"Bellatrix, look at this." Hermione said, entering the Ravenclaw common room and waving a copy of the daily prophet at the girl.
"Is this why you wanted to go talk to Professor Bulstrode after dinner?"
"Yes. I saw she was reading it and wanted to have a look at it. You could have just waited for me."
"It's our last night before everyone else comes back." Bellatrix complained. "I just wanted to spend it with you."
"You're ridiculous." Hermione smiled, kissing Bellatrix on the cheek. "Just look at this article, please."
Bellatrix glanced down at the headline. "Actaeon Burke pushes for the anti-squib legislature to pass."
"Keep reading."
The daily prophet interviewed Actaeon Burke, prominent member of the Wizengamot and head of magical law enforcement about his support for the proposed measure that would ban squibs from participating in muggle society. "Those who cannot do magic have no place being privy to the secrets of the magical world, nor reaping the benefits of such a world. Squibs belong with their own kind, muggles."
"What the hell? Keep squibs out of the magical world? How would that even work?" Bellatrix asked.
"The article says that as soon as a child is known to be a squib the family should be forced to give them up to a muggle orphanage."
"That's terrible. How could they do that? Or expect any parent to give up on their child."
Hermione was quiet for a long time. "What would your family have done? If one of their children was a squib?"
"That's…"
"What? Not possible? Of course it is. You lot disown each other for far less. I've seen your family tree tapestry Bella. I've seen the names blasted off."
"You're right. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. But we know that this legislation doesn't pass, or we would have learned about it. Plus, I've known a few squibs."
"Maybe not, but I can't help but think that this is related to what Umbridge and Nott are up to. And the truth is, we don't know how much we can change."
"What do you mean? Isn't that why we are here?"
"Yes. I think so. But Bella, how much can we manipulate the timeline? I'm so afraid of changing anything. I'm even afraid that if you go back and make different choices...something terrible will happen."
"Or something good."
"Right. But we can't know either way."
"What if time is immutable? What if we can't change it no matter what we do? What if I'm destined to become the woman who hurt you?"
"I worry about that too Bella."
"Part of me doesn't want to go back. I just want to stay here where I can be with you." Bellatrix admitted.
"Oh Bella." Hermione set the paper down and pulled Bellatrix down to kiss her. "Let's just enjoy our last evening alone, ok? We can worry about this tomorrow."
"Sorry I'm late, Professor Sharpe let me feed the foals." Bellatrix said, setting her bag down on the library table. "Find anything?"
"I've gone over all the Daily Prophets since last year. It seems Burke introduced this legislation about six months ago. It has a lot of support and a lot of opposition. A tossup really on whether or not it will pass."
"So how do you think Umbridge is connected?"
"Maybe she isn't directly. Maybe she's just a supporter who hates squibs."
"If they frame Brian, perhaps they can garner more support for their cause. Murder though, seems drastic. What do you know about the victims?"
"Nothing right now. I can look into that. Maybe you should try to talk to Nott."
Bellatrix made a face. "Why?"
"Because you're a pure-blood. You speak his language, you can probably get information from him."
"As far as anyone here knows, you're a pure-blood too." Bellatrix whispered.
"But you're a Black. Plus, if all else fails you can just...use your looks."
"You would just use me like that?"
"Whatever it takes."
"I think you're a Slytherin at heart."
"I think you're a bad influence."
It took a few days for Bellatrix to find an opportunity to speak with Nott. She was leaving her Care of Magical Creatures class when she came up behind the Slytherin walking towards the greenhouses.
"Hey, it's Nott, right?" She asked him.
"Yeah that's right. You need something?" He asked.
"Oh, no. I just wanted to say you played really well in that match against Gryffindor."
"Oh. Thanks. We still lost."
"Not your fault though, you're the best player they've got."
"You're one of the new girls right?"
"Bellatrix Black."
"I appreciate it Bellatrix, but I've got to work on this Herbology assignment or I'll fail."
"You want some help? I'm great at Herbology."
"Uh...sure." Bellatrix walked into greenhouse 2 with the boy. "So, you must be the first Black to ever be sorted somewhere besides Slytherin." he commented.
"Well, the sorting hat takes your requests into consideration."
"You asked to be in Ravenclaw?"
"It's not like you think. I came here with my cousin, Hermione."
"Yeah, I've seen her around."
"Well, I promised my dad I would look after her. Her mum was my dad's little sister. They were really close but she died a few years ago."
"I'm sorry."
"Dad's very protective over Hermione. So, when she was sorted into Ravenclaw I asked the hat to do the same."
"Wow, that's very noble of you. She is a pure-blood isn't she?"
"You think I would be here otherwise?" Bellatrix asked with indignation.
"No! Of course not!"
"Her father is from a very highly respected Canadian family."
