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Chapter Text

Hermione has already passed out from numerous tortures, but the scar still lacked the last two letters, "...od". Bellatrix, covered in cuts and her own blood from previous battles, methodically, intentionally, and painfully carved the last letters on Hermione's forearm. A malicious laugh escaped her mouth. Her own blood-dripping cut on the palm accidentally brushed against freshly carved letters on Hermione's skin. Bellatrix hissed. She immediately stopped.

"No, it can't be... "

She put her cut palm against Hermione's forearm. This time intentionally. Blood to blood. The familiar burn flared again. Suddenly, there was not nearly enough air to breathe, no sounds, apart from a heartbeat thumping in her temples and pressing anxiety in her chest.

In... and out...

Bellatrix quickly looked around the drawing room. There was only Narcissa. And passed-out Hermione. Bellatrix standed up and in one swift motion, reached Narcissa, yanked her hand, casted a wordless spell to cut her sister's palm, and then pressed their cut palms together. Once again, blood to blood. The familiar burn flared again... Narcissa hissed from the pain.

"Bella, what the hell?" - She yanked her hand back.

"This is how you know if someone's Black by blood."
The memory of Cygnus putting their cut palms together and showing them that familiar burn flashed before her eyes. The Black family's blood magic.

"Bella? Are you okay?" Narcissa noticed her sister's expression.

Finally, Bellatrix snapped out of her trance. She yanked Narcissa to Hermione's passed-out body and whispered in a trembling, scared voice.

"Help her, Cissy... you were always better at healing charms than I"

"Bella.." She was visibly confused "I don't understand.."

Bellatrix took Narcissa's cut palm and put it against Hermione's scar. Blood to blood. Narcissa hissed again. She took a second to let the pain ease but then the realisation fall on her...

"Bella, is she...?"

Tears streammed down Bella's cheeks. She layed down beside Hermione tracing her face with her slender long fingers.

"Please.. just help her, Cissy," - Bellatrix's voice trembled even more and her eyes never leaft Hermione's face as Narcissa started humming healing spells to get rid of the scar. The scar remained, almost invisible but still there.

"There is nothing more I can do, Bella... I'll bring Severus, he should have some nerve-healing potions"

"No!" - Bellatrix hissed, - "No one can know. Just go to him and ask for potions, say it's for one of us. Don't send Draco. Go yourself"

"He'll insist on coming here and tending to it himself"

"Then tell him it's for me, Snape wouldn't come here to treat me, of all people"

"Okay, Bella, calm down, I'll do it... But first, we need to bring her to your chambers"

Together they brought her to the guest the West wing, or more like the Lestrange wing of Malfoy manor.

"Shall I find Rod?" - Narcissa whispered softly, turning to Bellatrix

"You of all people should know that she is not his... Rod was almost happy when they took her away from me"

They remained silent for a few seconds, looking at unconscious Hermione lying on the bed

"Go get potions from Severus, Cissy. I'll stay here." - she said, lying down beside Hermione. "And send them all away, leave only Wormtail to guard the cellar."

And Narcissa nodded and left to obey her sister's orders.

Bellatrix gently caressed Hermione's face. Millions of thoughts racing in her mind with crazy speed. But one was more persistent than the others. "She had sided with that foolish boy only because she thought herself a weak Mudblood, but now.. when she knows she's a powerful pure-blood - well, almost pure-blood - she'll be on the right side." Bellatrix looks at the scar she left on Hermione's arm. "Dark Mark would cover it", she thought to herself. But would that be enough for the Dark Lord? Would he forgive them for this? "He's going to kill her, no matter what," the thought was strong, frightening, and chillingly logical. "No, he wouldn't do that to me. He respects me; he'll let it go," she tried to convince herself, though she didn't believe it for a second. Bellatrix kissed Hermione's forehead. "I'm gonna protect you, kiddo"

They heard Hermione stopped screaming. They didn't know if it was a good or a bad thing. They heard footsteps, Mrs. Malfoy's pained hiss, inaudible whispers between Black sisters and worst of all - the complete silence afterwards fell into the cellar, under the drawing room. Dobby had already taken Luna and Olivander to the Shell Cottage and soon should come to rescue Ron, Harry and Griphook. They had to do something. They couldn't leave without Hermione. 

As soon as Narcissa got back with potions she and Bellatrix poured them down Hermione's throat. 

"She'll wake in five, maybe ten minutes," Narcissa explained, her voice low. "Severus gave me the strongest batch, thought it was for you."

