Chapter 3: Along came a Dark Lord

Harry felt Bellatrix's arm twist away from him and redoubled his grip; the next thing he knew, everything went black; he was being pressed very hard from all directions; he could not breathe, there were iron bands tightening around his chest; his eyeballs were being forced back into his head; his eardrums were being pushed deeper into his skull and then –

"Rabastan," Bellatrix commanded to her brother-in-law with a cool, unrelenting voice. "Go see if the Dark Lord's meeting with Severus, Rosier and Amycus ended. Rodolphus…"

Bellatrix sighed and looked at the small pool of vomit that came as a result of Harry's first Apparition. She exhaled, with a mix of contempt and exasperation, before pointing her wand towards the puddle.

"…Evanesco. Go see if there's floo powder for our return. I don't want the kid to soil our house when we'll get back."

The two Lestrange brothers nodded and left the hallway. Harry wasn't really paying attention to them anyway: he was too dizzy for that. His head hurt and his body felt strangely stiff after this very rough travel.

"Kid," Bellatrix said, forcing Harry to turn his attention to her. Her grey eyes fixed him with a harsh scowl which only made him more uncomfortable. Harry wanted to look away from her but deep down, he knew that doing this would only anger her further. Instead, he tried as much as he could to suppress his fears and hold her glaze.

"Listen very carefully to what I say, because we both know you aren't ready for this meeting with the Dark Lord," she began, with a slightly softer voice but with a cold glare. "Have you ever met someone your -perfidious and traitorous- parents told you to hold to the utmost respect?"

"N-No… I mean y-yes," Harry answered hastily after he saw Bellatrix' jaw clench. "They t-told me to be very respectful when we met Dumbl… I mean Professor Dumbledore."

For a strange reason, it seemed to irritate Bellatrix even more. Any hint of softness disappeared from her voice as she continued.

"Of course. Dumbledore," she reprised, the honorable Headmaster's name sounding almost like an insult in her contemptuous voice. "Well, it'll be pretty much the same. You go in, you keep your head low, and you are quiet. Regular drill. Everything's the same. Except for one important detail that we discussed earlier."

Sudden silence. Harry blinked before realizing Bellatrix was probably expecting an answer.

"N-No whining?"

"No whining," Bellatrix confirmed, with a hint of satisfaction in her stern voice. "Not a sigh, not a moan, not a cry because you miss 'Mummy', nothing. And by that, I mean nothing. If you feel like crying, suppress it and wait when you'll be alone. But in front of the Master, you shut up. You don't make a sound. Bottom line is that any sign of weakness is prohibited in front of him. For now and forever. Got it?"

"Got i-it," Harry replied, preferring to remain concise. Bellatrix nodded in satisfaction before reprising.

"Maybe he'll talk to you. Maybe he'll want to know you better. Who knows? But if he doesn't, you don't introduce yourself. As far as you're concerned, he knows more than enough about you. You don't look at him, you don't smile to him, you don't say "good morning". You don't speak unless you're spoken to. Look at me in the eyes when I talk."

Bellatrix' jaw twitched, as she noticed that he was looking away. Harry quickly obeyed and look at her pale grey eyes.

"On the other hand," she continued. "If he tells you to jump, you don't ask what for. You jump. Never call him by the name on his title. You need a name for him? You call him "Yes, milord." Or "No, milord.". Otherwise, you shut it. I'm not asking you to appear like a spineless coward in front of him. I'm asking you to respect him, as he is your superior. Understood?"

"Y-Yes. Understood, Mrs. Lestrange."

"Call me Bellatrix. Or "mother", if you prefer. I don't really care to be honest. Anyway, do you have any question?"

Harry wondered for a second. Then, he found enough confidence to ask:

"Yes… H-How do you know that I'm not ready to encounter the Dark Lord, B-Bellatrix?"

Bellatrix seemed surprised by the question. She fell silent for a small moment, before saying:

"Because even though I was way older than you are today, I wasn't too."

Bellatrix smirked in satisfaction, as she saw Harry looking a little more confident. His posture was less submissive as he tried to tighten up. "That's a start…" Bellatrix muttered in approval, as Rabastan and Rodolphus came back. The youngest Lestrange spoke first:

"The Dark Lord's meeting is over," he said. "Severus and Rosier left. We can go in."

"Well, finally," Rodolphus sighed, twitching his beard. "I hate how long Severus drags these reunions. Remember the day we stayed two hours overtime? Morgan-almighty, never again."

