Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

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Bellatrix Black sat on the porch of her family’s mansion, watching the night grow dark. She shivered but it had nothing to do with October breeze, and everything to do with where she would be in less than an hour.

She didn’t doubt her decision. Being a Death Eater was what she was born for. It was part of her destiny to defend purebloods, to fight for their freedom. She wanted to serve the Dark Lord. She had dreamed of it since she knew who he was.

So why could she not stop shivering? What was wrong with her? There was no doubt in her mind. Her choice had been made long before the Dark Lord offered her a place within his ranks.

She ignored the coldness that ran through her body, and stared up at the stars, thinking about her future. What would it be like to serve the Dark Lord? Would she be able to please him?

But the main question that danced in her mind was, would this finally be the thing to give her life meaning. She had always believed in pureblood ideals, but had never felt that she was doing anything to support their cause. She had never felt that anyone loved her. If she died, very few would mourn her. She couldn’t help but wonder if being a Death Eater would change all that. Would she finally feel like she had a real place—a real purpose?

She sighed, deeply. The crisp night air felt good on her lungs, and the light breeze blowing through her hair made her feel free. It was fortunate that something was able to settle her nervous. She still couldn’t believe that she would soon be in front of the Dark Lord, preparing to take the Mark, preparing to become his. Excitement, mixed with an unexplained fear, surged through her. The Mark would make her feel complete. It had to, nothing else ever had.

She stared up at the sky until she lost all track of time. It was something she had done since she was a child. Somehow, she found comfort in the stars.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud pop. Her gaze returned to earth, and her dark eyes landed on a tall muscular figure.

He smiled at her, and extended his hand, “The Dark Lord awaits. Are you ready, Bellatrix?�

A smile spread across her face, and she nodded. Accepting his hand, she rose to her feet.

“Yes,� she replied, softly. “I am ready.�

Rodolphus grabbed hold of her, and with another pop they reappeared outside a large mansion. It was rustic looking, with large shutters and surrounded by forests.

Rodolphus walked towards the house, but Bella didn’t move. She felt that her feet could not possible carry her. Paralyzing, irrational fear gripped her. Her subconscious was warning her not to go through with this. Somewhere, deep down, she knew that she was about the make a life altering mistake.

“Bellatrix?� Rodolphus turned to stare at her.

She expected to be hit with the torture curse. She knew that hesitation was punished within the Dark Lord’s ranks. Rodolphus would have her kicked out before she even got through the door.

To her surprise, a slight smile spread across his face. He walked back to her, and draped his arm around her trembling shoulders.

“It’s okay,� he whispered. “You’re allowed to be scared.�

She relaxed slightly, with the realization that she was not going to be punished. However, her body was still refusing to do what she told it.

“What is it like?� she asked him, not really expecting an answer. She doubted the Dark Lord would appreciate his servants warning the new comers.

Again, Rodolphus surprised her. Not only did he answer her, but he answered her with what appeared to be the truth.

“It’s not pleasant,� he said, simply, “but you’ll get through it. If this is really what you want then you’ll do fine. If this isn’t what you want then you need to turn back now. He will know what is truly in your heart. Bella, if you fail his test, he will kill you. If you want to leave, I’ll take you home.�

Fear gripped her, but she shook her head. She couldn’t turn back. This was her destiny. This was her chance to give her life meaning.

Rodolphus grabbed her shoulders and stared into her with his dark eyes. “Are you absolutely certain?�

She nodded.

He sighed, deeply and let go of her. “Then we need to go.�

She nodded again, and found that her feet were now willing to work. Rodolphus kept his arm around her shoulders as they walked towards the house.

Once inside, they were greeted by a large group of people, who were all masked and robed. The room was dark, lit only by a single candle, which sat on a small table in the middle of the room. The Dark Lord stood beside the table, staring at her as though she were on display.

Before she had a chance to fully grasp her bearings she was grabbed from behind, and tossed unceremoniously to the floor at the Dark Lord’s feet. She stared at the ground, waiting for something to happen.

