Another Year at Hogwarts

The moment we went through the door of Snape’s ruined office, I felt as though everything that just happened finally sunk in, and my legs suddenly gave out of me. I let out a weak gasp as Snape caught me before I fell and carefully led me to his desk. He placed me in a chair and knelt in front of me.

We stayed this way for quite some time. I can’t say how long, but the silence that was exchanged between Snape and I made it feel as though it was an eternity. While I was lost in my thoughts, Snape didn’t say anything. I knew he was staring at me, but I couldn’t build up the courage to look at him and try to figure out what he was feeling.

How could this happen? This was the only thought running through my head as I sat in the disarrayed room.

After a while, Snape finally got up and walked over to his chair on the other side of the desk. He let out a heavy sigh as he sat down. It took him a little while, but he finally asked, “Are you all right?”

“I’m…I’m scared,” I whispered. My eyes were glazed over as I staring blankly at the corner of his desk. My hands were still shaking, and though I tried to restrain myself, nothing helped. “I think I’m…I think I’m in too deep.”

It all began after dinner. Students were reporting back to their towers, and Draco, the Carrows and I were on hallway duty again. That night, everything seemed to go as usual. I made my round in search of students breaking the rules, but there was nothing. But despite finishing my round, I continued to walk around the school. I had a feeling that something was going to go down tonight. Though I didn’t know what it was exactly, I knew I had to continue onwards.

I eventually made my way downstairs onto the first. Though that floor was usual patrolled by the Carrows, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to walk around since the two enjoyed retreating back into their rooms before their shifts were over.

Tonight, unknowingly to me however, the Carrows didn’t go to bed early.

“Enjoying your usual midnight stroll are you?”

I slowly turned around and found Amycus Carrow standing in the dark behind me. I narrowed my eyes at him as I turned back around and stared towards the other end of the hall. To no surprise, Alecto stood there.

“You two are still up?” I asked dully. I sarcastically added, “How surprising.”

“We couldn’t possibly go to sleep early tonight,” Amycus grinned as he slowly began to approach me. “Tonight’s special.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “How so?”

“Because we finally have you where we want you,” Alecto answered from the other end of the hall.

“And what is it that you two want with me?” I asked.

“Just a chat,” Alecto replied.

“You know,” Amycus added, “since we’re all on the same team here, shouldn’t we get to know one another a bit better?”

“I’m not interested.” My eyes carefully switched back and forth between Alecto and Amycus as they approached me. Though I dared not show it, I felt like a tiny animal that had been cornered by two savage predators. Any sudden move by me would trigger the animals to attack, so I kept my cool and simply kept my eyes on them.

“Oh, listen to that rude remark. Here we are, trying to be nice, and Victoria here is acting so high and mighty—as though a Mudblood like her is above us!” Alecto laughed.

She and her bother then began circling me like vultures. As I watched them, I noticed that they both had their hands hovering over their robe pockets. I suddenly felt as though I was in one of those old western movies where the cowboys are about to duel. Each one of us in that hall were ready like those cowboys—we were all prepared to pull out our wands and strike each other down.
“A confident child, isn’t she Alecto?” Amycus asked as he and his sister continued their stroll around me.

“A bit too confidence for my taste,” Alecto snickered. “Just look at the way she’s glaring us down.”

“Very different from the fleeing creature that first appeared at Lucius’s manor.”

“What do you two really want?” I asked.

Alecto and her brother then stopped before me and on both their faces was an identical pair of sinister grins. My heart couldn’t help but pound rapidly in my chest as I anticipated their answer.

“We just want to deliver a present from Bellatrix,” Alecto said.

I felt my stomach twist at the very mention of Bellatrix’s name. I knew instantly that I should have ran the moment her name slipped Alecto’s lips. But my stubbornness and determination to prove something of myself did not allow me to do it. So I stood my ground and I put up a brave front.

“And what is this present you two so graciously agreed to deliver to me on her behalf?” I asked confidently.

“Right here,” Alecto said as she and her brother began to pull out their wands and sent dark green sparks at me.

I quickly ducked, and the sparks went flying over my head and through the window behind me. I then pulled out my own wand and flicked sparks back at the two of them as well. Before I knew it, the hall was lit up with sparks bouncing off the walls as the three of us deflected and cast spells at one another. The sound of shattered glass filled the air as our attacks were missed or deflected.
I have to admit, I was struggling a bit. One would think that since I can defeat Bellatrix Lestrange in a duel, going against the Carrows would be easy. However, I never really had to fight two people at the same time. I was always able to knock at the least one of the two people out and fight the last person one-on-one. But thankfully, I was able to eventually knock Amycus down. Once he went down, Alecto’s defeat quickly followed.

