Of Horses And Waterfalls

1. The Inheritance

They had all gone to the funeral of Aunt Bellatrix, and even though a death in the family was a sad event, there were those who were sighing in relief that the woman had finally gone to her grave.  Bellatrix Lestrange had been a wicked woman.  She hated it when people sucked up to her, even though she expected it.  She had married into the Lestrange family when she had been very young, and had lost her husband to murder.

In her quest to find the person responsible, she had lost herself.  Graced with beauty and flair, but the more she sought revenge, the uglier she had become.  Her family had noticed the subtle changes far too late it seemed.  The way she would wear her hair, or the way she would dress.  Her voice would shout at her staff members, or shriek an order out just to see their fear of her.  And she had started to enjoy the feeling of power.

She had been blessed with thick black curly hair that reached her waistline, soft and silky, and a stunning face with full lips, and big round chocolate brown eyes.  She looked nothing like her two sisters, Andromeda and Narcissa Black, who both had blond hair and blue eyes.  Even the manner in which she wore her make up had changed.  After the death (murder) of her husband her eyes had become dark and hooded, her hair a shambles, that she would often tie back with a knot.  

All the clothes that she had owned had been ripped from her cupboards and burnt.  She had gone to the shops purchasing only black items such as corsets, skirts, boots, and sleeveless tops.  Everything had been black.  She had never taken on another lover since her husband's passing, vowing to love him until her dying day.  She had, in a word, gone crazy.  And her family watched her unravel.  They tried to help her, but she didn't want their help.  She wanted their fear.  She wanted their dedication and their devotion.

Her sister Narcissa had married a man by the name of Lucius Malfoy, and together they had a son called Draco.  With silver eyes and blond silver hair, Bellatrix doted on him, saying that he was the next best thing to bubblegum.  She taught him many things, such as how to look down on others, how to get the respect of people who were beneath him, and the proper way to drink tea.  Those three things were what made Draco look up to her and love her unconditionally.

He had been extremely saddened by the news of her death, wanting to know every sordid detail of how she had died.  His mother had told him that she had found the person that she thought was responsible for killing her husband, Rudolf, and had attacked them.  Not only was Bellatrix wrong in her observations, and had tried to kill the wrong person, but she herself had returned from her escapade a cold hard corpse.  

And Draco was heartbroken.  There was no one else like her in the family, and he doubted that there would ever be another Aunt Bella.  He remembered back when he was five and she had taken him to town for the day.  She had spoiled him rotten that day, buying him whatever his heart desired, and then they had gone back to her ranch where she took him for a ride on her trusted horse, King.

Even the horse was black.  A stallion, and he was beautiful.  Ever since that day, he would demand a weekly visit to Bella's ranch, and beg to be taken out for a ride on King.  Aunt Bella would squeak in happiness, and together they would ride and have picnics, and just be silly with each other.  The last time that he had ridden on King, had been years ago.  He had been twelve, if he could remember correctly.

He still went to visit her, but on one particular day he had found her sobbing her heart out.  When he asked what was wrong, she had told him that King was dead.  He had died of old age, and she wasn't going to get another horse to ride on.  So, her love for riding, dying along with her steed, and Draco's visits became few and far between.  He had been back to the ranch, but things weren't the same.  He could feel it.

Now, sitting here in a stuffy room with the rest of his family members, they were waiting for her Solicitor, because apparently she had a will, and they had to be present to hear who got what, and who she deemed important enough to even mention in her last testament.  He sat quietly, poised in his chair with a straight back, and a stoic face.  It had been three weeks since the funeral, and he hoped that this would be over soon that he could go back to what he had been doing before the time.

Which was absolutely nothing.  

Draco was rich and spoiled, and he was happy with his life.  Never having to work a day in his life, he was grateful.  But he missed her, oh how he missed her.  She was the only one who he thought understood him.  His own mother had tried to and sometimes succeeded.  He loved his mother, yes, but she wasn't Aunt Bella.  And as for his father!  Pfft, he would rather not talk about that man, thank you.

He had been raised strict, but not once did his parents ever raise their hands to him.  He was awarded carte blanche, his comings and goings of his own making, which is the way he preferred it.  Sitting here on this cold hard chair, made him swear in his mind, that perhaps she was laughing at them from wherever she was.  

Laughing and chuckling at the way that they had all come together at her beck and call, even though she wasn't even there to witness it.  It seemed that she had one more thing to say, and they would all do very well to listen.

The Solicitor eventually arrived at 10 o'clock, precisely as had been written, stood up in front of the huge desk, removed a file from his briefcase and started talking.  Not one for manners or greetings, it seemed that he had the same personality traits that his Aunt Bella did, making Draco smirk in happiness.  His family was probably pissed though, knowing that they loved it when people showed virtues.

"Thank you all for coming.  This is the final will and testament of Bellatrix Lestrange, neè Black.  To my older sister Narcissa, I leave all my clothing and jewelry, including the choker of diamonds that Rudolf had especially made for me.  I also leave you with a third of my bank account at Gringotts.

To my younger sister Andromeda, I leave my house as well as all the contents of said house, as well as a third of my bank account at Gringotts.

To my brother-in-law Lucius, I leave my vehicle the Porche and the remaining third of my bank account at Gringotts.

To my nephew Draco, I leave you with a different bank account, which is at Coinage, the full amount now becoming yours, as well as the ranch that you have grown to love so much, including all the animals and machinery, and the land.  

Thank you, that is all", said the Solicitor.  He closed the file, walked towards Draco and handed him an envelope.  Then he left as if he had never been there in the first place.  

Draco swallowed at what he had just heard, and opened the letter that he had just been given.  'Draco, I know that you will look after the ranch as your own.  Please can you bring it to it's former glory.  I know you can do it! Xxxx'

It had been signed, Aunt Bella.