Ultimate Aphrodisiac

The Ultimate Aphrodisiac

"Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac." - Henry Kissinger

Prologue:

"We are bits of stellar matter that got cold by accident, bits of a star gone wrong." - Sir Arthur Eddington

Toujours Pur.

Bellatrix Black, newly five years old, held high in her father's arms, could understand the letters but not the words. Still she stared, wide-eyed, at the tapestry. There was something utterly captivating about it, the lush black fabric and the sparkling golden threads, but even more than that, the overwhelming aura of importance. Bellatrix felt immediately that she was looking at something vital, something essential to her being.

Orion Black let his daughter be awed by the tapestry for a moment, before saying in his dark voice, "Can you read what it says, Bella?"

She nodded, and reached out to touch the words. "The Noble and Most An-" She paused, sounding the letters out in her mind. Orion waited, and did not help her. "Ancient House of Black," she finished proudly. "I can't read what's under that."

"That's because it's in French. Toujours Pur. Say it."

"Toujours Pur," Bellatrix obediently recited.

"That is our family motto, Bella. It means 'Always Pure.' You come from a very long line of witches and wizards, Bellatrix, and you must never forget that. Remember always that there are no Muggles in the Black line." Bellatrix leaned her head against her father, winding her small arms around his neck. "Our family goes back to the time of Merlin, here-" Orion reached out and touched the first name on the tapestry. "Polaris Black, the founder of our house. And you, my little star," Orion knelt, putting Bellatrix on her feet and pointing to a name at the very bottom of the tapestry, "are all the way down here."

If Bellatrix had been awed before, she was truly impressed to see her own name on so magnificent a thing. Until, at least, something occurred to her strong sense of pride. "But why am I all the way at the bottom?" she asked indignantly.

Orion laughed, which made Bella smile. She loved to hear her father laugh. "Because you are very young, sweeting. It won't always be this way. And see - here are Andromeda and Narcissa," he pointed to names on either side of Bellatrix's, "and your cousins Sirius and Regulus. Someday your children will be on here, beneath your name, and their children, forever and ever."

Bellatrix gazed back up at the tapestry. Polaris's name at the top seemed so very far away now, and Bellatrix felt momentarily overwhelmed, staring up at all those names, as though the spectres of the past were staring down at her, reminding her of their weight and their glittering legacy. 'Do not let us down,' they seemed to say. 'Remember us well.' For the briefest of instants, her child's heart quaked to think of it, but Bellatrix was not a timid girl, and soon she was narrowing her eyes at the tapestry, mentally scolding her ancestors for trying to frighten her.

She was intrigued, though, by the criss-crossing lines and names. Some she could pronounce, and some she couldn't. She recognised some of the last names of the wives who had married into the Black family, or the husbands that daughters of the house had wed. So many names, so many echoes of the past, and her own fate scrawled on there as well. To someone with greater comprehension of the world, it might have been inspiring, or terrifying, but Bellatrix was still a very little girl, and though it fascinated her, she did not understand it, nor why it was so captivating.

Orion let Bellatrix trail her fingers on the tapestry for a moment, then turned the girl to face him, looking seriously into her dark eyes. "Now, listen to me, Bellatrix, because this is very important. Never forget who you are. You are a Black of unparalleled lineage, and as such, you are better than those around you." He touched her under the chin. "Never let anyone make you feel inferior. You are entitled to the world, my little Bella, if you want it. Never forget that. Never forget who you are, and what that means."

And Bellatrix never did.

Chapter One

Spare the Rod

"It is not giving children more that spoils them; it is giving them more to avoid confrontation." - John Gray

Bellatrix Morgause Black had been born on the 13^th of April, 1959, to Orion and Clytemnestra Black. Her older sister, Andromeda, was nearly eight by this point. There had been three sons between the two girls, none of whom had survived past their first weeks. Orion desperately wanted a son and heir, particularly as his younger brother had not yet produced one, but after so many years, he was just grateful for a child who lived. Perhaps for this reason, or perhaps simply because she was charming even as a babe, Orion doted on Bellatrix more than any other member of the family. When Narcissa followed a little over a year later, he hardly paid her any notice. Narcissa was given over to be her mother's daughter, quite fittingly, as the youngest daughter had inherited the fair looks of Clytemnestra Black, nee Greengrass. Bella always belonged to her father.

