Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - One Shot – Canon. Shortly after the Death Eaters meeting to plan the interception of Harry and the Order of the Phoenix, Bellatrix seeks out and speaks to the Dark Lord privately.
The meeting had ended and Bellatrix searched the house for her master. Of course the Dark Lord knew she would follow, he always knew. She skirted from room to room, leaving shadows on the floor where her soles broke the film of dust all over the neglected Malfoy mansion.
Surely he would be waiting for her. She was almost bold enough to think it was becoming habit for them to share counsel after each meeting. Voldemort would explain things further and even ask for her thoughts on occasion.
The mansion had more rooms than the Malfoy's could ever hope to fill. She resented her sister's decadence and apathy while the dawn of a new strength was growing within their own walls. Lucius still bore resentment to their lord despite his own failures. While she had grown calloused and wise in Azkaban, her sister's family had forgotten their strength.
Bellatrix nearly tripped on the edge of a carpet that had come loose from its silver anchor on the floor. "Curse that elf for abandoning the family," she muttered and continued searching through open doorways.
Finally, she spotted barefoot prints in the dust and followed them upstairs to a dark hallway lined with urns and somber portraits.
Standing alone in a drawing room she found her lord in wait by the balcony window absorbing the last wisps of the sunset.
The warm humid breeze fluttered the curtains around Voldemort as he looked at the departing guests below. The sound of their crass banter reverberated off the walls, and the cracks of disapparation echoed through the night air, making the peacocks start.
No matter how silent her steps, he always knew of her approach. The tilt of his head was all she needed to see how he had anticipated her. She stopped and lowered her gaze.
"Will I not know peace in these halls?" he mused, turning to face her. "I hold counsel out of necessity with many, but there are few I guide for the fruit of knowledge alone. Can you understand the privilege you hold in my presence?"
"Yes, my Lord," she whispered to the floor.
Voldemort stared at the top of her head with a concerned expression.
"There is much to discuss tonight, join me as I bid our guests farewell."
Bellatrix raised her eyes to join Voldemort at the balcony and remained silent. Silence led to learning. There were so many belligerents who forgot this simple lesson and suffered for it. The warm air flowed over her hair in sharp contrast to the dank air within. Her head absolutely hummed to stand in his presence.
"You did not recoil tonight in the death of Charity Burbage like your sister." remarked Voldemort, his placid eyes fixed on her.
The late summer air buzzed with the sound of frogs and bugs from the gardens below.
Bellatrix swallowed hard and dared to meet his eyes at the compliment. "You were right and just in her death my Lord, an abomination to the race."
"Ah," he nodded, turning to look outside, "a loyal answer, but can you tell me why she must die?" challenged the Lord.
Her shoulder twitched and she re-adjusted her footing. "She will implore others to share our gift with the undeserving! The dilution of our blood from her teachings will breed weakness in our kind," retorted Bellatrix.
"No, my student, it is not weakness. It is will. It is simply the laws of nature at play. Weakness is not forgiven in nature. To allow her to live would weaken all that follow. I simply possess the will to correct this motion." He sharpened his posture and turned to her.
"Never feel shame for your strength or prominence. Remember, the predator does not ask permission of its prey."
Voldemort paused for a moment, lost in thought before speaking.
"You never lie to me Bellatrix." He reached to touch her shoulder. "You're the only one who doesn't lie," remarked the Lord as he stared intently at her, unblinking.
Bellatrix was the first to break the gaze, why speak when he already knew. Blinking quick in embarrassment, she motioned to speak but Voldemort waved her off.
"I'd like to share a story with you." he started, and to her amazement, her master almost looked abashed. Bellatrix humbly took a step back in deference.
"When I was…..adrift in Albania, I learned a difficult lesson."
Bellatrix returned her gaze to the floor and focused on her silence.
Voldemort continued, "While my spirit wandered, I recall an event that explained so much in such a short time. It is a story of empathy and consequence. A hunter and the harsh wild."
