The Hunt for the Note

Lily told Snape. Later in the common room while they all did homework, Mae boasted about getting moved to second year potions. Harry congratulated her as well as Bella. She was so excited the next day, but then slowly realized that she would have to meet new people. They were second year Slytherins in her class now, and she was not an extrovert. She didn't know any of those people…

Slowly, cautiously, Bella entered the defense against the dark arts classroom. Keeping her head down, glancing from side to side only occasionally, she gulped softly to see how much bigger everyone else was than her. She was the smallest in her first year class. She was now surrounded by new and unfamiliar people. All of them seemed to loom above her. Their glances, ranging from curious to you-don't-belong-petty-first-year, did nothing to help.

"W-welcome B-bellatrix Bane," Professor Quirrell said. "Ev-veryone, don't hurt h-her, ok-k? She's sm-small, only a first-t year." The class, eyeing her, reluctantly nodded. She suspected they were annoyed that there was a first year smart enough to be in their class.

"Don't be scared, tiny," a menacing looking black haired girl mocked. "Today's lesson is basilisks."

Bella's eyes glittered. "What fun," she said, cheerful already. She loved basilisks! The girl frowned. Bella smirked triumphantly up at her.

"You s-sit next to her, ok-k?" Quirrell said, motioning to the black haired girl. Bella stared at her and shivered.

"W-why her?" she squeaked.

"She'll p-protect you," the teacher said. "F-from the others."

"Will you?" Bella whispered to the girl.

"Only in this class," the girl grunted, looking half interested. "You're a half blood. Outside this classroom…"

"Got it," Bella whimpered. The girl smirked.

"I'm Nix by the way," the girl sneered. "But as your 'protector,' it's 'Miss Buttstrode.'"

"Ok," Bella agreed. She was starting to feel even more nervous about the class. What if she wasn't actually as good as Quirrell thought she was? What if Nix messed things up for her like Draco did? What if she failed miserably on her first day…no wonder her stomach didn't feel so good. At least the first lesson was on basilisks. What a lovely way to start!

"E-everybody!" Professor Quirrell shouted. The students quieted from their whispering, about Bella no doubt. "Lis-sten up! I h-have brought a real b-baby b-basilisk…" The students gasped. "C-can anyone t-tell me why it-t's ok to bring one i-in a classroom?"

Bella had her hand up. 'Missy know it all already, ay?' she heard someone whisper. She straightened defiantly. She was going to impress this class!

"Y-yes?" Quirrell prompted.

"Th-they're sm-sm-smaller," Bella stuttered. A couple boys in the back imitated her and snickered softly. 'Just like the teacher,' one whispered. 'No wonder she got moved up.'

"Aye-yah-yahy,' Nix muttered, rubbing her hand against her face, frustrated. She turned around in her seat. "Won't ya just shut it so Trix can finish?" she snapped. Glowering, the boys stopped.

"Th-they're small," Bella continued, trying to speak loud enough, "and their venom hasn't come in y-yet, a-and, um, they aren't as fierce as ad-dults—"

"Is she talking?" someone behind them interrupted.

Sighing, Nix drawled, "She said 'they're small, they don't have venom yet and they aren't as violent as adults."

"C-correct," Quirrell said proudly. "N-now, I'm going to show you, a b-baby b-basilisk."

"O boy!" Bella squealed.

He lifted the blanket off the big tank on his desk.

The baby snake was about three or four feet long, dark green, and thick as a large orange. The girls huddled farther away from it, as though it could escape. The boys tried to look brave. Bella couldn't help thinking the baby basilisk was utterly adorable.

"This one is about two years old," Quirrell said. "When they just hatch, they are only four or five inches."

"Awww!" Bella giggled as the others moaned about how they couldn't study a four-inch snake rather than a four foot long one.

Woken suddenly, the poor baby thrashed wildly. Quirrell jumped back. The students screamed.

Feeling deeply sorry for the poor thing, she thought she could hear it wail. Poor thing.

Quickly, Quirrell put the blanket back on, and continued with the class.

When it was over (Bella surprised herself with how much she didn't know), the older students left, pretending she wasn't there. She took a few elbows and foot stomps. She had to stay behind for the baby snake.

