"Dragons, I heard."
Bella waved a hand and shushed Tracey, straining to hear Malfoy from her seat perched next to the fire in the common room.
"Father said that's the first task of the three. It's a shame, really, that they're only accepting wizards of age. I could have won it all."
Bella sent a furtive glance over her shoulder, seeing Malfoy preaching to the fourth year Slytherin boys seated on couches next to the window that observed the Black Lake.
Malfoy leaned his head between the boys, now whispering. Bella could only just make it out. "Something will happen this year, I can feel it. Father is on edge— and I've come to know that only means one thing."
"Bella," Daphne said, in a sing-song. "Earth to Bella."
"Hmm?" Bella mumbled distractedly.
"What the hell came over you?"
Bella sighed, turning to face the group of girls surrounding her on their table. All four were staring at her pointedly. It was rare to have all the fourth year Slytherin girls on a table sitting together, one she realised would likely never happen again— but this was a special circumstance.
"And then White went and did that," Malfoy whispered giddily. Bella straightened in her seat.
"There's no way she actually did it. How reliable is Pansy anyway?" Nott replied.
"Not reliable at all, but I'm inclined to believe her this time— something about the way she said it. How much do we really know about White?"
Bella could feel eyes burning in the back of her skull. The girl's, on the other side of the table, were obviously not privy to the conversation, solely focusing on her.
Their conversation was becoming louder now, from whispers to quiet conversation, almost as if they were daring her to respond. "A transfer student, who claims she's self-taught?" Malfoy questioned. "It's fishy."
"It's illegal. Dumbledore would have sent her before Wizengamot had it really happened," the silky voice of Zabini added to the conversation.
Malfoy laughed quietly. "That's where you're wrong, Zabini. It's illegal to cast on another person— but unforgivables aren't illegal to cast. Think about it… you're charged by a beast and cast the killing curse— nothing wrong with that, is there?"
"Sure, but the cruciatus curse, Malfoy?" asked Nott. What real world scenario would you have to use that— or the imperius curse?"
"Doesn't matter, Nott. Fact is it's not illegal to cast, whatever age you so happen to be, as long as it's not against another person. Also, it was within a training environment— you heard that delusional Auror goading us to cast it." There was a pause, and Bella was sure every eye was on her in the common room. "She'll be useful, that White. One for the cause."
Bella focused her attention back to the Slytherin girls. "What are you talking about, Daphne?"
Pansy scoffed. "Don't dare deny it, Bella. I saw you. Millie saw you!" Pansy turned to Millicent, elbowing her in the ribs roughly. Millicent didn't flinch.
"Yes… we saw you." Millicent said, though her face looked dishonest.
"Is it true, Bella?" Tracey asked, her face blank.
Bella shook her head. "No, it's not."
Pansy leaned back in her seat, throwing her head back and laughing mockingly. "Why deny it, anyway?"
"Because I didn't do it!" Bella replied angrily.
"It's okay, Bella," Pansy's eyes turned distant, looking over Bella's shoulder. "Draco thinks it was impressive… I only wish I tried it."
"Malfoy this… Malfoy that. When will you learn, Pansy?" Tracey asked, shaking her head. "He's using you."
"He's not!"
Daphne sent a sad look over at Pansy. "He is; you're too brainwashed to realise."
"Draco will be the one laughing when the Dark Lord returns to liberate the Wizarding world." Pansy pointed her thumb at her chest. "And I'll be by his side."
"Millie?" Tracey asked, sending her a pleading look.
Millicent shrugged.
Pansy laid a protective arm in front of Millicent, as if her tiny arm in front of the bulky girl served as a barrier from further onslaught. "It won't be long, girls. You better be on the right side of the future."
Daphne and Tracey shook their heads. Even Bella shook her head, turning to stare vacantly at the hearth of the fireplace.
Pansy was brainwashed, the same way Bella had been. Seeing it now, from a point of view other than her own, the similarities were obvious.
"I don't have to hear this." Pansy stood, pulling Millicent up by her elbow. "We're leaving."
"So," Tracey said, eyes following the departing duo before focusing on Bella. "Now that she's gone, tell us everything."
Not even a week here and Bella lost her temper. Lay low, gain allies, solicit information from the boy who lived about the Dark Lord's rise from the dead quietly— now thrown out the window. Bella suddenly felt queasy.
