DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, yada, yada, yada…

A/N: Good news! My exams are over, which means no more 3-4 months wait between chapters! Hope you readers like that!

This chapter begins with a recap from chapter 26 in order to refresh all the readers' memory.

Chapter 29.

There it was, that sense of déjà vu again. Bellatrix watched as the seal shrunk and twisted in its place, withering and slowly turning black as if burnt. Bellatrix practically wrenched off the seal from the envelope, watched by a wide-eyed Andromeda. With a rapidly increasing heartbeat, she slipped out another piece of parchment from it. Just remembering to conceal it from Andromeda, Bellatrix read the two lines it contained:

Bellatrix,

I want to meet you. One month from now. You know how to contact me.

The sender's name was not written. It was simply not necessary. Bellatrix knew who had sent her the letter the moment she had seen the blood-red seal.

Delphine Black had entered her life again.

A lone, shadowy figure was walking through the green-carpeted Hogwarts grounds, silhouetted against the brilliant orange sunset sky. Apparently indifferent to all seeing eyes, the figure made its way to the fringes of the Forbidden Forest, the towering trees standing guard to all trespassers. Within moments, the figure disappeared within the shelter of the grey woods.

Dry autumn leaves crackled in the silence, as booted feet crunched over them. They were further swept away by a long, black cloak, trailing over the ground. Although it was yet light, a slight murmur of a nocturnal bird could be heard now and then. As the figure walked forwards at a steady pace, only pausing to wave aside thorns and brambles, the lofty grey pines started dwindling, growing more and more scattered. Finally, the figure emerged into a familiar clearing, an erstwhile forest glade, carpeted by autumn leaves and surrounded by pine trees. The figure was not alone.

'You came.' Delphine's blue-green eyes gleamed in the sunset-orange light. Her robed figure was leaning against a tall elm. 'Not that I doubted you, but still.'

Bellatrix took a step forwards, her straight black hair shadowing her strong face. 'You know what I'm going to ask. So, speak.'

That ever-inexplicable smile lingered around Delphine's lips. She ran a long finger through a dark chocolate lock, curling out at the edges. 'Speak what?'

Bellatrix's jaw tightened. 'I don't have the patience to deal with you the entire night. So, say why you wanted to meet me, or I am going up to the castle. Right now.'

Delphine smiled again. 'No matter how many times I say it, I can simply never get over the surprise of how older you sound than your actual age. Twelve, right?'

'If you're done with your chit-chatting, I'm leaving.' Bellatrix had almost turned and walked straight out of the clearing, when she saw Delphine straighten up from her leaning position against the tree. Delphine walked forwards, her posture denoting seriousness. 'I have a proposition for you.'

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed. 'I'm listening.'

'I know what it is you are having trouble with.' Delphine fixed her gaze on Bellatrix's face. 'And I'm offering to help you.'

'To help me do what?' Bellatrix matched Delphine's gaze.

'I'm offering to train you. Spells, jinxes, curses, whatever you like. Even….' Delphine paused. 'Even the Dark Arts.'

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed further, if that was even possible. Her gaze turned slightly mistrustful. 'And why….would you…..offer to do such a thing?'

Delphine walked around the clearing, 'Because…..because I want to.'

'That's not a good enough answer.' Bellatrix continued to watch Delphine distrustfully.

Delphine took in a breath. 'Well…since you're obviously not going to be convinced by any unselfish motive, let's just say that I have my reasons. And my benefits.'

'And those are?' Bellatrix was not going to let go of those answers so quickly.

Delphine turned her sea-green eyes back to Bellatrix. 'I'll be training you with a future assurance that you are not going to go against me in any time in the possible future.'

'And?'

Delphine smiled. 'You're hard to get past for a twelve-year old. And…I might just expect you to….help me in a few activities of my own, when you're older. If you understand what I'm referring to.'

Bellatrix's eyes lingered on the sleeve of Delphine's left arm, well aware of the mark of death imprinted there. 'I understand perfectly well.'

