The sun glared through the window, heating her kitchen, but Andromeda felt no warmth. At that moment the kitchen could be on fire, and she wouldn’t notice. She was alone. Ted had already left for work, and her mind was focused on the Daily Prophet, which lay opened to the front page on the table in front of her. She shuddered as she stared at it. She knew she was lucky that Ted wasn’t there to scold her. He would never understand that she still cared.

The headline read, Known Death Eaters Still At Large: Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange. Andromeda felt a surge of emotion as she read her sister’s name, but it was nothing compared to what she felt when she looked at the pictures beneath the headline. She scarcely glanced at the photo of Rodolphus, but she couldn’t look away from what was left of her sister.

Tears filled her eyes as she stared at the hollowed face, with sunken eyes—dead eyes. This wasn’t the that face she remembered, when she thought of her big sister. She thought of a face that held great beauty, and eyes that used to twinkle with delight and mischief. She stared at the hair in the photo, hanging around her sister’s shoulders in knots, also much different from the thick and shiny hair she remembered. Her sister used to be so beautiful. When they were teenagers, she used to be so jealous of Bella’s good looks. Now, she looked like a completely different person. But Andromeda knew that she was still her sister. Underneath everything Bella had become, she was still the little girl Andromeda used to play dolls with. Somewhere, under it all, that Bella still existed. She had always believed that, and nothing would ever change her mind.

She threw the paper down, and wiped the tears from her eyes. This wasn’t accomplishing anything. She could sit in the kitchen all day and cry for her sister, but what good would it do? Bella would be no better off, and she would have to explain puffy eyes to her husband.

She decided to go for a walk. Maybe getting out of the house would help clear her thoughts. After all, it was a beautiful day. A walk down the path that stretched behind her home would be the perfect remedy for her depressive state.

It had been months since she had felt confident enough to trek down the path. When Voldemort and his Death Eaters had been gaining power, everyone lived in fear. Witches and wizards hardly left their homes. Death Eaters were lurking everywhere, waiting to kill anyone who they deemed unworthy of life. But those days were over. The war had been fought and won. Voldemort was dead, and his Death Eaters were gone—all except two. However, she doubted that her sister and brother-in-law were waiting outside to kill her.

She stepped into the bright sunlight, breathing in the fresh spring air as the warmth engulfed her. A light breeze blew through her hair, and birds chirped loudly. It seemed as though the world was at peace, but Andromeda was not. The horrible picture of her sister continued to dance in her mind.

Andromeda knew that she should not be dwelling on her sister. She had so much to be thankful for. The war was over. She didn’t have to live in fear anymore, no one did. Voldemort was gone, and this time he would not be coming back. Her own daughter had fought this war, and she came home unharmed. She could have been seriously injured, or even killed. Her daughter was safe. That meant the world to her, but she couldn’t help but think about her family who hadn’t been so lucky.

Her baby sister was dead. Narcissa took her own life because she could not save her son. She knew that Draco would not survive, and she could not bear to watch it happen. And she had been correct. Her precious son had been killed by Death Eaters—his punishment for failing to kill Albus Dumbledore. And now Bella was being hunted down by the wizarding world as though she were an escaped dragon.

What had become of the family she used to know? It had been many years since she had spoken to either of her sisters, but she had not stopped loving them. She had always believed that they would change. She prayed that they would turn away from the darkness and come back to her. They never did, but she never stopped hoping.

She walked down the familiar path, without really acknowledging that she was doing it. She didn’t take in the beauty that surrounded her. The fresh smells and stunning spring colors went unnoticed to her. Consumed by her thoughts, she walked forward, with no real sense of anything.

After walking for what seemed like hours, she stopped and sighed loudly. There was no point. She had taken this walk to clear her mind. That was not happening. If anything her mind had become more consumed by thoughts of the family she had lost so many years ago. There was nothing to be gained by going any further. Maybe if she returned to the house she could distract herself with some mediocre chores.

As she turned to head back to her home, a flash of light caught her attention. A few feet away from the path laid a metal object, which was sparkling in the sunlight. She stared at it for a few moments before deciding to investigate further.

She stepped off the path, feeling slightly anxious. In her mind, she knew that the danger was gone. Voldemort was dead. The threat was over, but her common sense couldn’t stop her blood pressure from rising as she left the safety of sunny path and stepped into the shadowy forests.

She walked towards the shiny object and gasped when she discovered what it was. A silver bracelet, with a serpent engraved on it. It was a Slytherin bracelet. They had been very popular when she was at Hogwarts. But it wasn’t the bracelet that caused her to gasp, it was the fact that the bracelet was wrapped around a wrist—a very thin pale wrist.

Her eyes wandered up the woman’s arm. Blood stained her robes and the ground around her. It was obvious the woman had been horribly beaten, but why? And what was she doing here?

A shocked cry escaped Andromeda’s lips when her eyes drifted to the woman’s face. Bella! Her sister. The woman she had been worrying about all morning. She was lying in front of her.

She fell to her knees and gently shook her sister’s shoulders. “Bella!� she cried. “Can you hear me?�

There was no response.

She grabbed the thin wrist, and searched for a pulse. She nearly whooped for joy when she found one. Her sister was still alive. She still had a chance.

“It’ll be okay,� she whispered. “I’ll take care of you.�

A/N: First of all, I would like to point out that this story is not canon with my other stories. I usually try to keep my plots intertwined, but that was not possible here. For that reason this story will not be part of the Bella Files.

I ended up putting another story on hold to work on this. It was inspired by an essay I read on Mugglenet “Bellatrix: An Astrological Prediction� by Kazaf. I am writing this for a lot of reasons, and I hope that you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

---

Bella awoke to the sound of screaming. But it wasn’t the kind of screaming she was used to. They weren’t screams of terror or fear, not even anger; she was listening to screams of passion. Whoever was yelling, they were doing it because they were exasperated, worried, and concerned. It was clear that the two people loved each other, even as they fought. She couldn’t remember the last time someone yelled at her because they were concerned for her.

It was an effort just to open her eyes, and in the end pointless. The room was pitch black. She could see nothing. She wiggled around, ignoring the pain that surged through her body, and discovered that she was not restrained in anyway. It also appeared as though she was resting on a bed, as opposed to being tossed on some dungeon floor as she would have expected. Where was she? Why she not chained down like a prisoner? Why was it so dark? And, who the bloody hell kept screeching?

She forced herself not to focus on her pain. She needed to listen to the voices. Maybe they would give her some clue as to where she was and what they planned to do with her. It was a male and a female. The male’s voice was unfamiliar, but there was something about the woman’s that she recognized. She was sure that she had heard it before, a long time ago. She was certain that once upon a time she heard that voice on a regular basis. But who did it belong to? She had no idea.

She tried to relax her throbbing muscles, as she listened intently to the argument. With any luck, one of them would let something slip. She needed to grasp the situation. She needed to know how much trouble she was in. Normally, she would flee, but considering she was in too much pain to move and she couldn’t see anyway, it seemed unwise. She would bide her time, until she knew just what was happening around her.

The argument waged on, and she took in every word.

