Concurrent Existences

Chapter 13: Painful Reintegration

It lurks deep down.

Its might feared by most.

Its visage horrible to behold.

What is it?

Hermione freely getting reacquainted with her body was going to leave her sore as hell tomorrow. She was giving the brunette way too much leeway, but she would have her revenge.

Bellatrix Black always had her revenge.

For now though, it seemed as if Hermione wasn't leaving any place untouched.

Fuck!

The morning sucked. Bellatrix groaned. All her parts were aching and sore. Hermione had a field day with her body, nothing was left untouched.

Nothing.

Ugh. Instead of trying to get up, the dark witch just snuggled up to the brunette to try and get more sleep.

They had actually already began to stay in Hermione's room which was already safe to stay at since the past Hermione was gone. It was nice staying in a comfy bed again.

The dark witch still needed to be hidden, but everything should soon smoothen out after the talk with McGonagall.

If I could bloody move.

Their back story was still spotty at best, but they would make do.

It was actually surprising that all Hermione wanted to do was repeat and finish her seventh year at Hogwarts. It was somewhat charming though. It's like they were meeting again all those years in the past, but this time it would be different.

They would be together.

They would control their lives.

It would have been perfect if not for her age being so young.

Bellatrix vowed she'd destroy and eliminate any that tried to hurt Hermione. No one would take her happiness again. It almost felt like she was under compulsion spells again with how strongly she felt.

At least they would be able to have all their misadventures together this time.

It would be really sad to be whoever that would be going against them.

The world against two witches? That sounds nice.

I'm still going to hex Potter at least once.

Hermione finally woke up to see Bella stretch her arm trying to recover the armlet to most likely try to heal herself. The dark witch was never really good at wandless recovery spells.

"Bella, stop."

"Sod off! You'll be saying 'Bella, stop!', next time I stick a spell in your arse!" Looks like the dark witch was aching all over. This would actually play well into the current plan.

There was no way the brunette could just randomly bring Bellatrix to McGonagall, the odds of them meeting randomly would be astronomical or in other words impossible. Bellatrix would need to come to Hogwarts by herself.

The records for the dark witch were already created. Soon she would just have to apparate towards the Ministry to plant the new records. Since the Ministry wards would not be able to detect her, it would be no problem to get in and out quickly. It was also easy enough since the brunette memorized the whole layout of the Ministry.

"It would be better to appear slightly injured. The story would go better. There will be a lot of scrutiny, but there isn't much anyone can verify. Your blood will only confirm that you are a Black. The only thing that can actually implicate us is if someone gets into either of our minds, but our Legilimency and Occlumency are top tier, I doubt there'd be a problem. You wouldn't have a trace from the Ministry either since you were hidden right after you were born." Hermione had a check list and so far there wasn't a problem. No one would truly be that overzealous to look into backgrounds. If there were, then they could be the ones to face an angry Bellatrix.

Bellatrix glared and pinched a nipple. Hermione couldn't help but yelp out loud.

"You're stupid! Fine! I'll bloody limp to this shite of a castle!" Hermione finally let the dark witch grab the armlet.

It was highly amusing how Bellatrix was indeed acting her body's age. Maybe fifteen was an appropriate age?

Classes would resume soon. This would be an interesting year.

Then she remembered something really bad.

Oh, I'll have nothing to read in this whole castle!

Shite!

Bellatrix knew there was no other way to truly introduce herself. I mean a child of Bellatrix and Sirius? Hermione was right after all, they needed to play the pity card for a while.

It was a blessing she was a natural actress. Well, naturally, she was good at everything.

After dressing up and preparing, Bellatrix apparated towards the dark forest, just so she could walk through it and get even more worn and dirty.

The limping though.

Thorough fucking revenge.

The bloody castle finally came into view. Merlin, she really wanted to cast a Bombarda or any other spell that could obliterate Hogwarts from the sky. She would remind herself to start creating her own spells again, one that would obliterate entire castles in one shot.

She wouldn't blow anything up yet though. Not yet. She would play by Hermione's plan. Someone else would start the fire and she would be there to make it larger and throw it back.

Bellatrix was sure the brunette was still in some transitory phase. Don't make a mistake, the dark witch loved her witch no matter what, but pushing Hermione towards the slightly dark side a bit more wouldn't be so bad.

