Bellamione - her beloved monster

32. The Highest Good

"You two know I could expel you from school, don't you?"

The two students nodded silently.

Their gaze drifted from the silver-plated crystal glasses to the endless tomes on the taming of dragons.

"Yes, Professor."

"And you also know that you both could have been killed?"
A steady nod.

"What sort of punishment do we get now?" Bellatrix tilted her head, around which was wrapped in a thick bandage.

"You two are punished enough. I don't know how you found the entrance, but you made sure the monster is eliminated. It will never be able to attack anyone again."

Hermione's eyes drifted over to her friend.

She had her eyes wide.

Silently the two of them, followed by Professor McGonagall, left the office.

Down the ever-moving stairs,

Straight into the Great Hall, where Bellatrix dropped down beside her youngest sister.

Narcissa Black slapped her hands over her mouth, "Bella! What happened?"
"Nothing." The young woman with the thick curls forced a smile.

"What's wrong? You're bleeding!"
"Potion accident."
"Bullshit!" The blonde girl interrupted her, "Slughorn's lessons may be a bit dodgy at times, yet he won't kill you!"
"Calm down, Cissy. I'm still alive."

Almost.

Hermione thought to herself, scanning the hall with her eyes.

Above her, the ceiling sparkled, graced by milky white clouds.

A young woman crossed the hall, tugging at the fabric of her Slytherin jumper with her fingers.

Andromeda unceremoniously sat down with the three witches and eyed her older sister.

Her neck was covered in red blemishes.

"Andy, look at Bella!" Narcissa startled.

"Are those kiss marks?" Tried Bellatrix to distract, pointing at the Black sister with the shock of brown hair.

"What? No, I took the wrong potion!"

"Oh, you too?" Cissy raised an eyebrow, "The funny thing is that Bella is almost dead, and you, Andy, have kiss marks. You both didn't have any Potions class today, did you?"
Now the witch with the raven black curls sipped her pumpkin juice, "Oh, it's a long story, and you're still too little for some of these, sis."
And with a smirk on her lips, she disappeared.

Hermione knelt in front of her luggage.

Time reverses, letters, robes, potion bottles.

Perfect!

It was January, and the young woman was sure she knew nothing and again nothing.

It was hopeless, she would just stand idly by.

But how did she find a hearing with the dark lord?

No, he would not trust her with even a single secret, by Merlin, even if she was a supposed pureblood.

Loyalty was the highest good for him, and of that her friend possessed in abundance.

One of her potions caught the young student's eye, luckily she always kept the leftovers from her lessons.