Not Always So; The life and times of Bellatrix Lestrange

There she lay, in her hand crafted wooden cot staring up at the ceiling and her parents faces with a curious frown. The parents in question gazed at their baby adoringly. They knew that with there guidance that someday there precious child would become someone who would never be forgotten. Someone who would do great things be they good or bad.


“ Isn’t she beautiful?” Said the baby’s mother. The father of the child nodded his head, a passive expression on his face as he looked down on his daughter.


“ What should we call her?” Asked the mother.


“ Bellatrix.” Replied the father stiffly.


“Bellatrix.” Mused the mother. After a few moments a dazzling smile broke out across her face. She held her finger out and the baby’s small fist closed around the finger.


“ Bellatrix. My little Bella.” Baby Bellatrix cooed and then shut her eyes and detached herself from her mother.


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Cygnus Black sighed and shook his head as he watched his wife, Druella fussing over their daughter. The girl was only four months old and already Cygnus was sick of the sight of her. Whenever Druella brought Bellatrix near Cygnus he would try and get as far away from them both as possible. He was seriously considering staying with his brother for a while. Lucky bastard, thought Cygnus. I could never imagine Walburga acting like this if she ever had kids.


“ Cygnus. Please just hold her once.” Pleaded Druella as she advanced towards Cygnus, cradling little Bellatrix in her arms.


“ No.” Said Cygnus resolutely. He stood up from his red armchair by the fire and walked out of the room, slamming the door loudly behind him.


“Off to Orion’s.” Sighed Druella. She sat in her red armchair opposite Cygnus’s and pulled down the front of her robes. She exposed her right breast and lifted Bellatrix up a bit so that she could latch on and suckle. That was exactly what Bellatrix did and as she drank the milk that would sustain her until she was old enough to eat proper food Druella stared at the door her husband had walked out of moments before.



“ I hope he becomes a better father to you when you’re older Bellatrix.” Said Druella to her daughter. There was no way that she could understand her mother but the words helped Druella.


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The front door of 12 Grimmauld Place was yanked open fiercely and Orion Black emerged from his house, his wand raised. He lowered his wand though the instant he saw who was visiting him.


“ Don’t surprise me like that Cygnus. Next time I might curse you accidentally.” Cygnus laughed as he and Orion hugged each other.


“ You would never curse me accidentally. It would always be purposely and I would have it no other way.”


“ True, true. Well, come on in then seeing as you’re here.” Orion led Cygnus into the house and slammed the door shut behind him.


“ Who was it?” Called the voice of Orion’s wife, Walburga.


“ It’s Cygnus.” Shouted Orion, leading Cygnus through into the drawing room where Walburga was sitting by the fire.


“ Hello Cygnus. How are you?” She asked as soon as Cygnus and Orion had entered.


“ Hello to you too Walburga. I’m dreadful, thank you for asking.”


“ Whatever’s the matter?” Asked Walburga.


“ Druella. She’s fussing over that child like Merlin knows only what. She keeps on wanting me to hold it. Personally, I would rather drown the thing and be done with it.”


“ Don’t be so heartless Cygnus.” Said Orion.


“ It’s a girl.” Replied Cygnus.


“ Drown it.” Said Orion sitting down and gesturing for Cygnus to sit down opposite him.


“ Think of it this way Cygnus. If you keep the thing then you can get rid of it by a prosperous marriage.” Said Walburga.


“ The thought had never occurred to me.”


“ She has a point man. You can keep the thing until it’s old enough to be married and then you can get rid of it and make good connections at the same time.” Orion said as he puffed on a pipe.


“ Now that I think about it it would be more advantageous to keep the child and marry it off rather than drown it.”


“ Exactly. If I ever had a daughter I would keep it until it was four years old and if it wasn’t a good looking child I would dispose of it.” Said Walburga.


“ It would be shameful if such a wonderful woman as yourself gave birth to girls instead of boys.” Said Cygnus. Walburga nodded her head in agreement.


“ The highest shame.”


“ Higher than being a blood traitor?” Added Orion. Walburga and Cygnus recoiled at Orion’s words.


“ We do not like to speak of such things Orion.” Said Walburga, a look of extreme distaste on her face.


“ That reminds me Walburga. Has Araminta got her bill for Muggle hunting to be made legal through yet?”


“ No. They actually threatened her with Azkaban if she tried to force it through or protested at there decision.” Said Walburga in a sympathetic tone.


“ Poor Araminta. Such a nice woman but she’ll end up in Azkaban anyway. She just can’t resist muggle hunting can she?” Said Cygnus.


“ Unfortunately. So what have you named you’re child?” Asked Walburga.


“ Bellatrix. Bellatrix Black.” Replied Cygnus.


