Forbidden and Mistaken

The weekend was over, and school started once again. Hermione, Ron, and Harry were very concerned with me, but I just reassured them that I was fine and that nothing was wrong. Why did everything have to be so complicated with my life? How could I be with Draco but still be myself at the same time. More so, keep my friendship the same. My first N.E.W.T class of Transfiguration would begin today, and I would take it with Ron, Harry, Hermione, and...Malfoy.

"Welcome to your N.E.W.T class of Transfiguration! All of you have worked very hard to be in this class, as you have had to achieved an 'O' in your O.." McGonagall welcomed us into our first N.E.W.T class. "Today I will be introducing you all to an advanced form of Transfiguration. You will be learning about Animagi this term, as well as how the Ministry deals with registry of the Animagus."

I suddenly felt a huge deal of remorse for Harry, who's uncle, Sirius, and my very distant cousin, was killed by my other very distant cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. He was an animagus. I liked Sirius, he was a nice guy, and he cared for Harry dearly. I liked Bellatrix too, shamefully, she and I were on good terms. She's also Draco's aunt. I think all pure-blood wizards are related in some way...The Weasleys are even related to the Blacks, and so are the Potters. So that makes me Bella and Sirius's very distant cousin...Something like second cousin twice removed...But everything aside, the very mention of the Animagus made me feel bad for Harry, and for Sirius. It really was terrible that our family didn't get along.

"An Animagus is a witch or wizard who can morph him or herself into a specific animal at will. It is a learned, rather than hereditary, skill, unlike those of a Metamorphmagus. All known Animagi take the same form as their Patronus. It is unknown whether all do." She explained. "Only very powerful and skilled wizards are able to become Animagi. The process of becoming an Animagus is long and arduous, and has the potential to backfire and cause the transformation to go horribly wrong. Once the initial training is over, an Animagus can change at will at any time, with or without a wand. Animagi can only take on the form of one specific animal. This animal form is not chosen by the wizard, but determined by their personality and inner traits. Thus, one's Animagus form is a reflection of one's inner nature. It is unknown whether Animagi can take the form of a more "magical" creature." She droned on. I didn't really mind Transfiguration, I actually preferred it to many of the other subjects.

I actually thought about this for a while. Sirius' Animagus was a black dog, but I wonder what would happen if I had an Animagus...My patronus was a white and grey wolf, but I'd never thought about being an Animagus before. What would it feel like? I had never asked Sirius, or anyone else. My mother had never liked the idea of transforming into an animal at will, nor did she like the idea of being vulnerable during the time. My father, on the contrary, was unregistered. He could morph into the eagle anytime he wanted.

"The difference between mere Transfiguration and the Animagus transformation ability is that an Animagus can change into an animal whenever they want, without a wand or an incantation. Being an Animagus is an ability, and Transfiguring requires a spell." McGonagall continued. "Every Animagus is required to register with the Ministry of Magicat the Improper Use of Magic Office. This registration includes revealing one's animal form and one's distinguishing markings. The register is available to the public. The primary reason for registration is to ensure the Animagi do not abuse their abilities, as the Ministry is able to keep track of them. The penalty for failing to register as an Animagus is a sentence in Azkaban, though the length of time is unknown. Today you will be partnered up and discuss the forms of Animagi, and the difficulties and similar appearances of the wizard compared to their Animagus." She explained. "These will be your permanent partners throughout the year. Katie Bell with Lavender Brown. Miss Granger with Miss Patil, Potter with Mr. Malfoy" Shit Harry...You're going to have a real fun time... "Eliza Allenwith Ron Weasley." McGonagall called out.

I sat down next to Ron as McGonagall finished calling out the names.

"Wow, Harry being partnered up with Malfoy for the whole year!" He exclaimed.

"Yeah...That was pretty harsh. I hope she makes them change." I said as McGonagall corrected herself and placed Harry with Seamus Finnigan and Malfoy with Blaise Zabini.

"I think she has..." He replied.

"Well, I told you they weren't going to last a second together." I laughed.

"Yeah, it sucks that we have to do the Animagi unit right after Sirius's death."

"I know...My parents never really approved of Sirius...It didn't even matter anyway, cause he was in Azkaban...But they never really talked about him. It's a shame that he was killed by Bellatrix though."

"Yeah...One day she'll get what's coming to her...Ellie, I-...I have a question."

"Sure, ask away." I said.

"Well...When we were at the Department of Mysteries, last year...Bellatrix looked like she expected you to come and join her. Is that what...what you knew?" Ron asked me. I honestly couldn't tell him why, or why I couldn't join them. How Bella was a part of my family, no matter how distant, and that we were joined in a way.

"Bellatrix Lestrange is...She's related to me, okay?"

"What! How could you not tell us!"

"I-...I couldn't. It would hurt Harry, and you too. And you wouldn't like me anymore."

"What!" He yelled.

"She's a very distant cousin of mine! Okay? And don't even get me started about how the Weasleys are blackened out on our family tree! I had to find out about that dirty little secret too!" I yelled back.

"That's only because we don't want to be distantly related to the Blacks! Or any of you!"

"So now you're pointing fingers at me! Shut up, Ron!"

