Inside My Mind (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Chapter VII

Hogwarts, Unplottable Location, Scotland, Great Britain

Saturday the 21st of December 1991

11:00 AM

Bella sighed as she listened to Malfoy brag as everyone packed away their Potions ingredients. He was talking about how amazing his Manor would look after the house elves were done cleaning it up.

"I do feel so sorry for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because there isn't enough room in the house or their blood traitor Uncle doesn't even want them. Or even worse…their parents don't want them because their full of dirty blood," Malfoy had said. All of the Slytherins laughed and Bella frowned. She knew that he was directing the comments at them. Hermione didn't seem concerned at all. Ron looked furious. His ears and neck were red but he was doing a good job of staying put.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked, quietly. Bella had been looking down, doing nothing for the past minutes. Bella laughed, awkwardly.

"I'm fine. Er…uh…Merlin! I sound like an incoherent idiot. Kind of like how Malfoy sounds all the time," Bella said, loudly as they exited. She passed the sputtering Malfoy, her knapsack thrown over her shoulder.

"Close your mouth, Malfoy. You'll catch some flies that way," Bella said before leaving the classroom. Hermione and Ron were laughing after her as they exited. As they went up the stairs to the Great Hall, ready for lunch they saw that a gigantic fir tree blocked their way. Two enormous feet peeking out from underneath revealed that it was Hagrid.

"Hi Hagrid! Want any help?" Ron asked, his face in the branches as he looked for a way to see Hagrid through the thickness of the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right. Thanks, Ron," the response came. It was slightly muffled and it told them that Hagrid's face was also in the branches.

"Would you mind moving out of the way? Trying to earn extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts I bet. That hut of Hagrid's must be a palace compared to what you're family's used to," drawled a cold voice. Bella spun around at the voice and saw a smirking Malfoy with his two bodyguards. Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes, quickly and took a step back.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape. Malfoy was insultin' his family," Hagrid defended. Snape suddenly looked pained that there had been an adult witness to everything. He couldn't disregard what he had said.

"Be that as it may, Hagrid, fighting is against Hogwarts rules. Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful that it isn't more. Move along all of you," Snape said, smoothly. He walked past them and Malfoy and his goons followed by pushing past the giant tree, scattering needles everywhere.

"I'll get him…one of these days I will get him," Ron grinded out. Bella was staring intensely at Snape's back.

"I hate them…I hate them so much. Malfoy and Snape," Bella said with horrible conviction. They followed Hagrid into the Great Hall to see McGonagall and Flitwick decorating. Holly and mistletoe hung on the walls and no less than twelve trees were now present.