"Thank you, Cissy," Bellatrix murmured, her eyes fixed on Hermione. "Leave us now."

Without another word, Narcissa departed, leaving Bellatrix alone with her newfound "daughter."

Meanwhile, in the suffocating silence of the cellar, Harry and Ron's anxiety mounted. Each passing second without a sound from above twisted their guts. They had to get out, find Hermione. Then, the creak of the door. Wormtail opened the door and stepped in to check on them. "Fuck," Ron hissed, grabbing him

Hermione started slowly waking up. In her dream, she heard a soft murmur beside her, something that sounded like a lullaby... an unknown lullaby to her, she's not sure if it's even in English, probably in French? But the more she woke up, the more she started doubting if the lullaby was in the dream.. or reality. Someone was hugging her and playing with her hair. "Shit" - she thought to herself. Surprisingly, the touch was soft, almost... tender. She slowly opened her eyes and immediately regretted it. "Oh fuck, that woman had gone mad...or even madder, if that was possible". The Death Eater, Voldemort's most faithful lieutenant, pure-blood supremacist and most importantly - the woman that had just tortured her, was hugging her and singing her a lullaby in French. "Maybe I died from her tortures, and now I'm in hell?". She tried to pretend she was still sleeping. But clearly, she failed.

"Wakey - wakey, kiddo" - Lestrange's voice was surprisingly... soft?

Hermione slowly opened her eyes to Bellatrix's mouth, full of rotten teeth, smiling at her.

"How do you feel, Cassy?"

"Cassy? What the fuck?"- Hermione thought to herself but decided to play along just to stay alive. She cleared her throat.

"Hm, I am.." - really, how was she? - "I am okay," she replied, - and she actually felt okay, good even, fully rested... "I definitely shouldn't feel this way after her Crucio"

"That's good baby" - Bellatrix gently caressed her cheek and whispered, - "My lovely baby-girl, you've grown so much.. They say you are the brightest witch of your age, just like your mama"

"Mama? She's gone absolutely-fucking mad!"

"You must think I am completely mad" - Bellatrix whispered and Hermione took a mental note to put on her Occlumency shields, just in case Bellatrix is a Legilimens, like Voldemort or Snape.

"But you are my baby.. my little Cassy. They took you away when I was sent to Azkaban and you were put up for adoption with some filthy Muggles" - the last word Bellatrix almost spat. Hermione actually felt a bit of spit land on her cheek.

"How-how do you know I am your daughter? Blood-magic?"

"Yes, blood magic. I knew you were a smart one," - Bellatrix once again caressed Hermione's forearm. Hermione's eyes dropped to look at it.

"Don't worry kiddo, the Dark Mark would cover it perfectly," - Bellatrix said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Ron tackled Wormtail, slamming him against the cold stone floor of the cellar. Harry was right there, clamping a hand over the rat's mouth, silencing his panicked squeak.

"You're going to stay silent, Scabbers," Ron hissed, pressing his knee into Wormtail's chest. "You'll only talk to answer our questions. Got it?"

Wormtail gave a desperate, muffled nod.

Harry eased his hand from Wormtail's mouth. "Who's in the Manor right now?" he asked, his voice calm but firm.

"Malfoys, Bellatrix, and Granger," Wormtail gasped, his breath ragged.

"Where is Hermione?!" Ron snarled, his grip tightening.

"I don't know... I don't know!" Wormtail whimpered, eyes darting nervously. "But I saw Malfoy's wife bringing potions to Lestrange's wing of the Manor, and Lestrange hasn't left it yet."

"Do you think they have Hermione there?" Harry pressed, though the thought seemed to twist his gut. It made no sense.

"Probably... Mid-torture, something changed. I heard Malfoy's wife doing healing charms," Wormtail stammered, fear making him frantic. "I can take you there, to the Lestrange's wing, just don't kill me, please!"

The moment the words left his mouth, Wormtail's silver hand shot up, grasping his own throat, its metallic fingers digging in, choking him.

"Shit!" Ron whispered, recoiling instantly and letting go of the dying rat.

"We need to get out of here," Harry declared, turning to Griphook. "You're coming with us."

She wanted, no she needed Bellatrix to leave her alone. She had to get out of there and find Ron and Harry.

"Do you want anything my baby?" - Bellatrix murmured softly - "Water? Something to eat?"

"Ehm.. a glass water and a snack would be nice" - Hermione said while praying for Bellatrix to leave the room.