She did not see much of Andromeda as she grew up, for by the time Bellatrix was old enough to be worthy of notice, Andromeda was in school. She was around for summers and holidays, but even then spent more time with her books than with her relatives. Bellatrix's interactions were mostly with her younger sister and with her two cousins. Though the sons of Procyon Black lived in London, they spent a great deal of time at Ebony Manor, in Cornwall. Bellatrix adored Sirius, who was only eight months her junior, and the two often paired up to torment their younger siblings. Narcissa generally submitted docilely to whatever they imposed on her, but Regulus on occasion fought back. This made Sirius angry, but Bellatrix just considered it better sport. "The victory is sweeter," she would say, "when a fight proves dominance."

On one such afternoon at Ebony Manor, the four children were playing in the gardens as their mothers sat nearby, being fanned by house elves and chatting idly. Clytemnestra was not overly fond of her sister-in-law; Elaine Black had been born a Warrington, and as such had been born with that family's stubbornness, harsh temper, and almost uncouth outspokenness. Clytemnestra though of Elaine as ill-mannered and unladylike. Elaine, for her part, considered Clytemnestra almost frighteningly weak-willed. All the same, they did their best to pretend to get along, especially in front of the children.

It was a sunny day in early summer. Elaine and Clytemnestra sat side by side in well-padded wicker chairs, sipping lemonade. Narcissa was sitting quietly on a patch of grass, flipping through a book of Greek mythology, watching emotionlessly as centaurs, gods, and heroes played out their stories on the page. Nearby, Regulus had a toy wand and was engaged in a spirited quest, defeating any number of dangerous beasts.

Bellatrix and Sirius were plotting.

"No. No, Bellatrix, I am not going to do it!"

And arguing.

"You're such a pansy, Sirius."

"I am not!"

"Think how fun it would be! Him with that silly toy wand, and you could knock him flat on his back!" Bellatrix laughed merrily. "Imagine the look on his face!"

Sirius frowned. "If it was anything else, you know I would. But, Bella, the last time I nicked Mother's wand, she hexed my arse so badly I couldn't sit for days. No. You want to do it so badly, you steal your mother's wand."

Bellatrix turned up her pert little nose with as much haughtiness as an eight-year-old could manage. "Maybe I will."

"Let's see it, then," Sirius dared her, folding his arms across his chest.

"You have to come with me."

"Why?"

"Because you do!" Bellatrix snapped. "C'mon. They won't even notice if we come up from behind."

The two children crawled up behind their mothers, moving as quietly through the dew-damp grass as possible. One of the house elves fanning Elaine saw them, but Bellatrix gave it a sharp look and put a finger over her mouth. It kept quiet.

Bellatrix alone crawled close enough to reach her mother's wand, which she could see in its belt sheath. She was reaching out for it, moving very slowly, when the sound of her own name made her pause.

"I wonder where Bellatrix and Sirius have gotten off to," Clytemnestra said. Bellatrix looked over her shoulder at Sirius; yes, he had heard it, too. They both had pride in their eyes, pleased with their own cleverness.

"Probably off tormenting a Kneazle or something," Elaine said, not sounding the least bit concerned.

Clytemnestra sighed. "They do get into such trouble, don't they?"

"Ahh, they're just spirited. It's admirable." Bellatrix and Sirius grinned at each other, but the smiles faded at Elaine's next words. "It's why they're going to make such a splendid couple." Both children went wide-eyed, looking first at each other and then at their mothers in surprise. "They're really wonderfully well-matched."

Clytemnestra sighed. "I still think it should be Narcissa. Bellatrix is older than Sirius..."

"Oh, only by a few months. And we're certainly not going to risk your traits getting passed down to the heirs of the line." Elaine resituated her self in her seat, and Bellatrix froze, hoping not to be sighted. Her luck held. "Imagine if they turned out a passel of blonds. No, we'll preserve the traditional looks with those two. Strengthen the bloodline."

Bellatrix, had she looked, would not have been surprised to see her mother frowning. But her mind was entirely occupied with processing what Elaine had said. "I suppose so," Clytemnestra said, in a resigned voice that indicated she disapproved but would not fight. It was a tone Clytemnestra used often.

"And the children will be fine and spirited, just like they both are." Bellatrix couldn't help but look back at Sirius. The thought of them having children together was... bizarre. She only had a vague conception of what one had to do to get children, but from what little she knew, she couldn't imagine doing it with Sirius.

Sirius looked just as bewildered as Bellatrix felt. He gestured for her to come away, but she shook her head resolutely. She had come with a purpose and wasn't leaving without her goal achieved, regardless of any disturbing revelations. Blocking out Elaine's continued prattling, she reached up behind her mother, moving very slowly so as not to attract attention, and wrapped her fingers deftly around the handle of Clytemnestra's wand. Clytemnestra, who was fending off Elaine's increasingly brutal conversation, did not notice as Bellatrix slipped the wand from its sheath then, with it clutched in her hand, crept back to Sirius.

