Belonging in Slytherin

Speculation about Bellatrix Black's mystery man was rife throughout Slytherin. The younger girls were desperate to know who their heroine had fallen for, picturing the couple's meeting as one of the steamier scenes from a Venus Throbworthy novel. Bellatrix's peers wanted to know which eligible bachelor had tamed the wild girl, and several of the boys were keen to know the name of their rival. Viola Beanacre had no salacious interest; she just hated not knowing things. All she wanted was his name.

"Ludo Bagman," Ethelina suggested. She and Viola were taking advantage of a lull in the rainy weather to walk around the edge of the lake. It was still cloudy and muddy but at least their heads were dry.

"You said brilliant," Viola objected. "Bagman's closer to special than gifted."

"He's brilliant at Quidditch."

"Yeah, but that's not Bellatrix's bag. She's about as sporty as you are. How about Eurig Rosier?"

"Evan's father? What's he like?"

Viola kicked a stone in annoyance. "That's the problem with you, you've no idea who anyone pureblood is. He's gooooooorgeous. For an old bloke, of course. And Evan's mum died years ago, so he's eligible."

"I do know plenty of purebloods, so ner, just not the sort you mean. I can't see Bellatrix going for great-uncle Aldric."

"It's driving me nuts not knowing."

"Well, why not stick close to Andreas? I reckon he's even more eager to find out who this bloke is than you are."

"Not likely. He'd probably poison me." In the days that had passed since the Halloween feast, Andreas had been in a towering temper with anyone smaller or weaker than himself. He'd restrained himself around Ethelina, but Persephone had returned sobbing to the dormitory one evening, refusing to explain how she'd got a nasty burn down one side of her face. A poultice from the school nurse had sorted it out, but Persephone had spent a lot of time in the dorm since.

The truth was, Bellatrix' love life was the most interesting thing in Slytherin at that time - well, the most interesting that anyone would talk about; the fiercely secretive older pupils appeared to have something going on, but only a select few of the younger students were allowed to listen in on their discussions. Ethelina thought they were probably just plotting how to work their way into the best jobs for school leavers before anyone in the other houses could get them.

Ethelina sighed. "Well, you'd better steal her letters, then."

"No... wait! Letters!" Viola looked at Ethelina with glee. "That's it. Not the ones she gets and stuffs in her bag, the ones she sends! You..."

"NOT me!"

"No, listen. You could offer to sort her post out for her next time it's raining. Remember how she swore when she got mud all over her boots? And she's rubbish at cleaning Charms, all those girls with house-elves are." Ethelina ignored the slight, but had to admit to herself that she was not a great cleaner either.

"I am not reading letters she's sending to other people. It wouldn't be right."

"Ooh, hark at Little Miss Hufflepuff. You don't have to read them. You just have to look at the addresses, dummy, and see who she's writing to. Now all we need is for it to start raining again." As if Viola's wish had been granted, a grumble of thunder overhead was followed by the first few large spots of rain. "Yes!"

*********

The common room was noisy, although there was a distinct ring of space around Andreas Grimthorpe. Crispin de Lacey was frowning over his Arithmancy homework, and Severus Snape was scowling out of the window. Ethelina suspected he was annoyed at no longer being the least popular person in the room, Andreas having temporarily claimed that crown.

Maybe writing a letter would get Bellatrix talking to her about posting things, Ethelina thought. Anyway, she hadn't written to Bert for a few days, and missed him horribly. Writing letters wasn't as good as being with her twin, but it made her feel, just a little, as though she was really talking to him. Ethelina got out her parchment and pen and began writing to her brother.

Dear Bert,

I suppose your big Muggle bonfire thing is tonight. We've had our Halloween feast, but it wasn't much fun. I think I'd rather watch your bobbins Muggle fireworks. At least I've got Viola here. She's nice, but naughty. You'd like her.

An argument starting across the room distracted her. "Look! How dare you? How DARE you do such a thing?"

