The Madness of Bellatrix Lestrange

Emerald

The girls that are wanted are good girls
Good from the heart to the lips
Pure as the lily is white and pure
From its heart to its sweet leaf tips.
The girls that are wanted are girls with hearts
They are wanted for mothers and wives
Wanted to cradle in loving arms
The strongest and frailest lives.
The clever, the witty, the brilliant girl
There are few who can understand
But oh! For the wise, loving home girls
There's a constant, steady demand
--J. H. Gray, c. 1880

Green.

The colour of the stones that I continually was getting removed from the Slytherins hourglass for the House Cup during my sixth year.

"Miss Black- 10 points from Slytherin."
"Miss Black that will be 30 points from Slytherin"
"BELLATRIX BLACK you have just lost your house 50 points "

What were these instances deducted for? Hmm.

A clumsy Ravenclaw, nose in book ran into me and I hexed her into flying into the opposite wall. Hard. Only ten points because they decided I acted out of reflex.

I hadn't.

I added some "dangerous" ingredients to a few Gryffindors cauldrons during potions class resulting in a mild explosion... No one was hurt but 7 Gryffs had Slytherin tinted skin for 3 months.

Worth it.

50 points- I merely charmed the food at the Gryff table during the Halloween feast to come to life. The meat made the noise of its respective animal, walked about.... Made quite a few vegetarians that day.

Also, very much worth it.

I can't recount the numerous points for fights, tardiness and disruption. To say I was a frequent attendee of detention would be an understatement.

I had fallen far from when I became a Prefect in Fifth year.

Id always been a good student, though always mischievous but this year was out of character even for me.

Finally after the Slytherin emeralds were nearly depleted Professor Slughorn grabbed me after a Slug Club gathering to inquire as to what was going on.

I played it off. I didn't want to speak about personal issues especially this one. It's bad enough to be forced but then to have to talk about...

Only after threat of taking me to the headmasters office where Id likely be legillimensed or forced to put my thoughts in a pensieve by Albus did I come clean.

I was a sixth year - so negotiations were well under way for my betrothal.

I was always independent so the thought of this pure blood tradition being forced on me always made me sick. I thought that my fierce streak that my father always admired would be respected and he'd never force me into a marriage.

But he'd informed me I was a girl and it was my lot in my life.

After much screaming and breaking of precious Black family heirlooms, Id "negotiated " to have at least some say if Id found someone suitable.

As the year progressed I found myself more and more interested in a pale haired Gray eyed Slytherin fourth year.

Okay fine, I was in love.

The Malfoys and Blacks had long sought to forge a connection between the families and so I felt certain that my father would hear me out.

He did not.

I was informed that I must marry straight out of Hogwarts like a "proper pureblood witch" (as if Id ever done a proper thing in my 16 years. )

My father would not hear tell of his daughter marrying a younger man no matter what family he hailed from.

It sent me into a tail spin and destruction and mayhem were my only vices to distract me .

And I did them well.

I learned a few things that year from my professors. But even more from myself.

I was bad at being good but oh so good at being bad.