Known Death Eater
Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black) (1951-1998) also known as Bella, was a cousin of Sirius Black, sister of Narcissa Malfoy, and aunt to Draco Malfoy and Nymphadora Tonks. She was extremely loyal to Lord Voldemort and one of the few female Death Eaters. She was married to Rodolphus Lestrange who was also a Death Eater.
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Who was Bellatrix Lestrange's husband?
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Description
Bellatrix was a tall beautiful woman with long thick,sleek black hair, a thin mouth, dark heavily lidded eyes, pale skin, and a strong jaw. She had the great good looks and bearing common for members of the Black family. Her time in Azkaban aged her and reduced her good looks somewhat.
History
Early Life
Bellatrix was born in 1951 to Cygnus and Druella Black; she attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was sorted into Slytherin house. She eventually married Rodolphus Lestrange, and when Voldemort first rose to power, she and her husband joined the Death Eaters.
Time in Azkaban
Bellatrix in her cell in Azkaban.
Bellatrix and Rodolphus fought in the First War on the side of Voldemort, and after the Dark Lord's fall Bellatrix and a group of Death Eaters (including Barty Crouch Jr.) captured Alice and Frank Longbottom, Bellatrix using the Cruciatus Curse tortured the two into insanity. Bellatrix and her associates were eventually captured and sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban.
Second War
When Voldemort returned in 1994, he stated that the Lestranges were among the most faithful members of his inner circle, and on January 1996 Bellatrix was one of the many Death Eaters that escaped from Azkaban and rejoined Voldemort. Bellatrix was one of the Death Eaters who participated in the Battle at the Department of Mysteries to get a prophecy from Harry;
"Why did Voldemort need me to come and get this?"
"You dare speak his name? You filthy Half-Blood!"
- Bellatrix and Harry in the Dept. of Mysteries.
During the battle, she fought with and defeated two Aurors (Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt) in one-on-one duels, she also killed Sirius Black by knocking him through the veil in the Death Chamber. It was clear that, given the chance she would have enjoyed torturing Neville Longbottom. She eventually fled from the battle but was subdued by Harry Potter; while dueling Potter, Voldemort appeared as did Dumbledore moments later. Bellatrix was pinned to the floor by the statue of a Witch while her master fought with Dumbledore. Voldemort, after trying to possess Harry, fled, taking Bellatrix with him as he Disapparated.
Later in July 1996, Bellatrix accompanied her sister Narcissa Malfoy to the house of Severus Snape at Spinner's End. Once there after interrogating Snape, Snape surprised Bellatrix by having her to bind him and Narcissa with an Unbreakable Vow to assist Draco.
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, she is living with Narcissa at the Malfoy's mansion, where Voldemort is also living. It is revealed that the sword of Gryffindor has been placed in her vault (not knowing it's a fake). When Harry, Ron and Hermione are captured and brought to the mansion with the real sword, she panics, believing that the three of them have been inside her vault at Gringott's. Apprently, her vault also contains another of Voldemort's Horcruxes, the cup of Helga Hufflepuff. As a result of this Bellatrix takes Hermione and interrogates her, torturing her brutally with the Cruciatus Curse.
Hermione later drinks Polyjuice Potion to impersonate Bellatrix, and make it possible to steal the horcrux from the Lestrange's vault.
She joins in the battle at Hogwarts and kills Nymphadora Tonks (this was not seen, but revealed in a chat with JKR) along with others, most likely, and after threatening Ginny, duels with Molly Weasley, who kills her in similar circumstances to her murder of Sirius.
Personality
Bellatrix was fanatically loyal to Voldemort, and one of his cruelest Death Eaters. She took delight in the sufferings of others, and had a great distrust of Snape. She believed that her loyalty was demonstrated by her time in Azkaban, and believed that she was Voldemort’s most trusted follower. Bellatrix also had some skill in Occlumency as she instructed Draco in the art in order to aid her nephew in his plan. She is believed by some to be unbalanced or insane because of her time in Azkaban. She was also a bit paranoid. She also seems easily distracted when riled and had a fierce and dangerous temper.
Trivia
- Originally, Helen McCrory was going to play the role of Bellatrix in the film version of Order of the Phoenix, but due to pregnancy she was replaced by Helena Bonham Carter.
- In the book version of Order of the Phoenix, Bellatrix was grabbed by Voldemort as he disappeared from the Department of Mysteries. In the Film, as soon as Voldemort and Dumbledore started dueling, She escaped via the Floo Network.
- In the Film Order of the Phoenix Bellatrix is shown with a grin and a small laugh after she kills Sirius. Harry angrily chases her as she makes her escape. She runs to the Floo Network while shouting in a singing and joyful voice "I killed Sirius Black!" and then laughing. She then sees Harry running after her and, in a sarcastic tone, shouts "He's com'in to get me!".
- The House elf Kreacher has a great fondness for Bellatrix. This is explained in book 7, where Harry comes to understand that Kreacher responds to respect, and Hermione realises that the Death Eaters with which Kreacher was in contact were over-indulging him in contrast with Sirius' abuse.
- With her taste for cruelty and her seemingly obsessive devotion to Voldemort, the character of Bellatrix Lestrange, like that of Dolores Umbridge, is a powerful reminder to readers that evil is not limited to one gender.