A Visit from Malfoy
Unbeknownst to Snape, Lily and Griff hid in the library after school. Bella, of course, loved it there and joined them a lot. Hermione was often there too, but it was better when Ron, Neville, and definitely Harry were there also. Nobody did anything that would spark alerting a teacher. It was quite happy. Good thing Snape never found out…
Harry and Bella had a good time with Ron and Hermione. It was, after all, a Sunday. Harry was excited as well as scared. The next Quidditch match was close.
"You know, I saw Draco ride a broom a lot," Bella said wistfully. "I saw you ride. Did you do it a lot as a kid?"
"Not at all," Harry replied. Bella looked surprised. She nearly dropped her history book on her foot.
"But, you're so good!" she said.
"What on earth," Ron said in shock and horror. "You're reading history…on a Sunday?"
"It's fun," she sniffed. Hermione was nodding.
"Finally," she huffed. "Someone like me!"
"Anyway, Snape's gonna referee," Harry said grimly.
"Do you have to remind us?"
"Hermione, Bella doesn't know."
Bella gasped. "Him? Why him?"
"No idea," Harry said solemnly.
"You can do it," she urged. "You're super good!" Harry smiled faintly. "Besides, I'll tell Lily to tell him not to be so hard on you. You are a 'cutie first year' after all." Much relieved, Harry hugged her.
The day of, the Slytherins were making fun of Mafalda for saying she was going to support Gryffindor. 'What?' she had scoffed. 'You don't realize George's on that team? He's pretty good.' Mae ran off to tell her cousin. The Slytherins stopped when Lily scolded them for making fun of a cutie first year.
Arm in arm later, Lily and Griff snuck past her dad and went up to the stands. Chatting, they sat next to each other. They were lost in the crowd, and even though she didn't want to be seen together for fear of her dad, she relented to his pleas. She was, however, refusing to kiss him. Somebody was going to notice that for sure. That sort of stuff spread like wildfire.
The game started. Mafalda cheered for Harry before anything happened. The other Slytherins tried to drown her out. Griff was pretty confused (and happy) that Lily was supporting the Gryffindors. He was less happy with her egging the Weasley twins on.
Bella, who was late to the game since Draco was bored and decided to throw something sharp at her, just stood in front of the stands and shouted from there. Even though Harry probably didn't hear her, he was still cheered by her support.
"You can do it, Harry!" Bella shouted.
"How'd she get here?" Draco muttered angrily. He glowered at her. She stuck her tongue out at him. Then, they missed pretty much the whole ten minute game making faces at each other. They missed Gryfinndor gaining a few points, Harry diving to divert them from getting more, and Harry catching the snitch. Harry saw his sister and rival annoy each other, but didn't mind since she was keeping Draco's eyes off him. He could play much better without the pressure.
Suddenly, Draco was retaliating to Bella's rude imitation of him with one of her, when the entire stands exploded in cheers or boos.
"What happened?" he said, confused.
"You have a problem paying attention?" Mafalda said brightly behind him. "Harry just won for the Slytherins!"
"O great!" Draco shouted. He grumbled his way out of the stands. That glory should be his! Ah well, next year. He glanced around and scowled. No Bella. She must have run away.
As everybody was flooding back into the castle, Bella told Lily to tell her dad about Draco hurting her. Everybody was happy because Harry won. Well ok, aside from Mafalda, Lily, and Bella, the Slytherins were not happy. (Especially Draco, who won himself a detention.)
Some days after, Harry was sorting through his stuff, chatting with Bella while she sat on his bed.
"I was raised by Muggles," Harry said, pulling out and setting aside an old looking potions book.
"Whoa!" Bella gasped. "Where did you get that then?"
"O, this?" Harry said. "O, I get lots of things like this." He pulled them out of his trunk and showed her worn and well used wizarding things: several potions books, a little caldron, a green blanket, a quill, and a few other things, all simple and practical.
"But you were raised by muggles," Bella said, confused. "That's all wizard stuff."
Harry shrugged. "I know," he said simply, "but I found these things, addressed just to me, and me only. They were all on the same curb, too. I got one every birthday, and every Christmas. I have no idea who they're from, but I wasn't going to hand them up to the Dursleys. In fact, I literally had to go outside in the middle of the night to get this out of the trash," he finished, holding up the fraying green blanket.
"Whoa," Bella said softly. "Have you ever wondered who it is who gave you that stuff?"
