(no subject)
Title: Withering Wishes- Chapter One
Summary: Longing to escape the monotonous life of a useless society wife, Bellatrix wished for nothing more than to join the Dark Lord. However, when her wish was granted, unpredictable events transpire. One 'man' was the cause. Based on a Greek Myth
Characters/Pairings: Bellatrix/Voldemort, Bellatrix/Rodolphus and also with a focus on Rabastan
Genre: Starting out with a ship focus (but certainly not romance) and steadily becoming more dramatic
Rating/Warnings: R for inappropriate religious illusions, sex, violence, adultery.
Medium: Fic
Word Count: 2,966
Author's Notes: For the Big Bang based on the Greek myth of Antiope, but if you would like to not be spoiled. More information inside
Author's Notes: The setting starts off as canon and, while the main storyline is the same (Voldemort defeated at Halloween and resurrected thirteen years later), there are some changes to the fates of some Death Eaters. It does mean there are some different events that I would not normally write and, while they are still all IC, most of these can be attributed to the mystery Greek Myth. There is also some plotlines from the myth that are manipulated and twisted so they better fit the time (aka the Wizarding World in the 1970s) and for characterisation.
As well, you will also notice this fic is not exactly how I normally write the characters; Bella is married before she joins the Death Eaters, slightly less rebellious about being a pureblood wife and Voldemort's comparison to a god status in Bella's eyes is enhanced (yes that is a hint about the myth and is not meant to be anti-religious merely to reflect the thoughts of fanatical Bella). However, mostly this is just another version of my extensive head canon that I have a chance to utilise. In case you are wondering, my head canon also includes the presence of a Lestrange sister and that a Lestrange uncle was the man who was at Hogwarts with Voldemort.
I think that is about it. At present the fic will be about 7 chapters. I'm actually very proud of the fic and, in my opinion, I think the quality of the writing is actually better than my previous fics. Please enjoy and feel free to offer speculations about what you think will happen.
------------------------------------------
It was a battle. One stood strong and the other glared back with dark eyes into murky depths. It was a challenge that had presumably lasted an age. It was an inevitable standoff that erupted around this time every day. Would one give in to outside pressure and submit to the other?
Today Bellatrix would.
Reclining on the extravagant Queen Anne bed, Bellatrix Lestrange stared and fumed at the tall dark antique wardrobe that had allegedly been in the Lestrange family for generations. For hundreds of years it had served as the storage area for the clothes of so many Lestrange wives before her. Every day it would be their life; they would have no other job than choosing what exquisite garment they would wear when they rose from bed, when they took their walk, when they had tea with the ladies and when they ventured down for dinner.
It was seemingly all a wife had to do.
From birth, Bellatrix had been raised as a pretty and proper pureblood woman. It was her duty to marry and birth her husband's heir. She did have some choice over who her husband was, but the pool of possible candidates was low and Rodolphus Lestrange was at least acceptable. Now she had achieved a marriage it seemed motherhood was her next task, though first she had to present herself as the dainty doting wife.
She tried. Sometimes she tried harder than others. Sometimes she woke greeted her husband as he left, had tea with his mother and sister and dressed in the most elaborate and feminine robes that the wardrobe stocked to greet him for dinner.
Some days.
On other days she snapped. Her patience for the game was low and often she hardly bothered playing. Sometimes she did not even flinch as her husband rose in the morning, she stayed in bed to midday, she avoided his family and, to spite them all, the only clothes she wore was the dullest and most crumpled.
It seemed all it ever came down to. It was not to say Bellatrix did not have any other desires or wishes, but each was as unlikely as the last and, instead, she was left to the inevitable and to rot like every other pureblood wife.
Growling in frustration, she rose rapidly and grabbed one of the dresses as she yanked the robes that were not even dirty over her head. Pulling the new emerald green dress on, she shot a brief look at her appearance; her hair was loose and messy, her dress was creased and her expression was hard and stony. Concluding it was good enough, she turned on her heel and left for the dining room.
