In Love, In Death

Corrupted Ties

Ethan's midnight eyes stared down at Bella as she cried. The worst part was not being able to tell him a word of what happened. Telling him would reveal her secret and Bellatrix wasn't sure how much more pain she could take. 

It was so strange, this feeling of pain. Her heart ached and her throat was tight. She had been raised to push everything back; desperation, heartbreak, betrayal. When she was on the receiving end it was okay. Her heart was turned stone against those things so much so that they just bounced off like nothing. But she was the one hurting someone, when she was the betrayer, it was different and Bella had no idea that someone could hurt like that by hurting someone else. Narcissa's screams were like tiny needles all over her skin. 

Ethan stroked her head and cooed softly, telling her everything was going to be alright. He didn't even know a thing but the gist was comforting. Bellatrix sank into his arms. She was exhausted and drained. Torturing someone you love will do that to you. 

When her cried had ceased and the tears had dried Ethan finally pressed her for more information. 

"You want to tell me what happened?" he said softly. His cheek was pressed against the top of her head as they were sprawled on the loveseat in the Room of Requirement. 

Bellatrix racked her brain for lies, anything that would get her out of the conversation without blowing her cover.  

"I had a fight with Cissy." Not completely true but not untrue. 

"What about?"  

"I just upset her about something, that's all" Bella hoped her words weren't rushed and she prayed that Ethan would drop it. He did. 

Slowly but surely Bella picked up the fragile pieces of her fallen emotions and put them back together again. Ethan's embrace gave her the power to do that. Sense came back to her and she could see that there was no point in lying down and crying which was exactly what Narcissa was doing in that exact same moment.

Narcissa Black laid stick straight on one of the leather sofas in the Slytherin common room. She didn't see where her sister had run off to and she didn't care. Her skin felt like it was still sizzling, like it had just come out of the cauldron. Tears fell freely from her face.  

Narcissa remembered pain, screaming, Lucius's enraged cry and then blackness followed by curious faces staring down at her from above. She blinked away bright light room and focused on who was above her. There was Lucius and Gordon and another; Madame Pomfrey. 

"And you're sure that's all that happened?" said the crisp voice of the nurse. 

"Yes," Lucius's voice was irritated and cold, "just a slip of the hand and the whole potion went wrong. She fainted after that" 

Madame Pomfrey narrowed her eyes and looked the three students over carefully. Cissy could tell that she didn't believe a word but she didn't push on. It was her job to heal injuries and not inquire as to the circumstances. That was up to the headmaster. 

Looking back on that moment from her place on the sofa, Narcissa realised how much was at stake then. If one staff member so much as suspected illicit activity then they'd increase security and the whole club would suffer. Lucius had done the right thing. 

As if instigated by thought, the young Malfoy stormed into the common room. His eyes were much different from how they were in the hospital wing. Then, they had been soft and cloudy, now his grey eyes were thunderous and dark. He had vengeance on his mind. 

"No one has seen her. But she'll be back and when she is-" 

"You'll do nothing" Narcissa cut him off and was shocked at how hollow her voice sounded.