You came, you saw, you conquered

Everyone

And I'm left here guessing

Oh, what went wrong?

Yeah, I'm down

But not out, and far from done

(Incubus - Beware! Criminal)

Sirius pushed her out of the bed with a sudden movement. Bellatrix watched as he sat on the side of the bed, with his bare feet touching the floor. The sun was rising and his bedroom was illuminated by different shades of color. His head was down for a moment. When he looked up she took a few steps back.

Sirius Black looked like a wild animal and she was frightened. His whole naked body was trembling and his eyes were dark. His mouth was shut and so was his fists. Bellatrix did nothing but watch as the microscopic dust in the air, visible on the morning light, danced around her cousin. He was emanating magic and breathing heavily.

One more step back and her back touched the wall. She never witnessed something so terrifying and yet so fascinating at the same time. Sirius gaze made her wish she had her wand in hand - but it happened to be on the top of the bedside table right next to him. One minute passed and the tension in the room was unbearable.

It's just Sirius, Bellatrix reminded herself as she took a step forward. She didn't know precisely if she was reaching for him or for the wand. He growled at her and it could not possibly be a human sound.

"Stay where you are." - he finally spoke and there was no doubt in her mind that this was not a request.

She stood still.

Sirius closed his eyes and began to try evening his breaths. There was nothing she could do but count them as she stood there. Bellatrix watched from a distance when his body started slowly to relax - his hands were flat against the mattress now, his mouth was half opened and his chest was rising up and down on a slow rhythm. He shook his shoulders. Sirius opened his eyes and they were the normal grey again.

"You scared the shit out of me." - she admitted, still standing on the same spot as before.

"I did not mean to." - he seemed really tired suddenly. "I was struggling to contain myself, but I would not have hurt you. "

"What was happening to you?"

"I'm not talking about it."

It was clearly a closed subject to him. She feared however that it would lead to the only other possible topic of conversation. He got up and put the trousers of his pajamas on. The beast was gone and he was all Sirius again.

"You got engaged and the first thing you do is to throw yourself at my bed?"

Bellatrix could not comprehend him. Days ago he was teasing her about her arranged married and now he was acting all weird about it.

"Not the first thing. I actually went dress shopping for my engagement party first."

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" - Sirius yelled and he never did.

"Stop screaming or you'll wake up the whole house!" - she pleaded.

"It would serve you right. They would finally know what miss perfection has been up to."

"Do you really want to ruin my life?"

She felt that horrible feeling of being trapped again, it made it hard to breath. Sirius was making her situation even worse.

"Who are you marrying?"

"Sirius. Don't." - she tried to reason with him even knowing it was useless.

"I'll find out one way or another, Bellatrix. Best to get it over with."

She looked to the ground trying to bring herself to say it. "Rodolphus Lestrange."

"Bella, no!" - the words escaped him. She felt a weird feeling in her stomach. "I thought no one in this house commanded you!"

"They don't! But they can certainly stand in my way."

"You have the whole family wrapped on your little finger, Bellatrix. How could they possibly inconvenience you?"

Sirius didn't understand one bit of it. She wondered if he would even listen to her explanation.

"They indulge me but they do not respect me."

"Bullshit."

"Rodolphus Lestrange is my ticket to freedom."

He was looking at her like she was completely mental.

"Rodolphus Lestrange is a vile wizard who thinks he's royalty or something. He's exactly the same as my father, Bellatrix."

She was not winning this argument.

"You don't understand what is like to be a woman in this family, Sirius. You think you have it hard. At least they consider you a rebel. In their eyes I'm just a property, something to be sold to the highest bitter."

"So your solution is the become another man's property?"

"Lestrange is only one man and I can control him."

It all seemed so obvious to her, but Sirius's mind worked on different ways.

"This is fucked up, Bellatrix."

"No, this is my life and actually none of your business!"

He managed to get her angry with his demands and his delusional expectations of her.

"I am not domesticated, Sirius Black. I am not turning into my mother, looking after decorations, hosting dinners and being a passive house wife. The world will know my name. I'm meant for greatness and no one in this fucking manor is standing in my way. This goes for you, too."

She was looking at his face but avoiding his eyes, convinced not to let him ruin her determination.

"Get out of my room." - he demanded coldly.

"Sirius, don't..."

"It's past dawn, Bella. We're not done just yet. But if we want to keep our heads attached to our necks you should go to your own room now."

She watched as he got back under the covers and turned his back at her. His dark hair was sprayed against the white pillow. She could distinguish each bone in his spine and fought the desire go back to bed with him and run her fingernails against it.

"Go. Now."

This time she obliged.

