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"Two," she responded honestly. "I remembered my mother. And I remember...Voldemort." The memory was hazy. There’d been at some social event, and she’d recalled her mother yelling at her. She recalled drinking and smoking goblin tobacco outside, in the garden, away from the party. |
And she recalled him, with his strange red eyes. His face had looked slightly odd...as if something had malformed his features. Not so noticeably as to make him hideous, but enough she knew that the magic he played with was forbidden. |
Even with the haze of the memory, she could remember how power had radiated from him. |
"What do you recall of him?" Dumbledore prompted. |
"I don’t think it was the first time I met him. He’d seemed...familiar. But he’d asked about the family library. He was after a book." |
"Do you recall what book?" |
Bellatrix frowned. "No. But needless to say, it wasn’t something happy. The Black Library collected grimoires from dark wizards that the Ministry would have otherwise had burned. It would make sense that he was after one of those." |
Snape and her had only met together twice. |
The first time, he’d instigated it. Hermione had been off on prefect duties, and she’d been in the library, flicking through old school records, looking for answers to questions she didn’t quite yet understand. |
"Desperate to re-live your own accolades? Perhaps you should be searching Filch’s records." |
Bellatrix didn’t look up from the book, but she flicked the page backwards. "You and I both know I’m not lying. You’re the only person presently who can know that with absolute certainty." |
"And yet it’s quite convenient that you’re able to master spells that should be beyond capabilities." |
She looked up, staring into his eyes. |
In the pits of the blackness, she could see his fury. He hated her. It was different to his ire with Harry, but it was there. Present. He knew better than to stoke anything with her, and she wondered if that was because some part of him...feared her. |
Not fear like a child was scared of his bully. |
More like the fear of standing before a monster, not knowing what it’s next move would be. |
"Was that meant to be some weak attempt to question my capabilities? Is that what our dynamic was? You would make some passive-aggressive retort and I would react in some wild way, and you would prove to yourself that I was some mad animal, and you were somehow above that?" |
His expression twisted and she knew she’d hit the mark. |
"Perhaps some people believe you capable of change," Snape said. "But I’ve witnessed the enjoyment you’ve taken in torturing others. Despite what others may think, that was something present from birth. All one has to do to confirm that is see how you play Quidditch." |
Bellatrix felt herself grow cold. "At least my pleasure isn’t inflicting authority over children to make myself feel powerful. I already know my own capabilities, do you, Severus?" |
"Careful...Miss Black...I am still your professor and have such...authority...to put you into detention for every Quidditch match." |
"Do you really think Dumbledore would allow that when it’s apart of my rehabilitation?" |
"If your sanity is clinging to hitting bludgers at other children, I’m sure the Headmaster can see that it’s not the most productive use of your time." |
"Why are you here, Professor?" Bellatrix asked. "You’ve clearly sought me out, and I doubt it was for such a cheerful threats of detention." |
Snape sneered and Bellatrix began shifting, moving the books back to where she’d found them. The library would be closing soon and she wanted to see Hermione before–– |
"Did you know the only time your mind opens up is when it concerns, Miss Granger. Every other though is buried beneath a cacophony but it’s almost as if...your mind quietens when you think of her." |
Bellatrix stilled. From the corner of her eye, she could see that he had his wand out. It’d been so subtly, quietly done that she barely felt it. |
No, he’d aggravated her been enough so she wouldn’t notice. |
"Take a word of advice, Miss Black. If you care for her, you’ll distance yourself." |
"Suddenly I’m meant to believe that you’re concerned for my welfare?" |
"Not yours," was all Snape said, before he left. |
She sought Snape out the second time. |
By that point, she knew something was coming. Hermione might be sceptical of Draco, but Bellatrix recalled how young she’d been when Voldemort had recruited her. |
She recalled how young she was when she made her first cast of crucio... |
She knew from the many meetings with Dumbledore, why he’d kept her hidden. She was a contingency plan. |
But so was Snape. |
Bellatrix didn’t understand why someone as self-serving as Snape would be willing to put himself in the situation of being a double agent, but she suspected that only something as strong as spite would be a motivator. |
So when they agreed to the plan, a deal was struck. |
When the time came, he would break the final wall of her memories. She would remember everything. She would become Bellatrix Lestrange. |
And she would return to her master. |
Hermione awoke in her bed. She felt...strange. |
Hadn’t she been talking to...? Someone. |
Sitting up, she glanced at the bed next to her. Her thoughts felt foggy, like she’d been in a sudden vivid dream, but she couldn’t remember what it’d been about. There was something about the bed that was important. |
The bed wasn’t important, but the person was and...why couldn’t she remember? |
The four-poster bed had been tidied by the house elves, the curtains pulled back. Hermione felt an urge to check the trunk at the foot of the bed, before she stopped herself. |
Maybe she should visit Madam Pompfrey. Whatever had happened, magic was afoot and she’d at least be able to confirm if it was an illness or not. |
She’d only manage to get as far to the Common Room when someone stopped her. It took a moment for her thoughts to settle and realise that the person was Ginny. |
Ginny was trying to talk her about... |
"Bella?" Hermione whispered. |
It was not a sudden flood of memories, but a tapering. Bellatrix had been here, Bellatrix was her friend, they were going to school together and... |
Her thoughts grew hazy as Ginny grabbed at her shoulders, holding her steady. "Are you okay? You look ill. You should stay here." |
"I think I need a healer," Hermione said, feeling herself sway. |
"Hermione...don’t you remember?" |
"Remember what?" |