If they did not like it, then she did not care.
------------------------------------------
They did not like her appearance.
As Bellatrix stepped into the impeccably set and arranged Lestrange Dining Room, she was greeted by the complete set of her husband's immediate family; Her mother in law Persephone, her father in law Reginald, her sister in law Rosaline and her brother in law Rabastan. In addition, it seemed the queer uncle, who appeared and disappeared at odd moments, had joined the party.
As she entered, the universal gaze of the table was upon her. Persephone's clear blue eyes, that her son had inherited, flicked up and down Bella's hair that was not brushed and her face that was free from make-up as she made judgements in a way that mimicked Bella's mother. The only different was Persephone had the sense to keep her mouth shut.
"Good evening Bellatrix," she greeted crisply as Bella walked along the table to take her position next to Rodolphus. "It is good to see you dressed and ready for dinner."
"Of course, how could I not make such arrangements for such wonderful company?" Bella hit back with a sweet sarcastic tone as she flicked her eyes to Rodolphus. "Hello husband."
Unlike the rest of the family, Rodolphus did not seem bothered by her appearance. It was probably as he knew she had at least made an effort and, for Bellatrix, that was an achievement in itself.
"Good evening, Bella," he greeted softly his lips almost betraying himself and breaking into a smile before he presumably quashed the urge. "How was your day?"
On more than one occasion she had berated him about what a foolish question that was when she did nothing worthwhile, but today she did not have the energy. "Fine," she said sully as she turned to her meal. There was no point.
Like she did every night, she ate her meal in silence and tried not to sigh.
What was the point of any of this frustrating situation? A frustrating mother in law was one thing, but Rodolphus did not help matters. It was not that he annoyed her; he was just nothing. He was polite, but he was cold. No matter how she tried to rile him up, he remained impassive and aloof. The only time he displayed anything was when they were alone and he tried to show her affection.
It was not what she wanted.
More than one she had tried to annoy him to get a rise out of him. She had smashed and tossed his things everywhere, but he had only silently ordered an elf to fix everything. She had screamed at him, but he had barely looked up from his book. She had grabbed him by the collar of his robes, slapped and hissed at him while she rode him to her own pleasure, but his only reaction was to reach climax with her.
All in all, life as a Lestrange was nothing.
------------------------------------------
After dinner, Bellatrix was left to prowl the halls of the manor with no purpose other than to pace her frustrations on the marble Lestrange floors, Bella's mind was full of those angry thoughts as she snarled and hissed at any of the portraits that dared to raise a voice to her. Thankfully no living Lestranges dared bother her.
It was only a small concession.
Rounding the corner that contained Rodolphus' study, she pounded down the corridor like it was just another location. Her eyes flicked upon the light trailing from within the study and she heard soft voices, yet she was completely uninterested.
That was until she drew closer and she could decipher the conversation.
"Are you sure Uncle?" Rodolphus said in a voice that was filled with more eagerness than Bella had ever heard. Only a few feet from the partially open study door, it stopped her in her tracks. He sounded like a completely different man.
"Without a doubt." The gruff voice of Rufus Lestrange answered swiftly and decisively. "I can assure you this is the man you want to put your faith in. I have served him for more than thirty years and I have never regretted it. I can assure you this is the man who will finally forge society into how it should be."
"I know. I have seen the reports in the Prophet, yet a paper is often such a useless source."
"It is at least partially true. The power they hint at is correct. The stories about the muggles and mudbloods he has killed are accurate. However, they miss references to his greatness."
"And the Dark Lord is great?"
"He is."
Standing in the dimly lit hallway, Bellatrix almost toppled over in shock. The Dark Lord? The Dark Lord? They were speaking about him. The most pleasant shiver erupted through her spine as she crept closer.
