~Anne~

Anne Boleyn has been portrayed as many things.

An adulterer of the noble King Henry. A squib desperate for power. An unsavoury demon of magic.

But only one person could have told a modern-day historian what Anne was really like. The Queen's ups and downs, wishes and secrets, dark motives and revealing dreams. Bellatrix Lestrange, before her untimely death, knew Anne in person. Or, if you were going to be entirely correct, she was Anne in person.

Estimated Release Date: January 21st 2017

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Prologue

Her steps were slow as she climbed to the platform, bowing her head as a single tear trickled down her cheek. Lifting her head nobly, she looked to the window were she knew Henry would be viewing from. She tried to picture his face, his expression. She tried to imagine what he was feeling.  Sorrow? Satisfaction? Hatred?

In her heart, the last emotion swelled as she turned to address the crowd. Her cold, clear voice rang across the courtyard as she repeated her speech – a speech that did not echo her feelings in the slightest and was the greatest lie she had ever told.

“I have come here today to be punished for my sins. For I have sinned against the greatest King we have ever known. I have wounded him and now wounded myself. Yet I hope now, as I come here to die, my sins are forgiven, and my death is penance to the crimes I have committed.”

Anne turned her head to look up at the window once more, delicate face noble as she continued.

“And I pray for his Majesty’s health and well being, I pray for his life and I pray for his happiness.” She took a deep breath, feeling as if she was poisoned by the lies she spoke. Still staring at the window, she readied herself for her last words. But as she did so, she caught sight of his face. Henry’s expression as he looked down on her. A deep satisfaction that rose fury in her heart as she turned back to the crowd to avoid it. And that’s how her last words became those of an omen never to be forgotten.

“God save the King!” Her voice was higher now, raised with energy, and as she continued, the people around her grew frightened at her words. “For he hath sinned greater than any man on earth! I am accused on witchcraft and adultery, when he himself should burn in hell for these actions. And I tell you, good Christian people, that he is dangerous! He has magic!”

Her words rang through the courtyard as she looked up once more to see Henry’s face pale and tight with anger. And now, she returned his previous expression, smiling with satisfaction before turning to the executioner.

“I am ready.”

The crowd was silent as Anne took the cloth cap and pulled it over her dark hair, calm and collected as she knelt on the platform. And her last words, uttered as the executioner raised his sword, heard only by Charles Brandon as they rang in his ears vengefully.

“I shall destroy the family who bore the monster who claims the throne. That I swear forever more.”

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Chapter One

Twelve-year-old Bellatrix Black could not help but gasp as the impressive sight of Blickling Hall came into view as the carriage came round the bend in the road. It was truly a majestic building; the yews lining the path that lead of to its great doors trimmed into a sharp, uniform shape and scattered with crimson as the poisonous berries clustered; the clock tower glistening with gold as the hands moved ever so slightly; the huge windows dark in the night and eerily black. From the outside, the hall looked buried in the past, an echo of its former glory.

Bellatrix wiped the smile off her face as she saw her sisters were stirring as their Mother also began to move as she sensed their arrival. Bellatrix herself had not slept on the journey – not that there had been much of a chance to sleep until half an hour ago when they’d taken the carriage from just outside the grounds. They’d used a portkey to get to outside the grounds and then hopped on the offered carriage to approach in style. Their host seemed to want to welcome tem in splendour, but Bellatrix felt more scornful than honoured.  Atticus Lestrange seemed to be stuck in the 19^th century.

She listened to her sisters gasp at the view as the approached the hall and rolled her eyes, keeping her expression cold. Of course it was impressive, she had admired it herself, but they had to maintain some degree of maturity. Bellatrix also knew that she had to be the leading example, and with implication, cleared her throat, attracting the attention of Narcissa and Andromeda and raising an eyebrow at them to signify her displeasure at their behaviour. Eight-year-old Cissy immediately looked down, ashamed, and composed herself, but Andromeda stuck her tongue out at her sister before turning back to look at the view as the carriage turned and came up the drive. Bellatrix glared at her sister – Andromeda would make them look bad and they couldn’t have that. But Druella Black was ahead of her daughter and quickly reached forward and pushed Andromeda back from the window, giving her a warning look as her Andromeda sighed and leaned back in composure and Bellatrix smiled with satisfaction.

