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Post by darkpiratenellie on Jul 9, 2011 7:53:25 GMT -8
Chapter 16
It was a beautiful day, just as I had hoped. We got up at 7:00 that morning, ate a quick breakfast, and got ready quickly. My heart beat with excitement as I took his cold, pale hand, and pulled him along into the nothingness. A few moments later, we emerged from the dark vacuum of apparation and landed on soft sand. I smiled at him. He did not say anything, but just looked back at me with a harsh glare. I was disappointed with his reaction, but I did not let my spirits sink. Today, we would again appreciate the pure beauty of nature, and hopefully it would help to thaw the ice over his heart, just as our picnic had done.
"What do you think? I found this spot as a child, but never returned after the first time. I became too involved in other things," I said, glancing at the dark tattoo on my exposed arm.
"That's nice," he replied in an uninterested voice.
"Don't you think it's beautiful?"
He paused, looking carefully at the pure white sand, turquoise water, and cloudless baby blue sky.
"Yes," he sighed in defeat. "And you know it."
"That I do," I retorted with my head held high. "Now come on!" I grabbed his hand once more and pulled him down to the edge of the water.
He refused to do anything. He stayed under the shade of the big umbrella the whole time. He would not lie out in the sun. He would not build sand castles. He would not fly the beautiful sepent kite that I had bought just for the occasion. He would not swim, or even put his toes in the water. I was lucky to convince him to even put on a swimsuit, and once he did, he just threw a dark gray towel around his shoulders and sat huddled under his shadowy shelter.
He was determined to resist in all ways possible, but I was determined for him to have a good time. If I could not succeed in that, I would at least not let him ruin mine. I tried to carry out a conversation with him, but it was all just small talk with awkward pauses and sarcastic remarks. He was being moody again, as he had been for the past few days on and off. Finally unable to stand anymore, I ended our chat before I snapped.
I decided to fly the kite, although I had planned for us to do it together. I unrolled it and let it go. I was standing right at the edge of the water so that my lord could see, but so I was not crowding him.
It was very beautiful. It swooped gracefully and did little loops and twists. Something didn't seem right, though. Watching that lovely kite just made me feel lonely. I looked over at my lord a few times, but he was not even watching; he was glaring at the horizon. However, when I sneakily glanced over once, his eyes were following the kite. That made me brighten up inside a bit. I continued for perhaps another hour or so until my hands became rough and sore and my eyes grew dry and heavy. However, even the Dark Lord had seemed to lose interest in the kite and was now reading a book, so I carefully rolled it up and placed it back inside its package. I went to go lie down in the sand. My eyes closed and I fell asleep. When I woke up I was hot and sticky and covered with sand. My eyes widened as I realized that our umbrella was no longer protecting us from the sun and we were now as red as lobsters. Gentle snoring beside me told me that my lord was still asleep. I drew my wand and quickly repaired our blistered skin and changed the position of the umbrella so it was covering us once more. However, I was still uncomfortable, so I decided to take a swim. Realizing that my lord might wish to do so as well, I gently shook him awake and asked if he wanted to join me. He said no and drifted back off to sleep.
I went in for a quick dip, but the water was much colder than I would have imagined and I soon rejoined my lord in the sun, closing my eyes again to drift back to sleep.
I was startled awake with a strong yell and something rough against my face. Sheilding my eyes with my hand, I opened them, and I quickly turned my head as I realized a strong wind was blowing sand in our faces. As it died down I reopend my eyes and laughed.
Somehow I had avoided most of the sand, but my lord was covered from head to toe in it. He did not look merely amused as I. Just then, there was a low rumble, but before I could figure from where the sound was coming, I felt an icy flood hit my lower body. The blue calm waves that we had seen this morning were now gray, rough, and extremely high. They looked as if they were trying to swallow us up. I heard a growl from the sandy, drenched man beside me, who had unfortunately gotten the worst of the water's wrath, as well.
"Come on," I giggled, pulling him with me, "we'll clean up at home."
"No. I'm itchy and dirty and now caked in mud. Let me rinse off in the water first."
I glanced up at the stormy sky as it was lit up with a flash of lightning and a crack of thunder sounded.
"No, don't do that. It's too dangerous. Look at those waves. Just wait a few minutes. We'll pack up and then go home," I replied helpfully. I gasped as he grabbed my wrist.
"NO. You don't know more than me. I am uncomfortable, and I will rinse off now. Listen to me Bellatrix; I am the Dark Lord, not you."
"Please, my Lord," I began but his glare cut me off. I tried to hold back my anger at that little injustice, but I could not stop my toes from curling in frustration as I watched him stride down to the rough water.
Trying to act perfectly calm, I bundled up our things and was about to stuff them in the large beach bag I had brought when I heard the most horrible sound I had heard in my life, turning my boiling anger to a cold fear that froze me to the tips of my ears. It was a roar and a scream and a shout all at once. It was like a hoarse yell of desperation, a cry of fear, the yelp of a cat, and a shriek of a ghost. All together. In the most angelic voice I had heard in my life. It ripped my heart to shreds.
I knew who it was, but I hoped with all my might it was not. However, I knew deep inside that it could not have come from anything else. I tried to prolong the moment but suspense and fear drove me to just whip my head around. For a minute I was relieved, as only the gray ocean met my eyes, but at the same moment troubled, because I could not see him. And then I did, and it was worse than seeing only the churning water. I briefly relaxed as I saw his face pop up some meters away, perhaps twenty or so, but I quickly tensed as my eyes snapped to focus and I saw his face twisted in panic and pain as the rough water continued to pull him under.
All the sudden, my whole vision sharpened, my thoughts were more clear, and I felt as if I could lift the Ministry of Magic from its rock hard foundation. My love was in danger. I couldn't let anything happen to him.
In less than seconds I had figured that magic would be useless. Both our wands were already stored away in the center of the bundles, and besides, there was no spell to save a drowning person. Many lifting spells did not work well in water and there was no designated spell to remove a person from a large body of water, since drowning deaths were incredibly low for magic folk.
I didn't try to come up with other ideas or excuses to make things easier. There wasn't the time. I launched myself into the water soaring over the surface before landing it it, using my small amount of levitation skills to get to him as quick as possible. Levitation usually drained me, but right now, I seemed to have an endless supply of energy.