As soon as the tales of the Dark Lord had started seeping into the newspapers, she had lapped them up eagerly. She had always known purebloods should be at the pinnacle of society and mudbloods crushed, yet no one had ever really acted. He was the man who was doing that. He should be supported to the upmost.
He was not.
When she was only fifteen she had commented that the Blacks should provide him with more support. Her suggestion had been rebuffed. She had been told the Blacks did not place their fortunes on a mere chance and that, as a woman, it was certainly not her place to bother about politics.
It had not stopped her. For years she searched for any kind of information or any man who would bring her to the Dark Lord.
She had never found any.
Her gender had ensured that at every point doors were shut to her.
Now another was open.
"I am not one to take chances." Rodolphus' voice said as Bella continued to listen. "I do not doubt your words, but I need to meet the man."
"I understand, though if you see him, it would not be wise to reject admission to his ranks."
"I still want to see him."
It was one of the rare occasions Bellatrix genuinely felt proud of her husband. Moving into a crouch position, she smiled as all possibilities drifted into her mind.
"Then I shall arrange a meeting. I will let you know when it will be and then you can see him."
Now the possibilities engulfed her.
As she slowly found her feet again and moved up to the room she shared with Rodolphus, an uncharacteristically bright smile lit her features.
She knew what she would do.
When Rodolphus went to visit Lord Voldemort he would not go alone.
This opportunity would not escape her.
She would join the Dark Lord.
------------------------------------------
It was easier than she would have thought. For all of Rodolphus' faults, she had always assumed he was intelligent.
He did not display it that night.
Ever since she had eavesdropped on his conversation with his uncle, she had been waiting for this moment. He had to venture out late one night and, when he did, she would join him, with or without his permission or knowledge.
It was that night. She had spotted Rodolphus wearing dark robes that were plainer and more plebeian than what he normally wore and she was sure this meant the moment was upon her. She did not bother dressing in similar robes, but merely followed closely behind as he excited their room, the manor and final the manor grounds.
With a Disillusionment charm hiding her and keeping her distance in the dark shadows she was not visible. She stayed that way until Rodolphus stepped out of the manor grounds and prepared to apparate. Leaping forward, she grabbed the trail of his robes before he could leave. Like she had hoped, the sensation of apparition filled her as she was pulled along.
The bright lights of apparition vanish to reveal a clearing. There was nothing there except for tall trees bordering a clear patch of earth and stifling silence.
Bellatrix half expected Rodolphus would have felt someone holding onto his robes, but his hooded face was just its usual blank canvas and presumably he had felt nothing. He only stood quietly and waited. She did the same.
She did not know how long she waited. She was a bundle of nerves which caused time to stretch on and on. She was not scared of the Dark Lord. She only feared this was a lie and he would not appear.
Leaning back against the tree with heavily lidded eyes that were half open, it would have been very easy for her to miss it, but her eyes spotted a figure stepping out from the trees.
Rodolphus did too.
Both Lestranges did nothing as the figure of Lord Voldemort emerged from the darkness. Wrapped in black robes that made him blend into the background, the only thing that shone out were pale long fingered hands and a face that was as white as snow. It was like a master craftsman had etched it out from marble. The cheekbones and proportions were all correct, but somehow something had gone wrong. Perhaps the art work had touched fire as his features were strangely blurry and his eyes bloodied.
Bellatrix did not care. Her heart leapt higher than it had ever done in her life. Her original plan had been to reveal herself to the Dark Lord from the beginning, but, with only the merest sight of him, she was frozen and unable to move.
"Rodolphus Lestrange," The Dark Lord said softly in a cold and crisp voice that carried so much power that Bella felt her entire body quiver. "Rufus Lestrange informs me you wished to see me."
For his part Rodolphus at least seemed calm. His posture remained firm, though his gaze was downcast in respect and, from Bella's angle, his eyes also seemed unusually thoughtful. "I did, my Lord. I wish to join you."