“She can’t stay here,� the male voice yelled. “Why would you even bring her here? The entire Ministry is searching for her. The entire wizarding world is searching for her. What do you think this is going to do to our daughter’s creditability? She’s an Auror, for Merlin’s sake! What do you think will happen to her when it comes out that her mother is attempting hide a convicted Death Eater? Did you even think about her?�

Were they talking about her? Why would someone try to hide her? What did that woman want to do to her?

“She was practically dead! I couldn’t leave her there. She’s my sister.�

Sister?! The word rang in Bella’s ears. That didn’t make sense. Her sister was dead. Narcissa was gone. But wait, Narcissa wasn’t her only sister. Andromeda! She hadn’t seen or spoken to her in years. Did Andromeda find her, and bring her home? Was she fighting with her husband in order to keep her safe? Why? Andromeda didn’t owe her anything. Bella had been horrible to her sister. She had no reason to help her. Andromeda had every right to leave her to die. Why didn’t she?

“She’s evil!� the man screamed, who Bella now assumed had to be Ted Tonks. “She worshipped You-Know-Who with every fiber of her being. Have you forgotten what she did to Frank and Alice? What about their son? He had to grow up without his parents. She killed your cousin, Sirius. Remember him? Why do you want to help her? This is insane. Just let me tell Nymphadora what you’ve done. She’ll make sure that woman is in the custody of the right people, and she’ll keep you safe.�

“No!� Andromeda shrieked, in a desperate voice. “They’ll toss her in Azkaban. She’ll never survive in her condition. You can’t do that to her.�

Bella couldn’t believe the words coming out of her sister’s mouth. Andromeda was willing to risk everything for her. This little stunt could easily land her in Azkaban, and she honestly didn’t seem to care. It didn’t make sense. She had treated Andromeda like rubbish for years. Her sister had no reason to care what happened to her, and there she was doing everything in her power to protect her. Why?

“Why do you care?� Ted demanded, echoing Bella’s thoughts. “She wouldn’t care if it was you. She sure wouldn’t risk her life to save yours. You don’t owe her anything.�

“She’s my sister,� Andromeda sobbed. “She’s the only sister I have left. I can’t send her to her death. I just can’t. Why can’t you understand that? She’s my family!�

“She told you that you were no sister to her. She told you that you were nothing to her. It’s not your responsibility to take care of her. Let me tell Nymphadora. She can fix this. Then we can go on with our lives.�

“I won’t let you send her to Azkaban.�

“She’s going to Azkaban, no matter what we do. You need to decide if we’re going with her.�

“I am not throwing my sister out, and neither are you. She’s weak. She could have died.�

Bella heard footsteps. Fortunately, they were not coming towards her. It didn’t sound like Ted was planning on physically removing her from the house.

A few minutes later, she could hear Andromeda’s voice again. “Where are you going?�

“Out.�

“You can’t have her arrested.�

“I won’t,� Ted told her, in a much calmer voice, “but only because it would result in you going down with her. I hope you use this time to consider the consequences of what you’re doing. It’s not worth it, Andy. She’s not worth it.� With that, the door slammed loudly.

The house became silent, with the exception of footsteps headed towards her. She heard a door squeak, and then her sister’s forced cheery voice, “You’re awake. How are you feeling?�

“Like my entire body is on fire,� Bella told her in a hoarse voice. It was a very true statement. “Why is it so dark in here?�

“What do you mean?�

“What do I mean? It’s pitch black. I can’t see anything.�

There was no response.

“Andromeda?�

“Bella, it’s not dark in here. It’s the middle of the afternoon. Sun is shining through the window. The room is really bright.�

Panic ceased Bella. It was dark. She knew it was dark. She could see. Why would her sister lie about something like that? What was the point? In her frantic state, she jumped into a sitting position, paying no attention to her pain. She waved her fingers in front of her face. Nothing.

Andromeda had no reason to lie. The room must be lit. Then why couldn’t she see. She could feel the tears coming to her eyes, and she did nothing to stop them. She allowed herself to sob loudly.

“I—I can’t see anything,� she yelled, between sobs. “I’m blind.�

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

---

Bella felt her sister’s arms wrap around her. She allowed her body to relax in the embrace, and continued to sob. No one had held her since Narcissa had died. She had been alone, and until that moment she believed that she would be fine that way. But all the sudden, she knew that she needed the comfort her estranged sister was offering.

“Shh,� Andromeda whispered, as she stroked her hair. “It’ll be okay. Don’t get yourself upset. This is probably reversible. I’m sure you’ll get your sight back. You’ve been through a lot. One of my old friends from school became a Healer. She’s agreed to check on you, without sending either of us to Azkaban. I’m sure she can tell you what’s wrong and how long it will last.�

Bella didn’t like the sound of that. She didn’t want some stranger probing at her, especially when she couldn’t see. And just because this woman was friends with Andromeda years ago, it didn’t mean they could trust her. But what could she do about it? She was hardly in any position to argue. She was lucky that her sister had taken her in at all. The least she could do was pretend to trust her judgment. She decided it would be best to change the subject, and ask the questions that really needed to be asked.

“Why are you doing this? Why didn’t you listen to Ted? Why didn’t you just send me to Azkaban?�

“You heard us talking?�

“Yes.�

“I’m not sending you to Azkaban because you’re my sister, and I love you..�

“After everything I’ve done.�

“Of course.�

“What if I never see again? You can’t take care of me forever.�

She felt Andromeda’s grip tighten around her shoulders.

“Sure I can,� Andromeda told her. “But don’t worry about that now. I’m sure your vision loss is only temporary. Your body has been through a lot. You just need some time to recover, and then everything will go back to normal.�

Bella managed a weak nod, but she did not believe her sister’s words. There was no doubt in her mind that her blindness was permanent. Rodolphus wouldn’t have left her any other way. He would want at least a part of her punishment to last forever.

“Let me get you a drink,� Andromeda said, rising from the bed. “Your voice sounds hoarse and your lips look so dry. The Healer should be here soon, and I was hoping that we could talk first.�

Bella nodded again, but she didn’t know if Andromeda was looking at her or not. It didn’t matter. In that moment, very little mattered.

It wasn’t long before Andromeda rejoined her on the edge of the bed. She felt a cold glass being forced into her hand. She accepted the glass and raised it to her cracked lips. Timidly, she sipped at the water. The liquid soothed her parched throat.

“Thank you, Andy,� she said sincerely, using the name she and Narcissa had called her growing up.

“Do you feel like telling me what happened?� Andromeda asked, as she draped her arm around Bella’s shoulders.