I zoomed forward in the water, swimming faster than I ever had in my life. If it had been timed, I probably would have broken a record.
I was getting more fearful, for his head was no longer visible at all, and his hands only came up for seconds at a time. When I was only a meter or two away, they disappeared completely.
Once again, I used levitation to lift me completely out of the water, and soon I was standing on a little platform of air. I had realized that the quickest way down was to dive. I flipped off my non-existent platform and swam deep down, until my hand finally brushed his face. I grabbed him securely under the arms and struggled back to the surface. However, now that he was in my arms, I was not any more relaxed. I swam back to shore in half the time it had taken me to get there.
Immediatly, I laid him down in the sand and checked for a pulse and breathing. Thankfully, both were present, though his breathing seemed a bit weak. After grabbing a towel that I had forgotten in the sand, I quickly wrapped him up and looked at his pale face and fluttering eyelids. I could now hear his breathing from where I sat, but I checked again just to be sure. I put my ear near his mouth, and sure enough his breaths were now strong. As I pulled away, two hand gripped my face and turned it downwards. My unruly, tangled, wet mess of hair tickled my shoulders as I looked into the face of the Dark Lord. His eyes were now wide and open as he studied my face.
"Bella," he gasped, and his shocked eyes continued to search my face for unhidden answers.
I could barely believe it as he forced us together in a kiss. His hands were woven into my hair and the ends were buried in the sand. My hands were placed tenderly on either side of his face. He was lying flat on the ground. I was sitting right to the right of him. The thunder had stopped and a steady rain soaked our already drenched bodies to the bone, but we didn't care. We were so lost in the moment, that a meteor coud have landed and we wouldn't have noticed.
"Bella," he murmered between kisses, and I groaned, "My lord!"
We slowly pulled apart, and I became aware that my eyes were wet.
"Bella," he mumbled again, and wiped my tears away. His voice was now strong and full of concern. "What's the matter? Aren't you happy? I LOVE you, Bellatrix. I really do!"
"I almost lost you," I cried, though my eyes became more dry as I became stunned by his sudden sweet nature that was so unlike him.
"But you didn't. I'm here," he reassured me, stuggling to sit up. He pulled me into a hug, and then another kiss. I eagerly responded.
The kiss was wonderful. I could hear my heart beating fast and my face flush with delight, but something was out of place. Before I knew it, wheels started turning in my head and I began to think thoughts that I wished I hadn't. I pulled away.
"Bellatrix?" I stood up and began to pace, my mind thinking at a furious pace. "Bella, what's wrong, my love?" My eyes focused onto the ground. "I love you, darling. Doesn't that make you glad?"
"Did you?"
"Huh?"
"Did you love me before I saved you?" I asked anxiously.
"I don't know. If I did, I didn't know it. But I do NOW, and that's what's important. No worries about the past."
"No, it's the future I'm worried about." I turned to face him, tears in my eyes again. He came towards me, but I pushed him away. "You don't love me."
"Bella, what are you talking about? I do!"
"No." I began to cry. "You don't. You are in love with my power. You don't care about me. I'm just protection for whenever you have a stupid idea and get yourself in trouble." I sobbed as he began to calculate what I said.
"So you think," he asked, "that I am only in love with you because you saved me?"
"No. You don't love me at all. All you feel is greed and ambition." I began to run in the opposite direction, blinded by the water in my eyes, though I had nowhere to go.
"Bella!" He called. "Please don't go! You win! You will rule by my side! I'll love you forever!"
"Like you did every time you punished or tortured me? I'm just a servant!"
"You're not! I LOVE you! You're the only person I want, and I ache when I even think of losing you!" he hissed, bewildered. However, his words were lost in the heavy rain and wind as I twirled around and disapparated.
I was so angry. I was burning in a way I had ever felt before. I felt independent and strong. But by leaving him, it felt as if my heart was splinched, for I still loved him, and nothing could ever make that change.
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Post by darkpiratenellie on Jul 9, 2011 7:55:22 GMT -8
Chapter 17
My knuckes rapped on the cold door. A set of warm eyes appeared.
"Bella!" The window and my sister opened the door and rushed me inside. As soon as the door was firmly shut, I threw my arms around her and cried.
"Bellatrix! What's wrong? What happened?"
"ANDY!" was all I could manage.
She gently rubbed my back as I sobbed. For a sister that I had never been very kind to, she was so caring.
When I had settled down, I pulled myself together as she questiond me again. I said simply, "He says loves me." I was unable to get out any other words.
"Bella, that's wonderful! Merlin, from the way you were crying I thought something awful had happened!"
I tried to speak, but I choked up again and started to weep once more.
"Bella?" I cried harder. "Something is wrong, isn't it?"
"I think he's lying." A fresh feeling of anger overcame me and dried all of my tears. It gave me strength to tell my story.
When I had finished, she was silent for a moment. She looked deep in though, and I waited patiently for her response. Then she said something that I never would have expected.
"I think he may actually love you."
"What?"
"The way you described it... he seemed almost... human. If he is acting so differently than usual, there is a large chance..." she trailed off.
"But can I really assume that? What if he doesn't? She looked thoughtfully at me once more. "Hmm... If I were you, I'd give it some time. Don't make the choice right away. Give him time to make sure he is loyal, or let him prove himself."
"Prove himself?"
"At some point he will probably have to make a choice that would benifit you and make things harder for himself. If he makes the sacrifice, then it must be love."
"Wow, Andy. I never thought of that. Thank you." I stood up from the couch, but then stopped. "But wait, where should I go? I've been living in his house, but now..."
"I'd say to stay there if he continues to treat you respectfully. It'll give you more of a chance to see what he's up to. But if he starts to misbehave, get out fast."
"Where would I go?"
"If anything happens, dear, come right here. I'll help you pick up the pieces."
"Really?"
"Really."
There was a long silence, but it was not awkward in any way. Finally, I rose and hugged my sister tightly.
"I don't know how much I can possibly thank you," I whispered. "I don't know why we ever grew apart."
"Does it matter?" she asked with tears in her eyes. "We're together now, and I'll help you with anything."
"And I'll do anything to repay you."