"Merlin, you can be sure I do," Bellatrix laughed. "That was the time this idiot of Rowle fell asleep. He sure regretted it when the Dark Lord noticed it…"

"Well, it was certainly because Lucius ratted on Rowle for Merlin-knows-what-reason," Rabastan opposed, as they started walking. "Besides…"

Harry let the three Lestrange talk, suddenly deciding he cared very little about their discussion. Instead, he looked around him. So this was the Dark Lord's residence… Strangely enough, the entrance hall was exactly as he would've imagined it: opulent and horrible at the same time. The decorative style was the exact opposite of Hogwarts'. Apart from the grey wallpaper with its rather dubious patterns – Harry was pretty sure he recognized the body of a woman whose head had been eaten by an enormous snake – the carpets he walked on felt like animal skin rugs -but emerald green rugs. Oil lamps illuminated the long hallway which ended with a dark, perfectly polished staircase.

As Harry moved, he winced when he noticed a snake-shaped candelabra that seemed to defy the chandelier of the same shape. He was careful to tiptoe, so he didn't wake up the sleepers in the many paintings. The place may had been beautiful in another life: but Harry never felt so oppressed in a residence that wasn't his.

He wished Dad, Sirius or Mum was with him. They would've protected him…

As they took the stairs and arrived on the second floor, the four Lestrange walked on another hallway that wasn't empty at all. It was filled with Death Eaters that were talking loudly, smiling fiercely and laughing brashly. They were not the moustache-twirling villains Harry imagined when Mum read stories before tucking him in. In a way, they were worse as they felt more normal. They may have been people Harry could've encounter in Godric's Hollow streets without giving them a second thought. They were all united by the Dark Lord and the same weird spirit of competition to please him.

Harry shivered. Which Bellatrix noticed. Her jaw clenched, as she stated very loudly:

"Don't be afraid, 'son'. Most of the Death Eaters here aren't in the Dark Lord inner circle like us, anyway. They are only cannon fodder. Which means they are trash. Keep your composure and don't give them any reason to mess with you. But if you continue to look like a deer surrounded by hippogriffs, then you're basically asking them to bully you. Don't be nervous, no one of them will lay a finger on you as long as I'm here."

As the hallway suddenly became silent, Harry suppressed a sigh. His fake psychopathic adoptive mother was here to protect him. Yay.

"Well, what are you looking at, you all?" Rabastan asked loudly. "Get back to your business, before I throw some Crucios around. Stupid weaklings."

But deep down, Harry knew Bellatrix was right. It felt like years ago but uncle Remus used to tell him that because Dad and Sirius were so bold and dauntless, no one in Hogwart tried to mess with them -except a guy called Snivellius or something but Mum interrupted the werewolf story right there. The moral of the story was that he had to be confident to be respected. Which made sense, actually.

But it was probably meant to make sense in a school playground, not a hallway composed of terrorists and pure-blood supremacists.

However, when Harry looked at Bellatrix cool demeanor and the fear she inspired to the Death Eaters around them. She insulted them, calling them all trash or cannon fodder and none of them argued with her. Only one tall dark-haired man scowled at her, as he looked geniunly insulted. But when Harry saw the raging violence in their eyes transforming into uncontrollable fear, he understood what she meant. Harry tried to mimic her cool gaze -which was easier said than done- and walked calmly. Maybe if he became a little more like her, he'd be able to blend in… Then flee to come back to Sirius, Mum and Benjy.

As the "family" left the hallway and were heading for the Dark Lord's quarters, the tall dark-haired man stepped in their way. It was only now that he was closer that Harry could see the arrogance and the violence of this man. He may have been slightly smaller than Rodolphus, is charisma made up for it. The wand he wielded was the darkest one Harry had ever seen: the wood was so black, he couldn't even see the handle. He was smiling at them, showing cracked lips and uneven teeth. A deep scar distorted his face, as his nose probably had been broken at some point but wasn't treated magically in time. Even though he seemed like he had the strength of a world-class athlete, he had the smile of a freak.

"So," the man grinned. "Seems like you can have children after all, Bella! Congrats! Seems like the rumors about your infertility were only that: rumors."

Was Harry dreaming or for the first since he met her, Bellatrix seemed uneasy? Whatever the insult meant -Harry didn't really understand it-, it seemed to have stricken the deadly lady.

"This is my wife you're talking about, jackass," Rodolphus thundered, and for the first time, Harry got genuinely afraid of the behemoth. "If you wanted to die, there's easier ways to kill yourself."

"Stop it, Rodolphus. And get out of the way, Nott," Bellatrix coldly answered. "The Dark Lord waits for us and I'm in no mood to get late because I beat the idiocy out of you."

