The Mysterious Department

Arc Three- The Mystery Deepens

Chapter Fourteen: Best Bang Since the Big One

Bellatrix and Hermione apparated in front of a grand looking manor, hidden somewhere in the middle of the deep woods. Hermione had no idea where they were, but Bellatrix seemed to know. Both of them were dressed nicely, in ball gowns as was required. Hermione's was baby blue with white see through trim and modest, though she had a low decolletage and around her neck were pearls. She had a small clutch in her hand that matched the dress.

Bellatrix's dress was a dark burgundy, almost sleek looking in it's texture. It was more form fitting and had black lace flowers patterned over it. Her hair was let down and loose, curling over her cutting figure as one manicured finger tapped over her thigh as she glowered at the mansion before them.

In front of them, milling up the stairs, were several pureblood couples, all dressed in finery as well. Classical music could be heard drifting out from inside and Hermione wondered if this would be anything like Bellatrix's ball. Hermione just hoped it wouldn't get that chaotic.

Hermione had to act like she was just a dumb human, being invited to an elite party by Bellatrix. The whole evening would have the humans be under the impression they would be here as guests but then when the end of the night arrived, it would all be over for them. They would be used as offerings to the new Voldemort, whatever that meant. Even Bellatrix, with her surprising amount of inside knowledge, didn't know everything.

"Just stay close to my side, and for Merlin's sake, don't ask questions," Bellatrix hissed, looking visibly agitated. Bellatrix was usually calm and collected and despite trying to be so like this tonight, she could not hide it well enough. Hermione was good at noticing details and she could see the way Bellatrix's jaw was tense and her eyes were dilated like she was trying to see everything at once so as not to miss anything.

She nodded her head to let Bellatrix know she would listen and in they went.

They passed through a magical barrier in the doorway, a feeling like they were walking through jelly surrounding them. But nothing went off; the barrier did not proclaim them dangerous.

Inside the house was grand, with a giant room where there was a stage set up in the front and buffet tables on the sides. It was a bright red, reminding Hermione of blood, and had gold inlays and trim. So many people were already here and it disheartened Hermione to see this. To see all these purists here. Wanting to hurt muggles. To eradicate them even.

And who were the muggles? She scanned the crowds but couldn't make them out from the purebloods.

"Let's go get some food," Bellatrix said in a low voice, her shoulders and neck so tense that it looked like one sharp motion would cause them to snap.

"Is it safe to eat-"

Bellatrix gave her a sharp look. "What did I tell you about questions?"

"Sorry," Hermione said quietly. They approached the table, only to come across a group of elite men and women, who all seemed to recognize Bellatrix right away.

"Bellatrix, is that you?" A woman with ruddy hair gasped, drawing the attention of the group to her.

Bellatrix stiffened, for but a second, before relaxing. A look crossed her face that Hermione had never seen before. It was haughty, something she typically wore, but this look of arrogance was...twisted.

Hermione didn't know how to describe it, but it was suddenly as if Bellatrix had switched. Her body became more fluid, expressions dramatic and gestures used to manipulate and convey. Her voice oozed this toxic state.

"Hello there darling," she nearly purred, extending her hand so all the men in the group could kiss the back of it. They did so happily, one man with barely held lust in his eyes. Hermione felt a sliver of revulsion lodge inside her gut and stay there. Something so wrong was going on. Something really wrong. "Alecto and Amycus Carrow," she let her eyes slide over the woman who had spoken to her in greeting and the man who was looking at her with lust. She continued naming the others, all people who were older but yet the same age as her. "Augustus Rookwood, Thomas Nott, and Barty Crouch Jr. It's been ages, hasn't it."

"And yet you haven't aged a day," Amycus said hungrily.

"Keep it in your pants, you big oaf," Thomas Nott elbowed his friend who glared at him for the intrusion.

"We'd thought you were killed or captured by the ministry," Rookwood stated. "We haven't heard word from you ever since the fall of our first lord and our escape from avoiding Azkaban."

Azkaban? Hermione shivered a bit at this. She had heard of that place and it was simply horrid. Were these people criminals? What were they talking about?

"Well, you know me. I have my many talents. Keeping out of the eye of the ministry and living my life unimpeded was one of them."

"And it was a good thing you did," Alecto crowed. "A new lord and a new cause have risen. And we need your talent on our side to help us win."

"We must catch up at some point, when we are in a more intimate setting," Bellatrix said, tipping her head a bit to the side to indicate Hermione who was standing dumbly a few feet behind her.

