Bella left the hospital wing with Abby, feeling like she'd failed as a friend. Lucy was awake now, but Madame Yelena, the nurse, had had her drinking some sort of tonic for the past half an hour. Bella thought she should have done something more, fought harder against Dumbledore when he brought her back to the ground. She could have fired back at Evan. She should have done more…

'Don't beat yourself up about it,' Abby told her, breaking her thoughts. 'you tried your best, Bella. No one could have asked any more than that.'

She glared at her.

'Only trying to help,' Abby mumbled, her eyes now looking somewhat hurt. Bella sighed.

'I didn't mean it, Abby. I know you're just trying to make me feel better.' Bella said slowly, unwilling to apologise – like always. Abby nodded back, but didn't say anything else, she knew it would be pointless.

'We should get something to eat.' Abby stated suddenly, having just seen the clock. 'They'll only just have started dinner.'

Bella sighed. 'Okay.' She didn't really feel like eating, but she knew she ought to.

The Great Hall was inescapably busy, like always, but they managed to find a space at the Slytherin table. Jamie moved over a bit so that Abby could sit with Matt, and Bella sat between her and Jamie.

'Nice moves today, Bells.' He told her, taking a fork full of his food. Even the sight of food was making Bella feel ill.

'Thanks.' She replied quietly.

'We're going to be on top form this year, I know it.' Jamie grinned at her. She managed to smile back.

James Potter strolled into the Great Hall, and Bella's eyes lit up involuntarily. Luckily, Jamie didn't see it. He did, however, notice her eyes change to the dark and stormy look they'd had the day Alex said he was leaving. He followed Bella's gaze. All he could see was James Potter kissing some girl from his house. He looked back at Bella. What was the problem?

'Bella…?' He said in almost a whisper. He knew what she was like when she was angry, and he didn't want to provoke her, but he couldn't help the feeling that he was missing something. She didn't respond. She was still intently watching Potter and the girl, like she wanted to kill the pair of them, right there and then.

Narcissa saw the scene moments after it began to unfold. She scanned the table for her sister, and the second she found her, she leapt up.

'Bella, come on, let's go outside.' Narcissa whispered to her sister, as she appeared behind her. She took Bella's arm and led her out of the Great Hall. Even thought Narcissa didn't know anything else about Bella and James' relationship, she could guess enough by her reaction, that it hadn't ended when James went home after the party.

Once they were safely out of the Great Hall and in a deserted corridor, Bella let her tears run their course. She had no idea herself, how angry she was. He said he wanted to marry her, he said he loved her… and there he was, kissing Lily Evans right where he knew she could see!

Bella slid down the wall and sat on the floor, her head in her hands. How could she let herself fall for this? Fall for him? She should have known he'd be using her!

Narcissa placed herself delicately on the floor in front of her sister. 'Don't blame yourself, Bella…' She told her soothingly.

'But it's my fault!' Bella cried, lifting her head only enough so she could make eye contact with her sister. 'I let him trick me like this… he's completely screwed me over!'

Narcissa gave her a quizzical look. She was about to question her sister, when she began talking anyway.

'We kept seeing each other when we came back to school,' Bella started. 'he said… he told me he loved me. He asked me to marry him…'

'Bella,' Narcissa stared at her, something else suddenly dawning on her. They'd joke about this kind of thing all the time, but they both knew the severity of the topic. 'please tell me you didn't…'

She nodded slowly, shutting her eyes because she couldn't bear to see the ashamed look on her sister's face. Narcissa sighed.

'I'm so stupid…' Bella muttered, wiping her eyes with her hands, although it didn't really help.

'You're not,' Narcissa replied gently. 'I'm sure anyone would have done what you did… if he said he'd marry you then there wouldn't be a problem, would there?'

'I hate him so much.' Bella spat out through her tears. 'It hurts how much I hate him.'

She wasn't lying. If James had walked onto that corridor, she'd have killed him. Not even thought about it, she'd have raised her wand and murdered him in cold blood right there and then. No hesitation whatsoever. He deserved to die.

