Hot as ice [open]

[alecto]

What really was upseting about the Slytherin common room, was that it was practically underneat the school. It just happened to be located in the most cold of places. The Dungeons could make a person wear a sweater in the middle of summer. The common room was just an iceland. This went for the Dormitories too. The dorms were freezing cold and it was a wonder that anyone could sleep in such a cold place. Apparently, none of these authority figures cared at all. The common room had always been located down in the middle of nowhere, why would that change? So a teenager's heart stops beating because of the cold, what did it matter? Not like that damned headmaster cared at all. He was tucked in nice and neatly in his own room, nice and warm. Sickening, simply sickening.

Along with this, did it come as a surprise that Slytherins were mean and nasty? Of course the elder students had become accostomed to this and were quite content with it. Well, they could at least come off as pleasant. The younger Slytherins were hell. They got worse year after year, Alecto could have sworn. Speaking of Alecto, the seventh year was wide awake in bed, wide awake and wishing death upon her dorm mates. It wasn't fair that they could sleep so soundly while Alecto was here freezing her arms off. Her arms were covered with goosebumps and her teeth were chattering.

Deciding she couldn't take it anymore, she jumped out of bed and rummaged through her possesion for the warmest sweater she had. Wouldn't it have made sense to go to sleep with that warm sweater? Alecto didn't fancy sleeping in overly huge pieces of clothing. Besides, that's what blankets were for. Bullshit. Blankets didn't work at all. Finding her green sweater, she pulled it on and put her feet into some of her warm slippers.

She couldn't go to sleep now, so the best thing to do would be to go down to the common room and sit there. Hopefully, the fire would have been lited. To her relief, the fire was blazing and she took a seat on a couch closest to the fire. She brought her legs up to her chest and hugged them. Minutes later, she felt her eyelids become heavy and finally she gave in to sleep. Alecto wasn't one to fall asleep in the common room, where everyone could watch, yet there were things she couldn't resist.

[bellatrix]

So, Bellatrix had just had one of her....upsetting moments you could say. At times her anger was too much to control, and she simply had to let it out somehow. Throwing a fit, and still managing by some miracle to be silent enough for her roommates to sleep, she pulled out her hope chest. Not that she cared in the slightest if they woke up or not, it was best for them to avoid her apparent wrath. She yanked open one of the compartments that had family photos in it and the like. Her dark eyes flitted between each photo as she quickly sifted through them, looking for a few in particular. She was crouched in front of her chest as she did though, and her hands stopped when she found one. It was a photo of her parents, looking grimly at the camera lens. None of the Blacks appreciated photographs very much, so it was of the few that she had. Trix stared down at them with fire in her eyes for a moment or two, before picking up the scissors at her side.

Hacking away at it with a twisted expression, her parents suddenly became headless and seperated from one another. She then preceeded with a green marker to draw the dark mark on the front, before tossing it to the side with remote satisfaction. Bella was furious with her parents, for everything really. They didn't seem to care what she did, as long as she honored the family name and did what she was asked. Being the eldest apparently meant nothing, besides being naturally ignored. Even Andromeda got more attention than she did, if only because she was a vile rebellious troll. Well, they'll get what they deserve one day. Trix would never lay a finger on them, but they probably would, everyone did at one point or another. And the latest upsettting news: all information at home and family situations were going completely over her head and straight to Narcissa. Narcissa. The pretty, dainty little blonde. The same little blonde who would have gone nowhere without Bellatrix to guide her.Her subject changed within an instant and she chopped off Cissy's head next, a picture of her on her birthday, looking perfect as always. She laughed loudly, a mixture of joy and pain rolled into one. She felt highly unrecognized, pushed out of her rightful place for another.

