Chapter 8

Diagon Alley was bustling with teenagers and harried-looking parents. As it was the last week of- July there was little over a month to go till the start of a new year at Hogwarts.

Augusta Longbottom eyed the shoppers with some distaste as she hurried through the bustling crowd.

She spotted Bellatrix Black sitting at a small table outside a dingy cafe and hurried over. She was anxious to find out why Bellatrix has asked to meet her. It had sounded urgent.

"Miss Black... I got here as soon as I could... it sounded urgent..." she said hurriedly, her voice unusually anxious. "It is..." Bella said somberly, folding her hands daintlily in the lap of simple, elegant midnight-blue dress.

Augusta sat down in the chair beside her, face drawn and worried. "What is it?" she asked firmly. "It's Alice..." Bella said reluctantly. "Alice?" Augusta said, voice going up half an octave in surprise and dread. "I have reason to believe..." Bella said in a slow serious voice. "That Alice... is involved... with her music teacher."

A horrified look spread over Augusta's face. It couldn't be more obvious that she thought Frank was not good enough for her daughter. He was neither wealthy nor pure blood... unlike Rodolphus Lestrange. And Augusta Longbottom had her heart set on her only daughter marrying the handsome Frenchman. In fact the two families were in negotiations for Alice to marry Rodolphus. Any hint of a scandal... any rumor that Alice was not longer a virgin... and her marriage prospects would be forever damaged. No eligible, wealthy, pureblood would wants a wife who was damaged goods.

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice pleading Bella to tell her it wasn't true. "Yes" Bella said smugly, a rather nasty smile playing around the corners of her mouth that went noticed by the distraught Augusta. "He writes her love letters... she hides them in her jewelery box." Augusta's attempted an amused smile but what actually formed on her face resembled a lemon-sucking grimace.

"Thank you for telling me this" she said through gritted teeth. "Your'e very welcome. I fought with myself over whether or not to tell you... but I decided I had to do what was best for Alice! Something like this could tarnish not only her reputation... but her marriage prospects!" Bella said earnestly.

"I am most grateful for your concern" said Augusta warmly.

Alice's pale pretty face was tear-stained as it appeared in the Dark Mirror. "B...b...Bella?" she sniffed. Bella arranged her features in a look of concern as she looked at the tearful girl.

"Alice... I heard what happened..." she started to say. Alice's face crumpled, fresh tears starting to roll down her cheeks. "I c... c...can't believe m..my own Moth...er would do that. She s...said I c..c..could never see him a..gain" she wailed. Bella almost pitied the sobbing girl. But that tiny shred of pity wouldn't stop her destroying her.

"Alice" she said firmly. "Stop crying" she continued. Alice merely sobbed harder, her sniffs punctuated by incomprehensible gibberish. "Stop crying" Bella said a bit louder, irritation crossing her delicate features. The crying decreased in volume but still persisted. "Alice!" she snapped in almost a yell. The girl immediately stopped crying, her face looking rather shocked.

"Now... are you done?" Bella asked in a no nonsense tone. Alice nodded mutely."Good. You want me to help you don't you?" she said in a warm but patronizing tone. Alice nodded again, hope clearly showing on her sweet... innocent... trusting face.

"I expect your mother is monitoring all owl post in and out of the house now..." she continued. "Yes" Alice said petulantly. "But you are still allowed to visit me aren't you?" she asked. "Uh huh" Alice said in a slightly more cheerful tone. "All right... so this is what we are going to do...' Bella said briskly. "You can write letters to Frank here and we... my cousin and I... will post them for you. And if you ask your... suitor to direct his letters to us we can pass them on to you.

"You would do that for me?" Alice said... a sickening amount of gratitude in her voice. 'Oh god please tell me she isn't going to cry again...' thought Bella. "Now. Cheer up. Make your mother think you have forgotten all about Frank... and Sirius will call you on the mirror when he has a letter for you.'

"Thank you so much" gushed Alice. "You're welcome" purred Bella, a smirk spreading over her face as she turned off the mirror.

It was sunny afternoon at the Black Mansion.

Bella was draped over the arm of a chair, Sirius sitting next to her. Both of them were wearing smug, self-satisfied expressions as they watch Frank Longbottom read Alice's 1st letter.

His long brown hair fell in his face, partially obscuring his dazed, happy expression. "She loves me... I knew she loved me..." he said happily, looking up from the paper and beaming at the two cousins on the house. They exchanged glances of wicked amusement they went unnoticed by Frank.

The happy expression wavered... a thoughtful look on his face. "Why are you helping us?" he asked, a trace of skepticism in his voice. Bella got to her feet, flashing him the smile that had dazzled many men over the years. "Because Alice is our friend..." she purred, sliding an arm around his shoulders, bending down so her lips were by his ear... and he got an excellent veiw down the front of her top. "And I want her to be happy. Surely... a man like you... knows how to keep a woman happy..." she said in a low, husky voice.

Sirius cleared his throat loudly behind her, an irritated look on his face. Frank tore his eyes away from Bella's cleavage with a sheepish look. She turned around, tossing Sirius a wicked, smug, taunting grin. He gave her a look that was half lust, half contempt. Frank meanwhile was looking at his boots... clearly embarrassed at being caught leering.

Bella slid into the seat beside Sirius, still looking pleased with herself. He draped his arm over the back of the seat behind her, eyes narrowing at Frank. He smoothed his expression into something more pleasant as Frank looked up. "Would you like to write a letter now?" Bella asked sweetly.

"Yes... thank you!" Frank said eagerly. "There's paper and a quill on the desk in my room. Up the stairs and first on the left" she said pleasantly.

Frank jumped up. He raised Bella's hand to his lips and gave it a quick peck before scurrying from the room.