Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Potterverse and also nothing of the Batman-verse.
Imaginary Friend
Battle Magic
Bellatrix strode in the dining hall and intentionally banged the doors startling the group of wizards and witches within. A glass panel in the door cracked and fell to the floor shattering in a thousand little pieces. Few seconds later a house elf appeared and began repairing the damage.
"Great Warlock, to what do I owe the pleasure?" her polite words were spoken both sharply and venomously.
Sirius winced at her tone while several others frowned.
"I assume you have heard of the attack, Minister Black," Dumbledore replied.
"I have and I wonder what you know about it."
"What matters now," he said ignoring her not so subtle hint. "Is what you, my dear Madame Minister, are going to do?"
A small, arrogant smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Sirius, did you call the press?" she asked disregarding the ancient headmaster.
"Sure," he said nodding. The Potters and few others who were closest to him began asking questions, but he shushed them with a gesture of his hand.
"Do you already know what you're going to say?" Dumbledore asked.
"The truth," Bella replied without hesitation.
"People will panic. It would not be a very smart move, dear. I think …,"
"That's it, Dumbledore! You may think, but when push comes to shove, I am the Minister and I'm putting an end to this whole charade. I've watched for years as you play cat and mouse with Voldemort. Some losses here some wins there. You've been dragging this conflict out close to a decade," she paused to take a breath. "I say – we finally go to full-scale war and be done with it!"
"I've done what was best and safest for everyone involved," he said strongly.
"Maybe," she conceded the point. "But at the same time, you haven't done anything to end it either and can you honestly say that a war that never seems to end is in anyone's best interest?" she questioned harshly. "So – I'm saying it's time. I don't know how about everyone else, but there's a life I want to live, and I'll do my best to get what I want.
'This attack on the Ministry – there isn't a lie big enough to cover it and no matter what the official statement is – people will know. And they will be afraid. They will be terrified, because if we won't talk about it – it will seem that we're afraid too and that will mean that all's lost before we even begin real fighting.
'I'll tell the press what has happened today. Today we will stand up. And tomorrow – there's open season on Death Eaters and Voldemort."
Bella was breathing heavily no longer because of fury, but because of the passion she poured in her speech. She'd spent two years as the Minister for Magic making and keeping the government stable and trustworthy; she had done what was best for her subjects with cold and clinical precision – she had never cared much for those under her protection, but suddenly, now, at this moment – she did.
"I understand – this action was bold even for Voldemort, but that means he is getting desperate," Dumbledore said placatingly. "We shouldn't repeat his mistake."
"We already have been desperate for far too long," she replied candidly. She had been desperate for too long – desperate for the heritage that was still out of her reach even with Walburga dead and the title now hers.
"My dear, do you even know where he resides?"
Bella slightly frowned and her gaze turned piercing, "I would bet that you do."
"I'm not going to tell you – what you're planning is suicide," Dumbledore said. "Voldemort cannot be taken down in one large attack – our best strategy is the one we're exploiting now. I understand you're upset, because of the attack on Ministry, but this is not the time for rash actions that would undoubtedly only cost more lives."
"I disrespectfully disagree, but I do admit that with your help it would be easier," she said her head held high. "However, I did not come here to discuss the course of action the Ministry is going to take. I came here to inform you what I'm about to do out of courtesy – so you don't have to read it in the evening's paper."
"James is a Senior Auror and Lily is an excellent Obliviator while your cousin heads the department of…"
"No," she stated.
"And I've brought several other people to help – we can make a cover for this…"
"No offence to the talents of your prodigies, but that's not good enough for me," Bellatrix said decidedly. "And since I'm the Minister, what's not good enough for me, is not good enough for my country."
Dumbledore was quiet for a while; he chose his next words carefully. "Is there anything I can do to sway your mind?"
"No," her answer was short and sure. Ever since she took the office she had prepared for the eventuality where running and fighting again tomorrow would no longer be a viable option. It was time and she had a plan long in the making.
"Very well," Dumbledore said inclining his head slightly. "The best of luck to you then, my dear Madame Minister." His tone didn't betray the trepidation he felt.
"Thank you, Great Warlock of the Wizengamot," she said coldly and formally. She managed not to sound mocking. After all the ancient Headmaster was a great wizard, somewhat set in his ways and entirely too soft-hearted, but still great and a Priest of Light to boot, and Bellatrix had a very healthy respect for power.
Dumbledore took another long look at her, but since it was obvious to him that he won't be able to change her mind, he took his leave from the manor of the Minister of Magic. The small palace had served every Minister since the office had been established. To some Ministers this was home until their deaths. Dumbledore sincerely hoped that it wouldn't be so for Bellatrix.
The dining hall cleared rather quickly after the Headmaster departed. Soon only the Potters and Sirius were still there.
Bellatrix looked at Sirius questioningly. "You're still here," she stated.
"I already told you – I'm with you," her cousin replied steadily. "I sure hope you have some aces up those silk sleeves of yours though."
"We're with Sirius," Lily spoke for herself and her husband before Bella could ask them.
Bellatrix considered the trio for a moment before nodding. "All right," she said and turned to leave. "Follow me."
She led them through the house towards the backyard where the press conference was going to take place.
"When the press leaves – then we'll talk," she said to them before stepping up on the podium.
When she stood on the hastily erected platform everyone turned to her and some lights flashed from photographer's cameras. She waited a moment until she had the complete attention of everyone on the lawn and used Sonorus charm on her throat before speaking.
"I apologize for gathering everyone here so late in the evening on such short notice. However, in the light of recent events I wouldn't want false news to create alarm amongst the citizens which is why I have taken it upon myself to explain the situation to you. I have a statement and I will answer few of your questions later.
'As some of you may have heard today after the end of the official workday of the Ministry – the building was attacked by followers of Voldemort. In ensuing fight, the Ministry was badly damaged and regrettably we lost precious lives.
'This bold and brutal attack won't be forgotten nor forgiven. The Ministry will retaliate. At this very moment the Wizengamot is holding a closed meeting and within an hour new laws shall be passed. The Ministry is no longer going to restrict its actions to passively protecting the citizens; the Ministry is going to take a stand. We have been provoked and this is not the time to turn the other cheek," she said calmly even though her gaze seemed scorching to those that caught her eye. "The war is over."
A photographer managed to capture a picture in the exact moment she said that, and the photography would decorate the evening editions of Daily Prophet and other Wizarding magazines under varying titles all carrying the same message. 'The tide of the war has changed – War is over.'
Until now – everyone knew that Voldemort was evil, that he was out there and that he had followers. That he was ready to kill all those that stood in his way and that it was wise to be scared if there was an ounce of dirt in your blood. But nobody talked about The War. Nobody fought but those that wanted and those to whom protection was a duty. Nobody talked about it. Everyone looked twice behind their backs but went on with their lives even if there were increasingly more security measures enforced by the Ministry. Now when the Minister had said it – that one word 'War' - it was like a dam had been broken. Everyone knew about it and everyone could talk.
