Muggle Studies had just let out and a whole hour lay ahead of Sasha.  An hour spent talking about the ethics of cultural exploration in the relative sanctity of the Muggle Studies classroom was the highlight of Sasha's schedule.  It usually came and went far too quickly and, before he knew it, classes were done for the morning.  Lunch was a much needed hour to get a start on the homework for his morning classes and check over his assignments and notes for his afternoon sessions.  Perhaps, work on his French vocabulary if he had some free time. 

And, somewhere in the midst of all of that, eat some lunch.  He had to remember there was always Quidditch practice following his full schedule of classes so he had to be sure he found some decent complex carbs somewhere in the meal - not always an easy feat at a British lunch table.  The dishes were usually full of meat, (which Sasha didn't eat much of - or any of) potatoes and white starches.  It just wasn't amenable to ... well, him.  Not that he was picky. 

All up and down the hall, classes had let out.  Students were spilling out of classrooms on their way to the Great Hall.  Sasha had lingered in Professor Frasier's class, asking for his opinion on one of the articles he'd picked up for extra reading.  By now, Professor Frasier was grown quite used to Sasha's tendencies and had shooed him out long before he'd stolen their whole lunches with such discussions. 

The halls were already filled with students as he skipped down the stairs in the direction of the Great Hall.  His bag hung over his shoulders he weaved through the students, oblivious to the colorful head also weaving through the crowds in his direction.  The unfortunate disaster in that Transfiguration class had long slipped from his mind.  Surely, a reasonable person wouldn't hold a grudge that long?

Bellatrix had been brooding in the empty Slytherin Common Room since the end of Arithmancy class nearly two hours ago. She was sitting alone in her black armchair glaring into space at the table full of homework she had to do. It was piled up again and it was difficult for her to catch up what with everything going on in her mind lately.

She could hear everyone in school whispering it. Though they actually didn't say anything, Bellatrix got the feeling that people were beginning to think it. "Bellatrix Dark is going soft." She hissed between clenched teeth again to no one in particular. It was all because of that Halloween Dance. That was when it started. No, before that. She had upheld an excellent reputation for being psychotic and jinxing anyone who looked at her wrong at a moment's notice. Since her third year, no one had been allowed to breathe around her unless she let them! The girl's scowl darkened. Now, she had danced with the man she couldn't stand most--Xavier Tawse--at the Halloween Ball, participated in acts of girly delight at a girl's sleepover, whom she barely knew and didn't like, along with other girls she barely knew and didn't like, danced again at the same girl's masquerade ball with Erin Harper (someone else she couldn't stand), and she was actually worried about the insurmountable homework and failing classes! The worst crime so far, however, was that Bellatrix hadn't jinxed that intolerable Prefect Sasha What's-his-name when he hit her with a cocoa bean in Transfiguration class! She'd seen him at her birthday party, but for her sister's sake, she hadn't attacked him.

"Bloody hell," she gritted her clenched teeth.

Her stomach rumbled and it was this simple act that would bring her to her doom later that day. The Slytherin fifth year, wand tucked away, stormed out of the common room towards lunch. She hadn't slept nor eaten very much over the past two weeks and these factors only made her mood worse. All the teenager could do was brood over her problems. Her reputation was slipping. Through the dark corridors of the dungeons she trekked, lost in her own miserable thoughts. Someone would have to pay dearly for this. As she walked up the steps to the ground floor, her cold, menacing blue eyes fell upon the Ravenclaw Prefect and instantly narrowed into a glare.

"You!"

What a perfect opportunity. People were getting out of classes and heading to the Great Hall for lunch. If she jinxed him well enough, that is to say if she put him in the hospital hut, they would have no doubt in their minds that Bellatrix Dark was still the same cruel, psychotic witch she had been for the past three years. She would prove it!

"You, Prefect, are going to pay for your little attack in Transfiguration! Oh, I let you get away with it then because of the professor and the only reason I didn't attack you at my party was because my sister wanted to have a good night! Look now, Prefect. There's no one to hide behind anymore. Not my sister, not the professors. Your moment has come and you will pay for what you did!"

