Disclaimer: I dont own it though it would be awesome if I did.
Chapter Eighteen: Redemption
Severus was gazing into the fire of his room. He had been like this for the last few days, not really knowing what to do or say. Harry and McGonagall were working on getting him a new license and he knew he would have to take the teachers' exams before he could manage to teach at Hogwarts again.
With a sigh he closed his eyes as he relived past memories.
"Severus," a quiet voice said from behind him. He jumped to his feet, turning to look at the figure.
"Bella?" he said confused.
She smiled warmly at him. "It's me," she whispered.
"Bella!" Severus moved to pull her into a tight hug, holding her like his life depended on it.
"I've missed you so much," she said to him. He didn't say anything as he pulled her into a long kiss. She happily returned the kiss, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck.
"You're still alive," he said as he kissed her neck. "I thought I'd lost you for good this time. I would have died if anything happened to you."
"I'm still alive and I am glad Voldemort didn't kill you. It was awful, having to watch you take the punishments."
"I'm sorry I frightened you," he whispered quietly as he finally rested his forehead against hers. Her hand rested on his cheek, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "How did you get here?"
"Voldemort asked me to watch over you, hoping that you could lead us to Dumbledore. You look sick," she said as she began to look him over.
"Well I wasn't fed that much when I was held captive and I just got back," he told her soothingly. Bella smiled at him, kissing him lightly, before hiding her face in his shoulder. The two remained like that in silence.
"I love you," she said into his shoulder.
"I love you too."
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Bellatrix headed up the stairs in Number four Private Drive. She had been at Hogwarts for a week, building up her strength. She had seen Harry only twice and for brief moments. Ginny had told her she would be allowed to use the Floo to go speak with Narcissa and Andromeda. Tonks, Pansy, and Draco she would speak with later on during the week.
With a sigh she gently knocked on the door that was Narcissa's room. A house elf appeared before her. She instantly recognized her as Lexie, her favorite family house elf.
"Lexie," she said with a bright smile.
"Mistress Bella, it is good to see you again," the house elf said with a bright smile of her own.
"Is my sister in there?"
"She is, you may go in."
"Thank you Lexie," Bella said as she moved around the elf to open the door. Inside she was greeted with a large bedroom. A large bed sat in the middle of the room. It had a black and silver comforter set over dark green sheets. Two large windows were on either side of the bed, lighting the room. It was furnished with oak furnishings that made it feel homey. One door was slightly ajar, showing a tiled floor, which she guessed was the bathroom. Another was pushed fully open revealing a large, spacious closet. The final door led into a room that had books lining the walls. It was there that she noticed the light.
Her heart was racing faster as she moved closer to the door. Gently she pushed the door open to reveal her youngest sister. Narcissa sat in a large leather armchair. Books were spread out across the table. Her black hair was pulled back, a few random strands falling across her face. She looked healthier than she had seen her in the last few years.
Now her sister seemed to be regaining her previous figure and the old scars seemed to have disappeared. She had a large book open in her lap, her head bent as she scribbled words down on the parchment. The room was well lit and exceptionally warm.
"Narcissa," she called softly, so as not to startle her sister.
Narcissa's head snapped up and her eyes went wide when she saw Bella standing there. Her wand dropped from her other hand, where she had been holding it. It hit the carpeted floor without so much as a sound. "B-Bella?" She asked in a quivering voice.
Bella gave her a weak smile and nodded her head. Narcissa was up and out of her seat in the blink of an eye as she threw herself into the arms of her eldest sister. Bella held tightly to her younger sister, tears burning her eyes.
"What are you doing here? How are you here? Where is Rodolphus? What about Voldemort?" Narcissa shot off quickly as she examined her older sister's current condition.
"I'm here to talk to you, I'm doing better than I was. Rodolphus is probably still recovering from his round of torturing. Voldemort sent me to look over Severus."
"Oh Bella!" Narcissa said as she held her sister tighter. "I was so afraid that I would never be able to see you again. Have you seen Andromeda? I have been wanting to see her but I only spoke with Tonks for a few minutes."
"I do know where she is but we need to talk first."
Narcissa nodded her head as she moved back to her previous seat, setting her book down onto the already packed table. Bella took a seat next to her, moving a few books to the floor. "Sorry but I have been studying up lately."
"What have you been studying?"
"How to become a healer. I'm going to take the test here soon to try and get into the school."
"That's wonderful," Bella said with a pleased smile but soon it was gone. "I want to apologize to you Narcissa."