“No,� she replied, honestly, “but at the very least, I owe you an explanation.�

“It can wait if you’re not up to it.�

Bella shook her head. “No, you have a right to know. You’re risking your life to keep me here, the least I can do is tell you what happened. It started during the final battle. I was fighting with the werewolf, Lupin, when I saw Potter use the Killing Curse on the Dark Lord. I didn’t expect it to work. I didn’t think for a second that it would work. I thought he would get up and finish the brat off. But it quickly became clear that it wasn’t going to happen. He was dead. My master would never rise again. I fled. I knew the Ministry would be arriving, and there was nothing left for me to fight for.�

“What about the duel with Lupin?�

“Your daughter went down. It was clear that she wasn’t seriously injured, but it was enough to distract him. I was able to slip away without being seen by any Order members or Death Eaters, or so I thought.�

“Where did you go?�

“I headed straight for the woods. I thought it would make it harder for anyone to find me. I wasn’t really sure where I was going. Normally, I would have gone to Cissy, but I’m sure you heard about her. Ironically, I considered going to you, but I didn’t even know where you lived. I also doubted you would really want me turning up on your doorstep.�

“Why did you think of me?�

Bella shrugged. “I suppose because you’re my sister. You’re the only family I have left.�

“I’m glad you still consider me family.�

“Regardless of what I said, I never stopped thinking of you as my sister. I just said what was expected of me. I’m sorry if I hurt you. We just had different lives and different beliefs. Our choices tore us apart, but we’ll always be connected. We’ll always be sisters.�

“It means a lot to hear you say that,� Andromeda told her, choking on her words. “Please tell me the rest of your story.�

“Well, I went through the woods on foot. I didn’t dare use magic. I don’t know how long I was out there, but somehow, he managed to find me.�

“Who?�

“Rodolphus. He was furious that I deserted the Death Eaters after the fall of the Dark Lord. He must have seen me flee. He managed to get my wand before I even knew that he was there. He beat me until I was nearly unconscious, and then he switched to the Cruciatus Curse. He must have cursed me fifty times. I don’t know why I didn’t end up like the Longbottoms. Then just before I passed out, he used a curse that I didn’t recognize. I’m guessing that’s why I can’t see.�

“I’m sorry,� Andromeda told her. “But I’m glad that I was able to find you.�

“I’m not so sure that was a coincidence.�

“What do you mean?�

“I think Rodolphus left me there so you would find me. He must have thought that you would turn me over to the Ministry. It was the last way he could think of to hurt me. He wanted me to sit in Azkaban knowing that my only surviving family member put me there.�

“Well, he was wrong. I don’t want to hurt you.�

“But I don’t know what he’ll do when he finds out he was wrong. He could come after you or your family.�

“Don’t worry about that. My family can fend for themselves, especially my daughter. It’s you I’m concerned about. In your condition, you can’t defend yourself against anyone, Rodolphus or the Ministry.�

“That’s the way Rodolphus likes me.�

“He’s not going to hurt you again,� Andromeda promised her, clutching her hand tightly. “I’ll protect you. For now, you should get some rest. The Healer will be here soon, and you’re going to be exhausted.�

Andromeda kissed her sister softly on the forehead, and left the room.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

---

Bella did not rest, as her sister had suggested. She didn’t even close her eyes, not that it would have made much difference. She saw only blackness whether her eyes were opened or closed, and she was very confident that was all she would see for the rest of her life. It was kind of ironic, in a way, she had always been drawn to the darkness, and now she could see nothing else.

She lay awake contemplating her new situation. She couldn’t see. Her body was in such immense pain that she could hardly move. She woke up to find that she had been taken in be her estranged sister, whose husband was determined to see her thrown in Azkaban. And, by that time, Rodolphus had probably realized that Andromeda was helping her and had no intention of turning her over to Azkaban. Therefore, he was most likely plotting some new way to torture her, and maybe Andromeda too. No matter how she looked at it, this was not a good situation, for anyone.

She knew that it would be best if she left. That would be the easiest way to keep her sister safe, but she was physically unable to do it. If she could hardly sit up then it was clear that she was not going anywhere, at least not under her own power.

She tried to roll over, and felt something jam into her side. She reached down to discover that her wand was still in her pocket. Why would Andromeda allow her to keep a wand? With her track record, she was surprised her sister didn’t feel the need to restrain her, even in her weakened condition.

A wand made her slightly less vulnerable, but only slightly. Even with it, she couldn’t leave. She couldn’t see, and she couldn’t stand up. Her wand could not assist her with those problems. It was time for her to accept that she was not going anywhere. For the time being, she was completely at the mercy of Andromeda and her husband. No matter how much she hated it, she was helpless.

This was not something that Bella was used to. She was a fighter. Even as a child, everyone told her that she would grow up to be a warrior. She didn’t depend on anyone for anything. It just wasn’t part of her nature. How could she possibly handle a new life where she would have to rely on another person just to know if the sun was shining or what time of day it was? How could she live as the half the person she used to be?

Tears stung the back of her eyes, but she was not given the opportunity to mourn the loss of her vision—of her life. She heard the bedroom door squeak opened, once again.

“Bellatrix,� said a soft female voice, “I’m Elizabeth Jordan. I don’t know if you remember me; I was in Andromeda’s year at Hogwarts. We used to be friends. Anyway, I’m a Healer now, and your sister has asked me to look at you as a personal favor.�

“I remember you,� Bella replied.

It was true. She did remember Elizabeth Jordan. She remembered her as a Mudblood, a prissy brat from Ravenclaw, who Bella and her friends frequently poked fun at. She knew nothing else of the girl, but that was plenty. She had no idea her sister started hanging around with filth so early. She always thought Ted had been the first Mudblood in her life.

But Bella was too offended to spend much time contemplating her sister’s poor choice of friends. She couldn’t believe that she was expected to let this woman investigate her body. It was humiliating. She was supposed to put her faith in a Mudblood Ravenclaw! How could Andromeda do this to her? She knew how Bella would feel about this. Didn’t she care? Didn’t she think about her dignity?

Bella wanted to order the woman out of the room. She wanted to address her like the filth she was. She wanted to tell her that she would never touch her with her unworthy hands. But she couldn’t. If she sent this woman away, she would lose her only chance to be treated. Her only chance to know for sure what happened to her vision. Her only chance to have her pain eased. She had no choice. As much as it repulsed her, she had to be civil to the Mudblood.

“Andromeda has told me that you have lost your vision. Do you have any idea what caused this?�

“I don’t know for sure, but my husband used a spell that I didn’t recognize. That may well be the cause of it.�

“Your husband did this to you?�

“Yes.�

For a moment, Elizabeth said nothing, and then she continued, with the calm detachment of any professional Healer.

“Do you remember what the spell was?�

“No.�

“I’m going to do an identifying spell on your eyes, if you’ll let me. All it does is tell me what spell was used. Then we’ll know what we’re dealing with, and if there is anything we can do to counter it. Is that all right?�

Bella didn’t want that woman anywhere near her eyes, but she knew there was no other option. It was the only way to find out what he had done to her. Besides, it wasn’t like she could do any more damage. She was already blind. How much worse could it get?

She nodded for the woman to proceed.

Elizabeth muttered an incantation, and then went perfectly silent.

“Well?� Bella asked, after a few minutes of silence.

“I’m sorry. He used the Darkness Curse. I’m afraid the effects are permanent. There is nothing I can do.�

“I figured as much,� Bella told her. “Rodolphus never was much for temporary punishment.�

“I really am sorry.�

“It’s not your fault.�

Again, Elizabeth quickly regained her composure. After all, what was Bella to her but an escaped Death Eater? She was lucky this woman wasn’t having her hauled off to Azkaban. She certainly shouldn’t be expecting pity from her. She didn’t want it anyway. She didn’t want pity from anyone.

