Another written for a challenge in a group. This times prompt was spell or potion mishaps. I hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading.
"DIFFINDO!" Those were the last words Bellatrix Lestrange heard before a pain she never felt before, hit her. She instantly fell to the ground, clutching her right arm - now in shreds.
Since following the Dark Lord, she always knew her death would be in battle. However, she never thought it would end like this, a spell cast while her back was turned. How could she be so careless? As her vision became blurry, she only had one thought on her mind before she slipped into darkness, She had failed him.
The Dark Lord sat in his office going over plans for their next raid when his thoughts were suddenly interrupted. There was commotion coming from the foyer of Malfoy Manor as loud pops from apparition and arguing could be heard. "Get a healer!" He could hear the panic in Rodolphus Lestrange's voice.
Voldemort sighed leaning back in his chair. They had failed him, he was sure. Not only had they failed him, someone in his ranks was injured. Let them deal with it, he thought to himself. He had no patience for their error. Let whoever was foolish enough to get caught by a curse sent their way suffer some. They would be dealt with for their failure later. His attention turned back to the pages on the desk before him.
"Damnit! I told her to stay put. I told her not to engage him. She just doesn't bloody listen. Always having to prove herself." It was now the panicked voice of Rabastan Lestrange that he heard. It was at that moment he realized who had been hurt. It was... Bella.
With speed he didn't know he possessed, he was out of his office and in the foyer. The sight that met him made him pause. There, surrounded by a group of death eaters, stood Rodolphus Lestrange covered in blood, holding his very unconscious wife.
It was Lucius Malfoy that noticed their Lord had entered the foyer. Lucius quickly turned and with a bow he spoke, "My Lord." Causing the commotion to stop as the others in the room followed suit. All but Rodolphus, who was still holding a limp and very pale Bellatrix in his arms.
Voldemort closed the distance between him and Rodolphus. "What happened?" he asked, his voice angrier than he wished to have let on. He looked at the woman in Lestrange's arms, she was covered in blood. Her right arm was hanging limply, It looked as if it had been sent through a meat slicer. He could see from the very slow rise of her chest, she was barely breathing.
It was Rabastan that finally spoke, "It was that coward, Frank Longbottom. He hit her with Diffindo while her back was turned."
Voldemort's eyes narrowed, his teeth clenched in anger. "He will be dealt with," he spoke, his eyes never leaving Bellatrix. "Lucius a room - Now! Lestrange follow him!" were his last orders before he turned and with a quickness, they had never seen, left the foyer making his way to the potion room in Malfoy Manor. It would be a long night.
It had taken many hours to get her stable. With the use of Dittany, Skele-Gro, other magical healing herbs and time, her arm would mend and she would be begging him to allow her to go back on missions.
Unconscious for a few hours now, Voldemort remained at her side. He sent Rodolphus away letting him know he would call him through his mark if there were any change. Rodolphus was reluctant to leave, but he followed his lord's order.
Voldemort needed to be alone with her. He needed to be there to see her wake, a reassurance that she would be fine. It bothered him that he cared. He wasn't supposed to be able to care. Had it been anyone else, he probably wouldn't have. No! He definitely would not have cared.
He rearranged himself in the chair he sat in for the last two hours, trying to find a comfortable position. A groan coming from Bellatrix had him up and next to her in a split moment. She was beginning to stir.
Her eyes fluttered open. She felt like hell. It was at that moment the memory of what happened dawned on her. She quickly tried sitting but felt the pressure on her shoulder of someone holding her down. "Be still, Bellatrix! You are still healing," she heard her master's voice.
She could only nod as she looked towards him. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days. How long had she been unconscious? Her eyes left his, surveying the room. She was at Malfoy Manor, that much she knew by the expensive furnishing she saw from her position. Her focus turned back to him.
"How long was I out for, my Lord?" she spoke, her voice barely a whisper.
"You and the other's returned 8 hours ago," was his only reply.
