Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
A/N: Hey everybody! Again very, very, very, very sorry about the lack of updating. This time it was the fact that I didn't have permanent access to the internet for 4 weeks therefore I could not update. Very sorry and as a consolation I've made this chapter the longest yet. Enjoy! And thank you to everyone who reviewed you guys are excellent and really make a writer's day! Mademoiselle- there's a reason to why she's being OOC all will be revealed in later chapters! J Thank you to everyone!!!! And on with the story!!!
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A pang of trepidation unnerved Hermione as she walked into the common room, half-dragged by a very determined Ginny.
In normal circumstances Hermione would have protested but having someone else lead the way gave her an odd sense of security. Ginny's decisive hand holding her own limp, clammy one was more reassuring than words could ever be. Though they talked very little to each other as of late Hermione perceived Ginny to be more understanding than most, the girl had a calming effect on her. It was a pity that Ron, although a very good and loyal friend, didn't seem to have half as much perception and tact if you will as his sister.
When Hermione finally tore her gaze off of the carpet the scene that confronted her was far from pleasant. It seemed that some sort of invisible wall had been erected straight down the centre of the room with both Celia and Sirius on opposite sides; Celia looking especially murderous and Sirius whimsically aloof though the choler on his face was evident. The two, at the moment looked as though they would get along as well as chalk and cheese.
Hermione gulped involuntarily and her heart plummeted several notches as she suspected herself to be the root of this debacle. Ginny caught the discouraged look on Hermione's face and frowned and Hermione could sense a conflicting battle going on behind those eyes. After a considerable amount of hesitance Ginny opened her mouth.
"Hermione, if you believe for one second that you're the cause of this…well…thing," she scolded pausing for emphasis, "then you're wrong. If anyone should feel bad it's Sirius."
Hermione was rather taken aback by this unexpected flare-up. Somehow Ginny had changed ever since she'd been here, she'd become much more well...Hermione didn't know but there was definitely something different about her personality. Ginny, after all, never uttered an unkind word about anybody unless they were branded in her bad books. Names such as Draco Malfoy often came to mind when one associated intense dislike with Ginny. Hermione's normally calm and level-headed friend was now practically shooting her mouth off about Sirius.
Feeling slightly confused Hermione pushed the thought to the back of her mind and she reminded herself to interrogate Ginny about the incident at lunch, as the red-headed girl led them to a small alcove from which they could quietly observe the commotion without being seen. Hermione was not up to being ushered onto the scene just yet. She wanted to prolong it as humanely possible but knew, as things usually never went her way in situations such as these, that sooner or later her name would spring up she would be brought out onto the arena. Suddenly she knew what the people being mercilessly feed to the lions in Ancient Rome would have felt like.
Already a small crowd had gathered uncertainly around the pair, who right now, seemed content with glaring at each other. If Hermione could have used a cliché at this given point in time she would have said that the tension in the atmosphere was so thick you could cut it with a knife, but she was too preoccupied with attempting to camouflage herself against the décor. Too bad for her the armchair which they were crouched behind was plethora of colour that just screamed plaid.
Hermione spied James on the sidelines looking uncharacteristically grim- no doubt having been informed of the nature of the event. He was still dressed in his Gryffindor quidditch robes with grass stains smeared across them. Peter, much to Hermione's chagrin, was hopping anxiously from foot to foot; his nails bitten to the quick; and his round face alight with possessed fervour. At random intervals he would shout what he supposed were encouraging remarks to Sirius.
"Come on Sirius you can do this! You've done this so many times!" he quipped his voice positively breaking from exultation. It was quite obvious from his actions that he thought Sirius quite the hero on this occasion as he kept throwing Celia superior glances and trying to glare at the people behind her. It wasn't working and they just glared back rendering him speechless for a few moments but then he would regain his demeanor and "pump" Sirius with more suggestions.
It was hard to say what was annoying Sirius more: the fact that he was going to defame himself in front of the whole house thus possibly marring his glorious reputation or having to endure the idiotic outbursts from Peter who was only making the state of affairs all the more embarrassing. Either way things were looking bleak on the horizon.
Celia beside herself with rage tapped her foot impatiently, her own moral support team behind her all of whom were looking as if they'd been blatantly violated by some heinous crime. Hermione felt a twinge of anxiety in the pit of her stomach as the frigid silence ensued between the soon to be feuding couple. Why couldn't they just get this over and done with?
