Inside My Mind (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Chapter XIV

Hogwarts, Unplottable Location, Scotland, Great Britain

Saturday the 7th of November 1992

12:30 PM

"She should be punished! She threatened a teacher and made an oath against him! This is an outrage! She should be expelled! As well as Miss Potter!" Snape sneered. He looked pale with anger yet in his usually soulless eyes, there was a hint of smugness. Hermione stared at the teachers in front of her without dark and heavy lidded eyes as they all were in the Hospital Wing since Hermione had refused to leave Bella's side.

"Then you would have to punish your own students as well, Severus. This is not a one way street" McGonagall pointed out. Snape gritted his teeth and shook his head and Bella grimaced in pain as the Skele-Gro did its work.

"Before we hand out punishments, we should get down to the bottom of this problem, I believe" Riddle suggested. He was sitting on Bella's other side. Bella was absently tugging on his robe sleeve. Ron was sitting with Hermione. They were the only students in the room at that point in time. Hermione sighed and looked out the window. She didn't want to talk about it.

"Yes, Tom I believe that is also the way to go. Miss Granger. Why did you swear that to Professor Lockhart?" Dumbledore asked. Before Hermione could answer the question, Lockhart intervened.

"Yes, Bella forgave me. Was there a point to giving the oath if I forgiveness was already given?" Lockhart said. Bella rolled her eyes but didn't respond at all. She grimaced in pain again and slumped against the pillow.

"She didn't forgive you! And why would she? You made the bones in her arm disappear with a spell that wasn't even real!" Ron protested. Everyone glanced at Lockhart in surprise except Riddle and the children. Lockhart looked chagrined.

"You're just a second year. You wouldn't know any of the particularly dangerous medical spells that I do. And as I said before, it happens sometimes. Right, Anastasia?" Lockhart asked using the nickname Bella's friends and Riddle called her. Hermione's patience ended with that particular name.

Hermione's eyes turned darker than ever and she stood up, pointing an accusing finger at Lockhart. She lifted her head up into a haughty manner that made everyone old enough to remember the First War freeze.

"Shut your mouth! How dare you speak that name? You dare besmirch that name with your filthy mouth?" she hissed in anger. Bella blinked, owlishly, reminiscent of Luna for a moment. Bella grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her down to sit back next to her.

"It would be prudent for you not to call me that, Professor Lockhart. A handful of people have permission to use that name. You are not one of them" Bella said, coolly. She gritted her teeth but a moan of pain escaped her lips. Lockhart nodded and Dumbledore looked at Hermione in understanding.

"The oath cannot be broken without being released by the three houses it is bound to and the expressed regret of issuing the oath from Miss Granger. I don't believe that will be happening, will it?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling. Hermione tilted her head and then shook it. Hermione didn't flinch as she felt Dumbledore's eyes probing her.

"Sir, are you looking for the mark of the oath?" Hermione asked, curiously. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he allowed a small smile.

"I am. Could you please show me…if it is in an appropriate place, that is?" Dumbledore requested. Hermione shed her robe and rolled her up her shirtsleeve to her shoulder to expose the long red tattooed sword. Bella traced it in fascination and Dumbledore looked at it, carefully.