Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!

Rated M: Mature

Updated: 1/10/10

Harry De Vie

Chapter 14: Bellatrix

Professor Harry De Vie easily continued to be the talk of the school, and especially the older students after their first lessons and watching him simply dodge and block anything the students could throw at him. Many of the students wondered just how good a dueler he was since he didn't seem the least bit bothered or tired after two hours of blocking and dodging one student's best spells after the next. Those few who had witnessed his fight at Diagon Alley had a pretty good idea just how good he was at dueling since he almost single handedly defeated close to two dozen Death Eaters within the span of ten minutes.

The junior Death Eaters among the Slytherins could no longer deny that their new DADA teacher was rather skilled and would make a very formidable opponent if they continued to antagonize him. Those that could, wrote home to their parents relaying any information or rumors they heard about the new young professor knowing it would be information the dark lord coveted. Rudolphus and Rabastan both realized that they wouldn't be able to go after the killer of their father head on, but would have to find a more subtle or underhanded way to catch the young professor off guard if they wanted to claim their revenge.

Bellatrix had spent her entire double period DADA class closely watching the unknown new professor easily battling off her fellow classmates as insignificant. She had never seen somebody move and dodge so quickly and fluidly in her life, and that included her Uncle Lord Orion Black, who taught dueling and magic to all Black children from the time they entered Hogwarts and was considered quite skilled and knowledgeable within the pureblood circles. In the classroom duels, he hardly had to even cast magic just waiting for his opponents to tire and wear themselves out before finishing them off with a basic disarming spell, something she promised wouldn't happen to her.

She thought back to everyone's duel against the young Professor De Vie both in class, and what she remembered from the attack on Diagon Alley, and knew that she wouldn't be able to defeat him but hoped to do better than her fellow classmates. She was therefore spending all her spare time studying in the library or practicing in an abandoned classroom, both for her upcoming duel in class, but also to avoid the Slytherin Common Room. Professor Slughorn's debilitating leg injury had made him almost not seen outside of his Potions class, leaving no authority figure to protect those who tried to remain neutral while the idiotic followers of the dark lord pushed their beliefs and agendas on everyone else and lorded over the Slytherin House.

She had enough of dealing with the pro dark lord agenda at her own house over the summer since both her parents and Aunt Walburga and Uncle Orion all supported His ideals. Not that she was a muggleborn sympathizer or anything, but neither was she so anti-muggle to the point of wanting them all killed. In reality, she as with the majority of her family members knew next to nothing about muggles or their world, nor was she too interested in marrying her second cousin to maintain a magical only heritage and blood purity. She didn't hate her older sister for marrying a muggleborn wizard, but did resent her at some level for leaving her family even if it wasn't her idea; it still put a lot of pressure and her family's attention upon her.

"Hey Trixie, Rudolphus is looking for you," came the unmistakable small voice of her younger sister Narcissa, one of the few Slytherins she really even talked to anymore, as she found her sitting in the back corner of the library still researching new spells and trying to discover the identity of their new DADA teacher.

"You know I hate that nickname Cissa," snapped Bellatrix with a scowl directed at her younger sister that went ignored as usual, "and what would Rudolphus want?"

"I think you know what he wants," she responded with a knowing look that had her older sister shudder slightly, since he had for years been quite obvious about what or rather who he wants.

"Just tell him you couldn't find me," returned Bellatrix with a hard look at her sister that also carried a slightly pleading undertone she hoped Narcissa would understand and leave unquestioned.

"Okay, but you know he won't stop until he gets what he wants," answered Narcissa smartly, knowing how her older sister was, but also knowing that in the end her parents would have the final say and it wouldn't be what her older sister wanted to hear, "and you won't be able to hide from him forever …mother and father will make sure of that."

"I know, they made sure of that this past summer," relented Bellatrix with a defeated sigh, knowing it would be next to impossible to get her parents to listen to what she wanted.

"True, but that was before Romulus LeStrange was killed," answered the younger blonde haired beauty somewhat sympathetically, or at least as much as she was ever capable of. "Who knows what will happen now?"

"Hopefully something else," replied Bellatrix seriously, "otherwise my life is going to be over before it ever begins."

"Don't be so melodramatic," snorted Narcissa, "and besides …you have the whole school year to come up with something."

"Thanks," mumbled Bellatrix with a scowl directed at Narcissa, "now leave me alone, I have to study."

"Is Sirius still hassling you about your role in the Diagon Alley attack?" asked the younger sister, refusing to let the conversation end there.

"Whenever he sees me," answered the dark haired sister tiredly and with an obvious look that said she was getting quite tired of all the questions, especially ones about their obnoxious Gryffindor cousin.