First she shoved off Andromeda, and now she was trying to get in front of her. It just wasn't right. It wasn't fair. No one cared or noticed Trix. Oh, but they would. Everyone will know her name, and they'll fear it, that'll show them all. Bellatrix's face contorted into a look of pure anger, and she gave a cry of rage before picking the pictures up and bursting out of her dorm room. Gliding up the steps, despite the temper she had shown only moments ago, she headed to the fire already blazing. Bellatrix sat down cross-legged, and tossed the pictures in, using the stick to poke around and help it burn. The light made shadows of her face on the walls as she looked on in resolve. Bella's eyes flickered to the unmoving girl on the couch, and she turned to look at her. Now she was in a much more calm and collected mood, so calm in fact it was one of her rare moments. "Be careful where you sleep at night, it's dangerous to leave yourself vunerable...so out in the open." She spoke, her voice cutting the silence like a knife.

[alecto]

Alecto had been expecting absolutely no company. She thought everyone was up in bed, soundly asleep. In fact, she was almost asleep on the couch, until she heard someone storm into the common room. Who had enough audacity to do such a thing? How dare, whoever it was, interrupt Alecto while she was trying to get a good night's rest? She hadn't slept properly in two weeks and was about ready to kill whoever it was that was disturbing her. Alecto sat up and rubbed her eyes, in an attempt to stay awake.

She was surprised to see Bellatrix Black throwing some pictures into the fire. Was this really the time? Couldn't she have done this quietly? If Alecto had ever noticed anything, it was that most, if not all of the Blacks were attention seekers. Well, that's what she thought anyways. Alecto watched her poke the pictures in the fire, wondering why exactly she was doing this.

Alecto laughed slightly. It was one of her menacing laughs. "Oh, don't worry about me, I'll be fine," she said with a smirk. Alecto was probably the opposite of vulnerable. She could take care of anyone who decided to mess with her. It wasn't a smart thing to do, messing with Alecto Carrow. "What are you doing up? I take it tomorrow will be a slow day for you?"

[bellatrix]

Bella was in her long green and silver nightgown, with her hair straight as a needle and black down her back. Usually it was in some kind of elaborate pull-up, but when you had been planning on going to bed it didn't matter. It held a new kind of uncomfortable glare, than it's usual disorder and craziness. Green eyes narrowed and unarrowed as the observed the girl across from her. Trix had really only talked to her a few times, not much conversation had passed between the two of them. From the attitude that this other Slytherin gave off, it was fortnuate for her. However she was perfectly capable to take the attitude of this other grumpy girl, however rude and disrespectful.

"I don't worry, in perfect honesty I could care less." She replied, as if that she be very obvious. Bellatrix didn't worry about people she didn't know, and it should be especially Slytherins. Slytherins should be capable of handling their own without any problems. She decided to grace this girl with her reasons, as it was a very peculiar thing to do, in the middle of the night. Then again, so was sleeping on the common room couch. "I simply cannot sleep. Not like it's an absolute necessity. I decided to sort through some....family memorabilia. Now that I'm done, I'm enjoying the fire." It as warm, and it helped take away the frigid coolness of the dungeons.

"No day is ever slow for me." She had too many things to try and handle all at once, that no time could ever be wasted during daylight. "Why are you sleeping at here?" She looked around the room. "I mean what's the matter? Roommates kick you out?" She taunted with a smirk. Despite the way it came off, she was actually making small talk with Alecto, which was a good sign. Bellatrix unfolded her legs so they were half-way spread out across the rug in front of the fire, being pleasantly warmed by the heat of the fire.

[alecto]

Alecto scowled while she watched Bellatrix. She found her to be odd. Then again, what Slytherin wasn't odd? She didn't expect her to be concerned at all. But, wasn't it she who had brought up the subject in the first place? So wasn't she contradicting herself? What did Alecto care? Who was Bellatrix to her? She decided not to pull out her wand and hex her.

Alecto placed her palms towards the fire, enjoying the warmth. At least there was some sort of warmth down here. This was how she went through family memorabilia? By burning it? Probably it was pictures of those family members she didn't like. It was something Alecto would have done, if she had family members she didn't like. Amycus was annoying, maybe she should have burned him. "Makes sense."

