Anything you Wish of me
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the whole idea is owned by the fantastic JK Rowling. Additional Characters (Charlie, Beau and Anny) belong to myself and dear friends of mine.
Timelne: Marauder Era, James and the gang are still in school, but what is his darling cousin Bellatrix up to?
Day had slowly brought itself to a close as then sun rest it''s head gently against the western horizon. A cloudless and dry night lie in wait as they days blistering heat bowed its head to a northern wind. It was just enough to rustle the trees, allowing them to toss their heads, like massive shadows painted against a blood red sky.
For as far as the eye could see in either direction lie a rolling landscape hinted with small shrubs and trees. It was farm land, tuned to waste, an area which had once flourished, and now lie in ruin. The ground was cracked and dry as if had not seen water in weeks. The bit of plant life left was small and weak, barely able to hold themselves up beneath the heat. It was a barren waste land, a rolling valley which lead to no mans land. Scattered ruins of what had once been houses littered what good green foundation survived, but there was no one left...
A sudden pop attracted the attention of a small stray poking it''s way in the shadows of a tall hedge. The creature turned its gaze upon the form of a woman hidden beneath a heavy black cloak. Her lip curled as she turned her attention upon the animal, .
Quickly she began to move down the road which had been described to her. A twisted little lane which branched off into other smaller paths. The hillside like a maze of small walkways all leading in the came direction. Her destination was set against the eastern quadrant, a large gloomy looking house positioned a top a small hill. Thoughts of what lie beyond filled her head, a strange sort of excitement rising beneath her stony exterior. What would lie beyond meant glory and power beyond the comprehension of any mind.
She would get to see hm again. Her lord, her master...
Following the small winding path took some time and the evenings sky grew dark. She moved like a shadow, her arms placed properly at her sides, her face hidden beneath the heavy material of her cloak. It was a long journey, one wearing upon her delicate form. Her step was steady, proper, like a young lady who had been taught proper educate, her movements balanced and serene.
As she approached the door, two over sized men greeted her with a nod. Their faces were covered in masks, odd bony white masks that made them look almost skeletal. Heavy lidded eyes beneath the tiny white holes looked gaunt and dead. Dark circles, black all the way through, as if their eye were one large pupil. The expressions were impossible to read, but she knew what they thinking. Like animals they watched her, low life scum with no real purpose in life but to be used as pawns.
Softly she allowed the heavy material of her hood to drop away, sleek ebony tresses tumbling down over her shoulders. Her features had grown over the years, once a beautiful woman, a statuesque beauty. Now she felt old, as if time and age had worn her through. The weight she had gained added to her high cheekbones, giving her once handsome face a rather adorable childlike look. It pained her to look in a mirror, to walk passed a window, to face herself each day knowing the mistakes she had made. Still she was beautiful, frighteningly so, her eyes held the same intoxicating stare they always did, now laced with something a little more. Hidden deep beyond pools of pure ecstasy lie contempt and danger. An alluring something else which always seemed to draw others towards her. More dangerous now then she had possibly ever been.
There was sudden movement to her right, one of the men had reached out his hand for something. Reached out his hand in her direction. Big mistake.
Her head moved sharpy, eyes narrowed upon the beast like creature as his heavy form lingered at her side. "You move to touch me..." she growled, her hands moving to her stomach in an oddly instinctual manner, "and your lord will punish you in ways your small brains could barely fathom..." Still the moron dallied, his monstrous form invading the girls personal space.
"If you don''t remove yourself, right this instance, " she repeated, she hated repeating herself, "then I will make you useless to the female sex.."
Still he did not move, standing around, hovering over her like a useless animal. Some guards these men turned out to be. The very sight of a woman turned them dumb. Frustrated, her hand struck one in the chest with an unexpected amount of force. "Morons.." she muttered, plowing her way through the two. One grabbed for her wrist, his calloused hands felt like sandpaper. He had moved to speak, but was interrupted by a fist in the jaw.
She didn''t speak, she didn''t return a look, she just walked away, walked through the two gaping morons and into the drab and disgusting home.
It looked like it had been ravaged, turned upside down inside out and any other way imaginable. The drapes were torn, the floor patched in small pools of pale light. Chairs sat overturned, priceless heirlooms lie half broken upon the shelves, as if they were meant to look that way. Dead animals, bones, and scraps of who knows what littered the floor, none of which disturbing enough to deter the young woman from venturing any further.
