Potter was going to go to the ministry. He believed that Sirius was in danger. The stupid boy believed the vision that The Dark Lord placed in his mind. Stupid boy. So now they were off to the ministry. Bella and Lucius and several other Death Eaters. They were going to get the prophecy for The Dark Lord. Finally he would know how to defeat the boy. Finally he would know how to win. They apparated to the ministry as a group and went down to the Department of Mysteries. They got into the circular room, and closed the door. The wall span, just as Rookwood had said it would, and the blue candles on the wall blurred for a few moments. Then Bella began to see it slowing down. The wall stopped spinning and Rookwood said "room of prophecy". He had worked in the ministry, so he knew how this room worked. The door opened. They all walked through the door and into the long dark room with glittering lights that Rookwood had described. As they walked through this room, Bella saw clocks on every available surface – the ticking was irritating. At the end of the room was the large crystal bell jar, which was the source of the glittering lights. There was a bird inside, which was growing at an impossible speed before growing smaller and smaller until it became an egg. It was only an egg for a couple of seconds before it hatched and began to grow again. Bella wondered what was in the bell jar, but didn't say anything. If she did, she knew that the Death Eaters around her would see it as a sign of weakness. They had walked through another door now and into the giant space that was the Hall of Prophecy. "Potter is going to go to row ninety-seven, so we need to separate and hide around there" Lucius said. Bella was annoyed - why had he been put in charge? Lucius was probably one of the most incompetent of the group but the Dark Lord had put him in charge. He hadn't even worked in the Department of Mysteries to give him an advantage on the rest of them – it was Rookwood who was leading them through. They waited for a while; Bella was still silently fuming over Lucius. Bella wasn't sure how long they had been standing there, when suddenly they saw a chink of glimmering lights which quickly went away again. The door had been opened, so Potter must be here. Bella could hear muffled voices, so she knew that he wasn't alone. She wondered who had been stupid enough to follow Potter here, when Potter expected to be facing the Dark Lord. Unwise children they had been tonight. None of them would be leaving the building, but they would get the prophecy that the Dark Lord needed so desperately.
"Ninety-seven!" A girl's voice had whispered – the children were close.
"He's right down at the end. You can't see properly from here" it was Potters voice this time. There was quiet for about a minute before Bella heard Potter speak again. "He should be near here. Anywhere here … really close …"
"Harry?" it was the girl who had spoken before, but now Bella could see the group. There were six of them in total, but it was too dark to make out who they were properly.
"Somewhere about … here …" Potter had continued to say. They had come out of the row and were standing as a group. Bella could just make out the bewildered expression on Potters face as he looked around in the dim candlelight. "He might be … or maybe …" Potter was peering down the next few alleyways as he spoke. Bella could hear the desperation in his voice. He was willing himself to find Sirius. Bella thought how stupid the boy was, loving her cousin as much as he did. The boy barely knew him, as Sirius had spent most of the boy's life in Azkaban. Bella wondered, as she had often done, what made Sirius so different from the rest of their family, and whether if she had been placed in a different house, she would be in the same position. She remembered back to her first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, how she had wondered whether she belonged in Slytherin. How she had wondered about her beliefs and those of the rest of Slytherin house. But Bella had accepted that the Sorting Hat had put her in Slytherin for a reason, so surely she was fulfilling what the Hat had seen in her. She felt a faint stirring of disquiet as she often did when she thought about that first day at Hogwarts, but there was no time to dwell on it now. She had a job to do.
"Harry?" the girl said again.
"What?" Potter replied snappily.
"I … I don't think Sirius is here." The girl said this rather timidly, as if she expected Potter to yell at her for suggesting such a thing. Potter said nothing however and just began to run past the isles looking for Sirius.
"Harry?" It was one of the boys who had called this time.
"What?" Potter was beginning to get angry now. Bella could see it in his face. She could also see that the other boy had been examining the prophecies. He had seen it. He was going to show Potter!
"Have you seen this?" the boy asked.
