Lestrange Ways

Part 1

I wrote this story mostly for myself. Bellatrix is my favorite HP character and there isn't a lot of background info on her before Azkaban. To me it was like an itch I couldn't scratch, so thats how this came about :)

All Harry Potter characters and references are owned by JK Rowling. Nor do I own rights to the cover picture. All constructive criticism is appreciated, sorry if there are spelling errors or the dates seem off. This is the first story I post.

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Bellatrix Black and her family had just passed Diagon Alley, where she had seen all the new and returning students shopping around for Hogwarts materials. She walked into Borgin and Burkes with her parents and sisters. Being only ten she could hardly wait another year before entering Hogwarts. It wasn't the school work or rules that she was looking forward to as much as finally being able to practice magic.

She was imagining how she would be sorted into Slytherin, being pronounced the most powerful witch of her class and she would make sure everyone knew it was because of her pure-blood lineage - when she first heard him.

"Good afternoon Mr. Black, how may I assist you today?" A velvety voice coming from behind the counter said. Her father was blocking her view from this man, while her mother and sisters were trying to get her attention to look at a shriveled old hand on a cushion. She ignored them and walked over to stand next to her father.

The most beautiful man she had ever seen was standing on the other side of the counter, he was tall with dark brown eyes which complimented his handsome face, and his dark hair stood motionless and perfect on his head.

In the background she could hear her father and this man bargaining on how much a cursed object was until her father said, "Oh Riddle, you drive a hard bargain, but no matter, I'll take it!"

Riddle said, "Please call me Tom, we have made such good business deals, its only fair."

"Very well Tom," her father answered with a smile, which surprised Bellatrix since it was rare for him to do so.

"If you will allow me to ask a question, now that we are on more personal terms, why are you still working here when a wizard powerful such as yourself can be working anywhere he wants, Tom?"

Tom chuckled and it was a perfect melody, there are no princes or princesses in the wizardry world, but Bellatrix imagined that is how a prince would sound. "You are not the first to ask Mr. Black"

"Cygnus, please."

"Cygnus, but the truth is I have acquired and extraordinary amount of knowledge working here and am pleased to say that I now finally feel like I can move on to bigger things."

At that moment Druella Black and her other two sisters reached the counter and with an impatient stare directed towards her father, and Mr. Black knew they should be leaving.

"Good for you Tom! I know you will do great things for wizardry kind and now if you will excuse us, we will be leaving." Her father grabbed a package off the countertop and walked out the door.

Bellatrix was the last to head out and turned back one more time to look at the powerful wizard her father had talked to. Tom Riddle was already staring at her, she blushed so fiercely, her whole face felt on fire and she left the shop behind her family.