Footsteps on the otherwise silent corridor alerted the girls to another person.

'Bella?' The second-to-last person Bella wanted to see right then. Roddy Lestrange was hurrying towards them. Narcissa gently patted her sister on the shoulder, trying to make sure she didn't do something stupid.

'What's wrong?' He asked, bending down to meet her eye level, but not quite willing to sit on the floor.

'It's got nothing to do with you.' Bella choked out, still managing to glare at him, even with tears sparkling in her eyes.

'Come on,' He held his hand out to her. 'I'll take you back to the common room.'

'I haven't forgotten where it is.' Bella snarled, ignoring his invitation to help her up.

'I'm just trying to be nice,' Roddy told her, still keeping calm, which annoyed Bella even more. She wanted him to get annoyed with her and walk away. Bella got up off the floor herself, tears no longer lining her cheeks.

'Fine.' She said stiffly. 'Come on then.' She paced off ahead of him. Narcissa shook her head, she knew to expect this kind of thing from her sister. Roddy should have expected it, their previous relationship hadn't been smooth, but he still seemed shocked every time Bella pulled a stunt like this.

'Just go with it.' Narcissa smiled at him sympathetically. She turned in the opposite direction to go back to the Great Hall and rejoin her friends.

Roddy jogged around the corner to skid to Bella's side. They walked in silence for the most part of the journey. Roddy couldn't think of anything to say to her. He'd been waiting to get her on her own like this for so long, and now he was wasting the opportunity! However, the main factor was, and remained, that he was scared of her. He didn't want to say the wrong thing because he knew she wouldn't hesitate to hex him. And he wasn't up for that.

'Bella,' He began, but was met with a cruel stare. He cleared his throat nervously and continued. 'I just wanted to apologise for the way I've been acting recently… I can tell I've annoyed you a bit…'

'A bit? That's an understatement.' Bella muttered, turning her attention back to the corridor as they headed into the dungeons.

'Yeah, well, I'm sorry anyway.' He repeated. Bella nodded, not sure what to say next.

The truth was that Roddy missed her so much, he couldn't even find words to say it. He knew she'd been seeing someone else – it was blatantly obvious. She was never in the common room, and she kept sneaking out, evidently to meet someone. He suspected that it was Barty Crouch, after their encounter on the train. But, he wasn't sure. He certainly hadn't been with anyone else, he hadn't even looked at another girl in that way, let alone follow it up. He just wished they could go back to how it was before! He knew he could change.

'I really miss you, you know.' Roddy said quietly, half wishing he'd never said it. It was greeted with a stony silence.

'Now's not the best time.' Bella said finally. She sighed. 'We can be friends, Roddy. If you like.'

He nodded, almost too quickly. 'Yeah, I'd like that.'

It was late when Lucy finally came back to the dorms. Bella had seen Olivia and Kitty Rookwood, AJ's younger sisters, and they were absolutely fine. She assumed AJ had spoken to them beforehand, but she didn't ask. Best not to. Lucy didn't say anything when she came in. She sat down on her bed and lit a cigarette, saying absolutely nothing. Bella knelt up on her bed and opened the window. Everyone else was asleep, they wouldn't mind. She checked her watch – two a.m.

'Nurse wouldn't let me leave,' Lucy said finally, breathing out smoke as she spoke. 'Had to wait 'til she went to bed then come here myself. She said I wasn't in a condition to be alone,' Her eyes met Bella's. 'I'm not alone.'

'Nope.' Bella replied.

'Hear you had a bit of a meltdown today. I'm not alone there either.'

'No, you're not,' Bella sighed. 'but it doesn't matter. It's not important.'

Lucy stared at her. 'Of course it is. Especially with what happened. You're not the only one who wants to kill Potter for what he did. Took all my strength not to start on Evans when she came into the hospital wing today. Smug bitch.'