"Of course baby. I'll be back in a minute" - said Bellatrix while getting out of the bed and then disappearing in a hallway

"Jackpot!" - Hermione got out of the bed and looked around the room thinking  of the best ways to find the entrance to the cellar. She looked around once again and saw a few interesting things. Useful things.

Bellatrix, meanwhile, strode towards the kitchen, grumbling. "Why couldn't Cissy get another damn elf?" Such menial tasks, as bringing herself water or wood were beneath her. "Soon," she thought, a twisted smile forming, "I'll have my own personal mudblood or a muggle slave for this." She passed the drawing-room and stopped. The sword! She burst inside, but froze for a moment. Someone was already there.

Harry cursed under his breath, stuffing the sword back into Hermione's bag. Two against one. Or rather, two boys with one shared wand of a dead rat against Bellatrix Lestrange, a woman who'd just defeated four of her Death Eater colleagues single-handedly like it was just a warm-up. The goblin had already vanished behind a pillar – smart, but cowardly. The odds were brutally, terrifyingly against them.

A chilling cackle echoed through the drawing room as Bellatrix Lestrange took out her wand. "Well, well, look who's here! Itty-bitty Potter, with a blood-traitor! Brave little boys, coming right to me."

Ron didn't hesitate. He thrust Pettigrew's wand forward, his voice a raw shout."Where is Hermione? What did you do to her?"

Bellatrix tilted her head, a smirk twisting her lips. "Who? There wasn't any Hermione." In her mind, Hermione Granger never even existed, there was only her little Cassiopeia Black and no one was taking her away again.

Cold dread seized Harry and Ron. Sweat slicked their foreheads. This was it. Wormtail's garbled whispers had made sense: Bellatrix had tortured Hermione to death, and they'd disposed of the body. Their friend was gone, without even a proper burial.

Ron's desperate shout had echoed through the manor. Footsteps pounded down the hall, and the entire Malfoy family streamed back into the drawing room – Lucius, Narcissa, Draco. Harry's heart sank. "We are so screwed," - he thought, Ron's expression mirroring his own.

Bellatrix's grin widened, a predatory gleam in her eyes. As Narcissa's hand slipped into her robes, reaching for her wand, Bellatrix rolled up her own sleeve, her forefinger tracing the Dark Mark on arm. Harry knew what it meant, his scar felt like it was tearing his head open. Narcissa's eyes widened in silent horror. "I couldn't leave it in Bella's room, could I...?" - she thought to herself when - 

CRACK!

"Expelliarmus!" - and Bellatrix's wand flew straight into Hermione's hands. 
"Stupefy!" - Ron threw the spell at Lucius. Which, in retrospect, was kinda a dumb thing to do, the poor guy didn't even have a wand at that moment. His next Stupefy hit Draco.
In a blur of motion, Hermione darted to Harry, pressing Bellatrix's wand into his hand. She knew he'd need it to handle Draco, who was already stirring, and Narcissa's wand would not be very cooperative for this thing. 

"Cassiopeia Sagitta Black! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" - Bellatrix shrieked, her voice laced with a raw fury and disbelief. Hermione spared a quick glance at Harry and Ron, as if to say, "I'll explain later." Then, she fired two rapid Stupefies, one at her mother, and another one at her aunt.

Harry's scar throbbed violently, nearing its breaking point. Just as still groggy Draco braced herself for another attack, a hand landed on Harry's shoulder — Dobby. Harry gripped Bellatrix's wand, he threw one his favourite spells and in a moment Malfoy's wand was in his hands. Quickly, Dobby disapparated them and with a flurry of collected wands they vanished into the familiar safety of the Shell Cottage.

Chapter Text

Blood was dripping out of her mouth. She tried to stand up, but her trembling limbs couldn't move even an inch. Dead bodies of the Snatchers covered almost the entire floor in the drawing room. Luckily, he didn't kill her; luckily, he didn't touch Cissy or Draco. She opened her eyes and saw him pacing around the room, hissing in Parseltongue to Nagini. Without saying a word to the Malfoys or Bellatrix, he disapparated.

She had lost his trust, and it hurt her more than rounds of Crucio from him. And with the final thought of being a complete failure, Bellatrix passed out.

---

"Bloody hell, Hermione! Did you rummage through Lestrange's dirty knickers?" Ron was clearly shocked by the amount of stuff Hermione had taken from Malfoy Manor. "But this dragon leather is really bloody good. Each piece probably costs as much as all of the Burrow," he quickly added, pointing at the boots, coat, and a couple of corsets.

