Bad Romance

Chapter 17

Chapter 17: The Eye of the Serpent

"Do you intend to continue your father's legacy," Rodolphus asked Delphini carefully.

The girl shook her head, lip curling in distaste. "Voldemort was a madman with small selfish goals. I truly want to make the world better for everyone, even Muggles. He hated Muggles, so there is your proof that he and I are quite different."

"If you dislike him so much, why tell everyone that he is your father," Bellatrix asked.

"So that they might understand my level of power, and my abilities in order to make an informed decision," the girl replied calmly.

"Why is it that you wish to change the world so badly," Rodolphus asked in a reasonable tone. "Even if you don't feel it is enough, our Minister is progressing in leaps and bounds nonetheless. People need time to adjust to change if it is to truly stick. Why not allow her to start the changes, then pick up where she left off later if you feel it necessary?"

Bellatrix had never seen the debating diplomatic side of her husband, and it was hot. The brains and the control were hot or rather the mix of those qualities in a man who could also be fierce and brutal was hot. Realizing that she was gazing lustfully at her husband instead of watching Delphini, Bellatrix hastily returned her gaze to the girl. It was never wise to look away from someone dangerous and miss them hurling a deadly spell at you, after all. Or worse...because the Dark Lord had most definitely shown them that there were worse things to do to a person.

"I am unable to wait," Delphini told Rodolphus. At last an edge of something that wasn't quite so calm entered her voice. "I want to redeem the blood of Slytherin and change the world while I am still able!"

It was then that Bellatrix remembered the girl was a Maledictus. This was discovered when she was murdering students in her snake form at Hogwarts in order to perform a right of dark necromancy to resurrect her father. Though in what form, Bellatrix did not want to imagine. His last body had been beyond dreadful, and she could only assume, due to there being less soul involved, that it would only be worse now were Delphini to succeed.

"I do have one question," she said. "If you dislike your father, why resurrect him?"

Delphini clasped her hands almost primly in front of her stomach as she regarded Bellatrix. "Because I believe he may know how to help me. If not, he will be the only person who can understand me when I am eventually unable to regain my human form. Without him, I will have no one to talk to. The loneliness would be unbearable. Maybe I planned to make him my toy in the end if I am unable to find a cure for my condition," Delphini concluded with a teasing wink.

Was she playing with them or telling the truth in a way that would make them wonder if she were playing with them, Bellatrix silently wondered. "Are you aware that the Maledictus Curse is passed from mother to daughter," Bellatrix asked Delphini carefully.

"Oh, Bellatrix." Delphini's tone was conversational. "I know that you aren't my real mother. It's just that you and Rodolphus were intended to be my host parents, and I know he chose you because you are special. So, I wanted to know you. The fact that you were almost my mother makes you the closest living mother I have. Don't worry, I plan to kill the pathetic wizard who killed my mother. And guess what? I plan to use the sword of Gryffindor to do it because sometimes I believe in poetic justice, when I'm not being even more creative."

That was very much in line with the way the Dark Lord would think, and Bellatrix tried not to shiver. Gods, they had all admired him so once, for his power, skill, and deadly lack of limits in achieving his goals. Of course the discovery that he was a deceitful monster with no soul, who had no loyalty in return for that given to him, had changed all that before he'd changed it back by force. "Who told you that the Dark Lord intended for us to be your parents," Rodolphus asked.