Summary: Eleven year old Bellatrix Black has ever been under the formidable eye of her father Cygnus, so when her time comes to leave for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry she departs gladly, however with new freedoms come new perils.

Volume 1 Year 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, items or plot that can be found in the Harry Potter series, it belongs to J.K. Rowling. That which is original is original and mine.

Rating: T

Author's note: It is my full intention to take you, reader, on a journey through Bellatrix Black's years at Hogwarts. I understand that at the moment she is hardly the woman she is during her final years, however keep in mind that she is barely eleven years old in this chapter. Patience, loves, it is the journey that makes the quest not the destination. ;)

Bellatrix Black and the Harrowing Hag

-Foreword-

This report is quite different than the sort I usually write.

It is nearly devoid of Wrackspurts or Crumple-Horned Snorkacks.

That is partially because I didn't write it, my mother did. I've no idea when my father first discovered it, but what I do know is my mother would have wanted it published as that was her initial intent.

Reading it has been illuminating, hopefully you will feel the same.

Luna Scamander

~This account is written on behalf of Bellatrix Black, who faired well enough alone in sullying her reputation and needs no further assistance in doing so by smarmy quill wielding sensationalists with whom she is unfamiliar.~

J. Lovegood

Chap1

Her reaction to the whole ordeal made a bigger spectacle than what they'd expected of her.

A tear or two from the young blonde was prepared for, but this undignified bawling was beyond what either Bellatrix or her sister Andromeda could handle. The latter attempted to gently pull the youngest of the three, seven year old Narcissa, away from Bellatrix, but this only served to tighten her grip on the hem of her eldest sister's robes.

Bellatrix dared not look upon her sister as she could feel the dark watchful eyes of her father boring into her from across the wooden boarding platform at King's Cross. She could picture him, the ever scrutinizing Cygnus Black standing but a few strides behind them, his thin lips pulled downward into a dissatisfied frown. He often accused Bellatrix of doting upon her youngest sister more than she should. All it would take was one indulgent pat on little Narcissa's head or even a smile to give him reason to settle the situation himself. This was the last thing any of the girls wanted, only rivaled in Bellatrix's mind by listening to Narcissa cry.

If only the train would arrive sooner.

"Cissy," Bellatrix spoke quietly as she continued to stare out onto the train tracks so as to not be overheard by her father, "Please control yourself. You are upsetting him."

"Don't go!"

"I have no choice in the matter, Cissy. Even you will leave for school someday. You won't be alone, Andromeda is staying." She couldn't help but feel a little guilt in her final statement as Andromeda was ten, only a year younger than herself. Her Hogwarts acceptance letter would be arriving in eight months time at the latest.

"Yes, I'll be with you." Andromeda confirmed, her back also to her father.

Narcissa's bawling gradually subsided to a muffled weeping against the black fabric of Bellatrix's robe, which she suspected resulted more so of fatigue than any comfort their words may have provided. Blocking out her sister's tearful lamentations best she could, Bellatrix thought upon the upcoming year, a topic her mind dwelled on frequently for these past few months.

In all honesty her future attendance of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was not something she'd really dreamed much about at all until the morning her letter came to the Black Manor by owl and it hadn't even seemed real to her until she chose her wand at Olivander's. Well really it chose her.

A walnut wood wand just under thirteen or so inches with a dragon heart string core and a slight claw-like bend, "unyielding" was the word that Olivander himself had used to describe it. Unyielding… he might as well have been describing her.

"Unyielding" as she could be even Bellatrix knew not to cross her father. A task that had become a little easier for the time being now that Narcissa had managed to regain most of her composure. Gently she tugged at her eldest sister's sleeve. Before responding, Bellatrix looked back to her father who nodded with grim consent.

"Yes, Cissy?"

Narcissa's blue eyes darted from their father back to Bellatrix.

She sighed. "No. Not now."

"Then when?"

"When he's not watching us- stop looking at him. He'll know we're up to something if you keep that up."

Nodding, Narcissa shot another look his way.

Oye.

Andromeda brushed an unruly brunette strand from her eyes. "You'll owl us, won't you Bella?"

"Of course."

She anxiously looked down the rail tracks as though she was the one boarding the Hogwarts Express. Not today, but soon enough Andromeda's day would arrive. "I want to hear about it. Everything."

"I'll write as soon as I am able to, Dromeda. You'll be first to hear if I'm sorted Slytherin."

Andromeda smiled. "I don't need to hear it to know it. If Slytherin is what mum and father say it is, I can't imagine you anywhere else."

A short laugh from Bellatrix. "I can't imagine you elsewhere either."

