A/N: I understand that Evan Rosier is most likely several years younger than Rodolphus and Bellatrix, but in this story, they are all in the same year.
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Chapter One
Bellatrix Black watched, mildly absorbed in the game of wizards' chess her cousin Evan Rosier was playing against Rodolphus Lestrange in the Slytherin common room. The room was filled with students, but the three seventh-year students used their talents of intimidation to secure the best seats near the fireplace. Rodolphus eyed Bellatrix, an arrogant smirk on his face, until one of his pieces was smashed by Rosier's knight. He looked back at the board. He could feel her gaze on him even after he had turned away, as she settled back comfortably in her chair, enveloped in the green glow that covered the common room at all times.
Rosier laughed as he watched Rodolphus's piece turn to rubble, and looked to Bellatrix, "Are you going home for winter break?" he inquired.
"No," she replied nonchalantly, "My parents are travelling. My father has some important business he has to do over the coming months, and so my sisters and I are staying at the castle this year." She tilted her chin up, proud of her Black family heritage. Her dark eyes looked down condescendingly on Rosier. "What about you?"
"I'm staying here too. My mum wanted me to come home, but I told her I have to study up for N.E.W.T.s, and she let me stay." He looked impressed with himself. Bellatrix however, shifted in her armchair and leaned forward, suddenly more interested in her cousin.
"Why exactly aren't you going home?" asked Bellatrix. "You don't think I'll actually believe you're studying, do you?" If it was at all possible, she had pushed her head up higher and heaved her chest out prouder, reveling in her astuteness.
Evan and Rodolphus exchanged glances. They both turned back to the chess board nervously. "We… well we're working on something over break," Rodolphus ventured. He could not tell Bellatrix about why they were not going home, he knew, but this was a tricky situation to get out of.
"And what is that something?" Bellatrix asked haughtily.
"We are… erm… we are beginning to-"
Rosier cut in. "WE- do not need to tell you anything, Bella."
Rodolphus regained his composure although he was blushing slightly. Rodolphus grinned at Bellatrix apologetically, raising his eyebrows. He knew it was better if she didn't know. Still, he worried as he saw her curiosity ignite and a slow smile creep across her pale face.
"Evan," she said slowly, almost as if she were speaking to a child who had misbehaved, "Tell me at once or I shall tell your mother that you're not studying at all. I'll also tell her about those marks you changed on your last report card, and how you were the one who set the doxies on Declan Figg last month."
Rosier paled a bit at the threat she gave him. After thinking for a moment, he stood up from the table, and with a sweep of his wand, packed up the wizards' chess board and pieces. Rodolphus stood up also, worried that Bellatrix had put his best friend in an impossible situation. Rosier beckoned for Bellatrix to follow him. She gave a reassuring glance to her sister Andromeda who had been nervously watching the proceedings from the other side of the common room. They walked out of the Slytherin common room, Rodolphus trailing behind her as she eagerly pursued her cousin.
"Ev, you really shouldn't tell her, you know, this could be really bad, she shouldn't…" Rodolphus quieted as they walked along the silent corridors. It was late, and they did not want to get caught out of the common room. Rosier led them to an old, musty classroom and bolted the door behind them. He then cast a charm on the surrounding walls to prevent anyone from overhearing their conversation.
Bellatrix took a seat atop an ancient and dusty desk, and she let down her long, dark hair. The waves cascaded down her back, and catching the moonlight, projected eerie shadows on the wall. Rodolphus sat in the seat of a desk two over from Bellatrix, and Rosier pulled up a seat and sat directly in front of his cousin. The classroom looked as if it used to be a defense against the dark arts classroom, for there were yellowing books about the dark arts along the walls, and abandoned cages with the dusty, forgotten skeletons of dark creatures. Rodolphus was familiar with the classroom, having come here numerous times to practice dark spells with Rosier and their friends.
"You must promise me, Bellatrix," began Rosier, "That if I tell you what you want me to tell you, you must not repeat it to anyone. Not to your sisters, or any friends, no matter what, alright? This is important, we cannot be compromised."
"Alright Evan, I won't say a word, now what is it?"
Rodolphus could sense Bellatrix's growing eagerness. She lowered her chin and leaned toward Rosier. Rodolphus admired her, but he did not want her getting involved. There was nothing he could do though, because a moment later, Rosier began again.
"Rodolphus, Rabastan, and I, and some other guys from our house, had decided to… experiment with dark magic, and we had found quite a calling in it. As it stood, Hogwarts didn't cater to our needs, providing only career paths to vocations where dark magic is… frowned upon. But we have found someone who can lead us: a dark lord with potential- with power, ambition, prodigious skill, and a desire for followers. So we went to him. We told him of our desire to follow him, to learn under him and serve him, and he let us join him. We can't go home this year for winter break because he needs us to train and to do his bidding."
Rosier stopped here, to let Bellatrix think over his confession for a few moments. It was obvious from the slightly worried, but very interested face she now possessed that she had not expected this. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out, then after a moment she asked, "So… is this dark lord you are serving… Lord Voldemort?" She glanced at Rodolphus. He nodded grimly. She stood up. Rodolphus watched as she walked for a moment, looking rather ill, before sitting down again, drawing her knees up and resting her chin on top of them. She was a small witch, but she was quite skilled. Rodolphus stood up quickly and put his arm on her shoulder. He looked down at her dark eyes and gave her a concerned glance.
"Rodolphus?" She asked.
"Yes?"
"Do you like it much? Serving the Dark Lord?"
"Oh." This hadn't been a question he was expecting. He pondered it. "Yes, I suppose I do. He is powerful and intelligent and he is a good leader. He trains us in what we want to know, and allows us to practice dark spells."
"Hmm…" was all Bellatrix answered his thought with. She stood up a moment later, and shook Rodolphus off her arm. Rosier stood as well. "Don't say a word." he warned.
Bellatrix nodded her consent and walked silently between the boys as they wandered back to the Slytherin dormitories.
Rodolphus could not manage to fall asleep that night. His mind kept returning to Bellatrix. He was now glad that she knew, because he liked being able to share this with her. They had been friends ever since their third year, when they were forced to be both potions and herbology partners. Rodolphus had been friends with Evan Rosier for even longer, sharing a compartment with him on the Hogwart's Express first year.
Rosier was the one who had led Rodolphus, his brother Rabastan, and a group of others in increasing their skills in the Dark Arts. They practiced in the old abandoned classroom that they had taken Bellatrix earlier that night. They didn't invite any girls, although Rodolphus was sure Bellatrix would be great at it. Although she was stubborn and proud, she was an incredibly skilled witch, excelling in Occlumency, Legilimency, Dueling, and receiving fantastic grades in every class she took. She picked up spells faster than anyone Rodolphus had met before.
He thought about how she had reacted to Rosier's confession. She seemed shocked at first, but then she seemed content with the idea. Rodolphus was sure she had a million questions, but she would wait to ask him when they were alone, because she didn't want to seem unintelligent in front of her cousin. He thought of her face, right at the very end, when she was getting used to the idea of Rosier and him serving the Dark Lord. He thought he saw a hint of… jealousy? He shook the feeling away and finally drifted off to sleep.
