long live the queen

True to his word, Fabian had made contact within the week. He had always been that - a man of his word, with firm morals. A part of Bellatrix respected that about him, for she too was a woman of her word. When she made a promise, she kept it - whether it was immediately, or years down the line. She had promised to swear an Unbreakable Vow not to harm Gideon, and so swear one she would. Perhaps it had been a mistake, but surely the Dark Lord would respect her vow if a mission arose to take out the brothers. That was Fabian’s blind spot wasn’t it - eager to protect Gideon and Molly, and even poor little Athena Fawley, but he didn’t think to protect himself. 

She would be the end of him.

Now as the sun began to wane over the grounds of Lestrange Manor, Bellatrix had altered the wards just for the evening to allow Fabian and Lucretia Prewett through without alerting Rabastan and Rodolphus. She had cleared the parlour for the evening and warded the door shut firmly to prevent interruption. The fireplace flashed green briefly as the two flooed their way into the manor, and Bellatrix nodded in greeting. “Evening Fabian, Lucretia. Shall we get on with it so I can return to my glass of wine? I’m sure you have a bottle of firewhiskey to bury your nose in Fabian.”

Obviously his response had disappointed his cousin, if her tone was anything to go by. Regulus fought back the urge to argue and defend his lack of knowledge in the area of dark magic, knowing Bellatrix wouldn’t want to hear it. If she was training him like she was by the Dark Lord, he knew that would be unacceptable. Instead he nodded with what she said and clenched his jaw, not sure exactly how she was going to make him ruthless. He was sure he could be, in theory, but he’d never tested it out in practice.

Regulus’ eyebrows raised slightly when she mentioned Unforgivables, and nodded. “Yes, everyone knows about them Bella.” Then she listed the two that wouldn’t kill either of them, and his eyes widened. Did he just hear her correctly? “Y-you want me to send a Cruciatus toward you?” His brief laugh was strained, but he got his wand ready anyway. “You’re mad, cousin,” he said, taking a deep breath and trying to clear his mind of the fact that he was about to torture his cousin deliberately. His whole power, huh? He could at least try to do that. Regulus concentrated on the magic that flowed within him, opened his eyes, and said, “Crucio.”

Everyone knows about them Bella. Was he patronising her? “I would have expected Walburga to have taught you more than mere hexes and jinxes, so I had to check Regulus,” Bellatrix drawled slowly. “It’s well known that I’m mad, Regulus. Repeated torture from your mother, from the Dark Lord, it twists you,” Bellatrix said with a wicked smile, though she was steeling herself for the curse Regulus was about to send her way. It was not the first time Bellatrix had been under the cruciatus curse, it would not be the last - it was, and forever would be, her favourite curse to use against mudbloods and traitors. There was nothing like the feeling of the pure power that flowed through her veins during it’s use.

The cruciatus forced her to her knees initially and she cried out under the power. It felt like nails were pushing into her skin, flames licking at her nerve endings. But as soon as the pain arrived, it quickly dissipated to nothing more than a tickle despite the fact Regulus was still aiming his wand at her. Reaching for her own, Bellatrix cast a shield charm and stood. “Pathetic. It lasted thirty seconds - that won’t help you to rid us of Order scum on missions, or rid the world of mudbloods. By the end of our training, it should feel like this. Crucio.”

“One can hardly blame an enterprising squid for seizing upon such an opportunity — an eligible bachelor of good fortune and name with .. exotic tastes,” Gilderoy’s eyebrows raised, lips quivering at the corner for a moment as he sighed, taking another drag from his cigarette and staring happily up into the clouds drifting overhead, “Such a magnificent story couldn’t — nay, shouldn’t, be kept a secret. That would be the true tragedy.”

Gilderoy’s ability to get mixed up in absurdity had reached new heights over the past few years, his most recent debacle with his landlord a fair indication that he remained a lightning rod for poor decision making. “I have a talent for attracting interesting people,” he replied wryly, at the very least Bellatrix and her possessive husband would hardly be the first husband and wife he’d conquered, not that he had any real intention of adding their names to his list. 