Someone had to be her victim for all of the rubbish she'd been going through. Why not the very person she hadn't managed to jinx that day? Her wand was taken out and she pointed it at him. Her hand was shaking from all the adrenaline and rage she was feeling. No one could save him now.

In the ebb and flow of lunch-bound students, no one student really stood out.  The tide was brimming with it's usual combination of friendly faces, casual acquaintances, those Sasha only knew in passing and those faces that were in Sasha's best interests to avoid.  There was no shortage of students, especially in Slytherin house, in that last group.  Some simply found him an easy target for their bored-and-have-nothing-better-to-do-than-pick-on-muggleborns past times.  Others were considerably more antagonistic rather than opportunistic. 

Such was just the normal, every day demographics of the school halls.  As he made his way into the entrance hall, Sasha had noticed the sour-faced Bellatrix Dark amongst the others as she climbed the stairs from the dungeons, but hadn't given it a second thought.  If she continued to carry some bitterness or a bruised sense of pride, it was lost on Sasha.  In the rush to catch up with classes after his week in London and to get through his detentions with Professor Ramsey, the wayward bean had simply slipped into the recesses of his thoughts. 

His fellow fifth year's voice bellowed across the hall but Sasha gave it little more recognition than the other student's around him.  Perhaps he was foolishly optimistic that, this time, it might be someone else on the receiving end of her ire or, perhaps, he was deluding himself with the false sense of security that making it into the Great Hall would some how offer him protection.  Either way, Sasha ducked his head (a pointless gesture for the already six-foot-and-still-growing blond young man) and continued his way through the crowd. 

Of course, he wasn't the only one with that hopeful optimism.  Students nearest to and in front of Bellatrix were already casually stepping to the side in the hopes her angry attentions wouldn't follow them, not unlike a the safe impala in a herd moving dividing in front of the path of the lioness who was already stalking a chosen victim.  Once they stepped aside and were no longer under the girl's intense glare, relief could settle on them.  They were not the chosen ones.  In a matter of seconds, as students stepped out of the line fire, a empty, clear path formed between the huntress and her quarry. 

Sasha became aware of the path leading straight towards him only moments before Bellatrix bellowed Prefect!  He turned towards her, his arms raised in a placating manner and he shook his head.  "My attack?" That was what this was about?  That ... that mistake in Transfiguration weeks before?  "I didn't - you know it hadn't been intentional.  I'm sorry if it offended you but it ... I didn't do it on purpose.  I'm sorry." 

On the false hope that the apology would suffice, Sasha turned and tried to make his way to the Great Hall. 

  Fergie liked having an hour free on Monday mornings, between Divination and Lunch. It gave him extra time to study, check over his afternoon coursework before turning it in, things like that. Or when the mood struck his fancy, as it had happened to do that morning, he could dump his school bag on his bed and stand in front of the mirror in the Slytherin boys' bathroom, experimenting with new hairstyles. It may not have been as responsible, but it was just as important, at least it was to him.

 Unfortunately by the time lunchtime rolled around, he still hadn't found any (other than the one he sported most days) that suited him. Not that it mattered too much. He was very particular about his appearance, and wasn't sure he was all too keen to alter any aspect of it (except maybe his nose). If it wasn't broke, don't fix it, right? Wrinkling the aforementioned nose at his reflection, he carefully brushed his hair back into place before grabbing his bag (he didn't want to have to tramp all the way back to the dorm to get it before Charms) and exiting the common room.

 He could see Bellatrix Dark walking a little ways ahead of him, and slowed his steps a bit. Fergie wasn't crazy - he had no desire to run into his psychotic classmate. She was always in an unnecessarily foul mood. He didn't know how she managed it - who had that much to be angry about? But then again, if he'd been related to Bea he probably would have been a little grumpy, too.

