The Chaos Within (A Bellatrix Fanfiction)

Chamber of Secrets

A/N: I didn't know what else to name the chapter, so I named it of when it is. The above picture is what I imagine Erin to look like.

ONE YEAR LATER (ERIN'S 3rd YEAR AT HOGWARTS)

Erin's POV

"Hey, Ezza!"

I turned to see Lee jogging toward me, a bright grin lighting up his face.

"I've just been looking for you."

"Well, here I am," I said, smiling back despite myself.

"You wanna come sit with me, Fred, and George?"

I hesitated. My hand twitched at my side. "I'm not sure... How do they feel about me?"

Lee waved off the concern with a grin that tried a little too hard to be confident.

"They'll tolerate you as long as we're friends. Come on, Erin, please?"

I sighed. "I'm such a pushover."

"Nah," he said with a cheeky grin. "I'm just really persuasive."

"Dream on."

We moved down the train, weaving through students and piles of luggage, until we reached a compartment near the back. Fred and George looked up as we slid the door open. They didn't smile. Just nodded once, curt.

"Guys, is it alright if Erin sits with us?" Lee asked.

A beat passed. Then one of the twins, Fred, I thought, shrugged.

"I suppose it is."

"Thanks," I murmured, taking the seat opposite them. I could feel their eyes flick over me, assessing, judging. Trying to decide which type of Slytherin I was.

I didn't blame them.

"Why aren't you sitting with your Slytherin friends?" George asked suddenly, raising an eyebrow.

"George!" Lee shot him a glare. So that was definitely George on the left.

"What?" George said, holding up his hands. "I'm just asking. She doesn't have to answer if she doesn't want to."

"It's fine," I said quickly, smoothing out my skirt. "They can survive a train ride without me. Lee asked, and... I figured I'd change things up."

"Fair enough," Fred muttered. Then added, "What did you say your name was again?"

"Erin Brooks."

The name still felt strange on my tongue. Like a jacket that didn't quite fit.

"Oh, right," Fred said, a grin tugging at his lips. "You're the one Lee's always on about."

Lee groaned and scowled. I blinked in surprise, heat rising to my face.

"So, Erin," Lee said quickly, changing the subject. "How was your summer?"

I shrugged. "Fine, I suppose. Bit boring. Just me, Mum, and our cat. Dad was working the whole time."

The lie came out smoothly. Too smoothly.

"What does your dad do?" George asked. "Who is he?"

My heart jumped. For a split second, I froze.

Don't mess this up. Don't let them see it.

"He works in a shop," I said, forcing casualness into my tone. "His name's Thomas Roberts."

George didn't seem to notice the tiny pause. "So your family's not rich then?"

"Not really," I replied quickly.

Another lie. We were rich. Filthy rich. But the money was soaked in blood, and it wasn't something I wanted to wear like a badge of honour.

Lee leaned in. "Okay, ignore the interrogation," he said, clearly trying to steer things back. "I had a thought... what if I came to visit you next summer?"

I panicked internally but nodded. "Sure."

Hopefully he'd forget. Hopefully I'd come up with an excuse.

"But in the meantime, you want to hang out tomorrow?" he asked, eyes hopeful.

"Yeah. I'd like that," I said honestly. Despite everything, Lee made me feel... normal.

"You two want to join us?" Lee asked the twins.

Fred didn't look at me when he replied, "Us? No thanks."

The rejection stung, even though I'd expected it. I tried to keep my expression neutral, but something must have slipped.

"She's not like the other Slytherins," Lee said defensively. "You'd know that if you gave her a chance."

George snorted. "Yeah, and I'm the next Minister for Magic."

Lee opened his mouth to argue, but I was already standing.

"No, it's fine," I said quietly. "I can see when I'm not wanted. I respect that."

I left before anyone could stop me. My throat felt tight as I wandered the corridor. It shouldn't have hurt this much.

But it did.

I was used to keeping myself divided; one side for Lee, one for Slytherin, but moments like this made it painfully clear I didn't belong anywhere completely.

Eventually, I found my friends in a compartment near the front. They were laughing, cards flying as Tristan shuffled a deck of Exploding Snap.

"Ezza!" Tristan called, grinning as he pulled me into a one-armed hug. "Where the hell have you been?"

"With Lee Jordan," I said, sliding into the seat beside Rosanna. "Tried to sit with him and the twins. Let's just say... it didn't go well."

My friends' expressions darkened.

"You don't need blood traitors like them," Becka snapped. "We've got your back."

"Thanks, guys." I smiled, but it didn't reach my eyes.

I hated that they talked about Lee that way, even if I understood why.

We played Snap, and the trolley came by with Pumpkin Pasties and Cauldron Cakes. The laughter helped. So did the sugar. But I couldn't fully shake the tightness in my chest.

As the train began to slow and we gathered our robes and luggage, I tried to focus on the term ahead.

But then-

"Ezza-"

I turned to see Lee pushing through the crowd on the platform.

"Get lost," Casey snapped before I could speak. "She doesn't want to talk to you. And I'm sure she doesn't want blood traitors calling her Ezza. Only her real friends are allowed to call her that."

Rosanna slipped her arm through mine and tugged me away.

I cast Lee an apologetic glance over my shoulder, but he was already backing off, his face shuttered.

I didn't say anything as we moved toward the carriages. There wasn't anything to say.

I just hoped Dumbledore's speech would be short tonight.

I was starving... and more than that, I needed the distraction.