The lake
The afternoon sun bathed the grounds in a soft, golden glow, and a gentle breeze made the trees sway as though they were performing a graceful dance. The grass, vibrant and glistening from the recent rain, stretched out endlessly before the group. Bellatrix had swapped her stiff, formal robes for something more comfortable—a mid-length black cotton dress that hugged her figure and a pair of platform boots that added to her already imposing stature. She felt more at ease in these clothes, free from the suffocating expectations that usually weighed on her as a Black.
“Catch, Black!” Rodolphus Lestrange’s voice rang out, breaking her from her thoughts. Without hesitation, Bellatrix flicked her wand, and the ball he threw veered sharply off course, striking Rodolphus square in the chest. He let out a grunt, clearly not expecting the retaliation. "Nice one." He muttered.
Blair and Adeline, sitting lazily on the grass, were silent, their attention fixed on the boys playing. It was irritating. She had expected more from them—Blair Zabini and Adeline Greengrass, both pureblood witches from notable families, reduced to spectators.
“So, what are we doing exactly? Watching the boys show off?” Bellatrix asked, her tone dripping with disdain as she settled down beside them.
“So, what are we doing exactly? Watching the boys show off?” Bellatrix asked, her tone dripping with disdain as she settled down beside them.
Bellatrix raised an eyebrow, feeling the familiar twinge of annoyance. "Why not? Is there some unspoken rule that a pureblood lady can't play a sport?"
Bella, darling,” Blair began, her voice calm and soft. “It’s one of those unwritten rules. Like the first-sight look.”
“The what?” Bellatrix cocked an eyebrow.
Blair giggled. “You know, when you lock eyes with someone, and for a moment, everything goes still. That’s how you know it’s meant to be. The look of love!”
Bellatrix rolled her eyes. This was absurd. She had heard ridiculous things in her life, but the idea that you could tell anything from a fleeting glance was laughable. “I don’t believe in that nonsense.”
“Yeah, I’m with Bella,” Adeline agreed. “My mother says there’s only one true love, and that’s your first kiss. Whoever you kiss first, you’re bound to marry and bear his children.”
Bellatrix felt a wave of discomfort wash over her at the mention of marriage and children. Her mother, Druella, had spoken of such things in vague terms—duty, legacy, power—but love? No. The concept was foreign to Bellatrix. Love was something soft, something that could be exploited, and her mother had raised her to be anything but soft.
“I really hope that’s not true...” Blair sighed, interrupting her thoughts. “My first kiss was with my cousin when I was nine.”
Adeline burst into laughter. “Then your fate is sealed!” she teased.
Before Bellatrix could even process their conversation further, Rodolphus’s voice called out again. “Black!”
There it was—that arrogant, smug tone that grated on her nerves. “What now?” she snapped, glaring at him.
“Come here, I won’t bite you this time... promise,” he said, his eyes glinting mischievously.
Bellatrix stood, her patience wearing thin. She approached him, crossing her arms and lifting her chin defiantly. “I swear, if you try anything funny...”
Lestrange grinned, his hands inching closer to her face. “I’ve heard you sent a poor girl to the infirmary today...”
Before he could finish his sentence, Bellatrix slapped his hands away. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Relax,” he chuckled, producing a bouquet of roses from behind her ear as if by magic (well it was literal magic) “For you, chérie.”
Bellatrix’s eyes narrowed, unimpressed. She saw through his act. He always spoke French when he wanted to impress a girl, and unfortunately, it worked. She could hear Blair and Adeline giggling behind her. Pathetic.
“Je hais les roses rouges... raté,” she replied, her voice icy. She despised red roses. They were too typical, too predictable—like Rodolphus.
Her French was flawless. Of course, it was. The Blacks had French ancestry, and her mother had been raised in a French-speaking household. Druella made sure her daughters were fluent. Bellatrix couldn’t help but feel a flicker of satisfaction when Rodolphus’s face fell slightly at her response.
Rodolphus scoffed, smirking. “Are you going to reject me every time I try to make peace?”
Bellatrix’s lips curled into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ve thought about it, and frankly, it’s far more entertaining to laugh at you.”
Rodolphus leaned in closer, but Bellatrix stepped back. “Go try your tricks on someone else,” she added. “Half of Slytherin is already infatuated with you.”
He leaned closer still, his breath warm on her skin. "Who says I haven’t?" But before he could say another word, Bellatrix turned sharply on her heel and walked away, leaving him standing there.
“That was so... special,” Adeline sighed dreamily as Bellatrix returned to her seat.
Blair nodded, equally enthralled. “He spoke French! To you!”
Bellatrix let out a short laugh. “Blair, you’re fluent in Italian. Surely you’re not impressed by a few words in French?”
“So?” Blair retorted. “I want a guy to talk to me like that!”
Before Bellatrix could respond, Blair jumped up suddenly. “Speaking of guys, I was supposed to meet Colin half an hour ago!”
“Wait, Adeline knows about Colin?” Bellatrix raised an eyebrow, surprised.
“She told me during History of Magic,” Adeline said, rolling her eyes. “She didn’t stop talking for the entire class.”
“See you at dinner!” Blair called over her shoulder as she dashed off.
Dinner that evening was unsettling. Bellatrix couldn’t put her finger on it, but something felt off. She glanced toward the entrance of the dining hall, and her heart sank when she saw Rita Skeeter saunter in with that smug, knowing smile on her face.
“Hi, girls!” Rita greeted, sitting beside Adeline without so much as glancing at Bellatrix.
“Feeling better?” Adeline asked.
“Good as new, Addie,” Rita chirped. “So, what did you all do this afternoon?”
“I made out with Colin Carrow,” Blair announced proudly.
“Blair!” Bellatrix hissed, glaring at her.
“What? It’s not a secret. As long as my parents don’t find out, anyone else can know!”
Rita’s smirk deepened, her eyes flicking toward Bellatrix. “It wounds me that you think I can’t keep a secret, Black."
Bellatrix tensed. There was something menacing in Rita’s voice, something that put her on edge. “Like Blair said, we’re friends now. Friends know secrets...” Rita’s tone was silky, laced with hidden intent. “So, you’d better watch your back.”
***
That night, Bellatrix couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned, her thoughts racing. Rita’s words kept echoing in her head. Friends know secrets... What secrets? What had that nosy blonde figured out? It could be anything, really. Maybe Rita had dug up every article ever written about the Blacks...
Nothing, she told herself firmly. She knows nothing.
But still, the thought gnawed at her. What if Rita had uncovered something about her family? The Blacks were a powerful name in the wizarding world, feared by many, and Bellatrix had grown up under that legacy. But with that fear came scrutiny. There were always whispers, rumors... What if Rita had found something real? Something dangerous?
Bellatrix clenched her fists beneath the covers. She’s nothing. A stupid girl who has no chance in the real world... yeah. Yet, as much as she tried to convince herself, she couldn’t shake the unease.
Her family’s name had always been her greatest weapon. The fear they inspired gave them immunity from the rules that governed everyone else. Laws were bent for the Blacks, and the vaults at Gringotts overflowed with treasures acquired through centuries of influence and fear. She had always looked down on others because she could. But what if someone like Rita, with her prying eyes, could turn that against her?
"Stop rambling!" Bellatrix hissed at herself, burying her face into the pillow, trying to suffocate the thoughts. Eventually, exhaustion overtook her, and she fell into a restless sleep, her mind still haunted by Rita’s smirk and the dangerous possibility of secrets uncovered.