chapter 23: i'm not a damn electrical socket

trigger warning: descriptions of violence

long chapter ahead

April 1977

The boys had been one big ball of anxiety ever since Bella told them she'd be going home for break. They grew even more worried when they were told that Lucius Malfoy had something to do with her parents sudden change of heart. Sirius and James has been the worst, both having seen what the cruel parents could do first hand. They had all tried to convince her to stay but she just wouldn't hear it, she would be damned if she let her parents lay a hand on her baby brother. So the boys planned to show the Black family that even if they took her back, she would never be one of them again, they just didn't know how wrong it would go.

✰ ✰ ✰

Walaburga and Orion didn't pick Bella and Regulus up from Kings Cross Station instead they sent their favorite niece to give them a warm welcome home. So when the two stepped off the train they were met with the cold stare of Bellatrix Black. When she started leading the two away Bella was grabbed by the arm and dragged back, her panicked gaze met Remus before he scooped her into his arms.

"What the hell are you doing, are you trying to get me kil-."  Bella was cut off by Remus's lips meeting her own and her eyes went wide. She could practically feel Bellatrix's glare burning into her back as her other arm was grabbed trying to pull her away from her boyfriend. Remus faltered when the crazed girls gaze fell upon him as she started yanking Annabelladonna away from him, being stopped by Remus's grip on the girls other arm. It was like two dogs playing tug of war over a chew toy, Bella had never been more embarrassed in her life as people started paying attention to the situation in front of them. She pulled her arm out of Remus's grip and started walking away as fast as she could, her face flushed as she saw people's eyes following her. Tears started gathering in her eyes as she saw kids whispering to their families and pointing at her, her older cousins gripping her arm so hard she knew it would bruise.

"We will take about this when we get home." Her cousins voice in her ear made her whole body go cold and she nodded numbly, already accepting that she would likely be punished for her boyfriends little stunt. Bella apparated to number twelve Grimmuald Place. When she arrived to her childhood home (I say home very loosely, Bella never felt at home there.) Walaburga, Orion, and Lucius were sat at the table having tea and Bella quickly walked to her room, Bellatrix following her up and shutting the door behind them.

"You're interested in a dirty halfbreed? Oh dear cousin this won't do, this won't do at all. We can help you, fix you, and you can honor this family. We don't want you turning out like poor Andy do we? All alone, sentenced to spend your life being hunted because you chose a filthy mudblood over your flesh and blood."

"I don't want to end up like her Bellatrix."

"Good, we can work on fixing you right up-." Annabelladonna quickly cut Bellatrix off.

"But I also don't want to do anything that would 'honor' this family. I don't want to hurt anyone Trix, I just wanna be good." Annabelladonna kept her voice as soft as she could, trying not to upset Bellatrix.

"We are good. We're just trying to build a better world."

"I don't want a place in that world then." Bellatrix looked into her eyes, not seeing a hint of doubt and realized that Annabelladonna would not change her mind unless she was persuaded to.

"Crucio." It wasn't the first time the young woman had used the spell and it definitely wasn't the first time Bella had been on the receiving end of it. The girl crumpled to the ground, into too much pain to even speak. It felt like she was being torn up for the inside out. The room was covered in a red light as Annabelladonna was ripped apart like candy floss. The door was ripped open and Regulus and Lucius stormed in.

"Get Off Bellatrix, you've had your fun." Lucius spoke in an even tone as Regulus rushed to the girl that was curled up on the floor. Pulling her head into his lap and checking if she was still breathing. The two boys had been sitting outside of the girls door so that they could intervene if they needed to and when Reggie saw the red light coming from the space under the door he grabbed Lucius arm and pulled him up, springing into action. The red light fell as Bellatrix stopped the curse and stalked out of the room.

"She's unconscious, can you help me lift her onto the bed."

"Why would I do that, I already helped you once."

"Well if you want her to agree to your plan then you should start by being, I don't know, nice to her. Girls like guys that don't criticize the way they look or act."

"She told you about that?"

