Sunday, July 21, 1974 was clear, warm, and calm—the perfect evening for a wedding. The minister had just presented the nuptial couple to the congregation, who was lining up to congratulate them.
The groom's long, white-blonde hair spilled elegantly down the back of his emerald green dress robes. On his left hand, he wore a simple gold band; in his right, he held a black walking stick topped with a silver, emerald-eyed serpent's head.
The bride wore an antique, ivory satin gown, her long blonde hair swept up and back in a classic Victorian style. Her thin, haughty face, framed by a few loose tendrils, could be seen clearly through the translucent veil.
"Dear Narcissa," said Walburga Black, looking very regal in her deep blue velvet gown. "You're such a beautiful bride!"
"Thank you, Aunt Burgie," Narcissa replied. "And you look lovely yourself."
Sirius, biding his time, waited behind his cousin Bellatrix to pay his respects to the couple. He felt hot and uncomfortable in the heavy dress robes his mother insisted that he wear, and his usually shaggy hair was slicked back and clipped shorter than he liked. But for once, he played along with the charade. For soon, very soon, Narcissa would pay for every mean thing she had ever done to him! He only regretted that he couldn't repay Bellatrix as well, but that would come later, at another time.
Sirius gave Narcissa a dutiful hug, and then glanced at Bellatrix, who was rolling her ebony eyes at Lucius Malfoy.
"Welcome, Lucius," she said demurely, "to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black."
Lucius smiled, took Bellatrix's hand, and then raised it to his lips.
"Thank you," he said simply.
Bellatrix lowered her hand and smiled, and Sirius noticed a small piece of parchment in her palm.
Sirius' mind raced mischievously. Did Bellatrix secretly want Lucius? The Malfoys were richer—and more powerful—than even his own family. But Lucius had still been in school when Bellatrix and Rodolphus were married, and was favored to wed Narcissa, even then…
But…Lucius had connections, very powerful ones, that were most certainly out of Bellatrix's league. Sirius wondered if the note was from one of them, and if Bellatrix would be meeting him, perhaps even tonight.
During the reception, Sirius sipped his punch, ate his cake, and politely mingled with the other guests, behaving most appropriately as a member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Shortly before nine, he felt a tug on his sleeve; the signal he expected. Quickly, he glanced around the reception hall, and then slowly, nonchalantly, moved away from the crowd…
Sirius stepped into the courtyard, then headed down the slope to a quiet corner of the grounds and hid behind a large willow tree. Looking down, he saw a pair of blue trainers flicker and disappear. After a quick look around, he slipped under James Potter's invisibility cloak.
"Hi Mate," James whispered. "Did anyone ever tell you that your cousin Cissy looks like she has dung up her nose?"
"Too right!" Sirius replied, grinning. "Did your mum and dad give you any grief?"
James shook his head. "They think I'm camping out at Peter's,"he whispered. "Got the camera?"
"Yeah," Sirius replied, reaching inside his pocket for the thin, silver instamatic, careful not to let go of it until it was in James' hands. "I had Uncle Alphard charm it so it would take pictures in the dark, too, without a flash!"
"Did he silence it?" James wondered.
"Of course," Sirius grinned. "Now, they'll be staying at the Borealis Hotel in Cornwall. Not sure what room, though."
"No problem," James assured him. "I'll just head over on the Knight Bus, hide behind my cloak, follow them to their room, and get the pictures. Then, when your new cousin buys the next issue of Cauldrons," both boys started laughing under their breaths, "they'll be in the centerfold!"
"Wicked!" Sirius grinned.
The boys continued to snigger, but Sirius shushed his friend when he saw Bellatrix slinking by. When she was safely out of hearing distance, he told James about the scene at the church.
"Hmmm…" James pondered thoughtfully. "Wonder what that was all about."
"Well," Sirius replied. "They won't head out for a couple hours. Want to stick around and find out?"
"Absolutely," James hissed. "You know I'm game."
The boys crouched behind an oleander bush near a crypt, where they found Bellatrix pacing back and forth like a nervous schoolgirl, the black beads on her green satin gown glimmering in the moonlight. A few minutes later, they saw a wisp of smoke that slowly grew thicker, until a black robe figure materialized. Bellatrix jumped, but quickly regained her composure.
The figure raised his wand, and cast a ring of blue flame around the crypt and the boys. Slowly, deliberately, it lowered its hood…
The man was more snake-like than human. His head was completely bald, and his translucent skin glowed grayish-white. His nose consisted of two vertical slits; his mouth, a horizontal slash, and his narrow red eyes smoldered wickedly. Sirius gasped, and felt James' elbow slam into his ribs.