"Fine …I'll leave you to your precious books," huffed Narcissa, but not without a teasing final shot, "you should have been a Ravenclaw with all the studying you do."

Bellatrix's cringe at her sister's parting words told everyone just how much she disliked that distinction, but knew that she wasn't going to get into another discussion about how untrue that was. She didn't just study books for knowledge sake, but rather to better herself and her magical understanding, wanting to prove that even as a woman she was more capable than anyone else in school and life. She wanted to make a name for herself and not just become what most women in the wizarding world became …a trophy wife for their domineering husbands. It was one of the reasons she detested Rudolphus so much, since that is exactly what he expected of her, as did her parents and it made her sick.

Leaving the library hours later as it neared curfew, she sought out an empty and abandoned old classroom to practice some of the spells she had been studying. She had to go to a different part of the castle to avoid the patrolling prefects and Peeves the poltergeist, and was almost caught by the new DADA teacher as she neared his classroom area. As much as the younger professor interested her, she was still not quite ready to have the discussion with the man who had saved her life and sanity during the attack on Diagon Alley over two weeks ago. There was just something about the wild haired wizard that put her a little on edge, or maybe just the way he seemed to stare at her seemingly examining her very soul that made her curious about him and also kept her away in nervousness.

Most teachers she had since coming to Hogwarts completely ignored the middle dark haired Black sister, and that was just fine with her wanting the anonymity being looked over and ignored had offered her. Professor De Vie however always seemed to be watching her at meals in the most curious of ways, and she wasn't exactly sure why or comfortable with those looks. She wouldn't forget his defense of her actions when she was under that repulsive unforgivable curse of her would be father-in-law, nor his flirting compliment about her eyes and scolding of Sirius. She just didn't know what to make of him, and if she was completely honest with herself, rather liked the looks and attention he was paying her and hoped it continued past the first week of school.

She finally found a usable old classroom, and after locking the doors and silencing the walls, she got to work practicing the new spells she had been looking up and studying. For some reason she couldn't really explain she felt like she was being watched shortly after she begun, but after checking countless times all over the room she just tried to ignore the feeling and get back to practice. She spent almost a half an hour throwing every spell she had learned at a target she had made, and was panting heavily both exhausted physically and magically by the end of it. She knew that it would probably not be enough to take out her DADA teacher when it was her turn to duel him in class, but was at least satisfied that she had far surpassed any of her fellow students and that would have to be enough for now.

The unsettling feeling of being watched didn't leave Bellatrix as she cleaned up the unused room and headed back to her Common Room now well after curfew. She was glad when she entered the Slytherin area to find everyone already in bed and finally was able to shake of the feeling of being followed and watched as she headed to her bed. It took her a while however to finally be able to sleep with so many things on her mind, not to mention the annoying sounds of her fellow seventh years that always made sleep difficult to come by.

"Get up Black," were the first sounds she heard the next morning from the obnoxious voice of one of her roommates Wendy Warrington, "Rudolphus is down in the Common Room asking about you!"

"Piss of Warrington," snapped the grumpy and now awake Black sister after suppressing a groan at that particular piece of news.

"Fuck you Black," snapped the other girl in a huff, who then proceeded to stomp out of the dorm room slamming the door on her way out and guaranteeing that the dark haired girl wouldn't be getting back to sleep.

If there was one way to guarantee that Bellatrix would take as much time as possible to get ready in the morning, the prospect of having to deal with Rudolphus was definitely at the top of the list. So, she took a long shower and slowly got dressed gladly willing to skip breakfast if it meant avoiding the obnoxious pureblood Neanderthal for as long as she could. By the time she was dressed and ready, she only had minutes to rush off in order to get to Potions class on time and had barely made it there when Professor Slughorn painfully limped into the class.

Thankfully Bellatrix didn't have to work with Rudolphus since NEWT Potions were done individually, nor did she have to sit anywhere near him. She did however have to put up with his continual glares and attempts to catch her eyes, but was able to finish her potion relatively quickly and get packed up so she could bolt out of the classroom the moment the teacher dismissed them. She spent the rest of the day trying to avoid the arrogant and obnoxious pureblood, and after classes and dinner returned to her mostly hidden spot in the library to continue her studies and preparing for her DADA duel with the new teacher.

Friday morning she was awake, dressed, and out of the Common Room before most of her housemates were even awake, hoping to continue avoiding Rudolphus for as long as she could. There were only a handful of students in the Great Hall, and all but one teacher …the new DADA teacher that most of the school was still talking about. Before she could even begin to wonder where he was, she saw him enter the Great Hall obviously just out of the shower with his wild hair looking all sexy and wet. Her breath momentarily caught in her throat as his head turned towards her and he gave her a small smile that gave her even more to think about her youngest professor.