"Ooh, don't think you can threaten me like that, Bella," Nott answered, ignoring Rodolphus and Rabastan. "I got a lot stronger, since our last duel. You see, while you're with Lucius, advising the Master, indulging yourselves in his 'Inner Circle', calling others like me cannon fodder or Trash… I'm out there. Training, slaying Aurors and other impure enemies for His name. In some years or so… Who knows? I may even surpass you. I'll happily take your place in the Inner Circle."

"Keep dreaming, chump," Rabastan said, withdrawing his wand. "Now if you wanted a Crucio, you should've just asked. I'll be happy to comply."

"Out. Of. The. Way, Nott," Bellatrix reprised. "Or you'll regret it."

For the first time, Nott's gaze met Harry's. The man grinned, acknowledging him. Harry suddenly felt very uneasy.

"Well… Look at that!" Nott grinned. "Your boy seems very healthy, even though he doesn't look like any of you. He got to be the same age as Theo -the only difference is that Theo is a true pureblood and not a filthy Half-Blood the Master snatched for Merlin-knows-what-reason…"

Nott pointed his black wand towards Harry. It was Bellatrix and Rodolphus' turn to withdraw their wands. Harry would have been flattered if deep down, he didn't knew they acted like this because they felt insulted and not because they wanted to protect him.

"Well, Valerian Lestrange, would you care to tell me your real name?" Nott continued wryly, his smile just as wide as before.

'Valerian Lestrange'. Harry loathed that name. His name was Harry Potter and he was proud of it. He hated the very unexpected turn that his life took. He hated this Lestrange family. And he hated the name 'Valerian Lestrange'.

A pity that the only thing he felt hating more was Nott's smug face.

"The answer is in your question, you idiot," Harry replied fiercely.

Was it his imagination or Bellatrix actually smiled? Even if it wasn't the case, Rodolphus laughed loudly as Rabastan gave him a pat in the back. Nott smug grin transformed into a dangerous sneer. But he didn't have the time to say anything as Bellatrix pointed her wand towards him.

"I warned you, Nott. Crucio!"

Nott fell on the ground, convulsing, screaming. Harry's little smile disappeared. The way Nott screamed was horrifying. Harry stepped back, his face paling and his hands shaking.

"Stupefy!"

And Nott simply stopped screaming. His body wasn't convulsing anymore and his eyes were closed. As he saw him lying on the ground like a broken doll, Harry gasped, thinking Nott was actually dead. But Bellatrix seemed to read his mind, as she dully shook her head.

"He isn't dead -unfortunately. He's just unconscious. Now let's move."

The Lestranges ruthlessly stepped over Nott's body. It took a moment for Harry to follow them, as they arrived in front of a door. Bellatrix looked down at Harry, who shivered in fear.

"Remember what I told you."

Then, with a flicker of her wand, she opened the door. And they entered in the room. It was a strange dark room, dimly illuminated by torches mounted on the stone walls of a great hall. Harry felt almost oppressed in it.

But he didn't have time to think about how he felt. Three new figures were visible. The first was a tall, slim man, with a very pale skin and long blond hair. Probably in his thirties, he was handsome -but certainly not quite as handsome as he thought. There was an arrogance about him that presented itself in every move he made, even in the tone he saluted the Lestrange. The other man did not seem as vain -which meant he wasn't as good looking and arrogant as his acolyte. Smaller, younger, with dark hair and a tanned skin, he seemed to come from another country from the East.

And sitting in a throne between the two Death Eaters was Voldemort. He was as Harry remembered, but way more impressive. Even if he wasn't a big man, there was something about him that radiated power and control. His watchful cold gaze and his expressionless face made him even more striking. He wasn't a man who had anything to prove to anyone. If anything, it seemed like it was Harry who had to prove himself to the Dark Lord.

"Well…" Voldemort began, grinning as he saw Harry next to Bellatrix. "Hello there, Lestranges. I see that there's a new member in your family… Little Harry. Or would you prefer to go by Valerian? Both work for me, but I may forget to call you by your real name… It won't be a problem, won't it?"

Harry shared a look with Bellatrix, recalling her advice.

"No, milord," he simply replied. In fact, Harry hated that name but he knew he would better not make waves.

"Well… may I present you two other members of my inner circle?" Voldemort asked, even though it sounded more like a statement than a question. "Here's Lucius Malfoy and Antonin Dolohov. Lucius is a master politician and spy from the ministry, whereas Antonin may be one of the best duelists I've ever met. He may train you, someday..."

Harry briefly gazed upon Dolohov, who did not seem excited by this perspective.

"…But then again, it may be overkill. Afterall, your new mother too is one of the best duelists I've ever met," Voldemort continued.

"Master, you're flattering me," Bellatrix beamed, before kneeling on the ground.