"What?" Potter said again. There was eagerness in his voice, rather than anger now. He had run back to where the group were huddled at the end of row ninety-seven. "What" he repeated, but rather glumly this time.
"It's – it's got your name on" the boy told him, looking at the dusty prophecies on the shelf.
"My name?" Potter said this rather questioningly. Bella wondered why. Surely he knew where he was and what the prophecies were?
"What is it? What's your name doing down here?" The boy asked. This puzzled Bella further. Did none of them know where they were and what the fact that there was a prophecy with Potter's name on it meant? "I'm not here. None of the rest of us are here." They were looking along the shelving now, as if they really expected to see one of their names in addition to Potters. Bella suppressed a chuckle. These children really were foolish. To have come all this way, following Potters vision without knowing what they were getting themselves into.
"Harry, I don't think you should touch it" the girl said sharply. Potter had stretched out his hand towards the prophecy with his name on it.
"Why not?" He asked her. "It's something to do with me, isn't it?"
"Don't Harry" it was one of the other boys who had said this.
"It's got my name on" Potter retorted. He picked up the prophecy. It was almost time for them to make their move. Bella was excited! She had wanted to take Potter on since he had taken down the Dark Lord nearly fourteen years ago. She could see Lucius through one of the rows. He glanced at her and shook his head. As if he was telling her what to do. This infuriated her. She was older than him, she had done time in Azkaban for the Dark Lord whilst he had stayed at the top of the social ladder. Doing nothing to try and find the Dark Lord. Lucius must have seen these thoughts forming in Bella's mind, as he suddenly stepped forwards, into the light. All of the children were facing away from them, examining the prophecy.
"Very good, Potter. Now turn around nice and slowly, and give that to me." Lucius said. The other Death Eaters moved forwards as well, Bella moved with them, all with their wands lit and raised. They formed a circle around the children, cutting off any way of escape. They were trapped, and exactly where they wanted them. One of the girls gave a gasp of horror as they looked around and saw their predicament. "To me, Potter" Lucius said, holding out his hand to receive the prophecy. "To me."
"Where's Sirius?" Potter asked. Bella and some of the other Death Eaters laughed at this.
"The Dark Lord always knows!" Bella said triumphantly.
"Always. Now, give me the prophecy, Potter." Lucius said softly.
"I want to know where Sirius is!" Potter said.
"I want to know where Sirius is!" Bella was mimicking Potter, taunting him by repeating his words. Mocking him.
"You've got him" Potter said. "He's here. I know he is."
"The little baby woke up fwightened and fort what it dweamed was two." Bella was enjoying mocking him. Taunting him. Repeating his words in a babyish voice. It had been a long time since she had been able to play like this."
"Don't do anything, not yet" Potter was muttering to his friends.
Bella shrieked with laughter. "You hear him? You hear him? Giving instructions to the other children as though he thinks of fighting us!"
"Oh, you don't know Potter as I do, Bellatrix. He has a great weakness for heroics; the Dark Lord understands this about him. Now give me the prophecy Potter." Lucius had yelled this last part. Bella knew he was becoming frustrated.
"I know Sirius is here. I know you've got him!" Potter was becoming more and more desperate. Bella could see this in his eyes. She laughed along with the others at the boys stupidity.
"It's time you learned the difference between life and dreams, Potter. Now give me the prophecy, or we start using wands." Lucius was becoming increasingly impatient with Potter.
"Go on then" Potter replied angrily, raising his wand to chest height. The other children followed his example. They all had their wands raised and were ready to fight. Stupid children. Thinking of taking on eleven Death Eaters, as if there was a chance that they would survive?
"Hand over the prophecy and no one need get hurt" Lucius said coolly.
Potter laughed at this. "Yeah right" I give you this – prophecy is it? And you'll just let us skip off home, will you?"
Bella had had enough of all of this talking. "Accio Proph –"
"Protego!" Potter had shouted this just in time. Bella had been so close to summoning the prophecy into her hands, but Potter had saved it just in time.
