Bejeweled

Bella couldn’t believe it happened so fast. 

After her argument with Cissy, she’d gone to shower and change into her own clothes before making her way up to the Great Hall for a late breakfast. Most students had woken up late, even for a weekend, so the Great Hall was busier than usual at that time. The moment she walked through the doors it had felt like everyone was staring at her, probably because many openly were. 

It wasn’t exactly surprising after the previous night. Her, Bellatrix Black, had quite openly declared herself a blood traitor. She’d danced with muggle borns, sang muggle songs, and ended up partying in the Gryffindor Common Room with her new half-blood Marauder boyfriend. She expected the attention. 

Bellatrix had ignored it though, simply made her way over to the Slytherin table and made herself a plate and a large cup of coffee. Internally, she was relieved none of her old friend group were in the Hall. She didn’t want to deal with the politics of where to sit at the moment. It was better to simply sit alone for now. 

There was a low murmuring throughout the room that just felt…off somehow. It was too quiet for how many students were there; its tone wasn’t quite right for the morning after a dance, when most of them had stayed up into the early hours of the morning partying. The glances in her direction didn’t stop, didn’t have the right facial expressions. 

“What?” Bellatrix finally snapped at some third year Slytherin who hadn’t been able to look away from her as they passed. 

“Have you seen today’s Prophet?” the kid asked. 

Bella raised an eyebrow. Not what she’d been expecting. “No?” 

The kid bit their lip and handed over their copy before hurrying off, apparently caring more about getting some distance between themself and Bellatrix before she read it than getting their newspaper back. 

Before her eyes even saw the headline her stomach was already sinking. 

‘ PRESTIGIOUS BLACK FAMILY ARRESTED FOR MURDER’. 

The article detailed how after years of going nowhere, an anonymous tip about a cold case had brought Aurors right to where the body was hidden. On the Black property. Along with several others. They’d checked the magical traces and found evidence of the killing curse being performed by Druella and Cygnus Black. They were taken by the Ministry. Bellatrix couldn’t breathe. 

A warm hand appeared on her shoulder. She glanced up and saw Remus there, looking at her with concern. She reached up to rest her hand over his, giving it a light squeeze. Of course he’d be there just when she needed him, that was who he was. 

“Why don’t we go somewhere private?” he offered in a quiet tone so they wouldn’t be overheard. The entire room, the entire world, was openly staring at them now. And he’d stepped into the limelight just to save her. 

Bella gave a quick nod, not quite trusting her voice, and went with him out of the Hall, holding hands the entire way. She walked normally, trying to ooze confidence, nonchalance. Don’t give them anything more to talk about.  

Her and Remus walked at an almost leisurely pace up the steps, down the corridors. Bellatrix didn’t want any talk about how, ‘I saw Bellatrix Black running in the halls, almost crying,’ or anything remotely similar. Look casual. As if everyone didn’t know by now. 

When she realized where they were going, she paused. “I…don’t want to go to that room,” she told him. As much as the Room of Requirement had always been her escape, her hiding place, right now she wanted something different. She needed her music to process her emotions, and she hadn’t grabbed any albums when she’d gone to breakfast. 

“Lead the way,” Remus told her. 

And she did, right to Hoben’s classroom. There was no reason for anyone to be in there on a weekend, even Hoben, so it was as empty as expected. Bella locked the door after them and put a silencing charm around it just to make sure no one would hear the music and come see what was going on. Then she went over to the bookcase of vinyls and started looking for what she needed. 

What did she need? What emotion was she even feeling at the moment? All of them?

She felt her breathing speed up and her body sink to the ground, balancing on her toes she wrapped her arms around her knees and just tried to make it all stop. It was too much. 

Remus was there in a heartbeat, putting his arms around her and holding her solid to the Earth. He sat on the ground and pulled her into his lap so it was more comfortable for both of them, never letting her go for a second. Bella clung to him, waiting for the tears to come, but they never did. 

Her breathing evened out after a few moments, and when she got herself back together Remus said, “They could be innocent, right? I mean, they could have been framed, and maybe their wands will show it?” to try to cheer her up. 

Bella shook her head. “No. They did it,” her voice sounded lifeless even to her own ears. “I know they did it.” 

Remus sighed, and held her just a little tighter. “I’m so sorry, Bells. Who could have even given that anonymous tip? Do you think it was him for some reason?” 

Bella shook her head. “No. I did. I told Dumbledore last night at the dance.” 

Remus’s confused eyes searched her face for a long moment, gauging her expression. “But…why?” 

She took a deep breath and pulled herself to her feet. She couldn’t sit still any longer, and started pacing across the room, back and forth in front of him as she spoke. 