Celia's arms were crossed protectively across her chest, her position defensive; her expression was haughty and guarded as she regarded Sirius coolly through shrouded eyes; wisps of dark hair had managed to escape the regime of her plait; and her lips were pursed as she had swallowed a particularly acidic lemon whole. All in all she was a pretty irate girl.
"How?" she questioned, ending the far from genial hush in livid tones. "How could you do that? Did you think that you had even the remotest chance of getting away with it Sirius, did you? Did you think that no-one would see you and that if they did they wouldn't tell me?" Her expression hardened as Sirius's face remained stoic. He returned the haughty glance before he started to respond.
"If you'd actually listen to my side of the story," he muttered coldly. "Maybe we wouldn't be having this discussion in the first place.
Celia shot him a tight-lipped smile. "Oh so that's the way it goes," she stated. "Don't lay the blame on me Sirius, I saw it with my very own eyes and unless you've been hallucinating as of late I don't know why you would openly fraternize with a girl you've barely known two weeks when you already have a girlfriend. I don't think I'm the only one who can comprehend the immorality of that." She cocked her head to one side as a few girls nodded vigourously at her elbow.
The horde who had been hanging onto every word instinctively craned their necks evidently searching for the offending "other girl". Hermione sank further from view fearful that someone would spot her and all attention would be diverted to her now burning face. Ginny however was looking quite unperturbed by the curious glances darting in her direction because she could also have been classified as Celia put it "the-girl-that-Sirius-had-barely-known-for-two-weeks." But soon the crowd turned back to the source of action eagerly awaiting the next move. Celia's eyes bore into Sirius's deftly demanding an answer.
"I thought Hermione was you," he mumbled a surly expression embalming his features. There was a collective intake of breath from the crowd. A strange sensation rippled through Hermione, was it, daresay jealously? Was she disappointed that Sirius had mistaken her for Celia? But he couldn't have she didn't even vaguely resemble Celia, did she?
Ah, but they do say that love is blind, jeered the little voice inside her head.
"Shut up!" she muttered, irritated that the voice was incessantly right and incessantly annoying.
Ginny looked at her strangely and Hermione realized she had spoken aloud, but she was too preoccupied to be bothered. "Not you," she said distractedly focusing her attention back on the spat.
Celia raised her eyebrows incredulously. She looked as thought she'd just been struck by a blow in the face and her lips turned white. Judging from her reaction she had been prepared for something along the lines of Sirius having secret trysts all over Hogwarts with Hermione. She was surprised at this incredible if not ludicrous revelation as was everyone else. This was going to spread like wildfire, after all Sirius wasn't siphoned as eligible boyfriend material for nothing.
"You mean to tell me that you mistook Hermione for me judging by appearance?" she commented dryly in a voice of forced calm. The throng were watching shamelessly as if this were a highly enthralling tennis match and Celia, in Hermione's opinion, was putting on quite a dramatized show.
Sirius nodded curtly.
Celia stared at him unbelieving, the snarl sliding from her face to be replaced with a look of stony shock. She paled considerably, as if having lost her footing, but after letting the explanation thoroughly sink in her face contorted with fury.
"For goodness sake Sirius!" she exploded causing everyone within three feet of her to jump. "What kind of a bleeding imbecile do you take me for? Do you expect me to believe you, thinking she was me?" Her gaze was penetrating and cruel. It was almost as if she felt insulted that Sirius had linked Hermione and Celia and she scowled her disapproval. "I am not only Asian, but I have black hair, I'm a good four inches taller than her and I'm certain that you can tell a person apart by that much."
"Actually," piped up a blonde girl on Celia's right, "you two do look very similar from different angles and…" She faltered at Celia's withering gaze.
"Are you suggesting that this was merely a trick of the light?" she seethed vehemently. "And exactly whose side are you on Melanie?" she asked her voice lined with venom. The girl delivered a sulky reply.
Celia turned back to face Sirius fuming and apparently waiting for an apology. But Sirius was not going to apologise so soon, not if he had already explained himself. He merely glowered at her, bristled and plunged his hands into his pockets. No, he was not going to say sorry his pride would not consent to it and besides he had admitted he had made a mistake hadn't he? Why couldn't she just let it rest?
