Author's Note: This is how I spent my time when I should have been reading and taking notes on Joseph Conrad's "Lord Jim" and also taking notes on "Pride and Prejudice" (which I read but got bored and gave up taking notes). I got really into it so I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it and, if not, all well (maybe "Lord Jim" is more your thing?). I'm afraid I sacrificed a bit of Bellatrix's cool, creepy attitude for a sibling rivalry type thing with Sirius Black so I may tweak the chapter later. Please read and review! Compliments? Criticism (constructive only, please!)? Without your reviews I'm my only motivation and if I'm my only motivation then I might as well write the story and not bother to post it. Anyway, enough of that, on to the story!
Oh, and by the way, I decided to change the title to "Fickle Fate". "The Prophecy Misconstrued" was really starting to bug me, especially since, after chapter 1, the story has very little to do with the prophecy. If you have any comments regarding the title change, PLEASE REVIEW! Thank you.
Chapter 3: Secrets and Sneaks
Sirius Black spun around until he was face-to-face with his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. She stared up at him with soulless brown eyes and allowed the corners of her lips to drift upward in a chilling smile.
"What? No kiss, hello? No warm embrace? Is this how you greet family, Sirius?" Bellatrix said, her voice cold and emotionless.
A thousand questions rushed through Sirius's mind with such alacrity that the words jumbled together until the thoughts were completely incoherent and all Sirius could manage to say was a simple, "How?"
Bellatrix's smile widened and a deep laugh escaped her lips. "How? How what? How did I sneak into the Potters' home unnoticed? How long have I been here? How much have I overheard? I'm assuming you didn't mean to ask 'How do you do?'"
Sirius just stood and glared at Bellatrix. Words never failed him before; usually he had no problem yelling at his family members and saying exactly what was on his mind. What was different about now? But the second the thought drifted through his mind, he knew what was different. This time, his best friend was in danger. All of the Potters' lives were in jeopardy.
Bellatrix broke Sirius's train of thought with a low hiss, "Hippogriff got your tongue?" There was another pause, broken by Bellatrix shrieking at the top of her lungs, "Speak to me you Muggle-loving twit! WHERE ARE THE POTTERS?"
Sirius widened his eyes in surprise. He'd never seen Bellatrix lose her composure like that. "Tsk, tsk! Temper, Bella!" Sirius smiled slightly, happy to have his voice and a clear head back. "I will answer your question if you answer mine, which you so nicely stated for me, first. How did you get in here? It's impossible to apparate into a wizard's personal home!"
Bellatrix calmed down but her eyes still flashed, showing her impatience. She let out a heavy sigh; she should have known her task wouldn't have been that easy. "I came through the back door."
Sirius raised an eyebrow, "You're kidding."
Bellatrix laughed at the simplicity of it. "I know, it's so Mugglish isn't it?" Bellatrix shuddered slightly while saying 'Mugglish' as though Muggles were the most revolting creatures she'd ever come across. "Even I expected to come bounding in here and start fighting almost immediately but the way the three of you were fussing over that baby, I could have burned down the house and no one would have noticed!"
Sirius's face fell, ashamed. How could he be so distracted that he hadn't noticed an intruder in the house? He was supposed to provide a bit of added protection to the Potters and he failed. He lifted his gaze back up to meet Bellatrix. There would be time to beat himself up over it later.
"How long were you here? Where were you when Dumbledore and I…" Sirius trailed off. If Bellatrix had heard his conversation with Dumbledore then he would have to leave and find the headmaster immediately.
Bellatrix smirked, "Oh, you would just love it if I spilled my heart and soul out to you right now, wouldn't you? What makes you think that I'm going to just tell you everything? Anyway, I came in just before Dumbledore left with the Potters so I did not hear your conversation."
Sirius let out a sigh of relief. All was not lost.
"It's easy enough to guess anyway," Bellatrix's eyes twinkled as she watched Sirius's reactions with amusement. "So tell me, Sirius, where are the Potters?"
Sirius tried to hide any emotion from showing up in his face. "The Potters are out for the evening on a nice stroll. If you hurry, I'm sure you can catch them."
"Don't toy with me, Sirius. I know you know where they are. Dumbledore's hidden them somewhere and he's made you their Secret Keeper," she watched as Sirius stiffened. "Don't act so surprised that I know. Any fool could have guessed it. With the Potters in danger, the most logical thing for Dumbledore to do would be to hide them in an unknown location and choose a Secret Keeper. The only reasonable choices for Secret Keeper would be either you or Dumbledore but Dumbledore is the best man your side has and he can't afford to lie low for a bit. So it's got to be you," Bellatrix smiled and stepped towards Sirius. She didn't need his confirmation to know that everything she had just said had been true or frighteningly near it.
Before Sirius could even think, Bellatrix raised her wand and shouted "Crucio!"
Pain, like nothing Sirius had ever felt in his life, coursed up through his entire body. A sharp, stabbing pain like thousands of tiny knives slicing through every organ and every appendage. He wanted to curl up on the floor, he wanted to scream, he wanted to die. But Sirius Black would do none of these things. He would not give in to his cousin's torture.
Bellatrix didn't allow Sirius's refusal to submit to pain to detract from her pleasure. With a cold, icy laugh she lifted her wand again and yelled, "Imperio!"
Suddenly, Sirius's pain vanished. In that same instant, all of his emotions evaporated. The anger, confusion and worry completely left him and Sirius was in a state of serenity and calm. It no longer bothered him that his best friend and his family were in mortal peril. Nothing bothered him anymore.
A lonely thought drifted to the surface of his mind, "Tell me where the Potters are." The command was so simple and, even with Bellatrix's voice, it seemed so calm and soothing. Why shouldn't Sirius reveal the Potters whereabouts? It wouldn't hurt anybody. And the voice had asked so nicely.
He opened his mouth to speak but then stopped himself. The Potters. Dumbledore. Danger. The Secret Keeper, him. Bellatrix Lestrange. Danger. The Potters. Danger.
"Where are the Potters, Sirius?" the voice asked again, so gentle and pleasant.
"NO!" Sirius's own voice screamed in his head. The Potters. Trouble. Don't tell! Don't tell!
"I WON'T TELL!" Sirius shouted, his voice backed by rage.
His eyes came back into focus and he stared at a dumb-stricken Bellatrix, a look that really did not become her. Apparently he had said the last sentence aloud. He had fought Bellatrix's Imperius curse. And won.
Before Bellatrix could regain herself, Sirius transformed into a large black dog. He lunged at Bellatrix with such force that it knocked her hard onto her back. He dashed to front door, all four of his furry, black paws thumping heavily against the wooden floor. His mind was racing but he had to focus; he had to find Dumbledore.
Sirius's left front paw momentarily changed back into its human form just long enough for him to turn the doorknob and open the door.
He could he Bellatrix's frusterated cry as he leapt outside and landed in the soft grass on four padded paws. Silently, he slipped into the shadows and was gone.