The Dark Lord’s feet appeared before her. He reached down, grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet his merciless eyes. She received no other greeting, and within moments her life began to flash before her eyes.

She knew what was happening. She wanted to use Occlumency, which she had been practicing, but concluded that he would know. Instead, she began to tremble as her most intimate moments were pulled from her mind.

“Why are you here, Bellatrix?� he asked, as he continued to observe her memories.

Her head began to throb. It was next to impossible to think of a response while he flipped though her mind as though it was a catalogue, but she knew that she had no choice. She would answer him, or she would die.

“It is my duty. I was born a pureblood. Now I must fight for our rights.�

She wasn’t even sure of what she said, but it seemed to appease him. A few moments later, he let go of her chin, and she was allowed to return her gaze to the floor. She waited for him to decide if she would become a Death Eater, or if she would die at his feet.

For a few moments, silence plagued the room. She debated pulling up her sleeve to show that she was ready for the Mark, but decided against it. Forwardness may not be the best course of action here. She did, however, chance a glance up at the intimidating man above her.

When she looked up the Dark Lord met her gaze with his merciless eyes, once again. He did not move to brand her. Instead, he asked another question, "What special knowledge or service do you hope to offer the Dark Lord for giving you the honor of being among his followers?"

Fear gripped her. She hadn’t anticipated questions at all. She had no immediate answer. Normally, if she were asked to state her worth it was a simple enough task. She was a pureblood witch, with top grades at school. She was from The Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. What more could anyone expect?

But she knew that the Dark Lord would want more. None of those things would be considered an acceptable answer. What could she say? She knew she couldn’t lie. The Dark Lord would know right away; and she would surely die. Was death her only option?

The Dark Lord continued to glare at her as she searched her mind for an answer. He did not speak. He appeared willing to let her think. She wondered if this was a good sign or a bad one. The Dark Lord was not known for his patience.

Finally, she spoke in the calmest voice she could muster. Knowing that her words could result in her death, she chose to tell the truth. At least, she knew she wouldn’t be killed for speaking a lie.

“I have no special knowledge or skills. I have spent my life as a strong believer in pureblood ideals. I have studied hard, and will continue to learn all that I can. I can offer you nothing other than a simple promise. I promise you that if you allow me the honor of serving you, I will always obey and I will never fail. You will have my complete loyalty; it is all I have to give.�

She forced herself not to tremble as she stared into his eyes, waiting to see if she would live or die.

The Dark Lord gave no indication of his intentions. Instead, he simply disappeared, along with the others who had been observing her. She glanced around the room, finding herself completely alone, and without instruction.

Panic seized her. What could this mean? Had they congregated elsewhere in the mansion to discuss her suitability? Or was this still part of the test? Was she going to be forced to prove the loyalty she had just declared?

Just as she was about to cry out in fear, a black smoke appeared in front her. She watched as the smoke swirled around and turned itself into letters, leaving her a message: What is eternal, unconditional, never-ending, and inescapable?

She stared at the words in awe. A riddle? This hardly seemed like the time for a riddle. Why didn’t he just tell her what he wanted? She had vowed to obey without hesitation. What would figuring out the answer to this stupid puzzle prove?

Then the answer hit her. Love! True love was eternal, unconditional, never-ending, and inescapable. Of course, this was not the kind of love she had ever received. She wasn’t even certain that it existed, but nothing else fit the riddle. So what did love have to with anything? Did the Dark Lord want to know who she loved?

Her mind blanked. Did she even love anyone? Certainly not her parents or her blood traitor sister. She thought of her baby sister, still working away at Hogwarts. She loved Narcissa. She always had.

Then, without her permission, her thoughts turned to the tall, muscular man, who had found her earlier that night on her parent’s porch. She pictured his dark hair, and equally dark piercing eyes. She remembered what it felt like to have him touch her, comfort her.

