Fall 1993
They were in the middle of exploding snap when the train stopped.
"Are we there?" Bellatrix asked.
For a moment, Hermione, Harry, and Ron's faces looked back at her, faces curious, then the lights on the train went out.
"What's that?" Ron yelped, sliding closer to Bellatrix. His hand found hers, and Scabbers squeaked pathetically.
The door slid open, "Trixie? Ron?" Came Fred's voice. "You in here?"
"Yeah," Ron said, "What did you do?"
"Us? George's face was just barely visible in the gloom as the big twins squeezed into the compartment. "We were just heading back from talking to Angelina and Katie."
"Are we there?" Harry asked.
"No," answered Hermione, "We won't be there for another hour yet. There must be mechanical problems."
"Is it getting cold?" Ron asked.
Bellatrix shivered as goosebumps rose on her arms. Indeed, the compartment had grown frigid. Condensation fogged the windows, blocking their view of the rocky landscape.
"Someone's in the corridor," whispered Fred.
"Who?" Ron sounded panicky.
"Dunno, but they're adults."
Bellatrix's eyes were beginning to adjust to the dark, and she saw a tall figure through the door window. It stopped at their compartment, and the door began to open. For a brief moment, Bellatrix saw the horrible, skeletal hand, and her vision clouded.
A woman was sobbing. Loudly.
"He's gone, Bella! Don't leave! He's gone!"
The sound wrenched Bellatrix's heart, and she felt a terrible sensation, like she was being rent in two. She wanted to tell the woman that she wouldn't leave, but the darkness was pulling her down-
"Trixie!"
Ron was shaking her. Bellatrix's vision cleared instantly, and she gasped, clutching absentmindedly to Ron, arm. The others looked shaken, and Harry was on the floor, his face pale.
A man stood in the doorway, his wand held aloft. He was shabbily dressed, but he wore a calm look of determination. "Chocolate," he said.
"Sorry?" said George, who had hauled Harry back into the seat.
The man cleared his throat, "You all need chocolate. Do you have any?"
"Y-yeah," squeaked Hermione, pointing to the small pile of chocolate frogs that Harry had purchased.
"Eat them," the man said, "I'm going to speak to the conductor."
He disappeared as Hermione passed around the chocolate frogs. Bellatrix took one, and held it shakily as she tried to blink away the newly formed tears.
"Who screamed?" Harry asked.
"What?" Asked Ron.
"Someone was screaming," said Harry, who looked ill. "A woman."
"No one screamed, Harry," said Hermione, her voice scared. "The only sound was that man sending those- those things away."
"Dementors," said Fred. "They're the Azkaban guards. Wonder what they're doing here?"
"But there was screaming," said Harry, his green eyes blinked as he looked around at them all. "Didn't anyone hear it?"
"I did," said Bellatrix, shivering again. "She said my name."
There was shocked silence.
Carefully, Ron said, "Trixie, there was no woman. No one said your name." He turned to Harry, "Unless you heard it too?"
Harry shook his head, "I just heard screaming. No words."
Bellatrix frowned, and opened her mouth, but the compartment door opened again. The man reappeared, an enormous slab of chocolate in his hands. He looked bemusedly at them, and said, "I meant it when I said to eat the chocolate frogs."
Obediently, Bellatrix ripped open her package and took a bite. Warmth spread back into her body, chasing away the awful, lingering despair that had clung to her. She ate the rest of her frog, and accepted another piece from the man before he left. The train started moving again.
"We'd better go check on Ginny," said Fred, standing. "We'll see you lot at the castle."
George patted her shoulder as they left, and Bellatrix offered a weak smile at his concerned look.
"You really heard a voice?" Hermione asked, "Both of you?"
Bellatrix nodded, and saw Harry do the same.
"Maybe you should tell Mum and Dad," said Ron, looking uneasy. "It might be like Ginny and that diary."
Bellatrix shook her head, "I don't want Mum and Dad to worry," she said. Mum had been very hesitant to send them back to Hogwarts that year, she didn't want to give her any reason to pull Bellatrix home.
Despite the chocolate, Bellatrix had a feeling that something was wrong. It bothered her throughout the feast, and she barely spoke to Hermione as they unpacked their trunks and arranged their dormitory before bed.
