Psychopathic
Now:
There were times when Bellatrix was younger that she would allow gossip to bother her. Let those little words wrap around her throat like a vise.
Monster
Bitch
Devil
Worthless
That was when she thought they were wrong, but now… Oh now, as Bellatrix Black skipped down a dusty alleyway, her black skirt collecting dirt beneath her, and her shrill voice belting out a child's nursery rhyme she knew that they had been correct; and they will always be correct.
“Three blind mice. Three blind mice. See how they run! See how they run!” A psychopathic giggle slipped through her lips. “Little mice!!! You can’t run from me!” Bellatrix’s wand was out, it’s gnarled wood bending to the shape of her hands. She was chasing someone, two someones actually. “Oh little mice I can practically taste your fear!” A scuffle to the right of Bellatrix had her stopping. It was dark so she couldn’t see much, but she could tell that there were two humans huddled in the dark corner. “You really thought you could hide from me… Little mice?” Another scuffle and an older woman stepped forward, her body skin and bone, she looked as if she was only a step away from death's door.
“Take me!” She pleaded, “I beg of you! My daughter has done nothing! Spare her!” Bellatrix cackled, mercy?
“Oh you think me so simple minded… why have one, when I could have both?” Bellatrix’s eyes locked with the woman’s. “Crucio.” An ear splitting screech split the air as the woman fell to the ground, her mouth open in agony. Bellatrix smirked as she felt warmth fill her.
“Mama!!!” The little girl in the corner cried. “Stop! You're hurting mama!!”
“Little mouse,” Bellatrix smiled. “Run.” Suddenly forgetting about her mother, the girl bolted, leaving Bellatrix with the mom. “Such a good mother, teaching her daughter to run in the state of peril? But little do you know, it only makes the hunt more fun.” The woman's eyes widened through the pain as Bellatrix saw the pleading in her eyes reaper. “Avadakedavera.” The women fell limply, as Bellatrix left her behind. After all, she had a new target.
7 years ago:
A week passed and the whispers and gossip had settled down, though she could still feel the harsh glances, and burning stares of a certain halfbreed. Adam was obsessed with her, or just planning revenge. He wouldn’t forget what she had said, so she couldn’t either. Everyday he was there like a constant reminder;
You're no better than your parents.
It also didn’t help that the other group of purebloods in Slytherin were now harassing her. Until then Bellatrix had somehow managed to stay uninvolved with the purebloods out of her friends. She had heard of the accidents, the injuries, and the detentions that had given this group their reputation and she didn’t want to be a part of that. So each time they approached her she managed to find a way out of the conversation.
‘I have detention’
‘I’m going to go send a letter’
‘One of the Professors requested my presence’
Bellatrix knew that they would eventually corner her, and by then she would run out of excuses to leave. Maybe, she could drop and pretend to faint. That would be one way to get out of a conversation.
A smile peeked on the edges of Bellatrix’s lips while she came up with more dramatic excuses to use. Perhaps she could pull some of them off… she had always been more on the dramatic side, her mother never failing to remind her of such.
Bellatrix was making her way up the stairs, her dark caramel colored eyes keeping track of the moving staircases. There had been a couple times (more she would like to admit) when a few wrong turns on the stairs had made Bellatrix very lost, and Bellatrix didn’t fancy going through that today.
She was supposed to meet with Adia and Alecto in the library after dropping her stuff in the dorm. They had all promised that they would go to the library that day to study; Alecto had made sure to keep Bellatrix as distracted as possible these last few days. Doing everything she could do to prevent Adam from catching Bellatrix alone, and if that meant being glued to the dark haired girl’s side then so be it.
Today, however, was an exception. Bellatrix had managed to peel away from her friend by practically sprinting down the hallway as soon as class ended. Yelling over her shoulder, “I’ll meet you in the library in a few!”
Totally inconspicuous…
It was nice for her to finally get away. She loved her friends and all, but she could never get a moment away. Even on the loo she could hear her friend waiting outside the door like a guard dog! Bellatrix didn’t even like dogs! They just seemed too friendly, like a selkie, drawing you in to take your head right off with that so called cute face. Well they did sort of have a cu—
“Bellatrix Black!” A voice called out from behind her, interrupting Bellatrix’s thoughts. Bellatrix turned her head slightly to see the person approaching her, but as soon as a glimpse of dirty blond hair caught her eye Bellatrix’s head snapped forward again.
It was him.
Adam.
Breath catching Bellatrix quickened her step, her mind darkening.
She only was mean to him because he’s a halfblood! It's not her fault!