 When he heard her bellow a less than pleasant greeting to some poor unfortunate soul who probably hadn't done anything more offensive than breathe in her presence Fergie knew he'd made the right decision by hanging back. He felt bad for whoever had been foolish enough to inadvertently get in her way, but when she followed up her 'You!' with the word 'prefect' he was surprised and nosy enough to want to find out what was going on, instead of following his initial instinct, which was to duck his head and slink into the Great Hall. Surely not even Bella would attack a prefect, right in the middle of a crowded corridor?

 But, oh yes, she would. And not just any prefect - Sasha Schlagenweit. Honestly? She was mad at Sasha? What could the mild mannered Ravenclaw possibly have done to enrage her? Oh wait. This was Bella Dark. Nobody had to actually do anything. Now, normally Fergie was not one to stick his nose where it didn't belong, particularly when it would probably end up chopped off for his troubles. But Sasha was his friend, his very cute, attractive friend who he may or may not have been developing an infatuated crush on. And he didn't think he could just stand there while Bella ruined such a perfectly adorable face.

 "Excuse me," the sixteen year old cleared his throat, taking a deep breath and stepping forward to make his presence known. Sasha had turned away already, but judging from the look on the girl's face (and Fergie's prior knowledge of her), he figured this wasn't over yet. "I don't think I would do that if I were you," he said to Bella, smiling pleasantly (hoping that perhaps this would save him from her wrath, at least a little) and nodding to her wand. "Why don't you just take a deep breath and count to ten or something?"

"My attack? I didn't - you know it hadn't been intentional.  I'm sorry if it offended you but it ... I didn't do it on purpose.  I'm sorry."

He started to turn away and head into the Great Hall. With a snarl, she steadied her wand.

"Don't you move, Prefect! I'm not through with you yet. Y'see, 'sorry' has never made up for anythin' no matter how sincere the apology is, has it? The damage is still done, feelings are still hurt, and the only thing the damage-dealer can ever think of is 'I'm sorry'. Now, let's say I were to jinx you until your bloody eyeballs fell out and, as unlikely as it is, I said 'I'm sorry'. It wouldn't quite replace your eyeballs, would it? You'd never see again and you'd be angry with me the rest of your life, not that I'd care. What makes you think 'I'm sorry' is going to cut it in your case, hm?"

Bellatrix took a quick glance around the area to assess the situation. There were plenty of people. More than plenty. If she were to jinx him here and now, no one would ever again question that she was and would always be "psychotic, mad, crazy, daft, insane" and "dark, cruel, mean, vile, terrifying". She would live up to her name of Bellatrix Dark, similar to one in history called Bellatrix Lestrange whom she always admired for being "strange".. Though, the killing hundreds of people for no reason seemed a bit harsh to this Bellatrix.

It was in this moment, when all were watching, that Bella actually questioned herself on the spot. 'Why can't you be more like your sister?' popped into her mind. It was a memory; someone had asked her that once in the past couple of years and she couldn't honestly think of an answer. People didn't realize exactly how much she really was like Beatrix. They giggled, had fun, dressed in different yet the same fashion, and usually dove into the same mood swings generally around the same time. Bella could be nice and sweet and smart like her twin, but... Why didn't she ever show it?

That was when Fergie, anxious little bugger, stepped forward to defend the boy she seemed so eager to jinx. Her eyebrows lifted with great surprise at the sight of someone actually working up the nerve to say something against her. One part of her was cheering, 'Bravo, man! Now, run for your life.' while another was curiously inquiring, 'Why is he doing that? Why would he risk his own neck for someone else's?' and the final part was screaming angrily, 'How could I have let my grip loose?! Now they'll all be revolting!' The mixture of emotions knocked her into a dead silence; she couldn't retort back as quickly as usual because she was still trying to decide which part to act upon. In the end, it was the curiosity that got the better of her.

"You--Why? Why d'you care if I jinx him? You're a, well, you're a Slytherin! He's a Ravenclaw. No, that doesn't matter! Er.."

