) Chapter Six – Invitation (
Bella stirred her tea with habitual disinterest. Slug Club had always bored her, and she only attended to stay on the good side of Professor Slughorn, her Head of House. Today was no different. Slughorn was trying to get student's comments on the latest ruling by the Ministry of Magic, his eagerness to see the depth of each student's insight apparent.
The students sat around the circular table, taking turns saying their thoughts. Bella had already spoken, which gave her free reign for her mind to wander to far more interesting topics.
And what, or who, was more interesting than Ministry legislation? Truthfully, just about anyone, but there was a certain person who occupied Bella's thoughts more than she would ever admit aloud, and it was to him that her mind travelled.
Bella had to keep a straight face thinking of the burning look Sirius had snuck her when they had passed leaving the Quidditch pitch last Saturday. He had been with his gang of fools, laughing and playing an admittedly harmless trick on some hapless third year, but when he saw her, a delicious look came across his face. It was a passing glance, and an observer would have easily mistaken it as hatred. However, Bella knew what it meant: he was also thinking of tonight, when they had arranged to meet after Slug Club.
She glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner. Half an hour to go! She couldn't wait to tell him about the ridiculous spell that Hufflepuff Michael McBirch had done in Transfiguration. The idiot had tried changing an old shoe into a rabbit, but had turned it into a huge scorpion. The class had been in havoc while the scorpion scuttled around trying to sting students until McGonagall was able to get a clear shot at it and transform it in to a shoe again. A couple of students had even been stung and sent to the hospital wing!
Bella had also read of a new pleasure spell in the "Adults Only" book hidden in the back of the Restricted Section when she was supposed to be researching a counter-spell to a curse that Snape had come up with. She and he often took turns Disillusioning themselves and sneaking into the restricted section to do their research for the Dark Lord. But one night, Bella had stumbled upon "Madame Hande's Tips and Tricks for Lovers Cursed by Cupid," and she hadn't been able to restrain her curiosity. Why it was in a school's library at all was a question to ponder….
Sirius was in for a treat tonight.
"And now, to our last matter of business this evening," Slughorn said.
Bella's ears pricked at the term "last matter of business." She put down her tea.
"We need to decide details for our club's ball," Slughorn said, pulling at his moustache.
Bella cringed. This would take a while. She had forgotten that the Slug Club was hosting a ball this year. Every year they had some sort of party, but this year was going to be more extravagant because many of Slughorn's favorites would be graduating in the summer.
"I have no doubt you all have been thinking of ideas, and now is the time to share," Slughorn said.
Some girls pulled out scrolls filled with notes. Bella prepared to disengage again. Details such as what decorations they should have, where the party should be, and whether the event would be open to the whole school or just the club went back and forth across the table.
"It would be nice to be open to the whole school, but if we're going to use the classroom we already reserved, we can't fit the whole school in there, even if it was magically increased," Lily Evans pointed out.
"Very good point, Miss Evans!" Slughorn said, beaming at his favorite Gryffindor.
Bella wanted to roll her eyes. Lucius Malfoy, seated to Bella's left, grunted softly.
"It could be by invitation only," a Hufflepuff sixth year by the name of Helen Green volunteered. "You know, just all of us members, and those that we invite as our dates."
"How does that sound to everyone?" Slughorn asked the group.
The group murmured its agreement, and after some final words and instructions from Slughorn to find dates as soon as possible, the group dispersed.
Bella jumped from her seat and was one of the first out of the door. The meeting had gone too long, and Sirius would already be waiting for her.
"So, who are you going to ask?"
Bella blinked and saw that Lestrange had sidled up next to her.
"Going to ask what?" she asked.
"To the ball."
"Oh…I hadn't given it much thought," she said distractedly, wishing he would go away so she could sneak off.
"You could go with me."
"In your dreams, Lestrange," she snorted.
"You know, you don't always have to be such a bloody bitch, Black," he said, glaring at her.
She stopped and said sarcastically, "I don't?"
He shook his head and scoffed before stomping down the hall away from her. Bella glanced around to make sure she was alone, and then she slipped down a side passage.
Bella entered the Great Hall for lunch the next day, headed for where her sisters usually sat at the Slytherin table. She plopped down across from them and put down her schoolbooks.
"You look tired," Andromeda said bluntly, sipping on some soup.
"Didn't get to bed until late," Bella replied. Her gaze glided over to the Gryffindor table, where Sirius' group was laughing loudly.
