I have a bunch of chapters pre-prepped so I can stick to my Tuesday/Thursday schedule for you guys. Hope everything is going well! Make sure to drink water and eat something for breakfast. Never underestimate the nutritional capabilities of a banana.

Being able to work like this because of quarantine is bittersweet because I can give you guys chapters, but at the same time I haven't seen my friends and family in awhile haha. I just hope you guys are still feeling okay, and that your country can provide adequate healthcare. Things are a little wacky over here so I'm trying to be careful.

As usual, I'M NOT PROFITING FROM THIS, AND ANY RECOGNIZABLE CHARACTERS, PLACES, AND EVENTS BELONG TO J.K. ROWLING.

Chapter Five

The day of the Halloween party came fast. Rose found she was actually looking forward to it.

"You guys gonna wear costumes?" she asked as the group all sat at the Hufflepuff table that morning. They looked at each other a little confused, but only Terry smiled.

"Students don't typically dress up for Halloween here Rose. That's more of a Muggle thing." she explained. The brunette put a hand to her chest in mock disbelief.

"Seriously? That's one of the best parts about Halloween!"

"Oh yeah? Then what are yae dressing up as?" Hugo asked lazily as he bit into a pumpkin muffin. Rose grinned proudly.

"A witch." and Henrietta rolled her eyes.

"That's fantastic Rose, but really? What is it?"

"No that's it. But like, a No-mag version of a witch. You know, big pointy hat and striped socks? It'll be good I promise." she ate a bite of eggs. Cyril raised a brow and grinned.

"Well, we can't have you out there dressed up like a loony by yourself. I'll tell the team to spread the word around. Shouldn't be too hard to cobble together some costumes for tonight." And Rose grinned at him. Dumbledore had been right, opening up more to her friends made things nicer in the long run. Even Tom had been quiet, thankfully.

"Rooooooosie!" there was a squeal, and she turned to see little Narcissa waltzing over to the Hufflepuff table with an armful of goodies, Andromeda trailing behind as well. Rose grinned and wiped her mouth.

"Hi Narcissa, Happy Halloween!"

"Hello Rosie! I brought you a lolly!" and true to her word, Narcissa gave Rose a little orange pop shaped like a pumpkin. Andromeda smiled apologetically behind her sister.

"She just wanted to see you know, she couldn't wait I'm sorry."

"No it's alright. You guys going to the party?" Rose tucked the candy into her robes. The rest of her friends were watching this exchange out of the corners of their eyes with extreme fascination, though none of them dared to actually look at the Black sisters.

"Oh, no Cissy is too young, so I'm taking her to Hogsmeade to go to Honeydukes. I've never been one much for parties anyway." she explained. Narcissa nodded excitedly.

"Okay, well you guys have fun then! Now get going before you get me killed." Rose chuckled, but she didn't actually see Bellatrix anywhere.

"Oh Bella? Pft, no she's actually confined to the common room for tonight. They didn't want her blowing something up. And she wouldn't hurt you...too badly anyway, with us around." Andromeda gave an uneasy laugh. Rose smiled and waved them off, and she was glad that Bellatrix wouldn't be at the party to mess anything up. Although there was...something she felt. Disappointment? No. Maybe she was getting sick. Cyril's jaw was practically on the floor.

"She's given you a nickname Rose. It's all over for you, I don't know how you're still sitting here and breathing." his eyes were wide in disbelief. Even Hugo's normally placid face showed some surprise.

"The wee one likes yae, she does." he ate another muffin. Henrietta was looking around the Great Hall wildly.

"That bitch could be anywhere. Jus' a heads up, Rose, if she comes near, I'm runnin' for m'life. Every lady for herself an all that." she swallowed her pumpkin juice nervously. Terry just shook her head.

"Rose, I can see why you're a Gryffindor now. You blatantly befriended two out of the three Blacks. I don't think anybody in our house would ever try that. In a million years." Rose blushed. Really it had been Narcissa who started it, but she didn't want to say anything.

"Maybe I am stupidly brave. I'm finally fitting in." Rose joked. Classes were a blur. She racked up points, much to the other houses' dismay. Her professors noticed her improved mood, and were glad that they had brought it up. They already had a past issue with a powerful moody student; they didn't also need two new ones this year.

"She's fantastic with dueling." Professor Morpho told the rest of the teachers one evening at dinner.

