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『 Isabella Lestrange and The Two-Faced Reflection 』

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Preparations

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After the Christmas holidays everything was peaceful for a while. There were no more troll's being let into the caste, no more murder attempts on Harry and infuriatingly no more attempts to steal the stone. Harry was spending a rather peculiar amount of time with the mirror of Erised, but she wouldn't go near it. She wasn't quite sure what she wanted most in the world, and seeing it would only be vexatious when she knew she didn't have it yet.

For months school was just school. She went to class, ate at meal times did her homework and chatted with friends. That was it. The only even remotely amusing thing going on was Hermione almost going insane. She hadn't stopped researching Nicholas Flamel, she was absolutely certain that he would be in the modern history section of the library. Naturally, she didn't know that the man was almost 700-years-old, he would be in the ancient history section.

Isabella had even given up on Quirrell stalking, it was fun to start with but other than the odd habits he had, there was nothing interesting about the man. She kept a close eye on her map though, and no-one had gone anywhere near the third-floor corridor since the troll incident. Snape was still being kind to her, but everything else had returned to normal.

It was all very boring.

It was almost April time now so Cedric and she spent most of their time getting ready for the exams together, occasionally Hermione would join them too, which she secretly thought even Cedric found annoying. Fortunately today, she and Cedric were sat alone in the library, the trio were across the hall where Ron and Harry were trying to complete their last minute homework. Hermione had left several minutes before and had yet to return – not that Isabella had been keeping track. A large thud in their direction brought Isabella's attention back to them and off her book, Hermione had just dropped a mammoth book on the table and as she watch they started flipping through it as they spoke excitedly.

Isabella put her book down on the table between her and Cedric and walked over to the trio. She smiled at Cedric as she left, "I'll be back in a minute," she whispered in the near silence of the library.

He was so immersed in his book he barely acknowledged her leaving, except with a small noise in the back of his throat that made her giggle at him.

The trio were talking excitedly, and when Harry looked up and saw her walking over, he gestured for her to hurry up. Which she didn't, continuing to walk at a leisurely pace towards them.

"Isa, we've found out who Nicolas Flamel is." Harry said excitedly when he reached them. At Hermione's sharp look he laughed at started again, "Isa, Hermione has found out who Nicolas Flamel is."

"That's better." She said to him quietly, "he's the maker of the Philosophers Stone, which gives immortal life to the owner. That's what Fluffy's guarding on the third floor. That's what's under the trap door. The Philosopher's Stone."

"We have to go and ask Hagrid about it, if he knows that we've found out he'll be sure to help us. Maybe he'll believe us about Snape." Harry said excitedly.

"Let's go then!" Ron shouted.

"Wait! It's after dark. Curfew is in half an hour," she said to them, "you can't ask Hagrid anything if you're all in detention."

As if to prove her point Cedric walked over with her bag, "Bella, it's time to go back to the common room. I've put you book in your bag. See you later guys." She went to take the bag from him, but he slung it over his own shoulder, before starting his slow retreat out the library.

She looked at the trio one last time, "See you tomorrow." she said before leaving them there.

Before she was out the door she heard Harry say,

"Why does he get to call her Bella?!"


That night Isabella sat up in bed, she had all her textbooks in front of her and she was furiously studying to get ready for the exams. They we're just over a month away, and that was no time at all. She had the map open next to her, focusing on Hagrid's hut, just in case the others went for information.

She stopped what she was doing when she saw Hermione's, Ron's and Harry's names appear near the hut. She shook her head, why they couldn't have just waited until the next day she didn't know, but that was Gryffindors for you.

They quickly went inside the hut with Hagrid and stayed there a while, she was only slightly shocked when she saw that Draco was following behind them.

'Serves them right' she thought, she warned them not to go.

She went back to her studying and ignored the map for a while. She would gain nothing from sitting there and watching names float around, and there was no way she was going to fail her first year.

The next time she looked at the map the trio's names were no longer there. In the hut their names had been replaced with the word 'Dragon'. What the hell?!

"Show me Harry Potter." she said to the map, hoping they hadn't all been killed by a dragon. There would be no point in all this spying if he didn't even survive long enough to face Voldemort in the first place.

Thankfully, they were alive. Hermione, Draco, Ron and Harry were all stood in the transfiguration classroom with McGonagall.

Well, she did tell them.


The next day back in class the trio were looking very sullen. They all sat at the back and didn't breathe a word during transfiguration, McGonagall had probably given them a good scolding last night leaving them in sulk. Since everyone was feeling the end of year pressure, with the exception of Ron, class went quickly and quietly as everyone tried to do their best.

As soon as they were out the class room and on their way to potions, they all started talking at once telling her exactly what happened and just how unfair it all was.

After they had arrived at Hagrid's, he had told them that there was absolutely no way that Snape was trying to steal the stone, since he was one of the teachers that was protecting it in the first place. Apparently, there were other things protecting if other than Fluffy, but no matter what they said Hagrid wouldn't believe them when they said that Snape was trying to steal it.

They didn't have much time to discuss it after that because Hagrid had pulled a large dragon's egg out of his fire place, they had watched it hatch into a baby Norwegian Ridgeback. Isabella knew for a fact that you could only get dragon's eggs on the black market, and Hagrid really didn't seem the type so she was left wondering where on earth he got the bloody thing in the first place.