"No, Ron, I didn't rummage through her underwear... just a few knives," Hermione said, giving each of them one of Bellatrix's daggers. "A bit of her hair - she's shedding like a husky during spring - for Polyjuice Potion and clothes for disguise, just in case I might need it."

"That's brilliant, Mione, because I have a feeling that one of us might actually need to disguise as her," Harry said. He had one crazy thought he wanted to share with his friends but didn't get the chance just yet.

"Wait, did we all get the impression from her reaction to the sword that there must be a Horcrux in her vault?" Ron interjected.

"Maybe not a Horcrux, but something important for sure," Hermione replied while taking the ingredients for the potion out of her purse.

They stayed in silence for a few moments until Ron tentatively drew attention to the elephant in the room:

"So, um... are we going to talk about the fact that Hermione is actually a Lestrange?"

"She called Hermione by her maiden name, Black, not Lestrange, actually," Harry said. He had never missed such details.

"So it appears that Bellatrix is my biological mother, but her husband is not my biological father," Hermione stated. That conclusion was kind of obvious, but she didn't know what else to add.

"That's weird... Considering that they are married and the Lestrange brothers are kind of good-looking for Death Eaters," Ron said. Growing up in a big, loving, pureblood family didn't help Ron to be very understanding about the idea of cheating or illegitimate kids. "Then who is your father, Mione?"

"That's a problem for after-war time, Ron... and my only parents are the Grangers... or Wilkins, as they think of themselves now..." Tears welled up in her eyes.

"I hope you don't think that our perception of you changes because of..." Ron mumbled. He still wasn't great at supporting people emotionally or saying the right thing, but he was trying, for her. "Well, because of all of this. You are still my best friend - Oi!" His shoulder hurt after the punch and Ron threw a glare at Harry. "Fine, my best girlfriend," his cheeks got rosy. "Well, not like girlfriend, but like a friend who is a girl, you know."

And Hermione laughed. Those two idiots could always make her laugh. Even if there were still tears in her eyes, she was grateful for this.

"And after all of this, we'll do everything we can to get your parents back, your real parents." Ron's voice trembled a bit, but he meant every word.

"I really don't know what I would do without you two, boys," she smiled at them, her vision still blurry from unshed tears, but she didn't want them to see her cry. She took a shaky breath. "I really appreciate your support, but... could you give me a few minutes... just to process all this?"

Harry and Ron just nodded and then left the room to give Hermione a moment to herself. She sat there, tracing the barely visible letters on her forearm - Mudblo. She chuckled. "I'll show you the mudblood, you bitch."

---

"Oh shit," was the only thought that passed through Narcissa's mind when she entered the drawing room. She quickly reached Bella's body and took her wrist. Her pulse was weak, but at least it was there. She quickly ordered Greyback to take care of the bodies, and he was quite happy to oblige.

Now she needed to take care of Bellatrix. As always, just like when they were kids.

They didn't have any wands. They had lost the Dark Lord's trust, Bellatrix's heirloom signature daggers, and lots of healing potions.

"You know, I have a school to run, a school where the boy-who-can't-fucking-die can appear any moment... do you wish for me to fall into the same disgrace as you lot?" At that moment, Narcissa didn't have any other choice but to call Snape himself, and he came, reluctantly but immediately.

"Severus..." Draco tried to say something to defend his family's honor but was quickly interrupted.

"It's Headmaster Snape to you, Mr. Malfoy," Severus said as he poured another potion down the throat of the unconscious Bellatrix. Then he looked at Draco and raised his eyebrow.

"Yes, sir," Draco mumbled.

Snape chuckled. He wanted to ask how the trio escaped, how it happened. He needed to know—just so he could adjust his own plan. He decided to ask Lucius or Narcissa about it a bit later, in private, without Bellatrix or Draco.

"Severus... maybe something more?" Narcissa's voice was barely audible and she tentatively took Snape's shoulder. He turned to her.

"If I try to pour another potion into her, she'll die from an overdose. I have already given her more than needed."

A weak cough. They all turned their heads to look at the source of that cough.

"If you think you could ever kill me, Snivellus, you can kiss my arse. I am not dying before you, even if you give me a dozen of those nasty potions."

Another weak cough.

"I'll make the next batch stronger," he mumbled.

Bellatrix looked around, coughed a bit more and then said: "Lucy, Snivellus - out. Draco and Cissy- stay. We've got to talk about things."