Up until now it had always been a nightmare in the back of the mind, never escalating into living horror, but never leaving either. A constant terror. It had been a stalemate for years, even since before the Lady Black was elected a Minister.
"So, there's a war again? The Ministry is going to war?" a reporter who was close to the podium shouted.
"I didn't put it like that," Bellatrix said. She wanted the people to want to fight, not cover in fear. She wanted them to feel brave when they were scared. If she had to add a couple of insults to her speech and draw Voldemort's attention to herself when she had spent years politely avoiding him – she was ready to do it. And not because of some misguided sense of righteousness or protectiveness, but because she had better things to do with her life than to play cat and mouse with the Death Eaters. Because she wanted this to end now. And she believed she could win this now.
And absolutely nothing of it all had anything to do with Bruce and their stupid kiss.
She had fled the Wizarding world to escape Voldemort and his service. She had intended to find a way to claim her priesthood before facing Voldemort, but as years went by it had become painfully obvious that it would not happen before Voldemort's defeat. That she would have to find a way to withstand him without the ancient magic protecting her.
The normal way would have been – to come of age, to visit Glastonbury and perform the ritual in the waters surrounding the Isle of Avalon, to claim Dukedom and House in time. Instead she had claimed the House first – taking it out of stewardship of her aunt, then she had claimed the Dukedom when her aunt passed, but Voldemort's barrier still surrounded Glastonbury and she could not cross it.
She wanted to put an end to this predicament that had been hanging over her head since before she had been born. She wanted to go back to Gotham, because it felt more like home to her than the Wizarding world had ever been, because she had a friend waiting for her back in Gotham to whom she owed an explanation.
"I said that the war is over. Going to war means taking a chance that you may lose. Voldemort and his band of small-minded followers are terrorists that need to be stopped. One does not fight filth – one exterminates it. Death Eaters are poison to our society and Ministry is going to put an end to it once and for all."
It took a moment before another question was poised. "I just received a message that Headmaster Dumbledore is not at the Wizengamot. Can a law be passed without the Great Warlock?"
"The Wizengamot can hold a trial and give a conviction without the Great Warlock," she stated simply. "The Wizengamot can pass a law without the Great Warlock."
"Shouldn't you as the Minister attend the meeting then? Shouldn't you be the one directing it?" a red-haired witch from the middle of the crowd asked in an enchanted, strong voice.
"Since I am the one who introduced the bills the current law regarding impartiality of such proceedings dictates that I, in fact, should not be there."
"Can you tell us the nature of those laws?"
"One adds to the regulations of the DMLE and a few others specify charges and punishments that will be brought upon Voldemort and any and all of his followers."
"How can you be so sure that the bills will pass?"
Bella smiled inwardly. The timing was perfect. "I believe that if you want to catch the members of the Wizengamot and find out if the bills passed or if my conviction was misplaced – you should hurry. The meeting is ending just about now."
Within a minute her lawn was empty again if one doesn't count the Potters and Sirius.
BBRBW
"Yeah, how can you be so sure that the bills will pass?" James asked walking up to the witch when all reporters and photographers had left. He frowned in suspicion because the whole thing seemed too convenient to be incidental to him.
Bella didn't answer instead she motioned for them to follow her and went back inside. She led them to the first floor sitting room with the windows to east and sat down comfortably in an armchair. Lily and Sirius followed her suit while James stood and looked at her impatiently awaiting answer.
"It took some work, but I convinced most of the Wizengamot that passing my bills would be the best course of action," she said calmly.
"Some. Not all?"
"Some proved to be unyielding and completely unwilling to listen," her lips curled into a small smile.
"Why?" James asked. "I'm sure your powers of persuasion are quite … impressive," he didn't quite manage to keep leer out of his tone.
"It was unlikely that I would manage to persuade some of them to pass a law that would be later used against them. I decided to cut my losses and let those some be."
James laughed out loud. "Okay," he said but he meant much more than simply accepting her answer. He meant that he was accepting her as one of them – as someone by whose side he was going to fight.
"Sirius," she said turning to her cousin. "Tomorrow the war is going to end. One way or the other, but I'm fairly sure our side is going to win even if by snatching the victory out of jaws of defeat," she recited the idiom tiredly. "And tomorrow I'm going to resign."
"What?" Sirius was glad that he was sitting.
"When you first made me the offer to be a Minister you swore that I would be free to make my own decisions. And I have decided," Bellatrix said. "Once the war ends, I will submit my resignation."
"But …" Sirius tried to object.
"I will not be needed. And I don't want to be needed. I agreed to be a Minister while Voldemort was at large, I agreed to take up the mantle of the Family and I sided with you. Not with Dumbledore or the Order of the Phoenix. I sided with you and what you stand for."
"But we will need a Minister to rebuild. Even if war ends tomorrow – we will need a Minister otherwise the Ministry will be rendered useless and, in the power, vacuum another evil lord might rise," Lily said and not for the first time Bellatrix thought there was something odd yet familiar about the witch though she couldn't quite place her finger upon it.
"Well," Bella said slowly turning to face her cousin. "Sirius, are you up to the job?"
James snorted at the look on his best friend's face. Somehow, they were in a sitting room and discussing the fate of the world without even a tea. Somehow everything had suddenly started to spin faster and faster and they were taking giant steps and changing the world, however James could always find a moment for a good laugh.
"You have got to be kidding me," Sirius managed to say.
"Actually – no. Although all those years ago when you offered the position to me - I thought something along the same lines."
"The position is not inheritable. How are you planning to get him assigned?" Lily asked curiously.
"He's a head of a department and my chosen deputy. He automatically takes over when I resign for the rest of my term and I know for a fact that most of the department heads will support him when the election comes around."
James snorted again. "Most? Again?"
Bella resisted the urge to clench her teeth. Seriously. "He can count on the support of the Auror Division and DMLE, right?" she asked pointedly. "The public support of Viscount of Tintagel?"
"Sure," James replied without hesitation. However he did have to bite his tongue to refrain from asking if she minded using her powers of persuasion on him or his father to get the Viscount's support. He didn't want to sleep on the couch for the next month. Redheads and jealousy didn't mix well.
"Good," she said. "After he'll help with the reconstruction – it's unlikely that he won't be voted in the office for every election to come," Bella said mostly to Lily. "But the power play after this decade isn't really my concern anymore."
"Don't talk about me in third person while I'm here," Sirius' tone was somewhat indignant. He wasn't sure he liked how things were turning out to be.
Bella raised her eyebrows at him. "Fine."
"Why me?" he asked in a much more docile tone of voice.
"Because you care about people. Because you want to help them. Because you want to be involved. Because you're strong enough to stand on your own. Because you're a Black. Should I continue?"
Sirius couldn't resist the urge to smirk. "I never knew you thought so well of me."
Bellatrix resisted the urge to swat at him.
Lily pondered for a moment. "It's kind of fitting," she said slowly. "Everything will change once the war ends. All the tension about blood issues will slowly bleed away and there will be a new order – like it always happens when a regime is brought down. She was the last Minister in the old order, and you'll be the first in the new one, both of you close and important members of a much respected family and a perfect balance too. She is a Dark witch and you're a Light wizard."
