Who: Bellatrix Lestrange, Severus Snape What: Close encounters of the unfriendly allies kind? When: Backdated! February 16th, 1998 (Evening) Where: Malfoy Manor Rating: TBD
Bellatrix was aware of her Lord's displeasure. Whatever it was he had sought from Snape, he had not gotten it, as they would have heard of his success. She was hardly surprised. She trusted Lord Voldemort's judgment above all others, but she could not understand his faith in Snape. She accepted it, as she would all orders that came from her Lord, but she couldn't comprehend it.
Severus was incompetent at best, and a traitor at worst. Her sister's dependence on him, too, was baffling. Bellatrix wished, still, that Narcissa had chosen her husband more wisely, and then perhaps the whelp she bore him would be more worthy of his Mark, and Narcissa wouldn't have fallen back on vows with half-bloods raised far above their rightful place. Draco, though, she still held out hope for. Perhaps in time the truth of his blood would show through, and the boy would be more Black than Malfoy.
Severus she had no such hope for. He was a halfblood, a pureblood's ill-conceived mistake, tolerated only because of his talent with Potions. Bellatrix thought it would be better served to kill him and train up a new Potionsmaster, but he'd wormed his way into a place of importance, at Hogwarts. He was necessary to their Lord's plans. That made him someone Bellatrix must tolerate.
It did not, however, make him someone she either trusted or liked. If ever he showed the true colors she still thought lurked beneath his facade of obedience and conniving, Bella would be only too happy to show him the consequences of his failures and lies.
For now though, she would put up with his airs and presence. Though she wouldn't leave him unquestioned, when he clearly had one more failure to add to his growing list.
She'd been sent away from her Lord to see to a small matter, but she returned before Severus' departure and stopped him in the hall, wand in her hand, passed idly from one to the other as she waited. "It seems you fell short again, hmm, Severus? You seem to be making a habit of it, perhaps we should start keeping count. Though I suppose it would be simpler to count up the things you've done that are useful - the numbers being so much smaller."