Legal Disclaimer: I own my stuff, but not the original source material. That belongs to whoever. Also, the opinions and interpretations I use here may not reflect the same in said whoever that owns the source material. Look, I'm just a poor college librarian. Suing me isn't going to get you anything but tears.

Warning: This work may be offensive to some readers. Feel free to back out if need be.

Author's Note: This is the only way that I see this ship actually happening, but hey, it's the prompt written.

Submitting Info:
Stacked with: Hogwarts (Term 13); MC4A
Individual Challenges: Gryffindor MC (x5); Magical MC (x5); Neurodivergent; Rowl in Her Grave; Rian-Russo Inversion (x2); Ethnic & Present; Hold the Mayo; Gender Bender; Lunar Era; Old Shoes (Y); In a Flash; Bucket Listing (Y); Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); Green Ribbon
House: Slytherin
Assignment No.: Term 13 – Assignment 02
Subject (Task No.): n/a
Other Hogwarts Challenges: Insane Prompt Challenge [806](No Characters over 18); 365 [15](Appalling); Herbology Club [1-3](Friends); Auction [12-2](James Potter/Bellatrix Black); Ferragosto [05](A Very Cold Day)
Other MC4A Challenges: Su Bingo [1D](Liberty/Freedom); Hunt [Sp Con](Mashed Potatoes); Chim [Kinzie](Royal Purple); TWT (NB Sirius)[Task 2](Periwinkle); Fire [Hard](Adventure Writer); Garden [Chore List](Arguing/Debating)
Representation(s): Friends as Family; NB Sirius Black; Remus Lupin
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: Grease Monkey; Muck & Slime; Abandoned Ship; In the Trench; Surprise!; Second Verse (Ladylike; Not a Lamp; Found Family; Nontraditional; Sneeze Weasel; Zucchini Bread; Spinning Plates; Unwanted Advice; Car in a Tutu; Lovely Coconuts); Chorus (Odd Feathers; Pear-Shaped; Wabi Sabi; Machismo; Peddling Pots; Fire Song; Mouth of Babes; Tomorrow's Shade; A Long Dog; Larger than Life; Unicorn; Creature Feature)
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: T3 (Terse; Toad); SN (Rail; Negate); O3 (Oust); War (Sanctuary; Ennui)
Word Count: 534

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Frozen Over

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It was down right frigid that day. It was so cold that warming charms kept failing, even inside the castle with its wards to keep out the weather and huge fireplaces filled with roaring flames. Snow fell outside on the grounds, but the flakes were tiny and hard. When the wind blasted through the Highlands, those flakes bit into whatever skin someone was foolish enough to have exposed while outside and the stinging would last for hours.

"My mother had a phrase for days like this," Remus muttered as he tried to warm himself over the steam coming off of his steak and mashed potatoes. The carrots had long since given up what little heat they had managed to keep a hold of during the transfer from the serving bowl to his plate. James hummed an acknowledgment, unable to say anything with his face half-submerged in his quickly cooling tea. "She would say that it is so bloody cold because hell had frozen over."

"I think my mother would agree with you," Lily commented from where she was tucked up against Marlene McKinnon. The two fifth-years were sharing a thick woolen shawl that was a deep royal purple with periwinkle tassels. James thought that the color looked really nice with Lily's equally deep red hair.

He quickly gulped down his tea to cover the flushing of his dark brown cheeks. A taste like Remus' toothpaste mixed with the strong black licorice that Sirius loved so much lingered on his tongue. Making a face, he rubbed his tongue against the edge of his teeth in hopes that it would scrape off. He sighed when it didn't.

"Have any of you seen Bellatrix?" James asked suddenly. He sighed wistfully. His breath left him in a visible fog. "Isn't she just the greatest? She's so sweet."

"Sweet?" Sirius asked, raising their head beside Remus. They narrowed their gray eyes suspiciously at James as if they couldn't tell if he was lying or not. "She tried to burn my favorite dress just yesterday!"

"That orange did nothing for you," James replied. He smiled like he just couldn't do anything else. "She really is helpful and kind, isn't she?"

"You think that turquoise and canary yellow go together when it's appalling," Sirius accused, "and you're acting weird."

"I'm not acting weird," James defended as hotly as possible in the very cold Great Hall. "Anyway, have any of you seen Bellatrix?"

"I think she's over at the Slytherin table," Marlene answered haltingly after a moment of them all staring at James in increasing worry. James beamed at her before turning towards the light of his life, the chocolate on his strawberry, the flower in his garden.

"Do you think she's cold, too?" he wondered out loud. "Maybe I should go check!"

"Yeah, um, you do that," Marlene agreed.

James immediately jumped up, abandoning his tea and his friends who were leaning towards each other and exchanging frantic whispers. He didn't care. Bellatrix—his sweet and beloved Bellatrix—awaited. He had to get to her and, and, and just let her know how much she meant to him, how much he loved her.

He would die for her if she asked.