"If I'm going to be the Minister – what are you going to do?" Sirius asked interrupting the silence that settled after Lily's little speech.
"I'm going to leave," Bella answered. "Probably for good as soon as I do the priesthood ritual."
"How long have you been planning this?" Lily asked suddenly. Because while Bellatrix was accepting their remarks and opinions – she wasn't presenting a plan for discussion, she was informing them of what was going to happen. The war was really going to end tomorrow and Lily didn't know how she felt about the fact that someone could have planned everything so perfectly that when the first opportunity came – it was like the first dice fell and all of the others collapsed in a chain reaction.
"Since I took the office," Bella replied honestly. She didn't like her job much and Rosier Limited was running like the well-oiled corporate machine that it was. She was alone and she had a lot of time on her hands, there were a lot of things she was annoyed at so she had a lot of issues to sort through, and the plan just kind of fell in place.
Young, impressionable, forced to hide, pressured and cornered; the most important things in her life happened because of what Voldemort did. She hated having to trace everything she was back to him. She disliked that what she did was defined from what he did. The world was too small for the both of them and now she was a big girl and wouldn't stand for competition.
"It's got something to do with him? That guy I saw you with?" Sirius suddenly asked referring to Bruce.
"Some part, yes," she answered honestly a moment later.
James looked back and forth between the cousins before deciding that that was the end of this conversation. "All right! If we're going to do this… We need to fire-call Peter and Remus."
"No," Bellatrix disagreed.
"What do you mean 'no'?" James demanded. "They're our friends. We're a team and that is how we roll," he looked proud of his Muggle Rock'n'Roll reference. He even winked at Lily.
"Tonight, is a full moon. What would a certain friend of yours say about that?" she asked coldly.
"Really?" Sirius asked surprised – he had completely forgotten about the moon. It made him feel uncomfortable. There was once a time he knew lunar cycles half a year ahead, but these days he often forgot to even fire-call Remus to check up on him.
"How do you know about that?" James asked narrowing his eyes.
"You're supposed to be intelligent," Bellatrix remarked nastily.
"What's supposed to be the …,"
"She's the Minister, darling," Lily interrupted her husband. "And Remus is registered so that he could receive his free monthly Wolfsbane potion and social benefits from the ministry. That's how she knows."
"Oh," James finally dropped into a seat. "Okay, Remus is out then, but what have you got against Peter?"
"I don't trust him," Bella said simply.
"I would trust him with my child!" James protested loudly.
"Then it's a good thing you don't have a child," Bellatrix shot back.
"Trixy – explain, please," Sirius asked stepping up to play the mediator between his mate and his cousin.
"He hangs out with certain people, also the way he acts…," she intentionally replied slowly.
"So, all you've got is a feeling?" James asked bitingly.
"That and the fact that Voldemort sent him to me with Rothschild's Slipper orchids and a recruitment message about a year ago," Bella announced calmly.
"A year?" Lily whispered shocked.
"You're lying!" James stated angrily.
Sirius said nothing, just frowned in thought.
"Why would I invent such a lie?" she asked annoyed. "Honestly. He's not the most scandalous or important individual that could surprisingly turn out to be a Death Eater."
"But he is our friend," Sirius said quietly. "Or was our friend."
"Padfoot – you believe her?" James asked.
"Tell me you haven't noticed anything weird about him?" Sirius answered with a question.
"Of course, I have," James said in a 'duh' tone. "But he's Peter. He's been weird ever since he was born."
"Not like this," Sirius disagreed. Now that Bellatrix had told them the truth about Peter – a lot of things made more sense than before.
"I can't just accept that one of my best friends is a traitor," James said passionately. "And neither should you," he pointed to his wife and the man who was closer than a brother to him.
"Potter," Bellatrix spoke tired of watching the family drama unfold. "We really don't have time for you to get your head out of your ass."
"But you can't just…" he protested.
"I can and I did," Bella interrupted him. "Deal with it after tomorrow."
"You've known for a year?" Lily asked when the silence and James settled.
"Yes," Bellatrix admitted.
"Why didn't you say anything before?"
"You can't even really manage to believe me now, plus he claimed to be under Imperius when I questioned him and I know he was lying, but most of you goody-two shoes fools would believe him so I waited for a better moment to tell you," Bella explained. "Also, he thinks he managed to Obliviate the information out of my head. I needed him to continue to think that."
James slumped in his seat, Sirius leaned forward contemplatively, Lily just stared into space and Bellatrix gave them a moment to wrap their heads around the bombshell she had just dropped on them. It was going to be just them.
Oh, sure – there will be a whole lot more people fighting when the actual battle breaks out, but in here, planning and preparing, fearing and hoping, shaping the world – it was just the four of them, and Lily had a feeling that even this was three people more than Bellatrix had anticipated. Somehow it was a terribly sad thought.
Then Lily suddenly spoke up, frowning, "Wait?! Wait a minute! You mean to tell me that Voldemort sent you a bouquet of flowers worth 3000 quid a piece?"
"Well, it wasn't a bouquet, it was seven orchids, whatever the significance of the number," Bellatrix replied frankly. "Besides as expensive as they were - they could have looked better. At least they smelled tolerably," she sniffed in disdain.
Lily snorted. Then she giggled. Then she full out laughed. "I believe you now," she said calming down. "We can do this. We can win this war."
BBRBW
The moon was round and high in the sky. Bella took a deep breath and smiled a big smile showing her whitish canines to her cousin. Sirius snorted. Her gaze turned to her left where the Potters were. She was glad to have them at her side, despite everything she might have ever thought about them.
"All right," she said as a way of beginning. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She could feel the adrenalin rush in her system. An attack like this hadn't been staged in decades. "We all know what we have to do. Let's go do it."
"Well, that was a great pep talk, Bellatrix," James said. There was no venom in his humour. "You have a way with words that simply...," he abruptly shut up when he noticed his wife glaring at him.
"Good luck," Lily said earnestly and extended her hand to shake Bella's.
Bellatrix didn't hesitate. She shook the hand of a mudblood. Her aunt would be rolling in her grave if she knew. The strange sense of familiarity hit her again. "You too."
Then Lily and James left. Their task was to attack from behind of the manor with as much brute force as James' Auror division could manage to make it seem like that was their main and only plan of engagement.
Bella knew though that Voldemort wouldn't be foolish enough to assume that that's all they were planning. She knew he'd hold back, but she also knew that nobody could hold back long against James Potter. That man could infuriate a saint. Which is why Sirius was coordinating an attack through the main door. He'd charge in as soon as James gives his signal.
She could freely admit that her cousin has a spectacular flair for the dramatic. Knowing him from the times when Marauders terrorized Hogwarts students in good humour, she almost felt bad for the under handed tactic of sending them on Voldemort. No self-respecting wizard would expect to be fought with pranks.
