Hiding Bruises

Hiding Bruises- Chapter 2- Interruption

“Let’s give this little mud blood a bit of what she’s used to back at home!” Bella cackled.

Mulciber grinned and kicked me; I must have looked just like a bundle of robes lying on the floor at their feet. This sent Bella into hysterics and she started whacking me with her hands, clawing at my robes with her fingernails. I gave a cry as her sharp nails ripped through my skin and a thin line of blood fell from the cut. Mulciber kicked me in the stomach, harder now. I let out a involuntary scream of pain and clasped my middle.

“What’s wrong?” Bella asked in that sickly sweet voice of hers that she uses to taunt me, “Isn’t this what you’re used to? I thought this was how Muggles dueled each other?” Her brow furrowed in mock confusion.

I didn’t reply, I knew not to by now. With Bella, you just had to let her talk for as long as she liked, if you joined in the conversation she’d carry on much longer before getting bored.

“She doesn’t seem to be enjoying it as much as you said she would,” said Mulciber darkly.

“Why not? Why not, ayy?” Bella asked me, leaning down to look me in the eye. She cackled even louder when I looked away, “she don’t appreciate are little gift to her Severus.”

Snape who had been standing back watching the proceedings came forwards, “stop messing around Bella.” He said in a bored voice.

“But it’s no fun if I don’t mess,” replied Bella, looking hurt.

Snape rolled his eyes as though he were talking to a little kid, “fine then,” he said, “you mess all you want Bella. I’m bored, I’m going to bed.” He walked away.

Bella blew a raspberry after him, “why did he do that, do you think?” she asked me, “he’s no fun, we don’t need him to have a good time, do we?” She took my head in her hands and shook it like a rag doll.

Bella sighed when I didn’t say anything, “you’re boring too.” She told me, “only good for one thing you are,” she said, and started kicking me again. Her pointed shoes struck me all over my body as I bit down on my tongue hard to stop myself from screaming.

It would end soon, her interest in me was waning, I could tell. If I could just keep my mouth shut. I mustn’t give her anything to work with.

Just then I heard footsteps coming round the corner, I didn’t bother to look, thinking it was Snape come back.

There was silence as who ever it was surveyed the scene before them, the silence went on.

I looked over just as Bella muttered, “Who invited him to the party?” Her voice was cold and harsh, as was the reply.

“No one Bella, I’m gate crashing,” answered Sirius Black. I looked up at his tall, dark haired figure. His lips were thin and his eyes were glaring at Bella, he didn’t look at me lying on the floor.

Bella glared back at him “Go away Sirius,” She told him.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice full of anger.

“Just playing,” said Bella as she placed her foot on my stomach, pressing down hard on an old bruise. I whimpered and Sirius momentarily looked down at me.

“Let her go,” he ordered.

Bella lifted her foot and stepped away from me, never taking her eyes of Sirius.

I scrambled up and hurried away past Sirius. I kept my head down as I past him but he grabbed my arm, I shrank away from his touch immediately. “I’m sorry,” he said, seeing my reaction and letting go, “what’s your name?” he asked.

I kept looking down and ignored his question as I exited. I stopped around the corner and listened to their conversation.

“Who was that?” asked Sirius, obviously annoyed, “what where you doing to her?”

“No one and none of your business,” replied Bella.

I sighed in relief and walked away. She wouldn’t tell him my name, that was good, I hoped he wouldn’t be able to recognize me tomorrow.

*****

When I got back to the Gryffindor common room it was full of people. I snuck through the crowd, keeping my head down. No one noticed me, I was getting good at being invisible, I’d had plenty of practise.

I noticed the remaining Marauders (James, Remus and Peter) were sitting around the fire watching it sizzle. They were probably waiting for Sirius to get back from what ever he had been doing before running into Bella. I wondered if he would tell them what had happened, probably.

I went up the stairs to the girl’s dormitories. There were six of us in the 6th year girl’s dorm, there might as well have just been five though, for all the attention they paid me. I’m not complaining though, I brought it on myself by never talking to them or hanging out in there with them.