"Yea, and I remember putting a note for him under a rock," Harry said, carefully and reverently putting his stuff away. "I told him to get smaller presents so I could hide them easier. And he started doing that, too. I spent many happy hours locked in that cupboard under the stairs where I sleep. Uncle Vernon still has no idea how much I truly didn't mind being stuck there."
"Blimey!" Bella gasped. "I would like to meet this mysterious somebody. He sounds nice, giving you presents."
"Me too!" Harry said happily. "Whoever this was didn't forget this Christmas, either. See?" He held up one end of his Slytherin scarf.
Bella began bouncing on the bed excitedly. "Maybe we'll find something about him soon!"
Days went by. Nothing exciting happened. There was nothing new on the mysterious note. Bella did, however, get a notice from her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that if she studied, she could possibly pass a test and go up a level. She studied hard, trying to ignore the soft withering inside of her, that her parents were right that she was going to be powerful. But nobody could erase all the memories; everyone knew she was a half blood.
During one of those days, Caly begged Bella to go visit Eustace.
"Come on," she pleaded. "You have stuff to do, but it will be fun! Come on."
"Professor Querril said I could advance one year in his class if I just study some more," Bella said in frustration. "Think of the glory! Mumma and Dad and Mum would be proud."
"They would," Caly said. "But come on! A break would be nice!"
Bella sighed. "Ok fine." She slowly got up, setting her stuff in her bag so Draco wouldn't steal it. He had before.
They made their way across the grounds. Draco was standing in front of the greenhouses. He turned when he heard them.
"Something odd is happening," he said softly. Bella cocked her head. He pointed.
There, at Eustace's open door, stood none other than Mr. Malfoy talking to the cowering greenhouse keeper.
"Why on earth?" Draco whispered. "I just came here for—" he glanced at Bella, "never mind. But why is my dad talking to the bloke who lives in a dump? He doesn't even have a decent scarf!"
Bella muttered, "I don't know—"
"Shhh!" Caly said.
Mr. Malfoy's voice lifted up. "Well?"
"I—I—um," Eustace stuttered fearfully. "No, I read it, b-but I don't know where it is—"
"Whatever," Mr. Malfoy drawled. "You remember what it says?"
Eustace quivered. "Yes," he squeaked. "And no, I was not given anything."
"You know I need it," Mr. Malfoy said irritably, impatiently. "For…well, you know who I need it for. You know I am not useless. If only I had known Bella was a half blood."
"Why can't you get anyone else into this—"
"Ah, Eustace. You know I have your mother…"
Someone needed to know.
Bella was about to run away, taking Caly, when Mr. Malfoy turned. He frowned dangerously.
Very slowly, he made his way up to them. "Well," he said softly. "Listening?"
Draco gulped. Caly shook her head. Bella put down Draco's hand from pinching her.
Mr. Malfoy frowned down at them. "This means nothing. You're going to forget the next day with your exam study. Got that?"
"Yes father," Draco said submissively.
Mr. Malfoy turned expectantly to the girls. "And you?"
Caly and Bella stared at each other. "Pretend," Bella whispered. They looked up at Mr. Malfoy, nodding.
Mr. Malfoy sneered. "Good. You be nice little girls now…"
Glaring at them a bit dangerously, he walked away.
Caly followed Draco, who sulked off. Bella ran to the hospital wing.
"Mum!" she shouted. She stopped short to see her packing.
Anwen glanced up. "O? Baby Bella. O, I'm sorry, I—I'm needed at Mungo's." She turned anxious. "What is it? Are you hurt?"
"No," Bella panted. "Did you find anything on the note? I saw Dad—no, old Dad talking to Eustace. It was odd."
Anwen bit her lip. She cocked her head in thought. "Nothing yet…" she murmured. "Him talking to Eustace? O dear, that is odd. O I hope he didn't make fun of Eustace, he only looks poor since he sends most of his income to his jobless mother…"
"No, Dad—sorry, old Dad didn't say anything bad about him," Bella said. "Just he has Eustace's mother or something."
Fear flickered across Anwen's face. "I will alert Professor McGonagall," she said briskly. "Ok baby, take this jar, and these bandages. Do not use anything cloth or else when you take it off or it will peel off the scab too." She handed her daughter a jar of the blue makeshift scab stuff and a roll of white bandages. "If you need more of anything, ask Madam Pomphrey."
"Thanks," Bella said. Her heart turned a bit within her. She didn't know what she felt. "Is this so I can take care of myself?"
"Yes, take it. Put them in your school bag. Bye, I'll be back. Not sure when."
"Mum—"
"O kiddo, please don't make this harder. I don't want to leave. Go, stay by your friends, ok? And Harry."