She was at a complete loss for words and it showed from the way she kept opening and closing her mouth, still trying to figure out which half of herself to throw out now. Everyone was watching and waiting. The curiosity was dispersed, as was her dumbfounded shock, and she once again steadied her wand upon Sasha with a glare. She had to jinx him! This was to prove to everyone that she wasn't going soft!

"This is between me and him, Amherst, unless you want to be next."

The look in her eyes flickered briefly with uncertainty. Did she really want to jinx someone, a Prefect of all people, for something he honestly didn't do on purpose? Somehow, no jinxes could come to mind. Bellatrix was hesitating for too long. She wasn't so confident that jinxing Sasha--no, Prefect!--was the right thing. Though, since when did she care about doing the right thing?

[Uniform]

With quick staggering steps, Beatrix was making her way to her next class. Care of Magical Creatures, wasn't it? She couldn't quite remember... She just knew where to go and how good to look. Why did she have to wear heels all the time?! Oh... Right... To look so darn fiiiiine! Beatrix giggled to herself and continued to flow past the people in the hallway. It was great to be so small sometimes. She could get around anything, hide behind anything, and not to mention get INTO anything. Beatrix remembered vividly when she was able to hide inside one of Gunnar's cupboards. Good times!

But then Beatrix noticed the crowd was well, crowding around something in particular. But Beatrix wasn't exactly interested in it at all. Unless it was a fight... Was it a fight? Beatrix tried to get on her tip-toes to see, but she simply couldn't. The downside to being so small. She sighed and continued to slip her way through the people. It probably wasn't worth it, anyways. Probably just a couple of Slytherins fighting.

"This is between me and him, Amherst, unless you want to be next."

OH LORDY IT WAS A GOOD FIGHT! Beatrix stopped and stuck her prefect badge out more than she really should of. She recognized the voice... Was it Bellatrix's? Well... Witnessing Bellatrix destroy Amherst would be enjoyable. But... Who else was there? "Move! Shove it! Get out of my way! Prefect coming through!" Beatrix shouted and people moved accordingly. She wanted to be front row to witness people die. Even IF Bellatrix was really ticking the Ravenclaw off... Well, Beatrix always enjoyed her sister being awful and mean.

When Beatrix finally reached the scene, she gasped. Bellatrix was attacking SASHA. How dare she! The pure boiling rage she had felt before was once more rising up... Only a bit too far this time. Sasha was a very good friend to Beatrix... He was able to drag her away from the werewolf when she was too afraid to move... And he was the one who taught her not to catch a-- What's it?-- Football with her stomach or head. Surely Bellatrix knew that Sasha was important to Beatrix!

"Shiver me timbers, Bellatrix!" Beatrix shouted and stepped forward, her expression was blazing with the pure disturbing hate that she had been feeling for Bellatrix for the past few weeks. "What are you doing?" She asked, finding firm ground next to her gigantic friend and Amherst. Of course, Beatrix hated Fergie... But at least HE was smart enough to stick up for Sasha.

"Put your bloody wand down, you stupid girl. Sasha hasn't done anything to you," she snapped. Beatrix couldn't believe Bella... She had gone insane. First she was prancing around with Harper... Now this? Beatrix really wanted to harm the girl. Beat some sense into her deranged sister. However, before her sister could even answer, Beatrix slid her own wand out of her coat pocket. She wasn't about to use it on Bella... But just in case the girl didn't take kindly to Beatrix.

"Oh, and, hello, Sasha... You look nice today-- Mr. Amherst, you too," Beatrix grinned over at the flamboyant boy. He may have been an awful person, but if he was willing to stand up for Sasha, why not show him a politer side to herself? Beatrix turned back to her sister, her eyes filling up with malice yet again. If Bellatrix didn't back away soon, Beatrix would probably immobilize her sister... With her fist.

As Eirene made her way down the stairs to the Great Hall, she noticed that the foot traffic this afternoon was much more backed up than normal. Being a first-year, she could barely see what was going on, but did catch a few whispers from the taller students around her.

