Hi everybody! I'm sooooo sorry I haven't posted this chapter yet! It's just that with the beginning of school and all, I haven't had much time to do anything but work...I hate math. Anyways so here's chapter 2! I already have chapter 3, 4 and 5 written so I'll try and have those posted as soon as possible! Don't lose hope in me! There isn't lots of action in chapter 2 because it's mostly focused on Bellatrix's reaction following the sorting. Anyways I really hope you enjoy it!

I don't own Harry Potter.

"You ain't gonna leave me, are ya' George? I know you ain't!" Of mice and men

In a lion's den

2: Alone

By The silly frog

For a moment, she wasn't sure she had heard probably. Had there ever been a 'G' in Slytherin? No that didn't make sense... And then it struck her, like falling into ice-cold water. For a moment, she thought she was drowning, her mind deprived of air and her lungs filling with water, slowly killing her as she panicked, unable to call out. She felt her heart plummet into her stomach, feeling a painful hole where it had once been and her mind freeze in that moment of realization.

'No...'

She couldn't move. There must have been some mistake. Why wasn't the Headmaster reacting? Why didn't he smile and assure her that the Hat was getting old and maybe they should just start sorting students by their purity? Why didn't Evan start laughing, telling her it was all just a joke? What was going on?

The clapping began; weak and uncertain. In rang in her ears but she couldn't make any sense of it. And then it began…a rhythm that Bellatrix could hear so apparent amidst the clapping. It grew louder and louder, ringing true.

You. Clap. Are. Clap. A. Clap. Failure. Clap.

A failure…as in not sorted into the House she belongs in. A failure as in a major disappointment to her parents. A failure…

"Miss Black...Miss Black go sit at your House table."

Bellatrix was only distantly aware of the voice but she reacted nonetheless, working on instinct. She turned and looked back at the witch, whose face showed bewilderment as she ushered her off the podium. She stumbled down the stairs, wide eyes turning towards the four long tables, who stared back at her with the very same expressions of shock on their faces. They had stopped clapping.

It was too silent. Bellatrix would have preferred having them all ignoring her, talking about their summer holidays as she passed in front of them, unnoticed. Anything was better then this. Anything was better then having to face her own thoughts...having to face reality. She distantly remembered glancing back at the Slytherin table, hesitating. Maybe she could throw a fit? Beg them to place her in Slytherin. Explain that this was just a mistake. But no, she did not. She didn't have enough energy in her to do anything other then continue walking, her footsteps echoing loudly in the Hall. For a moment, her mind remained blank and it took all her force to remember to breathe.

Somehow, she wasn't sure how, she found herself seated at the end of a table, with lots of other people who definitely weren't Slytherins.

Slowly, the whispering began but Bellatrix couldn't hear it.

'Keep yourself under control, Bella.' She repeated, over and over again in her mind as she kept her eyes fixed on the Hat that had decided her fate.

She was distantly aware that the sorting had continued...so why hadn't the whispering?

Slowly, Bellatrix came back to herself. The numbing feeling in her body weakened and she began to be aware of her surroundings. She became aware of the glances she was receiving from the other students, the way the Gryffindors inched away from her, their eyes narrowed with dislike, the way the Slytherins whispered to each other, looking disappointed as they glanced at her. Thinking she might be sick if she received any more looks, she turned her attention towards the podium, where the sorting continued as if nothing had happened. Her eyes met Evan's only for a fraction of a second before he was called up and instantly placed in Slytherin. Her heart ached as she watched him walk towards the table of silver and emerald, wishing she could follow him.

When the food appeared in front of her very eyes, her stomach churned and she hastily look away, fearing that she'd throw up at any moment. What would her parents say? What would the House of Black say? Bellatrix had never ever heard of a Black being sorted into another House, let alone Gryffindor. The fear of what would happen next was killing her. She remembered her mother's words and shivered. She couldn't disappoint them. She wasn't allowed to. What was she going to do?

"First years follow me please!"