Sprout nodded and added "Good with plants. Not nearly as good as Hughes, but a close match."

Slughorn swallowed his pea soup quickly."I have never, in my time as a professor, seen such a student so keen on potions. Why, I'd daresay she could take my place one day," he frowned "But she's only been trying healing tonics. Nothing even remotely more exciting." he ate a bread roll. Madame Pomfrey leaned forward in her chair and raised a brow.

"And you say she's good Horace?"

"Aye, that she is Pomfrey."

"I could use an extra set of hands at the infirmary. What with Black running around, there's no shortage of injuries I'm having to sort out." the matronly woman heaved a sigh and sipped her drink. The rest of the teachers muttered in agreement. Only Dumbledore and McGonagall stayed silent.

Morpho huffed out a breath."Would love to see Black and Damonne duel. Would be bloody brilliant."

"They do fight. Well, I mean Bellatrix usually hunts down that poor Gryffindor, and she has to defend herself. She usually gets away with nothing more than a scratch." Slughorn admitted. Morpho squinted at the man.

"Don't you have both of them? For detention soon?" Horace paled and dropped his spoon.

"Good heavens...I do! Merlin's beard what have I done?" he shook his head in dismay. A few staff members chuckled and they all continued eating their dinner. The headmaster and his deputy shared a look. This would not be good.

In potions, Slughorn felt like taking it easy in the spirit of Halloween.

"Now, whoever can tell me what dragon's blood does will get a treat!" he cheered. The rest of the students looked uneasy though. Rose raised her hand anyway.

"Yes, Miss Damonne?"

"It cleans ovens, sir."

"Yes, well I supposed it does actually." he made a face before tossing something sparkly to her. When she caught it, it was a small, simple vial. When she looked at him, confused, he nodded.

"Yes, that vial will hold anything and replenish itself endlessly. So maybe don't put water in it unless you plan on trekking through a desert." he chuckled.

"Tosser." Bellatrix directed at Rose, but the brunette ignored her.

"Tell me another use!" Slughorn set out a bowl of other random knickknacks. Rose decided that maybe she should let other people answer questions today.

"A cure for verruca." Bellatrix suddenly said, and several people turned and stared. Rose even locked eyes with the witch, who was looking at her smugly.

"Ah yes that is correct." Slughorn said warily, and he searched through his bowl to find something that couldn't be used to harm other people. Nodding, he pulled a brightly colored ball out. Rose couldn't help her laughter that bubbled up, and she tried to cover her mouth.

"Why you laughing, you daft twit?" Bellatrix said, and she sent a stinging hex at Rose.

"Ow, nothing." she sniggered. Slughorn tossed the object to Bellatrix. The Slytherin made a face at this.

"What the bloody hell is this then?" her voice squeaked a little. Slughorn shrugged.

"I found it in Muggle London. I've discovered that it is quite fun to throw, and yet it is incredibly harmless." the moment he said "throw", Bellatrix whipped it at Rose's head with all of her strength. The Gryffindor laughed and caught it, unphased by the other girl's displeasure. What she caught was a small pincushion, thankfully pinless, shaped like a tomato. She threw it back in a far more gentle fashion, but when she turned around, it bounced off her head.

"See? Isn't that fun!" Slughorn smiled, and continued his questioning. Rose picked up the cloth tomato again, and turned around in her seat. Bellatrix was looking right back at her again.

"Why are you like this?" Rose thought. Bellatrix stuck her tongue out, and Rose tossed the pincushion back. But it was a serious question in her mind; why was Bellatrix just so angry and impetuous all the time? Her family was one of the proudest, most. respected pure-blood families in the wizarding world, nobody was bullying her surely. Bellatrix threw the pincushion again, aiming for the spot between Rose's eyes, but the object was simply too light, and she caught it again. A few students gave them weird looks as they tried to play a menacing game of catch. Slughorn watched the exchange with a look of approval on his face; for once Bellatrix wasn't completely trying to slaughter somebody. But soon the raven witch grew bored and when she caught the pincushion again, she didn't throw it back.

"Piss off." she mumbled loud enough for Rose to hear. She looked burnt out, Rose noticed. She still held her head high, those brows always shifted in contempt, but it was her eyes. That impish gleam was gone. Bellatrix glared at Rose, who was staring, and lifted a textbook in a silent threat of throwing it. Rose smirked a little and turned back to the front of the class to continue listening.

