ENIGMATIC • 𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄

XC. Bellatrix Lestrange

Hermione, Harry and I run down the hill to hagrid hut as we go to open the door but pause once we here the familiar voice of umbridge.

"I will say this one last time. I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been." Umbridge commands as we glance at each other before going over to the window.

"I've told ye'! I've been away for me health!" Hagrid exclaims as umbridge raises an eyebrow.

"Your health...?" Umbridge mutters as she looks behind hagrid at the glass, but before she sees us we quickly duck down.

"Yea'! But if fresh air, ye know!" Hagrid exclaims as umbridge slowly nods.

"Ah yes, as gamekeeper, fresh air must be difficult to come by." Umbridge smiles as hagrid shouts of his feet awkwardly. "If i were you, I wouldn't get too used to being back. In fact, I mightn't bother unpacking at all."

The woman then walks out of hagrids hut with a satisfied sigh. She then inhale as she pauses, glancing around before quickly spraying perfume on herself and the door behind her.

———

"This is top secret, right? Dumbledore sent me to parlay with the giants." Hagrid explains as hermiones eyes widen.

"Giants?!" she exclaims as hagrid shushes her, "you found them?"

"Well, they're not that hard to find, to be perfectly honest. They're so big, see? I tried to convince them to join the cause... but I wasn't the only one that was trying to win them over." Hagrid explains as I go silent.

"Death eaters?" Harry asks as Hagrid nods.

"Trying to persuade them to join You-Know-Who." Hagrid whispers as Harry pauses.

"And.. did they?"

"I gave them Dumbledores message. Suppose some of them remember he was friendly to them, I suppose..." Hagrid sighs as I glance at the injuries on his face.

"And they did this to you?" I ask as Hagrid Hagrid looks at me.

"Not exactly, no." Hagrid mutters as fang starts barking. "Oh, go on, you have it then! You dopey dog..."

The wind blows as we pause, glancing over as Hagrid stands up, looking outside.

"It's changing out there. Just like last time. There's a storm coming. We'd all best be ready when she does."

———

I stand on the cliff side next to Azkaban, glancing over at Tom as he casts a spell making the walls of Azkaban explodes.

I watch as bellatrix staggers outside the broken wall, cackling.

Tom grabs my wrist before apparating over to the broken bricks, the wards protecting Azkaban partly destroyed.

Bellatrix's grin remains on her face as she turns towards us. "And who are you?"

"Tom marvolo riddle. You might also know me as the dark lord." Tom explains as she glares at us.

"And who are you to dare say—?!" She gets cut off when she see's Tom doing the name anagram.

"My lord..." she mutters as she drops of her knee's bowing.

"Stand, bellatrix." Tom says as bellatrix quickly stands, sending a quick glance at me.

"And my lord, who is she?" She quietly asks as looks at me confused.

"Er...— just call me y/n!" I explain with a smile as she nods.

No more words were shared between me and bellatrix as we went to find the other death eaters.

———

"We have confirmed that ten high-security prisoners, in the early hours of yesterday evening, did escape. And of course, the muggle prime minister has been alerted to the danger. We strongly suspect that the breakout was engineered by a man with personal experience of escaping from Azkaban, notorious mass murder, sirius black— cousin of escapee bellatrix lestrange." The prophet reads as i glance towards neville.

He had a blank look on his face as I sigh, feeling apologetic towards the boy.

———

"Neville?" I ask as I watch neville stand in the mirror which was in a dimly lit room of requirements.

He doesn't reply as I walk over to stand next to him.

"Fourteen years ago, a death eater named Bellatrix Lestrange used the cruciatus curse on my parents... she tortured them for information, but they never gave in. I'm quite proud to be their son. But I'm not sure I'm ready for everyone to know just yet." Neville explains as I nod silently.

"I'm sorry... I'm sure your parents are proud of you, no matter what you do..." i mutter as neville numbly nods.

A few moments of silence pass before I can't handle the silence anymore.

"If... if you were ever offered the chance to join the dark side of the war... what would you do?" I ask as Neville goes silent looking at the picture of their parents.

"I'm not sure to be honest.. I agree with some of their ideals, but... they're just too... violent plus im not sure I would be able to work with bellatrix lestrange. I also wouldn't want to betray my friends..." Neville explains as I nod slowly.

"Okay let me rephrase my question then: If you were able to be able to join the dark side, with the majority of your friends staying by your side, while you didn't participate in raids or anything... and bellatrix wouldn't approach you till your ready to face her... then what would you do?" I ask as Neville pauses.

"I... I would probably join...? I mean, it's not like it'll ever happen..." Neville mutters as I nod with a smile.

"Of course, it's just a theoretical question after all."