Magical Miracle
by Teddylonglong

Please refer to chapter 1 for my disclaimer and warnings. Thank you.


While she was standing in front of the high table in the Great Hall waiting for the Sorting ceremony to commence, Bella let her eyes wander around the large room, admiring the ceiling that allowed the view into the evening sky, and searched out the Gryffindor table, where she found Arthur sitting next to a girl with red hair. The girl was eagerly talking to him, and Arthur continued nodding with a smile on his face that did not really reach his eyes.

Before she could wonder who the girl might be, however, Professor McGonagall, the deputy headmistress, called her from her long list. "Black, Bellatrix."

From the corners of her eyes, she noticed that Arthur looked up with apparent interest. She quickly headed to the stool and let out an unconscious sigh, when the Sorting Hat was placed onto her head.

'Hmm, this is difficult,' she heard a small voice think right into her mind. 'What am I going to do with you?'

'He'll just have to put me into Slytherin. Who knows what Dad and also Rodolphus are going to do to me if not,' Bella thought. 'Otherwise, I'd really like to make my own choice.'

'It's not your choice anyway. It's mine,' the faint voice unexpectedly replied, causing Bella to let out a small gasp. 'Can you hear me?' she thought to the Hat.

'Of course, I can hear your thoughts, but no one can blame you for my choices.'

'Really?' Bella thought back in excitement. 'But no, my father would still kick me out of the family,' she quickly corrected herself in resignation. 'Please put me into Slytherin.'

'Well then, if you're not ready yet to stand up to your family, it'll better be…' To Bella's disappointment, the Hat stopped thinking to her; however, before she could even wonder what happened, he already shouted into the Great Hall, "Slytherin."

With a combination of relief and disappointment, Bella walked over to the Slytherin table and sat on one of the seats that the older students seemed to have reserved for the first-years.

HP

She was soon joined by a girl who sat next to her and introduced herself as Antonia Fletwock, the younger sister of Laurentia, one of the Slytherin prefects, before Rodolphus and Rabastan took the seats opposite of them. Elias Parkinson, Rita Skeeter and a few others followed. 'Oh well, at least everyone seems to be nice,' Bella thought, as she enjoyed the feast, which was more relaxed than the meals in the strict Black family.

'It's good to be at Hogwarts,' she thought, happily, 'even if I'll have to be careful, as Rodolphus and Rabastan are going to report everything I do to their parents, who are too close to Father for my liking.'

When the feast came to its end, a girl, who introduced herself to the first-years as Laurentia Fletwock, the fifth-year prefect, took them to the Slytherin common room.

In contrary to what Arthur had told her about the dormitories in Gryffindor, the students in Slytherin only shared a room with two other students. Antonia and Rita both seemed to be very friendly, and Bella slowly relaxed. 'At least, their parents are not friends with mine,' she thought in relief, as she looked out of the window next to her bed that allowed the view right into the lake. The lake was quite dark; however, she could make out the silhouettes of a few fish. 'Probably because it's the full moon,' she thought, somehow feeling thrilled at the view.

HP

In the morning, Laurentia gathered all the Slytherin first-years in the common room and led them to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Stay close together, and after breakfast, I shall take you to the classroom for your first morning class," the fifth-year prefect advised them, causing Bella to smile at the older girl.

"Thank you," she uttered, feeling very grateful for the older girl's assistance. 'Oh well, her younger sister is in my year,' she realised. 'In two years' time, I'll have to help Drommy and in four years' time Narcissa,' the thought. 'Perhaps, I'll manage to become a prefect by then, so that Narcissa can be proud of me. That would be cool. Arthur will surely become a prefect in fifth-year. He was really nice yesterday.'

Professor Slughorn suddenly came over to their table to distribute the timetables, efficiently bringing her back to reality.

"Transfiguration is our first morning class," Rita announced, "together with the Gryffindors."

'Ahh, too bad that Arthur is already a second-year,' Bella thought. 'It would be cool to have classes together.' She unobtrusively glanced at the Gryffindor table, where Arthur was once again sitting next to the girl with red hair.

To her disappointment, she did not have a chance to speak with him, as Laurentia gathered the first-years to take them to the Transfiguration classroom, as soon as the first students finished breakfast.