“Well, as for your pain,� she continued, in the unnervingly calm voice, “I can give you a potion. And I think you’re in need of a blood-replenishing potion, as well. I can give you dose of each now, if you like.�

“Thank you,� Bella replied.

She allowed Elizabeth to pour both potions into her mouth. She then swallowed, like a good little girl.

“I will leave these potions with Andromeda. You should take the blood-replenishing potion twice a day, and the pain potion as needed. You should start to regain your strength in a couple of days.�

“Thank you,� Bella said, again.

Elizabeth nodded, without realizing that Bella couldn’t see her, and then left the room to explain the situation to Andromeda.

Again, Bella was left alone to fight back tears. A Mudblood had just told her that she would be blind for the rest of her life. A Mudblood had just decided how to treat her injuries. It was degrading. Why would Andromeda entrust her care to someone like that? She honestly didn’t know which was worse, being blind or having it confirmed by a Mudblood.

She held back her tears and wished for sleep. She had never felt more vulnerable and helpless in her life. She just wanted to sleep, so she could escape reality, if only for a few hours.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

---

Once again, Bella awoke to the sound of raised voices. Ted had returned home, and he and Andromeda were at it again. She couldn’t help but feel guilty as she listened to them howl at each other. After all, they were fighting because of her. It appeared that she was the only problem in their marriage. Unfortunately, she seemed to be an awfully big one.

“Andromeda, this is ridiculous,� Ted said, in a forced calm voice. “We need to get rid of her. Keeping her here could get us both tossed in Azkaban. That’s not what you want, is it?�

“Of course not,� she snapped. “But she’s my sister. She’s very weak and in a lot of pain. Elizabeth left some potions for her. She’s in really bad shape, Ted. It’s going to be a few days before she even starts to get her strength back. And—and she’s blind.�

“Blind?� Ted sounded bewildered.

“Rodolphus did this to her—her own husband. Then he just left her there. I can’t let her go to Azkaban. She would never survive there, not now. I can’t do that to her.�

“I’m sorry about what happened to her,� he said very slowly. “I really am, but it’s not your responsibility to take care of her. I know she is hurting now, but that doesn’t excuse her past. She has done a lot of horrible things and she needs to pay for them.�

“Don’t you think she’s been through enough? Ted, she’s in so much pain that she can’t even sit up. She can’t see. She’s never going to see again. She is suffering. What more do you want her to endure? Don’t you think she’s already paying for her crimes?�

“It’s not about what I think, or what you think. It’s about what the wizarding world thinks. I doubt they will consider this a fair punishment for the lives she ruined, for the lives she took.�

“Okay, stop,� a new female voice said firmly.

Bella listened intently.

“This isn’t going anywhere,� the new voice continued. “Mum, you have to realize that she can’t stay here forever. Eventually, someone will find out, and then you will end up in Azkaban. I really do not want to be asked to arrest my own parents. I understand that she’s your sister and you love her, despite all the horrible things she has done. I am willing to help you hide her until she has regained her strength, but what do you plan to do after that? She won’t able to defend herself against the Ministry if she can’t see. What’s going to happen when she can no longer stay here?�

“She can always stay here. I am not throwing my sister out the second she gets her strength back. She has been through a lot. I am going to make sure that she is okay. She is staying here as long as she wants to.�

“You can’t hide her forever,�

“I’ll find a way to keep her safe.�

“Mum, you’re not being logical. Everyone in my department is searching for her. Actually, everyone in the Ministry is searching for her. You won’t be able to keep her hidden. You’re going to get caught. You’re not going to save her from Azkaban. The only thing you’re going to accomplish is being sent there with her.�

“I’ll figure it all out later. For now, she’s safe here, unless you’re planning to arrest her.�

“No, of course, I’m not going to arrest her. I couldn’t do that to you, but you need to think about this. Are you really willing to risk your life for hers? If the situation were reversed she wouldn’t do it for you.�

“It doesn’t matter. She’s my sister and she needs me. I will not abandon her.�

“I really want you to think about that, Mum. I want you to remember how she abandoned you. You don’t owe her anything. In the meantime, can I talk to her?�

“What for?�

“If I’m going to help keep her psychotic ass out of jail, I think I should be allowed to speak to her. It’s only fair.�

“You’re trying to talk me into throwing her out on the street. I really don’t think you should talk her. I don’t want you to upset her. She’s very weak. She just found out that she’s going to be blind for the rest of her life. She doesn’t need you telling her how awful she is and how much she deserves to be locked away.�

“I have no intention of saying those things to her.�

“Then what do you want with her?�

“I just want to talk to her. It’s really not a big deal. She is my aunt, after all. I promise that I will not upset her.�

“Fine,� Andromeda agreed, at last. “She’s in the guest room.�

A few moments later, Bella heard the door to her room squeak opened again.

“Hello, Aunt Bellatrix,� the young woman said in a venomous voice. The door closed with a loud click.

“Tonks,� she replied, knowing that her niece only responded to her surname. One of the many useless facts she had learned from that wretched house-elf, Kreacher.

“If you’re blind, how did you know who I am?�

It seemed like a childish question, but Bella knew her niece was going to as impossible as she could manage. Tonks clearly wanted her gone, and she wasn’t going to pretend that she wanted it any other way. Bella decided her best bet would be to answer her questions, hoping that she would get bored and leave her in peace.

“First of all, you called me Aunt Bellatrix. You are clearly female, and as I only have one niece, it was not hard to conclude who you were. Second of all, I can hear your family conversations, so I have known that you were here for awhile now.�

“Then you know what we were discussing. You know what a risk my mother is taking by keeping you here.�

“Yes.�

“But, of course, you wouldn’t have the decency to leave.�

“How would you suggest that I do that?� she asked in her best bored voice. “I can’t even sit up.�

“Oh, poor Bellatrix. For once, you’re the one in pain, instead of the one causing it. Don’t think I’m going to feel sorry for you. My mother will come to her senses, eventually, and when she does I’ll have the joy of arresting you.�

“Didn’t you promise your mother that you would play nice? I’m sure I heard you saying that you wouldn’t threaten me with Azkaban.�

“Well, I lied, which should hardly shock you. It’s certainly something you’ve done plenty of times.�

“You know nothing about me.�

“Nor do I want to.�

“Then what is it that you want?�

“I want you to promise me that you’ll leave as soon as you get your strength back. I also want you to promise me that you’ll never contact my mother again. Let her live in peace. You’ve already hurt her enough. You have no idea what she has gone through because her entire family decided she was rubbish. If you leave her alone, I won’t hunt you down like the animal you are. Of course, I can’t promise that the rest of the Ministry will be so accommodating.�

“I do not want my sister to suffer because of me. And I do regret that I hurt her in the past. I will leave as soon as I am able to do so, and I will not contact her again.�

“Thank you,� Tonks replied.

There were no other sounds, besides the door slamming behind her niece as she fled the room.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

---

“Time for your medicine,� came the sing-song voice of Andromeda, through the fog in Bella’s head.

“You don’t have to sound so cheerful about it,� Bella muttered as she rolled over, which she could now do with minimal pain.

Andromeda chuckled. “You never did like to take medicine.�

“Are you making fun of me?�

“Only a little,� Andromeda teased, as she sat on the side of the bed and pushed a small vial into her sister’s hand.

