AN: A one-shot on Bellatrix. I was thinking of making this kind of thing into a series, where I explain why characters are the way they have become. PM me or review to let me know what you think!

When she was just a girl, a distant cousin pushed her down, beat her up, and left her bloody and bruised.

"It was just a game; I was just playing."

Oh, how quickly guilt was absolved! There was nothing wrong!

She began to laugh.

X

Years later, she was given a new game.

Sure, she saw the tears, heard the howls and shrieks.

"It's just a game."

She laughs, but this laugh has no soul.

Review?