'Oh well, perhaps after lunch,' she consoled himself, when she recalled that he had said something about being able to study in the library together after dinner.

Transfiguration was fairly easy, and she managed to gain ten points for Slytherin, as she was the first to change her match into a perfect needle, closely followed by one of the Prewett twins from Gryffindor.

"Well done, Ms. Black, Mr. Prewett," Professor McGonagall commended her, causing Rabastan to cast her a dirty look.

'What's his problem?' Bella thought in disdain, before she concentrated on transfiguring her needle back into a match.

HP

Only after dinner did she have the opportunity to speak with Arthur, as they almost collided in the entrance hall.

"Bellatrix," the Gryffindor second-year greeted her in apparent delight and introduced her to his companions. "These are Molly Prewett and Edgar Bones," he said in a soft voice.

"I have a sister in third-year, Amelia," Edgar informed her. "She's a Hufflepuff though."

"And my twin brothers, Fabian and Gideon, must be in your year," Molly added, only to enquire, "In which house are you?"

"I am in Slytherin," Bella replied, knowing from the older girl's expression of pure contempt that she simply detested all Slytherins.

"I know your brothers, even if I can't distinguish them," she added, completely ignoring the other girl's obvious disdain.

"Come and join us in the library," Arthur invited her, and Bella happily accepted, even if she could not help noticing the glare he received from Molly. 'Oh well, they're not married, so she can't forbid me to study with him,' she thought in amusement, as she involved Arthur into a conversation about the paintings along the corridor on their way to the library. 'They're much more colourful, and the people in them seem much happier than in the paintings and portraits at home,' she thought in surprise.

"My father told me that the Blacks are one of the darkest families there are on the Wizengamot," Molly addressed her right before they entered the library.

Bella stared at the older girl in shock, uncertain how to reply, when Arthur replied on her behalf.

"Does that matter? Bellatrix is not her father, and too me, apart from the colour of her hair and her name, she doesn't seem dark at all."

"Thanks," Bella mouthed, glad that the librarian shot them a murderous glare that prevented Molly from replying.

The four students occupied a table in a corner of the library and quietly set to work on their homework.

HP

"Where have you been?" Rodolphus shouted across the common room, when she entered the room shortly before curfew.

"In the library," she replied, matter-of-factly, shrugging helplessly.

"Studying together with Gryffindors?" Rabastan sneered. "Just so you know, it's not appropriate for a pureblood witch to hang out with Gryffindors, half-bloods, and worst of all mudbloods."

"All of them are purebloods," Bella replied, quietly, although her mind screamed, 'And if they weren't, I wouldn't even care.' However, she knew better than to voice her opinion.

"It's all right," Antonia said, as she came over to her together with Rita. "Let's retire to our room."

Bella gratefully agreed and followed her roommates into their room, glad to be out of sight of the boys.

"These boys are horrible," Rita spoke up, once Bella closed the door behind them.

"Absolutely," Antonia agreed. "They seem to follow that pureblood idiocy that some of the pureblood families propagate."

"Complete rubbish if you ask me," Rita replied. "The only important thing is that you can do magic, not how pure your blood is."

Bella could not help chuckling at the girls' discussion. "I think so, too," she spoke up, slightly hesitating. "My family doesn't though, so I cannot openly oppose them."

"I understand," Antonia replied, seemingly pensive. "Still, you don't have to listen to these Lestrange brothers. I think they're especially awful."

Bella let out a deep sigh. "That they are," she agreed, slowly. "The problem is that my father made a betrothal contract with their father that promises me to Rodolphus, the older of them."

Her roommates stared at her in apparent shock.

"Oh no," Antonia was the first to react.

"Is there no way around it?" Rita enquired, absentmindedly playing with her blond locks.

"I don't think so," Bella replied in resignation.

HP

From the following evening onwards, her friends accompanied her and the three Gryffindor second-years to the library on a daily basis, and Bella felt extremely grateful for their support towards their own housemates.

Over the following months, Bella, Rita, Antonia, Molly, Arthur and Edgar became good friends in spite of their different house affiliation. Apart from Tuesdays and Thursdays, when Edgar had to attend the practice of the Gryffindor Quidditch team as their Chaser, the six of them studied together in the library on a daily basis.

