Erm... this is mostly fluffy... next one will not be.

Enjoy

No reviews to the prologue :( Hopefully some for this one

Chapter 1

I smiled as I looked at the scarlet steam engine that would transport me to Hogwarts for the final time. It wasn't exactly a happy smile, though. It was more of a smile for the sake of my parents, who stood saying their goodbyes to Cissy and Meda. I was really beginning to despise Hogwarts. No... beginning was in my third year. Now I utterly loathed the place, not that I could let anyone else know that. Blacks didn't let anyone know when they disliked something, unless it was a mudblood, then it was okay.

"Bellatrix!" came mothers sharp voice, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Yes?" I asked, turning. My voice sounded overly sweet, and full of fake exuberance. Hopefully it didn't come off that way to her, or she'd be angry. Not that she didn't already sound angry.

"Come say good-bye, or did you plan on leaving without saying your good-byes?" Mother asked, her eyes narrowing just slightly.

"Of course not," I responded the fallacious sweetness disappearing from my voice, and replacing itself with complete irritation, I spent a second internally chastising myself for not saying goodbye earlier. I walked quickly from where I was standing, as to get this over with quickly.

"Study hard, and be sure to keep your sisters out of trouble. Please do not do anything to anger any of your professors, and honestly, try to do something extracurricular this year, try out for the Quidditch team, perhaps? Gobstones? Something other bullying other students,"

"Gobstones is for little first years, and Hufflepuffs. Are you honestly suggesting I sink to the level of those mudbloods just so I don't run off all those disgusting boys who are attempting, albeit unsuccessfully, to get in my favor?" I asked, incredulous that she would even suggest such a thing.

"Bella, do not speak to your mother like that," Father snapped, his deep voice grating. "Just because you are now of age does NOT mean you can disrespect you parents. Understood?"

I sighed, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. "Yes, father. I'm sorry mother," I said, more than a little irritation seeping into my voice.

"Good. Now go, you don't want to miss the train. We'll see you in a few months for Christmas," he nodded, and I spun on my heel and walked quickly to join my sisters on the train.

"What was that all about?" asked fifteen-year-old Andromeda, smirking.

I glared at her and walked across the corridor to the compartment Narcissa was sitting in with Lucius Malfoy, Jenna-Anne Bulstrode, Walden Macnair, and Roddy. I sat down next to Roddy and flicked the door closed with my wand as soon as Andromeda was inside.

"So, are you gonna tell?" she persisted, smirk still plastered on her face.

"Mother insisted I try some 'extracurricular activities' this year. Like Quidditch or," I snorted on the last word. "Gobstones,"

"Next thing you know she'll be begging you to join the Wizard Chess Club!" Walden exclaimed in pure horror.

"And really, what's wrong with Quidditch?" asked Lucius, frowning. He was the Seeker on the Slytherin Team, but I still didn't see what offended him about what I'd said.

"Don't be so uptight, Lucy," I chuckled. "I just don't like Quidditch,"

"Lucy?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, short for Lucius, get with it, Blondie!"

"I resent that," Lucius announced, rolling his eyes. "I can just call you Trixie or something equally as horrid,"

"Try it, and I'll hex you into next week," I muttered, folding my arms defiantly.

"Why do you two hate each other? I mean... Lucius is three years younger than you are Bella, why sink to the level of some fourteen year old kid?" Roddy asked, laughing.

"No one really understands why they hate each other, Rodolphus, just let it go," Andromeda shrugged. "Bellatrix will just completely change the subject if you bring it up,"

"But if anyone can get it out of her," Narcissa piped up. "It'll be Rodolphus, he is her boyfriend after all,"

"Honestly, I wish you'd all stop talking about me like I'm not here," I sighed, my voice seeping with irritation as I twirled my wand between my fingers threateningly.

"Oh come on Bella, you don't have to pull your wand out just because someone wants to know why you and 'Lucy' don't get along," Jenna-Anne giggled, earning a glare from Lucius.

"Do NOT call me Lucy,"

"Erm... It's really crowded in here," Andromeda muttered, from where she was sitting, crammed between Walden and Jenna-Anne. "I think I'm going to go sit with some of the others in my year,"

"Fine, see you later Andy," Walden chuckled.

"What is this?" Cissy asked, shaking her head. "Give everyone an idiotic nickname day?"

"It's possible," Roddy shrugged, and he seemed to be thinking for a moment before heaving a sigh of frustration. "Your name is hard! I can't come up with anything for you!" he muttered, his voice on the brink of whining.

I shook my head. "I'm going to get some air," I told them standing, mostly I wanted to get away from the immaturity that seemed to surround me at every turn. Why was it that at seventeen I was still sitting with my sisters and their friends on the train? I really didn't know, but I decided that it wasn't happening for any other train ride this year.

I stopped in my tracks when I spotted Andromeda sitting in a compartment full of Hufflepuffs. When she'd said she was going to sit with students her age I'd assumed she'd meant Slytherins her own age. I narrowed my eyes and slid the door open.

"Meda? What do you think you're doing?"