"What for?" She asked a bit confused.
"For what I did to Draco," she said weakly.
"But Snape hurt Draco, you…" Narcissa's voice dropped off as her eyes grew again. "I-It was you…" her voice was barely over a whisper as she took in what was just said.
"I'm so sorry Narcissa. I would never have done it if I wasn't forced to do it. It was killing me to do it to Draco, to you, to Pansy for that matter. Oh Narcissa I would do anything to take back what I did to everyone. I would never hurt my nephew, I could never do that but I had to. Voldemort was forcing me and he was going to kill Draco if I didn't do it. I'm so sorry," Bella said through the tears that fell down her face.
Narcissa moved to hug her older sister. "It's alright Bell, I know you would never purposefully hurt Draco. You love him I know that. I'm just glad you kept him from being killed. I wouldn't have gotten along had he died."
"I just wish there was more that I could have done for him, for you. Rodolphus told me what was happening to you but I wasn't allowed to see you. It was killing me, hearing about what he did to you as well."
Her sister was silent, tears falling from her face. "I should have seen past his charm. I put myself into this situation and I have had to pay repeatedly for my mistake. I just wanted to die, for it all to end. The pain was unbearable; it was pure torture, yet I couldn't leave. I didn't have the strength to get out. We were both trapped Bell and now we are free, thanks to those amazing children."
Bella hugged Narcissa tightly, tears falling down both the women's faces. "They are amazing. Ginny got rid of my mark and Sirius is going to finalize the divorce. I want to be there the day that bastard is killed and I will be happy to be the one to do it."
"Who?"
"Rodolphus. No one hurts my sister and gets away with it. He will pay," she said quietly but firmly.
"Don't do anything rash, I just got you back. Besides I don't want to lose you as well. We are in the middle of a war and I can't lose what's left of my family."
"I will always be with you Narcissa. I'll always be watching over you no matter what. Let's just hope we all make it through this war in one piece."
"I agree, lets go see Andromeda!" Narcissa said. Bella was struck by how much her sister had changed. She was definitely more grown up then she had been.
Smiling she got to her feet with her sister. The two were the same height but Bella had a bit more muscle to her then her younger sister. Together they made their way down to the fireplace and flooed over to where Andromeda was staying. It was small little house on the outskirts of London. They stumbled into the small den, startling Andromeda.
"Narcissa? Bella? What in the world are you two doing here?" She demanded.
"Andromeda!" Narcissa said happily as she hugged her older sister. "It's been too long since we've seen you. Look at you, you're just as tall as we are, of course you are a bit bigger in the hips then Bella is. Your hair looks nice by the way, you got the better hair I'd say."
"Narcissa!" Andromeda called her younger sister to order. "I thought you weren't allowed to see me anymore?"
"We weren't but we can now. Mother is long gone, thankfully, but we got stuck in horrible marriages. Bella just got away from hers and I did a few months ago. I saw Tonks, she is a beauty! She looks just like you as well, well when she is in her normal form that is."
"Narcissa, give Andromeda a chance to breathe. It's been a long time since we last saw her, spare her a minute," Bella commanded softly.
"I thought you were in Azkaban and in the service of Voldemort?"
"I was but Lucius got Rodolphus and I out. I used to be in his service, against my will I might add. So I am just now getting out of all of it thanks to Ginny and Harry."
"Alright, someone please tell me what has been happening since I was shunned from the family."
The next three hours were spent with the three sisters trading stories about their lives. By the end all three women were in tears at having to hear their sisters going through so much. While Andromeda's life was a bit easier then the other two sisters hers was still rocky.
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Draco and Pansy were next on Bella's list of people to speak with. Her biggest apology would be made to the girl, who had just recently found out that Draco had never intentionally hurt her. She found the young couple sitting outside under a large tree. They looked up as she approached.
"Aunt Bellatrix?" Draco asked slightly confused.
She nodded her head. "I've come to talk to you two."
"About?"
"What happened. It wasn't Severus who put you under the Imperious curse and obliviated your memory. It was me. I owe you the biggest apology yet Pansy, for hurting you like I did. It was either that or let Draco die at the hands of Voldemort."
Pansy got to her feet, looking Bella straight in the eye before she walked off. "Pans!" Draco called out to her but she kept walking. "I better go get her."
"No, this is between her and I. I'm sorry Draco, I would have done anything else if I could have. Your Mum wants to see you soon."