The carriage pulled up and Druella, with poise, climbed up and out of it, followed by Bellatrix and the Andromeda and Narcissa. At least there’s no outside welcome, thought Bellatrix as her mother approached the great wooden door. She’d been imagining servants lined up and was very glad that there seemed none in sight.

A house elf answered, the bent little creature wiping its nose on the old blanket it wore and ushering them in. Bellatrix looked at it with disgust to keep up appearances as they followed the elf into a dark room where the family sat, the only source of light being several candles in one corner.

“Welcome, ladies.” Atticus Lestrange stood up from his armchair and advanced, reaching out a hand that looked just as slimy as his greased hair and greeting Druella as Bellatrix stared around the room at the other occupants. She identified Drusilla, a niece of some sort she knew from Hogwarts, and Epaphroditus, Atticus’ wife, but the rest were others she did not know. What she was confused at was the absence of Rudolphus and Rabastan, the brothers of the family and her schoolmates. Seeing her look around for the two boys, the cunning and typically matchmaking Epaphroditus addressed her with a smile.

“Bella, my dear, the two boys are waiting for you upstairs.” Bellatrix looked at the woman and saw right through the act, but simply questioned.

“What for?”

“They wanted to give you a tour from top to bottom – it’ll help you know the house better as well.” Epaphroditus said silkily, turning Bellatrix round as Narcissa and Andromeda greeted Atticus.

“Where are they, then?” Bellatrix answered, trying to keep the begrudging tone she felt like implying out of her voice. Epaphroditus always got on her nerves and she didn’t particularly want to go wandering around the large and gloomy halls looking for her schoolmates.

“Go up and main staircase and along the second corridor. They’ll be there waiting.” Epaphroditus told her, still smiling smoothly. “Go on.”

With an inaudible sigh, Bellatrix turned and exited the room, ignoring the advancing Atticus Lestrange and leaving at once. She couldn’t abide the old-fashioned, irritating Epaphroditus and Atticus – they just got on her nerves and made her have to restrain the urge to yell at them when their boring and often spiteful gossip became annoying beyond words. Rudolphus, however, was another matter – and Rabastan wasn’t too bad either. Rudolphus, at the age of twelve, was very handsome, witty and exceedingly evil – Bellatrix’s best friend and soon to be more, hopefully. Rabastan wasn’t to bad either, although he could be a little immature compared to Rudolphus and Bellatrix, who acted as if they were in their twenties than rather not yet in their teens. Bellatrix enjoyed their company reasonably enough. They worshipped her for one, and of course, Bellatrix couldn’t get enough of that.

Climbing up the stairs, however, she felt her Slytherin bravery waver as she began to ascended the set of stairs that lead to the upper floor. She heartily wished she could cast lumos at that moment, stumbling on the stairs as she climbed them in darkness. Reaching the landing at the top, however, it was no better, and she could see no giveaway to where Rabastan and Rodolph may have been waiting – she was simply surrounded by ink black in the eerie, creaking house. Despite her mature persona, she felt herself loosing hold of her bravery and began to walk briskly down the nearest corridor, hoping to find her friends as soon as possible. She ventured slowly, hoping not to bump into anything and bracing herself for a possible scare from her friends.

But, walking down the corridor, nothing happen. It was spookily empty. Well, until she reached the end and suddenly a slither of pale light snuck out from underneath the door of the room facing her at the end of the hallway. Bellatrix smiled, relieved, believing she’d found Rabastan and Rudolphus. Raising a hand, she pulled on the cold metal door handle, turning it and expecting to enter the room and be faced by her two friends.

Instead, she was faced by an vision she would never forget.

Standing at the window was a ghostly figure - a figure that turned to expose even more horror. For the woman had no head - instead cradling it in her arms. The scariest thing was when the ghost turned to walk towards her, Bellatrix stepping back in terror as the woman approached. Bellatrix could only gasp in horror as the ghost disappeared and instead became a cloud of silver that approached her.

"No...No!"

But it was to late. The silver snake of spirit wound it's way towards Bellatrix and breathed a hushing sound as it entered her body. A whisper that sounded throughout the room as Bellatrix fell to the floor.

"At last."