She abruptly pulled away. "Anything?"
I hesitated. What would I do for my sister? I knew that look; she was up to something. But how could I deny her? "Anything."
Her request was not so bad as I expected. "Don't hurt Nymphadora or Ted. I know you'll probably never cross paths with my husband-" she swallowed some tears. "But my daughter is in the Order! Please-" she let out a sob. "Please, Bella, try to not hurt her!"
"Shh... Andy. I promise! I'll protect her in any way I can."
"Oh thank you, Bella! You're such a wonderful sister."
"I know," I said. "I only wish I was as wonderful as you."
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Post by darkpiratenellie on Jul 9, 2011 8:12:01 GMT -8
Chapter 18
"No."
The red eyes were slits and the growling of the beast was loud.
"Please don't! You promised! You promised!"
The beast pounced.
He grabbed me around the waist and forced our lips together. He hissed out words as he continued to press kisses to my jaw, neck, and hands.
"One kiss, Bella, only one! Now... you will be punished forever!" I screamed for him to stop but he continued. His voice echoed as he hissed "Bella. Bella. You are mine and you will die, Bella. Bella..."
I screamed and cried and everything went black. The hissing continued but the echo faded away, and I realized I was being shaken gently from my shoulders, not having my wrist gripped tightly.
My eyes snapped open.
"Bella," he hissed. "Wake up. Wake up, Bella, just a nightmare." He was here too, with his evil red eyes. I screamed again and he gently, yet firmly muffled my mouth.
"Bellatrix, be calm," he hissed. "You're dreaming. It's a nightmare."
Finally all my senses came to me and I nodded vigorously. "Yes. Yes, I know."
His eyes were full of concern. There was a moment of hesitation, but then he climbed onto the bed and awkwardly put his arm around me.
"No," I said, and wriggled free. His eyes were full of pain, but he did not try again.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
I gulped and said, "I dreamed that you were trying to kiss me more than once so that you could lock me up and... and..."
I broke off, tears forming in my eyes.
"No, Bella. I would never do something like that. I love you. I would never kiss you if you didn't want it. Besides, you won. I can't live without you. I couldn't punish you even if I wanted, which I certainly don't..."
His words still melted my heart, but I had to remember to stay strong.
"I know. I'm not scared. It was just a dream." And I pushed him away. Again.
Since that night, things were very weird. Everything was opposite of what it had been before. Now, it was the Dark Lord chasing after me. He would do random kind things and make subtle hints. I would do my best to be independent and act oblivious. It was killing me, but I could not let it show.
Also, the Dark Lord had started to hold Death Eater meetings again. I still sat at his immediate right. I had told the Dark Lord that I would fight for the cause, and be the most loyal to our mission, even if I no longer was devoted to him. Besides, I had said, we wouldn't want the other servants to get suspicious of anything.
Of course, we had no need to worry about that. The Death Eaters didn't even notice a thing out of place when the Dark Lord practically showered me with praise at every meeting. They were just that dumb. Of course, they did not blink an eye at my lack of flirting. I don't even know if they had noticed in the first place.
However, there were other exciting events about to happen. Our confusing affections for one another had not halted all attempts to destroy the Order of the Phoenix and kill Harry Potter. The Dark Lord was determined to get the prophecy concerning him and the Boy who Lived. It was vital information to destroy Potter and take over the world. So we were now planning an attack on the Ministry. Here, my information would come in handy, but I wasn't quite sure if I was ready to give it.
The Dark Lord was pleading me. He needed this information. But I was terribly confused. I didn't know what was more important: to show my lack of interest in the Dark Lord, or to win this war that stood for all I believed in... including him.
In the end, I revealed Potter's connection with my traitor cousin, Sirius Black, which was information that the old house elf had given me. I hated all those filthy creatures, but the pathetic thing adored me, for whatever reason. This information proved to be extremely important. This would be the way to lure Potter to the Ministry of Magic. There, he would hand over the prophecy to Lucius and me, because the Dark Lord would not go to the Ministry unless absolutely necessary. It was too risky. However, he explained to us all that Potter would have to get the prophecy because only the people that the prophecy concerned could actually retrieve it. So we would have to trick Potter into the heavily guarded Department of Mysteries.
I did not know much of the plan, other than the fact that the Dark Lord would put an image of Sirius Black being tortured into Potter's head to lure him to the Ministry. My sole job was to obtain the prophecy by any means possible and return it to the Dark Lord. The other Death Eaters would take care of guards and fight any opponents that could arrive.
The planning was intense. We constantly practiced dueling, sneaking, and even just running. I slept a lot and worked hard. The weeks until the special day flew by. I felt nervous, but prepared.
The day arrived. Lucius and I sat nervously along with Narcissa, waiting to depart for the Ministry. The other Death Eaters had already arrived outside the building. Once inside the Department of Mysteries itself, they would take down all Anti-Apparation charms temporarily and signal us through the Dark Mark. We would Apparate and head directly for the Hall of Prophecies. The plan was perfect, simple, seamless, and without risk, yet there was so much room for mistake. All precautions had been taken, but so much could change our chances. It was likely that some would die and some would be captured, but the risk had to be taken. Our cause depended on it.
My sister, brother-in-law, and I were silent in our anxiety and nervousness, but the time flew. Soon, our marks were burning and we disappeared from the room in clouds of smoke, leaving a teary Narcissa behind.
My thick, yet short heels made loud clicking sounds far too hollow and sharp for rubber. This place made me uneasy. There was so much mystery in this place, and I feared the unkown. I liked knowing things, knowing stories, information, just having knowledge. But this place had so many things I did not understand, right down to the dangerous things locked behind doors to the mysterious black stones that were cold as ice and glowed a sky blue. I was afraid of shadows I usually bathed in, terrified of the empty silence that I usually treasured. Lack of knowledge changed me, every part of me. I was fearful. And yet, I was less afraid for myself than him. Yes, him. No, not Lucius. The Dark Lord. The man I loved. I was not in denial. I loved him. But I did not believe he returned my affections, no matter what empty words he spoke. He wasn't worth my worry, yet I feared for him. I was so hopeless.
Soon, I heard whispers as Lucius and I hid behind shelves of prophecies. Then came the shuffling of many feet. Then silence. Then the Potter boy spoke, and I was filled with hatred.