When Rodolphus had spoken to his uncle, he had indicated he had been unsure about whether to join, but presumably all of that uncertainty had disappeared. Bella may have viewed that as a positive if she was not so distracted by the Dark Lord.
The carefully crafted lips of the Dark Lord twitched slightly upwards as he drew closer to Rodolphus. It made her aware how tall he was; Rodolphus himself was about six foot tall, but the Dark Lord seemed over half a foot taller. His powerful presence only seemed to enhance that fact.
In no time at all, in a strangely graceful and silent walk, the Dark Lord stopped only a few inches from Rodolphus. "Look at me."
Rodolphus did as required.
From the sidelines Bellatrix watched as her husband and the Dark Lord stared at each other for several long moments. Minutes seemed to flicker by, but, from her perspective nothing seemed to happen. Time itself just seemed to eat away. When it was finally over the Dark Lord stepped back with confidence and Rodolphus moved backwards with footsteps that were now shaky.
"I think you will be an asset to the ranks, Mr Lestrange," the Dark Lord said calmly with the same eerie and composed smirk. "You will join and you will serve, but for now leave. I will send you orders when I require you."
It was quicker than Bellatrix ever expected. It was all over in such a quick flash of time and Rodolphus was apparating away from the area.
Still half frozen, Bellatrix wanted to scream and cry at the possibility that she had lost the chance of a lifetime.
Then she realised the Dark Lord was still there.
Standing in the middle of the clearing, he smirked to himself and, instead of staring into the distance, his dark bloodied eyes were fixated on her figure that was still under the Disillusionment charm.
The hand around her heart tightened and her breathing came into shuddering rasps that he must have been able to hear as he approached her one deliberately slow step at a time. Inside she was panicking unsure of what to do. All rational thoughts seemed to abandon her as she was rooted to the spot.
Finally, only a few inches away, the Dark Lord stopped; his lips still curled up into a smile and his eyes burrowed into hers.
Like looking into a basilisk she, could not turn away.
One long fingered hand lifted from the Dark Lord's side and stretched towards her. She did not even consider moving away as it lightly touched her temple. It was cool and a tingling feeling settled through her body as the Disillusionment charm was lifted by an impressive show of wandless magic.
That was not what she was focusing on: The feeling of his skin against hers increased the trembles that engulfed her body.
Finally he spoke to her. "It is quite a pleasure to meet you Mrs Lestrange." He did not sound at all annoyed. In fact, he seemed to be in a pleasant mood, though she doubted she could ever presume to guess his emotions.
Bellatrix had never seen anyone converse with the Dark Lord (other than her husband a moment ago), yet pure instinct surged through her, or perhaps it was just her trembling legs that had given out, for whatever reason she fell face forward onto her hands and knees. All the while she did not break eye contact with him.
"My Lord," she murmured reverently as she could only imagine that was the way to treat a man like this. She was never one to be subservient, but he had changed her entire mannerisms. While she had never been religious, there was god like present about him. "My Lord I cannot even describe what it means to be in your presence. I am sorry for coming to you by tricks but I-"
Her rambling was stopped as he merely lifted one of his hands. She fell quite immediately and did not even consider uttering a word.
"Join me and all will be forgiven."
Staring up at him with wide eyes Bellatrix swore she had misheard or she was dreaming for surely her dreams could not be fulfilled with such ease.
"My- my Lord," she stuttered in shock. "There would be no greater honour, but I-"
Again she was cut off.
"No buts," he snapped like a clear cut through meat. "I do not need to ask you any questions or conduct any tests for I know. Lord Voldemort already knows. From even the briefest glance at you, I can see your devotion and, flickering across the barest surface of your mind I know your potential. You will join me. You will go onto become my most faithful and my most feared follower."
Bellatrix entire face was lit up in a wild and passionate grin. "Yes!" she exclaimed with joy. "Yes! I will Master. I will."
He was right.
