Pariah: The Other Malfoy

Chapter 47: Lestrange

"Bellatrix," my father replied curtly, and I felt my legs wobble beneath me.

Bellatrix Lestrange, arguably the Dark Lord's most loyal supporter, was standing in my house. I suddenly understood why my parents had reacted in such a way, why my father had rushed me to my bedroom.

"Where are Draco and Lyra?" The voices travelled through the house as I snapped back to reality.

"I'm here," Draco's voice piped up from the living room.

"I'll go get you some fresh clothes," my mother spoke, "And Polky, get some food for my sister."

I heard my mother's footsteps ascend the stairs as Bellatrix spoke to my brother about school, acting as though she hadn't just broken out of Azkaban. It almost sounded like a normal family conversation, if Bellatrix hadn't been a psychopath.

"And what about Lyra?" I froze at the mention of my name.

"Well..." my father trailed off, unsure how to respond.

"You haven't heard? She was sorted into Gryffindor, she's friends with Potter and mudbloods," Draco spoke, I heard my mother freeze while looking through a drawer in the next room, "She's a werewolf too, as if things weren't bad enough."

There was a deafening silence in the house, then a crack as Bellatrix Disapparated. I spun around quickly as a noise came from behind me, only to find her standing inches from me.

"Hello, dear niece," she advanced on me, a terrifying sneer on her face, "I hear you've been... well, a disappointment to the family."

My father's footsteps thundered up the stairs, my mother swinging the door open behind me and grabbing my shoulder. I stared in fear at Bellatrix as she grinned down at me, sinking into my mother.

"Bella," my mother said softly, "Please. Leave her alone."

"Leave her alone?" she barked with laughter, I heard my father stop behind us, "You've gone soft, Cissy. This one is no better than our dear cousin, Sirius. Why should she be treated any differently? A stain on the family!"

"Because she is our daughter," my father said, his voice shaking, "And you will not lay a hand on her."

"She is friends with Potter," Bellatrix snapped, "That means she is directly opposing the Dark Lord! Yet you still protect her?"

"Opinions can change," my mother tried to convince her.

"No," a sinister grin appeared on her face, "Protect her all you want, Cissy. The Dark Lord will dispose of her soon enough."

She pushed past us, walking down the stairs again, and I breathed a sigh of relief. My mother squeezed my shoulder tightly, glancing at my father in fear. What was going to happen now?

"Don't be caught alone with her," my father whispered, "Avoid her if possible, but if you can't, please try and make sure one of us is there."

And I succeeded for a few days. Bellatrix tried to catch me unawares, though she was frequently out of the house to see the Dark Lord, giving me space to breathe. But when she did return, I had to watch my back.

I was basically attached to my parents, trying to always be in the room with one of them at any time. Draco sneered at me whenever he saw me, clearly proud of his actions and the outcome.

The day after the full moon, Bellatrix went out of her way to mock me and my condition. She also mocked my father as much as possible, calling me a half-breed and a disappointment whenever he was there, making sure to remind me I was a Malfoy, not a Black.

But a time had to come when my parents weren't around, when Bellatrix managed to trap me. I was sitting in my room when the door swung open, I looked up expecting to see one of my parents.

It was Bellatrix. She grinned down at me, I instinctively backed away in fear.

"Hello, little half-breed," she tilted her head, playing with her wand, "All alone, are we? Crucio."

I screamed loudly, collapsing to the ground. The pain was unimaginable, I had never felt anything like it. My body felt like it was tearing itself apart, yet I knew no marks would be left by the spell. She released me, and I sobbed as I tried to pick myself up, but she just laughed.

"Pathetic!" She cried, "Try again! Crucio."

I screamed louder, convulsing on the ground as agony overtook me. It was worse than I had ever experienced before, I wanted to end it more than anything as I writhed around on the cold floor, Bellatrix's laughter filling the room.

"Get up," she barked, and I found myself doing as I was told, my legs shaking.

She advanced on me, a sickening grin on my face. There was a commotion going on downstairs, I prayed my parents would get up here in time to stop her going too far. She pushed her face very close to mine, I shrunk in on myself as I tried to get away.

"Flipendo," she moved her wand lazily.

I went flying against the wall, a loud crash as my body hit it, a cry escaping my lips. Footsteps thundered through the halls, my bedroom door swung open, slamming against the wall.

"Bellatrix," my father's voice was sharp, booming throughout the room.

"Come now, Lucius," Bellatrix sneered, "You really want to protect the little half-breed?"

"Bellatrix, she is our daughter," my mother said, her voice strained, "Despite her house, her... condition. She's loyal to our cause, loyal to the Dark Lord."

I was still lying on the ground against the wall, curled up and sobbing quietly. Bellatrix didn't reply to my mother, but I heard her footsteps retreating.

"Keep an eye on her," my father spoke, moving towards me, "I'll stay up here."

He helped me to my bed, his eyes filled with concern. I grimaced in pain, my body shaking with fear, flinching as my father moved towards me again. He hesitated before trying again, checking me over for injuries, sighing slightly as I tried to fight the tears.

"You've got a few bumps, but nothing serious physically," he sighed, looking at me, "I'm sorry. We should have paid more attention to where she was going. I didn't think she'd dare do anything in our house when we said... I'm so sorry."

"I'm fine," I whispered, my voice shaky.

"No, you're not," he sighed, "Your mother and I will be by your side until you go back to Hogwarts, I promise. She won't get you alone again."

My father was true to his word. Even when I was sleeping, one of them slept on the chair in my room, my every waking moment was spent in the same room as my parents. Bellatrix never laid another finger on me that holiday, though I still flinched every time I caught sight of her, the pain of the Cruciatus Curse swimming in my mind.

I was relieved the moment we left for Kings Cross. I was pale, I had bags under my eyes. I had been having nightmares in that house since it happened, barely sleeping, waking up drenched in sweat. I couldn't wait to be safe again.

"What happened?" Tobias asked as soon as he entered the compartment with the others, I could tell he was shocked at my appearance.

"Take a wild guess, Bellatrix escaped after all," I sighed, moving to allow him to sit.

"She did this?" Harry asked, his voice sharp, "Are you... are you alright?"

"What did she do?" Ron asked.

"Guys, slow down," I sighed, "It... My parents told me to keep away from her, just in case, but she found a way to get to me. Cruciatus Curse, some other things, no big deal."

"You look awful," Tobias held me tightly.

"Thanks," I laughed slightly, "I haven't slept much, but I'll be fine now. Don't worry."