A Tale of Bellatrix Lestrange. Beginning not long after the return of the Dark Lord in the Graveyard.
Sudden booms echoed in the ever silent expanse of Azkaban prison, a place where I had been held captive for over a decade. Awaiting the return of my Dark Lord, my reason for living. I leapt from the bed where I had tried restlessly to sleep and ran past a dementor towards the large whole which had appeared in the side of the building. The dementors no longer had such an effect that they could prevent me from continuing forwards on my quest to see what had occurred. Maybe this was time. My Lord come to free me. Rodolphus and Rabastan ran over beside me.
"Crabbe and Goyle are finding the others. Lucius is by the blast hole with brooms." Rabastan yelled. He must have gone back to find his brother.
"To Lucius." I replied, feeling my dark mark burn like a fury on my skin. Master was calling us to him. It wouldn't work until we were away from the wards of the prison. I ran along another darkened corridor and over to Lucius who was holding back a group of dementors who were particularly feisty at the sight of several maximum security prisoners attempting escape.
"The brooms. Three miles out you can apparate." Lucius said. I seized a broom from the stack and looked back at more of my fellow death eaters heading towards the blast hole as I took off from the prison with a promise to myself that I would never return.
Three miles out, flying low over the black sea I leapt up to stand on the broom and momentarily enjoyed the feeling of flying before pressing my finger to my dark mark and apparating with no knowledge of where I would land. A show of undying faith that I would do so with no hesitation.
I purposely positioned myself to land on my knees and did so in a shroud of black smoke, my master standing before me.
"My Lord." I said quietly, taking in the appearance of Rodulphus and Rabastan beside me before bowing my head.
"Stand my dear Bella. Let me look at you." I rose slowly to my feet before him. The man who held my heart, even though he did not return my feelings of affection and love. I knew he thought highly of me none the less.
"Master. I searched for you more than anyone else." I insisted. He had to know. I had tortured, killed and worse just for a spark of information on his whereabouts. I had sat proudly at my trail and admitted to every crime. I would have done anything to see the return of the Dark Lord. Anything at all.
"I'm aware of your efforts. You will be greatly rewarded." He touched his ice cold hand to my cheek.
"Thank you Master." I said graciously as I heard the loud swishes of death eaters descending around me. I needn't turn around to know they all kneeled before the man in front of me. He suddenly flicked his wrist and a strong force pushed me back in the line of men and to my knees. I gritted my teeth against the pain of the concrete tearing my skin. Being in prison I had grown accustomed to mental pain and my thresh hold for physical had dropped.
"My army from Azkaban. You each missed my return and yet your efforts in finding me having been valiant. Our plan from here is to seize a prophecy from the ministry and recruit and train. Our army must expand if we wish to take control of the wizarding world. No one is to kill Harry Potter, he is mine." Master finished, we all stayed perfectly still.
"We must stay hidden until such a time that we can attack." Rabastan said from beside me.
"I have made arrangements for safe houses. Weekly updates will be required from all. Lestrange, you will each escort me to Malfoy manor. All dismissed."
"Yes Master." We replied in unison. I stood hesitantly before reminding myself to never show weakness. I had grown unaccustomed to the group. That would soon change.
Rodulphous grabbed my arm tightly and pulled me to the side of the room. I fought his grip and looked to see if Master had anything to input but he seemed approving of Rodulphous' grasp.
"Quit it." He said snappily.
"Let go of me." I retorted, smacking his hand away from my arm. "What do you want?"
"I missed you Bella." He said suddenly looking sincere, though it was hard to tell. Azkaban had taken a toll on his facial features.
"You have no place to miss me." I retorted with nothing but genuine earnest.
"Over a decade apart and you haven't missed me at all."He questioned sadly.
"Not for even a minute." Master was my only love.
"Of course being married to me means nothing to you." Rodulphous snapped.
"I married you for wealth, not affection." I said, keeping my tone steady. His other hand suddenly made contact with the same cheek Master hand touched fondly earlier. The stinging force knocked me from my feet and I hit the ground hard.
"That'll be quite enough." Masters voice rang through the sudden silence that had ensued when Rodulphous hit me. I wanted to get up and hit him back, it was probably a good thing we didn't have our wands back yet. An unforgivable curse lingered, unused.
