Hello you lovely lot. It has come to attention that some people have become a little interested in my pitiful story. I must firstly say that I am sorry with the slow updates. I'm part of management at my job, so I'm either stuck working all day or on my days off I sleep - a lot. I'm currently moving house as well at the moment so everything is a little up in the air! But, please, bare with me. I adore this story, and my characters; mostly my lovely little baby Bella of course.

I've seen a lot of pairings when it comes to Lily and Bellatrix, but they're all too sappy for me. Have you seen Mrs. Lestrange? She's a fierce bitch, not a romantic. Lily on the other hand most defiantly is, but I would say is just as loyal to cause as Bellatrix is. So, naturally, they have a mutual ground to stand upon.

Anyway, blah blah blah, enough from me. Every single comment, review and favourite means more than you dare know to me. I put as much effort and time into these chapters as I can, even when I'm close to giving up. So knowing you guys out there care for my poorly strung sentences mean the world.

Thank you.

Little White Lies

It didn't take long for Lily to make up her mind on the matter of Bellatrix Black. Freya's warning was stored deep within the fibres of her mind and there is remained, unsettling her once collected and calm demeanour. The sudden change was most defiantly not welcomed in the quiet mind of the Gyffindor witch.

True to her cause the little red head spent the last few weeks of her life keeping to the crowds of Hogwarts Castle, praying to the God's above that the next corner she turned would not present the dark figure of Miss. Black herself. But the constant hiding away in the shadows made Lily become edgy of people around her. When friends called her name she was jump, move nervously on the spot. People had started to take note of how shut off from the world she had become, and naturally Freya was among their concerns.

"You've got to stop doing this to yourself."

The walls of the Common Room were alight with the colours of yellow and red as the fire roared in front of the two girls. Outside of the windows the dying sun had been defeated with the crushing darkness of night - not even the stars managed to dance their way through the smokey clouds tonight.

Smoke.

Smoke so thick and white.

"Lily!"

Freya's strained voice snapped Lily Evan's from her thoughts as she lounged back against a large sofa nearest to the fireplace. The warmth gave comfort and relief for now. "Huh?"

"Honest to Merlin! You've been beating yourself up over this Bellatrix matter for too long now. You need to chill out, you're all on edge and it's worrying the crap out of me!" Freya exclaimed, throwing her hands up in defeat as she attempted to do her school work from a nearby chair. It didn't take long to finally get Lily's full attention. All she had to do was mention that bloody dark haired witch..

"Excuse me! I am most certainly not on edge over Bellatrix Black." It was a pitiful excuse and one that her scoffing best friend saw right through. Alas, what else could Lily do? She had always be a horrid liar, it wasn't in her nature to be one, yet the fibs started to fall when needed. "It's just... school work."

"School work? Fucking school work? Are you having me on, Lily? You must think me completely dimwitted if you think I'm going to fall for that. You're a genius, remember? Miss. Clever-Clogs, duh! I know exactly what is going on here. Ever since Black spoke to you at lunch you have been jumping out of your skin every time you leave the safety of the Common Room. She isn't going to hunt you down and rip out your throat. When I said to stay clear of her I merely meant -"

"I know what you meant." Lily muttered from the darkness.

Silence fell between them. Everything was still apart from the flames tumbling besides Lily Evans, who turned her head towards the material of the sofa and picked gently at the old threads holding the red satin together. Before Freya had chance to open her mouth Lily spoke once more.

"I'm sorry, alright. You just.. I-I don't know.."

"Freaked ya' out?"

"Yes! I mean, Merlin, she's a wild beast and I didn't want to be around such a vile person. So I thought if I didn't ever have to set eyes upon her then, perhaps, I wouldn't be threatened again. You know how the Pure Bloods treat me... I can't stand the name calling, or the be-littling, for much longer."

Soon enough the school work in Freya's ink covered hands was neglected and placed onto a nearby table. Freya had been close friends with Lily Evan's since the day they had first started school and she had bared witness to the way her lovely Muggle friend had been so violently picked on over the years. All because of blood. There had more than a handful of times she was at Lily's side, defending her, protecting her from the 'upper class' students of this school.

"It's alright, Lils. I understand." With a tiny smile and a flick of her hair Freya went back to her work, chewing at the end of her quill. She tried so very hard to study, but the brown haired witch didn't find it easy to keep her mouth shut for long. "So.. you defiantly don't fancy her?"

"For the love of - No! Jesus, Freya."

"Hm." This time only ten seconds of silence managed to pass. "And you wouldn't sleep with her?"

"No!" Lily growled, rolling her eyes at such an awful suggestion. "Will you stop! You're not funny."

Five seconds of silence. "Like... you don't even think about her?"

Ah. That was the question that had Lily froze. Still the fire roared, the wood cracking and popping each time a new lump of timber was magically added to the flames. Once again the little Lioness shrunk into herself.

"Evans?"

Yes.

Smoke. She's always there. So thick and heavy against my chest. I can't breathe. In my mind she's red like blood. Or perhaps red like her lips? It's dark and warm, sticky to the touch.

Smoke.