"Yeah, I'm not gonna lie you did deserve that punch."

"Shut up." The conversation ended as Lucius helped lift Bella into the bed and stalked out of the room, Regulus smiled slightly at the retreating figure of the man.

"Get some rest grande soeur (big sister), you'll be okay." Regulus kissed her forehead and followed Lucius out, pausing for a second to lock her door from the inside so Bellatrix couldn't get in.

✰ ✰ ✰

When Annabelladonna woke up Bellatrix was long gone but Lucius was still there, he had been given his own room by the Blacks. Annabelladonna actually hadn't seen her parents besides when they were having tea with Lucius but she figured they'd show up to ruin her life eventually. The girl was laying on the living room couch, nose buried in some old book that shes only reading to make herself look smart. It was written by some muggle named Shakespeare that Lily told her about. Bella didn't understand all of the hype as she was quite bored, but books normally bored her, she would much rather write her own books.

"Macduff kills Macbeth in the end." The mans voice filling the room was like spilled ink pooling onto paper.

"You're such an arse Lucius." Bella didn't even look up from her book but she nudged his leg with her foot as he sat down, trying to get him further away from her.

"At least I'm not as dim witted and annoying as you."

"You still sound like a girl by the way, did your voice never drop or did it just get high to try and avoid you."

"The only thing that gets high around here is you." Bella noticed that he was making his voice lower again and she couldn't wipe the grin of her face.

"Its fun you should try it sometime."

"We need to talk."

"Sorry I'm busy that day."

"Listen you know what's happening out there, how crazy everything is. I have a way to keep us both out of the crossfire I just need you to cooperate ."

"You know I'm not gonna listen to you right."

"Marry me."

"I'd rather die." Bella replied instantly while turning the page of her book.

"I could arrange that." Lucius said trying to be intimidating.

"Please do."

"If you keep talking like that someone is gonna hurt you some day, you know that right? Or are you just thick."

"What could they do that hasn't been done already."

"Kill you."

"Only if I die."

"That's- that's the point of killing you."

"Well nothing has been able to kill me so far so I'm pretty confident in my ability of staying alive."

"How many times could you have almost died you're only seventeen."

"More than you, old man."

"I'm not old."

"You're old enough that it's creepy that you wanna marry me."

"I'm only 22, and I don't want to marry you. Our parents want us together."

"Bullshit. I know you convinced my parents to get me home. So tell me, why am I here."

"Will you put that down." Lucius shut her copy of Macbeth and threw it on the other side of the couch.

"Rude, Lady Mac was just about to off herself."

"Do you have an off switch?"

"If I did you'd never be able to find it. Now, tell me why I'm here."

"I met someone. Someone that my parents wouldn't agree with me courting."

"Good for you, why should I care about this again?"

"Because, I heard of the little scene your boyfriend made, people are talking you know." Bella's face fell but she quickly put up a mask, Lucius couldn't recognize the look in her eyes but it sure wasn't good.

"And? It doesn't bother me that people are talking. I'm proud to be with Remus." Bella tried to keep her voice as even as she could although it cracked a bit at the beginning.

"But are you proud to be treated as his little doll to show off." Lucius's hand brushed the bruise that Remus had left on her upper arm and Bella immediately slapped his hand away. Bella, in all truths, was a little annoyed at Remus for trying to mark his territory and make sure everyone knew she was his or whatever he had planned in his mind but she still wasn't ashamed of being with him. "You don't know what people are saying about you right now, it's not good, but I can fix it. I can keep you safe and in return you can help me keep my girl safe."

"I am no ones doll and if you touch me anymore I'll knock you out."

"Oh please you couldn't knock me out if you tried."

"I already have."

"Beginners luck."

"Who says I'm a beginner at knocking people out?"

"I can't tell if you're serious or if you're trying to annoy me so I'll leave."

"Depends, is it working? And I'm never serious that's my brother."

"Oh my Merlin. Can you just answer the question.

"What question again?" Lucius sighed incredulously, he really couldn't tell if she was joking.

