32 Chapter 30 - Black Family Reunion
At the dinner table, Sirius and Bellatrix, properly cleaned and well-dressed, could be seen devouring a steaming soup of meats and vegetables with great haste, as if they hadn't eaten in a long time.
"I've missed edible food so much," exclaimed Sirius between spoonfuls of soup, his previously pallid face finally gaining some color, not as pale as before.
"Well, I ate very well in Azkaban. The joy balls were great for a lively conversation; I painted many of their nails, they were definitely in need." added Bellatrix with a happy smile, while savoring her meal with joy.
Asterion looked perplexed at his new cousin. Joy balls? Was she referring to the dementors? Could they talk? More importantly, how the hell did she paint their nails? Curiously, he wondered what nail polish color she used; if it was pink, he would laugh a lot when he saw a Dementor with pink-painted nails.
He had many questions in mind, but he remained silent, showing a strange look to Bellatrix. In the short time he had known her, he could tell that the title of Witch of Insanity was appropriate; the woman was definitely crazy, too emotional and unpredictable like a hurricane, no one could guess what was going on in her head.
Still, he couldn't help but find it amusing to be around her. She could even make him smile with her strange and crazy phrases from time to time.
"You ate well, unlike me. The food they gave me, not even pigs would eat," murmured Sirius bitterly, recalling his time in Azkaban. He would never forget what he went through in that place, enduring all that hell just to one day seek revenge.
Hearing his uncle's grumble, his father's brother, Asterion spoke coldly, "Everyone must bear the consequences of their actions. You chose to kill and were imprisoned."
As for whether Sirius was innocent or not, it no longer mattered. The man had failed and been imprisoned; there was no turning back.
A crash echoed as Sirius slammed his fist against the table, growling with anger. "I didn't kill anyone! It was Peter, not me! That filthy, dirty, disgusting rat. When I find him..." Each word escaped through tightly clenched teeth and eyes filled with hatred.
"Careful not to damage the table, you can't afford to pay for it," Asterion retorted sarcastically. He didn't care about all of Sirius's hatred and anger; the man chose to trust the wrong person and paid the appropriate price. As he had said earlier, when fate gives something, it also takes away.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're a heartless boy," Sirius remarked, observing his nephew, who remained indifferent to his outburst of anger, before slumping weakly into his chair and staring at the ceiling with a lost look.
Faced with the disheartened and sad man in the chair, Asterion showed no pity. He spoke coldly, uncaring of his feelings, "My pity, my disdain, or my words of comfort are irrelevant to your life. Instead of wanting someone to pat your head and tell you everything is okay, you should be seeking to become calmer and colder to seek revenge. You're no longer a child, uncle."
Sirius couldn't help but feel stunned; he looked at his nephew, and the figure of Regulus seemed to merge with the boy.
"You're definitely his son; you're alike in that aspect, so realistic and pragmatic," Sirius commented with a bitter smile, unable to believe that a child seemed more mature than him.
Asterion remained silent; he would be lying if he said he didn't want to meet his father. But he couldn't, the man was dead, and they could never meet.
Narcissa shook her head and silently held Asterion's hand under the table, comforting him.
Bellatrix merely watched the whole scene with a gleaming gaze. Suddenly, she stood up abruptly and walked over to Asterion with quick steps.
Kneeling beside his chair, she lifted her face and gazed at Asterion with an admiring look.
"My master, I, Bellatrix Lestrange (not for much longer), wish to serve you eternally and aid in your future world domination!"
Bellatrix's words caused a silence in the hall; everyone, including Asterion, looked at the kneeling woman with surprise.
'How the hell did we go from a topic related to revenge to a pledge of loyalty?' Asterion thought, lamenting Bellatrix's unpredictable behavior.
"I do not desire world domination, Bellatrix," Asterion said, unable to believe that those words were escaping his mouth at this moment.
"I understand, Master must want to remain discreet before his coronation," Asterion's words translated into a completely different meaning in Bellatrix's mind.
Asterion merely put his hand to his face, covering his helpless expression. He changed his mind; being with Bellatrix was exhausting, the woman simply had no logic or reason.
Looking at the still kneeling woman, he let out a resigned sigh and spoke with a cold tone. "As I said before, I do not intend to dominate the world, and furthermore, do not call me master; I am not your master."
"Very well, master, I shall act in the shadows like a demon awaiting your sinister and dark malevolent orders." As if she could guess what he was thinking, Bellatrix, more like a nun speaking to God, spoke with devotion and determination to serve the lord.
"As I said..." Before finishing, he stopped speaking; he saw the fanaticism in the woman's eyes. No matter how much he tried to convince her otherwise, she always thought it was his plan.
Asterion sought help from Narcissa and Sirius, but both merely turned their faces away, unwilling to get involved.
"This is going to be exhausting," he muttered, his tone filled with bitterness.
Everyone was so absorbed in watching the spectacle of Asterion and Bellatrix that they didn't even notice the dining hall doors opening, revealing Arcturus with a cold and unyielding expression.
First, his gaze fell upon Bellatrix kneeling at Asterion's feet, then his focus shifted to the skeletal man, whom he presumed to be his incorrigible grandson. A trace of guilt passed through his gaze, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.
Clearing his throat to draw everyone's attention, he spoke, "What an interesting sight, my favorite great-grandson, my elegant great-niece, my incompetent grandson, and my lovely great-niece, all gathered around a table. I must say, it's quite an unusual sight to behold. "What nefarious plan are you currently orchestrating?"?"
Almost instantly, everyone turned their heads and looked at Arcturus with surprise on their faces.
"According to the Master, he must remain discreet before initiating his world domination," said Bellatrix, rising as she spoke with a proud tone, the tips of her fingers resting on her chest, striking a very elegant pose.
Arcturus chuckled softly and spoke with a relieved tone. "You haven't changed, Bellatrix, as unpredictable as ever."
Bellatrix simply smiled and embraced the man affectionately.
"I missed you, Arc," she said, her face nestled against his chest, her gaze like that of a girl wanting to be pampered by her grandfather.
"I missed you too, child," Arcturus replied, gently stroking her hair in a comforting tone. No matter how much society abhorred his great-niece, to him, she would always be that little girl running around the house with a joyful expression.
Afterward, they separated, and Bellatrix returned to her cheerful and commanding demeanor.
"Would you like a hug too, Sirius?" Looking at her grandson, Arcturus asked calmly.
"I'd rather spend another ten years in Azkaban, you arrogant old man," Sirius retorted sarcastically, scoffing.
"I see you're still as uncouth and uncultured as ever," Arcturus replied coldly.
"I'm not as hypocritical as you," Sirius countered without showing weakness.
"What an emotional reunion, after ten years, grandfather and grandson meet again," Bellatrix wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked at the two with an emotional gaze.
Asterion and Narcissa grimaced upon hearing this; an emotional reunion? It seemed more like an exchange of sarcasm and insults.
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Author's Thoughts: Did you like it? I personally laughed a lot writing this chapter, I don't know if I made Bellatrix crazy enough, should I add more craziness?
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Next Chapter: Chapter 31 - Black Family Reunion (2), (Chapter 32 - Black House Masquerade Ball (1), Chapter 33 - Black House Masquerade Ball (2), Chapter 34 - Black House Masquerade Ball (3), Chapter 35 - Three Years (1), Chapter 36 - Three Years (2), Chapter 37 - Hogwarts Express (1), Chapter 38 - Hogwarts Express (2), Chapter 39 - Hogwarts Express (3) Chapter 40 - Hogwarts Express (4). Chapter 41 - Hogwarts Express (5).
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