Here's chapter 8 everybody! Well technically it's the second part of chapter 7 but...who cares right? Enjoy! And remember reviews = love!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
"Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend." – Albert Camus
Chapter 8: Of thieves and hypocrites
Bellatrix could not believe it. Could not believe how she, Bellatrix Black, the best pureblood to walk the halls of Hogwarts since Salazar Slytherin, could end up in
detention. It was only too unfair. So unfair, in fact, that had the headmaster been anyone else, she would have complained. But seeing as the headmaster was Dumbledore (the one person she hated more than McGonagall) she decided to take the punishment with all the grace and poise of a Black. And by grace and poise, she meant throwing her feet up on the desk, leaning back in her chair and sulking while awaiting her teacher's arrival. She did bother to look up as the door opened numerous times and students poured in, sighing loudly at the sight of the hard uncomfortable wooden chairs. One by one, they took their place, the elder students obnoxiously breaking the silence with their pompous remarks of the number of times they had landed detention while the younger cowered silently, wondering what hideous beast their punishment would involve.
At last, as the needle of the clock hanging over the teacher's desk struck seven, the door opened McGonagall came in, resembling all-too-much the nasty owl Bellatrix's aunt Walburga used to own.
Without a word, she settled down at the teacher's desk, folding her hands imperiously on the desk before her and allowed her clear cold eyes to scan the room. As expected, it was the young Black's name that was called first.
"Miss Black school property is not to be used as a footrest."
Bellatrix scowled, swinging her legs off the wooden surface and leaned back in her chair, glaring daggers at McGonagall.
Contented, the witch turned her stern gaze on the others. It was like she was peering deeply into each of their souls, feeding fear and guilt into their hearts like some festering disease that would soon turn their insides into decay…at least that's what she hoped would happen. Bellatrix, on her side, had no intention on succumbing to McGonagall's corrupted ways. If she was forced to write an essay of any kind on how she had been disrespectful to a professor, she would feel compelled walk out.
"Now I assume you are all aware of why you are here. Be conscious that if I find any of you in my detention session once more I will not be as lenient."
Bellatrix could feel the pair of Ravenclaws behind her shudder.
"I want you all to write a fifteen inch easy on-"
The creaking of a door opening behind her brought Bellatrix out of her day dream and forced her to glance over her shoulder in order to witness the student burst into flames under the dangerous gaze of McGonagall. A sickening feeling quickly settled in the pit of her stomach as she caught the sight of the pale frame of an all-too-familiar Slytherin.
"You're late Mr. Lestrange." The teacher sighed as Rabastan came in and hovered tensely at the back of the classroom, eyes searching for a free chair.
"Take a seat…the one next to Miss Black will do just fine."
Bellatrix guessed that she and the Slytherin were sharing matching expressions of horror because snickers soon filled the space as every head strained to catch sight of the enemies.
"Now Mr. Lestrange."
Rabastan was quickly pulled out of his state of shock and turned a pale tint of pink as he made his way to the ebony-haired Gryffindor near the back of the classroom. Bellatrix refused to look at him as he threw himself violently in the old wooden chair and crossed his arms over his scrawny chest.
"As I was saying" McGonagall's bitter voice pierced the stifled laughter, reminding the students of their current situation. "you will write a fifteen inch essay on what you will do to better improve your attitude in the future."
Bellatrix gagged. Could this day get any worse?
"And if you fail to complete your work you can simply finish it next week during the next detention session."
The young witch could barely keep her mouth shut as her professor announced the sudden decline in the Black's hopeful escape idea. Now escaping would be useless if she would be forced to return the next week. She had no doubt that the old hag would make her come week after week until she reached her fifteen inches of false flattery. What made matters worse was that she would have to do it all with Rabastan's arrogant smile and cruel gaze hanging right over her.
"You may start."
By now, she was certain someone had enchanted the clock because there was no way the hand was moving that slowly on its own. The room was gradually emptying as the students completed their papers with time to spare and handed them in, receiving permission to return to their common rooms.
A blank scroll of parchment lay out in plain view before the prodigious Black with nothing but her name elegantly sprawled across the top right corner in black ink. She would never have believed it but it would seem it was actually physically impossible for her to do as McGonagall asked – or ordered.
Beside her, Rabastan was equally unable to complete his essay. Every time he attempted to write sentence, he would catch a mocking smirk on his neighbor's lips and abruptly place his quill back down. As the minutes ticked away, it was becoming increasingly clear that Bellatrix would have to hurry if she hoped to put an end to her detention.
