Bellatrix was startled as a very rotund man suddenly was screaming at her. "Freak!" This was followed with a bony woman demanding that Harry cook breakfast and mow the lawn. A ridiculously fat boy was soon bullying Harry. Confused, it took Bellatrix a moment to realize that she was looking at Harry's childhood. As soon as she realized this, she also realized that she could feel shame from Harry.
Quickly, Bellatrix withdrew from Harry's mind and found herself focusing on Harry's green eyes. "Right," she said very slowly. "I think two will be enough for now. You hang on, and I'll be back shortly."
Harry said nothing, but closed his eyes.
Panic gripped Bellatrix's heart, and she reached out and took Harry's limp hand to feel for his pulse. It was there, and Bellatrix sighed with relief. He would be just resting. He had time yet.
Bellatrix rushed to her room and in a flurry changed her outfit into something more suitable than what she had worn to dinner with Harry before their fateful incident in Little Hangleton. She then apparated to Diagon Alley-onto the steps of Gringotts.
The goblin sentinels were startled enough by Bellatrix's sudden appearance that they shifted uncomfortably. Bellatrix shoved the marriage contract at one of them. "Take this to whoever is on duty. I want it processed immediately. Both of you can withdraw fifty galleons from my account for services rendered. The goblin that processes it can have one hundred if the contract is properly registered within half an hour."
With that, Bellatrix turned and glanced at Diagon Alley as one of the goblin sentries rushed into the bank. The sun had only just gone down, but the streets were completely empty save for the usual shops. The shops did not look so well themselves. They clearly were not abandoned, but some of them had suffered serious vandalism. Shaking her head to gather her wits, Bellatrix told herself that she would have to wonder about Diagon Alley later.
A quick apparition pop landed Bellatrix on Privet Drive. The street was precisely has Harry had shown to her in his mind. The thought of Harry's mind brought the memories of his childhood unbidden to the front of Bellatrix's mind. As she strolled down the middle of the street, her violet eyes began to faintly smolder.
.....
Dudley Dursley was lying on the floor with his eyes glued to the telly while his mother gossiped with a neighbor on the phone and his father read the newspaper, letting out the occasional grunt of satisfaction at the scores published in the sports section.
"Change it to the news, Dudley," Vernon Dursley said, glancing at his watch. "We'll want to catch the stock earnings."
"Stocks don't come on until the end of the news," Dudley whined. The whining noise was hardly consistent with the sight of a beached whale stranded on the living room floor.
Vernon shook his head proudly as he stood up. "That's a good boy, Dudders. You don't give in. However, I'm the man of the house, and it's my telly." Vernon pushed the button and the channel changed. Lest he be circumvented by Dudley changing the channel, Vernon also grabbed the remote and brought it back to the couch with him.
The newscasters appeared, sitting at their customary desks in their fake office facades. "The week concluded with yet another violent incident perpetrated by the mysterious black-clad terrorists," the newscaster droned. "The prime minister has issued a reminder that police are now authorized to carry special firearms and use excessive and deadly force-especially after sundown."
"Stupid freaks," Vernon muttered underneath his breath.
A knock sounded at the front door. Petunia was too busy to notice, but Vernon and Dudley forgot about the television and stared toward the front door.
"Who in their right mind goes out visiting?" Vernon said scathingly, pushing himself off the couch and propelling himself toward the front hall.
"Don't answer, Dad," Dudley squeaked.
"Those stupid freaks don't have any reason to bother us," Vernon retorted. "It's probably that moron next door wanting to borrow my power drill again. He should hire a contractor and do his remodeling properly, if you ask me."