Amycus's eyes flashed on the thought of being in a more intimate setting with Bellatrix- it wasn't hard to think what he was hoping for, while the others finally noticed Hermione.

"Oh, who is your friend over there?" Alecto asked, eyes quickly appraising Hermione.

"I'm Hermione," she responded with, timorously. "I'm here as Bellatrix's guest."

"You must excuse our confusing talk," Nott quickly said, covering their bases, "but we used to be in a rebellion group when we were younger. We were all young and it was the 60s and we used to fight against the silliest things in the system."

"Of course," Hermione nodded her head to show she understood. "I did stupid things with my friends in my youth as well." That didn't explain the use of the term our lord, but Hermione wasn't going to question such things. She had been told to refrain from asking and she was going to. She needed to seem dumb after all.

"We'll be off to get some refreshments," Bellatrix added, putting a hand on her hip. "You know how exhausting one of them can be and how one must indulge them. What will happen to them afterwards, anyways?" Bellatrix asked and Hermione had a feeling the woman was talking about muggles for some reason. She looked away so they wouldn't think she was listening but she was.

"They'll get to see the lord first up and share their lives with him," Crouch answered.

"Ah!" Bellatrix's features lit up as she heard of this. "Excellent. Till then." And she gathered her skirts and left, Hermione following after.

When they got to the table, Bellatrix had returned to normal and looked a bit upset. Hermione was brimming to know what was wrong and what that whole conversation had been about. But she pressed her lips tight, knowing better than to do so right now.

She watched instead as Bellatrix's hand shook a bit as she put food on her plate. Instinctively Hermione reached out, placing her hand over her's to soothe her. "Relax," she breathed out. Going undercover was rough and nerve wracking, but Bellatrix had to calm down or she could expose them.

Bellatrix looked at Hermione's hand on hers for so long that Hermione removed it, blushing a bit. She hadn't meant to entirely grab her. "Relax. We'll get through this," she whispered, making sure none of the folks around them could hear. "We just need to find him and leave."

Bellatrix's jaw twitched. "It's not that simple anymore," she stated, before leaving and making Hermione wonder just what exactly was Bellatrix's history with these blood purists. They seemed to know each other and they didn't give Hermione good ideas on how they knew each other. Maybe Bellatrix had been undercover back then too? Hermione frowned and stuffed a pig in a blanket into her mouth so she wouldn't have to think on this anymore.

She looked through the crowd to spot Bellatrix's inky black curls, sidling up to her side when she saw she was talking to yet another old acquaintance.

"Darling Bellatrix," he cooed, kissing the back of her hand.

That feeling in Hermione's gut pinched now.

"How many years has it been, and you have not changed at all. It is as if I am looking at when we first met," he said, running his thumb over the back of her hand before finally letting it drop. "Do you remember that day?"

"Of course I do. You were flat on your ass after I beat you in that duel at Hogwarts," she replied in that arrogant manner all these purebloods seemed to speak and carry themselves in.

"You also captured my heart that day." He would have continued crooning his sickeningly words had he not spotted Hermione. "Ah, this must be the friend you brought along. I brought one too, but I admit, he's gotten lost in the punch. It's quite strong this time. I've been urged to stay away," he said with a laugh.

"Hello," Hermione said stiffly to him.

"Hermione, would you be a dear and excuse us? I'd like to speak to Rodolphus privately," Bellatrix said, linking elbows with him.

"Sure," Hermione mumbled, not liking this one bit. She didn't want to get them separated, but perhaps Bellatrix could get information out of Rodolphus this way about who the new lord was. Would he even show up to his own event? The hour was growing later.

Bellatrix and Rodolphus walked away to one of the hallways, and Hermione paced around the crowd, feeling alone, before she decided she would eavesdrop on Bellatrix. She knew she shouldn't do that, but she also needed to get a better grasp of what was going on.

She went in the direction she had last seen Bellatrix going into and after some wandering, found voices coming from behind one of the doors. She held her ear to it, listening in, and making sure her breathing was quiet so they wouldn't sense her.

"Glad to see you back here, Bellatrix," Rodolphus greeted. "I knew when Voldemort went down, that you wouldn't give up on the cause. You were his loyalest supporter. There was no one you wouldn't kill for him."

Hermione's stomach dropped at that. Bellatrix had killed others? Hermione fervently hoped that wasn't true.