"Fine, Eliza." He said. I felt terrible. Ron was my best friend, and he had to find out about this. I kept all of my family a secret, all of it. I didn't tell anyone anything, no matter how precious it was. And now I just spilled the truth about one of my family members, to Ron, who had blown things out of proportion! And to make matters worse, Bellatrix was a family friend! A Death Eater, like my parents! After class, Hermione and Harry asked me what had happened with Ron. I guess I was just a little hard on those two as well, cause they thought I was acting a little weird when I told them to "Ask Ronald himself."

Potions was next, and I thought that it was really no big deal, cause Slughorn had invited Hermione, Harry and I to his "Slug Club". Well thats what everyone had called it. It was for his 'favourite students' and 'prized possessions'. How can a student even be a 'possession'?

"Today we will be brewing up the Draught of Peace. The Draught of Peace is a potion which relieves anxiety and agitation. It's ingredients are powdered moonstone, syrup of hellebore, powdered Porcupine Quills, Valerian Root, and powdered Unicorn Horn. It should be a turqoise blue when finished and simmered before drunk. It is ironically a difficult potion to make, requiring that the brewer follow the directions carefully, because making a mistake can have drastic consequences. Adding too much of the ingredients, for instance, will put the drinker of the potion into a deep — and possibly irreversible — sleep. The directions for making the potion are very detailed. Ingredients must be added in the exact order and amounts specified, and the potion needs to be stirred 7 times, both clockwise and counter-clockwise. Before the addition of the final ingredient, hellebore, the temperature of the flames must be lowered, and the potion allowed to simmer for seven minutes. If brewed correctly, the potion will emit a silvery vapour, but the possible characteristics of a failed batch seem to be endless everything from green sparks, dark grey steam, a sulfurous odour, a cement-like consistency, to a dangerous instability that will cause it to explode and set one's robes alight." Slughorn explained to us. "Get into the same pairs as last class, for these will be your same partners for the rest of the year." Don't you hate it when teachers do that? That meant I was stuck with Malfoy. Which really wasn't a bad thing, it just wasn't exactly a good thing.

The Draught of Peace was pretty easy, considering the fact that we all had done it last year with Snape.

"So I'm stuck with you all year?" Malfoy asked mockingly.

"Yep...It's too bad you're not with Harry like you were in Transfiguration..."

"Please, Allen. Potter is too much of a prat for me." He insulted.

"Whatever...Stir the potion."

"Fine." He said. "When will you just give up this act and join me?" He asked.

"Well...if I do that, then I'll lose my pride and forever be mocked at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." I said with a smile. He smirked.

"Hmm..." He mumbled, stirring the potion. "Aside from Potions...I didn't get to ask you what your Animagus would be if you had one."

"Well...It'd probably be a wolf...'Cause that's what my Patronus is. How about you?" I asked.

"I don't know...I-...I don't really have a Patronus." He admitted.

"Oh...okay." I said.

"You're not going to tease me? That's a first."

"Maybe. But it's nothing to be ashamed of. I didn't actually have a Patronus until last year, when Avery attacked me."

"Avery? But isin't he a friend of your father?" Draco asked.

"Yeah. But Death Eaters don't take too kindly to a bunch of teens in the Department of Mysteries trying to fight..." I laughed.

"I guess...Add the hellbore." He said as I added the ingredient.

"What did your father say about me?"

"Nothing. He respects yours far too much. It would be a shame to lose you." He said.

"Oh, that would be a shame." I said. Slughorn came around and assessed everyone's Draughts. As he came around to ours, everyone gasped. Slughorn smiled as he graded it.

"My, my...You two have quite the Potion-making capabilities! You are, Lucius Malfoy's son, are you not?" He asked Draco as he nodded. "And you must be Lawrence Allen's daughter. You have your mother's eyes though, Carrie Black's?" He asked me.

"Yes, Sir." I said.

"Well, I'm not surprised...Your parents were quite the Potion-makers, when they went to Hogwarts. An 'O' for each of you! This, class, is a perfect example of a pair that can work together and make potions of a master's quality!" Slughorn exclaimed. Harry and Pansy were shocked! Hermione and Blaise scowled. Ron and Goyle were equally surprised as the rest of the class. As Slughorn dismissed us, my friends came up to me and started to yell. Oh god...

"You and Malfoy! The perfect pair!" Ron teased.

"Yeah, I mean, no!...I-"

"Eliza! What's up with you and Malfoy?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing...I just don't want to let our fighting get in the way of getting good grades in Potions!"

"But you and Malfoy never get along." Harry said.

"I know. I guess we just decided to truce this one. No big deal."

"No big deal!" Ron exclaimed. "You've hated each other since I can ever remember! You're rivals on the Quidditch field, rivals in our houses, and I even remember that in the beginning of the year, you hated him more than even we could!"

"Yeah. And we still are. So what that I want to pass my NEWT in Potions? Give it a rest."

"Fine. We just think it's strange. Thats all." Hermione said.

"I think its strange too. Whatever." I said. But in my head, I'm thinking about all of the ways that I can resolve this problem. This stupid-ass problem that I'd gotten into. Fuck.