Lucius leaned forward and wanted to say something along the lines of "this is my house, you won't order me around," but as always, Narcissa's gentle touch, a soft hand on his arm, eased his temper. He and Snape left the room.

"Draco, tell us everything you know about Cassy," Bellatrix went right to the point.

Draco stayed there silent. He still hadn't had the chance to process that Potter's friend, his academic rival, the girl he used to hate with all of his heart and call "Mudblood," the girl who broke his nose with one swift punch for that slur, was his cousin, his aunt's daughter. He cleared his throat.

"Well, she's smart, particularly good with charms and potions," Draco mumbled, his hand subconsciously rubbing his nose. "She's also physically strong."

"That isn't helpful at all, Draco. We need to know how to bring my daughter back home, to the right side of this war," Bellatrix said, sitting up. She was not pleased with her nephew's answer at all. "What could we possibly use to bring her back here?"

"Nothing would make her switch sides," Draco was sure of that, but too scared to voice this thought to his aunt.

"So?" Bellatrix threw a look at him.

"The only way would be to get their friends here and make them come here to rescue her. There is no other way to get her back here in the Manor," Draco finally thought of an answer.

"Yeah, she'll get here just to escape again, Draco. Don't be stupid. She needs to come here willingly to get the Mark now, or she and maybe even I will be dead as soon as He defeats that Potter-kid. Is there any way to smack some sense into her?" Bellatrix was getting frustrated. She was no fool. She knew what her Lord valued the most—loyalty and obedience, and a lack of those was punished in one simple way—death.

"Bella... I don't think that what you suggest is possible in our reality," Narcissa was fidgeting with her hands. She knew her sister wouldn't like what she just said.

"Cissy!"

"Bella, just listen," she had to come up with a plan and do it quickly. "What if... what if we try to get His trust back, do everything we can for our cause, and also try to keep Cass safe, but from a distance... she's a smart girl. She can take care of herself, but if the need arises, we'll interfere. So far, let's just focus on getting back into His good graces, and after the war He will forgive us." Narcissa didn't believe even one bit in what she just said and she knew Bella didn't believethat shit either... but Narcissa needed to at least try to keep her older sister somewhat stable.

Bellatrix sighed.

"Get out, all of you," her voice sounded surprisingly tired and defeated. "I need some sleep."

---

The Manor was silent. Everyone managed to fall asleep finally. Someone laid in bed beside her and before she could take out her wand, a quick Immobulus curse hit her. Warm breath with a faint smell of firewhiskey fell over her.

"A little bird has told me you have finally found that half-blooded bastard of yours," he said. As if the curse was not enough to keep her still, the man held her tight. His arms were strong and possessive. "You've brought so much shame to my family... to my name," he raised up her nightgown and covered her mouth so she couldn't scream. "You should have borne my kid, dear wife." When Rodolphus tried to put his half-erect dick inside her, she bit his palm. He just chuckled at that and kept going. "Oh, my naughty little girl, I'll show you who your real master is." Then he started hissing into her ear, mocking Parseltongue. "Oh, how you wish it was him right now, and it had been him back then," he thrust harder and she bit his palm again, "but he will never touch a mad, dirty slut like you... I'm doing the noble thing right now, ma cherie. I am giving you the chance to become a proper pureblood lady," Rod bit her ear till it drew blood, "and a proper pureblood lady serves her husband first." With a final hard thrust, his cock twitched and he finished inside her.

"I'll do this every night, till you give me an heir, to continue the Lestrange line." And then he left.

---

It was early morning. They had barely gotten any sleep last night. They were standing outside, ready to leave. She looked hideous. The corsets and boots were nice and fitted right for the body she had Polyjuiced into her mother's, but still felt wrong, terribly wrong. The wand was buzzing with dark magic. After Ron's remark about her looks, she actually felt like throwing a Crucio... in that corset, with that wand—it just felt right, but she just rolled her eyes and playfully smacked his arm—their usual. They all laughed and went on to their new adventure.

