Chapter 7
Voldemort turned away from her, seeing how his penetrating gaze had affected her and repeated his question in a more crude way, "Would you like to kill the mudblood, Bellatrix?"
A loud gasp was heard. Ron who had been holding Hermione tightly in his arms could not help but tremble slightly. Hermione's eyes widened as her breathing quickened. Her hands gripped his arms tight.
Looking at the pitiful sight, some of the Death Eaters could help but chuckle under their breaths.
A smile crept on Bella's face as she replied, "It would be my utmost pleasure, My Lord."
"Well go ahead, Bella. Be my guest." Voldemort said with his eyes still on Ron and Hermione who are still holding on to each other. The other Death Eaters looked on at the scene in silence.
Bella walked over slowly towards the centre of the table. Hermione and Ron were still holding on to each other tightly.
"No!! Don't you touch her BITCH!" Harry shouted from where he was, still struggling to break free from the invisible binding around his legs.
"SHUT UP YOU PIECE OF FILTH!! CRUCIO!!" Voldemort roared as he hit Harry with the Cruciatus curse.
Harry screamed in pain as the pain seared through his body. His writhing body was laughed at by the onlooking Death Eaters. Draco Malfoy could not watch. He sat in his seat, numbed by the spectacle that was happening before him. Lucius too was quiet apart from the occasional smile that crept on his lips.
Bellatrix was so engrossed by the Dark Lord's anger that she paused momentarily in her tracks to watch her Lord torment his arch enemy, the gleam in his eyes reflecting her own.
Suddenly, Voldemort fell backwards just as Harry did, breaking the spell he was casting.
"My Lord!!" Bellatrix cried running towards her Lord. Her cry echoed thoughout the entire Hall. The tension in the room climaxed as the Death Eaters crowded around their Lord while a few others stayed behind to guard their prisoners.
Bellatrix kneeled down next to her Lord. "My Lord...are you.......are you alright?"
Voldemort opened his eyes to see his Death Eaters crowd around him. He got up in a haste. "Stop crowdin around me!" he growled deep in his throat. The Death Eaters started to clear away, not one sat back down in their seats. Eyes were all still on their Dark Lord.
Murmurs filled the room. Something just happened and nobody knows what. This could either be good or otherwise. Voldemort took his seat at the front of the table.
"Take them away...." Voldemort said softly. "Blindfold them and put them in separate cells. I want them under 24-hour surveillance. Now get out of my sight."
The Death Eaters started filing out of the room taking their prisoners with them. Bellatrix who was still on her knees kept her eyes on her Lord even as his back was towards her. Panic rose in her seeing her Dark Lord fall backwards.
'What happened??? How could he have fallen backwards? It's not like he's never done that curse before.....why did that happen only with Potter. It can't be......Potter's mummy's spell's broken....why???
"Bella.......Bella." Voldemort called out to her.
"Yes..........yes my Lord?" Bellatrix answered him, still on her knees. "I'm sorry my Lord.......my mind was....."
"I'm fine Bellatrix......now I need you to leave."
"Yes Master." Bellatrix replied quickly as she ran out of the room leaving her Master alone. She would have loved to stay, to be his confidant, to be the one he could pour his cold heart to but she knows if this is what he wants, then she'll want it for him too.
Voldemort sat alone in the Hall brooding over the events that happened earlier. Questions ran through his mind.
How could I let it happen? Why did I let it happen to me........and right in front of Bella......the shame.....damn it......I know now......she feels about me just like I do her.......I can see it in her eyes now......she loves my strength.........my strength is hers. My powers......she loves it......how can I let her see my weakness!!! I failed her.....so many times......she stood out for me.......spent years in bloody Azkaban for me.....
Potter......Potter.......fuck him......I'll get him......I swear by my name that I'll get him. Why does it hurt me too when I Crucio-ed him?
You'll see Bella........that day will come......we'll rule the entire world again like we used to.....and you'll be my queen......
Questions kept running through her mind as Bellatrix stormed through the Malfoy Manor, desperately needing a breath of fresh air.
Fuck Potter!!!!!!!! I went from Bella to Bellatrix! I could have pleased him tonight! I could have killed that bloody....filthy mudblood Granger!!! I could have wipe that smug off Lucius's face tonight!
But that look was priceless.......Lucius' face when the Dark Lord wanted me to be the one to start us off tonight......such an ass that Lucius.....poor Cissy....to have such an annoying husband and a pampered, useless brat like Draco for a son.....what could be worse for a pureblood.
I know......I'll go down to the dungeons and babysit the Mudblood for tonight.....that'll take my mind off things......yes...
Bellatrix strode off to the dungeons, changing her mind about needing fresh air. What she was about to do was far better than just going out for "fresh air".
The dungeon at Malfoy Manor was dark, cold and wet. It's like walking through the dungeons of a very old castle. But then again, this house has been built for several hundred years, passed down through the many generations of the Malfoys.
Bellatrix was greeted by Avery. "Well Bellatrix......disappointed with tonight's events?"
"Shut up Avery! Which one is the mudblood's cell?"
"The last one.....what are you going to do with her?" Avery replied, eyeing her suspiciously.
"That'a none of your business. Who's in charge of her cell for tonight?" Bellatrix shot back at him.
He looked pleased at her foul mood, knowing Bellatrix only too well for her bad temper.
"Dolohov....I..." Avery started but Bellatrix had already walked down deeper into the dungeon toward's Hermione's cell rudely leaving Avery hanging.
"Bitch...." Avery muttered under his breath as he watched her saunter off. He couldn't care less for her attitude though. Tonight and the nights to come are most important. Avery knows his life is on the line; he and many other Death Eaters. They have to make sure that Potter and his friends are still around when the Dark Lord decides to slaughter them. Avery knows all too well how much the Dark Lord hates failures. The thought of it sent shivers down his spine. He shrugged them off and peeped in though the tiny opening on the door of his cell at his prisoner for tonight: Ronald Weasley.
