Bellatrix Black, Letter, 1971

[hismagdalen]

Name: Bellatrix Black
Format: Letter
Date: 30 December 1971
Relevance: Gives probable cause for the sudden and severe decline in Bellatrix Lestrange's mental health after the death of Regulus Black.

Comments

[grim_smile]

Lovely. How dare Bella make Sirius *nearly* feel guilty about abusing his younger brother. That's older brother's perogative! *giggles*

He's being a horrible infant about the whole thing. We were playing a game and I'm not sure Regulus understood the rules. The whining has been almost deafening.

[hismagdalen]

Bella is really quite awful as a teenager, very dramatic and overblown - so it makes sense that she would see this as a Very Serious Matter indeed. *g*

You shouldn't have been playing a game if the rules weren't properly understood by all. And I'm not sure our parents would approve of games were people are hexed and stuffed into boxes. I certainly don't.

[grim_smile]

*giggling* Fabulous. Dramatic and overblown, it is! :D *adores*

*rolls his eyes*
It's not my fault if he's not clever enough to understand things when I explain them. I asked him if he understood and he said 'yes'. I can't do anything more than that. *imperious look* And who are you to say what sort of games I should be playing with my own brother?

[hismagdalen]

*loves back*

Regulus is very clever for his age. Are you sure you explained clearly?
*draws herself up to her full height, which just matches Sirius's*
I am your eldest cousin, which clearly puts me in charge of you when our parents aren't present.

[grim_smile]

As clearly as I could. Perhaps he just wasn't listening.
*watches her posture change, his expression bored and unimpressed*
*bursts out laughing*
Oh, yes? Forgive me if I don't fancy sitting about a tea tray all afternoon, trying not to yawn myself to death. I'll find my own fun, thank you very much, with or without Mother or Auntie or anyone else about. I am the heir, after all. *crooked grin*

[hismagdalen]

Or perhaps you can't explain very clearly. Regulus understands words, not the grunts you and your friends exchange.
*she leans in, looking as menacing as she knows how*
I don't care what you fancy. If you hex Regulus, I will hex you back. Hard. And then I'll tell your Father and he'll thrash you.
*she steps back again, primly straightening her plaits*
If you and Narcissa don't want him around, I''ll gladly have his company.

[grim_smile]

*disdainful expression*
Regulus or any of the rest of you could wish you'd understand the sort of things we talk about. It's a pity you never would, even if you tried.
*wide, daring smile, his eyes glittering dangerously*
I'll do as I like. And my Father couldn't care what you say. You are only a girl after all.

*stifles a yawn behind one hand*
Take him if you like. All he does is complain about things and beg for sweets. You're welcome to it if you fancy that sort of thing.

[hismagdalen]

None of us want to understand your games, Sirius. Your mother is quite right: your sense of self-importance is incredibly over-inflated.
*her lips tighten*
Very well, I'll say you hexed me. And I'll tell Papa that too. I can cry as well as any girl. You'll certainly be thrashed for hexing a girl.

*she arches an eyebrow*
Are you sure we're talking about the same Regulus? Regulus is charming and a great deal of fun. And very handsome. In a few years, I doubt he shall have time for any of us, his admirers will be so many.

[grim_smile]

My mother can go hang. And so can you if you're going to be a lying little cry baby. It's no wonder I like Narcissa better. At least she's worth talking to.

He hasn't been any fun since I started school. Always meddling and tattling. Following me about like a lost puppy. Trying to get me in trouble with Father. I'm not sure we are talking about the same Regulus. *brushes back a bit of hair, settling the neck of his robes* *nasty smirk* Oh, yes. I'm quite sure there'll be queues out into the garden.

[hismagdalen]

I'm sure if your mother were singing your praises, you'd like her a lot better. And you like Narcissa because she's silly enough to think you're as brilliant as you do.

And it's no wonder I like Regulus better. He's not cruel and horrid like you. He's beautiful inside as well as out. You're just a prettily-painted shell. You wait and see, Regulus will be the brightest star yet.

[grim_smile]

Maybe I would like her, if she did anything besides scream all the time. Who could like that? Even your lovely little Regulus doesn't like that.
*cruel smile*
Shall I tell Narcissa what you think of her then? Sisters should haven't secrets, should they?

*expression goes nasty*
Shows how little you really know him. Shows how little you know me, but then most of you aren't very concerned with that, are you?

[hismagdalen]

She screams all the time and Regulus is too stupid to understand your instructions? Ever wondered if perhaps the problem is actually you? That you're the one there's something wrong with?
*she shrugs, a smile curving her lips abruptly*
Tell her what you like. I'm sure the dead squashed frog I've left in her bed will speak clearly enough of my opinion of what she did to Regulus.

*she puts her hands on her hips, head tilting and lips pursing* *her tone is scathing*
Oh that's right: none of us understand you! We can't possibly like Regulus better, it must simply be that we're so shallow and don't know you properly.

Well I know you and I think you're horrid. You hexed him and put him in a box, just because you didn't want him around while you played with Narcissa.

[grim_smile]

*loud, scoffing noise, but there's a spark of doubt in his eyes*
There's nothing wrong with me. And I'll be sure to pass your compliments along to your sister.

*sneers*
Playing Mummy then, are you? Coddling him. Holding his hand. Go on - I bet that's all you're good for. I've got loads of friends at school and *suddenly terribly cocky* Narcissa likes me well enough. Why would I need you?

I don't think you'd rather that I played with Regulus.

[hismagdalen]

Of course there's nothing wrong with you, it's just the majority of people who know you find you vile, cruel and bigheaded. I'm sure it's nothing but coincidence.
*she rolls her eyes*
And you just sound silly now, Sirius. You don't pass compliments from one person to someone they live with. Do think about what you're saying before you speak. You might sound less stupid.

*she smiles secretively*
We couldn't possibly be having fun without you, could we? I'm sure we just sit around reading and talking about the weather. And I'm rather glad you don't need me, because there's nothing on earth that could convince me to be your friend. I'd run away to outer Mongolia first.

I'd rather you treated him kindly. He's a good boy, and a clever one too. You're just scared that people will like him better than they like you.

[grim_smile]

That's where you're wrong. It's not the majority of people, it's you. It's you and Mother and Father and Regulus. None of my friends at school think of me that way. Come to it, most of the people at school think very highly of me. That would tell me that you're the ones who've got it wrong.
*rolls his eyes back at her*
You think you're so clever, don't you? So much older than me. You're just a nosy, useless girl and I've no reason to care what you say.

*steadily*
Please do. I've no interest in what you get up to with Regulus as much as you might like me to be jealous about it. That's what you're trying to get me to admit, but what you don't realise is that I'm not and nothing you can say will make me so.

[hismagdalen]

If they're the sort of people who'd approve of hexing someone younger and locking them into a box then I don't think their opinion matters much!
*she pulls a face at him*
I'd rather be nosy and useless than a bully and a coward like you.

*she laughs, a shrill, high sound*
Who was it proclaiming how much better they liked Narcissa? Do you think this is about me wanting to join in your games? Oh, Sirius, I'm sorry but it's not. Play with Cissy all you want. I only care because you hurt Regulus and he's worth twenty of you. If you leave him alone, I'll leave you alone.