"It has my name on it." Such innocent words made me burn with fury. He killed the Dark Lord. It was such an irrational anger. He had been only a child at the time; he did not intend to hurt him. But he did. I was overwhelmed with protectiveness for my love. I felt Lucius's firm hand on my shoulder.
"Not yet," he breathed. I was suddenly aware that I had pulled my wand out and stepped forward. I slunk back into the shadows and tried to focus, though the words spoken were only mush compared to my vivid thoughts.
"Now," Lucius spoke as he stepped into the light. The children hadn't noticed him yet; they were still mesmerized by the glass orb. But by time I stepped out of the shadows as well, Lucius had their full attention.
"Pity, pity, baby...POTTER!" I spat. I noticed a boy with large ears and brown hair. I realized he looked like Frank... Longbottom. He was glaring at me with intense disgust and hatred. Normally I would provoke him, but I only felt empty insults. My fresh love for the Dark Lord had my thoughts solely on Potter. I threw many insults at him, including "half-blood" and "filth" and "scum." I also mentioned his family, or rather, the lack of it. His face soon matched Longbottom's.
It all happened so quickly. My thoughts were wandering again. I was thinking of the Dark Lord. The life we could have together. And then a battle broke out. Before I knew it, spells were being fired everywhere. More Death Eaters had joined the brawl. Glass was falling and shelves were collapsing. We lost the students in the dust of shattered prophecies. I prayed that the one we came for was safe.
It wasn't long before we found them...along with the Order of the Phoenix. And we were fighting again. I knew at one point Lucius had the prophecy. And then... he didn't. I hoped with all my might that it didn't suffer the fate I thought it had. For Lucius's sake, my own, and HIS. At one point I saw Nymphadora. I was preparing to fight her, but I remembered my promise, and quickly turned away. I smiled at her confused, yet accepting expression.
I was fighting my cousin, Sirius. We were an even match. We were both accomplished wizards, who knew a wide range of spells and dueling skills. I did have a slight advantage, from all our recent training, but I was still finding myself being worn down, and I could see he was tiring as well. Nobody else in the hall had been fighting as long as us. They had either been defeated, or had defeated their opponent, moving on to another. Our spells were firing rapidly, jets of light flying every which way. We were both shooting more than curses; we were shooting years of built up anger, resentment, and jealousy at one another.
I was winning. He didn't have the same stamina after being cooped up all that time in Grimmauld Place. "Grim Old Place" I liked to call it. Finally, I was preparing to stun him, which I knew would send him falling back through the Arch of Death, which he was unknowinlgy backing into. I raised my wand for the curse, and then stopped. All the sudden I saw something. His face. And I saw my own, as a teenage girl. Love. He was longing for love. I could see myself, feeling unwanted, unloved, angry at the world for falling in love with someone who could never love me back. His face was the same. Was this what he felt? Love for Harry, almost as a son? When Harry could not really love him like his father? Was Sirius living in the same cruel world, where one could never have love returned as well as they could want it?
Suddenly, I didn't want revenge. I didn't want to kill him. I would capture Sirius, stun him, whatever. But not kill him, Not torture him. What was wrong with me? Why was I becoming so soft?
I opened my mouth to shout at him, tell him to move away from the Arch, but Sirius was still engulfed in the battle. He did not know my intentions. He wanted to kill, and my guard was down. A spell shot towards me that I was unable to block. Soon, I was on the ground, blood pouring out of a wound that stretched from my lower abdomen, across my ribs, right to the center of my back.
I could not see well, but it seemed that my cousin had left me, assuming that I was dead or dying quickly. I knew I was not, not yet anyways. I still had life, but I did not know how quickly it would ebb away if I did not receive help. I estimated I could go about another half hour before I would become unconcious, an hour before I would be dead. I was too weak to perform a real healing charm on myself, but I was able to significantly slow the bleeding. Sirius's back was facing me and he was well away from the arch. I shot a spell to knock him out, though it was not Stupefy. I actually could not remember the name, for it had no incantation; it was done from willpower and wand movement. It was not taught at Hogwarts because it was a more advanced spell, but weaker than Stupefy. It was hard to learn, yet easy to cast, draining much less magical energy from the wizard. Soon, however, I realized what a bad choice I had made. The spell was green and therefore commonly mistaken for the Killing Curse. And now Potter was storming towards me, fury in his eyes.
Normally, I would not have been frightened, but I was so weak. I barely had the strength to get up and dash away, though the hall, past many doors and into one of the lobbies of the Ministry. There, I felt my knees weaken and I slumped against a statue.
I knew what I had to do. I had overheard in the battle that the prophecy was broken. There was only one thing to do; I had to call the Dark Lord, as ordered. I did not want to be the one to do this, but somebody had to, and the rest of the Death Eaters were unconcious, dead, or in battle. I pressed my fingers to the mark and prayed that we would not be punished severely. I prayed that there was also another way to hear the prophecy.
I heard footsteps, and glanced out from behind my hiding place. Potter had followed successfully. He was now searching for me. I trembled violently, from fear, pain, and cold.
"Where are you, you evil witch?" he cried. I almost felt badly. "Come out! I'll kill you, just like you killed Sirius!"
He was far from me; I could tell from his voice, so I spoke as loudly as I could, which wasn't much, "He's not dead. Just knocked out."
"You're lying!" I hoped he had not been able to tell from which direction my voice came, but his steps were closer. "You killed him, my only family! You will die!"
His face appeared in front of mine. He was bruised and bloodied, as was I. I was not so desperate as to plead, but I backed away as far as possible.
"No," I said hoarsely. "He's not d-" I broke into a fit of coughing. My stomach seared with pain.
"I saw him. He's dead." He looked like a wild animal, hair standing up and tears streaming down his dirty cheeks. I backed into the statue, pressed up against it as far as I could, though I knew it was no use.
"Crucio!" he shouted at me. My body was on fire, but not so intense as my wound. It felt like it was sparking and being bashed against by hammers. I could feel it open up completely, and warm, sticky blood soon coated my side. It was a weak curse, but in my fragile state, I was no match for it. It did not last for long, however.
