Hello all! This chapter gave me trouble but I'm finally done with it.
As a PSA to you all, I will not be planning on posting at all during the month of December. I'm going to try and write like a fiend and get some chapters written as a back log so that come the new year I can stay ahead and hopefully finish this little work by the time our one year mark rolls around.
SlytherinLovesAGryffindor is a saint as always for putting up with my crazy and encouraging me to get this finished.
My love to you all, and enjoy the holidays!
Also, I know I'm terrible at responding to your reviews on here and I will catch up at some point. Please know that I love reading your opinions and appreciate you taking the time to leave me a review. 3 3
Chapter 22
The Tragedy of Bellatrix Lestrange neè Black
"Sev, what are you doing here?" Bellatrix asked. "Not that I'm not happy to see you mon petit frère but... I was expecting someone else," she admitted quietly, looking away to mask her dejection.
She rose from her chair and slowly approached Severus, who shocked the three teenagers in the room by grabbing the dark, unstable witch around the waist and hugging her tightly.
"I've missed you soror magna. I thought you'd forgotten me once you married that cunt," Severus said tightly.
Bellatrix had taken one look at his small, malnourished eleven-year-old self and immediately assigned herself the role of older sister and mother. Even after she had graduated she had continued to write to him every week, always sending along some baked treat or galleons for him to splurge in Hogsmeade. At least until her forced binding to Rodolphus which she had been unable to invite him, or anyone else, to attend. From one day to the next, all communication had been forcibly stopped and the feral hatred they showed one another became all anyone could ever recall.
She hugged him back before pulling away and looking at his face, cupping his cheeks in the long-forgotten way she used to when she repressed the urge to fret over him.
"I suppose I should thank Lucius for not doing as I asked. My niece is more likely to believe you than the man I asked for initially." She said, and Severus snorted.
"Surely you didn't think he'd be more reliable as a means of verification Trix."
"You're telling me he didn't actively nag every auror in the Ministry after my arrest?" She asked in confusion, her face once again betraying her cracking heart.
"Oh no, he did. Even tried to have your marriage annulled. I'm pretty sure he made every auror and paper pusher wish to check themselves in for a vacation at Saint Mungo's just so they didn't have to listen to him. "
"Yes, well my bastard father made sure only my head of family could do that." Bellatrix grimaced at the thought of her father.
"Hello!" Adhara interrupted. "Still waiting for an explanation here."
Theo stood behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist, futilely trying to calm her before she became explosive.
"Sweetheart, you should let Severus check her mental state before you start demanding answers," Theo said with a firm but gentle finality.
"Fine." Her niece huffed, silencing herself but not removing her scowl nor sheathing her wand.
"I take it this is what the Veritaserum is for," Severus guessed, raising an eyebrow at his friend.
"Adhara would never have believed Trix and Archie's story without verification from you, especially after everything else this year. And even then she probably still won't believe it."
Severus looked back at Bellatrix. "I'll be as gentle as I can while I verify everything you say as you spill your guts to us about your wizard, okay Trix?" He questioned.
"I know you won't rip through my mind like the Dark Lord does. I want to prove that I'm innocent. At least as innocent as anyone can be while being forced to wear betrothal jewelry layered with a series of compulsion charms."
Narcissa and Adhara gasped as the men in the room sneered at her statement.
"Give me the potion Sev. After all, I would like to try and get some sleep tonight. It's been years since I've had a real shower, meal, or bed."
Bellatrix held her hand out and Severus gave her the vial which she threw back like a shot of firewhisky, finishing grimace and all.
"Ask away." She said, her eyes now slightly glazed as the potion coursed through her system.
Severus guided her back to the chair, his chair, and dragged the coffee table close so he could sit in front of her.
"Lucius, you ask and I'll Legilimize." Severus said with an air of this not being the first time they had partaken in this particular act.
"Yay, it's just like working for the Dark Lord," Lucius mocked, taking a seat next to Severus, confirming that this was an act they had done numerous times.
"What is your name?"
"Bellatrix Lestrange neè Black."