When she was safe beneath her blankets, she stared at the red velvet hangings around her bed and cuddled Trouble close.
"She knew my name," Bellatrix whispered to the purring cat.
Trouble had no input, but merely began washing her face.
"I'm sure it's nothing," Bellatrix said, scooting closer to the cat. "It doesn't mean anything."
But even as she said the words, she knew they weren't true.
XX
"Why are we taking the long way to Charms?" Asked Hermione as she caught up to Bellatrix. "It would be so much faster if we-"
"Hi Katie!" Bellatrix yelled, waving at the older girl. "How's your day going?"
Katie Bell turned to look at Bellatrix, and her lips broadened into a grin. "Hi Trixie," she waved back. "How're you?"
"Great!" Bellatrix gushed, beaming at the girl. "Just heading to Charms! How was Transfiguration?"
But Katie had already passed down the long corridor. Bellatrix felt her stomach drop a little in disappointment, then Katie turned and called back, "We'll see you at the game on Saturday, won't we?"
Bellatrix straightened, and yelled, "Wouldn't miss it!"
Hermione giggled beside her. "Oh…." she said, sounding suspiciously like Lavender.
"What?" Asked Bellatrix. She felt as if she has springs on her shoes.
Hermione gave her a sly smile. "You like her."
"I do not!" Bellatrix protested. She felt her cheeks burn. "Just as a friend. She visits Fred and George sometimes to play Quidditch in the summer."
"Uh huh," Hermione said, smirking outright now.
"Besides," Bellatrix said hurriedly, "I don't like girls." She thought of Aunt Muriel, and Pettiwhite's volume on courting, "I'm just waiting for the right suitor."
Hermione frowned, "You know there's nothing wrong with it," she said gently.
"I know!" Bellatrix's whole face burned now, "I'm just- I'm not-"
"Ok," Hermione said, putting her hand on Bellatrix's shoulder. "I believe you. You're not."
"Katie's just cool," Bellatrix said, wondering if she should stop talking to the older girl altogether. If everyone was going to think like Hermione…
But by dinner her desire to speak to Katie overpowered her embarrassment. She watched the older girl as Ron gave Harry unsolicited quidditch advice, and picked up the jug of pumpkin juice when Katie drained her glass.
"More juice, Katie?" she asked, scooting down the bench.
Katie looked surprised, but smiled warmly at Bellatrix, "Sure, Trixie, thanks!"
"Anytime!" Bellatrix chirped, smiling like a fool.
George chose that moment to appear beside her and squeeze between her and Katie.
"Hey!" Bellatrix said, frowning.
George rolled his eyes, "Don't you have your own friends?"
Bellatrix opened her mouth to answer, but Fred appeared on her other side and pushed her gently back towards Ron, "Important quidditch business," he said pompously. "I'm sure you understand."
Bellatrix huffed, but felt better when Harry was called down to join his teammates in a huddle.
"We're going to win anyway," Ron told her, "It's against Hufflepuff! Who loses to Hufflepuff?"
"Not us!" Said Bellatrix loyally. "Katie's the best player in Hogwarts history! I'm sure she'll lead us to victory!"
"I think Angelina is bett-oof!" Ron doubled over as Hermione pushed a basket of rolls into his middle. "Hey, Hermione, what was that for!?"
Hermione shrugged, "You looked hungry."
Ron looked for a moment like he was going to yell, then nodded and grabbed a fist full of bread.
Hermione smiled to herself, and Bellatrix arched a brow. "What?"
"Oh," Hermione looked infuriatingly smug, "nothing."
Bellatrix considered pressing the issue, but thought better of it.
The day of the match dawned rainy and cold, but Bellatrix dragged Hermione to the Quidditch Pitch during their breakfast so that they could have first pick of the seats.
"Go Katie!" Bellatrix shouted as the Gryffindor Team warmed up on their brooms. The older girl gave her a little wave, and laughed as George whispered something to her.
Hermione smiled and insisted that Bellatrix eat some of the sausage and toast that she'd had the foresight to snatch on their way out of the Great Hall.
Ron joined them, Neville in tow, and the four third years huddled beneath a blanket Hermione had charmed to shed the rain.
