Ron had been asking questions about the Forbidden Forest from the minute they left the greenhouses to the minute they took their usual seats in Lockhart's classroom and although Bella didn't blame him, she wished he would shut up. Lockhart strode into the classroom with a spring in his step and Bella glared at him from the moment he entered the room. Ron's face was set in anger when Draco sauntered into the room and Bella held onto his arm tightly to keep him in his seat.

"Come on now." Lockhart beamed at the students sat before him. "What's up with everyone today?" Freya and Emily turned in their seats, looks of bafflement on their faces as Bella rolled her eyes at his absurdity.

"I think you know fine well what's wrong with everyone." Bella snapped.

"Don't you realise, my dear child, that these attacks are finished! The offender has been removed!" Lockhart spoke slowly as if the words he were speaking would be too much for Bella to comprehend.

"Says who?" Dean asked.

"Young man, Hagrid would not have been apprehended by the Minister himself if they did not have concrete proof that he was the one they seek." Lockhart explained confidently.

"Oh yes he would." Ron spoke loudly at the same time Bella yelled "Of course he would!"

"I think that I, being a Hogwarts Professor and all, would know a little more than you, Mr Weasley, on the subject of Hagrid's arrest." The grin on Lockhart's face showed he was extremely proud of himself.

"Hagrid's a damn sight better than you, and that's a fact." Bella growled.

"I beg your pardon, Miss Weasley." Lockhart feigned ignorance as all eyes in the classroom looked between the student and teacher.

"You heard what I said." Bella replied.

"I would like to remind you that I am a Professor, Miss Weasley, and you would do good to watch your tone." The grin on Lockhart's lips never faltered.

"You know, we never did tell mum and dad what happened to me, did we Ronald?" Bella asked, looking puzzled as she turned to Ron who had a sly grin on his face.

"No, I don't think we did." He replied, looking equally as puzzled.

"I think they'd like to know just exactly how their daughter died and was then revived. I think the Minister might care to know too, and the Prophet." Bella mocking scratched her chin as though in thought while Lockhart trembled where he stood. Everyone in the classroom was now snickering as Lockhart squirmed under Bella's hard gaze.

"I-I don't really think that's ne-necessary." He stuttered.

"Maybe, maybe not. I'll let you know when I decide." Bella examined her nails in utter disregard of him as he spluttered. He quickly regained his composure and gave the class tasks to complete before the class was over. He dropped into the chair behind his large desk and kept raising his eyes to glance at Bella while she smiled smugly.

Bella felt an elbow to the ribs and turned to see Ron and Harry staring at her. Freya and Emily had moved their chairs back and were now sitting with their backs to Lockhart. "That was hardcore." Emily giggled. "Well the git deserved it, who does he think he is?" Bella seethed. "That's all fair and well but I say we do it tonight." Harry said. The group turned their eyes to Hermione's empty seat and this gesture made up their minds: they would be heading into the forest tonight no matter what.


"Do you think the enlarging charm will work on it?" Bella and Harry were stood on either side of Harry's bed staring down at the invisibility cloak. The five of them knew they wouldn't all fit under the cloak but Bella felt guilty leaving Freya and Emily behind. "There's only one way to find out." Bella replied, pulling her wand from her pocket. Harry laid the cloak out on the bed and measured the original length against the length of the bed and it fit perfectly. Bella cast the engorgement charm and Harry pulled the bottom of the cloak over the bottom of the bed, it now reaching the floor.

There was a soft knock and the door and Seamus' head popped through the gap in the doorway. Harry smiled in greeting to Seamus as he slipped past him to the hallway outside to give the pair some privacy, the extended invisibility cloak tucked safely under his arm. Bella perched on the edge of Harry's bed as Seamus took the side of Ron's bed closest to her. "I don't need to know what you and your brother get up to all the time, all I want to know is that you're okay." Seamus fiddled with his fingers as he spoke. "I'm okay, I promise." Bella said softly. "Whatever it is you're doing tonight, you'll be careful?" Bella crossed the space between them and sat down beside him, nestling into his embrace as he wrapped his arms around her. "I promise I'll be okay." She spoke into his shoulder.

Bella felt slightly guilty for Seamus' worry but she knew it was something she needed to do. The pair spent the rest of the night in the common room together until they could leave it no longer and Bella had to leave. Seamus kissed her forehead and whispered 'please be safe' in her ear before heading off to bed. The five second years all shared a look filled with trepidation as they threw the cloak over themselves and set off for the forbidden forest. No matter what happened tonight they needed to do this, for Hermione.