Several people made rapid exits for their dorms or the library as Bellatrix Black laid into Lucy Whitby. Being small and in the corner, Ethelina decided she'd be more noticeable if she moved, so she just kept very still, like a mouse watching a catfight.

Lucy, despite being slender and dainty, could give as good as she got, and faced Bellatrix down, hands on hips. "I don't know what I'm supposed to have done, so I don't know how I'd dare to do it."

"You've been through my things," Bellatrix accused.

Lucy snorted. "If I had, you wouldn't know anything about it." She moved her clever fingers and somehow twisted Bellatrix's earring out of thin air. "I could steal the teeth out of your head and you'd only notice when you went to dinner."

"Well, someone's been through my things," Bellatrix stamped. Her head turned towards Andreas as the next likely suspect

"I haven't been anywhere near your dorm," he groused. "And if I wanted something of yours, I'd just wait for you to get bored with it and leave it lying around." He waved his hand towards a corner of the common room, where a trashy romance and cloth-of-silver scarf lay abandoned. "You're very good at forgetting stuff once you've got it."

"What's gone missing?" Crispin asked, doing his best to sound bored.

Bellatrix blushed. "A bracelet. It only came in the post last week."

"Oh," said Lucy, "That expensive-looking one shaped like a snake." Before Bellatrix could blow up completely at her, Lucy added, "I had a look at it last Saturday. If I'd wanted it, I'd have taken it then. And I told you that you wouldn't notice me going though your things. Truth was, I needed some ink and hoped you had some."

"If I catch you looking at my stuff again... Anyway, it IS expensive. And I want it back."

Crispin shrugged. "I don't suit bracelets, so you'd better work your way through the girls' dorms.

Without another word Bellatrix headed off up the stairs to rampage her way through other people's belongings. Ethelina didn't have anything precious or irreparable in her trunk - her pen never left her person while she was awake - so she carried on with her letter.

Those stamp things were cool. Toby, a Hufflepuff friend of Ed's, asked if he could have them. He thinks all those little still pictures are fun. I let him have them, although what sort of person keeps stamps? I bet Muggles would call him crazy.

Sudden shrieks from upstairs indicated that Bellatrix had found the bracelet-thief. With a sinking heart, Ethelina realised she recognised the voice, and raced up the stairs to her dormitory.

Whatever spell Bellatrix was using on Kelly, it wasn't one they'd ever been taught in Charms. Large black bruises were blossoming all over her exposed skin, and the girl had stopped shrieking and was simply whimpering, huddled against her bed with her arms over her head. Without thinking, Ethelina jumped between the two witches.

"Get out of the way," Bellatrix ordered, "or you'll get the same and extra for your trouble."

"Kelly and I aren't friends," Ethelina pointed out. "But she's never stolen anything before. Why would she steal this?"

"Get out of the way. I won't tell you again, little bug."

Ethelina turned to Kelly. "Why? Why did you take it? You're not a thief. You've never taken anything or broken anything or..."

"What's this? Whose bed is this? This quill is one of mine." While Ethelina had been talking to Kelly, Bellatrix had been nosing around the beds nearest to her. Now she was holding a quill with unmistakable tooth-marks down the central rib. Ethelina gulped.

"It's Jessica's," Kelly hissed, hatred in her voice, although whether the hate was for the girls she was facing or the one she was talking about was unclear to Ethelina. Kelly was trying to sit up, but was clearly in lots of pain.

Bellatrix frowned. "What is this, a year full of thieves and liars? This is my quill. Little bug, isn't this my quill?"

Thinking as quickly as she could, Ethelina said, "It certainly looks like one of your quills. But Kelly meant it was Jessica's bed, not Jessica's quill."

Bellatrix calm seemed worse than Bellatrix angry - it was as though she had passed through furious and was out on the other, deadlier side. "And what do you think Jessica is doing with my quill?"

