Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the related characters. The Harry Potter series is created by JK Rowling. This fanfiction is intended for entertainment only. I am not making any profit from this story… As always…
Warning: Some parts of this story might not be for the faint of heart. Therefore, I strongly advise you to prepare yourself for scenes of torture, violence, etc. It's Bellatrix after all…
Chapter 1
The lights in the drawing room were on. Annoying, I thought, having just finished tidying up after dealing with a prisoner back at the cellar. Unfortunately, this poor bloke stopped responding halfway through my interrogation, and not even my most powerful reviving spells or potions could wake him up again.
But no matter. I got what I wanted.
And I also had more than a hundred ways to make him open his mouth!
I couldn't help but complain about the recent low-standard captives supplied to me by the Snatchers. None of them could last more than 5 rounds of my Cruciatus Curse without needing at least one "Rennervate", so frustrating especially when I was just about to immerse into the intoxicating stage of advanced torture, and then be dragged out of it because my pet suddenly became motionless.
I had wondered occasionally whether my expertise had worn off slightly during those days I had spent in Azkaban. Prior to my imprisonment, it had always been a speciality of mine to achieve a perfect balance between intensity and duration. Even the Dark Lord had expressed praise for my excellent skills.
No, it must have been their fault, I concluded firmly as my thoughts reached the Dark Lord. They are too weak… Too weak for me…
To prevent my prey from being exhausted much too easily, I had even resolved to "traditional" methods, inspired by some muggle riffraff I was asked to deal with the other day. From them, I got hold of a silver knife - solid silver, not that I cared about anything concerning its value - with which one of them had tried to stab me in the knee. I saw with astonishment how they appeared to fear that silver instrument more than my wand.
Well, they were muggles after all… Brainless prats…
Nonetheless, someone did benefit from my ingenious discovery. The fellow I had just finished with had three of his fingers chopped off by the knife before he'd give me answers.
Though he cracked way too soon, I shook my head in contempt, so boring…
Having to quit my job early, I went upstairs following the familiar voices of Cissy and Lucius in the drawing room. What on earth would call this late? Not the Dark Lord, surely…
"What is this? What's happened, Cissy?"
I entered to see exactly what I was hoping for - Snatchers.
And more importantly, captives.
But then, I froze.
I stared.
The girl - the only girl in the group - was highly familiar.
Rodolphus was smiling nervously as I scanned the Daily Prophet. He said I looked like that girl on the front page. "You have the same bushy hair… don't you?" He ducked and ran at the door of our bedroom as I jumped to my feet, yelling at him, "How dare you compare me with Mudbloods like her! How dare you compare me with that Hermione Granger!"
The revelation hit me before Cissy could speak. "But surely," I said quietly, "this is the Mudblood girl? This is Granger?"
Lucius looked beside himself with happiness, "Yes, yes, it's Granger!" he cried, "And beside her, we think, Potter! Potter and his friends, caught at last!"
"Potter? Are you sure?" I was shocked, but as I stepped backwards and take in the frame of the front three prisoners, it made sense, "Well then, the Dark Lord must be informed at once!"
The moment has come. Oh, how I long for it, how I beg for the opportunity… Torture Potter, once a privilege of the Dark Lord's… Perhaps he will let me have a try, given that I'm his most faithful servant?
Oh, Potter, how you mock me… Wait and see when I've got you… I'll have you kneeling at my feet begging me to kill you… But why should I kill you? You're the Dark Lord's…
After all, he'll be much more durable than the normal toys…
Lost in thoughts, my hand moved automatically to the Dark Mark…
"I was about to call him!" Lucius' hand had closed upon my wrist, "I shall summon him, Bella, Potter has been brought to my house, and it is therefore upon my authority -"
"Your authority!" I looked up at him, jeering. What authority does he have? The coward, hiding in his house, answering doorbells, even without a wand… "You lost your authority when you lost your wand, Lucius! How dare you! Take your hands off me!"
"This is nothing to do with you, you did not capture the boy -"
"Begging your pardon, Mr. Malfoy," interjected Greyback from behind me as I fumbled to take out my wand, "but it's us that caught Potter, and it's us that'll be claiming the gold -"
"Gold!" I laughed. What are they thinking? What do they think we are arguing about here? What brains have these under-beings got? This is an insult to my loyalty!
"Take your gold, filthy scavenger, what do I want with gold? I seek only the honour of his - of -"
But no…