Aptitude

The pain was excruciating. It burst into her brain and Bellatrix fell to her knees, spattering blood across her robes. She dropped the glass and grabbed her arm above her elbow to try and stem the bleeding as the blood poured out of three smooth lacerations almost six inches long. She felt herself sway forward and gripped her arm still tighter until she felt the pain of that as well. She mustn't faint!

'What the hell happened, Bellatrix?' She felt an arm round her waist hauling her up onto a chair. He let go and she sank forwards over the table as a hand raised her arm above her head, the thumb digging into her flesh at her elbow. A flurry of feet rushing towards them and a flash of ivory silk; Narcissa.

'Lucius, Bella? What's wrong? What happened?' The strain of panic in Narcissa's voice rose to a stifled scream as she saw the blood dripping down her sister's arm. Lucius reached out to grab Narcissa's shoulder.

'Stand there. They mustn't see. And try to keep calm.' Bellatrix tried to raise her head. The pain in her skull was fading, though her arm throbbed fiercely and the sight of her blood was making her feel increasingly sick. Lucius shifted Narcissa to the side a little and knelt down, 'What happened, Bella? Who did it?' She managed to turn and look straight into the cool grey eyes.

'My hand slipped.'

'Really?'

'Yes. I had a glass of champagne. I ... I don't think it agrees with me.'

'I can see that.' He stood up briskly and bent forwards to peer at her arm.

'You're lucky. I don't think you've left any glass in there.' Narcissa leaned over besides him and ran her fingers over the long gashes. Bellatrix flinched in pain.

'No, there's nothing. God, Bellatrix, you should have seen ...!' Bellatrix sat up.

'Did they see? I mean, anyone else?'

'I don't think so. They weren't really looking.' Narcissa poured some iced water onto a napkin as her sister swayed forward again. 'You aren't going to faint are you?' Bellatrix brought her right arm up and rested her head so she could see her arm. The smoke that had begun to form in her eyes cleared and she managed to reply,

'I don't think so.'

'Here, then, let's clean you up a bit. Budge over, Lucius.' The tall man moved to stand behind them as Narcissa carefully wiped the cold wet cloth around the wounds in her sister's arm. It stung badly, but Bellatrix felt much better to see that though the cuts were still oozing, the blood had slowed. She leant her arm down on the table, which now looked as though someone had sacrificed a pig on it.

'It doesn't seem so bad, now.'

'No. I reckon if you keep the cloth pressed down you can go and ask Mother to see to it.'

'No!' Bella hissed, almost startled by her own vehemence as Narcissa looked up, shocked. 'I mean,' Bellatrix went on more gently, 'I don't want to worry her. It would only spoil things for them. I really think that it's fine.' Narcissa was clearly unconvinced.

'What do you think, Lucius?'

'I think,' he said in his familiar drawl, 'I think she's probably all right, Narcissa. It doesn't look as if she caught anything that matters. It looks much worse than it is; minor wounds usually do, you know.'

'If you're sure...' She was still hesitant.

'Honest.' He reached out and squeezed the younger girl's wrist. 'Trust me, I've seen worse.'

'She can't just sit here, though, they'll notice.' Narcissa bit her thumb thoughtfully. 'I suppose you could tuck your arm inside the sleeve and keep your hand on it. Or we could try and find one of the family bathrooms. There must be something we could patch you up with.'

'I don't know. I don't want anyone to see.'

Lucius straightened the last glass on the table and wiped his hands on a clean corner of the cloth before pulling his wand out of his pocket and muttering,

'Scourgify!' The bloodstains vanished. 'Well that's a start,' he said lightly. 'First rule of concealing the crime; get rid of the evidence. Now let's have another look at your arm.' The long cuts were still seeping scarlet blood, and she winced as he ran his fingers over the wounds as Narcissa had done. He touched the tip of his wand to her skin. 'Ready?' Bellatrix took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Narcissa looked at them

'What the - ?' she gasped. Bellatrix felt a sting, as if a hot hand had slapped her and looked down. Three long dark crimson slashes stood out against her pale skin, the dark blood congealed and crusted over. She breathed out and touched the fingers of her right hand to the wounds. Her skin seemed to prickle with heat.

'Will it hold?'

'I wouldn't play Quidditch for a couple of days. Otherwise, it should be fine.' He smiled faintly. 'You won't have a mark on you.

'It still looks awful,' said Narcissa. Lucius nodded, his lips pressed together in a thin pale line.

'She'll be alright,' he said.

'Does it still hurt?'

'Yes.' Bellatrix looked around. 'Honestly, Narcissa. I'll be fine. Look,' she tilted her head towards the back of the room. 'I think Andromeda's noticed something. Can you tell her what's happened? I don't want her asking Mum and disturbing everyone. I'll come over in a minute.'

The younger girl hastened away. Bellatrix watched her go and turned back to the table, pressing her hand to her mouth to bite down on the flesh of her palm. Her eyes watered. Lucius had poured himself a glass of water and gulped it unsteadily before handing another to her.

'Does it hurt that much?'

'Like a branding iron.' She paused. 'That was no ordinary spell.'

'Let's just say that education doesn't have to end with Hogwarts.'

'Clearly not.' Lucius put down his glass and Bellatrix went on seriously, 'Thank you. I couldn't have Mother see.'

'She worries about you.'

'About all three of us.' He followed her gaze over to where Narcissa was speaking urgently to Andromeda, her golden head shining in the candlelight. Bellatrix looked back to him. 'Our parents like you, Lucius. They'll like you more when she's a year or two older.'

'I see.' She looked up at his pointed face. Could she see the faintest of pink lines at the corners of his cheeks? 'Is that code for play it cool?'

'It could be.' He leaned back on the table, still staring across the room, but now, Bellatrix thought, it was to avoid looking at her as much as to watch her sister. He shifted uneasily, his glance flickering to her arm, still resting on the white cloth.

'It can't be easy for you, being the eldest and most ... talented. Rather like being an only child, except that you have to worry along with your parents. My father,' Lucius swept back his hair in imitation of Mr Malfoy's leonine pose and Bellatrix laughed, 'worries about me quite happily on his own.' He shook his head roughly. 'You can't do that every time, you know.'

'I know,' she said simply, 'but I don't think I'll have to. I'm learning already.' Lucius leaned forward and said softly,

'Listen, Bellatrix. If you ever need any advice from an elder brother will you write to me? Whatever it is, you can send me an owl. Anything at all, I swear I'll answer.' He tried to smile. 'After all, your parents are really quite formidable. I need my ally in one piece.' The smile fell as he continued, even more quietly. 'They didn't tell me they were going to ask you. We don't all know each other, you see, it's more secure that way. I even think some didn't want you at all. They worry about natural talent; it's so unpredictable. I'm afraid even we can't escape a few cowards and idiots, but you'll see that they can be useful.

'I shan't ask you to tell me, just ... be careful. After all, if there's anyone who doesn't need to prove herself it's you.' There was Narcissa again, pirouetting under Andromeda's arm.

'You should go and dance with her.'

'That's allowed, is it?'

'In public.' Bellatrix stood up, gripping the back of the chair for support. For a moment, the room seemed to swim before her, but she breathed in and her vision cleared.

'Can you walk?'

'I'm fine; I didn't have that much to drink!' Bellatrix stepped away from the table. Behind them, the long curtains swayed in the cool air drifting in from the terrace. Lucius began to walk away towards her sisters.

'Aren't you coming?' he asked.

'I promised to dance with Avery, and I wouldn't mind if Rodolphus Lestrange asked me, too.' Lucius grinned.

'I'll leave you to it.'