"Weak, Potter, weak," I said, though I was so weak myself. "You have to mean it... want to truly cause pain... can't..." I was gasping for air. "...anger..."
I blacked out.
All too soon, but far too late, I was startled awake by flashing lights and loud sounds. The Dark Lord was dueling with Dumbledore. And now, the very statue I had sought shelter from was pinning me to the ground. I was such a failure...such a failure... I even failed to keep myself up. All was black until a few minutes later, when I heard the elderly man speak the words, "The Ministry is coming."
I saw the panic. Not mine, Harry's, or Dumbledore's. The Dark Lord's. If the Ministry came, it would be known to the whole Wizarding World that he was back from the dead. So many plans would be ruined. He needed to escape quickly. I mouthed the words, "go."
And he hesitated. My heart was filled with love. He had a choice, he could save me and be discovered, or leave and let me die. I knew I would die if he left. The statue was pressing hard on me, and the slash across my stomach was killing me. Dumbledore and Potter could not see it becuase the statue's arm hid it from their view, but he could. He could see the pain in my eyes that they could not. I knew they could not. Dumbledore tried to avoid death and torture. If he had known I was dying, I would not be pinned down like this, for my own body did that on its own.
What would he choose? Me, or the cause? I knew his choice. Power. There was no advantage to saving me. Even if I survived, there was a large chance that I might never fully recover. My limbs were going numb. There was a large chance that I would not ever fight again, or even stand. He had two choices: all gain, or all loss. And I knew this was the moment.
Andromeda had told me to let him prove himself. This was it. If he saved me, then he loved me, there was no doubt. If he saved me, he would gain nothing, in fact, he would lose power. If he left me, what would he lose? Nothing. Unless he loved me. This would be it. The betrayal, or the sacrifice.
His eyes. They were so wide, so terrified, and looking directly at me. Just the fact that he hesitated proved that there was something there. If not love, at least some sort of loyalty or friendship. He knew his choice as well as I.
"Go," I mouthed again. I would make the sacrifice too. I wanted him to come to me, yet I wanted him to leave. I wanted him safe, out of harm's way. I wanted the cause to continue progress. I wanted his life to go smoothly and happily. But I wanted him to love me, too. I wanted it so badly. I wanted all those reassurances he made to be sincere.
His eyes. So full of fear. Fear of what? Of losing power? Or of losing me?
His back turned to me. He was facing Dumbledore, who gave him a solemn nod. I was losing focus in my eyes, but he seemed to be saying, "Yes, Tom. They are coming." I felt almost like the old man knew about us, but it was impossible
The Dark Lord clenched his fists. He twirled around. I was unable to tell if he was Dissapparating or if he was turning to me. Everything was a blur. I could hear or feel nothing. I didn't know whether he was actually coming for me or leaving. I wouldn't know. Darkness surrounded me.
I woke up in a place where everything was white and soft. Clouds, I thought. Was I in Heaven? Impossible, I contradicted myself. I have murdered. I cannot be in Heaven.
Then was I dead or alive? I was certain that this was not Hell. It was far too peaceful.
All thoughts of death were driven from my head as pain seared through me. There was no pain in any afterlife except in Hell. Where I had already determined I was not. So was I alive?
I forced my eyes to focus. I was in a cotton white bed with white pillows and a plain white headboard. However, I noticed the walls were a pale yellow, and the floors hardwood. This was definitely no afterlife. I was alive.
The room was mainly empty from what I could see. I did, however, spot a peculiar snowglobe on a shelf. It was of a witch and a wizard smiling peacefully as they ice skated, shooting blue sparks with pink hearts into the sky.
It was a gift I had given to Lucius and Narcissa one year for New Year's. I had to be at Malfoy Manor, although I knew this was not the guest room. It was unaturally sterile and plain. I realized that this must be the "sick room" that Draco complained about so often.
So I was in the sick room. I noticed I was wearing a plain green nightgown. There was a thick white bandage wrapped firmly around my middle. On one corner of the bed, the neswpaper sat. I focused my eyes, realizing that this would be the moment of truth. I blinked hard, desperately trying to make out the headline and picture on the front page.
My heart was suddenly in my throat as I saw. I quivered and tears streamed down my face. Was it true? How could it really be true? This was what he had done. This was what he chosen. The tears increased. I could not believe it.
"The Dark Lord Returns: Spotted At Ministry." The picture showed him blasting the statue away, scooping me up, and... I almost laughed. He shot a glare at the cameras and discreetly gave them the middle finger. They obviously had not picked up on that. My face was so wet with my crying, but I was too happy to stop.
Me. He chose ME. It was true; he had proved himself. He loved me. And I loved him. Nothing could go wrong now... except...
Pain. It shot all throughout my body. Feeling had returned to all parts of me, but I only felt pain. I could ignore it, for now, but it would still be at the back of my mind. I finally knew I was loved, but there was a chance that I would be in pain all my life.
I heard a strangled sound from somewhere beside me. I carefully turned my head without feeling any pain. I saw a figure slumped over in a chair, long white fingers covering his face...
I smiled. It was just like a few months ago, months that seemed like years. That day when I woke up after Azkaban. That day when he was worrying so much, just about me.
But we had both changed so much since then. I was so much stronger, so much more independent. Giving up the one I loved the most to make sure I wasn't being used. Learning to sacrifice myself for others and allowing others to sacrifice themselves for me. I was changed.
And him. So different. Loving, caring, but still the same person. He had the same glow, same power, same pride. But softer, gentler, more human.
He was crying. Not the restrained tears as before, but freely flowing. Actual sobs that I could hear. I reached over and touched his arm. He looked up with red, unbelieving eyes.
Suddenly, he was right there by my side, kneeling right at the bedside. I carefully rolled over to face him completely.
"Bella...is it real?" he cried.
I smiled through my own tears and nodded. "I am with you."
He cradled my head, and kissed me gently. He pulled me to him, and I tugged him closer as well. It was real. Nothing could stop it. Not pain, war, power. This was power. This was love. Our love could be more powerful than anything and everything in the world.
"If we are together, nothing can go wrong," I whispered.
"I agree."
Soon, he was on the bed with my head in his lap. And soon, he was on his back, my head on his chest. And we slept peacefully.