I understand, but not perfectly. If Delphine really is training me so that I'll join the Death Eaters in the future, then what's the need? I'm a Black, of course I'll join the Dark Lord, it's a given. Or perhaps I'm to be trained so that I'll be an accomplished servant? But then, why only me? I've done nothing significant to attract the Dark Lord's attention, I'm a mere Hogwarts student in this world. Or perhaps, this is all for Mother. She doubts my intentions of joining the Dark…..but only because I'm in Gryffindor? No…something is not fitting into the picture. But what?

'No.'

Delphine tilted her head, 'I'm sorry?'

'No. You offered me a proposition, I'm declining it.' Bellatrix turned around and started walking out of the glade.

'Bellatrix.' Delphine's clear voice rang in the still, silent glade. 'Wait.'

Bellatrix turned her head. 'Why? You've said what you wanted to, I refused. Chapter over.'

'Not yet.' Delphine, defying all of Bellatrix's reason or logic, was smiling again. 'I don't doubt your talent and ability to train yourself, but I can help you become versatile in a range of spells. Perhaps even….' Delphine permitted a slight hint of a smirk into her smile. 'The art of the Animagus.'

Bellatrix paused. She turned completely round, looking at Delphine with guarded eyes. Delphine answered her unasked question, 'Intelligent guesswork. Aided by the book I glimpsed in your shelf on my last Christmas visit.'

'No.' Bellatrix turned to walk out of the clearing. Drawing her cloak firmer around herself, her boots crunched once more through the red-yellow leaves. Yet even through the sound of the leaves, her sharp ears caught a faint whooshing sound in the air. With the help of her sharp reflexes, Bellatrix barely managed to swerve aside, as the faint purple of a Paralyzing Curse brushed past her shoulder and collided with the nearby tree.

'What in the name of Me-' Bellatrix hardly had the time to let out an exclamation, as Delphine shot another curse at her. Bellatrix sidestepped this as well, her wand already in her hand. Before a shield spell could come to her lips, three jets of yellowish-green light were already making their way towards her. Impossible to sidestep all, Bellatrix ducked and rolled sideways, only to find a lilac jet of light two inches away from her face.

'You duel well. Or dodge well rather.' Delphine commented, as her lilac jet was batted away like a fly by Bellatrix's wand. 'Are you going to start cursing already, or am I only to witness the different remarkable ways by which Bellatrix Black can jump and twist?'

Delphine's last remark was accompanied by a volley of jinxes and curses. It was miracle really, more to Bellatrix herself, for she circumnavigated the web of hexes easily, as if weaving a path between jets of light. Bellatrix raised her wand, her wand glowing fiercely at the tip and shot out an intense shaft of black, rocketing a second later towards Delphine's face at mind-boggling speed.

You're right. Defense doesn't suit me. But on another note, I haven't moved like this in all my two years of practicing in this body. Strange.

Delphine's wand was half-raised to parry the curse, yet she seemed to change her mind at the last minute, and stepped aside. The intense black jet impacted with the trunk of a pine behind her and combusted, leaving a large, smoking hole in the ancient wood. Delphine inspected it with her eye, 'You know, I wouldn't advise you to put such power into your spells at point blank range. Waste of energy.'

Bellatrix's wand slashed through the air as a blinding flash of crimson travelled towards Delphine. Delphine thrust her wand forwards into the wave of red and the impact throbbed through the air, as shards of crimson practically crumpled to the floor. Delphine twirled her wand, 'Or maybe not. If I try to parry or shield, you sap an equal amount of my energy as well. Hmmm. Selicadum vuoris.'

What?

Bellatrix watched warily as a forceful shaft of deep silver shot out of Delphine's wand, and then spread itself out like a wave, bearing towards Bellatrix with a fixed intent. Like a flood of mercury, it surged in Bellatrix's direction from all possible directions.

Can't dodge. Should not parry. Don't want to take the risk of shielding. Now what?

