Lily was doing her best to read a book, but she couldn't help but keep glancing toward the side of the room where Bellatrix was sitting in front of her vanity. On the tabletop was her deceased father's wand and ring that Professor Ashworth had apparently delivered. Lily found it curious that Ashworth had been able to provide Bellatrix those mementos so quickly-he must have been present when Minister Black had died. She did not dwell on this curiosity, however. The matter at hand was the bottle of firewhiskey sitting within easy reach of Bellatrix.
Previous experience told Lily that trying to strike up a conversation with Bellatrix while she sat in front of her mirror would be useless. Try as she might, Lily could not think of any comforting words to share with the girl who had just lost her father. Having given up on reading, Lily watched Bellatrix reach up and configure her hair in a way that would allow her to wear her favorite hair ornament. She then put the black ornament in her hair and stared at herself in the mirror some more before pouring another glass of firewhiskey.
No longer able to watch Bellatrix or read in the oppressive silence, Lily rolled off the bed and exited the room, taking the book she had been reading with her. Upon reaching the common room she found that she had several options for seating. However, Sirius Black had spotted her and was waving her over to sit with him and James Potter.
Reluctantly, Lily joined them. "Doing your homework?" she asked.
"Yeah," said Sirius even though it was pretty clear he had not touched his parchment or quill for some time. James on the other hand seemed occupied with a transfiguration textbook, though Lily observed him peeking at her when he thought she wasn't looking.
"I see," said Lily. Normally she would have tried to come up with a pithy remark, but Sirius was being polite, and he had just lost two close family members in quick succession of each other. Feeling decidedly awkward, Lily sat down with them and made like she too was going to study from her book.
It appeared, though, that Sirius wanted to talk. "So, how is Bella doing?" he asked.
"Very nearly plastered," Lily sighed. "I think she's still in shock."
"No tears yet?" James asked quietly, looking up from his own book.
"None," said Lily.
James nodded, slowly. "I wasn't ever entirely sure she was capable of tears. She has always just seemed so… hard."
"It was her father who died, though" Sirius said. "They always had a pretty close bond-at least until she started Hogwarts."
"Oh?" said Lily, expressing interest in Bellatrix's background.
"Bella and my aunt have always had strong personalities," Sirius explained. "They didn't get along. When Bella got older, she would go into work with my uncle and he would look after her so that she and my aunt would not aggravate each other more than necessary."
"What about her sisters?" James asked.
Sirius shrugged. "Andromeda has always worn a mask of apathy and has managed to stay out of trouble. That left Narcissa for my aunt to focus on. She basked in all of the extra attention. She's a little bit spoiled, though I would never say bad-natured."
"So you think she's taking it quite hard, then?" James said.
"Yeah, I think so," Sirius said, leaning back and taking a break from the homework he had not been doing anyway. He nodded thoughtfully. "Think about it. With both my father and her father dead, there is now nobody in the Black family to which she feels close. When she goes home this summer her life is going to be a living hell."
Lily rolled her eyes. "You seem to forget about Professor Ashworth. She's bosom buddies with him. There's also the fact that she's seventeen and of age in the magical world. She can always just apparate anywhere she wants during the day and avoid her mother if their relationship is really that bad."
Sirius twisted his lips. "I guess you're partially correct. She is of age, and she did inherit quite a bit of money from my father. As for Ashworth, however, he may leave England entirely and go home to Australia. She'd be pretty lonely then, even if she exercised the option of moving out of her family home."
"Why would Professor Ashworth do that?" Lily asked.
"Professor Slughorn is going to be able to return and teach soon," James pointed out, half-focused on his book. "Ashworth will be out of a job. Not only that, there is the dark lord to consider. Ashworth would be crazy to stick around England."
"Dark lord?" Lily asked, feeling like she had been punched in the stomach.
"Oops," said James, suddenly studying his book very intensely and avoiding Sirius's gaze. It was an unnecessary ploy, however. Instead of being angry, Sirius was nonchalantly looking the other way and pretending not to have heard James's slip so that he wouldn't have to be the one to clarify. Seeing that he was caught, James tried to do damage control. "Don't worry about it," he muttered.
Lily looked from one to the other. "You've spilled it. Now you have to tell me."
Sirius sighed and finally turned his focus back to the group. "Apparently my old man discovered that there's a new dark lord on the loose. That's why they campaigned to make my uncle Minister of Magic. Professor Ashworth was also doing some work for them in an attempt to sabotage the dark lord. It was the dark lord that killed Bellatrix's father. Probably killed my father, too."
"How do you know that the dark lord did it?" Lily asked, vaguely frightened, but also suspicious.
"Ashworth told me," Sirius retorted. "While he was waiting for Bella, I asked if the dark lord was there when Cygnus died. He said yes."
"Thus," James interjected, "Ashworth would be crazy to loiter in England once Slughorn returns and puts him out of a job. From what you said earlier, Ashworth acted like the only reason he's alive is because Romulus Malfoy sacrificed himself. It's only a matter of time before the dark lord tries to hunt down Ashworth. You know, to tie up the loose ends."
"I see," said Lily, her mouth feeling rather dry. "Who else might this dark lord want to kill?"
Sirius looked at Lily, his young face strangely grim. "Most probably muggleborns and muggles."
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