With a slight glare, Bella swallowed the contents of the vial, and accepted a second from her sister. It was true; she always had hated drinking potions. She found that her distaste for it had increased since she could no longer see what she was taking. But in this case, she knew that Andromeda would never harm her.

“How are you feeling?� Andromeda asked as she took the vials, and sat them out of the way.

“It doesn’t hurt as much.�

“Well, that’s good. Are you ready for some food? I can make you something, whatever you like.�

“No thanks, I’m really not hungry.�

Bella felt Andromeda’s fingers running through her hair.

“Are you sure? I know you’ve been through a lot, but you have to eat sometime.�

“Not yet,� Bella replied.

“Well, at least, let me comb this out,� she said, tugging at Bella’s hair. “It really is a disaster.�

“It’s not like I would know,� Bella muttered bitterly. “I can’t see it.�

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.�

“No, I’m sorry,� Bella replied in a tired voice. “You’ve gone out of your way to take care of me. You’re risking a lot just having me here. I’m really grateful to you. And the best way to show gratitude does not involve being a bitch.�

“It’s okay. You have every right to be angry. I would be.�

Bella nodded, without really acknowledging her sister. It would be different if this happened to Andromeda. Andromeda was a good person. She didn’t deserve to suffer the way Bella did. She hadn’t tortured innocent people under the orders of a mad man. If this happened to Andromeda, she would have every right to be angry. Bella knew that she didn’t have that right. She was getting what she deserved for years of cruelty.

“You can comb it if you want,� she told Andromeda, anxious to change the topic of conversation. She pulled herself into a sitting position so that her hair would be accessible. A few seconds later, she felt a comb tugging at the massive knots on her head.

“Tell me if I’m pulling too hard.�

“Don’t worry, I will.�

“This reminds me of when we were kids,� Andromeda continued. “We used to spend entire days styling each other’s hair. Remember when Cissy found that spell to make our hair color change every fifteen seconds, and it changed to really bright greens, reds, and yellows?�

Bella giggled. “Of course, I remember. We all went to dinner that night with flashing hair. Mother was so furious. She thought it was permanent. I thought she was going to disown us all on the spot.�

“Her face turned a really interesting shade of red.�

“I remember, Cissy looked so scared, I thought she was going to start crying.�

“We were just lucky that Aunt Elladora was there that night and she knew the spell,� Andromeda told her. “I don’t know what would have happened if she hadn’t calmed mother.�

“I miss Cissy,� Bella said softly.

“I’m really sorry that I never got to say goodbye to her. I haven’t spoken to her since we were kids. We all used to be so close; and I had to read about her death in the Daily Prophet.�

“She never stopped loving you, you know. She knew she could never contact you. Lucius would have been furious. But I can assure you that she never forgot you, and neither did I.�

“I wish things had of been different.�

“Me too.�

“I wish that she hadn’t felt so alone. I wish she hadn’t felt that she had to do that to herself. I wish that I could have been there for her.�

“You wish for a lot, Andy.�

“What do you wish for?�

“I wish I could go back to when I was seventeen years old, and do it all over again. I wouldn’t marry Rodolphus. I wouldn’t turn my back on you. I don’t think I would even become a Death Eater. Then we could have both taken care of Cissy, and she would have never felt alone and helpless. I wish that she was still here with us.�

“Sounds like you wish for a lot, too.�

“I guess I do.�

“Too bad, neither of us can have our wishes.�

“That’s usually the way it works.�

“Can you tell me what my daughter said to you?� Andromeda asked abruptly.

Bella was caught of guard by the sudden change of topic, which was probably the whole idea. Andromeda wanted to throw her off so she would blurt out the truth. She used to do that all the time when they were kids, but it didn’t work then either. Bella quickly recovered from her surprise.

“She just reminded me that you were taking a very big chance by allowing me to stay here.�

“Please, don’t let my daughter, or my husband, bully you into leaving. I really want you to stay here. I couldn’t be there for Cissy, but I got a second chance with you. I don’t want to waste it.�

“You know that no one bullies me into anything.�

“Then I hope you choose to stay.�

“I’m a major liability to you.�

“You’re my sister.�

Bella knew that she couldn’t tell her about her plans to leave. Andromeda would be heartbroken. She really wanted her there and, to be honest, she wanted to stay. But it didn’t matter. It wasn’t safe for her to be there. Andromeda refused to see the danger, but Bella saw in clearly. At least, she could see something.

“Can I ask you something?� she said to change the subject.

“Of course.�

“Why did you let me keep my wand? I assumed you would take it while I was unconscious.�

“I thought you would want it.�

“Weren’t you afraid that I would hurt you or your family?�

“I’m not afraid of you, Bella. You’re my sister, and I trust you.�

“You have no idea how much that means to me.�

The tugging on her hair ceased, and Bella heard the comb fall to the floor. She was pulled into Andromeda’s tight embrace. Returning the hug, she rested her head on her sister’s chest. For the first time in a very long time, she felt loved.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

---

At some point, Bella must have fallen asleep because she was awoken by a very annoying voice shouting orders at her. The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. All she knew for sure was that it was giving her a headache.

“Sit up,� the voice snapped. “You need to take the blood-replenishing potion.�

Instinctively, Bella turned to see who was speaking to her, but she saw nothing but darkness. The hopelessness of her situation hit her. It made her want to curl up and cry, but she was not about to do it. She needed to maintain the small amount of dignity that she had left.

“Who are you?� she demanded. “Where’s Andy?�

“My mother had to go into town. She asked me to stay with you. You could show a little gratitude. It’s not like I want to spend my day nursing your cruel psychotic ass back to health.�

“I’m sure you’d much rather be snogging your werewolf boyfriend. Don’t you worry about the kind of genes you’ll be passing down to your children?�

Bella heard a loud clap, and pain shot through her cheek as Tonks hand connected with it.

“Why are you so hateful?� the younger woman yelled. “Have you ever loved anyone? Do you really care about nothing other than blood status and genes?�

Bella said nothing. There was nothing for her to say. Every horrible thing her niece thought about her past was true. She couldn’t defend herself; even if she could no one would listen. To the whole world, she would always be a monster. Well, to everyone but her forgiving sister.

“Are you going to take this or not?� Tonks demanded, after a few minutes of silence.

Bella forced herself into a sitting position and accepted the vial Tonks pushed into her hand. She drank the foul tasting substance and allowed her niece to take the vial back.

“Do you need the pain potion?�

Bella shook her head. “No, I’m all right.�

“Fine,� Tonks said shortly. “Do you need anything else?�

Bella didn’t answer right away. Her mouth was dry and sore, but the thought of asking Tonks for anything sickened her. She hated that she was reduced to this. She couldn’t even take care of herself. She was forced to rely on someone who clearly hated her.

Tonks realized why she hesitated to answer.

“If you want something, please, just tell me,� she said in a much calmer voice. “Mum asked me to take care of you. I promised that I would. Just tell me what you need and I’ll get it.�

“Just a glass of water, please,� Bella told her weakly.

“Sure.�

Bella listened as Tonks left the room. She returned promptly and shoved a cold glass into Bella’s hand.