Sirius was fleeing her like the plague. There was obviously no way of taking to him on the family meals. She tried to get him alone on the library but he managed to drag Regulus attention only to avoid being alone with her. Night came and they spent it apart. She could not master the courage to go to his room and he didn't come for her.

Time went by so slow on the days that follow their fight. Druella tried to make Bellatrix participate in the preparations for the engagement party but gave up when she realized her daughter was no help at all. Narcissa seemed over the moon with anticipation of the event though.

She was trying not to keep track, but knew all too well that they hadn't spoke in three days again. Bellatrix was sick of this behavior of his. The nights were definitely the worse. She tossed on her bed remembering his touch and waiting for him to show up on her room, even if her whole mind was fighting to acknowledge that desire.

The day of the party arrived at last. Bellatrix felt numb and distant to all the havoc that took place in the house. She was determined to go through with this marriage but she lacked the patience for planning social events. Making up an excuse, she got Kreacher to bring her lunch at her room.

Soon after her mother and sister were in there, making her shower and then proceeding to dry and comb her hair, and by the time they were finished it fell in beautiful curls down her torso. Her mother went out to get ready herself and Cissy ceased the moment alone with her sister to bother her with all sorts of girlish questions, like are you nervous? do you like him? do you think he'll give you anything?

Bellatrix tried to answer each one without looking too bored. It was, however, a difficult task. Andromeda would never ask such things, she thought with a hint of pain on her chest.

"I can manage with my make up now, sister. Go get ready."

Cissy gladly went and she was finally alone again enjoying the silence.

Her dress was long, the darkest of blues and it fell tight on her body on all the right places. The clothing left most of the skin on her back exposed and her hair was combed to her left side, cascading on her chest. She looked at her reflection on the mirror and smiled with satisfaction. Bellatrix tried to ignore her mind that stubbornly wondered if Sirius would like it.

Sirius was on his bed denying the fact that he should get up and get ready for that bloody party.

"Prongs?" - he called onto the two-way mirror. "Hey Prongs, Jameeees Potterrrr!"

"Wait, wait!" - his best friend's voice yelled back from the mirror. "What's up, Padfoot?"

Sirius could see his image now and his spirit lit up. It was the usual James, messy hair, glasses almost falling of his face and all.

"It's nice to see a sane person for a change. Everyone here is barking mad."

"You know you're no exception, don't you?" - James smiled.

"Ha ha. Really funny."

"Okay, spit it out. I know you didn't summoned me just because you miss my handsome face."

"Oh, but I did." - Sirius tried to look offended. "Fine. Look, she's driving me insane, Prongs. My head is probably going to explode, so I'm just giving you a heads up to start prepping the eulogy. Make sure they write on my grave stone: here lies Sirius Black, amazing friend, most charming marauder, loyal puppy and unfortunately put down by his crazy cousin."

Sirius saw James trying to hide his laughter very unsuccessfully.

"Wait wait. Add 'betrayed by his stupid best friend' on the grave stone."

"You give me hell all school year for pining over Evans and I can't have a little bit of fun when Bellatrix is giving you a hard time?"

Sirius shot his tongue at the mirror reflecting his best friend. "Not at all the same, mate."

"Oh please, enlighten me on the differences of our insufferable pains."

"Well, Lily Evans is not putting her hands down your pants, for one."

"BLOODY HELL." - James shouted and his ears turned red.

"Not the same, wouldn't you say?" - Sirius lifted and eyebrow.

"I wish!" - James hand went through his hair with his signature move. His face turned very serious then. "Sirius Black, are you shagging your cousin?"

"Well, I'm... We're... no, no." - Sirius felt his cheeks turning red and cursed the memories that came to his mind.

"I don't believe you." - James was the one lifting an eyebrow at the moment.

"I'm dead serious." - He saw the look on his friend's face and added, "No pun intended this time. We haven't seal the deal."

"Yet." - James added.

"Oh, no. Not yet. Not ever. I'm not going near that bloody crazy woman again. She's the devil."

"Keep telling yourself that, mate. Anyway, what the hell did she do that's so bad to keep you out of her knickers?"

Sirius sighed. "She's mad, I tell you. One minute she kisses me, the other she insults me, next she gets engaged and makes me watch her trying really fucking sexy dresses on and invades my bedroom and try to have her way with me, that's what she did. I got so mad that I almost turned to Padfoot in front of her."

"Fuck. I keep telling you one day Padfoot will take over and we're never seeing old Sirius again." – James passed his hand through his hair and thought for a second, then a mischievously grin appeared on his face - "But come to think of it, not all of that sounds so horrible."

Sirius gave him a nasty look and ignored the last comment. – "Well, at least I rather spend the rest of my miserable and short life as a dog and not a stag."