They were Lily Evans, a fiery red head and object of James Potters infatuation (he asked her out regularly but so far had never managed to receive a yes), Molly Prewett, who was also red haired but a lot shorter then Lily and had been going out with Arthur Weasley from the year above since 3rd year, Alice Logan, brunette (like myself, but hers was cut short) who was rumored to fancy a 7th year called Frank Longbottom, Marlene McKinnon a short bouncy blonde (though there had been a rumour in 4th year that her platinum blonde curls were not completely natural, not that I payed much attention to rumours) who went through boyfriends nearly as fast as Sirius did with his girlfriends (almost) and Emmeline Vance, a shy blonde girl who excelled in all subjects.

When I got in none of them where there, I went straight into the bathroom and examined today’s damaged. It wasn’t bad really, apart from the nasty gash on my cheek all the bruises would me around me middle, where they could be easily covered.

I wet a towel and dabbed at my face, the bleeding had pretty much stopped already. I magically sealed the skin back together but you could still a rather pink line across my cheek. Madame Pomfrey, the school nurse, could get rid of that easily, not that I would go to her. To me the likelihood of being noticed by her and having to answer her questions as to how I got the injury in the first place was higher then being noticed by a fellow student and having to answer their questions.

It was quite late and I had nothing else to do so I changed into my pajamas and got into bed. A while later the other girls came in and did the same, they were excited about the upcoming ball and talked about it long after the lights had been turned out.

I half listened as I drifted slowly into sleep as Lily complained about how James had put any guy of asking her to the ball and Molly told them that Arthur had asked her the day they were informed the ball would be happening (about a month ago). Alice had been asked by a boy in Ravenclaw but had refused as she was hoping Frank would find the courage to ask her. Marlene had been asked by many boys and so far had said yes to all of them, she said she was going to choose nearer the time but wanted to keep all her options open until then. Emmeline (known as Em) stayed quiet throughout the conversation but when prodded by the others girls insisted no one had invited her to the ball.

They probably said more as I fell asleep well before their conversation was over.

*****
[3rd Person]

Downstairs Sirius Black walked back into the common room as he walked over to his friends they all noticed that he looked like something was annoying him. When he slumped down in the empty chair beside James, Remus leant over and asked him what was up, as far as they knew he’d gone to get some food from the kitchen, but he was empty handed.

“I ran into Bella on my way to the kitchens,” he told them, straightaway they all became more alert, it was common knowledge that Sirius hated his cousin, “she was bullying some kid, her and Mulciber.”

“What?” asked James, intrigued now.

“I came round the corner and saw this girl lying on the floor, and Bella kicking her hard all over,” Sirius explained.

“Who was it?” Remus asked.

Sirius shook his head, “no idea mate, she ran off before I got a good look at her face or even see what house she was in and Bella wouldn’t give anything away.”

They were silence for a minute after, all of them wondering who it was and why she hadn’t let Sirius see her.

“Did you see anything strange going on on the map while I was gone?” asked Sirius.

James shook his head, “we didn’t really look, just made sure Flich wasn’t out patrolling.”

Peter looked worried, “should we tell some one? McGonagall maybe-“

He stopped as James and Sirius looked at him with exasperation.

“If she wouldn’t let Sirius see her she won’t go to McGonagall, besides it was probably a one of,” said Remus.

“We’ll keep a look out on the map anyway,” Sirius said, still feeling uneasy, “see is we see Bella with anyone.”

“Good idea” James agreed, stifling a yawn, “we’ll start tomorrow.” He got up from his chair and walked towards the boy’s dormitories.

Peter and Remus followed him up but Sirius stayed where he was, “I’m not tired yet, I’ll stay here a bit longer.” He said.

“We’ve got charms tomorrow morning,” Remus reminded him.

“I know, I won’t be long,” said Sirius.

The others left and he sat there a while longer, staring into the fire. He was about to get up but he noticed the others had left the Marauders map open on the table. He leaned over and looked at it, his eye was drawn to the six names in the girls dormitory. Lily, Alice, Molly, Marlene and Em he recognized but the sixth he didn’t. He looked at the small neat writing that proclaimed Tina Blanch was sleeping in her bed in the 6th years girls dormitory.

He frowned at the name, sure he hadn’t heard it before, though it did sound strangely familiar, like he’d heard it called out by teachers but never properly paid any attention to it.

He stared at the name for a minute longer the shook his head, folded up the parchment and went up to bed.