"So I think your training should start as soon as possible, my dear boy," Voldemort reprised, ignoring Bellatrix. "You're only five, so I do not expect you to be very strong yet. But I hope for your sake that you learn fast. I often say that the Lestranges are my most deadly sword: I can't keep track of all the people that were taken down by your new family under my orders..."

When he heard that, Harry shivered.

"…And now, there seems to be no better timing to train the new generation than now, don't you think?"

Again, it wasn't a question. Just a statement. But after a glare from Bellatrix, Harry stiffly said:

"Y-Yes, milord."

"Good to know that we are on the same broom-length!" Voldemort laughed loudly. "Now… Let's talk about some unfortunate matters. Your old family."

Harry froze in fear. As anguish paled his face, he totally forgot Bellatrix' orders.

"What?"

"I really have some compassion for you, my young friend. You seem to be an adorable young lad and I know how painful it must be, being separated from his home," Voldemort began, as the five Death Eaters around them started to laugh loudly. "Please, some silence, there! Let me finish first."

The room instantly fell silent, as Harry felt a cold sweat roll down his back.

"I'm sorry, Harry but you'll never see them again. Or if you see them, it will be to kill them. This day will come if I feel the need to give you this ultimate test of loyalty. Maybe it will be to see where you truly stand. Maybe it will be because you chose to spy me for my ennemies. The reason doesn't matter. It only means that you better serve me without ever contesting my orders," Voldemort began, his elegant voice becoming slightly threatening.

Harry felt nauseous. He knew was playing a game rigged against him since the beginning, but he could not help but feel revolted against this injustice. Now even if he wanted to, he could not help any enemy of Voldemort. He was going to become a Death Eater, whether he wanted it or not. The idea of being sent to kill Sirius, Mum or Benjy was so revolting, Harry didn't know where to start to feel outraged.

"But we'll cross that bridge when we'll come to it." Voldemort continued. "There's still plenty of time for you to train. To fight. To kill. Which brings me to my next point…"

Voldemort withdrawn a wand that wasn't his. Very small to fit in Harry's hand, its' wood was red and the handle seemed comfortable.

"Redwood and dragon heartstring," Voldemort explained said. "Perfect for a beginner, especially for one who wants to learn more about Dark Arts."

Well, here was the thing. Harry didn't want to learn more about Dark Arts. But he knew it was a very bad idea to argue with Voldemort. As Voldemort made the wand levitate towards Harry, he caught it.

"T-Thank you, Sir."

"Use it well, my dear boy. Now about your next mission…"

Rabastan, Bellatrix and Rodolphus looked at Voldemort with a mix of excitation and anticipation. Harry did not know how they could feel that way. He would never feel excited about the perspective of running around the country to kill people for Voldemort.

"Forget about the Longbottoms. Upon the news of my 'defeat', our dear and loyal Igor Karkaroff left us," Voldemort sighed, seeming more annoyed than angry. "Normally, I would've simply hunt him down and slaughter him for the example. However…"

"However, my spies in the ministry told me he made a deal with Crouch Sr," Malfoy said, with a slow and slightly contemptuous voice. "He sold several other Death Eaters to the Ministry. Rockwood, Rosier, Bertram… All of them are going to Askaban because of his testimony."

"He hides with two Aurors in a safe house, in the city of Belgrade, in Serbia," Voldemort calmly reprised, even though his voice got seemingly more tense. "I'll give you the coordinates of the house. You need to get to him before next month, as his trial starts on the 4th of December. Kill the Aurors if you want to. But bring me Karkaroff. Alive."

Harry shivered. The way Voldemort said this word felt incredibly menacing. Even though he ignored exactly why Voldemort wanted Karkaroff alive, he knew it was for very dark reasons. Remaining silent, Harry felt a pang of pity for this man he didn't know.

"It will be done, milord," assured Bellatrix. "Rabastan, Rodolphus and I will bring you the traitor."

"Ooh… But Bella, Harry will go on this trip with you! Afterall, he has a wand too. I think it would be quite great for him, actually," Voldemort grinned wryly. "Consider it a bonding moment. Your first mission with your son, like a real family. What could be better?"

As Malfoy and Dolohov laughed loudly, Rabastan and Rodolphus shared an unconvinced glance and Bellatrix' jaw clenched. She stood up, and the glare Harry received made him want to run far, far away from here.

"You have a couple of weeks to train him, Bella," Voldemort added. "He has a wand, now. Even though he's quite young… You may be able to use this at your advantage."

Bellatrix remained silent. Then she nodded, before taking Harry's arm.

"Then we better get to training now."

And by the sound of her voice, Harry instantly understood that the next couple of weeks wasn't going to be easy at all.

A-N: I look for a beta reader. If you're interested, DM me :)