Magical Miracle
by Teddylonglong
Please refer to chapter 1 for my disclaimer and warnings. Thank you.
To Bella's great enthusiasm, at the beginning of her fifth Hogwarts year, she became a prefect together with her housemate Elias.
Arthur was the Gryffindor sixth-year prefect together with one of the girls in his year, which – to Bella's relief – was not Molly Prewett.
On the first day of classes, Bella took Amelia aside, who, to the friends' delight, had become the head girl.
"Will you please try to pair me with Arthur for our rounds?" she asked, giving her friend a pleading look.
"If anyhow possible, I will," Amelia promised, knowing that Bella had been Arthur's girlfriend for more than a year.
"Thank you so much," Bella replied, casting the older girl a huge smile.
"Is everything all right?" Amelia asked in apparent concern.
Bella let out a deep sigh. "So far, yes," she admitted, "but somehow, I don't trust Molly to not cause trouble. I think she likes Arthur, too."
Amelia nodded in obvious understanding. "That might be true, but at least during your prefect rounds, she won't be able to interfere," she said in a soothing voice.
HP
It was Bella's best school year so far, as she was able to spend at least two evenings a week on prefect rounds with Arthur after curfew, and no one could blame them for doing so, as it was solely the head girl's task to assign the prefects their rounds.
The two friends also kept up going to Hogsmeade together, before they used to meet with their friends for lunch.
To Bella's great annoyance, she always had to join the dark wizards and witches, who recently had begun to call themselves Death Eaters, at Malfoy Manor right after lunch on these days.
Everyone from the age of seventeen onwards was wearing the Dark Mark, and Bella already knew that she would have to take it during the Christmas holidays after her seventeenth birthday.
'Thank Merlin Drommie doesn't have to attend the meetings,' she thought, realising that neither her parents nor anyone else forced her younger sister to do so during the first Hogsmeade visit of the school year.
Their younger sister Narcissa, who was a Slytherin first-year, was, in fact, the only person who even mentioned the matter to Andromeda.
"Lucius told me that it's taking place at his home during the Hogsmeade visits, and I can't wait to attend," Narcissa informed Bella and Andromeda, when her two older sisters returned from Hogsmeade.
"It's just boring," Bella whispered to her sisters. "I wouldn't attend if I didn't have to."
HP
"Lucius this, Lucius that," Andromeda said to Bella later on, when they spent the evening with their friends in the Room of Requirement. "I find him extremely annoying."
"He's horrible," Bella agreed, causing Rita and Antonia to agree.
"All Slytherins are horrible in the first place," Molly spoke up.
"Hey," Rita protested, glaring at the redhead.
"That is not true," Amelia also contradicted in a firm voice.
"Oh well, all Malfoys in any case," Molly added, and Bella had to admit to herself that she, for once, agreed with the redhead.
"I believe that the five of you are not the typical Slytherin anyway," Arthur spoke up, smiling.
HP
It was at the beginning of Bella's sixth Hogwarts year, when Bella congratulated Arthur for being the new head boy, that Arthur told her, "I am sorry, Bellatrix, but I can't continue being your boyfriend. I still like you very much, but I believe that I'm in love with Molly. Please give me some time to think about it. While I will still do rounds with you, I'd like to go to Hogsmeade with Molly for the time being. I am really sorry."
With this announcement, a world broke together for Bella. While she knew that she would eventually have to marry Rodolphus, the only boy, whom she really loved, was Arthur.
During the following months, she observed in annoyance how the two redheads spent the mornings in Hogsmeade together, while she either went alone, joined Rita, who did not have a boyfriend after separating from Gideon, or was accompanied by Rodolphus – much to her irritation.
'At least we still have our prefect rounds together,' Bella thought, as she still thoroughly enjoyed her time with Arthur, even if the redhead did not kiss her and only barely cuddled with her anymore. However, they were still wearing their friendship rings – invisibly to everyone else – and often used it to communicate through the rings.
HP
"I wonder if Molly doped him with a love potion," Andromeda spoke up one day during the winter holidays, when the sisters held a private conversation in Bella's room. "Arthur was head over heels in love with you, before it suddenly changed at the beginning of the school year."