She had never heard anything so sweet.
Summary: Longing to escape the monotonous life of a useless society wife, Bellatrix wished for nothing more than to join the Dark Lord. However, when her wish was granted, unpredictable events transpire. One 'man' was the cause. Based on a Greek Myth
Characters/Pairings: Bellatrix/Voldemort, Bellatrix/Rodolphus and also with a focus on Rabastan
Genre: Starting out with a ship focus (but certainly not romance) and steadily becoming more dramatic
Rating/Warnings: R for inappropriate religious illusions, sex, violence, adultery.
Medium: Fic
Word Count: 2,966
Author's Notes: For the Big Bang based on the Greek myth of Antiope, but if you would like to not be spoiled. More information inside
Author's Notes: The setting starts off as canon and, while the main storyline is the same (Voldemort defeated at Halloween and resurrected thirteen years later), there are some changes to the fates of some Death Eaters. It does mean there are some different events that I would not normally write and, while they are still all IC, most of these can be attributed to the mystery Greek Myth. There is also some plotlines from the myth that are manipulated and twisted so they better fit the time (aka the Wizarding World in the 1970s) and for characterisation.
As well, you will also notice this fic is not exactly how I normally write the characters; Bella is married before she joins the Death Eaters, slightly less rebellious about being a pureblood wife and Voldemort's comparison to a god status in Bella's eyes is enhanced (yes that is a hint about the myth and is not meant to be anti-religious merely to reflect the thoughts of fanatical Bella). However, mostly this is just another version of my extensive head canon that I have a chance to utilise. In case you are wondering, my head canon also includes the presence of a Lestrange sister and that a Lestrange uncle was the man who was at Hogwarts with Voldemort.
I think that is about it. At present the fic will be about 7 chapters. I'm actually very proud of the fic and, in my opinion, I think the quality of the writing is actually better than my previous fics. Please enjoy and feel free to offer speculations about what you think will happen.
------------------------------------------
It was a battle. One stood strong and the other glared back with dark eyes into murky depths. It was a challenge that had presumably lasted an age. It was an inevitable standoff that erupted around this time every day. Would one give in to outside pressure and submit to the other?
Today Bellatrix would.
Reclining on the extravagant Queen Anne bed, Bellatrix Lestrange stared and fumed at the tall dark antique wardrobe that had allegedly been in the Lestrange family for generations. For hundreds of years it had served as the storage area for the clothes of so many Lestrange wives before her. Every day it would be their life; they would have no other job than choosing what exquisite garment they would wear when they rose from bed, when they took their walk, when they had tea with the ladies and when they ventured down for dinner.
It was seemingly all a wife had to do.
From birth, Bellatrix had been raised as a pretty and proper pureblood woman. It was her duty to marry and birth her husband's heir. She did have some choice over who her husband was, but the pool of possible candidates was low and Rodolphus Lestrange was at least acceptable. Now she had achieved a marriage it seemed motherhood was her next task, though first she had to present herself as the dainty doting wife.
She tried. Sometimes she tried harder than others. Sometimes she woke greeted her husband as he left, had tea with his mother and sister and dressed in the most elaborate and feminine robes that the wardrobe stocked to greet him for dinner.
Some days.
On other days she snapped. Her patience for the game was low and often she hardly bothered playing. Sometimes she did not even flinch as her husband rose in the morning, she stayed in bed to midday, she avoided his family and, to spite them all, the only clothes she wore was the dullest and most crumpled.
It seemed all it ever came down to. It was not to say Bellatrix did not have any other desires or wishes, but each was as unlikely as the last and, instead, she was left to the inevitable and to rot like every other pureblood wife.
Growling in frustration, she rose rapidly and grabbed one of the dresses as she yanked the robes that were not even dirty over her head. Pulling the new emerald green dress on, she shot a brief look at her appearance; her hair was loose and messy, her dress was creased and her expression was hard and stony. Concluding it was good enough, she turned on her heel and left for the dining room.