"Is your current husband Lord Rodolphus Lestrange?"
Bellatrix shuddered at the mention of him but answered clearly.
"Yes, he is."
"How long have you been in the service of the Dark Lord?"
"Since August thirty-first, nineteen seventy-four."
Severus nodded and locked eyes with Trix. "Legilimens." He whispered, and sank into her mind, his soothing baritone voice sounding in her head seconds later.
Relax Trix. I've got you.
She basked in the loving affection it held. Even after twenty years he still knew she didn't abandon him willingly and it warmed her to the core. She pushed all her love and appreciation for him towards where she could feel his magic as she replied.
I know petit frère. Just try to be quick.
For every question Lucius asks, bring forward the clearest memories that you can.
"Have you ever believed in the mission of the Dark Lord and his blood supremacy platform?" Lucius asked.
"No! How could I? Ted is such a sweetheart and I saw that Evans girl my last two years of school. I'm not an idiot." The insult in her voice was clear and Narcissa snickered.
In her mind, she showed Severus flashes of conversations, silent moments of self-reflection in the library as she recognized the absurdity of what her parents had taught her, until she finally settled on a conversation between herself and her older sister Andromeda and brother-in-law Ted Tonks.
"So you're telling me that I'm going to see moving pictures like in the Wizarding World but I will watch a story instead of a loop?"
Ted laughed at the incredulity in Bellatrix's voice. "Yes Trix. I think you'll really enjoy the cinema. So many stories are told this way!"
Dromeda gave her sister an encouraging smile as she looped their arms together. "Just wait until you try popcorn Trixie. Your world is going to change."
The memory flashed to the trio leaving the cinema a couple hours later. The look on memory Bellatrix's face was one of shock and awe.
"That was incredible! But this…. Jason Bond…"
"James Bond." Dromeda corrected.
"Right, James Bond. He isn't a real person?"
"No, but the man who created his stories, a Muggle named Ian Fleming, has written ten or twelve books about him and some of them have been turned into films." Ted explained. Bella hung on every word as he went on to explain about animated children's films from some company called Disney and Bellatrix demanded to see one of those next.
Severus nodded for Lucius to continue.
"Trixie, was Rodolphus Lestrange the man you wanted to marry?"
The question made her heart clench momentarily as her stomach churned. Her husband was a vile wizard and everyone knew it.
"Absolutely not! I never wanted to leave Archie and it broke my heart the day my father bound me to Rodolphus."
"So your father forced you into the contract with Lestrange?" Lucius asked.
"Yes. As soon as he heard about Dromeda and Ted he locked Cissa into her contract and forced me into a marriage. Cissa was already smitten with Lucius so she didn't mind. But I never wanted to marry Rodolphus and I would have broken the contract if my father had allowed me any say in my own life."
"Why did Cygnus refuse your choice of suitor?"
"I wasn't allowed a choice. He couldn't refuse him because he didn't know Archie was a part of my life at all. My opinions and wants didn't matter to Cygnus, he just didn't want either of his remaining daughters to sully the family name."
The bitterness was clear in her voice, laced with no small amount of hatred for the man who had sired her. She had been a disappointment to Cygnus Black from the moment she entered the world as a daughter instead of a strong son and Heir, and he never let her forget it.
"How did you meet Weasley?"
"Dromeda introduced us. They worked together at the Ministry and she had him over for dinner one night when I visited."
A soft smile crossed the dark witch's face at the memory.
"He was so adorably nervous and the opposite of all the boys I dealt with at school."
She pulled the memory of that fateful dinner forward for Severus.
Bella walked into the Tonks home on the heels of her sister. Her final year at Hogwarts had started two weeks ago and she was counting the days until her seventeenth birthday in April. Shedding her jacket and boots, she made her way to the kitchen and was pulled up short at the sound of Ted talking to another man whose voice she didn't recognize.
Upon entering the dining room she saw Ted sitting at the table next to a lanky redhead. Ted grinned at her when he saw her.