Being a self-respecting witch, she hadn't planned to include the practical jokes either, but James and Sirius insisted when she had introduced them to the final draft of the attack plan. It was Lily who convinced her to let them do what they wanted. With a little tweaking innocent jokes turned dangerous and Bella felt surer than ever. If she hadn't expected it, hadn't planned it – there was no way Voldemort was ready for it.
She knew all too well how alike she and Voldemort are. She knew that the pranks wouldn't win her her war, but they just might give her the edge she'd been looking for all this time. She is a powerful witch and she knows that Voldemort is more than her match in power, but what Voldemort doesn't realize and she does is that they both lack the ingenuity in practical application of magic that would make them great. True magic is so much more than raw power or birth right.
The ground floor windows of the manor exploded outwards and rockets shot up in the sky above the house exploding in magnificent fireworks. It was James' signal. Sirius saluted her, mounted his broom and was off with the DoM operatives following his lead. That left only her on the top of a smaller hill looking at the battle raging on the larger hill right in front of her.
Voldemort's manor had only two points of accessibility. Only two potentially weak points in the wards. The front entrance and the backdoor. No way to get in through the windows or walls. At least not until Lily crashes the warding system.
A terrific Obliviator and once a strait-laced Head Girl of Hogwarts – Lily had certainly picked up some shady tricks during her tenure in the Order of Phoenix. Bella grinned. Despite her blood, Lily Potter was an excellent witch and Bellatrix was raised liberal enough to be able to, well, admire that about the woman who despite being at a complete disadvantage in their society was frankly brilliant.
That was also one thing she didn't understand how Voldemort didn't get being a half-blood himself. For example, Lily had done everything possible to improve herself and she was a fantastic and ingenious ally to have, while the purebloods on Voldemort's side relied mostly on old tricks and the afore mentioned brute strength.
She watched as the chimney went up in the sky like a space rocket. 'Sirius.' Her cousin for one was full of new tricks.
It was also a signal for her. The wards were frayed. She could slip through them undetected. She donned James' Invisibility Cloak – she hadn't known he possessed such an item and had procured one by herself, but when Potter offered, Sirius insisted that she accept it. They claimed that with it they'd evaded certain death at the hands of McGonagall numerous times. James said that she would need the good luck it had absorbed through years of their misdemeanour.
She mounted her broom. Maybe she did need the luck. No one had gone after Voldemort directly before. She had one task tonight – kill Voldemort.
BBRBW
She hovered by a third story window and watched as Voldemort became increasingly agitated and angry; his handsome face twisted by anger, magic and his own will. He wasn't alone in the room. His three closest lieutenants where still by his side. They were all standing still as if posing for a painting, but Bella knew better. She knew they were waiting. Waiting for the pawns to die. For her people to tire before they sent in the assassins.
There was a crash downstairs and one of the masked wizards by Voldemort's chair shifted on his feet. "My Lord..."
She saw the scathing look Voldemort levered on his subordinate. The man stilled immediately.
It was ten incredibly long minutes before a rat ran into the room. Peter Pettigrew transformed into his human form and kneeled in front of his Master. "My Lord. Dumbledore isn't coming. This isn't his plan. This is on the order of the Minister."
Voldemort smirked. "Good. Very good," he drawled and extended his wand. "Thank you, Peter. Crucio," when Pettigrew collapsed on the floor wailing and crying – all the sounds of his distress drowned in the noise of the battle – Voldemort turned to his lieutenants, "Go. Finish them all," he ordered.
His three best assassins left, and Bellatrix knew she would have no better chance than this. She crashed through the window. She let the momentum carry her down to the floor and forward once she let go of the broom. The Invisibility Cloak fell off her. "Avada Kedavra," she aimed, and her curse fell true to the target – Pettigrew died instantly.
If she were honest, she didn't kill Peter just because he was the spare one in this duel. She killed him, because she knew her cousin and his friends – they were forgiving idiots and after tonight, they had earned a place in her good graces, which meant that she also killed Pettigrew to save them all future trouble. Bellatrix wasn't a big fan of second chances, after all.
"Madame Minister. I'm honoured," Voldemort didn't appear to be the least bit surprised; he also didn't bat an eye at Peter's death. He bowed lightly and formally to her.
She got to her feet and grinned like a madwoman; she had learned the expression from Sirius. "Confringo!" she cast the blasting curse and not bothering with courtesies. She wasn't here to chat.
Voldemort shielded himself but didn't otherwise engage her. He watched her with a hungry gleam in his slit eyes. She shuddered with both disgust and sudden desire. No, no.
"Expulso," she snarled leaving no mistake as to her intent.
Voldemort deflected again. "Dear Lady Black spells like that... You'll hurt yourself if you're not careful," he tutted. "Imperio!"
She twisted to her right and the spell passed her by a few centimetres. She couldn't resist a little taunt. "Your age and the late hour, they must be getting to you. Sectumsempra!"
He shielded himself and took a step closer. "Severus taught you that? I always suspected him, you know," he said conversationally. "It's so hard to find good double agents."
"Expulso! Confringo! Reducto!"
The combined force of the spells she cast impacted Voldemort's shield and he was thrown against the far wall of the room. He collapsed on the floor.
"Protego Horriblis," Bellatrix immediately cast a shield for herself. The snake was down, but she didn't trust her eyes on this. She cautiously took a step closer. She waved her wand thinking, 'Avada Kedavra'.
The green spell harmlessly passed Voldemort as he unexpectedly rose to his feet. He made slashing motion after motion with his wand and four spells Bella couldn't identify impacted her shield. She cast a curse at Voldemort before crossing her arms in front of her head protectively once her shield shuddered under the onslaught and a half-powered spell made it through her shield and threw her against the wall.
She felt her knees go weak, but she didn't slide down to floor. His wand was aimed at her. Insanity burned in his eyes. He raised his wand hand and she felt herself sliding up the wall a bit. Her feet lost their purchase on the ground.
"Such a loss, Bellatrix," he said mournfully though there was no emotion behind his words. "You could have been one of my best. The very best, I think. I would have taught you myself, you know. My favourite, my priestess…"
She strained to smile a bloodied smile at the monster. She cast a silent spell and gave it her all. With a sharp flick of her wand she broke free of his hold over her and crashed to the ground. "Crucio!" she said unthinkingly.
For the first time since the beginning of the battle she managed to strike him with a spell. Him, not just his shield. She hated him. Oh, Merlin, how she hated him, and she thought about all that anger and frustration, and hate pouring it into her spell, making him collapse on his knees in silent agony.
But she couldn't hold on to it for long. There were so many more thoughts and feelings in her head than soul blackening hatred. Her hold on the spell slipped and it was all that Voldemort needed. Enraged he cut with his wand and Bellatrix crashed headfirst into a wall.
He swayed as he rose to his feet, but she didn't see that. Blood was pouring into her eyes from a cut on her head. She was dizzy and afraid for the first time since this began. For the first time ever, she had serious doubts. For the first time she allowed a thought that this might not go like she had planned – she might lose.
Merlin, if she lost, then... If she lost, then the lives of her people were forfeit. Sirius..