Rodulphus and Rabastan went over to Masters side and began discussion with him whilst the others dissaparated. I placed my palm to my cheek and quickly pulled it away. Blood. I quickly rubbed at my cheek with my sleeve, the blood blended into the charcoal stripes of the prison uniform. I got to my feet shakily and took a deep breath.
"Bella. Go to Malfoy manor. I'll be along shortly." Master said clearly and I was never happier to have accepted an order. Lacking any flourish or even turn, I stepped forwards and entered my room at Malfoy Manor with a quiet swish.
I went quickly over to the closet and selected a dress and warm knit robes.
"Bella." My sister Cissa said quietly from the doorway.
"Go away. I need a bath." I said snappily. I didn't want her to see the my cheek was bleeding.
"What is it?" She ignored me and took my hand gently. I turned to face her.
"Will you heal it?" I asked her quietly. She hid her surprise at the sight of my face quite well and withdrew her wand. Silently she moved her wand and I felt the cut healing.
"It's going to take a day or two to go away completely unless you want me to leave it scarred." She replied.
"Thank you." I said earnestly. I didn't need more people to see the damage.
"I ran the bath already." She said, leading me through to the bathroom.
She helped me undress from the uniform I had worn for too many years to count and healed my torn knees before I climbed into the warm soapy water. She helped me wash and get all the dirt out of my curly hair. A bath had never felt so nice in all my life.
"You never got one then?" I asked, holding up my wrist to show her the dark mark.
"I prefer just to help, though I wouldn't refuse if I were asked." Cissa answered. She would follow the Dark Lord, though still seemed uninterested in being in his closest circle. I wondered if her decision was in order to keep her son from it. My nephew. He must have been fourteen by now, almost a man. "Can I ask, the cut I healed. Who did it to you?" She asked cautiously, almost expecting me to snap at her.
"Rodulphus. We were arguing, he took me by surprise." I answered honestly. If there were one woman I trusted, it was Cissa.
"You need to build your strength back quickly. Don't allow it to happen again." She said quickly. I agreed with her. "I will help you any way I can and I'm sure Lucius will too if he can."
"Thank you Cissa." I climbed from the bath and began getting dressed. It was good to be in my own clothes. I took my make up from the cabinet and began applying it with some help from Cissa. I wanted to look like I'd never been to Azkaban. As though it didn't affect me at all. A show of strength.
A loud popping noise could be heard from the dining room. I hurried behind Cissa down the staircase and into the room where Master stood.
"Your wand Bella." The Dark Lord held it out with the handle towards me. I grasped it from him and bowed deeply.
"Thank you Master." I replied gratefully. I wasn't sure how they had retrieved our wands from the Ministry but nor was I about to ask. I slid my wand up my sleeve, into the holder sewn into all of my robes where it would be safe and accessible.
"Everyone out. Bella stay."Master said quickly after everyone had received their wands. They adjourned to the sitting room. "Sit Bella."
"Yes Master." I replied and sat in a chair which slid out from the table. He stood before me looking both menacing and handsome.
"You're to live here for the time being. The Lestrange mansion is under Ministry guard, awaiting your return." Staying with the Malfoys was not problem to me. In fact the thought of going back to the mansion was not a pleasant one at all. "Is your intention to resume your marriage with Rodulphus?" He asked oddly. Master very rarely asked questions. He spoke in orders and facts.
"No." I replied, hoping it was the correct answer.
"You're not to kill one another. I need those most loyal to me alive." He said clearly. I wondered if he were truly worried about losing me, or even Rodulphus for that matter.
"Yes Master." I replied earnestly.
"Show me your room." He ordered.
I was taken aback by the request but didn't hesitate to lead him out from the dining room and up the staircase, along the corridor and through the sixth door on the left. He joined me, standing at the end of the bed. He took my face gently between his hands and kissed my lips with a passion no one ever knew could exist within him. My lips responded to his touch, as though I had no control over my actions at all. Despite my unwavering love for him, I wondered if I really had control at all.