"No." Finally! Lily had managed to snap out of her dark trance and roll her head back towards the dark outline of Freya's puzzled face. "I don't have time or the need to think of anything, or anyone for that matter, expect for my school work."

Liar.

Summer had finally sprung upon the rolling green grounds of the Castle. It was a welcoming change from the Spring rainstorms that had been beating down on the students and teachers over the past few months. Every single window and door was flung open on their hindges to welcome in the cool breeze that rolled down the hills and off the Black Lake. Some students were lucky enough to have a handful of lessons under the shade of the forest trees as they learnt about the creatures that lurked within the Forbidden Forest.

Lily was no different. She welcomed the beating sunlight and the playful winds that carried down petals from blossoming trees upon the Grounds. Most of her school work was now completed outside, her legs pressing against the cool of the thick grass as her green eyes flicked through her delicate books.

For the most part of the Summer the grounds had been quiet and respected, yet today it seemed that there was one House was did not agree with the set rules.

The elder years of Slytherin's had made base on the hillside next to the Black Lake and sort out to provoke havoc whenever possible. In their selfishness they set off spells that caused large bangs, making the younger students jump and cry in fear. Only yesterday Lily had witnessed a third year Ravenclaw being thrown into the water of the Lake by Malfoy and his line of willing followers. Today the focus was on something completely different. Someone different.

Every single male, from every single House, had allowed their eyes to wondered down to two figures who lay back in the grass underneath a large tree. A man and a woman.

Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange.

Rumor had it they were some sort of item.. a very odd item. There was no love or romance between the couple. Rarely did they speak or even stay in the company of one another. Of course when the two finally bothered to spent a moment at each others side they liked to put on a show. Their movements under the tree seemed to be their source of being in the limelight today.

Bellatrix had placed herself firmly over the top of her equally as dangerous partner in crime. Thick curls tumbled down from her shoulders and covered Rodolphus' face. From what Lily could make out they were whispering at one another's ears, smirking and biting at skin.

Ugh. I've seen animals have more morals than these two. Lily took note to try and not vomit at the sight of Rodolphus' rough hands gripping hideously at Bella's hips. Yet the eldest Black lapped it up. Her thighs trapped him against the floor and her long nails etched playfully along her captures jawline.

The show went on and Lily watched it all.

Her eyes never once left Bellatrix's body as it swayed dangerously over the trapped boy below. Those hips so curved, full of movement... Jesus, she knows how to move them.

"Wait, what? Get a grip of yourself, Lily!" The red haired witch growled angrily at herself and turned back to the book that had slipped down onto her lap. Honest to Merlin the Lioness tried so hard to read, but the page never once turned, and her eyes moved back to Bellatrix.

Milky thighs that peaked out beneath that stupidly short black skirt. Every muscle was toned and perfectly etched against her body as she teased and toyed with Lestrange, who struggled pointlessly under the Black Panther. Placed upon blood red lips was that goddamn smirk. Lily could feel herself squirm every time she caught sight of Bellatrix's tongue tugging at the corner of her wet mouth.

Stop this. Just stop! Freya's right.. I'm letting her get to me. Get back to your book, Evans!

But the book found its way to the ground and cover slammed shut. It was a glorious showing of upmost beauty, how on Earth could she bring herself to look away and miss it all? Once again her green eyes wondered up the curved back of the deadly female Viper and settled them upon - Shit!

There, staring straight back with heavy lidded eyes, was none other than Bellatrix. It seemed she had turned her head, and attention, away from Rodolphus and found herself connected to Lily from across the Grounds.

She's going to kill me. I'm dead! She warned me, threatened me, that if I dare even look.. Oh God!

It must've been Lily's lucky day. Never once did the treats or words of abuse come her way. No spell. No hard beating. In the moment of Lily's panic she had not seen that Bellatrix's smirk had visibly grown wider and darker. But when the moment of fear leave, and her mind settled, did Lily feel the air rush from her lungs.

Bellatrix was watching Lily.

Lily was watching Bellatrix.

Why am I not breathing? Why is she still staring at me like that? Those lips.. those eyes. Please stop, Bellatrix. Please!

That was when Bellatrix tilted her head back and exposed her slender neck for all to see - for Lily to see. Her wicked tongue trailed the red skin of her upper lip. Oh, she knew how to keep her crowd hooked but it had to stop. Lily was finding it harder and harder to draw in air. Little dots started to cloud her eyes that she could not pull away from that sharp tongue and plump mouth.

Gryffindor strength finally came through the save her. Blood pumped through her legs and forced her to her feet. Without argument Lily knew what she had to do. Heat rose from her chest up to her white cheeks, causing them to burn as bright as her hair, as she attempted to snatch up her school books and stuff them into her bag.

For a split second her hands trembled and it all crashed back to Earth. Even in her blind panic she swore she heard Bellatrix giggle wickedly at her carelessness.

Come on, Lily, hold it together. One book... two, three and four - there! Now stay in that blooming bag!

Before she turned and fled back up to the safety of the Castle, Lily allowed herself once last glance.

There was she.

Queen of Hogwart's Castle.

Bellatrix Black, leaning forward over Rodolphus, her lips pressing together before she kissed the air in Lily's direction.