It was not Andromeda, quick-witted and rebellious, who worried Bellatrix when in came to the Sorting Hat. Surely both of them would be Slytherin, but Narcissa… Brilliant, yet sweet little Narcissa. Of her, Bellatrix was not so certain. She was no brash and bothersome Gryffindor, but the cunning and mischievous way of Slytherin? There wasn't a malicious bone in that child's body as far she could see. Now this wasn't to say that Bellatrix believed herself or Andromeda to be evil per se just a little more… how to put it… independently minded. Hufflepuff was filled with dimwits so that was no place for her little sister, her Black blood saw to that- Ravenclaw on the other hand may be the proper fit.

From what Bellatrix knew of wise and inventive Ravenclaw she held no scorn for them and if that was where Narcissa belonged she would love her just the same. She supposed even if she was tragically Gryffindor she would still be her "Cissy". Their parents' thoughts on the matter were another matter entirely. It was their judgments that gave rise to her worry.

The House of Black was Slytherin and pureblooded.

Toujours Pur

Always Pure

While being anything other than Slytherin was not enough to get blasted off the family tree it certainly was a start in that direction. Even as a young child Bellatrix found the black burned faces of disowned relatives on the family tapestry in Grimmauld Place disquieting. Obliterated all but their names, as though they themselves had been slain- which some very well could have been. Cedrella Black, Phineas Black, her second cousin Rebecca- of whom no one wished to speak- as well as others who were squibs or consummately shameful. She kept her eyes averted from it whenever they visited. This was not to be her fate nor that of her younger sisters if she had any control of the matter.

Aquila, Bellatrix's pet cat, jumped lithely onto her shoulders, startling her from these thoughts. She looked to her left meeting Aquila's large luminous yellow eyes with her own. With a gentle hand she stroked her dusty brown coat. "You are almost too big to do this, dear. In case you haven't notice you're just barely clinging to kitten hood." The young cat paid her no mind, choosing instead to rub its face against the side of her master's.

Faintly she could hear the sound of a steam engine approaching. This was not lost on her sisters either as both directed their attentions to the tracks. Narcissa quickly turned her gaze from the rails back up to Bellatrix, who shook her head in response. She knew father hadn't yet ceased his watch of them.

"Don't forget to owl, Arthur." A red headed woman near by them, who was surrounded by three carroty youth, hugged her son, whose hair was of an equally coppery shade, in a tight embrace. The poor boy's face was smothered in her odd shaggy green sweater.

"Stop it, mum. You're embarrassing me." The freckled boy, presumably Arthur, wriggled from her grip only to be hugged once more. "I'll remember, I'll remember. Don't worry about it."

The boy noticed Bellatrix's observation, his pale face tingeing faintly pinkish in hue. She coolly turned away from what she could presume by his hair and worn robes to be the Weasely boy. That family was an old wizarding family like her own however in matters of class theirs was known to be of poor breeding, and yet to do much of it.

Like animals. She thought to herself.

With a heavy sigh the scarlet engine came to a halt at Platform 9 ¾, releasing a tuft of steam that propelled upwards and onwards to oblivion. Children her own age bid their parents a happy or tearful farewell, whilst the more seemingly indifferent adolescents generally performed a more understated rendition.

Andromeda smiled though in her light brown eyes she repressed different emotion as she handed over Bellatrix's luggage. Taking her elder sister's hand she squeezed it briefly, but quickly let it go so that it would go unnoticed or perhaps dismissed as accidental to anyone observing.

"We will miss you, Bella."

"I will miss the two of you as well."

Before proceeding to take her luggage away with her Bellatrix looked back to her father. Meeting his daughter's eyes he nodded in dismissal. Not a word. She continued onward in silence towards the entrance of the train. It was just as she was about to step aboard that Bellatrix heard a strangled cry and the quick pattering of small mary-janes behind her.

Narcissa collided into Bellatrix before she could even turn around, arms wrapped closely around her. Not daring to spare a glance her father's way she reciprocated the hug, embracing her sobbing little sister. It wasn't until this moment that Bellatrix feared she would cry as well. If she cried, it was doubtful Andromeda would hold up much longer and Narcissa would become nearly inconsolable. She could not allow for it, she was eldest.

"Be good while I'm gone, Cissy- within reason, of course." She tightened the hug momentarily before letting Narcissa go. Her sister nodded, tears still rolling from her reddened eyes. Gently Bellatrix wiped her sister's face with her pastel green handkerchief before reluctantly turning away and boarding the train.

It was hard to walk away. As she situated herself in an empty train compartment her thoughts were occupied with concern for her youngest sister. Such a public display would not be acceptable to father. Punishment was certain. To do such a thing… Oh how she loved and hated her sister for doing such a courageous yet completely foolish thing. Such a ridiculously wonderful thing.

Silly precious little thing.