Bella stared at her sister, wide-eyed. "Is that even possible? Over several months?"
Andromeda shrugged. "I don't know, but if anyone would be able to do such a thing, it would be Fabian and Gideon."
HP
Apart from the Hogsmeade visits and Molly's gleeful look towards her, nothing much changed – at least not before a bright, warm spring day at the end of May.
"Molly told me that she's pregnant," Arthur informed her during one of their evening rounds, "so I'll have to marry her."
"All right," Bella replied, inefficiently trying to fight back her tears.
"Please believe me, when I tell you that I still love you, too," Arthur replied, and a lone tear leaked from his right eye, causing Bella to believe him.
"I will always love you," she promised, giving him a sad look. 'If it is a love potion, then she'll eventually stop doping him, after they're married at the latest,' she thought, resolving to keep contact with him and observe them in any case.
HP
During the months following the end of the school year, Bella and Arthur only met on the occasion of Arthur's and Molly's wedding, which took place during the summer holidays, so that their whole group of friends from Hogwarts was able to attend.
Although Arthur and Bella never spoke about the matter, they kept their friendship rings and frequently used it to exchange thoughts about anything under the sun.
'Thank Merlin no one but Drommie is aware of it,' Bella thought one night after conducting a long conversation with Arthur about his work.
Upon Molly's request, Arthur had taken on a position at the Ministry of Magic. However, from exchanging thoughts with him on a daily basis, Bella knew that he was not outright happy at his job.
'It would be great if we could work together somewhere,' Bella thought. However, before she could further ponder the matter, she became distracted by the Dark Lord's request that she should take his Dark Mark during the Christmas holidays.
HP
In front of the assembled Death Eaters, Rodolphus and Rabastan had to rape and kill young muggle girls, and Bella almost gagged at the idea. Fortunately, the large dungeon room was as dark as always, and no one realised that her eyes remained closed during the whole time.
Most of her Slytherin classmates received the Dark Mark that evening, before it was her turn. Just by the cries of the muggle girls, however, she felt ready to puke.
Bella did not even protest, when it was her turn, even if she felt horrified at the idea of killing someone. Keeping her eyes closed again, she simply cast a dark curse, which her grandfather had taught her for that purpose, at the small muggle girl that was somewhere cowering in front of her.
"You still have to learn a lot," the Dark Lord hissed, apparently not overly contented with her performance. "You should have played with her instead of simply killing her."
"I'm sorry, My Lord," Bella replied, hoping that he would believe that she was sorry. 'I hope that he's not dead and Croaker will be able to rescue her later on,' she thought.
Receiving the Dark Mark hurt like hell; however, much more than the pain, she felt horrible by the fact that she had almost taken a life and that she was branded now as the Dark Lord's follower.
HP
First thing the following morning, she puffed herself to the Unspeakables' Office and demanded to see Croaker.
"I need your help," she blurted out, unable to hold back her tears at the sight of the Unspeakable, whom she had learned to trust during the last few years.
Croaker nodded in apparent understanding. "You took the mark?" he asked, unnecessarily.
Bella merely nodded, sobbing. "Were you able to rescue the girl afterwards?"
"Yes," the Unspeakable confirmed in a soothing voice. "I took her to St. Mungo's, and even though she's a muggle, they'll be able to help her. She'll be all right, and you did that very well. Do you still wish to become an Unspeakable and spy on the Death Eaters for us?" he then enquired.
"Yes please," Bella replied in a firm voice.
During the next few hours, she was introduced to Devil, the trainer of the Unspeakables, as well as Team 5, to which she was going to belong together with Croaker, Ra and Buckbean, one of the goblins from Gringotts.
After a lengthy discussion within the team, where she was asked in detail about her Animagus form, it was decided that her Unspeakable name should be Medusa.
"A very fitting name for a magical dragon with the ability of flying, puffing and changing its colour," Ra said with apparent contentedness. Ra was an old wizard and the head of Team 5. After the team had decided on her name, he pulled down his hood, causing Bella to stare at none other than her grandfather, Arcturus Black.
