16 November 1981
Malfoy Manor
"ALBUS DUMBLEDORE DEAD - MINISTER OUSTED! In a day of shocking news, we learn that Minister for Magic Millicent Bagnold has resigned her post and handed the reins of authority over to the unanimously-appointed Abraxas Malfoy. This upending of the Ministry comes only hours after the breaking news of the deaths of several notable people, including Alastor Moody, Minerva McGonagall, and, most shockingly, Albus Dumbledore.
It is not known exactly how the three died, though the Dark Mark was seen in the sky over Cornwall last night by Muggles who had to be Obliviated. It is suspected that the deaths of Moody, McGonagall, and Dumbledore are related to that sighting of the Dark Mark.
Albus Dumbledore was Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and with his and McGonagall's deaths, the post has been taken up by Horace Slughorn as interim Headmaster. There is no recoverable body for a funeral, but a memorial service will be held in Dumbledore's hometown of Mould-on-the-Wold, hosted by his brother Aberforth, with a joint service for Dumbledore and McGonagall scheduled at Hogwarts. Alastor Moody will be remembered alongside other war victims at a large-scale memorial service in Godric's Hollow on 20 November.
'It is high time that this war came to an end,' said Abraxas Malfoy this morning upon taking the post of Minister of Magic. 'It is high time that the Ministry of Magic work with those who have been fighting on the opposing sides of this conflict and see to it that we all live together, contentedly, as one Wizarding society. I have personally spoken with the Dark Lord, and he wishes nothing but an end to all this madness. He wishes for Wizarding Britain's prosperity and righteousness, for a world in which all witches and wizards live in harmonious, successful kinship.'
Whether Malfoy's new government can successfully unite the remnants of Dumbledore's allyship with the ranks of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named remains to be seen. Of course the death of Albus Dumbledore leaves a gaping hole in the Wizarding World, but we shall also see who steps in to fill those gaps. For now, we are all in shock."
Voldemort set the Daily Prophet down on the table and smirked at Rabastan Lestrange, who was currently the editor of the newspaper.
"Well done," he said rather proudly. "You made quick work of that news and managed to make it seem as though we are almost… bereaved."
There was a rumble of laughter around the table then, and Voldemort's smile grew. He turned his face to Abraxas Malfoy and asked,
"You will be replacing that infernal thorn in my side, Bartemius Crouch, tout de suite, will you not?"
"My father," spoke a voice, and Voldemort snapped to see Barty Crouch, Jr. snarling from his seat, flicking his tongue a little, "should be killed for his treasons against you, My Lord. Please, allow me to do it. If you allow it, I will assassinate him myself. I will go to my parents' house, kill them both, and Vanish the bodies."
"If they simply disappear, Master, I'll have to replace Crouch in his position as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," said Abraxas Malfoy. "I was thinking… Yaxley?"
Corban Yaxley tipped his head up and said in his strong Northern accent,
"I'd be honored to take the post once Crouch is eliminated, Master."
"Good. Let it be done. I want all of this to happen in the next two or three days. Magical Law Enforcement controls all else," said Voldemort. "Barty Crouch, take out your parents. Abraxas, immediately install Yaxley. Yaxley, you then craft a department that will elevate Death Eaters and persecute the remainders of the Order of the Phoenix. Rabastan Lestrange, I want morning and evening editions praising the new government. Put out an obituary for Albus Dumbledore that simply lists his accomplishments and then calls into question whether or not he was a good influence on the Wizarding world. Anything else, anything else…"
He drummed his fingers on the table before him, feeling absolutely triumphant, and he flicked his lips up as he laughed quietly,
"I am unaccustomed to things going so smoothly, my friends. This is plenty of work for us all over these next few days. Enjoy yourselves. Savour this victory."
"Your victory, Master!" cried Bellatrix, and Voldemort's eyes actually burned a little as he turned his face to her. He nodded, and she eagerly leaned forward on the table, her palms flat on the wood, and she exclaimed, "You killed that bastard, Master! You killed Albus Dumbledore. Long live the Dark Lord!"
"Long live the Dark Lord!" repeated Abraxas Malfoy, and the others began to chant it. Voldemort leaned back and reveled in the praise, in the glory, for a long moment. He smiled a bit at Bellatrix, and then when things settled down, he said to the group in a quiet, happy voice,
"Dismissed."
"My Lord?" asked a voice as the room began to clear out, and Voldemort looked up from his chair to see Rodolphus Lestrange standing beside him. The wizard gulped and knotted his hands together before him, and he mumbled, "Bellatrix says she's not to be living at Castle Lestrange anymore."
"No, she isn't," Voldemort snapped, reaching for the wand of elder wood that he'd taken off of Dumbledore's body. "Have you some issue with that, Rodolphus?"
"N-No, Master. Of course not. She is your servant, as am I. Both of us must live where you bid us to live. But I was only wondering… where shall I have her belongings sent? I shall have the House-Elf pack up all her clothes and everything, but…"
"Here. I stay here," Voldemort said simply, "In a suite. I'll have another wardrobe moved into the suite for her."
Rodolphus' face went red, and he glanced over to where Bellatrix was still seated at the table. She seemed wholly unaffected, playing with a fingernail as her husband and her master talked about her. Rodolphus nodded and said to Bellatrix,
"Bella, love, I'll have your things sent here then. Everything you normally use. All right?"
"Thank you, Dolph," said Bellatrix dully. "Hope Edna's well."
"She is. Thanks." Rodolphus bowed to Voldemort and strode briskly out of the meeting room. Bellatrix flew out of her chair and rushed over to where Voldemort sat. He pushed his chair back and let her straddle him, and he grunted with pleasure when she did. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him rather aggressively, surprising him, but he liked it. He liked it so well that he whispered,
"Do that again."
She did, kissing him harder this time. She put her lips beside his ear and whispered frantically,
"Everything is coming into focus now, Master, because of you."
"Perhaps the world just needed glasses, like I do," he joked, but she kissed the skin beneath his ear and said seriously,
"We needed you. You've saved us from Albus Dumbledore. You're going to save us from the scourge of Mudbloods. You're going to save us all, and we all adore you more than you know."
"I think you adore me more than the others," Voldemort laughed, but Bellatrix pulled back and stared right at him, her face grave. He adjusted his glasses and studied her, and she told him,
"When I woke up from being Stunned, I realised two things. First, that you had called my name before Moody Stunned me."
"Well, yes. I saw him aim his wand at you," Voldemort said. "I thought he might kill you. I had to give you warning."
"And second," Bellatrix said, "that I missed the moment that Dumbledore died. I missed the moment you cast that Curse. And that is my only regret in all this. I was unconscious when he died. I didn't get to see it happen."
"If only you were a Legilimens," Voldemort smirked, "I'd show you the memory. Or if I had a Pensieve, I could do it. There's one at Hogwarts, I think. Perhaps someday I'll show you. No, you know, Bella, I'll make you a promise. Someday, I'll find a way to show you the memory of me killing him. All right?"
Bellatrix's eyes welled heavily as she smiled, and as Voldemort stroked at her waist, she whispered,
"You actually do love me, don't you?"
"Yes, I actually do," he murmured, pushing up his glasses again. "What of it?"
Bellatrix shrugged. "You know I love you more than anyone in the world has ever loved anyone else."
"I do know it." He squeezed at her waist and studied her lips, and he ordered her quietly, "Kiss me again."
THE END
Author's Note: Tainted love indeed. Thanks very much for reading. Please do leave a comment if you can.