She shook her head. This was ridiculous. She did not care about Rodolphus Lestrange, and even if she did, this was not the time to be thinking about him. She was very confident that neither Narcissa nor Rodolphus was the answer to the riddle. She was also very confident that the Dark Lord cared little about her feelings for either of them. The only person the Dark Lord was concerned about was himself.

That was it! She had guessed the riddle wrong. The answer wasn’t love, of course it wasn’t. The Dark Lord knew nothing of love. The answer was the Dark Lord. In his own mind, at least, he was eternal, unconditional, never-ending, and inescapable.

She looked directly at the riddle, and spoke, knowing that the Dark Lord would be listening. Her voice was clear and filled with confidence. “The answer is you, my lord.�

Then she continued to stare at the words, waiting to see what would happen next.

The words vanished in a poof of black smoke; to be replaced by the Dark Lord and his followers. Again, Bella was surrounded by masked and robed figures. She forced herself to focus only the Dark Lord, waiting for further instruction.

“Well done, Bellatrix,� the Dark Lord told her. “The riddle has two possible answers. One that occurs to those who are unworthy of serving me, and the true answer, which of course is the answer you choose. I am pleased that you were able to come to the correct conclusion.�

“Thank you, sir,� she replied.

“You may call me Lord, now. You have proven yourself. All that remains are the formalities.�

Relief surged through her. It was over. He had accepted her. She would be allowed to live; but more importantly, she would be allowed to become a Death Eater. All that was left was the branding. Soon she would have a large tattoo, to mark her as property of the Dark Lord. She would wear it with pride, like any true Black.

“T-thank you, my lord,� she replied.

He stared down at her for a moment. His expression was unreadable. For a split second, she was certain that he had changed his mind. He had decided that she was unworthy. She was positive that he was going to strike her dead, but he did not.

“Extend your arm, Bella,� he hissed.

She pulled back her sleeve, revealing her pale white flesh. She noted that she had become Bella. This had to be a good sign. Perhaps she had impressed him. Maybe she could earn his favour quickly.

He grabbed her wrist, gripping it tightly. He stared at her clean, unmarked flesh, and then returned his gaze to her eyes.

“I believe that you will be a loyal and capable servant, Bella. Is there anything you wish to say before your servitude is made official?�

“Only that I am grateful to be given the opportunity to be owned by you, my lord.�

“I am certain that I will not regret it,� he told her.

Then he turned away from her, focusing once more, on her arm. He raised his wand to her flesh, and a black skull began to appear on her arm. Pain shot through her as it grew, but she did not cry out. She stared at the ever spreading skull on her arm, fixated.

Finally, the skull took the shape of a full-blown Dark Mark. The pain ceased. She was a Death Eater. She bore the Mark. She had never been prouder in all her life. All of her miniscule doubts were gone. She couldn’t even remember where they had come from. This was where she belonged. The Mark was her destiny.

Her sense of pride disappeared, and was replaced by fear, when she was roughly grabbed from behind by two unfamiliar Death Eaters. She looked to her new master in hopes of learning what was about the happen, but his face remained expressionless, giving her no hint of what was to come.

She was unceremoniously dragged from the room. She did not bother to put up a fight. There was no point. In the end, she would lose; she probably already had. The unknown Death Eaters opened a door, and tossed her carelessly to the ground. She heard the door shut and lock.

Dampness seeped through her robes, but she didn’t care. She had far larger problems. Her short-lived feelings of belonging were long gone. She was filled with fear and rage. Why had she been tossed in this cage? She did what he wanted. She let him gaze into her mind. She answered his questions. She figured out his riddle. She let him brand her. What more could he want? What could he possibly gain from treating her like a prisoner?

Tears stung the back of her eyes, but she would not allow them to fall. She knew she was being watched; and she would not allow herself to be degraded any further.

In order to avoid sobbing uncontrollably, she forced herself to think about something else—anything else. She tried to remember why she was there. What event in her life had lead to her wanting this? Why would anyone want this for themselves? She had just given herself to the Dark Lord. For the rest of her life, she would be nothing but a slave to him. She tried to remember why she wanted that.