Quirrell was grading intently and didn't notice her walking softly up to the tank. She carefully peeked in, lifting a corner. The snake looked up, eyes flashing dangerously.

"I'm safe," she whispered. "It's ok."

She didn't notice Eustace walk in. She continued whispering to the snake, her face and hands pressed against the glass. She didn't notice when Eustace stared at her for a while. She only heard him when he announced that he brought the plant and antidote for the next lesson to Professor Quirrell. She jumped and looked up.

"Still here?" he said. "You'll be late for your next lesson."

"Oh." Bella shakily picked up her bag, and glanced apologetically at the baby basilisk before quickly leaving.

Some days later, Harry was once again in the boys dorm with Bella. They had just walked in, and Bella sat on his bed.

"How many times have I said how glad I am that you and I-" Harry started, but he stopped. Bella had suddenly pointed to his trunk, wordlessly not wanting to interrupt him, no doubt. He curiously turned to see what excited her.

Then he realized there was a parcel on his trunk. It was the size of a normal book, but square, and wrapped in brown paper that nearly blended in with the wood of the trunk. He picked it up. It was surprisingly light. His first name was on the front in black ink.

"What's this?" Harry said softly, lifting the package. Bella leaned forward in what could only be curiosity. Slowly, he unwrapped it. The thing inside slid out and unfurled, shining and gliding like water. A note fluttered down along with it. He stood there, gaping at the thing on the floor.

"Wow!" Bella gasped and Harry reverently picked it off the floor. "TH-that's an invisibility cloak!"

"Wait, would it make me invisible?" Harry said suddenly. "I can go about unseen-I can sneak around, hunting-I can go around and watch that Malfoy if he was doing anything-Think of all the things I can do!"

Bella bounced excitedly. "It'll help us find that note!"

"Yea right it will!" Harry shouted. He carefully set the cloak in his trunk. He did a happy dance, pulling Bella off the bed. They twirled in a circle for a minute or two. Then one of them crunched on the note underfoot. "There's a note with this," Harry said softly, picking it up. "It says I heard you are involved in a resistance to a plot. It is time I give you this. It will make you invisible. Do not lose it. It's the same bloke who gave me the other things! I know this handwriting!"

"How'd he know you are trying to help take down Draco's dad," Bella said, thinking back to her own note that came with her ring.

"Who knows?" Harry said. "O well, I can't wait to try it out!"

Bella, Falda, and Mae had often tried to sneak into Draco's bed space for the note. Several weeks had gone by. Draco was sadly smart enough to keep Harry far away from his bed, and warned him that if anything was taken he would be in trouble. That, of course, did nothing to stop Harry from trying. He would also let Bella borrow his cloak, not really wanting to tell anybody else about it yet.

Nothing from McGonagall. Nothing from Anwen. Nothing new. Only the attempts to find the note.

Bella stayed silent those warmer days with no new evidence. So far, she hadn't done much but basically tutor Ron and Neville, occasionally helping Harry, and sometimes Crabbe and Goyle. She found it hard not to consider herself an expert compared to them on defense against the dark arts since she was in second year class now. (Though it was very hard to use the book Draco gave her. It reminded her of the time he was nice to her...)

One particular day, Bella didn't want to bother anyone, so she was in Draco's bed space by herself. She had to be extra careful, however, since she couldn't use Harry's cloak. He had taken it with him on another one of Snape's apathetic and mindlessly allotted detentions for him, just in case.

"Come on," Bella whispered. Knott wouldn't move from his bed. He was going to notice her if she made any sound.

Finally, when she was really uncomfortable, Knott hopped off his bed and wandered out. She heaved a sigh of relief. Slowly, she crept out from under Draco's bed. She had already searched there before. Draco had nearly caught her that time she did.

She had a sudden thought—would the note be under the pillow?

Glancing around to be sure no one was looking, she tilted up a pillow corner. She saw Draco's favorite quill, a shred of paper with 'love you, baby' on it in Mrs. Malfoy's handwriting, several notes, none of them the dragon note and all from his father, and—something else.

Gingerly, Bella picked up the torn off bit of family picture. Younger her cheerfully grinned and waved, Mr. Malfoy's arm around her tiny shoulders. She felt her chest tighten. Something dark and strong seeped into her mind like rain intently biting its cold way through a thick sweater.