"Pathetic," Voldemort said. "You could have been so much more, but right now you're nothing, but a liability. I believe someone further down the line, your sister, for example, Lady Malfoy, will be far more agreeable to my cause. Not nearly the boon I was looking for, but…"
Her hands were bloody. She didn't know why. She felt no pain. Her wand was on the floor out of her reach. She stretched for it knowing it was in vain; her fingers clawed at the wooden floor breaking her nails. She could never make it. She didn't have a chance. Maybe she had never really had it.
"Goodbye, Lady Black. Avada," the door to the room exploded showering them both in splinters and making him pause. "Kedavra," he redirected his wand to the open doorway and even though Sirius tried to twist out of the way the curse hit him in the shoulder.
She didn't see her cousin slump against the corridor wall. She used the distraction to crawl forward and grasp her wand in her fingers. Her palm was slippery with blood, but her hand didn't shake when she pointed her wand at Voldemort. "Avada Kedavra!" she screamed, and it was over.
Voldemort was dead and on the ground before all the dust in the room had settled. Now she hurt. She hurt all over and deep inside and she just wanted to collapse back on the floor until she would have a little bit more strength, but she didn't. She rose to her feet, walked past Voldemort kicking him for good measure. She paused in the doorway.
Sirius was lying against the wall across the hall. His robe was torn and a bit scorched. There was rubble on him and all around him. She let out a shuddering breath. 'Merlin.' She hit the doorframe with her fist smearing it with blood.
Moments ago, she'd been terrified that she would lose. Now the victory had a bitter taste in her mouth. She took a hesitant step forward and knelt by her cousin. She ghosted her hand over his face when he suddenly shifted and groaned. Bellatrix fell backwards on her ass in shock and surprise.
"Trixy," Sirius mumbled squinting up at her. "You all right?"
Uncharacteristically, Bellatrix snorted. "You're asking me?"
Sirius tried to sit up before replying but couldn't. He clenched his teeth so not to scream in pain. Bella leaned in to help him, but once her hand touched his back, she felt bone fragments digging into his skin from inside. His shoulder was shattered. She withdrew her hand immediately and whipped out her wand. "Stupefy!" she stunned him.
He was alive, she had no idea how that was possible, and he was in excruciating pain. She didn't know the status of the battle, but Voldemort was dead, and she was sure she could handle anyone else. Sirius didn't need to stay awake; he'd only harm himself more. She would protect him. Like he had had her back she would have his.
BBRBW
Eight hours later…
Bellatrix washed her face in cold water to freshen up a bit and took a sleepy glance at the image in the mirror. She didn't look bad per se. She even looked somewhat presentable. It's just that there was a long healing wound stretching from her forehead beyond the hairline, and she had bags under her eyes, also a couple of broken ribs, but those and all the other bumps and bruises, and burns wouldn't be visible in the fire call, so she didn't bother assessing them.
It's just as Andromeda's pregnancy progressed; her sister had developed an annoying habit of mothering, that felt more like smothering to Bellatrix, so as much as she enjoyed her sister's company, she was infinitely glad that after the marriage, Ted had taken Andy to settle in his homeland which happened to be as delightfully far as Northern Ireland.
The Daily Prophet was about an hour from being delivered country wide and Bellatrix wanted to calm her sister before any real and actual comforting was necessary.
Once she felt ready, she moved in the sitting room. The St. Mango's staff had made several adjourned rooms available for her, Sirius and the few people who knew for sure what had happened the night before. Bellatrix had a tight control on the flow of information and for the moment she was still determined to have her death announced at a later date, so for the time being - these rooms were where she lived and worked from.
She dropped a pinch of floo powder in the fire before sticking her head in the walk-in fireplace. "Black-Tonks residence," she said clearly.
"Bellatrix!" Ted exclaimed seeing his sister-in-law's head in the fireplace. Something crashed distantly in the house.
"Good morning, Ted," Bella greeted.
"You might want to...," he started to warn her, but couldn't finish, before Andromeda stormed in the room and threw a newspaper at Bella's face, which just passed her through and dropped in the flames bellow.
"Yes!" Andromeda hissed. "You might want to explain what in the name of Merlin is all that about!"
Bellatrix winced. "The newspaper's already been delivered?"
"A bloody half an hour ago!" Andromeda screeched. "I was afraid you were dead! I was going to swim to London if I had to. Why are you not picking up your damn fireplace? Where the hell are you?"
Wisely and discreetly Ted left the room to let the sisters sort out their differences.
Bella let her sister shout and rage for a few minutes. "Calm down, Andy. This can't be healthy for you."
Andromeda dug her hands in her hips and hissed at her sister's head hovering in her fireplace, "You're one to talk about healthy! You lead a bloody war last night! A war! And bloody alone! Why didn't you call us! You keep on saying that Ted and me - we're as much part of the Family and everyone else - how come we didn't know? How come you almost died and told us nothing about it? I just... Bella...," Andromeda felt tears rising up in her eyes, her voice broke and she dropped down on the couch. Sometimes she hated how emotional her pregnancy made her.
There was just about nobody else whom Bellatrix would let to demand answers from her in such a way. In any way. "First of all, the battle was my decision as a Minister not as the Head of your Family and most certainly not as your sister. Andromeda, this was a stand that the Ministry as a governing body was both under obligation and oath to make on behalf of the Wizarding nation. Secondly no one, but those able to fight and asked to fight knew about the fight. It was secret for reasons, I'm sure you can understand," there was none to whom Bella would explain herself with such calm indulgence - it was the privilege of her favourite sibling all alone. "I was never in any danger of dying," she lied well.
Andromeda sighed composing herself. "You will always be my sister no matter what else you are, but I understand why I didn't know about the battle. It's not like I can fight, and...," she looked her sister's fire-image over critically. "I bet this is the first call you make. I'm sorry for what I said. I just worry about you Bellatrix."
Bella smiled softly. "I know. Which is why I let you get away with it."
"I promise to be more tolerable once your niece is born," Andromeda promised lightly. "There has to be something else. You haven't told me everything I need to know yet," she observed astutely.
"No," Bellatrix agreed. "The chaos during the next few days is inevitable - stay where you are, there is no need for you in London. Whatever happens you need to know that I'm fine and that you don't have to look for me. Stay safe, everything should get better from now on and I'll contact you when I can. Understand?"
"Yes, sister," Andromeda said formally.
"Good," Bella favoured her sibling with another smile. "Also, please, give a call to Father in a day or two, and tell him I'm alive. Bye," and then she ended the fire-call.
Andromeda bit her lip and looked at her husband who was standing in the doorway. "I'm not sure I like this at all," she admitted quietly. She didn't want her sister to disappear again. She didn't want to live never knowing, always hoping and worrying. She didn't want to mourn again, but she would. If she had to.
BBRBW
A day and sixteen hours later…
Sirius had trouble opening his eyes, and when he did open them all he saw was white – it didn't feel like much of a reward. He stared at the ceiling and groaned. He hated the colour white. Why couldn't someone paint the ceiling red? Or gold? He'd even take green or black over white.