Bellatrix had barely noticed it when the food disappeared and the speeches were finished. She only looked up when the hundreds of students began leaving their places, making their way slowly out of the Great Hall and up into their warm beds. She was swept up into the pack of first year Gryffindors and was pushed and shoved towards the exit, receiving many disgusted looks. Why was it that those looks pained her so much more now that she was forced back into reality? Was it because she should have been the one giving those filthy looks to them. Or was it simply because she did not understand why she was receiving them. She hadn't done anything bad to them yet!

As Bellatrix got caught in the traffic of students, all pushing to get out, her eyes met those of Evan Rosier's. He froze, also stuck in the crowd of students. All around him stood the other Slytherin first years, whispering and throwing her glances. She noticed Antonin Dolohov and Rabastan Lestrange, staring at her from afar, eyes narrowed with caution. Feeling desperate and in need of some support, she pushed her way towards her cousin until they were only a few meters apart. He looked at her and she could see how uncertain he was. Seeing the regret and awareness in those two brown eyes made her run blood cold.

"Evan..." She croaked, her voice breaking under the strain of fighting back the tears. She wanted to say more. She wanted to tell him how scared she was, how disappointed and disgusted she was with herself. She wanted him to help her, to laugh it all off and take her hand and tell the others to stop being so mean and...

But he didn't. He was hesitating, his lips slightly parted as if he wanted to say something that simply wouldn't come out.

"Rosier! Come on!" Dolohov called out as their group began to move again, pushing past the Gryffindors roughly.

Evan glanced at her one last time, his eyes shinning with regret and sorrow as he turned his back on her, making his way towards his new friends without a second glance. If it hadn't been for the mind-numbing panic she was feeling she would have broken into tears right there and then.

Bellatrix almost wished she hadn't heard what they said to each other as she walked behind them, suddenly eager to get into her bed and out of this mess.

"You shouldn't be talking to her, Rosier." Anthonin said, unaware that she could hear every word of their conversation.

"She's a Gryffindor now...to think that we'd have to be enemies with a Black." Rabastan added.

"Yeah but she's still my cousin." Evan replied weakly as they finally pushed their way out of the door and into the Entrance Hall.

"You're not actually going to stay friends with her?" Another little Slytherin exclaimed.

"Of course not!" Evan gave a weak laugh. "She's a Gryffindor. We're definitely not friends."

Bellatrix was crushed.

xxxxxx

Dear Mother and Father,

Perhaps the dreadful news as already reached you. News seems to travel fast around here. I am absolutely humiliated to tell you that the Sorting Hat has placed me in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. I do not see how this mistake could have been made but I beg of you to come to Hogwarts and speak with the Headmaster. I am aware that I have embarrassed the family name and am terribly sorry. I did not mean to. I hope you will forgive me.

Your daughter,

Bellatrix Black

Bellatrix held the parchment away from her, protecting it from the tears of shame and grief. She knew she shouldn't be crying, that it would all be sorted out soon enough and that she was doing nothing for her honor by shedding tears. But they simply would not stop. She felt so alone amongst the Gryffindors. She hated them. She wanted to curse them and tell them that she didn't want to be with them anymore then they did. But she simply couldn't find the strength. She was afraid. She knew that she wouldn't have any help now; not from Rabastan or Evan...maybe not even from her parents.

Bellatrix quickly sealed the letter, not wanting to look at it anymore. She thought that the quicker she sent it the less she would be tempted to not send it at all and hope that her parents never found out. But she knew how silly that was and quickly tied it to Kira's claw, stroking her head with a trembling hand.

"Hurry up Kira." She whispered in a wavering voice.

And with that, the owl spread its large wings and flew out of the window, quickly fading into the black sky.

That night, Bellatrix cried herself to sleep, allowing herself to feel weak and afraid. She knew that come tomorrow, she would once again be that brave strong girl the world expected to see. She knew that she would not be allowed to feel anything that would be considered unworthy of her. But nobody was watching now...nobody would know what she was feeling and thinking. And that was what suited her best because she knew that she would lose all respect, all hope of being loved if they knew...

Hope you liked it! Don't forget to review! Reviews encourage me to write faster. And a big thank you to beta reader xoxLewrahxox for all the great help! Next chapter: The Blacks vs. Dumbledore...dum dum dum
Lots of love from the Silly Frog! :)