“The Dark twins-”

“Wands drawn-”

“-Gonna be a good fight”

That was it. Though her stomach rumbled in protest, Eirene turned tail and began walking up the stairs again, deciding she’d come back for her meal later.

Just when she was about to escape, she heard another whisper that made her freeze. “Sasha’s going to wish he’d never-”

Sasha. Sasha? Her Sasha? And by hers, she meant her friend who was a fifth-year who was always nice to her and who had a really cute smile. That Sasha!

Eirene paused mid-step, confusing the more decisive students around her. She remembered what had happened the last time she’d gotten involved when Sasha had been insulted. Eirene touched her cheek as if to remind herself of Mairead’s sucker punch. But maybe she could help. Sasha was here this time, and he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Right? Maybe she could even impress him!

That thought in mind, Eirene ran down the rest of the steps and weaved through the crowd until she had a clear view of the cluster of older students. There was crazy Bellatrix with her cotton-candy colored hair, and her crazy but kinder twin, Beatrix. Eirene gulped. She still had time to turn back.

Then her eyes locked on Sasha, with his neatly pressed uniform, and unease etched on his face.

She stepped forward a bit. “If-if Sasha gets hexed I’m getting a professor,” she piped up bossily, looking uncertain when some of them stared at her. “Fighting is against the rules, you know,” she added in a weaker tone, giving Sasha a shy smile, as if she expected him to be proud of her for her prefect-esque comments.

Sasha froze and remained still, considering his options.  He could make a break for it - with so many people milling around the door to the Great Hall, the chances of Dark missing were pretty high.  Of course, that meant someone else would get whatever hexes might be intended for him.  That would never do.  Resigning to the inevitable, Sasha let out a long sigh and pivoted back towards Bellatrix. 

He stared, incredulously, at the Slytherin.  That was what this was about?  That an apology wasn't enough?  For ... for what?  "But ... you're not serious?"  He said.  Perhaps, now wasn't the time to question the girl's logic.  But, the alternative was just accepting the attack without even a complaint.  "Damage ... dealer?  A cocoa bean marred your desk?  You got another bean and ... well ... the desk was reparable. And, not even yours!  That's certainly not like ... I haven't ... you still have your eyeballs." 

The girl really, truly wasn't that worried about a wayward bean, was she?  Everyone made mistakes in class.  Sure, he often made more than his fair share when he was learning a new spell but that surely didn't warrant this!  If ... if he wasn't sure it would just get him hexed harder, he might have actually laughed at the ridiculousness of it. 

Trouble in the halls weren't unlike storms.  They tended to be as loud, as potentially damage-ensuing and often inspired just as much awe in their spectators.  They also shared the same tendency towards calm before the actual mayhem broke out.  In the same, deafening way, the Great Hall had grown much too quiet for the number of people filling it.  It was quiet, but not silent.  The occasional foreboding whisper could be heard from those standing closest to him.  From the gentle murmur of indistinguishable voices, a familiar and and welcoming voice could be clearly heard.  He didn't expect Ferguson's attempt to interfere (and rather good suggestions, for that matter) to make much of a difference but he appreciated the gesture nonetheless. 

Ferguson wasn't the only one to come to his defense.  Surprisingly, Dark's sister came to stand next to him a moment later. "I ... um... thanks," he offered, quietly as his fellow Ravenclaw greeted him.  A moment later, young Eirene was standing there, preparing to face off with Bellatrix in her own way.  He returned the first year's shy smile with a rather anxious and strained one before turning back to Bellatrix.  Of course, he couldn't let a first year get hexed accidentally.  Especially not Eirene.  She'd, so he heard, already got socked for that very reason.  Now was the time to try to use diplomacy to diffuse the situation. 

"Look, I don't know why ... you're so angry.  But, I really am sorry.  For messing up your desk."  It seemed as ridiculous as it sounded.  But, he took a step forward, taking care to steer clear enough from the others to avoid any unfortunate, innocent casualties.  "And, we both know they have nothing to do with this."  Not that he really did, either.  "If an apology won't be enough then, umm...what would be?  I ... what can I do?"  To avoid whatever hex was simmering at the end of her wand.