"He sleeps like a dog. Like a lazy dog. All day long all week long," someone said, and Sirius recognized James voice. A sound of slap was followed by an, "Ouch!" and an accusatory, "Lily!"
"Welcome back, Sirius," Lily greeted him softly as he lowered his gaze and saw James face far too close and Lily hovering over Prongs' shoulder.
"Hi," he said back to her. Feeling a presence on the other side of the bed, he turned his head and saw his cousin. Bellatrix was smiling at him. She was smiling sweetly. It was an unsettling sight, but nonetheless he grinned back. "So.. Did we win?"
"Yeah, we kicked ass!" James exclaimed.
"Good," Sirius replied and relaxed into the bed. He hadn't realized how tense he was before he felt all of it drain away. "How long was I out anyway?"
"You were kept under for two days," it was Bella who replied. She was looking at him oddly – it made Sirius a bit uncomfortable.
"So, what's the situation at the moment?"
Bellatrix looked at James and he began first, "We lost nine Aurors and two Unspeakables in the attack. Seven others are critically injured. Fourteen Death Eaters died in the fight. We arrested another twenty-three. To the best of our knowledge about a dozen are still at large including one of Voldemort's top lieutenants. We're pretty sure that it's Lucius Malfoy. All bank accounts of Death Eaters have been seized. All bank accounts of suspected Death Eaters are frozen until more evidence becomes available – they're out of funds and without leadership. Also, Voldemort's dead. Bella killed him," he reported proudly.
Lily picked up where James left off, "It's been a rough couple of days, and I'll better start at the beginning and fill in the blanks James left open. All right?" she asked looking down at Sirius. He looked exhausted. "Or maybe you want to sleep some more?"
"Go ahead," Sirius shook his head and immediately regretted the action. His shoulder hurt.
"Well, the battle was winding down when the word got around that Voldemort is dead. It was kind of a breaking point. Death Eaters lost their focus and formation. Some tried to run, some tried to surrender. It was quickly over after that. Those of us still standing subdued the prisoners and we port-keyed them all to the safe cells in the DoM. I called the St. Mango's and we transported the dead and the injured to the clinic.
'The word about the battle got around fast. The papers were full of correct and less accurate reports about what had happened already in the morning. Bellatrix hasn't shown in public yet so the rumours are still running wild about what's going on, but yesterday Dumbledore gave short report to the press to calm down the public saying that Voldemort really is dead and that, well, everybody shall know more as soon as possible."
Sirius turned to Bella urging her to tell her story.
Bellatrix grimaced before beginning. "All the departments that didn't take part in the fight are in various states of disorder. Especially those division's whose Heads haven't shown up for work since the battle, however Ministry is holding afloat. You're awake now so the chaos should soon be put to stop."
"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.
"I've been operating out of the private ward of St. Mango's for the last few days waiting for you to wake up. I'm giving you a report. What do you think it means?" she asked back, impatiently.
"You handed in your resignation?" he didn't try to keep surprise out of his voice. He knew her plan, but up until now he hadn't thought of it as a real possibility. He'd been more focused on bringing down Voldemort.
"Not in a manner of speaking," Bella said. "Since I plan to leave for good, it might be more convenient, if everyone was to think I'm dead," she announced pragmatically.
"No," Sirius immediately disagreed and turned to look at his friends for support. He saw it in Lily's and James' faces that they'd had this argument before and lost. "No. I refuse to mourn you."
Bellatrix blinked. "I'm not asking you to mourn me."
"If you're dead, I'm in mourning. I'm not going to mourn!" he protested. "I'm Sirius Black! That does not mean that I look good serious and in black."
James snorted. Lily wished she was in a position to elbow him. She loved her husband to death, but his and his friends' juvenile humour still occasionally grated on her nerves.
"No. If you want to leave – you can. I swore that to you, but you're going to leave as the war hero you are," Sirius said resolutely. He looked Bella in the eye and dared her to disagree with him.
Bella frowned. She could turn him down. She was the Head of the Family. But then again, she remembered how she felt when she thought he was dead. The memory mellowed her, and she didn't think more before growling "Fine, Minister."
"Not yet," Sirius winked at her. "I want the ceremonial keys and a big party first."
BBRBW
It was late in the evening the same day when Bellatrix walked back into her cousin's hospital room. She knew he wasn't sleeping, because she could see from the hastily smoothed blankets that had dog hair on them that he had just transformed. She supposed it was probably easier on him to be in dog's skin when recuperating.
"I knew you'd be back," he said and opened his eyes. A nurse would have sounded different and smelled different.
She nodded. "So. You do remember."
"Some of it," he replied evasively.
Bellatrix sat down on an uncomfortable, wooden chair by his bed. "I know what happened. I just don't understand. How did you survive? I saw it hit you."
Sirius punched his pillow to make it fluffier and relaxed in the bed. "Lily, I think," he answered shortly.
She cocked her head to side but didn't say anything. She was a patient woman even if she had been an impatient child. She could wait for him to gather himself enough to figure out how to tell what happened.
"Did you tell them?" he asked suddenly. "Did you tell Lily and James what happened?"
"No," Bella shook her head. "Who would have believed me?"
"You're still the Minister."
"With a severe concussion when they brought me in," she remarked.
"You all right?" he asked, concerned.
"I'm fine. I drank a potion and I'm as good as new, and you and I are the only ones who know that what happened isn't something I saw only because Voldemort banged my head on a wall."
Sirius nodded. He wasn't sure that he ever wanted the information to be public knowledge. While it would make for a great story for the ladies, if he had a scar that is, he didn't want to put his friends and himself under the scrutiny it would cause.
"It's a fluke, really. I got a bit carried away with making a rocket out of the fireplace when I got hit with a bludgeoning curse. It didn't kill me, since James managed to shield me, but I still landed against the wall and, according to Lily, managed to crack my scapula. You know full well that we all agreed not to bring the medics in until the worst of it was over and it was a hotspot then and there. I was hurting, but I wanted to go on, but, we all knew that even with a numbing spell, I wouldn't last long and a well-placed hit would bring me down, make me an easy target...
'Lily had a brainstorm. She said a lot of things, most of which I don't remember and then she said she'd make me a cast, like the Muggles wear when they break something. She's Charms Mistress so that when she cast a spell to immobilize my shoulder, I kind of ended up with a marble upper body shield. It all happened so very fast. It took less than a minute before we were all back in fight and by then a man had already died watching our backs. I felt heavy and a bit fat," Sirius smiled wryly, "but I could move and I wasn't hurting. I didn't think much of it until later," Sirius admitted.
"When I thought you were dead... You were lying in rubble. Stones were all over you. In that moment I didn't think much of it, but now I think it was probably the marble," Bella said thoughtfully.
"That must have been it. The curse shattered the cast and my shoulder. I guess my life was a bit too much for it to chew," he grinned weakly.
"That's one a hell of a shield Lily gave you," Bellatrix remarked.
