A\N: Sorry for the short chapter! Enjoy!

To VampyressArrow39: Thank you so much! I'm glad you found Delphine interesting. To tell you the truth, its quite fun adding a few OC's here and there. Keep on reading and reviewing!

DISCLAIMER: I definitely do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 13.

Bellatrix sat motionless outside the Hospital Wing. lost in thought about the recent course of events. Remus was sitting opposite to her, clearly in shock. No one expected intruders to get inside Hogwarts. It was one of the safest places in the wizarding world. Yet now, someone had apparently infiltrated Hogwarts with ease and escaped without detection. What was going on?

I don't remember this happening in my previous lifetime. No one died in first year, especially not a Professor! Then how did the course of events change? The only difference is me being sorted into Gryffindor. Did this tiny little difference cause such a great impact? But how can that be possible?

Bellatrix could not comprehend a single thing, most of all her own reaction to the murder. There was confusion, definitely a great deal of confusion. But there was something else, something that greatly disturbed her. The memory of Professor Watson lying dead on the floor kept on flashing into Bellatrix's mind. No matter how much she tried, the image just kept coming back to her.

C'mon get a hold on yourself! Weren't you the one planning to let Delphine kill off Lupin? Weren't you the one planning to throw a party if McGonagall died? Aren't you the most powerful and ruthless Death Eater that ever existed? Then what is wrong with you?

Certainly somewhere inside her, Bellatrix Lestrange was dancing with mirth that a member of the Order of Pheonix had been killed. But a part of her mind was blank. The eleven-yr old Bellatrix was blank, watching the vision over and over again, witnessing her first death when she least expected it. She felt a chill running down her spine when she saw those glassy eyes, that dead, expressionless stare from a Professor who had praised her outstanding work a few hours ago.

Like a dream, the conversation between her and the Dark Lord replayed in her head:

'Salazar created many methods of time-travel. The most interesting way was to transfer the spirit of the future self into the body of the past self. That way you could be seen and there would be no problem.'

'But, my Lord, Wouldn't the thoughts and feelings of the past and future self merge together? What if they have different opinions about a certain subject due to different viewpoints because of experience? Wouldn't they clash with one another?'

'That was the greatest flaw in the entire method, Bellatrix.'

It was the first time that the spirit of the 11-yr old Bellatrix had seen a dead body and she was uneasy. Her partly blank mind was hardly registering anything. There was a confused din of noises in the background.

'Slightly modified…'

'Oh, certainly not!'

'Draught of Living Death.'

'Quite impossible….'

'Under the Imperius…..'

'Smashed goblet…..'

'Just in time….'

'Dead? Of course not!!!'

Something clicked in Bellatrix's blank brain. She lifted her head to see an anxious Madam Wallace talking agitatedly with Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. Professor Dumbledore in particular looked quite grim. Professor McGonagall on the other hand looked harried.

Bellatrix looked at Remus. He too looked exceedingly confused by the words they had just heard. Had their ears been malfunctioning?

'Um, excuse me Professors.' Madam Wallace, Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall turned to look at Remus. He started in a hesitant voice, 'Um, could you please repeat what you just said? About P…P…Professor W…Watson?'

Madam Wallace gave him a questioning look. Remus continued reluctantly, 'Well, I thought someone just said that….that…..that P…P…Professor Watson wasn't d…d…dead?'

'That's quite right, young man; I was just repeating the same thing to the Headmaster that despite all appearances, Professor Watson isn't dead.' said Madam Wallace.

Remus let out a breath of relief. But the confusion in Bellatrix's mind increased tenfold. 'What?' she blurted. 'But I thought….we thought…'

Professor Dumbledore turned his X-ray gaze on Bellatrix who wavered a bit. She diverted her eyes from Dumbledore and looked at Madam Wallace.

Madam Wallace looked at her suspiciously. She had not forgotten the growling incident in the Hospital Wing. At last, she decided to continue, 'Well, it looks like Professor Watson was working when the intruders entered his office. He was given a modified version of the Draught of Living Death which could have been fatal but the two of you luckily informed Professor McGonagall and got him here in time. This modified version of the potion gave him an appearance of death but that was purposely done so that there could be delay in bringing the victim to safety.'

'Professor Watson is a strong duelist.' said Professor McGonagall. 'But the intruders probably placed him under the Imperius Curse so he couldn't resist taking the potion.'

Bellatrix noticed that the adults were deliberately using the word 'intruders' rather than Death Eaters, probably because they didn't want to frighten Remus or her in case they knew about the term. She almost smirked at the thought.

'Caroline, how long do you think it will take for Professor Watson to recover?' asked Professor Dumbledore.

'Well, he is a survivor with an uncommonly strong immune system.' said Madam Wallace. 'He should recover by Christmas.'

'Well now that that is settled with, I would like to request Miss Black and Mr. Lupin to come to my office to give a full and detailed account of last night's events and get the burden off their young shoulders.' said Professor Dumbledore kindly. 'Minerva, if you could please accompany us.'

Bellatrix walked alongside Remus as Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall led the front. They came to a huge statue of a gargoyle.