Bellatrix ducked from view of her compartment's glass window and dabbed at the corners of her dark eyes with her handkerchief. It was already damp so it was debatable how much good it did, but perhaps it helped her regain control of her emotions. A fortunate thing it was as the door to her compartment slowly creaked open revealing a short girl with warm brown eyes.

"Is this seat taken?" the girl asked.

For a moment's pause Bellatrix's dark eyes flitted over the newcomer. The petite girl's ginger hair was pulled smoothly into a high pony, her uniform appeared in pristine order, shoes polished, nails evenly trimmed, face clean. Briefly, Bellatrix considered asking for her surname, but seeing as it was only for the duration of the train ride that the red head would be in her company she languidly gestured to the seat in front of her, question unasked.

"Thanks. Is this your first year?"

"Yes, yours too?"

"Second." The girl shoved her bag under the seat before holding out her hand, "Molly Prewett."

Prewett… Sounds familiar, I think.

"Bellatrix Black." They shook hands. It was at this moment that she took note of the red tie around Molly's neck.

"I see you're in Gryffindor."

Molly nodded, "Yes, being from the Black family I'm guessing you'll be Slytherin?"

"More likely than not."

"Yikes, guess we'll be rivals then, huh?" Molly laughed. "You never know though, families aren't always sorted into the same house."

The door to their compartment opened revealing a girl with a pointed face and short chin-length spiraled blonde curls. Her thin lips were curled into a nasty smirk.

"I'm afraid you two are in my compartment, isn't that right Josie?" She cast a glance over her shoulder at a second girl, a pale blonde with white ribbons plaited in her hair, who had just arrived behind her. The girl, Josie, nodded, "Yes, Rita, I do believe so."

"Really? I didn't see your name on it." Molly was smiling but her voice carried undertones of sarcasm.

"Nor do I see yours." Rita sneered and looked to Bellatrix noticing the handkerchief in her hand, "Crying for mummy and daddy? If you don't get out we'll give you a real reason to, ickle baby-kins."

Bellatrix rose from her seat, standing nearly a head taller when toe to toe with the nasty blonde. She hadn't much experience with kids her own age aside from her sisters, but she did know it was never wise to cow to anyone who had not earned that privilege. Rita shifted backwards marginally, but her sneer remained as her wicked blue eyes darted from Bellatrix's to her dark curly tresses. "Plan on fighting me, Medusa?"

"A fight can only happen between matched participants, which by the looks of you I'd suppose you are terribly outclassed."

Rita snickered, looking briefly away from the Bellatrix's intensely dark eyes. "A baby who speaks like a grown-up! That's something-"

"Rita!" An obnoxiously bubbly voice called out to her from a distance down the train's hall. "Sit with us here. Susan's owl does the strangest thing, you must see!"

Rita did not break eye contact, neither did Bellatrix. "Alright, I'll be right there." she replied cheerily, before addressing Bellatrix, "I would watch out, if I were you."

"Don't worry about it," Bellatrix heard Molly speak, as she rose to stand behind her, "I'll watch her back, since you'd be too cowardly to face her head on. It'd require a ladder."

At this Rita snorted, before heading down the hallway. "Come along, Josie." She called to the blonde with the white ribboned pig-tails. Josie hesitated for a moment, her dazed silvery-blue eyes looking from Molly to Bellatrix. With a smile she said quite plainly, "I like your hair. It makes you look rather regal." Bellatrix did not reply, to which Josie stated bluntly yet with no detectable change or animosity in her tone, "I can see you don't want to talk with me. Maybe some other time." She walked onwards with the same small unchanged smile.

With a soft click Bellatrix closed the door and reclaimed her seat.

"Some people." Molly said with a shake of her head and an amused laugh. "Well, here's hoping she's not sorted into either of our houses."

Slowly The Hogwarts Express proceeded to roll forward

"Hm." Out the window she could see Narcissa and Andromeda, upon meeting her eyes they waved, mouthing their farewells- presumably as she couldn't hear them. Cygnus Black, father, still lingered a distance behind them, his face a dark sketch of disappointment. Narcissa would certainly be disciplined for her public conduct once home. Regarding this, Bellatrix hoped for the best, something to distract father from his disappointment in her youngest sister. She couldn't be there to protect her.

Andromeda would be, a message she conveyed in the way she stood closely beside the youngest Black sister, in an alert stance, ready to spring into motion if needed. It could also have been her anticipation of the tiny blonde making a break for it and sprinting after the train.

Bellatrix sighed inaudibly, not paying attention to Molly's chattering about passwords, curfews and whatnot.

It hurt, watching her sisters disappear from view as the train pulled away, but to be out from under the formidable eye of Cygnus Black… Liberating felt too weak a word.