"You wished to see me, Mrs. Lestrange?" he asked softly, with lethal undertones.
Bellatrix smiled. "Begging your pardon, my Lord, but I believe it was you who summonsed me here. On a…matter of mutual interest, I believe it was?"
"Aahh yes," the man replied. "However, I believe this meeting is much more to your benefit than to my own."
Bellatrix held her head high, but bit her lower lip; a sign, Sirius knew, that her confidence was shaken.
The Stranger laughed mirthlessly. "It has come to my attention that you wish to be a member of my…inner circle."
Slowly, deliberately, Bellatrix nodded.
"So tell me," the Stranger continued smoothly, "what can you offer me in the way of…services?"
"Surely, my lord," Bellatrix quipped, with all the confidence she could muster, "you realize I am a very powerful witch…extremely skilled in the dark arts, no less.
"Are you?" the Stranger smiled sardonically. "Well, we shall see about that. Would you be willing to…die for me?"
"A thousand painful deaths," Bellatrix replied
"Would you…" the Stranger continued, "be willing to kill for me?"
Bellatrix nodded. "My own kinsmen, if need be."
"Interesting," the Stranger said, cocking his hairless brow. "Suppose you know of someone who has some information they are unwilling to part with. How would you go about…retrieving it?"
"Well," Bellatrix considered. "If I were in a rather pleasant mood, Legilimency should do the trick. Otherwise, I'd use the Cruciatus curse."
"Excellent!" the man smiled. "Now then…"
The Stranger continued to ask Bellatrix questions, and Bellatrix answered them deftly. Finally, he sighed, looked her in the eye, and presented her with what he perhaps considered the most difficult question of all:
"In what ways can death be defeated?"
Bellatrix faltered. "I've heard of a stone, used to make a potion. Barring that, unicorn's blood, but that wouldn't be my first choice."
"Are those…the only ways you know of?" the Stranger asked.
"Well," Bella paused. "I've heard of another…of hiding pieces of one's soul…in books and jewelry and that sort of thing. I've wanted to learn more about it, but finding any information about it is next to impossible!"
The Stranger was silent for a few moments. "Well done," he said. "Now we shall see if your skills are equivalent to your knowledge."
They started dueling, with simple spells at first. The Stranger attempted to curse Bellatrix, and she seemed to disarm him with ease. But as they progressed, the spells intensified. Bellatrix held her own, but only just. Sweat glistened on her alabaster skin and her dark hair, which had been perfectly coiffed, had fallen about her shoulders in a tangled mess. Finally, she collapsed, gasping, at the Stranger's feet. Nevertheless, he seemed pleased with her efforts.
"I'm…impressed…Mrs. Lestrange," he smiled, revealing his uneven, pointed teeth as Bellatrix caught her breath. "Now…"
The Stranger took a bottle from a bag on his belt, opened it, shook something onto the ground, and then waved his wand. There was a blinding flash, and whatever had been in the bottle slowly transformed into a dark-haired youth in tattered clothing. Sirius could plainly see the terror on the boy's face, and his own heart threatened to leap out of his chest when he realized who he was…
Matiás Linthicum, the muggleborn who had been missing since the beginning of the fall term.
"Show me…the Unforgivable Curses!" the Stranger commanded.
"Imperio!" Bellatrix shouted, forcing Linthicum to dance a silly jig.
"Very good," the Stranger smiled. "Now…the Cruciatus curse."
"Crucio!" Bellatrix shouted without flinching.
Sirius' jaw dropped in shock. He had always known of his cousin's cruel streak, but never realized it ran this deep. He knew he dare not make a sound, dare not move a muscle, even as Linthicum writhed before them, gasping in agony…
Finally, Bellatrix lowered the wand, and Linthicum fell to his knees. She looked to the Stranger for approval. Slowly, he nodded, and she raised her wand again:
"Avada Kedavra!" she shouted.
A quick green flash, and Linthicum collapsed, dead, at her feet.
Without a word, Bellatrix waved her wand and opened the crypt. Together, she and the Stranger levitated the body and dropped it inside. Then, with a final flourish, Bellatrix sealed the crypt.
Sirius fought the urge to scream. He reached out to grasp James' arm, and realized how tightly James was gripping his…
"Impressive," the Stranger smiled. "And yet…how can I be certain that I can trust you?"
Bellatrix lowered her eyes, and then stared directly into his, wetting her lips:
"Well…I'm willing to do…whatever it takes to prove this to you."
