"Bellatrix, my most faithful." Voldemort stopped her from exiting the room after their daily morning meeting. The woman turned and bowed.
"My lord…what is my mission?" Bellatrix Lestrange asked in a low voice, hair obscuring her features.
"Your mission…is to kill the blood traitor…" Voldemort paused. "Sirius Black." He looked at her. Bellatrix looked up, shock colouring her features for a moment before she masked her emotions.
"My lord?" She asked hesitantly. Voldemort smiled cruelly.
"There have been…rumours…that you have been having a…dalliance with him…is that true, my lieutenant?" He asked coldly. Bellatrix's eyes widened. He couldn't possibly…he can't know of her relationship with her cousin!
"No milord! I would never! You know I am faithful only to you." She said quickly, kneeling.
"Prove yourself to me, then there will be no doubt that you will remain my favourite and my right hand forever." He said. Bellatrix bowed her head.
"How am I supposed to execute the murder, milord?" She asked, an internal, raging monster rearing its head inside of her. She fought it, trying to keep her panic and despair.
"I have everything prepared." Voldemort's nonexistent lips curled up. "Come here, Bellatrix." He curled a claw-like finger. Bellatrix stood up stoically and strode up to him, kneeling again. He grasped her hand and pressed something cold into it.
"I have hired agents tracking him, and he is currently in the Hog's Head…alone." He whispered. His breath tickled Bellatrix's forehead. She breathed in and out with forced calm, her Occlumency barriers raised to the highest levels to keep her from lashing out.
"What is this, my lord?" She asked quietly, looking at the object in her hand.
"Basilisk venom, neutralized until it reaches the stomach." He hissed silkily. Bellatrix's breath caught in her throat.
"My lord…where did you get that?" She breathed.
"That is of no importance to you, Bellatrix." Voldemort said coolly. "All I want is Sirius Black, dead and presented to me before nightfall."
"Yes, milord." Bellatrix said swiftly. "May I leave to change?" She looked down in fake modesty. She was garbed in a simple black cloak that covered her corseted black lace dress.
"There is no need, Bella." He used her nickname, much to her disgust. It wasn't his to use. Sirius had been the first one to break the tradition of calling her 'Trixie'. She found that she liked her new name 'Bella', but only when it came from Sirius' lips.
Voldemort's bony hand grasped her chin forcefully, making her look up. Her violet eyes were flat, blank, emotionless.
"There is no need to change." He repeated firmly. "To me, you always look beautiful whatever you wear." He smiled, and to Bellatrix, it looked more like a shark's smile before it devoured you whole. She forced her revulsion down.
"Thank you, milord. Then…may I leave?" Bellatrix asked hurriedly.
"You may." He released her chin and tipped his bald head. Bellatrix stood up and bowed before backing out the door. As soon as she was out of the corridor leading up to the dark lord's chambers, she broke into a sprint, tears streaming down her eyes. She apparated back to Lestrange Manor and found the bathroom, bent her head, and retched into it dryly. Her stomach roiled and heaved, yet nothing came up, for she hadn't ingested anything yet. She looked into the ornate mirror and saw puffy red eyes and teartracks streaming down her cheeks. She turned on the tap and washed her face and fixed her hair.
Her hand slipped into her pocket after she decided that she looked presentable. Elegant fingers curled around the small diamond vial, clenching it, as if hoping to break it. She looked into the mirror again. The woman she saw in there scared her. Her eyes were cold as flints. She closed them and thought of Sirius, his shaggy hair, his laughing grey eyes, and warm, large hands. Subconsciously, a smile made its way onto her lips. She opened her eyes again and saw that the amethysts have softened to a deep purple silk. She took a deep breath and headed out of the manor, disapparating as soon as she was out of the wrought-iron gates.
With a swish of her cloak, she landed in Hogsmeade, in an old, abandoned alley. She pulled her hood up and wrapped her cloak around herself, and entered the Hog's Head. She saw Sirius in the farthest corner with a mug in his hand. She walked toward him and sat down on the seat opposite to his.