"So as you all should well know by now, our very own headmaster discovered the twelve uses for dragon's blood. What he was doing when he realized it could clean an oven is beyond me." Slughorn chortled. The students laughed along. The professor went to this desk and looked at some papers before nodding and looking at Rose.

"If I could speak to you after class, Miss Damonne?" he stated rather than asked. Rose nodded, but she couldn't help but wonder if she had somehow gotten into even more trouble. Then she remembered the detentions Dumbledore had mentioned, and she realized that Slughorn was the one overseeing them. After class, he pulled her aside and looked around nervously.

"So, you are aware that you have detentions with me? Starting next Monday after your last class." he wrung his hands. Rose nodded solemnly.

"Yeah."

"Okay good good. I would also like to ask, how would you like to join the Slug Club?" this caught her by surprise, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't that for really good students?"

"Well yes, but you have impeccable grades and an outstanding attendance record."

"It's only October." she stated flatly. Not that she didn't see this as an amazing opportunity, but it was still really early in the year.

"Yes well it's the last day of October, and I feel that you've proven yourself. After all, this is your last year here." he smiled. Rose thought it was very odd though. She liked Slughorn well enough, but she had heard things about the club. It wasn't always the smartest that got in, rather just students who were good at what they did, students that could be used to Slughorn's advantage. She wondered for a moment if Hugo would have been invited for his skills in herbology.

"I'll think about it Professor, thank you." she nodded her head politely.

"Don't forget, we have an annual Christmas party before you leave for break!" he called after her when she left. It was too sudden of a request, and Rose feared the potions professor had an ulterior motive of some sort.

In their dorm, Terry and Rose put their costumes together. Rose transfigured a simple woven beanie into the tall pointed hat of a witch, and pulled on the black velvet skater dress.

"Those stockings look positively ridiculous." Terry laughed as Rose put on the thigh high black and orange stockings. Peppers was draped about her shoulders, tasting the air.

"I'd say you gave me chills, but those braids ruin the effect." Terry sniffed as she put on her own costume. It was...something?

"Terry you're one to talk, what the hell are you supposed to be?"

"It's a kneazle. It's like a cat but smarter." she put on a headband that had very large ears on it. They looked more like rabbit ears than cat ears,

"You would have been better of as a lion. You know, Gryffindor and all?" Rose laced up her heavy boots that she wore when she wasn't in her school uniform. Terry rolled her eyes and said that wasn't very original.

"I wonder what everyone else is gonna be." Rose mused as she fixed her hair in the mirror. She gave Peppers a little pat on the head, and the snake nudged her affectionately.

"I think Cyril is a vampire. Hugo and Henrietta are supposed to be werewolves or something. I'll be honest, they were arguing about it for awhile." Terry hastily drew some whiskers on her face. Rose paused and considered the implications of dressing up like two very real groups that existed in the wizarding world, but ultimately wrote it off as ignorance. She looked about as good as anybody in a last minute costume did anyway.

"That look suits you. Maybe wear it all the time?" Terry laughed. Rose curtsied and giggled.

"Well, let's meet the others, I'm sure they're all very excited." Rose felt giddy. She hadn't been to a good Halloween party in a few years, and she was sure that Hogwarts wouldn't disappoint. The pair hooked their arms and marched out of the Gryffindor dormitory. Their Hufflepuff friends had been waiting outside. As promised, Cyril was wearing fangs and a ridiculous cloak. The twins were, however, not in matching costume. Hugo was wearing a grotesque skeleton mask and a tattered black cloak. Henrietta was wearing a shorter white cloak, but it looked more like a toga. Rose couldn't help but grimace at Cyril for a moment, his costume had to be some sort of social faux pas.

"Henrietta, what are you?" Rose asked bluntly, and the blonde girl's cheeks colored a little. She turned around and revealed that she was also wearing little golden wings.

"I'm a cherub. Or an angel or something I don't know. Best I could do on such short notice." Hugo chuckled, it sounded hollow through his mask.

"Well, let's get this show on the road then." Rose patted Terry's arm and the group made their way to the Great Hall in a swarm of other students dressed in various costumes. There were ghouls, banshees, and an awful lot of terrifying masks that Rose didn't recognize. When they finally reached the Great Hall, Rose gasped in delight. The enchanted ceiling, normally a sea of clouds and stars, was swarming with more lit candles than usual, and grinning jack-o-lanterns. Music filled the room, and tables along the walls were laden with food, drinks, and candy. The resident ghosts occasionally drifted through floors, walls, and students to scare them. Nearly Headless Nick tipped his head at students entering.

