A/N: Aahh the plot bunnies are attacking Ele yet again! (Someone help, I think they might be living in my pillows...) Anyway, a couple of you guys said you wouldn't mind me doing this, so I hope I don't screw it up :) On with the reading! Don't forget to review and tell me what you think!
Ele
Bellatrix Black (yes, she'd divorced herself from her pitiful excuse of a husband shortly after he'd gotten himself captured during the escapade at the Ministry), opened her eyes groggily. All around her, everything was blindingly bright, and not to mention, pure white. In fact, she was pretty sure she was standing in an extremely clean version of Grimmauld Place.
Strange.
She pushed herself up, finding herself still in the robes she wore to the Battle of Hogwarts, only they too were pure white. She wrinkled her nose in disgust for the white material. She looked up when she heard footsteps approaching, instinctively reaching for her wand. And stopped.
"Sirius?" she mumbled incredulously, her large violet eyes widening even more.
"Hello, cousin," Sirius said, far too amicably for someone who she had killed.
"Wha- but- you're dead!" she finally exclaimed. He chuckled.
"Yes, I know. Unfortunately, so are you," he said, clasping his hands behind his back.
"What...but...I don't understand," she muttered in confusion feeling a headache pressing behind her eyes.
"Molly killed you during the battle after you tried to kill her daughter," he explained.
"If I'm truly dead, then why am I not burning in hell for all the horrid things I've done?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest in a challenge.
"Ah, yes. You see, Bella, you never did any of those horrid things," he told her, a small smile on her face.
"What? Have you gone bonking mad? You're walking proof that I did!" she all but yelled. He held up a hand.
"You see, Bella, for many years I wondered what had happened to my wonderful cousin who was practically my big sister. It was only after I died that I was told the true reason for your actions," he began. His hand waved in the air, showing Bellatrix being forcefully dragged into a large manor house, kicking and screaming, by the two Lestrange brothers.
"You see, after you were forced to marry Rodolphus, you signed a magically binding contract, stating that you had to do everything he wanted you to. Fortunately, and not so fortunately, you found a loophole, a way of getting out of it. When he ordered you to take the Dark Mark, you refused. This led us to this crucial moment in your life," Sirius continued. She turned her eyes to the image, watching as she was placed in a full body bind and brought before a strange throne-like chair.
"Good evening, Bellatrix," came a smooth voice, and even hearing it sent shivers down her spine. The young twenty-one year old Bellatrix was then forced to her knees before Tom Riddle, still strikingly handsome, if the evil glint of his eyes didn't chase a person away.
"Fuck you, I'll never become one of your filthy little traitors," she spat.
"Such fire. Such spirit. I shall enjoy making you into one of my warriors, and perhaps, I'll even let you become one of my warriors," Tom continued smoothly.
The scene continued, showing young Bella being put under the Cruciatus curse for minutes at a time, before being administered an odd potion. At the end of it all, she willingly accepted the Mark.
"As you saw, Bella, you were never truly a follower, as we had all believed. Whatever that potion was, it obviously made you compliant, as you quickly turned into a fanatic, murdering muggle-borns without a second thought. It probably altered your memory too, since all you remember is being excited to take Voldemort's mark and fight in his ranks. Your twisted love for Tom Riddle originated from that potion, not from your true emotions. However, the Powers that Be first pointed out that somewhere inside you, the real Bella was fighting against the curse. This was quickly shown when you killed me," Sirius said to her.
"But, that's the point, I killed you," she exclaimed, somewhat guiltily.
"Ah, but it is how, you killed me, Bella," he said to her. "The curse you shot at me was red, Bella. Not green. You shot a stunner at me, and it just so happened that the veil was behind me. Your subconscious never intended to kill me, Bella," he said to her, his voice gentle.
"Unfortunately, with the return of Voldemort, your curse got stronger, and your fanaticism built and built. You got cocky, and this resulted in your death," he continued.