Beyond that ransacked room lie a hallway, off it, smaller rooms, locked doors, dangers that no man in their right mind would unlock. It was a dangerous place, dark and filled with dark magic. As she walked, her cloak dragging upon fragments of broken furniture, she noticed the pictures in their frames watching her, mumbling things under their breath. Death eaters lie sporadically all over the homestead, all watching her in wordless curiosity as she passed. Jealousy filled the air, they hated her because he loved her so, they hated her for her favoured nature, for her beauty, her power. They hated her for who she was, for who her family was, but most of all, because they wanted more then anything to be her. Mindless adolescent thoughts filled the heads of adults, created monsters of a different nature. She looked at them and didn''t need to feel she was better, she knew it...
Finally, at the end of what felt like forever, a gentle men cloaked in black met her with a bow.
"Ms Black... so wonderful to see you again..." his words were cold, but somehow, someway, she knew he meant it. Despite his arrogant haughty manner, she knew at least someone had her back, and at this point, it was of mild comfort.
"Hale" She nodded curtly, treating the older man with a soft sort of smile. His hand had found itself upon her shoulder, and yet she did not draw back in blinding rage. "You''re well I trust.."
"Oh as well as can be expected miss, has your father sent you, or are you here on your own accord?" He was kind in light of his obvious thirst for dark magic, an old friend of the family or the likes. Still, the young woman treated him to a curious stare, he didn''t know why she was here?
Did anyone?
"I''ve come to see my lord for my own reasons Hale.." her hands traced a slightly swollen tummy. Her faced unimaginable unreadable, confused and happy, sad and desperate, like she didn''t know how she was suppose to feel, or how to feel. Her body was like an emotionless husk, a being without any emotional attachment to the world.
"Very good Ms." the older man stated, bowing his balding head some before pushing open the heavy set wooden doors which separated Ms. Black from her destination.
From then on all others were but mere shadows in the existence of greatness. Her eyes were focussed before in, her body still, mind empty. She knew it best not to think until she were permited. Not to allow the dark lord into her thoughts. She learned this from the punishment of others. Still she found it hard to wipe her mind completely blank. Small questions plagued her, her own childlike curiosity getting the best of her, She felt as if she were floating, her body weightless, like in some sort of insane dream. And he was there, like he had been so many times before, seated in the same place he had been so many times before. His blood red eyes fixed upon her, not looking at her, but into her, beyond her physical being and into the dark aura which filled the room as she entered.
"Bellatrix, my love, please be seated.." It felt like someone had just poured cold water down her back. His voice lingering still within the air moments after his greeting. She didn''t know what to say or what to do, she felt like a kid, filled with excitement and yet so utterly terrified.
"My dear you look tired..." after the initial shock his voice began to sound less god like and more odd. Snake like with a soft wheezing hiss added to the end of certain syllables. He conjured her a hair, sliding it mentally beneath her as she stood there, unsure of what to say.
"T-thank you my Lord.." she managed out as the chair struck behind the knees, causing her to take the seat. "I am honoured at your request for my presence my lord, but forgive my haste curiosity, what is it my lord wishes of me?"
He blatantly ignored her question, rising from his cushioned seat before the fire with unimaginable grace. He looked, somehow, less human then the last time Bellatrix had laid eyes upon him. His eyes had lost the beautiful color, his face turned into something... different. It was unlike anything Bellatrix had ever seen, like a part of him were missing. He felt weaker, as if his humanity had escaped him, replaced by a thick cloud of dark magic. He was cold, cruel, and yet Bellatrix felt something else from him...
"How are you feeling my dear one..." his eyes traipsed over her growing form, from her head to her toes, lingering a moment about her belly. "How is she feeling?" the second question was added with a particular look, a slight undertone laced with deep meaning.
Bellatrix was taken back by this, she didn''t want to answer, and didn''t want him to ask anymore. Her hands placed promptly upon her knees she sat as cold as stone, her eyes fixed before her.
"You''re still angry I see.." Voldemort was now walking around her, circling her seat before he returned to his position by the fireplace. The small flames danced eagerly to escaped, dying away into quiet embers. He knew how she felt, he knew what she wanted to say. It was like a game, some sick twisted game, one in which he made the rules to. "You think I was unfair in my request?"
Was he actually permitting her to voice an opinion?
Was he giving her a moment of equality?
For a short moment all she could do was watch him, her fingers toying with the material of her cloak. Was she brave enough to cross him?
"I''m nineteen years old my lord."
"Yes, and?" as if her words meant nothing...
