Bella was enjoying a moment of peace and quiet in her room when the door flew open and her thoughts were interrupted by the grinning face of her youngest sister.

'What?' Bella snapped, glaring at her for not knocking.

'Mum and dad are going away for the weekend!' Narcissa said, slightly breathlessly.

'Oh,' Bella replied expressionlessly. 'so?'

'So,' She looked at her like it was obvious. 'We gonna have a party then?'

Bella thought about it momentarily. She beamed at her sister.

'Narcissa,' Bella began. 'that is why I love you.'

'Love you too, Bells.' Narcissa winked at her. 'And so – we're gonna have a party?'

'Oh, yes.'

Downstairs that evening, after the girls had said goodbye to their parents, Bella followed Andromeda into the library. Annie knew her sister was following her, but sat down and got out a book anyway.

'Annie,' Bella began. Annie simple nodded in acknowledgment and didn't bother looking up to address her. 'we were thinking about having a party while mum and dad are away.'

'They won't like that.' Annie stated flatly, her eyes still paying more attention to the page than her sister.

'They won't know.' Bella corrected her. 'Anyway. You can invite some of your mates if you like.'

'That's unusually kind of you.' Annie commented, intrigued. She looked up from her book to meet her sister's gaze.

'So long as you invite James Potter.' Bella continued with a smirk.

'What? Why?' Annie argued. Bella could tell she wasn't protesting about it, she knew how crazy about James Annie had been. Although, she hadn't mentioned him recently.

'Just because I want you to.' Bella shrugged. 'Besides, you'd invite Sirius, wouldn't you? And James would come anyway if Sirius was…'

Annie laughed suddenly – a cold and slightly mocking laugh. 'Either there's something going on between you and James – or you're just out to cause trouble.' Annie paused to give her sister a cold stare. 'And I think I can tell which.'

'And what the hell does it matter to you? I want you to invite James Potter. End of. Are you in or not?' Bella gave her the ultimatum. She knew Annie wouldn't be able to resist. As much as her younger sister liked to pretend she was morally better off than her siblings; she couldn't resist a bit of drama – especially when it was happening before her eyes.

'Fine.' Annie agreed finally. 'But my friends are coming as well.'

Bella made a wrecking sound. 'Fine, fine. Just don't invite any mudblood, will you? I'm not putting up with that.'

Annie smirked back at her sister and shook her head slowly, in defiance. 'No, no, no. If you want me to invite James, then I'm inviting my friends… Whatever their blood status.'

'Andromeda,' Bella moaned, sinking into a chair opposite her. 'Why would you even want filth like them anywhere near here?' She asked with a defeated sigh.

'Because they're my friends! What does it matter whether someone's parents are magical or not?'

Bella glared at her sister, her dark eyes lined with a fiery orange colour in the light. 'It matters because if someone's parents aren't magical – they neither are they. Whatever gifts or talents they may have are irrelevant. They just can't be properly magical if they haven't got magical blood.' Bella told her harshly.

Annie simply smiled back at her. 'I disagree.' She said flatly, promptly getting up and leaving the room. Bella shook her head in anger, her hair flying over one shoulder, and quietly left the room after her sister. But – at least James was coming to the party, even if she would have to put up with her sister's mudblood friends lurking around the place.

The party came sooner than Bella cared to witness. She hadn't really prepared anything for it. There were beers and bottles of wine in the fridge, and that was about it. But then again, it's not as if she cared too much about that. She knew people generally brought their own with them anyway. Her main concern was not running out of drinks. It was James Potter.

She was staring at herself in the mirror, the ticking of the clock echoing in her ears. Go with a black dress? Subtle, sexy, stunning? Or go for something a little more outgoing? A purple dress? Blue? She ran her hands through her hair in frustration. She'd have to choose something, she could hardly answer the door in her underwear. Although, she had an inkling that James wouldn't mind. She made a snap decision and picked up a red dress from the wardrobe. It wasn't actually hers, it was Andromeda's, and Bella had borrowed it for some event she couldn't quite remember, and just never given it back. It fitted perfectly, even though Annie was a year younger than Bella. She smiled at her reflection. She grabbed some hairspray (a super-strength mix she'd found in Diagon Alley) and began attacking her crazy hair with it. She had to put it in some sort of order, even if it still looked wild. She just had time to place a small black bow in her hair before the doorbell rang. She was about to leave to answer it, when she heard Narcissa get it instead.