“Thank you.�

Tonks didn’t respond, however, she did sit on the edge of the bed. This was odd. Why would she want to spend more time in the presence of a woman she deemed to be a monster?

She sipped her water before attempting to speak. “I expected you to flee the room as soon as you fulfilled your obligations. I can’t imagine that you desire my company, so what is it that is keeping you here?�

“I’m trying to understand why my mother is so determined to protect you.�

“Because we’re sisters,� Bella told her simply, repeating the words Andromeda had said to her countless times since she arrived. “There was a time when your mother and I were very close.�

“Until you disowned her for marrying my father.�

“Your mother chose her path, and I chose mine.�

“My mother chose to follow her heart. She has led a decent life. You chose to follow an evil master. You have spent your life torturing and killing. You hate for the sake of hate. I don’t care who you used to be, or how close you were to my mother. The things you have done are unforgivable, and you deserve to pay for them. You should be rotting in Azkaban, instead of taking advantage of my mother’s charity.�

Bella knew that her niece spoke the truth. Andromeda had chosen to live a good life. She married a decent man and raised a highly intelligent daughter. Whereas, Bella had followed the Dark Lord. She spent her life on her knees. She had worshipped and obeyed, or she would have died. And she had certainly done unforgivable things in her master’s name. She had no argument for her niece’s allegations because there wasn’t one.

“What do you want me to say, Tonks?� she finally asked.

The young witch sighed loudly. “I honestly don’t know. I don’t think there’s anything you can say. There’s no way that you can justify what you’ve done. It’s not like it matters anyway because you don’t want to justify it. You don’t think you need to. You think you were right.�

It wasn’t exactly true. Bella knew she couldn’t justify her actions, but she certainly didn’t feel that they were right. She supported her ideals, and she would continue to do so. But she didn’t have the right to kill and torment Mudbloods just because they were inferior to her. She was finally beginning to realize that. However, she knew there was no point in explaining that to her niece. Tonks had already made up her mind about Aunt Bellatrix.

“I don’t know what you want from me,� she said at last.

“She wants the same thing I do,� said an angry male voice that she recognized as Ted’s. “She wants you out of her life, and out of her mother’s life.�

“Dad, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at work.�

“Andromeda stopped in to see me. When she told me that she left you alone with this killer, I was understandably concerned. I came to make sure that you were all right. I can’t believe your mother would leave you alone with her. It’s bad enough that she insists on risking her own life, but to put you in danger.�

“Dad, I’m an Auror, and she’s injured. I think I can manage.�

“You don’t realize how evil she is.�

“You know that I’m blind, not deaf right?� Bella muttered.

“It’s not like you have feelings,� Ted snapped. “You couldn’t have done the things you did if you had any capacity to feel.�

Bella was surprised that the remark stung. She had certainly had worse things said to her. She should be used to hearing it. Tonks had said practically the same words to her only a few minutes earlier.

But she found that Ted’s comment hurt her. She was tired of people telling her that she didn’t feel. It wasn’t true. She had the capacity to feel. Maybe she had never been in love, but she had felt love. She loved her sisters, in her own way. She always had.

“That’s enough, Dad,� Tonks said. “You’re upsetting her. We need to leave her alone. I promised Mum that I would take care of her.�

With that they left the room, allowing the door to slam shut behind them.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

---

Once she was alone, Bella attempted to sleep. It was a lost cause. Even without Ted and Tonks yelling at her, she could not sleep. Her mind was far too jumbled for sleep or relaxation to be an option.

She knew that she had to get out of the Tonks’ home as soon as possible. She was nothing but a liability to them. Her sister would never admit it, but Bella knew that was the way it was. She could not let Andromeda be tossed into Azkaban because of her. She had already caused her sister enough heartache.

Tonks’ accusations swirled around in her thoughts. It pained Bella to admit it, but her niece had been mostly right. She had always avoided thinking about the things she had done. None of the other Death Eaters had room to be judgmental, so no one had ever really attacked her about her actions before.

It was true that she was hateful. She chose to hate anyone that was inferior to her. She had dedicated her entire life to the importance of blood purity. She didn’t doubt the superiority of Pure-blooded witches and wizards, but was it really worth killing over?

She had given her life and her loyalty to a cruel and evil master. She had killed and tortured in his name. When she looked back at her life, she saw that it was void of anything else. Her entire existence had focused on serving her master, on killing and torturing. She hadn’t done a single decent thing since she was a teenager, and until that moment, she hadn’t realized it.

The only thing her niece had been wrong about was saying that Bella thought she was right. That just wasn’t true. Bella knew that she was wrong. She knew that following the Dark Lord had been a mistake. She knew that she had no right to kill those that were inferior to her. She would have realized these things much sooner if she had bothered to think, instead of just obeying her master.

If she had it to do over, she would do things differently. But she knew that she would never have that chance. People have one life—one shot. There was no going back. She couldn’t fix the past, but she could do the right thing in the present. She was not going to be a burden on Andromeda and her family any longer. For the first time, she was going to do the right thing. She was going to give her sister her life back.

She lay silently, listening intently for the voices of Tonks and Ted. She didn’t want to accidentally run into them, some great escape that would be. She knew getting out of the house was going to be challenging. After all, she didn’t know the house, and she had no idea how to navigate without the use of her eyes. But she wouldn’t let that stop her. It was time for her to repay Andromeda for all of her kindness by getting the hell out of her life.

She couldn’t hear anything, so she decided to focus her attention on getting up. She was able to slide into a sitting position, without too much pain. Apparently, the Mudblood knew what she was doing, after all.

She allowed her legs to dangle over the edge of the bed, for a few minutes, before attempting to stand. In that time, she thought about the wand tucked in her pocket. She could try to Apparate, instead of trying to walk through the Tonks’ house in complete darkness, but she didn’t know what affect blindness might have on her Apparation abilities. She decided this was not the best time to find out. Her luck, she would accidentally Apparate in the middle of Kingsley Shacklebolt’s living room.

She lowered her feet to the floor and forced herself to stand. Immediately, pain surged through her body, and she fell back to the bed, fighting back tears. Apparently, she should have accepted the pain potion when Tonks offered it.

It took her a moment to compose herself. She realized just how little she wanted to leave the comfortable bed her sister was offering her. It would have been so wonderful to crawl under the blankets and allow her body to rest. But she knew that she couldn’t do that. She needed to leave—for Andromeda.

Again, she attempted to stand. Pain went through her body, but she was able to remain on her feet. For a few moments, she stood there trying to get her balance. She felt lightheaded and worried that she might fall back to the bed.

When she concluded that she could, indeed, remain on her feet, she took a few tentative steps forward. She held her hands out in front of her so she wouldn’t run into anything. She cursed her new state of helplessness. She briefly considered using her wand to end it all, but she couldn’t do it. At least, she couldn’t do it in her sister’s house. She couldn’t do that to Andromeda, especially after what happened to Narcissa.

She forced those thoughts from her mind. It was not the time to think of suicide. It was not the time to think of Cissy. It was time for her to go. Slowly, she continued to move forward, hoping that she was heading in the direction of the door.