"Hello Sirius." She purred. Sirius looked up, a smile gracing his strong jaw.
"My personal stalker." He greeted her. "How are you doing today, Bella?" He whispered, lowering her hood. He drank in her features.
"Not bad." Bella forced herself to smile as if nothing's wrong.
"You look haggard." Sirius said bluntly.
"Gee thanks." Bella replied sarcastically.
"You're welcome." He smiled crookedly. She melted instantly and slumped onto the table, her hands holding her face up dejectedly.
"Aberforth!" Sirius called. The bartender looked at them. "Another Firewhiskey please." He said. The bartender shuffled over with a dusty bottle and grunted, setting it on the table. Sirius paid him, and Aberforth didn't ask any questions, just looked at Bellatrix, and shuffled away again, most likely to tend to his goats again or to polish his perpetually dirty glasses.
"What's wrong, Bella? You can tell me, you know that." Sirius said encouragingly, casting a cleaning charm on the bottle and glass before pouring Bella one.
"I…it's nothing. It's just getting harder and harder. I might be exposed." Bella said. Sirius took her hand.
"Hey." He said. "It's okay. I'm taking the risk, aren't I? I'm not about to give you up that easily, Bella." He smiled again, and Bella smiled back gratefully.
"Thanks Sirius…hug me?" Bella suddenly asked, biting her lip. Sirius stood up and went to wrap his arms around her slender frame. Bella took the moment and uncorked the vial before slipping it into her drink. She would die instead. She would die in the place of her love. Sirius embraced her gently, taking in the scent of her hair. They stayed like that for a few minutes, swaying on the spot.
"Bella?" Sirius finally murmured. Bella looked into his grey eyes. "Kiss me. Kiss me hard. Show me that you love me." He said. Bella stood on her tiptoes and kissed him with all the passion she could muster up, and he crushed down on her soft, eager lips hungrily.
Bella moaned and gripped his head tightly, wounding her hands in his smooth hair. One of his hands tangled itself inside her mass of gleaming dark curls and the other moved down to her slim waist, pressing her against him.
They finally let go for oxygen. Bella looked up at him, eyes full of adoration. He smiled softly.
"Bella, will you be a good girl and get my jacket from the coat hanger for me? I have something in there." He requested.
"Sure." She said easily and got his jacket, which was near the door of the pub. She heard a clinking sound and she turned, his jacket hanging off her arm.
"What was that?" She asked suspiciously. Sirius raised his glass and grinned.
"What, can't stand me getting drunk? I thought you liked it rough." He winked roguishly and she blushed, walking back and tossing his jacket at him.
"Very funny." She said, sitting down again.
"Bella…tell me you love me, and we'll drink to it." Sirius said solemnly. Bella looked at him strangely.
"Are you alright Sirius? You're acting strange today." She said, raising an eyebrow. "You never asked that before."
"Then all the more reasons for you to say it, Bella." Sirius said in a quiet voice. Bella felt that something was off, but she wasn't sure of what.
"I love you, Sirius, and you know it." She said. Sirius smiled, relieved.
"I just needed to hear it, love." He said, and raised his glass. Bella thought that his usually cheerful demenor was resigned and sad, but thought nothing more of it since she was preparing herself for an excruciating death. She took a deep breath and downed her shot at the same time Sirius tipped his own back and gulped it all in. Bella clenched her hands under the table, waiting for the venom to start its work in her stomach, but it wasn't her who buckled.
Sirius gasped and collapsed onto the table, hands clenching into fists. Bella's own relaxed as her eyes widened in horror. She looked into his glass and saw that it was smoking slightly from the residue, even though it wasn't openly reacting.
"Sirius!" She yelled. Sirius looked up, face contorted in agony.
"B-Bella!" He gasped. "I'm so s-sorry…" He whispered. "I knew w-what I was getting myself into…when I left the family." He said, closing his eyes, sucking in short gusts of air. "I…saw you pour the v…venom into your drink…" He confessed.
