#thread;sirius

Sirius was truly one of the last people Bellatrix wanted to see. Yet here he stood, looking far too much like Regulus for her liking. She saw Regulus's portraits often enough, lining the walls of his parents' home, a few photographs scattered around her own manor, too. Yet it was far more acute, seeing flesh and bone with such striking similarity. Regulus's absence was driving her to every corner of this wretched country - and to the limits of her sanity. Her fingers twitched. It would have brought an obscure sort of closure to kill Sirius Black at this very moment. At least that would be one branch of the brothers' tree whose end she'd know for sure.

Fortunately for him, committing bloody murder in the middle of the Ministry would be one of the stupidest things she could do. So she didn't. Instead, she ignored him. But as they both seemed to be going in the same direction, she started to smell a rat, and it wasn't her traitorous cousin.

Dinner with Sirius never failed to entertain. Dora and Andromeda loved him to pieces, and Ted thought of him fondly, like one of his own family. He didn't even mind the mischief that Dora seemed to get into whenever they were together. She was full of life and innocence. He wanted her to be unaware of the war and its sorrows for as long as possible.

Striding out into the garden, cold drinks and tray of snacks in his hands, Ted found Sirius beside his motorcycle. He'd enchanted their home to the absolute brim. Evan Rosier's impromptu visit had set his nerves on edge. He didn't want anyone else turning up unannounced.

"Alright, Sirius?" Grinning broadly, he slid the tray onto a table and clapped the other wizard on the back. "I brought you some motorbike stuff from the muggle world. It's in the shed. All yours 'til your heart's content."

Bellatrix's eyes roamed sharply, cutting through the Leaky Cauldron's dense crowd with the ease of a blade. She carried her usual expression of cold disgust, appalled by so much inferior blood swanning around her, yet also envigored by the chaos. She'd left the Selwyns' party, bored by its predictability. The Lestranges had planned to meet in Diagon Alley, bringing in the New Year with the masses. As repugnant as they were, she could not deny that the lower classes knew how to have a good time. So here she was, completely over-dressed and loving the effect that her rich attire ensured. The elegant picture was completely ruined by the large mug of beer gripped in her dainty fist. Raising it to her lips, she took a deep gulp and focussed her stare on Sirius Black. The fucking traitor.

Wiping her lips with the back of her fingers, she sauntered through the crowd, parting it with impatient flaps of her hand and not at all caring for the disgruntled objections that followed in her wake. She wanted to curse the idiot. But fortunately for her dear cousin, the Dark Lord had decided that he wanted to recruit James Potter. Bellatrix understood none of it. Potter was as much a disgusting dissenter as the rest of them, but she would never disagree with her master's desire. So as much as it sickened her, she would do what she could to make his wish come to fruition. That started with playing nice with Sirius - but not too nice. He was a Black, after all. He'd surely see through an extreme change of heart.

"Hello, Sirius." Cold and haughty, she contradicted her own tone with another hefty gulp of beer then slid the half-empty tankard onto the bar. She bloody well needed the drink for this conversation. "Long time no see."

Rain fell in a bitter storm, smattering the cobblestones with puddles and lifting mud from their uneven surface. Bellatrix had been busy in Muggle London mere moments ago. Her presence at this unearthly hour was a portent to catastrophe, though at present nothing yet seemed amiss. Her activities would not be discovered for some time - and even then, she had left no trace to lead back to her. The silence was both a source of pride and a noose that strangled her with ever-increasing rage. She was not the type to keep her achievements under lock and key. She fulfilled whatever the Dark Lord desired, knowing that secrecy was a necessary and valuable asset. But the arrogant egocentricity in her wanted the world to know her capabilities. One day it would - with hellfire and brimstone.

As she stood reeling in adrenaline, she cared nothing for the droplets soaking her skin and her fine dress. It had not been a night for a mask or a robe, her task one that could be achieved using her true appearance. She exuded deceptively frail femininity, her frame slight yet curvaceous, brute force visible only in the cruelty of her expression and the sparks that flew errantly from her still-drawn wand.

Hearing a sound behind her, she turned slowly, not fearing whoever had joined her at this inopportune moment. But truly, she had not expected Sirius. Her stare widened, surprised, then sharply narrowed as she exhaled a breath she had not realised she'd been holding.