Hermione and Bellatrix jostled their way to their table in the great hall.
As they sat down, they looked at the colorful posters that had been magically placed there.
"Here! Try that!" Bellatrix scooped a pile of chocolate pudding onto her friend's plate.
"Only if you drink the pumpkin juice."
But before young Black could reach for the pot, a blond boy sat down next to the two students.
He had his long hair tied in a bow, his cufflinks matched his suspenders perfectly.
"Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, delighted." The student shook hands with Hermione. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend, you jerk, and a pretty one."
"No - we're not -" the brown-haired witch stuttered while cheering at her bun.
"Don't let Narcissa hear that, Lucy." Bella grinned.

Lucius Malfoy.
Hermione saw only one person in him, her classmate, the Malfoy boy, his son.
And so she didn't notice how the boy slipped something to her friend.
"Bella, what was that just now?"
"Come with me, dolly."

Bellatrix took Hermione's hand and pulled her into the courtyard.
The eldest Black pulled a small black box out of her coat pocket.
"Bella, these are cigarettes!"
"Yes and? The only good thing about those filthy Muggels!"
"Bellatrix Black!"
But the black-haired witch left her friend aside, pulled out a single cigarette, and said, "Incendio!"

A little later in the great hall, a witch darted through the rows of tables.
Armed with a green hat and a nimble pen, she jotted down the students until her eyes met the Black and the fake Selwyn.
"Hi! Hi! My dears, you're -" Rita Skeeter paused, '"Two pure-blood Slytherin girls taking on the male contestants - a perfect cover story!'
"Calm down, Rita," Bellatrix murmured, trying to avoid the conversation.
"Little Black, you've almost won. Your competitors are all lazy, stupid, and unworthy wizards."
Hermione hated her more than ever.
"By unworthy you mean little mudbloods, filthy half-bloods, and blood -"
But before she could finish the sentence, Bellatrix howled loudly.
Her friend had kicked her hard in the shin.

"My family doesn't need another cover story besides: is Arcturus Black the new Witches Week model as the most attractive wizard, or the cutest pictures of Sirius and Regulus Black, or who will Bellatrix Black marry, or when will Cygnus Black finally die so we can get his daughter."
The born Black clarified and put on a fake smile.
But not Hermione.
She looked at her friend with a shocked expression.
"Oh yes, your father. How is he?" Rita asked.
"Well, as far as I know, and mother told me. Now, if you'll excuse us -"
Bella jumped up from the table and left the great hall without Hermione.
The student didn't want to let this sit on her.
"Hey! Wait!"

Bellatrix ran down the fields, Hermione after her.
The black-haired witch stopped and pushed her friend away.
"Stop that!"
"What?"
"Don't follow me - leave me alone - as I was before you!"
She sagged and clung to the stones.
"Bella – Bellatrix, please tell me about it. I am your -"
"Friend? Then you're probably my only one, besides all the idiots and blood traitors here."
She took a deep breath and stared deep into her eyes.
"My father is very ill, dragon pox or something -" She had to take a deep breath to continue, "He - he probably won't survive the next year -"
"Bella, this is awful!"
"Yes, yes it is. But if father dies we don't have right to our inheritance. An inheritance due to me! I am his daughter! Just because I'm not a man!" She gasped, tears welling in Bella's eyes.
Hermione's jaw dropped, "But - but what do you do then? Do you have a plan - I mean you – your mother and –"

Bellatrix gave a fake grin.
"Yes, Perfect. Mum will just marry me off to the highest bidder, then we won't be out on the street, it's only a matter of time before my engagement is in all the gossip magazines."
Bella's head fell against Hermione's shoulder.
Suddenly the smile disappeared, her face contorted, tears flowed from her eyes.
"Bella, I'm so-"
"You have to know father would never have done that - I'm his little fighter. He would never just marry me off like that. Even if he's a born Black, he - he would wait until I want to marry someone."
The brown-haired witch was frozen.
She had never seen Bellatrix Black cry, let show weakness.
But at that moment she was just a girl who couldn't escape despair.
Bella fell into Hermione's arms.
She was frozen.
The young women could hardly move, they just sat there.
Breathing heavily in a hug.