Once out of hearing range of Elaine and Clytemnestra, Sirius and Bellatrix stood and broke into a run, not stopping until they had rounded to the opposite side of the gardens, in the shadow of the orchard. Then they collapsed on the grass, panting heavily.

"I can't believe... you actually got it..." Sirius said.

"Teach you... to doubt me..." Bellatrix replied.

They were quiet for a moment, under the auspices of catching their breath, but the inevitable could only be avoided for so long. Eyes met, black on grey, and Sirius let out a nervous chuckle, dragging a hand through his hair. "So... ah... that was weird, huh?"

Bellatrix managed a shaky grin. "Yes... weird." Bellatrix had always known, of course, that one day she would grow up and be married, but it had never occurred to her to wonder to whom, or even to think that her parents might already have begun choosing her husband. What healthy eight year old could possibly waste her time thinking on that?

"They weren't... they weren't serious, were they?" Sirius asked, still looking nervous.

Bellatrix blinked a few times. "Weren't they?" A long silence. "It wouldn't be that strange," she said. "Our grandparents were cousins." Bellatrix had made great study of the golden-threaded tapestry, and by now could easily recite ten generations. Her goal was to memorise all the way back to Polaris.

"I guess..."

Neither of the two were ever comfortable long considering anything that troubled them, and so Bellatrix made a change of the subject, saying, "C'mon. Let's go give Regulus the scare of his life." She stood, brushing off her pale blue play gown, and offered a hand to help Sirius up.

Pulling himself to his feet and using her hand for balance, Sirius said, "Your dress is filthy."

She glanced down at her clothing, which was indeed grass-stained and slightly damp now. Then she looked at him. "Well, your shirt and breeches aren't any better." Bellatrix sighed. "Mother's going to have a fit. She hates it when I get dirty. Oh well!" Her voice was bright as she tossed her disheveled black curls over her shoulder. "If I'm going to be in trouble, I might as well deserve it. Let's go find Reggie."

They rounded the garden again. Narcissa was still reading, Regulus was still mock-dueling, and Clytemnestra was still looking pained at her conversation with Elaine. When Regulus saw Bellatrix, he decided to fight her instead of the troll he'd been dealing with, ultimately not a wise choice on his part. "On your guard, villain!" he yelled, pointing his toy wand at her.

Bellatrix grinned maliciously, and produced Clytemnestra's wand. It was much too long for her small fingers, but light and thin. She gave it an experimental twirl, which was surprisingly satisfying. Regulus jabbed with his wand, which emitted a burst of harmless purple sparks. Bellatrix laughed cruelly, and swung her mother's wand in an arc, crying out, "Reducto!"

A bolt of red light erupted from the wand, and Regulus was knocked off his feet, flying backwards and crashing to the ground. As he howled, more in surprise and indignation than pain, Bellatrix and Sirius dissolved into thrilled laughter. "Let me try, let me try!" Sirius insisted.

"No!" Bellatrix said sharply. "You were too afraid to get the wand, you don't get to play with it." She raised the wand to try another spell on Regulus, but her wrist was held fast and a sharp smack dizzied her.

"Bellatrix, no! How did you get that?" Regulus's bellowing had attracted the attention of the mothers, and as Elaine had gone to comfort her son, Clytemnestra went to deal with Bellatrix. "You know better! What did you think you were doing?" She tried to pry her wand from Bellatrix's grip, but when her daughter would not relinquish it, Clytemnestra boxed her ears. Bellatrix released the wand and fell to the grass, howling.

"I was just playing! I didn't even hurt him! It's not my fault you didn't notice when I took it!" Clytemnestra popped her across the face, which only made her scream louder. Narcissa, upset by all the noise, clapped her hands over her ears and tried to ignore them all. When Clytemnestra raised her hand to strike Bellatrix again, Sirius moved to defend her and wound up taking the blow.

Bellatrix, in the meantime, went into a full-blown tantrum. She flung herself on her stomach, kicking her legs and pounding her fists on the grass, shrieking as loud as she could. "It's not fair! It's not fair! I didn't even hurt him!" Clytemnestra was in a fury, and tried to grab Bellatrix, wanting desperately to shake her, but whichever way she moved, Sirius shifted to block her.

"Stop it! Stop it, Sirius!" Clytemnestra said, in a thin, angry voice.

"What in hell is going on here?"