They were in separate houses...that was why Bella thought he shouldn't care what happened to Sasha? Granted, she'd retracted the statement almost immediately. But ...there was definitely something wrong with her. Mentally. It would explain a lot. "Your sister is in Ravenclaw," Fergie pointed out. It was a fact that never ceased to amaze him. How had Beatrix Dark, of all people, ended up there? "And Sasha's my friend. I don't care what house he's in."

 The problem with threatening Fergie was that by this point in his life, the young man was used to it. Being used as a punching bag and hexing target by multiple persons (his brother Marmaduke and Callum Knight being the usual culprits) on a regular basis also helped - if one could call it that. He couldn't see Bella sticking his head down a toilet and flushing it, and compared to Callum and his brother, Fergie couldn't see her inflicting much physical damage, either. She was known for dealing out unpleasant hexes but...again, he'd been on the receiving end before.

 "Go ahead," he responded to her menacing tone with one almost of boredom. It was an act, of course. Just because he was used to being bullied didn't mean he anticipated it with anything other than dread. It still hurt, and it was still humiliating. He would have to be as psychotic as she was in order to actually look forward to it. "I'm not going to just stand here and watch while you do whatever unpleasant thing it is you're planning to do to him." Godric, he was all for self-preservation, but not at the expense of his friends! Besides, he'd never been good at keeping his mouth shut, even when his physical well being depended upon it.

 Fortunately, others in the hushed throng of onlookers decided to speak up as well - a little first year girl and, much to Fergie's surprise, Bella's own sister. He knew, from the party a couple evenings before, that Beatrix was friends with Sasha, but close enough to stand up to her own sister over it? That took him by surprise, almost as much as her compliment. He blinked at her for a moment, before looking down at the first year girl who had also stepped forward. That was actually pretty adorable. At any other time, Fergie might have given Eirene a mental 'awww'. Currently, however, he had other things to think about.

Like the fact that Sasha was trying to compromise with a crazy person. That, in Fergie's experience, didn't usually end well. Frowning, he reached into his robe pocket and pulled out his wand, just in case. Whatever happened next, he wanted to be prepared.

"Shiver me timbers, Bellatrix! What are you doing?"

The appearance of Beatrix made Bella a little more sturdy. She didn't look happy, but if Bellatrix could explain what was going on, perhaps her twin would become her second. As angry as she was, Bella opened her mouth to start talking to her sister, but she was interrupted.

"Put your bloody wand down, you stupid girl. Sasha hasn't done anything to you."

Any hope that came with the sight of her sister disappeared almost instantly. Stupid girl? Really, that was uncalled for! Though, somewhere deep down, a voice admitted that this was all stupid... But something happened then that had never happened before. Ferguson Amherst wasn't the only person making history. Beatrix Dark had raised her wand to her own twin. Honestly! What was so important about Sasha Schalgen-whatever?! He was a Ravenclaw Prefect! Her eyes darted to the shiny badge on her sister's robes and that excuse melted like the cocoa bean on her desk in Transfiguration class the week before.

"H-he hit me with a cocoa bean," she stammered.

It wasn't only Beatrix and Fergie coming to Sasha's defense. Some rotten first year stumbled from the crowd and decided to take a stand. Funny: Bella didn't remember jinxing that one before.

"If-if Sasha gets hexed I’m getting a professor. Fighting is against the rules, you know."

Rage began to boil up within Bellatrix. She clicked her tongue, glaring heatedly down at the little first year. The things she could do to that brat to make her squeal and cry and writhe in agony. Another click of her tongue and the Slytherin girl squared her shoulders, turning her gaze to the more lethal threats of her sister and Fergie. Sasha, at whom her wand was still pointed, began babbling on and on in his usual, unsociable way.