After the dragon had hatched they had seen Draco in the window, they had run up to the castle in the hopes of getting back to the common room before a teacher could find them. Unfortunately, Draco had already grassed them up with McGonagall.

"And now!" Ron said as they walked into Snape's class, "We've lost 50 house points each, and we've got detention with Filch and Malfoy tonight!"

"Speaking of detention," The long drawl of Snape interrupted Ron's tirade, "I do believe you own me one Miss. Lestrange. Tonight at 8. Be here."

She couldn't hold back the scorching glare she sent Ron's way, "at least you all deserve yours. You're also the one who got me mine!" Even Hufflepuffs got mad sometimes, she could just blame it on the emotions. Not the complete desire to throttle him.

She didn't speak to Ron for the rest of the day, and because of what she said the three of them were upset with her as well, even if it was the truth.

She went through the rest of the day in an awful mood, the only person who would approach her was Cedric. Who immediately lightened her spirits, not that she would admit it aloud. He walked her to Snape's office that night for detention and gave her a hug before he left.

Just as she was about to knock on the door, it opened and Snape swooped past her "Come on Lestrange. We're not waiting for the grass to grow."

Before she could even blink he was way ahead of her, and she had to run to catch up. Even when she had caught up to him she had to jog to keep pace, he must have noticed the foul looks she kept sending his way, as he began to slow down slightly. Despite the now slightly more comfortable pace she couldn't help the sighs that she kept releasing.

"Honestly Isabella, is that necessary?" He snapped at her, "It's not like I'm leading you to your death."

"Suicide is still an option." She said aloud before she could stop herself.

Surprisingly she wasn't met with a biting comment, he just laughed and said "How very Hufflepuff of you."

She didn't bother asking where they were going, she knew he wouldn't tell her anyway. They headed through the corridors and up to the entrance hall, before going outside, she was still walking at full pace to keep up with him.

They left the warmth of the castle behind and began walking down the path, they were headed towards the forbidden forest she realised after a few seconds. In the distance she could see the golden trio and Draco at Hagrid's hut, she wasn't the only one serving detention in the forest tonight, it was incredibly surprising that Dumbledore had even allowed it.

Snape gave a brief explanation about them going to collect potions ingredients, apparently, he was running low on several items and of course couldn't just buy them at shop. She didn't object, even going into the forest would be better than cleaning cauldrons all night. They didn't walk too far into the forest, most of the plants they needed wouldn't grow in the thick of the tress, where they wouldn't get any sunlight or rain. She was grateful for that small mercy, as a wolf howled in the distance of the woods.

They worked mostly in silence, he guided her over to the plants he wanted her to work on, instructed her how to do it in the most effective way and then went to another. When she was finished he would come over, take her to another plant and repeat the process. Oddly enough, she was enjoying herself.

She was bent down at the bottom of a tree, picking a rather peculiar type of mushroom when a twig snapped no too far from her. She looked up quickly and stopped what she was doing, trying to stay as silent as possible, in the dark she saw something moving.

As she looked closer she saw that it was a man in a cloak, she only got a quick glance at the persons face, probably just a millisecond, but that was all she needed.

It was Quirrell.

Looking over she saw Professor Snape was looking in the same direction as well, only with narrowed eyes.

"What was it?" He drawled, he wouldn't have been able to see the Professor from his vantage point.

"It was Professor Quirrell." She said looking over at Snape, "what would he be doing out here sir?"

"We'll take what we've already picked back to the castle." He said as he stood and started gathering his ingredients, "Now!" He snapped when he saw she wasn't moving.

Snape was a man possessed, they moved quickly out of the forest and back to the castle, with her jogging yet again to keep up with him. They went straight down the halls and to the potions classroom, only he didn't relax until the door was closed behind them. She wasn't quite sure what to say to him after that. She wanted to know what was it about Quirrell that shook him so much, first he's threatening the man and holding him by the throat, then 3 months later he's running away.

"You don't get along Quirrell very well, do you?" The words yet again slipped out before she could stop them.

"Now, what would make you say that?" He asked dangerously.

Shit. She couldn't exactly tell him that she was spying on him that night in the holidays, but… there was nothing stopping her from telling him Harry was.

"Oh… just something Harry mentioned once." She said skittishly as she looked down.

That was all it took to get Snape's attention, his utter hatred for the boy made it very easy to manipulate the situation in her favour. He put down the items he was carrying and slowly walked towards her, when he replied there was almost no space left between them. She supposed he was trying to intimidate her.

"And what would Potter know about me, that could be so bloody interesting?"

"He said he saw you and Quirrell in a corridor once, arguing." She was craning her neck up to look at him.

"I do recall an incident a few months ago, but that was after hours, and the only other person around at the time was Filch. I think if Potter was there I would have found him."

"Not if he was wearing his invisibility cloak." You would have been able to hear a needle drop in the room after that statement.

"I don't know if anyone has ever told you this Isa, but you're just like your father." Snape said giving her an assessing look.

For the next half hour, they laid out the ingredients on the table for him to prepare, and just as she finished organising them, he spoke.

"No, Isa. To answer your question, I don't like Quirrell, something about him just isn't quite right. I advise you to stay away as well, especially since he has shown a special interest in you. That is the end of your detention. Return to your common room."


Authors Note.

Only 4 chapters left to go! Any feedback would be great, that way after the story is complete I can go back and make it better :) Thank-you guys xx