DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.

'Good morning, Regulus.' said Bellatrix. 'Having a good time closeted in Grimmauld Place?'

Regulus shrugged. 'There's hardly anything to do except reading all the books in the Black library and practicing magic.'

Bellatrix raised an eyebrow. 'Practicing magic? I thought you were only ten.'

'Eleven last month. I was supposed to go to school in the same year as you but my eleventh birthday falls after September 1st so I wasn't eligible. Mother insisted on buying me a wand the moment I was eleven. She wants me to be the best at Hogwarts.'

'Looking forward to spending a merry Christmas with your brother?'

'A merry Christmas with my brother?' Regulus laughed. 'Nice joke Bellatrix. The day I have a merry Christmas with my grumpy, moody, arrogant, irritating Gryffindor brother is the day my mother transforms into the sweetest woman alive. Which is quite impossible.'

'Your mother is pretty sweet to you.' remarked Bellatrix. She smirked slightly. 'Anyway, speaking of grumpy Gryffindor siblings, your favourite cousin has been sorted to Gryffindor as well against all expectations. So, you're going to boycott me because I'm a stupid 'Gryffindork' as well?'

'Favourite cousin? Sorted in Gryffindor?' Regulus wrinkled his eyebrows in mock confusion. 'Wait a second, isn't Narcissa in Slytherin?' After receiving a 'look' from Bellatrix, he continued, 'But whichever house the Sorting Hat may have placed you in, I really don't care. This is because whoever thinks that you are anything else except an ambitious, cunning Slytherin, is a brainless fool. And trust me, I'm definitely not a fool.' With those words, Regulus ascended the staircase leading to his room and vanished from sight.

Bellatrix looked at the place where Regulus had been standing, thoughts about the events in her previous life flooding her mind. She could clearly remember: her encouraging a young, overexcited Regulus to join the Death Eaters, the Dark Initiation where Regulus was branded with the Dark Mark, the first Death Eater meeting where an apprehensive Regulus received his first mission from the Dark Lord and an order to bring a house-elf. Bellatrix was also there when the Dark Lord took Regulus and the house-elf to the seaside cave, where the Dark Lord had hidden a precious object and he wanted to test its defences. She saw the house-elf writhing and shrieking in front of her eyes while she watched in amusement. She was there when Regulus broke down on his first mission, unable to commit the cold murder of a fellow classmate. She argued passionately over his loyalties, resulting in him deserting the Death Eaters. She personally requested the Dark Lord that she be the one to kill Regulus for his betrayal to the cause and the Dark Lord granted her wish. She remembered interrogating the Black family house-elf but came to know nothing except the fact that Regulus was researching about the Dark Lord's past. And she finally heard the news that Regulus had been missing for several days and that the date of his death had appeared on the magical Black family tapestry. But no one ever knew how he really died and his body was never found.

Should I let him join again? Or will he betray us as he did last time? Well, I have many years to make that decision so I suppose this issue is not worth worrying about.

Lost in thought, Bellatrix wandered up the staircase. Unmindful of where she was going, she bumped into someone. She raised her head to see Andromeda's annoyed face.

'Watch out Andy. If you sport that scowl too often, it might get stuck on your face forever. Not that it wouldn't be an improvement.' With that tiny jab, Bellatrix left her red-with-anger sister and ascended the stairs towards her room.

'Bellatrix, wait.' Bellatrix paused and turned around to see her sister's now-composed face. 'I want to warn you.'

'Warn me?' Bellatrix's curiosity was aroused. 'Warn me about what?'

'Watch where you keep your step, especially with Mother. Despite you getting sorted into Gryffindor,' Andromeda said this in a displeased note, 'You're still her favorite and she has 'plans' for you, especially when you graduate from Hogwarts. You know better than anyone that it's not good to get on her bad side. If you disobey her wishes, especially regarding her ambitions concerning you, the consequences could be very bad. Do you understand? She will not hesitate to disown you from the Black family, and that is the least she will do. The least. She's not going to care that you're her daughter, especially if you prove to be a barrier to her goals. '

Bellatrix regarded her sister carefully. Finally, she said with a slight smirk, 'Good to know that you care soooo much for your sister, inspite of our……..differences in opinion. Anyway, please don't worry. You're forgetting that I'm the daughter of the very woman you're talking of. Anyway, what makes you think I'm going to go against Mother's wishes?'

Andromeda's face became irate at Bellatrix's sarcastic tone, 'Just for your information Bellatrix, I am saying this because I don't want you crying all over the place when Mother deals with you, it would be plain annoying. But it's my mistake for thinking that you might just have some good hidden inside you, just because you were sorted in Gryffindor. I should've known that you would never choose the correct thing to do, after all you've been like this ever since you were born. Good day to you, Bellatrix.' saying so, Andromeda walked off.