"Watch out for the toffee!" he chuckled eerily before floating down through the floor. Rose, having now seen the ghost's gross decapitated neck hole, didn't think she would eat anything tonight anyway.

"Come on! Let's dance!" Terry yanked Rose through the crowds of kids already dancing. Somebody had gotten muggle music to play so it wouldn't just be waltzing the whole time. A lot of the pure bloods and half bloods didn't recognize the songs, but they tried their best to shimmy along with the muggleborns. Hugo spent most of his time near the tables or the edge of the Great Hall. Henrietta shouted over the music, "The blighter's got two left feet. Good to keep him off it." she laughed. Several boys from various houses went to try and dance with Henrietta, but she was holding her own and keeping them at bay with her aggressive moves. Rose mostly jumped around and cheered with Terry and Cyril. The latter kept looking at her, trying to catch her eye, but Rose dutifully ignored him. Meanwhile, her Gryffindor counterpart was doing her best to keep near Cyril and catch his eye. Rose smiled inwardly at this; she hoped that something would develop between them. They had similar personalities, she was sure they could work something out. After a few hours, and well into the early morning, Rose waved to her friends and decided to call it a night. She still wanted to finish some assignments from DADA. As she left the Great Hall, Cyril bounder after her. Somehow, he had lost a fang he was wearing, and it made his usually mature demeanor seem childish.

"Rose wait!" he called, and she turned to him. He huffed out a breath and straightened up. Rose waited to see what he had to say, and there was a sinking feeling in her gut as she realized what it would be.

"I ah…" he blushed and scratched his head "I was wondering if maybe, you'd like to get out some time? Like a date?" he rushed the last couple words out in a single breath. Rose resisted every urge within her body to frown, or grimace, or make any face in general. She didn't know what it was, she just wasn't interested.

"Oh...Cyril." she fumbled for a response. The Hufflepuff boy looked immediately downtrodden and tried to offer a weak smile. But his shoulders sagged a little.

"I see. It's okay Rose. I get it." he went to go back to the party, but Rose grabbed his hand quickly. She said the best thing she knew she could.

"You'll always be my friend though." and Cyril actually looked a little hurt by this. He nodded silently and went back into the Great Hall. Rose, letting out a relieved sigh, began to make her way back to the dorms. It could have gone so much worse, and it didn't. She was just glad to be rid of the situation.

"Let's go this way." Tom said suddenly, and Rose let out a little squeak as she felt herself being tugged in the direction of the dungeons.

"Um, no?" she tried to muster a little conviction behind these words, but she still marched down the stairs.

"Yes. This is important." he chuckled darkly. Was it the potion? Was Tom going to ruin the anti-nightmare potion? Rose quickly became terrified when she realized that she couldn't move her own body, it felt like sleep paralysis. Except something was moving for her. A few roaming students gave her weird looks as she walked past them. She must have looked ridiculous, strolling past in bright socks and a stupid hat. Peppers was coiled protectively around her neck, but unfortunately the little reptile was doing nothing to rectify her current situation.

"Here we are." Tom whispered, and Rose gawked in horror as her own hand lifted her wand and waved it at the entrance to the Slytherin common rooms. The door obliged, and everything was lit a sickly green as she stepped into the entryway. For starters, it wasn't as nearly as homey as the Gryffindor common rooms. Second, Bellatrix Black was lounging on a green couch with a book in her hands. The emerald fire cast an eerie glow on her delicate face. Rose just stared, but she still couldn't move. It felt like years when Bellatrix finally got up and noticed the impromptu intruder. Rose gulped.

Bellatrix was fully aware that Rose Damonne had walked in; she was just waiting to see if she would realize her dreadful error and leave. She was sure that a student from another house entering the common room without an escort was grounds for a duel. Or something. But Rose just stood there and looked at her. That same empty look that she had in the Forbidden Forest was back on her face, and Bellatrix shivered a little before finally sitting up. She stood slowly and stretched her arms above her head, trying to keep her composure as Rose advanced on her down the steps, wand drawn. Bellatrix quickly pulled her own.