"Trixie! Any trouble leaving Hogsmeade?" He stood and gave her a brief hug in greeting. She hugged him back, grateful that Dromeda had met such a kind soul.
"No trouble at all. Who's your friend here?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at the ginger who was openly staring at her.
"Bellatrix Black, meet Arthur Weasley. He works with Dromeda at the Ministry in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office."
Arthur stood from his seat at the table and held his hand out towards her.
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Black." He said, his eyes showing how nervous he really was.
She reached out and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you Mr. Weasley. Please call me Trix, or Trixie. Miss Black is how my professors address me." She smiled at him and saw him relax a little.
"Okay Trix. I'm Archie." He gave her a small grin and led her to the table. Sitting down next to her he turned and asked, "So, what year are you in at Hogwarts and what's your favourite class?"
They didn't stop talking for the rest of the evening.
As Bella lay in her dorm that night, she couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face. She'd never been able to be herself around the wizards at school, especially in Slytherin. But it was like Archie didn't care who her parents were or the fact that she was a partial Heiress to an Ancient family. He just wanted to know about her, and she fell asleep dreaming of blue eyes and red hair.
"How often did you see Weasley after that dinner at your sister's?" Lucius asked.
"He, Andy, and Ted would pick me up during every Hogsmeade weekend and we would spend the day in a nearby Muggle town exploring or go to Edinburgh or Glasgow or London. I lived for those weekends in my last year of school."
"Why did Weasley not help break the contract by eloping with you?"
"Neither of us knew about the contract until it was too late. He was waiting until my seventeenth birthday to do anything. I had to steal my first kiss from him for Merlin's sake!"
There was an exasperation to her voice that showed how frustrated she'd been with Arthur about the subject. The first memory she brought forward was at the same cinema Dromeda and Ted had taken her to the first time she'd seen a film.
Archie had his arm around Trix's shoulders as they walked into the cinema, the couple laughing about Merlin only knew what.
Trix had been getting increasingly frustrated with Archie though. He never did anything more than hold her hand or put an arm around her. They'd been writing to each other every day since that dinner in September, and he had finally asked her out on a date that would just be the two of them for the December Hogsmeade weekend. She wanted him to at least try and kiss her instead of staying firmly on the side of propriety.
They ordered popcorn and Malteasers and headed into the theatre to take their seats. She was enchanted by the special holiday showing of White Christmas and as the couple exited the cinema they both looked at the falling snow and smiled.
Archie pulled her in for a hug and she snuggled in as close as she could, listening to his heartbeat strong against her ear. She knew she was falling for him and that her father would never approve, but right then she couldn't care less. Making a snap decision she pulled back just enough to see his face before leaning up and stealing her first kiss from him.
The look of surprise on Archie's features was priceless and she giggled at him. The sound of her laugh shook him from his temporary shock paralysis and he placed one hand behind her neck, holding her in place as he leaned down and kissed her again, slowly savoring the experience.
Once he pulled back he leaned his forehead on hers, taking a deep breath before he spoke.
"Trix, I…"
"I know." She interrupted. "Me too." A blush painted her cheeks at the admission and he grinned at her.
"Kiss me again?" She whispered, and his reply was to do as she asked, the feeling of his lips on hers making her melt into him. Christmas with her parents at Black Manor would be frigid, but this memory would keep her warm.
She then pulled forward the memory of the last time she had seen Archie, Dromeda, and Ted. The Easter break of her seventh year, and the week her entire world had been torn apart.
She had told her parents she was staying at the castle for Easter Break to study for her upcoming N.E.W.T. exams and they had thankfully not questioned her. She hurried down to the village where Arthur was waiting for her in the side street next between Honeydukes and the Three Broomsticks.
Her seventeenth birthday was five days away and she planned on spending as much of that day as possible with her wizard. Preferably in bed. She crashed into Archie, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing a long kiss to his lips.
Archie buried his face in her neck when she pulled away from the kiss, breathing her in.
"I've missed you." He said, his lips brushing her skin as he spoke and a shiver went down her spine. Her fingers played with his hair and she let his love wash over her.