Listening with interest to the prime piece of gossip being spread and wondering if she’d even realised what she’d divulged. Jealous husbands, pining exes, ruining the lives of well-connected deviants who just happened to be related by marriage, carelessly, happily throwing around talk of ménage à trois without the pearl-clutching, scandalised gasps of Pureblood ladies. Yes, Bellatrix was proving a wonderfully promising companion. “I suspect I’m going to like you very much, Madame Lestrange.” And Gilderoy, well Gilderoy highly suspected that the petty games of high society were not usually her forte, but he supposed that this was where their paths would happily intersect. He extended a hand, perhaps with a touch more formality than the wicked curve of his grin necessitated, in offer of sealing the deal, “Will you ruin a man’s life with me?”

The idea of the giant squid being an enterprising gold-digger was perhaps one of the funnier images that she’d conjured in her head this year. This lie about Lucius had easily spiralled out of control, fed so wonderfully by Gilderoy who had been far too willing to get involved in a family feud. “Exotic is one word for it....illegal is another,” Bellatrix remarked drily. “The story must make it to the public...such a wonderful love story. If only his darling wife knew, perhaps she might never have made it to the front of the altar....freeing me from the hell of being related to Lucius fucking Malfoy. 

Bellatrix hummed as Gilderoy said he attracted interesting people, wondering whether he truly attracted interesting people or merely didn’t give those he deemed boring the time of day. Easy to do so when you were an ‘accomplished’ author with plenty of people wanting your attention each day. “Who is the most interesting person you have ever attracted then, Mr Lockhart? I doubt they are as interesting as myself and Rodolphus.”

Watching as the sun passed behind a cloud and dimmed the light for a brief moment, Bellatrix leaned her head back and closed her eyes for just a moment. She had always been someone who considered herself closed off - only those that she wanted to know about her life knew about it, beyond that which was public knowledge. But to throw information about Fabian, about how jealous Rodolphus could get? That went far beyond the fabricated gossip about Lucius. What the hell was Gilderoy Lockhart doing to her? “You certainly are far more fascinating than I first believed when I saw you in Flourish and Blotts, Mr Lockhart,” Bellatrix looked down at his extended hand, eyes flicking back up to meet his gaze as she extended her own hand to shake his firmly. “I certainly would love to. Partners in crime.”

Alecto snorted at the mention of her brother’s tendency toward chaotic violence, trying to imagine him going out with Bellatrix on violent recruiting missions. The image just made her laugh, and she shook her head. “He may have a natural inclination toward violence, but I’m sure there’s many others you could choose from who could give you better results. He doesn’t have the finesse for it.” As if she was any better. Neither of them had the social graces that most people seemed to have at least some small inkling toward, but that was alright by her. Alecto didn’t need to be friends with the world. “Mm. It could even bring you closer, if you allowed it.”

Her years in St. Mungo’s were far from fond ones, and Alecto’s gaze became a bit distant as she thought on them. Amycus never knew how she could stand to work in the same place that had been claustrophobic to the twins, refused to even step in the place, but there was a level of detachment that she’d come to adapt to make her work bearable. Though the rest of the hospital was a bright, sanitary white, Alecto had gotten curtains for her office and kept it dark at all times, casting shadows that hid the color in blacks and greys and the orange that flickered from her candle’s light. Her office was a sanctuary, and how she survived. “It certainly wasn’t the most fun way to spend my youth,” she agreed, eyes coming back into focus slowly. “but there was nothing I could do about it. Not when Amycus and I were so sick.” She glanced over at Bellatrix, lips twitching at the mention of Evans. “Did I tell you I took Evans on as an apprentice? Her first day under me I had her brew a poison, fed it to a rat, and let her watch it die while she failed to create the antidote in time. She may be talented, but she can no longer say she is any better than you and I. Not when her poison was the one that killed the thing.”

Alecto was almost offended that Bellatrix would even suggest she would spread that moment of weakness around–she was hardly the kindest person, but those in her good graces had a loyalty that no one else had the privilege of seeing. Severus was another matter entirely, one that Alecto had yet to find time to pursue. How had he healed Rodolphus’ wounds when she couldn’t? It was driving her to madness, and she spoke before she could stop herself: “He is… inconspicuous, I suppose. I’m not sure how he knew how to heal what I could not. It’s curious.” But that wasn’t the point of this discussion, was it? Bellatrix was distraught by the sudden change of feelings she hadn’t seen coming, and as she went on it became more and more apparent that her friend didn’t know where to go from here, or whether the change in heart would make or break her marriage. Alecto would be lying if she said she had much, if any, romantic experience, but she could theorize with the best of them, and she spoke only when she reached a conclusion. 