"That's only because you never been a stag! I'm majestic." – James laughed but quickly got a grip on himself. "Fine, fine. Look, Pads, perhaps you should come stay with me. I don't trust for a second that you'll be staying away from her. Pack your bags and floo here right now. We'll prank some neighbor and you'll feel better."

Sirius was inspired and a smile made his way through his face.

"PADFOOT. NO NO NO. I know that look. It means you're going to do something really stupid and I won't be there to clean your mess."

"You know James, you inspired me. A prank is just what I need. Did I tell you that Bellatrix's engagement party is tonight?"

James looked terrified and it only made Sirius smile widen.

"SIRIUS NO I FORBID YOU. It pains me to play the responsible one since this is obviously Moony's job but you're going to land yourself in real trouble this time. I can see it in your face."

"Stop being such a buzz killer, I won't get caught."

"You're no good at making plans alone, you get all excited and don't think things through properly and it lands all of us in detention. Only this time it will probably lead to me writing you a eulogy and on your grave stone it will say 'Sirius Black, died because of his own arrogance and stupidity'".

Sirius was laughing out loud now watching the worried look on James' face, whose image was in and out of the mirror for pacing up and down his own room.

"Don't worry, mom. Besides it won't be Sirius doing it, okay? Padfoot will do just fine."

"FUCK SIRIUS NO."

"Bye bye."

Sirius was lowing the mirror.

"SIRIUS BLACK DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME TALKING TO MYSELF. I'll floo to your place and have you locked on the attic or something."

He picked up the mirror again and tried to look serious.

"Look, Prongs, I'll be careful okay? Everyone will be too drunk to catch me." - he gave him his best smile.

"This will end up really bad, you know."

"I'll be fine. But just in case, if you don't hear from me tomorrow, start digging the grave, will you?"

"PADFOOT."

"Gee, it was just a joke. Have to go now. Clothes to put on. Firewhisky to drink. Family members to insult. Parties to destroy."

James looked defeated. "You go. But I won't be crying at your funeral."

"Over and out."

Sirius blinked to a worried James Potter and put the mirror back on his drawer. The smile stayed on his face as he began to dress up for the occasion.

Bellatrix went down the stairs to meet the guests that had already arrived. As she took the steps towards the party she saw that all the prominent families were attending. Her mother made a good job with the decor and the house was looking even more opulent than usual.

Her father was waiting for her on the bottom of the stairs. Rodolphus was near him with something that resembled a smile on his face. Sirius was on a corner and his eyes were watching her every step, there was no smile, just that disturbing gaze of his that made her feel naked.

"Evening, father." - she greeted and he gave her an awkward embrace just for show. Cygnus Black was not one for public display of emotions. Or one for emotions for that matter.

He took her hand and put it on Rodolphus's hand. Bellatrix looked at her fiancé and gave one of her rehearsed smiles that never reached her eyes. She was wearing her society mask, pretending again to be a perfectly normal witch satisfied with the role assigned to her.

It wouldn't be over quickly. She had encountered the immediate family of her soon husband to be but he wanted to parade her to all the other Lestrange's and his friends to. It was a tiresome job to pretend to care with every congratulation and the shallow comments stating they were a perfect match.

Not one of this people knew her, she thought while greeting what seemed like the millionth person with a handshake. Bellatrix's gaze wandered the room and stop abruptly at the sight of grey eyes staring back at her. Well, maybe one person after all.

She avoided his eyes when she realized that even that was not completely true. Sirius knew only the part of her that she chose to share with him - he could never stand all the darkness. He got inevitable glimpses of it when her guard was down, but she never showed him everything. Sirius Black was made of starlight and she was a black hole.

Bellatrix shook her head and tried to focus on the party again. She went to the corner where Cissy was standing alone, still smiling at the sight of a recently departed Lucius Malfoy.

"I think he fancies me, Bella." - her sister said when she approached her.

Cissy had an honest smile on her face that wasn't common for her. It wasn't for most Black family members; she could not help to think. Only for Sirius, and exclusively when he was away from Grimmauld Place. At that place there was always a shadow on his face. She suddenly realized she was distracted again.

"Of course he fancies you. How could he not? Every man in this room would be lucky to have you."

Bellatrix tried to match her sister's smile, failing terrible but luckily for her she was not Cissy's center of attention.

"Thank you." - she replied and took another sip of the champagne she was holding.

She cursed the fact that Andromeda was not there. It was never dull when she was around. At this time, had she been there, she would probably be making fun of every person on the party and Bellatrix would be pretending to be horrified by her sister's lack of politeness while actually she was biting her tongue not to burst into laughter. You can't have everything, she thought. Especially if you're part of the Black family and happen to wear skirts.