Being bad is always more fun.

Bellatrix had her wand this time. They didn't want anyone to know about their trumps yet. It was time to start the farce. The dark witch apparated using the wand.

"Somno."The sleep spell was cast through her armlet while the disapparate by her wand if ever they checked her wand for the last spell cast.

Least these aches will go away.

And the dark witch fell into slumber.

Minerva was at her wits end. Barely a month ago, her star pupil had almost been incarcerated from some rubbish that still hasn't been cleared with her yet.

All the elder witch knew was that it was Ronald Weasley that instigated the problem. As always.

"Well, it's either Potter or Weasley dragging Hermione into scuffles." She shook her head while heading to the infirmary.

There was also the amount of lies that Rita was spouting off. Minerva didn't even know how she had burned the newspaper when she had read it. It wasn't often that she lost her temper.

Her star pupil had also been acting a bit weird after the whole fiasco, a bit withdrawn? Well, more withdrawn than usual as if something or someone has been occupying her time.

Now was not the time for such thoughts since Poppy had her called to the infirmary post haste. Minerva hoped that no one got seriously injured from something. There wasn't supposed to be any debris left after the near complete restoration of Hogwarts.

Minerva entered the infirmary and immediately saw Poppy and Hermione by one of the beds. Apparently, someone did get injured.

I'm going to get another reprimand from the Ministry if this is from debris!

As the elder witch got closer, she got a clear look at the unconscious girl. Raven black hair, flawless skin, beautiful face, but the most important thing is she didn't know who the child was. There was something eerily familiar though.

"Poppy, Miss Granger." She nodded towards both of them. "Who is this and what happened?" It was on the tip of her tongue. She knew this girl from somewhere.

Poppy looked up towards the head mistress. "Miss Granger here found this girl collapsed right outside the Forbidden Forest. Her injuries are from running through it and possibly some encounter with the creatures there if we take a gander at her bruises. I haven't taken an in depth account of all her injuries though."

Hermione coughed.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Her student was trying to put down a blush? Teenagers.

"Nothing, ma'am. I just found her collapsed and immediately brought her here to Poppy's attention." Hermione wasn't trying to make eye contact with her either. It seemed that her pupil was still bad at lying to people she was close with.

All three continued to converse for a couple of minutes until the raven haired girl began to stir.

Piercing dark irises immediately came in contact with her own. The intensity of the gaze sent shivers through her spine and now she knew who the girl reminded her of. Only one other girl her age had given her the exact same piercing stare.

It was impossible though.

She never had any children.

"Morgana, what in bloody hell hit me." It looked like the girl even had the same potty mouth. A quick glance at Poppy revealed that she noticed it as well.

"Miss Granger here found you outside of the Forbidden Forest injured. The last spell you cast was an apparate, who are you and why have you come to Hogwarts?" Minerva needed to know who the girl was before she could help. A lot of other questions would need to be asked to, but they could wait.

"Isabella Crescent or Isabella Black. It's a long story. And who are you?" The girl deadpanned towards the elder witch. If Minerva wasn't shocked at hearing the second last name she could have chastised the girl for disrespect.

Minerva quickly introduced herself as well as Hermione and Poppy, but quickly went back into questioning the girl.

"Crescent? Weren't the Crescents the pureblood family that declared neutrality during the first war? And what did you mean by Black? I'm quite sure the Blacks have no other progeny that the world doesn't know about. The girl had an uncanny similarity to a dark witch, but for it to actually be true? But that was impossible.

"Well, there's a lot of shite going on that the world still doesn't know about. Really big shite."

"Language, Miss Crescent! And, explain. We have all day." Minerva was getting to the bottom of this.

The headmistress thought her stressful days were over.

It appears not.

And it is time to spew some bullshite.

Bellatrix took a deep breath, just so the others could believe that she was nervous or something like that. The dark witch had to hold in a giggle though, their back story made was so stupid that it actually made sense.

"It all started around a year ago, two months before the end of the second Wizarding War, that's where I heard everything. How my whole life was a hidden lie." Dramatic pause. Oh Merlin, she knew she could become an actress. Poppy and the hag looked so attentive since they heard 'Black', for good reason.