She crossed her legs on the couch and shurgged when asked what she was doing up. Typical Alecto would have given some sort of reply on how the guy she was sleeping with kicked her out, but she didn't feel like it. She didn't feel like being fake this particular night. "I don't think anyone would dare kick me out. I was just freezing my ass in the common room. So damn cold, how can anyone sleep?"

[bellatrix]

Her face came up to stare back at Alecto, watching it shape into an unattractive scowl. What the bloody hell was she scowling at? It most certainly better not be her, if this girl had any sense for her own well being. Trix simply raised her eyebrows and put on a smug, cruely twisted smile. She was used to other Slytherins trying to challenge her on 'mean'. It was never any contest, at all. Eventually they all learned their proper places and roles here at the school, and in life as well, which was anywhere beneath her. She owned the dungeons.

"It should, not all family is quite as pleasant as they should be. Those who spoil the family name, for one example. And others, who just simply seem to push your buttons. I'm sure you know what I mean?" She was constantly searching for something they could find a common interest in, besides both being Slytherin. If they had nothing in common, the conversation wasn't even worth keeping, no interest. Bellatrix peered at her through the sheet of her black hair, which constantly shaded her face. It stood in dark contrast compared to her very fair, clear skin.

"Ah yes, we've all been banished to the dungeons for being Slytherins. Our cold prison for our crimes, as some fools have tried to put it. I personally prefer it, there's so many things you can get away with and get done in a place nobody else wants. The cold suits me. But...." She began, kicking off the blanket that had been wrapped around her. "I can see how some people may not feel the same. Just use a heating charm, nobody will know anything different." Bella shrugged indifferently at the matter, randomly laying down on the rug on her back, stretching her legs.

[alecto]

Alecto bit her lip as Bellatrix mentioned spoiling the name. Spoiling normally meant being a blood traitor or doing something pro-muggle. This was not Alecto at all, in fact she was the complete opposite. However, practically all female pure-bloods had been taught to be good and proper and be very lady-like. This was not Alecto at all. She was about as lady-like as much as the giant squid was. She knew for a fact that many pure-blood families talked about her and reffered to her as "that Carrow girl." Then there was Amycus who did push her buttons. He was just so perfect. It was sickening. "I know what you mean. Some family should be destroyed."

All her life she had been taught not to say such things about the Carrows. What did she care? Alecto knew for a fact that they couldn't hold their own against the Blacks or Malfoys or someone of equal importance. In fact, she had been taught to fear them. So she was supposed to fear Bellatrix Black was she? Why? She didn't seem terrifying. None of the Black's did really.

"But see, what's the point? We shouldn't have to use the heating charm. Have you noticed how unfairly Slyhterins have been treated?" Well, Alecto had to have been the only person in the house who could talk crap about it. What was so great about being a Slytherin? Suffering in the cold wasn't all that it was cracked up to be.

[bellatrix]

Bellatrix was a lady, and at the same time definitely not. She got away with her occasional outbursts and threats, because she wore fine things, was practically the cruelest person you could meet, and she knew how to hide things behind fake smiles and fluttering eyelashes. She was quiet and polite at dinner and to the guests, and she held the family name proudly. It seemed to override the other things that she did, to most people. Narcissa was always a lady, she never lifted one finger out of place. Perhaps that was why as of late, she was getting more attention. Still, her parents knew how much promise Trix still had, she was strong willed and sneaky, very admired traits in their family and society. Of course she had met Alecto before, she had met everyone in Slytherin when they first were sorted, it had always been necessary to her.

She found Alecto nothing of a lady at all, but she was pure blooded, and believed that being pure was highly important. And so even though Trix didn't appreciate Alecto's crude and unmannerly behavior, there really were things that Bellatrix Black overlooked, for the sake of the members of her house. After all, they couldn't all be perfect. "Erased I believe. If only it were possible to choose your own family before hand, then we wouldn't have to worry about these black sheep that come about every so often." Bellatrix wouldn't go much into detail about it, not really more than that. The Blacks didn't want people to know about the family members that hadn't been up to par, they wanted to look as good as possible.