HP

At the beginning of December, lists were put up in the common rooms, where students could write their names if they wished to stay at Hogwarts over Christmas.

'It would be nice to remain here,' Bella thought, as she was not really enthusiastic at the idea of meeting her father again so soon; however, her parents instructed her to come home, and none of her friends remained at the castle, so that she grudgingly decided to comply.

One evening, when she returned to the common room, Rodolphus informed her in a no-nonsense voice, "Slughorn is holding a Christmas party in his office on December 20, and you're going to accompany me."

"I understand," Bella simply replied, before she swiftly returned to her own room.

"What was that?" Rita asked, incredulously, once they closed the door behind them.

"This morning, I received an invitation to Slughorn's Christmas party," Bella revealed, "and as we may bring a guest, I was thinking of inviting Arthur to accompany me." She let out a deep sigh, before she continued, "Thank Merlin I did not have the chance to invite him yet, as his sidekick Molly was with us the whole time, because I won't be able to invite anyone, considering that I'll have to attend together with Rodolphus," she explained, feeling extremely sad, as realisation set in. 'I could have realised this in the morning instead of looking forward to attending the party with Arthur,' she scolded herself, only half-heartedly smiling, when her friends tried to console her.

HP

In the end, the party was not as bad as she had envisioned it due to being unable to choose her company. Both Lestrange brothers enjoyed Slughorn's wine a little too much and fell asleep quite early. Inwardly smirking in amusement, Bella decided to enjoy herself and used the opportunity to get to know the few non-Slytherin students, who were attending the party.

'Still, it's sad that Arthur wasn't invited,' she thought, as she retired to a quiet corner, nursing a glad of red wine. 'He's from one of the old pureblood families, too. Just like Edgar, although it's obvious that he's not here, because Slughorn invited his sister, Amelia. She is really nice though, and I'm glad I got to know her. I wished I had asked the Sorting Hat to place me into Hufflepuff like her. Or even Ravenclaw would be better than Slytherin. Students and professors from the other houses are much nicer.'

She was brought back to reality, when Slughorn stepped over to her to introduce her to the head boy, and Bella chose the opportunity to thank her head of house for inviting her and slowly excuse herself.

"It was not so bad," she replied on her friends' question, once she returned to her room, "but I'd have preferred spending the evening with our friends."

"We missed you," Rita replied, shrugging. "Somehow, it was not the same without you."

"That's true," Antonia agreed. "I have the impression as if Molly was the only one who said anything at all tonight."

"Oh Merlin," Bella replied in amusement. "Once she begins to talk, she never stops."

HP

When she arrived at home in the early evening of December 23, having been picked up on platform nine and three quarters by Pucky, her favourite house-elf, her sisters Andromeda and Narcissa bombarded her with questions about Hogwarts. On the one hand, Bella was happy to be able to speak about the school, which she had come to love over the four months she had been there; however, on the other hand, she knew that she had to watch her mouth, as seven-year-old Narcissa could not be trusted to not tell everything to her parents.

It was only after Narcissa had gone to bed that Bella and Andromeda met in Bella's room.

"Now, what's really going on at Hogwarts?" nine-year-old Andromeda asked, bluntly. "You didn't tell us everything."

Bella let out a deep sigh. "Drommie, will you promise me to not speak with anyone about what I tell you now?" she whispered.

"Of course," her most trustworthy sister replied.

"I've become friends not only with my roommates, but also with three Gryffindors," Bella admitted, causing Andromeda to let out a loud gasp.

"Are they mudbloods?" she enquired in apparent sincerity.

"No," Bella replied in a soothing voice. "They're all purebloods. One of my roommates, Rita, is a half-blood though. But I think that it doesn't really matter," she added, pensively. "Rita is as good at magic as everyone else. Oh well, she probably didn't get as many lessons as we did, so I'm always one of the first to manage a new spell in Transfiguration or Charms, but her magic is as strong as mine. No one must know that I said that though."

"I know," Andromeda replied in a soothing voice. "Father would kill you."

"Exactly," Bella confirmed, dryly. "There is one boy," she heard herself continue to speak against better knowledge, "and he's really nice."

"What's his name?" her sister wanted to know.

