A week after the day of her first killing, a date that she had memorized for some unknown reason even to her own mind, Bellatrix had been put on daily Disposal Duty. Disposal Duty … it was a joke that she herself had come up with; the icy-eyed girl would sneak her way back to the hideout every night, hidden in her invisibility cloak (a gift from her tutor), and walk back into the same small, dark room where the same two Death Eaters would bring Bella her next victims. It was odd how each one could resemble someone she knew, Alecto, Clara, Rodolphus …, but how easily it came to her now to lift her wand and mutter those simple words. And with each night, her grin grew wider and more sadistic.

One night, Bella had told her tutor of the joke she had come up with and as he and her laughed together, she wasn't alone anymore. It wasn't like Hogwarts, where if the wicked witch had said something of the sort, people would point accusatory fingers and rally against her. They thought they were better than her, even though in ways they were just the same as the dark girl. No … Bella was among others who viewed her as a friend, a sister, a comrade. They said Hogwarts was their second home, this was hers. Bellatrix grinned widely, maliciously, as she looked up with wonder-filled eyes towards her new companions.

The next night, the 8th night and the beginning of a new week, Bella strode into the hideout with confidence, ready to take on another victim, but at the door was not her Tutor, but a woman draped in all black clothing. Her graying hair was put in a tight bun, wrinkles lining her face, her mouth set in a thin line of annoyance. Bella's confidence faded to confusion and slight fear. How could the raven-haired witch not fear this woman, who stood tall like an Amazon and glared viciously down at Bellatrix with the upmost loathing that made her want to cringe. With her strong will though, she didn't and she simply stared at the woman with her icy eyes.

"I am your new Tutor." The woman stated coldly, waving the girl forward. "Follow me."

Though her body wanted to refuse, Bellatrix stepped cautiously behind her new Tutor, who walked quickly towards the new route. Turn a corner, down some stairs, and into a torch-lit basement, the usually cool and confident Bella had chills running up and down her spine and her blood turned cold. A quick and dangerous thought made its way into her mind. Had she done something wrong? If so, what was it? Were they leading her down into this basement to kill her? Her heart clutched in terror. Whether or not, she wasn't going to go down without a fight. Her Tutor stopped in her tracks, quickly turned around, and glowered down at Bellatrix who stumbled slightly at the sudden stop of movement. She blinked and looked up at her teacher with widening eyes.

"You've passed your two tests, this is your next one." She explained curtly, then gestured toward a large door behind her. "This test is much more difficult than your last ones. It's easy to fight off others who attack you, it's easy to kill those when there is no bloodshed, but it isn't easy to torture someone." Bella raised her eyebrows in a questioning look, but the woman paid no mind to her now. Instead she reached into her dark cloak and unsheathed a sharp, plain looking dagger, handing it to the Death Eater-in-training, who weighed it in her slender hands with raised eyebrows.

"Inside that room we have an Order member and it is your job to get him to tell us where their Headquarters is." She explained curtly. "I don't believe I need to tell you what to do with that, do I?" The woman looked at her, waiting for a stupid question to come out of the child's mouth, but Bella simply shook her head, smirking. That was all? How could torturing someone be worse than killing a human being? This stuck-up bitch was just trying to scare her. She must have heard how well the wicked witch had done in her past tests, far better than what she had proved to be. This was the price you paid when you are exceptionally talented.

"Go on in then."

With one last smug look, Bella entered the freezing dungeon-like basement.

When the door opened, her senses were overfilled with the smell of stench and the cries of a screaming man, calling out for someone, anyone, to come and rescue him. Her stomach threatened to purge her dinner she had earlier. The room, it was freezing for one thing. There was no heat, the only light was from above; a medieval looking chandelier. Goosebumps were beginning to form on her milky skin, her face paling more and more with each second. The next thing Bellatrix noticed was the god-awful smell that hung in the air. Imagine you are walking near the road, and you smell something so repulsive and then you see a dead animal lying on stiff on the path; flies and crows flying around it, ready to fill themselves with a free dinner that had been provided for them. That's what it smelt like and it made the raven-haired child want to vomit.

There was nothing in the room except a large wooden table and on that table lay a man bind to it. He stopped screaming then, once he saw her and instead glared defiantly at her, but looked a little reluctant. It was as if he couldn't believe that they were really sending in a child do this work. Suddenly, the knife in her hand felt very heavy. Bella's stomach lurched. She knew that face. He had gone to Hogwarts with her, a long while ago, but still he did. When she was a little girl, only a first year, he was a seventh year. What was his name? David Thewlis? Yes … that's what it was. He seemed to recognize her too. It wasn't surprising really, because once upon a time, David had comforted her when she and Alecto had gotten into a fight. He had been a Ravenclaw and he was so sweet.

