Repercussions of the Past

"It is only the faults of one's self

that allows transgressions

from the past to manifest in the

present."

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay... another story has crept into my mind and would not quite let go until I wrote most of it down. I would like to thank everyone for all the kind reviews for the previous chapter! Plus, I would like to thank everyone else who read, followed, or favourited this story!

Swirling images creep across her vision as she tries vainly to focus on what is in front of her. The massive headache that has been forming for hours finally grasps what remaining attention she has left and leaves her light-headed. Struggling to calm the tempest storm in her head, she takes a deep breath to steady herself before moving down the corridor towards the darkened sanctuary that is her quarters. A bright flash of light erupts from her left side momentarily blinding her, but after a few seconds that visual display does not matter anymore. The intense pain that course through every fibre of her being does though. It sends her reeling sideways, crashing into a wood-panelled wall, and onto the floor. Blood runs from her temple and the side of her mouth as she seizes uncontrollably on the floor. Gasping breath brings the blood frothing up from her throat like a well-spring. Finally, the pain starts to subside when she is hit with another blow that makes her feel as though she had been split in two. She is faintly aware of her robes sticking to her chest and the spot on the floor underneath her growing wetter by the second. As the woman lies on the hardwood floor, dying, she thinks she hears voices fading in and out but is not aware of what they are saying. The only thing she can focus on is how unnaturally cold she feels and that she doesn't hurt as much as she had a few moments ago.

Bellatrix stalks her bedroom like a caged animal as Narcissa sits in front of the window overlooking the terrace, "Bella, you need to calm down. There is nothing you can do right now."

The older witch stops and stares at her younger sister, "Nothing I can do? Nothing I can do? Hermione has been unconscious for three days now! There has to be something I can do for her!"

"No there isn't and you know it, Bella," Narcissa says as she turns away from the window and looks at her oldest sister, "The Dark-Lord said that we just have to wait. I checked on her just last night as well. Physically there is nothing wrong with her. Her wounds have healed nicely... it is just her mind that is causing her to remain in the state that she is in. What she went through was hell, as He said, so she needs time to recuperate. So why don't you sit down and try to relax. Or, why do you not ask the Dark-Lord for another assignment? I am sure He would be more than happy to give you one, what with Yaxley making quite the mess the other day."

"Quite frankly Cissy, I don't care for an assignment right now. How could you even think that I would go out at a time like this! I am surprised that Rabastan didn't kill her! She was already weak from the memories that Our Lord showed her, then to be attacked while on her way to her quarters? I am surprised that he wasn't killed right on the spot! If she doesn't wake up, I will go down to the dungeons and personally kill Rabastan!"

"Stop blaming yourself, Bella, there was nothing you could have done to stop him from attacking her. You weren't there."

"I DO BLAME MYSELF, CISSY!" Bellatrix screams, "If I had followed her to her room, none of this would have happened! I lost her once before, I am not losing her again!"

Narcissa watches her sister carefully as she twirls her wand in her hand. Calmly she asks, "In which sense are you speaking? When Hermione was Apparated away by that filthy house-elf or when Enyo was murdered by Rudolphus? Be careful on how you answer, my dear sister. You don't even know who she will be when she wakes. We do not even know what the Dark-Lord has shown her."

"You know what I mean, Cissy," Bellatrix replies numbly as she stops pacing and leans against the wall of her room, "I need to see her Cissy. I just have to... I owe her that much."

The youngest Black sighs as she stares at her older sister. Narcissa knows all too well how Bellatrix feels right now... she was the one who helped her sister night after night with the nightmares after Enyo had died until they had mysteriously stopped the following week, now with this possible second chance, the younger witch knows that her sister will not give up. She knows that Bellatrix will fight to her very last breath to make sure she has this second chance. "Maybe He will allow you to see her, but you can't just storm into her room, Bella, we have no idea what sort emotions it could trigger in her, if she is awake, if you arrive as upset as you are. I do want to keep my mansion in one piece, after all."

"I do believe Miss Granger should awaken within the day," the Dark-Lord says as he enters the room unannounced, "Sorry to intrude, but I must speak with Bellatrix. Narcissa, do you mind?"