The strain was beginning to show on Celia face as she suddenly looked very tired and weary. There was no point continuing this tonight, she knew how stubborn Sirius was and that he wouldn't back down without a good reason. She almost regretted quarrelling with him but he had hurt her and there were no two ways about it. Men just didn't seem to get it sometimes; they always complained that the females were the ones who overreacted. But she hadn't had she? Celia wasn't one to break down hysterically and beg for sympathy- she hardly cried. Today Sirius had reduced her to tears, something nobody had done in a long time. Closing her eyes she uncrossed her arms and just stood still for a moment. What was that old saying, oh yes, we always hurt the ones we love. Well that was exceedingly appropriate for this setting.
Opening her eyes her head felt oddly clear and the coolness of her eyelids provided a refreshing relief to what she was feeling. "Look Sirius," she sighed emphatically throwing her hands into the air. "It's not just because you kissed another girl, I'm not even angry at her…it's just…that," she grew flustered searching for the right words. "Well you betrayed my trust."
Sirius opened his mouth furiously in protest but Celia silenced him with her hand. "Let me finish," she said not harshly but decisively. "Your reason doesn't seem plausible enough for me and there's the fact that you seem so righteous and damn justified with it. I'm hurt, I'm really hurt. Just because I'm not sobbing all over you hysterically doesn't mean I'm not feeling it."
With a resigned look on her face she stalked out of the common room her minions trailing along perniciously in her wake. As the crowd thinned many clapped Sirius on the shoulder comradely and others (mostly girls) shot him contemptuous glances before hurrying off. Once the coast was clear Ginny and Hermione emerged from their corner and walked over to where Sirius and James were trying to sedate a passionate Peter (though Hermione more reluctantly so).
"You had her, you showed her Padfoot!" preened Peter bouncing on the balls of his feet. He nearly hit the ceiling in anticipation when he caught sight of Hermione, no doubt sensing another confrontation. But Hermione had other plans; she had walked in hoping to brazen out Sirius but now that she knew the truth she didn't really have anything to say. Though Celia may not have believed him Hermione distinguished that Sirius was indeed being sincere. It would have been hard for him to admit his fault but he had.
Ginny cleared her throat and James looked up from his conference with Sirius and gave them a warm smile. Sirius merely nodded, locked gazes with Hermione but immediately averted his eyes. Hermione suddenly felt awkward and severely out of place and watched apprehensively as Sirius made a rather thespian show of looking out the window. James looked between the two nervously, reflexively rumpling his already untidy hair.
"So," remarked James lightly. "I guess we won't be seeing you on too many double dates in the near future mate."
The joke was presumably lost on Sirius. He got up and headed for the boys' dormitories not saying a word, his jaw set and his expression tempestuous. James regarded his retreating form rambunctiously. It appeared nothing changed his attitude, thought Hermione good-naturedly.
"He'll get over it," he said half to himself and half to the girls. "Our old Sirius has never dealt well with rejection; his head's a tad inflated." Giving them a fleeting smile he went off to the showers with Peter, ever the parasite, straggling along in tow waxing lyrical about the quidditch practice session.
"James you were excellent," he squealed demonstrating with his hands how James had scooped the Quaffle right out from under Adam Wallace's nose. "Brilliant!" he finished looking at James in adoration. He was so keyed up that he knocked his hat clean off his head when he aimed a punch in the air. Grinning bemusedly he bent down to pick it up and James looked at him thoroughly amused. If only James knew how short your life his life was going to be…
Hermione and Ginny rolled their eyes watching an exasperated James try to pry a jubilant Peter off his arm. ("You know that I'm going to the showers-alone!")
Hermione hoped what James had said was true. After all she couldn't avoid Sirius forever. Exhaling she turned to Ginny her mind bubbling over with questions yet to be answered. Speaking of which…
"Hey Gin," she said casting a sidelong glance at her friend. "What was that thing with Malfoy at lunch about?"
Maybe it was a trick of the light (as Celia may have so eloquently put) but Hermione distinctly saw Ginny's cheeks visibly colour. I am going crazy, she decided as she settled down to listen to Ginny's sombre tale of dealing with a Malfoy.