"Arthur Weasley. He is one of my friends from Gryffindor. I think he's the nicest boy in the whole school. He's always together with Molly Prewett though. I don't know why, but I think she's always stalking him. She has twin brothers, who are in my year. They're very funny, and I really like them."

Andromeda let out a deep sigh. "Ahh, I can't wait to be able to go to Hogwarts myself," she said, giving Bella a longing look. "Do you think I'm going to be a Slytherin like you?" she then asked.

Bella nodded, reassuringly. "I think so, although I almost regret that I allowed the Hat to place me there," she said, thoughtfully.

"Father would have been extremely upset, otherwise," Andromeda replied, staring at her, wide-eyed.

"I know," Bella agreed, sighing. 'Still, I should have listened to the Hat and made my own way in spite of facing Father's wraith,' she thought to herself.

HP

It was as soon as the following morning that she was going to experience what it meant to have her father be upset at her.

At breakfast, in front of the whole family, he cast her a strict look, as he began to speak.

"Bellatrix, last night, Lord Lestrange floo called me and complained that his sons Rodolphus and Rabastan told him that you were constantly hanging out with Gryffindors instead of keeping them company in the Slytherin common room, as you, as Rodolphus' betrothed, are supposed to do. Now, during these holidays, you are grounded. You will not leave your room except for mealtimes."

Bella cast her father a horrified look. "But I need to go and buy Christmas presents for my friends," she hesitantly protested. "Mother promised to take me to Diagon Alley this morning."

"No," her father growled. "Your mother will take Andromeda and Narcissa into town, but you're going to stay in your room."

Bella jumped up from her chair and dashed out of the room, while the first tears began to stream down her face, not caring that her father would even be more upset by her behaviour. She threw herself onto her bed and cried.

"Bella," a soft voice suddenly penetrated her ears, and she slowly lifted her face to see her favourite sister sitting on the edge of her bed. "Mother is taking us to Diagon Alley, and she told me to ask what you want her to buy for your friends. Quickly make a list and give it to me."

Bella sighed in relief. Fortunately, she had already pondered the matter and was able to put a list together within two minutes. However, just when she put away her quill, a sudden idea crossed her mind. 'I'm not going to remain a prisoner in my own home,' she decided. 'I'm going to become a bird Animagus.' She quickly crossed out the first two book titles and replaced them with three books of 'Introduction how to become an Animagus'.

"One of them is for myself," she informed her sister, "the others are for my roommates, the housekeeping spell book is for Molly, the introduction to muggle technology for Arthur and the book on wizarding law for Edgar."

"What about Rodolphus and Rabastan?" her younger sister enquired.

"I don't have as much as a clue. Mother can buy for them what she wants," Bella decided, shrugging.

Andromeda nodded in understanding and hurriedly left the room.

'A raven would be nice,' Bella thought, 'oh well, I don't know about nice, but at least fitting for me. I wonder if I'll be able to choose my Animagus form at all. I wouldn't want to become a mouse or such a thing. I wouldn't want Molly to become something better than me. Perhaps, I should just only practise with Rita and Antonia in our room. If I know that I'll be able to become a bird, I could still invite Arthur and the others to practise with us,' she resolved.

Knowing that she would not be able to leave her room except to attend meals, she set to write letters to her friends, before she pondered if there was one of the teachers, whom she liked enough to send her or him a letter for Christmas. 'Perhaps Professor McGonagall,' she thought. 'I really like her, while Professor Slughorn is just strange. In spite of being our head of house, he doesn't really care about us.'

HP

For Christmas, Bella received books from each of her friends except for Edgar, who sent her a broom cleaning set.

Bella eyed it in surprise.

"Have you been flying at Hogwarts?" Narcissa enquired, giving her a look of pure jealousy.

"No, first-years aren't allowed to bring their brooms," Bella informed her. "He's a second-year though and playing on the Gryffindor house team."

'Oh, I shouldn't have said that,' she realised, as soon as the words left her mouth.

"Bellatrix," her father addressed her in a strict voice, glaring at her. "From now on, you will take your rightful place in Slytherin and not waste your time spending it with Gryffindors. Is that clear?" he growled.

"Yes sir," Bella replied in a small voice, before she took her books and the letters from her friends and quietly returned to her room to engross herself in her reading.

tbc ?

Thank you for the kind reviews on the first chapter. Please share your thoughts about this story with me.