"I was raised by Cecile Crescent and Seyram Crescent. Ever since I can remember, I've been isolated from the outside world. They told me it was to preserve our blood purity, I never went against it since it was what I grew up with." Bellatrix paused to look a bit solemn. The two elder witches looked like their hearts were starting to crumble. Luckily, Hermione was behind them or they would've seen a thumbs up sign indicating she was doing good.

Loser.

"Two months before the end of the Wizarding War is when everything changed. The Dark Lord found out about my existence..."

"And realized my origins, which I overheard." Both elder witches would probably be at the edge of their seats with the amount of drama the dark witch was releasing.

Bellatrix really loved complicating lives.

"Even though I was kept from society, I still know the recent happenings from the newspaper as well as the pureblood teachings of my family. When the Dark lord visited our manor, I was immediately shot with a Petrificus Totalus. I still have no idea how the Dark Lord knew, but he said that he knew who my real father and mother were." Priceless. Bellatrix wondered how the mass people and the others would take this load of horseshit.

"The Dark Lord said my real mother was Bellatrix Black and my father was Sirius Black."

Silence.

Of course it would be silence. What the hell could anyone say when someone just said Sirius Black and Bellatrix Black had sex and a baby. Bellatrix would've probably Avada'd whoever spouted that bollocks.

"That's impossible. No. Bellatrix hated Sirius even when they were in Hogwarts. Both of them absolutely detested each other, but your saying your parents were them? Cousins that hated each other?" The hag was going to blow a gasket soon. Bellatrix really wanted to end this shite. Her lady bits were still aching.

"That is what the Dark Lord said. Apparently, I was taken from Bellatrix during her term in Azkaban in secret and raised. The Dark Lord, after he reincarnated found out about my existence and wanted to make me his disciple just as he made Bellatrix his disciple. He wanted to make a new generation of dark wizards and I would've been the first." Even though it was all a lie, it actually made sense. The dark Lord would have wanted a progeny or protégé to teach. Wouldn't he have wanted one from his greatest lieutenant?

"I was stuck in Petrificus Totalus for over a year since it was actually cast. I think the Dark Lord may have added some type of coma inducing spell since I was barely coherent and did not need sustenance during my tenure." Bellatrix was glad they need to make more bullshit around Sirius and her, they could just blame it all on the Dark Lord.

I really need to stop with calling Tom bloody Riddle the Dark Lord.

"This is all grave news, Miss Crescent. How were you freed? And why come here instead of the Ministry?" Easy questions!

"The Dark Lord left some caretakers at Crescent Manor to make sure his investment would be safe. He had said he wanted to end the war then fully concentrate on raising a general for his reborn army. The Dark Lord lost the war though and I've been stuck in a semi-coma state until Death Eater remnants went for my home." Another dramatic pause to try and make a lonesome atmosphere. A tear would've helped, but she couldn't squeeze one out.

"I recognized them as they entered the room I was in. Some wanted to have fun after discovering one of the hidden bases of their Lord. They might have thought I was a toy or something for the Lords pleasure." Something akin to hatred burned into her eyes as she imagined that it was actually possible for that to happen to some young girl out there.

"Too bad they released the Petrificus Totalus to have a more lively prey. My wand was never removed from my body so I quickly shot a Reducto to distract them and quickly apparated to Hogwarts where I've heard the victors of the second Wizarding War resided." Their back story was actually pretty good when no one could actually verify it.

A few more Inane questions and Bellatrix had had enough. Her body still ached from Hermione last night and wanted more sleep.

Minerva nodded and told Hermione to keep watch over the young witchling and that they would speak more tomorrow.

Hag called me a witchling!

Oh yeah, Bellatrix was having a field day when she got enrolled again.

Gryffindors, watch out for your bloody arses.

Bellatrix Black is fucking back.

... Isabella Crescent Black.

That will take a bit to get used to.

A little while after the two witches were released from McGonagall's interrogation, they proceeded to walk around outside Hogwarts. The healing magic and salve Bella took from Poppy had made the witch feel good enough to walk around for a bit. The castle was starting to get quite stifling.

The duo eventually ended up by Black Lake where both witches first met. The sun was up since it was still the afternoon, so both still had time to wander.

"So, think the hag bought it?"

Hermione sighed at the way Bella always called the Headmistress, but decided not to comment on it. "She must have. The shock value helped a lot since that interrogation was barely anything. We'll let her deal with the Ministry first since you're still traumatized by the incident." Bellatrix laughed.