“Do you remember what I told you on the train?” She looked over to see him nod yes before continuing. “Well, he wasn’t outright using me for my family’s money, yet. I was his insurance, so that if Mum and Dad ever stopped giving as much as he wanted, he would kill them and since I’m the eldest I’d inherit the fortune and…and honestly I would have given him whatever he wanted. All of it.” 

She took a deep breath. It was true, mere months ago she would have given that man everything, anything to keep him happy. What a fool she’d been. But it wasn’t her fault. She clenched her fists as the anger surged through her, but took another deep breath to calm herself some so she could keep going. 

“If he’d go through all that, it means he’s desperate for it. But I wasn’t just insurance, his plan was to kill them as soon as I graduate just to make things easier. But after last night, well--it’ll get back to Mum and Dad. They’ll disown me soon enough, and then the fortune would go to Cissy. Which puts her in danger. Best case she’d tell everyone she’s going to marry Lucius and he’d obviously be in charge of the finances like a good little pureblood wife, but I don’t know if The Dark Lord would risk it. Two out of three sisters already turned against him, who knows what he’d do?” Bellatrix’s hands were shaking at the thought of that man doing anything to her sister. Ever. She would do everything in her power to make sure he never laid a finger on Cissy. Never spoke a damn word to her. 

“So I had to inherit early. If they’re in Azkaban then, well, I’m already 17. I can make sure he never gets another cent. I’m sure he has other sources of funding, but I know we're a major one.” 

She finally stopped pacing, standing right in front of Remus, where he was still sitting, back leaned against the wall, looking up at her. It felt like awaiting judgement. 

He shook his head, but his eyes were filled with something she almost wanted to call awe. “You are…the strongest person I’ve ever met,” he told her sincerely. 

Her cheeks heated up, she glanced down at her feet because she couldn’t look him in the eye. “What are you talking about? I sent my parents to jail. I’m…I’m horrible,” she muttered. 

She heard him stand up, then he made his way over to her. He cupped her cheek and gently moved her head so she would have to meet his gaze. “You sacrificed your own parents to protect your sister and the entire wizarding world. I don’t think I could have done that. You struck a serious blow against an evil man, won a battle in a war, without anyone getting hurt. You’re brilliant, you’re amazing! I-...I love you.” 

He looked embarrassed to have said it. They had only officially started dating less than 24 hours ago, by all measures it was a bit soon. 

But Bella didn’t care to follow any pre-prescribed timeline because, “I love you too.” 

She kissed him. Her Remus. Her half-blood. Her werewolf. Her love. 

It was difficult to kiss when neither of them could stop smiling. They ended up standing there for the moment, foreheads together, eyes closed, just enjoying their arms around each other. 

They did eventually have to move though. When they pulled away, Remus began to arrange five chairs in a row and then transfigured them into a comfy couch they could cuddle on, and they proceeded to do just that. 

“So, I have an idea. I don’t know if it would work, but I was thinking if you really wanted to twist the knife…” he trailed off. 

Bellatrix smirked. “Well, I am a Slytherin.” 

“Well, I don’t know too much about pureblood society, but would it be possible to start a rumor that this happened because they were financially supporting You Know Who? Make others afraid to give him more money?” Remus suggested. 

A slow, Cheshire smile crept across her lips. “My dear, you are absolutely brilliant.” 

She kissed his cheek and then hopped up. She knew what song she wanted now. She found the white cover and played the tenth track. It turned out to be the correct album overall, because while it sang about romantic love and loss, it was all about complicated emotions. The same people causing highs and lows, and trying to square everything inside one messy experience. 

Bellatrix had turned her parents in. They would be going to Azkaban. They deserved it. They would have disowned her soon for daring to think differently than them, for daring to love who she loved. They were horrible people. They were horrible to her. They were her parents. They wouldn’t be there to pick her up from the train station, wouldn’t be home at Christmas. They would never tell her that they were proud of her ever again. They were gone. She’d sent them away. It was the right thing to do. It was vengeance. 

Bella spent most of the day hiding in the Muggle Studies classroom with Remus. Listening to music, talking about everything except that . Mainly how the school had reacted to their new relationship. She heard about what Sirius had gotten up to after he disappeared, and wasn’t that a shock. She’d have to talk to Snape soon, see what she could get out of him. They worked on homework together. It was nice. Just what she needed. Even if occasionally she got quiet, zoned out, and was pulled back by him holding her hand and giving it a light squeeze. 

When they finally headed out, back to their respective dorms, Bellatrix walked with purpose through the castle, not stopping for anyone or anything until she was in the privacy of her own dorm. Only to find all of her records smashed to pieces on the floor, their covers ripped up seemingly by hand. There was no doubt who had done it, just like the person surely had no doubt who the anonymous source had been. 

Well….Bellatrix was a real tough kid, she could handle her shit.