"I missed you too." She whispered back. "Let's get out of here." She smiled at him and he kissed her quickly before securing his arms around her and apparating them away to the Tonks's.
They spent the next three days exploring small villages around London. Arthur spent time with her every evening after work, packing picnics that included her favourite foods and lavishing her with attention.
Each night their goodbye grew longer, and twice he seemed on the verge of asking her something, but he never did. On the day before her birthday Archie woke her up with breakfast in bed.
"Morning love," He murmured as he kissed a line up her throat. "I need you to eat and get dressed, we're leaving in an hour."
"Noooo can't we just stay here?" She koalaed around him and dragged his weight onto the bed with her. He laughed and tickled her sides until she released him. The love in his eyes would be a sight she never tired of, and it was one she hoped to wake up to for a long time.
He kissed her soundly and then stood out of her reach, levitating her breakfast over to her and ducking out with a firm, "One hour Trixie!"
She ate quickly and jumped in the shower before dressing in jeans and a nice blouse. Heading back to the bathroom she grabbed her wand and cast a smoothing charm on her black curls, taming them enough that she could put them in a ponytail. After a final once over in the mirror she grabbed her ankle boots and ran down the stairs.
Archie was waiting in the living room and stood as she entered the room. Dromeda popped her head in to say hello before flooing to the Ministry. She had a sly smile on her face that made Bella think something was up, but she put it out of her mind and focused on her wizard.
"So where are we going?" She asked and he hummed in reply.
"That would be telling. And I would much rather just show you." He hooked an arm around her waist and secured her to his side, pressing a soft kiss to her temple before apparating them away.
The couple landed in the alley near the cinema that had seen so many of their dates and excursions into the Muggle world. She raised an eyebrow at him in question but his only answer was a grin. Taking her hand he led her to the front of the cinema.
He turned to face her as people walked past them down the pavement and took a steadying breath before speaking.
"Trixie, since the first night I met you, you have never looked down on me for my love of Muggle technology. My blood status has not mattered to you, and neither has the total in my Gringotts' vault. You wanted to spend time with just me and that has been the biggest gift.
"I want to spend every evening trying to make you laugh. I want to continue our tradition of seeing a new film every month at this cinema. I want to wake you up like I did this morning on every birthday, holiday, and anniversary."
As he spoke he pulled a black ring box from his pocket and slid down on one knee. Bellatrix's eyes grew almost comically wide as he went down and her gaze dropped to the now open box in his hand.
"Arthur…" she whispered and he grinned at her again.
"I love you, Bellatrix Black. Make me the luckiest wizard alive and say you'll marry me. Please?"
The hope in his eyes was overwhelming and she let her tears of disbelief and joy spill over.
"Yes, Arthur Weasley. I'd marry you tomorrow if I could." She said and he sprang to his feet, quickly sliding the ring onto her finger and sweeping her into his arms, nuzzling his nose against hers.
"Funny you should mention that…" He started and she stared at him open mouthed.
"I know your father isn't going to approve of me, so I arranged to have us elope tomorrow morning with a bonding witch in Hogsmeade. Dromeda and Ted have agreed to be witnesses for us." He looked so endearingly nervous as he spoke that she couldn't help but kiss him.
"You are perfect Archie. You've thought of everything. Take me home?" She asked, kissing the underside of his jaw and he groaned and strode quickly back into the alley and apparated them away.
They landed in the living room of his small London flat and his long legs carried them to his room. Kicking the door closed behind him he set Trix down on her feet and kissed her like his life depended on it, one hand releasing her ponytail and tangling in her hair while the other gripped her hip.
Her hands fisted his tee as her knees threatened to buckle underneath her. Kissing Archie was always enjoyable but this stole her breath and lit her core on fire. He walked her backwards to his bed and followed her down onto the mattress.
The tip of his tongue traced the seam of her lips asking for entrance which she granted immediately with a groan. Arthur settled his weight on top of her and she wriggled underneath him, her hands moving up into his hair and he ground his hips down into her.
