Here's chapter 7! This is actually only half of the chapter. But it was wisely suggested that I make it into two chapters because it was a little long. The next chapter should be out very soon. I even have chapter 8 finished as well! It just needs a little cleaning up. Big thanks to beta-reader xoxLewrahxox. Couldn't do it without you!
This chapter (and the second part not yet posted) are dedicated to Inkfire for being so kind and being such a lovely reviewer!
Next chapter: Bellatrix in detention? And who's that sitting beside her?
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or make money from this.
In A Lion's Den Chapter 7
Tedious Classes and the Hag
"When a teacher calls a boy by his entire name, it means trouble." - Mark Twain
Many things occur during the winter season: Lack of sunlight, lack of study-free breaks, lack of warmth and lack of sleep. Lack of sleep and learning how to deal with it was perhaps the most important lesson to be learnt at Hogwarts, during the frosty season. Lack of sleep meant lack of cheerfulness which in turn became a lack of friendliness (or respect for that matter.) And in the end, this all meant a lack of patience and lack of places in the detention rooms. This lesson would be one Bellatrix would learn all too soon.
Transfiguration was the highest point of Bellatrix's misery. Nothing could top the hour spent listening to McGonagall's dry, cringe-worthy voice as she praised Gryffindors for completing their homework and yelled at Slytherins for not paying attention. Nothing could equal the unquenchable thirst for the hate and destruction she felt, as she watched the uptight hag bombard them with muggle-worthy spells, and then assign them genius-leveled essays. It was as if she was waiting for the perfect moment to give them homework. If, the students had a weekend with no homework coming up, like a glimmer of light, she would have them write an essay on the ethical issues of Transfiguration. Bellatrix had visited London's Wizarding Zoo many times as a child and she had too say, as she disdainfully scrutinized her teacher's face that she had never seen a troll as ugly as the one standing in the front of the class.
"Miss Black!"
A shrill voice broke through Bellatrix's thoughts and sent an involuntary shiver down her spine. Slowly raising her head from its comfortable perch on her palm, she met her teacher's deep frown and nearly let a sigh slip. It had been decided since Bellatrix's very first class that professor McGonagall would hate her as much as she detested her teacher.
"Yes professor?" Bellatrix attempted to keep the venom out of her voice.
"You were not listening – again." Came a clipped response. It would seem that the teacher was making as much of an effort as the young Black in remaining civilized.
"Yes I was…professor."
The onyx eyes held their superior's stare with fierce determination. It was a childish game really, but they both understood it all too well. The first one to look away would lose.
"Oh? Then I am certain that you would not mind enlightening me."
"Yes with pleasure." Bellatrix replied with a forced a smile. "You were telling us about Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. There are only five exceptions to the law. For example food and love cannot be created. Food can only be multiplied and we can only imitate love. The theory is named after the creator Hesper Gamp who was married to my ancestor Sirius Black II."
McGonagall nodded, returning to the chalk board. As she began to write out the five exceptions on the board, Bellatrix couldn't help but smile victoriously, once again thanking her parents for her excellent mind.
"Five points for Gryffindor for the well developed answer."
Bellatrix nearly fell off her chair. It was only too obvious to anyone with ears that the teacher was enjoying herself as she uttered those words, knowing full well that they were bound to irritate the young Black rather than please her.
The class progressed in the same lengthy manner. The fact that Bellatrix already knew all there was to know on the Gamp law and its creator really didn't help to prevent her boredom. Near the end of the class, things took a turn for the worse. The class was working hard on turning twigs into needles. Bellatrix, who had been observing the students attempt to transform their twigs, having already accomplished her own, spotted two boys- a Gryffindor and the Slytherin named Antonin Dolohov. They seemed to be passing snide comments to one other. Listening attentively, Bellatrix quickly understood that the fight was about a filthy squib that the Gryffindor called his brother. The insults only finished when the Gryffindor grabbed the other boy's twig and snapped it in half before turning his back on the boy and pretending that nothing had happened. It seemed like barely a second after, when Bellatrix saw a flash of silver as a Gryffindor boy let out a yelp. A real fight then broke out, in which the Gryffindor in question began yelling at Antonin, calling him all kinds of names. Dolohov, for his part, retorted smoothly, a smug look upon his face.
McGonagall swooped on the pair like an owl on its prey, breaking up the two boys and ordering them back to their work. She even went so far as to remove ten points from each house for the quarrel.
"But that's not fair professor!" The Gryffindor cried, turning crimson with rage. "He stabbed me with his needle!"
"Maybe if you had any magical talent at all, you would be able to do the same." The emerald tied boy sneered, indicating towards the twig which was lying pointlessly on his enemy's desk.
The Gryffindor gaped at him, outraged.
"You couldn't even change it yourself! You just took your Malfoy's!"
A pink tint was creeping up the back of his neck, Antonin opened his mouth to retort when McGonagall gave him such an angered look he instantly closed his mouth again.
"That's enough from you Mr. Dolohov. An extra ten points from Slytherin for violence and the inappropriate use of school material."
Bellatrix found herself on her feet before she could stop herself. This was the perfect moment for her to win some Slytherins to her side. All she had to do was stand up for Dolohov.
"Professor McGonagall that isn't fair! Didn't you see what he did to Dolohov's material?" She exclaimed, gesturing to the two broken halves.
McGonagall appeared slightly surprised at the sound of Bellatrix's voice, but then forced a stern expression back on her face, turning to face the troublesome student.
"Yes I have Miss Black and that is why I have removed ten points from his House. However, I do not tolerate any form of violence whether it may be with or without magic."
"So presumably, a needle is violent now?" Bellatrix replied, feeling her blood boil in her veins.
"One used to stab a fellow student is." McGonagall's clipped reply came with a very clear warning of what was to come for the Gryffindor if she did not hold her tongue.
The room was deadly quiet now as everyone watched the two witches glare at each other, dislike radiating off of their bodies. The second McGonagall turned her back on the troublesome student; Bellatrix reeled around and sneered at the Gryffindor boy who had caused the whole problem.
Now Gryffindors were known for their courage, yet courage couldn't protect them (or anyone really) from Bellatrix's glare. Such a look could melt the skin off a face. The boy suffering the glare instantly turned away and whispered something angrily to his partner.
"What was that?" Irritation was ringing strongly in Bellatrix's voice.
"Why should I tell you?" The Gryffindor began turning to face her head on.
"What did you say you-"
"Bellatrix Black, sit down right now!"
"You already know what we all think of you!"
"You filthy little mudblood!"
"Black!"