"All throughout history, we Slytherins have been treated far below what we should, far below what's deserved. As it is, we stand tall above all the other houses, and excel in everything we do. And because of this, people who are jealous of our natural talents, ambition, and perserverence want to punish our house. Salazar Slytherin was a great man, we're being punished because of a great man. It's ridiculous really. But we shouldn't fret, because it won't be staying this way for that much longer. Oh no, sooner than later people will come to realize you can't step on a snake and expect them not to bite." It really Was freezing in the dungeons. Stupid and worthless adults caused this to happen. Oh well what did it matter? Soon everything would change, and Trix would be a part of that.

[alecto]

Alecto shifted again as she thought what would happen if they could filter out their families. She would have been the first one to be kicked out of the family. Hell, she might as well have been out of the family now. Not like she actually followed the rules. Still, she wasn't as bad as Bellatrix's cousin Sirius. It was common knowledge that he had been disowned, so she found comfort in the fact that things hadn't escalated that far with her....yet.

Alecto stretched herself across the couch and propped her chin up in her hands. She was right of course, Slytherins had ALWAYS been treated like crap. It wasn't her fault. Well, she liked to believe that she was doing the house of snakes a service by associating with those that weren't of her house. Many Slytherins had a habit of hanging out with those just of their own house. That could have been a major factor in everyone else hating them.

"Oh, and how will they realize that?" she asked with curiosity. She knew typical purebloods would mention their name and blah, blah, blah. Honestly, how far did that get? Not very far. No one even cared about how pure someone was. Disgusting. If anything could change that...Alecto was in.

[bellatrix]

It wasn't as if she didn't know about the Carrow family, Bellatrix as well as the rest of the Blacks made a point of knowing who's who, and all the family ancestry. Her family was pathetic at the very least, a poor name in the Slytherin society. So why on earth was she wasting her time here, talking to the girl? Well it was a complicated thing. As awful as Trix turned out to be, in almost any circumstance, there were those very rare occassions where she wasn't quite so...vile. When her defenses were down, when she was feeling very upset and vunerable, or where someone had caught her doing something she found would be unpleasant to her reputation, if brought about. Those were the few moments that kept her at merely a rude apptitude, instead of a totally detestable one. Her hands went up to her hair now, as she tried to straighten it out as best as she could. Bellatrix didn't like being caught looking fairly normal.

People always wondered how Bellatrix ever got to be the way she was. In the end, there was really no explanation, even Bella didn't have one. It was probably related to a series of numberous events, both good and bad, which shaped the way she was today. Living in a home full of high expectations, being the eldest but not the most favored, growing up being best friends with her family but having to distance herself, they all had to do somewhat with her current character. In the end, what did it really matter? She was who she was, and you couldn't change that. Not now, not after Trix had already decided. She stared up at the dungeon ceiling, it always looked so cold and slimy, even in the common room. She wondered why that was. No sense pondering about it, it was merely a waste of time.

"Please tell me you have some kind of an imagination?" She drawled, curling her hair around one long finger. She sat up so her hand was supporting the back of her head as she stared at the Alecto girl. "So far, in contrast to what I've heard, you've turned out to be boringly normal. Of course that's to be expected, almost everyone is." She could hardly believe she was talking to her, but she was bored, and Trix did all sorts of crazy things when boredom set in. "A once apon a time slytherin has already begin to make history in our day. With all the rumors and gossip going around, I doubt you could have actually missed that. Not that I'll say what I feel about the whole thing either way, but it's definitely going to make a different to the whole Slytherin house." Bellatrix wasn't about to outright say she supported him, she wasn't an idiot. She was still in school, she wasn't going to be labeled and tracked down by the wizarding officials.

[alecto]

Boringly normal? That was a first. Alecto was shocked to hear this. That had to be the first time anyone called her normal. She didn't know if to be flattered or offended. She was letting her real self show, not good. It was never good to show people what one was really like. If a person did, then people would walk all over that person. This theory wasn't proven or anything, but Alecto really believed it. She didn't want anyone walking all over her. What the hell? A twisted smirk crossed her face while she ran a hand through her hair. Maybe this was just Bellatrix playing with her head. Right? It HAD to be. She was not normal, by any standard. She shook her head deciding to let it go.

