She wasn't always evil, and she wasn't always insane.

She was once the eldest sister, and cared for Andromeda and Narcissa very much. Much more than Druella Black ever did. She summoned the house-elves when they were sick, or cut, or bruised. She read them stories, and cried over them.

When she was sent to Hogwarts, she cried herself to sleep every night for three weeks- not that she'd show her housemates. She got good grades, and kept her head down for the most part, until the day that she was not called a 'true Black'.

She balled her fists and glared up at the third-year boy. "What gives you the right to say that? How do you know who I am and who I am not?!"

"Well, Bell, it's obvious isn't it? You may be a Black, but you're little better than a Squib. I mean, any real Black would be the Queen of Slytherin house by now, but no. You just sit there, reading."

"Don't call me 'Bell', Flanderick! My name is Bellatrix, and whether or not I choose to actually have good grades, unlike you, is my business and not yours!"

Flanderick flushed red, and said, "You'll live to regret that."

"Leave her alone." Rodolphus Lestrange, a second year said.

"Aw, looks like little Roddy's found himself a girlfriend!" Flanderick sneered, before saying to his friends- "You know what we do with couples!" And Bellatrix and Rodolphus both found themselves shoved promptly into a broom cupboard with their wands taken and the door locked.

Bellatrix stuck her hand out into the darkness. "Hello, I'm Bellatrix. Thank you for sticking up for me."

Rodolphus shook it. "No problem. I'm Rodolphus Lestrange."

"If I may ask- why did you do it?"

"Because that used to be me. It gets better, don't worry."

"I wish I could believe you..."

"What, you don't?"

"No, sorry."

"Well, Flanderick will find some new targets next year, so I really am telling the truth."

"Okay. But I'm afraid his next target will be my sister, Andromeda."

"Well... if he hurts her... I'll help you hex him, okay?"

Bellatrix smiled. "Okay. Thank you, Rodolphus."

"Like I said, no problem... Bellatrix."

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This kicked off two things- Druella's verbal and mental abuse of Bellatrix whenever she was home, and a relationship between Rodolphus and Bellatrix that led to them joining the Young Death Eater's group at Hogwarts- simply because of Rodolphus' brother Rastaban.