Obsession

Chapter 2

Bellatrix hummed a little as she came walking out of Moribund's. For it being so near Christmas, Knockturn Alley was awfully quiet, but it was near closing time for most of the shops. Bellatrix had experienced difficulty finding a good Christmas gift for Rodolphus, but at last she'd tracked down exactly the right thing - a jar of gel that would induce severe vomiting when smeared onto skin. For anyone but Rodolphus Lestrange, it would be a bizarre gift, but Rodolphus handled some prisoners, and so Bellatrix knew he'd find it useful.

She made her way into Diagon Alley and nearly bumped into a tall, thin wizard. She scowled up at him, waiting for an apology, and then she saw realisation come over his face. His mouth fell open, and his pale freckled cheeks went red with alarm.

"Madam Lestrange?" he asked, and Bellatrix tipped her chin up.

"Who are you?"

The wizard pulled out a Ministry badge and said simply, "My name is Oliver Prewett. Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I'd like a word."

"A word." Bellatrix backed into Knockturn Alley, and Oliver Prewett followed her. Bellatrix shrugged. "Go on, then."

"We had an Auror disappear a few days ago," Prewett said. "Manna Holden. Her Muggle neighbour said a young woman with black curls entered Manna's home not long before she went missing."

"Sounds like a right nosy Muggle," Bellatrix nodded. Prewett narrowed his eyes.

"Do you know anything about what happened to Ms Holden?"

"Let me think." Bellatrix glanced around furtively and sighed. Once she was sure no one was watching them, she whipped out her wand, jabbed it against Oliver Prewett's chest, and hissed, "Avada Kedavra."

There was a jade flash of light, and Prewett crumpled to the ground. Bellatrix immediately aimed her wand and him and muttered,

"Corpus Evanesco.'
His body Vanished into Nonbeing, and then there was a gasp from Bellatrix's right. She saw a middle-aged witch, Ameerah Shacklebolt, standing in awe with bags on her arms. Bellatrix cleared her throat; Ameerah's son Kingsley was in school with Narcissa. Kingsley didn't neatly fit the Pureblood mold, but Ameerah did, to the best of Bellatrix's knowledge. Bellatrix plastered on a little grin and quickly approached Ameerah Shacklebolt with her wand held out. Ameerah looked frightened, but Bellatrix twisted her wand and said determinedly,

"Obliviate."

She watched Ameerah's eyes go blank, and Bellatrix concentrated hard on the idea of her killing Oliver Prewett. She replaced the notion with a vision, the idea that Bellatrix had just come strolling back onto Knockturn Alley. She lowered her wand, and Ameerah Shacklebolt said in a warm voice,

"Bellatrix. How good to see you. Last minute Christmas shopping?"

"Yes, Mrs Shacklebolt. I confess, it is odd to see you back here in Knockturn Alley!" Bellatrix laughed a little, and Ameerah shrugged.

"You know my Kingsley. Such a Potions fiend. There were a few things Slug and Jiggers didn't have; they sent me back to Mr Mulpepper's Apothecary."

"Well. Have a happy Christmas," Bellatrix said, and Ameerah nodded as she walked away and waved.

"You, too, dear."

Bellatrix waited until Ameerah had gone, and then she Disapparated, coming to in the gardens outside Malfoy Manor.

"Enter."

Voldemort frowned as he looked up from his copy of the Daily Prophet, whose headline story was the disappearance of Auror Manna Holden. The door to his office opened slowly, and Bellatrix Lestrange came walking in. She cleared her throat and clutched at a shopping bag as she said,