Bellatrix and her Master

The Bride

"Why did I have to kill her, my lord?"

Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix were back at the Sanctuary. It must have been late. With the time difference, Bellatrix imagined that it might even be dawn by now, but she couldn't be certain. No light filtered into this gloomy place, and the events of the evening had strained her to the point of losing track of time. The Dark Lord stood with his back to her, busy preparing a potion.

He cast an inquisitive glance at Bellatrix then returned to his potion-making.

"I have often heard it said that the first victim is always the most difficult. What do you think, Bellatrix?"

"I don't know. After a while, her death made sense, and when I killed her, I hardly felt a thing."

"Her death made sense?" repeated Lord Voldemort before lowering the heat under the cauldron.

He turned away and looked into Bellatrix's eyes.

"Explain yourself."

"Uh... It's just that..."

Bellatrix suddenly felt very confined in her corset. The Dark Lord's gaze was intimidating, and she struggled to find a way to explain why Isabella Jdanov's monstrous allegations had made her task easier.

"Isabella Jdanov was a pure-blood witch, probably from a good lineage. She was carrying a pure-blood baby as well, and when you asked me to kill her, I didn't understand why..."

"Did I ask you to understand, Bellatrix?"

"No..."

"Are you so presumptuous to think you know the ins and outs of the choices I make?"

"No, my lord, I..."

"Bellatrix Black," he interrupted with a cold voice, his eyes flashing with a vivid red spark, "your impertinence may be entertaining for a while, but it will soon annoy me."

Bellatrix, tears in her eyes, nodded and knelt before Lord Voldemort.

"Forgive me, my lord."

"This mission has been instructive for me in many ways. If you become a Death Eater, Bellatrix, most of my commands will probably seem obscure to you. I don't usually like to repeat myself, but I will reiterate what I have instilled in you to make sure you understand perfectly what your place is here. My quest will be long and painful. Overturning a regime firmly established in this aging world, so reluctant to accept the rise of a new order, will require strength and power. The life of a Death Eater is not easy. Death Eaters deal with death and solitude. They must bend to my will and fulfil all the duties I give them. They must fight for me without flinching and without questioning. Did doubt inhabit you tonight, my dear Bellatrix?"

On her knees, Bellatrix felt her heart painfully tighten. Never had Lord Voldemort been so relentless with her. The tone of his voice left her petrified.

"No, my lord," she assured him.

"Really? Are you sure? Lord Voldemort always discovers the truth."

Bellatrix frowned. What was he talking about?

"I don't see, my lord," she answered, her voice trembling.

"Then I would be curious to know the reasons that convinced you to kill Isabella Jdanov," he said in a sweet voice.

Bellatrix plunged her eyes into those of Lord Voldemort, at a loss for words. She suddenly felt like he already knew everything that had passed between Isabella and her before she succumbed to her wand.