A\N: I know this update was horribly late but my imagination was suffering from a setback. I hope this chapter makes up for it all!

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Harry Potter.

Chapter 12.

It was Halloween night. Bellatrix was enjoying a solitary walk through the Hogwarts' corridors. She was awfully bored. Not wishing to attend a stupid feast dedicated to a stupid occasion which also happened to be the day her master fell, Bellatrix was not in a mood to celebrate.

Merlin knows who on earth is the idiot who invented the dumbest occasion named Halloween connected to bats and carved pumpkins!! Honestly!! The fellow must be a relation of the old crackpot headmaster. Wait a sec, who made him the headmaster in the first place. The guy is absolutely nutters. Sherbet lemons? Is there any sane person on earth who eats sherbet lemons? They're a Muggle sweet and even Muggles don't buy them! Wait, why am I thinking about Muggles in the first place? They're filthy little creatures who're not worthy enough even to be thought about! Uurgh, I think I'm going insane. What do I do? I shouldn't have come here in the first place. I hate the past and now I am stuck in it. Just brilliant!!

Needless to say, Bellatrix was feeling extremely frustrated. Here, two months had passed and she had gotten no further on her mission than when she had first arrived here. As a matter of fact, she had ruined it further by establishing enmity with the ones she was supposed to befriend. Even her family wasn't on her side.

Well, since things certainly can't get any worse, they just have to get better. Hopefully.

Time passed. Judging by Bellatrix's watch and the absence of happy exclamations from the Great Hall, the Halloween feast was probably over.

As Bellatrix neared the library, she saw a sudden movement. This revealed itself to be Remus, standing outside the library door, clutching a thick book in his hand. The moment he saw her, he promptly shoved the book behind his back, blocking it from Bellatrix's view. This unusual action did not go unnoticed by Bellatrix who caught a glimpse of the book's title before it disappeared behind Remus's back.

'What are you doing here so late at night?' Remus questioned with a suspicious look in his eyes. 'Curfew's almost started.'

'I may ask you the same question.' replied Bellatrix. Remus's grip on the book tightened after this reply.

'I….I fancied a late night read.' said Remus shifting slightly in his position.

'And I fancied a late night walk.' said Bellatrix nonchalantly. 'Anyway, isn't the library closed?'

'That's what Madam Pince told me. She's the new librarian.'

'Well I s'pose we'd better return to the common room.' saying so, Bellatrix set off with a reluctant Remus walking by her side. He was still trying his best to hide the title of the book with his hand.

'So, interested in Dark creatures?' asked Bellatrix casually, barely suppressing a smirk.

'What? No! I mean…..no….um….I…' spluttered Remus, unsure of what to say and where to look. He solved the last issue by looking at his shoes. 'Why are you asking something like that?'

'Nothing really. I just caught sight of the title of the book you're holding.' Bellatrix motioned to the copy of 'Lycanthropy: the Incurable Curse' hidden behind Remus's back. 'So, you interested in werewolves?'

All the colour drained out of Remus's face. He looked as if he was having a panic attack. 'What? No, no, no, not at all. Why should I be interested in werewolves? No reason at all.'

Bellatrix watched Remus's pale face, enjoying the effect of her words. 'Then why is that book in your hand? It is from the library, right?'

'Well yes, it is from the library but…er…..' Remus seemed to find no answer to her question, especially since he had vehemently denied being interested in werewolves a minute ago. 'You see…..um….er…this book…….it's for Peter! Yes, yes, it is for Peter.'

'But why would Peter want a book on werewolves?'

'Why? Um……….he wanted to study about them. Er…..do extra research for future classes. It is covered in DADA, right?'

'But werewolves are 3rd year syllabus. Why would he want to study about it now?'

'Well, um……I…..he…..' Remus seemed lost for a moment. 'You see, his…. mother told him to. You know, learn about Dark creatures, especially werewolves. There's been a lot of werewolf attacks lately…..especially on children……so…..it's good he knows about them…….you know……defend himself just in case…' ended Remus lamely.

Wow, you're really horrible at lying aren't you?

'But why did he ask you to get it for him? Isn't it curfew?'

'Um…..he has detention with Professor McGonagall for not doing his homework. And he really needed it so I came to get it for him.'

Getting better.

'But I saw Professor McGonagall sometime ago patrolling the corridors.' lied Bellatrix.

'She was? Well, I don't know then…………' Remus was lost for words.

'Forget it.' said Bellatrix, cutting him off. She was bored of making him stammer and splutter. 'So, what do you think?'

Remus looked slightly wary. 'Think about what?'

'About them. Werewolves.'

'Well, they're dark creatures aren't they? Remus attempted a weak grin.

'But what is your opinion about them? Do you think they're just dark creatures? Nothing else?'

'What do you mean by that?' Remus looked suspicious, as well as slightly curious.

'Well, I was just doing some light reading on werewolves. With my family background, it's not unprecedented. So, what I read was, werewolves are just normal people who got bitten. Just like how people get bitten by a dog. Most of the time, werewolves are just normal people who don't mean any harm but can't control themselves.'