Bellatrix skipped a step,
She’s simply completing her parents wishes! Toujour pur!
Toujour pur
Toujour pur
Toujo—
“Long time no see!” The voice called out again, closer. He was coming so close, Bellatrix skipped another step, suddenly taking the stairs two at a time. She saw the top of the stairs
So close! A grin broke through her face just as her foot caught on a step, sending her careening forward. Bellatrix’s body thudded to the ground, her bony arms knocking against the marble stairs. Bellatrix forced a rising groan to stay behind her lips. There would definitely be bruises coating her pale skin tomorrow.
Pressed against the stairs Bellatrix tried to scramble to her feet. Hearing footsteps behind her Bellatrix quickened her pace. Back on her feet, Bellatrix dared a look back, prepared to meet the dark brown–
Green robes rippled across her vision and she paused. It was not Adam, instead there was a tall gangally figure standing before her. He had the same dirty blond hair as Adam, but his eyes were a piercing ice blue. Bellatrix felt as though under his gaze she was an open book, like there was nothing she could do to hide from his gaze. Suddenly Bellatrix felt subconscious of her frantic state; panting, hair askew, cheeks flushed.
“Bellatrix Black…” He tossed her a wicked grin. “Hard to find, and it seems even harder to catch.” Bellatrix couldn’t help the grimace that flitted across her face before she shut herself behind the emotional barrier she learned ages ago.
“Pleasure to meet you–”
“Thomas, Thomas Greengrass.” He interrupted, “And I believe we’ve met before?”
Bellatrix tried to prevent her own forced smile from turning into another grimace. She didn’t know who this boy was. She had met many pureblood boys over the years, so she couldn’t be expected to memorize them all… could she? Bellatrix stared at him, drawing a blank as she tried to remember everything she knew about the Greengrass’s. “We met briefly at a family gathering at Grimmauld place?” Recognition finally flared. Thomas Greengrass son of an unimportant, border lining blood betraying family. No wonder she didn’t remember him!
“My apologies, the Black’s make sure to associate with families of mass importance.” Bellatrix told him, not giving him the satisfaction of being recognized. “Greengrass simply doesn’t ring a bell.” She met his gaze with complete fake confidence, hoping that he wouldn't see her nervousness.
“Well if that's the case then I suppose there isn’t time to go over the edict of dressing properly.” Thomas sent a pointed look at Bellatrix’s clothes. She looked down, her face burning crimson as she realized that her skirt was hitched high on her leg, and her top was wrinkled from the fall. There was also no doubt that Bellatrix’s hair was sticking up in every direction, she was a mess.
“You can hardly say that was my fault!” Bellatrix blurted before she could think better of it. Thomas' lips curled into a cruel smile, she could practically see the wheels turning in his head. She had let too much emotion through, and now he was going to use it against her. Bellatrix had seen such things happen more than once at her home, and more than once those instances had involved her.
“Then who’s fault was it Black?” He drawled “You seemed quite in a hurry to avoid me, is that why you fell? Didn’t want to be seen conversing with a ‘ lowborn ’ and ‘ insignificant ’ pureblood like me? Or perhaps did you believe I was a certain halfblood?” Bellatrix felt her heart rate pick up. She had in fact thought he was a certain halfblood, but she couldn’t tell him that.
“What if I tell you I did think it was the halfblood,” Bellatrix watched as Thomas’s eyes lit up with victory, as if he had caught an unsuspecting bunny in his trap. “But I didn’t run for the reason you think.” Bellatrix pulled Thomas in by his robe until he was standing on the stair beneath her, placing her mouth right next to his ear Bellatrix murmured whatever lie she thought could get her out of this situation.
She could almost imagine his frosty eyes narrowed in suspicion as logic tried to fight the lie she was feeding him. So she layered on the lie, she played into his beliefs and reason, whispering more so every dark thought in his mind was content. Bellatrix didn’t need to know Thomas to use him, because if there was one thing Druella Black taught Bellatrix, it was how to manipulate… and Bellatrix was a darn good manipulator.
When she pulled back from him she watched him carefully. She didn’t miss the way his eyes flickered behind her several times, but she didn’t follow his line of sight, trusting her gut instinct to keep her gaze pinned on the boy in front of her.
“You're telling me that you were running from the halfblood to make him chase after you?” Thomas began hesitantly, his voice echoing. Bellatrix winced internally, she did not need anyone else to hear him.
“Yes,” She shrugged. “Halfbloods and mugglebor–mudbloods are simple minded creatures… with not a drop of logic.”
