"Are you coming, Harry?" Bellatrix asked as she stood from the table.
Harry looked at his scrambled eggs, unsure if he was ready to part with them. After an exasperated sigh, he stood from the bench and spoke. "I suppose," he said to Bellatrix.
Advanced potions was first. It had been a change of pace at first. To have a teacher who doesn't hate your guts and actually tries to help you. Who knew you would learn more under that kind of teacher?
The unlikely pair walked through the school hallways like any other pair of friends. Anyone who saw them would be unaware of the true feelings hidden.
"Let's sit closer to the front today, Harry. I want to be able to see." Bellatrix said as she dragged him away from the back row.
The two found seats next to each other easily and sat while they waited for the others to slowly stream in.
"Harry?" A voice asked almost hesitantly.
Harry turned to its source and saw Molly Prewett. "Hey Molly," he said, genuinely happy to see the woman... girl. He had felt that she may be ignoring him. Perhaps it was because he was with Bellatrix a lot or because he was in Slytherin.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" She asked, gesturing to the open seat beside Harry. She shot a stray look towards Bellatrix before returning quickly to Harry.
"Not at all, err... unless you plan on cursing me?" Harry joked.
"Someone else beat us to it," Molly said almost pointedly as she sat down.
Harry heard a snort from behind him but he chose not to look.
"Good morning class." Slughorn spluttered as he entered the class.
He took a few moments to examine the class before continuing. "I'm happy to see so many faces have chosen to remain. I have a good class this year it seems. Only one student has dropped our course... As always, please feel free to come to me if you need any extra assistance." He finished with a meaningful look towards Harry.
"Today we'll continue our review of safety precautions. We'll also briefly go over the previous years' curriculum."
...
"Harry... Can I talk to you?" Molly said, stopping Harry and Bellatrix rising from their seats.
"Sure," Harry replied easily.
A few moments went by in which Molly remained silent.
"Is this my cue to leave? Oh Merlin I was so looking forward to what you had to say. Though I am sure I could think of a few ways to get Harry to tell me afterward..." Bellatrix trailed off almost flirtatiously as she looked at Harry with hungry eyes.
Molly's face reddened to almost the exact shade of her hair. Bellatrix's smile grew slightly but she left without saying anything more.
Harry himself was sputtering out words and excuses to Molly. There was a small part of him that felt embarrassed but mostly he felt disgusted. One of Bellatrix's "ways" was a night with the Longbottoms and the cruciatus. That was all Harry could imagine when she teased him.
"How are you so friendly with her? How is she so friendly with you? She attacked you and you act like best friends! Is it house loyalty or something?!" Molly hissed quietly.
Harry was surprised by the amount of anger and perhaps hatred Molly was showing. She hadn't been a fan of Bella in his own time but this was different.
Harry opened his mouth to respond but was cut off. Molly looked almost insecure as she spoke. "I know she's beautiful and probably charming... but you don't know her as I do, Harry, be careful with her."
"You're beautiful too, Molly," Harry slipped out.
Molly's eyes snapped to Harry's and her face instantly became redder than it had before. "Wh... what!?"
Harry's own face had a matching color of embarrassment as he stuttered out an excuse. "I- I'm sorry! I don't know where that came from! It just slipped out!" Harry couldn't bear to meet her eyes. He just called his best mate's mother… beautiful.. to her face.
"I've... I've got reading! I've got reading to do. Bye Harry!" She exclaimed before practically running out of the room.
Harry slammed his head on his desk before remaining there to sulk in his misery for a few moments.
"My... what a charmer you are. The first week of class and you're already making moves. I must admit, you could do worse than Bellatrix and Molly." A voice said from behind Harry.
Harry looked up from his lap to see Rudolphus gazing down at him. His heart hardened slightly and his previous embarrassment quickly faded away.
"It's not like that," Harry spoke, remaining calm.
"I'm sure... Come on, let's get to the great hall before all the brisket is gone." Rudolphus ordered before gesturing to Harry to follow him.
The pair walked in silence for a minute or so before Rudolphus finally spoke again. "She likes you."
"Who?" Harry asked, confused.
"Bellatrix. She likes you."
'And I hate her,' Harry couldn't help but think.
"I'm a very likable guy," Harry deflected.