Bella's head spun. There were too many thoughts buzzing through her head, and she felt dizzy. She collapsed backwards onto a white couch she hadn't noticed was there before.
"And now? What's the point of all this?" she asked weakly.
"The Powers want to give you a second chance to show them that you aren't truly evil. Therefore, they've got a little mission, for you," he told her as he took a seat next to her.
"Mission? What mission?" she asked, her violet eyes raking over every inch of his face. He waved his hand again, and another image appeared.
"I'm sure you're well acquainted with our great-great aunt Eleanor, who was disowned when she was five because she was a squib," he started.
"Mm, somewhat. I heard grandmother speak of her with utmost contempt," Bella replied as she watched the corseted but pretty woman move about a filthy looking shop.
"Yes, well, this is how her story ends," Sirius continued.
The image flickered, before showing the red haired woman dancing around a room with an open oven behind her, a lovely little smile on her face as she danced with a man covered from head to toe in blood. In a split second, her expression changed to horror, as the man she had just so lovingly smiled at threw her into the roaring oven.
"Ouch, that's got to hurt," she murmured.
"Yes, you see, our aunt was in love with a man named Benjamin Barker, who was unfortunately married. Terrible business, really. Benjamin was sent to prison on a false charge, and his wife was raped by a judge. She tried to commit suicide, but the arsenic she swallowed only made her go mad," he said.
"And how does all of that, end up into a crispy Eleanor?" she asked in confusion.
"I was getting there. Benjamin returned after fifteen years, changed. He was positively murderous, and called himself Sweeney Todd. He wanted revenge on the Judge who had not only sent him off to a penal colony, but also raped his wife and kidnapped his daughter. Aunt Eleanor still loved him, and because of that, she paid dearly. Sweeney Todd murdered his customers, and Eleanor cooked them into meat pies to help him destroy the evidence. She never told him that his wife was a crazy beggar, allowing him to believe that she had died. On the night that the judge came to his shop and Sweeney finally exacted his revenge, he also killed the beggar woman who was in the way. Later on, when he discovered that he killed his own wife, he turned on Eleanor and killed her," he finished.
"Woah. Talk about literally doing anything for the one you love," she said, brushing some curls behind her ear. Sirius nodded.
"Your mission is to go back and help our Aunt, so that she dies an old woman in her bed, and not at 35 on her own oven," Sirius said to her.
"Will I be able to use my magic?" she asked.
"A few basic wandless spells. Nothing lethal, and definitely not Unforgivables." She nodded.
"Alright. And if I do this, and help her, what happens?" she asked.
"You get to come upstairs, of course. There's many people waiting to speak with you," he told her.
"So, I do this, and I come upstairs?" she asked. Sirius chuckled.
"Yes, Bella. You go upstairs," he said, as though speaking to a child.
"Good. Now be a good pup and send me back," she teased. Sirius laughed and shook his head.
"See you soon, Bella," he told her before her vision went black, and she passed out.
XxX
"Um...you all right there, love?" Bella groaned as she opened her eyes to find large chocolate brown ones fixed on her. The woman was dabbing a damp cloth on her forehead, humming softly to herself as she did.
"Ugh, where am I?" Bella grumbled, her bleary eyes trying to focus on her surroundings.
"Oh, you're in my parlour. Mr. T knocked you over in my courtyard and you must have hit your head on a rock or something, cause you passed out for the last hour, or so. But yeah, we managed to bring you in here so I could tend to your head," Eleanor explained as she stood from the couch, brushing flour off of her skirts. Bella shifted, catching a glimpse of this so called 'Mr. T'. She supposed he was rather handsome, in a strange, ghoulish sort of way. However, this was quickly cancelled out when she saw how annoying he was. He was staring into a shiny silver razor, the furrow between his brows so deep that Bella thought you could hide something there and no one would ever find it. Every so often he would look at Eleanor and glare hatefully at her, and that really ticked Bella off. From what she saw with Sirius, Eleanor had done everything she could to appease her love. Even if he didn't love her back.