She thought of all the family gatherings where the Dark Lord was toasted. She remembered how her parents went on and on when the Lestrange brothers took the Mark. They talked about what upstanding men they were, and how they would always honor the great name they were born with.

Her parents showed far less enthusiasm when she announced that she would join the Dark Lord. Actually, she didn’t even get a congratulations. Her father hardly acknowledged her, and her mother’s response had been, “Damn right, you are. If you want to remain in this family, that is.�

But it hadn’t been her parents who influenced her decision. She tried not to let them influence any part of her life. To them, she was just the next link in a chain of pureblood. If she did what was expected, she could stay, otherwise she was out the door. She chose to stay. She wanted her blood to remain pure, but for herself, not for her parents. They had never loved her, and in return, she had never loved them.

No, her parents hadn’t influenced her. She just always knew that she would become a Death Eater. She would follow the Dark Lord. She would be a loyal and dedicated pureblood because that was all she had. She had her blood to make her special, and nothing more.

She sat in her cell, remembering every time she had been berated. Every time someone said or did something cruel to her. Every time she had told herself that it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter because she was better than them. She was a Black; her blood was pure, and one day she would serve the Dark Lord.

That day had finally come; and she was finally beginning to realize that her judgment may have been a little off. Was this really what she wanted? Was there really nothing better for her?

But this was not the time to question her judgment. The time for that had passed. She was past the point of no return. She had the Mark. She was a Death Eater. There was no turning back. There was no room for second thoughts.

There was, however, room for revenge. Being stuck in a small, damp cage, with nothing but her thoughts to keep her company, Bella found herself thinking, once more, about those who had berated her.

She thought of Lucius Malfoy, strutting around Hogwarts, with that cocky, greasy, little brat that used to follow him everywhere. Lucius had taunted her since she was a child, and he taught that little puppy of his to do the same—that damn Snape.

She remembered all of their adolescent pranks, and Snape used to complain of her cousin’s immaturity. Of course, Snape was only a child at the time, and understandably found such things amusing; but Lucius was practically a grown man. He had never matured beyond the level of a second year. She would never understand why her sister had become engaged to him. Surely, Narcissa could have found someone better suited.

For some reason, thoughts of Lucius’ pranks filled her mind. She remembered snakes in her bed, exploding toilet seats, and once he and Snape had even made her bra fly around the Slytherin Common Room. She had been humiliated many times because of those two.

It really would be fun to pay them back, even after all these years. Her mind began to conjure ways of humiliating the pair of them. So many wonderfully devious ideas came to mind, it was hard to pick just one.

In the end, she came up with a plan, which seemed rather ingenious at the time. She concluded that it would be extremely entertaining to return to Hogwarts, with Lucius just prior to Snape’s graduation. At which time, she could use the Imperius Curse on the pair of them, causing them to dance naked in front of her cousin and his friends, possibly singing along to show tunes.

She chuckled to herself for a few seconds, before she realized something. That was the most idiotic thing she had ever come up with. It made absolutely no sense, and seconds ago she thought it was ingenious. This could mean only one thing; the Death Eater initiation was truly driving her mad.

Bellatrix stared at the stone walls of her prison, waiting for something, anything to happen. She could feel her sanity slipping away. She wondered if she would be left here for all eternity. Had she done something wrong? Was the Dark Lord punishing her? Was this just part of the initiation?

Just as she was certain that her sanity would leave her forever, she was pulled out of her thoughts as her Mark began to burn. Pain surged through her like she had never known before. Had she done something else to upset her new master?

The pain was nearly unbearable. She could feel tears welling in her eyes; and was struggling to keep them at bay when the door to her prison flung opened.

She looked up to see Rodolphus glancing down at her, with concern in his dark eyes. He sat on the floor beside her, rubbing her throbbing arm softly.