“Please inform Bellatrix that though I enjoyed her gift immensely, I cannot accept it,” I panted.

With that, I sliced the air with my wand, and a bright white light escaped from it and towards the Carrow siblings. They both let out a gasp as the two of them went hurling backwards and landed at Draco’s feet as he turned the corner.

I glanced at Draco—who had an expression of displeasure and shock—for a moment before glaring down at the Carrow siblings.

“Return her gift for me and tell Bellatrix that if she wants to present me with a gift again, for her to deliver it herself!” I ordered before walking away.

As I walked away, I could hear footsteps following behind me. I knew it wasn’t the Carrows, so obviously it was Draco. However, as he followed behind me, he didn’t say anything to me.

“I know you’re following me; why?” I called out after a while of walking.

“Not having a good day again, I see,” Draco commented as he quickened his pace and appeared beside me. “What was that all about?”

“You’re aunt is trying to kill me, apparently,” I replied.

“Not surprising,” Draco shrugged. “She’s always trying to kill someone. I think she makes it a daily goal.”

A let a small grin slip onto my face. “You got that right.”

Silence then fell upon Draco and me as we continued walking around the first floor. It was peaceful, though I do have to admit that the clicking of our footsteps was far less entertaining than having an actual conversation. Then again, we probably had nothing to talk about, so I had to settle for the sound of our footsteps.

“Well,” I sighed as Draco and I came to an intersection, “I’m going to head to bed now. You should too.”

“Our shift over already?” Draco asked.

“My shift was over a long time ago,” I said as I turned to leave. Just then, my eyes caught some shadows moving down the hallway. “Draco, come with me,” I quickly ordered.

“What?” he asked as I raced down the hallway. He quickly followed me, and soon, we were running side by side down the hallway.

As we ran after the shadows, I realized that we were running towards the Headmaster’s office.

“Is it Dumbledore’s Army?” Draco asked as we ran.

“Possibly,” I answered, though, I was wondering why they were heading to Snape’s office. It wasn’t like they could get into his office without a password anyways.

My question was suddenly answered as I followed Draco around the corner and someone shouted Reducto. I suddenly ran smack into his arms, before Draco tackled me to the ground. I was buried in his arms as a loud explosion went off in the direction we were heading. The sound of rubble flying and hitting the ground was soon heard afterwards.

When things finally seemed to have cleared, Draco quickly got off me. He had reached a hand down to help me up, but I ignored it and rose to my own feet. I immediately looked to the entrance of the Headmaster’s office to see three people ascending the stairs. Knowing exactly, who they were, I shouted for them to stop while pulling out my wand.

Just before the last person was about to go up the stairs, I let a warning spark fly from my wand and at the person. They quickly ducked before ordering the two people in front of them to continue.

“Weasley,” Draco sneered as Ginny stepped out of the entrance with her wand in her hand.
“What in bloody hell do you think you’re doing?” I wondered more to myself then to Ginny.

“It’s none of your business,” Ginny snapped bravely.

I could tell from the look on her face that it was pointless for me to tell her to stop whatever she was planning. She had this look of pure determination; a look that said she’d rather fight and fail than to give up. Despite this, I went on and said anyways, “Tell Lovegood and Longbottom to get back down here!” I ordered. “If you three stop now, maybe your punishment by me will be far less server than when the Carrows show up and catch you breaking school rules.”

“That is if you can even catch us yourself!” Ginny shouted and quickly raised her wand. “STUPIFY!”

Draco and I quickly jumped out of the way of her attack, and we both pulled our wands out and prepared for a fight.

“Expelliarmus!” I shouted as I stumbled to my feet.

Ginny easily dodged this and sent a blue spark at me. She quickly turned her attention to Draco, who had begun sending attacks at her. I quickly got back onto my feet and was sending sparks her way as well. I however, made sure that though the sparks were being sent at her, they wouldn’t hit her. They were always off just a bit. Because of this, she didn’t seem to concentrate at my attacks as she did Draco’s.

Draco had been a good job helping me keep Ginny on her toes with his attacks until Ginny managed to hit him with a leg-lock curse.