Bellatrix was slightly confused. Andromeda definitely hated her, but her warning made Bellatrix think if she really cared. Bellatrix knew that it was not because of her crying as Andromeda had posed it, Bellatrix was the last person in the universe who would cry over something and Andromeda knew it. Then why?

Looks like these Gryffindors do put a lot in store in family relationships, even though they hate their family like hell. Weird.

Bellatrix was sitting in the drawing room where all the Black children had been called by Walburga. Clearly, most of the ones present were not at all pleased as all the Black children tried the best they could to avoid one another completely. Sirius was a prominent example as his dark face glowered in anger to be in the same room with his least favorite people in the world, with his mother topping the list.

'Now, the Zabinis are coming for dinner and I want no one, absolutely no one creating a disturbance.' said Walburga in her usual sharp, displeased tone, with her gaze lingering on Sirius. Sirius stared defiantly back at her. 'Make sure you are dressed properly. I do not want anyone wearing filthy Muggle clothing. Is that clear Sirius?' She was glaring at Sirius who was dressed in a casual T-shirt and jeans. 'Get those awful clothes off instantly.'

'It's my wish what I wear.' said Sirius coldly.

'No, it isn't. It is my wish. Do you get me?' said Walburga in a tone that left no room for objections. Sirius kept quiet albeit reluctantly. 'The Zabinis are a prominent pureblood family with wealthy connections. The Black family and the Zabinis have been allies for decades. I don't want anyone speaking disrespectfully to them. Especially you Sirius.' Walburga's voice became sharper on taking the name of her least favorite son.

'As long as they're not disrespectful to me and don't speak of pureblood nonsense, I don't see what's wrong.' replied Sirius with a tinge of impudence in his voice.

'If you know what's good for you, keep your insolence in check and be nothing but polite to the Zabinis.' said Walburga piercingly. 'Otherwise………I will deal with you later.'

Sirius relapsed into a rebellious silence. Walburga left the room, casting a dark look at Sirius as she swept out of the room.

'Look at it this way, Sirius,' said Andromeda after her departure, 'You'll get to practice your pranking skills on the Zabinis as much as you want. Especially,' she paused with a smirk, 'Saphiyonca.'

A smirk spread over Sirius's face. However, no one could hear what he was going to say as a soft knock on the main mahogany door echoed through the house. The Zabinis had arrived.

******************************************************************Dressed in formal robes, the Zabinis were seated at the Black dining table. Darius was discussing an important political deal to be settled between the French and British Ministry with Lord Zabini. Orion was listening quietly to the discussion, adding his own viewpoint now and then. Snippets of polite conversation could be heard between Cassiopeia and Antonia Zabini. Walburga as per custom was scowling and poking the veal on her platter vigorously.

'Araminta is using all her influences to push the bill past the Ministry.' said Cassiopeia. 'Half of the Wizengamot members are already in the bag. But Dumbledore and some of his strongest supporters such as Thomas Potter are proving to be a problem. Spouting nonsense such as peacefully co-existing with Muggles.'

'So is it true that Madam Meliflua is trying to pass a bill to make Muggle-hunting legal?'

'Correct.' said Cassiopeia. 'But Dumbledore is dead against it. Honestly, how the man managed to get such a high post in the Wizengamot despite his ideals is beyond me. He is powerful, not to mention manipulating, but all his followers seem to regard him as god, especially after his defeat of Grindelwald. His supporters are even planning to elect him as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. However, I have pulled a few strings here and there to make sure that doesn't happen. But inspite of my unrelenting stance against this, if Dumbledore does get elected, there will be difficulty in passing the bills we want passed, and delaying the ones that can prove to be a hindrance, the Muggleborn Rights Act being a prime example.'

'But are you supporting Madam Meliflua's legalization of Muggle-hunting? In public?' questioned Lord Zabini.

'Personally, I'm all for it.' said Cassiopeia. 'We severely need to clean out the filth that has accumulated in the society. However, it would be foolishness to declare such a stance. I'm going for a diplomatic approach on the whole. If Araminta wants to pass this bill, she will have to do so without the assistance of the Black connections.'

All of a sudden, a chair creaked as Sirius stood up, ready to leave the room the second he finished his dinner. Everyone looked at him with surprise, except Walburga who looked like she was going to swallow his head whole.

'Sirius, have you forgotten your manners?' hissed Walburga. 'Sit down at this instant and don't you dare get up from your chair unless everybody is done.'

Ignoring the voice of his mother, Sirius walked out of the room without sending a single glance at its occupants. It looked like Walburga was going to stand up and drag him back into the room, screaming at him for his impudence when Orion interrupted her.