“I will not lie and say he will obviously return your affections, Bella. Eight years is a long time, and it would be an injustice to you if I didn’t factor in the negatives.” She paused. “It’s very possible he has been pushed too far, but it’s equally possible that he will be ecstatic that his patience was met with the same affection toward him that he’s felt for you throughout your marriage. There’s plenty of ways to discern whether or not you’re telling the truth, so if he has doubts you can be subjected to those methods.” Her eyes grew a bit hard, jaw tightening. “And if he is pushed too far and no longer reciprocates, then he is a fool and I would not hesitate to put him down myself.”

Alecto and Amycus had always had a relationship that was difficult to understand from the outside - but then, Bellatrix supposed her relationship with Narcissa was like that. People found it easy to demonise her and say she didn’t care for a soul in the world, but Bellatrix would do anything that Narcissa asked of her. She loved her sister, and she loved Regulus. She had loved Andromeda and Sirius, but they chose filth over family and so she had removed them from her heart. “Sometimes finesse isn’t what you need. We destroyed a London street together recently, I needed a loud and obvious distraction for the aurors while I retrieved some evidence,” Bellatrix looked down at the Black family ring that they had successfully retrieved. “I might allow it.”

“I suppose not,” Bellatrix murmured, her tone taking on one that might be mistaken for sympathy if she were anyone but Bellatrix Lestrange. Her musing over Alecto’s shitty childhood were stopped in their tracks at the mention of Lily Evans and her head snapped upwards. “No you didn’t. Little mudblood Evans has a dark streak so it seems - creating her own poisons, casting blood magic. No longer Gryffindor’s golden girl....I wonder if Potter knows just how filthy his girlfriend is, not only her blood but the stains upon her soul. What I’d give to tell him - to see his expression twists as he realises precisely what he’s dating. Pure, utter filth - and filth that has a superiority complex. She believes she has the moral upper-hand, well, evidently not,” Bellatrix said with a smirk. “Do you plan to continue taking her down a path of darkness?”

Bellatrix reached for a jug of sangria that the house elves had brought out to top her glass up, filling up Alecto’s as well. “Severus told me the spells he used, I can show you when we get home if we find a subject. I’ve never heard them before, I wonder where he found them. He’s....difficult, and I still believe that half-bloods should not be allowed amongst our ranks. But he is clever,” Bellatrix conceded, almost as if it pained her. But Severus was not the focal point of their conversation, it was Rodolphus. It had always been Rodolphus - that was why she had dragged Alecto all the way to France, was it not?

Alecto’s words were measured, unbiased - that was what Bellatrix had been seeking, she supposed. Someone who would tell her how it was - that it was very plausible that Rodolphus was past the point of hoping for the return of affections. But there were little things that nobody else saw - like the way his eyes seemed to melt as he looked at her, the way he had pleaded with her to keep her necklace on, how he had looked when he realised that Bellatrix had saved him. And then his confession of love. Surely she hadn’t pushed him too far. “That would be a confrontation I should enjoy to see if it wouldn’t be so painful to these newfound feelings that make my heart ache. I don’t like feeling things. It feels wrong.”

She recognised the voice, it sounded shrill in her ears. Like nails on a chalkboard. Molly had never had a pleasant experience with Bellatrix Black, no, it was Lestrange now. Pureblood maniac marrying pureblood maniac, it was all so very fitting. She had been practising just shrugging insults off, but the anger boiled in her veins. She did not like when people spoke ill of her family and their situation, she especially did not like when someone insulted her little brothers. “No, not quite yet, not like your sense of common decency, which have apparently dried up and shrivelled by now,” Molly snapped despite herself. What a cow. She loathed the woman more than she could say. She had always wanted to protect Fabian from the wicked ways of the Lestrange.

Molly took a couple of deep breaths. “If you are so prejudiced, Bellatrix, then why are you even here?” she asked with a sigh, trying so hard to remain in control of her emotions. She was a mother now, she was responsible for human lives, she could not be the loud-mouthed Gryffindor ready to scold anyone for their bad behaviour. “I am sure your time is too precious to waste by coming here simply to throw petty school girl taunts at me.” Perfect, that was very civil considering how she was currently feeling towards the dark-haired witch sent straight from hell. “If not then that’s a bit sad really, don’t you think?” Damn it, not so civil. 