Narcissa nursed me back to health, technically, but I believe he did it most of all. I was determined to be whole again for him. And I was. I stood. I walked. And I was fully moving again without much pain. I used magic. It was like learning all of my life's skills all over again, just like the Azkaban breakout. My, they weren't kidding when they said "the circle of life."
The wound had been very severe, but Narcissa's knowledge of healing and the Dark Lord's power saved me. It wasn't without a cost, however.
"What's wrong with me?" I asked as pain shot through my stomach again.
Narcissa, Lucius, and the Dark Lord exchanged glances.
"WHAT? What is wrong?" I repeated.
The Dark Lord spoke. "The healing spells. For such a deadly wound, we had to use extremely powerful spells. They healed the cut itself, but damaged other things."
"Like what?" I paled.
"Well, for a while longer, you will continue to feel nauseous and feel pain. It'll go away, it's just because it has upset your stomach, but..."
"But...?"
The Dark Lord looked at his feet, refusing to go on. Narcissa picked up. "In most cases, one particular spell we used damages the reproducive system. It's likely that you're infertile. Bella, I don't think you will ever have children."
I was silent, waiting for the worst to come. It didn't.
"Bella, I'm so sorry. I mean, it's not one hundred percent certain, but..."
"That's it?"
"Huh?"
I glanced at Voldemort. "It's not like we would ever even want children at any point. Can you imagine us as parents? No!"
He and I chuckled.
"So.. you're not upset?"
"Nah."
But truthfully, I was. Not that I wanted kids, hell, no, but I felt a sense of emptiness. Probably because I was now most likely unable to. Even if I DID want them at any point. I hated being incapable, of anything. But at the same time, I breathed a sigh of relief. It could have been much worse. Much MUCH worse. Like a deadly disease. Or not being able to walk. I had never desired kids. Probably never will.
Later, the Dark Lord and I spoke to each other.
"My Lord?"
"Don't say that."
"Huh?"
He sat up and stared at me.
"Say my name."
"Wha-? T...T-"
"No! Not that filthy muggle name. My REAL name. You know it."
"Not V..."
"Yes. Say it. I love you. You should call me by my real name. Like I do to you."
I took a deep breath.
"Voldemort." The forbidden word. Like the forbidden fruit, so deadly, so sweet.
"Mmm... I love to hear you speak it. I love you, Bellatrix."
"I love you, too."
We kissed.
For a moment, I forgot what I had been wanting to ask, but I suddenly remembered.
"Voldemort?"
"Yes, love?"
"You don't want kids, do you?"
"Hell, no."
"Good. That's what I thought too."
"Why did you ask that?"
"I just wanted to make sure you weren't upset."
"Mm... okay."
We were silent.
"Bella?"
"Mm hmm?"
"Just 'cause we don't want kids, doesn't mean we can't... you know..."
I opened my eyes and looked at his devilish smile. Mine matched his.
"Of course not! There's no reason we shouldn't."
He began to slide my straps off my shoulders, but I remembered my mother...
"No. I can't do this."
"What? Bellatrix? Don't you love me? Don't you want this?"
"NO! I mean, yes, but... not yet."
"Why?"
I hesitated. But why should I? I loved him with all my heart. He should respect me.
"This will sound ridiculous, coming from me, but ... I want to do this properly. My mother made me promise. Voldemort, please marry me."
"Bellatrix?"
"Please?"
"Of course. Anything for you. I just can't believe..."
"Me neither."
"I never even dreamt of being married."
"But you dreamt of being laid?"
"Of course," he chuckled darkly. "And it was actually a dream I had. And you were in it."
"So you've loved me all this time and you didn't even let me know?"
"Bella, dear. I didn't even know."
"So we'll get married?"
"Yes."
We snuggled in each other's arms, and nothing could go wrong.
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Post by darkpiratenellie on Jul 9, 2011 8:21:38 GMT -8
The wedding. I couldn't believe it. My wedding day was finally here.
I had never realized how magical a wedding could be. I never knew what a wedding filled with love was. My marriage to Rodolphus was empty. That wedding was unimportant to me; it was just like another annoying day with him. But with Voldemort, everything was perfect. My love. I couldn't shake off my feelings of nervousness, excitement, and anticipation.
By the way Cissy was acting, however, you would think that SHE was the one getting married. Fussing about every little detail, running around like a lunatic; she was driving herself crazy. Honestly, I couldn't care less if the flowers on the tables weren't matching the bouquet I would be holding. Those were the things I worried about in my first marriage. All I wanted this time was to have my man beside me, his long arms around me, speaking softly, kissing me so gently, yet with a fiery passion-
"Bellatrix! Did you hear a single thing I just said?" I sighed. Narcissa was fussing again, and had even gotten Andromeda pulled into the whole ordeal.
"No," I sighed. "Look, what does it matter? As long as Voldemort is there, I'm happy as a-"
"What?" Andromeda shreiked. "You can't NOT care about your wedding dress!"
"Eh. As long as it's not too sparkly, it's floor-length, and it's not white, I couldn't give a rat's arse."
"Bellatrix!" Cissy scolded. "It MUST be white."
"It's a WEDDING" Andromeda chimed in.
"Voldemort is wearing black."
"Yes, but he isn't the bride," 'Meda retorted.
"Hey," I said, "This is probably the evilest wedding ever. The craziest Death Eater ever plus the scariest ruler of the world ever? Is white really appropriate here?"
"Bella, please," said Narcissa. "It's mostly white, but I think you'll like it. It has some black and red, as well."
"How much?"
"As much as we could do. We honor your opinion as bride, Bella, but we got dress duty for a reason. Who knows what you would pick?"
"I don't know. I might have gone naked."
"Ew... Bella."
I smirked.
"Whatever," I said. "Just show me the dress, and let me see what I have to suffer through."
I reluctantly allowed an exception to the "no white" rule. The dress was gorgeous; even I had to say so.
It wasn't pure white. It was an off-white, almost cream, and wasn't even on the skirt of the dress. It was just on the upper part, and it was accented with many tiny ruby, gold, and onyx crystals. It was dangerously low-cut, strapless, and trimmed with silky black lace. There was a gold satin ribon around the flattering waist. The skirt was made of red and black tulle, with gold pieces and off-white lace. It was beautiful, yet had a strong goth feel. And to Andromeda's protests, Narcissa had charmed fairies to make them gold and Imperioed them to hold onto the ends of my veil and wave it. It was red with black lace.
