In 1962, on her eleventh birthday, Bellatrix Black could hardly wait until she got her letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardary. The black haired girl had often teased her sisters Narcissa and Andromeda that they had to wait a few more years until thier own letters came. Cygnus and Druella Black, Bellatrix's parents, knew that they should have stopped the teasing that their eldest daughter put on her younger sisters but the excitment of their first child going off to Hogwarts was more important in thier eyes.
On September 1st, 1962, Bellatrix Black bordered the Hogwarts Express with many other first years. In her eyes, the Hufflepuffs were weak and muggleborn idiots. The Ravenclaws were stuck up snobs and the Gryffindors were all about courage and bravery and all that nonsence. Bellatrix herself found that those who she managed to have a semi-delightful conversation with on the train were the Slytherins- mainly Rodolphus Lestrange and Antonin Dolohov, two fellow first year boys who seemed to have some sence about them.
Half an hour after the train had arrived at Hogwarts, Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Antonin - fresh from thier trip across the river with Rebus Hagrid, the caretaker- stood in the Great Hall. Albus Dumbeldore, Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardary, stood and gave his formal address to the school before getting the Sorting hat in to sort his new students.
Bellatrix was ecstatic when she, Rodolphus and Antonin were all sorted into Slytherin and the three sat together at the Slytherin table. They were introduced around the table to various other students and Bellatrix felt like her life couldn't get any better,
Was she wrong.
Two years later, in 1964, thirteen year old Bellatrix and her eleven year old sister stood at the Hogwarts express with their parents and little Narcissa. "Only two more years, Cissy," Bella said to her sister as she patted her on the head and then turned to find her friends. She, Rodolphus and Antonin had remained friends over the last two years, exchanging owls over the summer. She spotted the two standing with thier parents and turned to her own parents, "I'm off."
"See that your sister gets on the train alright," said her mother, pushing Andromeda forward to her sister.
"Yeah, yeah," Bella replied, tugging on her sisters arm and pulling her towards the train, "Hop on the train now, squirt. I'll find you later."
"But Bella-"
"Now And!" Andromeda forwned and pulled on her trunk, handing it to the train conductor as he passed by her. She stuck her tounge out at her sister and hopped onto the train, leaving Bellatrix to find her friends. She skipped over to them and slapped Antonin on the back, making him turn around quickly to shout at his attacker only to smile when he seen Bellarix. "Hey there Bella," he said.
It was a known fact to all of the Slytherins that Antonin was smitten with the black haired girl but his advancements were quenched when he learned of Rodolphus' own feelings towards her. The two had promised over summer that they would let Bellatrix pick between them, not putting any pressure on the Slytyherin girl. "Come on you boobs," Bella called, walking off to the carriage the Slytherins had made thier own.
At the feast that night, Bella had been slightly amazed that her sister had been sorted into Slytherin. "Seen her as a Hufflepuff myself," she whispered to her friends, "Oh well, it'll keep my parents happy." The boys mearly nodded and continued their meal. Weeks later, Bellatrix had managed to get detention because she hadn't finished her potions assignment. Because of this, it was rather late when Bellatrix managed to head back to the dugeons.
As she walked down the hallway she spotted a tall man walking towards her. He looked rather old, nearing fourty in her opinion and his black hair was showing signs of greying. As he neared her, Bellatrix felt a wave of power over her. He had an angry look on his pale face and as he walked by her, Bellatrix turned and looked at him, watching as he robes fluttered behind him as he walked.
As he disappered into the next corridor, Bella retreated into the Slytherin common room and soon found Rodolphus and Antonin sitting in front of the fire sipping stolen firewhiskey. "Where did you get that?" she asked them, throwing her bag down on the ground and accepting the goblet from Antonin.
"Stole it from the Hogs Head," Rodolphus replied, smiling at her, "Where were you?"
"Detention," she stated, taking a sip of the firewhiskey. It felt cool running down her throat. "Saw a strange fellow walking in the corridors. He's not a teacher her."
"Saw the same chap myself," Antonin said, sitting down beside Bellatrix in front of the fire, "Maybe he's a parent?"
"He had a very pissed off look in his eyes," Bella replied, "Like someone had just shattered his dreams."
"Bella, honestly. The whole world isn't about lolly pops and fairies you know," Rodolphus snickered.
"Screw you," Bella shouted, standing and grabbing her bacg, "I'm going."
"Good work, buddy."
The next week, Bella was still enthralled by the man she had seen in the corridor. She guessed that he was a previous student so she ended up making her way to the library to look at the records of past students. After hours and hours of searching, Bella finally found somethig useful.
In 1945, Hogwarts had had a Head Boy by the name of Tom Riddle, and the picture of the wizard on the page in front of her was the man she had seen in the corridor. However that man, the man in the corridor, had a powerful aura about him that screamed power.
For the next three years, Bellatrix was obsessed with gaining as much information about Tom Riddle as she could. Even with the arrival of her final sister at Hogwarts, Bella was so obsessed that she didn't even pay much mind. It was up to Andromeda to show Narcissa around.
While Antonin and Rodolphus were worried about thier friend, they knew that if they did become involved Bella would allienate them even more. In the weeks leading up to their final days at Hogwarts for their sixth year, Bella became more and more obsessed with the idea of Tom Riddle.
Summer passed and the three soon returned for thier final year of Hogwarts. Bella had been asked out by other boys over the summer, finally coming to the decision that Rodolphus would be better suited to her way of life. She had noticed changes in both boys also- their dark eyes and sollum looks. Eventually she got them to spill their secrets about the Dark magic they had been praticing over the summer. Bella had slapped them both before telling them to teach her everything they knew.
Weeks went by, and by mid-January when most students had returned from home Bella and the boys were even more well versed in Dark Magic than ever. It was one week in March though, that changed Bellatrix's life forever.
As she was walking down the corridor with Rodolphus, him chatting about another dark spell he thought they should try, Bella stopped in her tracks. There, standing a mere ten feet away from her were a group of cloaked men. Rodolphus stopped also and shot a look at what Bella was looking at.
The man in front stepped forward and walked up to the two, coming closer and closer. He reached them and placed his hand against Bella's cheek. "You know who I am Bellatrix Black."
"Tom Riddle."
"True, in another life. Now, the time has come for the pure blooded to destroy those who do not deserve to study magic- the mudbloods. You adn Mr. Lestrange here have these views, do you not?" Bella nodded. Tom removed his hand and turned. "Seek me out, Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange, in the coming years and I promise you that absolute power will be yours."
Tom Riddle's words ecchoed in her mind every moment of everyday. The day she and her friends graduated Hogwarts. The day she married Rodolphus and became Mrs. Bellatrix Lestrange. The day that Tom Riddle appeared at their home announcing himself as Lord Voldemort and ordering her and her husband to take his mark and become his servants.
It was late in December, 1969, a few days before Voldemort was going to attack the muggleborns in a small town when Bellatrix was standing outside the house that she and the other Death Eaters - as they now called themselves - that she realised something.
She was in love with him.
And he was in love with power.
It was while she was thinking these thoughts that a cold wind whipped at her arms. Startled, Bellatrix turned and seen her lord and master standing behind her,
"Bellatrix, your pressence makes me happy," he stated, "We shall rise to power together and take this world for all that it is worth."
"Yes my lord," she whispered, bowing her head gently.
"Bellatrix. I can never offer you love, or passion or comfort. All I can offer you is power and more power," he stated, "Power will control this world. I want you by my side when I slay the last mudblood. Will you be there, Bella?"
"Yes."
FIN
