Bellatrix and Sirius Back had practically been brought up together. They had done everything together at a young age. They had a good childhood together, until of course, the day they walked through Hogwarts castle doors. Sirius hadn't known any better until he joined the school, and he had believed everything his mother and father had told him about pureblood supremacy, and their rights as Witches and Wizards –that is, until he met James Potter, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.

However his cousin Bellatrix Black, could not have been more different. She agreed with all of their ideals and firmly believed in the ideologies of pureblood supremacy, and this did not change when she walked through the Hogwarts castle doors. The cousins had been separated, and they had not been the same since then. However, one thing had not changed and that was the way they fought.

However, what they did have in common was that both Bellatrix and Sirius had a hatred towards rules. Sirius had demonstrating this hatred by defying his families views and leaving his home, whereas Bellatrix had demonstrated her hatred towards rules by becoming involved with a man who hired her to be his assassin which meant Bellatrix had to learn what her mother would have called 'very unladly like skills' and do 'very unladly' like things including getting herself into the bodies and minds of plenty of people.

From a young age of around 3 or 4, their mothers had noticed that when they fought –and this was often, being so close in age and being the children of Orion and Cygnus Black, they would come back to find the surrounding area –if not the entire house, in complete ruins. The two cousins would swear they hadn't touched a thing and that they had only been fighting with each other, that they hadn't moved any of their parent's things or done any damage, but yet, there was always something that had happened around them. And though their parents didn't believe them, it was true.

It came to their knowledge one day, when Bellatrix and Sirius began fighting over a toy broomstick they both wanted to ride that their power together was something other than normal. Druella found that nothing like this happened when Bellatrix fought with her younger sister except maybe a mere few screams from Andromeda who would yell that Bellatrix had punched her, or accidentally broken a glass or two when they were rowing. And Walburga found that nothing like this happened either with Sirius when he fought with his younger brother except the same, a few bruises and perhaps an accidentally smashed vase.

Together, they seemed to have an extended amount of power. Their rage matched one another from a young age, they were constantly in influence of one another, and it was something their parents did not understand. Though their fighting became less common as they grew, they noticed their friendship became stronger.

And so after having told their husbands Orion and Cygnus, the two brothers decided to start teaching them earlier on. They taught them all the magic they could without using wands. However, when Sirius came back from his first year at Hogwarts his interest had dwindled slightly but Bellatrix was the complete opposite and in fact when Bellatrix had expressed an interest in her father's knife collection, he immediately took her hunting the next day with him in their manor forests, which were full of stags, deers and even some magical creatures.

So here Bellatrix and Sirius Black sat side by side, waiting in the Headmaster's office. They said nothing to one another for the moment and were both looking thoroughly pissed off that they had been sent there. Bellatrix had her arms folded and her lips pursed though she sat upright as if she were still proud to be there, and Sirius was slouched back on his chair and resting his chin on his knuckles, sighing that this was probably his hundredth visit. They heard the door open behind them and both turned, as soon as they saw it was the Headmaster immediately began trying to defend themselves.

"Headmaster we did nothing wrong-" Sirius began.
"Honestly purely harmless duelling-" Bellatrix added in, agreeing with her cousin.
"Really, we didn't do anything..."
"We weren't fighting either we just-"
Dumbledore lifted his hand to silence them both. Immediately they quietened and said no more. He gestured to their seats they had so abruptly left and they sat once more.

"I do not believe you were fighting, despite what I have been told." He said calmly, sitting opposite them in his large chair, "I do however, believe you both could have seriously harmed well –dare I say, not one another, but perhaps another in the room."
Sirius and Bellatrix said nothing, but listened as Dumbledore continued, "I have seen you both duel on separate occasions and I must say, if that is how you duel apart, I can't imagine how you must duel against one another."
Bellatrix took a sideways glance at Sirius, who she noticed was grinning just a little, though he wasn't looking at her.

Dumbledore nodded, pausing for a moment to watch them both carefully, "You both have incredible potential to become perhaps auras or something similar. The Ministry would be incredibly proud to have two people like yourselves working in some of their more specialised services. It's a shame that potential was disregarded at a young age."
"The Ministry?" Bellatrix asked, scoffing again and rolling her eyes, "Why in Merlin's name would I want to do that?"
Sirius sighed, his cousin was being incredibly difficult, though he couldn't understand why. He remained quiet for a moment.
"How many times more must you be sent to me for duelling when you shouldn't have been? You know, since you both joined the school, I've seen you both in here together for this exact reason over forty times." Dumbledore chuckled.
"So just give us whatever punishment you're going to give us and that'll be it." Bellatrix murmured.
Dumbledore looked at Bellatrix over his half moon spectacles, "No punishment, I simply wished to fulfil my curiosities. And I think your professor has already issued detention."
Both cousins gave almost exactly the same look to the Headmaster, who smiled and continued, "Off you go, Miss Black. I wish to talk to Mr Black alone for a moment."

Bellatrix was quick to leave.

"Sirius I must say, I do not normally ask my students for favours." Dumbledore said.
Sirius nodded, "what is it Sir?"
"I've received word from Madam Rosmerta that there is a student out of bounds late at night in Hogsmeade, who often apparates in and out of the Hog's Head."
Sirius looked at Dumbledore blankly for a moment, "And you want me to..."
"I believe it is Bellatrix. All I ask is that you talk to her, perhaps even follow her. I'm fully aware you know how to apparate. I know you are no longer very close, but you have a common respect for one another –perhaps there is still a type of love there for one another."
"Not from her." He said flatly.
Dumbledore looked at Sirius over his glasses, "There is nothing to be ashamed of. Perhaps I'm wrong. I suppose I should find out for myself."
"No- I... Well I don't mind." Sirius said suddenly.
"Very good. That is all, off you go my boy." He said calmly, standing once more. Sirius nodded and stood to leave.

As he got to the stairs, Dumbledore said suddenly, "You know, for someone who does not love another to risk their lives for them, as I can only imagine it would have been for Bellatrix should her parents have found out that you were staying with her, that's awfully kind. And you'll have to pardon me for saying this, but Bellatrix doesn't seem so kind to do that for someone she does not deeply care for."
Sirius said nothing but turned to look at the headmaster for a moment. He smiled a little and nodded, "she's nice when she wants to be."
"Perhaps. But 'being nice' isn't something the Black's are known for, everyone knows this fact. Blood is thicker than water, don't forget that."