The Chaos Within (A Bellatrix Fanfiction)

First Lessons

The next morning, I woke early and dressed in the half-light, careful not to disturb Shadow as she dozed on my pillow. My new school robes felt stiff and unfamiliar, like a costume. Like they belonged to someone else entirely.

Finding the Great Hall was harder than I remembered.

I spotted a tall boy in green-trimmed robes heading down a corridor and hurried after him.

"Excuse me?"

He turned, looking me up and down with a raised eyebrow. "You're very small, aren't you?"

I blinked. "...Thanks for the observation. Could you show me the way to the Great Hall?"

"You've forgotten already?" he asked, scandalized. Then sighed. "Fine. I'm headed there anyway."

Charming.

"I'm Erin, by the way," I said as I followed.

He didn't look back. "Montague."

One of those, then.

Inside the Great Hall, I made my way to the Slytherin table and sat at the far end, alone. The only people I'd really spoken to were Gryffindors, and if last night's glares were any indication, Slytherins didn't exactly mingle across House lines. Better to sit alone than endure awkward small talk and forced politeness.

A man with sallow skin and a perpetually sour expression moved along the table distributing timetables. The way the other students straightened told me who he was before he even spoke.

"Erin Brooks," Snape said, pausing almost imperceptibly on my surname before handing over the parchment.

"Thank you, Professor." He didn't respond.

My schedule looked manageable: double Transfiguration, then Herbology with the Gryffindors, Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Potions. No flying, thank Merlin.

After breakfast, I hurried off to Transfiguration, despite swearing I'd never be late again.

I burst through the classroom door slightly out of breath. "I'm sorry I'm late, Professor. I got a bit lost."

"Quite understandable on your first day, Miss Brooks," Professor McGonagall said crisply. "Take a seat."

I slid into a chair at the back beside a girl with sleek dark hair who didn't even look up from her notes. Perfect. I wasn't in a chatting mood anyway. I arranged my quill and parchment neatly, determined not to attract any more attention.

The entire double period was theory-heavy, wand-to-object transfiguration, regulations, stabilisation techniques. McGonagall was stern but fair, a strict aunt type who probably baked biscuits when no one was looking.

After class, I headed down to Herbology, the one lesson we had with Gryffindor. Great. Just what I needed.

At least it was easy to find since it was outside. I stepped into the greenhouse, and the first person I saw was Lee Jordan.

He smiled the moment he spotted me.

I hesitated.

Then looked away.

It wasn't personal. He was friendly and warm in a way that made everything feel less overwhelming. But I didn't know his background; Muggle-born? Half-blood? Pure-blood? And I couldn't risk even the wrong assumption. Not with my family name.

Not with my father.

By the time the day ended, exhaustion weighed on every limb, but I was pleased. I'd survived my first full day at Hogwarts. I hadn't made friends, exactly, but I hadn't made enemies either. That felt like a win.

Most of the Slytherins were tolerable; irritable, sure, but they respected a quiet girl who kept her head down and paid attention. I'd had no trouble from Gryffindors, and the other Houses barely noticed me.

Snape had even praised my work in Potions. Sarcastically, yes, but it was praise. A few Slytherins had given me raised eyebrows. I couldn't tell whether that meant they'd warm up to me or consider me competition.

I wasn't sure I cared.

Academically, at least, I was catching on faster than I'd expected. Maybe I wasn't as out of place here as I feared.

After dinner, I headed to the Slytherin common room, dimly lit by green-tinted firelight. I curled up in a corner chair, pulled out some parchment, and uncapped my ink.

Dear Mum,

Well, I survived.

I'd just signed my name when I realized I wasn't alone.

The dark-haired girl from Transfiguration had settled into the chair opposite me, curled up with a thick book on her lap. She glanced over, one eyebrow raised.

"You're the one who got lost this morning."

I nodded cautiously.

She smirked, not unkindly. "Don't worry. First days are meant to be humiliating. I nearly set my sleeve on fire this afternoon."

The laugh slipped out before I could stop it. "Erin Brooks."

"Violetta Flint." She flipped a page and added, "Snape's going to like you, if he's already praising you. Just don't let anyone else hear it go to your head."

"I won't," I said quietly.

We didn't shake hands. We didn't chat. But we didn't need to.

For the first time all day, sitting across from someone felt... not lonely.

Just enough.