Delphine watched as the torrent of molten silver practically washed over Bellatrix, cloaking her from sight. Her perennial smile gracing her lips, Delphine slowly made her way towards that direction, where the silver had molded itself into Bellatrix's form, creating a solid statuesque figure. There was faint struggling underneath the mould, and then silence. Delphine's smile grew more prominent, as she approached the silver figure almost lazily, in no hurry whatsoever. On reaching, she raised her long wand and swirled it over the air, silver sparks falling from its tip. Like a wave of water, the liquid silver rose as if attracted by the wand tip, and with a short wave of the wand, splashed on the ground.

There was no one there.

'Looking for me?'

Delphine turned around swiftly, a green spell shooting out of her wand. Bellatrix tilted her head, the flash of green skimming over the tip of her ear, her wand inches away from Delphine's throat. A second later, Delphine's wand clattered to the ground.

The answer was: Apparate. I quite forgot I was at the Hogwarts borders.

'Aw.' Bellatrix relapsed into the mock baby tone she loved. 'Delphine undewestimated teeny-weeny Bellatrix. And now, she's wegwetting it. Choo chad.' And then with a broader smirk. 'Don't ever underestimate others. Or rather, me.'

Moments later, a green jet of light collided with Bellatrix's back, sending her crumpling to the floor. She looked up to see Delphine standing over her, her smile gracing her lips. 'Practice what you preach.'

A white-hot wave of fury rushed over Bellatrix, and the tip of her wand glowed black.

'Cru-' Bellatrix caught herself just in time. Delphine had a strange look on her face, and for the first time, the smile on her face dimmed a bit. She was looking rather intently at Bellatrix, or more specifically, at her eyes.

Calm down. Calm down. CALM DOWN.

Bellatrix's wand fell on the ground. Delphine continued watching her intently, but Bellatrix averted her eyes, however, one word dropped from her mouth, 'How?'

'Added a few modifications to make the spell ricochet off anything, except human skin.' Delphine spoke matter-of-factly. Then she paused, 'So? You agree to my offer?'

Calm down. Think rationally. Delphine duels…well, but if I was in my original body, I could have her down on her knees. Even now, the Cruciatus nearly escaped me. I can do this myself.

'But you know, I'm surprised that one of the best people I've ever dueled against is a twelve-year old.' Delphine commented. 'You nearly caught me off-guard back there. You could be much better with a wider knowledge of spells though.'

True. I can only learn what my memory can teach me. I had decided to be well-versed in all fields but…

'I only say one last thing. The way you moved during the duel, it was like you were…' for the first time since Bellatrix had met Delphine, she had seen Delphine actually searching for a word.

Possessed. The spirit of blood and battle possessed me and made me relapse to Bellatrix Lestrange again. This is happening way too often, for my own good. The Quidditch incident, the Bludger….. but if these fights and my anger, can make me come back to me original skills then…

'Only on one condition.' Bellatrix spoke steadily. She got up from the ground and faced Delphine, 'You will not teach me anything related to the Dark Arts. Anything.'

Delphine regarded Bellatrix, 'I thought the thing you would be most tempted to learn would be the Dark Arts.'

There is no way in hell that you won't discover that I'm not what I appear to be if you start teaching me the Dark Arts. Like I even need it.

'You will not teach me the Dark Arts.' Bellatrix repeated. She turned her back, 'I suppose I won't be at the receiving end of any more 'surprise' spells?'

Delphine placed a finger on her chin, as if considering the question, 'You suppose right. Anyway, I have to get going for another meeting.'

Without even acknowledging the remark, Bellatrix walked out of the clearing, her long black cloak sweeping the leaves on the ground. The sun was at the horizon, and its last few rays glinted off the silver fastenings of her robe. Bellatrix drew her cloak closer around herself.

I did not agree in order to receive help for spells and Animagus training. I did it in order to know why you offered it in the first place. Delphinus Black, I'm going to find your motives once and for all.

Meanwhile, Delphine continued leaning against the tall elm tree, waiting in the clearing. The sun set, the vast orange sky giving way to the deep indigo-black expanse of the night. The trees began to wave in the night breeze, their tall tops bending back and forth. The stars appeared in the black sky as tiny pinpricks of light, tiny jewels sparkling in the dark.