'I've hardly heard of any book which offers such an 'unprejudiced' opinion on werewolves.' said Remus still looking a bit suspicious.

'Well actually, the book wasn't so unprejudiced.' said Bellatrix. 'It's just that….I think it's kind of unfair.'

'Unfair?' questioned Remus. 'So, do you have another opinion on werewolves?'

'Actually, you said on the night of my detention that people had no right to decide whether I was capable of being a Gryffindor or not. In the same way, I think that people have no right to judge werewolves on the basis that they become monsters once a month. What people don't understand is that, there might actually be a person inside a werewolf. A person with actual feelings, thoughts, emotions, dreams and so on. And through their prejudice, they completely destroy that person's life even if he has not done anything wrong. No matter how much that person tries, he can never be normal and is always reminded of the fact that he will always remain a monster, nothing else.'

Remus's face softened at Bellatrix's words and he turned away. For a long time, there was silence as Bellatrix and Remus walked through the corridors, their footsteps echoing in the stillness.

I should have played the 'Sympathy for Werewolves' card earlier. I should've known that it would be foolproof. Stupid me.

The gigantic school was absolutely silent. Nighttime noises filled the air. Even the ghosts seemed to be sleeping. The atmosphere was quiet and serene. Everything looked silver in the pale moonlight. Remus gazed at the crescent moon out of the window with pain etched on his face.

All of a sudden, Bellatrix spotted a shadow slinking out of the Great Hall. Her body tensed up as she stopped in the middle of the corridor, trying to make out if there was an intruder in Hogwarts.

'What's the matter?' asked Remus who had bumped into Bellatrix when she paused in the corridor all of a sudden. 'Why did you stop walking?'

'There's someone there.' whispered Bellatrix, creeping slowly towards the Hall on tiptoe. 'I thought I saw someone's silhouette in the moonlight.'

'It was probably a teacher or prefect on patrol duty. Now let's go before someone catches us wandering in the hallways after curfew.' said Remus, setting off towards the Gryffindor common room. 'C'mon!'

'No. It's definitely not a teacher or a prefect.' said Bellatrix, her eyes fixed on the spot where she saw the figure. 'I'm going to find out.' she started walking in the opposite direction from the common room, eyes peeled for any sign of the intruder.

'Bellatrix, your eyes were probably deceiving you in the moonlight, now let's go already.' said Remus impatiently. 'Bellatrix? Bellatrix, are you listening to me?'

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed in the hallways. Bellatrix whipped around to see the figure of a man getting up from the floor after trying to get through a wall pretending to be a door. 'There he is! Stop!' Bellatrix sprinted towards the man who was already disappearing around the corner.

'Stupefy!' yelled Bellatrix, as her feet skidded around the corner. But the jet of red light missed the target, as the man fled through the corridor. 'Relashio! Impedimenta!' screamed Bellatrix. But it was difficult to aim at a fleeting shadow that the man had become, desperate for escape.

'Stop!' yelled Bellatrix again. But the man was too fast for her as he disappeared into a passage and Bellatrix lost sight of him. She searched the corridors but could not find anything.

Where did he go? Who was he?

Bellatrix stood like a statue, her eyes trying to pierce through the shadows in the hallway, like a lion searching for his prey. Her wand tip was alight as she turned and twisted her head in all directions to find the mystery man. She was straining her ears trying to catch a clue as to where the man could be hiding. That was when she heard a slight panting sound like a man who was trying to catch his breath after running a marathon. She heard a slight flapping of robes as a hand thrust itself into a pocket, silently withdrawing a wand, ready to curse its victim.

Bellatrix snapped around, her wand on the ready, to find the man standing right behind her. Taken by surprise, the man let out a small exclamation as Bellatrix yelled, 'Petrificus Totalus!' Immediately, the man's body became as rigid as a board as he crumbled to the stone floor, devoid of movement except his eyes which were wide open. Bellatrix took time to examine the man's face, taut with anger and surprise. She had never seen him before.

Wait a sec, where's Lupin? Don't tell me he ran away as soon as he saw the intruder! I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave!

That was when she heard a female voice coming from the adjacent room. Bellatrix walked into the doorway to find a long-haired witch pointing her wand straight at Remus's heart. Remus on the other hand was looking at the witch face -to-face with his wand lying on the floor. Any kind of fear he was feeling at the moment was not visible on his determined face as he stared at the witch. None of them noticed Bellatrix standing in the doorway.

That's a good idea. Instead of befriending them and all that nonsense, I can just kill them directly. It'll be much simpler and probably more effective. The Boy who Lived would never be born in the first place. But the Dark Lord specifically ordered me to bring them to our side. Oh, whatever, it's the same thing. No, it's not the same thing. Think Bellatrix think, not what is easier for you but what the Dark Lord would prefer. What is better: four enemies dead or four very talented enemies on our side?

At that same moment, the witch shook a lock of hair out of her face and got ready to remove Remus from her way. A flash of recognition passed over Bellatrix's face as the witch's features became visible to her.