Rudolphus snorted and shot Harry a calculating glance. "Not if Bellatrix likes you," he responded.
Harry almost couldn't believe his ears. He was talking about girls with a Slytherin- a death eater- 25 years in the past. He had done the same exact thing except with Ron in, oh a few years from now. There never ceased to be moments where it all came to him and he was left feeling completely astounded. Rudolphus Lestrange was telling 'The Boy Who Lived' about how his death-eater wife liked him.
"Do you like me?" Harry asked, suddenly quite curious. He didn't really care what the death eater thought about him. He could despise him if he wanted. But it would be... inconvenient. Harry hadn't been in Hogwarts long but he was already starting to see the lines and groups.
Rudolphus was the unofficial 'leader' of Slytherin. At the very least, his year. His intelligence, power, prowess, and of course his family name guaranteed it. Pissing off Rudolphus would not be one of Harry's smartest ideas. At least until Harry no longer needed to remain liked by Slytherins.
"I'm not sure... I know I don't like that Bellatrix likes you." Rudolphus said before he looked curiously at Harry.
"Well, I can hardly control that. Besides I'm not so sure she does like me. I'm not sure Bellatrix likes anyone..." Harry admitted honestly.
She was an enigma to Harry on most days. Completely unlike how he would expect her to be. Where she should be cold, she was warm. Where she should be mean, she was kind. Where she should be condescending and haughty, she was helpful and approachable. When she should be seriously insane, she was sarcastic and flirty.
But of course Harry wasn't fooled. If he hadn't known her from his old time or if he hadn't met her at the book shop, he might've. He wasn't sure why she put on such a show, she had shown her true self at the bookstore but not at Hogwarts.
Harry wasn't much better either. As he thought that, there he was, walking down the hallway with Rudolphus Lestrange. Perhaps she had a goal as well, one which required her to hide her true personality. A goal Voldemort set for her?
Harry's stomach sank at the thought of her already working for Voldemort. He had no way of knowing when it started for her... or any of the other future death eaters. Though he rationalized that it might be good if she were. With any luck, Harry could meet Voldemort by Halloween and be done with him by Christmas.
Harry knew he was rarely so lucky.
Rudolphus pondered Harry's words in silence for a few moments before responding. "Bellatrix doesn't like anyone... you might be right about that. I've known her since we were children. We spent a lot of time with each other at events and parties." Rudolphus spoke with a reminiscent look.
Rudolphus' eyes cleared and he looked back at Harry. "I don't think she's ever liked me."
Harry felt that there might be unsettled feelings of hurt and insecurity hidden by Rudolphus at that moment. Both left by Bellatrix, of course.
'Just you wait until she's older... she's not aged well, I promise' Harry joked internally thinking fondly about how Azkaban had treated her.
The Great Hall came closer and closer with every moment and Harry was trying hard to figure out the point of the conversation.
"Well I'm sure she does. Especially if you spent so much time with her as children," Harry said diplomatically.
Rudolphus laughed quietly at Harry's response. The pair walked quietly for a few moments, until they stood beside the large doors to the Great Hall.
"No... I do not think I like you very much, Harry" Rudolphus finally answered.
"What?" Harry asked, taken aback.
"It is my answer to your earlier question," Rudolphus supplied.
"May I ask why?" Harry questioned. Rudolphus hadn't and still didn't seem very hostile. Nothing like how he and Draco had been.
"I don't like you because she does and I cannot figure out why," Rudolphus explained with a calm face.
"I see," Harry said simply. Internally he had no idea what they were talking about. Rudolphus didn't like him because he didn't know why his crush did? Harry briefly wondered how a love sick puppy could become a death eater in just a few years.
"Come on, I have delayed us too long. There had better be some brisket left." Rudolphus spoke with a friendlier face before entering the Great Hall.
Harry followed after him to the Slytherin table. He shot his old table a glance as he walked by, perhaps hoping to catch a glimpse of his parents.
Harry slid in beside Bellatrix and began picking out his lunch. Harry noticed the lack of brisket at his section of table and glanced over at Rudolphus. Hopefully he was faring better. He ate for a brief few perfect moments as he forgot about the girl sitting beside him.
