Beyond the Bonds of Blood: The Threshold of Hope | Harry Potter

The Room Appears

In the dim light of the library, Bellarose sat across from Pansy at one of the secluded tables, going over the events of the recent DA meeting. She leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper, so no nosy bystander would hear.

"They're calling it the Dumbledore's Army," Bellarose said, a small smirk playing on her lips. "You'd think it would rile up Umbridge a bit."

Pansy raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "And you want to keep going with it?" she asked. "Not that I care what Potter and his friends are up to, but Umbridge doesn't exactly look kindly on 'student groups,' remember?"

"Of course, I'm going to keep going. It's the only real defense practice we'll get with her in charge. But she just banned all clubs, and I can't see her stopping there," Bellarose muttered, glancing around cautiously.

Pansy scoffed, crossing her arms. "She's desperate for control. And I know exactly why she's so paranoid," she said, her voice lowering even further. "Willie Widdershins spilled everything to Umbridge. That little worm wanted a favor from the Ministry, so he told her about the meeting at the Hog's Head."

Bellrose's face twisted in disgust. "Of course, it'd be him," she muttered. "That slimy git."

"Obviously," Pansy said, rolling her eyes. "That's why Umbridge issued Education Decree 24 so quickly. But you be careful with this DA business, Rose. The last thing you need is Umbridge looking at you too closely."

Bellrose nodded. "I'll keep a low profile. But if things keep escalating, she'll go after all of us," she said thoughtfully.

Just then, Bellarose noticed Ron approaching from the entrance to the library, a slightly apprehensive look on his face. He hesitated, his gaze flickering to Pansy, clearly wary of her presence.

Ron approached the table, looking between Bellarose and Pansy with an obvious hint of hesitation. "Uh, Bellarose... can I talk to you? Alone?"

Pansy leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms with a raised eyebrow. "If this is about the DA, don't worry. I already know."

Ron's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He glanced at Bellarose, clearly taken aback. "You... told her?"

Bellrose nodded, her expression hardening slightly. "Yes, I did. I don't keep secrets from Pansy," she said, her tone carrying a faint chill. "She was there when things were tough. I don't exactly hide things from her."

Pansy, sensing the tension, gently placed a hand on Bellarose's arm, grounding her. Bellarose's expression softened, and she let out a small sigh, glancing back at Ron with a touch of regret.

"Sorry, Ron," she said, her voice gentler. "I shouldn't have taken that out on you. You're... actually the nice one out of the trio."

Ron chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with a lopsided grin. "Blimey, that's a first. Usually, I'm the one causing the trouble."

The three shared a quiet laugh, the tension easing. Ron relaxed, finally looking between them without the nervousness from before. "Well, anyway," he said, turning back to Bellarose, "Harry and Hermione found a place for us to meet. It's called the Room of Requirement. Shows up with exactly what you need, whenever you need it. Pretty cool, right?"

Bellarose's intrigue was immediate. "That's brilliant, Ron."

Ron nodded, clearly pleased. "Yeah, so we'll start meeting there soon. Just wanted you to know so you'd be ready."

As Ron turned to leave, Pansy gave him a casual nod, surprising him with an unexpected truce-like smile. "Guess I'll be watching you march off to your secret club meetings all term now, won't I?" she said with a hint of amusement.

Bellarose rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips. "Well, you could always come along, Pans."

Pansy's smirk deepened. "I'd rather let you Gryffindor lot keep your fun. Besides, I'll have my own ways of keeping an eye on you."

Ron gave her a lingering glance, still trying to figure her out, before finally chuckling to himself and heading off, leaving Bellarose and Pansy to their own plans.

The day of the first official DA meeting arrived, and Bellarose joined the others as they made their way to the seventh floor. Ron and Hermione led the group down a familiar corridor, stopping near a tapestry that Bellarose barely registered, her attention drawn to a strange, almost magnetic pull in the air. As she stood there, a flicker of familiarity washed over her, bringing to mind the hidden, magical hum that had always surrounded the Veil Circle's room.

"This is it." Ron announced, gesturing to the blank wall. "You just walk back and forth three times, thinking about what you need, and it appears."

The others exchanged curious glances as Harry stepped forward and paced in front of the wall, muttering about needing a safe place to learn. On his third pass, a set of polished oak doors emerged, seemingly from nowhere.

As the group took in the sight with awe, Bellarose's chest tightened with the odd sensation that she knew this place, this kind of room. The same feeling that had first drawn her to the Veil Circle echoed now, subtle but undeniable. She followed the others as they filed inside, where the room stretched far beyond its outer walls, filled with Defense Against the Dark Arts books, shelves of supplies, practice dummies, and stacks of cushions.

"It's... perfect," someone whispered, but Bellarose remained quiet, a sense of quiet recognition lingering. She ran her fingers along one of the shelves, the wood warm beneath her hand, and she couldn't shake the feeling that this place, like the Veil Circle, would adapt to them, providing exactly what they needed.