"Of course I do not mind, My Lord. My house is Your house," the blonde witch replies as she lowers her head, "I was just leaving to see if the elves have started preparing dinner."

Two sets of eyes follow the younger witch as she leaves out the door and into the corridor. When the door closes behind her, the Dark-Lord takes out his wand and quickly casts several charms to keep anyone from listening in, "Now Bella, what I will say next can not leave this room, do you understand? If anyone besides Severus, you and myself are heard speaking about anything that I am about to tell you, then I will be short a lieutenant and a double-agent. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, My Lord."

"Good. I will not have you make an Unbreakable Vow... I trust your word, as I trust Severus's. Now you were in the room when Hermione spoke of my Horcruxes. After all, you were the one who told me that she had told you that Albus had them looking for them," He looks around the room and His gaze settles on the failing embers in the fireplace. "Since I know that my diary, the locket, and my family's ring have all been destroyed, I will need to replace them. The boy..." He shakes His head and smirks. "Well, I should have figured out what he was beforehand. I can not kill a piece of my own soul, but he must be destroyed before we are able to establish my regime. Hermione has come up with a plan for his demise, but we can not put it into play before we have secured my remaining Horcruxes. Do you remember the cup that I had you place in your vault several years ago?"

Bellatrix clears her throat, "Yes, My Lord, I remember. It is still in my vault. Hermione had mentioned that Potter had told her that the cup was one of your Horcruxes, but she made sure to stop them before he could even get his filthy hands on it."

"Which I am very thankful that she did, however, we can not keep it there much longer."

"I understand, My Lord... when Potter escaped that day at Gringott's, he is the only loose end to the location of it."

"Quite right, Bellatrix, and that is why I will need you to go to your vault and retrieve it for me. That Blood-traitor Weasley's eldest son and his wife work in Gringott's and if the boy has told the rest of the Order why they had gone to the bank, then you know those two would be able to easily steal it from your vault no matter the protections you have placed on it."

"Permission to speak, My Lord?" the dark witch asks tentatively as she stares at her master. Nodding His head in consent, she continues, "Hermione mentioned that the Potter boy had given Dumbledore his word that he would not breathe a word of their mission to anyone inside the Order. She was very adamant about how stubborn the boy is and that he would never betray Dumbledore. I believe that he will keep quiet, thus making it easier for us to sabotage his plan."

Voldemort smiles a snake-like grin, motions for his lieutenant to stand, and follow Him. "I would be inclined to agree with you, Bellatrix, if I didn't already know otherwise. You were correct when you said he would never breathe a word, but with this plan that I have set in motion along with our dear friend, Severus, I believe the rest of the Order now knows of my Horcruxes. Severus has set in motion, with my approval, of course, a whirlwind of change inside the Order. After tonight, they will see the boy as nothing more than a hindrance and will try to keep him out of the picture. Severus is leading them on a false trail and right into our hands."

He stops suddenly in the middle of the corridor and turns to face Bellatrix. The smile on His face widens sickeningly as a thought crosses His mind, "Remember what I said about needing replacements for what I have lost?" The dark witch nods her head, refusing to mention anything that was said in the protected room out loud in the unsecured hallway. "Well, I was thinking... Rabastan would have made a proper replacement, but I think that you and Hermione would prefer his hide as an excellent trophy, so I will spare him for the both of you. How do you feel about bringing the Order members around to help with replacing the Horcruxes I have lost?"

The witch cackles as a murderous gleam flickers in her eyes, "Only if I can have a partner to help bring them in alive, if maybe a little harmed. I think she might enjoy a little activity once she awakens."

"Well, you can ask her soon. If I am correct, she should come to in a couple of hours." Voldemort walks further down the hall before turning to face the witch once more, "I think I shall add Yaxley to the list as well! It is better to be safe than sorry when trying to take over the world! What think you, Bella?"

Her smile matches her master's, "I would have to agree, My Lord."

Dark cumulus clouds roll across the sky like a vast herd of sheep, darkening the once cerulean heavens as she crosses the immense grounds of behind Black Manor, "Bella, my dear... where are you?" the woman shouts as the wind picks up causing her voice to be thrown back at her. She has been waiting for several minutes for the dark witch to arrive at their rendezvous. It is past the time that Bellatrix had said she would meet her and her anxiety starts to get the best of her.