“I know it hurts,� he said quietly. “It doesn’t get any better.�

“What does it mean?�

“He’s calling you. When your Mark burns, you are to Apparate to his side, instantaneously. Don’t worry about the instantaneous thing, this time. It’s part of the test to see if you can figure out what you’re supposed to do on your own.�

“But you’re telling me what to do. Won’t you be punished?�

“If I get caught, but I don’t want you to worry about that. I just want you to get through this.� He gave her a slight smile.

“Thank you, Rodolphus.�

He pulled her into a tight hug.

“You should go,� he told her. “The sooner you get there, the better it will be for you.�

She nodded. “But how do I get there? I don’t know where he is? I can only Apparate by focusing on the place.�

“It’s simple,� he replied. “Instead of focusing on the place, you focus on the person. Think of the Dark Lord when you Apparate and you’ll be fine.�

She nodded.

They both stood up, and Rodolphus embraced her again, before fleeing the room.

“Good luck,� he told her as he departed.

Using Rodolphus’ advice, Bellatrix was able to Apparate to the Dark Lord’s side. Within seconds, she was standing beside him, in a small room with nothing but the fireplace to bring light. She fell to her knees.

“You learn quickly, Bella,� he told her. “I have a job for you. It shall be your first mission. I understand that you are young and naïve. It is nothing complicated. I am confident that you will survive.�

She wasn’t sure how to respond; so she said nothing.

Her master dropped an old tea kettle in front of her. She was confused, but she knew better than to question him. Surely, he would explain himself. He couldn’t expect her to know what to do with that.

“It is a portkey, Bella,� he continued. “It will transport you to one of my many hide-outs. There you will find a small black box. I want you to retrieve this box for me. I trust that this will not be a problem?�

“No, my lord.�

“Good,� he replied. “You may go.�

“Thank you, my lord,� she replied, as her hand grasped the kettle.

Her world began to spin. She felt as though she was about to be sick. She had always detested traveling by potkey, which was something her master was probably well aware of.

She landed hard on the ground. Looking up, she discovered that she was in front of a mansion. It had probably been very eloquent in its time, but it was clear that its time had long sense passed. It was little more than rubble.

Bellatrix forced herself to her feet. How the hell was she supposed to find a box in this mess?

As she walked closer to the ruins, she spotted a woman with long black hair. The woman heard Bellatrix approaching and turned towards her. Bellatrix was shocked by the woman’s appearance. Her eyes were sunken back, and her thin face had an eerie green tinge to it. She hoped that she would not look that after a few years of serving of the Dark Lord.

“State your business,� the woman snarled.

“I was sent by the Dark Lord…� Bellatrix began, but she was cut-off.

“LIAR! I am not a fool. The Dark Lord would have informed if he was sending someone here.�

The woman reached for her wand. Bellatrix did the same. It was clear that she had no choice but to fight her way to the mysterious box.

“Crucio!� the woman screamed, with a slightly insane glint in her eyes.

Bellatrix was able to swerve and avoid the green lightening flash darting towards her. She raised her own wand, and returned fire.

The woman was hit square in the chest, with Bellatrix’s spell, but she only laughed. “Is that the best you can do? It is clear that you are not a servant of the Dark Lord. He would not tolerate such mediocrity within his ranks. His Death Eaters are trained to kill, not to play.�

Bellatrix did not appreciate being called mediocre, especially by someone who looked like the walking dead. She was better than this woman and she knew it. She would kill her. She would prove that she was meant to be a Death Eater, and that she was second to no one.

The woman had begun to cackle madly. She was paying no heed to Bellatrix at all. It was clear that she had written her off. The woman did not consider Bellatrix a threat. She was about to be proven wrong. Bellatrix did no appreciated being underestimated anymore than she appreciated being called mediocre.

While the woman was busy laughing, Bellatrix raised her wand again. She pointed it square at the woman and muttered, “Avada Kedavra.�

Like her previous spell, this one hit the psychotic woman clear in the chest. Her mad laughter ceased and she fell to the ground.

Bellatrix felt her stomach heave and her head go faint. Had that really happened? Had she just killed another person? Was that woman lying there dead because of her? How could she have done it?