Ginny looked nervous, glancing behind her. |
The common room was empty, and it was dark outside. There was an old clock on the mantle of the fireplace that showed the time was late, past midnight. How long had she been asleep, and why was Ginny still up? |
What had happened before? |
"When you came back to the common room with Bella, she said you were unwell. But Harry––before he’d left with Dumbledore––he’d told us to use the coins from DA, and the map. He gave us the luck potion and you and Bella were gone, but he’s certain that..." Ginny’s words kept rambling going around in circles that Hermione found difficult to follow. |
There’s a was a pounding headache building as she tried to push at the fog of memories. She didn’t remember today. She didn’t remember yesterday, either. She remembered classes, and going to Quidditch matches through the year, but even then, it felt like recalling memories from years ago, not recently. |
It was like something was missing. |
Bella was missing. Why was Bella missing, she knew her, but she couldn’t remember any conversation they’d had, and actual real moments shared, only–– |
"Death Eaters are here, in Hogwarts. Now!" Ginny said, her grip tight on Hermione’s shoulders. "They’re here, Hermione!" |
"Bella asked me to stay with you, she said it was important that I stayed incase anyone tried to come through the portrait. The others have already left, they got sick of waiting, and I wanted to go but Bella had been insistent that I protect you, so I stayed, but––" |
"I think..." Hermione said, gripping her head. The pounding was growing, becoming a loud thudding noise in her ears. "I think...she...charmed me." |
"Bella...charmed you?" |
"Memory charm..." Hermione grunted. "I need to see Dumbledore." |
"That’s what I’m trying to say––Ron and Neville left to follow-up after them. Dumbledore and Harry are out on some mission, and Draco must have known that so he could summon the Death Eaters. Merlin, I don’t know how, but Harry must have been right, he must have been working for them!" |
Hermione groaned as the headache grew and receded. She didn’t know anything about memory charms hurting. When they saw Lockhart in St Mungos, he’d been chipper, if a bit odd. This was...wrong. |
Had Bellatrix done something else? Had she erased some memories and... |
"We need to go after them," Hermione said. Her wand was in her pocket and she gripped it firmly as she rose to stand. She didn’t care what Ginny said. She needed answers and she knew that Bellatrix would have them. |
As it was, Ginny didn’t stop her. They went searching for the Death Eaters, knowing that they somehow would lead her to Bellatrix or Dumbledore. |
It didn’t take long. Two Death Eaters appeared around the corner, heading towards the entrance. Ginny sent a curse after one of them. The other, turned, his grin wide. Hermione recognised him from the Department of Mysteries and felt herself freeze as she watched him go to cast. |
"Stupefy!" She cast, strong enough that it knocked him back. |
She could still hear fighting. Turning around the corner, she came across Order members (Lupin, McGonagall, Tonks!) who were each fighting a Death Eater in turn. |
And then a familiar visage passed, running with...Draco and Snape. |
A jet of blue flew passed her, jerking her out of her thoughts. She saw, from the corner of her eye, as Ginny threw a hex. |
Hermione didn’t look back at the Death Eater, her vision was locked as she set chase after Bellatrix. |
Her head throbbed, the pain thudding through her, but something was wrong. Why was Bellatrix running with Snape and Draco? |
If Draco was working for Death Eaters...why––? |
"Hermione!" Harry’s voice called "Hermione, she murdered––she-–" |
She turned. Bellatrix seemed to slow ahead too, turning to look back before she was grabbed by Snape and tugged through a door. |
Harry’s speed caught up, his face red and blotted with fury as the ran through the same doors, out into the grounds, but he didn’t slow, seeming to only increase in speed despite his obvious exhaustion. "She killed Dumbledore!" He snarled as they ran. |
Hermione stumbled, before catching herself. "Dumbledore?" |
"She lied. She lied this entire time. Or her memories came back, or something! She laughed Hermione. She––" And with a cry he threw a spell. It shot through the air, going wide. |
They were gaining, slowly, but it wasn’t enough. |
In the distance, Hermione could see Hagrid’s hut on fire. Surely, she’d hadn’t. Surely...not Hagrid. Bella had never spoken a word against him. She’d enjoyed his classes, ridiculously enough! |
Harry shot another spell, again and again. She could see Snape’s deflection as he urged Bellatrix and Draco both to keep running, but Bellatrix hesitated. Hermione could see an argument breaking out between them and then the witch turned to face her and Hermione stopped dead. |
There was something cold and merciless in the witch’s eyes. A haughty air as she turned her nose up at Hermione, and before Harry could even spit out the start of, "Cru––", he was silenced by Bellatrix and stunned by Snape. |
Hermione stood paralysed with fear. |
"Bella?" She asked. Her wand was in her grip, but her hand felt empty. She felt empty. |
"Not anymore," the witch said, her voice cold. "I remember who I am. I remember my place in this world, and I’m going to take great pleasure in taking everything from you." |
Hermione went to throw the stupefy, but Bellatrix parried it like it was nothing. |
"I’d run to your family first, little muddy. Because if I get to them first, I’m going to take great pleasure in making you experience first hand what dear little snivelling Neville felt. Maybe I’ll make you watch." |
Hermione felt nauseous. The pounding headache was deafening and she felt herself swaying on her feet as Bellatrix stepped closer. |
"What?" The witch asked. "Cat got your tongue? Perhaps, I should––" Her wand raised and in its anticipation, Hermione could see a vibrant red crackle. |
Bella wouldn’t torture her. She wouldn’t. |
But, her rational thought slowly spoke inside of Hermione, Bellatrix Lestrange might. |
"Enough, Bellatrix," Snape said. "We’ve wasted enough time as it is." |
Bellatrix’s eyes darkened as the crackle left. "Stupefy." She cast. Hermione didn’t even bother to deflect. |
Hagrid released her and Harry from the stunning jinx. From there, they all cast their wands to the hut and doused the flames. |
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