Then, what appeared to be a faint sound, carried on the autumn wind, penetrated Delphine's ears. She straightened up and looked in the direction of the perhaps imagined sound. The sounds came back, stronger and clearer in their character. They were footsteps, slow but steady, treading in the direction of the clearing. Delphine's hand lightly rested along the length of her wand, concealed in the sleeve of her robe. Mere moments later, the sound of someone pushing through the forest undergrowth, came in her direction.

The figure stepped into the clearing, clad in black robes, silhouetted against the silver light of the moon. The figure was fairly tall, moderately built, and his, or her, features were indistinct in the forest darkness. The moonlight glinted off the fastenings of the figure's robes. Hogwarts's student robes.

In spite of the insufficient moonlight, Delphine seemed to have no doubt about the identity of the figure. She leaned back on the tree, her voice light and clear, 'Do you have any idea of how long I've been waiting for you?'

Bellatrix collapsed into the soft, comfy armchair in front of the fire, in the Gryffindor common room. She leaned back, resting her head on the top of the armchair. It had been a long day. Added to that, Delphine's strange behaviour was pricking at the back of her head.

This is all so confusing…

'Lost in thought?'

Bellatrix inclined her head to see Remus's familiar face. She went back to leaning and closed her eyes. 'Bug off, Lupin. Irritate your friends.'

Remus smiled, 'That is exactly what I'm doing.'

Bellatrix cracked open one eye, 'Fine. Your other friends.'

'One of them is in the Hospital wing, courtesy of you.' Remus settled into the armchair next to her. 'The other is at the Gryffindor team's first Quidditch practice. Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be there right now?'

Bellatrix's jaw tightened. 'Two hours, surrounded by broom-crazy Gryffindorks. How delightful.'

Remus looked at his wristwatch, 'Technically, one and half hours. You're already thirty minutes late.'

Bellatrix settled back further in the armchair. 'Good. They can fend for themselves.'

'Bellatrix, you're getting a chance to make the Gryffindor team lose horribly in Quidditch. Besides… ' Remus paused significantly. 'Black will be there. Have to better relationships with your cousin, right?'

Bellatrix stopped midway as she was getting out of the armchair, looking questioningly at him. It seemed like a sarcastic statement, but Remus had a I-know-what-you're-up-to smile on his face.

Noticing Bellatrix's questioning stare, a hint of a smirk entered the smile on Remus's face. 'What? You really think I didn't realize why you agreed to join the Gryffindor Quidditch team? I'm not that stupid, I'll have you know.'

Bellatrix waved her hand. A dark brown Nimbus descended down the steps of the Gryffindor girls' dorm, travelling straight into Bellatrix's outstretched hand. She turned back to Remus, who looked completely unsurprised at this casual display of wandless magic. 'Do you know why I'm doing it?'

Remus's face grew serious. 'It's a riddle I've been trying to solve ever since you agreed to befriend me.'

'Then let it remain a riddle.' With that, Bellatrix walked out of the portrait hole of the common room.

Elladan scrunched up his face. 'This is not going good. At all.'

The Gryffindor keeper grinned back at him. 'Stop frowning like that. You don't want to spoil your pretty face, right?'

Elladan glowered at him. 'Kev, shut up. Now.'

The Quidditch pitch had been lit up with floodlights, running on magic of course. Though it was still light, the Captain did not want to risk any accidents. Added to that, more than half of the Quidditch team had been filled up with newbies. True, one Chaser selected had been a seventh year, and trying out every year, but the Beaters who generally were supposed to be buffed up and muscular, were mere second years. And one of them was a girl. But, Elladan thought with a smile, the female second-year Beater was equal to ten buffed up professionals. But the main cause of worry right now, was the new female Chaser recruit.

But Elladan refused to think pessimistic thoughts, and strove to find the silver lining in the cloud. He turned to the Keeper again, 'Kev, she's not that bad, right? I mean, she's definitely…..um….quite….' Elladan struggled to find a compliment. 'Uh…focused.'

Kevin grinned again. 'Oh yeah. She's focused on your face, alright.'