Her legs trembled as she walked towards the woman. She stared down at the crumpled figure. She wondered what happened in that woman’s life to leave her guarding the remains of a mansion in the middle of the night. What had happened to her to cause that insane glint in her eyes? Had she started out like Bellatrix? Had this woman ever killed a person?

Tears of guilt stung Bellatrix’s eyes, but she brushed them away. She didn’t have time to mourn the loss of her innocence, or the loss of this woman’s life. She had been sent here for a reason. She was told to retrieve the box. Unless she wanted to join the woman on the ground, it was time to dry her eyes and search.

She was about to turn away from the body when something caught her eye. There was a small box lying on the ground beside the woman. It appeared as though it had fallen from her robes.

A chill went through her body, as she bent and retrieved the box. She knew it was what her master had wanted. She had completed her mission, and now she could return to his side.

She allowed herself a single tear for herself and the woman on the ground.

She quickly dried her eyes, knowing that there was no time for tears. There would never be time for tears again. For she was no longer human. She was a slave. She was a killer. She would never be anything else.

She prepared herself to return to her master’s side before she realized that she had no idea how to get there. He had only given her a portkey to get to the hide-out. He had not told her how to return. Damn it! Would he ever stop testing her? She took the Mark. She vowed to be his slave forever. Couldn’t he have just told her what she was supposed to be doing?

Bella knew she could do magic within the secret hide-out and not be detected by the Ministry, otherwise they would have already been there. She decided to try Apparating to her master. It had worked the last time. She pictured the man in her mind, and focused on him, blocking all else out. Closing her eyes, she attempted to Apparate to his side.

She opened her eyes to find herself still standing above the dead Death Eater. It hadn’t worked. There must have been a spell on the hide-out preventing Apparation.

After leaving the hide-out she would be able to Apparate, but that would alert the authorities that magic was being performed. They would find her, and she would have betrayed her new master. There had to be a way to get back to him without using magic.

If she had a broom, she could fly. She quickly tried the summoning charm, in an attempt to get a broom. It failed. Nothing happened.

She was going to have to leave the hide-out. There was no other way for her get out. She glanced around the surrounding area, trying to conclude where she should go. Off in the distance, she saw the early morning sun glinting off rooftops. There must be a Muggle village there.

Sighing, she began to walk towards the village. She had no idea what she was going to do when she got there, though. All she knew was that she needed to take some kind of action. She could not remain in the Dark Lord’s hide-out clutching a black box, and staring at a corpse. She had to move.

Clutching the box tightly, she walked away from the remnants of the mansion. She headed towards the Muggle lights. Briefly, she wondered how Muggles even managed to produce light. After all, they were so primitive that they could hardly be considered human.

It felt good to debase Muggles in her mind. It gave her a sense of normalcy among the chaos. She forced herself to focus only on her hatred for Muggles as she moved forward. She could not bring herself to think about what she was going to do next, or what she had already done.

She was strutting down a large hill when strong hands grabbed her from behind. She attempted to escape, but the hands gripped her tightly. She struggled, but could not move.

“Stop struggling,� a familiar voice whispered in her ear.

“Lucius!� she cried, as the hands let go of her.

She spun around to glare at the young blonde man. “What the hell are you doing here?� she demanded. “You scared the hell out of me.�

A characteristic smirk spread across his face. It was clear that he was pleased to have spooked her. She remembered just how much she hated him, and vowed to spend the next few months trying to convince her little sister not to marry him.

“I was sent to collect you,� he replied in a smooth voice, filled with arrogance.

“And why would you need to collect me?�

“Do you have the faintest idea how to get back to your master?� he asked her.

She glared at him, refusing to admit that she didn’t.

“It is fine. You were not supposed to find a way back. The test was to see if you would use magic and risk betraying our lord’s whereabouts. You did not; so I was sent to bring you back. He has supplied me with a portkey to take us to him. We must return to the hide-out to use it.� With that said, he turned and started walking in the direction she had just come.

