"He's ignoring me," Rachel murmured to Quinn Cromwell, who was standing next to her. Lupin crossed her arms over her chest. Bella could almost sense the disappointment. But who was she talking about?

"He's a prick. Just forget about him," Quinn said, patting a hand on Rachel's shoulder. "He's not worth your time."

Rachel turned her head and a light went off in Bella's mind. "Sirius?" She said aloud. "Honestly, Lupin, you really think that my cousin would go for you." Bella didn't allow the girl an opportunity to respond. "Let's get past all of this." She'd been watching the lame party initiated by Sirius and his friends for nearly ten minutes. Nothing good had even happened. Had it been a Bella-hosted party, surely someone would be making out by that point. "Think about the moment you knew you were under attack."

The girl's memories seemed to move in fast forward, but then slowed. Rachel was fighting it. "Tsk, tsk, Little Lupin. Do you want me to Crucio you?"

Rachel's hold on the memories stopped and time sped up.

"Rachel," Quinn whispered, grabbing on to her friend's arm. "You have to get everyone out of here. Now." When Rachel turned to look at the red-haired girl, she noticed Quinn's face was lacking color. "Meet me at my house."

"What? Why?" Lupin was easily spooked. At least this time she had a right to be.

"Just go!" There was fear in Quinn's voice, but also, resolve. "James! Get Lily, and Remus, and everyone and get them out of here. I'm not kidding!"

And yet, Quinn wasn't leaving.

No, the girl walked forward, in the direction of the back side of Knockturn Alley, and she cast "Stupefy!"

"What's going on?" A familiar voice questioned. Rachel turned her head, and there, in front of her, stood Andromeda.

"I think that's enough," Rodolphus said, pulling the wand from her hand.

Bella blinked and she was back in that room in the Leaky Cauldron. It smelled like sex…and fear. Her vision focused on Rachel Lupin, who was struggling with the doorknob. Rodolphus flicked his wand, the door unlocked, and the girl was fleeing down the hallway.

Stunned, Bella looked at him. "I was just getting started!" She stomped her foot for good measure.

"And what did you see?"

Her cheeks heated. "Andromeda lied to me." A strange smile crept over his features. "I have to go to Cornwall. Now." She grabbed her own wand from the table she'd set it on, but Rodolphus grabbed her wrist.

"No," he said, calm. "We have to report to the Dark Lord. Immediately, and get out of here in case anyone noticed the girl."

Yet again, he wrapped his arm around her waist and apparated out of the room.

They reappeared in a ramshackle building. They were standing in a dusty living room. The furniture was nearly thirty years out of date and falling apart. Bella swore she saw rats crawling across the cushions. "Where the hell are we?" She turned toward Rodolphus, who had slipped his sleeve up to reveal his Dark Mark. The red skull and snake reminded her of their first torture together. She couldn't help the look of wonder on her face.

"Can I…touch it?"

Rodolphus looked up at her, blue eyes curious, but not unkind. He extended his arm toward her, an open invitation.

Bella ran her fingers over the soft skin of his wrist and over the mark. It didn't feel any different than normal skin. Rodolphus extended his fingers upward, taking a gentle hold of her wrist. He tugged her toward him, softly pressing her to his chest.

"Soon, you'll have your own." His eyes glittered down at her.

Bella wanted to kiss him for saying it. But she didn't.

"This is how it works," Rodolphus whispered. He pulled his wrist out of her hand and then pressed his right forefinger on the mark. The vivid red darkened, appearing blood-like, before it changed to an inky black. The snake coming from the skull's mouth seemed to dance. "He'll want to know what you saw, and what you know about Cromwell."

"It isn't much," she admitted. "But I am glad to assist."

A distinctive pop sounded in the room. "Rodolphus, my boy," Lord Voldemort said. Bella turned to face him. He looked almost dashing in his robes. "And Bellatrix. I hope you have information for me."

"We do, my lord," Rodolphus said, sinking to one knee. Bella followed in suit, lowering her head.

"Stand." The both of them rose to their full heights. "What is it?"

"I have a name for you. Cromwell. Quinn Cromwell. Bellatrix attends Hogwarts with her." Rodolphus glanced toward her, tipping his head in Voldemort's direction.

"My lord," she said, "I searched the mind of her friend for any clues as to how she knew your followers were there. Something came over her all of the sudden. She did manage to sense them, but we don't know how yet. I would be honored to spend my remaining time at Hogwarts seeking that information out for you."