This looks like it was from a family picture.

Bella looked up. For the first time, she noticed the family photo on Draco's dresser. She had been here several times, yet was so completely and tensely intent on the note, she had never noticed the rip, the empty space, the gaping hole.

"He tore me off?" she squeaked softly. The little people in the picture smiled happily. Even when it was in two pieces.

It should be one.

The little Malfoys smiled happily as though they knew they were torn apart, but were trying to live on, to pretend. And then her father, a true pureblood-the look in his eyes almost told he looked too happy without her…

"Oi," Draco snapped, behind her. She whirled around. Stepping forward, he growled dangerously, "What do you think you're doing AGAIN in my—" He turned pale when he caught sight of the shred in her hands. He snatched it.

"Why'd you tear me away?" she whimpered.

He was shaking. "W-whatever," he croaked. "J-just leave, ok-k?"

"But then why'd you put me under your pillow? I thought you hate me…"

Draco straightened, an imperious look on his face. "I don't know…you did make a good friend after the troll, though," he whispered, anger making his voice shake. "Now go away."

"I need that note," Bella said softly.

"Auug!" Draco groaned. "You can't have it!" He took her shoulders and struggled with dragging her away. Anything, it seemed, to get her away from his bed.

"Why not?" Bella growled, resisting.

"B-because," Draco grunted, "something's up, but (hand out of my face) my dad's involved! He knows why he's doing it, and it's not something that concerns you, so why do you keep sticking yourself in it? It would be much easier to just not do anything!"

"Because," she grunted, trying to get his arm away from her stomach. "What if it's dangerous? What if people get hurt?"

"Exactly!" Draco roared. "Keep away from it so nothing bad happens to you!"

"That's—wait, what?" she started. She slowly ceased the struggle. Sensing her lack of resistance, he relaxed. They stared at each other.

"Nothing," Draco snapped. "I d-didn't say anything!"

"You don't want ME to get—"

"SHOO BEFORE I TELL SNAPE!" Draco screamed.

She broke away and ran straight to Professor McGonagall.

Panting, Bella related all she knew. She told she and her friends had been searching Draco's area for a while but could not find the note. She also told that Mr. Malfoy was involved.

"Someone outside is involved in this? O dear," McGonagall said grimly. "I will ask Severus to search Draco's area of the dormitory then."

"Thank you," Bella whispered faintly.

"In the meantime," McGonagall suggested, "don't say anything to Draco about this. Don't let anyone know we knew that Lucius is included in this."

Bella nodded. "Yes, professor."

The next day, Draco stormed over to Bella. He dragged her away from her friends, claiming that Lily was right around the corner, ready to hug them. Wanting to know what was up, (just as he hoped) they followed him, then ran into Filch as Draco slipped into an empty classroom with Bella.

"You ratted, didn't you?" he whispered furiously, hand tight on her arm. "Professor Snape was searching through my space for, well, you know!"

"He's gonna find it," she whispered defiantly.

"No, I hid it," Draco said triumphantly. "Nobody will find it."

A look of horror flickered across her face. "No way!" she groaned. "We need it."

"Sorry." He shrugged carelessly. "Nothing you can do now."

"B-but," she said softly. "I don't want people to get hurt! What if this is some plot that will hurt people?

An ugly glower fell over Draco's face. Dangerously, he growled, "My DAD'S involved. He appears to be planning it. Whatever it is, it's IMPORTANT!"

"Just because dad is doing it?" she challenged.

He cringed. "He's not your dad," he moaned. His eyes flashed as he regained himself. "Honestly," he hissed. "What's wrong with you? You just like to stick your nose in other people's, business don't you. You little rat." He mocked, "Always trying to help other people. It's annoying."

She recoiled. "I'm n-not a r-r-rat!" she managed, trying not to cry.

"No," he said thoughtfully. "You are. You really are."

"I'm noooooooot!" she wailed.

"O yea?" Draco howled. "Dad would tell me you were always too kind to be a proper Malfoy! You never seemed to know your place! He was GLAD to get rid of you; he was ASHAMED of you!"

Screaming in agony, Bella ran, the note completely forgotten.