"Well...look at what we have. Lost your way, lovely?" Bellatrix flashed a mocking smile. She had been waiting for a chance to finally get back at Rose for being such an unbearable presence in her life. Well, maybe not unbearable, but the brunette witch wasn't like her other targets. Perhaps a threat would prove that Rose wasn't quite so unflappable.

It was a dazzling grin, but Rose felt a crawling, twisting feeling in her stomach. She pulled out her wand quickly and began to back up, keeping it pointed at the approaching Slytherin's chest. This was Bellatrix's realm, and it was perhaps the most dangerous place to be in the whole school. With every step the raven haired witch took, she spoke in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"Itty…"

Rose took a step back, she was beginning to shake.

"Bitty…"

She had to step up, the stairs that led out of the common room, but she stumbled.

"Baby…"

She hit her elbow on the dark marble and scrambled backwards on her butt, trying desperately to get up, but she couldn't look away from those deep black eyes. She felt trapped. Andromeda said that Bellatrix would never hurt her, but her eyes were like black holes, pulling her into the void and making her feel helpless.

"Rosie…" Bellatrix was crouched above her now, her own crooked wand painfully pressed against Rose's forehead. She could feel Tom writhing in her skull.

Do it. Defend yourself. Who does this bitch think she is?

A pause.

Kill her. You know the spell. I can feel it, you're so very strong. Do it, you know you must.

Rose trembled violently, and she could feel that horrible sickening soreness in her muscles as she lifted her wand up towards her attacker.

"Awwww, what's this? Think you can fight back? You can't, you know. And don't give me that creepy dead look. You don't scare me." Bellatrix leaned even closer, Rose could smell the crushed pine and cinnamon. With one swift movement, Rose kicked the witch's legs out from under her and snatched her wand. Rose straddled Bellatrix and put her own wand to the girl's throat.

Good. Kill her. Do it.

Tom's voice was more urgent, and Rose's head was pounding. Bellatrix was breathing hard, and she had actual fear in her eyes as Rose leaned in.

To Bellatrix, this moment was insane. Here was this girl, mad with it, on her stomach.

"I might die. Right now." she thought. A short manic laugh escaped her lips.

"Get off me you half-blood crap. I'll kill you and throw your pretty little body in the Forbidden Forest." she threatened, but the Gryffindor just stared, her hazel eyes empty.

"No. I'm calling your bluff, Black. You wouldn't kill anybody. You're weak. Worthless. A disgrace to Slytherin. Is that why daddy married you off? Because you know, deep down, that's all you'll ever be good for. Hogwarts doesn't matter if you can't keep a simple promise such as death." Rose Damonne definitely did not sound like herself. It sounded like she was repeating some mantra, or…

"You idiot, are you under the imperius curse? For somebody who can so easily defend herself, you must be a moron." Bellatrix struggled a little to get the words out, because Rose had pushed her wand farther into her throat.

"Shut up. Shut it. Sh…" Rose blinked wildly, and her face scrunched in pain. The girl scrambled off of Bellatrix and tossed the crooked wand away, holding her head in her hands and shouting.

"Shut UP SHUT UP SHUT UP GET OUT OF MY HEAD LEAVE ME ALONE" she was frantic, and she punched herself in the head. Bellatrix would have laughed if this psychotic meltdown didn't scare the living daylights out of her. Just as she was about to retrieve her wand and cast a hex, Narcissa and Andromeda walked into the common room with arms full of things from Honeydukes. They gaped in horror and dropped their purchases.

"Rosie!? Bella what's happening what is she doing?!" Narcissa sounded like she would cry as she saw Rose smacking her head against the wall and floor. She was bleeding. Andromeda stared before taking her little sister by the hand.

"Go get Madame Pomfrey. NOW." and the little blonde sprinted back into the hall. Andromeda looked at her older sister, who had retrieved her wand and had it pointed to Rose, who was still shrieking.

"Muffliato!" and there was no yelling, only the sick sound of skull hitting marble.

"Petrificus totalus!" Andromeda finished, and Rose became rigid and fell to her side. There was blood all over the floor and on Rose's hands. Bellatrix finally let go of the breath she was holding in, and sighed in exasperation.

"Bella what did you do to her."

