Bellatrix paused, her face a placid mask, suddenly realizing she still thought of herself as being seventeen. Quickly, she did the math. "I'm… thirty-nine."
"Nearly over the hill!" Sirius crowed. "Next stop… menopause!"
That's the good auror? Lily thought, rolling her eyes and shaking her head slightly. "You don't look thirty-nine," Lily said earnestly. "Howsoever do you do it?"
"It is the natural beauty that runs in the Black family," Bellatrix replied, relieved that her hosts had apparently bought the lie-or at least pretended to have done so. Glancing quickly at Sirius, she then qualified her comment. "On the female side, anyway."
"Hey!" Sirius protested as Cassie and Lily laughed before leaving heading to the kitchen to retrieve the rest of the food and complete their preparations for the dinner.
"Your age is irrelevant," James pressed on. "What you are doing is quite dangerous. It would be safer if you stopped."
"I am perfectly capable of handling myself," Bellatrix said airily, dismissing James's warning.
"Look, old woman, I'm an auror, and not even I go out alone like you do." James snapped.
"Have you considered that I might be a far better duelist than you?" Bellatrix asked, a dangerous tone apparent in her voice.
"I don't believe that," James retorted sharply.
"I'll prove it to you," Bellatrix said, drawing her wand as she walked into the living room in which Orion Black had tested Harry's prowess. "A duel, right here, right now."
A pity I decided against having Remus attend, Dumbledore thought, sighing internally at the antics of his good/bad auror duo. Expecting subtly from this particular pair of Marauders appears to have been a vain hope. Stepping between Bellatrix and James as he cleared his throat, Dumbledore said, "Let us save the entertainment for after dinner." Turning to Bellatrix, he added, "Mrs. Black, we are mainly interested in what you hope to achieve by randomly ambushing Death Eaters and then allowing all but a few to escape."
"It is called psychological warfare, Headmaster," Bellatrix said with faint condescension. "I want to keep Tom off balance. Someone has to deliver the message to him, and it is far better that embarrassed Death Eaters perform that task."
"And you propose to pursue this while you are working on your other project?" Dumbledore inquired.
"Yes," Bellatrix replied, wondering if he had shared information about the horcruxes with those present.
"I think you have a good two-pronged strategy in play," Dumbledore said with politic approval, "but surely, it is difficult to maintain both fronts all on your own."
Bellatrix shrugged. "I make do. Besides, there is nothing I can really do on the other project until I have Peter Pettigrew."
"Yes, perhaps we could discuss that alone," Dumbledore said quietly, glancing furtively at James and Sirius, who now looked extremely curious. The aged headmaster stood up. "Perhaps we could discuss it right now while we wait for dinner. I believe there is small room just across the hall."
"That would be fine," Bellatrix assented as she silently rejoiced. Shooting James and Sirius a smirk, Bellatrix followed Dumbledore out of the living room and into a small study across the hall. Some quick spell work lit up the room.
"Mrs. Black," Dumbledore said evenly, "I would encourage you to be discreet about your other project."
"You brought it up," Bellatrix defended, the shadow of a smirk still adorning her expression.
"Yes, but I referred to it as your project," Dumbledore qualified. "Secrecy is key to the situation. Furthermore, the subject of Peter Pettigrew is a sensitive one among this particular group."
"I see," Bellatrix said, leaving no hint as to what she really thought. "Well, tell me about Pettigrew."
"My sources indicate that Lord Voldemort is also seeking Pettigrew," Dumbledore told Bellatrix.
"Naturally," Bellatrix responded. "Does Snape know anything else?"
The silence that followed was thunderous, and Bellatrix reveled in it. Professor Dumbledore jealously guarded the identities of his informants. Without the realization that Bellatrix had access to Harry's expansive knowledge of how the Order likely functioned, Dumbledore could find no possible explanation for Bellatrix to know that Snape was a spy.
Dumbledore dared neither admit nor deny Bellatrix's assumption about Snape. "Mrs. Black, I cannot speak about my sources. Access to that information is based on the strictest need to know basis." He cleared his throat. "My sources also indicate that the Death Eaters responsible for the search happen to be Lucius and Draco Malfoy."
"Indeed," Bellatrix mused. "Has the Order done anything to track Pettigrew down?"
"No, I have just told you everything I know about Pettigrew's whereabouts."
"So be it," Bellatrix said. "You and your Order may as well forget about Pettigrew. I will look into the matter on my own."
"Just what do you intend to do?" Dumbledore asked.
"That information is on a somewhat loose need to know basis," Bellatrix said, maintaining a perfectly straight face. "Combine that with a dose of my natural contrariness and the result is that I am not inclined to tell you."
"Mrs. Black," Dumbledore said with a deep sigh, somehow sounding very patient but disapproving, "you are balancing a lot of important and difficult concerns and responsibilities. Would it not be easier for you to let us know your plans and allow us to help you here and there?"
"If I have a situation that overwhelms me, I will let you know," Bellatrix replied. "For now, I feel quite up to snuff. In fact, I am going to prove it to you when I duel Mr. Potter tonight."
"I assure you, Mrs. Black, that a duel with Mr. Potter is not necessary," Dumbledore said as he moved to exit the room and return to the dining room, thus signaling that the private interview was over."
"But I want to duel him," Bellatrix said, smiling impertinently.