Bella didn't reply. She studied Lucy for a moment. She seemed very different. Bella didn't comment.

'Well… thanks,' She muttered. 'you probably best get some sleep.' Bella knew that she ought to sleep too, it was the Quidditch match tomorrow, against Gryffindor. She had to be on her top form. She didn't wait for Lucy's reply, she simply turned over and knew that Lucy was going to sleep when she shut the window with her wand. Finally, Bella got to sleep.

The last Sunday in October had arrived. It had been looming like a dark cloud for what seemed like months. Everywhere Bella went she was reminded of it; by excited members of her team, supportive Slytherins, teachers determined for her homework to still be completed despite the training, Gryffindors trying to psych her out – it just didn't stop! And now it was finally here. And James Potter was going to be beaten, Bella wouldn't let it go any other way. All that anger was just boiling up, ready to explode on the pitch. The second she saw the Gryffindor team stroll into the Great Hall for breakfast, it became so difficult to contain it.

'Bella,' Jamie cut into her thought.

'What?' Bella hissed back through grated teeth, her eyes not leaving their rivals.

'You're stabbing the table.'

Bella's eyes dropped to the table she was sitting at. She hadn't even realised she was holding a fork, let alone piercing the table with it. She let go of the fork sharply.

'You sure you're okay?' Jamie probed. She nodded. 'Only, if we're going to win… we need our best played on her a-game.'

She smirked. 'Trust me, we're not loosing this one. Gryffindor are not taking that trophy this year.'

James Potter chose this moment to turn around and observe his opposing Captain, and somewhat ex-fiancé. She looked fierce. Her eyes were clouded with darkness, and he could tell she'd been watching him, he could feel her eyes burning into the back of his neck. He knew she was mad with him… inescapably so. Inescapably being the operative word, there was no way he was going to escape her wrath. He knew what he was dealing with before he let himself into it. He'd heard Sirius' little horror stories about his supposedly evil cousin, and now James was about to find out if they were true. He took another glance at her. Her black, curly hair was tied back behind her, pulled into a tight pony tail to stop it getting in her way. Her pale skin seemed paler than ever, no colour in her cheeks at all. On the table next to her, her fist was clenched tightly. And James didn't like the look of her at all.

'Not letting my cousin psyche you out, are you?' Sirius grinned at him. James took a second to register, but smirked back at his friend.

'Nah, 'course not. Noticed she'd not had breakfast though – might lessen her strength.'

'Ah. So Bellatrix's strength has now been downgraded to human.' Sirius said, without a hint of irony.

'Downgraded from what?'

'Raving lunatic with super-strength.'

'Oh. Right, of course.'

After everyone was changed, the team waited for their Captain. Bella knew she was supposed to make some kind of team talk, but her mind was so clouded with hate for James Potter that she couldn't think of anything vaguely Quidditch related. She stood up. Time to wing it.

'So,' She began. 'today's match is not against Gryffindor – it is against losers.' There were a few sniggers and a wide grin from Regulus Black, as he thought of his brother. 'And we're going to win. But, we're not going to win because we're better than them.' She gave a pause for tension. 'We're going to win because we're more talented.' This was greeted with more smirks and smiles. 'So just bloody win. Okay?'

As the teams stepped out onto the pitch, the tension hit them straight away. A vice-like grip in the air, pulling them forwards even though they knew it would hurt on impact.

'Captains, shake hands.' Professor Merrythought was refereeing. Bella had heard rumours that she was retiring soon, possibly wouldn't even finish the term. Apparently she had family elsewhere and had spent too long away from them.

Nevertheless, she was stalling herself. She paced forwards to meet her opposing Captain in front of the Professor. Meeting James with a cold stare, she didn't drop her gaze. Why should she? She wasn't the one who did anything wrong. He did not, however, express anything that resembled regret. He seemed perfectly content.

'Captains.' The Professor reminded them. Reluctantly, Bella held out her hand, and James met it. They shook hands and promptly snatched back their own.

