Bella awoke the next morning, a wave of nausea sweeping over her. Groaning she made her way to Narcissa's immaculately tidy en-suite and knelt by the toilet. Narcissa awoke to find her little sister gone from the bed but judging from the sounds coming from the bathroom she clearly wasn't very far.
"Bella are you okay?" Narcissa asked as she brushed her blonde hair with a silver hairbrush.
"I'm okay." A very pale Bellatrix answered as she returned into the room. Narcissa sighed softly as she saw her younger sister.
"Oh Bella, come here." She said kissing her sister's curls affectionately.
"I don't think I can face breakfast." Bella said once she was dressed.
"Your absence would be hard to explain and the last thing we need is you to be sent to the hospital wing. You don't have to eat dear but I doubt very much that a dry piece of toast will do you harm." Narcissa said softly. Bella sighed and nodded after all missing breakfast would be a little noticeable. Trailing after her sister down the winding staircase Bella twirled a lock of hair around her finger apprehensively, she really could do without Sirius today and yet she had two lessons with him today including the very first lesson of the day.
Sirius attempted to look natural as he stared across at the Slytherin table seeking out his cousin's pretty face. He blatantly ignored the glares he was receiving from some of the Slytherin's as he finally found her looking to his surprise very pale and fidgety. Bella normally sat somewhat regally as did Narcissa but today Bella looked as thought she wished that she could simply blend into the background. Still he thought if she was in that type of mood it might be easier to talk with her about how he felt.
Once breakfast had ended they made their way to the tower for their lesson. Divination was one of the most loathed lessons at Hogwarts. Sirius and his friends usually sat joking through it as the professor Dorothea Kingston had very little ability to control her students. Sirius snuck another look at Bellatrix who was sat with Severus Snape the butt of many of the marauders pranks. She was for once sat patiently waiting rather than making scathing remarks about the pointlessness of this lesson. Privately Sirius and his friends agreed with her but they'd never tell her so.
"Okay today my dears we shall be learning the art of reading palms." Dorothea said adjusting her glasses slightly and ignoring the groans that seemed to emit from the majority of the pupils. "Please Miss. Do we have to? That sounds even dumber than those dratted dream diaries we had to analyse last session." Frank Longbottom murmured.
"Mr Longbottom perhaps you feel this lesson does not stretch your overwhelming abilities in this subject. I however believe perhaps you should at least pay a little attention as for at the present moment you are dismally failing my subject with a D." a group of Slytherins sniggered at the Gryffindor's reprimand. "Ah gentlemen if you find it so amusing perhaps I shall read out your current grades." Dorothea stated. The group went silent. "Okay now as part of encouraging good Inter-House relations I'm going to pair everyone with a pupil from the other house." At that comment a collective moan went round the room. "Listen carefully as I read out your names. "Walden Macnair you're with Peter Pettigrew." Macnair raised an eyebrow in disgust before making his way to sit next to Peter. "Bellatrix Black you're with Sirius Black." Bella couldn't believe it, the last person she needed to be with. Sirius however was happy. Perhaps this would allow him to speak to her without her nosy and annoying Slytherin friends with her. He made his way over to her and gave her a grin. "I'm glad I got partnered with you Bella."
"Whatever." Bella said turning back to listen intently as the instructions for the lesson were given. "So this line is your love line?"
"Yes for the fifth time." Bella said impatiently. Sirius shook his head at her tone. Maybe he was wrong about thinking he could tell her today. Unlike normal she seemed disinterested in even arguing. Still at least it as better than poor James who'd been partnered with Severus and was currently scowling as Snape took great delight in telling him that according to his life line he would not see his 24th Birthday. Sirius ran his finger softly down the crease in her hand.
"You Bella will have an everlasting love for one person and that will survive even when that person dies. However you will also encounter love for two other people. One a likeable lasting love and the other….the other."
"The other what Sirius." Bella said rather irritably.
"The other is a deep respect, a dark worshipping kind of love." Sirius said softly. Bella's dark eyes looked up at him for a moment.
"Me worship anyone!" She scoffed for a moment seeming like the normal Bella. However the expression didn't last and she soon reverted back to the quiet Bella she had been for most of the session.
"Bella are you alright?" Sirius asked as he stared somewhat spellbound by his captivating relative. Bella sighed and paused for a moment. She wasn't fine and it was all his fault. She couldn't tell him that though and so she smiled sweetly instead.
"I'm fine thank you." She said. Sirius seemed unconvinced but continued on with the task looking at Bella's lifeline.