"C'mon, 'Mione." Ron whined, slumping after Hermione in the bookstore, Harry not far behind them with an equally bored face
"You two don't have to stay with me." Hermione said for what felt like the hundredth time, eyes scanning the book titles "In fact, I would prefer if you two left me in peace."
"But- "Harry started
"We'll meet up at the Leaky Cauldron at noon for lunch." Hermione said, "I'm not even half way through the aisles, I don't know how much longer I'm going to be in here for."
"Fine." Harry sighed, punching Ron's shoulder as the redhead all but ran passed him to the outside street, "If anything happens, if anyone bothers you…"
"I'll be fine Harry." Hermione grinned and shooed him off
Hermione didn't know how long she had been since the boys had left her but she found herself browsing through the Dark Arts, her eyes scanning the titles and her fingers brushing along the spines of the books occasionally stopping and plucking one from its place. It wasn't long before she was in the far corner of the store out of view to everyone who didn't venture down the dark arts aisle. She was about to turn to leave when an old tome caught her eye, the book didn't have a legible title and the covers were made completely of black leather. She opened the cover of the book and was greeted with a blank, black page. Flipping through the entire book she found that all the pages were black and were hand written in silver ink with the handwriting style changing a few times. Hermione was about to flip back to the start to read the first couple of pages before buying the book when she heard the stores clock chime twelve times and she remembered her promise to the boys. Quickly making her way to the counter and putting the correct amount of money on the bench she hurried off without noticing the look on the store keepers face.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry." Hermione puffed, dropping into a seat beside Harry "I got caught up."
"We ordered you a butterbeer and shepherd's pie." Harry grinned at his friend and pushed the two in front of her
"Oh, thank-you. I'm starved." Hermione said as she dug in with gusto
"What's that?" Ron asked, poking at the black book Hermione had set down
"I'm not sure to be honest." Hermione admitted after she swallowed the last mouthful of food, "I didn't get a chance to give it a quick read before heading over here."
"Is Ginny back with Dean?" Harry asked, staring at the couple attached by the lips moodily
"Everyone finished eat? Good great, let's go." Ron stood hastily and had left the small pub before Harry or Hermione could even stand
"That's a bit immature, Ronald." Hermione huffed, put out at having to leave so soon
"She's my little sister. The gits lucky I don't curse him to hell for touching her like that." Ron's ears were slowly turning red, "Just wait til the twins find out."
"He's lucky I don't curse him." Harry muttered
"You two are ridiculous. Ronald, she can kiss whoever she wants whenever she wants and it's your business as much it is hers who you kiss. Harry, that girl fawned over you for god knows how long so you can't get in a mood now that she's moved on and you want her." Hermione reached up to clip both of their heads, "Did you two get any school shopping done?"
"We got some stuff for Quidditch." Harry said sheepishly and grinned at Hermione's exasperated sigh
"Did you guys hear?" Ginny puffed slightly after bursting into Harry and Ron's room
"Hear what?" Hermione asked
"Apparently there may be a spy in the order. Sirius managed to intercept an owl from Bellatrix LeStrange heading right here. They don't know who she was trying to address yet, but they seemed awfully cosy if the letter is anything to go by." Ginny said, flopping down next to Hermione while shoving Ron's head away
"What do you mean they don't know who?" Harry demanded
"It was addressed to 'LW' and there isn't anyone in the order with those initials."
"How did you find this out?" Hermione asked quietly
"The twins heard it with their extendable ears, mum forgot to ward the door."
When Hermione entered her room the first thing that she noticed was that her beds curtains were closed when she most certainly left them open when she left and secondly there was the unmistakeable feel of recently used magic buzzing in the air, too strong for it to be any of Mrs. Weasley's cleaning charms. Hermione pulled her wand from the waistband of her jeans and slowly opened the curtains just to find a neatly folded piece of parchment sitting on her bed next to a small, palm sized mirror.
Little Witch,
Once again I find myself apologising for taking what feels like an age to respond however this is not something I could control, I fear my second letter has been intercepted at some point and by the time I had healed Leonidas you had already started the school term. I didn't want to risk a second letter being intercepted and while Leonidas is a force to be reckoned with I felt more comfortable delivering it by hand.
As for your question, I've heard many whispers about you and I want to see if they're true and if they are, I wish to help you discover your true power and to tame it. If they're not, well, I was called the smartest witch of my age too and it will be nice to have a conversation with someone who understands words longer than three syllables.
How is the school year going? What have you been up to? What do you like to do in your free time? Do you participate in any sports?