"You spoke to Mum?"
"Yes and Andromeda. Do you know where Pansy is going?"
"Third floor, down the hall till you reach a statue of an elf. Tap on it three times and it should open the door."
"Thanks," with that she headed off into the castle. It was a Hogsmeade weekend so the students were all out for the day. Bella followed Draco's instructions and there sat Pansy. She approached the younger girl.
"I'm not really mad anymore," Pansy said quietly. "I was then. No, I wasn't mad I was furious when I first heard. My head of house was the one who had abused me and attacked my boyfriend. I came to accept it though, it wasn't something I could change. Harry had gotten rid of him after that. It's a change, to hear that it wasn't him all along but you, his aunt. Ginny warned me ahead of time. The girl is like a younger sister to me now. I was shocked to hear about it but I came to accept it.
"She showed me some of your memories, the ones where you had attacked Draco. Gin told me that I would understand better if I saw it from your point of view and I did. There is no way to undo the past but it got us where we are today. Things would have been different, could have been different but this is how they are. Looking back on it I am also glad that it did happen. It has brought me closer to Draco and it also has freed him and his Mum from Lucius."
Pansy turned to look at Bella. "You wouldn't be here now if you hadn't done what you did. There would be no way that we would all be able to start to heal. There is so much that has happened but it has made us stronger for what is about to come. War is coming, coming fast and the only thing we can do is wait it out, praying that all our loved ones make it out alive. There have already been two deaths, both close to Harry. Things aren't about to get any better. Many people will die. The only thing we can do now is to make sure that we hold onto what we have and hope that there is still a future for us."
"You've changed Pansy," Bella said quietly.
"Being in the midst of a war makes you stop and take a look at the world around you. Not everything can be in shades of light and dark, there is a lot of gray in between. We do what we can to survive, that's why we are at the top of the food chain. I don't know if and when I will forgive you but I am going to make the effort. We need all the Allies we can get to help win this battle once and for all."
"Then that is what we are going to do."
The two women stared at each other, answering questions that had never been asked aloud. No one would be expecting what was to come, the price they would all have to pay.
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"Something is going to happen," Ginny said weakly.
"What is it?" Lily asked as she sat down beside her daughter-in-law.
"Battles, two of them, at once. I don't know if there will be any deaths yet but its possible that there will be."
"Do you know how long?" James asked.
"No I don't but I fear for Snape and Bella. There is a spy amongst us and whoever it is is going to get back at the two of them."
"Not Bella," Lily said helplessly. "She can't be lost as well, it just can't be possible."
James wrapped his arms around his wife. "She may not die Lily, she may still remain alive. We can only hope that fate doesn't intend for her life to be taken as well. Harry and Ginny will protect her I am sure they will."
"I know but I don't want to lose another sister. Alice is still at St. Mungo's. Is this better then it was before?" Lily asked the two young adults.
"It is. By my sixth year Cedric and Sirius were dead. Next would be Dumbledore and countless others during the final battle," Harry told them. "Bella was the one who attacked Sirius."
"It was you wasn't it?" Lily asked Ginny.
"It was me."
"What are you two talking about?" James and Harry asked together.
"I went back to Lily's time to watch over her. I wanted to give her hints to help her out in the future. It was because of me that Bella began to change." Ginny said slowly.
"She was like my guardian angel in my years at Hogwarts. If it wasn't for her I would never have made it through those years," Lily said as she smiled fondly at Ginny, who blushed.
"You did that?" Harry asked, gaining Ginny's attention.
"Y-Yes," she said, afraid that he would be upset with her for that.
Harry smiled at his wife and pulled her into a long, passionate kiss. "I'm so proud of you Gin," he whispered in her ear when they finally pulled apart. "I love you."
"I love you too," Ginny said with a smile as she wrapped her arms around her husband. "I'm still worried. Things are only going to get worse from here on out."
"Then we still have a long way to go. This year has barely started and next year will be an all out war."
"It will be," James and Lily agreed.
"Then we wait," Harry said quietly.
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A/N: I'm back! Well I dont think I went anywhere did I? No I just got home from work which was boring as ever, seriously I will NEVER be a secretary as a career option, I hate doing it for my dad. Well enough of my complaing. I know I promised everyone this would be friday but we have our first home football game tomorrow so I wont be home till like ten soooo I am doing this today and well hope you all like it. Now to the story, here is the next chapter and tof part 4 is already up to six chapters I believe. So enjoy.
Seritha