'I think it's a good idea. Let the children go, we need to discuss a lot of important matters in the first place and its best if they're not here.' Orion said pointedly. Taking the hint, Bellatrix was the first to leave followed by Andromeda, Narcissa and Regulus. Andromeda walked straight back upstairs.

'Bellatrix, Narcissa, wait.' a soft, high-pitched voice called out to her. Bellatrix turned to see Marissa Zabini smiling at her. Its good to see you both after so long.'

Narcissa and Bellatrix exchanged a glance. Both were thinking the same thing. Marissa was a cute, adorable toddler when she was small, a pretty child when she was seven, and now at eleven, she was gorgeous. Silky, ebony-black hair with long curls, clear cerulean blue eyes, creamish-brown complexion and a dazzling smile, even eleven-yr old guys who are totally NOT interested in girls couldn't deny that she was beautiful. But unfortunately, Marissa was the best example one could find on all looks, no substance. She did not have a single ounce of wit or intelligence, but she had sudden flashes of cunning at times which was why she was sorted into Slytherin.

'Problem?' Bellatrix asked in a clipped tone. She did not like Marissa. Though Marissa couldn't really be blamed as from all the people Bellatrix knew, she liked only 0.5% of them and out of that, there was often an external motive behind the liking.

'I was wondering if you could……' began Marissa in a sweet tone but Bellatrix interrupted her in between, 'Whatever you were wondering, I don't really care so don't bother saying anything.' Bellatrix turned away and Marissa looked at her with a hurt expression.

Idiotic airhead.

'Fine then, Narcissa, I'm sure your behavior will be much better than your sister.' said Marissa crossly. 'So, what I was saying was……..'

Before hearing Marissa complete her sentence, Bellatrix walked up the staircase. As she went higher, she heard whispering from the second level:

'It's almost ready…..'

'Is she down? I can hear her voice….'

'Oh, she's not going to know what's hit her!'

'I hope she goes running to her Mommy and Daddy….Can you imagine the looks on their faces!'

'Nothing compared to Aunt Walburga's! She's gonna have a blue fit!'

'She'll be red as a tomato! She'll probably lock me up in my room for good, but anyway, it'll be worth it!'

Bellatrix saw Sirius and Andromeda huddled up together, whispering about something excitedly and occasionally peeping down the stairs. However, when they caught sight of Bellatrix, their expressions morphed into similar scowls.

'What are you doing here Bellatrix?' asked Sirius with narrowed eyes. 'If you've heard what we said, then go and tell mother. I don't care.'

'I'm not faintly interested in what you plan to do, dear cousin. As long as you stay out of my way, I'm not bothered in the least.' said Bellatrix with a pleasant smile. She walked up to her room, leaving a slightly surprised Sirius and Andromeda behind her.

Meanwhile, Narcissa was getting thoroughly bored by Marissa's 'important' conversation. It had been only ten minutes but it felt like at least an hour to her but Marissa kept going on and on….blah, blah, blah….

'So I told her that I couldn't do it, but is she going to listen? No! And then….' said Marissa, enjoying this conversation a lot, especially because she was talking and Narcissa was listening. Oh, how she loved hearing the sound of her voice; low, melodious….

'Wait a second, what's that sound?' said Narcissa, interrupting her. Marissa unaware of any sound but that of her own voice, kept on talking but Narcissa raised a hand, motioning for her to be quiet.

'What's wrong?' asked Marissa with an irritated expression. She hated being interrupted.

'I thought I heard something creaking.' said Narcissa, straining her ears to hear the sound.

'It was nothing.' said Marissa dismissively. 'Now, as I was saying…..' But suddenly, a loud creaking sound echoed through the hallway. Even Marissa didn't miss it. She looked up to see a bucket full of thick, black, frothy sludge suspended in mid-air. She watched it turn gradually upside-down and saw its contents falling towards her as the sound of someone's laughter reached her ears.

'AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!'

The Zabinis and the Black adults heard a high-pitched scream that threatened to burst their eardrums. They rushed into the hallway outside the dining room to see a girl's figure that looked like she had just jumped into a deep, muddy swamp, dripping muck on the exquisite Persian carpet, her features unrecognizable by the large quantity of stinking mud that covered her from head to toe. Narcissa was standing by her side with a gaping mouth, bewildered by the recent course of events and a few drops of mud staining her robes. Sirius and Andromeda were rolling on the ground with laughter, unable to say a word due to lack of breath. They clutched their stomachs in pain, their mirth getting the better of them. And Bellatrix's face peeped down from the third floor, her face clearly showing her amusement and approval for the prank.

'SIRIUS ORION BLACK!!!!!!'

A/N: Sorry for the extremely late update, I had a lot of work to catch up on and school was giving me no time. Three guesses on who yelled the last line.