He pulled back and rose onto his knees, gliding his hands up her sides underneath her top. She sat up enough for him to pull it over her head and was rewarded with a guttural groan as he looked at the black lace bra she had chosen to wear.
He leaned down and kissed her again before moving away from her mouth and kissing a path down her neck to the black lace covered mounds, nipping and sucking as he went. He traced the fabric at the top of her breasts with his tongue, taking his teeth and pulling them down until her breasts were exposed to his gaze.
She pushed up onto her elbows to watch him and let out a whine as he laved his tongue over her nipple before taking the hardened bud into his mouth. He hollowed his cheeks and sucked, circling the tip of his tongue around the flesh between his teeth and her head dropped back as she swore.
He let her breast go with a pop and moved to give the other side the same attention and she collapsed back down onto the mattress, one hand flying into his hair as she arched into his mouth trying to get even closer to him.
He pulled off her and sat up on his knees. Trixie took the momentary lack of contact to fully remove her bra and then tugged at the hem of Archie's shirt.
"Off." She demanded and he didn't waste time in delaying her request, flinging the shirt behind him onto the floor. She skimmed her hips out of her jeans and he helped pull them down and off her legs, dropping them on the floor beside the bed with a whump.
The look of awe in his eyes as he took in her mostly naked form made her already heated body flush with excitement, the rising colour making his blue eyes darken with promises of pleasure.
"You are gorgeous." He breathed out after a moment and she basked in the praise.
"You're not so bad yourself." She quipped, grinning at her wizard. "However, you are still too dressed."
He scrambled off the bed and out of his jeans in record time before pouncing on her once more, rolling them over so that she lay on top of him, her thighs now straddling his waist.
His hands gently stroked her flanks as she adjusted to the feeling of his erection between her legs, the thin material of their underwear the only thing now separating them. She ground her hips down on him and moaned at the feeling as his pelvis bucked up towards her.
Before they could get any further they were interrupted by Dromeda throwing the bedroom door open.
"Trixie, I truly hate to interrupt this important moment for you but you need to get dressed and get back to Hogwarts." Dromeda accioed her sister's clothes and threw them at the girl on the bed. "Father found out about Ted and I and is on the warpath."
Andromeda Tonks was not a witch who scared easily, unless there was a threat to her younger sisters. Bella knew this and if she sounded frantic there was a reason. Father on the warpath was nothing new but Dromeda's tone meant danger was imminent.
Trix buried her face in Archie's chest, her heart breaking already. Returning home would make it almost certain she would never be able to marry the wizard she loved. The tears in her eyes now were full of pain and fear and her fiancé wiped them away gently.
"Arthur, no matter what my father makes me do I'll never love anyone else. You know the real me, so whatever you hear about me doing I won't be doing it willingly." She gave him a bruising kiss and slipped her ring into his hand.
"Keep it for me, my love. Ask me again when I come back."
Bellatrix climbed off the bed and pulled her clothes on, her dark eyes looking morosely at the wizard now sitting on the bed. He couldn't stand seeing her so sad and grabbed her hand, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly.
Archie snogged the life out of her, knowing that even though he was a pureblood wizard he was also a blood traitor, and Cygnus Black was a purist who would never entertain his courting of the middle Black daughter.
"I'll fight every day until I have you back, Trix." He vowed, and she kissed him one more time before letting her sister lead her from the flat. As the door closed behind her she felt her heart shatter as she was forced to walk away from the only wizard who had seen her for herself.
The moment Bellatrix was back in Hogsmeade she sprinted for the castle. Unfortunately she ran into her father near the gate and without a word he gripped her arm and apparated them to Black Manor. They landed harshly in the foyer, his grip bruising as he dragged her into the family room where her mother and sister were sitting.
Behind Cissa stood Lucius, one of his hands resting on her shoulder. Next to her mother sat Rodolphus Lestrange. The smile that crossed his face as she walked in was malicious and he tossed something black to her father which he caught easily.