The sound of distant thunder echoing through the trees on the outer rim of the tract muffles the sound of boots crunching in the tall grass, "I thought I told you to never show your face here again, witch." A gruff voice spits out from behind the woman.

Quickly pivoting on her heel, she faces the newcomer. She produces her wand, but leaves it at her side as she stares at the man in front of her with disgust, "Rudolphus... I was wondering when you would show yourself. Do you even realise that you are not the one for her? She will never love you and her mother will never accept you into the family!"

"How dare you speak to me in such a way!" the Lestrange heir seethes as he pulls his wand from his robe pocket. "The arrangement has already been made when we were young, we are destined to be together! You can not step in the way of destiny!"

The woman merely scoffs at the wizard's rant as she twirls her wand in her fingers, "Who told you that bloody lie?" She walks closer to the enraged man and whispers, "I know the truth..." backing away she smirks as stares across the field. "Your da made the arrangement last summer as a way to keep your family from being made an example of by the Dark-Lord. If you must know, He was not happy when Cygnus approved of the match."

"You lying bitch!" Rudolphus roars as his face turns a bright shade of crimson, "Just because your parents had closer ties to the Dark-Lord than any other family does not mean that you do!"

The witch openly laughs at the wizard's statement causing his rage and embarrassment to heighten. "And that is where you are wrong... just because my parents are gone, that does not mean that my ties to Him are any weaker. I have proven myself, have you?"

The woman watches as Lestrange raises his wand and points it at the witch's chest. In the distance they both hear the voice of the woman they were arguing over cry out, "Sorry I was late!" Bellatrix's voice becomes closer as she runs towards the woman, her eyes never straying from the lithe figure of the witch, "Mother and Father wanted to speak to me about Cissy's marks in Transfiguration class and I had to promise Mother that I would get you to help her with..." She stops suddenly as she eyes the young man pointing his wand dangerously at the other woman, "Rudolphus, what do you think you are doing? Didn't my mother tell you to stay away?" As he lowers his wand, she looks down her nose in disdain, "I think her exact words were, 'I do not want to see you anywhere on the estate. I do not care that my husband thinks that this is a good match, you will never marry my daughter, she is already spoken for.' Also, I do not want to see you point your bloody wand at her again!" She reaches for the other witch's hand and pulls her in the direction of the manor, "Come, Mother would love to see you again. I think she would like to discuss certain arrangements with you concerning several topics that she has persuaded Father on."

Both witches walk towards the mansion but stop when they hear Rudolphus take a deep ragged breath, "Bellatrix Black..." His breath is laboured as he tries to calm the increasing rage he feels deep within his soul, "I have tried to be nice to you. I have done everything one should to win your heart. I know you detest arranged marriages and I just know that once we are married, you will eventually fall in love with me." He closes his eyes and tries to steady his breathing, "But it seems as if your mind is made up, there is just one thing left to do..."

Rudolphus raises his wand and aims it at Bellatrix. Muttering softly, the other witch barely catches the last few syllables of the spell before she launches herself in front of eldest Black daughter. The spell cuts through her chest like a knife and she falls to the ground in a heap.

"Enyo!" Bellatrix cries out as she drops to the ground trying vainly to stop the blood from spilling out onto the grass underneath them. Rudolphus stares wide-eyed as arterial blood spurts from the deep gash in the witch's chest staining the green dress Bellatrix had decided to wear that day, "What is the countercurse, Rudolphus? Rudolphus!" the dark witch screams as she glares at the wizard.

He quickly shakes his head as he attempts to pull himself together, "I-i d-d-don't know! It was some bloody spell Severus told me about. H-he is the one who came up with it. Don't think he has a countercurse quite figured out for it. I didn't know..." He falters as he hears the laboured breathing of the woman on the ground. The wizard takes a deep breath and continues, "I didn't know what the spell would do."

Tears threaten to spill from Bellatrix's eyes as she watches as Enyo starts to convulse on her lap. She instantly applies more pressure to the wound then scowls, "I swear to Merlin, you had better run and get my mother, Rudolphus, because if Enyo dies in my arms..." She pauses to glare at the man in front of her, "You're next!"