When I put the dress on, I almost cried. I literally fit like a glove; it was charmed so it would be extra large for me to step into and then it would form itself into the exact shape of my body, pressing gently against my skin. For once, I thought I looked beautiful. I hugged 'Meda and Cissy tightly. They scolded me for wrinkling the dress, though I didn't notice any difference.
My sisters set to work on the make-up. I closed my eyes and just thought some more about my wonderful wedding.
I had been worried that Narcissa and Andromeda wouldn't get along, but I had no reason to. They were thrilled to see each other and had much more in common than when we were young girls. I was even a bit jealous of their fantastic relationship, but I didn't let it get to me. They still loved me, even if I was the odd one.
I wondered what my honeymoon would be like. My husband-to-be had refused to say. It would be a surprise. I only knew that it was somewhere in the Caribbean. I had overheard Voldemort and Lucius talking about it.
"Bella, we're done," said Cissy exitedly. I opened my eyes.
They had done a fantastic job on the makeup as well. I had full, crimson lips and darkly outlined eys. My lashes were magically extended and thickened. My eyebrows were plucked to perfection, my face was pale, yet alive, and my eyelids were a shimmery gold.
For whatever reason, my sisters decided to do my hair the muggle way. Well, partially. First, they straigtened it to eliminate the frizz. Then, they made tight, yet soft, spiral curls. They abandoned the muggle way after failing to figure out the "bobby pins." They magically lifted my hair off my back. In mere seconds, they had made a stunning, elegant updo that was better than what I could have done in hours.
"You guys are magic," I said.
"No, duh" they chorused. So alike.
And then, they handed me a small-ish box.
"What's this?" I asked suspiciously. It was wrapped in silver paper.
"A surprise wedding present," grinned Andy.
"We hope you like it," said Cissy.
I tore off the paper and slowly opened the box. I gasped. There was a gold tiara inside. It had complicated swirls and patterns and had rubies, onyx, and pearls scattered around on it. It looked perfect.
"Thank you," I said, still in awe. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Except for my engagement ring, I thought. I glanced down at the goblin-made piece of jewelry. It was simple, but very expensive, with finest wizard gold and a elf-shined fine diamond.
"The Dark Lord is going to crown you as Dark Lady."
After I got over my amazement, I rushed to hug them, to receive much scolding once more.
All of the sudden, we were back to flowers and seating arrangements. I just let my mind wander aimlessly, letting the time fly.
And then, I was terrified. I found myself standing at the end of the aisle all too soon, with a bouquet of white, gold, red, and black roses in my hands. It seemed like those were the colors of the wedding.
What if Voldemort decided he didn't want to get married after all? I was beginning to panic. What if he didn't even love me anymore?
No, I told myself. We are in love. I have nothing to fear. However, I could not chase away the butterflies in my stomach.
And then I was walking. I was alone. My father had died long ago and I had no older family or friends to guide me. But I didn't care. This wasn't your every day traditional wedding.
And he was there. He looked stunning. His white face contrasted beautifully with his black tuxedo. His red eyes glowed with a passion.
I knew my eyes held the same look of adoration.
I wasn't scared anymore.
Nothing mattered. My only life was him.
The vows. Those long drawn out words I had heard at my first wedding went by in a flash. I said "I do" without actually hearing what I was saying it to.
But I knew. I knew what I was saying it to. I would be there. Always. I forever would care for him. I'd always be there. No matter what tough times would come our way, we would survive them. It he was ill or injured I would be by his side. And most importantly, I would love him.
Voldemort was handed the box that held my tiara. He carefully pulled it from its place and he genly put it onto the top of my head. And I was now wearing a wedding ring. "My Lady," he whispered, bowed, and kissed my hand. "My Lady" was echoed by the audience, and everyone kneeled with heads down.
I put his ring on his finger and did the same. The audience followed.
And then we kissed. It was unlike any other kiss we had shared before. Because nothing mattered. It was just him and me. If the whole world disappeared, which it did at that moment, I wouldn't have cared. We were officially bonded. For life. And we had no intention of dying. Ever. But the moment didn't last nearly as long as our lives would. It ended so quickly but I still felt the fireworks afterwards. And then we were back. Back in the real world, where people were watching. Big, muscular Death Eaters, who wanted to get out of this place. Big, muscular Death Eaters who were ready to drink until they couldn't stand. Big, muscular Death Eaters who wanted cake. Now.
Voldemort and I exchanged a knowing glance, and so, the party began.
I had to say, the party didn't feel particularly special. It was just like any other party my new husband and I had gone to before. The special parts were when we could sit and talk quietly. The really special parts were when we could find a corner and snog.
But we also had the obligation to dance. And we did so, perfectly. We were amazed to find how in sync we were. I had always been terribly clumsy, and the Dark Lord was... well... the Dark Lord. But we were so together. And we spun around and around, to the point where it got addicting.
Then the party became special.
We were the stars. Every tune, fast, slow, waltz, salsa, even heavy metal. Others swerved out of our way to allow us to pass through and we found ourselves in the middle of a circle many times with a big spotlight on us.
My feet began to grow tired and my new husband seemed to be exhausted, as well.
By this point, over half the party guests were either too drunk to talk or had passed out. The non-Death Eater members were staring at the sloppy men in disgust.
We were done with dancing, but there was one more challenge to overcome. I gulped. My family.
We had already spoken to Narcissa, Lucius, and Draco, but not Andromeda, Ted, Nymphadora, and Lupin. I was terrified of how Voldemort might react. But it had to be done. I wanted to stay on good terms with my family. We needed to talk. Or at least try.
I gestured over towards my blood-traitor side, and my husband made a small face.
"Please, darling," I pleaded, "I know they're not loyal to the causse, and he is a Muggle, but we must..."
He pulled me towards them with a purpose to his stride, and felt like breaking down into tears of nervousness.
I forced myself to be calm and said, "Hello, 'Meda." I glanced at the others. "Ted, Dora, Remus."
They all exchanged terrified glances. Andy's daughter tried to say something, but no sound came from her open mouth.
