Disclaimer: As per usual, all but Alana and Sardelle and the Campbell characeters belong to JK Rowlings
Author's Note: Just a fanfict on my three favorite families throughout the course of one day at Hogwarts. Set in MWPP era and told from a number of different points of view.
Bellatrix threw her head back and let out a long, shrill laugh. Severus allowed a small grin to creep upon his features, but nothing more, as Lucius continued to wear the same confidant smile he had worn the entire length of his story.
"Go on!" exclaimed the girl. She was tall and slender, with noble features, high cheek bones and long, sleek black hair. Like most members of most ancient pureblood families (like the others she was just now talking to) she had an extremely pale complexion, which was a mark of dignity in high society. Heavily lidded with dark eyes, Bellatrix Black was, in a word, beautiful. "What did the other two do? Or should I ask what happened to them instead?"
"Most unfortunately, they ended up running off before they were able to...join their friends," narrated Lucius in a rather amused tone. The sun shone off of his long white hair as the wind picked up the few strands that had managed to escape his loose ponytail. "A shame, to be sure." His dark green eyes narrowed a bit against the sun as his smile lessened a little at having to relive the escape of the two muggles. "However, the ministry most likely stepped in and 'righted' the situation as they always do."
"Pity," she pouted. "They were just as deserving as the others, too."
Lucius turned to face her. "Bella, I've never known anyone to go between such extreme emotions so quickly as you. You can laugh so easily one moment, then look as if you may cry the next."
"Cry!" shouted Bellatrix. "Cry?, I would never cry, dear Lucius, only mourn the lack of good punishment or fun."
"Your use of those two words in such close proximity is just as curious," said Severus. He was much quieter than his two companions, yet heard just as loudly. Brushing his shoulder length, greasy black hair away from his face in frustration at the wind for the hundredth time that day, Severus was able to look straight at Bellatrix with his own cold black eyes and add with a playful sneer, "One might venture to label you mentally unstable."
Lucius gave a small laugh. "He speaks the truth, Bella. In fact, that is almost the perfect word to describe you; 'curious'."
"I like 'mysterious' better. Merlin, I'd settle for 'insane' or, how you so eloquently put it Severus, 'mentally unstable', before I had someone call me 'curious'. And don't you ever call me that again, either of you. I'd make sure you regretted it, mark me." She had a sparkle in her dark eyes, one that rarely left her.
The small pack of Slytherins marched across the Hogwarts grounds, enjoying the last of the summer days, all waiting for autumn to set in. Lucius Malfoy led the group; Bellatrix Black and Severus Snape close in step. Lucius' two body guards, Crabbe and Goyle, flanked them, but never really took part in the conversations held by the three others. They were there to intimidate others into minding their own business, or to pick fights with whatever Gryffindors Lucius decided to sic them on.
"Ooo, Lucius!" taunted Bellatrix being uncharacteristically quiet. Lucius shot her a look that seemed to ask whether or not he should begin to dread what was to come from her next.
"Don't think I didn't see you, staring over at my sister like that, how dare you?" she teased. Lucius had not actually even noticed Narcissia who was all the way over towards the lake, and had to look for her before responding to Bellatrix.
"Bella, I did not even - "
"Don't lie; you were staring today at breakfast as well! I know because I sat with her and your eyes never meandered, even toward your food."
"Stare? I - "
"Yes. Stare." She proclaimed. A wide smile broke across her features as she suddenly circled Lucius like a hawk, creeping behind him until her lips were perched just next to his left ear.
"I'll let you in on a little secret," she whispered loud enough for Severus to hear as well. "Us Black girls are so subject to our parents' lectures on marrying good, able pureblood men. There are so few to choose from, I'm sure that if you asked her out, she'd agree in a heartbeat. Don't think I don't see it in your eyes, and don't you dare deny that you most certainly WERE staring at breakfast!" She ended with another shrill laugh and flew away from Lucius' ear to rest on Severus' shoulder. "You're a witness, aren't you Severus? You'll back me up!, You sat right next to him, after all!"
Severus was fighting back a small fit of laughter, although a broad smile escaped him. He had noticed Lucius staring off in Narcissia's direction quite often as well, although whether he had at breakfast that morning or not was questionable.
"Honestly, Bella, I don't recall his being distracted by your sister at all during breakfast today," Severus started. Lucius smiled at him as a gesture of thanks in siding with him, but Severus continued with Bellatrix's game. "Charms, Potions, Transfiguration and Herbology on the other hand; well, that's a different story."
Lucius' smile faded abruptly as Severus spoke these last words and in a very cool manner replied "I don't know where you two get your absurd ideas from; perhaps it's the two of you who should linger the rest of your days together in a shared 'mentally unstable' state of marital bliss? There's your own pureblood at any rate Bella, although as for the 'good' and 'able' part, well, as he says himself, 'that's a different story'."
A smile returned to Lucius as Severus' smile took its turn to fade. Bellatrix, on the other hand, seemed to find this rather hilarious and broke into another hearty laugh.