But it didn't matter now if he was sweet. David was the enemy, he belonged to the Order. He had been sent to find out their headquarters and now he must pay the price. So she walked towards him slow, a bit hesitantly yes, but her posture said otherwise. At least in her mind, Bella though she walked prideful and strong. At least in her own eyes.

"You certainly grew up." David stated, his voice quivering slightly. Bellatrix didn't say anything, she just looked at him. Idle chat wasn't going to distract her from her job.

"I'm not going to tell you anything about what you want to know." He informed, turning his head so he'd no longer look at her. Pity coursed through her body.

"Then you know what I must do them." She lifted her small dagger, pressing it again his arm softly at first, then with increasing pressure. He gasped. "I don't want to do this David …" she murmured softly, leaning closely in so he could hear her and only him. You never knew who might be listening. "Tell me and I could convince them to let you join." She was beginning to plead now. "You were so kind to me … I really don't want to do this."

He looked at her; sympathy filled his caring blue eyes. "Then let me go. Let me go and we could escape together. We'd protect you. You're so young, Bellatrix … only a child. Just let me go and things will be alright." Bellatrix took the knife away from his skin.

He was actually willing to take her with him if he escaped? Why? Why would he do that? And what did he mean by protect her …. These people were her friends. They respected her and taught her things that no one else had taught her. Then again, they could also kill her. Her past Tutor made it very clear if she were to make a mistake, they'd have no choice, but to kill her. To protect their secret. Quite honestly, Bella never thought about it that much until now. What if she were to make a mistake? Was she absolutely willing to give her life to this cause? She wasn't too sure at the moment. With her icy eyes, Bellatrix looked down at the man before her, who looked up at her with his caring eyes, but it wasn't his eyes she looked at.

What had caught her attention was the pierce that she had made. It had broke through skin and a thin trail of scarlet ran down his forearm. It moved something within her, a sick sort of feeling that mesmerized her. The woman had been right, killing someone was nothing like seeing this. Seeing what lay beneath the skin. It made her wonder for a second about what her blood looked like. She was a pure-blood afterall, this meant she was better than blood-traitors and mudbloods. What would happen if she were to … she cringed. A shallow cut now appeared near her wrist and she watched as her own blood began to seep out slowly. It was much the same as his and it made her angry. She expected something different, something grander, but it was the same. It was the same as his and that angered her.

David stared at her in horror while Bellatrix glared at him now with such an inhuman sort of hatred. How was it possible that they were the same? She deserved things far better than what he possessed. After all, it was him that was tied up and wasting away in this dungeon, not her. Shouldn't his skin reflect that? Bellatrix grinned sadistically. Perhaps she should help him with that … not paying any mind to what exactly she was doing, the raven-haired girl lifted her knife up into the air then swiftly slashed it across his arm. David yelped, struggling now in his bonds.

'Good.' She thought to himself. Bella took hold of his arm, her pale and slender fingers wrapping around his bleeding skin. It was warm and sticky, and oddly pleasing to feel on her hands.

"Tell me where the Headquarters is." The wicked witch demanded vicously. "Who is all in it? Where are your hideouts? Damnit, you fool, I am speak to you!"

David grinded his teeth in an attempt to keep from screaming, but this only made Bella more violent; she wanted to see him thrashing around on that table, trying to get away from her. He was an animal, prey, and she was the hunter who would keep his hide as a trophy of her winnings. Bellatrix continued screaming at him, demanding to be told of the who's and what's and when's and where's, but the man refused. He simply took the torture she threw at him. A slash across the one arm, one against his cheek, and she even went as far as removing his shirt and sliced up his torso as well. By now he was bleeding greatly, and with each cut, Bella made sure to compare her simple tear of flesh with his. Why? She didn't know. It only made her angrier with each comparison, but it didn't matter.

How long had it been since she had come through those doors? She didn't know the answer to this either, but it was long enough. David had stopped thrashing now, stopping crying out in pain, which made Bella stop what she had been doing. He was so beat up now … a long gash now grazed his handsome face. What had she done? Bellatrix couldn't remember doing that, nor did she remember wrapping her hands around his neck, yet there were red marks that were starting to bruise. She blinked her icy eyes, looking down at her hands. They were stained red, just like his body was. Apparently there was a lot that she had missed.

"You failed this test." Bellatrix whipped around, her new teacher, the ice witch, stood there looking bored. "Go wash up and we'll try again tomorrow. "

Bellatrix blinked, and then followed her teacher out.