Oh. That's what she was talking about. Him. Of course she had heard of this menace. Well, not so much of a menace. She had read articles and what not about his crusade and was intrigued by it. Of course Bellatrix would know, she just appeared to be the type of person who would know. Then again, man other people probably knew as well. Alecto sat up straight and her eyes widened a little. So did Bellatrix support it? Well, there was nothing wrong with that, after all Slytherin house would be better off.

"Ohh. So what are your opinions on it?" she asked curiously. Yes, it was none of her business, but what did she care really? And for once, she thought before she spoke. Of course admitting that one did support it could lead to consequences. Could she wind up in Azkaban for admitting such a thing? Not likely, but who knew?

[bellatrix]

She let out a yawn, covering her mouth she looked up at one of the paintings that odorned the wall. Everything was black except for one green snake, slythering around the doorway it was engulfed in shadow; it looked proud, cunning, and magestic. Bellatrix smiled at it, it was the perfect fitting for their house in every way. Everything in the dungeons was old, it was from a much earlier time than other things in the castle, like the slytherins had just been ignored. It was fine though, because she liked the old and the original, Hogwarts keeping its past around. The fire crackled and her eyes automatically moved to it, she stared into the burning flames for a moment as if mesmorized by it. It could never die out, the magic of the school made the fire constantly blazed unless someone wanted else wise. She thought it a clever trick, though she'd rather just have utter darkness.

The other girl was no doubt confused by Bellatrix's behavior, she wasn't being vicious really, not like normal. She liked to leave people in a rut, leaving them scratching their heads after she left them. However, this was just Trix being Trix, and nothing else. She wasn't putting on a show or putting on fake ideas, this was much like she was when she was at home. Not nearly so tempermental or cold. Although it was bad manners to choose someone like a Carrow to talk to, she found herself not minding so much. Alecto was keeping her awake, she was a Slytherin, and her mixed up ideas were mildly fascinating. At home she would either be lying on the living room sofa right now, listening to someone play on the piano or harp, or else be sitting in the dining room entertaining guests. This was the life of a Black, and Bellatrix always made sure her family understood this was what was to be expected, that there was nothing else. Never did she tell them that she found it considerably boring and dull, and she hardly even let herself know these harsh facts.

She knew it would spark the girl's curiousity, everyone wanted to know what the bearer of this topic felt. Bella wasn't a fool, she wasn't running around the school telling people to vote for Lord Voldemort. She was quiet and descreet, only entrusting a small few, the most elite of slytherins and her friends to understand her full, devoted views on the matter. She was completely and utterly for it. "My opinions. I'm quite sure I just told you I wasn't going to say" She smirked, winding her hair around her finger. "However, I do believe it can have some serious advantages. After all, we are long over due on having an important slytherin graduate make people listen to him. I have a feeling he'll be the voice for us. He doesn't like muggles or mudbloods, did you know that?" She looked darkly out of the corner of her eye at Alecto, waiting for her reaction. She still hadn't said her opinon on that particular piece, nor would she.

[alecto]

So Bellatrix was for it? She didn't say yes or no, but Alecto had a hunch. No, she could not read minds or anything of the sort, but her intuition was saying something. Alecto wasn't stupid enough to keep going on about it. If she was all for it then wonderful, if not, wonderful as well. They weren't exactly gossip buddies, so who was she to discuss such matters with a Black? Then again, if anyone did know anything about this Slytherin-rights crusade it HAD to be Bellatrix. Alecto found herself more and more interested. Maybe she was making the Carrow family happy now.

"Bet he doesn't even know why not to like Muggles and Mudbloods," she said. Alecto was so tired of people saying they didn't like non-magic folk without having their facts straight. She was sure that if she was to ask one of her housemates why they didn't like them, they would say something like because they were filth. This was true, but there was more to it. Muggles had treated witches horribly for centuries, and Alecto had had enough. If anyone could show these people their proper place then she was all for it.

