A/N: Thank you very much once again for your lovely reviews! You've no idea how much it means to me!

Chapter 3

Bellatrix woke up late in the morning with a terrible headache. The house was quiet. Rodolphus is not at home she assumed. Rodolphus… and suddenly she recalled everything that had happened the previous night. She groaned with despair and whimpered cursing. Her head was now pounding with pain. She was in an extremely bad mood…

"You were right! He called me!" Rodolphus exclaimed joyfully later on that day as soon as he got back. He rolled up the left sleeve of his cloak to reveal a Dark Mark identical to that of his wife.

"Yeah. Okay." Bellatrix mumbled indifferently and with her back turned to her husband she started walking towards the door of the kitchen. Her headache still persisted.

Rodolphus made some steps to get close to her and opened his arms in an attempt to give her a hug but she had already reached the door and had gotten out of the room.

She hated the fact that after what had happened the previous night Rodolphus thought that she had given him the permission to be affectionate and loving with her. She had totally regretted what she had done but all that distress and frustration… Voldemort… had upset her to the point she had somehow lost control… yeah…Voldemort…Her master…

"You know I was not the only one that was chosen." continued Rodolphus that had followed her to the hallway, in the same delightful manner. "There was also Evan Rosier, Yaxley and Travers. It was like a "group recruitment" and from what I heard that's how he usually does it."

Bellatrix stopped walking and turned her head to Rodolphus with an indecipherable expression. "What do you mean?" she asked calmly and gently rubbed her temples.

"I mean that it's kind of strange that when he turned you into a Death Eater there was no one else there, in the ritual." Rodolphus explained happy that he had somehow drawn his wife's attention. "You know… there were only you and Voldemort…alone… The others thought it was a bit weird as well." he continued "It was like he gave you a… special treatment…"

"Special treatment, huh?" Bellatrix pointed out starring at him blankly. Her headache had miraculously disappeared. She was lost in her thoughts. Voldemort had treated her differently from the rest of his followers. That, certainly, should mean something… At that thought she couldn't help a conceitedsmile.

"Yes. It is strange indeed, don't you think? It must mean that he sees something special in you. And if you ask my opinion, I think that the others were a little jealous. Ha ha! Yeah. He certainly sees something in you. You should be honored!" Rodolphus went on but Bellatrix wouldn't listen.

Once again she was overwhelmed by the same mixed feelings. Excitement and relief, yet insecurity and doubt. Was there a certain reason why Voldemort favored her…? He knew that she was deeply loyal to him and that she would do anything he asked but did this "special treatment" mean that he expected more from her? How should she handle this? That man certainly knows how to play with me and he enjoys it. That's for sure.

"Did he tell you anything out of the ordinary in your meeting? Perhaps something that indicated… why this "special treatment"?" Rodolphus asked impatiently. No reply. Bellatrix was starring with an empty look somewhere at the wall behind him.

"Um… Bella?" he insisted nervously.

"What?" she was jolted back to present. "Ah … Um… no." she replied blinking. Did he? No… not of what Ι can recall. No… he just said he knew he could rely on me…Nothing more…

"Oh ok…" said Rodolphus rather disappointed and quickly changed the subject of discussion in an attempt to keep the conversation going… "I hope you haven't forgotten that today your parents have invited us for dinner…?" he asked with doubt.

"Oh no!" she sighed "…Right. Cissy got back for the Christmas break yesterday…"

A few hours later they were entering the Black Manor where an overexcited Narcissa welcomed themwarmly.

"I'm so happy to see you Bella!" she exclaimed "How are you doing? Good to see you too, Rodolphus!"

A rather young and not so weary house elf bowed low to them and immediately offered to take their cloaks. Both Bellatrix and Rodolphus handed their cloaks to the elf without even looking at it and proceeded to the dining room…

"Isn't sad that Andromeda chose to abandon her family for such a silly reason?" Narcissa stated a few moments later at the dinner table and gave a sad look to an empty chair to her right.

"Each is responsible for his own actions." stated Druella Black. "She made her choice. By dating this mudblood she betrayed her family and must now pay the price. She's a blood traitor and this we cannot forgive unless she truly repents."

"Yeah but still, it's sad that she did that…"said Narcissa in disappointment.

"Speaking of traitors, Narcissa told us that your cousin, Sirius, has been sorted into Gryffindor! Did you know it, Bella?" asked Cygnus. "Imagine it… a member of the Black family in Gryffindor! Something must be wrong with that kid." he added and took a big sip of his drink.

"No, father. I haven't been informed. Walburga and Orion must feel really embarrassed… At least they should be." Bellatrix replied.

"Indeed!" Rodolphus agreed "That's without precedent in your family!"

"Let's hope that little Regulus won't suffer the same fate…" noted Narcissa.

It was time for the desert and an aged house-elf, in a definitely worse condition than the one that welcomed them, entered the dining room trying to balance a giant tray on its hands. After it took some steps it tripped and the tray quaked precariously.

"Be careful you idiot thing!" Druella yelled "If you drop anything I'll make sure you'll regret every second of it!"

"I'm terribly sorry madam." The house elf mumbled in a trembling voice and served the plates starting with Bellatrix and Rodolphus.

"You'd better be!" she retorted. "So… Bella, tell us your news, darling. How are things going?" she continued in a calm tone and set her eyes on her older daughter.

Suddenly, Bellatrix felt a strong twinge in her left arm as if someone had stabbed her and barely managed not to scream.

"Is everything alright, darling?" asked Cygnus nervously having noticed the painful expression his daughter had.

"Um…yes…Could you excuse me for a minute?" she asked and hurried to get out of the room passing by the house-elf with such force that it almost fell to the ground.

She headed to the staircase, went up the black marble steps and entered the first door she found as soon as she got to the upper floor. Narcissa's bedroom. She closed the door behind her and then hitched up her sleeve. Her mark had become darker and she thought she saw the snake in the mouth of the skull moving slightly. Now her arm was burning in the same way it did when Voldemort had pressed it with his finger. She panicked. My master is waiting for me! In that thought she quickly opened the door again, ran down the stairs and got in the dining room without wasting a minute. She leaned against the door frame to take a breath and opened her mouth.

"I'm terribly sorry mother, father" she said turning her head to each of them respectively "but I must leave. Cissy…" but stopped short in the middle of her sentence as she realized there was no time for explanations. Voldemort was waiting for her. For the servant he seemed to trust more than anyone. "…Take care." She added hastily ignoring Rodolphus completely. She left the room, once again, leaving them all shocked and disapparated.