"Oh," were her only words before her attention was drawn to the crystal chandelier above her bed. Bellatrix couldn't tell from his response if he was cross with her. After all, she did fail him tonight. Her eyes began to burn with tears that threatened to spill. Many feared death by his hands. Her only fear was disappointing him - failing him. "I- I'm sorry, my Lord."
"Enough, Bellatrix!" His words weren't harsh but they were a warning, she could tell. "You are not at fault for what happened tonight, do you understand?" he questioned.
She merely nodded. At least he wasn't cross with her. That, she was glad for. She worried her bottom lip, not sure if she should speak or simply remain silent.
"I should leave you to rest," Voldemort spoke, breaking the silence that had fallen on them.
"Could you...could you stay with me for a while, my Lord?" she asked, her voice hoarse. "Just until I fall asleep." she added quickly moving over slightly to make room for him, wincing as her body ached after tonight's events.
He stood there for a moment contemplating her request. He had almost lost her today, his best - his most loyal. He was unsure why that affected him so. They were all expendable - all but her. He could grant her this one request. Removing his outer robe placing it on the chair in the corner of the room, he made his way towards the bed and settles down next to her, his back braced against the headboard.
She watched him carefully, his face unreadable, as usual. At times she wished she could enter his mind, see what he was thinking. Yes, she was skilled in legilimency, but she could never break through his occlumency barriers. She had tried in the past. It was a game for them when she was much younger and at the start of her service to him. She always lost. But it was still fun trying. So, like those days, long ago, she tried slipping into his mind and instantly ran into his blockade.
"You still try, after all these years Bella?" he spoke, breaking their silence once more.
"I will catch you off guard one day, my Lord," Bellatrix replied, the corners of her mouth curling upwards into a smile.
"I don't doubt you will. You have always been the most determined out of all of my followers. The most loyal."
It took her a moment to reply. He had admitted what she knew all along. She was his best, his most faithful. "I know you-you will never feel the same for me in return, my Lord," her voice cracking. "But to know that I have made you proud, that I have helped… even in the smallest in your impending victory," she said pausing briefly before she continued at a whisper. "That will have been enough for me."
She watched as he sat in silence. She hoped he would say something… anything.
He watched her closely then. One didn't need to be a Legilimens to know that her words were true to her.
"Bella," his voice barely a whisper, knowing he would instantly regret what he was going to tell her. "If you only knew what I felt the moment I saw you in his arms, covered in blood. The thought of losing you," he shook his head as if trying to erase the thought of losing her. "You must be more careful, do you understand? They can all be replaced - Not you Bella. Never you!"
Her eyes went wide at his confession. It was the closest she would ever get to hear him say he cared… maybe even loved her. It's why she fought so hard for him. He must know caring for him made her stronger, not weaker. If only he could understand that. Maybe then they - No! She couldn't wish that. She was his servant she would never be more, but did that mean she couldn't hope?
Voldemort took that moment to slip into her mind. He had always known of her obsession with him. He even used it for his benefit when the opportunity arose. But the images he saw within her mind, troubled him. Obsession was one thing. Obsession he could mold, direct it to where he'd wanted it. But love, was another thing entirely. Love would ruin her and in turn ruin him. He couldn't let that happen. He had a war to win. He couldn't feed the fire - her fire.
Tonight, he had shown her too much affection. Shown her his weakness. She was it. She would always be his weakness. He couldn't allow that. Not until he ruled over the wizarding world. He wouldn't allow anyone, not even her, to get in the way of his mission. Not now, not when he was so close to getting everything he ever wanted.
It needed to happen. She could ruin everything. It was with that final thought that he stood. He reached out his hand and nonverbally called his wand to him. He looked down at Bellatrix and raised his wand towards her.
"Don't...Tom! Please!" he heard her plead. He could see her eyes were wild as the realization of what he was planning, dawned on her like a wave crashing onto rocks.
"Obliviate…"
In an instant, the memories of their night together were torn from her. It was not the first time he obliviated her and it wouldn't be the last. He could never let her know the amount of power she had over him.
For if she knew, she would be his destruction.