"L'emme ask you something Bellatrix, what did Muggles ever do to you? What's your excuse for not likeing them?" she asked with an arched eyebrow. Bellatrix wasn't dumb, she knew that for sure, but it was about time Alecto started questioning everything. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not standing up for them, but I was just wondering."

[bellatrix]

Bellatrix's eyes twitched and she stared at Alecto with a mixture of annoyance and discust. Some people, they were so ignorant. "Of course he does, did you know he once had to live with them? The Dark Lord knows all about them. Even more than muggles know about themselves" She said matter-of-factly, very confident on this information. She was still waiting for that fateful day that she could meet him in the flesh, and until then, she would serve faithfully. They got news through others on anything they should be doing that could help, anything at all that would be of insistance. So far, it wasn't a lot. But Bellatrix was sure there would be something. She was much more reckless than she was last year, because it was her final year at Hogwarts, and she hardly cared. She already had most of her life set out in front of her, and if the school really got that upset with her over something, it didn't matter because she did not need it anyway.

Bellatrix's annoyed and passive face suddenly switched to something else in seconds. Her twisted smirk crossed her face and reached up to her eyes, lighting the dark fire behind them. Right now she looked really and truely evil. Trix slowly unfolded herself and stood up from her spot on the rug, and within an instant she was in front of Alecto. Her hands clung onto either side of the chair that the girl was sitting on, and she was leaned in so she towered abover her. Her face was awfully close as she refused to break eye contact. "What do you think muggles did to all of us Carrow? Do you think they're innocent prancing little creatures? Pah" She mocked, rolling her eyes at the ridiculous thought. "Hundreds of years ago they chased us out of our homes, burning them down and killing many wizards and witches. We wanted to live in peace, but did they? No, because they're pathetic and moronic."

She enjoyed explaining this kind of stuff to people, because to her it seemed so obvious. "And now we have to hide everything from them, and pretend like we don't exist, and those fools believe it. But why should we? We're more powerful, we have more intelligence, yet we go out of our way and never reach our full potential for useless muggles. Well Miss. Carrow, I'm sick and bloody tired of letting them walk all over me. And they won't, not anymore." She may not care much about muggles, as she had said before Bellatrix had even crossed the room, but anything less than loathing wasn't acceptable. She wanted justice. "So you see," Trix sat up straight and slowly let her hands drop from the sides of the chair. "There are plenty of reasons for me to....not dislike, but hate muggles."

[alecto]

Alecto was being sold on this whole Dark Lord thing. Good to know he wasn't just some idiot that had risen out of nowhere and decided to cause this whole crusade with no real information. Maybe if she could just speak to him. Most people feared him and wanted to stay out of his way, Alecto didn't. She wanted to sit infront of him and throw all these questions at him that she was asking Bellatrix. She wanted answers and she wanted legit answers from the source himself. People didn't just send him an owl and arrange a meeting, but why not? Why couldn't she tell him she was interested in this whole thing? Maybe interested was pushing it, but she was definately considering it...sort of. Not knowing was annoying her and she had to get more information, somehow.

The rational thing to do when seeing Bellatrix approach in such a terrifying manner would have been to duck, cover, and take out ones wand. Too bad Alecto wasn't rational and found it quite exciting that someone didn't mind scaring her as such. The instinctive thing to do for Alecto would have been to cower in fear and pretend this was the scariest Halloween ever, but she didn't feel like it. So she sat there, starting her straight in the eye and listened to her explanation.

She was glad she had. Good, not just another person who loathed muggles just because. She had reasons, much like Alecto's. Good, good. "Excellent! You do know. I'm so glad you hate muggles for the same reason I do!" she exclaimed while jumping up and giving Bellatrix a hug. Now, one did not just hug Bellatrix, Alecto knew this, but who cared? Alecto was a crazy kind of girl, she did these things. These things could get her killed one day, but it was just a chance she could deal with.