If they did not like it, then she did not care.
------------------------------------------
They did not like her appearance.
As Bellatrix stepped into the impeccably set and arranged Lestrange Dining Room, she was greeted by the complete set of her husband's immediate family; Her mother in law Persephone, her father in law Reginald, her sister in law Rosaline and her brother in law Rabastan. In addition, it seemed the queer uncle, who appeared and disappeared at odd moments, had joined the party.
As she entered, the universal gaze of the table was upon her. Persephone's clear blue eyes, that her son had inherited, flicked up and down Bella's hair that was not brushed and her face that was free from make-up as she made judgements in a way that mimicked Bella's mother. The only different was Persephone had the sense to keep her mouth shut.
"Good evening Bellatrix," she greeted crisply as Bella walked along the table to take her position next to Rodolphus. "It is good to see you dressed and ready for dinner."
"Of course, how could I not make such arrangements for such wonderful company?" Bella hit back with a sweet sarcastic tone as she flicked her eyes to Rodolphus. "Hello husband."
Unlike the rest of the family, Rodolphus did not seem bothered by her appearance. It was probably as he knew she had at least made an effort and, for Bellatrix, that was an achievement in itself.
"Good evening, Bella," he greeted softly his lips almost betraying himself and breaking into a smile before he presumably quashed the urge. "How was your day?"
On more than one occasion she had berated him about what a foolish question that was when she did nothing worthwhile, but today she did not have the energy. "Fine," she said sully as she turned to her meal. There was no point.
Like she did every night, she ate her meal in silence and tried not to sigh.
What was the point of any of this frustrating situation? A frustrating mother in law was one thing, but Rodolphus did not help matters. It was not that he annoyed her; he was just nothing. He was polite, but he was cold. No matter how she tried to rile him up, he remained impassive and aloof. The only time he displayed anything was when they were alone and he tried to show her affection.
It was not what she wanted.
More than one she had tried to annoy him to get a rise out of him. She had smashed and tossed his things everywhere, but he had only silently ordered an elf to fix everything. She had screamed at him, but he had barely looked up from his book. She had grabbed him by the collar of his robes, slapped and hissed at him while she rode him to her own pleasure, but his only reaction was to reach climax with her.
All in all, life as a Lestrange was nothing.
------------------------------------------
After dinner, Bellatrix was left to prowl the halls of the manor with no purpose other than to pace her frustrations on the marble Lestrange floors, Bella's mind was full of those angry thoughts as she snarled and hissed at any of the portraits that dared to raise a voice to her. Thankfully no living Lestranges dared bother her.
It was only a small concession.
Rounding the corner that contained Rodolphus' study, she pounded down the corridor like it was just another location. Her eyes flicked upon the light trailing from within the study and she heard soft voices, yet she was completely uninterested.
That was until she drew closer and she could decipher the conversation.
"Are you sure Uncle?" Rodolphus said in a voice that was filled with more eagerness than Bella had ever heard. Only a few feet from the partially open study door, it stopped her in her tracks. He sounded like a completely different man.
"Without a doubt." The gruff voice of Rufus Lestrange answered swiftly and decisively. "I can assure you this is the man you want to put your faith in. I have served him for more than thirty years and I have never regretted it. I can assure you this is the man who will finally forge society into how it should be."
"I know. I have seen the reports in the Prophet, yet a paper is often such a useless source."
"It is at least partially true. The power they hint at is correct. The stories about the muggles and mudbloods he has killed are accurate. However, they miss references to his greatness."
"And the Dark Lord is great?"
"He is."
Standing in the dimly lit hallway, Bellatrix almost toppled over in shock. The Dark Lord? The Dark Lord? They were speaking about him. The most pleasant shiver erupted through her spine as she crept closer.