"Are we really just going to spend our seventh year in class?" Bellatrix already knew the answer, but it never hurt to check.

"Yes, I want to at least have a year in Hogwarts where something or someone doesn't want to kill me." Hermione was too late to retract her words.

"I'm sorry." Bellatrix had an uncertain look about her, one that did not suit her at all, one that Hermione never wanted to see on the dark witch's face. She had to be a bit careful since most of what she dealt with a year ago, Bellatrix had just dealt with weeks ago.

"Bella, you know that's not what I meant."

"It's still there right?"

"Is what?" Hermione tilted her head looking at Bellatrix while they were by the water of Black Lake.

"You know what I'm talking about. The scar."

Hermione's right hand immediately went towards the scar on her left arm. She had actually nearly forgotten the existing scar, since she always had it covered up. Even after being in a time limbo for fifteen years, there wasn't a way she could heal the scar on her own. The only way to actually make it heal was to retrieve the cursed dagger that inflicted the wound or have the person who inflicted it reverse it.

"It doesn't bother me-"

"It bothers me!" Bellatrix still couldn't keep it out of her mind. Even with all the old memory dampeners that Hermione had placed, she could still relive the moment it happened.

The question, "Why her?", kept circling around her head. She could always have chosen Potter, the weasel or even the dreamy eyed blonde girl, but she took the brunette witch. Her old memories were somewhat muddled due to the dampeners, the old compulsion charms and all sorts of other rubbish, but it was clear that she wanted to mark Hermione someway.

"I'll need to retrieve the dagger from wherever Potter put the blasted thing. I'll need to undo the cursed wound."

Hermione swore she could see Bellatrix slightly tear up, but didn't mention it. "Bella-" She was cut off as Bellatrix stopped walking while shaking her head. The dark witch faced the brunette, Bellatrix had her back to Black Lake's waters.

Bellatrix quickly moved Hermione's sleeve up and placed her hand upon the wound. Hermione could feel the dark witch's magic flow into her skin, into the scar.

"I can't remove it yet, but I can change it." Bellatrix slowly removed her palm to reveal the change.

All the letters spelling out mudblood were all gone. All the scarring had instead grouped up together to form a shape.

"Your Patronus." Hermione smiled. Instead of concealing the demeaning scar, it looked like it could even pass off as some kind of tattoo that she could show off. The shape was that of a raven with both wings opened. Well, she would probably still conceal it since questions might be asked, but the degrading scar wasn't something to be ashamed off anymore.

Bellatrix smiled.

...Until she was pulled by the collar into the water.

Bellatrix immediately popped out of the water with a war cry.

"The fucking squid is still alive!" Bellatrix began throwing out fireballs into the water. "I'll roast you alive! Blasted squid!"

Hermione spotted a waving tentacle to the far right of where Bellatrix was sending all her fireballs. Hermione smiled at the only other who remembered the past, Tenty.

The waving tentacle quickly disappeared under water before Bellatrix could see it, but the message was clear to the brunette.

Welcome home.

Somno - Sleep

Petrificus Totalus - Petrifying spell that keeps you conscious-ish.

AN: Hey everyone! Thank you for the support and the ideas! (Especially those who pm'd me back and forth brainstorming!)

Question though, does everyone think I'm moving too slow with the plot? Or is the movement fine along with the characterization? (I just write what comes to mind most of the time, then re-read and add more stuff.)

Well, looks like McGonagall somewhat buys the story, since there isn't anyone who can really contest the story anyway. The Ministry might be a bit harder to convince, but who knows? The Ministry is busy being a failure after all.

Isabella Crescent Black. Hope it doesn't sound so bad. The Crescent family was really just made up. The Crescent's was pretty much just one of the several dozens of pureblood families that abstained or stayed neutral during the war. The whole story Hermione and Bellatrix made up was an absolute lie, but Voldy's dead, Crescents are dead and no one can verify jack. (Bella might just go to the residence to set it on fire to further erase everything.)

Oh, and Tenty's still alive! I kind of failed at rhyming stuff to make a poem, so that intro thing was just describing Tenty.

All questions, comments, suggestions or corrections are all appreciated! (Reading them is pretty awesome.)