Stupid Mistakes... or Maybe Not

Stupid Mistakes...or Maybe Not

Chapter 1: Stupidity of the Dark Lord

His voice swept through the barren room like a chilling gust of wind. In fact, Bellatrix suspected that every time the Dark Lord spoke, Wormtail or someone lowly in the back behind his chair was making gusts of chilling winds Either way, she would have to bring a thicker cloak next time she came.

"I have called you here not for any mission." Bella breathed a sigh of relief. Too many missions, she was ageing faster than her brother in law, who, sitting across the rooms, in his black robes and newly combed blonde hair, looked fairly young.

"I have called you here, since you are my wiliest and quickest agents, to do a spot of quick thinking with me." With me. Those were the key words, anytime his Death Eaters spoke what they had thought of themselves, rounds of Crucio were imminent.

"We need a Muggle spy." Bella frowned. Muggles were totally unreliable, their only good quality was the fact they did anything out of greed or the lust for power. She doubted any Muggle would fulfill the Dark Lord's wishes. She felt this was rather stupid of him to even consider having a Muggle spy.

"Unfortunately for us, Muggles are disposable." Bellatrix was puzzled. The Dark Lord was never this stupid. Of course Muggles were disposable, that's what made them such handy tools. Like, well like dogs, doing anything for a scrap of meat, but then dying before they get it. She chuckled softly at the perfect analogy her mind had thrown out to her.

"We need someone reliable, not disposable, as all Muggles are. We need someone who will give me the proper information, and then will not have to be killed, but can be used again, to gain more information through, ah, connections he or she might have acquired." Bella could hardly agree. Who gives one about the relationship of the connections! Just get the Muggle spy some nice, fat, throwaway connections, let him run a race with it, and shoot him before he crosses the finish line! Bella was about to speak up when a thought crossed her mind. Did it have to be a real Muggle? Gathering her courage, she straightened slightly from her bow and spoke.

"Master, should it have to be a real Muggle? You may pick one of your servants to dress up as Muggles, and let him lose to get the information." Bella bowed lower, hoping that might impact the decision.

"No, no Lestrange. This is exactly how we lost the young Black! Don't let anyone know what we are going to do till they have to do it. Puts a lot more pressure on them, Lestrange." Bella snorted. There were only two people in the room, herself and Malfoy, and both of them were smart enough to know who the other was.

"Sir, what if we use a child wizard? One who does not know anything?" The Dark Lord looked exasperated once more.

"Who here is able enough to do this? None of my close to worthless servants have children..." As he trailed off, Bella suppressed a snort, rolled her eyes and jerked her cloaked head toward Malfoy. "You, yes you, Malfoy. Your son." Bella smiled inwardly as she saw Lucius sputter with indignation.

"My son? What does he have to do with it? He's a perfectly normal kid, goes to Hogwarts, likes Quidditch..." Bella's inwards smile grew broader. Lucius was being stupid now. The Dark Lord would jump for a servant inside the realm of that Muggle-loving fool, Dumbledore. Lucius was setting his son up for downfall, with a blindfold securely around his eyes. The Dark Lord interjected with another smooth bout of conversation.

"Yes, inside his powerhouse." She dared not ask who 'he' was. "Very well then, Malfoy. Your son shall meet me at the moon at the Hogwarts lake at the stroke of midnight. If he fails to come, it will place a black mark on his record and yours. If he does come, it will be his first step in entering my broad realm. Both of you may go now." Bella bowed one last time, and with her back bent, headed out the door backwards, as a sign of respect to the Lord. Lucius on the other hand wasn't as grateful as she was; he rose and swept out the door. He barely made it past the threshold before Bella saw him crumple, and the Dark Lord spoke.

"Et tu, Malfoy." Malfoy shot a hateful glare at Bella, then left the room the same way she had. She wound her way through the dark tunnel, heels clicking on the stone floor, and was about to open the door and step into the dreaded light, when the concealed door opened suddenly and Severus stepped inside. Bella opened her mouth to reprimand him for almost knocking her over, when Lucius sped by her, a blur of black, silver and blond, and pinned Snape to the wall. He showed no sign of fear.

"Snape." Lucius hissed, apparently livid at the man. " You gave my son detention last week, did you not?" Snape did not respond but stood there, and then started moving very slowly. Bella stood there, still open-mouthed and watched Snape gently slide Malfoy's hands off his shoulders and slowly, as if he was not at all angry or ticked off, placed his hands on Lucius' shoulders and pinned him to the opposite wall. Malfoy's face was in shock, here was a junior (well technically, since his life was in jeopardy with the Dark Lord) Death Eater, harassing a senior one.

"I do believe I did. You wish to challenge my authority?" In the dim light, Bella could see the older man's face turn red, which happened to be a rather fetching color on him. But now it was red for all the wrong reasons. Draco Dormiens Nunquam Tittilandus. Wasn't that the motto of the freak school he taught at? Never tickle a sleeping dragon, if Bella remembered correctly. Unfortunately for Severus, that's exactly what he was doing. But he seemed to know it, and handle it quite nicely.

"I wish, not to challenge your authority, but-" Malfoy gulped, and Bella, whistled in surprise. The shorter man had acquired some gung-ho over the summer, and now could use it flawlessly, making Lucius Malfoy, of all people uncomfortable. Both were shocked.

"Must I remind you, Mr. Malfoy, that it's my school, not yours anymore. You have no right to speak to me like that. If you want to know what happened, ask your son. I'm sure he'll gladly tell you." Snape let go of the astonished wizard, and walked into the he Dark Lord's inner chambers. Bella smiled at the expression on Lucius' face after that admirable exchange.

"Let's go Mr. Malfoy." She stated, holding her arm out to him. "I'm sure there's a son wanting to know what the Dark Lord said to you. The full moon is tomorrow night."

"What! It's Hallow's Eve tomorrow too, right?" Bella nodded in surprise the archaic use of the more common word Halloween. "Damn! Bella, you idiot, we've got to tell Draco!" He grabbed her hand, and attempted to pull her through the concealed gateway, but she stood there, unmoving.

"We? No, I've got to go." And Bella Apparated, leaving a very stunned Lucius Malfoy to lance a very icy glare at the spot she had just vacated, before striding out the door, into the warm morning breeze.