The Disgraced of the House of Black - A Multi-Character Fanfiction - Part Two

204. Unexpected Conversations

"Lestrange," Snape said sharply as the three rose to leave, the Unbreakable Vow already having been performed.

"What do you want with him?" Bellatrix snapped suspiciously.

His lips curling, Snape replied, "Considering the Dark Lord tells you everything, Bellatrix, I'm shocked you don't already know."

Giving him a cold look, Bellatrix disappeared out the door after Narcissa. The moment they had gone, Severus quickly checked to see that they had really gone before closing the door and sending two spells at both the front door and the bookcase door. Ellis watched him, his expression impassive.

Finally, however, Snape turned to face him, snapping, "You could hide your disdain for Bellatrix better."

Scoffing, Ellis retorted, "What? Like you do?"

"I have a reason to dislike her, a reason no one questions," Snape shot back. "You-"

"She killed my sister!" Ellis hissed. "I will not stand back and pretend I don't care that she ripped the only decent person I had as a child away from me!"

Snape said nothing, looking at him with an unreadable expression on his face.

"You have no room for petty sentiment," Snape said, his voice low and radiating venom. "If you are discovered, or even suspected, you are dead, do you hear me? Bellatrix tried to get into your mind before, did you even feel it?"

Ellis said nothing, giving him nothing more than a cold look before he turned to glance out the window, looking up and down the street to ensure Bellatrix and Narcissa had gone.

"Have you even been trying to learn Occlumency as I told you you must?" Snape snapped.

"No, I haven't," Ellis admitted, finally turning back to face him. "I never wanted this. I wanted out, I wanted to be gone from this, but Dumbledore-"

"You are in too precious of a position to allow you to give it up," Snape hissed. "Dumbledore needs your insights, insights I cannot provide."

"Oh, please," Ellis scoffed, keeping his voice low. "What doesn't the Dark Lord trust you with?"

"I'm not talking about him," Snape said coldly. "I am referring to your sister-in-law."

Ellis bristled.

"So I was sent to spy on her? I thought I was trying to figure out how Voldemort-"

"Don't say his name," Snape snapped.

Rolling his eyes, Ellis said harshly, "How Voldemort survived death."

"I highly doubt he would ever tell you his secret," Snape said. "Whether Dumbledore told you the truth or not, you are here to spy on Bellatrix and discover the things she does not allow me to know, which is why your open hostility toward her cannot be tolerated."

"Fine," Ellis snapped. "Can I leave now?"

"One more thing," Snape said. "You are also expected to continue keeping tabs on Lyra. Her behaviour is unpredictable and Dumbledore needs to know how to predict it. Her attack on Althea Black-Lupin was highly unexpected."

Ellis said nothing for a moment before he asked softly, "Is she all right, the girl?"

Snape said nothing for a moment, his gaze flickering to Ellis' face before he finally said, "From my understanding, she is currently recovering at her family home under the careful watch of both of her parents." When Ellis still looked slightly pale, Snape added, "She was already walking even a few days after the attack at the Ministry. At the most she's sore. There is no reason to worry about her."