With a deep sigh, she followed him. At least, she was getting away from this desolate area and the remains of her first kill. Soon she would be back with her master. She could give him his prize, and then spend the rest of her life trying to pretend that it never happened.

She appeared at her new master’s side, with Lucius beside her. Rodolphus stood with their master, staring at her with a masked look of concern. It was clear that he knew better than to expression genuine feeling in front of the Dark Lord.

Bellatrix could feel her knees beginning to shake. What was going to happen to her now? What more could he want? She couldn’t bring herself to look up from the dark, wet ground, as she waited for further instructions.

Her master reached into her robes and retrieved the small black box, without a word. There was a time when having him so close to her would have given her a thrill. She felt no thrill that night. She felt only fear of what was to come next.

Lucius began to speak to her.

“Please look at the Dark Lord when he is addressing you,� Rodolphus told her, in what was meant to be a cold, cruel voice. However, Bellatrix could hear softness in it. She knew he didn’t want to harm her.

She forced herself to look up at the Dark Lord, even though it was Lucius who was speaking to her.

Lucius continued to tell her about her next assignment. “Someone has deeply insulted the Dark Lord, and he has decided that she needs to be punished. You are to go to her home tonight and kill her. We have ensured that no one will get in your way, but if they should, I would like to think that you can take care of them. Now, wouldn’t you like to know who you will be visiting?�

She wanted to scream no. She wanted to run from the room. She had already killed once that night. There was no way she could do it again. Instead, she forced herself to nod, while attempting to keep herself from visibly shaking.

“You will be paying a visit to Andromeda Tonks. Despite the fact that you shouldn’t, I believe you know where her home is.�

Bellatrix tried to suppress a gasp of horror. Andy! Her sister. They wanted her to kill her own sister. Of course, she and Andy hadn’t been close since she married that Mudblood, but there was a big difference between not talking to her sister and killing her. How could she kill the little girl she had grown up with?

Quickly, she turned and fled from the room. She couldn’t allow the Dark Lord to see her hesitation or the tears forming in her eyes. She collapsed outside, under a large oak tree. She needed a few minutes to gather herself before she could do anything.

But what was she going to do? Andy was her sister. She was a blood-traitor. She treated the Dark Lord with disrespect. She deserved to pay for that. But she was still her sister. She was still the little blonde girl, who Bella used to help with her homework. Her little sister, who used to tag along when Bella went out with her friends. There had been a time when Bella would have done anything for either of her sisters. How could she ever bring harm to Andy?

Briefly, Bellatrix considered returning inside. She could refuse the task. It would result in instant death, but it would be better than killing Andy. But would it? It was true that Bellatrix didn’t want to kill her sister, but she wasn’t ready to die either. It wasn’t as though she and Andromeda were close anymore. Andromeda had stabbed their whole family in the back when she married the Mudblood. But did she really deserve to die for it? And if she did, could Bellatrix really go through with it?

Bellatrix shook her head and wiped her eyes. She knew what she was getting into when she agreed to take the Mark. She knew that she would have to do evil, despicable things. This was not news. She had already killed. She had never expect that she would be asked to kill her own sister, but if that was the order, what choice did she have? She would not die so that a blood-traitor could live. Even if that blood-traitor was Andromeda.

With a deep sigh, she Apparated to a small white house, just outside of London. It was neither in the Muggle world nor the wizarding world. So like her sister; she never could just chose a side and fight for it.

Bellatrix refused to stand outside of the house, and think about this. The more she thought about it, the harder it would be to do. It was one simple spell. All she had to do was cast the killing curse. Then she could leave. She could go home and pretend that it never happened. She would continue to serve the Dark Lord, refusing to remember that she had killed her sister for him.

Soundlessly, she pushed opened the door, and walked into the house. The fools didn’t even have protection spells on their home. They were asking for death. She was just the deliverer. She knew her thoughts were ridiculous, but she found them somewhat calming.