It was twenty minutes to nine when there came a knock on the door and a Gryffindor prefect popped his head inside, eyes wide and panicked.
"What is it?" McGonagall asked, peering over her glasses at the student.
"Sorry to bother you professor but Peeves is causing quite a bit of trouble in the west wing and well…"
The witch let out an exasperated sigh as she rose to her feet and nodded, waving the student on without her. She then looked back at the pair of wide eyes, watching her carefully with a glint of mischief glimmering behind dilated pupils.
"I will be gone for a minute. I expect to see you both in your seats when I return or it will be detention until the end of the month for both of you."
Bellatrix glanced at Rabastan who reflected her action. She hadn't noticed that she and her foe were the only two students left in the classroom and couldn't ignore the increasing feeling of irritation at the thought of being left alone with him. Things hadn't gotten better after the whole "Wood" incident. If anything, they were worse. It was as if Rabastan and Evan were going out of their way to make sure everybody knew how much they disliked the Black, and Bellatrix did not know how much she could put up with. Her patience was running out.
McGonagall was soon enough gone, hurrying to keep Peeves from tying little first years upside down or something similar. The moment the door was shut once more, Rabastan was on his feet, stretching leisurely like a snake coiling out of its damp hole, unrolling its fluid body.
"Don't be stupid." Bellatrix grumbled, fiddling with her quill. "You can't really think that McGonagall won't notice your disappearance if you leave now?"
Rabastan snorted, making his way to the teacher's desk with all the confidence in the world.
"You know Blood Traitor…for Gryffindor I don't think McGonagall likes you very much." He mocked, picking up a roll of parchment and beginning to read another student's work.
"You think?" Bellatrix wrinkled her nose, bending back down over her parchment before adding under her breath: "Not very bright now are you?"
Unfortunately, it would seem that Rabastan made up for his supposed lack of intelligence by use of his sensitive hearing.
"I'm not the one who chose brawn over brain, Gryffindor."
"You Hypocrite." Bellatrix seethed, bringing the feathery tip of her quill to her mouth. She frowned down at the blank parchment.
"Traitor."
"Leech."
"Trash."
She looked up to glare at him. Surprisingly, he wasn't glaring back. He was bent over a particularly long piece of parchment.
"What are you doing?" Bellatrix asked in what she hoped was an authoritative tone.
"This guy's not bad for a Hufflepuff." He said, jabbing the paper with his index finger. "I've got to say I'm surprised he landed himself in detention in the first place…well since he's such a kind, generous Hufflepuff he won't mind me 'borrowing' his paper."
Bellatrix's attention was pricked at this and her back straightened slightly as she carefully evaluated the boy standing at the front of the classroom. He had his wand out now and was muttering a spell under his breath, guiding the wooden tip across the top right corner of the paper.
"Goodbye Gerry Lenard." He muttered, picking up the teacher's quill which had been lying on the desk, right where she had left it. "Hello Rabastan Lestrange." He dipped the pointed tip in a pot of ink and scribbled something down with a contented grin.
Bellatrix was on her feet before she could catch herself, walking purposely across the room, swaying around the empty desks skillfully. She didn't think twice as she came up beside the Lestrange boy, her arm brushing against the warm fabric of his robe as she bent down over the scroll, a cruel smirk spreading across her face as she read the name on the parchment.
Rabastan Lestrange.
His name was on the paper he had so obviously not written. Obvious to her anyways. She doubted McGonagall would guess that this wasn't his. Their hand-writing matched. Bellatrix would rather kiss the Slytherin than admit that his idea was brilliant. She looked up at him, eyes wide and gleaming with malice and offered him the first smile since the sorting.
"Not bad Lestrange."
The smug smile suddenly disappeared as he gave a snort and rolled the parchment up, tucking it proudly under his arm and turning to evaluate her as she began searching through the rolls.
"Couldn't think of it yourself?"
Bellatrix opened her mouth to spit one of her witty replies when she suddenly realized that she didn't have one in mind. Blushing with embarrassment and thoroughly irritated with herself, she quickly jumped on the first topic that came to mind, forgetting who it was she was talking to – anything to cover up her embarrassing lack of retorts.
"What are you doing in detention anyways?"
Rabastan gave a slightly exasperated look, uncertain whether he should ignore her or give her a snide reply. All this talking was giving his mind an awful strain. After a brief overview of the whole situation, he decided it couldn't hurt to give a curt reply. After all it wasn't as if anyone was there to witness their conversation. His reputation wouldn't be tainted in the slightest.
