Entry tags:

character: bellatrix black lestrange, character: lord voldemort (tom riddle), community: hp_wishes, fandom: harry potter, genre: angst, genre: dark, het, rating: pg, ship: tom/bellatrix, writing: fanfiction

DRABBLE: Nanoseconds (Voldemort/Bellatrix)
Title: Nanoseconds
Pairing: Voldemort/Bellatrix
Rating: PG
Word Count: 229
Summary: There is no time to grieve, not even in his cold, distant manner. All he has are nanoseconds.
Author's Notes: For vegetasbubble at hp_wishes, who gave the prompt 'Voldemort finds out about Bellatrix's death', which was impossible to resist. The action sequence was covered in Deathly Hallows, and there was a small comment in passing about Voldemort's reaction to Bellatrix's death – so this drabble merely expands upon his reaction.

Bellatrix's gloating smile froze, her eyes seemed to bulge: for the tiniest space of time she knew what had happened, and then she toppled, and the watching crowd roared, and Voldemort screamed. Harry felt as though he turned in slow motion; he saw McGonagall, Kingsley and Slughorn blasted backwards, flailing and writhing through the air, as Voldemort's fury at the fall of his last, best lieutenant exploded with the force of a bomb.
- Deathly Hallows (p. 590, UK first edition)


There is no time to grieve, not even in his cold, distant manner. All he has are nanoseconds.

One, two, her body collapses to the floor in a crumpled heap – and the force of impact is so great he surely believes there will be blood. But there is no blood, just a limp, pale figure growing paler, her decay like ice. Three, and her wand clinks as it also falls, but the limp hands will not catch it. Four. Bellatrix's death is final.

Final.

Final.

He screams his rage – five – and he charges, he charges at Molly Weasley, who will die, die, DIE with Bellatrix.

Grief manifests itself in wrath – is grief a form of love? But Voldemort does not love, he cannot love... so what is this? What is the truth?

At six, he thrusts his wand. Seven and eight and nine, he bellows, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" because Bellatrix had been his, because Bellatrix is worth killing for, because she had been the one to lead the search for him when everyone thought he had died.

He will continue like he had always planned, all the more furiously, because she is the only one who never doubted – never, never, never.

Ten: a Shield Charm erupts from the center of the room, blocking his curse, and Harry Potter reveals himself.

It will begin and end now. Bellatrix's death commands it.