"When the hunter came upon a river in winter, a lynx startled and jumped onto the ice, but it fell through and drifted away down the river. It was then the hunter realized that the lynx was a mother, and its kitten was left stranded behind on the ice, too afraid to follow, or perhaps too wise in its instincts."
"There was nothing to be done for the mother, so the hunter took it upon himself to care for the kitten while he camped, hoping against all odds for her to return. He fed it and made it a small bed from foliage and a blanket. Here they remained for a couple days, but the mother did not return."
"The hunter soon made up his mind to leave for home, but not wanting to leave the kitten to die he left it his remaining food and abandoned it while it slept."
"It was in these kind actions that the kitten was doomed. It could no longer find the will to survive, instead waiting for survival to be given to it freely by the dead and uncaring. I watched for days as it withered away to nothing on that blanket."
Bellatrix dared a glance at her lord.
"It is in this example that we can explain Dumbledore's failings, and how we will not fail in our mission. Let there be no hesitation in securing the will of magic for those with the strength to wield it. It is the strength you show Bellatrix, and the weakness of those with faith in Harry Potter that I share this story with you tonight so you can understand."
"Yes my Lord." said Bellatrix, bowing her head again.
"We must teach that strength lies only with us. It is a false notion that strength lies in muggles or the masses. It is paramount they fear us to secure their future. Do you understand how dire their need is for us to guide them?"
"Of course, my Lord, without a predator, the apathy of a herd will breed sickness."
Voldemort smiled, "wisely stated child. It is not enough to know they have lost, they must believe it. It is a shame we will be too late to educate some, it will of course come to war, and we will be required to win by force. It will take education from the loyal to sway the minds of the defeated. You will be productive in this task, I am sure."
A furrow of doubt formed on Bellatrix's face, before she could correct her expression with a gulp.
"A concern perhaps?" Voldemort inquired, still facing the window. "You have no disquiet in discipline, but you fear it will not be enough?"
"Your word is true my Lord, we cannot kill them all," affirmed Bellatrix, "we must preserve magic blood, but there will be those who cannot be stayed by violence or wisdom, what of them?"
"What of them?" agreed Voldemort with a hint of a smile. "You are right of course, there will be dissent in their hearts, but who would dare believe them? And how long do they dare believe themselves in defiance of their very survival?"
Bellatrix smiled and exhaled in levity of this new insight.
Voldemort turned and paced with his hands clasped. "We must break their faith in Harry Potter, it is folly to think the boy can protect them, he is clouded with empathy. His foolish loyalty to those weaker than him will be his downfall."
Bellatrix paused and pursed her lips to refrain from responding before the Dark Lord spoke again.
"I must be the one to protect magic." He spoke solemnly to the floor ignoring Bellatrix. "She and I need each other desperately. This is paramount to everything we do. We must achieve unity or we fail."
Their silent reflection was broken by the clatter of two death eaters brawling outside. Their shouts were paired with the crunch of gravel and plant stalks at they stumbled through the garden shoving at each other.
They each drew their wands, but were met quickly by a wall of more sober death eaters to keep the peace and talk the men down. The stare of one man was noticed by the others, and they all glanced quickly up in turn at Voldemort at the balcony before dispersing and sulking out the front gate.
Voldemort stared silently down at the court for a while before turning away in disdain of the window, confiding in Bellatrix once more.
"I will not suffer fools, and I will have no use for thuggery after our victory. If there is to be peace, then we must lead with peace after we have order. There are some who will have outlived their usefulness upon victory."
Voldemort turned away from the balcony and led Bellatrix inside the drawing room.
"Dumbledore may have achieved a false peace for a time, but he is a fool to think it will last without strength. His theory of love has collapsed at the merest whisper of my name. When the dust of that illusion finally clears, it will be us they turn to."
"Come now," he indicated for Bellatrix to leave the room, "you must have business with your sister, and I have business of my own." He bowed slightly, stepping back towards the balcony. "If I'm to contend with the great seeker Harry Potter in the sky, then I of course must do the requisite training."
And with that, Voldemort flew from the room over the balcony and merged with the night air leaving Bellatrix in a swirl of dust.
End
Luka Stilheere