"Grandfather?" she enquired in disbelief, only to add, "Is this a bad joke?"
"No Bella," her grandfather replied, smirking. "I am happy that you joined us. Welcome to the team. Please remember the oath you took earlier. You mustn't tell anyone about my identity, not even your parents."
"Of course," Bella confirmed, eagerly nodding her head, while her thoughts went haywire. "You did not take the Dark Mark then, did you?" she enquired.
"No." Her grandfather shook his head. "I am old enough to not have people question me, you know," he replied, smirking. "I wished I could have prevented you from this experience, but there was no way to cancel your betrothal contract and thus protect you from becoming the Dark Lord's follower. I am glad that you decided to defy him from the beginning and spy for us, and I promise you now that we shall all help you through this. I will also help you deal with your parents if necessary."
Bella could not believe it. 'Grandfather is an Unspeakable,' she mused in disbelief. 'He's even the head of my team apart from being the head of House Black. How cool is that?' Somehow, she felt extremely relieved to have the head of her family on her side. 'Too bad that I'm not allowed to tell Drommie about it. She'd love to hear that he's an Unspeakable, too.'
HP
Just a few days after the sisters returned to Hogwarts, Arthur informed Bella that Molly had miscarried.
'I am sorry,' Bella thought back with mixed feelings.
'Oh well, on the one hand, I am sad, because I had really looking forward to having a child,' Arthur replied, 'but on the other hand, I wonder if I did the right thing to marry her. I'm not sure that I really love her. Somehow, you're much more important to me, even now. I am sorry, Bella.'
'It's all right,' Bella thought to him in a soothing voice, while slowly, a plan developed in her mind.
HP
Right after breakfast the following morning, which was a Saturday, Bella made her way to Professor McGonagall's office.
The Gryffindor head cast her a surprised look, however, ushered her inside and asked, "Miss Black, what can I do for you?"
Bella let out a deep sigh, before she blurted out, "It's Arthur, Professor. He seems to be really unhappy with his job at the Ministry of Magic, and I was wondering if there was any way for him to work as a professor at Hogwarts."
"Arthur," McGonagall said, seemingly pensive. "Yes, he would be a valuable addition to our staff, however, what would he like to teach? It's not as if we had many openings in the near future."
A silence of thoughtfulness from both witches continued, before the professor spoke again. "He could teach Defence Against the Dark Arts, however, as you probably know, the position is cursed, and no one is able to remain on it for longer than a year."
"Perhaps," Bella replied, slowly, "Arthur and I could take turns teaching it?"
McGonagall cast her a thoughtful look. "As you're not in my house, I am not aware of your marks in Defence…"
"Professor, will you promise me to keep a secret?" Bella interrupted her, giving the older witch a beseeching look.
"I will," McGonagall promised, looking at her in clear expectation.
"I am an Unspeakable and a spy for the light side," Bella admitted, scolding herself for not making the professor swear an oath. 'Oh well, she's clearly light, so she will keep my secret,' she reassured herself.
"Is that true?" McGonagall asked with apparent interest if not even delight.
Bella nodded.
"That's surprising to say the least," the professor said. "I thought you were promised to marry one of the Lestrange brothers."
Bella let out a deep sigh. "I will have to marry Rodolphus, but I intend to keep as far from him as possible. Being able to teach at Hogwarts would help me enormously in that hindsight."
"So, we could help you and Arthur both," McGonagall concluded. "I will see to it." She remained pensive for a moment, before she asked, "Would you be willing to entrust the headmaster with your secret?"
"Only if it's absolutely necessary," Bella replied, only to add as an afterthought, "I don't really trust him."
"Understandable," the deputy headmistress uttered, much to Bella's surprise. "You could teach Defence Against the Dark Arts in turns of one year and besides that take over the Head of House positions for Gryffindor and Slytherin. Would that be agreeable for you?"
Bella hurriedly relayed the question to Arthur, who responded with unexpected euphoria.
'I'd love that, but I'd have to return home late in the evening,' he added. 'Can you please ask the professor if that would be all right?'
