Madam Bellatrix Lestrange

 Bellatrix Lestrange a.k.a. The Madwoman Witch

Biographical information

Full Name

Bellatrix Black

Nickname(s)

• Bella (by Narcissa Malfoy, Voldemort, and Severus Snape)

• Aunt (by Draco only)

• Madam Lestrange (by non-family members)

Birth

1951

Died

2 May 1998, Great Hall, Hogwarts Castle, Highlands, Scotland, Great Britain

Cause of death

Eliminated by Molly Weasley

Age

46 - 47

Blood status

Pure-blood

Marital status

Married

Title

Madam

Physical description

Species

Human

Gender

Female

Hair color

Black

Eye color

Brown

Skin color

Pale

Family information

Siblings

• Andromeda "Andie" Black-Tonks (estranged younger sister)

• Narcissa "Cissy" Black-Malfoy (younger sister)

Parents

• Cygnus Black III ✝️ (father)

• Druella Rosier-Black ✝️ (mother)

Grandparents

• Pollux Black ✝️ (paternal grandfather) 

• Irma Crabbe-Black ✝️ (paternal grandmother)

Uncles/Aunts

• Orion Black ✝️ (paternal uncle)

• Alphard Black ✝️ (estranged paternal uncle)

• Walburga Black ✝️ (paternal aunt) 

Cousins 

• Sirius Black III (paternal first cousin) 

• Regulus Black II ✝️ (paternal first cousin)

In-laws

• Edward "Ted" Tonks ✝️ (estranged brother-in-law)

• Prof. Remus Lupin (estranged nephew-in-law)

• Lucius Malfoy (brother-in-law)

• Rabastan Lestrange (brother-in-law)

Nieces/Nephews

• Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin (estranged niece)

• Draco Malfoy (nephew)

Relationships

Supporters

• House of Black
• Malfoy family
• Death Eaters
• Lord Voldemort ✝️
• Rodolphus Lestrange ✝️
• Rabastan Lestrange
• Severus Snape ✝️(conceivably)
• Peter Pettigrew ✝️
• Barty Crouch Jr. ✝️
• Fenrir Greyback ✝️
• Dementors
• Nagini ✝️
• Dolores Umbridge

Romances

• Rodolphus Lestrange ✝️ (spouse)

• Lord Voldemort ✝️ (late lover)

Opponents

• Order of the Phoenix
• Ministry of Magic
• Remus Lupin
• Albus Dumbledore ✝️
• Nymphadora Tonks
• Sirius Black III
• Harry Potter
• Weasley family
• Hermione Granger
• Luna Lovegood
• Longbottom family
• Lovegood family
• Tom Riddle
• Dumbledore's Army

Magical characteristics

Wand

12¾", Walnut, dragon heartstring

Affiliation

House

Slytherin

Loyalty

• House of Black (paternal)

• Rosier family (maternal)

• Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (previously)

• Slytherin

• Lestrange family (in-laws)

• Malfoy family

• Lord Voldemort

• Death Eaters

Bellatrix Black was the daughter of Cygnus Black III and Druella Black (nee Rosier). She had two younger sisters: Narcissa and Andromeda, and had a fairly strained relationship with her cousin, Sirius Black. At eleven, Bella began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was sorted into the Slytherin House. Bellatrix joined the Death Eaters after graduating from Hogwarts. She participated in the torture of Frank and Alice Longbottom.

Skirmish at Malfoy Manor

"You're lying, you filthy Mudblood, and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth, tell the truth! What else did you take? What else have you got? Tell me the truth, or I swear, I shall run you through with this knife! What else did you take, what else? ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!"

— Overheard parts of Bellatrix's interrogation of Hermione Granger

In March 1998, when Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Tom were captured by a group of Snatchers and brought to the manor, Bellatrix was initially eager to ensure that Voldemort was informed immediately, and she and Lucius briefly argued over who would summon him. When she spotted Godric Gryffindor's Sword amongst the trio's captured possessions, however, she at once flew into a panic because the sword (as far as she knew) was hidden in her vault. This led both Harry and Tom to deduce that there might be something of great importance in her vault, which turned out to be one of Voldemort's Horcruxes: Helga Hufflepuff's Cup. Bellatrix, coming out of her panicked state, ordered the Snatcher holding the sword to hand it over to her and stunned the man when he refused.

The other Snatchers turned on her at once, but even though it was four on one, they were no match for her, and she quickly stunned three of them and forced Greyback to his knees, demanding to know where he had found the sword. He then informed her that the sword had been found in the Trio's tent. She then took charge of the situation by torturing Hermione into revealing how the sword was in the Trio's possession. She demanded that the rest of the prisoners be taken into the cellar temporarily, while ordering the Stunned Snatchers to be placed in the courtyard to be disposed of by her personally at a later time.

