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Bellanne walked alone into the Azkaban Prison. The only change in Bellanne was that her bulging pregnant stomach extended out in front of her. She worried for the safety of her unborn child around the dementors, but as it had taken quite sometime to set up this meeting, she was sure certain precautions were taken. She walked into the front door and introduced herself. The two men at the front escorted Bellanne down several hallways into a room containing a table and two chairs. She sat down in one the chairs and quietly waited. A short while later the door opened and two guards escorted Sirius Black into the room in shackles and chains.
"Is all that really necessary?" Bellanne said, "Remove
them."
"Mam this is a dangerous criminal."
"This man is my cousin, he would never hurt me." Bellanne told the man, "Remove them." The guard did as he was told. Once the shackles were removed the two guards left. Sirius remained silent, waiting for her to speak first, but seeing as how it wasn't going to happen he spoke first.
"How long ago were you married?" Sirius said not looking at her.
"About two years ago." Bellanne said.
"Remus?"
"Did you really need to ask?" Bellanne replied.
"Where is he now?"
"We're not living together at the moment, and he wouldn't have come here even if we were living together."
"Why not?"
"He and I each had our turn to mess up his potion, which resulted in my attack and near death." Bellanne told him, "He's afraid of hurting me again."
"I see you're pregnant too?" Sirius said, still not looking at her.
"Why aren't you looking at me?" Bellanne finally asked.
"Seeing you would make me happy. If I want to live through this, I can't be happy." Sirius replied. Bellanne choked on the tears.
"I'm miserable." Bellanne's voice trembled.
"Why?"
"Because I'm 7 months pregnant, my husband is too afraid of himself to live with me, you're here, and James and Lily are gone, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY!" Bellanne finally screamed, "I don't believe you had anything to do with their deaths, and I don't believe Peter is dead."
"Always were the bright one." Sirius said with a half smile.
"I just want some explanations as to why I'm alone." Bellanne said, "Why I have to raise this child alone?"
"Ask Remus." Sirius told her, "He's the one with all the answers."
"I don't think he truly believes you're guilty." Bellanne said, "You're like his brother."
"Then why isn't he here?"
"He doesn't even know I'm here." Bellanne said to him. Just then the two guards came into the room with the shackles in hand, "It can't be time already, I just got here."
"Sorry mam."
"I haven't seen him in almost 4 years." Bellanne said with tears welling in her eyes.
"Sorry, mam." The guards said as they lifted Sirius out of his seat.
"Sirius, can I give you a hug?"
"No." He told her as the guards lead him out of the room. Bellanne sat in the empty room staring at the seat where her cousin had just sat. The tears now spilled freely from her eyes.
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Bellanne laid on the bed in her room, thinking hard about what Sirius had told her in that dream. She was very unsure if it was a dream or a psychotic reaction to the potion she had imbibed. She knew what he said about Cordelia was true, but she refused to change her plan at Malfoy Mansion. She sat up on her bed and began to remove one of the wraps on her feet to check the wounds. Molly was an excellent healer. Having seven children of her own, six of them being boys, she was sure Molly had seen her fair share of cuts and scrapes. The wounds on her feet here nearly healed, so she tossed the bandage aside and removed the others. As she finished removing her bandages, the room door opened and Remus walked in.
"Bell?" Remus asked as he walked in, "How are you feeling?"
"Groggy." She replied.
"Did you rest at all?"
"No, I've just been thinking." Bellanne replied, "Last night Snape was here and he informed me that Cordelia was sorted into his house."
"But, she told us both she's in Gryffindor." Remus said with a confused look on his face.
"Yea," Bellanne said, "So I've been thinking about it."
"What? The fact that she's a Slytherin or the fact that she lied to us?" Remus asked
"Just because she's in Slytherin doesn't mean I'm going to disown her." Bellanne smiled lightly as she laid back on the bed, "I'm mad that she lied to me, and who knows who she got those Gryffindor robes from."
"It's time to tell her." Remus sighed laying down on the bed next to her.
"Well, are you up for a trip to the school tomorrow?" Bellanne said.
"Not tomorrow, I need to rest a bit." Remus told her, "How about Friday?" Bellanne looked at him for a moment as though she were decided on something.
"I guess I can put off my plans for a few more days." Bellanne sighed as she looked into his eyes, "How was the meeting?"
Draco Malfoy walked into the Slytherin Common room with his usual arrogant smirk on his face. Pansy Parkinson was sitting at one of the tables working on her homework with Greg Goyle sitting across from her. Draco took one look at Pansy and b-lined straight for her. Draco slithered into a chair across from Pansy and next to Goyle. Pansy looked up from her work and smiled at him.
"Hi Draco." Pansy said, "Done with your homework already? Gosh, you're quick."
"Well with intellect like mine, the work is a breeze." Draco said, "But, we can talk about that later, I have some new developments." Pansy got a worried look on her face.
"oh?" She replied to him, "What's happened?"
