Bellatrix was pleased she had planned to meet Narcissa on Sunday rather than the day after the party. After she had woken at Tom's, she had only showered and disappeared quickly. Ill and irritated, she had not been in the mood to talk to anyone. She had not wanted to do anything other than sleep in her own bed.

Pushing open the door to Narcissa's sitting room ten minutes after she was meant to meet her (she would not care if she was late), she smirked at her sister who was delicately perched on the edge of an the ornate lounge.

"Hello, Bella," she greeted with a smile, but her voice seemed colder and tenser than usual. Was her sister really annoyed that she had arrived a little late? Merlin she needed to sort out her priorities. "How are you?"

"Better," she replied trying not to think about how she had felt yesterday. Slinking into the room, she threw herself onto the opposite couch without the grace of her sister. She could have poise if she wanted to, but normally she could not be bothered.

Her sister managed a sly smile. "So, have you recovered?"

Even Bella sighed. "Finally. I was not too well yesterday."

Cissy's lips pursed slightly as she leaned over and started pouring two cups of tea without needing to ask what she liked. "Well you did drink a lot..."

She only rolled her eyes. "Yes, Cissy... I really need a lecture."

"Merely offering advice," she murmured without fear as she passed over a cup of tea. "I would never attempt to tell you what to do."

Bellatrix smirked as she took a sip of her tea; black no sugars just as she liked it. "Good."

Narcissa tried to smile, but she stared into her tea cup for a moment as if lost in thought. "Though I was a little unsure about something..."

Bella sighed and leaned back into her couch just waiting for the lecture. "Just say it Narcissa. I know you will explode if you can't speak your mind."

"Well... I could not help but notice the interaction between you and Tom Riddle..." Bella did not know if it was the furious glare that lit her feature that made Narcissa pause. "It was...strange."

"It was nothing," she snapped angirlyy and defensively before she could help herself. She hated analysing or thinking about her relationship with Tom. She did not need anyone else to mention it.

"But Bella I know what I saw, what everyone saw. It seemed to imply that something is happening..."

"It is nothing!" she repeated her voice louder and more passionate than before.

Her sister did not relent.

"You went home with him," she said trying to keep calm, though there was a note of worry in her voice. "You were practically throwing yourself at him."

Admittedly her memory of that night was not complete, but she could only imagine what she was referring to. Regardless it did not mean what her sister thought it meant. No doubt her sister thought she loved him. If she did, she was wrong. She was sure she did not love him.

She let out a heavy breath before replying. "It is not what you think."

"Then what is it? You cannot tell me you have not slept with him?"

"I have." She tried to not sound embarrassed or regretful. "We have, but that is it."

"How can that be it?"

Bella was not at all surprised that her sister was scandalised. She knew the only person perfect pure Narcissa had slept with was Lucius.

She just shrugged. "He is good in bed. My bed gets cold. It is not as if I love him."

Narcissa was still not convinced as her voice went oddly hushed. "But... he is a half blood."

Bella froze for a moment and blinked once as the anger flared inside her.

Before her sister could say anything, she stood and stormed out. Narcissa called for her to come back.

She ignored her.

She did not need to be reminded of that disgusting fact.

Her fury at Narcissa morphed itself into anger at the world by Monday. Regardless, she pulled out the business robes that had not been used since she had left England and apparated into the busy and crowded Atrium.

It was the same as when she had arrived at Narcissa's Party. The unanimous gaze of the world was upon her.

Stepping out of the flash of emerald flames, despite the attention, she did not halt. Even when it looked like a scarlet robed Auror was about to step forward, she ignored the man and moved straight to the lift.

It was already occupied. A part from the inevitable interdepartmental memos, her eyes drifted over some unimportant Ministry personnel. One particular red headed man seemed to cringe back from her. She did not care. In fact it almost made her laugh. She only rode the lift up to Level One.

As the cool female voice announced her floor, she stepped out onto the purple carpet.

It was finally a place without the hustle and bustle of the Atrium. She strode down the hallway like she owned the place until she reached a door that still had a plaque with Albus Dumbledore's name imprinted on it. She ignored the blonde secretary and the custom to knock. Instead she merely turned the handle and stepped inside.

Riddle was waiting for her.

Just as calm as always, he looked up from the stacks of parchment lined over the rosewood desk. He did not seem at all bothered by her appearance. He only smirked.

"Feeling better, Bella?"

"Yes, now that I don't have to worry about you plotting alone in the Ministry," she sneered trying to avoid yet another comment about how ill she had been the other day.

Stalking to his desk, she threw himself into the chair opposite him and leaned confidently into the back of the chair.

"You seem like you already have a strong opinion of my leadership."

