My wand outstretched, I tried to buy time. Bella looked like a firework whose fuse had been lit, and there was no way two second-years could beat a fourth year and a very knowledgeable Slytherin.
"Why do you care about what happened to James?" I demanded. "And what do we have to pay for, anyway?"
"Potter decided to pin me for his accident," Bella spat out. "I spent all night in Professor Dumbledore's office, trying to prove my innocence. They pressed me for a counter curse, but there was no evidence, and I know that this was all your fault!" She eyed Lily. "Though I highly doubt the mudblood is powerful enough to have done the hex you did, her existence is reason enough for payment."
The guilt I had been feeling at Bella's framing vanished when I heard that. As did my brains, obviously, since I shouted out a hex. "Furnunculus!" Bella's skin was covered in boils. She didn't pause for moment.
"Suveresos!" My feet shrunk into tiny posts. I leaned against Lily, trying to keep my balance. Lily glared at Bella.
"Coronet!" Bella's brown hair grew into dreadlocks and started pricking at her face.
She shielded her eyes. "Devaronian!" Two horns popped out of Lily's deep red hair.
I winced and flicked a hex at Bella. "Gaaraneji!" Bella's entire face was marred by bright red markings.
"Jezuntite!" Lily began sneezing uncontrollably. I fell off of her, and seizing the moment. Bella cried, "Serpensortia! Serpensortia! Serpensortia!"
Three snakes shot out of Bella's wand. They landed near me, hissing, and I grimaced. There was no way I could escape three serpents with my legs as stumps. I waited for them to attack.
But the attack never came. The snakes reared near me, as though to protect me. I stood stock-still. This was impossible. That hex deliberately was used for offense, not defense, and certainly not for the intended hexed!
Bella thought the same thing, apparently. She began yelling at the snakes, trying to get them to move. But she wasn't a parselmouth, and nothing worked.
"The tide has turned," Lily laughed to me. And then she dropped to the ground, unconscious.
I spun around. The snakes turned with me, and Bella took a quick step forward. Her face had a triumphant smirk, and I remembered…
"Shannon!" She was standing behind me; cool and collected, with a wand held loosely in her hands.
"I suggest you move away from Evans," Shannon told me, suddenly cold. "Or she'll also die."
I choked. The girl was serious! "Die?" I inquired politely, trying to hide my unease. Even Bellatrix looked uncomfortable. I would've bet a thousand galleons she'd never seen a death before.
Shannon eyes glittered. "Yes, die. That is my task."
"Your task? In that case, I'd like to see your assassin's license and my warrant," I joked nervously. "Who assigned you that one, anyway?"
"That's my business, Mardec." She suddenly looked thoughtful. "But my lord did suggest that I explain a bit first, to terrify the staff if Black mentions anything." She nodded toward Bella, who glared at her friend.
"What are you talking about, Shannon? What lord?" Bella's voice was just a tad too loud, and one snake hissed at her threateningly.
Shannon took no notice. "I am speaking of Lord Voldemort, a great wizard with incredible powers." At the sound of Lord Voldemort's name, all three snakes started to move wildly. I backed up cautiously.
"I was born as the second child to a very successful family. When I was six, my older sister graduated from Plumifrons Academy at the top of her class. She became a high-placed member of the Brazilian Ministry of Magic only a year later.
"My parents expected the same success from me, but it wasn't to be. They got worried when by the time I was nine, I hadn't performed any magic at all. A test confirmed my parents fears- I was a squib."
At this both Bella and I gasped. Neither of us could imagine life without magic. But Shannon was a witch. How could this be true?
"My father couldn't accept this. He searched high and low for a cure to my squib-ness. Finally we found a man in Lima, Peru who said he could help. My father was very eager, and said he was willing to pay any price for this Mr. Voldemort."
"But Mr. Voldemort refused payment. All he asked for was a moment after he gave me magical ability to speak with me alone, and my parents gratefully agreed.
"Voldemort mixed the Imperius Curse with a couple others and created a spell that made me obedient to him."
"But there was a side effect. I became fixated on others' goals. Their needs became my needs. It was a perfect cover for my real mission."
"And what was that mission?" I prodded gently. Beside me, Bella whimpered. One snake had wrapped itself around her leg.
Shannon raised her wand. "To kill Magdalena Mardec."
I shuddered. Why would anyone want to kill me? I was no different than any other witch. Then I looked down, and spotted the snakes. No; there was something very different about me.
"Don't you dare!" Bella shouted suddenly. She charged forward so quickly, the snake on her fell to the ground. Shannon sighed. "Crucio!" Bella fell to the ground screaming. I wanted to bend down and help my unlikely ally, but Shannon had turned back to me.
"Avada Kedavra!"
"Is this how death feels?"" I wondered. It was a strange, floating sensation that was both calming and terrifying. I couldn't be dead!
I opened my eyes. "No, not you, " I moaned. Sirius Black's smiling face was looming over me. I quickly recovered from my shock. " I thought I'd go to heaven."
James Potter joined Sirius, looking peeved at my comment. "That's no way to treat the person who just saved your skin."
"Saved my skin?"
"We had quidditch practice today, and though we didn't expect you to show, we worried when Shannon didn't come. We all went to search for her, and found her standing over you, about to hex you into oblivion. There was a stunned snake across the hall and a dead one in front of you. Another snake was sleeping and wrapped around your leg, and it still hasn't let go," Sirius explained. I looked down and spotted a snake curled up by my feet. "Frank broke up with Shannon, and then he, Ernie, and Alice escorted her to Dumbledore. Frank told us to take you, Evans, and Black somewhere safe, so we brought you to the Room of Requirement." Sirius's expression turned thoughtful." Alice was oddly happy, don't you think, James?"
James smacked him playfully. "You prat! Haven't you noticed she fancies him?"
I got up and went to check on Lily. She was restored to normal, as (to my surprise) was I. Her chest rose and fell in a regular sleep, so I continued on to Bella. She still had the bright red markings, but was otherwise normal. I guessed that Sirius had decided not to be too nice to her.
"Magda? What was that all about?" Sirius asked.
I decided to tell the original reason. "Your stupid prank!"
James bit his lip. "I think that's off for now. I don't want anyone to die or something because of it."
"What would it have been?" I asked curiously, not bothering to hide my disbelief at James' apparent care about me.
James wagged a finger. "I said for now. Next year, though…"
I shook my head and laughed. The two of them really were too mischievous for their own good. But they were also hysterical.
Later, when Sirius and James left, I eyed the snake thoughtfully. "I think I'll name you Volde." I remembered Voldemort, the wizard who wanted me dead. I would keep this snake so I wouldn't forget.
