The deepest levels of the Valvas estate were sealed from the world — an underground fortress of stone, runes, and silence.
Within it lay the final remnant of a dark era.
Roy descended the spiral staircase alone, his footsteps echoing faintly off the walls. Torches flickered to life as he passed, responding instinctively to his magic.
He finally reached a chamber reinforced with silver seals and enchanted iron. Inside, a woman lay on a bed — pale, motionless, her black hair spread across the pillow like spilled ink.
Bellatrix Lestrange.
Once one of Voldemort's most feared followers, now only a shadow of who she once was.
Roy looked at her for a long moment.
"You were broken, twisted by the world and by magic that should never have existed," he murmured softly.
"But... no one deserves to stay like this forever."
He raised his hand, summoning a sphere of blue light. The air inside the chamber shifted as his Ope-Ope Domain expanded, enveloping the unconscious witch.
"Ope-Ope no Mi — Neural Restoration."
A wave of silver-white energy pulsed through Bellatrix's body. The runes on the walls flickered, and her breathing deepened. Slowly — ever so slowly — her eyes opened.
Dark lashes fluttered. Confusion filled her face as she tried to sit up, trembling.
"Where... am I? Where is... my family? The Lestranges?"
Roy stepped closer, his tone calm and steady.
"You're safe. You've been in a coma for years. The Lestrange family is... gone."
Her eyes widened, trembling as she searched his face for truth. "Gone? Then... what did I...?"
Roy didn't look away. "You were controlled, Bellatrix. Twisted and brainwashed by dark magic and a cruel man who used your pain. It wasn't your fault — but you hurt people. That's the truth."
She stared down at her hands — pale, trembling — then whispered, "Then I deserve to die. Please... end it."
Roy blinked in surprise, the words sinking into him like cold steel.
"You want me to kill you?"
She nodded slowly. "If I've done such unforgivable things... I don't deserve to live."
For a long moment, Roy said nothing. Then he sighed softly, stepped forward, and reached out — gently flicking her forehead with his finger.
Flick!
"Idiot," he said simply.
Bellatrix froze. Her expression shifted from shock to disbelief — and then, faintly, to embarrassment.
"D-Did you just call me an idiot?!" she snapped, blushing furiously. "And you hit me!"
Roy smiled. "I didn't hit you. I reminded you that you're alive. You have a second chance — don't waste it by giving up."
Bellatrix's voice faltered. "You... you're just a child."
Roy chuckled. "Maybe. But even a child can tell when someone's lost their way."
He reached out a hand. "Come on. Let's get you out of this place."
A New Beginning
Moments later, the dungeon doors opened for the first time in years.
Roy led Bellatrix up through the torch-lit corridors until they emerged into the sunlight of the upper courtyard.
He waved down a nearby maid. "Take her to the baths, and prepare clean clothes. Then bring her to the dining hall."
The maid curtsied quickly. "At once, young master."
Bellatrix stood in silence as the maid led her away. For the first time in decades, she felt warmth — real, human warmth — on her skin.
When she returned later, freshly bathed and dressed in a simple but elegant gown, she barely recognized her reflection.
Her once-hardened features had softened; her hair glistened in the light, and her eyes — once filled with rage — now carried quiet confusion.
Roy was already seated at the table, sipping tea with the calm poise of a nobleman far beyond his years. When he looked up and saw her, his lips curled into a teasing grin.
"Look at you now," he said lightly. "You actually look like a woman instead of a storm."
Bellatrix's cheeks turned bright red. "Y-You insolent brat!" she snapped — but her voice lacked venom.
Roy only smiled and gestured to the seat beside him. "Sit. You've been asleep long enough. Time to eat something."
As they shared breakfast, the silence between them softened. Bellatrix found herself laughing — awkwardly, quietly — for the first time she could remember.
When the meal ended, Roy leaned back and spoke gently.
"Bellatrix Lestrange is gone. The world believes she's dead — and maybe that's for the best."
Her eyes flicked up to his, uncertain.
"So here's your choice," Roy continued. "Start over. Work for me. Be free — truly free — from the darkness of your past. But you'll live under a new name. A clean slate."
Bellatrix looked at him for a long time. Then, slowly, she nodded.
"If you'll allow me... I'll follow you. As your servant. As your knight. As... someone who wants to atone."
Roy smiled faintly. "Then welcome to your new life."
As sunlight poured into the room, Bellatrix closed her eyes and took a deep breath — for the first time, breathing not as a servant of darkness, but as a woman reborn.