When Bellatrix has a Daughter

6. Phase One

“You have had the honor of being my daughter,” Bella leaned her head near my ears, raising chills along my arms, “so use it wisely.” She cackled and exited from my room, leaving me standing there alone, in the dark.

Little did she know that I was going to use it…

Finally.

Well, I was about to change. Into a REAL Death Eater. Cold and cruel. Sirius's death had brought me incredible pain. Somehow I wanted to lash out on others once I was done torturing myself. When I practised the Dark Arts, my wand co-operated with me. This was how I was supposed to be. You see, I didn't have to meet Sirius. If I hadn't met him, this guilt would not been there. The guilt would not have converted into a fierce need for revenge. On myself, on Bellatrix, on the world... and even Dumbledore who made me meet with Sirius. The world had showed me pain and loss. Now I wanted to show them pain and loss.

 I would now finally be who I was destined to be.

*

“Legilimens!” my mother pointed her wand at me. I kept my mind devoid of all thoughts. For a while, we two stood there still, as she tried to probe into my thoughts and as I tried to stop it. Then she let go of her wand, looking a bit pleased. “There, now Snape will never be able to know of your plans,” she told me. Her eyes flashed to Draco’s and she said again, “Legilimens.” Draco’s eyes remained blank. He too had succeeded. Bellatrix looked really pleased.

“That’s it,” she whispered. Her eyes were wild.

She was teaching us Occlumeny in case Snape tried to read our minds to know of our plans. She didn’t trust Snape. I didn’t either. When I'd first seen Snape attending The Dark Lord's meeting, I had been surprised. He was a traitor, like me. At least, I wasn't alone.

When I first learnt that I would be learning Occlumency so that I would be prepared if Snape used it against me, I was horrified. What if my mother came to know about the feelings I had for Harry? But then again, my feelings had died some months ago after such harsh introduction to this side of the world. Yes I was a fast learner, and Occlumency was no great deal.

Draco was making huge preparations to kill Dumbledore. We went along quite fine to my great surprise. Obviously, we were not the best of friends (and would never be, I hoped. I hoped.) and he was still sometimes as rude, cowardly and stupid as he was before. Yet. We had many differences between us, but that’s what made it special. Last year, I wouldn’t even have thought that I would be calling the friendship between me and Malfoy ‘special.’ But then again, I also wouldn’t have thought that I would end up being a Death Eater. A lot had changed.

*Flashback*

It was the first time I'd climbed the Hogwarts Express, and the first time I'd met Draco as well.

Ron was making us laugh by saying he would make someone called Goyle and Crabbe (I didn’t know those idiots then) write some really hilarious lines, “I… must…not…look…like…a…baboon’s…backside” and then Luna, by laughing really hard. Just as an awkward moment between Hermoine and Luna passed, the compartment door opened to reveal a blonde sleek head and two fat people. Draco Malfoy had entered with his two cronies.

“What?” Harry said aggressively. I figured out the blonde one was a Slytherine (in his silver green cloak). He had a prefect badge gleaming from his chest.

“Manners Potter, or I’ll have to give you a detention. You see, I, unlike you, have been made a prefect which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments.”

“Yeah,” Harry retorted, “but you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone.”

I couldn’t help but laugh along with others (except Luna). Malfoy’s lips curled. He caught sight of me and with one look at me, said, “So, whose girlfriend is she? Potter’s ? Or Weasley’s?” I tried to take out my wand; I didn’t know what I was meaning to do, but I think I now knew that the hexes Sirius had taught me would be useful. He smirked as he took in my wand. "Shut up,” I said quietly.