Lord Voldemort regarded her carefully, thoughtfully, his thumb and forefinger tapping at his chin. "What else do you know of the girl?"

"She transferred to Hogwarts. Not your normal student. She's a Gryffindor golden girl. I haven't interacted with her, but she appears to be friendly with my cousin."

"Now, is that the cousin who betrayed the Black family name?" He posed.

Bella ducked her head, an attempt to hide her shame. "Yes, my lord."

"Good."

She looked up at him. "My lord?"

"I would like for you to follow the girl, learn her secrets. Figure out exactly what is so special about her. Once you do, report back to your—" He fixed Rodolphus with a stare. "—soon to be fiancé."

Bella wasn't one for disrespecting the Dark Lord, but how could she when she would be in Scotland—

"Rodolphus, I want you to put down residence in Hogsmeade. Come up with some story or other as a cover. I think it best the two of you remain close, given your impending nuptials."

Dread filled Bella's stomach. Perhaps if she did this, if she managed to give the Dark Lord what he wanted, he would let her forget about the marriage contract.

His emotions unreadable, Rodolphus lowered his head. "Yes, my lord."

Voldemort turned to Bella then, reaching to take one of her hands. "I look forward to your birthday party, my dear," he said, his voice low, almost…sultry. Her stomach flipped as he brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss against her skin. "Rodolphus, I will see Miss Black back to the Leaky Cauldron." Her eyes widened at his words. She cast a glance toward Rodolphus. He didn't look at her, but she could see the tense set of his jaw.

"My lord?" She questioned. He did not respond to her. Instead, he threaded his fingers through hers and faced Rodolphus fully.

"You may go, Lestrange."

Bella didn't understand, but it seemed like she would get no explanation. Rodolphus merely bowed his head and then apparated away.

A heavy silence filled the room. He let go of her hand. "You have impressed me, my girl." Voldemort tipped her chin up to better look at her. "Your father will be very pleased." Bella didn't care about her father. If all she ever did in life was gain the Dark Lord's favor, she would consider her dreams fulfilled. "Tell me, are you happy?"

Bella blinked, confused by the question. "My lord?"

"Are you happy? With the mission, with Rodolphus, with…life."

"Yes."

"You answered that very quickly," he commented with a smile. "Be truthful, Bella." How could she tell him that her only goal in life was to serve him? He must have seen her hesitation, because his lips curled into a wider smile. "You can be honest with me."

"I…" She lowered her gaze. "Rodolphus is teaching me many things. I enjoy that."

"Like what?"

"Curses, skills, things that are all meant to help me serve you better."

Voldemort sauntered across the room, staring at her the entire way. "And how do you feel about marrying him?"

What in the world could he gain from this? She was in a hard place. If she admitted the truth, she risked displeasing him after receiving such praise. If she lied, she would resign herself to that life with him. "I—It's a smart match," she finally said.

From the look on his face, he already knew how she felt. "Indeed, I do," he said, as though he'd read her thoughts. "You forget that I am a very skilled legilimens, Bellatrix." He clasped his hands together behind his back. "I suggested the match to your parents and the Lestranges when you were born. I'd witnessed the elder Lestrange boy's behavior from an early age. I knew he would not be worthy of the child of Cygnus and Druella Black. I knew that you would be special." He approached her slowly. "I knew that you would be great, and you would need a partner to match that greatness. Rodolphus showed me from the time he was a toddler that he was more like his mother than his brother was."

Bella bit her bottom lip, focusing on keeping her features indifferent. She was failing.

"You don't love him, I know. But love is not needed in marriage," he said. "Pureblood marriage accomplishes one things: heirs. If our kind die out, then we leave the wizarding world to the mudbloods and blood traitors, and we can't do that, now can we?"

Bowing her head, Bella said, "No, my lord."

"Your father said you were a willful thing." Voldemort tipped her head up to look at him and brushed her dark locks out of her face. "I believe sometimes children act out with their parents, but it is no indication of the people they will be. And you, my darling Bellatrix—" He let out a breathy laugh. "—you will be great." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. There was no feeling, no warmth. Just skin. "Marry Rodolphus, do your duty, continue to please me, and you will have a place at my side when we take this world for our own."


The Dark Lord was true to his word. He deposited her safely in Diagon Alley, and escorted her to the back entrance of the Leaky Cauldron. When she got back to her room, Bella was floating in a sea of confusion. Her thoughts moved from Voldemort's words, to the actions of her soon to be fiancé. Could she accept this marriage at his behest? Was her only value in the children she could produce? Or was it merely survival of their race that fueled his request for her to marry Rodolphus?