“Well said. So you wanted to have him chase after you so you could trap him in a secluded spot… and what was the phrasing you used?” Thomas paused. “Oh! That's right! I believe you said ‘show him what happens when nasty little bugs crawl under the wrong foot’.”
“And what about that?”
“Oh nothing!” Thomas stepped past her continuing up the stairs. “Let me know if you need help with your little… bug problem.” Bellatrix turned to watch Thomas leave, hoping that that interaction would be there last. But, as she turned her eyes met with another pair. Bellatrix swallowed roughly,
Shit.
It was Adam. He stood rigidly above Bellatrix, his dark eyes glinted as he stared down at her. He paid no heed to Thomas brushing past him or anything else for that matter. His eyes were focused solely on the girl with mussed up robes and hair standing a few stairs beneath him.
Bellatrix realized then what Thomas had done. Using her carefully crafted lie to cause another spectacle. He had known that she was lying and used it to his advantage.
That little piece of shi–
Adam stepped down, his intimidating form towering over her as he neared. Another step, and another until he was on the step in front of Bellatrix. Bellatrix had to prevent her knees from giving out as her stomach suddenly turned queasy. She didn’t mean what she had said to Thomas, it was simply something she had made up on the fly! A panicked breath escaped Bellatrix as her mind went haywire.
What is he going to do ?
Halfbloo–
She didn’t mean it–
She dared a glance up at him, a little part of her hoping that he would just walk away and leave her and her snotty comment alone. But as she had already found out Adam was a dick and an entitled halfblood who wouldn’t back down because of his big male ego.
“Surely you weren’t talking about me?” He asked darkly, Bellatrix flipped a switch in her brain; turning on bitch mode.
“Of course not!” She glanced up at him again, this time through her lashes. “Why would you ever think such a thing?”
“Maybe bec—”
“Maybe because you're so self centered that you think everything is about you… Hate to break it to you love, you're not the only halfblood in my life.” Bellatrix interrupted him, “Or for that matter mudblood, how's dear Adelaide doing?” Adam stiffened as if trying to hold back a fist. “Go for it lover boy, defend your girlfriend.” Bellatrix smirked, she knew she truly shouldn’t have been goading him on… and yet, it was simply too fun!
Bellatrix waited but the swing never came. They just stood there, him glaring down at her, and Bellatrix grinning up at him. Bellatrix could bet that anyone who might’ve passed them on the stairs would think they’re crazy, and she wouldn’t blame them. She was a Black after all.
“You're a crazy bitch.” Adam finally said, echoing her thoughts. Bellatrix’s grin spread though her face until she knew that she truly looked psychopathic
“I know darling.”
Bellatrix finally made her way to the library, her bitchy mode switching off as she realized that her little incident had probably made Alecto and Adia wait, no doubt putting Alecto in a more sour mood than before.
“Bellatrix!” Alecto called out as soon as she was in sight. “Where have you been!?”
“Hanging out with my dear friend Thomas Greengrass…”
“Okay… and?! That doesn’t give you the excuse to make us wait forever, not to mention you ran off on me aft—”
“Isn’t he one of those Slytherin jockeys?” Adia asked, interrupting Alecto. She looked like the picture of indifference, hair tied in a messy bun as she picked at the imaginary dirt under her fingers.
“I was being sarcastic, and yes.” Bellatrix muttered, not stopping as she walked past her friends.
“And?” Adia asked, jogging to catch up with my brisk pace.
“And he tried to stir shit up.”
“Like?!”
“Let it go Adia!” Bellatrix groaned, but she knew there was nothing she could do to stop Adia from sniffing out the drama.
“And what if I don’t?” She stopped walking, making Bellatrix stop as well.
“Fine! I thought Thomas was Adam so I ran away from him but tripped and then I had to come up with something to tell Thomas so I came up with a shitty lie, which happened to include squishing Adam like a bug. But it turned out Adam was right behind me and Thomas knew I was lying all along! Then Adam approached me trying to call me out for my lie, and I became a bitch to get out of the situation and here we are now! Happy?” By the time Bellatrix finished her quick version of the story she was out of breath. Spitting out the words as quickly as she could.
“Do you regret it?” Adia asked with utterly no context.
“What?”
“Being a bitch?” It was one of the few times that Bellatrix had heard Adia curse.
“No.” Bellatrix answered immediately, trying to ignore the little thing inside of her saying the opposite. “He got what he deserved, just like any other halfblood or mudblood that tries to cross me.” But the answer must have been clear on Bellatrix’s face, because no one looked convinced.