The Madness of Bellatrix Lestrange

Fury Red

Red.

The colour of my anger flushed face as I stormed through the house .

"Never again . Never again Rodolphus " I said as I walked upstairs as soon as we apparated taking off my shoes, my cloak, my robes as I progressed my way upstairs. I was headed to take a hot bath - to wash away that meeting with my husband's new master.

Voldemort.

"Bella Belle . Wait . What?! Why are you storming off?"

I ignored him throwing my discarded clothing items behind me toward him one by one as I went.

"Just NO. Rodolphus. Never again. "

I turned the water on . He caught up to me.

"Belle!" He grabbed my elbow and spun me around to face him . "What's the matter love." He kissed my lips. I shoved him away.

I didn't want touched. I wanted to wash touch away.

I stepped away and into the water as he stood shocked at my rebuff.

He felt the water- "too hot Bellatrix. You'll scald yourself. "

That's exactly what I wanted. To scald off the sensation of him. The Dark Lord.

Once I was out of his presence the spell (so to speak) was broken and the alarm bells that my brain kept trying to send off were felt fully . My skin crawled and I cringed at the memories I had . His hands on the small of my back, my lips, caressing my forearm where he wanted to put his mark... His hot breath on my ear. And myself under his trance grabbing his fingers, leaning into him, allowing him to hold my hand as he walked me back to my husband.

His lips on my hand .

I held my breath and slid under the hot water drowning out Rodolphus' questions and exultations of his Lord.

"...but Belle he's raved about you for months ... Promised you high ranking from the start... Sees such promise ... Amazed by your skill.... " I started to drown him out ..."BELLA you've got to breathe, get up. " he said as he pulled me from my personal baptism session.

"Bellatrix . What's gotten into you? " He lifted me out of the bath , I was too light headed from the breath holding and heat to put up a fight. He wrapped a towel around me and carried me to the sofa in our room. He sat with me across his lap. "What's wrong Belle? Why don't you want to go back? I was hoping we could serve him together "

"Together" I laughed, starting to come back to life. I wasn't certain of much but this I knew- that man had no care for my marriage vows and the last thing he would do was let Rodolphus and I do anything together.

"Yes Belle. I want you by my side. I'll miss you Trix" he kissed the side of my head. "And he promised you'd have to do no more than you wanted to. "

"And you believe him?! " I almost yelled incredulously.

"I've no reason to. Why do you ask that?"

"He's no good Rodolphus I can feel it. I feel it in my gut. "

"You seemed fine there . You seemed quite at ease. Enamoured even"

I scoffed. And turned so I was straddling his lap now so I could look in his face. The

"I don't know what that man did to me but I was not myself. He - He - " I was pointing without purpose as I struggled to string my rushing thoughts into a coherent form. "I know he must have used legillimency on me. He /knew/ things Rod. Things he'd have no reason to have insight on ."

"Such as?"

"Such as nothing someone meeting for the first time would know. Just leave it at that." There was no way we were opening the Lucius can of worms tonight on top of all this.

"So he's insightful. Reads people well. All good leaders do."

I sighed in frustration.

"He . He kept touching me"

"How so? " he furrowed his brows.

I rolled my eyes. "Down my forearm . My lips. My -"

"Wait your lips what why?"

"I was saying something and he interrupted me-"

"Well it is hard to silence you Belle, once you get going you-"

"No I wasn't. Never mind. He was inappropriately familiar with me . And I didn't feel myself. I was. " Don't say drawn Trix don't say drawn. "I don't know drawn to him" dammitBella!

"Drawn to him? Well lots are. Charismatic leader and all."

"No . Out of my will. I felt weak around him like . Like Id do anything he'd ask of me. I didn't like it, Rodolphus. "

"Okay Trix" he said kissing my head. "Im not going to make you do anything but I think maybe you're just out of sorts . The branding ceremonies are kind of intense maybe under different circumstances-"

"Never. Again. Rodolphus."

"Okay . " he laughed. "I love your fire Trix." He kissed my lips. I didn't return the gesture. "And no matter how much I curse it, I love your stubbornness . You're perfection, do you know that?" He kissed me again and I pressed in this time.

"Don't think flattery will change my mind. " I said pulling from his kiss and poking his nose.

"Oh never . Never, Madame Lestrange " he said in mock seriousness as he stood with me in his arms walking us to the bed. He tossed me down in the Center before climbing over top of me planting soft kisses around my face and neck.

Im an incredibly tactile person. I express myself through touch and even more so need touch. And damn it if Rodolphus hadn't learned this fact quickly. He knew the fastest way to calm me, distract me was by stroking my hair, kissing my face.

He may be a good husband in tune with his wife's needs but he was a sorry judge of character.

My eyes caught sight of his newly branded left forearm. "I hate this " I pouted and poked it. "Dammit Trix" that stings he hissed.

"Exactly. That's why I'll never be getting one. "