"Oh, he knows how to play, little bitty baby Potter. Very well, then –" Bella began to raise her wand.
"I TOLD YOU NO!" Lucius roared. "If you smash it –!"
Bella stepped forward and removed her hood so that Potter could see her. "You need more persuasion?" She asked, breathing heavily with excitement. "Very well – take the smallest one" she ordered Jugson who was stood on her right. "Let him watch while we torture the little girl. I'll do it." The other children had tightened in a circle around the smallest girl, who had long ginger hair. Bella guessed that she was a Weasley, which made her want to torture her even more. The Weasley family were the biggest Blood Traitor family in the wizarding world. Potter was directly in front of her, with the prophecy held close to his chest.
"You'll have to smash this if you want to attack any of us, I don't think your boss will be too pleased if you come back without it, will he?" He was looking her straight in the face, showing more defiance than fear. "So, what kind of prophecy are we talking about, anyway?" Potter asked.
"What kind of prophecy?" Bella repeated. "You jest, Harry Potter." She was sure he must know. Dumbledore was sure to have told the boy about the prophecy.
"Nope, not jesting" Potter said, now looking to each of the Death Eaters in turn. "How come Voldemort wants it?"
Bella gasped internally. It had been a long time since she had heard that name. People were usually too scared to. "You dare speak his name?" She asked him in a whisper.
"Yeah. Yeah I've got no problem with saying Vol –"
"Shut your mouth!" Bella shrieked, cutting him off. "You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your halfblood's tongue, you dare –"
"Did you know he's a half-blood too?" He had cut her off this time, which angered her more than anything else that had happened so far that evening. "Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a Muggle – or has he been telling you lot he's pure-blood?"
"STUPEF–" Bella began.
"NO" roared Lucius, hitting her wand, which had begun to shoot red light at the boy, causing it to smash into one of the shelves just to the left of the boy. "DO NOT ATTACK! WE NEED THE PROPHECY!" Bella was in such a rage over this that she stopped noticing her surroundings.
"He dared – he dares –" she shrieked "he stands there – filthy half-blood –"
"WAIT UNTIL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!" Lucius bellowed at her.
"You haven't told me what's so special about this prophecy I'm supposed to be handing over." Potter saying this had pulled her back to her senses.
"Do not play games with us Potter" Lucius told him.
"I'm not playing games." The boy replied.
"Dumbledore never told you the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?" Lucius sneered.
"I – what? What about my scar?" Potter seemed genuinely confused by what Malfoy had just said.
"Can this be? Dumbledore never told you? Well, this explains why you didn't come earlier, Potter, the Dark Lord wondered why you didn't come running when he showed you the place where it was hidden in your dreams. He though natural curiosity would make you want to hear the exact wording …"
"Did he?" Potter asked. "So he wanted me to come and get it, did he? Why?"
"Why?" Lucius laughed incredulously. "Because the only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries, Potter, are those about whom it was made, as the Dark Lord discovered when he attempted to use others to steal it for him."
"And why did he want to steal a prophecy about me?"
"About both of you, Potter, about both of you … haven't you ever wondered why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby?"
Potter stared at Lucius. "Someone made a prophecy about Voldemort and me?" He asked this extremely quietly, whilst still clutching the prophecy close to him. "And he's made me come and get it for him? Why couldn't he come and get it himself?"
"Get it himself?" Bella shrieked, before a cackle of laughter escaped her lips. "The Dark Lord, walk into the Ministry of Magic, when they are so sweetly ignoring his return? The Dark Lord, reveal himself to the Aurors, when at the moment they are wasting their time on my dear cousin?"
"So, he's got you doing his work for him, has he? Like he tried to get Sturgis to steal it – and Bode?"
"Very good, Potter, very good …" Lucius said slowly "but the Dark Lord knows you are not unintell–"
"NOW" Potter yelled suddenly.
The other five all raised their wands immediately yelling "REDUCTO!" The curses shot in different directions and smashed into the shelves, which began to topple and fall.