'Feeling guilty?' She hissed.

'Not at all.'

She turned on her heels, and called over her shoulder. 'You will be.' Matched with a looked over utter un-readability. James knew it had begun now. He swallowed hard, turned around and walked back to his team. He put on a hard expression. Sirius gave him a puzzled look, but James shrugged it off.

'Positions, please!'

Everyone rose into the air, chasers on the lowest layer, waiting for their fight for the Quaffle; beaters on the next, to get the upper hand over the Bludgers; then finally the seekers, waiting for the Snitch to soar above them. Bella's eyes flickered to meet James' for a fraction of a second. He saw their whole relationship in her dark stare – cheeky, flirty at the start… romantic, even passionate as it progressed… serious… deadly. The last wasn't his word. Bella said it. She seemed to only have muttered it to herself, maybe a tactic to get herself into the right state of mind, but it hit James hard.

'There goes the Quaffle! The match begins!' Dana Collins from the commentating box. She was in Bella's year, but in Gryffindor. She was one of Lily Evan's best friends. But Bella ignored it, pushing Lily and James and all that went with them, to the back of her mind.

'That's Kitty Rookwood with the Quaffle there, very quick dive for it, didn't even give the others a look in. A smooth pass to Regulus Black… back to Rookwood… and it's the first goal to Slytherin.' Dana's voice dropped in disappointment, but not enough to warrant a telling off from Professor Linden, who was sitting to her left.

Bella smiled to herself. One goal up and Gryffindor hadn't even had possession of the Quaffle at all. Perfect. She set about scanning for the Snitch. It was hardly a clear day, but at least there weren't any particularly low cloud, that was a good sign. James was on the other side of the pitch, doing his best not to make eye-contact with Bella. She smirked. Good. He shouldn't be making eye-contact, he didn't deserve to. A flutter of gold. Bella flicked her head round. Another flicker. She snapped back around, careful to only move her head and not her broom. It was hovering by the Ravenclaw tower of the pitch, covered with the Ravenclaw eagle. It blended in somewhat to the colouring, but she could still see it's slight movement. Now, how to approach it? It flickered impatiently, zipping from either side of the tower. It was toying with her. Only a matter of time before James realised she was watching it. Just make a move – any move. Chase it.

She picked up speed all of a sudden and shot off after the Snitch.

'And what's this? Has the Slytherin Captain spotted the Snitch? She's certainly very quick after something! And I notice Roddy Lestrange in the opposite stand… not him she's after then-'

'Miss Collins!' Linden intervened, but not before a laughter had emitted from the knowing members of Bella's year in the stands. She didn't have time to care about it right then.

Dana cleared her throat. 'Apologies, Professor… Roddy.' She paused to hide her evident amusement. 'And that's James Potter on her tail there, bit slow with the follow up, he's lagging behind. He'll need to do a bit of catching up if he wants to claim a swift victory for Gryffindor…'

James Potter was indeed on her tail. Bella allowed herself a small turn of her head to be able to see him out of the corner of her eye. He was picking up speed, but not nearly enough.

'I said, Potter had better do some catching up,' Dana repeated with more drive in her voice.

'Miss Collins, I do not want to have to tell you again!' Linden interjected once more. Dana sighed and held her hands up.

James was levelling with Bella now, she'd spent too much time on auto-pilot whilst listening to Dana's chatter. She pulled her head back into the game. The Snitch was gaining height now, above the stands and towers completely now, heading for clouds. Bella followed it willingly, not even thinking of the height they were now climbing into – one false move and it's lights out.

Bang. A sharp motion to her broom, flinging her momentarily sideways. She swung back into position. James had kicked her broom. She threw her leg out and hit his broom with more power. He flickered off course, giving Bella the chance to gain a lead once more. She could only hear the odd word from the commentary, which had averted back to the Chasers… 'Rookwood has it... that's another goal for… and there's a Bludger to… ouch that's got to… and he'll be out for the…'

She silently wondered who got hit by a Bludger, and sincerely hoped it was no one on her team. The Snitch was falling now though, tumbling back down through the grey clouds, the commentary becoming clearer and louder, and the faint colour of the stands starting to appear.