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Bellatrix Black sat watching her sister comb her hair for what seemed to be the hundredth time that hour. She watched the fluid motion in which the brush moved through her sister's fine hair, indifferently. She did not understand why Narcissa devoted herself so capriciously to her beauty. The girl spent too much time beautifying herself than understanding or achieving the essential practicalities in life- it was unhealthy. But the dark-haired girl sat and watched, partly mesmerized partly disgusted at Narcissa's ritual. She ran her hands through her own locks subconsciously reveling in the brittleness of the strands. No, although a beauty Bellatrix would never slave over her complexion or her body. The mind was a far more powerful and intricate thing.
"Why are you combing so much?" she snapped, irritated at her sister's blatant vanity. "It's only Severus coming to counsel with us, nobody special!"
Narcissa carefully pulled the brush through her tresses one final time and set it down neatly amongst her other beauty essentials. Swiveling slowly in her chair she turned around to face her sister a sly smile dancing mischievously on her lips.
"I pride myself in looking good for everyone I meet, I show them the respect they deserve," she implored derisively. Bellatrix looked unconvinced condemnation apparent on her face. "Besides," Narcissa continued. "You're the one who's not supposed to rely on your beauty. Father told me that the Malfoys are extremely hopeful for an alliance between our families. He told me, in confidence of course, that Lucius has expressed…a keen interest in me," she stated matter-of-factly.
Bellatrix clucked her tongue against her palate edgily. "How blind can you get 'Cissa? The hellion did attempt to violate you…what was it…merely two weeks ago. Of course he expressed a keen interest in you," she scoffed.
"You're just jealous that you're affianced to that superbly unattractive Lestrange. Merlin, even the last name is off-putting," sneered Narcissa.
"I value knowledge over beauty. The Lestranges are one of the most prominent pureblood families in Europe. They will be extremely powerful one day. Mother and Father both hold them in very high esteem," retorted Bellatrix sharply. Rodolphous was a fine man, not very attractive to look at but splendor was only skin-deep. Together they would prosper and faithfully serve a greater entity than themselves and rid the magical world of filthy mudbloods and muggleborns. Bellatrix could feel it in her bones. She would make her family proud and not put them to shame like Sirius had. Bellatrix had once tolerated Sirius, even approved of him but all that was dashed once he had fallen into ill company. Her train of thought was broken by the sound of approaching footsteps and she raised her heavily hooded eyes to the pallid boy standing in front of her.
"You're late," she intoned bluntly fixing him with an incisive stare. She held her wand in her hands transferring it from palm to palm keeping her eyes riveted on Severus Snape's face. His eyes flickered momentarily to her wand and back again.
"Sorry," he responded though he sounded far from it. "Malfoy held me up in Potions. Speaking of which, he wants us…well me…to eliminate the chances of Gryffindor winning the quidditch cup this year. I've formulated a plan but I'm going to need your help as you are known for your ability to get away with anything. I don't want to blemish my perfect record of not breaking rules."
Bellatrix and Narcissa exchanged amused glances. "What exactly made you think that we would actually agree to your little plot?" asked Bellatrix a sardonic grin twitching at the corners of her mouth. "Why would you think that we would make time for you?"
Severus smiled knowingly. "I thought you'd say as much, which is why I brought this along, I'm sure it will convince you to comply."
He sat down in a chair heaving his book bag off the floor; Bellatrix's eyes never left his face. He groped around in his bag obviously searching for something, at last he found what he was looking for and held it up. The eerie candlelight illuminated a small, black leather-bound book in Snape's palm. He held it up triumphantly awaiting the sisters' reactions. Both looked blank, even a little flummoxed.
"Er…so what is so convincing about this book?" queried Bellatrix; eyebrows raised.
"What you mean you don't recognize this?" he spluttered, looking scandalized.
"Are we meant to?" bit Narcissa harshly, scrutinising the object in her fellow Slytherin's hand but once again drawing a blank.
Suddenly comprehension dawned on Bellatrix's face and her indifferent persona vanished. The colour drained from her face rapidly and she clung onto the edge of her chair her knuckles white. Severus noticed this and a sly smirk slowly appeared on his face.
"Oh well in that case," he said flippantly. "You two won't mind if I broadcast the contents to the entire house do you, since it's of no significance to you. Ah…now where shall we begin?"
Leafing through the pages his thumb rested on an adequate paragraph and he began to read in a voice that carried across the common-room.