"Would you marry me."

"Oh ew no."

"We wouldn't even have to get married! We could just hold a fake wedding and be done with it. Come on, there's literally no downside to it, just agree." Lucius said in a pleading tone.

"There is a downside I'd have to spend time with you." Bella's mumble was barely audible and Lucius missed it entirely, waiting for her response. "Wow I'm surprised you're this desperate and didn't even think to get a ring."

"You're infuriating." Lucius was ready to give up and try to find someone else when Annabelladonna interrupted his thoughts.

"Give me time to think and to write Remus about it. And for Merlins sake get a ring, if we do this it's gonna have to be believable."

"Good, you have made a wise decision."

"I don't care just give me my book back."

Lucius tossed the girl her book as he got up and left the room and she used it as a surface to write on. Her letter to Remus was a little long winded, trying to explain the whole situation with Lucius to her boyfriend wouldn't be easy but she wouldn't agree unless he thought it was a good idea. She made sure to clarify that if she did agree to fake marry Lucius then they would have to publicly "break up". She honestly thought Remus wouldn't go for it so when he wrote back telling her that he supported it she was thoroughly surprised. He explained that he had been nervous about her being in danger because of their relationship and that he just wanted to protect her which she thought was very sweet. (Although she's already in a lot of danger without the stuff that comes with dating a halfbreed but Remus doesn't know about The Order yet so she didn't point that out.

✰ ✰ ✰

Lucius Malfoy officially asked Annabelladonna Black to marry him that night when her parents took them out for dinner. Everyone looked excited except the "happy couple". Regulus was grinning because of how miserable his sister looked, Walaburga was beaming with pride, the powerful Lucius Malfoy asked her daughter for her hand in marriage. And Orion Black was smiling but it didn't quite reach his eyes, he looked conflicted for the rest of the night so Bella wasn't surprised when he pulled her aside after dinner.

"You shouldn't have come back Annabelladonna you had the opportunity to escape this life why would you condemn yourself to it." The girl just looked confused at her father, there was a crazed look in his eyes and he looked more paranoid than she'd ever seen him. No matter how much he hated what his daughter had become, he didn't want her to turn out like him.

"To keep Reggie safe."

"Reggie is fine on his own, they're after you."

"Who is after me."

"You know who. They think you're old enough to join them now. Marrying Lucius will just push you further into their sight."

"I can just tell them I want to be a house wife."

"No one would believe it."

"I could be a house wife!" Orion just gave her a look with one raised eyebrow as if to say "really?" Of all the Things he could see his daughter being, a housewife wasn't one of them.

"Just." Her father stopped speaking for a second and gave a reluctant sigh "Just stay safe, okay? Your mom is still mad about what that halfbreed did on the platform.I think she's planning something."

And indeed she was planning something. Two days after the dinner Walaburga Black charged into Bella's room, she had a shopping bag in her hand she was humming a song that Bella didn't recognize.

"I have something for you my pet." The middle aged woman said in a sing-song voice that instantly made Bella uncomfortable.

"What is it?"

"It's this special little necklace I found at a mudblood store."

"Why were you at a muggle store?"

"Well they had something that I need." Bella grew more and more nervous as her birth mothers smirk widened.

"And what is that."

"Well the mudbloods came up with this neat little invention, it's not meant for humans but I found a way to make it even better. Now sit." Bella moved slowly, like she was trying to escape from a wild animal, but Walaburga grabbed her shoulder and forced her down. Bella shut her eyes as she felt tough fabric make its way around her neck and then she heard a click, two metal spikes dug their way into her skin. Her hands instantly went to her neck but electricity was sent running through her veins. Her body shook violently, her mother watched her spasm with a smirk. All she felt was icy hot pain that left as quickly as it came leaving her muscles sore.

"Mother what is this?!? I'm not a damn electrical socket."

"As I said, it's a special necklace. You see the mudbloods may be savages but if they do one thing well it's torture. They say it's a "training device" so let's see how well you do with it. Now I'm gonna show you a picture and you're gonna tell me who you see."

