written for the hogwarts creative collection and the golden snitch's through the universe challenge

creative collection prompt: Everyone Lives!AU (people who die canonically live)

through the universe prompt: Fireball — (character) Molly Weasley

school, house: hogwarts, slytherin

points: 5

wc: 395

. . .

vii. if you thought it'd be easy

. . .

The curse blasts her in the chest, bright red and sparking electric. It strikes Bellatrix, but it barely harms her. She falls to the ground from the force of the spell, but she is relatively unscathed.

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" Molly Weasley had screamed.

Bellatrix isn't one for restrictions.

She drags herself up from the mud, and brushes off her dress slowly, smiling sadistically at Molly Weasley and her band of merry idiots who thought they'd polished her off. Their eyes widen in shock seeing Bellatrix up and alive.

Bellatrix laughs at their naïvety. "Did you think it'd be that easy?" she chuckles. "Thought you could slap me with a curse and dig me six feet under?"

Molly Weasley gapes, and her children with their flaming-red hair do as well.

"You didn't even use an Unforgivable!" bemoans Bellatrix, sauntering over to her. "I thought you'd at least use Crucio, but clearly I've overestimated your competence!"

Molly straightens then, saying, "You've underestimated it if anything. I knocked you down, didn't I?"

"Yes, but you didn't get the job done, Molly dearest. It's pathetic. Even your conviction for your daughter couldn't get you to kill me...how pitiful…"

"You shut your mouth, you shut it right now!" screeches Molly angrily.

Bellatrix laughs heartily. "Oh, no, Molly dearest, I think I'll talk a little more...about how much of a thorn you've been in my side, with your ten children running amok and contaminating the place with their blood-traitor. Why would you even have so many children when you clearly can't feed all the mouths?" she wonders. She can see Molly ready her wand, eyes flashing, a fist clenched at her side with teeth gritting. Bellatrix whips out her own wand in a flash, fast as lightning, and shoots a nonverbal Stupefy at her.

"Don't even think about it, Molly darling," she mocks. Then she looks at the kids, wands at the ready, prepared to fight but not wanting to engage Bellatrix, who has more experience.

"How quaint," Bellatrix notes. "You see that, Molly? That's your kids, looking upon your death…"

The green light hits her before anyone is the wiser. The redheads all move toward their mother, looking in disbelief at her lifeless body. They all but forget about the woman who murdered her in their frenzy to see that their matriarch is alive.

Bellatrix laughs.