Fashion terrorist

Bella always wanted to buy a belle dress.

Initially it has been the fairy tale that put her off, later a french guy called Vincent, who used lip balm more often than girls.

Then, she turned sixteen and fell in love with black. It went well with the image she wanted to create. Bella Black in a little black dress looking like a bombshell.

Not that she knew what bombshell is. She knew it's some thing flattering though.

I digress...

Any ways, she has seen this belle dress before. It's put up as some thing fit for princesses. The only ones who ever bought these kind dresses are already resting in their coffins. It is that old fashioned but she liked the dress. It's pretty in a garish way. She always wanted to own some thing like this dress. She knew with out doubt she will not wear it, but she has a friend now. A friend who is not an ally, not a follower, but just a friend, nothing more, nothing less. Bella never had any thing like it. So, she bought the dress. It's just the right size for her new friend. While she may not be caught dead in some thing like this, there is nothing in the world that could make her new friend look any uglier than she already is.

After all, yule is coming and Marriet asked her for advice on what to wear.

In all honesty, she shouldn't have. Bella's taste always ran comical when it's not her outfit. No one wore what she bought for them. Bella's room mates at Hogwarts learned the hard way one does not ask Bella for advice then not follow it. After first example, they simply did not ask for her opinion on any topic cosmetic or costume.

Marriet informed her she learned two hexes. Bellatrix decided additional effort needed additional reward. After all, the girl is her friend now. So, she decided she could just order her friend or minion Marriet to wear the choosen outfit.

This time around, Bella allowed Marriet to have her wand and told her to use it as much as possible. Unsurprisingly, Marriet lost the duel. By the time she so much as pronounced the incantation, Bella already has a shield in hand or swatted the hex away. On the other hand, Bellatrix is surprised at how strong her minion's hexes are. For all her stupidity, it seemed Marriet is not lacking in magical power. Not many people made Bella put forth effort in her shields or swatting away hexes.

Surprisingly, Marriet did not sport a swollen cheek or broken leg.

She only had a minor sprain.

When put like that, it sounds very unaccomplished, but according to Bellatrix, that put her above ninety five percent of Hogwarts students in fighting skills.

After all, despite her size, Marriet is spry and indeed going with her size, she is strong.

A simple stunner never kept her down for long enough. She can break through ropes with brute force.

Bellatrix told her all those are good things.

Thus, Bellatrix elevated her back in to friend level, and gave a present to boot.

Bellatrix liked the way Marriet's face lighted up when she received her dress. It's as if no one has ever given her a present.

Then she learned indeed no one ever gave Marriet a present, as her Father died when she is very young in an accident involving test subjects. A Troll and a Veela respectively.

She grew up with allowance given from her father's account, under the understanding care of ministry workers.

"In other words, you are raised by wolves." Bellatrix said as if she is talking about weather, not insulting a friend.

"Miss Thistle and Mr. Didulus are not wolves." Marriet responded in matter of fact tone.

Bellatrix dismissed her concerns as not withstanding.

"From now on, when ever you do a good job, I will teach you some thing. Those fools from the ministry can't teach you etiquette." she told Marriet.

Marriet nodded in response, paying more attention to the pretty gown than to Bellatrix.

Bellatrix sighed in response.

When it looked like Marriet can no longer concentrate on talking, she said her good byes and left Hogwarts.

All in All, Bella considered the day a success.

She vented her frustration out.

She had a new occupation to find out as much as possible about Marriet Dolcow.

It's already starting to yield some interesting results.

There is a distant relative who shared a name with Marriet's father.

Miss Thistle is as commonplace as any other ministry worker, though she did seem to be living in a place that mostly should have been above her means, if what Bellatrix knows of her financial situation is true.

Also, Marriet is not legally registered as late 's daughter, despite the fact she is found to be a biological daughter of and receiving a stipend as such. The paperwork is submitted, but not processed.

Provided she did not successfully register her self as late potions master Didulus's daughter, next of kin will receive all of his inheritance when Marriet comes of age. Which is considerable for any other wizard family other than Blacks.

Bellatrix decided to correct this as soon as possible.

For now, she has work to do.

Neither Bella nor Marriet predicted the outcome of this task.