"If an apology won't be enough then, umm...what would be?  I ... what can I do?"

Nothing. It was as simple as that. He couldn't do anything! Now he had done it. He had gone and been a total git, turning her twin on Bella like that! Ferguson even didn't care if she jinxed him. She glanced around the crowd. There was no one to help her now. She was in an awful bind. Here she was frustrated to no end, trying to take it out on Sasha the Prefect, and her sister, a fellow Slytherin, and some bossy first year were all against her!

For the first time in three years, Bellatrix Dark began to lose her nerve on jinxing someone. Her lower lip quivered, her nose tingled, and her eyes were beginning to burn with tears. She shifted her gaze from the growing audience outside the Great Hall to each of Sasha's defenders, landing at last on her twin. Now that she really looked in to Lil Bee's eyes, she could see some hatred and grudge within them, pointed at Bella. Why hadn't she noticed it sooner? Was it because she was so caught up in her own problems that she had ignored her sister? Was that why Bea was angry with her? No. She'd had that Vincent Pennyapple to hang around.

"Wh-what have I done, Lil Bee? I just..."

That rage finally boiled to a point that she blew her top. The frustration had built up for far too long. Two weeks with hardly any sleep, anger at failing her classes, the endless resentment that she couldn't catch up in her homework, her lack of friends, and now her own twin sister pointing her wand at her! Every bit of her bottled up feelings exploded the girl into tears and a glare as deadly as the Killing Curse aimed directly at Sasha and his group of defenders.

"You want to know why I'm jinxin' him, Beatrix? Because my reputation is at stake! Everyone here thinks I'm goin' soft and mind you, it doesn't look good if a 'psychotic' witch like me lets even one person slip by! P-people want me to be more like you, Bea, and I want to, but..."

She took a good look at Sasha and stopped her speech. She just felt like venting and Sasha had happened to be the one person she hadn't jinxed for hitting her in class. It wasn't his fault. It really wasn't, she knew that. Her tears started to increase while her actual rage decreased. This was a disaster! Now everyone would think she'd gone soft!

'Maybe it's time...I did,' she thought.

"I-I can't do this. I can't let him get away with it."

'Yes I can,' her other voice argued, 'I just have to put the wand down, run, and not look back.'

She was honestly getting tired of people coming to their parties on Beatrix's invitation and not hers. The birthday party, the masquerade, the Halloween Ball, classes. Lots of the school activities had showed Bellatrix that although she was exactly like her twin during the summer, no one knew it at school and she had no friends. Being alone was starting to become irksome to Bellatrix Dark and her relationship with her sister seemed to be getting worse. Vincent Pennyapple could be blamed; Beatrix was paying more attention to him than to her own twin, but Bella had a feeling it had nothing to do with the Slytherin Prefect. He was her sister's boyfriend--sort of--and he made the Ravenclaw Prefect really happy.

Bellatrix sniffled.

"Y-you'll pay for this, Schalgenweit! Mark my words, you. Will. Pay!"

And with those final words, Bellatrix lowered her wand, gave her sister a last sorrowed look, and took off up the grand staircase in tears.

"I ... um... thanks,"

"Of course," Beatrix muttered, her eyes locked with Bellatrix's. She was waiting for her sister to hex her, or throw a shoe at her... Something. It was a common Dark tradition to go insane when a family member has, well, gone insane. And it was crazy for Beatrix to be turning her back to Bellatrix. But the girl needed to be awakened. The girl needed a good smacking, also, while Beatrix was at it. She continued to stand as tall as she could and she knew exactly what she was doing. Beatrix was quite smart when it came to dueling... Especially with someone like her sister.

"H-he hit me with a cocoa bean,"

Whaaat? That small incident in Transfiguration? Beatrix's sneer worsened. "Are you kidding me? Are you a child?" Beatrix snapped at her, refraining from charging at Bella. Beatrix wanted to destroy the girl... But she had to play it out. Beatrix didn't have much of a reason to be angry, either. Mainly it was just how ignorant Bellatrix was. She never took the time to understand Beatrix, when Bea understood her quite well. Bellatrix wanted to be different, play it off like a bully, and didn't like compliments because she felt strange around boys and she thought she would be 'too soft' otherwise. But Bellatrix was already known as the school psychopath...