"I had a run in with Potter and his indigent friend outside of the Great Hall after breakfast this morning." Draco told her.
"Eh," Pansy made a disgusted look, "You didn't actually talk to them?"
"I did actually, only because Potter was making a threat." Draco told her. Goyle looked up from his work. Pansy laughed wholeheartedly at his words.
"Oh please, like he could take on you." Pansy continued to laugh.
"Well, he did, but what concerned me more is that he knows what we've been planning." Draco whispered to her. Pansy stopped laughing.
"But how?" Pansy's eyes widened.
"I don't know." Draco eyed her, "He must have heard it from someone." He then eyed Goyle.
"Draco," Pansy said almost appalled at his hint of an accusation, "If I were to tell someone of our plan, it would be Professor Snape; never one of those goodie-goodie Gryffindors."
"Pansy, I trust you." Draco said to her, "Which is why I've decided to change a detail in our plan?" Pansy looked hopefully at Draco.
"I'm going to tell her at dinner this Friday."
"This Friday, as in two days from now?" Pansy said in a panic as she looked at Goyle.
"Yes," Draco whispered, "Keep your voice down."
"Why sooner?"
"Because if Potter is on to us, he can tell her before I get a chance." Draco said, "We've given her the fear and hate of Werewolves, we should get the reaction we want."
That Friday, the sun was setting over Hogwarts castle marking the end of the school day. Remus and Bellanne were rounding about to touch down on school grounds. They had not contacted Professor Dumbledore about their arrival because they knew they would arrive before an owl would. Remus touched down in the courtyard and looked up as he watched Bellanne glide down and crash land into the snow. She slowly stood up and brushed the snow out of her hair.
"I have got to help you on your landings." Remus laughed at her. Bellanne rolled her eyes, and pulled Remus in the direction of Dumbledore's office. Once there, the picture automatically opened to the staircase. The two looked at each other in confusion before they walked up the staircase. They entered the office to see Dumbledore sitting behind his desk.
"Good to see you again, Remus, and you too, Bellanne." Dumbledore spoke.
"Always a pleasure." Remus smiled at him.
"So, you're going to speak to Cordelia about your situation." Dumbledore smiled.
Cordelia, Draco, Goyle and Pansy were sitting in the common room doing homework. Goyle kept looking at the wizard clock on the wall and cracking his knuckles. Pansy kept looking at Draco with uneasiness, and Cordelia was beginning to notice the tension between them. She had for a long time thought that the two were a couple, but not telling anyone, and for a while wanted to ask, but thought to best leave it alone. Draco sat back in his chair twirling a pencil in his hands. Pansy continued to look worrisome as she half heartedly did her homework. Finally Draco broke the silence.
"You know Cordelia, its taken quite sometime for us to trust you." Draco told her, "But I think it's time"
"What are you talking about?" Cordelia said as she rolled her eyes.
"I want to let you in on a secret almost everyone knows about, but little acknowledge." Draco told her.
"I thought you were waiting until dinner?" Pansy asked in a panic.
"I was, but I can't let her see what I have there." Draco told her, "Cordelia, now, do you want to know the secret?"
"Depends on what it has to do with?" Cordelia told him, "Maybe I don't care enough."
"Come on cousin," Draco smiled at her, "your curiosity will get the better of you sooner or later. So you might as well find out now." Cordelia looked at Pansy who was looking at her emotionlessly. Goyle got up and walked away from the table, and quickly left the common room.
"Ok." Cordelia answered, "What is it?"
"Well I can't tell you." Draco said, "You have to see, because to see is to believe."
"See what?" Cordelia asked. .
"You're going to have to be a little sneaky." Draco said, "So, I made sure that the potions room is unlocked so you don't have to break in."
"Are you crazy?" Pansy said, "If Professor Snape catches her she'll be in big trouble."
"Yea, Draco, the man dislikes me enough as it is." Cordelia told him.
"Look, dinner is in like 15 minutes." Draco told her, "Snape will be there, so we'll go down to the Great Hall for dinner and if he's not there, we'll come get you."
"What am I looking for in the potions room?" Cordelia asked.
"You'll know it when you see it and you can't miss it."
"So, you spoke with Sirius?" Dumbledore asked of Bellanne.
"I know what I heard, but I don't really know if I was dreaming or in another plain of existence." Bellanne told him.
"She said the next thing she remembered was Molly standing over her in a right state." Remus added.
"I'm sure she was." Dumbledore laughed.
"Did Sirius speak of anything else?"
"Nothing I care to speak about." Bellanne told him. She and Dumbledore exchanged glances before Dumbledore spoke again.
"Well, surely this can wait until after dinner. Please, I would be delighted if you would join the staff, students and myself for dinner in the great hall." Dumbledore invited them.
"We'd be delighted." Remus accepted the offer. The three stood to leave for the Great Hall when Severus came barging in with a frantic look on his face.
"It's gone." He hissed out.
"What is, Severus?" Dumbledore asked.
"My pensive, it's missing." Severus growled out.