A/N: Hey y'all! This was written for Hogwarts and the QLFC. Prompts are below!

Captain: Save Bellatrix Lestrange

Word Count: 1778

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Those rights go to JK Rowling.

WARNINGS: Character death, murder

Thanks to Grace for beta-ing!

Enjoy!

Molly Weasley's spell missed her by mere centimeters. A wicked smile flashed across Bellatrix's face as she relished in the small victory—but then a random jet of light was fired out of seemingly nowhere at her, immobilizing her.

Rage—and something almost akin to fear, though she would never admit it—filled her as Potter revealed himself moments later. It was impossible. He was dead; she had seen him dead. The Cruciatus Curse had had no effect on his lifeless body. Her sister had even checked his pulse—

A fury, the likes of which even Bellatrix had never felt before, burned through her worse than Fiendfyre.

Treachery. The word rang through her mind. Betrayal. Disloyalty.

Potter was speaking loudly, Death Eaters and fighters for the light all crowding around him and Bellatrix's lord, forming a ring. Bellatrix was forced to watch as Potter's pretty little speech echoed up to the rafters, his posture rigid but confident.

Then, they cast their curses.

The Dark Lord fell.

Bellatrix couldn't utter a sound, but internally, she was screaming.

A hand wrapped around her arm, dragging her to the sidelines as the crowd surged around Potter as her fellow Death Eaters fled. Her eyes, though, were locked on her lord's lifeless body. He couldn't be dead. He was immortal. He couldn't die.

But Potter had killed him.

"Bellatrix." Her husband's voice was quiet in her ear. "I'm going to undo the curse, but don't act. We need to take this slowly. We need a plan, and we need to escape the Aurors. We will be of no use to him if we're back in Azkaban."

There was thinly-veiled terror coloring his voice, and Bellatrix would have rolled her eyes at him if she could. But he was right; acting rashly would be pointless. They couldn't avenge the Dark Lord now.

But they would. Oh, they most definitely would.

She was released from the spell. Slowly, she straightened up to face Rodolphus. His face was riddled with cuts and bruises, and that fear was still in his eyes—such a far cry from the man he was on the battlefield. Disgust washed over her.

"We must go," she hissed. Her long nails pierced into his flesh as she gripped his arm. "Get your brother and meet me in the Forbidden Forest. We have much to discuss."

With one last look around the Great Hall, Bellatrix fled from the castle.

The Lestranges owned many properties throughout Europe; some were known to the public, but others weren't. Bellatrix and the Lestrange brothers were hiding out in one of the latter, a small seaside residence in Paris, France.

Word on the street was that the Malfoys had retreated there after the war, too.

Bellatrix walked briskly from room to room, her long, curly hair wild as it fanned out behind her. Her eyes were crazed. She marched into the sitting room where the brothers were and slammed her hands on the table in front of them. Rodolphus flinched; Rabastan did not.

"We've been sitting here, useless, for months," she hissed angrily. "She needs to pay for what she did! And as soon as Narcissa and her family are out of the way" —Bellatrix licked her lips— "we can get the rest of them. We can bring about the world we dreamed of."

Rodolphus regarded her carefully. "Bellatrix, we need to be patient. The Malfoys are out of the public eye, but they are being carefully watched. Any of our usual displays of power and the Aurors will be on us. This needs to be more subtle. This needs to look like an accident."

Both Bellatrix and Rabastan scoffed at that, but Rodolphus was right. If they wanted to succeed, discretion was key.

Still, Bellatrix didn't like it. They weren't supposed to be in the shadows. They were supposed to be front and center. She was supposed to serve the Dark Lord as his right hand, but Potter had ruined those dreams; Narcissa had allowed him to slip through their fingers.

Bellatrix's life had gone downhill since the Dark Lord's demise. But she was going to climb back up no matter how long it took.

"Fine," she spat. "But we need to do this fast."

Rodolphus' smile was sadistic, and she was reminded of why she'd loved him, once. "Let them think they're safe," he purred. "We'll have our revenge soon enough."

Rabastan lounged in his chair, eyeing his brother carefully. He was shorter and stockier than Rodolphus, and wore his hair shorter. He was a fiercer duellist, however, and was considered the brawn to Rodolphus' brains. They made a formidable team.

"Your wife wants to get back at her sister," he said gruffly. "Personally, I think it should be a fairly bloody execution. Lots of pain. Lots of suffering."

Rodolphus raised a brow. "Give me a few days to come up with something," he said mysteriously. "I think I can give you what you want."

Rabastan frowned sharply. "I want Lucius," he growled. "I want to be standing over him when he breathes his last."

Rodolphus looked him straight in the eye. "You will be."

It was too easy, really, to slip into the Malfoys' holiday home. Narcissa hadn't changed many of the wards—did she think she was hidden? Did she think she was protected? Then, a thought came to Bellatrix that nearly made her laugh out loud: did Narcissa think Bellatrix loved her too much to exact revenge?

It was such a weakness, love. But this time, it worked in her favor.

Rodolphus created a brief distraction, giving Rabastan and Bellatrix plenty of time to sneak into the manor. It didn't take long to find the kitchens, and once they did, it was only too easy to pour the vial of potion Rodolphus had concocted into the Malfoys' evening tea.

Bellatrix watched the purple contents disappear into the brown liquid with a smile on her face. She turned to Rodolphus.

"Now we wait."