Bellatrix proceeded to brutally torture Hermione with the Cruciatus Curse and a knife, asking her again and again about the Sword and if they had taken anything else from their vault. Even in extreme pain, Hermione managed to lie, claiming the real sword was only a copy. However, Bellatrix doubted this claim, which led to Lucius suggesting that Draco retrieve the goblin prisoner Griphook from the cellar to tell her if the sword was a fake or not. Griphook also managed to lie, obeying Harry's request not to tell Bellatrix the truth, keeping the trio's secret safe. After Peter Pettigrew (who had been sent to check on the prisoners after hearing a suspicious noise) was strangled to death in the cellar with his own silver hand, given to him by Voldemort after showing compassion to Harry, Tom, and Ron. Harry, Tom, and Ron escaped the cellar and proceeded up the stairs to aid Hermione.

Bellatrix threatened Hermione with her knife after Harry and Tom stunned Greyback and Lucius, and Ron disarmed her. While holding the knife to an unconscious Hermione's throat, Bellatrix demanded that the prisoners drop their wands and then pressed her Dark Mark, calling Voldemort. However, Dobby (who had been sent by Aberforth Dumbledore to rescue Harry and his friends) created a diversion by causing the chandelier to fall from above Bellatrix's head, making her release Hermione and jump out of the way. She lashed out at the house-elf in complete disbelief of his rebellious action against his "former masters". Dobby claimed he was a "free elf" and Disapparated. As the house-elf Disapparated with Harry, Bellatrix threw a silver knife at them in a desperate attempt to prevent their escape, and the Apparition sucked up the knife with it, wounding Dobby in his chest, who then died. She also lost her wand in the skirmish.

Bellatrix and her relatives were severely punished by Voldemort for allowing Harry to escape. After the incident at Malfoy Manor, Hermione used a hair of Bellatrix that had fallen on her while she was torturing her to change herself into Bellatrix using Polyjuice Potion, therefore letting her sneak into Gringotts, as Diagon Alley was infested with Death Eaters.

Duel with Molly Weasley

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"

— Molly Weasley contests Bellatrix

During the Battle of Hogwarts on 2 May 1998, Bellatrix failed to slaughter Nymphadora Tonks, her estranged sister's daughter becuase Tom demilitarized her just in time. When Voldemort called a brief withdrawal, waiting for Harry Potter to turn himself in, she waited by his side and offered him support when he was stunned after using the Killing Curse on Harry, but this offer was coldly rebuffed. Bellatrix eagerly asked Voldemort if she could inspect Harry for signs of life, but she was declined again. Voldemort rather sent her younger sister to confirm his demise. When Narcissa had fibbed and informed Voldemort that Harry was dead, Bellatrix and the other Death Eaters heeded Voldemort to Hogwarts to reveal Harry's "demise", swelling at the distress of the survivors.

When the battle continued, Bellatrix battled Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, and Tom Riddle all at once, having become the last Death Eater standing aside from Voldemort, who was also battling three opponents. It was said that despite all four young witches being qualified and working in pairs, together they did not outclass her. She cast a Killing Curse at Ginny, which narrowly missed its mark by a hair. The act was caught by both a hidden Harry, who was outraged enough to actually target Bellatrix over Voldemort, and Molly Weasley.

The Weasley matron, having already lost her late brothers that night in the First Wizarding War and agitated at the prospect of relinquishing her kids, promptly flung off her cover and called a verbal challenge to the Death Eater as she advanced, pushing Bellatrix to hoot with laughter at her. Yet, Bellatrix's foolhardy, smug laughter quickly turned to outrage as Molly began to strike, making her realise her opponent was more formidable than she had hoped. The two began to duel, with the power of their abilities being stated as pushing the ground beneath them to become unstable and smashed due to their purpose to finish the other off once and for all.

Demise

"Molly's curse flew beneath Bellatrix's outstretched arm and hit her squarely in the chest, directly over her heart. Bellatrix's gloating smile froze, her eyes seemed to swell: for the tiniest space of time she knew what had happened, and then she leveled, and the watching crowd roared, and Voldemort yelled."

— Description of Bellatrix's demise at the hands of Molly Weasley

Despite Molly duelling fiercely, Bellatrix persisted in laughing and mocking her opponent with vicious delight. She did this even as Molly's powerful curses missed her by a hair, eventually providing an opening for Molly to hit her in the chest with a hex, which proved deadly.

As her body razed to the ground, an outraged Voldemort turned on Molly, which provoked Harry (who had watched the battle spread beneath his Invisibility Cloak) to expose himself. The final showdown between him and Voldemort followed, but Bellatrix didn't live to find out that her suspicion of Snape had been correct or to see her master's final downfall moments later.