The Littlest Wizard

chapter 1

Bellatrix POV
Oh I swear to God these filthy mudbloods, they are just as dumb as they look.
The clangor of battle echoed through the shattered remains of Hogwarts, but amid the chaos, I caught sight of a peculiar figure. A tiny girl, barely taller than a house-elf, was crouched behind a crumbling stone wall. She had the softest curls of golden hair, stark against the soot and smoke that stained the battleground. My first instinct was to curse her for being in the way, yet something about the girl's wide-eyed gaze stayed in my head. This was no ordinary child; her innocence radiated like a beacon in the midst of violence. I felt a twisted curiosity take roo inside myself. Who was this little one? How had she wandered into the heart of darkness, and what kept her so unnaturally calm?

A smile crept across my lips, my usual malice tempered intrigued, with encountering such purity in a place so devoid of it. The battle raged on, but my mind was drawn into the tiny human I saw for some unknown reason.

My smile stretched into a grin as I crept toward Rosalina, the hem of my long black cloak brushing against the rubble-strewn floor. The little girl, sensing a presence, peered from behind the broken wall, her large eyes meeting my penetrating stare. The harsh clanging and curses of battle seemed to fade into the background, replaced by an eerie stillness as these two figures, so utterly different, faced each other.

Rosalina's eyes widened with fear. The gleeful malice etched into my features was unmistakable, her eyes like daggers in the gloom. Instinctively, Rosalina recoiled, pressing herself against the crumbling stones as if they could shield her from this dreadful witch. My grin fell, recognizing the child fear. I loved the innocence that came from her, especially in such a small, delicate creature.

"Well, what have we here?" Bellatrix's voice was a low hiss, each word dripping with fake amusement. "A little stray in the middle of the battle. How curious!" She stepped closer, the crunch of shattered stone beneath her boots adding to the oppressive atmosphere.

Rosalina shivered, her tiny hands clutching the edge of her dress. I could tell she wanted to run, to escape my grasp, but her legs felt like lead, paralyzed by the sheer intensity of my gaze. Tears welled in her eyes, and she dared not blink, as if closing her eyes might make the witch pounce.

I tilted her head, the curl of my lips betraying a mix of curiosity and malevolence. "What are you doing here, little one?" she asked, her tone surprisingly sweet. "Shouldn't you be hiding with the other children? Or did you think you could play with the grown-ups?"

Rosalina's voice was a faint whisper, her words barely audible to me over the distant echoes of battle. "I... I was lost," she stammered, her voice quivering. "I didn't mean to... to be here."

I cackled, a grating sound that made Rosalina flinch. "Oh, but you're here now, aren't you?" she said, taking another step forward. "Do you need any help? Are you alright?"

"I have no mummy or daddy" The little one mumbled out, the tone that she used to say that made even my stone cold heart a little warm. Who would do such a thing to abandoned a mere little one in the middle of the battle.

Rosalina POV

The castle was a labyrinth of rubble and shadows, the once-familiar corridors now darkened by the chaos of battle. I wandered through the smoke-filled hallways, my small steps echoing against the stone walls. Fear gripped my heart; I was lost, separated from everyone in the confusion. I was so close to slipping into little space.

But then, through the haze, I saw a figure approaching-a woman with wild hair and dark robes. It was Bellatrix Lestrange, a name I had heard whispered with fear. I braced herself for the worst, yet the witch's demeanor was strangely gentle.

Instead of the harsh words I expected, Bellatrix asked if I was lost, this made me look up in surprise and reply back, no one has ever seen a kind side to her.

I felt a cautious relief as Bellatrix knelt down to my level, her dark eyes not so frightening up close. The woman's unexpected kindness felt like an anchor in the storm to me, despite my wariness, I found myself reaching out to the outstretched hand, seeking comfort from the most unlikely of sources. Who would have thought out of everyone in the battle, my saviour would be Bellatrix.