As soon as the tales of the Dark Lord had started seeping into the newspapers, she had lapped them up eagerly. She had always known purebloods should be at the pinnacle of society and mudbloods crushed, yet no one had ever really acted. He was the man who was doing that. He should be supported to the upmost.
He was not.
When she was only fifteen she had commented that the Blacks should provide him with more support. Her suggestion had been rebuffed. She had been told the Blacks did not place their fortunes on a mere chance and that, as a woman, it was certainly not her place to bother about politics.
It had not stopped her. For years she searched for any kind of information or any man who would bring her to the Dark Lord.
She had never found any.
Her gender had ensured that at every point doors were shut to her.
Now another was open.
"I am not one to take chances." Rodolphus' voice said as Bella continued to listen. "I do not doubt your words, but I need to meet the man."
"I understand, though if you see him, it would not be wise to reject admission to his ranks."
"I still want to see him."
It was one of the rare occasions Bellatrix genuinely felt proud of her husband. Moving into a crouch position, she smiled as all possibilities drifted into her mind.
"Then I shall arrange a meeting. I will let you know when it will be and then you can see him."
Now the possibilities engulfed her.
As she slowly found her feet again and moved up to the room she shared with Rodolphus, an uncharacteristically bright smile lit her features.
She knew what she would do.
When Rodolphus went to visit Lord Voldemort he would not go alone.
This opportunity would not escape her.
She would join the Dark Lord.
------------------------------------------
It was easier than she would have thought. For all of Rodolphus' faults, she had always assumed he was intelligent.
He did not display it that night.
Ever since she had eavesdropped on his conversation with his uncle, she had been waiting for this moment. He had to venture out late one night and, when he did, she would join him, with or without his permission or knowledge.
It was that night. She had spotted Rodolphus wearing dark robes that were plainer and more plebeian than what he normally wore and she was sure this meant the moment was upon her. She did not bother dressing in similar robes, but merely followed closely behind as he excited their room, the manor and final the manor grounds.
With a Disillusionment charm hiding her and keeping her distance in the dark shadows she was not visible. She stayed that way until Rodolphus stepped out of the manor grounds and prepared to apparate. Leaping forward, she grabbed the trail of his robes before he could leave. Like she had hoped, the sensation of apparition filled her as she was pulled along.
The bright lights of apparition vanish to reveal a clearing. There was nothing there except for tall trees bordering a clear patch of earth and stifling silence.
Bellatrix half expected Rodolphus would have felt someone holding onto his robes, but his hooded face was just its usual blank canvas and presumably he had felt nothing. He only stood quietly and waited. She did the same.
She did not know how long she waited. She was a bundle of nerves which caused time to stretch on and on. She was not scared of the Dark Lord. She only feared this was a lie and he would not appear.
Leaning back against the tree with heavily lidded eyes that were half open, it would have been very easy for her to miss it, but her eyes spotted a figure stepping out from the trees.
Rodolphus did too.
Both Lestranges did nothing as the figure of Lord Voldemort emerged from the darkness. Wrapped in black robes that made him blend into the background, the only thing that shone out were pale long fingered hands and a face that was as white as snow. It was like a master craftsman had etched it out from marble. The cheekbones and proportions were all correct, but somehow something had gone wrong. Perhaps the art work had touched fire as his features were strangely blurry and his eyes bloodied.
Bellatrix did not care. Her heart leapt higher than it had ever done in her life. Her original plan had been to reveal herself to the Dark Lord from the beginning, but, with only the merest sight of him, she was frozen and unable to move.
"Rodolphus Lestrange," The Dark Lord said softly in a cold and crisp voice that carried so much power that Bella felt her entire body quiver. "Rufus Lestrange informs me you wished to see me."
For his part Rodolphus at least seemed calm. His posture remained firm, though his gaze was downcast in respect and, from Bella's angle, his eyes also seemed unusually thoughtful. "I did, my Lord. I wish to join you."
