It was now or never. She knew it must be done. Her lord had given her this assignment special, knowing only she could succeed. She would not fail him. Even as she promised herself this she felt a sick twisting in her stomach.

Bellatrix had hoped never to go back to Azkaban. In fact she'd been trying to keep as far from it as possible. True some of the dementors were on Voldemort's side now but dementors usually aren't very loyal. She doubted they'd really care. She thought back to what she had said to Crabbe and wished all she had to fear was a sloppy tongue tangle.

But I've escaped Azkaban once, shouldn't be hard to do it again. She tried not to think of how long she had stayed before her escape. Also I had help.

It infuriated her, the nerves, the fear. I am getting in, getting what I'm after, and getting out. And I will kill anyone I come in contact with. She thought ferociously as she flew toward the massive structure the cold night air whipping back her hair and stinging her face.

Bellatrix expected to be swarmed by dementors any moment but to her surprise none showed. She few low over the icy water hoping to remain hidden in the cover of darkness. The moon's light came and went behind the clouds and she was grateful as it darkened when she approached the great metal doors.

It seemed ridiculous for anyone entering illegally to use the one and only door. Surely someone would try to break in, impossible as it was. Bellatrix knew this and so she used the door knowing full well it would be the last thing anyone would expect. As would breaking in in the first place.

Landing on the jagged rock proved difficult as it was hard for her to find her footing but she managed then hid her broom under a large rock that stuck out above the others. Facing the large steel doors she expected it to take more than it did to break in. It took much magic and lifting of wards to get them open but she finally did and throwing them wide she held her wand ready for battle as surely dementors would jump her the moment she stepped inside. But they didn't.

It was surprisingly easy to sneak in. I suppose they are more concerned with what might get out. Most of the dementors had already left and the place was not nearly as well guarded as she remembered.

They must have human guards as well. She assumed as she walked quietly along the narrow halls. Thankfully the cells had solid doors so no prisoner could see her and call out. If any would be so foolish. But this place does things to you. Does things to your mind.

A dark shadowy figure swept from around a corner. She froze hearing its rattling breaths as she watched it advance on her. The dark chill she had grown accustom to during her stay here crept across her skin and seeped into her bones. It didn't affect her as strongly as it should have but she could still feel the aching hopelessness that only Azkaban could provide, her fourteen years returning to her in her mind.

No! She pushed the thoughts away replacing them with him. Her Dark Lord. Stroking her hair as he praised her, giving her this assignment. That was quite the complement. He had been the one thing that had kept her going during her unpleasant stay.

She grinned at the dementor which was now almost near enough for a kiss.

"Expecto Patronum."

A silvery snake burst from her wand tip and wrapped itself around the cloaked figure which gave a sickening shriek and retreated into the shadows.

Bellatrix let out a short cackle almost forgetting to be quiet. The dementor had already made enough noise as it screamed. Hopefully the guards would just think it was a prisoner. Cries of pain and loss were quite common in Azkaban.

Bellatrix passed cells near where hers had been. The woman in the cell ahead of her had screamed so frequently she had made Bella lose sleep many nights over the racket. Bellatrix glared in through the small, barred, window in the door. There was movement inside and she laid the tip of her wand at the window.

No. This was not the time for her own foolish revenge. Besides the woman will suffer more being left to rot. Turning away from the door and the lost soul behind it she continued down the hall with purpose trying to look the other way as she came to her own cell but she had to give it a glance.

They had of course fixed the gaping hole but it was still empty. Bellatrix had the eeriest feeling they were saving it for her. Her own reservation in hell.

She walked past quickly. There, he was in this one. Her target.

"Expulso."

It took three tries before the solid steel door which had been reinforced by magic burst in.

She stepped inside, wand lit and shivered. It looked exactly like her own cell. They all looked alike she supposed even the view, just water and sky.

A man lunged at her from a dark corner.

"Impedimenta."