I awoke quite suddenly with the sun glistening through the windows and onto my tired eyes. It seemed it must be past midday, no surprise considering the time of escape. I realised I felt someone asleep behind me and carefully turned to look. Rodulphus. I gasped in a genuine shock which awoke him. I moved backwards to get away from him, glad that my bed was large enough that I didn't fall to the floor. His tired eyes looked at me curiously.
"You look unhappy." He slurred sleepily.
"Rod." I started.
"Spit it out woman." He said, seemingly he was not ready to wake up.
"Did we sleep together?" I asked. I didn't remember anything at all after Masters kiss.
"Got the memory of a gold fish now? Huh? Of course we did." My heart sank to the floor. Even his revelation didn't reveal any memories of it within myself.
I got up quickly from the bed, pulled on the dress I had been wearing yesterday and grabbed hold of my wand. I went quietly out of my room, Rodulphus already falling back asleep. I walked past three more doors on the right before knocking very gently on a door. I waited a moment before Cissa opened her bedroom door and permitted my entrance. She too looked tired. She took my hand and led me over to the bed. I climbed in between her and a sleeping Lucius and for the first time since I had woken, I felt safe.
"I think I slept with Rodulphus but I don't remember. The last thing I remember before waking up was kissing the Dark Lord." I admitted to my sister who curled up next to me.
"Did you have something to drink? Maybe you drank too much." She asked. Cissa had always been one to discover facts before jumping to conclusions.
"Not a drop since I was in Azkaban." I answered honestly.
"I can go talk to Rodulphus and find out what happened." Lucius said quietly. I hadn't realised he was awake.
"I don't want a big thing making of it." I said. The last thing I needed were more people knowing I was in a position of weakness.
"I'll be discreet. Only discover the facts." He insisted. I was glad that my sister had a good husband. One who cared about her and her family.
"Alright." I replied. He slowly got to his feet and dressed. My stomach felt nervous as he left the room.
"Let's get some more sleep." Cissa said quietly.
I shut my eyes and relaxed as she softly sang a soothing tune.
I was certain we'd not had more than an hour's sleep before Lucius returned.
"Tell me." I said as he sat down on the end of the bed.
"You're certain that you want to know?" He asked me.
"Of course."
"Rodulphus said that the Dark Lord told him to go to your room at around eight am. He did as he was told and you were there waiting for him. You apologised and wanted to sleep with him. He thought your behaviour odd but didn't question it." Lucius paraphrased.
"You know more." I said. I could tell.
"You don't want to know details. Rodulphus likes to brag." He said as though trying to wipe it from his own memory.
"I suppose you're right." I admitted. I really didn't want to know what he'd done. I felt as though I had bruises in places I didn't know existed.
"I think but I don't know, that you were under the imperious curse. It's the only thought that makes sense. Rodulphous didn't cast it though. He said he thought you were trying to wind him up saying that you didn't remember anything. He won't be telling anyone else what happened, for fear of Nagini's bite when he least expects it." Lucius said. I was glad of his quick thinking and defensive nature.
"Do you think.." I started.
"We will never know. We won't be asking." Lucius interrupted quickly. He was right. If it had been the Dark Lord, I didn't have a right to ask, let alone question it.
I got out of their bed and straightened my dress.
"I could use some food. Over a decade on bread and water is enough to make anyone want to stop eating." I stated and headed from the room, down to the kitchens. There was something nice about seeing house elves at work after such a long time.
"Mistress Lestrange." They said in unison and bowed so low that their noses touched the ground.
"I need hot food." I said, putting on my snappy voice for practice.
"A bowl of hot meaty soup Mistress? Or anything you please." Snorzel the house elf asked.
"Soup." I said whilst looking around the kitchen. "And pumpkin juice."
I whiled away the next few hours practising spells on a dummy I had conjured in my room. I'd needed to jog my memory but realised that being one of the best duellers in wizarding history wasn't something that just disappeared with a break of over a decade. When the eighth dummy landed on the floor completely destroyed, Rodulphus entered my room.
"Go away." I snapped and turned my wand on him. He raised his hands in a signal that he wasn't here to duel.
"I'm just here to tell you we're wanted in the dining room." He said but lingered.
"And to apologise for last night?" I asked, wondering why else he would linger.
"Last night was the best night of my life. I have no interest in apologising." Rodulphus grinned as though assuming I'd suddenly agree with him.