The Stranger considered, and then nodded. "I believe you qualify for the…final part of the test…"
The Stranger took Bellatrix's hands in his, and she met his eyes with hers. Then, to Sirius' shock, they started snogging…
Sirius could feel the bile rising in his throat as the Stranger slid his hand over the low back of his cousin's gown…
Bellatrix melted in his embrace. Suddenly, the Stranger released her, stepped backwards, and then waved his wand. Bellatrix shuddered as her gown fell around her feet, trying to cover her nakedness with inadequate hands. Sirius, stunned and conflicted, didn't have to see James to know that his eyes were popping through his glasses.
"Embarrassed, Bella?" the Stranger asked, tossing his wand aside.
"No," she replied, but Sirius thought she seemed strangely humbled. "Just a bit…startled…that's all."
Slowly, the Stranger disrobed. To Sirius' relief, his backside was facing him. He didn't want to watch, but was too horrified to turn away.
"I confess," the Stranger whispered, as Bellatrix's eyes traveled hungrily down his form, "that I've had my eye on you for quite some time. And there's nothing I wouldn't do to please you, so long as you please me."
"Oh my Lord!" Bellatrix gasped. "It will be my joy…my upmost joy…"
Sirius plugged his ears and screwed his eyes shut. Even so, he couldn't completely block out the Stranger's groans and the loud, hungry sucking noises he knew his cousin was making. He swallowed the bile that bubbled in his throat…
The Stranger cried out, and Sirius unplugged his ears. He heard a faint rustle and warily opened his eyes, closing them just as quickly when he saw the black soles of Bellatrix's silver sandals straddling a pair of split twin globes that kept rising and falling as the couple moaned in ecstasy…
Let it be over soon, he prayed silently. Please let it be over soon…
His cousin shrieked, and both parties sighed. Sirius opened his eyes, screwing them shut again when he saw that Bellatrix and the man lay naked in one another's arms…
For the longest time, they didn't move. Finally, Sirius heard the familiar voice of Rodolphus Lestrange calling Bellatrix's name. The Stranger sat up abruptly, struggling into his robe.
"Your husband beckons," he simply said. "You better go."
"Um…did I pass?" Bellatrix asked nervously.
The Stranger girded his waist, then considered briefly:
"I'll let you know," he finally answered. "In the meantime, not a word of our encounter…to anyone. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my Lord," Bellatrix said submissively. Her eyes were luminous, and to Sirius' surprise, seemed to be filled with tears.
The Stranger lowered the shield, and then vanished, leaving Bellatrix to search for her clothes. Finally, she located her gown, and was just pulling it over her head when Rodolphus saw her, his face paling in the moonlight.
"So I've found you," he said.
"So you have," Bellatrix replied nervously.
Rodolphus grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. "WHO WAS HE, BELLA?" he shouted. "WHO WAS HE?"
Bellatrix laughed. Rodolphus threw her to the ground, and then brandished his wand…
"CRUCIO!" he shouted.
Bellatrix writhed on the ground like a tortured snake until Rodolphus lifted the curse. "I'm asking you one more time," he said between his teeth. "WHO WAS HE?"
Bellatrix only glared. Again, Rodolphus cast the Cruciatus curse, lifted it, and then cast it again. Each time, Bellatrix writhed more intensely, yet refused to answer…
Suddenly; Rodolphus stiffened, dropped his wand, and then gripped his forearm, as once again the Stranger materialized before them.
"Lestrange," he said, in a soft, whip-like voice, "Leave her be."
Rodolphus obeyed. The Stranger then helped Bellatrix to her feet.
"Congratulation, my dear," he said.
"I…I passed?" Bellatrix asked.
The Stranger nodded, and Bellatrix smiled smugly. Rodolphus only seemed stunned.
"You mean…it was you?" he asked the Stranger.
"Is there a problem?" the Stranger countered.
"No," Rodlophus replied. "No, I suppose not."
"Very well," the Stranger said. "Be certain that you bring her with you to our next meeting, so that she may be…properly initiated."
The Stranger bowed, kissed Bellatrix's hand, and then disappeared. Rodolphus looked at his wife with sorrow. Bellatrix looked back at him, her eyes haughty with victory.
"Let's go home," Rodolphus said quietly.
"As you wish…dear husband," Bellatrix laughed, looping her arm through his. Then, to Sirius' relief, they disapparated.
"Thank...you...God!" James sighed.
Sirius gulped, shuddered, and finally found his voice. "What an ugly bloke! He even makes Snivellus look…"
"SHUT UP!" James hissed through his clenched teeth.
"James, no one can…"
"This isn't a joke, Sirius!" James snapped, lowering his voice even more. "Don't you know who that was?"
"No," Sirius said.
James swallowed, and said in a voice that was barely audible:
"That was the Dark Lord! And if either he or your cousin ever find out we saw this, we're done for!"