"Nymphadora prefers to be called Tonks, Bella." She looked over to Tonks. "Come on darling, say hello to Aunt Bella." But Tonks's petrified stare was locked on my husband. He stepped forward and she whimpered.
"Please, sir," said Andromeda as I tensed up. "I know we disagree politically, but we are..." She stumbled backwards.
But Voldemort did not strike out. He looked over the family and smirked. "No, do not fear me. We can get along. When you make the rules, you also get to make the exceptions to them." He gave one last twisted smile, nodded to my family and walked away to stand by the door. Realizing that the party was over, I bid farewell to my family.
"Well," I said, "I suppose that's the best we could have asked for. Don't worry, he'll warm up to you. Now it was very nice seeing you, and I hope we can all get to know each other better."
I pulled my sister aside. "Andromeda, I hate to bring such a depressing subject up, but it is important. We both know that a battle is approaching. Harry Potter is approaching the full-grown wizarding age, and he will become a target. We will fight to destroy him, and you will fight to protect him. But sister, my husband and I will never hurt you or your family. Unfortunately, we can't promise the same from our servants." I sighed. "What I'm trying to say is... watch your back, okay? Everyone at this wedding is at peace right now, but soon everyone in this room will be fighting on different sides. Including you and me."
"Oh, Bella!" She hugged me tightly. "I know, and same to you, be careful. I do worry, so much. We know you will be a big target as Dark Lady."
"I know. Be safe, Andy." With that, I kissed her on the cheek, we hugged tightly, and I went to my impatient husband. We glanced back at all those close to us. Then, I grabbed his arm and we Apparated home.
Home. Our home now. This is where we would be safe together, happy together.
We knew it was true love. How did we know? From the feelings inside, from the light in each other's eyes, from the fact that sex wasn't the first thing that popped into our minds.
Our suitcases were already neatly packed. We grabbed the handle, I grasped his arm, and he led me into the darkness.
I opened my eyes.
We were standing on a beach, one very similar to the one that I had saved him on. He seemed to notice the questioning in my eyes.
"That beach we went to," he said, "is on another island, about 70 kilometers from here."
"Where are we? What island is this."
He smirked. He waved his wand and a sign appeared in the sand. Painted on the light wood were the words "Bellamort Island."
"You didn't!" I gasped.
"I did," he said, taking my hand and starting to walk me through the sand. "I wanted to find that beach you took me to; I wanted to do something really speical involving it. In the meantime, I accidently discovered this island. No person has ever seen it before. I discovered it, so it's ours. I hope you like it," he said worriedly.
"I love it," I laughed, and kissed him. "But really, darling, BELLAMORT Island?" He had a sheepish grin. "No other ideas?"
"It seemed to suit it," he responded. He changed the subject. "Bella, darling, I was overjoyed to marry you, but I have to ask; why did you want us to get married in the first place? We could have been just as happy without a legal marriage."
"I know," I said. "But I remembered my mother's wish. She asked me before she died to marry before I lost my virginity. And I promised. It was important for me to keep it."
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Don't be. She was very sick. She is at rest, now."
"But wait!" He halted suddenly and looked at me with wide eyes. "Why did she say that? You must have already had sex before Rodolphus, and by the time of your mother's death, you two had been married for years!"
"No... I never had sex before dear Roddy, and-"
"No way!"
"Huh?"
"Sorry, I just can't believe you were a virgin. Lady Bellatrix, the most twisted of the twisted, a VIRGIN? It seems unreal!"
I laughed. "I know what you mean. I did create quite an image of myself."
"You sure did. And it didn't scream 'virgin,' that's for sure."
I laughed again. "Yes," I agreed.
"But it still doesn't make sense," he said thoughtfully. "Why would she say that, after you were married and had sex with your ex-husband?"
"Because," I said quietly. "She knew I didn't"
He looked absolutely stunned. "Wait... so you mean... you were, and still are, a virgin?"
"Yes," I said. "My first marriage was loveless, and as a Death Eater, I had no obligation to conceive and bear children. So we never had sex."
I realized suddenly that we had reached the door of a rather big mansion, not as large as our regular home, but still very nice. My husband picked me up, bridal style of course, and carried me up the stairs quickly.
"Then," he said mischeiviously, "I must assume that you will be giving your virginity to me tonight. And I will be doing the same for you."
I returned his naughty grin. "I can't wait for that gift."
Sex hadn't been the first thing that popped into our minds, but it had worked its way in, eventually.
And then, BAM! The clothes were on the floor and we were in the bed. It happened so incredibly fast, I had barely known what happened.
"Please, remember, it's my first time, so be gentle, Voldy." He gave no indication of hearing me, but I wouldn't have to worry. He was gentle and careful at first, until I got used to it and begged for more. It hurt, but my other wonderful feelings overrode it. I must have stated three times at least, "I must be the luckiest wife in the world," at varying levels of screaming.
A long time later, we collapsed on each other, exhausted, yet satisfied. We shared one last kiss before drifting off to sweet dreams.
If a daring person had walked up to the grand door of a grand mansion on a grand island, they would find themselves in a grand hallway. If that daring person was brave (or stupid) enough to continue up the grand spiraling stairs and through the door into the grand master bedroom, they would find the Dark Lord and the Dark Lady lying naked on a grand bed. They would see that they were held lovingly in each others arms.
But if a person had actually been foolish enough to do such a thing, they would still not really know the true feelings of this couple. They would not know that they had no fear. They would not know that they had no pain. They would not know that all they felt at this moment was joy and love in their beautiful dreams. And they would not know that this love was more powerful than anything else.
And because they would not know those things, they would also not know that the Dark Lord and Lady were the luckiest in the world.
For now...
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Post by darkpiratenellie on Jul 9, 2011 8:23:20 GMT -8
Please forgive this story :/ I wrote it over a year ago, and only really posted it because I wanted to post the sequel here. I KNOW it sucks and I KNOW it's really OOC, especially on Voldemort's part and I KNOW it's pretty much the worst fanfic you've ever read. just bear with me :/
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Post by Zoe on Jul 10, 2011 23:58:19 GMT -8
This was pretty interesting Its always fun to read about Voldemort and his Death Eaters, Bella espcially
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