From the staff stands, a visitor observed the match. He was only a guest of the headmaster's, here for only the day, but had been invited to watch the match as well. He was a rather handsome man, barely out of school, but his eyes suggested so much anguish and turmoil. Nothing behind those eyes could be solved by anyone but a professional. But he kept it well hidden most of the time. He was completely stolen by Bella's performance, the sheer determination she was showing was incredible. He'd never seen anything like it. The other seeker was showing some promise, but the way she was dealing with him was marvellous. He'd kick her broom, and she'd kick his back twice as hard. But the speed she was going at was stunning, and yet her face showed no sense of fear at all, like nothing else in the world mattered apart from catching that Snitch. He was impressed by her.

'Bellatrix Black,' Professor Dumbledore informed him. 'Slytherin Captain.'

He nodded back, but didn't take his eyes off her.

Bella saw the Snitch start to decline further, just above the staff stand, then change its mind and continue on course. It was going to dip in a minute, she could feel it. Right above the staff stand the Snitch descended downwards, intensely fast, with Bella and James in a hot pursuit. She took another look at James, he grinned at her. She didn't return it, but simply gave him a smirk that said everything. The Snitch wasn't rising again, it was still hurtling down to the ground, she could sense James' hesitation, he wanted to pull out, he was worried he'd crash into the ground. Bella wouldn't even let herself think like that. It was getting close now, the grass of the pitch almost close enough to touch. The stands were dead silent, nervous anticipation for both seekers.

James' broom levelled and he swerved off course. Bella didn't alter hers. She could tell James was scared now, he'd very nearly lost control there, and as the Snitch started to climb again, Bella knew she needed something else.

'And that was a close call there, Black very nearly had it! And what was Potter thinking? Was that a slip of his grip on the broom back there? James Potter lose control? This is unbelievable,' Dana continued with bated breath from the box.

Bella saw the Snitch pre-plan it's moves, she'd seen it flutter it's wings like this before. It was going to do a full lap again, and it only slowed its speed on the shorter sides of the oval pitch when it did a full lap – she knew this from experience. If she could cut James off somehow, she could skip through the centre of the pitch and intersect the Snitch when it slowed down. She knew what she had to do.

The Snitch was momentarily out of vision near the Ravenclaw stands again, and she used that second wisely. She snapped her broom off course and plummeted towards the ground again, this time knowing she could go the whole way. She had James completely vexed, as he followed her into the dive, presuming that the Snitch was on the opposite side of it, when in actual fact, was still following it's lap around the edge of the pitch while they dived into the middle of it. The ground got closer once more, and James was edgy about it. He wanted to prove he wasn't scared, but he knew that with one lapse of concentra- Smack.

'And Potter's lost it! He's hit the ground! How in Merlin's name did that happen? He's flat out! His broom's all the way behind him! He's lost it, no way can he pick this up…'

James rolled over on the ground, clutching at his ankle. She'd kicked him, that's what happened! But she'd done it forwards and ever so subtly, so it would look like he lost control and hit the ground! She was faking the lot of it! He could only watch as Bella met the Snitch where she knew it would be, and her fist closed around it. He shut his eyes and laid his head on the ground, wishing he could just bury himself.

'And Slytherin take the match! With some more than dodgy conduct from their Captain, I hope Slytherin are happy with their win… needless to say-'

'Collins!'

'Sorry, Professor.'

Bella cast a look back at James as she landed neatly on the grass, her team close behind her, celebrating.

'Bad luck, Potter.' She smirked at him. 'No hard feelings.'

As the Slytherin team left the pitch and crowds started to disperse, James finally realised how much he'd let her get to him. He never intended this to happen. He never even intended it to go on this long, he just got carried away…