A younger girl approached them, Eirene was her name. Beatrix recognized her as one of the many young butt-kissing first years. But Beatrix was too furious to find the girl cute in any way, or to warn her about how Sasha was going to kill everyone with his uncontrollable temper. The usual Beatrix jabber. "This won't have to be a fight," Beatrix spoke through her teeth, "If Bellatrix is, for once in her life, smart." The insults were coming up like vomit, practically. At that rate, Beatrix would be destroying the girls ego quite quickly.

"Wh-what have I done, Lil Bee? I just..."

Beatrix's wand stayed clasped in her hand, as if Bellatrix would lash out at any moment. Beatrix knew she wouldn't do anything... Not with that stuttering, no sir. It was funny, even at that moment, Bellatrix insisted on calling Bea 'Lil' Bee', when, in fact, Beatrix was older than Bella by about three minutes. Beatrix always like that nickname, though... It nearly made her feel bad for backstabbing her sister. Beatrix didn't wish to discuss everything that Bellatrix had done wrong. It wasn't a long list... It was simply private. Matters that Beatrix wouldn't normally discuss. She didn't answer Bellatrix. She simply continued to glare.

"You want to know why I'm jinxin' him, Beatrix? Because my reputation is at stake! Everyone here thinks I'm goin' soft and mind you, it doesn't look good if a 'psychotic' witch like me lets even one person slip by! P-people want me to be more like you, Bea, and I want to, but..."

One of the Ravenclaw's eyebrows raised. What did that even mean? But it was exactly what Beatrix thought. Her sister was afraid of being 'soft'. It nearly made her laugh... Every girl was soft in some way. Even Vienna Pascal. "Bellatrix, everyone knows I'm not in my best wits and I know right from wrong," Sort of, "You have no reason to be attacking Sasha. You're silly in the head, Bella. No one is talking about you going 'soft'," Which was true. No one really talked about Bellatrix. She was just known as being ridiculously mean... Not once would someone call her 'soft'. The girl was nuts.

"Y-you'll pay for this, Schalgenweit! Mark my words, you. Will.  Pay!"

"Not when I'm around," Beatrix spoke up, almost like she was bored. Her sister turned away and ran off and Beatrix stuffed her wand back into her pocket. It pained Beatrix a bit to see her sister so upset... But Beatrix did what was right. People continued to stare and gawk and Beatrix turned to her giant friend. "Well..." Her brow furrowed and she scratched the back of her head, "I kind of gotta go to class, but," She gave Sasha a sweet, genuine grin before speaking up again, "Sorry about her. You know... Us Dark sisters aren't quite right in the heads," She giggled and let her smile fade. She felt strange... Almost like she pitied Bellatrix. It was weird...

Then, Beatrix turned to the crowd and spoke up, "Get to class, you lollygaggas! Nothing to see here, now is there-- No, there won't be any fighting here-- OH, SHOVE IT, GET TO CLASS!" People were moving through the hallway like before and Beatrix turned back to Sasha, "I'll see you in divination, right? I gotta go, well, clean up," Beatrix nodded and headed towards the bathrooms. Mainly to bawl her eyes out a bit and then wash her face, reapply her makeup, and then go to class. It wouldn't take her long, would it?

As the girl left the three students, her face remained blank. She would have to speak to Bellatrix after Divination... And she would have to play it off like nothing happened. Simple, wasn't it? She played off hating her sister for so long. But now... She felt quite bad. But she wouldn't let Sasha get jinxed, no way! She just wished Bellatrix knew her better... And actually knew that Beatrix really wasn't that happy and great... And that Beatrix was aggressive and insane and full of rage. She took after her father, after all. She simply didn't take after his kidnapping hobby. Yet.