Elladan and Kevin were floating a few inches above the ground, at the side of the Quidditch pitch, watching the new Chaser recruits. The seventh-year was great. Maybe he wasn't the best at shooting, but looking at his size and build, one could definitely tell that he would be good at tackling. The fourth-year, Cornelia Desmond, on the other hand, was supposed to be in front, taking the shot. However, that was a bit difficult to do when one was staring dreamily at the Quidditch Captain.

Elladan grasped his head in his hands, 'Forget it. It's hopeless.'

Kevin found his grin fading away. 'Hey, c'mon man! Remember why you selected her? She had a deadly aim!'

Elladan pinched the bridge of his nose. 'Only when she actually looks at the hoops.'

All of a sudden, his pale gold eyes diverted to something, or rather someone, behind Kevin. Kevin turned his head behind to look, and saw an ebony-haired, onyx-eyed girl enter the Quidditch Pitch, her broom floating lazily behind her. Kevin glanced at the worn-out watch on his hand and frowned, 'It's been an hour already. And it's the first practice. Elladan, I don't think her being on the team is a good idea.'

Elladan however, didn't speak a word. He simply leaped down from his hovering broomstick, and walked towards Bellatrix at a steady pace. Behind him, one of the figures flying in the air stalled for a minute and continued to watch them. Even from such a distance, Sirius Black's glaring eyes could not be mistaken.

Bellatrix watched as the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain approached her. She looked at him nonchalantly, 'Problem, Duck?

The Captain surveyed her calmly, 'Duke. Elladan Duke. You can refer to me as Captain.'

Bellatrix raised an eyebrow, 'Good at managing your anger, huh? Quite unlike a Gryffindork.'

Elladan's mouth curved up, 'Not something I can say for you, I'm afraid.'

Bellatrix's eyes flashed, 'So….Captain,' her voice dripping with undisguised contempt, 'What is to be my punishment for coming late?'

'Kick her off the team.' Sirius had just dismounted from his broom next to Elladan, and was now scowling at Bellatrix fiercely. 'That's what she deserves.'

Trust me, my dear little cousin, if it wasn't for my mission, I would have been way too happy to leave.

'I'm afraid it's for me to decide what my team-mates deserve or not, Black.' Elladan's voice still sounded calm. He regarded Bellatrix with clear gold eyes, 'And your cousin here happens to be extremely good at her position.'

Sirius was undaunted. He turned towards Elladan, his voice taking on a demanding tone, 'When the hell did she take part in the tryouts anyway?'

'Watch that tone, Black.' Elladan remained unruffled. 'Don't forget, that this is your first practice and I am the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. I can as easily kick you out from the team as her.' Elladan turned back to Bellatrix. 'I thought that since the two of you were family members, you could work together easily and make a good pair.'

Bellatrix gave a derisive snort. 'Work together? In your own deluded world, Captain.' Bellatrix looked at Sirius with a cold smirk. 'However, I can adjust if needed, but my cousin doesn't seem very inclined to cooperate.'

'I have a simple solution to that.' Elladan turned and walked to the side of the pitch, where a wooden crate was kept. Moments later, a ball pulsing with purplish light was released into the evening air. Elladan returned back to where Sirius and Bellatrix were standing, and tossed two Beaters bats towards them. Both caught it with ease, but Sirius remained scowling and Bellatrix looked at Elladan questioningly. Elladan almost smiled, 'Mount your brooms. Fifteen minutes. The one who manages to hit the other with the Bludger first, stays in the team. The other is kicked out. Clear?'

Sirius coldly looked at Bellatrix, whirling his Beater's bat. 'Crystal.'

Damn. Why in the name of Merlin can't I ever keep my bloody temper in front of my cousin? If I hit him, he's kicked out and even angrier towards me. If I let him hit me, then I have to leave and no more Quidditch practices and excuses of befriending him. Now, what do I do?

A/N: Hope you liked it! And now that I'm going to be updating much sooner, I'm not going to be satisfied with mere favorite and story alerts! I want reviews! Also, I'd love it if all readers could vote on the poll posted in my profile, regarding Bellatrix's animagus form. I'm waiting!