Bellamione - her beloved monster

25. The Noble House Of Black

"What do you say, my lord?" A delicate but now firmly determined female voice rumbled out from the head of the table.

 
"You heard me, Bellatrix. Kill him." Spoke the dark lord in a calm voice, his gaze roaming through his followers.
"No! No! Have mercy!" The bloodcurdling scream echoed through the room, "Please, I have children!"
"That doesn't change the fact that you are a mudblood." Explained the Death Eater leader, cracking his fingerbones, "Bellatrix, kill him."
"My Lord, I cannot." Now the witch's voice sounded more and more brittle.
"Yes, you can and you will."
With trembling fingers, his charge raised his wand.
"No! You can't!"
But Bellatrix's gaze fell on the man, at his watery eyes and chalky white face.

"Silence!" Roared Lord Voldemort, his wand darting down and cutting the wizard off.
Bella's heart was racing, Hermione could feel this.
"Do it!"
She gasped.
"Avada Kedavra!" A green spark leaped from the tip of her wand.
In response, it burned up.
The wizard her counterpart was pinned to the ground.
However, breathing, whimpering in pain.
Born Black lowered her head, "I'm sorry, my lord, I - I -"
"What a shame, take your time Bellatrix if you're not ready. There are plenty of mudbloods out there for you yet." Spoke the dark lord, his lipless mouth twisted into a grimace, it was too late.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Hermione heard something slump to the floor.
Her eyelids flickered, which she slammed shut so abruptly as she watched the green lightning flash past.
When her eyes snapped open again, she could see Goyle and Corban dragging the lifeless body out of the room by the arms.

Suddenly everything blurred, an inconspicuous veil settling over the world.
Hermione awoke to the clatter of the steam engine.
To the steady lingering smell of steam.
To Bella's heavy skull leaning against her shoulder.
"Departure!" Shouted a wizard, the doors flew into the lock with a clack.
The witch with the thick curls held her friend's hands warmly so the false Selwyn could barely stir without waking Black.
"It's so exciting. I'm sure you'll like it with us!" Narcissa whispered, trying not to wake her big sister.
Hermione had made Bellatrix believe that her parents had business in France, so Black had spontaneously invited her friend to their family home for Christmas.

Her parents agreed and the fake Selwyn was glad to have a roof over her head and not end up alone at Hogwarts.
Andromeda didn't glance at the passing scenery or her sisters.
She was bent over a roll of parchment and scribbling away on it with a quill.
"What are you writing, Andy?" Her little sister tried to catch a glimpse, her sister snatched the piece of paper from under her nose and stowed it away in her suitcase.
"Nothing, Cissy, homework."
While Narcissa bought provisions from the Candy Witch, Hermione opened the manual of runes and nodded off a moment later.

"Coat on, doll! Come on, or do you want to spend Christmas on the Hogwarts Express?" Someone rattled the material of her emerald robe.
The young woman with the raven black curls was bent low over her friend, tugging at the luggage rack.
"Are we there yet?"
"You can tell me."
Hermione looked through the compartment window directly into the thick smoke of the train.

The four of them said goodbye to their classmates in front of the scarlet-painted locomotive, assuring them that they would see each other again during the holidays.
"Are you ready?" Bella asked the group.
The others nodded.
Afterwards, they dissolved into wisps of mist, leaving behind a single, but long since faded, laugh.
The Black sisters, like Hermione, had apparated.

A ringing sound.
"Alohomora!" Bella spoke, and her wand pointed at the now-clacking lock.
"Mother, we're here!" She shouted as she dragged her suitcases behind her.
"Wait, I'm coming!" Screamed a distinctive female voice from the first floor.
Madame Black hurried down the steps with a conscience of pride.
She looked as she had in Hermione's memory.
Druella Black wore her dark hair braided into a pigtail, a simple but not inelegant blue dress, and reminded one gesture and facial expression of her youngest daughter.
She stepped onto the carpeted floor. Her three children fell into her arms.
"Mother! You can't believe it -" Sat Narcissa out of breath.
"Calm down, calm down, come inside first."
The mistress of the house opened the door to the sitting room.
Hermione looked at a decorated home. The walls painted dark green, the floor covered with silk rugs.
Now and then, a portrait hung on the wall and began to wave its arms about excitedly.
Gigantic bookshelves built upon the walls, filled with thick readings Hermione didn't know by name.
In the middle of the room was a cozy sitting area, consisting of four burgundy armchairs and a sofa, which stood in front of a warming fireplace.

Next to the bookshelves was a dining table already set, to which the house-elves were already hurrying.
With a wave of her wand, the lady of the house led her daughters to the sitting area and took a seat on one of the armchairs.
The four young women did the same.

"Majy, get my girls something to drink." Madame Black commanded a little house elf.
But before she could reply, Bellatrix leaned forward and took off her Slytherin scarf.
"Mother, you remember Hermione -"
"How can I forget the girl who saved my daughter's life? Selwyn, isn't it?"
The student with the shock of brown hair nodded sheepishly and bit her lip.
"I'm glad to call you our guest. I hope you feel welcome. The guest room is on the first floor, the first door on the left. Right next to Bella's."
"Thank you."

"But not much talk now: I want to know everything my three princesses have achieved this year."
But Hermione was no longer listening to Druella.
She was, as she often was, wallowing in her thoughts.

Home.
At home in 1968