"Maybe... maybe you threw it away and she picked it up. Look, you've hurt Kelly. Don't kill her. You won't be able to lie to Dumbledore about it - is it worth being at his mercy?"

"He will not be able to tell me what to do after this year." Bellatrix sounded grim. She looked back at Kelly. "Don't fall down the stairs any more. And don't you ever come near my things again, or you'll fall down the stairs so often people will think you were born purple and green." With that she flounced out.

Ethelina held out a hand to Kelly. "Come on, I'll help you to the medical wing. We'd better say you fell down the stairs, if that's the cover story."

Kelly looked at her. "Why are you bothering? I'm not your friend?"

Ethelina shrugged. "I take care of people."

Kelly reached out and took Ethelina's hand. "I've been so stupid..."

Everyone watched as the pair shuffled through the common room. Bellatrix glowered from her favourite chair, the bracelet glinting on her wrist. (Really, thought Ethelina, who on earth thinks something that large and lumpy could be attractive? Bellatrix must really like the person who gave it to her; she's usually too stylish for things like that.)

Kelly had to stop and rest on her way to the hospital wing. Ethelina didn't like the wheezing sound she made when she breathed. "I did take the bracelet," Kelly told Ethelina.

Ethelina looked at her. "I don't want to know, Kelly. That way, if I'm ever asked, I can honestly say I know nothing."

Kelly ignored her. "Jessica said that if I wanted to be accepted, I needed something of Bellatrix's. Because she had the quill and you have those gloves."

"Persephone and Morgan don't have anything," Ethelina pointed out. But, she thought, they don't need to own something of Bella's to fit in, do they?

Kelly started to cry. "It was the flashiest thing in there, and I thought, it's clearly fake, and too ugly for her to wear, she won't even miss it, but it'll shut Jessica up. And as soon as she realised what Bellatrix was mad about, she went off to hide in the library. I thought it was better to face Bellatrix in private, so I stayed."

"Shhh, shhh," Ethelina urged. She gave Kelly a half-smile. "I can't believe you were more scared of Jessica than Bellatrix, though."

Smiling through her sniffles, Kelly agreed. "That's one mistake I won't make again."

********

Dear Eth

It's good to hear you have a new friend. Your house doesn't sound very nice. Everyone here at St Judes is friends with everyone else. Even Cassius is cheerful now. He gets angry when we talk about Christmas though. Not with Honey. He always likes Honey. Everyone does. She has the right name, she's just the sweetest person ever. Honey and I have been talking about ways to cheer him up, and I think I have a surprise for him.

I have enclosed some stamps for Toby. Some Muggles do collect them - even Muggles think that's weerd - and so they come with all sorts of pictures. See the one of Father Christmas on the chimney? Muggles don't believe he uses floo, they think he comes down the chimney. Even the ones who don't have chimneys say it! How mad is that?

I have learned to cook apple crumble. It's very easy. I reckon mine's better than Flurrys too. I'm going to make it for everyone at Christmas, but not wash up, Flurry can still do that.

Not many weeks now!

Bert

Ethelina grinned happily as she read her letter.

"Something good?" Viola asked.

"It's from my brother. I'm sooo looking forward to seeing him. Mum and Dad are taking us shopping in Diagon Alley when we get back so we can buy Christmas presents, but I know Bert will have Muggle gifts for us."

Viola frowned. "And that's a good thing? Sounds a bit Muggle-loving to me."

"A good thing is a good thing, no matter who made it." Ethelina sighed. "I'm never going to live among Muggles. I couldn't. A world without magic... without unicorns or Charms, and full of noise and smoke and smells. Horrible. But they can make beautiful things too. And sometimes more practical. People laugh at my pen, but I prefer it to the quill."

"Yeah, that thing's pretty good," Viola conceded.

"Of course, they muck things up. Bert sent me this thing called a beero, which is a pen with a sort of thick ink and a ball in the tip. Somehow... it just makes people's writing come out ugly. You couldn't write anything important with a beero, it'd look horrible. And they call it progress. Anyway, have you done your shopping?"

