Black Rose [Regulus Black]

27 - exploding trucks & surprising friendships

That didn't sound good.

That did not sound good at all.

Alessandra risked a peak to her left to gauge what Regulus was thinking and instantly regretted it, because he looked shit scared.

However, he did mask his expression into one of cool indifference and turn around to face the person behind them, and she followed his lead.

It felt like ants were crawling up her spine when she assessed the people standing in front of her. They looked ordinary (apart from their eccentric clothing, it was like they weren't even trying to blend in), nothing about them looked particularly gruesome... there was just a certain lethality in their eyes that made her instantly wary of them. The woman was obviously Regulus' cousin: they looked similar in all but personality. Where Reg's features were smoother, calmer, hers were rougher and more jagged, like the difference between a whole mirror and a broken one.

The man, Alessandra presumed, was the woman's husband, not because there was any sign of romantic attraction between them, but because of the rings on their hands and the fact that they bore nearly no physical similarities other than the colour of their hair and the malice in their eyes.

Whether they were married or not, she was wary of both of them.

"Bellatrix."

"Who's this?" Bellatrix tilted her chin towards Alessandra, who refused to let anything show on her face.

"That's Alessandra."

"Is she a Muggle?"

Again, what was it with these purebloods acting like the person in front of them wasn't even in the room?

"Of course not!" Regulus denied vehemently.

"Pureblood?"

"Yes."

"Bloodtraitor?"

"You know I wouldn't be hanging out with a bloodtraitor," Reg scoffed. He said it so convincingly that she almost believed it; he was a fantastic liar.

"Do I?" the dark-haired woman in front of them chuckled, reaching out a hand and cupping Reg's cheek. It would almost have looked like an affectionate gesture, if it weren't for the way the tips of her fingers were nearly splayed around his throat as though she was preparing to choke the life out of him. "We can't tell anymore with our family, can we? First that blood-traitor running off to marry that Mudblood, and then Sirius dearest..."

Alessandra almost stopped breathing when Bellatrix's fingers wrapped around his neck menacingly, even though she'd seen it coming.

"...but you don't intend to disappoint us, do you, little Reggie?"

Regulus shoved his cousin away forcefully, looking angrier than Alessandra had ever seen him. "What do you want?"

"Merely wanted to see while you're in a Muggle store."

"Why are you?" he countered.

"The Dark Lord has ordered us to come here and stake out this location."

This time, Alessandra wasn't able to hide the shiver that went through her.

And naturally, luck wasn't on her side, so both the people in front of her caught her reaction.

"Who are you?" Bellatrix demanded.

"I'm Alessandra."

"What's your last name?"

Was it Vuitton or Cartier?

"Vuitton."

"Haven't heard of you before, why is that?"