"Bellatrix Snape, eh?" She threw herself over-dramatically into Severus' arms. "How does that sounds to you, my love? Can I call you Sev once we're married? Or would you have me poisoned outright for my inheritance?" Bellatrix batted her eyes fast at him and brushed her hair against his shoulder.
Severus tried to push the girl away, very tempted to throw her against the ground for even suggesting such an idea, not to mention for suggesting that nickname.
"If you do not get off of me, perhaps I'll make good on that poisoning suggestion. And no, if you ever call me that, I'll make sure you won't be able to call me anything for the rest of your life."
"Ooo, aren't we sour?" she pouted. "It's too bad, 'Bellatrix Snape', it does have a ring to it."
"You mean the same ring that pounds in your ears after being knocked on your back by the whomping willow?" asked Severus.
"The very same. I quite like that ring, you know. So long as it's not my own ears, that is."
Lucius laughed at this exchange, happy to get the subject off of his apparently sudden obsession with Narcissia; but the sound of him only brought Bellatrix's mind back off of her little tangent. She glanced over at her sister, she was now a bit closer as they had been walking nearer to the lake, and Bellatrix could make out her companion.
"Isn't that Sardelle with her?" asked Bellatrix. "Severus, what is your sister doing out here? Hasn't she buried her nose in her text books already? Seventh year is N.E.W.T. year after all, and we all know how she is when it comes to her grades."
"I would barely expect my cousin flooded with books this early in the year, much less Sardelle," he responded. "Besides, grades don't matter as much to Sardelle as they used to. Not this year, anyway."
"Ahh, yes, you know, sometimes I forget you're even related to that Ravenclaw, as close as you all resemble each other physically," she claimed.
"I would venture to say that your own relation to that Gryffindor boy is much more unrealistic, Bella," countered Lucius. This got a loud groan of complaint accompanied by a string of curses from Bellatrix. "Careful, Bella. A nice little pureblood girl like yourself would not do well to be caught with such a mouth." Lucius chastised. "What would your 'good, able pureblood husband' think?" This, of course, only drew more curses from her.
"Tell me, then Severus," said Lucius. "What has changed so within Sardelle to not make her study as much this year?"
"I'm not sure if she's told anyone yet" Severus started, "but our family views marital bonds between us and other pureblood families with just as much passion as the Blacks. It has been arranged for Sardelle to marry just after she completes this year, so her grades do not really matter as much anymore."
Bellatrix and Lucius both stopped abruptly to turn and look at Severus. Crabbe and Goyle almost bumped into them, but caught themselves just in time.
"An arranged marriage?" repeated Lucius, "To whom?"
"Oh, the poor thing!" exclaimed Bellatrix. "You know, Severus, I have a pretty little hollow ring that I would be more than willing to let her borrow if you would be so kind as to fill it for her after the ceremony. Perhaps in the celebration just after even."
"To a Campbell Viscount," replied Severus. "And poisoning him so early would do no good. Both our grandfather and the Campbell man's father refuse to completely acknowledge the alliance between the two families before an heir is produced.
"No!" the black haired girl gasped. "That's horrible!, Oh, poor, poor Sardelle! Is he at least handsome? Have you met him?"
"None of us have met yet. Not even those two. Only our grandfather and father with the father of the Campbell have met, and that only briefly."
"Well, you have to admit that it is a smart match," said Lucius glancing over at where the two girls sat. "After all, a title in the family, and the Campbell name does have a good reputation. She would assume the title of Viscountess, I assume?"
"For a while," said Severus. "After they marry and have a child, his father promised to give them his rank. They would be Count and Countess."
"Countess," repeated Bellatrix. "Her Excellency, the Countess Sardelle Campbell." She seemed to be reconsidering her earlier words. "Tell me, Severus, does this Viscount have a brother?"
"Not that I am aware of" he replied. "Besides, even if he did and you married him, you would not receive any title at all, it is passed to the eldest child."
"Pity," she said mournfully. "Countess Bellatrix Black. Why do they not just allot a title to all pureblood families?" she asked with a sigh. "There are not that many of us left, after all, so it would not be too many titles to give away. And besides, we could use a bit more recognition. Blood is counting for less and less as time goes on."
"It is sad," said Lucius "But at least we know what we are, and that is really what counts, now isn't it, Bella?"
Bellatrix nodded.
"Well, if you'll excuse me, gentleman," she said after a long and thoughtful pause, "I believe I have a date with your sister to attend to Severus. I must find out what I can about this Viscount of hers."
"Wait, Bella -, " but she was already flying across the remaining ground toward Narcessia and Sardelle.
Severus shook his head after her. Lucius gave a smirk.
"She is quite the enchanting creature, isn't she Severus?" he asked.
"Excuse me?" Severus looked at Lucius with his brow knitted and dark eyes surprised.
"You heard me." The older boy stated. "It was quite hard to miss the way you stared after her just now, and -,"
"And it is as unlikely as you and Narcessia," finished Severus for him.
Lucius gave Severus a raised eyebrow. "Then you do fancy her?" he teased.
Severus continued to hold Lucius' gaze. "You know that's absurd, Lucius," he said softly, but both could see deep into the other as they glanced down towards the three girls before continuing across the grounds in relative silence.