Sirius' grey eyes instantly met hers. Bella looked away, a smile playing on her lips.
"What are you looking at?" Narcissa asked, looking behind her.
"Nothing," Bella said, dipping a spoon into the bowl that had appeared in front of her. "So, have you girls heard about the Slug Club's ball next month?"
Narcissa nodded.
Andromeda shrugged. "What's it to us?"
"I have to bring a date. Either of you want to go with me?"
Andromeda snorted. "No, thanks. You know I have no interest in the Slug Club."
Narcissa's pale cheeks reddened. "I—I would, Bella, but…" She paused, and then said in one quick breath: "Someone's-already-asked-me!"
Both sisters looked that the youngest with surprise.
"Someone asked you?" Bella demanded.
"Who?" Andromeda exclaimed.
"Lucius Malfoy," Narcissa whispered.
Both sisters were speechless.
"You're not going with him, are you?" Andromeda asked.
"Of course she is!" Bella said. "Why wouldn't she?"
"Malfoy's just..." Andromeda glanced down the table where he was eating. "He's just...stuck up."
Bella smirked. "If that's the worst you can say about him, then he's a pretty good catch. He's rich and pureblood. Mother would wet her knickers if she knew Cissy had caught his eye."
"I just think Cissy's too good for him. And a little too young," Andromeda said. When she saw Narcissa ready to protest, she changed the direction of the conversation. "Anyway, why are you asking us to be your date, Bella? I'm sure loads of boys are going to ask you."
"Not after it gets out that I've turned down Rodolphus Lestrange," Bella admitted.
"You what?" came Narcissa.
Even Andromeda looked surprised. "Bella, he's the most popular Slytherin in the school! You and he are like a match made in pureblood heaven!"
"I know, I know," Bella sighed. "I wasn't thinking."
"Who's going to go with you now? Severus Snape?" Andromeda asked.
"I'd rather die than go with him."
"Why?" Narcissa asked. "He's your friend, isn't he?"
"Eh…sort of…"
Sirius was leaving the lunchroom, and Bella watched his back as he juggled some apples to the delight of the Ravenclaw girls.
A thought trickled into her mind: there may yet be one boy who she could ask, one that was not only as popular and handsome as Lestrange, but who would also tick Lestrange off…
Bella hid in the shadows around the corner to where she knew Sirius had his first class after lunch. She watched as the class filed into the classroom, and predictably, Sirius and his friend Pettigrew were almost late.
Bella pulled out her wand and shot a spark at Sirius' behind just before they entered the doors.
"Ouch!" he exclaimed. He looked behind him, frowning and rubbing the tender spot. He spotted her, and his frown went away.
"Are you all right?" Pettigrew asked concernedly.
"Eh, yeah," he said. "You go on in. I'll be in in a minute."
Pettigrew nodded, and Sirius waited until the door was shut behind his friend. He then headed over to her.
"That did hurt, you know," he said.
Bella put her hands on his shoulders and planted a long kiss on his lips.
"All better?" she asked.
He squinted his eyes. "One more should do the trick."
When they pulled back for breath, he said, "So, what are you here for?"
Bella hesitated, feeling uncharacteristically nervous. She cleared her throat. "I…um…assume you heard about Slughorn's ball."
"Who hasn't?" He squeezed her waist.
"Well, Lestrange asked me, you see…"
He lifted his eyebrows. "And…"
"And I said no…so I was wondering if you might want to go with me…"
He looked shocked. "You want me to go with you?"
She nodded, forcing herself to keep looking him in the eye.
"I—um—wow! Bella—that's…um…"
Bella waited as he let go of her and scratched his head awkwardly.
"It's okay if you say no, Sirius," she added quickly. "It's just that we've been…you know…for quite a while now…and if we keep this up, people are going to find out, so…"
"Bella, we can't tell people about us. That'd be ridiculous. We'd be the laughingstock of the school. You and me, we're—we're not the same. You're—you're you, all dark and still connected to our—your—family, and I'm not like you…"
"Oh—okay…" Bella said, feeling awful for imagining that they could just waltz into the ball arm in arm, careless about what their friends and family would think.
"And...I already told Helen Green I'd go with her."
Bella felt like she had been slapped.
"Well, you'd better get to class," she swallowed, trying to retain some dignity. "I'll see you later."
She swung her bag over her shoulders and strode away, trying to ignore how itchy her eyes had become all of a sudden.