"Did you really… you know…"
Daphne raised an arm, shushing Tracey. "It's okay; you don't need to tell us if you're uncomfortable."
Bile suddenly rose in her throat. She swallowed uncomfortably but the feeling lingered.
"Bella," Daphne questioned, rubbing her hand soothingly on Bella's arm. "Are you okay?"
Everything had been cast down the drain.
"Take your seats!" barked Moody, making the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs jump outside the classroom.
The line eventually filed in, students taking up the empty seats in the Defence classroom. Moody paced between the lines of the desks, then the rows, his one good eye scanning the students before him, his magical eye turning back into his head, only showing white.
Moody stalked to the front of the classroom, stopping at the blank blackboard. His uneven gait on his wooden leg was almost laughable, if Bella hadn't been on edge about being in the presence of an ex-auror she had fought against more times than she'd like to count. He grabbed a stick of chalk roughly and started to write his name. The chalk screeched under the pressure.
"Professor Alastor Moody. Professor Moody for short. New Defence Professor at this fine institution. Malfoy!" Malfoy jumped next to Bella, hastily scrunching a note he nearly passed to Pansy on his left. "You can write a love letter in your own time, boy. I expect full attention in my classes, or get out!"
"He's barking— barking mad!" Malfoy whispered under his breath furiously. "Does he have eyes on the back of his head?"
Moody, with speed that should have been impossible with his wooden leg, launched to his desk and grabbed an inkwell, then hurled it at Malfoy. Malfoy ducked, the inkwell shattering in a thousand pieces of glass and ink splatter on the wall behind him. Malfoy grabbed the desk with both hands, shaking.
"I'm not deaf either, boy!"
"M-my father—"
"Your father would know a lot about the lesson I'm going to teach you today, boy! An intimate knowledge he has, let me tell you!"
Moody turned to the blackboard, dictating his hastily scrawled words. "The unforgivable curses." He threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing off the walls. "Oh yes. An intimate, intimate knowledge— or does he?"
Bella's fiddled with the barbules of her quill. The ex-auror had gone barking mad. It was starting to make her nervous.
"I've been approved to teach them to you— Dumbledore himself agreed. Anyone have a problem with that?" His one good eye stared at Malfoy daringly. The magical eye zipped between the students, eventually landing on Bella. She shifted uncomfortably and the eye followed her barely discernible movements.
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody screamed. Even Bella jumped. "Use of these curses on another person is a one way ticket to Azkaban. Now, you'll see it first hand. You might even try it, if you're game. Approved by the Headmaster himself. He obviously knew no one would be game enough to cast it.
"Name a curse… you!" he said, pointing at a brown haired Hufflepuff girl.
"Megan!" she shouted. "The— the imperius curse."
"Yes, yes. The imperius curse." He turned to the blackboard, writing it out. "A nasty one, let me tell you." He turned to the class, his eyes finding Malfoy once again. Bella swore she heard Malfoy squeak. "Would crumble the will of anyone in this room. Make you do anything I want you to do.
"Death eaters claimed to have been put under the curse to follow the Dark Lord's bidding during the last wizarding war— ALL RUBBISH!" His eyes scanned the students, and Bella could almost make out who his eyes passed over by their uncomfortable shifts in their seats. "Now Death eater's roam the streets, roam these halls— FREE OF PUNISHMENT!
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"
Moody returned to the front of the class, letting out a pained groan as he sat at his desk. "You, boy. What's next?"
"The cruciatus curse, Professor," said Blaise, confidently.
"Another nasty one. Said to feel like a thousand needles constantly piercing your skin— or so I've heard." He raised his wand, the curse writing itself magically on the blackboard.
"You, girl." It took a moment for Bella to realise that Moody was in fact pointing at her. "What's next?"
Bella let out a breath of air, calming herself before answering. "The killing curse, Professor."
"'The killing curse, Professor,'" he copied in a whiny imitation of her own voice. "Quite confident with that one, aren't you?"
Bella balled her fists under the table, answering through gritted teeth. "I was answering your question, Professor."
Moody suddenly stood, his chair groaning and clattering behind him. Bella's wand was out instinctively, pointing threateningly at the Professor. She could feel Tracey beside her tugging her arm to sit.
