Bella found herself at the same desk in the same room the following morning. Her head was swimming, the restriction was going to be lifted, for the 'greater good' nowhere else in her life had that phrase meant something as wonderful as this. Her first request had been negotiated down from every day to Monday through Thursday during the summer months and unrestricted during school except for Hogsmeade which was restricted on weekends the entire year. The Minister felt in the interest of public relations it was better that way. The new details of the pardon clauses would not be made known to the public as it may jeopardize the investigation. They had refused the request for a house-elf claiming that she could still influence a powerful magical creature that was not bound to the laws of the magical community.
Bellatrix unwrapped her ginger candy. "Yes he knew what it meant. He wanted fear in both worlds. He opened Azkaban to let the dementors out, it wasn't just when Sirius escaped. The images of the breakout were staged, we walked out Minister, full bills of health and unrestricted access to our vaults." Bella leaned forward, "Minister the day after I 'escaped' Azkaban I walked into the Leaky Cauldron and ordered a fire whiskey and not one person bothered me."
Kingsley looked surprised by this information, his aurors- he seemed to realize before he spoke, his aurors were taking orders from Fudge at that time.
"And how often was the Minister in contact with Lord Voldemort?"
Bellatrix frowned thinking, "You'd have to ask Lucius that, he was the messenger boy, for Scrimgeour as well."
"But he was in contact with him?"
"Of course."
"And Albus?"
"Knew everything."
"The night at the Ministry when Sirius Black died?" Kingsley asked.
"We were tipped off by Snape. He told me where to go, that the children had left Hogwarts and were in route. If he hadn't, well we wouldn't have known they were there until it was too late."
Hermione's hand went to her stomach for a moment, she remembered the pain, Bella glanced at her for a brief moment and frowned.
"What were your orders?"
"Get the prophecy."
"Anything else?"
"Don't leave any witnesses."
"Did you question the orders?"
Bellatrix looked at Kingsley, "Of course, I asked the Minister if he understood what he was asking me to do."
"And what was his answer?"
"Of course Ms. Black, but think of the greater good it will all be over soon. These children have caused enough trouble for this ministry already. If Potter were to die tonight it would all end. The world would have peace."
Hermione gasped quietly.
"But you didn't follow orders?" Kingsley asked.
"I'm not in the habit of killing children Minister."
"And then what happened?"
"I told Lucius we had to get the prophecy, reminded him we're not about killing children. It got out of hand." Bella sighed, her hands pressed hard into her lap. "I had to I-" She sighed again, her fingers twisted together. Her eyes stayed focused on her hands. "If I hadn't- Harry Potter would have been killed that night. That is what the Minister wanted. He wanted Potter dead and his friends. All wrapped up in a neat little package. All dead, a tragic accident in the department of mysteries where of course nothing would be investigated because it is the department of mysteries." Bella removed the silver strand with the wand tip and placed it into a phial to be checked over to prove her words. She slumped in the chair.
"Let's take a break to examine." Kingsley said standing from the table and taking the phial. The rest of the group stood except Hermione and excused themselves from the room. When the door closed she went to Bella and covered her hands. They were ice cold.
"Bella-" Hermione whispered.
Bella's eyes were looking past her hands, "I could have killed you." She whispered after a moment, her eyes focusing now to look at Hermione. "I could have-" She stopped, her eyes watery from unshed tears. "You could have been gone, in a second you could have been gone."
Hermione squeezed her hands, "But I'm not, I'm here because you didn't follow orders Bella."
Kingsley sent food for them, Hermione and Bella ate in silence in the room. There were others being questioned that day, their stories compared to Bella's to form a bigger picture. Bella took ages to finish her food, by the time she had taken her last bite Kingsley and the others had returned.
"Just a few more questions Ms. Black." Kingsley said, his voice seemed kinder than it had been that morning. Had he seen something in the memories?
"Your husband-" Kingsley said and Bella lifted her head to meet his eyes.
"Is dead Minister." Bella said frowning.
"Yes Ms. Black, by your hand?"
Bella sighed and glared slightly. "By Remus Lupin."
"Was your husband aware of your allegiance?"