It almost felt like she was back at Hogwarts. It felt like something that those lesser than herself might resort to in order to find some satisfaction. If she closed her eyes, she might be taken back over a decade ago and be taunting a younger student in the corridors. If Fabian found out that she had sought out his sister, he would certainly add that to the list of things to hate her for. “Members of the Black family are not raised with whatever ideas of ‘common decency’ you Prewetts are taught. We are taught proper etiquette and decorum - unlike your dearest brother, who decided to break into my house just a few days back. I don’t suppose he shared that, did he?” Bellatrix’s tone was cold and calculating. “I saved his life, Molly. Raff was about to eat him, she would’ve torn him to pieces if not for my intervention.” Bellatrix looked down at Molly with a cruel smile. “I believe you should thank me for that. Say ‘thank you, Madame Lestrange for being so kind and merciful to my idiot brother who decided to break into a heavily warded house the night of the Puddletown attacks to falsely accuse his ex-girlfriend of murder in an attempt to avenge poor little Fawley’.”

Molly was evidently trying to desperately to control herself, and failing. The Prewett upbringing had truly been a shambles. “Au contraire, I have all the time in the world for you Mrs Weasley. The books around here are that old half of them are dusty - I doubt what I want will be running off the shelves. I don’t believe it is sad at all...in fact, I’m having a lovely afternoon.”

Their kiss was light, romantic - everything Rodolphus Lestrange felt in these rare, intimate moments with his wife. For Bellatrix. Yet, her words, spurred the rational part of his brain. Why had he said that? He knew the answer; had always known. He shouldn’t have expected everything to change in one night. Or even let himself hope that they would.

Closing his eyes, he let himself be taken by his exhaustion. There were never any pleasant dreams for him. Something Lestrange should be used to by now. Instead, he was overcome with memories. Their wedding day. Fighting beside her. The cause. And then…what had come to pass that night. Athena’s screams, but nothing else. Only darkness. And pain. Pain. Would there always be pain? Rodolphus thought on that as the familiar sensation clouded his mind, forcing himself awake. Gulping, he felt his forehead. Blood.

Enough time had passed that the morning light warmed their bed, brightening the room. Beside him, he saw Bellatrix was still asleep. Good. For now, Rodolphus had to do this on his own. Groaning ever so slightly, Rodolphus sat up on the bed. Incredibly sore, but no other open wounds as he looked down. Slowly, he used every bit of strength to stand and make his way to the wash room. There, glancing in the mirror, there were a few scrapes on his forehead and cheek. 

Snapping, he called Tilly in, demanding some dittany. Luckily, it was able to do the trick, cleaning out the wounds after. Perhaps the stress of his dreams had done it. With a sigh, Rodolphus clenched his hands into tight fists as they held him up. Whoever had bested him, would pay with their life.

Bellatrix slept deeply that night, undisturbed by dreams or her thoughts. Truly, Puddletown and the subsequent panic had drained her of everything she had within her. Exhaustion had claimed her as its own in a way that she hadn’t been truly tired in years. Not even the morning light had roused her, but movement besides her made her stir. It took her a few minutes to come round, by which point Rodolphus had already left their bed. 

Concern worked its way through Bellatrix as she sat up, reaching for her wand to summon a robe which she wrapped around herself as she began to search for her husband. “Rod?” Bellatrix called, poking her head into different rooms until she reached the wash room where he stood before the mirror. She stood quietly in the doorway for a moment before heading in to stand behind him. 

Bellatrix hesitated for only a second before wrapping her arms around his waist, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. “You shouldn’t be up. Bed-rest means remaining in bed,” Bellatrix remarked. “If I have to heal you again I’m not going to be best pleased,” she murmured with a quiet chuckle. “Come back to bed.”

The events of Puddletown were still heavily playing on Bellatrix’s mind. There were so many unanswered questions - why had Rodolphus chosen Athena Fawley in particular when there were other members of Fabian’s family that he could hit to impact him even more? Why had Fabian come with the intent to harm her before backing off? Why had Severus managed to heal Rodolphus when Alecto had not? What the hell was the spell that was used on Rodolphus? Many of these questions kept her awake at night from the frustration of not being able to find the answers, never mind the confusion she now felt over her husband. Nights were spent awake, pacing around the manor. Mornings were spent getting a few hours sleep before she headed out for the day, searching bookstores up and down the country for any inkling of the spell that had harmed Rod.