'Kay,' Bella replied.
"A head of house should be available twenty-four hours a day," McGonagall replied, pensively, however, agreed, when Bella reassured her that at least she would remain at the castle overnight, even after her wedding.
"Perhaps I could sometime return to my then husband during the weekend and we could take turns overseeing both houses," she suggested, and Arthur and the professor both agreed.
"I can only give you a ninety percent promise right now, as I need Professor Dumbledore's consent; however, I'll speak with him sometime today," the older witch promised. She warned her, however, "He might want to have some proof that you're on the light side, especially knowing that you're going to marry into a family, which is at least as dark as your own."
"I know," Bella replied, smiling. "Unspeakables Croaker and Ra would be able to testify for me. Amelia Bones knows Unspeakable Croaker well. She is an Auror in training."
"Are you still in contact with Miss Bones?" McGonagall asked in apparent delight.
"Yes, we're good friends," Bella confirmed. "We haven't been able to meet for a while, but we're exchanging letters on a regular basis."
HP
After breakfast on Sunday morning, Professor Slughorn strode by his house table. "Miss Black," he called out, causing Bella and Narcissa to reply, "Yes?"
"Miss Bellatrix Black please," Slughorn clarified wearing a small smirk on his lips, "the headmaster wishes to see you."
'Oh no,' Bella thought, inwardly groaning at the prospect of an interrogation by the headmaster.
To her relief, however, Professor McGonagall, Arthur as well as an Unspeakable, whom she recognised as Ra, were present.
Dumbledore greeted her with apparent curiosity, before he offered her a lemon drop, which she politely declined, and asked her to take a seat.
She quickly slipped into the empty seat next to Arthur casting him a broad smile.
"Professor McGonagall tells me that the two of you wish to become the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher in yearly turns as well as the combined heads of Gryffindor and Slytherin. Is that correct?" the headmaster enquired.
"Yes sir," they both replied as in one.
"The only thing that causes me a headache is your affiliation to dark families, Miss Black," Dumbledore replied, thoughtfully. "Apart from that, do the two of you have enough experience to teach that specific subject?"
"Miss Black received top marks in Defence Against the Dark Arts," Slughorn spoke up with apparent enthusiasm.
"As did Mr. Weasley," McGonagall added, firmly.
"Miss Black will receive training with the Unspeakables on Sundays as well as during the summer holidays," Ra spoke up.
'They don't know that he's my grandfather and the head of House Black,' Bella thought in amusement.
"If Mr. Weasley is interested, I can ask the Aurors to train him accordingly," Ra continued.
"Yes please. Thank you sir," Arthur replied, seemingly pleased by the prospect.
"Very well," Dumbledore nodded. "However, there is still one condition…
While the headmaster was still speaking, Bella noticed how Ra unobtrusively waved his hand in a silent spell that made her wonder what it was.
"Excuse me, I have simply cast a spell at your portraits that prevents them from listening into our conversation," Ra spoke up, causing the headmaster to look at him in clear irritation.
"Miss Black?" he enquired, giving her a look of expectation.
"Headmaster, are you willing to swear me a wizard's oath to keep my secret?" Bella returned the question.
"Albus, I ask you to do this," McGonagall spoke up, "and Horace as well, please."
"Me too?" Arthur enquired, and Bella shook her head.
"Just keep the matter to yourself please," she replied, as she had telepathically told Arthur about the whole matter as soon as New Year's Day and knew that he used to keep her secrets.
The two older wizards swore their oath, before Bella informed them.
"I was forced to take the Dark Mark, and on the following day, I have become a spy for the Unspeakables," Bella admitted. "Ra here is the head of my team."
"Do you know who Ra is?" Dumbledore enquired with apparent interest, causing everyone to glare at the headmaster.
"Albus!" McGonagall lightly scolded her older colleague.
"Yes, I am aware of his identity, but I must not reveal it to you," Bella replied in a firm voice.
The headmaster did not seem happy about this; however, Bella did not care at all.
tbc ?
Thanks to the few kind readers for reviewing the previous chapter. Please share your thoughts about this story with me.
