Bellatrix Lestrange

Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black) was a pure-blood witch, the eldest daughter of Cygnus and Druella Black and sister to Andromeda Tonks and Narcissa Malfoy. A fanatically loyal and sadistic Death Eater, she was one of Lord Voldemort's most trusted and dangerous followers. Known for her prowess in the Dark Arts and her unhinged personality, Bellatrix was responsible for the torture of Alice and Frank Longbottom and the murders of her cousin, Sirius Black, and the house-elf, Dobby. Her unwavering devotion to the Dark Lord and her profound cruelty made her one of the most feared figures of the Second Wizarding War, which ended with her death at the hands of Molly Weasley during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Born into the ancient and staunchly pure-blood House of Black, Bellatrix was taught from a young age to believe in the supremacy of pure-blood wizards and to despise Muggle-borns, Muggles, and “blood traitors.” She attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where she was sorted into Slytherin House. After graduating, she married Rodolphus Lestrange, a fellow pure-blood from a respected Death Eater family.

Bellatrix and her husband became avid followers of Lord Voldemort during his initial rise to power. She quickly established herself as one of his most loyal and vicious supporters. Following Voldemort's first downfall after his attack on the Potters, Bellatrix, Rodolphus, his brother Rabastan Lestrange, and Barty Crouch Jr. captured the Aurors Frank and Alice Longbottom. Seeking information on Voldemort's whereabouts, they subjected the Longbottoms to the Cruciatus Curse until they were driven to insanity. For this crime, Bellatrix and her accomplices were captured and sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban. Bellatrix proudly proclaimed her loyalty to the Dark Lord at her trial, convinced he would return to reward her.

In January 1996, Bellatrix was one of ten high-security prisoners who escaped Azkaban in a mass breakout. She immediately rejoined Lord Voldemort and became a key figure in his army.

• Battle of the Department of Mysteries: Bellatrix led a group of Death Eaters to retrieve the prophecy concerning Harry Potter and the Dark Lord. During the ensuing battle, she out-duelled and killed her cousin, Sirius Black, knocking him through the veiled archway in the Death Chamber. She was briefly pursued by a vengeful Harry Potter, but was saved by Voldemort's arrival.
• Spinner's End: In the summer of 1996, a distrustful Bellatrix accompanied her sister Narcissa to the home of Severus Snape. She relentlessly questioned Snape's loyalties but was ultimately forced to act as the Bonder for the Unbreakable Vow made between Snape and Narcissa.
• Skirmish at Malfoy Manor: In the spring of 1998, when Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger were captured and brought to Malfoy Manor, Bellatrix took charge. Horrified to see they possessed the Sword of Gryffindor, which she believed to be in her Gringotts vault, she tortured Hermione with the Cruciatus Curse for information. Her interrogation was interrupted by the arrival of Dobby, who rescued the prisoners. As they Disapparated, Bellatrix threw a silver knife, mortally wounding and killing the house-elf.
• Battle of Hogwarts: Bellatrix fought fiercely in the final battle. She murdered her niece, Nymphadora Tonks, and was seen duelling Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, and Luna Lovegood simultaneously. After a Killing Curse from Bellatrix narrowly missed Ginny, an enraged Molly Weasley engaged her in a ferocious duel, ultimately striking her in the heart with a curse and killing her.

Before her imprisonment, Bellatrix was described as having the classic good looks of the Black family: she was a tall woman with long, thick, shining dark hair, a thin mouth, heavy-lidded eyes, and an air of arrogance. Fourteen years in Azkaban left her emaciated and gaunt, with a skull-like face, though she retained a “vestige of her former beauty.” Bellatrix's personality was defined by her fanaticism and sadism. She was utterly devoted to Lord Voldemort, exhibiting an obsessive and subservient love for him that surpassed that of any other Death Eater. She was violently unstable, prone to fits of deranged laughter and explosive rage. Her arrogance, rooted in her pure-blood heritage, was immense, and she treated most others, including some fellow Death Eaters and even her own sister, with contempt. She took immense pleasure in inflicting pain, both physical and emotional, as demonstrated by her use of the Cruciatus Curse and her merciless taunting of Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom.