'Delphine?'

Both Remus and the witch turned their heads simultaneously to the source of the voice. The witch slashed her wand and Remus crumpled to the floor, apparently unconscious. With a sinister smile, she proceeded towards Bellatrix.

Bellatrix stared at the oh-so-familiar witch in front of her. Delphine had long, chocolate-brown hair which curled at the edges. Her bluish-green eyes calmly surveyed Bellatrix while her fair, aristocratic face was twisted into a smirk.

'Ah Bella, what a pleasure to see you. You were always my favourite family member. You know, I had heard about the rumors of you turning into a blood-traitor but I was disinclined to believe them. But after seeing you associate with half-breeds such as these,' the witch poked him with her toe, 'I have no other choice but to acknowledge the truth.'

'B...b..but how did you know?'

'That this guy was a werewolf? Simple. I know the symptoms. Bags under eyes, transparent complexion, looks like he hasn't slept for days etc etc etc.' Delphine walked through the room, talking as if they were in a comfortable dining room, sipping a cup of tea, as if Bellatrix hadn't just stumbled upon her cursing an eleven-yr old werewolf. 'Anyway, I was sent on a werewolf envoy a few weeks ago so I can spot a werewolf from a crowd of wizards if I wanted to.'

'What are you doing here?' asked Bellatrix. 'What do you want in Hogwarts?'

'Nothing much really. Just came here to persuade someone. That is done.' Delphine walked to the doorway. 'I think you're smart enough not to identify me later on. Otherwise,' she played lightly with her wand, twirling it in the air. 'I'll be dropping into the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black during Christmas to have a nice family reunion. See you soon!' Delphine exited the room, leaving Bellatrix motionless standing by an unconscious Remus.

'Enervate!' Remus stirred softly, trying to open his heavy eyelids. He got up into a sitting position and looked directly at Bellatrix.

'You know her.' it was not a question, it was a statement.

Bellatrix allowed herself to give a brief nod before stretching her hand out to Remus to help him get up.

'How? How do you know her?' Remus refused to take her hand, looking extremely wary.

Bellatrix took a deep breath. 'Delphinus Black. Delphine for short. Goddaughter of my mother and distant relation. She graduated from Hogwarts last year. Head Girl.'

Bellatrix paused for a moment. She remembered clearly. Delphine striding into the dining room, proudly announcing that she was going to be the first woman marked, ever. He wouldn't mark her immediately but after she had completed certain tasks for him, after she was older. Delphine was just going to be an anonymous supporter for a while but she was extremely proud. Bellatrix remembered being inspired by her.

'One day, Delphine came to the family house. She announced that she had joined an extremely important cause that she was ready to give her life for. Everybody was so proud. I on the other hand………..felt ….troubled. I had no idea what kind of cause she had joined but I had a feeling it could not be anything good. I told her but……..she didn't listen to me. She dismissed me as a little girl who knew nothing. And now, to see her in Hogwarts……….'

Remus still looked at her with distrustful eyes, trying to gauge whether she was lying or not.

Oh, c'mon! No one is that wary! Don't tell me you're still suspicious! Merlin, you're one perceptive little eleven-yr old.

'Trust me; I have no idea why she was here at Hogwarts.' Bellatrix wasn't really lying. She didn't know why Delphine was at Hogwarts. And she was determined to find out.

Remus got up from the floor quietly without saying a single word. He walked over to the doorway. 'I saw her near the teacher quarters.' he said softly.

'Teacher quarters? We'd better go there right now. Delphine said she was here to persuade someone. One of the teachers might be hurt!' Bellatrix and Remus started running towards the place where Remus had saw her last. They started examining the entire place, searching for clues.

I don't give a damn as to what happened to the teachers. I might actually throw a party if Minerva McGonagall died! But she won't. She's a tough old bird, Delphine will not be able to kill her so easily. Anyway, I don't think Delphine is so high in the Dark Lord's favour that he gave her a murder task. She probably doesn't even have direct contact with him.

'Look, the door to Professor Watson's office is open!' Remus pointed to an open door, creaking in the wind. Bellatrix, accompanied by Remus, hurried towards the office and entered it.

'Let's check the adjoining room.' said Bellatrix. She crossed over to the opposite side and pushed the door open. The window was open and the curtains were blowing wildly in the wind. The moonlight illuminated tiny glass fragments near the table where a crystal goblet had been smashed to pieces. Bellatrix held her breath as she stepped over the glass pieces carefully and approached a large, plush sofa at the end of the room.

Remus poked her sharply in the back. He didn't need to poke her, she had seen it the moment she entered the room. She knelt down to inspect the large heap in front of her and prodded it softly, but it showed no sign of movement.

Remus gasped behind her; she totally agreed with him. Spectacles askew, a little stream of blood running down the brow, eyes staring into the distance, the DADA teacher, Professor Watson's currently lifeless body lay on the cold stone floor.

A\N: And the Dark Side makes its entrance! Remember, Voldemort's power is at its peak right now! Review, review, review!