The young witch awakens with a start, she feels her heart race as she places her hand on her chest. Nothing, she thinks with a sigh as she looks about the room. It was the same room that Narcissa had allowed her to sleep in since she came back to Malfoy Manor, but she can't help but feel as if something is slightly different about the room. As she surveys the room, her eyes rest on a high back leather armchair in the corner. When she recognises the form slumped slightly in the seat, the witch smiles and slowly creeps out of the bed. Gritting her teeth against the pain she feels in her body as she traverses the short distance to her destination, the witch let out a small sigh when she reaches the chair. She reaches out tentatively, so as not to wake the sleeping form in the armchair. Against better judgment, she strokes Bellatrix's cheek and smiles softly when the witch leans her face into the touch.

Bellatrix's eyes flutter open when she realises someone is caressing her cheek. She looks up and smiles when she recognises the woman in front of her, "The Dark-Lord said you would wake soon, but I was still worried that you wouldn't."

"You shouldn't have worried, Bella," Hermione replies as the dark witch stands and places a hand on the younger woman's hip.

"Why not? You were attacked by Rabastan three days ago and have been sleeping since then. Should you be out of bed now?" the older witch asks as she grips Hermione tighter when she sees her sway slightly.

"I'm fine Bella," Hermione brushes off her concern as she moves out of Bellatrix's grasp and walks towards the armoire on the opposite side of the room. "Where is he?"

Smiling to herself, the older witch answers, "He is in the dungeon as expected. Our Lord decided that you should be the one to deal out the justice deserved for such a crime."

The other witch nods her head in understanding as she continues looking through the wardrobe, "Shall I deal out the same punishment that his brother gave me? Or should we try something different?"

Bellatrix's eyes widen in shock but then return to normal as she stares at the young witch in front of her. Narcissa said I may not know who she is when she wakes, but I think I have always known who she was. The older witches thinks as she walks closer to the armoire. "Enyo?" She asks quietly.

"Half correct, my love," Hermione replies as she turns around and smirks. "Thanks to Our Lord, I now have the memories of my past life and of this life. It was a battle at first to differentiate between the two, but as time passed, I was able to work everything out quite nicely." She places the outfit she had taken out of the wardrobe on the bed next to her and walks closer to Bellatrix, "Enyo... Hermione... I am the same person, it doesn't matter what my name is, I am who I am and that is all that matters."

Reaching for the older woman's hands, Hermione sighs as she stares intently into Bellatrix's eyes, "So much time has passed and there is so much to ask you... like, why did you marry that git after... well, you know. And what is the current situation? Three days have passed since the incident, I need to know what is going on."

The older witch sits on the side of the bed and closes her eyes. Feeling the warmth of Hermione's hands in her own, Bellatrix takes a deep breath, "My marriage wasn't by choice as you should have already guessed. Instead of bringing Mother to the back as I requested, Rudolphus brought Father. By then..." She takes a deep breath before continuing, "By then, she was... you were... gone. I was so distraught that I did not realise that it was Father he had brought and... You know I was never really close to Father. He had his own plans for greatness that came at the expense of others and he saw it as an opportunity to further himself. He used the Imperius curse on me and it wasn't until the day he died that I was finally free. By then I was in Azkaban. Fourteen long years I had to wait until I could get my chance to end his miserable life." She looks up from staring at their joined hands and peers into Hermione's eyes, "If I could turn back the hand's of time, just one time, I would go back to that day and kill him before he could utter a single word. If only..."

"If only does not help what was, Bella, and you know that," Hermione interrupts gently, "What's done is done. There is nothing else we can do to change that." The younger witch squeezes the dark witch's hands gently, "I know I asked why you married him... I could not help but wonder when I found out you had married him, I wish it didn't happen, but it did. What we need to concern ourselves with now is the present. I am feeling stronger now and need to know what is going on... what is our mission?"

"I think it is time we tell her," the Dark-Lord states from the doorway surprising both women. "I am sorry to intrude on such a lovely moment, but she is right Bellatrix. You two will be able to catch up later, but for now I need both of you for a task that Bella is already privy to."

Hermione stands up slowly, her right hand still clasped in the older witch's left hand, "What is the task, My Lord?"