The house was dark, but she could hear the familiar voice of her sister. She was cooing away at something. Probably trying to rescue a stranded puppy, Bellatrix thought bitterly.

She walked through the darkness, following her sister’s voice. Finally, she arrived in a well lit room. Her sister sat in the center of it, leaned over a crib.

Shock went through Bellatrix. Andromeda was a mother! How had she never heard about that? Her little sister had a child. A child that she was about to make motherless. She felt tears stinging her eyes again. Could she really go through with this?

Her sister chose that moment to look up. Her eyes filled with surprise, and then concern. Clearly, she felt that there was no reason to fear her big sister.

“Bella,� she said. “What are you doing here, honey? You look terrible. Are you all right?�

She had no idea what to say. She had had no intention of speaking to her sister. She had hoped that she wouldn’t even have to see her face. But there was Andromeda, worrying about her, while she was planning to kill her.

Andromeda smiled softly at the child, which was hidden from Bella’s view, and then rushed over to her. She pulled Bella into the room, and got her settled on the sofa.

“What’s wrong?� her sister asked. “You’re shaking.�

Tears finally slipped down Bella’s cheeks. She could hold them in no longer.

Andromeda did not continue to question her. Instead, she wrapped her in a tight hug. “It’ll be okay,� she whispered. “I promise it will be all right. I’ll help you, if I can.�

Bella allowed herself to sob into her sister’s chest. She knew it was wrong. She knew what she had to do. This was only going to make it harder. Why hadn’t she just killed her on sight?

Soothingly, Andromeda ran her hands through Bella’s hair. She had no idea what was going on in her sister’s mind. She couldn’t even imagine that Bella would mean her any harm. After all, they were sisters. No matter what had happened between them, they would always care about each other.

After a few moments, Andromeda rose. “I’ll make you some tea,� she said. “Just keep an eye on Nymphadora. Ted’s out for the night.�

Bella nodded, weakly as Andromeda left the room. Then she wandered over to the crib for a peek at her niece. She stared down at tiny little infant, with bright purple hair, sleeping soundly. She almost laughed aloud. Leave it to Andromeda to have a child with purple hair! But despite the hair, she felt tempted to hold her niece. She was drawn to the small child.

She lowered her head so that she could be closer to the child. “You’re very beautiful, Nymphadora, and your mother is truly a wonderful person. I am so sorry for what I have to do to your family. I know that you will never forgive me, but someday I pray that I can do something to make up for this.�

Andromeda retuned to the room, clutching a tea tray. She smiled when she saw Bella talking to her daughter. For a brief moment, she thought her sister had changed. She thought that Bella was done with the world of pureblood ideals. She thought she was going to get her big sister back, and Nymphadora would grow to know her aunt.

Tears streamed freely down Bella’s face as she reached for her wand. Andromeda didn’t even realize what was going on.

“I’m sorry,� Bella said quickly, before the final blow, “Avada Kedavra.�

In a flash of green light, Andromeda feel to the floor. Sobbing loudly, so did Bella. She had just killed her own sister. Andromeda was dead, and for what? She insulted the Dark Lord. For that, Bellatrix had to kill her. She sobbed uncontrollably, but she was still aware enough to hear when the cries of her young niece joined her own.

She had no idea how long she sobbed on the floor. But eventually, strong hands pulled her to her feet.

“You’re all right,� a male voice whispered into her ear. “You did what you had to do. Now, let me take you home.�

Bella pulled away, and stared back at Rodolphus. She could feel her insides hardening. She didn’t like being seen like this. She didn’t like feeling like this. And she wasn’t going to do it again. She could turn off her emotions. She had murdered her own sister; she could do anything.

“If the Dark Lord does not wish to see me again, I can take myself home,� she told him curtly.

He nodded, as though he understood.

“You are free to go.�

She did not reply, but Apparated back to Black Manor.


A/N: The end of this story was painful for me. I really don’t believe that Bella could harm her sister, but I thought it went best with what the final prompt was looking for. *Feels very bad for betraying her vision of Bella and will still defend her to the death. :D*