Slowly, the stands filled up, and Bellatrix was caught up in the excitement of watching Katie play. The older girl really was fantastic, and Bellatrix cheered herself hoarse as Gryffindor took the lead.
Ron had just said that Angelina was the best chaser in the school when the cold became overpowering. Bellatrix's retort was cut off as she looked up and spotted a group of black robed figures approaching over the stands.
Horror gripped her, and she reached out for Ron's hand as her vision swam.
"Bella, stay with me! Don't go! Please!"
For the second time the woman pleaded in Bellatrix's head, her voice desperate. Bellatrix felt her chest constrict, a deep pain threatening to tear her in two. She wanted to speak to the woman, reassure her that Bellatrix wouldn't leave.
"He's gone, Bella, you can't help him. Don't leave me!"
I won't, Bellatrix thought, I'll stay with you!
"Trixie?!"
Bellatrix gasped as blue eyes came into focus. She felt arms around her, holding her up, and she let out a shrill cry. The woman's cries still rang in her ears. "I'm not going!" She whispered fiercely.
Ron looked confused, "What?" He looked around, "Professor! My sister, she-"
"I saw, Mr. Weasley," said Professor Flitwick. His face replaced Ron's, and Bellatrix realized that she was crying as the diminutive professor leaned over her and said, "How are you feeling, Miss Weasley?"
"I'm not going anywhere," Bellatrix whispered, shaking. "I need to tell her- I'm not leaving…"
"She's in shock," Professor Flitwick said, "Miss Granger, you can release her, I've got her."
The arms that held her loosened, and Bellatrix felt Professor Flitwick's magic settle under her elbows, hoisting her into the air.
"I'm taking her to the Hospital Wing," Flitwick said, "Professor Sinistra, if you'll accompany me?"
Their astronomy professor leaned in, and placed a hand against Bellatrix's back. "We've got you, Miss Weasley," she said, "They're gone."
Bellatrix barely registered the words as the professors helped her through the gawking throngs of students and then across the muddy lawn towards the school. She felt like she did after she'd seen Ginny's pale body in the Chamber of Secrets. Shaken and horrified.
It was only after she'd been wrapped in a warm blanket and had consumed most of a mug of hot chocolate that Bellatrix was able to ask what had happened.
"Dementors," said Madam Pomfrey, her mouth set in a thin line. "You and Mr. Potter seem particularly affected by them."
Bellatrix tensed, and realized that Harry was in the bed next to hers, wrapped in a similar blanket, but unconscious.
"Will he be ok?" She asked, noting how pale he seemed.
"If The Headmaster can control those creatures," Madam Pomfrey muttered. Noting Bellatrix's stricken expression she softened, "Which he will, Miss Weasley. Drink that now, and eat some of this," she put a plate full of chocolate on the bedside table.
Bellatrix still shivered beneath her blanket, and continued shivering even after Harry woke and her siblings and Hermione crowded around the two of them. She stared at the shards of Harry's broom, and felt a certain relief when Harry's silence made the others find an excuse to leave.
"I heard her again," Harry said to Bellatrix that evening as they walked together back to the Gryffindor common room, "I think- I think it's my Mum."
Bellatrix gasped, "Oh, Harry!" She reached out and gripped his arm.
His eyes met hers, "I think it's right before he… killed her."
The hairs on the back of Bellatrix's neck stood up, and she threw her arms around him. She didn't know what to say.
He stiffened, but slowly his arms up wrap around her. They stood like that for a long moment, and then he pulled away, his cheeks pink.
"They're probably waiting," he said.
She nodded, and braced herself for the attention. Luckily, Ron seemed to sense that she needed quiet, and insisted she go to bed.
"Mum would want you to get your sleep," He said, crossing his hands over his chest. "So up you go."
She gave him a grateful smile, indeed her letter from her parents the next morning included instructions to get extra rest, and disappeared to her room.
Trouble waited for her, Crookshanks by her side, and their eyes followed her as she changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed. She still felt cold and miserable, despite the chocolate.
It made sense that Harry heard his Mum when the dementors were close. That had been the worst moment of his life. But Bellatrix was certain that she had never experienced anything remotely similar in her life.
So who was the woman that knew her name?