"It bloody well wasn't me! She must've had a spell on her. I was just defending the common room." she pouted. There was a twinge of sadness in her heart as she saw Rose laying there. The American was usually so quiet and shy, so it made it easy to harass her. But she was so intelligent, it made for quite the new challenge when Bella was in class. The dark haired witch thought that, maybe if the girl were to smile a little, or show some fire more often, she would have been inclined to like her a little more. Bellatrix shrugged.

"You know you shouldn't bully her. Cissy would never forgive you if she found out you did this." Andromeda said quietly. She was sitting on the floor next to Rose, a hand on her forearm.

"I swear, she just waltzed in here like she owned the place, and I tried to coerce her into leaving. Then she went mental." her older sister explained. Bellatrix had come to sit on the other side of Rose. The Gryffindor was pretty, she supposed. Her features weren't as severe, and it made her look peaceful. And her lips, a little cupids bow…

"Bella why are you staring at her?" Andromeda asked pointedly. Bellatrix snapped out of it and huffed.

"So I can remember to get back at her later. All the Gryffindors look the same so I had to memorize her face."

"Okay we both know that's not true. And don't you dare 'get back at her' for anything! All she did was walk into the common room!" Andromeda scolded, but she knew that Bellatrix wouldn't do anything. The Slytherin common doors burst open with a crash and McGonagall raced to the side of her student, followed closely by Pomfrey and Narcissa, who looked like she had been crying. The transfiguration teacher looked horrified, and she immediately looked at Bellatrix, who she roughly grabbed by the arm.

"Miss Black you have gone too far!" the older woman was seething, and she was just barely keeping her temper in check. Madame Pomfrey brought over the stretcher and had Andromeda help lift Rose onto it before the nurse waved her wand making the stretcher follow the group out into the hall. Andromeda held Narcissa's hand as they all made their way to the Hospital ward, although McGonagall yanked Bellatrix towards the stairs.

"You are seeing the Headmaster while Ms. Damonne seeks medical attention. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"It wasn't me, you bat!" Bellatrix insisted, tugging away, "She came in and went crazy. I didn't cast a single spell." while clearly pissed at being accused of causing so much bodily harm, the girl was pleading. Narcissa reached out to Bellatrix as they followed Pomfrey.

"Bella, Bella please come with us and watch Rosie." her face was contorted with sadness. McGonagall glared in frustration.

"Go with your sisters, and tell Madame Pomfrey what happened. EVERY. Little. Detail. I will bring the Headmaster down to oversee this. You had better hope you are innocent, Bellatrix." she practically growled. Bellatrix glared back at her, but joined her sisters as they hurried off to follow the short nurse. All Bellatrix could think about was who would have dared to put a curse on Rose. First off, she was her target; everybody knew that Rose was the fearsome Slytherin's new plaything. Second, while quiet and often a little weird, Rose had never hurt anybody.

"Ladies, grab me some rags and cold water, please. From the cupboards." Pomfrey instructed Andromeda and Narcissa. Pomfrey waved her wand over Rose and a thin red shimmer appeared over her body. Frowning, Pomfrey repeated the movement, but there was no other indication of a curse.

"Bellatrix, what happened?" she spoke after a minuted when she had finished writing something on a clipboard. It was silent in the hospital, with most students at the dance. It was just the five of them there.

"I was minding my own business in my common room when Damonne burst in. She looked more...ghoulish than usual. When I tried to get her to leave, she attacked me." Bellatrix explained, purposefully leaving out the barbs that Rose had flung at her. That was another issue she would need to figure out later. Pomfrey nodded and scribbled something before going to a cabinet on the other side of the hospital. There was a flurry of activity as Pomfrey prepared potions and various poultices that smelled bitter. Bellatrix sat in a chair next to Rose, who was laying in bed.

"What were you doing you idiot…" Bellatrix mumbled halfheartedly. She wouldn't deny that Rose had, in fact, been prepared to kill her. But the usually timid girl didn't seem to be there. Thinking about it, Bellatrix remembered all the other times when Rose had moments where she would seem to buck up and defend herself. The Slytherin witch had just dismissed it as some stupid Gryffindor bravery. But never had Rose been fiery. Downright melancholic most of the time? Yes. But she never had a sparkle in her eye when she told Bellatrix off. She had looked even more dead, if possible.