"Oh… ho ho…." he laughed mockingly. "We have a fighter here, ladies and gentlemen. And who might you be?"
"White," Bella said, through gritted teeth.
"Well White, you've named the curse, care to try it?" Moody asked, spreading his arms out.
Bella allowed Tracey to pull her down into her seat. She angrily pocketed her wand, glaring at the Hufflepuff students who were still staring at her. "I wouldn't want to cause an accident, Professor."
Moody grinned, pacing the front of the room again. "The fact is that none of you would have the balls to cast this curse, let alone the intent." He coughed, the smirk suddenly vanishing off his face. "Which is good— good, I suppose."
Moody banished a table sized cloth that was draped over a pile on his desk. Underneath it was several glass jars, which housed palm sized spiders. They looked unnatural, their two front legs extended into longer length pincers and their skin looked to have a rough exoskeleton. He picked up a single jar, opening the lid and upending it, letting the spider tumble out and onto the desk in front of him. It was curled into a ball, almost as if in fear. Moody stared at it manically.
"We have Slytherin's in this class and not one of you would try to cast it. All talk, I say." His eyes scanned the room, mostly on the Slytherin students who were sitting at the back of the class, then finally rested on Bella. "Just as I expected— pathetic."
Moody turned and jabbed his wand towards the spider. "Imperio!"
The long eight legs of the spider suddenly unfurled and it looked up at him obediently. He levitated the spider to a nearby open windowsill. It rocked back on its four hind legs, preparing, then jumped out the window and to its death. Gasps echoed around the classroom.
"As I said, a particularly nasty curse, one that's nearly unbeatable. Only the strongest willed witches and wizards dare defy it. When cast from the Dark Lord—" his eyes found Malfoy's; "unbeatable."
The next spider tumbled out onto Moody's open hand. Moody hobbled over to Bella's desk and placed it on her textbook. Bella could see the spider in her peripheral vision backing slowly towards her, away from Moody.
"Crucio!"
It must have gone for a minute, by the time the spider had eventually stopped struggling and laid down peacefully, nerves still twitching from the curse. Bella didn't dare lower her eyes, staring back at Moody defiantly. Cries were echoing around the classroom, but Bella had tuned everything out.
Moody pulled his wand back, letting it rest by his side. His eyes never left Bella's. They were wide and manic. It was a look Bella was familiar with— one that enjoyed pain and suffering. "It's struggling, White. Are you going to put it out of its misery and finish it off?"
Tracey's hand grabbed her right arm under the table, almost as if she was scared she'd actually cast it. Bella gritted her teeth, her face red in anger, but didn't reply. She tipped the spider off her textbook with her left hand and slammed it onto the spider, squashing it on the desk with a loud crunch— the sound reverberated through the classroom, making the students close to her wince. Bella could feel Tracey shudder.
Moody grinned. He turned around, but Bella was sure his magical eye had whirled around to face her. "Get out your textbooks."
The rest of the class was note taking. Moody called out at the end of the class next lesson he would be casting the imperius curse on them and to prepare. He laughed mockingly at Malfoy as he passed him on his way out of the classroom.
"White!" Moody yelled, making her stop dead in her tracks. "Stay back."
Bella looked at Daphne and Tracey, who turned and looked back at her worriedly. She raised her arms and shooed them out, assuring them she'd be fine.
"You're that transfer student, aren't you?" Moody said, groaning again as he sat on his chair. "The one Dumbledore was telling me about— self taught."
"Yes, Professor."
"Bella…" he said. "Bella White."
"Yes, Professor."
"You've seen pain and suffering before, haven't you, girl?" He leaned forward in his chair, opening a jar and placing a spider before them on his desk. "It's your eyes. They're wide and innocent, but I can tell. You've seen it all."
"I haven't a clue what you're talking about, Professor."
"Rubbish! Don't lie to me, girl!"
Bella remained silent, instead turning her attention to the spider. It turned towards Moody, backing away, then turned towards Bella, did a double take, then started backing away from her in apparent fear.
"No one's here, girl. You know you want to."
Bella raised her wand, suddenly in a trance. Her body was tingling, her mind fuzzy. She could feel her magic soar through her arm, making it tingle all over, eventually settling at the base of her navel. It made her knees weak. Her heart was pounding in her ears. The spider cowered.
