Saying Goodbye to the Light

[Bellatrix Black]

Lord Voldemort  Christine Montgomery

Slow and steady wins the race, and Bellatrix certainly felt as though she had gone slow enough. She had sought out the scared, the downtrodden, and the victims and seduced them into believing they could make a difference in the world. Some of them, like Christine, showed promise and Bellatrix was not being insincere when she told them they could affect the wizarding world in a positive way. Others were simply fillers, easily brought to their cause but showing no real skill; the pawns that would not be mourned when they died for the mission.

She had written to her master and arranged a meeting with her recruits. Bella's methods were to gain each witch or wizard's trust, test their potential by teaching them a few new spells and pushing further into the Dark Arts, and above all she made each one feel special. To that end, it wouldn't do to have the Dark Lord meet with everyone she had gathered all at once. She divided them into small groups, more intimate by all appearances, and introduced them to the "friend" she had spoken so highly of over these past months.

She arrived early, before any of her recruits, to speak with her true love. Her Dark Master.

"My Lord," she cooed as she approached and knelt before him.

[Lord Voldemort]

They were alone, and therefore it was easy to indulge the young girl.

"My precious Bella..." he called in a low cadence. He brought the back of his hand to her face, his knuckles feeling the warmth of her cheek.

"I trust you have something for me?"

[Bellatrix Black]

She let her eyes shut lightly at his touch, reveling in his intimate gesture. These instances were rare; he only allowed himself to show her affection when they were alone. She understood the need for secrecy and savored these moments whenever they occurred. But as always there was business to attend to and she did not begrudge him asking for her news.

"I do, my Lord. I have three today. They are most promising, I assure you."

[Lord Voldemort]

He nodded, "It would not be difficult to surpass that which you have already recommended." he said reminding her of the lesser offerings she had brought thus far. Entitled brats. Desperate lowlifes. There was no passion in any of them, no fire to burn through, too many weaknesses to extort, and therefore too weak to really be of use.

[Bellatrix Black]

Bellatrix looked to the floor, ashamed. "My lord, I beg your forgiveness. The Ministry has been asking questions, it has been difficult to work without exposing us."

It was a feeble defense, but an accurate one. The cause was at stake, and to a lesser degree so too was Bellatrix's family's honor and safety.

[Lord Voldemort]

He shrugged, "Even the basest of creatures may have their use." he said pleasantly enough thinking of the werewolf pack he had recently begun negotiations with. They were largely brutish creatures who felt displaced in the world. It was easy to manipulate them to his own cause.

Bella was surprisingly turning out to be an asset in her own right, her loyalty and absolute devotion was rejuvenating. He could be softer with her in private without appearing soft and risking losing her respect. He could also be unseasonably cruel towards her when it suited his mood and not drive her away.

"And it would not due to bring unwanted attention upon our heads, you are doing well Bella."

[Bellatrix Black]

She felt a cool shiver run down the length of her arms as he called her "Bella". It was not an uncommon nickname to her ear, but the familiarity it represented on his tongue was exhilerating. A sensual smile grew on her lips at his compliment.

"Thank you, master. I will always do my best to please you."

[Lord Voldemort]

"Of this, I am well aware." he assured her, "Now, bring me your pupils so that I might discern for myself their use."

He wasn't expecting to be impressed with any of the recruits, he never was impressed with the young ones. There had been a few exceptions from prominent names, but otherwise no one of real worth.

When he was their age he had already mastered so much, and he had the ambition to match. These children were nothing but fools and pawns.

[Bellatrix Black]

Bella was certain he would see the same promise in Christine that she saw. The girl was bold and determined, but most importantly Christine was adamant about not becoming a victim again. That fiery passion made her blind to what she might otherwise have recognized as a dark path.

"Yes, my lord," she cooed as she bowed low to the floor. Her face was only a few inches away from his robes, causing her heart to skip a beat. When she rose she turned swiftly and moved to retrieve the best of her prospects.

"I think you'll find he's really an amazing man," she said as she approached Christine. "The most powerful wizard of our day, history will soon acknowledge that! And he could not have come at a better time. So much turbulence in the world..." Her sentence drifted off into the ether as she shook her head at the state of the country.

Hiding from lesser beings. Mixing with mudbloods. Allowing savages into our community. Lord Voldemort was never more meeded than he was right now.

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine didn't see the display Bella had made in honoring Voldemort. It would have been a dead give away that the butterflies going off in Christine's stomach were telling her to run away. Instead she chalked it up to nerves. Bella had spoken so highly of Voldemort and Christine didn't want to make a poor impression.

She entered the dark room and stepped into the light. She couldn't see him at first, her eyes needed to adjust. She couldn't see Bella for that matter either.

"H-Hello?" she asked, not frightened, but uncertain.

[Lord Voldemort]

A Montgomery? His eyes widened a small amount in surprise. How spectacular. And not just any Montgomery, but the darling adventurer. The one who so recently escaped this so called serial killer.

"Come in my dear." he practically purred. His voice was strong, smooth, confident, but non-threatening.

[Bellatrix Black]

It was Christine's run in with the serial killer that had drawn Bellatrix's attention. She fought with herself in order to obey her master's command to pay the savage no mind as he was nothing compared to the terror her Dark Lord was. But everyone in the whole of wizarding Britain was focused on this M and Bella did not like that her love's image was viewed by the media as nothing more than background noise in his presence.