“Everte statum!” Ginny casted, sending Draco flying backwards. I heard him let out a painful cry as he landed on a pile of rubble.

In that moment, I felt as though something had taken over me. I felt that I wasn’t in any control as I pointed my wand at Ginny and said, “Crucio!”

A scream escaped her lips as her wand fell from her hand and she crumbled to the ground. She continued to scream in pain, and I could heard something—no, someone pressing me to continue that I was doing. And even when the voice faded away, I still continued to keep up the spell. I continued to hold my wand out towards her, though I knew I had to stop. There was just this feeling on anger and hate that encouraged me to press on. Everything that made me angry just came flooding to me—being here at Hogwarts, constantly having people talk about me, Crabbe and his insults, Bellatrix, the Carrows attempting to kill me, Victoria Baker—everything. I felt this uncontrollable anger boiling within me and I directed all of this hatred and anger through my spell at Ginny.

“That’s enough,” someone whispered to me.

A large hand gently cupped mine and forced my wand down to my side.

“GINNY!” rang Luna’s voice as she and Neville were seen descending the stairs.

“Ginny!” Neville gasped as he and Luna stared down at the barely conscious Ginny and then to me. His eyes immediately flicked up and anger flashed in his eyes as he looked fiercely at Snape and me.

It was as Neville was rushing towards us that I finally realized what they were after in Snape’s office. In that moment, everything seemed to move in slow motion as Neville angry scream echoed in my ear. My eyes widened and fear struck my heart as he charged at Snape and me with the Sword of Gryffindor raised above his head.

Snape calmly, but swiftly, raised my hand up and pointed my wand at Neville and said, “Expelliarmus!”

A spark flew out from the tip of my wand and hit Neville square in the chest, and he tumbled backwards. The sword Neville was holding fell to the ground beside him. Snape then let go of my hand, which immediately dropped to my side.

“Don’t even think about, Ms. Lovegood,” Snape said as Luna began to pull out her wand.

“What in the world is going on here?” gasped the familiar voice of McGonagall.

Snape turned around and began to explain that Ginny, Luna and Neville had broken into his office to steal the Sword of Gryffindor and injured Draco in the process. He ordered Madam Pomfrey and Professor Slughorn to help Draco to his room and to care for his injures. As for Luna, Neville and Ginny, Snape told Madam Pomfrey to treat any wounds they may have. He also added that the three are to serve detention with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest.

“And this is justice?” Professor McGonagall asked. “It is clear that these three have done something terrible, but to allow a Ms. Baker—someone young enough to be a student here—use the Cruciatus Curse as punishment is just—”

“She has the authority to use it,” Snape interrupted. “Now, is there anything else you would like to discuss, or would you rather these students suffer from their injures a bit longer as you argue with me, Minerva?”

Professor McGonagall didn’t say anything else to Snape. Instead, she and the other teachers with her quickly gathered the injured students and Luna and left. Once they were gone, Snape came up to me and lead me into his office.

“I think I’m in too deep,” I gasped.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Everything…everything’s changing,” I answered. “At first, this person—Victoria Baker—was nothing more than a persona I had to take on. With each passing day, though, I feel as though I’m losing sight of who I am—of Violet Bell. I feel that I’m being consumed by this new identity, and it scares me.”

“There isn’t anything to be afraid of,” Snape commented.

“What’s not to be afraid of?” I bellowed as my eyes darted up and met Snape’s. “I couldn’t stand the Carrows tormenting the students, but now, I can walk down a hall echoing with the painful scream of a student and not even hear. I see students using the Unforgivable Curses on first years for fun and I can walk by without a single glance back. And after what just happened how can you say that there’s nothing to be afraid of?” I asked. “What if—”

“It won’t ever happen,” Snape interrupted. “You won’t ever become one of them.”

“How do you know?” I asked. “After what just happened, I can’t say I’m so different from those damn Carrow siblings. I mean…” I scoffed, “I’ve grown so used to the torture and listening to the pitiful cries of others. What happens if I begin to like it?”

“It won’t even happen,” Snape said, “because I’ve been there. I’ve been in your position before. You should know by now that if you were ever in over your head, I will be there to assist you. I won’t let you become one of those monsters.”

“And how are you going to stop me if I do?”

Snape sat up and leaned across his desk. He stared directly into my eyes as he said, “I’ll do whatever it takes.”