The Marauders Begin (I)

The Three Broomsticks

October 31, 1971

Inside the Three Broomsticks, the more social pub in the village of Hogsmeade, the front door opens repeatedly as patrons enter from the chilly autumn afternoon outside. ANDROMEDA, NARCISSA, and LUCIUS enter and search the area.

LUCIUS: Do you see her?

ANDROMEDA: There she is.

ANDROMEDA walks to the very back corner of the bar, where she spots the top of BELLATRIX'S head. BELLATRIX is seated with her back to the door, looking very tired and haggard, and clutching a glass of firewhiskey.

NARCISSA: (pointing to the drink) Whoa, Bella. How early is it?

BELLATRIX: (ignoring her) Did anyone follow you?

ANDROMEDA: (sitting down at the table) No.

NARCISSA: What's going on with you?

BELLATRIX: Never mind me. How far have you come with this cabinet?

ANDROMEDA and NARCISSA share a wary look.

BELLATRIX: Are you serious?

LUCIUS: I have checked every spare classroom, dungeon, and broom cupboard that I could find-

BELLATRIX: (angrily) I gave you three a very simple task-

ANDROMEDA: We're doing everything we can!

BELLATRIX: You're not doing enough!

ANDROMEDA: (furiously) Really? I'm tired of you constantly treating us like we're nothing! You're so inconsiderate-

BELLATRIX pulls back the sleeve of her forearm and reveals the Dark Mark tattoo branded into her skin. ANDROMEDA stops talking, while NARCISSA and LUCIUS gasp.

BELLATRIX: This is more than just you or I. This is not like when we were children. We are all in danger and the Dark Lord needs our help. Now, for God's sake, where is that cabinet?

NARCISSA: (nervously) Listen. We snuck into Pringle's office to see if he left it there-

BELLATRIX: And?

NARCISSA: We didn't find the cabinet, but we did find some documents that said you were caught after hours a lot with Rodolphus and Rabastan.

BELLATRIX: So? You think you're so perfect, Little Miss Prefect?

NARCISSA: No! What I mean is, he always caught you coming from the same place, didn't he?

BELLATRIX: What is your point?

NARCISSA: It never says where you were! Where did you always sneak off to? Maybe the cabinet is in that place!

BELLATRIX looks at the three students for a moment, and then sighs heavily.

BELLATRIX: I don't believe that the cabinet would ever be there, but-

ANDROMEDA: But?

BELLATRIX: What happened was, Rodolphus and Rabastan and I needed to begin learning the Dark Arts so that we would be the most powerful initiates to serve the Dark Lord when we left the school. We needed to grow stronger, quicker, and more agile. But obviously, this waste of a school didn't teach things that we actually needed to know. So the three of us, we set out in search of a place that would allow us to learn the secrets of the Dark Arts, in all of their complexities and mystery.

LUCIUS: And?

BELLATRIX: We didn't find it until our sixth year but- it was there. The Dark Room. It appeared to us exactly as we asked for it. It had books on the Dark Arts that the Hogwarts library would never collect, it had areas to practice Unforgivable Curses without being detected, it had- everything. (She takes a sip from her firewhiskey). That was the place where we went, in the night, to learn and study what we couldn't during the day. But when we tried to sneak back into the dungeons, sometimes Pringle caught us. And we paid the price.

LUCIUS: (eagerly) Where is this room?

BELLATRIX: It was always in the same place. Seventh floor, across from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy.

LUCIUS: Why didn't anyone else know about it?

BELLATRIX: They might have, for all we knew. But it was quite tricky to enter. The three of us had to walk past the wall God knows how many times, asking, praying that it would become what we wanted it to be. Sometimes it did, and sometimes it didn't.

NARCISSA: Do you think we could enter it?

BELLATRIX: Maybe. But it is no use. The cabinet would not be in that room, believe me, I would have seen it before.

LUCIUS: It's worth checking. C'mon, we better go. (He and NARCISSA stand up from the table and hurriedly leave the pub.)

BELLATRIX: (taking another sip from her firewhiskey) You had better go help them.

ANDROMEDA: (defiantly) I don't care what you say. About the family, about Voldemort-

BELLATRIX: Do not speak his name!

ANDROMEDA: I don't care! I know this is wrong!

BELLATRIX: You don't know what you're talking about!

ANDROMEDA: This is just the same as events in history! I've studied this stuff before. Wizards who think they're better than Muggles just because they have rare abilities.

BELLATRIX: And why shouldn't they feel that way?

ANDROMEDA: Because having powers doesn't automatically make you a better person! If you are powerful, then you have not only the ability but also the responsibility to protect those who cannot defend themselves!

BELLATRIX: You want to go out there and protect Muggles, do you?

ANDROMEDA: It's called solidarity, Bella. Muggles are perfectly capable of thriving on their own. They don't need magical interference. But pretending that Muggle-born wizards are inferior to us- that is what's wrong.

BELLATRIX: You of all people do not decide what is right and what is wrong. That is beyond you, do you understand? The Dark Lord has wisdom above that of a seventeen-year-old. Now, for God's sake, get up to that castle and help those two find that cabinet!

ANDROMEDA: (stands up from the table) Some day, you will regret this. (She walks to the exit of the pub, while BELLATRIX gazes after her and continues to drink).