Bellatrix spent most of her morning classes and lunch thinking and preparing, hoping that she would get her turn to duel their young professor in Friday afternoon's double lesson. Not that she wouldn't like more time to continue studying and practicing, but she was more worried about just getting her turn out of the way so she could think about something else. She couldn't really remember ever having a DADA class that she was looking forward to in her previous six years at Hogwarts, and it was mainly due to the poor teachers that had been employed to date. Professor De Vie changed all that, and in just one lesson proved he was more capable than anyone previously and more than a match for any student or even combination of students, revolutionizing the previously useless class into one of the would be best and most beneficial.

During Professor McKinnon's Ancient Runes class just after lunch, she could tell that she wasn't the only seventh year worrying and preparing for the inevitable DADA duels next class. Her fellow Slytherins in that class Damien Greengrass and his girlfriend Sophia Moon, along with their best friends Bolston Zabini and Adeline Odem who were also a couple, were also nervous and seemed to be preoccupied with what was to come. Luckily there were no other Slytherins in Runes, making it one of her previously most enjoyable classes since there was a lack of pro dark lord supporters and stupid assholes and bitches. Lovegood, Chang, and Xia were the only others in class, and the eccentric and two quiet Ravenclaws mostly stuck together and avoided the normal drama and usual hatred of all things Slytherin.

"I see everyone is a little preoccupied with something else today, so why don't we stop here and I'll see you Tuesday afternoon," spoke Professor McKinnon as they neared the end of the hour and none of the eight people in class had contributed much.

"Thank you professor," answered Xenophilius happily, "we have more duels today against our new DADA teacher."

"Oh, well in that case …good luck, and don't hold anything back," smirked the teacher in obvious amusement, apparently not a big fan of their young professor for reasons she seemed unwilling to elaborate on.

The combination of nervousness and excitement permeated throughout the DADA students as they all found their seats for class waiting on the young professor to show up. They didn't have to wait long for Professor De Vie to enter, seeming completely at ease with the prospect of continued duels against his students. In fact, he seemed downright giddy with excitement and anticipation and his carefree smile put several students at ease as well, while others cringed in dread thinking that today's duels would be ever harder for them.

"I have noticed many of you studying and practicing your spell work since our last class, and am quite pleased you are taking these duels seriously. I look forward to some of your efforts," started Professor De Vie looking around the class, and for some reason that made her even more nervous gave Bellatrix a knowing look at his opening remarks that told her he knew exactly what she had been practicing to get ready. "How about we start with Miss Black?"

'Oh yeah, he knew alright,' thought Bellatrix as she heard her name called and saw his lopsided grin directed at her, causing her heart to pound nervously in her chest as she went up front for her duel as he again pushed back the other desks and set up the spectator shield with ease.

"Whenever you're ready," he spoke easily and still with the lopsided grin, and she wasted no time to comply.

"Stupefy …bombarda …ossis fractum …explodra …flamare …diffindo …punctare …aquamenti …glacius …avis oppugno …expelliarmus," she began casting and throwing spells as fast as she could not even watching to see if they succeeded before starting the next, hoping she could catch him off guard or overwhelm him.

She continued her onslaught for almost a half an hour, throwing more and more spells at her obviously unaffected teacher occasionally putting in darker spells mixed with charms and even some transfiguration all with little to no success. She was somewhat excited that at times he seemed hard pressed to escape her never ending onslaught, but still nothing really got through his defenses or managed to hit the elusive young professor despite her best efforts. Her greatest consolation was that she knew she had far exceeded any of her fellow classmates, and was actually really enjoying casting all the magic she knew and learned at a real live target. When she could no longer keep the quick casting pace however, he started slowly returning some spells towards her which she managed to avoid for almost another ten minutes until she got hit by one of the strongest disarming spells she had ever felt and went flying.

"Impedimenta," came the slowing spell as she was knocked backwards off her feet and flying quickly towards the back wall, slowing her down enough not to painfully crash into the wall behind her and ending the intense and exciting duel. "Bravo Miss Black, now that was a duel. The rest of you could learn a lot from this duel, it was the best by far …take fifty points for Slytherin Miss Black, and my thanks for your dedication, skill, and mostly your endurance."

AN: I wanted a chapter from Bellatrix's point of view to show what she was dealing with, and how she handled things at Hogwarts. The next chapter is being posted in a minute …enjoy!