“ A good name. Good, strong name.” Said Orion.


“ Did you think it up or was it Druella?” Asked Walburga.


“ Me of course. If not Dru would have tried to call it Angelique or some other foul, undesirable name.”


“ I don’t understand why you married her Cygnus. She’s a nutter.” Said Orion imperiously.


“ She’s a Rosier. Aside from that she’s actually of very good blood and very desirable except for her Rosier moments.” Said Walburga.


“ Tell me about it but you’re right Walburga. She’s also a very beautiful woman and she isn’t exactly stupid just not of vast intelligence.”


“ A good spot of reading ought to cure that. I’ve been meaning to ask you, has she ever practiced any?” Asked Walburga.


“ No. She’s too kind a person. I hope my daughter doesn’t take after her in that respect.”


“ Oh I’m sure she’ll be fine. All she’ll need is a little guidance and if not that then-”


“ Persuasion.” Interrupted Orion.


“ I shall be extremely disappointed if she turns out to be too much like her mother.”


“ When can we see the child?” Asked Walburga.


“ I think it would be best if we waited a few years Walburga. To see how she turns out before we go and visit.” Said Orion.


“ Yes, of course. You wouldn’t be able to see much at this age anyway.”


“ I’ll need to be getting back. Dru might start worrying and I don’t want anything negative to affect the child at it’s current stage.” Said Cygnus, rising to his feet.


“ Inform us of the child’s progress and habits regularly please Cygnus.” Said Walburga.


“ Don’t worry, I will.” Cygnus walked out of the drawing room and when he was out of Grimmauld Place and it’s gardens he apparated back to his home.


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“ Happy birthday Bella. Now blow out the three candles.” Cooed Druella as she beamed at her daughter. Bellatrix blew out the three black candles on her red birthday cake. She had turned out to be quite a pretty young girl and Cygnus was incredibly relieved about it. He was also very pleased he had taken Walburga’s advice and not drowned the child when it was four months old. Bellatrix Black was three years of age and already looked promising. She had beautiful eyes and had a caring nature like her mother but whenever Cygnus looked into her eyes he could see something dark within them, waiting for the opportune moment to release itself and spring from the trap. She was very intelligent for being only three and was very obedient. Cygnus was extremely pleased with her and had hopes for her younger sister Narcissa who had celebrated her second birthday only days before. Narcissa seemed to be more of a beauty than Bellatrix had been at that age and Cygnus had high hopes for her. If everything turned out the way he intended it to Narcissa would be able to make a more prosperous marriage than Bellatrix. After all, a man would look for beauty over intelligence and that was where Bellatrix would loose to her younger sister.


“ Happy birthday Bella.” Said Narcissa happily, smiling at Bellatrix who had an unhappy look on her face. This look was always on Bellatrix’s face when she was thinking and Cygnus recognized it as being his own.


“ Play Bella play.” Sang Narcissa. She chuckled happily after her words and that was when Bellatrix did something completely unexpected. She raised her hand back and slapped her sister across the face. Narcissa immediately began to howl and Druella comforted her instantly. She glared at Bellatrix angrily and if Cygnus hadn’t intervened she would have smacked Bellatrix right back.


“ Bellatrix. That is a bad thing to do. You do not hurt you’re little sister.” Chastised Cygnus. He showed Bellatrix his happiness at seeing a glimpse of the darkness within her by hugging her after telling her off.


“ Cygnus! What are you doing? You’re only encouraging the child!”


“ How am I?” Asked Cygnus as he let go of his eldest daughter.


“ You have never so much as laid a finger on her until now. She has just hurt her little sister and quite badly. You are not meant to give her a hug. She will see that as a reward.”


“ Maybe that is how I’m intending for it to be seen.”


“ What are you talking about Cygnus?”


“ She has done wrong I know but she comes from a family who do things that seem wrong to do gooders. She must be told off for what she has done but also rewarded.”


“ Are you trying to corrupt our child Cygnus?”


“ I am not corrupting her. Merely starting to guide a certain part of her.”


“ What nonsense are you speaking of?”


“ Our daughter is not an angel Druella. You must have seen it in her eyes. There’s bad inside of her and I fully intend to release and nurture that.” Druella was so shocked at what her husband said that she let go of Narcissa and ran from the room leaving a whimpering Narcissa, a thoughtful Bellatrix and a slightly satisfied Cygnus.


“ I want you to do lost of reading for me Bellatrix.” Ordered Cygnus.


“ Why?” Asked Bellatrix.


“ Because I told you so!” Snapped Cygnus. Bellatrix glowered at him and Cygnus smiled at her.


“ I think it’s time I tell you’re Aunt Walburga and Uncle Orion to come see you.”