---

Her body ached. The room was still dark and gloomy, even though it was late afternoon already. She groaned and tried to get up. For the first time in many years, she felt like crying. From disgust, humiliation, from weakness that she suddenly felt in herself. Should she tell Cissy? Probably not. "I'll kill him," was the only thought that gave her at least an ounce of control and strength, or... the illusion of those. The Dark Lord wouldn't forgive her for killing one of his Inner Circle. The Dark Lord wouldn't forgive her a daughter on the other side of the war. The Dark Lord wouldn't forgive her the loss of the sword. The Dark Lord wouldn't forgive her spineless nephew. The Dark Lord wouldn't forgive her. The Dark Lord barely looked at her without disgust and kept reminding her of her blood-traitor sister who married a Mudblood and their filthy half-blood offspring. Half-blood as her Cassy. The Dark Lord didn't punish her much, apart from an occasional Crucio, strong enough to hurt, but not enough to kill. Because he still needed her service, he still needed her skills and devotion... to scare, to spread chaos, to win. She didn't have strength even to get up. She fell back on the bed. Thousands of thoughs once again race through her mind. Her sister saw only a deranged woman in her, her niece actively tried to kill her, and the nephew almost peed his pants anytime he saw her... not to mention her other sister who hated her and her daughter, who probably hated her even more... She closed her eyes.

Cygnus. Always angry, almost always drunk and violent, spoke to her gently for the first and—as it had become evident later - the only time. "Family is the only thing that matters in this world, Bellatrix."

And some other... traitorous thought started simmering in her mind again.

---

They barely got out of the bank alive. Flying on a stolen dragon was way harder than it sounds, even though flying a dragon already sounds hard as hell. They didn't have a sword, they didn't have any idea about the other Horcruxes, they couldn't reach the few members of the Order who had managed to stay alive so far... Not a total disaster, but far from a happy ending. And then Harry dropped the bomb. "He knows." Now they were fucked.

They needed to get into Hogwarts. Harry caught a glimpse of someone like Dumbledore in his mirror - that was a sign... or maybe not, but there was no other place where the next Horcruxes could be.

Hogsmeade, Aberforth, his explanations about the mirror and sending Dobby, the brief story of Ariana... it all just became a blur once Hermione saw Neville. She didn't have any time to think about how that new information about her heritage would affect her life, her relationships with people, with Neville in particular. She couldn't even bring herself to look him in the eye, just mumbled a barely audible "hello" and looked down. Guilt started eating her up, guilt for something she didn't do, guilt for just being related to her, to that monster. Should she tell Neville? Should she keep it quiet? She couldn't decide.

Hermione raised her eyes to look at Ron. He met her gaze and gave her a small sad smile. Hermione raised her eyebrows and tilted her head in Neville's direction. Ron just nodded. And for whatever reason, that was enough to make a decision.

"Neville," Hermione's voice was barely more than a whisper, but he heard her. Harry looked at Hermione and raised his eyebrows, but then he exhaled and nodded. "I have to tell you something... something that might make you hate me."

Neville looked thin, bitten, exhausted... but he smiled at her.

"There is nothing about you that can make me hate you, Mione."

"Well, hold on to that thought," she took a long, shuddering breath out and quickly blurted, "Bellatrix Lestrange is my biological mother." She quickly looked at Neville, fearing his reaction. There was a moment of silence and they just walked.

"There is nothing about you that can make me hate you, Mione. I meant it. We don't choose our parents." And after that phrase, they entered the Room of Requirements. 

Chapter Text

Bellatrix sipped her firewhiskey. Air felt sicker for the last few hours, something was going to happen, and it was very soon. Narcissa sat beside her.

"Do as I say, okay?" She turned to look at her younger sister.

"Bella. I can take care of myself and my family." Narcissa's voice was suddenly tired yet resolute. She was looking at the whiskey bottle, avoiding Bella's eyes.

"Look at me." And Narcissa looked. Really looked, and for the first time in many years, Bellatrix's eyes lacked their signature mad sparkle, and for the first time in many years, Bellatrix sounded almost like a sane person. "I am also your family, remember that. Don't question anything, just do as I say, please".

They sat there in quiet. Then Bellatrix spoke again.

"Draco lied to me... when snatchers brought Potter, Cassy, and that blood-traitor. He recognized them and lied, Cissy."

"Bella... He just got scared."

"He seems to get scared quite often... But it's all gonna end soon, Cissy."

And as on cue, her Dark Mark started burning. She hissed, "Shit." She covered it with her other hand and once again looked at Narcissa. Narcissa took her hand and they disapparated.

She looked with awe at how the Dark Lord destroyed the shield over Hogwarts. The shield so many tried to create, and he destroyed it with one move. It was beautiful. Powerful. And she was always drawn to power. He's strong. "There is no way in hell that kid defeats him." She drank in all of his little movements, she'd even swear that she saw the magic flowing through his body... and then suddenly he twitched. Barely noticeable, but she had never missed anything about him. She knitted her brows once again. "No matter what that was, he is powerful, he's already won.