"Do it!"
"Crucio!"
The spider continued backing away, the curse ineffective. Bella pulled her wand back in shock. She picked up her textbook and started for the door.
"That's all you've got, White?" Moody called out mockingly. "Maybe I was right about you. You are pathetic!"
Bella was almost at the door when he called out again. "Running away?"
Bella spun, raising her wand threateningly in Moody's direction. He didn't flinch.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Green bathed the classroom, smothering the sunlights rays. The shadows from the desks moved with the bolt of green as it eventually hit the spider, flipping it on its back where it curled into a ball in front of Moody, lifeless.
Bella walked right into Pansy outside the doorway. Her eyes were wide with fear. Moody's mocking laugh followed her out of the classroom as she pushed past her, twisting and turning to dodge students as they boldly eyed the tears that traitorously lined her face. At the bottom floor of the annex, away from prying eyes, she found a bench and collapsed. Bella bowed her head between her knees and grasped at her hair, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Bella?"
Someone sat next to her. A hand rubbed soothingly on her lower back.
"W-what's wrong?"
"Go away!" Bella shrieked.
"W-what happened?"
"Go away, Neville!"
"No," he said firmly. "Not 'till you tell me w-what's g-going on."
He rubbed her back until her sobs disappeared. Bella wiped her eyes and nose with her sleeve. "It's all ruined," she whispered.
"What's all ruined?"
Bella's head snapped up at her mistake. She caught his eyes. They were dark green, worried and searching for unneeded forgiveness. They were his mother's.
"I'm sorry, Neville," Bella whispered, bowing her head.
"W-what for?"
"I'm sorry."
Bella looked down, hoping Tracey and Daphne didn't notice her hand raise and wipe at her eyes. Bella blamed it on the new body— it wasn't her!
But deep down, Bella knew. This was her. She had lived through this— mind in turmoil, every emotion threatening a collapse— sudden rash decisions caused by anger— Bella was reliving her early teenage years.
Not much scared Bella. But this… This was scary.
"Did you do it?" Tracey questioned firmly.
"Tracey!" scolded Daphne.
"No… you know what, Daphne?" Tracey said, her voice now laced with anger. "In case you didn't realise, we're all you've got."
It was true. Eyes followed her as she walked the halls. Whispers echoed, imperceptible to Bella's ears. Secrets were not kept long at Hogwarts.
Tracey stood. Daphne sent a look at Bella, then rose to her feet. "Good luck being a girl by yourself in Slytherin. You'll need it," Tracey said, pushing her seat in.
"Wait."
Tracey's arm shot out and dragged the chair back in earnest. She nearly stumbled as she sat back onto the chair. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. "God, I was just kidding, you know?" Bella giggled at her antics, her full throat making it sound more emotional than Bella would have liked. Daphne eventually joined in. "Best friends forever!"
It was nice to finally get a secret off her chest. They were starting to pile so high in her mind one more would definitely cause her to sway and collapse. It was dangerous, Bella knew, as she whispered the early events of the day to the pair, their eyes getting wider by each passing second. But they wouldn't tell… they were her friends. It's not like anyone would believe them, anyway. The defence of 'Pansy saw it' was enough to make anyone question the truth of the statement.
"I can't believe it," Tracey whispered in astonishment.
"Nor can I," Daphne whispered, mirroring her sentiments.
"Don't tell anyone, okay?"
"We won't," Daphne and Tracey said in unison.
"Don't you like, really need to want something dead, or tortured, or… want to control someone to cast unforgivables?" Tracey asked inquisitively. "Don't you need intent?"
"I suppose," Bella said, cautiously. "I'm not an… expert on the theory."
"So you really don't like spiders?" Daphne asked, her face completely serious.
Bella could see a ghost of a smile start to form on Daphne's lips in the resounding silence, but Bella didn't grin with her. "It depends on the situation. You could be so angry at someone, or something, that you cast a curse on someone, or something, completely unrelated, and it just…"
"But… why?" Daphne asked when Bella trailed off.
"Moody said something…" Bella said, trailing off. "He said something that I didn't like."
"What could he have possibly said, Bella?" Daphne asked, hesitantly. "Enough for you to…"
"It wasn't Moody," Bella whispered. The tears were threatening to fall again, so Bella looked down to her lap. "He just said something… it reminded me of something from my… past."
