Set In Stone

SET IN STONE

I believe that all of us have been born into a family, and by that family our destiny has been set in stone. I am an infamous Black. Maybe not the most famous of them all, but well known just the same. I made a name for myself back during the first Great War, but before that I was a young girl whose path was still innocent, and whose destiny had not yet shown the ultimate makings of a dark and corrupt woman.

My name is Bellatrix Black. Before I made my way into the highest ranks of the Dark Lord's legions, I was but a young woman with a lust for power that proved more than I could quench. I admit that I may no longer be a morally correct woman, but at one point in time I did have values and something of a conscience. There are many things that can turn a person "evil" through the course of their life, but for me, it was one lucid event that set me on the path and sculpted me in to who I am today. Very few know of this, and those who did have taken it to their grave.

Competition can do horrible things to a person. It can change their entire outlook on life and drive them to incomprehensible depths of jealously and desire. I was one who was obsessed with competition. I strived to be the best, but one person always seemed to snatch it right out from underneath me. It haunted me to no end, not just because he was better than me, but more so because he was my very own blood.

It was the summer after my final year at Hogwarts when my entire family had called for somewhat of a get together between themselves. It included my mother and father, and of course my two sisters. My two cousins and their parents also attended. It was an unusually chilly day for mid summer, and my family's Mansion and the grounds were damp with the evening dew. The older generations of the Black family were inside discussing matters of the wizarding world, while the youngest was forced to congregate outside in the gardens.

We all sat on the benches, among the many thorn bushes of all different colored roses. My eldest sister, Andromeda, was chatting with my loathsome cousin Sirius. He had graduated from Hogwarts as well that past year. How I despised his arrogant, self-assured grin, and the way he defied everything that the good name Black had stood for! He was a disgrace to the name that I had worked so hard to keep great.

"I'm going to go inside and fetch something to drink. Bella, would you like something?" Andromeda asked me as she turned away from Sirius.

"No," I replied.

"Alright then," she said to me, as she turned and began to walk up the path towards the mansion.

'We're going walk the grounds." Narcissa called to me from a distant bench. She had waited until Andromeda was gone in order to ask. Narcissa (just as I did) believed that our older sister was nothing more than a Mudblood lover like Sirius. Narcissa held no respect for her and always came to me for permission to do things. She and Regulus awaited my answer, watching with mild interest as I picked a rose.

"Alright," I said, giving her the nod to show she had my permission.

I watched as they walked out the garden gates. The sunset was showing clearly behind them. The cool night air was beginning to make its presence known

I turned my cold gaze upon my disgraceful cousin and gave him a playful smirk.

"Oh little cousin, it's so nice of you to make friends with my dear Mudblood loving sister. She would fit along perfectly with you." I scoffed at him as I walked over to where he stood, near the white roses.

He raised an eyebrow as he turned to face me. His lips were curled into a grin, as always. I wanted to slap that arrogant grin off his face horribly, but I held back. There were better ways of getting to him.

"Always playing the insufferable bitch, aren't you Bella?" He said, running a casual hand through his shagged black hair.

"There isn't any playing here, Sirius. It's who I am; it's what I'm best at. You should know that by now, dear cousin."

"I know only of your reputation from school - and that it is that of a whore's."

I eyed him dangerously, still holding the thorned red rose I'd picked in my hand. His tongue was considerably sharp tonight.

"Be careful what you say, cousin. There is a war coming, and I have a feeling you shall be on the opposing side. You do not want to face me in battle," I spat, now dropping the rose to the ground beneath me.

He grinned at me broadly this time. His arrogance would be his end, I was sure of it. He then stepped in closer to me and looked me straight in the eyes.

"I have nothing to fear Bella. You and I both know who the greater wizard here is. I'll give you a hint: it's certainly not you," he said dangerously.

I glared treacherously at him. I loathed him more than I had ever anything in my entire life. Every move he made or word he said made me want to hurt him even more. I contemplated for a moment what course of action I could take. I could not believe this arrogant bastard had the nerve to say he was better than me.

On the spur of the moment I came to my decision. I delved into my robes to grab my wand, but found that unfortunately I had been too slow. I felt a cold, thin object being pressed firmly to my chest. Slowly I let my eyes drift back up to his.

He stood in an offensive position, his eyes dark and unwavering. His semi-long hair fell carelessly over his left eye.

"I want you to know that if I desired to, I could kill you right at this very moment, Bella. Remember, I am not like you, but nor am I weak or forgetful. I will not be like every other disgraceful member of this family. I am better than what we have become and I will always be better than you," he spat, pressing his wand even more firmly into my chest. Then slowly he pulled it away and took a step back.

Rage was burning throughout my body. I couldn't believe that a disgrace like him to the pureblood name I held so dear had upped me once again.

"I will kill you, Sirius. I'll kill you even if it's the very last thing I do. I loathe everything about you. One day I will be stronger and better than you are. When that day comes, it will mark the beginning of your last days here in this world," I hissed at him in reply.

He stared at me for a moment. His wand was still raised in a defensive position as if I were going to hex him at any given moment. Then he turned his back and walked away. I watched him go silently, and then later that night I made a decision that forever changed the course of my life.

I chose to take the Dark Mark and become a servant of The Dark Lord. As I said, the thirst for power, competition, and the desire to be the very best often times lead people astray. I am who I have become today, because of that one unmistakable night.

It was the last time I ever talked to my cousin at length.

A few years later I saw him as I was brought into Azkaban and imprisoned indefinitely for the torturing and the resulting insanity of two aurors following my Master's defeat.

Sirius gave me a dark and disdainful glare as I passed by.

In return I whispered to him as I passed his cell, "That day will come, cousin. I will make good on what I said. This, I promise you."

Fourteen years later, in a fight that no doubt will be remembered by generations to come, I dueled and ultimately killed my cousin.

As I said to him before, the day would come when I would be the best and his time would run out. His arrogance, in the end, was his own undoing. His own death.

His destiny was set in stone, and now mine is as well.

As he was, I will be my own destruction.