She had never meant to fall in love. Ever. When she was 11, her parents had chosen a husband for her. She had sworn to never love him or any other man. That was why the Dark Lord had chosen her as his lover. His cold white fingers would probe her body, forcing her to yield to him, over and over. And she would lay there silently, hating herself.
Everyone believed the facade she put up- the devoted servant, the half-crazy killer. But in truth, her mind was clearer than ever.
Sometimes, when the Dark Lord used her for his pleasure, she thinks back to the one time she broke her only rule. She thinks of him- his bright smile, his dark hair, his hazel eyes, always so direct and clear.
They were never supposed to have fallen in love. She, a Slytherin girl with a predestined future, and he, a Gryffindor prince with all the freedom to choose. Their time together had been truly magical. Every kiss, every touch, every tender word spoken between them was precious. All in secret, of course. He'd pretended to chase a Muggleborn, a girl from his own house. No one had suspected them, not even his best friends.
Then came the day that the Muggleborn girl had returned his supposed affections.
She sneaked out of the dungeons at midnight to meet him, gazing into his loving eyes as he boldly told her he would give it all up, forsake everything for her, for their forbidden love.
But she realized at that moment... that she could never truly make him happy. Sometimes you can't fight fate. Sometimes love isn't enough.
The day he was killed, something broke in her. She wanted to forget. She wanted to die, Everyone took that for grief at the Dark Lord's death. She let them believe what they wanted.
Thirteen years she came face to face with his best friend, her cousin. Horror shot through her when her stunner caused his death. She silently begged her dead lover to forgive her. She missed him more than ever.
No, Bellatrix mused, she should never have fallen in love with him. But James Potter had left his mark on her life- for better, for worse. Forever.