"Of course," Bellatrix purred. "How could I resist the call of this?" the sound of heels as Bellatrix paced across the room. "Another chance to get what was stolen from us. Do you think this new lord has the possibility of leading us into greatness?"

"Are you suddenly a doubter?" Rodolphus questioned with suspicion.

"The last one made so many promises and I was heart broken to see him fail us after all the support we gave him." A pout to her words. Mocking almost.

"It is not like you to speak ill of the lord."

"Perhaps not, but I am no longer young, and naive. I see the world for how it is."

"And how is it?" his words were sharp. "You ran away and hid like a coward while the others got sentenced away for life. They are still there, waiting for us to swoop in and rescue them."

"I ran away to save my life, you idiot," she hissed. "The rest of the morons stupidly stood there and proclaimed their loyalty and all their dark deeds to the public, when they should have been hiding and waiting so that they could be of use again."

"But they thought it was the end. That there would be no new purpose. I thought our chance was over too, I admit, so I hid and I changed my aims. The only question is why you, of all people, his loyalest, did not think it was the end. Did not turn yourself in. Especially since you loved him."

Hermione's stomach churned at this. Bellatrix? In love with such an evil man as Voldemort? What was this development?

Bellatrix snorted. "I did not love him. I admired him. Respected him."

"Don't give me that. You have a corroded notion of love, my dear. It's why our marriage never worked out."

Hermione blanched at this. Bellatrix had been married to that man? Why? How? She pressed her ear closer, distraught by these revelations but unable to turn away.

"I do not. I know I can love just fine. It was you who couldn't understand my love."

He gave a bitter laugh. "You are one to speak of love. You never loved me. I loved you with all my black heart, but you couldn't see anything past our lord."

"To serve him was the highest honor."

"And what of this new lord? Will you serve him blindly too?"

"If he deserves my services," was the smooth answer. "That is why I have shown up this late to the new purist movement. I did not want to waste hope and time on something that might never be."

"Oh, but I have seen him," at this, wonder in Rodolphus's words. "He is magnificent. Every inch the lord as our last one. And he wishes nothing more than to continue the work we left off on. But his dreams are even grander."

"So you have seen him? Spoken with him?"

"Yes. Few get the honor to do so, but he has selected me to be one of his closer confidants."

"Since you are so close to this new lord, do you think I could get a private audience with him?" Bellatrix suggested in that seductive voice of hers.

"I don't know..." Rodolphus trailed off.

"I have an outstanding reputation. The brightest witch of my age, a superb magic wielder, and I was the old lord's loyalest follower," she tipped toed her fingers up and down his lapels, or at least Hermione could imagine her doing that.

"I suppose...I could try and talk to him about seeing you privately."

That would be perfect! Bellatrix could get an audience with the man and then they could go and leave this wretched place. Being here made Hermione's mouth dry and she was finding out so many things that she hadn't known about Bellatrix before.

She would be interrogating the woman about this later, without a doubt. She knew the woman was no saint, but what exact horrors had she committed? Being engaged to that man was one of them, for sure. Hermione didn't like them being together one bit at all.

She pulled away from the door, deciding it was time to maybe scope out the rest of the party. When she went back to the ballroom, her stomach sunk as she saw someone there she recognized. Nacrissa and Lucius. This could not be good.

Of course they would be here. Bellatrix would not be happy in the least to know her sister was here. Hermione had to avoid the blonde sibling. The woman would no doubt recognize her from the pureblood party, make up or not, wig or not, because Narcissa had disliked her so much. Hermione knew the party members had been oblivated but she didn't know if Narcissa's memories of her had been entirely eradicated.

She hoped they would. But just as she was about to move out of the line of vision of Narcissa, the woman turned and spotted her, eyebrows going high up. Hermione swallowed heavily and turned on her heel, very aware that Narcissa was trailing her.

She had to get rid of her, but how?

Quickly thinking she slipped inside the bathroom and hid behind the door. Holding her breath captive, she waited until the door swung open. Narcissa came through, searching for Hermione. Hermione took this chance to lift her hand bag up and bring the heavy object down on Narcissa's head. The woman went down with a quiet oh and was out cold on the floor. Hermione then dragged her heavy body, and stuffed her inside a supply closet. There, she would out of their way for a bit now.

She left the bathroom, hoping she would find Bellatrix.

She spotted the woman, alone for now, and rushed over to her. "Were you able to find anything out?" she asked. Would she be given access to the new Voldemort?

Bellatrix made a shushing motion to her. "He's about to arrive," she admitted. The lights dimmed on her words, a spotlight falling onto the middle of the stage.