She had destroyed the cup. And kissed Ron. Both were thrilling, but destroying the cup still felt more important, because it actually was more important. Now they had to find Harry through all this mess, fighting and dozens of Death Eaters and foul creatures who tried to kill them, but that's the problem for later. Harry had just disappeared from the Marauders' map.

Duelling and fighting were her natural habitat. Like playing for kids. And she played with her opponent. An occasional mad giggle escaped her lips until she saw Rod, just a few meters away from her, on the Hogwarts grounds. She groaned. Her own opponent received a quick killing curse - she had lost her playful mood. But before she could move to another location and find a new pray to play, she looked one more time at her husband's side. His opponent threw a curse at him, and Rod wasn't fast enough. His body tensed. A moment of stillness. And then, as if in slow motion, Rodulphus's body hit the ground, and she couldn't bring herself to look away. Yes, he was dead. She wanted to raise her head to look up to see who did that, not to revenge, but just to duel, to play, maybe kill - but only after she gets tired of that new opponent - because seeing Rod getting killed, elevated her mood and brought back that mad playfulness. Something between a snarl and a smile was once again on her lips. With her peripheral vision, she caught the wand movement from the unknown hero, but she was faster,not like her already late husband, she quickly shielded the curse and finally looked up to her hero and new prey...

It was Nyphadora Tonks.

"Shouldn't you be at home breastfeeding your little werewolf offspring?" Bellatrix shot a curse at Tonks. Nymphadora deflected it.

"That's none of your business, Auntie Bella." Once again, they exchanged their curses. Bellatrix smiled. Good opponent for once.

"Is Dronnie playing a good, cuddly grandma at home right now? Or maybe she's here as well? I would rather duel her - she's not like you, she's not scared of some dark arts here and there." Bellatrix giggled.

"Would love to throw a few curses at her, just for the old time's sake."

Tonks ignored the questions and that whole damn speech and just continued shooting curses at Bellatrix.

"You're not too bad for the half-blood. It's even fun to duel with you, little niece."

Tonks didn't look much like her mother, but there was something in her posture, in her wand movements and voice, something that made Bellatrix see her sister in front of her, even if it was just for a second. And the mad smile once again disappeared from her face.

"I can see a Black in you." She almot said it, but stopped right beofre any sound could leave her throat. She hated this, hated this sentimentality, hated herself for all this nostalgia about her sister that suddenly started cutting through her barely alive soul. If only she hadn't found Cassy, she wouldn't have felt any of that. She growled. She shouldn't feel any of that, she is a soldier, a leutinant, she shouldn't be conflicted at all.

"Stupefy!" And this time it was too powerful for Tonks to deflect. Alive, but unconscious. Bellatrix quickly looked around and then ran inside the castle.

Those two damn idiots just stood there looking at some fucking map like the building around them wasn't buzzing with fights, curses, and death. She yanked them to the more or less safe corner.

"What's that?" She tried to steal the map from Cassy's hands, but apparently trying to save your kid is a crime, so she got hit in her hand and got bound by the Immobulos curse. Not again. Her pulse skyrocketed.

"Anything but this, pick something different. Bounding at least, hm?"

"Wow, aren't you picky?" The Weasel boy, as ususally was behaving a bit too arrogantly for a poor blood-traitor. She looked at Cassy with pleading eyes. Hermione looked and Ron and then first casted the bounding course, then released the Immobulos. Now Bellatrix had a bit of freedom. She could almost reach her new wand. But she didn't know whether she should use it and how. Bellatrix looked at Ron.

"Leave, I need to talk to her tet-a-tet." He got confused.

"It's fine, Ron, just take a few steps to the side." He nodded and did as she said. Hermione was capable, and he trusted her.

"It's not too late for you to change sides. He can be merciful, he'll forgive you, he'll forgive us." For a few seconds, Hermione was confused... and then she laughed. It wasn't funny, none of what was happening was funny, but she was overwhelmed, and the whole situation was like an absurd theater.

"Well, I wouldn't forgive a person who destroyed a piece of my soul with their bare hand and actively contributed to the destruction of other pieces." Now it was time for Bellatrix to be confused.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You dont know about the Horcruxes?"

"What the hell is that?"

"You didn't know that he split his soul into pieces and put them into objects? And that the Cup from your vault was one of them? And that the sword was one of the ways to destroy them?"

