Author's Note: This is a short fanfic I wrote about maybe what Bellatrix Lestrange's childhood might've been like. I haven't read the Harry Potter books in a while, so I couldn't quite remember things about Bellatrix, so if there's some inaccuracies, please excuse them. This short story is the product of a fanfic contest my friends and I did.
“More!”
I ran faster, my breath echoing against the hard stone walls. When I reached the end and picked up the trainer wand, I could hear dad’s voice yelling at my siblings.
I blew the wall open with the wand and ran through, reaching the broomstick on the other side. I panted victoriously. I had made it.
I heard Lex run up behind me and blast the wall open. When he got to the other side and saw me holding the broom in my hand, a face of a winner on my face, he screamed.
“Bella cheated!” He screamed. “She cheated! She cheated!”
“I didn't cheat!” I yelled back. “I won!” My smile had faded now.
“She cheated! She cheated! She cheated!” Lex kept screaming.
“I did not cheat!” I screamed. I glared at him and crossed my arms. For a twin brother, he sure was a pain in the butt, even for a seven year old. “I won fair and square!”
The whole family came around to his screaming and blasted the wall open. They all came rushing around and three of them hugged my brother, crouching. He was crying.
Dad put his hands on his hips and glared down at me.
“What did you do this time?” he demanded threateningly.
“She cheated,” Lex whined, breaking out the fake tears. “I got the broom and won, but she took it from me and said she won when really she didn't!”
He started sobbing now. I looked confusedly at him. That wasn't what happened at all!
Dad stepped closer to me. Everyone was glaring at me now. Dad, Lukas, Dolores, Nymphadora, and Narcissa. Even Lex seemed glareful through his tears.
I looked at Nym hopelessly. Her glare faded and she winked. That was one part good about having three twins. One of them was actually nice.
Nym stood up. She brushed her hair aside and tapped my dad on the shoulder.
“Daddy,” she asked, putting puppy lips on. “Daddy, if you hit her, she won't be able to sweep and clean my room. Daddy, please don't hit her.”
Dad’s face softened at his favorite child. “Of course, sugar plum. But she will be punished for being so rude and cheating–”
“I didn't cheat!” I demanded, before clapping a hand over my mouth at Nym’s expression.
Dad glared at me, sticking his fat finger in my face. “If I could give away a child, it would be you, naughty girl. Even at age seven…”
“Lex, Narcissa, and Nym are all seven!” I screamed. “And I didn't even do anything wrong.”
Dad looked ready to yell at me, but Nymphadora put a hand on his arm and shot me a look. She started fake crying and said, “Daddy, please don't hurt her!”
He took his fat finger away from my face and stroked her hair with it, still glaring at me. “Of course, dear. Of course.”
Ch 2: SIX YEARS LATER
It all started on our birthdays. Our thirteenth birthdays. Narcissa, Nymphadora, and Lex all got the day off from training. When I tried to join them, dad grabbed my shoulders and held me back.
“Dad,” I said skeptically, “you said I could have the day off from training.”
“I changed my mind,” he said, grinning darkly. “You'll sweep for me now.”
“But dad!”
“You heard what I said!!” He raised his voice. I knew he was serious and this could end with a beating, but I didn't care.
Not in the moment.
“Dad, you said–”
“Bellatrix Charlotte!” He stood up, flipping his chair over. His face got red and I could feel my fight or flight instinct come on.
I chose fight.
I whipped out my wand. “YOU SAID I COULD HAVE MY THIRTEENTH BIRTHDAY OFF! YOU SAID IT THE DAY MOM DIED!”
Even dad looked scared now, and Narcissa came up the stairs to see what was going on. Her eyes widened at my wand withdrawn and dad, with actual fear in his eyes.
I stepped forward, raging fire in my heart and burning flames in my body. “A PROMISE IS A PROMISE! THAT'S WHAT MUMMY SAID!”
The fire pulsed and burned and raged inside me, spreading toward my fingertips and–
Actual flames shot out from my wand, setting the living room and my father on fire.
“Bella!!” My father yelled, glaring intensely as he fell to the ground, the fire flickering purple.
“Fyndefyre,” Narcissa whispered in fear, looking at me, terrified. She ran to the basement to get her siblings, but I didn't notice. The magical fire shot out of my wand and it started to burn my hand. I let go and looked around me in fear, as though just noticing my surroundings.
The tears started to fall when the red cleared from my eyes and I watched the destruction around me. I had caused that. Me. Bella. Bellatrix.
A beam fell in front of me, and I could hear my siblings screaming outside. My father was dead, I knew that. But grieving was for losers.
The tears came anyway.
And so I sat in the middle of the burning manor, charring my blonde hair black.
Nothing got me. Not the smoke from the fire, not the collapsing walls around me, not the fire itself.
I passed out though. I think one of my siblings pulled me from the fire, I don't know which. I didn't see them beyond that day.
Lex had died. So did Lukas and Dolores. But I didn't care about them. Why should I?
Grieving was for losers.