Professor Dumbledore said, 'Acid Pops.'

Inspite of the condition they were in, Bellatrix saw Remus's eyebrows raise slightly at the password. She snickered mentally. The gargoyle jumped aside to reveal a magical staircase moving upwards. All of them stepped on the staircase which deposited them outside a mahogany door adorned with a knocker in the shape of a griffin. Professor Dumbledore opened the door and led them to a large handsome study littered with silver instruments. He went behind the mahogany table and seated himself in the main chair.

'Please sit down.' said Professor Dumbledore. Bellatrix and Remus sat down tentatively while McGonagall surveyed them from the side. Her hawk-like gaze lingered for a moment on Bellatrix but soon diverted to Dumbledore who cleared his throat softly and gave her a meaningful look. Bellatrix watched this exchange with interest, realizing that it probably concerned her.

'Now if any of you can explain what exactly happened last night.' said Professor Dumbledore placing the tips of his fingers together and appraised them under his half-moon glasses. Bellatrix and Remus looked at each other before Bellatrix gave a slight nod. Remus cleared his throat hesitantly and began the tale. Dumbledore and McGonagall listened attentively. Remus paused before the entrance of Delphine.

'So, I take it you have no idea who the young woman was?' questioned Dumbledore. His scrutinizing gaze shifted from Remus to Bellatrix. She kept her eyes fixed firmly on her shoes, knowing that Dumbledore was an accomplished Legilimens. She could deflect him with her Occlumency shields but she wanted to make sure that Dumbledore had no doubt on their story.

'No.' said Bellatrix quietly, but firmly. 'We have no idea who she is.' She lifted her eyes and looked directly at Dumbledore. For a few seconds, they continued to look eye-to-eye, like a battle of wills. Finally, Dumbledore averted his eyes and smiled lightly. 'Mr. Lupin, can you tell us what happened next?'

Remus looked at Bellatrix briefly before continuing, 'Professor, she cast a spell on us which made us unconscious. W e regained our senses later to find Professor Watson's office open. And that was when, was when we discovered the b…….Professor Watson.'

Professor Dumbledore was silent for a while. 'Very well, under the circumstances, I think it would be unwise to give this news to the students. I think it will make them panic for nothing as I have a shrewd suspicion that the intruders will not visit us again. Minerva, tell the students that Professor Watson has a bad case of magical flu. A substitute will be taking his classes till Christmas. After Christmas, Professor Watson will be well enough to join us again.'

Wait a minute, I remember! Once, the Defense Professor got a bad case of flu and a substitute taught us for a few weeks! So that was when the attack took place in the previous timeline but unlike this time, I was not the one to discover the body! So I didn't know just like the other students that Death Eaters had entered Hogwarts!

'I think I can trust the both of you to say nothing to your classmates?' Dumbledore addressed Remus and Bellatrix. They looked at each other before giving an abrupt nod.

'Excellent. Now, I am sure that after this very……traumatizing experience, the both of you would like some time to yourselves. Good day to you.'

'Thank you Professor.' Remus and Bellatrix descended the staircase and emerged outside Dumbledore's study. Remus started walking down the corridor without throwing a single look at Bellatrix.

'Remus wait.' Bellatrix called out and she ran up to him. 'Remus, thank you.'

Remus looked at her quizzically. 'For what?'

'For lying to Dumble…the Headmaster. If I may ask, why did you do it?' asked Bellatrix.

'Well, I figured that you wouldn't want anyone to know, least of all the Headmaster that you were connected to the attackers in any way. Seeing your family history, they would probably accuse you of helping the intruders get inside Hogwarts without even listening to you. I know better than anyone that people can be very judgmental due to their prejudices.' Remus resumed his walk through the corridor.

'Remus, one more thing.' Bellatrix looked slightly reluctant. 'Erm, what do you actually think about me? As in frankly?'

'Well, I know that you're not the sweetest or nicest of eleven-yr old girls.' said Remus. 'You also were a pureblood maniac, hater of muggleborns, a totally arrogant and conceited Black and you probably are all of that to this date. But…..no one is all bad and you did save my life.'

Bellatrix gaped at Remus. He smiled slightly.

'I thought I saw a shadow in the doorway last night. Now, I realize it was you. You could have deserted me and any person would have done the same especially since I wasn't your friend. Moreover, you know the cause Delphine works with and how dangerous she is. You practically risked your life for me.'

Now that I think about it, I did risk my life for Lupin. Wow, I'm such a courageous Gryffindork.

'So, I think we need to give each other a chance.' said Remus.

Bellatrix put on the most genuine smile she could. It wasn't difficult; she was leaping with joy inside.

At last, I did it! I've managed to befriend Lupin. Oh yeah, I'm so good.

A\N: I know this chapter will raise many questions that Bellatrix has gone soft. Trust me, that has NOT happened. The future Bella may talk a lot about killing and torturing people but 11 year-old Bella didn't expect the death of someone so soon, that too the only person in the entire school that doesn't hate her.

Oh and my school's started so I'll be able to update only once in a while. I don't think I'll update again the following week. Regular readers and reviewers, please bear with me!