The Last Horcrux/Lestrange Manor/Talk to Bellatrix
You decide that it is time to talk to Bellatrix again. You know that you could summon her to you, as she bears the Dark Mark still, but that would summon all who serve you, which would attract suspicion. Instead, you decide to activate the locket that Emily has, to make her aunt Bella aware that she needs her.
You place your hands around the locket and think of Bellatrix. She won’t be able to apparate straight to you, but may arrive at the gatehouse or in the manor grounds instead. You wait for a few moments to see what happens.
You hear a small knock at your bedroom door, and go to answer it. Your house-elf, Servus, is stood on the other side of your door, looking up at you.
“Miss Emily,” he begins, “your aunt Bellatrix wishes to speak to you, in the drawing room fireplace.”
“Is she not going to come here?” you ask him.
“Miss Emily would have to ask Bellatrix that herself,” Servus replies, “Miss Bellatrix was in a noisy room, with people speaking French. Miss Bellatrix is in Paris again most likely.”
You walk down the grand staircase of Lestrange Manor and make your way to the Drawing Room. Normally, at the end of the summer, the fire would not be burning, but it has flared up to allow Bellatrix to talk to you. She can’t actually travel to you this way, due to the enchantments on the house, but you can converse easily enough. When you enter the Drawing room, you can see Bellatrix face made entirely out of flames, burning away in the fireplace. From the sounds of things, she is in a noisy French tavern.
“Oh Emily!” Bellatrix says excitedly, speaking entirely in French, “Don’t you look wonderful! Are you excited about starting Hogwarts next week?”
“No,” you reply, finding that Emily is as fluent in French as Bellatrix, but then you wonder what you are saying, “well, yes, of course I am. I wanted to speak to you though. Can’t you come here?”
“Well,” Bellatrix replies, looking perhaps a little concerned, “I can if you really want me to of course, but I’m still shopping for some of the things you asked me to get you. I’m in Le Place Cachée, you asked for enchanted clothing, but it’s much easier to get enchanted Jewellery, that way you’re always protected, no matter what you wear. I’d need to be with you to help you buy some clothes of course, but I have told T and Ts to expect you and left a line of credit…”
“Yes, yes,” you say, impatiently, “I’ve already been there…”
“Oh good my love,” I’m glad you can get some enchanted clothing, those beastly boys at Hogwarts can be so mean with their jinxes. I do want you to be safe.”
You find that although you can understand Bellatrix just fine, it’s harder to say what you want to say. Emily can find the words easily enough, but when you talk in French it’s a bit like you have to tell her to say the words, instead of just using her mouth to speak them yourself.
“Can you speak English Bella?” You ask her.
“Oh I could,” she says, continuing in French, “but there are some nosy English tourists here, and you never know who could overhear. I’ve arranged the other things you wanted. Did you get to speak to your uncle yet?”
You can only smile at that. Your uncle being Lucius Malfoy.
“I’ve also been looking for the young man you asked about. It’s been very hard to find the right one, even though Paris is full of men,” Bellatrix laughs as if she were saying the funniest thing in the world. “You do have very high standards though. I have met a nice young man, a year older than you. Are you sure you want to go to Hogwarts and not to Beauxbatons instead? The French Lestranges would love you to go there…”
“No Bellatrix,” you interrupt, “I’ve told you I’m going to Hogwarts.”
“Well, you won’t need the young man’s body just yet then!” She laughs scandalously. “You are naughty girl asking me to play matchmaker like this. Would you like to meet him at Christmas perhaps? Your great aunt would love to see you.”
“Perhaps,” you say, realising what she means.
“So, the jewellery, I have had a Ring of Protection made for you, very powerful, c’est fantastique!”
Bella holds her hand up toward you, and you see a fiery image of a plane silver ring in her hand, of two snakes intertwined, with red rubies for eyes.
“I will have your great-aunts House Elf deliver it to Servus. You should have it just before you go to Hogwarts. A powerful Protego, body and mind.”
“Thank you Aunty Bella,” you say, making your voice sound more girlish and innocent, “I wish I could see you before I go to Hogwarts, can’t you come to see me?”
“Oh I wish I could my sweet,” she says, “but I am a little tied up here. I need to run some errands for the mother of the young man I was telling you about.”
“What’s his name?” You ask with faux excitement.