"Ms. Black, I would appreciate you not touching my patient," Pomfrey said sternly, and Bellatrix realized she had been holding onto Rose's pinky with her own. Blushing furiously and trying to hide it with a sneer, she turned away, but didn't get up from her chair. Rose's brow was beaded with sweat. That ridiculous hat she had worn fell off in the struggle in the dorm, and strands of her hair fuzzed out of her twin braids. Pomfrey was mopping blood off her brow that had already started to dry. Rose's face was split from her right cheek to her temple, and a bruise was blooming over her eye.

"Bellatrix are you even listening?" Pomfrey's voiced snapped the girl back to attention.

"What?"

"I said get her hair out of the way so I can look at that cut." the old woman huffed. Bellatrix sneered at the woman by default before gingerly moving a braid out of the way.

"Dear you have to undo the braid." the nurse leaned across and undid the small elastic that held the braid. Her fingers threaded through the hair quickly and pushed it farther away from Rose's face. Her hair was full of blood, and Bellatrix grimaced. What had compelled her to act like this? Or who? Who was the coward that would dare do this?

"Miss Black if you're going to stand there like a dead fish, I suggest you move so your sisters can help. Go sit in that chair and wait for the headmaster." the nurse pointed impatiently. Bellatrix stuck her tongue out, but nonetheless went to go pout in the chair. As Narcissa walked past her, she had tears in her eyes.

"Bella, where's Peppers?" she asked. Bellatrix frowned.

"You want vegetables at a time like this?"

"No her snake. Is he okay? I don't see him." she whimpered. Bellatrix tried to remember seeing the snake, but it wasn't there when they began the fight. Or was it?

"Bella, Rosie will be so sad if something happens to him! Go find him!" Narcissa commanded, her voice small, but she was trying her best to use that air of Black family superiority. Bellatrix grumbled, but got up from her chair.

"What color is it?"

"He's small and grey." Perfect. Trying to find a snake like that in the nearly dark infirmary would be impossible. She walked to the far end of the room, her footsteps echoing on the stone floor.

"Here snake...here snakey snake," she said quietly. She never actually remembered seeing Rose with a snake before. Maybe she just didn't carry it around with her. But then how did Narcissa know about it? Why did Rose even have a snake? Most girls were scared of that stuff.

"Rose Damonne, you are a bloody enigma." Bellatrix mused as she crouched to look under a bed. Of course, nothing was there.

"Merlin's beard!" Pomfrey shouted. Bellatrix got up quickly to see what was going on. The nurse backed up quickly from Rose's side and was trying to catch her breath.

"Peppers!" Narcissa was bent over Rose. Bellatrix walked over to see the smallest snake in the world, no bigger than her palm, curled up in a ball on Rose's chest, head peeking out from its coils, the snake's eyes glittered coldly as is gazed at the group.

"Aw but he's so much smaller?" Narcissa seemed confused. As if on cue at this, Peppers began to writhe and unfold from the ball. As he moved, he became wider and longer, more like a full-grown snake. The trio backed away from the bed, and Andromeda grabbed onto Bellatrix's arm. Before them, a nine-foot charcoal python was winding himself around the bedpost and draping himself across Rose's stomach. The bed groaned under the weight of him.

"Narcissa that snake is enormous. Are you sure that's even Peppers?" Andromeda's eyes were wide in disbelief. Madame Pomfrey waved a hand at the large reptile.

"Go on! Shoo!" she hissed at it, and Peppers returned the hiss. His fangs were the length of a human hand.

"We need to help Rose," Narcissa said firmly to the snake, and it turned to look at her. She reached out to touch his head, and Peppers flickered his tongue at her. But he still wouldn't get off the bed. Bellatrix meanwhile just stared at this beast. Surely Rose Damonne didn't own this thing? It looked like it would live in the Forbidden Forest.

"Well. This is quite a turn of events." Dumbledore said calmly. Apparently, he had entered the infirmary unnoticed and was watching these proceedings from the foot of the bed. McGonagall was wringing her hands as she stood next to him.

"Should we call someone Albus? The girl can't be cared for if there's a giant snake on her bed." her accent lilted through her words. She was nervous.

"Yes, I do believe we should. Could you fetch Kettleburn, Minerva?" Dumbledore said pleasantly. McGonagall hastily conjured a patronus and sent the ghostly cat off with the message. It bounded out of the room noiselessly, and the headmaster turned his attention to Bellatrix.

"Follow me, please. We have much to discuss, I'm afraid." he turned to the door. Bellatrix took one last quick look at the disheveled girl on the bed before following without a single snide remark.