Bellatrix was an immensely powerful and talented witch, described by Voldemort as his “best lieutenant.”

• Dark Arts: She was a master of the Dark Arts, with a particular affinity and skill for the Unforgivable Curses. She used the Killing Curse to murder Sirius Black and Nymphadora Tonks, and her use of the Cruciatus Curse was exceptionally proficient, capable of inflicting permanent mental damage.
• Dueling: Bellatrix was a formidable and deadly duelist. She defeated multiple skilled opponents, including Aurors like Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks, and killed the highly capable Sirius Black. She was able to fight three accomplished witches at once during the Battle of Hogwarts before being killed by Molly Weasley.
• Occlumency: She was skilled enough in Occlumency to have taught the art to her nephew, Draco Malfoy, to aid him in his mission to kill Albus Dumbledore.
• Nonverbal Magic: She frequently used spells nonverbally in combat, demonstrating a high level of magical discipline.
• Wand: Her first wand was 12 ¾“ long, made of walnut, and had a dragon heartstring core. It was described by Garrick Ollivander as “unyielding.” This wand was taken from her by Harry Potter at Malfoy Manor and later used by Hermione.

• Wand: Her primary magical tool until it was forcibly taken from her at Malfoy Manor.
• Silver Knife: A small knife she carried, which she used to murder Dobby the house-elf.
• Lestrange Vault: A high-security vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, which she used to store family treasures, including Hufflepuff's Cup, which was one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes.

• Lord Voldemort: Bellatrix's devotion to Voldemort was absolute. She was his most loyal follower, serving him with a passionate, obsessive fervor that resembled romantic love. She was a trusted member of his inner circle and was visibly proud of this status.
• The Black Family: She embraced her family's pure-blood ideology. She held her cousin Sirius Black in contempt for betraying these values, calling him a ”blood traitor.“ She despised her sister Andromeda Tonks for marrying the Muggle-born Ted Tonks, and subsequently murdered her daughter, Nymphadora Tonks. She had a closer, if strained, relationship with her younger sister, Narcissa Malfoy, often bullying her but also showing a degree of sisterly concern.
• The Lestrange Family: She was married to Rodolphus Lestrange and fought alongside him and his brother, Rabastan Lestrange. The books suggest their union was based on shared ideology rather than deep affection, as her primary loyalty was always to Voldemort.
• Severus Snape: Bellatrix deeply distrusted Snape, doubting his loyalty to the Dark Lord and believing him to be a servant of Albus Dumbledore. She openly challenged him on multiple occasions.
• Harry Potter: She saw Harry as nothing more than the primary obstacle to her master's power and delighted in tormenting him, especially over the death of his godfather, Sirius.
• Neville Longbottom: Her torture of his parents created a deep and lasting enmity. Neville confronted her directly at the Department of Mysteries and later fought against her at the Battle of Hogwarts.

• Bellatrix: The name is Latin for “female warrior,” which aptly describes her role as a formidable fighter for Voldemort's cause. Bellatrix is also the name of a pale yellow star in the constellation of Orion, fitting the House of Black's tradition of naming children after stars and constellations.
• Lestrange: This surname is likely derived from the French phrase l'étrange, meaning “the strange one.” This reflects her eccentric, mentally unstable, and bizarre personality.

• According to the Black Family Tree tapestry created by J.K. Rowling for a charity auction, Bellatrix was born in 1951 and died in 1998. (J.K. Rowling's Black Family Tree).
• In the film adaptations, Bellatrix is portrayed by actress Helena Bonham Carter. Her portrayal emphasizes a wild, gothic, and chaotically unhinged aspect of the character.
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Bellatrix participates in the attack on The Burrow, a scene that is not in the original novel. (film).
• The stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, written by Jack Thorne based on a story by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Thorne, reveals that Bellatrix gave birth to Lord Voldemort's secret daughter, Delphini, at Malfoy Manor before the Battle of Hogwarts. (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child).