"No!" Bellatrix's eyes got wide. "You are making it up! It's all lies!"

"Oh.. I thought you knew about that.. I assumed he informed his Inner Circle."

"No, he just told me that the Sword and the Cup are important and I should keep them safe!"

"Well, bad for you. And by the way, four pieces of his soul are already destroyed, and I assume that Harry is already on his way to destroy the fifth." Bellatrix looked around and breathed heavily, and then whispered

"How many of those objects are there?"

"We have... we have some evidence to assume that there are six pieces of his soul in the objects and one in him... but I.. I have a feeling that there are seven objects."

Bellatrix has got even more anxious. Those kids were actually capable of destroying him. The mere thought terrified her. Before she had the chance to say something, to react.. Ron ran up to them. He whispered something in Hermione's ear. He got the idea about where Harry is. She looked at him, then at Bellatrix, and they just left. Bellatrix waited till they left her sight, then with a bit of wandless magic she unbound herslef. She needed to leave the castle.

They found Harry in the Room of Requirement. As well as Draco and his little friends. Draco looked at Hermione as if he wanted to say something. His eyes darted between her and Harry. Before he could pull himself together, everything went shit. Just as usual. Kedavra that almost hit her - it was weak and wouldn't have killed her.. but still not the nicest experience. The Findfire, safed Draco and Zabini, and another Horcrux got destroyed. Zabini ran away as soon as they reached the hall. But Draco stayed there for a second.

"She's probably looking for you," he whispered to Hermione and then ran after Zabini.

"She already found me and probably is torturing some poor kid already," Hermione mumbled to herself. 

She ran out of the castle, she just wanted to run away and stay in the woods till she dies, but the strong hand caught her and pulled her aside.

"Have you seen Severus?" Lucius whispered, his voice shaking, like he had just seen death itself.

"How the hell should I know? Go find him yourself! I don't care about Snape now." She bristled and pulled away.

"Wait, I thought the Dark Lord also ordered you to bring him to the Shrieking Shack, too."

"He ordered you to find Severus and bring him to Shrieking Shack?" Lucious weakly nodded.

They both knew what it meant.

Snape bleeding out, crying, miserable. That was one of the hardest things to watch, and those kids just left him to die. Or maybe they thought that he had died. And why the fuck did Snape give some memories to Potter? But she didn't have time to think, she only had time for action. She kneeled in front of Snape's body, took out the few vials from the pockets of her robe, and poured them down his throat. He started coughing and half-opened his eyes.

"Now you know how it feels when someone does it to you, huh?" He looked at her, he was confused. How did she get those potions?

"Don't look at me like that. Before you kicked that old fart, I was Dark Lord's favourite. I spent a lot of time around that snake - got myself some venom and brewed the antidote." Snape raised his eyebrows

"Just because you are the best with potions, doesn't mean everyone else sucks, you know.

"Why are you here?" He finally asked. "I.. I knew you'd be here, I followed Potter."

"And you didn't try to catch him?" He sat properly, still too weak to stand up.

"Or maybe he wasn't your target?" He asked, but he already knew the answer.

"Cissy blabbed, huh?" She smiled weakly.

"Unlike you, she trusts me and keeps me informed about important things." He smiled weakly.

"So, what are you going to do now?" And before she could answer, Voldemort's voice rang through the space. He was stopping the attack, gathering back the Death Eaters, and asking Potter to go to the Forest.

"Fuck," she muttered.

"Go, do what you have to do. I'll do my best to keep your girl safe."

Voldemort barely got up. Harry's body layed in the dirt, not moving. There were whispers among the Death Eaters. "Is he dead?" Narcissa made a tentative step towards Harry, but the curse out of Voldemort's wand made her step back.

"You check it, Bellatrix," - he roughly grabbed her arm and pushed her to Potter.

She came up to him and kneeled to see if he was breathing. He was holding his breath, but Bellatrix noticed a subtle movement of his eyes under the eyelids. She leaned over to cover them with her hair. She needed to think fast.

"Can you finish what you had started, boy?" She whispered.

He had nothing to lose. She'd kill him... or give him to Voldemort. No big deal who kills you. Besides... there was something in her tired voice that reminded him of Sirius, her own cousin she had killed. He almost laughed at the irony, but managed to stay still. It was always complicated with Black's. Harry understood that much already.

And then... She noticed a little nod from him, and that was enough. She gracefully stood up, turned to her Lord, and looked him in the eye.

"Dead"