"No other daughters of mine will disgrace the House of Black. You will be bonded to Rodolphus this evening." Cygnus hissed in her ear and locked a black choker around her neck. He turned her face towards his and watched as the compulsion charms began to take effect. The last clear memory she had was of the hard look in her father's eyes as he handed her off to Lestrange, unfeeling, cold, and without care to what he was doing to his child.
Severus pulled from her mind, needing a break from all the emotional turmoil his pseudo sister was re-experiencing. Bella watched him pull the memories and place copies of them in a series of vials before returning the originals to her mind.
"Is there anything else you want to ask me?" She asked Lucius. Before he could open his mouth Severus interjected.
"No. We asked far more of you than we should have already. Rest and a healthy diet are what you need now." He was in Professor mode and everyone knew better than to argue with him. Bella gave her brother a grateful smile before turning to face her niece.
"I don't expect you to take my word for it, even knowing I couldn't lie. All I ask is that you watch the memories Severus has and trust his judgement of who I really am. I never wanted to be a Death Eater or hurt anyone."
Adhara nodded mutely, her face a neutral mask.
With a deep sigh Bella looked at everyone else in the room. "Now that I'm more than exhausted, I'm going to bed." She stood with as much grace as she could and was thankful when Narcissa was immediately at her side supporting her. The sisters walked out of the room, speaking to each other in low whispers.
The moment they were gone Severus collapsed into the armchair Bella had occupied, his head falling into his hands and he exhaled harshly.
"Lucius knows most of what I just witnessed." He spoke slowly. "I want the three of you to watch those memories tomorrow and keep in mind what that witch was forced to endure and become. She is not who you think she is, and when Archie gets here I hope you'll be more inclined to believe him."
He looked up at Lucius. "She needs to see them. Especially him, but Dromeda and Ted too. Nymphadora would probably set her head spinning but you might as well make tomorrow a full family affair."
Lucius nodded. "If it's a family affair you'd better be there too."
Severus snorted and his lips twitched up briefly.
"Fine. I'll be here for dinner tomorrow." He stood from the chair and pinned Adhara with his gaze.
"You have every right to be angry, and your aunt knows that. But direct that anger at who deserves it because once the Trixie that I knew is back I think you'll find that you have more in common than you think."
He stepped into the fireplace and was gone in a flash of green. Lucius stood up and looked at the three teenagers.
"Come on love. Let's go to bed." Theo nuzzled her neck and Draco and Lucius shuddered.
"No, no, I don't even want to think about that." Draco said and he practically ran from the room. Adhara snickered and Lucius cleared his throat.
"Goodnight Addy, Theodore."
Adhara had the grace to blush even as Theo grinned like a rogue at her father.
"Goodnight Papa." She murmured and the young couple quickly left the room, making it to Ada's room in record time. They got ready for bed and as they laid down Theo knew his bride would need to talk about what they'd heard before he could ravish her again.
He ran a hand over her curls as she traced random designs on his chest.
"I can hear you thinking darling. Talk to me."
"Am I a horrible person Theo?" She asked.
"What? Why would you ask that?"
"I don't want to believe Bellatrix. Nothing is black and white anymore and I don't like all these blurring lines. Who am I supposed to trust?"
Theo was quiet as he thought of the best way to answer her.
"I don't think that anything is ever truly black and white. The world isn't clear cut like that. It's okay that you don't trust your aunt right now, but you need to remember that we have all changed and grown in the last few months. She deserves the same opportunity, don't you think?"
Ada rolled herself on top of her husband and smiled down at him. "When did you get so wise?" She asked softly, tracing his face with her fingertips.
He grinned up at her and flicked his tongue out to catch her fingers as they passed over his lips.
"I will happily blame marrying you on any wisdom I might have gained today." He gripped her by the waist and rolled her underneath him.
"I think it's time for you to stop thinking now, Adhara." He leaned down and kissed her soundly, tangling his tongue with hers until she started whimpering and wiggling against him. He grinned into her mouth and proceeded to show her exactly how dedicated he was to keeping her mind cleared from everything except his name.