**Written for the Quidditch League Competition: Round 7, the Fanfiction Scavenger Hunt Competition: A Could be Canon Pairing, the Set Pairing Boot Camp and the Pairing Diversity Boot Camp: Translucent**

Quidditch League:

Round 7: Time for the Horcrux Hunt!

Captain: Nagini

Word Count: 1508

A.N - I'm taking a bit of a liability with him having Nagini at this stage in his life. As I'm unsure when he got hold of the snake, he has it in this.

This is also written for the amazing Gamma Orionis over on the Fic Exchange of Epic Proportions. I hope you enjoy!

Obedience

'You are all dismissed.' The Dark Lord speaks in a voice that sends shivers down your spine: commanding yet delicate, with its whispers filling you up and wrapping themselves around your nerve endings until all you think about is him and what he is saying. You're not entirely sure how to describe it, all you know is that you want to hear more of it. 'All except you,' he says. He points a thin, and almost translucent hand towards you. Your breath catches in your throat and you nod, unable to stare away from the Dark Lord. You're so encapsulated by his presence that you don't notice the room emptying around you, and suddenly it's just you and him and the snake he has. You feel safe with him but the situation frightens you. You present yourself to others as a fearless Slytherin, but you're the only one that knows you're afraid of snakes, and the python in the room is making you increasingly nervous.

'My Lord,' you breathe eventually.

'Quiet.' You snap your lips shut and bow your head beneath your mask. Minutes pass in almost silence - the snake slithers quietly, constantly - but still you keep your head down and your mouth shut, you don't even dare to look through the slit in your mask towards the Dark Lord. He'll speak when he wants to, you know that. 'Good,' he says slowly, dragging the word out, after nearly fifteen minutes of listening to the slithering of the snake. 'You're submissive and obedient.'

You bristle with annoyance at being called submissive but you know better than to make your point known, but somehow he knows. He always does. 'Does that bother you?' he asks

'No, my Lord,' you reply with your head still bent.

'Don't. Lie. To. Me. Bellatrix,' he hisses at you. He pulls the mask off your face and you can now fully see the handsome face that speaks to you but it's contorted with anger already. You feel ashamed and tears prick at your eyes and you know you can't bring yourself to look at him. 'Now, I'll ask you again: does being called submissive bother you?'

'Yes, my Lord,' you say quietly. You know he's watching you, but you keep your head down, not daring yourself to meet his gaze.

'And why is that?' He sounds amused now, and this does nothing but heighten the shame and embarrassment that you feel.

'I- I don't like being told... what to do, my Lord. I am my own woman.'

He laughs. 'You are not a woman, Bellatrix,' he says simply. 'You are an eighteen year old girl who doesn't know anything about the world we live in. You're naive and immature, and you want everything to go your way. Well I'll give you a lesson now: it doesn't!' He flourishes his hand and you feel your legs give way and you fall onto the floor at his feet. You cry out as you fall, such is the shock of it, but he only laughs and watches as you hit the ground, seeing what you'll do next. As much as it hurts your pride, you know what you have to do: taking a deep breath you pull yourself onto your knees and kneel by his feet, completely surrendering yourself to him.

'My Lord.'

'Good girl, Bellatrix. You are a clever girl, aren't you? A quick leaner... Nagini, here,' he says, never taking his eyes off you. He's watching, you realise, watching for your reaction. He knows about your fear of snakes. Of course you should have known that, he knows everything. 'Oh, that I do, Bellatrix. That I do. I know that you've hated snakes since your first year at Hogwarts, I know about your hatred of your sister, and I know you lust after me even though you're married. Oh yes,' he says after you gasp aloud. 'I know all about that. You should really keep your thoughts to yourself more often, it's like listening in on a teenagers fantasy. Oh hang on, that's exactly what it is, isn't it? It sickens me! But... maybe... you could be useful to me.' He leans towards you until all you can see is his face, and you know you can't keep the want and lust out your eyes. 'There might be a way for you to... shall we say serve me in more ways than one.' You're so mesmerised by his voice and what he's saying that you don't realise Nagini is behind you until you feel her body wrap around your wrists and hold them in place. You let out a small scream and try to pull against the snake but she's too strong. You look up to your Dark Lord with a silent plea in your eyes but he does nothing, only steps back and looks at you as if scrutinising your every move. 'Do you want her to leave you?' he asks softly.

You think about your response long before you say it. 'Preferably, my Lord.'

'What are you going to do for it, sweet Bellatrix? Will you beg for her to leave you? I want to hear you beg for it.'

'I never beg, not for anything,' you spit out, still struggling with the snake holding your wrists.

'Tut, tut, Bellatrix. Not as quick of a learner as I thought. If I tell you to beg... you will beg to me, and you will do it without question. Nagini.' On command the snake pulls tighter on your wrists, and the end of her moves towards your waist and encircles it slowly until you can feel pressure on your ribs.

'I won't beg, my Lord.'

'I beg to differ, Bellatrix,' he replies, smiling wryly at his joke. Your panic levels are rising now, you can feel the snake building pressure on your chest and you're finding it harder to breathe. 'It's just a test,' you think to yourself. 'He won't actually let the snake kill you.'

'That's what you want to think, Bellatrix,' he says as he watches you struggle with the snake and suddenly you're not so sure of yourself. You can't breathe now and there's spots in your vision and still the snake presses against your chest.

With your last breathe you let out a plea. 'Please...' you murmur before your vision goes black and you see no more...

~o~

You awake suddenly. The Dark Lord is standing over you with his wand in his hand and a smirk on his face. 'That wasn't so hard now was it, dear Bellatrix?'

'You were going to kill me,' you manage to cough.

'I don't care about killing people. What I care about is obedience from my followers, so I will repeat myself again. If I tell you to beg. You. Will. Beg. Am I clear?'

'Yes, my Lord,' you say after a moments pause.

'Good. You will obey me, I don't care if I have to nearly kill you to get you to do it. So I suggest you do as I say.'

'Yes, my Lord,' you repeat. You're beginning to gain your senses again, and to your disdain, Nagini is lying beside your head hissing softly.

'Yes, Nagini. She is a good girl, isn't she? So submissive, so...weak-willed.'

'I am not a coward,' you say back to him defensively, sitting up as you do so. Nagini resumes her hold on your hands as soon as you're upright and you find yourself recoiling against her and your breath quickens at her touch.

'Prove it!' he hisses in reply.

'What do you want me to do? I'll do anything you want, just get the snake off me,' you say stubbornly, though with a slight hint of panic.

'Such a child.' He laughs without feeling, and it sends a chill down your spine. 'You think it's as easy as that? I could have need of you in so many ways.'

'I'm y- yours, my Lord...to do with... w- whatever you want.' You drop your head knowing that you can't take back what you just said. Ever.

'Such a childish whore, married and yet you'd still give yourself to me.'

'If... if it please you, then yes I will. My Lords needs come before my husbands, you are more important.' 'To me,' you finish in your mind.

'Sickening... how you feel for me. But you'll do, I'll come to you if needs be and if you prevail in your tasks it may be just that... I can reward you.'

You look up in shock and say, 'My Lord?'

'I can't deny that you're attractive, and sometimes I may need release. Now leave my sight. You are dismissed. Nagini come.' He waves his hand and you know to leave straight away, the snake disentangles itself from your wrists and you apparate back to your husband. He sends a glare your way when you arrive and you sigh deeply, the only joy you'll have now is serving your Master, and you know you'll do anything he asks.