This morning brought her back to Diagon Alley, to a second-hand bookstore that Bellatrix heard stocked dark tomes. As she entered, she paused as she spotted a familiar figure across the store - Molly Weasley, Fabian’s sister. Her feet were moving before her head had caught up to this revelation, and Bellatrix stopped a few feet away. “Mrs Weasley...I should’ve known I might see you or your husband in a second hand place such as this. All the knuts in the Weasley vault dried up already? You should tell Fabian he’s a terrible brother for letting you suffer in poverty.”

WHO: Narcissa & OPEN WHERE: Twilfitt and Tattings 

It had been quite some time since Narcissa had last taken a trip in to Diagon Alley. Forever finding something to keep herself occupied with, she’d had no need to take to the busy streets, until today that was. 

Among other things that need to be collected, a visit to Twilfitt and Tattings was in order for the blonde so she could pick up a number of garments that she’d requested be made by their lead seamstress. It was forever a busy little shop, of course, so upon arrival, Narcissa found herself being asked to wait in the small seated area to the side of the shops entrance to allow time for the young assistant to gather her items together. 

With no hurry to be anywhere else, Narcissa happily obliged, (the wait was always worth it after all, never once had she been disappointed with their clothes) picking up a random book from the small stack that had been left in the waiting area as she took a seat. Flicking through the pages idly, it wasn’t long before she heard the door to the shop opening once more, and gaze lifting, she glanced across to see if she recognised the person entering. 

Bellatrix hadn’t seen her sister in some time, but a far amount had happened in her life since then. The developments regarding Rodolphus still had Bellatrix in a spin, and unusually, she was making an effort to spend more time out of the house. Lestrange Manor had become a place of anxiety, and Bellatrix spent much of her time there pacing up and down as she tried to figure out precisely what the hell was going on in her head and in her heart. She’d spent the morning in Knockturn replenishing their stocks, and was about to head to find somewhere to get lunch when she’d spotted Narcissa’s blonde hair. 

Pushing through the crowds to reach Narcissa, Bellatrix lost her just before a row of stores. “Shit,” she murmured to herself, wondering whether Narcissa was in Flourish and Blotts or even heaven forbid Madam Malkin’s. Deciding to test each store one by one, Bellatrix pushed open the door to Twilfitt and Tattings and was pleased when she didn’t have to try any further.

Bellatrix’s face was gaunt from a lack of appetite and a lack of sleep, but her eyes still lit up as she looked at her sister. “Cissy. I spotted you outside but couldn’t get to you before you came in. It’s been some time.”

Regulus didn’t know what was taking so long. He had arrived right on time, and normally Bellatrix showed up to greet him within minutes of his arrival. Maybe something was wrong? Not that it was his place to get into his cousin’s business, but she was family and he figured he had the right to be a little concerned. An hour passed before Bellatrix showed her face, and Regulus was about to speak when she cut him off, instead following her silently. No doubt she was still angry with him about the mission, so it was best for her to prompt him, lest he say the wrong thing. 

The last thing he wanted to do was be on the dangerous end of his cousin’s wand.

What dark magic has Walburga taught you? Regulus fought from snorting as he mulled the question over. Though always a rebel, his mother had always doted on Sirius rather than himself–the heir and the spare. None of them had thought they would actually need the spare, Regulus least of all. That didn’t stop some lessons, though, nor did it quench his curiosity toward the dark artifacts that littered Grimmauld Place. “Jinxes and a few hexes, mostly. She mostly geared toward Sirius with her attention. I’ve mostly focused on dark artifacts, whatever I could teach myself.” Which was, evidently, not enough, but he couldn’t entirely be at fault here. Could he?

Bellatrix nodded quietly, flicking her wand towards the door to seal and soundproof the area. Rodolphus and Rabastan were used to leaving the basement untouched if she was down here, but it didn’t hurt to be certain. “Jinxes and hexes,” Bellatrix repeated with disdain. Training Regulus was going to take some time - and Bellatrix had half a mind to suggest to Walburga that she took up teaching her son, as she had trained Bellatrix early on. “Dark artifacts are useful, make no mistake. But in a duel such as the one we experienced they are of little use - what is of use is knowing how to be ruthless, and efficient.”

Bellatrix turned on her heel, pacing away from Regulus. She bent down and set her wand by her feet. “I assume you know of the unforgivables, even if you have never used them?” Bellatrix gave half a second for a reply before continuing onwards. “That is an easy starting point. Today we will train with the cruciatus, and the imperius. So Regulus - use the cruciatus on me. You must mean it, throw your whole power behind the curse. I am unarmed, alone, defenceless. Torture me.”