When all the guests were done eating the party was transferred outside to the gardens. There were tables and chairs spread across the land and dim candle lights floated around providing illumination. There was music playing. It did look beautiful, Bellatrix thought, even if she knew the party was not for her. The Black threw events like these for only one reason and that was looking powerful to the rest of the society. They had to maintain their royalty status after all.

Close to the place she was standing there was a large table with an enormous cake and lots of champagne glasses waiting to be filled for a toast. Before those glasses were to be filled, however, there would be some dancing.

Rodolphus walked to her and gave out his hand. "Can I have this dance?"

"Of course."

They walked hand in hand to the center of the dance floor and she could feel all the guests watching them. Rodolphus was not a bad dancer but there wasn't any excitement involved - his hand barely touched her back and he kept his distance while they swirled across the room. It was very formal and she expected nothing different for a man with his status and upbringing.

The song ended and he made a small curtsy that she replied. She was determined to walk out of the dance floor when she felt a warm hand on her waist that she knew all too well. Bellatrix turned to her side to find Sirius smiling coldly at her.

"Will you grant me the honor of this dance, cousin?"

His eyes were impassive as if there was nothing but family cordiality between them. Bellatrix was kind of impressed, perhaps there was a Black inside of him somewhere. By this time there were several other couples on the dance floor.

"If I must." - she answered with the same blunt expression. "Excuse me, Rodolphus."

Sirius took her hand and pulled her closer to him. One of his hands were firmly on her back pressing her body against his as the other one held hers. They were dancing in a slow rhythm and Bellatrix felt his face bury in her neck as he inhaled her jasmine perfume deeply.

"Behave yourself." - she whispered to him trying to see if anyone else was paying attention, which luckily didn't seem to be the case.

"This is me behaving." - Sirius answered and she felt his hand travel down her spine and plant itself way lower than it should.

They were dancing smoothly and their eyes were locked on each other. He was pulling her impossibly closer and she was having a hard time breathing.

"If I wasn't behaving, however," - he whispered on her ear and his hand went even lower on her back. "I would tell you all the things I would do to you once I got you alone and on top of my bed."

She bit her lip and dug her nails on his back. Sirius Black was untamable.

"I thought you despised me." - she said and her hand travelled to the back of his neck.

"But I do." - he smiled and moved his neck against her hand. "Doesn't mean I don't want to rip this fucking dress off of you."

Her heart beat way faster than it should and she was glad to see the song ended.

"See you later, Sirius." - she said with a tempting smirk on her face while she walked away.

Bellatrix had to stop and talk with some witches and wizards as she made her way to her father, who had waved to her and made a signal for her to meet him. It was only minutes later that she reached him by the table with the glasses now full of champagne.

Cygnus began talking and thanking all the guests for their presence and was informing them that the glasses for the toast were about to be distributed.

The table was behind her so she heard the sound and saw the horrified looks on other people's faces before she saw it for herself. That white tablecloth had been ripped out of its rightful place and all the glasses were broken around it. The cake was destroyed and there were pieces of it all across the floor. She did nothing but watch as a dark beast ran away from the table. It stopped on the property limits and, defying the spells that were being cast on its direction, turned back to look at the guests. Bellatrix could swear she saw a smile on the creature's face before it disappeared between the trees.

Sirius was running in his animagus form. He felt the light breeze on his face and the muddy ground beneath his paws.

Mad Bellatrix. Chaos. Shame on the family.

His thoughts were always a little affected by his dog form, mostly words or short lines of thinking and they went really fast by his mind. Padfoot was running happily away from the party when he sensed the spells being thrown at his direction.

Run. Bad wizards. Do not get caught. Mad Bellatrix. Pretty Bella.

He was getting away and was doing a fine job at staying out of harm's way until one of the spells hit his leg.

Pain. Run. Pain. Escape.

Those were his last canine thoughts that night, since soon after that he turned back to his human form. If the wound was painful to Padfoot it was even worse to Sirius. He limped all the way towards his hidden clothes. There was blood running through his right leg but after examining it he realized that the wound was more painful than dangerous. Luckily for him the wizards were only brave enough to throw some spells and not a single one went chasing after a huge black dog.

Sirius laughed with relief and accomplishment. He couldn't wait to tell James. He was dying to see Bellatrix's face also, but it would be extremely stupid to go anywhere near the party on his state, with his clothes all messed up and a bleeding leg. That would have to wait.

His leg hurt as he walked back to his room unnoticed, but his smile remained. Bellatrix was certainly furious and the family must be mortified. It was definitely worth a little amount of pain.