A million little times

Chapter 14 - We Team Up

"My Eldest daughter, Your' father and I send our congratulatory remarks on you achieving top marks in all of your exams. Well done. We anticipate your return on the first of July. Kind regards Druella and Cygnus Black."

Below the looping cursive was the Black family seal. Bellatrix smiled at the letter, folding it up and placing it in the bottom of her trunk.

"You have big plans for this summer Trix?" Rita came out from her bed where she was haphazardly throwing clothes into her trunk with no rhyme or reason.

Bellatrix threw a piece of Rita's clothing that had travelled to her bed at the other girl's head.

"Yes, figuring out a way to get you to stop calling me that."

Rita let out a gleeful laugh at that. "Never gonna happen."

Scowling Bellatrix went back to folding her own laundry and neatly packing it. She hadn't thought she would be this upset about going home. However, now that term was over, sunlight was peeking through the common room in golden tendrils, and she had to think about a summer stuck at her estate with her stone-cold mother she couldn't help but wish she had savored the year more.

"Let's go for a walk." Rita urged Bellatrix. "I don't want to spend the last day of our first-year moping around in our rooms.

"Alright." Bellatrix agreed. "Zabini? Interested in a walk?"

The other girl nodded and as they left knocked on the wooden post of Alecto's bed.

"You coming?" she asked through the closed curtains of the other girl's bed.

A grunt. Zabini turned to them, a small smile on her face. "I'm taking that as a yes."

They waited for Carrow to get out of bed and began making their way through the common room.

There were some seventh years crying in the corner, no doubt mourning their loss of childhood. Bellatrix rolled her eyes at them and rolled her eyes again at the more foolish of her peers who were spending their last day running around, screeching, and generally making a rather large annoyance of themselves.

They walked up the cold stone steps and arrived on the main floor of the castle. The quiet peace the Slytherin's had with saying goodbye was not a sentiment shared by the rest of the castle.

Gryffindor's especially seemed determined to throw the loudest and busiest goodbye to the castle yet. They ran around with gold and red streamers flowing behind them. They had charmed some of the suits of armor to cheer: "Go, Go, Gryffindor!"

"As if they're going to win the cup." Alecto whispered viciously.

Bellatrix muttered her agreement at that. Gryffindor enjoyed the antics too much to earn more points than they lost. As the gems stood right now Slytherin was clearly ahead by a hundred points.

Walking out of the castle and towards the secluded yard near the caretakers' ground the girls began to discuss their year. They spent the day laughing and recalling the brilliance of the Rumor Mill. As the afternoon sun began to dip Zabini suggested they dip their feet in the lake and the other girls agreed quickly.

When they arrived at the lake, they realized most of the students had the same idea. There nearest to the lake was a large group of Gryffindor's, many sporting messy red hair.

"Oh good, The blood traitors." Whispered Rita.

Bellatrix's eyes widened and she smacked Rita's arm. As the sun sat in the middle of the sky, causing the great lake to appear ten times brighter than usual and the ginger hair of Molly Prewett to glow brighter, Arthur Weasley got down on one knee and pulled out a flickering engagement ring.

"Oh Merlin." Bellatrix whispered into Rita's ears. "The blood traitors are going to get married and have a bunch of blood traitor babies."

"Gross." Rita agreed, pretending to gag as Molly tearfully nodded her head, pulling Arthur up to kiss him.

Zabini looked over to where Dumbledore and McGonagall were watching the display. "That's weird. They aren't normally so invested in student relationships."

Carrow nodded, staring at the pair suspiciously.

"I'm sure it's nothing." Rita assured them both. "Let's head to Dinner."

The four girls eagerly dug into the feast in front of them, which seemed to be even more extravagant than usual in honor of their last day. Students all around the hall ate eagerly and eventually out came the deserts. Bellatrix kept her eyes on the teacher's table where McGonagall was whispering to Dumbledore again.

Students around the hall slowly began to stop eating and focus their attention on the main table. Every table was waiting for the announcement of the winner of the cup.

Dumbledore stood up and the hall fell silent. "I'd like to announce the winner of the house cup for 1962, but first." Students looked around at each other confused.

"For the bravery of withstanding adverse gossip and cruel rumors I would like to award Molly Prewett and Arthur Weasley each 50 house points."

Bellatrix snapped her head to look at Rita rage pooling inside her. Unbelievable. How could he do that? That would make the house cup Gryffindor's.

Shouts of anger chorused from all over the hall besides the Gryffindors who were busy screaming their heads off.

The whole of Slytherin table was shouting at Dumbledore who simply shrugged and sat watching the table with twinkling eyes.

Bellatrix watched him then realized. "He knows. He knows it was a Slytherin who started the Rumor Mill and he's punishing everyone."

Rita stared at her mouth falling open as she realized she was right.

"Merlin. What do we do."

Bellatrix stared at her lips twitching up, "We make him pay next year."

"Brilliant." Whispered Rita.

At that point Alecto muttered a levitation charm on her pumpkin juice and hovered it over to above Dumbledore's head. Many of the Slytherins' eyes were now darting above Dumbledore's head and their table to see who the perpetrator was.

Nobody warned Dumbledore in time and Alecto ended the spell. Pumpkin juice spilled all over the Headmaster and the Slytherin table erupted into gales of laughter.

Professor McGonagall rushed to the headmaster immediately casting a scourgify "Really now!" She shouted out "Have a bit of sportsmanship."

"Tell that to Dumbledore!" An older Slytherin called out.

"Yeah, remind us of what house he was in when he went to Hogwarts? Oh right Gryffindor." At that announcement a second chorus of shouting came from the Slytherin table.

"You keep your mouth shut about him!" Gideon Prewitt shouted from the Gryffindor table.

It was inevitable really, Bellatrix realized afterwards on the train ride home.

A scone was launched across the hall and hit Gideon straight in the face. Barely blinking he picked up a whole pumpkin pie and threw it back.

The heads of houses rushed towards their tables, attempting to calm the students who were now throwing food at anyone who was not wearing their house colors.

After several minutes of sitting back amused Dumbledore's voice boomed through the hall

"Until you are the headmaster, you may keep your judgments of how I do my job to yourself. Now I recommend all student leave and gather their things before you all miss your train."

"That was wicked." Rita said grinning at Bellatrix. Then her smile softening as they left their dorm for the last time until fall, "I'm gonna miss you this summer Trix."

"Don't call me that." Bellatrix shot back, no real bite in her words.