Short one-shot. Barty Jr/Bellatrix.

Set a few months after they leave Hogwarts, Bellatrix and Barty were in the same year. Though they might have been in different houses, they became friends due to them both having a little 'insane' streak. I imagine Barty spent a lot of his time being alone and ignored, so that might have been the spark that caused his slightly cruel side. Bella would have probably enjoyed having someone around that she could connect with, but also dominate at the same time. Bella always planned to join Voldemort's Death Eaters as soon as she could, while Barty had mixed feelings about it. This is one way I thought Bella could sort of manipulate Barty into making his decision to become a Death Eater.

Also, the Barty described in this story is more like the one portrayed in the film by David Tennant than the one in the book. He's really the only character that I think was changed for the better in the film. The one in the book didn't seem to fit the role as well.

I own nothing =]

Betrayal

An angry wind ripped its way through the narrow backstreets of London, attempting to tear the long cloak away from the shoulders of the dark figure battling its way past the towering houses. The figure sneered and pulled the cloak tighter, leaving the wind to swirl past in search of new prey. The figure continued its journey along the deserted street unfazed, keeping its hood pulled low over its head, its eyes fixed on the uneven paving stones. It followed the twisting street half way along, before turning off onto an even smaller street which oozed the rancid smell of blocked drains and overflowing bins. It eventually stopped in front of one of the tall narrow houses. It paused for a second, then stretched out a pale hand and pushed the rickety gate open and ascended the three steps leading to the front door. Ignoring the bell on the left of the frame, the figure knocked quietly on the door, then reached up and pulled down its hood, revealing the face of a young, pale man with tousled brown hair. There was a pause before footsteps were heard on the other side, then the sound of a lock and several bolts being undone. The door was pulled open a crack, and a heavily outlined eye appeared, dimly lit by the soft glow of a hidden light source. The eye blinked, and then a woman's voice spoke in a hissed whisper.

"Barty? What do you want? If you've come to try make me change my mind it's not going to work. I've already had to deal with-"
"I am not here to change your mind." The cloaked man named Barty cut her off in a low voice.
The eye narrowed. "What do you want then?" the woman repeated.
"Can I come in?"
The eye blinked again then pulled back. The door opened wider to reveal the rest of the woman, who was also cloaked and was holding a wand in her hand, the tip glowing brightly. She quickly ushered Barty inside of the tiny hallway, closing the door quickly behind him. Barty stood in silence while she relocked the door, then followed her through a door to another darkened room. A wave of the wand in the woman's hand lit the stumps of candle left in a wooden candle holder on a grubby table in the middle of the room, illuminating the rest of the room with a dim flickering light. The only other furniture in the room was a straight-backed wooden chair by the table, and a tattered two-seater sofa again the wall. The woman went straight to the sofa, sat down heavily and turned expectantly to Barty. Barty remained unmoving in the doorway, silently staring at her.

"What do you want, Barty?" She sighed again. Barty moved towards the chair, the candlelight casting an eerie glow on his face as he sat down. He fixed his gaze on the woman sitting before him, his eyes drinking her in, though his face showed no change in emotion.

"Only to see you again before you leave." He said finally.

The woman laughed coldly. "Why? You're not going to tell me that you love me, are you? Is that why you came? You know you could come with me, then there would be no need for goodbyes." She laughed again. "I'm not the one leaving you, Barty. It's you who's choosing to stay behind."

"I made my choice, as you have made yours." Barty stated his voice unchanging.

"The difference is that I was always going to make this choice. You, Barty Crouch, can never stick with your choices. I bet you told yourself that you wouldn't come and see me leave," she sneered, watching his carefully blank face break as he flinched. "Yet here you are."
When he said nothing, she continued. "What about all the talks we had in school? When I told you about the better world he will create for us, how his followers are rewarded in the highest of ways, and when you said you would join me in his service? That was not so long ago. And yet here you stand, just six months after leaving, going back on your every word. So, what's the matter? Don't tell me you've got cold feet?" She laughed again.

"Bella," Barty used her name for the first time, "You know who my father is. What do you think would happen if word got out that his own son had sided with-"

"DON'T," the woman, Bella, shrieked suddenly, jumping to her feet. She stood glaring at him, her eyes flashing and her face dark. "you dare start with that crap about your father. You know as well as I do that he's never cared about you, never cared about anything other than his stinking image. If you're here to tell me that you're leaving me to stay and follow those filthy lies that pathetic excuse of a man is teaching the world, get out now."

Barty stood slowly, walking round the table to stand in front of Bella, who chest was heaving angrily. He spoke quietly, remaining calm. "Do you really think he would accept me? When my own father is leading the fight against him, do you really think he would welcome me into his service?"

Bella paused. "Of course," she said eventually, "you could be useful to him. You could give him information on your father's plans."

"And what makes you think I could do that? Betray someone in that way?"

Bella moved closer to him. "The whole time we've been friends, you have always complained about your father to me. How you're invisible to him, how he never cares if you do well, only notices when you do badly, how he shouts, how he controls, how he belittles everyone around him to make himself feel powerful." She was right in front of him now, and still drawing closer. She rose on her toes to put her face next to his ear, her hand resting on his shoulder on the opposite side. She spoke in a low voice, her breath tickling his ear and neck. "But you've never been invisible to me. I listened. And I know you, Barty. And I think that if there's anyone you can betray, it's your father."

Barty felt his heart speed up as he breathed in her closeness. He put his hand on her waist, bringing her back to look him in the face. "You always were good at arguing your case." He breathed, tracing her jaw with his other hand, before tangling it in her hair and pulling her into a kiss. Her hand rose to the back of his neck as they stayed there, mouths moving together frantically.

"Come with me," Bella gasped quietly, when they broke for air. "We can leave this whole stinking place behind us, and become his most trusted followers. We will help him fix the entire wizarding world, and he will reward us beyond our imagination. And we can do it all together." She reached up to kiss him again.

"His world is one of betrayal." Barty whispered between kisses. "There's no grantee how long anything will last."

"I'll never betray you, Barty"

It was these words that Barty Crouch remembered as he watched Bellatrix Black laugh with the other Death Eaters while their Master tortured him for information he didn't know. It was these words he remembered as he watched Bellatrix be called to stand next to their Master in the circle, while he remained where he was between Goyle and Nott. It was these words he remembered as he watched Bellatrix Black become Bellatrix Lestrange. It was these words he remembered as he watched Bellatrix torture the Longbottoms to insanity, despite his protests that she was killing them, and they would be no use to them when dead.
And it was these words Barty remembered as he sat alone in his cell in Azkaban, when he swore he would become greater than Bellatrix Lestrange ever would.

Okay, not great, I know. But I got attacked by plot bunnies XD

reviews? Be nice, please. I'll give you cookies =]