Bella told Harry, Falda, and Caly what her mum said. They all agreed to ask Professor McGonagall as soon as they next saw her. Bella ran to transfiguration the next day. The first time Professor McGonagall asked if anyone had questions, Bella had her hand up faster than Falda.
"Did you find anything on the note I told you about?" she asked urgently.
McGonagall's mouth twitched. "No, we have found nothing at all. None of us in the staff would conspire such a thing. I would not worry about it. If you can bring me the note, we can talk."
"Draco has it," Bella blurted. Draco glared at her.
"What note?" Nott whispered to Pansy, who was sitting right next to him.
"It's not the one I have, is it," Draco snarled softly. "Well, nobody can have it."
"Does he?" McGonagall said stiffly. "Malfoy, I would hand it over, please."
"I can't," Draco drawled. "I lost it."
McGonagall sighed. Turning to Bella, she said, "In that case, we have no evidence of such a thing, and cannot investigate. Sorry. Thank you for your concern."
Knowing it was useless to argue (she had seen Harry do it. It only made things worse.) Bella kept her mouth shut. Draco smirked triumphantly at her when the professor turned her back.
After school, Bella was pondering with Falda whether or not to search Draco's room. If they found the note, they could hide it in their dorm, because boys couldn't get up to the girl's rooms. The only problem would be Pansy…
Professor Quirrell came around the corner. The girls stopped whispering.
The professor looked quite happy. "Congrat-tulations, B-bellatrix Bane!" Beaming, he looked down at an official paper in his hands. "In l-light of your ex-xeptional und-derstanding of first year c-c-content, for the remainder of the y-year you are-are moved up to the s-s-second year defense ag-gainst the dark art-ts class. Signed, P-professor Dumbledore."
"YAY! Thanks!" Bella cheered. She hugged Professor Querriel. "Just wait till I tell Harry!" she squealed.
Bella ran about, telling her friends about her getting moved up.
Harry was reading a newspaper at the Gryffindor table when she and her little group found him.
"Harry-Harry-Harry," she chanted, hopping as she clung to his scarf. "I got into second year defense against the dark arts!"
"Oi," Harry grumbled, swatting her away. "I'm trying to read!"
"O yea?" Bella huffed. "Aren't brothers supposed to listen to their sisters?"
"You know, Mum always says that to me when I don't listen to Ginny," Ron said on Harry's side.
Harry tossed the paper down. "Fine."
Bella took a deep breath, then noticed how pale her brother was. "What?" she said instead in concern.
Harry clenched his fists. "It's that Malfoy bloke," he growled. "They really are as bad as Hagrid said…"
"Wha?" Ron said. "Of course they are! What did they do now?"
"Look," Harry said grimly. He laid the paper flat. "It says, Mr. Malfoy was caught this very morning with plans involving a dragon's egg. As a Ministry worker, he knows it's illegal to own one. Promptly imposing the claim he was just jesting, 'Making a little joke, you know, no harm planned. I wouldn't hurt anyone as you well know' were his exact words according to Rita Skeeter…"
"Ohh that's messed up," Caly muttered.
"Yea it's just what he says, a jest," someone drawled from behind them. They spun around. Draco sneered down at them.
"What if it has to do with the note?" Bella said, trying to sound brave. "What do you know about it, Draco? Did daddy let you in on the 'jest'?"
Draco flinched. "He's not your dad!" he howled.
"Is the note still lost?" Falda said flatly. "Or did you send it to your daddy? What's he got to do with this?"
"What note?" Mae asked. "What does Draco have to do with it?"
"It's nothing!" Draco roared. "Nothing at all!"
"O yea?" Mae howled. "If it's got something to do with a dragon, I'm telling Uncle!"
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Shut it, Malfoy," Harry growled, standing. "You know full well it's something!"
"O yea?" Draco said threateningly, starting to look a little nervous. Just then, utter fear crossed his face. "I'm not cute," he squeaked, before running away.
"Well," Lily drawled. "Why is it you're the brattiest brat in Slytherin? Everything that goes wrong is probably you." But he had already run away. She sighed. "I'll hug him later." She grinned sneakily.
Griff behind her chuckled. "You show that kid!"
"What was this fight all about?" Lily asked.
"Something to do with a dragon," Mae said swiftly.
Lily looked confused. "Dragon? Should we tell dad…"
"We don't have enough evidence, but please make him aware," Bella said.
"Ok—Griffy, sorry bud, you have to stay here. Everybody; please don't worry, ok? This will get sorted out. Hopefully."