Bellatrix had never smiled so much in her entire life, even when she woke up the next morning there was still a happy grin on her lips. Today things were supposed to go back to normal and she wondered how many death eaters were going to show up for training this morning hung over. She quickly dressed and ran downstairs for breakfast. As soon as she walked into the room her sister and brother-in-law gave her funny looks.
"Someone had a good time last night," Lucius said playfully. Narcissa shot him a dark look as Bella took her seat next to her.
"So who was that you danced the night away with?" Narcissa asked. She should have known that this was going to be brought up. How did they not know the Dark Lord himself was at their party?
"The Dark Lord, of course," she said proudly her smile still plastered on her lips. The look on their faces said it all, speechless. "So yes Lucius, I did have a good time last night," she added playfully as she turned her focus onto her breakfast.
She wondered how many more times she was going to be asked who she was with last night, as it was clearly not her husband, and if her husband was going to say anything to her about it. She had not really thought about it. Even though her marriage was not normal she never flaunted that in public until last night. It was different, though, he was their master and clearly if he asked something of her she was obliged to do so. Though she probably enjoyed it all too much. This was much more than she wanted to think about so early in the morning. She shook the thoughts from her head as she ate as quickly as she could.
Narcissa finally regained her ability to speak, "I did not think he would come down for the ball, I'm glad he did."
Bella looked up at her, eyes wide, "What do you mean to come down?" Was her sister really implying what she sounded like she was implying?
Lucius laughed and shook his head, "He has only been staying here since June Bella." It all made so much sense, she could not believe she had not come to the conclusion months ago.
After she finished breakfast she made her way down to the cellar for her first round of training. This would be the group with all of the hung over newbies in it and she was a little too excited to torture them. Her mind was a beautifully sick place. She was shocked when she entered the cellar and did not see anyone. She frowned, her wand out and ready. One great benefit of being in Azkaban for 13 years was that she could see excellent in the dark. In the furthest corner, she saw something move and without hesitation shot a bright red light from her wand. Bellatrix was not one for taking chances, especially when she was expecting a room full of wizards. Whoever was hiding in the dark blocked her spell, but did not cast anything back.
"Always on point my dear Bella," her master's cool voice echoed from the corner.
"My Lord, I did not expect you down here," she said bowing her head and her master approached.
He moved fluently through the room until he was standing next to her, her dark eyes looking up at him.
"What fun would it be if you expected me?" her master laughed, "I sent your trainees away for the day. We have plans to discuss."
He turned and started out of the room, Bella quickly following at his heels. They moved through the manor and into a room that she had not been into before. She followed him faithfully into the unknown room which she quickly realized was a private study, her master's private study. He sat down on a plush green sofa and gestured for her to sit down next to him. She did so quickly wondering what her master was planning, what was going on beneath his icy eyes.
"Our plans are coming together quickly," he began, "I was informed this morning that Draco has successfully minded the vanishing cabinet hidden at Hogwarts. So when the time comes, I would like you and a few other loyal followers to head to Borgin and Burkes and use the vanishing cabinet to gain access to the school. I would like Draco and Severus to have backup in case they cannot manage killing Dumbledore by themselves. Once Dumbledore has been killed I expect the Minster to resign, but if he does not I would like you to be the one to kill him."
A wicked smile played on her lips, "Yes my Lord," she said happily bowing her head to her master.
He smiled back at her as he continued, "Then after all of that is taken care of I expect a lot shall change. Maybe then I will be able to reward you properly. After all, my most loyal and most powerful servant deserves something special and you cannot tell me otherwise." His smile stayed on his face as he looked into her eyes, "That's all for now," he finished, dismissing her as he got to his feet.
"Yes my Lord," she said bowing her head before standing and striding out of her master's study.
She did not know that she could feel so happy. She wandered through the house with her head in the clouds completely oblivious to the world around her. Soon enough she found herself in the library which had become her hideaway here in the manor. Other than her room this was one of the only places she could usually be alone. She curled up in her usual chair picking up the book she had been reading last trying to read but was too lost in her thoughts to get very far. She did not know how long she was there pretending to read before she heard the door creak open. Her head spun around to look at the door only to find Rodolphus slinking into the room.
She sighed crossing her arms in front of her, "What do you want Rodolphus," her words were sharp.
Her intent was clear and Rodolphus's eyes immediately moved to the floor but only for a moment before he managed to find his courage, "I just wanted to talk to you about last night." Bellatrix rolled her eyes but she knew that this was coming.
"What do you want to talk about? How I spent the evening with the Dark Lord?" she started harshly, "Is poor Rodolphus jealous that our Lord danced with me." Her words were child-like, mocking his pathetic nature. "Am I not his right hand? Who else would the Dark Lord dance with?" She was clearly angered by her husband's stupid questions and was trying really hard not to curse him until he regained his senses.
The defeat was written all over her husband's face, he knew better, "I just did not know that you and the Dark Lord were so close." Bellatrix forced herself not to crack a smile, she was becoming extremely close to their master and absolutely loved it.
"Either did, I but I will be as close to the Dark Lord as he requires of me," her words were final on the subject and Rodolphus knew it.
He nodded his head and turned and walked out, defeated. She felt a twinge of guilt, but only for the briefest of moments. While their marriage had never been conventional they were much closer all those years ago. Part of her felt bad that she could not go back to that, but at the same time, they had been separated for 13 years. Any softness she had for him was lost while she was in Azkaban and she knew, now more than ever, that it would never return. A tiny part of her almost felt bad that she could not pretend to care for him more but the other, much larger, part of her was angry at him for expecting her to. How dare her expect that of her. She sighed angrily slamming her book down on the end table as she stood up. If he was not useful to her master she would have killed him and put him out of his misery. She stormed out of the library and outside to find something to take her frustration out on. Leave it to Rodolphus to ruin her good mood.