'Hi, Lucius!' Bella heard her sister say, trying to suppress the obvious excitement she had. Bella sighed and rolled her eyes to herself. She almost felt sorry for Narcissa.

People began to arrive in dribs and drabs, and by the time Bella decided to grace the party with her presence, it was actually quite busy. She walked into the lounge quite dubiously, hoping she wouldn't run into someone she didn't want to speak to. She noticed Annie in the corner of the room, sitting chatting to her friends, some of whom were so very obviously mudbloods. There was one boy in particular who seemed very intrigued by the magical objects in the room, and Annie looked more than happy to explain to him what they were. Bella couldn't help but smirk as she saw the expressions of some of the other guests, who were less than impressed at the class of people who surrounded Annie. Bella was about to turn around and try to find Narcissa when she heard her name.

'Hey, Bella,' She spun around to smile at her cousin, Regulus. He looked good tonight, wearing a crisp white shirt and a loose tie.

'Hi, Reg,' Bella replied. 'Sirius with you?' She tried to make it sound casual.

Regulus nodded sourly. 'Yeah. Him and his mates. I've seen Lupin and Pettigrew lurking somewhere, and we arrived with Potter, so I know he's here.' Bella could almost feel the anger radiating from her cousin as he spoke.

'Ah, yeah, I think Annie invited them, didn't she?' Bella said calmly, all too happy to blame this on her sister.

'Probably,' Regulus agreed, glancing over at Annie. 'Who's she with now? That mudblood who looks like he's never seen magic before.'

Bella followed his gaze. Annie was now showing him an ornamental potion vile that changed colour based on your mood. She rolled her eyes.

'No idea,' Bella answered, slightly annoyed. 'Tonks or something? He's a Gryffindor.'

'Figured as much.' Regulus said.

The potion vile that Annie passed to him was steadily changing colour, as they both had hold of it. It sparkled silver for a moment, before turning gold, and then pink. Bella glared. Pink?

'Bloody hell. You wanna keep a grip on your little sister, Bella,' Regulus told her, the same angered twinge in his voice that Bella had in her mind at that moment. 'you don't want her being snatched up by some mudblood. They're animals, they are. Next thing you know she's pregnant and being hidden in the cellar.'

Bella's eyes flitted away from the scene and back to her cousin. 'I'd like to see you try and keep her under control. She won't listen to a word I say to her.' She left the room swiftly afterwards.

It didn't take Bella long to find James Potter. He was in the kitchen with Remus Lupin. James was perched on the table, talking to Remus while drinking a beer. His eyes met with Bella and he slipped her a cheeky grin. She smiled back, before her attention was taken away by someone else.

'Bella! Wondered when you'd put in an appearance,'

She grimaced and met the eyes of the person she'd forgotten might be at the party that night. Roddy was staring back at her, trying to analyze what he thought he'd just seen.

'Alright, Roddy?' Bella asked him, trying to be polite.

'Yeah,' He answered slightly moodily. 'would have liked to have received and invite from you, rather than Narcissa, though.'

So that was the reason she'd forgotten he would be there. She hadn't even invited him! She made a mental note to kill her sister later.

'Well you got invited. What does it matter who did the inviting?' Bella shrugged, trying to pretend it was all part of some kind of plan, that she wasn't just trying to ignore him. Which she was.

'I suppose so.' He took a sip of the glass of wine he was holding. Bella smirked at the fact he was drinking wine – alone.

'Not drinking beer?' She commented, trying to be subtle in her sarcasm.

'No,' He replied bitterly. 'I know you will though.' There was more than a sting in his tone of voice.

'Yes, I will,' She agreed, her tone no longer bubbly and friendly. 'and I'm going to, so if you'll excuse me.' She didn't wait around for a reply as she walked to the other side of the kitchen. She about to reach for the fridge, when James Potter slid across the table and opened it for her. She took out a beer and smiled at James.

'Bellatrix Black,' He addressed her with a wink.

'James Potter,' She replied smoothly. She took a step as James slid back along the table, and returned to Remus Lupin. He gave Bella a somewhat knowing look. She dismissed it.

'I gotta hold it to you,' James said to her. 'you hold a pretty decent party.'

'Thanks,' Bella smiled back, trying not to look too happy about that.

'I was shocked to have received and invite though,' Lupin entered the conversation, giving James a subtle look.

Bella shrugged. 'It was Annie's choice.'

'She doesn't know me.' Lupin replied, slightly confused.