"Yeah," Sirius agreed. "Do you think I should tell them?"
She thought for a moment before replying. "It's entirely up to you. I won't tell anyone," she promised and paused wrestling with an idea that had been nudging at her for the past days. "It would tempt people far too much for you are too annoying at times," she teased half-heartedly.
"Trixy, I'm serious."
"I know," she grinned, but calmed soon. "Look. Lily is the kind of witch who likes to push her limits. Knowing that she saved you – it will give her a hundred thousand ideas how to save others. And guilt that she hadn't done it sooner. She won't blab to the Teen Witch about it and she won't get a superiority complex," Bella paused. "But you already know that."
"Yeah, I just wanted to hear you say it," Sirius admitted. "You and her, and James. You're all my family and all my life I never expected a Black to like my chosen family. It's just... It feels nice," he grinned. "So, expect me to milk it as much as I can."
Bella smiled indulgently. "The medicine is making you cheesy."
"Yes, it is," he agreed. "Please leave before I say something like I love you, Trixy in a completely non-creepy, platonic way."
She laughed and stood from the chair. In a different world where she'd be a different woman, she wouldn't even understand the face-value meaning much less the sentiment behind his words. "Get well soon, cousin," she wished him before leaving.
BBRBW
"You were looking for me?" Bellatrix asked stepping from veranda into the living room of Minister's Manor.
"Oh! Yes, yes, I need to talk to you, it couldn't wait," Lily jumped from the chair she had been sitting in.
"So, I was informed," Bellatrix noted. Outside the horizon was barely tinged with red. Dawn was yet to come. "What is the matter?" she asked maintaining her distance from the other witch, but engaging her, nonetheless. Every moment served to confirm the suspicion that had been growing in her mind since Sirius confirmed that it was Lily's magic that had saved his life.
"Is it true? What Sirius said?" Lily was worrying her hands. "It's not that I don't believe him, but..."
"But it's just hard to believe," Bellatrix replied uncharacteristically softly. She would not have gotten up at the crack of dawn to come to the Minister's Manor which she had abandoned since the night of the battle to talk to just anyone… But Lily Potter. Lily Potter wasn't just anyone, and now she knew it beyond a doubt.
"It's not an everyday thing to create a shield that can make death pause in it's way," Bella continued coming closer – watching Lily as one would a curious specimen. But kindly. "Certainly not something that just anyone could conjure."
"You know more than you're saying," Lily replied, swallowing a lump in her throat. She wondered if she should feel afraid with the way Bellatrix was stalking towards her. If she should be afraid of the woman that killed Voldemort. But honestly… She had never been afraid of Bellatrix. She had understood her, felt sympathy and pain for her.
"How do I know you?" she asked, and she meant all that bone-deep understanding that she didn't even have with her blood born sister. And she knew Bellatrix would understand her meaning without needing to explain.
"Because we are sisters," Bellatrix replied. She had felt something curiously familiar regarding Lily from the start, but now… "I took the waters at Glastonbury the night Voldemort died. I've felt the connection since then, but I did not know for sure until Sirius explained that it was you that saved him."
"You claimed your priesthood?" a surge of happiness overcame Lily. She would be happy for a friend, but this felt more... Like Family.
"And you have yet to claim yours," replied Bellatrix.
"What?"
They had come close during the conversation. Bellatrix took the hands of a witch she might have despised in another life, and with whom she shared a bond in magic that was as strong as the one she had with Andromeda and Narcissa.
"You asked me what I know," she said softly. "I could only suspect before I claimed my own power, but now I know – you, Lily Potter, are the priestess of Light, and that makes you my opposite and sister in magic."
"I… But I'm a Muggleborn…," Lily finally said, transfixed.
"It seems the Magic didn't care. There is a mark in you that I recognize now. I think you haven't felt the call of it, because… But you married right out of school, didn't you? With the full Wizarding ceremony, didn't you? Binding your souls? That would..." Bellatrix trailed off and Lily picked right up.
"That would explain why I have never been tempted one way or another. It would explain why even though I feel an understanding with you, I cannot pinpoint why, it would explain why…" Lily couldn't voice the conclusion.
"Why you could stop a Killing Curse."
"And if Voldemort had had either of us then… Then that power would have been his," Lily shuddered and had sit back down breaking the link their hands had made. The fate that had been narrowly avoided weighing heavily on her.
Bellatrix went and sat opposite to her. As she would have with Andromeda. The voice of magic in her nearly overwhelming since taking the Waters. "But he didn't."
"Because of you," Lily's green eyes bore into Bella's dark ones.
"Because of us," she smirked. "I don't think he had even an inkling who he was up against that night."
"We certainly didn't," Lily huffed regaining some composure, before, "I know some stuff from Sirius, but... What does it mean exactly now?"
"It means that as soon as you can stand without being wobbly, we will go to Glastonbury and you will take the Waters and claim your full rights. And then, well… We shall see. There haven't been two of us at the same time in quite a while, and certainly not from the opposite ends of Magic." It also meant that Bellatrix's plan to leave Wizarding World to its own devices was unlikely to succeed.
Last time there was a combination of opposites they created Hogwarts…
BBRBW
Meanwhile in Gotham...
Bruce had gone for years without any news from his imaginary friend and to be honest he had just about gotten used to the fact that he would never see her again when she had unexpectedly popped up in his bat-cave. Now it had been a few days since he'd last seen her, and it was slowly driving him crazy. He didn't know how he'd lasted all those years before.
These past few days he had a lot to deal with, but at the same time he felt that he had had far too much time to think. He felt he had over-thought the whole situation to death at least a dozen times over.
She wasn't real. He knew that. Sort of. She felt real. He knew that too.
It was hard to think that she might be just a fruit of his over-active imagination as a child (which meant that, if he was seeing her again, he was seriously ill), especially, because she told him things. Incredible things. Detailed things about a world he had never seen but could see in his mind's eye as clear as the faces of his parents.
Besides he couldn't think of a reason why he would imagine a guy who pops in to take her away from him. He knew that sometimes he walked a fine line between reason and self-harm, but he wouldn't ever make her go away, if he could make her stay. He vividly remembered the evening when she told him she's never coming back. If she was just his imagination, she wouldn't have left in the first place. He wouldn't have let that happen.
Not to mention that he knew he's smart, but to think that he could imagine her was far too arrogant. She was just so much, so complex and so very dear to him. She called him on his arrogance every time he slipped and hinted that he thought she's imaginary.
He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. The whole situation was driving him insane. It had been so much easier to accept it without question as a child, but now... Now he had reason and far too many questions. He knew a lot about tricks of mind, he had learned from the masters, but he didn't want her to be an illusion.
And in the end – that is exactly what the whole thing narrowed down to. He knew logically that she couldn't be real, but he wanted her to be.
He was far too old for imaginary friends anyway. He couldn't call her that anymore. That didn't mean in the least that he was giving up on her. If seeing her meant he was losing his mind, then the trip to insanity was far too sweet to resist.
