Wahoo! School's out, baby!

...Actually, I kind of miss it...a lot! Seriously, I'm gonna miss my schedule and being walked to class by my boyfriend and seeing my friends everyday and such. Oh well, it'll be back before I know it and then I'll be complaining about getting up early, right? Of course.

Anyways, this chapter was long in coming...I think. Finally moving on to Vulpe once more...it was weird writing in Sirius's view for that bit. However, I hope you guys enjoyed it.

6.5: Part Two; Hogwarts Life - A Slytherin's World

"Let's see...Winter Break begins in two days," Narcissa Black announced calculatingly as she searched through her trunk with her wand, her right hand upon her hip, "That gives us approximately 72 hours to plan our wardrobe for the annual Malfoy Assemblage. We're entering together as a trio - me in the middle being the only blonde - our outfits must be color coordinated perfectly. This is the last impression I will be able to make on the Malfoys before our father and Mr. Malfoy discuss the possibility of me being betrothed to Lucius."

"Don't fret Cissy," Bellatrix Black commanded as she filed her nails, "You are a Black. Blacks get what they want - what they deserve, which is nothing less than the very best. You'll have Lucius and I'll have Rodolphus, our futures are set in diamonds."
"Of course, Bella," Narcissa agreed with a short nod of her head, using her wand to levitate many things from each of the girls' trunks.

Vulpe remained silent, her face expressionless as Narcissa gracefully sat herself down next to Vulpe on the bed, a magazine in her pale hand.

"You first Vulpe, you always need an extra point or two, especially if you want to catch Antonio Zabini's eye," Narcissa informed her with a smirk, "I know how you simply adore the boy."
"You know best, Cissy," Vulpe responded evenly, a smirk formed upon her lips as well, "You always steer me in the right direction."
"I know, darling," Narcissa sighed delicately, with an air of self appraisal as she flipped through the magazine, wand in hand, "Simple will suit you just fine, it'll create an amazing contradiction between the three of us. You'll be the classic beauty, Bella will be the exotic beauty, and I shall be the elegant beauty."
"Lovely," Vulpe agreed shortly, crossing her legs as she placed her hands in her lap, "Lucius will be begging his father for an arranged marriage."

Narcissa smirked gleefully in approval before she levitated a lace corset onto Vulpe's lap.

"Go and put that on, darling," Narcissa instructed as she resumed searching the magazine, "I'll help you tighten it properly once it's on."

Vulpe nodded shortly and disappeared into the bathroom that was shared by the three Slytherin girls. She quickly rid herself of her shirt and bra before pulling the lace corset over her head and returning to Narcissa's side. The whole ordeal had been quite embarrassing the first time she had been through it, but it was more of a formality between the Slytherin Girls now. Narcissa nodded happily and pointed her wand at the back of the corset, which instantly tightened and laced itself up.

"You've grown up top quite a bit," Narcissa noticed with a smirk, "You've grown nicely, Cula. I can still remember when you were a scrawny little thing with a bit of baby fat."
"Thank you," Vulpe smirked, inwardly groaning as she added, "You've always been beautiful, Cissy, you were blessed with beauty."
"It's a Black gene," Bellatrix informed Vulpe from her seat on the vanity, not bothering to glance up as she continued to file her nails, "The ice blue, Cissy - that one will bring out Cula's eyes best."
"Of course, Bella," Narcissa agreed with a smirk as she levitated a silvery blue dress and a pair of heels into Vulpe's hand, "Hurry, darling."

Vulpe disappeared into the bathroom once more, discarding her skirt this time. She stepped into the ice blue dress and zipped the back up.Vulpe stared at herself and was reminded of nothing more than that poster of the Disney Princesses, Cinderella imparticularly, that she had stumbled upon long ago in Diagon Alley. After admiring herself a moment, Vulpe pulled the strappy silver high heels on and used her wand to lace them up before she exited the bathroom once more.

"Gorgeous," Narcissa commented gleefully as she pulled her roommate onto a stool, waving her wand before tapping it ontop of the brunette's head.
"Move aside, Cissy," Bellatrix demanded as she pulled her own wand forward and waved her hand with precision, "Perfect."

Bella turned her wand towards Narcissa and waved her wand in an intricate fashion. Narcissa's robes transformed into a pink dress that strongly reminded Vulpe of the dress 'Sleeping Beauty' had worn on the poster. Finally, Bellatrix pointed to herself and waved her wand in a similar fashion as to what she had down when she had pointed to Narcissa. Her robes were transformed into that of a black version of the dress 'Belle' had worn in the poster.

"There all done, Cissy, we have our outfits planned now," Bella stated with a heavy sigh, "I don't see why you fret and plan so far ahead."
"I prefer perfection to any mishaps, Bella," Narcissa responded as she admired herself in the full length mirror.
"Obviously," Bella replied as she flicked her wand at herself and Narcissa before motioning for Vulpe to go change, "Next time, just use your wand and save Vulpe the trouble, Cissy."
"Of course, Bella," Narcissa agreed as she sighed softly and waved her wand, making her brush levitate as it magically brushed her hair.

Vulpe hurried into the bathroom, magically removing the dress, corset, and heels. She waved her wand and flicked her wrist, her school uniform materializing once more. With a sigh, Vulpe folded the dress and picked up the heels and corset, leaving the bathroom once more. She found Bellatrix flipping through the magazine and Narcissa magically brushing her hair.

Vulpe returned the items back to her trunk before collapsing upon her bed. Vulpe knew that Narcissa and Bellatrix Black didn't even realize it was possible to do simple muggle things without a wand. Like Narcissa brushing her hair with her wand or Bellatrix doing their makeup with a flick of her wand.