Walaburga pulled out a picture of Annabelladonna and Sirius which she must've gotten from her suitcase and held it up in front of the girl. They looked happy in the photo, he had his head on the girls shoulder and one arm around her back. They were both laughing because Bella kept whispering in Sirius's ear about how dumb James looked in his floral shirt and tight pants. Bella would give anything to go back to that day.

"That's Sirius and I." The pain started again, this time it was more intense. Bella felt like she was on fire as her skin buzzed with energy and her body spasmed once again.

"Try again."

"That's my brother and I." Another shock.

"It's Sirius." One more shock.

This went on for around 40 minutes before Bella's vision started to get spotty and Walaburga decided to give her a little bit of help.

"It's you and the blood traitor."

"T-the blood traitor." Bella had given up, her body was in too much pain to even care about what she was saying

"Good, again."

"That's m-me and the blood traitor."

"Again."

"Bl-blood traitor." Bella's body was starting to give up and with a click the collar fell from her neck, leaving holes where the metal had dug its way into her skin. Blood trickled down her shoulder and her head rolled to the side, barely conscious. The woman that called herself her mother placed a hand to the wound, pulling it away and looking at the red liquid that coated her hand.

"See that my pet? You're pure. Don't let the traitors taint your blood. They're the reasons why you have to hurt. The blood traitors did this to you." The girl whimpered as the woman wiped her hand off got her wand and healed her torn muscles and burnt tissue, leaving the holes in her neck. "Now stay out of my sight."

✰ ✰ ✰

Bella rolled off the chair and onto the floor, trying to crawl and reach her wand. Though her mother had healed her muscles she could still feel wisps of pain and it made it hard to move. The girl apparated to The Cardells house in france praying to whatever higher power was out there that she wouldn't get splinched. When she arrived on their porch she slumped against the door, banging her head against the door to knock. At this point she was too tired to move her arms and she didn't care about the pain, her body already ached why not have her head ache too. Tears pooled in her eyes when she realized that she'd eventually have to go back. And then the door opened, she continued leaning on the wall by the door.

(imagine that everything underlined is in French)

"Mon Nounours (my teddy bear) what the fuck happened to you."

"Can I come in?" Her throat felt raw and her words were cracked and slurred making Ares's heart drop. He scooped her up into his arms looking at the pathetic form of the girl that was basically his little sister. He carried her over his shoulder in the fireman's hold gently placing her on the couch. Gwaine moved from where he was sitting to allow her enough space to lay down, looking at the girl he once loved look so broken. The sight made him nauseous, he was used to being around injured people seeing as he got in a lot of fights but he'd never seen Bella hurt like this. He left for the guest room he was staying in because the pain in his heart was unbearable.

"Mom, Apollo come quick, Bella's hurt again." This wasn't the first time Bella had come to them bruised and beaten because of her mother. It actually happened during basically every time she was home.

"Oh my poor baby let's get you fixed up." Floria Cardell understood what it was like in Bella's shoes, she too came from a powerful pureblood family. When she met Zeus he was just another muggle to her (one that she found incredibly annoying by the way) but the more he stuck around the less she hated him until she actually found herself liking him (which did not go well with her parents). She was disowned when she started dating the muggle fireman but she didn't really care. She just wished Annabelladonna didn't have to go through that.

"Maman (mom)."

"Yes Bell."

"I-It hurts."

"I know Bell, I'll take the pain away I promise, you just relax."

"Okay." Bella closes her eyes, with how exhausted her body was getting to sleep wasn't difficult.

"Mom we should call David, you know he's more advanced at healing spells than you." Ares was standing behind his mother with a hand placed on her shoulder to keep them both steady. While they were used to seeing Bella hurt it just seemed to get worse and worse every time. Apollo scrambled out into the living room, going pale when he was met with the sight of his sister looking so broken. He immediately dropped by her side, trying to channel his inner Bella and just bullshit his way through the panic with humor.

