Bejeweled

Bellatrix could tell that Snape was freaked. He was on edge more than usual, eyes constantly scanning the other students as if waiting for someone to strike. Someone knew his secret, but so far, that person hadn’t yet come forward. Hadn’t used it against him. 

At least, that was what she’d be thinking in his situation. 

Remus hadn’t told Sirius they’d be the ones spying yet, mostly out of shame. He was hoping that if both of them kept their mouths shut for long enough, then both boys would relax and forget about it. Maybe think the trophies had just been precariously placed and fell of their own accord. Bella didn’t remind him that they’d definitely heard footsteps sprinting away from the scene. 

It had been over a week that Bella had kept her mouth shut and if anything Snape seemed to be growing more paranoid about it. 

Bella knew that usually she wouldn’t care. Hell, she probably would have held it over his head, either telling everyone right away to mock him relentlessly, or blackmailing him into doing her potions homework. Now both options seemed shitty. Sure, Snape was kind of weird, but he’d never done anything to her. Had she really changed so much? 

Finally, on Friday Bella saw Snape studying alone in the library, so she sat at the table across from him and placed a muffling charm around them so they could speak without Madam Pince strangling them for it. Typically the politics of this would be in her favor. Bellatrix had been the unofficial Queen of Slytherin House. Anyone she said was in, was in. And Snape was…middling. Some of the boys would send snide comments his way, but he was skilled, clearly on track to become a Death Eater, so he was allowed in that group. Now…Now the politics of Slytherin House were still settling after the fall out of the Muggle Studies Dance and Bellatrix’s new status of Blood Traitor. 

Snape raised an eyebrow at her, but didn’t say a word. 

“I saw you snogging my cousin,” Bellatrix said plainly. 

The color drained from his face, but he didn’t look particularly surprised. If anything, there was a glint of relief in his eyes thanks to finally getting this over with. 

“And what do you intend to do with this information?” he asked carefully. 

“Nothing,” she answered simply. 

Snape blinked several times as if the word wasn’t processing correctly. “What do you mean ‘nothing’?” 

“I mean…nothing,” she shrugged. “I’m not going to tell anyone. I’m not going to blackmail you. Hell, if you want to see him again I could cover for you sometime. If you don’t mind the Slytherins thinking you’re hanging around with a blood traitor.” 

His eyes narrowed. “Why?” 

“It’s part of this whole ‘trying to be a better person’ thing. Maybe you should try it!” she grinned cheerfully at him, even if it was a snide comment. 

Snape studied her carefully. “I didn’t believe you, you know? That you really meant all of…this that you’ve been doing.” 

“Oh, then please, enlighten me as to what you think I’ve been up to this whole time,” she laughed a bit, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. 

“I wasn’t sure. Couldn’t figure out your angle, to be honest. I’m still not sure I fully believe you.” 

Bella shrugged. “Believe me, don’t believe me, it’s up to you. But you’ll see with time that your little secret is safe.” 

She started to grab her things and stand up, but Snape stopped her with a simple, “Wait.” 

Bella settled back into her seat and gave him a slight nod to continue. 

“You…and Lily…?” 

“Are friends,” Bella nodded. Saying it out loud, to someone else, made her happy. She really did like hanging out with Lily, and it was nice to admit as much. 

Snape scowled. “Why is it that she forgives you after everything, but won’t give me a second chance?” 

Bella raised an eyebrow at him. “She did. And a third. And a fourth. She gave you a million chances, but you kept being friends with the Future Death Eaters, kept experimenting with dark magic. You calling her that was just the final straw.” 

Snape looked stunned. “I mean…I know she didn’t like those things, but…were they really that big of deal?” 

Bella rolled her eyes. “Why are boys so clueless?” she muttered to herself before answering him. “Yes! Your friends want her dead, of course it’s a big fucking deal. She didn’t just welcome me with open arms, I’m still working for it, but that’s what she cares about. That I’m trying. You haven’t tried at all, not really. You said sorry, but nothing has changed.” 

“I can’t just stop being friends with them!” Snape snapped at her. “It’s not safe for someone like me in Slytherin to go against them, they’re not afraid of me like they are of you.” 

Bella shrugged. “Then start hanging out with me and Andy instead. Like you said, they’re afraid of me.” 

It was Snape’s turn to roll his eyes. “As if you’d ever be friends with me of all people,” he sneered. 

“As if I’d be friends with a muggle born,” she countered. 

He said nothing for a long moment. “This nice Bellatrix is…unsettling.” 

“I’m not trying to be nice, I’m trying to be good, there’s a difference. And even then, well, does it make you feel better to know I’m mostly doing it for revenge?” 

Snape raised an eyebrow. “Against who?” 

“The Dark Lord,” she answered. “If you stop hanging around the Future Death Eaters, become friends with Lily again—date Sirius Black, well then…he loses a particularly talented potioneer, which suits my goal of taking everything from him.” 

Bellatrix knew Slytherins. Knew the calculations Snape was making in his mind, knew the assumption that nothing came for free, there would always be strings attached, something in it for the other person. She could speak to that. Nothing she said was a lie, it just also wasn’t the full truth. She did want revenge, but she also wanted to keep Remus, and that meant being good. Just…in her own way. She would still move the chess pieces, collect them from her opponent who thought she was a pawn instead of a player. Sharing her more selfish intentions wouldn’t work with Gryffindors, but would work with this Slytherin. If he could see the strings he would feel more comfortable agreeing; he knew what he was in for. 

“You can’t promise me someone else’s forgiveness,” he stated. 

“No, but I can talk to her. Tell her how you are trying. It would just be up to you to actually prove it.” She shrugged. “Hell, maybe Sirius could put in a good word as well. Now that would really prove something changed.” 

“You’ll tell her no such thing!” Snape glared. 

Bella held up her hands in a surrender. “It’s just an option. I’ll say nothing about it unless you want me to.” 

Snape’s gaze traveled back down to the book in front of him, but his eyes weren’t reading it. They were calculating, looking for all the possibilities of checkmate. Finally, they snapped back up to her. “Deal. I’ll stop being friends with them in exchange for your protection and a good word with Lily.” 

“Excellent,” she smiled. “Though…you totally will also be helping with potions homework.” 

Snape just rolled his eyes.