You will have a place at my side when we take this world for our own.

A whispered promise. He wasn't asking her to love him. He wasn't asking her to do the things Rodolphus demanded of her. He merely wanted her to make children. Was that something she was willing to do?

Two letters sat on the table. She immediately recognized Cissy's tidy scrawl. The second one was a handwriting that she didn't recognize. She'd half hoped it was Dromeda. Anger resurfaced. Earlier, she hadn't the chance to act on what she'd seen in Lupin's head.

Andromeda lied to her face.

The thing was, Bella wasn't surprised.

There was a quick knock at the door, and then Rodolphus burst in without being invited. Like he always did.

Bella rolled her eyes and turned to the letter from Cissy, ripping the seal open, and pretending that she had better things to do than entertain him. "We need to talk about Cromwell."

"Because that's why you burst in here," she said, taking a seat in one of the heavy chairs next to the table. She skimmed over the letter, only picking things from here and there from her sister's words. She mentioned that Andromeda had spent the majority of the summer locked in her room, only coming out for meals where their father demanded it.

Rodolphus's heavy footsteps sounded as he crossed the room. "Do you think Cromwell will be persuaded to our side?"

Bella went on with the letter, purposefully ignoring him. The last thing that she wanted right now was to talk to him. He still reeked of sex and smoke. And firewhiskey. A lot of firewhiskey. He must have had several drinks while waiting for her to get back. I do wish you would return to Dorminack Manor, Bella. The summer has been quite boring without—

Rodolphus ripped the letter from her hand and balled it up, tossing it over his shoulder.

"That was quite rude," she said.

"We have a mission to finish."

"I would like just one evening when you're not bombarding me. Go away. Accio letter." The balled-up parchment flew into her hand. She went about smoothing it on the table's flat surface.

From the corner of her eye, she saw the anger on his face. She didn't care. She was exhausted. He stayed that way for a minute more, before murmuring something to himself and leaving the room. She waved her wand and heard the audible click of the door. Then she reached for the second letter. A wax seal she didn't recognize was on the back. Bella slipped her finger beneath the paper, opening it.

Bella,

I'm sorry. Can I see you?

Corban.


Night had fallen. Bella was comfortably lounging back on her bed, the sheets rumpled up around her waist. Yaxley snored lightly beside her. She glanced over at him as she lit a cigarette. The way his hair fell into his eyes was oddly endearing. She scowled at the thought. He looked young. Innocent, almost, laying there prone to any sort of danger. It took no time for him to show up at her door. He'd apologized profusely, begged for her forgiveness.

If for no other reason than to get laid, Bella told him she did.

But now, over an hour after they'd finished, she still felt unsettled. She'd hoped to feel relaxed after a roll in the sack, but she wasn't. In fact, she felt more wound up now than she had before. Bella brushed the hair away from his forehead, then took a drag of her cigarette. She put out the cigarette and blew out the candle beside her bed.

What she'd told Yaxley that night was true. She wasn't capable of love. Her heart was cold as ice, and nothing could thaw it. Bella settled into the pillows and closed her eyes. She saw a pair of blue eyes and a wicked smile staring back at her. Her own eyes snapped open. The room was fully dark and it took a while to get adjusted to the dim lighting of Charing Cross Road below.

Marry Rodolphus, do your duty, continue to please me, and you will have a place at my side when we take this world for our own.

Was her freedom something that she would be willing to sacrifice if it meant being by Voldemort's side?

Sleep evaded her, so Bella decided to take a long, hot bath instead. Maybe that would relax her. All she knew was that Yaxley didn't do it for her anymore. She was disappointed, but unsurprised. She needed to find someone else.

Rodolphus.

His name whispered through her mind, caressing her in the dark as she made her way to the bathing room.

He was attractive, that was truth. From what she'd experienced, he did know his way around a woman's body. But what would happen if she conceded? Would he laud it over her forever? Or was it possible…

As she slipped into the hot water, Bella couldn't help but wonder if it was possible that the two of them could make a partnership work. If only to achieve their own goals separately. Was it possible that they could work together? She didn't have to love him to marry him. She didn't have to love him to serve the Dark Lord.

You will be his greatest ally. You will sell your soul for him. But he will love you, better than any other.

The words from her last night at Hogwarts floated through her mind as Bellatrix fell asleep in the hot water.