Her hand brushed against a hard flat surface. She had either found a wall or the door. Sliding her hand up and down, she searched for a door knob. When her hand closed around the rounded knob, she could have jumped for joy. Then she was filled with shame. It was hard to believe what she had been reduced to. People used to cower, trembling at her feet, in fear. And somehow, her greatest accomplishment had become the ability to find a door knob.

Her situation sickened her. She suppressed the urge to curl up in a ball and sob. There was no time for such self-absorbed weakness. She needed to keep going. She had to be gone before Andromeda got home.

She pushed the door opened, listening intently for the voices of her niece and brother-in-law. She still heard nothing. Maybe Tonks had convinced Ted to go back to work. Without Ted to distract Tonks it would be harder to get out of the house unnoticed. It didn’t matter though. She had to try. It wouldn’t be fair to Andromeda if she stayed.

She stepped through the door, once again, with her hands in front of her. She chose a direction by instinct and took a few steps.

Suddenly, she was overcome by a feeling of weakness. She felt as though her head had detached from the rest of her body. Her legs turned to rubber. She reached out for something to hold onto but found nothing.

She began to fall, but hands grabbed her from behind. Someone helped to steady her. They allowed her to lean against them as tried to regain her balance.

“What are you doing out of bed? You’re not strong enough to be wandering around. You can’t even see where you’re going.�

“Andy?� Bella asked in a weak voice.

“Who were you expecting?� Andromeda demanded, with a slight chuckle. “Let me help you back to bed.�

Bella nodded. She leaned on her sister, allowing herself to be led back to her room. Even when she tried to do the right thing it didn’t work out. All she could do was pray that her presence would not end up costing Andromeda her life.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

---

Once she was settled back in bed, Bella couldn’t keep her eyes opened. Her small excursion had been enough to completely drain her. It was pitiful how little she was capable of. She was asleep before Andromeda had left the room.

When she awoke, she had no idea what time it was. She was certain, however, that she had been asleep for quite awhile. As soon as she opened her eyes, she could sense that someone was in the room. She felt a sense of foreboding. As if something horrible would soon come to pass. A cold chill ran down her spine.

“Who’s there?� she demanded, trying to sound menacing. Not an easy feat when you’re blind and helpless.

“It’s just me,� came Andromeda’s familiar voice.

“It’s not time for more potions, is it?�

“No.�

“Is something wrong?�

“Were you trying to leave?�

Bella hesitated, but decided to tell her sister the truth.

“Yes.�

“Why? Did Nymphadora say something to you?�

“It’s not about your daughter,� Bella told her, in a tired voice. “I was trying to leave because my being here isn’t fair to you. If the Ministry ever finds out that you’ve been helping me they’ll send you to Azkaban with me. They’ll probably arrest your whole family. I don’t want to be responsible for that. And don’t forget about Rodolphus. He’ll come back for me, eventually. He could never stay away if he thought I was living in peace. I don’t even want to think about what he might do to you and your family. It’s not safe for me to be here. I don’t want to be the reason something horrible happens to you.�

“What do you want me to do?� Andromeda demanded. Her voice took on a harsh note that Bella hadn’t heard since they were children. “Do you think I’m going to toss you out, and let you die on the streets? Do you think I could send my own sister to Azkaban? You’re too weak to defend yourself. You need to let me take care of you. Let me worry about you. You don’t have to worry about me.�

“How do you think I would feel if you lost your life trying to take care of me?�

“It won’t come to that.�

“How do you know?�

“I just know,� Andromeda replied, and Bella felt her sister’s arms wrap tightly around her.

“Well, aren’t you just the optimistic one, Mrs. Tonks?� came a hard cold voice from the doorway. A voice that Bella recognized instantly because it had tormented her for years. He had come back for her, just as she knew he would. Rodolphus had returned.

She felt Andromeda pull away and jump off the bed.

“Get out of my house,� she screamed.

“Gladly,� came the cold reply, “as soon as you hand over my property, we’ll be on our way.�

“My sister is not property; and she certainly doesn’t belong to you.�

He laughed. It was a cruel laugh. It sent shivers through Bella’s entire body. She had heard that laugh many times, and nothing good ever followed it.

“She is not worth the fight, Mrs. Tonks. Just let me take her.�

“No.�

“Andromeda, it’s okay,� Bella said weakly. “I’ll go with him.�

“You will do no such thing,� Andromeda snarled, the harshness had returned to her voice. “This man beat and tortured you. He blinded you, and then he left you to die. I will not let him touch you. He will not hurt you, again.�

“Let me?� Rodolphus’ cold laugh filled the room again. “I’d like to see you stop me, you useless blood-traitor. This wouldn’t even be necessary if you had done what you were supposed to do. I should have known that a blood-traitor wouldn’t have the common sense to dispose of a threat. You should have just turned the bitch over to the Aurors. Why didn’t you?�

“She’s my sister.�

“How touching. Now, step aside and let me reclaim my property. I will not ask you again. Move!�

“Andromeda, just listen to him,� Bella pleaded. “I don’t want you to get hurt. I’m his wife; I’m used to this. Please, just let me go.�

“No,� Andromeda said firmly, to both her sister and Rodolphus.

“Very well,� Rodolphus replied. “You can’t say that I didn’t warn you.�

Bella heard her sister whimper in pain. She heard Rodolphus laugh. Terror and fury surged through her body, like she had never felt before. She did what came naturally, without thinking about the consequences or her new limitations. She was simply scared for her sister. She wanted to save her. She reacted the only way she knew how. Reaching into her robes, she retrieved her wand. She pointed it where she believed Rodolphus to be, and she said the familiar incantation, “Avada Kedavra.�

A few seconds later, the room filled, once again, with the sound of Rodolphus’ maniacal laugh. This confused Bella. Dead people didn’t laugh. She had just killed him. She used the Killing Curse. He couldn’t be laughing. He was dead.

“Thanks, babe,� he said, when he finally stopped laughing. “You saved me from having to kill your stubborn sister. You might be good for something after all.�

It took a few moments for his words to sink in. Then it hit her—hard. She hadn’t killed Rodolphus with the Killing Curse. She had killed Andromeda. She had just murdered her own sister. She couldn’t understand. She couldn’t breathe. How could that have happened?

“Noooo,� the scream escaped from her lungs, without her knowledge or consent. Tears began to stream down her cheeks.

She felt Rodolphus slap her, but the pain was numbed. She knew he had hit her, but she hardly noticed. Andromeda was dead. She was dead because of Bella. What else could possibly matter? How could she care about something as trivial as being slapped around by her abusive husband?

“Shut up,� he growled. “Someone will hear you. Now, get up. We have to go.�

She hardly heard him. She knew he was talking, but his words didn’t make any sense. Go? She couldn’t go. She had to stay with Andromeda. She continued to sob loudly. The words “you killed her� were echoing through her head. Her own sister was dead because of her.

Rodolphus grabbed her hair, and tried to force her to move. “Get up, you stupid bitch.�

She felt nothing. Her whole body had become numb.

Rodolphus was pulling her to her feet when a loud male voice yelled, “Stupefy.�

Bella was no longer being pulled up. She felt Rodolphus’ grip loosen, and she fell to the floor.