Bellatrix's heels clicked on the stone floor as she stepped nearer Christine. "Christine Montgomery," she introduced her new "friend" with a proud smile.

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine glanced between Bella, who she could see now, and Bella's 'friend.

"Greetings." he said simply, his eyes were soft nonthreatening, his voice was silky and confident. There was an air of sophistication surrounding him, and an underlying aura of power, lots of power.

"Hello." she repeated tentatively with a smile. Her heart did a small flutter, he was a handsome man, much older than even her tastes, but still.

[Bellatrix Black]

Bellatrix adopted the casual mannerisms that she normally displayed around any of her recruits, something Christine would feel more at ease with. It was difficult for Bella, being so loyal and subservient (only to Him), not to address him properly and bow in a graceful, sweeping manner to show her respect and reverence for the man. He truly was awe inspiring in every possible way. She could see that Christine noticed too, to a certain degree.

Next, Bella introduced the other two prospects she had acquired. The first was a witch no more than 17 with frizzy red hair and a thick Scottish accent. The second was a wizard Bellatrix had attended school with; he was nothing special to look at but had a heart as black as onyx. Bella was sure both would make fine additions to their ranks, though they did not show the near lustful desire to learn that Christine exhibited.

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine knew captivating men. She had been in the presence of kings and businessmen, warriors and dark wizards, but there was something about the man in front of her that stood out and it made her a little breathless, even a little excited. When he spoke she listened, they all listened.

"I'm sure we will all become much better acquainted over the weeks to come." he said confidently, his eyes lingered on Christine a bit longer. She was the prize of the three, indeed Bella had done well.

[Bellatrix Black]

If Lord Voldemort was pleased with Bellatrix's recruit simply for her name and stature, wait until he saw what she could do. Christine was a quick study and eager to learn when it came to what Bellatrix was calling "protective spells and hexes". Dark Magic that was more often used for torture and and depravity than for protecting one's self against drunken attackers on the street. Playing toward Christine's insecurities as well as her desire to prove herself was all too easy at times.

Bella approached Voldemort carefully toeing the line between faithful servant and dear friend so as not to arouse suspicions from any of her recruits while proving her loyalty to the Dark Lord. "Fiona here," she said, gesturing to the redheaded witch, "is a whiz with memory and security charms. And what Arnold lacks in wand work, he makes up for in brute strength and conviction." Bella smiled at each one in turn. Then she faced Christine and gave a comforting look which didn't seem to fit properly on Bella's cold face. "And Christine has shown great skill in nearly every sort of protective spell imaginable. After her...ordeal," she said gently, not wanting to talk about Christine as if she weren't there while also attempting to convey the severity of her time with the serial killer known as M. "She is more aware than most on how dangerous society is becoming while being left unchecked by those who claim power." The Ministry was doing very little in the name of wizarding purity, which was absurd considering they were sworn to protect and serve the greater good of the wizarding world.

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine looked at the two other 'recruits' with almost speculation. She had never met the other two and as far as she knew Bella was only training her. There were alarms going off, but she was too curious to pull away, particularly when Bella's friend eyed her with keen interest. She stood a little straighter feeling as though she were being scrutinized.

His intense stare passed soon onto the others though with considerably less interest. He was pleasant. While Bella's other offerings had been brought in, in groups, he would have preferred to meet with these individuals one on one to truly ascertain their potential.

"It is my pleasure to meet you all, but enough Bella. Truly, these are guests, not prize horses." they were indeed prize horses for Voldemort. He wanted to assess their skills and abilities, but he did not gain the followers he had by rousing speeches and beliefs alone. He was a master manipulator, and it would require a different tactic to win these recruits, it would take finesse, manipulation, and leverage.

[Bellatrix Black]

Bella's gaze lowered but she remained composed as her master politely scolded her. Her only desire was to make him happy but in her eagerness she had overshot her mark. The previous groups she had brought in, well, most of them were too daft to recognize that they were merely cattle being marched to slaughter. This group was different and she should have treated them as such.

Bellatrix turned and opened her mouth to apologize to Lord Voldemort, but caught herself and continued the charade as she eloquently changed the direction of her gaze to three prospects. "My apologies. Sometimes I get a little swept up in formalities; blame that on my parents," she said with a hint of a laugh.

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine stayed silent, she was observant while he interacted with the other two 'recruits' and actually went to talk to Bella.

"I didn't know this was an interview." she said a little uncertain. She was grateful for Bella's instruction, but she wasn't exactly looking to join a group. Meeting a teacher, someone who could take her further than Bella could, since in truth she was already moving beyond the spells Bella had given her to learn. She felt powerful, capable, but she could sense Voldemort's power was significantly greater. Somewhere, in a place she wasn't even quite aware of, she thirsted for that power.

[Bellatrix Black]

Bella laughed lightly. "An interview? Merlin, no. But he's a very busy man, I only thought this would make things easier on him. I suppose I should have mentioned..."

"Not to worry. He has a way of seeing a person's true potential and I can tell that he sees yours. He will be a far better teacher than I could ever be."