At the thundering voice, all other noise stopped. Even Bellatrix let her howls die down to sniffles, but remained on the ground, with her head buried in her arms. Only when Orion stalked past Clytemnestra and Sirius and knelt by her, touching her hair softly, did she sit up. With a theatric whimper, she looped her arms around her father's neck and let him pick her up.

"Someone answer me," Orion growled threateningly.

"She stole my wand," Clytemnestra said, pointing accusingly at Bellatrix. "She hexed Regulus."

Orion jostled Bellatrix. "Is that true?"

She nodded at first, then shook her head. "I did take her wand, but I didn't hex Reggie, I only knocked him over. I didn't hurt him!"

Orion ran his thumb over her cheek, brushing aside a tear. "What spell did you use?"

"Reducto. I read it in a book."

Orion smiled gently. A few feet away, Elaine was clasping Regulus to her, watching in amazement at how the tiny girl so completely manipulated this strong man, the head of the House of Black. "You're a very clever girl, Bellatrix. Don't you ever forget that." He set Bellatrix down, ruffling her hair, and strode towards Clytemnestra. She was trembling, able to see the rage brewing in his eyes now that his attention was not on his beloved daughter. The famous Black temper lashed out, and though Orion was still several feet from her, Clytemnestra reeled as though struck. Only then did Bellatrix notice that her father had taken his wand out. Clytemnestra did not cry out, but put a hand to her cheek and averted her eyes from him. "Don't you ever hit that child again, Clytemnestra," he ordered. "She's intelligent and creative, and I'll not have you strangling her spirit." Clytemnestra still did not respond in any way. Bellatrix stared in awe at her father, admiring his strength and his command, secure in her own confidence that he would never turn the fire in his nature against her. She felt Sirius come up from behind her and press her hand, but she no longer needed the comfort. "Do you hear me, Clytemnestra?"

"Yes, Orion," Clytemnestra said, in a very small voice.

"Good." After turning only slightly to glance at his daughter once more, Orion stalked off back towards the house. Clytemnestra staggered back a few steps and collapsed in her chair. Elaine, not hiding a superior look very well, gave Regulus a final comforting hug, and went back to sit by Clytemnestra, a smug smile on her lips. Regulus gave Bellatrix and Sirius a dark, sulky look, and wandered off, trudging his feet. Narcissa was still placidly reading.

Bellatrix felt a tug on her hand, and realised that Sirius was trying to lead her off. Still holding his hand, she broke into a run, and Sirius quickened his pace to keep up with her. They darted into the gardens, finally coming to a rest on a stone bench by a fountain of lilacs.

"I think your father is scarier than my mother," Sirius said.

"I think he's magnificent," Bellatrix said proudly.

"Well, sure. In a really scary way."

"I want to be just like him. Only a girl." Bellatrix smiled, twirling a finger in her hair. "Everyone listens to him. Everyone's afraid of him. It's brilliant."

Sirius looked at his cousin, her dark eyes glittering with aspiration, and said, "I think you will be."

Bellatrix nudged him with her shoulder. "Don't you want to be listened to, Sirius? I think it must be fantastic to be that important."

With a shrug, Sirius replied, "Whatever makes you happy, Bellatrix."

There was a small silence. Bellatrix twirled a lock of hair about her finger, stroking the silky threads. Sirius plucked a leaf from the hedge behind them and stripped the green from the veins, then rolled the skeleton left behind between his thumb and forefinger. Then Bellatrix said, "You let my mother hit you, Siri."

"I did," Sirius said, still toying with the remnants of the leaf.

"Why?" When he only shrugged, she poked him in the arm. "Tell me why."

"Because she shouldn't hit you. Your father was right about that."

Bellatrix lifted her little chin slightly, affecting an imperious voice. "I don't need you to protect me, you know."

"I would never think you need protecting, Bella," Sirius sincerely replied. Then he dropped the leaf, and grinned over at his cousin. "But I'll do it anyway."

When Bellatrix returned the smile and looped her arms around him, they looked so alike: dark hair, healthy complexions, identical twists to their lips. Their eyes were different colours, but both sets were framed by thick lashes. Bellatrix was thinking that it was nice, to be able to make someone fight for you even when you could do it yourself perfectly well. Sirius was thinking how glad he was Bellatrix was proud of him for shielding her. "Will you always, Sirius?"

"Yes."

"Even though I don't need it?"

"Always."

Laughing, Bellatrix tossed her curls, then leapt up from the bench and started running. Sirius followed, eager to see what new adventure she was charging towards. Both had already forgotten, as children are want to do, the conversation they had overheard earlier, their minds turned to simpler and immediate topics.