A/N: I'm so sorry for keeping you guys waiting. Camp has been INSANE! I know its short, but its important.

Chapter Eight: Freedom

Somewhere deep within the prison, a bell tolled, which meant two things. The first, it was now midnight. It was also the signal that the guards were changing shifts.

But it was not just any midnight. It had just become Halloween, the anniversary of her Lord's first downfall.

The lock of her prison door clicked unlocked. After over a year of painstaking work, she had finally succeeded. Opening the door, she stepped into the hallway. To freedom.

With her wandless magic, she scanned the hallway for guards. One had just come up the stairs to her left. She killed him with a thought. She strode down the corridor, and when she reached the guard, she couched down, grabbing the keys located at his belt. She strode back to the cell next to hers, her husband's cell. He was standing up, watching her. After she unlocked her door, they embraced.

"You did it, my love," he said.

She pushed away, finally able to look into his eyes. "Did you doubt me?"

"Not for a second," he said as he pulled her into a brief, passionate kiss. "Let's get moving."

She unlocked the next person's cell door, and her husband went inside to bring the Death Eater out. With in several minutes, the row was free.

"I'll bring them to our Manor. I'll be back soon for the next group," her husband said.

"That's the plan," she said. He pulled her into another kiss before giving instructions to the Death Eaters and leaving. She felt a sudden hollowness, similar to the night of the Dark Lord's first downfall. No matter what had happened her husband was always by her side, or in the next cell. Now he was gone. But it was only for a couple of minutes.

Repeating that phrase over to herself, she went up the stairs, killed the guard stationed there, and started unlocking the cell doors. It took her longer though, now that she was alone.

With out warning, two green flashes streaked down the corridor, killing two of her faithful, fellow Death Eaters. How had no one noticed the guards! She immediately killed them.

"What should we do with them?" asked a Death Eater she didn't recognize.

"Leave them," she said. She heard footsteps coming up the stairs. She was ready to kill if it was a guard, but she checked first, letting out a breath when she realized it was her husband.

Glancing down at the bodies, he asked, "What happened?"

"Two guards caught us unaware," she explained.

"Don't let it happen again. Go free the other floors." He turned to the Death Eaters. "Follow me."

She went with her husband to the end of the hall, but turned up when he and the Death Eaters turned down. She quickly freed the floor, but after waiting a couple of minutes, her husband didn't show. "We'll all go to the bottom floor, and free everyone down there. Come on."

"Is something wrong?" a Death Eater right behind her asked.

She spun to face him, pointing a finger in his face. "That is the last time you will ever question me. Do it again, and I will not allow you to finish your statement. Understand?" The Death Eater nodded. "Good. Let's go."

The Death Eaters and she raced down the stairs to the bottom floor. She had just released the second Death Eater, when her husband walked through the door. He was covered in blood.

Her hands flew to her mouth. "What happened?" she asked, lowering her hands.

"We were ambushed by several guards as we were leaving. The guards all died, as did some of ours."

"Then we will just have to recruit harder. Pity. Take these to the manor. I'll free the rest, and bring them."

Her husband nodded, and once again left with the Death Eaters. She swiftly freed the rest, and soon opened the door to the outside of the prison.

Only meters from the door, numerous bodies lay. She was ashamed to see more Death Eaters than guards were among the dead.

She led the group of Death Eaters past the apparition boarders, and had each of them hold on to her so she could show them where to apparate.

When her feet landed and she saw her house, she nearly burst into tears.

Bellatrix Lestrange was home.