"I have a right to. This not about just you this is about-"

"Us." He cut in firmly with a knowing look in his dark eyes.

She cringed at the implication of his statement, but she still agreed. "Us. It is about the both of us so I will not allow you to take over yourself."

Tom was not impacted. "How do you expect to do that?"

She was a little unsure, but she refused to back down. "Grindelwald and Dumbledore did this for thirty years. Do not suggest it cannot be done."

"Anything can be done if you will it. Now." Pulling out one of the pieces of parchment that appeared to be organised into neat stacks on his desk, he slid it towards her. "A list of responsibilities and jobs. The stars suggest positions we should share and the others are for deliberation."

Flicking her eyes from the list, she raised her eyebrows. It was not because she disagreed with his list.

It was the opposite.

She agreed completely. It was seemingly too correct and something she thought Tom would not do. She had assumed he would put up a fight about sacrificing any of his power.

He had not.

He must have ulterior motives.

Still with that in mind, she poured over the list and started declaring her preferences.

She did not think it would be so easy to share power with Riddle.

Despite the positives that should have existed in her position, the negatives were equally as obvious.

Bellatrix had attended meetings in the large conference room opposite the Minister's offices in the past. As Head of the Aurors she had been present during some Cabinet meetings, but that was normally only once a fortnight.

Now there were a lot more that required her attendance.

Avoiding the temptation to sigh, she glanced up from her position at the head of the table. The dark oak wooden table was full of those who had survived her and Tom's cull of the Ministry and those who had been deemed fit to be promoted.

She was quite surprised she and Tom had agreed about their appointments.

Flicking over Lucius' blonde head that was turned towards Tom who sat at the other head of the table, she was not interested. They were in discussions about the current state of the budget. She supposed she could have been annoyed that he was addressing Tom rather than her, but the topic was dull. After all, she had fairly quickly decided to leave the economy to Tom.

He could handle the budget, but there were other matters she had control over.

As Lucius finished up his presentation on the Treasury, she rocked back onto the front legs of her chair and leaned in slightly. "Yes Lucius, thank you for that most illuminating discussion," she drawled as the eyes of the table drifted over her. She was not bothered. "Now we know we are not broke, I think we need to know we are not going to be disposed of in a coup any time soon."

She stared down the table at Tom and Lucius as if she was waiting for them to question her. They did not. Lucius seemed annoyed, but Tom was only smug as he met her gaze with a curl of his lips.

"Mulciber," she barked as she ripped her eyes from Tom and turned to the man half way up the table whose greying hair was tied up in a greasy pigtail. "Tell me the state of public order. Has there been any uprisings that have needed to have been put down by the Department of Law Enforcement."

"It has been quiet," he murmured after a brief pause and a small glance down the front of her robes. She ignored his gaze. "Not too quiet, but nothing to indicate that anything is being planned to displace our position. Anyone who could oppose us is in Azkaban."

There it was- Azkaban. She was not sure how to think about that topic. She had been abused by her mother in law a number of times already and she kept glancing over the list of the imprisoned at Rodolphus' name.

Her respect for him was low and his lack of support for their cause was a source of frustration, but she was not sure if she wanted him to rot in prison forever.

It was just another example of her confused feelings.

"They will not stay there forever," Tom cut into the conversation. "They will face trial. If they are found to be peaceful, they will be released. If not, then they do not deserve the privilege of freedom."

"Of course," she replied surprising herself with her agreement. "It seems a likely solution. When will this occur?"

"It is already being organised. Likely in a month or two."

She nodded. That was satisfactory. "Good." Sweeping her gaze over the table she smirked. "I believe that is all. The meeting is over."

Her mood increased as the table started to prepare to leave. It filled her with glee to have her orders obeyed. It was just how things should be.

Sliding her few papers under her arm, she was one of the first to leave the meeting, but she was soon joined by another.

"What is Tom?" she questioned to the man who was on her elbow as they walked down the corridor to their adjacent officers. "It had better be important."

He smirked with ease. "My my Bella you seem rather annoyed this fine afternoon."

She just glared at him, as she stopped in the empty corridor and turned to him. "What do you want to talk to me about?"

"Can I not just want to talk?"

She flicked her eyes up and down his face and body as she sized him up. "No," she murmured sceptically. "No that can't just be what you want."

Bella did not give him the chance to reply as she started to walk again.

"You are so sure you are always right," he called to her departing back.

She did not even turn around as she continued walking and called back to him.

"That is because I am. I know you Riddle. Stop trying to convince me you are someone else. I know you are just as selfish prick who does not care about anyone other than himself."

She did not allow him to reply. She only slammed her door behind him.