A/N: Hello Readers! The following was written during a free write as a one-shot. However, it has the potential to be turned into an entire story. If you like it, please comment on whether or not you want me to write more of it! Any and all reviews are greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
~Rose Evyn
Bellatrix Black sat nonchalantly at a desk during Transfiguration. Her ebony hair was pulled into a loose bun, and a few rebellious strands framed her face. She looked up occasionally, bored. Instead of paying attention, she fought to remember the details of her private lessons with the Dark Lord. She went over each moment in her mind, savoring every detail whether they were from memory of an achievement or of her punishment after a failure; every moment spent with the Dark Lord was precious to her.
Her hand moved instinctively towards her left arm. She lovingly caressed the mark on her arm for an instant before realizing that it was exposed. Abruptly pulled out of her reverie, she gasped and pulled the sleeve down violently, looking around frantically hoping that no one had noticed her indiscretion.
She locked eyes with Professor McGonagall. Damn, the old bat looked suspicious. Bellatrix cleared all emotion from her face, trying to look innocent to the eyes boring into her own.
"Miss Black," McGonagall said sternly "Kindly demonstrate for the class how you can turn a quill into an owl."
With a wave of her wand Bellatrix conjured an white owl. With a displeased jerk of her head the owl turned jet black, a Slytherin green snake etched on its side. She looked up at the professor. McGonagall was wearing a shocked expression. Bellatrix looked around the classroom to find that her classmates had similar looks of surprise on their faces. She scrutinized her owl. It seemed perfect.
"What?", she asked sightly annoyed.
"Class dismissed," said Professor McGonagall "Please stay behind Miss Black."
Bellatrix waited until the room was cleared.
"Miss Black," began Professor McGonagall "Please follow me, I think that we should have a word with Headmaster Dumbledore.
"Why?" asked Bellatrix, perplexed.
Without responding, McGonagall motioned for her to follow. Thus, Bellatrix found herself being escorted to the Headmaster's office. Bellatrix began to panic; had McGonagall seen the mark? Was she going to report her to Dumbledore? Her heartbeat sped up. She needed to think, needed away out of this mess. Maybe she could jinx McGonagall on the way up and leave Hogwarts to return to the Dark Lord. That seemed to be a reasonable plan, however the Dark Lord might not like that. Her eyebrows furrowed. He had seemed very set on having her graduate Hogwarts on good terms that way, she was sure he reasoned, she would be an even greater blow against the Order of the Phoenix since its members would not anticipate her arrival. It would be as though she were Death Eater's secret weapon. She smiled smugly at the thought, her- a secret weapon! She came to her senses and shook her head furiously trying to dispel those silly thoughts. She had no right to deduce the Dark Lord's thoughts anyway! She was his unquestioning servant!
Bellatrix was losing time now. She recognized the gargoyles that guarded the Headmaster's Office. If she didn't make her move soon she might lose her chan-
The gargoyles moved aside as Dumbledore himself made his was down the spiral staircase behind them.
"Ah, Minerva," he said "and young Bellatrix. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat while Bellatrix fidgeted uncomfortably, awaiting her sentence.
"Well, today Miss Black wordlessly conjured an owl herself," she began "As you well know this is truly a remarkable feat for 5th year, and she did so quite easily. I am now considering moving her to a higher class."
Relief flooded through Bellatrix. So that was all she wanted. Bellatrix knew that she could definitaly handle a harder class; it would be nothing compared to the advanced magic the Dark Lord was teaching her.
"Really?" Dumbledore said, mildly impressed. "Bellatrix, would you mind demonstrating for us?"
"Of course, Professor" Bellatrix said, smiling sweetly.
She raised her arms with a flourish, and conjured the owl again. The sleeves of her robes bunched up by her elbows.
She realized her mistake too late. Rather than admiring the owl, both professors were staring in horror at her Dark Mark.
Without a moment's hesitation Dumbledore plunged into her mind. It was so sudden that she had no time to deflect properly. A single compromising image of the Dark Lord holding her in bed got through before she ejected Dumbledore from her mind. She shot him a frenzied glance.
"How dare you!" she shouted, "You have no right!"
She paced frantically before realizing what she could do. Well two can play at that game, she thought before raising her wand with a sadistic giggle.