"Bellatrix we have never been so ashamed of you, it has come to our attention that you have been involved in public displays of affection with the…"
His diatribe was abruptly cut off as Bellatrix pounced on him snatching the book from his hand in a frenzied manner and putting it inside her robes. Beyond livid she stood up, her hands planted on her hips, trembling with shock and anger. "Where did you find that?" she hissed casting a startled glance around the room. Thankfully no one was around.
"Oh here and there, why, does the great Bellatrix Black have something to hide?" mused Severus, aware that he had cornered the reputable Slytherin.
Bellatrix twitched before sitting down defeated. "Name your price," she murmured stiffly although already aware of the greasy-haired boy's intentions.
"I told you I'd have you convinced," he settled smugly. "Find a way to oust James Potter. I don't care how or where just do, before the next Slytherin vs. Gryffindor match, which is incidentally…tomorrow. Or not only the whole house, but the whole school will know about your correspondences with your parents."
Hoisting his bag onto his shoulder he swept away, leaving behind a sour-faced Bellatrix and a highly disgruntled Narcissa. It was a bit like hitting two birds with the same stone.
Ah, blackmail had its perks. Bellatrix Blackmail
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"I can't believe you left that lying around. You're supposed to be the more practical sister!" whined Narcissa. "Now you've dragged me into this mess. The things you do for your family, honestly!"
"Shut up," replied Bellatrix angrily. "I didn't leave it lying around. It must have fallen out of my bag the day Flitwick ordered me out of his class. The twit has probably held onto it until he had the chance to blackmail for something." She gnashed her teeth, hating having to go around the school doing someone else's bidding.
They walked briskly past the Great Hall, up two staircases and halted before the library doors.
"Are you sure she'll be here?" asked Narcissa doubtfully.
"Positive," answered Bellatrix obdurately. "The wench practically resides here, we just have to wait."
"But what if she doesn't come?"
"She'll come," said Bellatrix testily.
"But you're not always right," argued Narcissa. "I mean, sometimes you're bound to misjudge something or…"
"Look don't argue! If I had a choice I wouldn't be here and do you have any better ideas? It's your neck on the chopping block too remember!" Bellatrix whispered fiercely.
"It wouldn't be if you hadn't been so scatter-brained," sulked Narcissa.
Bellatrix's eyes flashed and she was about to fling back a retort when footfalls muffled on the stone approached. Hauling Narcissa around the corner to conceal themselves behind, Bellatrix watched from the end of the corridor as a girl reached for the handles of the massive oak doors. Grinning smugly in Narcissa's directions she grappled for her wand inside her robes and raised it, squinting in the gathering darkness. The torch suspended in the bracket above them was emitting a very fickle stream of light.
"Stupefy!" she recited and a jet of red light leapt from her wand and hit the girl squarely in the chest. The girl crumpled to the floor her books tumbling out of her book bag and an empty inkwell rolled down the length of the corridor coming to rest at Narcissa's feet. Bellatrix raised her wand and muttered another incantation in which a candescent stream of light shot out of her wand onto the girl, illuminating her briefly in a crisp white glow.
"Did you get the right one?" inquired Narcissa.
"I got her. Nobody will find her until after midday tomorrow I've cast a powerful disillusionment spell on her body; they'll all be down at the Quidditch pitch watching the game. And Potter, well we know the kind of person he is-wears his heart on his sleeve too much. Her "missing" state will affect his game, and although we hate to admit it he is one of the stronger players on the Gryffindor side. Since Sirius is practically joined at the hip with Potter he'll be distracted too. Voila, the game's in the bag and we're out of Snape's debt," articulated Bellatrix. "Now come on let's get out of here."
Motioning for her sister to follow her Bellatrix and Narcissa strode past the immobile girl, proceeding in the direction of the Slytherin common room, looking around carefully for onlookers.
Unbeknownst to the rest of Hogwarts a girl lay unconscious at the door of the library. A girl who went by the name of Lily Evans.
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A/N: You know the drill guys please review! The next chapter should be out within the next 2 weeks or so. I'm planning to make my chapters as long as possible! Read and Review please! I'm also looking for another beta-reader so if anyone's interested drop me a line at my email or in your review! Thanks!!!
Special thanks go to:
Sammie- who beta-read this at the last moment. Thanks so much hon! J
Wev- for always listening to my constant drabble about fanfiction and for being such an inspirational writer. Luv ya! J
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