"Aren't you worried about Dumbledore, or like, the other students blabbing?" Tracey asked.
"Please!" Daphne said, loudly, drawing more than a few looks from other students nestled throughout the common room, Bella included. She brought her head down, realising her mistake and lowering her voice. "Pansy saw it. And so what if the other students talk?" Daphne said consolingly. "That's one rumour that will spread, knowing Pansy, but who would honestly believe it?"
"But Dumbledore—"
"Dumbledore won't say a word," Daphne said, cutting off Tracey. "Hogwarts is already under fire, especially after last year. Imagine the headline." Daphne leaned back, gesturing out with her hands. "'Dumbledore hires an ex-Auror to teach students unforgivables.'"
Bella knew Daphne and Tracey's conversation was largely based on opinion, and not fact. They didn't know what would happen, Bella didn't know what would happen, but their distraction did console her, enough for her queasy tummy and spinning head to eventually settle. It was done— Bella would deal with the consequences tomorrow.
Everyone from the common room had left, the girls eventually following and retiring to their shared dormitory.
"Will you ever tell us about your past, Bella?" Bella heard Tracey ask from her bed.
"Maybe one day," Bella lied.
"Mysterious, badass Bella," Tracey said, laughing. Bella couldn't help a smile as Daphne joined in. "With one… no— two secrets."
"Two?" Bella mumbled sleepily. She unconsciously fiddled with her wand that was stashed under her pillow, alleviating some of her nervousness.
"Yeah. Total badass…one. Two— currently crushing on Harry Potter."
"Did you discern that from one look in the Great Hall, Tracey?" Bella replied, laughing.
"Oh yeah. Match made before the stars."
"Oh, you'll see him tomorrow in potions," Daphne teased. "One of our two classes with the Gryffindorks."
"Daphne!" Tracey mocked. "Don't insult her boyfriend!"
Daphne ended up being right. The next day in Potions after teaching them theory regarding a poison and the supposed antidote, Snape threatened them that he'd be poisoning them with the very same and their only cure would be an antidote brewed by them at some point during the term. They'd work in partners— he read off a list, and just when Bella thought he'd forgotten her—
"White, Bella. Potter, Harry."
Bella sent a look over her shoulder, her eyes meeting Harry's. He was sitting alone at the back of the classroom, his cohorts paired off at another table. Bella batted at Tracey's hand that ribbed her as she stood awkwardly, knees wobbling in nervousness. Her heart was pounding and what felt like a massive weight in her chest was making it difficult to walk. Harry didn't visibly react to the news, instead sending a quick glance at her as she sat.
"Good luck, White," Snape drawled, pausing briefly at the front of their table. "You'll need it.
"Now," Snape said, now standing at the front of the classroom, his fingers interlaced in front of him. "You have the rest of this class to prepare for your antidote, which will be brewed halfway through the term. Three poisons you'll ingest this year, so three antidotes you'll brew.
"I suggest you take this class seriously— as I said before… Weasley!" Ron was arguing with Hermione. Bella couldn't help chuckling. "You'll be staying with your partners all year."
"You any good at potions?" Harry asked from beside her.
"Spectacular."
"No, really," said Harry, worriedly. "I'm awful."
"Really; I'm spectacular."
"Oh." Harry chuckled, rolling out parchment between them. "List away, then."
Bella outlined their week's of prep and ingredients. Harry dutifully scrawled it out.
"Harry?" Bella said, after he'd reached the bottom of the parchment.
Harry turned his head and looked at her sideways. "Yes?"
"This is probably something that will need weeks of prep," Bella lied. "Weeks of studying in the library. I'll need help."
"S'pose I'll have to take you up on your offer for those study sessions, then."
"You will… your life depends on it."
Harry looked at her weirdly. "What do you mean by that?"
The clock struck five and the musical bell signalled the end of the double Potions class.
"I'll brew the potion, but I'm not going to ingest it," Bella said, handing the parchment to Harry and piling her textbook and quills.
"So the faith of my life rests in the hands of a Slytherin?" Harry asked, starting to gather his things.
"It does." Bella meant to say it in a joking manner, but it ended up coming out more serious then she meant it to. Harry stopped gathering his things and stared at her.
"Brilliant."