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you. You just can't be too careful these days. Especially what with the murders going on just down the road at Hogsmeade."
"You think it's muggles? But isn't Hogsmeade an entirely wizarding village?"
"It is. But, not a lot of people know this. Well, maybe I shouldn't say anything…"
"No, please, I won't tell anyone." Bellatrix laid a hand on Nott's arm.
"There aren't any muggles. But, there is a squib."
"A squib? But, isn't a squib and a muggle the same thing?"
"Exactly! He lived there with his mother, a witch, until she passed away. Now he lives there alone."
"And you think he killed those poor witches?"
"Sure. Jealous they can do magic I bet."
"That's terrible. Someone should do something."
"Oh, they are. My father is helping to get legislation passed in the ministry to keep this sort of thing from happening."
"That's very comforting." Bellatrix was forced to stay and help Nott with his assignment, and by the time she raced back to the dorm Hermione was surrounded by piles of parchment, halfway through an essay for Transfiguration.
"Where have you been?" she asked as Bellatrix dumped her bag down on the bed. "I've been worried."
"I saw Nott out by the greenhouses and stopped to have a chat."
Hermione put down her quill at once. "Tell me everything."
Once Bellatrix had finished she looked around. "Where is everyone?"
"Common room. I only came up here because it was too loud to concentrate."
"Good, I missed you." Bellatrix waved her wand and Hermione's parchment and quills lifted off the bed and stacked themselves neatly on the desk. Another wave closed the curtains of Hermione's bed.
"What are you doing Bella?"
"Showing you how much I missed you."
Over the next few weeks Bellatrix spent more time with Nott and his fellow Slytherins, Hermione occasionally joining them but more often than not Bellatrix went alone. Hermione missed her new friend but she knew that she wasn't in the past for romantic reasons. When she wasn't in class she spent her time with her fellow Ravenclaws, trying to find out any information she could on the murders, including gossip and rumors. Just when she had begun to think she would never get anywhere she caught a lucky break.
"Hey guys, this is Sydney, she's in my Muggle Studies class." Mary Ann announced, pulling up a chair in the library.
"Hi." Hermione replied, glancing up at a Hufflepuff girl who looked vaguely familiar.
"Hi. I hope you don't mind if i study with you, normally my best friend Tai helps me with Potions, she's really good, but she's having some family problems right now."
"That's too bad, sure we can help you out." Hermione replied, pulling out her potions book. "I hope it's nothing too serious."
"No, I don't think so. You heard about those girls that were murdered in Hogsmeade? Her older brother was engaged to one of them, and I guess the aurors have been questioning him pretty seriously."
"That's terrible."
"Yeah, I mean he obviously didn't do it. He has an alibi and everything." Hermione continued to subtly prod for information while helping Sydney with her work, and as soon as she could left to find Bellatrix.
Bella was at quidditch practice, and so Hermione hurried down to the pitch, just in time to find the team finishing up.
"Hey do you have a minute?" she asked Bella.
"Of course. I really want to shower and change, can you give me a few minutes?"
"Sure." Hermione followed Bellatrix into the girls locker room, where a fire was already blazing. She sank down into a comfortable chair to wait for Bella to finish in the shower. Luckily the other girls on the team finished up first and left to head back to the school.
"So, did you learn something new or did you just miss me?" Bellatrix asked, sinking down next to Hermione.
"Both actually. I hate that you're spending time with those assholes."
"Me too. They're just like the Slytherins of my time, all they care about is money and status, and constantly complaining about muggle-borns. I really don't know how much more I can possibly learn from them. No one has mentioned the murders at all. What have you learned?"
"Information about the victims. The first one killed was a half-blood named Marlyn Aubrey. She was twenty-five, working for the ministry. Engaged to a man named Antonius Pletcher. His younger sister is here, a Hufflepuff."
"And the other woman?"
"Allovera Keith, also a half-blood. She was only twenty one, still living at home with her parents. She worked part-time at a shop in Hogsmeade."
"Hmmm, both half-bloods."
"Do you think that's important?"
Bellatrix shrugged. "Maybe not."
"There's one other thing. I've been grabbing copies of the daily prophet whenever I can, and look." She unfolded a recent copy to a picture of Actaeon Burke. "Do you see that pin on his lapel?"
"The green cross looking thing?"
"Yes. Professor Umbridge has one just like it. There has to be a connection."
"Now that you mention it, I think Nott has something similar. A tie pin maybe?"
"You need to find out for sure."
"I will. So, I was wondering... if you aren't busy Saturday, maybe you'd like to go to Hogsmeade with me?"
"Isn't Saturday Valentine's Day?"
Bellatrix blushed. "Yeah. I mean, I think so. I've never really been one for that sort of thing. But, I just thought it would be nice to spend time together. Put all of this crime solving away for one day."
"I would love that Bella."