"How mean! How can you make a beautiful girl such as myself worried about you and not even seek to offer an explanation?" Bellatrix exclaimed after only a few seconds of waiting for Harry to speak.
Harry might've found her antics funny or cute if he didn't hate her. No, he only found them annoying and slightly disgusting.
"You are not beautiful though." Harry replied, shooting her a small smirk, as he scooped some grapes onto his plate.
Bellatrix gasped. "How rude! Now you have two things to apologize for!" She exclaimed seriously.
"Two?" Harry asked, finally playing her game.
"Two! An apology for your untruthful comment and an apology for making a girl jealous," she explained seriously.
"If I owe you an apology for that then you owe me one for Rudolphus," Harry said with a smirk.
Bellatrix's face didn't react but something in her eyes seemed to change. "Oh? And what did dear Rudy have to say?" She asked with a smile.
Harry snorted at the nickname for the death eater. "I don't see why that's your business... what 'dear Rudy' and I discuss," Harry taunted.
Bellatrix's smirk grew as she shot a glance down the table. "Oh come on Harry- unless..." Her smirk grew even wider. "You want me to use some of those 'ways' I mentioned earlier?" She finished, scooting closer to Harry.
"No thank you," Harry blurted out unthinkingly.
Bellatrix grimaced in pain "Ah!" She exclaimed with her hand over her heart. "Now you owe me three apologies!" She said once she had recovered.
When Harry made no move to respond she continued. "As well as telling me about your conversation with either Molly or Rudolphus. I'm generous to allow you to choose which." Bellatrix said with her nose in the air.
"Generous... alright. 'Rudy' and I talked about how popular you were and how much we both liked you," Harry finally said, playing along.
Bellatrix grabbed Harry's arm and pulled herself even closer. "Oh? And how much do you like me?" She asked seductively.
Harry blushed lightly, against his will of course, as he stared into Bellatrix's eyes. His senses were quick to return, however. "Not as much as you like me, according to him." Harry answered before looking back to his food.
Bellatrix let out a quiet chuckle as she once again glanced down the table to Rudolphus. "He's always watched out for who I like and who likes me... It leaves him very little time to watch out for whether or not I like him." Bellatrix finished, looking back at Harry.
"Oh? You do not then?" Harry asked, not really paying attention.
"My? Are you jealous? Do you-"
"Not jealous, just a question to keep the conversation going." Harry cut in not allowing her to get any foolish ideas.
Bellatrix bit her lip as she stared at Harry for a moment. "Harry..." she said slowly.
At his lack of response she continued, "you know... I always get what I want." She said seriously. Harry's face scrunched as he turned to look at her.
Bellatrix, in that moment, looked more like the girl he had known in his own time than ever before.
"And what do you want?" Harry asked genuinely.
The side of Bellatrix's mouth tugged upwards in amusement. "What do I want?" She repeated slowly. She leaned in closer to Harry, preparing to whisper in his ear.
"This." She said, then, quick as a hawk she swooped in and grabbed Harry's sandwich.
She pulled it back to her own plate and looked at Harry with amusement as she bit into his food.
"Hey!" Harry exclaimed after a few moments of utter surprise and disbelief.
Bellatrix ignored him as she turned to talk to the girl sitting on the other side of her.
Harry had to physically restrain his hand from attempting to curse the bint. With a small sigh, Harry turned his attention back to his thoughts as he made another sandwich.
There was only so much that could be learned from books. There was only so much help a book offered. Reaction times couldn't be shortened, instincts couldn't be sharpened, and will couldn't be hardened.
Harry glanced up at the Headmaster. The man had known about the prophecy for the entirety of his life and had done very little to help prepare him. He knew the headmaster wasn't a fool. He wasn't a fool and he certainly wasn't crazy... well he might be a bit crazy. So just how did the headmaster believe Harry could stand a chance against Voldemort?
Perhaps the headmaster had been waiting for whatever power the dark lord knew not to manifest. Would the man who defeated Grindelwald truly pin all his hopes on divination and a fair bit of luck?
For his own sake, Harry certainly hoped not.
The headmaster hadn't helped or trained Harry when he was the chosen one. He certainly wouldn't when he was just a transfer student.
