Beatrix Lestrange

## Beatrix Delilah Lestrange

**Beatrix Delilah Lestrange** (born 28 February, 1962 - 19 July, 1985) was an English pure-blood witch and the only daughter of Sylas Lestrange and Delilah Lestrange (née Malfoy). Being born in one of the most dedicated pure-blood families in England, she was taught about blood purity. Beatrix was usually quiet, so it is not known whether or not she cared about it. She did always follow her brothers - Rodolphus and Rabastan - around though, especially Rabastan since they were closer in age. Both her brothers were Death Eaters - followers of Lord Voldermort, so many presume she didn't have a liking to muggles. Her childhood best friends were mainly her brothers because she was kept at home most of the time as she got sick a lot. Even though she was stuck at home most of the time, she had a wide range of hobbies, including art and playing the piano.

Beatrix attended Hogwarts from 1973 - 1979 and was sorted into Slytherin House. Beatrix never got along with anyone in the same year as her when she first , so she went with her brothers instead. She spent a lot of time with her older brothers, but eventually made friends with three other students in her year: Regulus Black II, Mildred 'Millie' Rowle (née Macmillan), and Lucie Abbott. She wasn't particularly good in all her subjects, though she did excel in Study of Ancient Runes and Arithmancy.

Sadly, she died in the summer of 1980 at the ripe age of 23 due to an illness. Her funeral was attended by her family, Regulus, Millie and Lucie. Her family was especially devastated as she was the only daughter/sister they had and they would never fully recover from her death.

## Biography

### Early Life (1960s)

Beatrix Delilah Lestrange was born on 28 February, 1962 to Sylas Lestrange and Delilah Lestrange (née Malfoy) at the family's property - Stamford House, Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. Her parents were both born into wealthy pure-blood families and both members of the families were traditionally sorted into Slytherin. Although she did not live for long, Beatrix was always willing to learn. By the time she attended Hogwarts, Beatrix could speak English, French, German, Turkish and Russian.

Before attending Hogwarts, Beatrix mainly stayed home because she'd often get sick, but she was never particularly sad because she always had hope that she'd get better. Staying at home also had benefits though, because a lot of her hobbies were developed during her time at home. Their house was also huge and they had a huge amount of space outside too, so she never got bored. Her mother insisted on teaching her children all the things herself, but as her children got older, she had to hire a couple of tutors because she couldn't handle them all at once. Her father was the one responsible of showing her the dark curses and telling her about the dark arts. Beatrix never used any of those, but she had a wide knowledge on them. Beatrix was born with blonde hair, but it got darker as she grew. It was a dark brown shade by the time she died.

She was also taught about the importance of blood purity, but it is not known whether or not she cared about it. She did stay with her brothers a lot though, who both became followers of Lord Voldemort as soon as they graduated from Hogwarts.

#### Friendship (1960s)

Since Beatrix mostly spent her time at home, she didn't have many friends. She was very close with both her parents and brothers. She was closest with her brother Rabastan and her mother Delilah. Her cousins visited their house frequently. Evidence of this is her numerous portraits with her cousins, especially on her maternal side. She had a very close relationship with her cousins too.

Beatrix liked both of her brothers equally. Though she was closer with Rabastan because they were more similar in age, with Rabastan only being a year older than her. She would play with them all the time and they were always there when she needed company. They were almost the only friends she had for a long period of time.

By the time she was in 2nd year, all of Rodolphus and Rabastan's friends knew who she was. She also spent a lot of time with Rabastan's because she was mostly anti-social at school and liked being with her older brother instead.

Beatrix was also particularly close with her parents, especially her mother, because since she was ill a lot and had to stay home, her parents stayed home to take care of her. Her mother had previously worked historian and author, but stopped working when Beatrix was born and never worked again as Beatrix kept on getting sick.

#### Hobbies (1960s)

Beatrix loved playing the piano. She could always find peace in music when the world was at chaos. During her time at home when she was little, she learnt a big repertoire of pieces including Chopin's Nocturnes, Schumann's 'Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood)' and a lot of pieces by Bach, including his French Suites and Preludes. She would usually play in the drawing room at their house, but she would also play on the piano in her room, in the ball room, or the organ or harpsichord in the church at Stamford House.

