Bellatrix

Chapter 18

"Alright. Today, we are going to be trying an immensely difficult spell- definitely NEWT level." Flitwick nodded. "It is called the Patronus Charm. It forms a shield from dementors." He showed us how to do it. A penguin waddled, silvery and misty, out of his wand.

Murmurs of 'cool' and 'awesome' ran through the classroom.

"Alright- get to work! Remember, think of your happiest memory!"

I thought of the night the rest of the Marauders and I finally turned into animagi. A silvery mist came out of my wand.

Lily scrunched up her eyes and cast the spell.

Out of her wand, came a beautiful silvery doe.

"Well done, Ms. Evans! Twenty-five points to Griffindor!"

She grinned.

James just looked at her, mouth agape.

It sunk in- doe. Stag.

I snuck up to Lily. "Remember your promise." I whispered.

She sighed. "Alright, but I'm getting Remus to tell him."

"Sure."

She went up to whisper in his ear. His eyes widened. "Holy fucking shit!" He said, rather loudly.

Flitwick whirled around. "Who said that?" He said angrily.

I saw my chance to annoy Prongs. "James Potter! Shame on you..." I fake-glared at him.

"Mr. Potter! Detention! See me after class!"

Prongs glared at me, and I looked back innocently. "Yes sir." He said.

At the end of class, right before we all left, Remus got his. "Expecto Patronum!" he said forcefully and a wolf leapt out of his wand. He ended the spell quickly, but not fast enough to divert attention- "Well done, Mr. Lupin! Twenty points to Griffindor!"

I, determined to not let Moony get the best of me, tried it once more. "Expecto Patronum!" I cried, and a thestral cantered softly out of my wand.

"What is that?" Someone asked.

"It's a thestral." I answered.

"Good job, Ms. Black! Twenty points to-"

"Griffindor." I said, and he nodded swiftly.

"Griffindor it is."

When we left, James hung back. I stayed to wait for him, and I noticed- Lily was watching him. She didn't see me. Perhaps she had seen his face after she had cast his spell.

"Listen, Professor- I was wondering, I think I can cast the patronus but I... um, didn't want to do it in front of everyone, I was wondering-"

"Go ahead, but please be quick, we need to discuss your detention."

James pulled out his wand, closed his eyes for a moment, and then said quietly, "Expecto Patronum."

A beautiful stag leapt out of his wand. Flitwick clapped. "Twenty points to Griffindor, and- ah, well, I suppose I can let you off this once, go on, I must prepare for my next class."

Lily let out a small gasp.

I did too- because James was changing. He didn't cast his patronus in class because he didn't want to embarrass Lily.

My heart leapt into my throat. I couldn't quite decide- was I heartbroken, or happy for him?

__________

We sat in the common room. "Moony, are you going to tell him, or do you want me to?"

Moony had an unnaturally big smile on his face. "Oh, I'll tell him. So, Prongs, you good at Wizards Chess?"

"I guess," he began, "But why do I have to be good at Wizard's Chess?"

"Because you're playing it with Lily tomorrow. And if you win, you get a date with her." I grin at him.

"Seriously?" He asked, excited. "Wait... what if she wins?" He asked, defeated.

"You have to profess your love to Snape." I sniggered. "In front of the whole school during dinner."

"It's worth it." James nodded. "Lily is worth it."

"Calling her Lily now, are we?" I asked cheekily.

"Aw, shut up. Hey, guys, guess what else? Me and Lily are planning a Winter Masquerade Ball! Hey, maybe I should ask her..."

"One step at a time, Potter. You haven't even won the chess game yet." I laughed.

With the chess game scheduled for the next day, James and I took a walk outside to discuss tactics. It was pouring and my oversized rain jacket's hood shielded most of my face. We stood next to the black lake.

He looked at me. "Peter's going to ask you out."

"What?" My heart raced. What the hell? Why?

"He was wondering who he should ask to the masquerade. I said you."

I glared at him. "Why'd you tell him me?"

"I mean, he likes you." James looked at me. "Like, he thinks that you're pretty," he said.

I picked up a strand of my tangled black hair and looked at it with obvious disgust.

"I mean, not that I don't think your pretty- I mean-" our faces were inches apart. "We're a bit too close."

I stepped back quickly, lake water lapping at my ankles. "Sorry-I mean, I don't- what should I say? He's my friend- I don't want to hurt him..."

"My opinion? Say yes." stated James. "It's a few hours of your life you're going to spend with him- do it for him."

I nodded. "Thanks for the advice, Prongs."

We made our way back to the castle, tactics forgotten.

"I want to ask Lily, but she'd just reject me again."

God, he was so oblivious.

"All you have to do is win that chess game. She'll go on a date with you and realize the real you."

"She hates me!"

"Nah, she doesn't." I laughed. "She just acts like it. She's warming to you- trust me."

"Yeah." He nodded. We were at the dormitory. "Apostrophe." He said to the fat lady, and we split our separate ways.

My head and stomach hurting, I stumbled to Lily's bed and fell asleep in it.

_________

Lily tapped me on the shoulder. "You okay?" She asked.

"Eeuuurrrggghh!" I replied.

She looked at me awkwardly. "Well, I sort of need my bed. You wanna budge up?"

"Oh. Sorry." I bit my lip and stood up. "Go ahead."

"Bella, what's wrong?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" I lied. "Nothing!"

"I don't believe you in the least. Now sit down and tell me what's wrong."

I reluctantly sat. "I'm fine," I said.

" 'I'm fine' is always bullshit. What the fuck is wrong?"

I put my head in my hands. "Peter's gonna ask me out."

"Really?" She asked, surprised. "I didn't actually see that one coming. So what's bad about that? You guys are friends.

"Yeah. We're FRIENDS. Absolutely nothing more- at least not to me..."

"Alright, and what else?"

"Nothing."

"Bullshit. What else." She replied.

"The usual." I sighed, and totally forgetting she didn't know, pulled up my sleeve.

She jumped off the bed and grabbed her wand. Pointing it at me, she said, "Get. Out."

"I-"

"Out!" She practically screamed, and I ran out of the dormitory.