When Rodolphus had spoken to his uncle, he had indicated he had been unsure about whether to join, but presumably all of that uncertainty had disappeared. Bella may have viewed that as a positive if she was not so distracted by the Dark Lord.
The carefully crafted lips of the Dark Lord twitched slightly upwards as he drew closer to Rodolphus. It made her aware how tall he was; Rodolphus himself was about six foot tall, but the Dark Lord seemed over half a foot taller. His powerful presence only seemed to enhance that fact.
In no time at all, in a strangely graceful and silent walk, the Dark Lord stopped only a few inches from Rodolphus. "Look at me."
Rodolphus did as required.
From the sidelines Bellatrix watched as her husband and the Dark Lord stared at each other for several long moments. Minutes seemed to flicker by, but, from her perspective nothing seemed to happen. Time itself just seemed to eat away. When it was finally over the Dark Lord stepped back with confidence and Rodolphus moved backwards with footsteps that were now shaky.
"I think you will be an asset to the ranks, Mr Lestrange," the Dark Lord said calmly with the same eerie and composed smirk. "You will join and you will serve, but for now leave. I will send you orders when I require you."
It was quicker than Bellatrix ever expected. It was all over in such a quick flash of time and Rodolphus was apparating away from the area.
Still half frozen, Bellatrix wanted to scream and cry at the possibility that she had lost the chance of a lifetime.
Then she realised the Dark Lord was still there.
Standing in the middle of the clearing, he smirked to himself and, instead of staring into the distance, his dark bloodied eyes were fixated on her figure that was still under the Disillusionment charm.
The hand around her heart tightened and her breathing came into shuddering rasps that he must have been able to hear as he approached her one deliberately slow step at a time. Inside she was panicking unsure of what to do. All rational thoughts seemed to abandon her as she was rooted to the spot.
Finally, only a few inches away, the Dark Lord stopped; his lips still curled up into a smile and his eyes burrowed into hers.
Like looking into a basilisk she, could not turn away.
One long fingered hand lifted from the Dark Lord's side and stretched towards her. She did not even consider moving away as it lightly touched her temple. It was cool and a tingling feeling settled through her body as the Disillusionment charm was lifted by an impressive show of wandless magic.
That was not what she was focusing on: The feeling of his skin against hers increased the trembles that engulfed her body.
Finally he spoke to her. "It is quite a pleasure to meet you Mrs Lestrange." He did not sound at all annoyed. In fact, he seemed to be in a pleasant mood, though she doubted she could ever presume to guess his emotions.
Bellatrix had never seen anyone converse with the Dark Lord (other than her husband a moment ago), yet pure instinct surged through her, or perhaps it was just her trembling legs that had given out, for whatever reason she fell face forward onto her hands and knees. All the while she did not break eye contact with him.
"My Lord," she murmured reverently as she could only imagine that was the way to treat a man like this. She was never one to be subservient, but he had changed her entire mannerisms. While she had never been religious, there was god like present about him. "My Lord I cannot even describe what it means to be in your presence. I am sorry for coming to you by tricks but I-"
Her rambling was stopped as he merely lifted one of his hands. She fell quite immediately and did not even consider uttering a word.
"Join me and all will be forgiven."
Staring up at him with wide eyes Bellatrix swore she had misheard or she was dreaming for surely her dreams could not be fulfilled with such ease.
"My- my Lord," she stuttered in shock. "There would be no greater honour, but I-"
Again she was cut off.
"No buts," he snapped like a clear cut through meat. "I do not need to ask you any questions or conduct any tests for I know. Lord Voldemort already knows. From even the briefest glance at you, I can see your devotion and, flickering across the barest surface of your mind I know your potential. You will join me. You will go onto become my most faithful and my most feared follower."
Bellatrix entire face was lit up in a wild and passionate grin. "Yes!" she exclaimed with joy. "Yes! I will Master. I will."
He was right.
She had never heard anything so sweet.