had emeralds for eyes. She wore emerald dress robes over an elegant black silk slip, and had used a spell to set her makeup.

"Thanks, Rod."

Rodolphus was from another dignified old family, although he didn't have the same kind of presence as Evan when he walked in a room.

Bellatrix mentally prepared herself to be asked to the Ball; she had already rehearsed what she would say to politely decline. She ultimately didn't find Roddy to be that bad, and if he played on her sympathy right tonight, she might still let him have one dance anyway.

Luckily, the room was filling up now. Cissy came in wearing pink, holding boxes of presents and an ice cream cake from Florean Fortescue's charmed so that it wouldn't melt.

"I'm just going to say hi to my little sister. Excuse me."

Narcissa was too young to be hanging around a gang like theirs, Bellatrix realized, and she protectively led her into a plush emerald chair in the corner of the room next to Lucy Greengrass. Lucy would be happy to chat to Cissy about the most recent shopping trip she'd taken to Paris.

Andie appeared next in purple silk dress robes with silver accents; her curls were worn down tonight so that she was almost her sister's doppelganger.

"Happy birthday, Bella! Bet you're just thrilled to be an adult now. Illicit romance with a mass murderer awaits." Andie gave a little wink that made Bella want to slap her.

Bellatrix hadn't said anything about the events of two days ago in keeping with her promise, of course, (not that she would risk exposure of her Lord's movement when it was not yet powerful enough to overcome the threats posed by the Ministry and Dumbledore), even if it would mean an opportunity to gloat. Andromeda could have no idea how right she was.

"One day, Andie, your words will come back to bite you in the arse. Which is flat, by the way."

"Flat like your tits."

Bellatrix huffed, angry that she couldn't exactly say in present company that Professor Riddle hadn't found a problem with them.

"I'm going to open this firewhisky that Evan brought. Want some?"

"Alright. Oh, I almost forgot. I saw Cissy earlier kissing Lucius Malfoy."

"What?" Bellatrix could feel pressure rising in her chest. She pictured the silky blond-haired boy who strutted as he walked. Everyone knew Malfoys were obsessed with image and prestige, and she had to admit that Narcissa and Lucius probably had lots in common.

"I know. They're only thirteen, but mum will be trying to plan their wedding once she finds out."

"She has enough on her hands trying to plan mine. I've lost track of how many times I've said that I don't want to marry right after graduation like her and dad. I want to fall in love before she sells me off to the highest bidder."

"In love, huh? You might be waiting a long time then."

"No, somehow, I don't think so."

"I mean in love with someone who's actually normal, Bella. Your obsession is twisted. That reminds me, there's this thing muggles invented called psychoanalysis. The guy who founded it was named Freud. He came up with this idea of the electra complex. You should read the muggle poet Sylvia Plath. She writes about it, too."

"That's disgusting, Andie. I doubt I'd want to read anything by a muggle. Some of us have taste."

"I can loan you a book of her poems. You might find it therapeutic."

Was Hogwarts' library now loaning out muggle literature? Dumbledore deciding to purchase stacks of muggle books after becoming Headmaster was exactly the kind of thing that he would do, Bellatrix thought.

"So now I need therapy? I could just as easily say that your obsession with muggle culture is twisted. They're a dirty, inferior race."

"That's not true, Bella. We are all humans, we just have magic and they don't. It doesn't give us the right to rule over them."

"Of course it gives us the right! The powerful kill the weak all the time in nature."

"You're sister's right, Andromeda. Magic is a gift, and those who have stolen or come by the gift illegitimately are no different than muggles born without it. They all try to usurp what is ours and ruin our way of life." Rodolphus had tactfully entered into the conversation and Bella was grateful for his contribution which made Andie visibly upset.

"I guess I'll see myself out of your Death Eater party. Bye."

Rodolphus turned to look at Bella, surprised.

"Wow, I never knew that your sister felt so differently on this issue than us."

"Yep. It's an uphill battle, as she seems resistant to any point of view that doesn't enforce the conclusion that wizards and muggles are equal. Even if every bit of evidence shows that we have superior mental powers, she'll claim that the researchers were biased."

"If you don't mind, can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure. What is it, Rody?"

"Do you…plan to join the movement after graduation?

"It would be an honour beyond my wildest dreams. But to my knowledge there has never been a female Death Eater."

"I know he would recruit you as the first. You're so talented."

"Guess I will have to wait and see. What about you?"

"I'd like to serve him as well. I have to be careful in how I phrase this, but, um…have you…are you aware of the secret?"

"The secret?" Bellatrix almost burst out in hysterical laughter. "Of course, I am, you idiot. My dad is Cygnus Black III. He was probably only a couple years behind your dad at Hogwarts. They all knew that their loyalties belonged to Tom Riddle. And I am my father's daughter in that way, as much as he and I don't see eye to eye in other ways."

Bellatrix didn't want to talk about her family life with someone like Rodolphus. She didn't like thinking about her childhood at the best of times, and this was supposed to be her birthday party.

"I'm so happy that we have things in common, Bella. Can I ask something else?"

"Go for it."

"It's still a month to go, but would you…maybe want to attend the Halloween Ball as my date?"

"I'll think on it. Why don't we hang out as friends more? I quite like talking to you."

"I like talking to you, too."

She hadn't given him a clear answer, and that would only make him more determined than ever, Bellatrix thought. Still, she could hardly bring herself to say the rehearsed 'no' she had prepared earlier. Rodolphus really was a decent guy.


After the party was over and the Common area had been cleaned of all the debris, empty bottles, and deflated black balloons, Bellatrix collapsed onto the four-poster bed in the dormitory she shared with Lucy and Acantha. Suddenly, she heard a shrill noise, and realized an owl was knocking its beak wildly against the glass windowpanes. Confused and very drunk, she stumbled to open the window and pluck the letter from the tawny owl. Who would be sending her mail at 2:30 in the morning?

Dear Bellatrix,

My sincerest birthday wishes to you. I had a feeling you might still be awake.

If you would like to have a drink with me tomorrow to celebrate, I will meet you at the Three Broomsticks at 9. As you are undoubtedly aware, you are now permitted to visit Hogsmeade on weekends. I will transfigure my features, and will alert you to my presence using legilimency.

Yours,

L.V.

Bellatrix held the letter, cherishing it, before tucking it inside a book that was sitting on her night table. She could hardly believe her luck. The past couple days had been beyond anything she had ever dreamed. To think that Professor Riddle wanted to meet up with her in Hogsmeade. She would need to decide on her outfit and come up with a credible reason why she'd be going out so late. Sleep slowly drifted into her consciousness, and she felt the happiest she had been in a very long time.