Beatrix also liked to read. Her favourite books was *A History of Magic* by Bathilda Bagshot, *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them* by Newton Scamander, and a couple of books on Dark Magic that were kept in the family library. She spent a lot of her time at home reading as well. By the time she was 11, she had read a lot of the books in the family archives and library.

Beatrix enjoyed art as well. She usually spends the mornings sketching, painting or doing some sort of art. She especially likes sketching nature, the rooms in the Old Building, New Building and Church and of whatever she feels like that day. Beatrix specialises in still life. She doesn't like drawing living creatures that much because she thinks it is quite hard and she does not have the patience to draw them. She tried drawing her brother Rodolphus once, but she said 'he couldn't stop moving'. She does get portraits of herself drawn though, and she admits she doesn't like sitting through them either.

### Hogwarts Years (1970s)

#### First Year (1972-1973)

Beatrix started her first year in 1972 (during the First Wizarding War) and was sent to Hogwarts with her older brother Rabastan (Rodolphus had already graduated. He is significantly older than both Beatrix and Rabastan). Some of her things were passed down, but most of her things were newly bought. She was sorted into Slytherin, where Rabastan was, and she was very happy. She couldn't make any friends during her first year, as she had difficulty socialising after staying mostly at home for the past eleven years, so she spent her time with Rabastan. Spending time with her Rabastan meant she got to know his friends, so by the end of the year, all Rabastan's friends knew who she was.

#### Second Year (1973-1974)

She started her second year with a bit more luck in friendships, as she made three new friends: Regulus Black, Mildred 'Millie' Rowle (née Macmillan) and Lucie Abbott (née Greengrass). Despite having friends of her own, she still spent a lot of time with Rabastan and his friends. She also started bringing her sketchbook so she could sketch when she was alone. She completed a sketch of all three of her friends. Although Beatrix had was healthy most of the time this school year, she had to be sent home early at the end of the year because of her poor health.

#### Third Year (1974-1975)

In her third year, she started Arithmancy. She liked the subject a lot and excelled at it. She also contracted another longterm illness and spent a good bit of her time in the hospital wing. She did however, still get excellent grades and her friends would visit her regularly with news and homework. Whilst on Christmas holiday during her third year, Lucie came to stay over at her house. They had a lot of fun together and Beatrix sketched a portrait of her that is now kept in the archives of Stamford House with the rest of her belongings. For her 13th birthday, she received a pearl necklace from her parents, which is thought to have been part of the Lestrange family since arriving in England. It is one of the many marriage gifts to Maria Christina, the First Lady Lestrange of England, from her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Huesca (at the time).

## Etymology

* The name Beatrix is girl's name of Latin, Dutch origin meaning "she who brings happiness; blessed". Beatrix has a solid history of its own apart from Beatrice, with that final x adding a playful, animated note to the name's imposing history. In the earliest sources it is recorded as Viatrix, meaning "voyager". Possibly the spelling was deliberately changed to resemble the Latin word *beatus*, "blessed"; both meanings are part of Beatrix's rich history. It has been largely associated with Beatrix (born Helen) Potter, creator of Peter Rabbit, and Beatrix has been Queen of The Nethelands since 1980.
* The name Delilah is girl's name of Hebrew origin meaning "delicate". Delilah has shed the stigma of its Biblical image, and is now appreciated for its haunting, melodic, feminine qualities
* The name Alice is girl's name of German origin meaning "noble". Alice was derived from the Old French name Aalis, a diminutive of Adelais that itself came from the Germanic name Adalhaidis. Adalhaidis, from which the name Adelaide is also derived, is composed of the Proto-Germanic elements *aþala*, meaning "noble," and *haidu*, "kind, appearance, type." Lewis Carroll’s *Alice in Wonderland* popularized the name in modern times.
* Lestrange is likely a play on *l'étrange*, which is French meaning "the strange one".