Chapter 5

All canon characters belong to JKR.

Thanks to June for her work as my beta.

Chapter 5

Several hundred miles away, a woman in a heavy black cloak and a small mangy-looking man stepped into a deserted and crumbling manor home. Bellatrix threw off her coverings and swung around, then grabbed Peter by the collar and forced him against the wall.

"Twenty years! Twenty years you left me to rot in that prison," she grabbed him by the hair and forced his head hard against the wall. "Tell me why I should not kill you right here and now!"

"B...Bell...Bella, please. I swear, it could not be helped. I tried to free you sooner but my hands were tied. Ever since my Lord Voldemort was killed, the search for Death Eaters has been non-yielding. Even with the help of Fudge, we were still hunted," Peter whimpered until Bellatrix loosened her grip slightly. "I have been in hiding much of this time, but the Aurors have been at my heels all the while."

"What of Fudge? Why could you not ask his assistance?" she snarled.

"There has been much vigilance from many factions. The Order of the Phoenix was constantly watching his every move. He could not but play the role as he always had. Five years ago, he was cast out from his post, and exiled. Arthur Weasley and several members of the Wizengamot accused him of sympathetic views towards Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Fudge's wand was broken, and his memory was Obliviated. He was cast into the Muggle world. Arthur Weasley is now the new Minister of Magic." Peter felt her relax her hold on him further, then took the advantage and slipped away from her.

"It has taken me these last five years to gather the ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion, and to finally get it right," he shook his head and laughed. "I was never very good in Potions; you know that. It was Severus who was the master at that." As he finished, Bellatrix's eyes grew dark with anger.

"Yes, and a master at betrayal as well," she hissed, then looked at Peter from the corner of her eyes, "Your incompetence knows no bounds, but, even I must admit, you did free me, albeit twenty years too late. Apparently you are good for something. No doubt the guards at the prison will have noticed the gift I left for them in my cell by now. We will stay here for the time being. I want you to find Lucius. I gather he is still free?"

"Yes, yes, he is," Peter laughed. "You know how cunning he always was. He lives in his father's old estate now. I have seen him but a few times these last few months. He keeps himself in the public eye."

Bellatrix smiled.

"Yes, Lucius always was the smart one," she said. "He's truly fooled them all, hasn't he? If he is living in his father's old home, then I will visit him." She turned to leave, but was stopped by Peter's hand on her shoulder.

"Wait ... he is remarried. He is no longer with your sister." He stepped back, as she pushed him away.

"Who is his wife then?" she asked. It came as no surprise to her that Narcissa and Lucius were no longer together. Their marriage was always one of convenience. Obviously it seemed it was no longer so. Lucius was too passionate for her sister, to wild. Narcissa could bore the life out of anyone.

"Her name is Rosmerta; do you know of her? She worked in the Three Broomsticks. They were married many years ago. I think they have two children, but I have never seen them," said Peter.

"No matter. All part of his cover. Wait for me here," she said as she made her way to the door once more, then looked around at the dirty entrance hall and into the living area, "and clean this place up." Then she was gone.

* * * * * *

Lucius sat in his study. He was looking over some papers Draco had dropped off earlier that morning. His son had a wonderful sense for business. Ten years ago, Draco convinced him to invest some of the Malfoy fortune in Muggle technologies. Things called computers and cellular phones and video games were all the rage in the Muggle world, and they were quite the money-making enterprise. Even though Draco and Severus had some of these things in their own homes, Lucius was of the old school. He felt he had no need for the things, but he was most pleased with the piles of galleons in his vault because of them.

Rosemerta had gone into Hogsmeade to do some business of her own at the Three Broomsticks. Lucius heard a knock at the door, and stood to answer it himself. Several years back Hermione drove him to the point of distraction, with her never-ending campaign for house elf rights. He finally had to give in, and agreed to pay the elves in his home and give them vacation time. Today, as it happens, was Kiki's and Zuly's day off. He mumbled obscenities as he strode to the door. His closely guarded emotions nearly gave way to the shock he felt, as he opened the door and saw who his visitor was.

"Bella? Is it really you?" he asked.

She smiled and walked quickly inside.

"Can you not see me, Lucius?" she answered as she strode into the living room.

"Yes, of course, but how, when?" Lucius closed the door and immediately followed her. She was pouring herself a drink when he reached the living room.

"Polyjuice and this morning," she said as she gulped down her glass of brandy.

He smirked, and then crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"I am afraid you are going to have to elaborate further," he told her. He then sat down and waited for her to do the same. She poured herself another drink, then sat in the chair across from him.

"Pettigrew managed to finally brew a batch of Polyjuice potion. He posed as Arthur Weasley, who I understand is now the Minister of Magic," she said, as Lucius nodded.

"Yes, Fudge got quite sloppy several years ago," he stated with a sneer. Lucius was no idiot. He knew why she had escaped, and he knew why she came seeking him. He needed to be very careful in dealing with her.

"Well, we will deal with that later. As I said, the dim-witted little rat managed to pose as Weasley, and then found a woman to bring with him to replace me. When this is all finished I am going to kill that little shit for making me wait so long to get me out of there. But for now, he will have to serve as my servant." Bellatrix then stood and walked to the window. She looked outside into the garden. "It has been so long, Lucius. What has become of this world without our Lord? It is weak; I can feel it."

"What is it you have planned now, Bella?" Lucius stood and walked to her. "Whatever it is, it will not be easy. There are eyes everywhere, especially at the Ministry."

Bellatrix shook her head.

"Nothing worth doing is ever easy. But, for now, my main focus is to kill Severus Snape," she said as she turned to him. "I must ask myself one thing, though. Why is it, that in all these years you have never killed him?"

"And risk going to Azkaban myself? No. Besides, he is a war hero. And you know my position had always been questionable, and more so after Fudge was replaced. I would have been the first suspect. I am not a fool."

"No, that you are not," she smiled. Lucius cringed inside; her smiles always made his blood run cold. He would sooner face ten Voldemort's than have her smile at him. She put down her glass and made her way back to the front door. Once again, Lucius found himself following her. As she opened the door, she looked back to him.

"I will contact you soon," she said.

"Where are you staying?" he asked.

"It's best you don't know for now. I will contact you again soon." She then turned again, and walked out the door, closing it behind her. Lucius looked out the side window as she walked out the gates. When she Apparated away, he immediately ran out the door and stood in the same spot, trying unsuccessfully to sense where she had gone. He sighed and shook his head. 'She always was a hard one to track,' he thought. Bellatrix always made it a habit to cast a non-tracking charm on herself. He hurried back inside and went straight to his study. He grabbed a handful of floo powder and walked into the fireplace.

"Severus Snape's rooms – Hogwarts Castle."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I'll have more up soon. I hope you liked this chapter.