His phone rang. He picked it up taking a quick look at the caller ID. Unknown. Judging by the country code before the number – English. "Bruce Wayne," he said in the receiver.
"Since your last one is beneath a pile of rubble, mind telling me which cave you've crawled into now?"
He was glad he wasn't eating or drinking, as it was, he almost chocked on his own tongue when he heard the voice that was more familiar to him than his own over the phone lines. "Bella?"
"Yes, Bruce and I'm on a tight schedule, where are you?"
He frowned. Was it just him or did she sound a bit stressed? "I'm in my car. Alfred's driving."
Bella cursed on her end. Apparating across the ocean into a moving vehicle was not going to be easy and that is not even mentioning that she was going to present one hell of a trick to Alfred by doing so and open a whole other can of worms. But it wasn't like she had much of a choice at the moment.
There was a deep thump as, yet another spell impacted the door of her apartment. She had had magic woven into the very wood and polish and every piece of metal, but nothing is indestructible.
"Bellatrix what is going on?" Bruce asked hearing the ominous noises on the other end of the line.
"I really can't talk right now," Bellatrix singsonged before waving her wand to obliterate her laptop. "The car. It's the Rolls-Royce right?" She wasn't going to be concentrating on the car, but it was always better to get the details straight.
"Yes," Bruce acknowledged shortly.
"Al-right!" Bella drawled cheerfully. "See you in a few minutes, just don't change the car, and, if you can - park it. Fast!" and then she dropped the call.
"Alfred - pull over," Bruce repeated immediately.
Alfred changed the lanes to pull over. "Something the matter Master Wayne?" he asked confused once the car came to a stop.
Bruce met Alfred's gaze in the back-view mirror. "I'm not sure. We will find out soon."
BBRBW
Same time back in London...
She heard a sizzling sound and turned just in time to see the metal adornments fall off the door. Her time was running dangerously short.
One would think that now with Voldemort gone and most of his inner circle Death Eaters either dead or incarcerated that everything was just peachy, but like always, nothing is over until it is really over.
Well, Bellatrix was glad, because in a way she did get what she wanted - Voldemort was dead and there was no one with his potential for global destruction to step up in his place to ruin her life. Not to mention that she had already resigned so the Ministry, claimed her magical priesthood, helped Lily do the same, and the whole of Wizarding world was now her cousin's problem, so really so far everything had gone down exactly like she had wanted and planned.
Except now there was Lucius Malfoy who didn't care about the fate of the rest of the world but seemed to care very much about the destruction of her life. The man seemed to have developed a personal grudge against her, and his reasons Bellatrix could only guess (killing his Master, publicly rejecting alliance between their families despite her sister's marriage to the man, humiliating him on various public occasions - well, those might be at the top of his list - oh, also one of her last orders as a Minister had been to freeze all accounts of known and suspected Death Eaters, including those of Lucius Malfoy). Anyway, Bellatrix was aware that there was more than enough reason for a quarrel between them.
And now since Sirius had sneakily persuaded her not to make her death public; which of course didn't mean that she wasn't going to do all in her power to endorse the rumour of her untimely passing; with all the celebrations, reforms and roaming journalist-wannabes and people on the lookout for her (honestly, a little rumour to twist the mind of the masses is all good, but what the Quibbler had done with her anonymous suggestion was frankly ridiculous - seriously, "Is she dead or deader? Our dear Madame Minister?" the awful title still rang in her head as the paper-boy had screeched it in the streets) there was no place for her to safely stay in England.
Especially when she couldn't trust that Narcissa wouldn't know her hideouts. They had been raised together - Narcissa knew all the family estates that were warded sufficiently and she seemed to have shifted her loyalties entirely to her new family, so for the moment - Bellatrix had to run and regroup. And she was going to run to the one place that nobody knew about - not even Sirius, not directly. He had Apparated and found her by navigating the blood Oath binding them and that was exclusive to the two of them.
But before she could run, she had to escape Lucius and whatever other goons of his had escaped her troops on the night of the battle and she had to destroy anything that might give hint as to where she's going to. She was not going to bring down Death Eaters on Bruce's doorstep.
Her door was blasted off its hinges. She turned sharply and pointed her wand at the door opening. "I don't remember inviting you in, Lord Malfoy."
"I don't recall asking for your opinion, Lady Black," he grinned widely. "Now, will you die nicely or will this have to get nasty?"
"I get a choice," she cooed. "Flattered, Lord. Very flattered."
"I would hate to be anything less than the very embodiment of courtesy, my Lady," he said confidently walking into her apartment, his goons spilling in the room behind him and spreading around, cornering her in.
She glanced at the open balcony door. It was the only exit point left. Then she looked back at Malfoy and smiled in challenge. "I would hate to be a bad host then," she said.
"Look at this," she stepped backwards until she was on the small balcony. She adapted an expression of outrage. "An open door in this weather! You must be chilled. Fiendfyre!" she cast the curse and fell backwards off the balcony doing something she hadn't done for nearly a decade – finding that feeling, that sense of another person, that unfailing instinct that had once so often crossed the boundaries of countries, oceans, logic and even magic, she concentrated on that and Apparated mid-fall.
She knew that the uncontrollable fire will most likely destroy the whole building, but since all of it (all 21 floors of it) belonged to her and she was the only tenant - she wasn't worried about casualties. Besides, the building was warded and however bad the fire got - it wouldn't spread.
Not to mention, she just knew that Lucius would escape. After all nothing ever was as easy as just burning it all to the ground. He would escape and she would be back later to deal with him. Sometime soon one of them - Lucius, if Bella had her way - will die, but not today. After all, even Bellatrix can't kill all her enemies in one week. It would make the rest of her life terribly dull now wouldn't it?
BBRBW
It was less like an Apparation and more like a soundless, sudden crash. Her head slammed against the headrest of the front seat, she hit various other parts of her body and most of it happened so fast that she only deduced what had happened from the lingering and renewed pains in her body when everything stopped and she found herself curled on the back-seat of Bruce's Rolls-Royce right beside the man himself.
"Dear God!" Alfred exclaimed and turned to look at what was happening, as the mirror offered very limited range. "Are you alright?"
"Bellatrix," Bruce reached for her only halfway realizing that Alfred hadn't been speaking to him. He stopped turning to Alfred, "You can see her?" he demanded incredulously.
"Of course, Master Bruce. I don't understand where she came from, but I can see the lady well enough," Alfred replied befuddled a bit. "Are you alright though, Miss?" he asked again.
"He can see you?" Bruce turned to her.
Bella rubbed her hurting forehead. Two concussions in one week. Not good even with the healing potions running in her veins. "Thank you, Alfred, I'll be alright," she answered softly, before turning to Bruce, "Yes, he can see me," she said candidly. Out of the fire, into the frying pan.
She stared at Bruce and somehow find herself wishing she had a nervous habit so that she could nervously tap her fingers or bite her lip to pass the time as she watched as her admission slowly settled like a worm in Bruce's trust which hadn't been shaken by years of absence, but might be eaten from the inside by all she had yet to confess.