He was thrown back hard against the stone wall. Bellatrix thought she heard something break. He slid down the wall to huddle on the floor and began mumbling to himself. She stood next to him careful to keep her wand out of his reach should he lunge again but it seemed his first attack had taken all the strength he had. He sat there ignoring her.

No one ignores Bellatrix Black. She thought angrily. That's right I'm reclaiming my family name.

"Look at me." She demanded.

It seemed to take awhile for the man to understand but eventually he met her gaze.

So many are so quick to lose their minds. She mused. It must have been my strong will that saved my sanity.

The problem now was how you torture the insane. They can feel the pain, yes, but can they understand what you want from them?

She supposed she'd have to trust the Dark Lord. Fun as it would be to torture she figured she should do it his way.

Slipping the potion he'd given her from where she's stashed it down her corset top Bella pulled the cork and drank it all in one. Foul as it was she somehow managed to keep it down. Stepping back from the man Bellatrix levelled her wand at him.

"Legilimens."

In a flash she was in his mind. The potion would protect her she knew from losing her own mind as she entered one so already gone. It was a dark and dangerous path she was on and rather confusing. The flashing thoughts and feelings were random and unpredictable.

In the distance she heard wails, the man protesting at her intrusion but she knew he was weak and could do nothing to fend her off.

Bellatrix pushed deeper until she found sense buried in the farthest recesses of his mind. A life. A life before Azkaban, before crime. A wife.

Too far. She flicked through his memories, his whole life story. It bored her beyond words. Ha I've found it. The man moaned as she cried out within his head.

She took in every detail of his research, his work everything he had done within the dark arts. She searched for everything she could knowing she had limited time and needed to be getting back to reality. She was vulnerable, distracted as she was and if there was one thing Bellatrix hated above all else it was being vulnerable.

When the Aurors burst into his memory and took him away she knew she had seen all that was worth seeing. Retreating from his mind she returned to the dank cell. Looking down at the poor man shivering in the corner he was but a shadow of the man she had just seen so clearly within his memories.

This was hard work breaking into Azkaban she wanted some pleasure. She wanted to torture him but knew to do so would be a waste of precious time and an unnecessary risk. Besides he's already tortured far worse then what I could do to him. She thought rather disappointed.

She turned her wand on him without mercy. Or maybe death is more merciful to such a man. Either way it had to be done, even insane he could still talk...still tell.

"Avada Kadavra."

He slumped limp against the wall.

Now I just need to escape from Azkaban. Again. Well, I know the way out. Figuring the direct approach was best Bellatrix walked quickly but with ease carefully observing everything, keeping alert. Still she didn't hear the soft footsteps as they approached until they were right on top of her.

The guards stopped, wands drawn but Bellatrix had hers ready as well. They stood sizing each other up before one of the men spoke, a look of very real surprise on his face.

"What? That...that's Bellatrix Lestrange." He stammered.

"You remember me?" She sang delightedly. "But the name's Black once more." She corrected. Then her expression darkened.

"You. You're the one who served me during my stay here. You're that one who spat on my food."

Dementors may be decent guards but they severely lacked any sort of domestic skill. Humans were needed to check in on them as well as to feed the prisoners and care for their human needs. Not that there was much care ever really given in Azkaban.

Both guards stood amazingly still sensing an increase in danger but the one she didn't recognize took a moment to glance at his partner with a look of disgust. Clearly he thought the mistreatment of even such a prisoner as Bellatrix Lestrange was appalling.

He was one of those good ones. Bellatrix liked to kill them just as much as those that crossed her, if not more. Their looks of shock and betrayal were always so satisfying.

Their gathering seemed to draw the attention of the dementors as soon four of them swept from all sides. Everyone feared to move their wands away from the other. Bellatrix stood firm pretending to ignore the advancing shadows as she hoped the guards would turn away first. And they did. One used the Patronus Charm expelling two dementors at once.

Bellatrix left him be as he was saving her also with or without intent. The man she didn't recognize looked terrified as she swept her wand at him. He dived away from the killing curse.

Bellatrix had been counting on the one to fend off all the dementors which freed her to attack his partner but he didn't even try. A dementor was closing in on her and the guard she recognized left her to deal with it as he stood back and watched smiling.