“Mum!� she heard Tonks scream. “How did this happen? The neighbors showed up at the Ministry. They said they heard yelling. B—but she’s dead! How did this happen?�

“I’m sorry,� Bella said, through sobs. “I’m so sorry.�

“You did this!� Tonks shrieked.

“I—I didn’t mean to.�

“Tonks, you need to calm down,� said the male voice. “Your dad will be here soon. He’ll need you. I’ll take care of them. I’ll see that they’re both back in Azkaban, where they belong.�

“Thank you, Kingsley,� Tonks replied, her voice trembling.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

---

Bella sat on the cold damp floor. Wetness soaked through her robes, but she didn’t care. Truthfully, she didn’t even notice anymore. The room stank, but that no longer affected her either. Food arrived regularly; she could smell it. She never ate it, though. She didn’t want to eat. She didn’t deserve food, but she did deserve the cold and the eternal darkness.

She rarely moved. Her days and nights were spent sitting in that spot. There was really no reason for her to move. She had nowhere to go, and even if she did, she couldn’t see to get there. Karma had finally caught up to her. After all of her years of making other people weak, defenseless, and alone, she became just like them.

Of course, none of that mattered to her anymore. She no longer felt attached to the physical world. Her entire life was now in her head—in her memories.

She had good days and bad days. On the good days she remembered her childhood, growing up with her sisters. They had so much fun as children. They had been so close. They had promised to stay that way forever, but promises are never kept. At least, she had her memories.

She thought of the time they accidentally turned her father pink. She had been in her second year at Hogwarts at the time, and her friend had just taught her a spell to change colors. She had gone home for the summer, and she was really anxious to teach her sisters the new spell. The summers after her first two years at Hogwarts had been really special to her because she was the only one of her sisters who knew magic, and she could teach them things. It had felt so good when they looked up to her.

But that day their admiration had sort of backfired. It was just before dinner, and they were outside. Andromeda and Narcissa were finally starting to get the hang of the spell. Andromeda had turned a tree purple, and Narcissa had turned the family cat green. They were laughing, and enjoying themselves when Narcissa decided to try the spell again. Unfortunately, while she was aiming to turn the front door pink their father Apparated home from work. The spell hit him square in the face, and his whole body immediately turned a bright shade of pink. Narcissa turned a very pale shade of grey.

Bella remembered thinking they were going to be in serious trouble. She doubted that her father would appreciate being turned pink. She also doubted that he would appreciate her using magic when she wasn’t allowed, and teaching her sister’s spells before they were old enough. To her shock, he simply laughed, and then recommended that they not mention it to their mother. She could still remember how relieved she had been in that moment. The innocent relief of a twelve year old, who really had nothing to fear in the first place.

She also thought back to the time she and her sisters decided to explore the forest behind their childhood home. It was another hot summer day, but the girls were a few years older. Bella had just completed her fifth year, Andromeda her third, and Narcissa her first.

They found that they were bored, and anxious to get away from the gloomy mansion. Once in the forest, Bella and Andromeda plopped against a large oak tree. They were content to sit and talk, but Narcissa was determined to explore the forest. There was nothing Bella or Andromeda could do to stop her, so they simply warned her not to go to far, and chatted while they waited for her to return.

Shockingly, she returned rather quickly, but she did not return alone. Strolling behind her was the most beautiful unicorn. Bella and Andromeda had just stared at their sister. It was true that unicorns liked females better than males, but they weren’t tame. It was unbelievable that their little sister would be able to coax one into following her around.

“Can we keep her?� Narcissa had asked, in her charming little girl way.

Naturally, Bella and Andromeda were instantly swayed. So the three Black sisters moved a unicorn into the lower level of their home. It stayed there for three months before it was discovered by the family house-elf, at which time it was returned to the forest, and the girls were grounded.

Bella smiled at the thought. Narcissa had always been considered the most innocent of the three sisters when they were growing up. But looking back, it seemed that she was the one who usually got them in trouble.

Those were the type of memories Bella dwelled on when she was having a good day. On a bad day, her memories became much darker. She was haunted be her horrible deeds. Her mind was terrorized by the heinous things she had done and had done to her.

She remembered the first time Rodolphus had ever attacked her. It was before they were even married. She had spent the day with Narcissa. They were getting ready for the wedding. When they returned to their parent’s house he was waiting for her. He had that evil look in his eye.

Her parents didn’t seem to notice the evil in his stare, or maybe they simply didn’t care. Either way they left her alone with him, hurrying Narcissa up the stairs. He was drunk and furious. She never did find out what he was mad about. But she did find out what the Cruciatus Curse felt like.

He left her lying on the floor in her parent’s living room. She lay there sobbing for hours. No one ever came to check on her, not even her sisters. That was her first taste of being truly alone. Soon after that, it became her way of life.

She was haunted by memories of the night Andromeda left the Black Mansion for the last time. By that time, she was married to Rodolphus and no longer living there herself, but she had been there that night for dinner. She wished she had of stayed home.

It was shortly after Andromeda’s seventeenth birthday, and their parents chose that night to announce that she was to marry Evan Rosier. Of course, they had no idea that Andromeda had already become engaged and had planned on telling them that night.

It had not been a fun dinner. As the years passed, Bella began to forget more and more about that night. She remembered the yelling and the crying. But slowly she began to forget the horrible things they had all said. There was one thing she would remember forever. She would always remember what she, herself, had said to her sister as she walked out the door for the last time. “You are no sister to me. You are nothing to me. You might as well be a Mudblood.�

She would also remember that when Andromeda slammed the door, there were tears in her eyes.

Bella also found herself haunted by the violence of her past. The violence she had committed. She would have nightmares about the Longbottoms, and about her poor cousin, Sirius. Looking back, she couldn’t believe the things she had done.

The Longbottoms had been young. They had a whole life ahead of them. They had a little boy. A little boy who grew up without his parents because of her. Sometimes their screams would echo in her head, and there was nothing she could do to block them out. It was all just part of her penance.

She also, frequently, saw Sirius’ face in her mind. But not the defeated sad man, who died in the Department of Mysteries. She saw the laughing teenager, who used to drive his parents crazy. She saw the little boy, who used to run around her house making a mess of everything. She saw the cousin, who she used to love, dearly. She would be eternally taunted by his smiling face, knowing that she took his smile away forever.

But the worst memory that went through her mind was the memory of her young niece. She could still hear her screams of anguish when she saw her mother’s lifeless body. It was not something the young witch deserved to go through. Her family fought very hard to stay out of the war. They wanted to live peaceful lives. It was sad to think that Andromeda had died because she insisted on showing compassion to the woman everyone believed to be a monster. In the end, they were right because the monster killed the one person who was willing to love it.

Only one thing kept Bella sane when she was plagued by these memories, the simple knowledge that eventually she would die, and be released. She waited for death, and when it came, she would welcome it with opened arms. In death, she would be free, which was something she had never truly experienced before.

In death, she would also be reunited with her sisters. She knew they would be waiting for her. They would forgive her. They always forgave her. Then they would be together again. It would be just like it was when they were children. She would feel loved.

Her sisters were the only light in her darkness, and she couldn’t wait to be with them again, in death.