Harry remembered that Flitwick had been a duelist when he was younger. But there was a difference between dueling and whatever he and Voldemort would be doing. Besides, Harry doubted he would have any more luck with Flitwick than with Dumbledore.
Harry looked at Bellatrix. Harry was certain that if he asked her to duel she would readily agree. But he had mixed feelings about helping train a future death eater. Even if she could help him just as much. But who else did he have to ask? Arthur Weasley? Molly would be a big fan of that, he was sure.
Harry sighed as Bellatrix pulled him away from the table to their next class. He would need to think about it more.
...
Harry shut the door as quietly as he could behind him before quickly separating himself from it. His heart beat in worry and anticipation.
Walking around after hours without his cloak almost felt like he was running around naked. He missed it so much at that moment that it physically hurt. He may still be invisible but the cloak just made him feel so much safer. The charm just felt like a cheap imitation.
He prayed that the charm wouldn't fail as he ran through the halls of Hogwarts. His hands were full of books from the restricted section. His wand was in his pocket so he wouldn't be able to access it if it did fail.
"Hello, Harry," a voice from behind him spoke.
Harry's heart dropped as he recognized the voice. 'Of course! Stupid!' Harry scolded himself.
"Headmaster." Harry said weakly as he turned around to face the headmaster.
The old man nodded slightly in acknowledgment. "That is a fine charm you have casted there. I dare say Professor Flitwick would be impressed," Dumbledore complimented.
"Thank you, sir," Harry said.
"Though I'm sure, as you've realized by now, I can see through it. Feel free to dispel it." Dumbledore all but ordered.
Harry glanced down to the books for a moment. He briefly considered trying to hide the books but cringed at his stupidity after a moment.
Harry set the books on the floor before pulling out his wand and dispelling the charm.
"Ah, what do we have here?" Dumbledore asked before the books flew into the air. The headmaster read their titles one by one before they were neatly stacked on the floor.
"I'm glad to see your desire to learn... I fear that so many who pass through these halls do not realize what a privilege they have until it is too late…" The Headmaster said almost sadly.
Harry made no move to speak as he stood frozen.
"While I cannot commend your rule-breaking or some of the titles you have chosen... I can commend the desire to learn." The Headmaster said with a soft smile.
"Just remember that books cannot be taken out of Hogwarts without written consent so be sure to return them before break." The Headmaster said before walking passed Harry.
"W...what?" Harry stuttered in surprise.
Dumbledore turned and smiled at his student. "Oh and Harry, I'll ask you not to make any more nighttime visits to the restricted section." The Headmaster said, arching an eyebrow in warning.
"Also, whenever you have some free time, come visit me in my office. Professor Slughorn can make the arrangements if you wish," Dumbledore informed Harry. Leaving him no time to respond, Dumbledore seemed to almost dissolve into the darkness of another hall.
Harry stood gaping for a moment as he watched where Dumbledore had stood. Only when he heard a soft meowing sound did Harry recover.
He quietly recast the disillusionment charm on himself and the books before rushing off.
How had the Headmaster seen him? He didn't even punish him. He just told Harry to return the books before break and warned him not to sneak around again. Harry cursed the old man for being so enigmatic.
Harry's heartbeat raced almost as fast as he himself raced through the dark halls of Hogwarts. Harry doubted that if he were caught by another professor, especially Filch, that they would be so forgiving. Perhaps Slughorn would, but Harry doubted that the oaf would ever get out of bed to patrol the halls this late.
Harry sighed in relief as entered the Slytherin common room, letting his charm fall away from him. He had narrowly avoided Filch, his cat having seen him but been too late in retrieving Filch.
Harry checked his pulse and let out a weak smile as he slowly walked into the common room.
"Late night stroll?" A voice asked.
Harry's heart leapt as he twisted towards the sound. Is there anyone who won't catch me tonight! Harry angrily thought
Harry squinted in the darkness to see a figure sitting on one of the common room couches. When Harry recognized the figure he almost snorted in amusement. Who else could it be but her?
"What do we have here?" Bellatrix asked before levitating his books towards her, similarly to what the Headmaster had done only minutes earlier.
"Those are mine." Harry exclaimed angrily, pulling out his wand. A curse hung on the tip of his tongue, his wand was held firmly in his grasp. Harry tried to stop himself and bit his tongue. It would not do to curse her. Not yet.
