DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.
~ Raise Me to Your Right Hand ~
There was something about the wording of the prophecy that bothered the Dark Lord. It said "defied". Defied... not opposed. He did not like the thought, but it did occur to him that it was entirely possible the child mentioned in the prophecy did not belong to either of the lightside couples who had been singled out as possibilities. There was a chance that the prophesied "savior" could be the son of his most loyal followers... who had, on three separate occasions, acted against his orders.
He ordered the pair to bring their child before him. When the arranged time and date of the meeting rolled around, Bellatrix showed up with the child in tow (as he'd known she would) but Rodolphus was not with her.
"Where is your husband?" Voldemort asked - although on second glance, the blood running down her cheek was answer enough.
"We fought," she replied tersely. "I won; he ran for his life."
"That simply won't do," the Dark Lord said. "He needs to be here for this."
"Shall I go fetch him, my lord?" she inquired.
At his nod, her lips turned up in a feral smile.
She handed her child over to the Dark Lord with no qualms (her perfect Pureblood firstborn son), and drew her favorite dagger from within the folds of her cloak. It was one that her master had given her years ago, as a reward for her services. The dagger's hilt was wrought from bronze with a blade of obsidian. It wasn't much use for stabbing, but it was excellent for slitting throats. She loved the thrill of the hunt more than she could ever love the useless squirming little creature she had birthed.
"I shall return shortly, my lord."
True to her word, she returned after having been away for less than an hour (during which time Voldemort discovered that the child seemed to have been dosed with a sleeping potion as it did nothing but lay limply in his arms and give an occasional snore). She had captured her errant husband and dragged him before the Dark Lord like a cat with a mouse. Rodolphus appeared to be mostly intact and under the influence of an Imperius Curse.
Well, I suppose that's one way of doing it if you want the prisoner taken alive, Voldemort thought wryly to himself.
Now that both of the parents were here to watch its execution, the Dark Lord carried the child to the stone altar that he'd had constructed specially for this occasion. He laid the wretched creature upon the altar and raised his wand. The incantation to the Killing Curse was upon his tongue, nearly ready to exit his mouth, when his attention was diverted.
"Wait, my lord!" Bellatrix cried out.
So, she would protest the death of her child after all?
But, no. That was not what she was doing at all. She stepped toward the Dark Lord and offered him her dagger.
"Would it not be more... ceremonial, my lord, if you were to kill him with this?"
She was holding it by the blade, and he could see that the hilt was already streaked with a small amount of blood - undoubtedly from where she'd struck Rodolphus over the head with it earlier. How fitting that the offspring's blood should join that of its traitor father upon the weapon which would end both of their worthless lives.
Bellatrix remained at her master's elbow as he carried out the execution of her son. And once the child was dead upon the altar, the Dark Lord, in a rare state of triumphant glee, turned to his most faithful servant and kissed her full on the mouth.
In that moment, Bellatrix's concentration slipped enough that Rodolphus was able to break free of the Imperius Curse and escape. The other two would not notice his absence until some time later...
~end~