Midnight Moon

There was mist all around; in the grounds and in the trees, and stretching down towards the little town that lay not half a mile off. There was a dampness in the air; a dampness that was bittersweet but so haunting. The silver moon gazed down upon the tall house even though little of its light penetrated the grey clouds that loomed in its way. A soft breeze drifted through the dying trees that lingered ever in the garden of death. So it seemed, as the house nor garden had not been cleaned or fixed up for many years. There was a strange hollowness of the house itself. Tall and of great marble, it was built. Its tall windows were frightening to look at in case somebody looked out. While many people may find the house interesting a great deal more found it disturbingly creepy.

Up on the tallest of the three storeys was a large window was stretched across a third of the wall. The window was patterned with roses and evil thorns making the place seem more like the castle from Beauty and the Beast. Although it was far from that. Kneeling on the window seat looking out of the window was a dark shadowy figure that had not moved since 8pm when they had first come to sit upon this comfortable seat. The shadow that this figure cast upon the room was tall but thin like the figure itself but creepier.

Bellatrix Anne Lestrange stared wonderingly out of the window thinking. Her long black hair ran down her back like a river of tar although it was silky and sleek. Her black hooded eyes stared ahead of her. In her hands she clutched a green book although it was not yet closed held only open by a cold finger separating the cover and blurb. She stayed still like a statue for a moment letting the darkness of night wash over her.

A clap of thunder sounded and Bellatrix blinked for a moment before turning back to her book. She re-opened it and began to read the next page. Somehow she couldn't get into the book so she closed the book with a slam and let it drop to the floor. She moved her feet off the cushioned window seat and sat with her feet resting against the cold floor. She sighed deeply and got to her feet.

She left the library for now and headed downstairs to where her husband lay sleeping in their room. As she reached the second floor she glided over to the entrance to their room her black gown billowing slightly. She opened the door and saw her husband asleep. She smiled and turned away. Now that it was night she couldn't sleep. She was like a bat. At least that's what Lucius and Rodolphus liked to say about her. She crept down the stairs slowly until she got to the ground floor. There were no rugs here and the cold wooden floor made her shiver but that is what she liked.

She tiptoed towards the living room slightly pushing the door open tentatively. Satisfied that there was no one in there she entered. The room was rather grand despite years of neglect but it still bore vestiges of great beauty. A bit like her, she thought, tugging at her long black hair. There were comfortable chairs everywhere and above her was a chandelier. A huge fireplace lay before her and she stepped towards it carefully. The fire was raging and as soon as she stepped in front of it she felt its warmth enter her body. Kneeling down she felt the softness of a bear rug warm her toes. She relaxed her shoulders and leant her head on her shoulder staring into those wild, dangerous and unpredictable flames.

There were times when she wanted to turn into fire and be as unpredictable as she liked but then she would remember her duties as a wife and a Death Eater. Sometimes juggling the two was far too hard but Bellatrix had been brought up in a society where she had been forced to attend endless boring parties each time on a different gentlemen's arm displayed as nothing but a trophy. Bellatrix was not that. She was her own person despite her marriage. The marriage between her and Rodolphus had been arranged at first by their parents.

But then they had grown to love each other and Bellatrix wished that she could be this content a while. She knew that there was a void in her marriage. There was something missing and she knew what that was. She could almost feel the bundle in her arms and the sound of its little heartbeat beating against her own. She could almost feel her belly swell and she could almost feel it kick. She could almost feel a child inside her even though she knew there wasn't much chance putting out hope. She pulled her knees closer.

Bellatrix thought of her sisters; Narcissa and Andromeda. Narcissa had a son called Draco and Andromeda, a daughter named Nymphadora. A ridiculous name to be sure but at least she had a daughter. Bellatrix didn't think much of Draco either but at least Narcissa had a son. Bellatrix felt a failure at not producing an heir for Rodolphus.

Finally in the dead of night, Bellatrix let herself fall into tears and grief and despair.