Bellatrix watched Harry, her smirk never fading, but Harry had the distinct feeling that she might be slightly annoyed at that moment.
Whatever it was, was quickly forgotten. "My... my..." Bellatrix drawled on slowly as she examined each book.
"How very..." Bellatrix looked up at Harry before continuing. "Slytherin of you. Only just arrived and you're already combing through our texts on powerful and dangerous magic?" She asked with a teasing flare in her eyes.
At Harry's lack of response she continued. "Of course, it wasn't very Slytherin of you to get caught red-handed. What if I had been a prefect?" She asked, her smirk growing.
"You're not a prefect," Harry almost bit out in response. He was busy using all of his self-control to refrain from cursing her. He didn't have much left for pleasantries.
Bellatrix's smirk grew as she watched her prey struggle in discomfort.
"You're right, I'm not. But I do have quite the mouth." Bellatrix said, smiling suggestively.
Harry ignored the innuendo and got straight to the point, "what do you want, Bellatrix?" He finally asked.
Bellatrix looked almost offended as she gasped and put a hand over her heart. "Oh Harry, your words hurt me. You shouldn't talk that way to your friends..." She admonished.
Harry held back his scowl and instead asked. "Friends, are we? Do friends threaten each other then?"
"I'm not threatening you, Harry! I'm merely curious why my friend is interested in..." Bellatrix looked back at the titles.
"Mind magic, offensive cursing, rituals, and other such magic. Really, I'm just worried about you! I do not wish to see you go down a path you cannot return from!" Bellatrix exclaimed passionately.
"And your mouth?" Harry drawled.
Bellatrix looked away in faux embarrassment. "My, Harry, it's far too soon in our relationship to be asking after my mouth!" Bellatrix exclaimed.
Harry tried to take his books back, but Bellatrix was clearly just having fun at his expense.
"Ow! You can't be so rough with a girl!" Bellatrix exclaimed. Though she couldn't hide her laughter as the pair struggled for the books.
Bellatrix successfully defended herself and the books which she had stolen and pushed Harry gently back with her other hand.
"If you refuse to tell me why you want them then you'll simply have to take them from me," Bellatrix said with a large smile.
I was wrong. She's just as insane in this time as mine! Harry thought, feeling furious.
Harry desperately wanted to pull out his wand and curse the ever-loving shit out of the woman in front of him. He almost did. But at the last moment, he remembered his goal, and what it meant. He couldn't lose his head.
Harry doubted Rudolphus would be pleased Harry cursed his girlfriend, him, and many other pure bloods.
"Fine I'll tell you," Harry conceded almost bitterly.
Bellatrix looked shocked for a moment, an emotion crossed her face for a moment but it was gone as quick as it came. Her smirk returned soon after.
"Oh?" She teased.
"I wish to become more powerful. It's as simple as that," Harry replied honestly.
"And why is that?" Bellatrix continued.
Harry opened his mouth to answer but stopped short as he realized something. "You said I only had to tell you why I wanted them, nothing more." Harry said, proud of himself for realizing that. He only hoped she was a woman of her word.
Bellatrix's smirk did not fade but seemed to grow. "Indeed I did." She agreed slowly.
She held out the books to Harry. "Here's your silly little books. Those only get you so far, you know." She said offhandedly.
"I'll make do," Harry responded simply. He had no reason to play her games any longer.
"You would improve more with me. With my help… we could grow powerful together." Bellatrix offered, more serious than she had been the entire night thus far.
Harry stopped just before the hall to the boys dorm. His face cringed in deep thought. He himself had a similar idea not too long ago, now here she was, offering the same idea back to him.
"We're the same age. What would you know?" Harry asked. Harry's idea had been just to have a dueling partner but she was offering to teach him. Bellatrix snorted at Harry's bluntness, always straight to the point.
"I'm the best in our year, at the very least, our house, and I am a Black. Besides I'm a very attractive witch, wouldn't you agree? I'm sure we could come up with other areas I could mentor you in." She said, her teasing smirk having returned.
"Goodnight, Bellatrix," Harry said, kicking himself for seriously considering the offer for a moment there.
"Goodnight, Harry" Bellatrix returned as she watched Harry's retreating figure.