Yours,
B.B
P.s. The mirror is a two-way mirror. I have charmed the letter to let me know when you read it so I can explain how it works via the mirror. I'll speak to you soon.
"Hello, Little Witch." A raspy voice practically purred from next to her, making Hermione jump and nearly fall off the bed
"Hello." Hermione greeted coldly
"Now, now." Bellatrix chuckled, her bright white teeth flashing in the light "No need for the hostility."
"Forgive me for not giving a deranged murderess a warm greeting." Hermione said sarcastically
"Half true, darling, do I seem deranged to you?" The smile never fell from Bellatrix's face and Hermione admitted to herself that the witch defiantly still held the famed Black beauty
"The insane usually play their characters well."
"Touché darling. How are you finding Grimmauld Place?" Bellatrix seemed to truly want an answer
"Dirty."
"Not surprising, Kreacher never did listen to Siri well." Bellatrix mused
"Kreacher?." Hermione asked
"The house elf. It would drive Sirius insane when his elf listened to his baby brother and cousins more than him. Don't know why he was surprised, he didn't treat the poor thing too well."
"Sirius mistreated him?" Hermione asked, surprised
"Mhm." Bellatrix hummed, "This is a rather dreary subject though so let's move on for now. Do you participate in any sports?"
"No."
"I was kind of fearing that you would play gob stones." Bellatrix said with a small laugh, "I played Quidditch from second year right up to seventh year."
"A beater, I bet."
"Seeker actually. Though I have been told I'm a keeper." Bellatrix flashed a smile and a wink, "Slytherin never lost a match while I was on my broom."
"So they lost when you fell off?" Hermione barbed much to the Dark Witches amusement
"Exactly. I remember in my very first game against… Gryffindor I believe it was, I got a little bit too excited and tried to dive off of my broom to catch the snitch. I, of course, didn't manage such a feat and ended up with a broken arm and dislocated shoulder. Andy thought it was hilarious, said that she could've died there and then because nothing would ever be as funny as that. Though, I found it funnier when Sirius fell off his broom right after because he was laughing at me so much."
Hermione couldn't stop the small giggle that left her lips before she frowned and tried to cover it with a cough
"Perhaps you'll be able to view the memory one day." Bellatrix said before frowning and leaning forward, "What is that book?"
"None of your business." Hermione replied icily
"Darling, enough of the hostility, it's getting old. If you truly didn't want to talk to me I'm sure you would have found a way to smash the mirror by now." Bellatrix rolled her eyes
"Perhaps I'm simply using you to get information."
"You don't plan to let anyone know that you're the spy darling, imagine how baby Potter would feel."
"How do you know?"
"Magic is a wonderful thing." Bellatrix tapped her temple, "Don't worry, darling, I only grazed the surface when I told you to see what your action would be. Your secrets are still your own."
"But we're not even in the same country right now." Hermione frowned, "Let alone the same room."
"I don't need to be." Bellatrix said, offering no other explanation "Why haven't you smashed the mirror?"
"I'm curious." Hermione admitted, "So far you've proven to be the complete opposite of everything I thought you were."
"What did you think I was?"
"Insane, unreasonably cruel, sadistic, racist, a cold blooded murderer."
"Some of things are true." Bellatrix admitted with a small shrug, "I can be sadistic and cruel. I don't regret any of the murders I've committed. I'm not insane or racist so I've got two points, right?"
"How can you admit that so freely?" Hermione asked angrily
"I was a soldier in a war. If I didn't kill I would have been killed and if I didn't manage to find joy in a world so bleak I'm sure I would have been insane by now. Perhaps the things I enjoy aren't the nicest or purest but we have to find joy where we can get it."
"You tortured people."
"The Order also tortured."
"You drove Neville's parents insane." Hermione regretted her words as soon as she the look on Bellatrix's face and heard something explode in the background
"I would do it again, in a heartbeat." Bellatrix hissed, her hands shaking so much that Hermione couldn't see her clearly in the mirror
"How can you say that?" Hermione all but screeched
"There is a reason behind it. A reason I will tell you in time." Bellatrix said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath
"But-"
"Do not push this, Little Witch." Bellatrix warned
"I jus-"
"It is late." Bellatrix interrupted, "You must sleep. I will appear in the mirror at the same time tomorrow. I do not like to be kept waiting. Sweet dreams, little witch."
"Wa-" Bellatrix was gone before Hermione could finish the word
Hermione huffed and carefully set the mirror underneath her pillow for the time being while she found a more secure place to keep it.