"No, he served the dark- Tom until the end." Bella said correcting the name she called Voldemort.
"You have no heirs Ms. Black?" Kingsley asked checking a scroll of parchment.
Hermione frowned at this and Bella glared again at Kingsley.
"I have no living heirs Minister." Bella said not meeting Hermione's eyes. Kingsley wrote something on the parchment quickly.
"I apologise Ms. Black." Kingsley said in a gentle voice, "there was, misinformation in my files." Kingsley truly looked sorry for the question.
Bellatrix said nothing to his apology but simply glared at him.
They spent their first night together wrapped up in a blanket by the fire. There was no conversation, soft moans and sighs carried on the night wind, the only light came from the fireplace. A lone figure watched the cottage unable to get closer than the wards allowed which had been extended considerably. He saw two shadows moving earlier in the evening, Hermione was there, he knew it. As he turned to leave he came face to face with Nymphadora Tonks, her wand tip glowing.
"A bit far out from the Burrow Ron." Tonks said
Ron said nothing, he handed his wand over without question.
"How did you find this place?" Tonks asked searching his pockets.
"Percy showed me." Ron said after Tonks had finished patting him down.
"So you weren't just out here for a walk tonight?" Tonks asked binding his hands.
"She killed my uncles." Ron said as Tonks kept her wand trained on him.
"Maybe so but that was a different time Ron and a different person."
"No Tonks she's still just as evil. I see her out there, the spells she does in her garden. The potion ingredients she buys. I saw her in Knockturn Alley Tonks. She met someone there and he gave her a package."
Tonks sighed "Save it Ron." And with that she stunned him to apparate back to the Auror offices.
Hermione stroked Bellatrix's hair, Bella was laying on her side looking out at the waves as they sat on the blanket together in the sand.
"Her name was Carina." Bella said, her fingers trailed slowly in the sand. "She never cried." Bella said gently and swallowed. "I got to hold her for a few minutes but- well I almost died so, they had to take her to help me. I didn't see her again after that." Bella rolled over and looked up at Hermione. "I'm sorry I never told you about her dearest."
Hermione looked down at her, "You didn't have to."
"I don't want secrets between us, ever." Bella sat up to look at her. "I've spent so long with secrets Hermione, please."
"We won't my love." Hermione said brushing her lips to Bella's "I'm so sorry about Carina."
Bella pressed her forehead to Hermione's "I'm not, she was too good for the world that followed. For the person-" Bella swallowed, "For the person I was to become."
Hermione nodded, her sorry was not rebuffed but that Bella had peace about the child that she had lost so many years ago.
"Come, I want to show you something." Bella said pulling Hermione to her feet.
Bella kept her hands over Hermione's eyes until they were in the doomed room. "Ok, you can look now." Bella said stepping back watching Hermione's reaction.
Hermione's eyes opened and her mouth fell open slightly. It had been much too dark to see last night and Bella had avoided the garden with her that morning. The Hawthorns had grown magically in her absence to form a flowering canopy above their heads. Flowering vines of Jasmine crept up the walls and scented the room, the primroses seemed to have duplicated at an alarming rate. Flowers surrounded her, tiny fairy lights were set among the branches that Hermione knew would glow at night. The roots of the hawthorn had fused to form a raised section of the nature made room. There were notches in the trunks of the hawthorns that would be used to hold candles on the night of Beltane. Hermione turned in a slow circle, she could see all the intricate details that were carved into the trunks of the hawthorns.
"Bella." Hermione whispered, tears rose in her eyes. What her lover had been making made Hermione want to sob. She was afraid to move for fear of spoiling it, the fragrance of the flowers was delicate, it touched her nose and reminded her of something she couldn't place. A place somewhere in her ancient memories of the Earth.
Bella watched her closely for her reactions to the room, soft green light dappled into the room from the sunlight through the leaves. Hermione could imagine it at night with the candles and the fairy lights above them.
"It's not finished, it still needs a few touches here and there. And the bed of course." Bella said, her fingers stroked the jasmine as she came up behind Hermione and hugged her close.
"This is our Beltane bed." She whispered in Hermione's ear.