"And, I made a mistake which I am paying dearly for. Forgive my Lord but why must I go through with this.. Narcissa was the one bread for childbirth, I was meant to be at your side. Now I am nothing more then a weak... a weak woman..." her words choked back, stifling any emotion which dared erupt. She was scared now, obviously terrified. She hated herself and in that moment she hated him, she could barely look at him.
He was quiet a few short moments, treating her to a piteous grin, a knowing smirk which in the end only tormented her further. "Bellatrix, your entire sex was bread for childbirth, you chose your path my darling one, you must live by it and learn..." cold, harsh, cruel, Bellatrix wanted to scream, but Voldemort interrupted her, "Rudolphus deserves this..."
That was it, no more, it hurt, her brain, her body, every inch of her ached. Her eyes burned like hellfire, her voice shook, and before she knew it she was yelling, "WHAT ABOUT WHAT I DESERVE!?" The chair she had been seated in was thrown back and she was standing, shocked and wide eyed and what she had just done.
Yet he was utterly calm about it. So blaséé that it drove her absolutely wild. It was one of those traits that just dug deep beneath her skin, Dumbledore was like that, and it made her sick. She felt it though, his anger building, would he harm her? Accost her in a physical manner? She had spoken out against his decisions, she knew he hated that and knew she needed to be punished... but still there was nothing.
"You disappoint me girl..." no first name basis, only cold hard truth. In the end, if she were to become useless, she would be nothing to him. "I had for you, a task, an important venture worthy only of someone trustworthy, someone, I knew could handle a mission of this magnitude..."
And had he thought of her... was that why she was there?
Suddenly she regretted everything she had just said, every stupid word. She wanted to apologise but knew it useless, he had given her an opportunity to prove herself and she had blown it before even knowing the details...
"Can you do this without allowing your emotions to get in the way Bellatrix..." he spat out her name in a manner that hurt. She looked away, looked at the floor, towards the fire, at the window, anywhere. His stance before her was great, enormous, amazing, and she felt like nothing more then a screw up, desperate for his attention, desperate to be in his light. She wanted to be useful, she craved his praise, his knowing looks. In secret she loved him.
"I will do anything you wish of me sir.."
Quietly he stood her chair upright and forced her into the seat. Her eyes were wide, gazing upwards upon his half human body. "Dedicate yourself to me Bellatrix," he whispered softly, his face drawing nearer her own. "Show the world how powerful you really are..." his lips seemed to disappear into his face, like they hardly existed, but she could feel traces of them lingering over her own.
All she could do was nod.
"I need you, and whoever you see fit, to procure a certain special item for me..." he began to explain, crouching before the young raven hairs beauty, "An Item Albus Dumbledore has secretly hidden away within the depths of that old castle of his... do you know of what it is I speak?" She shook her head no, and all Voldemort could do was smile, "it is a book dear one, a book written by Ravenclaw herself, a book which lists off all the enchantments which have been placed upon the school. I need this book Bellatrix."
She Nodded.
"Good girl.." a smooth hand rose, fingers tracing her jaw line softly. "Let no one know of this, and choose only those you trust. Hear me on this, do not attempt this alone. And dear one, the other are expendable, I do not care whether they live or die, but you... you must survive, you must bring me this book.." she waited for something about the baby, but he didn''t need to say it, she saw it reflected within his haunting red eyes. "This mission goes no further then your team, your father mustn''t know.. "
Bellatrix opened her mouth to speak, but Voldemort hushed her, his fingers placed upon her lips, "not even your father..." he repeated with a nod, awaiting her understanding.
She nodded quickly, wondering to herself the importance of the book, wondering the significance of such a stupid and trivial mission. It seemed silly, but she would do as her lord asked. Already she systematically reviewed names within her head, ready to make Lord Voldemort proud.
"Good my child, good. "Quickly he rose to his feet, cloak swishing behind him as he spun around, obviously excited at the prospect of his plan succeeding. "Now you hurry on upstairs, Lestrange awaits the loving mother to be. Sleep well my child, for this is the beginning of something very big.. "
It felt like she had been buried in sand, her body felt heavy, almost impossible to move. It was her chance... there was so much she could do, so much she would do... the possibilities were endless. She retreated towards the doorway without a word to say on the matter, mind littered with alternate scenarios.
"And Bellatrix" his voice rang out one last time, "Kill anyone who gets in your way my dear, I mean anyone..."
Her mind jumped to the marauders, James, Remus, Beau, Charlie, Anny... Sirius... her stomach ached.. A feeling she dismissed as a part of the pregnancy, but would this really be the end?
A/N allllllrighty and that is that... please read and review!! I really want to know what people think and if I should write more!