"I don't want to give the poor girl a heart attack." Floria knew that she would have to call the man but she pitied Bella, the girl looked like shit and they were gonna surprise attack her with her childhood crush.

"She won't have a heart attack, she's probably over that silly crush anyways."

"Ohhh are we calling Doctor Dreamy?"  Apollo butted in, he would always tease the girl over her infatuation with their family friend that she so lovingly nicknamed doctor dreamy when she was 13.

"I guess we'll have to."

Annabelladonna woke up feeling better than ever until she noticed who was entering the room.

"Great you're awake."

"David! Hi..."

"Those were some nasty holes in your neck. Is the wicked witch at it again?"

"Yeah." Bella sighed sitting up and pulling her knees into her chest.

"So what spell was it this time? Your skin looked burnt around the wound but I can't tell what spell would puncture the skin in circles like that."

"It wasn't a spell, more of a muggle thing. It felt like it was sending electricity into my body, hurt like a bitch."

"I can imagine, do you want me to tell Apollo you're awake."

"Eh why not, haven't seen his ugly face in a while, and I need something to feed my ego."

"Do you wanna clean yourself up first? You've got blood on your clothes, and it's kinda everywhere."

"Yeah."

When Annabelladonna Black went into the bathroom to clean the blood off her neck she kept her gaze down on her hands, just hours before she had crescent shaped tears in her palm because she was clenching her hands so hard. When her eyes met the reflection of herself she flinched expecting the shock to come after looking but it didn't. Her mother wasn't there to shock her every time she saw her own face but she felt like she was, lurking behind her just waiting for the chance to injure her own daughter.

Oh well. Just another reason why Annabelladonna couldn't stand the sight of herself. I mean don't get me wrong, Bella knew she was attractive, Apollo and Asher spent months working up her confidence in herself, but she couldn't stand how much she looked like her parents. It was just another reminder that no matter how much she wanted out, she could never fully distance herself from her family.

Like her mother always said, blood was indeed thicker than water, and if she became a traitor to the family, she would see the very blood she betrayed spilling out of her body until there was none left.

✰ ✰ ✰

Once Bella was presentable again she walked out into the living room and was immediately grabbed by the shoulders by Apollo. His gaze trailed down her body trying to find injuries before settling onto her facing, examining it slowly.

"Does anything still hurt?" when she shook her head no he pulled her against his body, arms snaking around her shoulders. She dug her face into his chest and hugged around his waist, trying to convince herself that everything was alright now, that she was home.

"You scared me you asshole." he mumbled into her hair.

"I'm sorry it's not like I wanted to get hurt."

"No Im not talking about that, I'm talking about your face. Absolutely hideous, you should really cover it with something."

"You're one to talk, you big troll."

"Hey I'm not a big troll!!! I'm a skinny troll."

"Yeah sure, "skinny", it's not like you could eat two whole turkeys by yourself."

"That was one time."

"You're so big my arms barely fit around your waist, and you know how long my arms are."

"That's a lie you long armed freak."

"Wooow name calling, very mature."

"You called me a troll like two minutes ago."

"No I called you a fat troll."

"You said big, not fat."

"Well I meant fat."

"Of course you did."

And for a second everything was alright. Bella was home in the arms of her brother, her wounds were healed, and her mind finally stopped revolving around the war. But what would happen when she had to go back to Hogwarts, back to the war? Only time could tell.

4200 words

ha 420^

A/N: Hi everyone, thank you for reading this and a BIG thanks for 2k reads!!! sorry it's been a while since i've updated this story, my mental health has been on the rocks lately and i've been drinking my dumb bitch juice so i've kinda had writers block.

anyways idk why but i've been super into Marvel recently so if any of y'all have any good marvel book recommendations i'll always take em (especially Steve Rodgers, Natasha Romanoff, Bucky Barnes, Loki, and Pietro Maximoff stories because wow they're all so hot and badass like ?¿? how is that possible)

do y'all like marvel? if so, who is your favorite marvel character

see y'all next chapter!!