It wouldn't have been a problem except she could hear the rattling breath of another behind her. I'm going to survive this if only to wipe that smile from his face. And killing him was her happy thought that helped her fend off the facing dementor. As it was pushed away she spun to face the one behind her and was surprised to find the man on the floor, the man who had dodged her own killing curse, fighting it for her.

He sent it away and stood up. Quickly she called out a theatrical thank you and threw herself into his arms knowing he was the emotionally weaker of the two. He hugged her back, foolishly believing that the near death experience had at least for a moment changed her. It hadn't.

In one fluid motion she was behind him his wand in her hand and hers at his throat. She used him as a shield as the other man lunged, about to fight. He froze afraid of hitting his friend. Instead of attacking he held his wand up sending out a screeching alarm.

Using the second he had his wand off her she sent the killing curse directly at his chest. There was a flash of green and she saw it hit him dead centre, then he fell to the floor.

"No." The man she held thrashed but as she had lifted her wand for the kill she had kept his own held at his throat with her left hand. She spun him around so she could look into his eyes. They pleaded with her.

I could have fun with him. If only I had the time. He was lucky she didn't. Pointing her wand at his temple she gave him the same as his friend.

"Avada Kadavra."

The light in his soft brown eyes faded and he slackened in her grasp, she threw him down. It gave her a charge killing him the betrayal was in his eyes as she knew it would be. She used the positive feeling to expel the again advancing dementors. That and she thought of the Dark Lord.

He'll be so pleased with me. So proud of what I've done. She stopped herself from getting overly excited. I still need to escape and that alarm will bring more guards.

Already she could hear them approaching. Running down the hallway she knew the exit wasn't far off. But just as she predicted, the doors were now guarded after they had been warned of an intruder. There were only two Aurors.

Bellatrix kept back, hidden in shadow. She stunned the man knowing the bright flash of the killing curse could reveal her location. He crumpled and fell. The woman with him turned to see what happened to him and in that moment Bellatrix stunned her too. The door was still weak from her break in and it took very little to magically force it open.

There were shouts coming from behind her and footsteps but she didn't dare turn to see how far off. She summoned her broom from its hiding spot. As it zoomed toward her she jumped on quickly and sped off.

It was impossible to hide, there was nothing but open water for miles and she was already being pursued. Glancing back she estimated the distance and the speed she would need to keep. Bellatrix checked her bearings knowing which way would lead her safely to land.

Then she went the opposite as Azkaban was all that could conceal her from the eyes of her pursuers and the spells they slung. Within seconds she dived from their view and cast the Bubble-Head Charm on herself. There was only one way she could possibly escape them and she wasn't sure if anything like it had ever been attempted.

Charm in place she dived down into the icy water. It was a shock to her system but she went deeper anyway until she was sure she could not be seen from the surface. The broom bucked in protest of the poor treatment she was giving it, it was meant to fly not to swim. Still it continued to move, slowed some by the water it fought through. Time was hard to estimate and she had to guess she was going in the correct direction but she didn't dare pull up and check.

Bellatrix refused to resurface until she saw land but the broom had other ideas. It lasted far longer than she had expected but it eventually lost its battle with the new element. Letting it fall into the dark depths of the sea she finally swam up.

She was unsure how far she had left to go. Apparating from the water would be near impossible. But she found she was within swimming distance anyway.

Weak, wet and shivering to the core she crawled up on the shore and collapsed. It would have been so nice to lay there just to rest for a bit except she knew every Auror in the country was now searching for her. Not only had she killed two more of them but it seemed an insult she had broken into Azkaban and then escaped again. Then the reality of it hit her.

I escaped again. I actually did it. It was empowering. But I'd really rather not try for a third all the same. All thought of sleep gone, Bellatrix couldn't wait to tell her lord the happy news. She stood, her long soaked skirt weighing her back down. I'll just stop home first, only for a moment. She did after all want to look her best for the Dark Lord.