"I don't know what I'm getting Dad. He's a Healer; maybe I'll buy him a new mug. He runs on tea and biscuits at work. I'm buying my Mum a book of knitting patterns and this special wool I saw in Witch Weekly, it's bespelled not to shrink in the wash, which would be a blessing given how bad she is at getting the temperature right. She's rubbish at Charms - forget Transfiguration, she can turn anything into felt just by slinging it in the wash."

Ethelina giggled. For all Viola's sarcasm, she loved her parents dearly, and had clearly thought of things that they would enjoy receiving. "I don't know what I'll get mine. Or Bert. It's got to be something that he can use and that passes for a Muggle thing."

"I reckon Kelly will be buying you a present."

Ethelina pulled a face. "I wish she wouldn't! She's followed me like a lost dog for the past week. I think I preferred it when she didn't want to know me."

"Too much of a liability?"

"No. She's still got the political skills of a canary. She's realised it now, though, so if I tell her to do something or not to annoy someone, she does exactly as I say."

"She probably thinks she'll get another hiding if she does things her way... but hasn't it wound Jessica up?"

"It's made things interesting, but Jessica knows not to touch me. And all Kelly or I have to do is sit in the common room and discuss Jess telling Kelly to nick something of Bellatrix's and she'll be in big trouble. She knows it. So she leaves us both alone."

"What is it, then?"

"You don't care that I'm part-Muggle. It's too far back for me to be a halfblood, but it's there. But you know it's what I am. Kelly likes to pretend I'm not. She makes all these comments about halfbloods. Talks about purebloods, about 'us'. And that's not me."

There was a moment's silence, then Viola spoke. "It's far enough back that if you stuck with purebloods and acted like them, they'd probably accept you as one... there are people in this house whose blood isn't as magical as they like to claim. Everyone just 'forgets' about the dodgy relative, as long as they died long enough ago or no-one meets them. Sometimes, no matter what they say, attitude can count as much as ancestry."

"I'd spend the rest of my life hanging round with people I dislike. Lovely." She looked down at the letter from Bert. "Do you know what my brother's taught me? That every single person in this world can do something useful. Purebloods are wasteful. They throw away great things."

"So have you replied to Mr Useful?"

"Just about to." Ethelina held up a piece of folded parchment. "Of course, it's pouring with rain..."

Ethelina walked over to Bellatrix. "Bellatrix, I'm off to the owlery to post a letter. I can post one for you if you want, save you the journey."

Bellatrix, currently nose-deep in one of her favourite romances, 'The Sensual Sorceror', reached into her bag and handed Ethelina a sheaf of letters without looking at her or paying her much attention. "Don't get them wet. And don't try to read them, they're Charmed."

With that, Ethelina and Viola turned and headed from the room, Viola grinning like the Cheshire cat. Ethelina picked through the letters as they walked towards the entrance hall, reading out the addressees.

"Her parents, Lucius Malfoy..."

"Prince Charming to Narcissa's Sleeping Beauty. Don't know who I feel sorrier for."

"Vanessa Bullen..."

"That old hag! She left last year; you're lucky you never met her. Hexed me cross-eyed in my first week and it took a month to wear off." Viola scowled.

"Simon Fairweather, Eurig Rosier, Christobel de Montfort and another Black."

"That'd be Sirius and Regulus' mum, her aunt. Nice bunch." Viola's tone suggested otherwise.

"So, Fairweather?"

"Highly unlikely. He's a goldsmith. I heard Lucy discussing jobs on leaving with Bellatrix. Bellatrix doesn't have to work, but Lucy wants a job involving gemstones. Bellatrix is probably calling in favours."

"Lucy, working with gold?"

Viola shrugged. "She's got an eye for fine things..."

They both looked at each other and giggled. "Must be Rosier then!"