The crowd hushed and in a swirl of black smoke, he apparated into the room.

He looked almost exactly like the last dark lord. Snake like and disgusting in appearance. Except he was a good deal taller and his robes were more flourished- showoffish.

"Greetings, my fellow comrades," he began speaking, his voice smooth and silky like chocolate. Hermione could feel a warm tingle at the base of her spine and she briefly panicked, wondering if he was using his artifact.

"Tonight marks the start of a new era. The start of your new purpose in life. Each of you here are here because you believe there is need for change in this world. A change that was started long ago but failed to continue onwards."

"Is he talking about global warming?" asked one woman, who must be a muggle since she had no idea what Voldemort was really talking about.

"And you want to fight for this change. Want to bring it about with your own two hands. And you shall be able to. Tonight, you have brought me offerings so you may pledge your loyalty to making this world a better place for our children. Soon, the offerings shall be accepted and your new lives and purposes shall begin."

But as he spoke, Hermione didn't feel anything. She wondered, was the ring working? Or was Luna's hunch wrong and the ring wasn't an artifact? But as he continued to speak, the crowd began to get more into his words. Clapping and roaring their approval as their eyes were filled with fervor. A few people Hermione noticed were only politely clapping but had confusion on their faces that mirrored Hermione's.

Even Bellatrix next to her was staring up at the man like his words riveted her very soul. Hanging onto his every word as if she would die if she did not. Hermione clapped along, while on the inside she began to grow worried. Kingsley had told Hermione to watch out for Bellatrix. Clearly something about this whole purist cult had PTSD effects on her. But why would it?

Now that they had seen Voldemort, and heard his racist speech, it was only a matter of getting out. The ministry could capture him and then Luna would find a way to get the ring from them. Unless Hermione could find a way to get the ring herself, which would be better than letting the ministry get their hands on it.

But, something in her gut told her it would be better if the both of them got out of here. They were only here to spy and then get out. She could see the ring flashing in the light on stage, tempting her to go up and get it, but it would inadvisable right now.

Voldemort 2.0 got off of the stage and the purebloods and their muggle guests began to line up down the corridor to a room with double doors. "Hurry and line up," Bellatrix hissed at her, that odd glint in her eyes. Hermione suddenly felt not so safe with her. Was it possible that Bellatrix had been affected by the artifact? If so, how? And if that was the case then why didn't Hermione?

They waited on line in silence, Bellatrix tapping her foot impatiently as they watched pureblood after pureblood go in, each time leaving without their muggle companion. That could not bond well.

"Bellatrix we should leave," Hermione said between stiff lips.

Bellatrix gave her a ludicrous glare. "Absolutely not! We are not missing seeing Voldemort and hearing the words he speaks."

Reasoning with her was not going to work. And something told Hermione trying to walk away or try to physically make Bellatrix comply with her orders wouldn't work out well either.

Shite. What did she do now?

"This is ridiculous. I shouldn't be waiting out here like this. I should be at the front of the line!" Bellatrix gripped. "Stay here, " she told Hermione sharply and rushed off. Hermione had no idea where she went, but when she came back she had a smug and triumphant smile on her face. "Come with me. We're going to get prime access."

Bellatrix lead the way to the front of the line, cutting in front of an elderly woman who sent a scowl her way. But Bellatrix only tossed back her head.

When they got into the room, Hermione and Bellatrix stood on the dais in front of Voldemort and his two henchmen who stood by his side. They wore black robes and their wands were in their hands; a threat but of no use currently.

Hermione swallowed nervously. This was too far. They were going in too deep.

"Bellatrix Black nee Lestrange," Voldemort spoke, eyeing the woman. "I have heard much about you. Truly, a wonderful specimen."

"I live to please, my lord," she curtsied, her head in a deep and respectful bow.

Hermione felt a cold shiver run down her back and she clenched her clutch closer. There was no doubt about it. Bellatrix had been influenced by the ring.

Shite. Shite! Hermione's brain scrambled to try and find a solution to this. This could not end well.

"And please me you shall. I would be most honored to have your talents on my team. But first, you must bind yourself to our order. An order called the Death Eaters." He held out his hand on which was a knife with a wicked blade.

Bellatrix rushed towards him, taking the knife with barely concealed joy in her eyes. With barely concealed exaltation. "I shall live and breath the cause, my lord," she assured with a sibilant hiss, as she turned to Hermione, knife in her hand.