"And you switched it!" Bella murmured, tears springing into her eyes. "Why? Why, Sirius, why?" She screamed, putting her pale hands onto his handsome face. His grey eyes looked into her watery violet ones with all his emotions pouring out from them.
"They say eyes are windows to the soul, and today…I'm baring all of my soul to you, Bella." He whispered in anguish as he stared into her eyes. "Will…will you do the same?" He asked. Bella broke down completely and she felt her heart shatter. Her Occlumency barriers crashed down and her eyes seemed to be timeless and bottomless as she let all of her bottled up feelings rush out. They seemed to leap out and seep into Sirius. His lips twitched up. He couldn't even smile now.
"So cold…so quiet…" He muttered. "Bella?" He murmured. Bella crouched down next to him. He turned with difficulty and faced her, one of his cheeks flat on the tabletop. "Hug me one last time?" He whispered almost unintelligibly. Bella nodded, not trusting herself to speak, and gathered his form into her arms. She could feel his body heat drain away slowly and she held him close, hoping to keep him alive for longer.
A trickle of blood leaked out of the corner of Sirius' mouth, and Bella wiped it away with her sleeve.
"Bella…take me…quickly…take me to the spot we used to…go to…as…children." He rasped out. Bella nodded, sniffing.
"Are you sure you can handle side-along?" She asked worriedly.
"Just go. I can't live…any longer…than I'm supposed to…so why…not enjoy it…while I do?" Sirius gave her a half-smile, half-grimace. She chuckled despite herself and wrapped him in her arms before helping him up and twisting on the spot.
They appeared at a field a few kilometres away from Black Manor, where Sirius used to visit when they were children. Sirius coughed when they landed, and patches of blood stained Bella's dark robes, flowering out in random patterns when the fabric soaked them up.
"I wish it were night." Sirius whispered. "Then we could see the stars again." He said weakly. Bella could feel him slipping away quicker, and held him tigher, as if it would chain his soul to the earth, but she knew it was a futile effort.
"So do I…so do I…" She put her chin on his head. "Do you remember when we were small…we used to come here and run through the fields, and when we got tired, we would just sprawl on the ground and wait until the sun set and the moon came up? We would name the stars together…I remember we used to wait for winter for our stars to come up…do you remember?" She asked, feeling really sentimental.
"Those were the times." Sirius managed a wheeze of a laugh. Bella's eyes filled up again when she realized that she could never hear his laughter nor hear him say the words 'I love you' or her name anymore.
"It used to be just us." Bella said wistfully. "I want those times back, don't you?" She asked. When he didn't respond, she asked it again. "Sirius? Don't you?" She whispered. When he remained silent, she looked down, and saw him lying in her arms peacefully, eyes closed, a small smile on his lips. She didn't cry. She only smiled gently and kissed his forehead, eyes, and finally, lips.
"Rest in peace, Sirius." She whispered. She didn't leave until his body was ice cold in her arms. Then she apparated back to the Death Eaters' headquarters with him in tow. She hurried into the throne room.
"My lord." She bowed. "I have killed him." She reported in a rough voice, setting Sirius' body down on the floor not gently nor crudely.
"Well done, Bella!" Voldemort said in a truly delightedly voice. "You have proved that you're truly worthy of the title of my most loyal and best lieutenant." He crowed. "Very well…Incendio!" He cried, and a jet of searing orange flames were issued out of the tip of his wand. Bella backed up as the acrid smell of burning flesh reached her nose, and she forced herself to see Sirius' body getting consumed by the ever-hungry inferno of roaring flames. Her eyes reflected the glow eerily. She stood there, posture stiff and jaw set, eyes hard. She would wait for her revenge, and when it comes, he'd best watch out, because she would show no mercy at all.
"Goodbye Sirius Black."
It happens a lot. I get bored and I end it early. Well, that aside, please leave a review!