"Girls? I'm going to take a walk, I feel suffocated in this room," Vulpe informed them as she crossed the room with a stoical expression upon her face.
"Hoping to cross paths with Antonio Zabini?" Narcissa inquired with a smirk upon her lips as she continued to magically brush her hair, "I heard he, Lucius, and your brothers play Quidditch with a few other Slytherin boys on Fridays."
"Maybe," Vulpe agreed with a small smirk upon her lips as well before she stepped out of the room.

The smirk immediately faded into a stoical expression as she passed through the Slytherin Common Room, on her way to the kitchens for an all forbidden chocolate scone. Vulpe rolled her eyes in disbelief at the mere thought of a chocolate scone being 'forbidden', but according to Narcissa and Bellatrix they were. Chocolate scones were one of the many things that would ruin a 'figure' and as such, the Slytherin Girls refused to indulge themselves in such a treat.

"Out all by yourself, Vulpecula?"

Vulpe turned to face her two big brothers, realizing the eldest was the one who had spoken to her. She raised an eyebrow at him, which Rodolphus Lestrange returned with a smirk. Rabastan was leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, a smug expression upon his face.

"Momentarily," Vulpe retorted evenly, surveying her brothers through observant eyes, "Why do you ask?"
"Regulus overheard something remarkably interesting," Rodolphus informed her with a malicious expression upon his face, "Do you know what?"
"No idea, but if I know Regulus as well as I think, then it was probably rubbish," Vulpe responded cooly, "The boy believes any rumor that suits his fancy."

"Don't speak of your superiors in such a manner," Rodolphus demanded in a hiss, his eyes set in a glare.
"Superiors? It's Black, Rodolphus, we've always had a higher social standing than them," Vulpe replied as her hands found her hips.

A blistering sting resounded against Vulpe's cheek in the empty corridor and a sharp pain circulated her arm as her older brother's larger hand dropped from her wrist. Vulpe didn't dare turn her gaze away from Rudolphus's infuriated face, nor did she move her hand to sooth her stinging cheek.

"He's in line to get the mark - the same as the rest of us will be this Christmas," Rodolphus informed her with a glowering expression, "The rest of us who are worthy and ready to commit to our cause, that is. You, on the other hand, sister dearest, have no intentions of receiving such a wonderful Christmas present, do you?"

Vulpe didn't respond as she fought to keep her expression stoical and emotionless. Rodolphus was wearing a look of contempt upon his face now and Rabastan appeared nervous as well as regretful.

"Answer me," Rodolphus demanded softly as he wrapped his hand around her wrist once more, squeezing it tightly in his grasp, "Now."
"Maybe you should give her a break, Rodolphus," Rabastan spoke up hesitantly, flashing Vulpe an apologetic look before continuing, "She'll get it over the summer, I'm sure."
"When? In between those nights that she looks like crap? What are you doing, Vulpecula?" Rodolphus inquired with an infuriated expression, "You're not disgracing our family name, are you?"
"Of course not," Vulpe responded softly, whimpering softly as Rudolphus's grip tightened around her wrist.

"Stop! Can't you see you're hurting her, Rodolphus?" Rabastan exclaimed, pulling at his older brother's hand, "Cissy and Bella will notice that! We can't have our name disgraced and having our sister show up with bruises all about her wrist will certainly do that."

"Are you blind, Rabastan? The slut has already disgraced our name, Regulus may be gullible, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out she's been seeing someone! If Regulus says it's that blood traitor he was dealt with as a brother, then we must assume it's true," Rodolphus retorted with a cold expression upon his face.

Rabastan was about to reply when Vulpe collapsed upon the ground, her wrist still firmly gripped in Rodolphus's hand.

"Look, this is a good warning - she got what she deserved," Rabastan said after gazing at his younger sister for a few moments, "We'll both keep a closer eye on her after today, alright? Now, let her go before you kill her, Rodolphus."

"You're lucky Rabastan was hanging around," Rodolphus sneered as he let Vulpe's wrist fall, "I ever hear of something as disgusting, you'll be in much worse pain, I assure you. Not even Rabastan will be able to persuade my decision, got that?"

"Yes," Vulpe whispered, opening her tear-filled eyes to gaze up at her older brothers, "I understand."

Rodolphus sneered at her once more and stalked off with his robes swirling dashingly behind him. Rabastan kneeled to take a glance at her wrist, a disappointed expression upon his face.

"You screwed up, Cula," he stated with a grimace at the sight of her wrist, "Badly and nothing is going to fix it if this happens again. Rodolphus...loves you, but he's not afraid to hate you either."
"I know," Vulpe whispered, tears falling from her cheeks, "Thank you, Rabastan, but you probably shouldn't have. He'll be suspicious of you for a while now, you know."
"I can handle it - I have nothing to hide," Rabastan shrugged, giving his sister a pointed look, "I better get going, Cula. Fix yourself up and then stay in close company with Cissy and Bella, they'll lead you in the right direction."
"Alright," Vulpe agreed as Rabastan helped her to her feet once more, "I'll see you in a few."

Rabastan nodded shortly and sprinted off down the corridor, mostly likely in search of Rodolphus. Vulpe took a deep breath and continued her way to the kitchens, where she planned to have a house elf steal some potions from Madam Pomfrey while she enjoyed a chocolate scone. She reached the portrait of the fruit bowl and tickled the green pear with her left hand, preferring not to move her right.

Done! Now you've all been given an appropriate glimpse of their lives while at Hogwarts. It's hard to believe that Rodolphus, Rabastan, Vulpe, Sirius, and Regulus used to play in their tree house together while their dad's ordered the house-elves to grill their food and their mothers gossiped, huh? Of course, Rabastan is a bit more soft than Rodolphus. I rather like how the entire chapter turned out. I hope you guys did too,

xoxoxo

L.S.