Inside My Mind (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Chapter LX

Hogwarts, Unplottable Location, Scotland, Great Britain

Tuesday the 22nd of July 1996

8:40 AM

Christine Jackson stared down at the Daily Prophet, her mouth wide open. Everyone in the Great Hall was silent as the read the declaration of Grindelwald and Voldemort's return. It gave a brief summary of the events that had apparently happened last night. They had mentioned Bella's name among others. They'd also mentioned that someone was injured enough for that person to be in a coma. Christine looked around and saw the doors to the Great Hall open.

Gideon, Ginny, and Ron Weasley walked in, looking tired. They settled down next to Christine and Michael Brown. They stared with wide and worried eyes. Gideon looked down at his plate and shook his head, slowly.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Christine asked.

"Bella…Bella's in a right state. Won't come down. Won't eat. Won't do anything. She's just sitting there, not doing anything. Even Hermione can't get her out. I suggested maybe Riddle. And when I said Riddle, she got violent. She tried to strangle me. I think she could have actually killed me," Gideon said, quietly. Christine gasped and leaned forward, looking Gideon over once. Ron turned to Seamus and Dean and began talking in a subdued manner.

"Oh, that poor girl," Christine said, softly. Michael swallowed his food.

"Who's in the coma?" he asked. Ginny sighed.

"Her godfather, Sirius Black. I'm not too sure on what happened. No one was talking. Maya, Hermione's mother, was crying. She's his girlfriend. I think it happened when he took a curse for Hermione. That's all Hermione would say. Hermione is blaming herself. Zabini is sitting with her, trying to comfort her. Malfoy is sick apparently. Maybe from a spell. But, Bella…she's just sitting there. Not moving. She looks so…dead. Like she's just tired. Tired of living," Ginny whispered. Christine and Michael shook their heads and Christine went to say something when the doors flew open.

Christine's mouth fell open when she saw that it was Bella. The girl wasn't dressed in school robes. Gideon noticed that she was still in the clothes she had worn the night before. Dried blood was in her hair and her clothes were in tatters. One boot was unlaced and blood was splattered over it. In her right hand was a small box and a nondescript book. She wasn't accompanied by any of her siblings for once.

Christine cringed at the Dark aura rolling off the girl. Her eyes were hollow and a dangerous and poisonous looking green. Dark circles were under her eyes and the little color she had had was gone. She looked like a wraith especially donned in the dark and ripped clothing that she wore. She walked towards the staff table and handed it to Riddle, looking at him with an unexplainable expression.

Christine strained to hear over the loud din and whispers as everyone stared at Bella. She was lucky that she was sitting so close to the staff table. Dumbledore was looking at her with a sad expression.

"Here is your locket. Here is your book. I shall not breathe a word but do not forget this. I despise your very being. I hate you with my mind, my body, and my soul. I hate you more than I hate life itself. I hate you so, so much that it hurts me," Bella said, softly. The other teachers looked at her in surprise but Bella paid them no mind. Riddle's expression didn't change. He was still as stoic as ever.