"I already told you, Mrs. Lovett, I didn't see her there," he growled, sounding for all the world like a petulant child. Bella restrained the urge to roll her eyes.
"Be that as it may, love, it doesn't change the fact that you were the one to knock 'er over," Eleanor said with a chuckle. Mr. Todd growled, quickly standing up and appearing to make his way over to Mrs. Lovett, and she backed up a step fearfully, until he flicked his eyes down to their guest. Apparently more annoyed, he sneered and stomped out the room and up the stairs.
"Doesn't he seem nice," Bella muttered sarcastically.
"Mr. T's just had a hard life, s'all. Plus, I'm always openin' my big mouth. Don't know when to shut up, I do," she twittered somewhat nervously as she fiddled with her dress and fixing her red curls.
"Anyway," she said brightly, changing the topic, "what's your name, love?" Bella eyed her before answering.
"Bella. Bella Black," she finally said.
"Nice to meet ya, Bella. Anyway, you don't look like you're from 'round 'ere. What brings you to London?" Mrs. Lovett asked.
"Oh...I...um, I ran away from my abusive husband," Bella quickly invented, inwardly cackling at the idea of Rodolphus being abusive. Towards her. The concept was simply laughable.
"Ah. 'Course. I wondered why a pretty lit'le thing like you would be wanderin' 'round London, with its filthy men. Just ran in the first direction, eh love?" Eleanor said.
"Yes, yes, that was it. Only, I didn't pick up any clothes or money. And now I've nowhere to stay," she mumbled, trying to play the part of distressed woman. Fortunately, it seemed to work.
"Aw, love. Don't you worry. I've another bedroom, you can stay 'ere. 'elp in the pie shop, per'aps," Mrs. Lovett said with a kind smile.
"Really? Oh thank you, Mrs- um, was it Lovett?" Eleanor chuckled and nodded.
"You can jus' call me Nellie, though," she said. Bella nodded thoughtfully.
"Anyway, you can continue laying down if your 'ead still aches, I've got to go prepare dinner," Nellie said, and with a nod, she left the room. Bella lay staring at the ceiling, her head swirling with thoughts. It was going to be impossible to help Eleanor. The only thing she could think of is if she managed to push Mr. Todd into the arms of the clearly waiting Nellie. But that seemed to be an impossible feat. Todd was cold and disturbingly creepy, and held an obvious contempt for Mrs. Lovett. Just then, she heard the shop door slam open.
Curious, she performed a wandless disillusionment charm and crept silently into the shop.
"Mrs. Lovett!" Todd snarled angrily as he stomped over to the counter. Mrs. Lovett stood shocked and frightened where she stood, in the middle of chopping up vegetables for a stew.
"Y-yes, Mr. T?" she asked, somewhat timidly.
"I need more shirts. Where is my clean laundry?" he all but spat, standing there with his white shirt stained a deep, rich red.
"W-well, I haven't gotten a ch-chance to wash yet, Mr. T. Things around the shop have been awfully busy today, a-and you sent five bodies down. I-I'll get around to doing them later," she stuttered, her eyes darting fearfully at the gleaming silver blade nested in his holster.
"Haven't gotten the chance? Tell me, Mrs. Lovett, what do I keep you around here for? You are nothing but an insignificant little whore, here to do my bidding. You know what my bidding is, darling Mrs. Lovett? For you to clean up my evidence, wash my clothes, and cook my food. That is all you do, and in return, you get good business, with money flowing in. You mean nothing, you slut, start understanding that," He spat at her, with each insult stepping closer and closer till she was backed against the wall fearfully, his hand grasping her throat.
"See to it that my shirts are washed for the morning, Mrs. Lovett," he growled before dropping his hand from her neck in disgust, and storming back out the door. Bella watched as Mrs. Lovett crumpled to the dirty pie shop floor with a sob, crying into her hands.
Bella sighed and stepped back into the parlour collapsing onto the sofa. Brilliant, this is going to be a piece of cake, she thought sarcastically, with a roll of her eyes.