He nodded. He seemed just as eager as she was for the upcoming events; Bellatrix knew he'd always been jealous of Lucius' position in the Death Eaters' ranks. Soon, they would both get what they deserved.

She let her mind wander to the world she would build. All those Muggles and Mudbloods… they would learn their place. She would complete the mission her love had nearly accomplished.

She would dedicate the world to him.

"I don't understand you." Rabastan's sudden words ripped her from her thoughts. "You gave everything to him and received nothing in return. But all this" —Rabastan waved his hand around— "is for him. Why?"

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed. Still, she answered the question. "His vision of a pure world is one we have longed for for eternity. Those Mudbloods are abominations. The Muggles are worthless. We have the power, but they lord over us still." Her eyes darkened. "Not anymore."

"I know that part." Rabastan turned to face her fully. "Why keep fighting for him? Why not fight for yourself?"

"And what?" she asked, her voice dangerously soft. "Pretend I never fought by his side? Pretend that he was the most noble of us all, the one who brought us closer to glory than anyone had before?" Bellatrix drew herself up to her full height. "Pretending to forget about those days, it's unfair. We would not stand a chance if his war hadn't brought the wizarding world to the brink of destruction. Victory was snatched from his fingers; we are nimble enough to reclaim it from Potter's weak grasp."

Rabastan was silent for a long time. Finally, he murmured, "You are loyal to him, even in death."

Bellatrix inhaled sharply. "Yes."

"It's admirable."

Some of the tension leaked from her shoulders. "It is what's right."

Before Rabastan could respond, the wards Bellatrix had cast alerted them of the approaching house elves. Bellatrix and Rabastan hurried to hide themselves. Bellatrix's lips curled up into a grin. Revenge was so close she could taste it.

They followed the house elves to the dining room under Disillusionment Charms. Bellatrix's eyes immediately locked onto her sister, who was considerably thinner than the last time Bellatrix had seen her. The blonde woman was trying to convince her son—the son she had given up everything for—to eat.

"Draco," Narcissa murmured. "You haven't eaten all day. I'm worried about you."

Draco was looking anywhere but at his mother. "We left England," he replied dully. "We're not fixing our reputation, we're running from it."

"Listen to your mother," Lucius said sharply; Bellatrix heard Rabastan's excited intake of breath. "And we're not running; we're letting the public finish their meltdown before approaching them. It will be an easier transition for everyone that way."

Draco's hands were clenched into fists. Bellatrix watched her nephew with something like pride; it was almost a shame that they had to do away with such a promising youth. "Don't lie to me," he hissed. "I'm not a child anymore, Father."

"No," Lucius retorted sharply, "but you are still my son."

"Lucius, Draco, please." Narcissa's voice sounded pained. "Let's eat our meal. I don't… I don't want a fight tonight." When the house elves placed her meal in front of her, Narcissa didn't even look their way before she raised her teacup.

"To a brighter future," she toasted softly.

The two men echoed her. Bellatrix grinned widely; a brighter future, indeed. How fitting.

It took a mere ten minutes for the potion to take effect.

"Oh, Cissa. You poor fool. You didn't really think you'd gotten away with such a stunt, did you?"

Narcissa's eyes widened when she saw her older sister; Bellatrix relished in her horror. "Leave me alone," the younger woman choked out as she struggled against the effects of the potion. "Leave us alone."

Rabastan was taunting Lucius. Nearby, Draco was groaning for his mother ("Mother, I don't feel so good… Mother. Mum.")

Narcissa was all hers.

"Just remember, Cissa," Bellatrix said softly, cradling her sister's head in her hands. "I didn't cause this." Bellatrix's voice was almost kind. "You did. You did this the moment you betrayed our lord. Now, it's my job to ensure his work is finished."

"No," Narcissa whimpered. "Bella…"

"Everyone dies, Cissa," Bellatrix whispered. "Everyone dies."

She pressed a kiss to her sister's forehead before she went; Rodolphus warned them to vanish before the Aurors arrived on scene, as they surely would once the house elves realized something was amiss.

Bellatrix wasn't worried about that, though; the wizarding world would always blame the inferiors, and an elderly house elf was no exception.

As they left the manor, she felt lighter, more empowered, than she had in a long time.

They were one day closer to destiny.

A/N:

WC: Assorted Appreciation: Shane — (dialogue) "I don't understand you.", (dialogue) "Leave me alone.", (character) Harry Potter

WC: Disney Challenge: Characters 3. Tinker Bell — write about someone with a bad temper

WC: Book Club: Alison Gardner — (relationship) mother, (word) meltdown, (object) teacup

WC: Showtime: 17. Our Last Summer — (setting) Paris

WC: Press Play: 3. (trait) long, curly hair

WC: Liza's Loves: 15. Poison Spray — write about someone being poisoned

WC: Angel's Archives: Dialogue 5. "Pretending to forget about those days, it's unfair."

WC: Scamander's Case: 19. "Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it." - Haruki Murakami

WC: Film Festival: 23. "I didn't cause this."

WC: Marvel Appreciation: 20. "[Name], I don't feel so good."

Seasonal: Mix It Up: Narcissa Malfoy, One Day More

346. Downhill

Insane: 187. (theme) murder

Olympics: Rodolphus Lestrange, Volleyball - Gold - minimum three characters, (word) serve

Fortnightly: Welcome to Jurassic World: 9. (word) abomination

Fortnightly: Sister Love: 6. Bellatrix

Pinata: Medium: Sacred 28