'Doesn't she?' Bella let her tone slip for a minute as she was genuinely shocked at this. So she was the only one who actually knew him? She had just assumed that Annie must have known him, too!

'I have no idea then,' She continued. 'she probably just invited you because you're friends with Sirius… and James.'

'Probably.' Lupin agreed quietly. 'I'm going to go and find Sirius.' He said quickly, and left the room without another word. James smirked.

'Just me and you then, Bella.' He grinned at her cheekily.

'Anyone would think we're trying to make a habit of this.' Bella told him with a smile.

'Maybe I am.' James replied smoothly. He turned around briefly, to glance around the room. Once he was satisfied that no one important was around, he pulled Bella closer to him. Enough for it to look suspicious, but not enough to prove anything.

He slid off the table so he was face to face with her. He leant closer and whispered in her ear.

'I want you, Bellatrix.' He kissed her neck softly, and walked away. Bella breathed out and tried to compose herself after what James had just said. She couldn't help but smile.

Bella made a decision, and left the room, wondering where James could have gone to next, having just said what he had. She saw her sister, Narcissa, in the hallway as soon as she left the kitchen. She was chatting away happily with Lucius Malfoy. Bella raised her eyebrows at her when they made eye contact. Narcissa gave her a smile before looking back at Lucius. As Bella stared ahead of her, she saw James, leaning against the banister on the stairs looking smug. He gave Bella a cheeky look as she approached. He was evidently waiting for her.

'Follow me upstairs,' She told him quietly. 'but not too closely.' She swept past him and up the stairs. She was wondering where she was trying to lead James to. She couldn't take him to her bedroom, it was a complete mess! There were clothes sprawled everywhere, books out of place, and she was pretty sure her bed wasn't even made. She'd feel guilty going to Narcissa's room, she might need it. She wouldn't need it for the same thing that Bella wanted it for, but she might just want to have a more private conversation with Lucius, or a cheeky kiss over a view of the city. Bella made a silent apology to Andromeda as she opened the door to her bedroom. She'd never voice and apology, so a silent one was the best her sister would get.

She waited a moment for James to follow her inside, before she shut the door behind him. She was about to reach for the light switch, before James put his hand over hers and stopped her.

'Don't bother.' He told her. She didn't get a chance to reply, because James kissed her the second he'd said that. She felt his hands inching down her back, and the zip of her dress going with it.

'It never did seem right, seeing you dressed in red,' James said quietly, as the zip reached the end of its track. Bella giggled.

'Why?' She asked, knowing full well the reason why. She heard James laugh.

'Would I look right in green?'

'Absolutely not.' Bella grinned back.

'Shut-up now, it's been at least ten seconds since I kissed you.' James said quickly, before his lips met hers again. The thing that amazed Bella about James, was that he did and said things that no one else she knew would ever do.

James' blazer fell to the floor as he threw it off himself, and returned his hands to Bella's body. She felt the straps on her dress leaving her shoulders, and James pushed her dress down. His hands flowed over the skin that was now exposed, before tracing the straps of her bra. Bella felt James' lips leave hers, as he began kissing her neck. She tried to catch her breath in the gap she had.

Light suddenly began to fill the room, as the door squeaked open.

'Shit!' Bella couldn't help but exclaim. She pushed James behind her as she caught a glimpse of the face that was at the other side of the door. She grabbed her dress as she tried to pull it over her bra to cover up.

Andromeda was staring, wide-eyed and angry, back at her.

'What the hell are you doing?' Annie said loudly. A smirk appeared on her face. 'Or more like who?'

'Annie, just…' Bella paused to fight with her dress. 'just wait a minute! Shut the fucking door! Can't you see I'm not exactly decent?' Bella yelled, finally losing her patience.

'Alright! Keep your clothes on.' Annie mocked her, trying one last time to see who was behind her, before shutting the door. She was with someone. Bella didn't mention it because she wanted her to leave, but there was a boy with her. And Bella wanted to know who.

She exhaled as she felt James' hand creeping around her again.

'Get off!' She laughed, and grabbed his hands. 'We have to go!'

'I know,' James moaned, as he freed his hands and ran them through Bella's hair. 'I just don't want to.'

'I'm sure,' Bella sighed. She didn't want to go either, but they didn't have choice. 'I mean… you don't have to, James.' She turned around to face him. 'You could stay. My parents won't be back until tomorrow night… and if you don't mind how messy my bedroom is…'

'I'm not interested in your bedroom, Bella,' He kissed her cheek. 'I'm interested in you.'