"You make my skin crawl." I snapped at him before storming through the door past him. He followed at my heels.
"We can do this properly Bella. Man and wife. You know I love you." He insisted.
"I hate you." I growled. As I reached the top of the stairs I suddenly felt nervous about going down them ahead of him. I raced forwards hoping to put distance between us. A quarter of the way down I hit an invisible barrier. I turned to see Rodulphus' wand was pointed at me. "Big mistake." I said only just loud enough for him to hear as I shot a spell at him, my wand still up my sleeve. He didn't expect anything to happen but he flew from his feet, back up the stairs and landed in a heap. His spell broke and I began to tumble down the stairs. I hit my head hard on a cabinet at the bottom but leapt to my feet none the less. I felt so dizzy I was surprised that the world was not spinning around me.
"Bitch." Rodulphous yelled, back on his feet. His wand once again pointed at me. I turned my back on him and walked away. I had never been one to walk away from a fight but this was too much. I struggled to even walk in a straight line with my head pounding so hard. I entered into the dining room and had to grasp a chair back for support.
"Bella." Questioned the Dark Lord.
"Master." I replied though sunk to the ground in pain, grasping at my head. Cissa rushed over to me. Rodulphus entered the room as Cissa examined my head. He went to stand before Master, alongside Rabastan, Lucius, Crabbe and Goyle.
A bottle of potion flew into Cissa's hand, summoned by a silent spell I hadn't even noticed her perform. She unscrewed the cap of the glass vial and held the vial to my lips. I drank deeply and instantly felt the pain and dizziness subside. Cissa helped me to my feet before moving to the back of the room where she often stood during meetings with the Dark Lord. I moved to stand next to Rodulphus. Moving elsewhere would show that I was affected by our battles and I did not want that to be the case. I still felt a little light headed though nothing compared to what I had felt before the potion.
"Crabbe, Goyle, Lucius, Rabastan and Rodulphus. You will each leave tomorrow on a recruiting mission. We aim to turn the dementors, giants, centaurs and werewolves. Others will convince those who would be an asset to join us, through threat and torture. Bellatrix will stay here."
"Yes Master." They chimed.
"I'm better at torturing people than the lot of them put together." I spoke out.
"You will train recruits Bellatrix." Master ordered in such a way that I felt I could not interrupt again. I felt glad that Rodulphus would be going away. It might take him hours, it might take him weeks to turn people to our cause.
"Yes Master." I answered.
We each left the very short meeting and Cissa insisted that I adjourn to my room for rest. I laid down and shut my eyes, glad for sleep to come. It didn't seem to long however before I felt the mattress shift and my eyes opened to see who thought they could lay beside me. I felt instantly defensive, assuming it was Rodulphus. I was mistaken. Master lay his head down beside mine. It felt incredibly awkward.
"Turn over Bella." He said quietly. I turned to face my curtain-less windows. The shadows created by the trees made this room feel like home. Even the stars in the distance. I was glad to have left my dress on for I could feel the cold from Masters skin at my back. He didn't move or kiss or try anything at all. He just fell to sleep. I was a little surprised that he slept at all, ever. Perhaps it was a show of trust that he felt safe enough to sleep beside me. For a long time I felt too nervous to sleep but eventually exhaustion overcame me.
I woke early in the morning as Master stood from the bed.
"We will spend the day in the dungeon, Bella. We have training to do and I have new spells to teach you." He said calmly. He had been the one to teach me dark art during the last war.
I took a few minutes to wake up and dress in clean clothes before heading down to the dungeon. It was down a winding stone staircase concealed behind a book case. I pulled at a combination of five books before it allowed me entry. I withdrew my wand as I swept down the stairs before I stood before the Dark Lord. The dungeon was very large, enough so to practise duelling, brew potions and store illegal goods. A door at the back of the dungeon led to a room below, where the prisoners were kept. There was of course a cellar in which prisoners could be contained also though not accessible through the basement. Practise dummies appeared ahead, conjured by the Dark Lord.
"Shall we begin?" He turned his wand to me. "Crucio." He shouted. I screamed and writhed in pain until he dropped the curse.
"Is that all?" I laughed heartily.
"Crucio." He yelled. I screamed. How I had missed our games.