Bellatrix Black grinned at her sister, Narcissa, tying up her long dark unruly curls into a pony-tail.

"Bella!" Cissa stared, bouncing on her feet. "Mother said-"

"Screw what she said!" Bella hissed, placing a bare foot onto a rock to start climbing. "We don't need her! We can do it ourselves, Cissy! We're not babies."

It was her enchanted toy snake that had gotten loose and had managed to slither its way into a tree, and a nine year-old Bellatrix had refused to call for her mother or an elf. She was a grown-up. Stupid Narcissa, thinking that she couldn't do it. Idiot. She gave the blonde a scowl, "See! It's easy!" She shouted down to her, digging her fingers into the bark of the tree as she balanced herself, climbing branch by branch with ease.

It was lucky her mother was busy with Andromeda, because she would certainly faint if she saw what Bellatrix was doing right then. A lady never climbed trees. Yet, Bellatrix was no lady. Well... She was, but it was so boring. Being a lady was Narcissa's job for now.

Bella leaned her full body weight onto a particular branch, her arm outstretched for the snake. It hissed and she glared. "Oh, come here, you silly thing!"

At that moment, Cygnus Black headed out into the gardens looking for his girls. A dark-haired man at his side. "Bellatrix!" Her father yelled in a shrill voice.

The dark haired girls eyes-widened, losing her footing at the sound and slipping. Narcissa screamed. The stranger flicked his wand in a flash and Bellatrix landed with an 'oomph' onto a well padded chair. Her snake following suit.

"Thank you, my lord." Cygnus bowed his head, rushing to his daughter. He glared at her and she pouted. "Bellatrix, you must thank Tom for saving you."

She looked up at the strange man slowly. He was tall, very tall. Well, everything was tall to a petite nine year-old. He had thick black hair that was neat, and dark eyes that felt as though they were burning into her soul. And yet, she just couldn't look away from him.

Thomas Riddle smirked at her, waiting for her thanks, which didn't come.

"I was fine!" She said, snapping from her trance. "If you hadn't of yelled, I would of managed!"

"Bellatrix." Her father said sternly, ears burning with embarrasment.

The young girl slid from her chair and stomped her foot, "Thank you for your unneeded help." And with that, she tugged Narcissa back to the house.

Cygnus stammered, turning to his friend and master. "I'm so sorry," He apologised again. "She's... It's just a thing with, she's, she knows her manners. She's just...um..."

"She's fiesty." Tom said cooly, running a hand through his hair. "I like it. How old is she?"

"Nine," Cygnus stated, his eyes on his retreating daughters. Bellatrix storming ahead with Narcissa's hand in hers, the blonde trying to keep up with her big sister. "Nine going on twenty."

Tom nodded, rubbing his chin for a moment before speaking up. "I have plans for her, Cygnus."

"My lord, I'm honoured, I-"

He rose a hand to silence the Black, bending to pick up the abandoned snake which reacted to his touch the way it would react to Bella's. It worked its way through his fingers like silk and he could almost feel Bella's touch through it. "I want updates on her when she goes to Hogwarts," He mumbled. "She gets into Slytherin and you're a rich man."

Bellatrix, however, was furious. "Did you see him, Cissa?" She snapped, kicking at the the trunk at the bottom of her bed only to yelp in pain. "He... He could see that I was doing fine! If father hadn't of yelled, I would of gotten my snake by myself!" Speaking of her snake, "Shit!" She cursed. "I must of dropped it when I fell!" She glared at her sister as though it were her fault and stomped off. That stupid Tom, and her stupid father. For once, would they not treat her like a baby? She was a big girl! She was going to Hogwarts in two years! Ugh.

When the witch had made it back to where she fell and saw that her snake was neither on the ground or in the tree, it only angered her even more. Until, "Bella..." She scowled and looked in the direction of the familiar voice. Tom chuckled, leaning against another tree. "Looking for something?" Her snake entwining itself in his fingers.

She glared. "That's mine!"

"Finders keepers," Tom muttered. "If you're a good girl, I'll give it back."

She pouted, folding her arms, "Fine. What do you want?"

"I want you to be good..." He smirked, watching her. "I want you to get into Slytherin, be good at school... and when the time comes. You'll have this back."

"And how will you know if I've been good?" She asked him, her eyes on her snake. "You can't go to Hogwarts. You're old."

"I have friends."

"Oh."

"Yes, 'oh', indeed." He moved his hand quick and her snake vanished. "Soon, Bellatrix. When you're ready." And just like that, he was gone too.

Bella stared, open mouthed before scowling again.

She'd hold him to that.