“Ah that would be telling!” Bella replies, “I want to make it a surprise for you. My dear, it is so wonderful to see you growing up so fast and going to Hogwarts, if you really need me, just summon me and I will be there, but I need ti find some more of our most esteemed friends here really.”
“I understand,” you say, and you do understand, “Oh wait, one more thing. I went to Gringott’s but the damn Goblins wouldn’t let me see my vault. They said you had to be there too. Is everything ok and safe in there?”
“The vault?” Bellatrix replies, raising an eyebrow, “Yes, it will be fine, the goblins guard things well, too well if they won’t let you in. When I am next in London we can check it, together if you like. Did you need anything in particular? They will let you withdraw money of course.”
“No, not money,” you say, “I wanted to know if my favourite cup was still in there?”
“Oh, the one that belonged to your ancestor?” Bellatrix plays along wonderfully, “what was her name, Harriet, Harmony? I know it began with an H. Anyway, yes, it is there along with all our other treasures. I know you love that cup with all your heart and soul. Don’t worry my sweet, your favourite cup is safe.”
“That is good,” you tell her, smiling.
“Au revoir my little love,” Bellatrix says, blowing you a kiss, “I will see you at Christmas. Oh, I almost forgot. Servus has a Port-Key that will take you straight to Le Place Cachée. You can use it if you need to. But don’t come here yet, it will spoil the surprise!”
“Ok,” you say, “I love you aunt Bella!”
“Love you too my sweet,” she says, blowing you another kiss and vanishing from the fireplace.
You sit down for a moment, understanding her message, which seems to use some of the same codes you used with your trusted Death Eaters so long ago. She is plainly in Paris, and all the talk of enchanted clothing and the jewellery seemed legitimate. She is being bothered by “nosy people”, which means Aurors. You wonder why they are following her. “Esteemed friends” means she is seeking other Death Eaters. There were not many in Paris, but perhaps some fled there or have been hiding there.
The “nice young man” is something different, not an actual code, but it’s clear she’s talking of the male body you asked her to find for you. Odd that she has picked a boy, if that is true, just a year older than Emily. Perhaps a child vessel is easier to possess? You suppose that pureblood wizards are not easy to simply kidnap, even for Bellatrix.
Her talk of “spoiling the surprise” means don’t come here, it’s not secure. You decide to trust her and pretend to be sweet innocent Emily for a while longer.
The final point is most satisfying. Your “favourite cup”, which belonged to the ancestor beginning with H is the Hufflepuff Cup, which in your timeline was a Horcrux, hidden in the Lestrange family vault. Bella knew about the cup in your timeline, but not that it was a Horcrux, as you kept that secret from even your most devoted followers. Her saying that she knows you love that cup with all your heart and soul surprises you. Have you told Bella about your Horcruxes in this timeline?
In any case you can be reasonably confident that Helga Hufflepuff’s Cup is a Horcrux in this timeline, and that it is safely in Gringott’s Bank. You are very glad you talked to Bellatrix. You can almost imagine seeing the cup now.
What do you do next?
There are several things you want to do over the next few days, before you do to Hogwarts:
- Read The Fragmented Soul
- Talk to the Guardian Statue
- Talk to Emily in the Mirror
- Talk to Bellatrix
- Visit Lucius Malfoy
- Investigate Sofia Lestrange’s Pensieve to learn more about your followers past
There are also some things that you know Emily wants to do. You decide it might be best to allow her some of the things she desires, so that she will better cooperate with you:
- Read A Secret Guide to Hogwarts.
- Ride your horse
- Visit Daphne Greengrass
- Pack for Hogwarts
- Search your mother’s Pensieve for happy, or sexy memories, but avoiding the scary ones
Once you have done enough of these things, it will be time to leave Lestrange manor:
- Go to Platform 9 and 3/4 and make your way to Hogwarts
Inside Extended Luggage Suite
Books: Life Magick of the Celts and ancient Britons, Wiccan Blood Rituals, A Primer of Magickes of Imperial China, The Fragmented Soul, Saucy Tricks for Tricky Sorts, Love Potions, Sexus, Serpentes et Magicae Voluptatis, The Daughters of Hecate, A Secret Guide to Hogwarts.
Magic Items Sofia Lestrange’s Pensieve, Enchanted Tarot, Self-Writing Quill
Other Items