"I got caught in the restricted area." He shrugged.
"Doing?"
Bellatrix was opening roll after roll of parchment, searching for handwriting similar to her own.
"I was looking for a book obviously."
"Well I know that. Honestly Rabastan with brains like that you're an embarrassment to the pureblood name. If you end up marrying one of my sisters you'll never hear the end of it."
The Slytherin didn't know whether to laugh or sneer. Sometimes, quite rarely really, he found himself liking the girl's companionship. She was sharp and witty. Of course he would never admit this to anyone. She wasn't part of the people that was considered 'socially acceptable' to talk to at Hogwarts. Anyway, most of the time she was proud and thought she knew everything about everything. Not quite unlike himself, but that was a detail he hoped to overlook. It was a shame for her family though. Although not the kindest of people, Cygnus and Druella Black had always liked him and his brother. He only hoped that the two younger daughters made up for their sisters faults by making it into Slytherin without trouble. It was too late for Bellatrix of course. No matter how hard she tried, things like this weren't soon forgotten in a pureblood society.
"I'm the embarrassment? Honestly Bella I think you've forgotten you're current situation."
A brief awkward silence swiftly settled down on the room, emphasizing the words he had just spoken. Bella…Nobody called her that anymore. Judging by the faint tinge of pink on her cheeks, she was all too aware of it. Rabastan cleared his throat uncomfortably before continuing.
"I was looking for an Occlumency book if you must know." He sniffed, rolling his eyes as Bellatrix got hold of an excellently written paper and held it to the light, scrutinizing the writing.
"Occlumency? Why on earth would you want to learn that?" She questioned, pulling out her wand and tapping the name sprawled out on the parchment. Muttering a spell, the ink seemed to evaporate, leaving no trace whatsoever of the name of the girl who had just lost her work.
"It's a great art." Rabastan explained, watching as she dipped the quill in the ink and then wrote her name out with exaggerated elegance on the parchment, smiling satisfactorily. "All the great wizards learn it. So, that nobody can penetrate their minds."
Bellatrix laughed.
"Why would you have to learn that? I seriously doubt anyone would go through so much trouble to find out what you're thinking of."
Rabastan shot her a warning glance before heading back to his seat, having decided that they had pushed their luck to its limit. McGonagall might return at any moment and he really didn't want to be left with Bellatrix in detention for the rest of the month.
The witch followed, scanning "her" essay thoroughly for anything that might give her away. When she was finished, she turned to read her partner's parchment over his shoulder.
Just as Rabastan was about to tell his neighbor to mind her own business, the door knob turned and the door was pushed open, revealing a frazzled looking McGonagall. She walked to her desk, fuming. Strands of hair were falling out of her tight bun and her hat was sitting a little crooked on her head. The students could have sworn they heard her mutter something about Peeves and toilets under her breath as she gained composure. When finally she spun around and confronted the two last punished students, she found them silently bent over their parchments, carefully rereading their work.
xxxxx
"Finally…" Bellatrix sighed as soon as the door closed behind them and they set down the hallways, purposely walking towards the staircase that would lead them to their common rooms. "I thought she'd never let us leave. The stupid old banshee…"
Unexpectedly, Rabastan sneered at her.
"Who do you think you are blood traitor? Talking to me as if you were worthy?"
Bellatrix glanced at him, a frown settling down upon her brow.
"You can't be serious!" she exclaimed, sounding almost weary.
She was taking it surprisingly well. Usually, she would turn red with anger or simply send an irate glare at him but this time; she seemed composed, as if she had been expecting it and was only slightly disappointed that her expectation came true.
"Are you and Evan always going to be like this?" She sighed, running a hand through her tangled ebony hair.
"Like what?" Rabastan relied on a heavy coating of arrogance to cover up his unease.
"Like hypocrites."
He stared at her, silently warning her of pains she would soon endure if she went on speaking to him in that tone. Her answer was a simple shrug.
"No matter, I kind of expected it anyway." She murmured, as they finally reached the staircase, indicating the separation in their ways. One would be going down to the dimly lit dungeons of the castle while the other returned to the lion's den.
"Oh, and Lestrange?" She called out to him as she stopped on the first step.
"What?" He hissed, yearning to find the comfort that his common room provided.
"I'd re-read my essays thoroughly before handing them in if I were you. Gerry Lenard is rather proud of being a Hufflepuff. He mentions it quite a few times in his work."