Written for the Arithmancy Class in Hogwarts.
Task 1: Write about how "third time's the charm"
AN: I swear I don't know where this came from. I love love love love Bella, and I love love love the Black family.
WC: 772
They are attacking a small village the first time she tries to cast the spell.
It's her first mission as a Death Eater and she wants to be the best of them all.
She heard Avery saying to the other that she won't be a good Death Eater. She's a woman, she has a weak mind and a weak body so she won't succeed at all. Not only that. He said that she's a disgrace to her family, because she's not a man, the one thing that the Black household needed the most.
She knows that he's right. She knows what everyone whispers on the corridors. When she said that to her mother, her answer was simply.
Prove them wrong, Bella.
With a devious glint on her grey eyes, she raises her wand towards a mudblood couple that's running away from her.
"Crucio!"
After a heartbeat, she realizes that nothing is going to happen. The red sparkles that left her wand did nothing but crack and with rage she stormed off the place.
.
She's in Hogwarts the second times she tries to use the curse.
There's a group of students nearby and she heard them, during breakfast. They said that Voldemort doesn't exist, and that somehow the aurors will stop him.
It made her blood boil. Of course her master is real and of course he will win. Who are them to say otherwise?
"Be patient, Black." She heard the older Lestrange say. "It won't do us any good to just curse them in the middle of the hall."
She felt angry again because who this fucker think he is? He just became a death eater – like her – and he thinks that he can give her advice?
So, in order to prove them wrong, she follows the said group during the day. Marking their routine, she'll know when it's the best moment to attack.
Hiding behind a column, she sees that one of the boys is leaving the library.
Now, she thinks.
She raises her hand again and says, "Crucio!"
The sparkle is bigger this time. But it doesn't harm the boy in any way, so she leaves quietly, just like she came.
.
"What are you doing, my child?"
She looks and spots her mother walking towards her.
They're standing in the garden, watching as the witches and wizards who live nearby walk around.
She considers for a moment the possibility of telling her mother the truth. They are not a common family, that's for sure, but they are a family, after all. She's her mother's favorite; Narcissa, her father's.
(The one that left the family is no one's favorite. Maybe Uncle Alphard, but he'd been burned from the tapestry too so he doesn't count.)
"I can't cast a spell."
"Hm," Her mother hums at her. "Which spell?"
They are standing side by side, Bellatrix being a small version of Druella. Her hair is dark like the night and her eyes are grey, almost white. It'd be a beautiful painting, if the painter ignored the maniacal glint on her eyes.
"Cruciatus." She says matter of fact, as if she's discussing the weather.
"And why is that?"
Her shoulders slumps for a minute. "I don't know."
"What were you thinking when you tried to use it the first time?"
Bellatrix bites her lower lip. "How I wanted to prove them all wrong. I can be a death eater if I want too."
"And the second time?" Druella asks patiently.
"I wanted to punish the boys for saying that Lord Voldemort isn't real."
Her mother nods her head.
"Listen closely, because I'll only say it once." The older says, and Bella raises an eyebrow, never taking her eyes off of the road.
"It may sound confusing, but you need to want to harm the victim. Prove them wrong, punish someone... I know it sounds confusing. When my mother taught me the first time I didn't understand it either." Druella licks her lips before continuing. "They are all valid reasons, but the first reason, the first motive for you to cast this spell is to cause harm to the receiver."
Bella nods her head, understanding her mother's point.
"I see."
"Good." Druella says with her tone hard. "Don't embarrass me again, child."
.
The third time happened during another attack.
She focus on the person and, unlike the other times, she can feel the energy running through her veins.
"CRUCIO!"
When her victim falls to the floor contorting in agony, she has a shit eating grin on her face.
(Little does she knows that, when her mother hears about this, she wears a similar grin too.)