Bellatrix Black always stood apart from her sisters. While they, with their pretty faces, were getting attention from boys, Bellatrix would be sitting in her room playing with her hair, wondering if maybe one day someone would notice her. She wasn't pretty. Even her family told her so. When she was 11, a boy had told her that she was 'strangely attractive'. That was the nicest thing anybody had ever said to her.
She liked to think she worked hard for what she believed in, but the truth was that most of the time she didn't know what she believed. She wanted something to stand up for but she didn't have the passion she really needed to get involved with anything serious. So she threw herself into her schoolwork, trying desperately to be the best at something but knowing it would never happen. She was told if she worked hard she could get a good job and be successful at whatever she did. With nothing else to try for, this seemed a pretty simple goal.
And then she did something that changed her life forever; she fell in love.
Tom Riddle was not her type. He was tall, dark and handsome; everything she despised, because he reminded her of her father. But for no reason at all, in Transfiguration one afternoon, she found herself thinking about him. It started off innocently- she was simply drawn to him. And it grew; her feelings grew until she knew she'd do anything for him. Her schoolwork was being affected and she hated herself for it, but every day she battled with herself over what to do about the boy she loved. Perhaps it was his incredible intelligence, or his overwhelming popularity. Perhaps it was just one of those coincidences where you find yourself attracted to somebody you'd never expect. Whatever the reason, she knew she wanted him to know. Wouldn't that be incredible, if he liked her back? Wouldn't that be amazing, if the most popular boy in the school were to notice someone as pathetic and quiet as her?
She slipped a note into his schoolbag. Just a simple I love you. She didn't sign her name. She just wanted to see how he'd react to such a confession. A confession from a secret admirer. He might even be flattered.
She knew it was naïve. Of course it wasn't anonymous; he had enough spells and charms and influence in the school to find out who it was faster than she could get back to her dormitory.
He didn't say anything. He didn't mention it to anybody once he had found out who it was. He was used to being admired; he was handsome and he knew it. But people usually wanted recognition for whatever they gave him, thus were always less subtle. He wasn't used to anonymous affection.
Bellatrix Black was not 'ugly'; in fact, Riddle found her quite attractive. But he didn't do 'love'. He didn't even do 'emotions'. He wasn't a virgin but sex was something he'd be quite happy without. There were too many feelings involved, too much intimacy, vulnerability. But this was different. She had already given up control by giving him that note. This was not about his feelings. This was about punishment.
Even Riddle didn't know what he was punishing Bellatrix for. Punishing her for having the audacity to try and be anonymous? She could have done it as a dare; the possibility made Riddle feel uncomfortable. He did not want to be the object of a joke, whether it was at his expense or not. So he decided what he'd do about Bellatrix Black. He was going to ruin her.