AU: Tom Riddle died with Merope at birth. The Death Eaters were never organized. Many wizards and witches still hated muggle-borns but Dumbledore's hard work in advocating for their rights had kept them at bay and with no one to take the lead they never started a war.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters. There's no profit from this.
The bushy-haired nerd sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. Fred and George sitting close by were whispering something to their friend Lee Jordan, while pointing at the teacher's table. She looked there too. She saw Dumbledore. McGonagall's chair was empty because she was escorting first years. Then there was Hagrid towering over everybody else. And then she noticed the woman sitting next to her least favourite teacher, Snape. Mass of dark curls, aristocratic face and a tight corset over black robes. She have never seen anyone like her and was instantly intrigued.
"George, who is that?"
The boys started talking one over the other.
"That's Bellatrix Black. Sirius's cousin, that's Harry's godfather, by the way."
"I heard she was crazy. That she is a huge blood purist."
"You mean THE Bellatrix Black? The one who killed her husband and then went to St. Mungo's pretending she is insane to avoid Azkaban?"
"That's the one, Lee. Although none of that is proven."
Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Do you honestly think that if half of what you're saying is true, that Dumbledore would hire her?"
"Let's face it, Dumbledore is old, and he was always a bit cuckoo. The way I see it, hiring a deranged psychopath is his idea of a joke."
Hermione was definitely curious. All throughout the sorting she kept glancing at Ms. Black.
When Dumbledore introduced her as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher she got standing ovation from the Slytherin table. Of course, she is Draco's aunt, Hermione realized.
Well, that wasn't great news. Draco was often picking on her and other muggle-borns. Last year he even started to call her mudblood. She kept reminding herself, that it is just because she is doing well in school and it makes others jealous, nothing personal. But it didn't always work. Sometimes she still found herself crying in the bathroom, feeling hopeless. This year though, she was determined to turn that around. She ate the delicious dinner, hoping that professor Black won't be a big problem to her plan.
THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
She was proven wrong right at the first DADA lesson. The students that were slowly entering the classroom were greeted by a wardrobe that shook slightly every now and then and by an impatient looking professor Black.
"Quickly, quickly, I haven't got all day!"
All the chairs and tables were moved to the walls and so kids were standing in the middle of the room.
Professor Black used her wand to shut the door and turned her attention to the nervous looking students.
"Who knows what this is?"
She pointed behind her.
Seamus leaned closer to Dean and said: "I know what this is. A wardrobe." Everyone who heard him started laughing.
"That's five points from Gryffindor, now OUT of my class!"
All the glee died out as Seamus grabbed his bag and left behind his scared classmates. Not the Slytherins, of course. Malfoy and his squad could barely keep it together from laughing. "I told you she's amazing." Draco told his friends in hushed voice.
"Again, who knows what this is?"
Hermione's hand went up. Bellatrix looked at her expectantly. "I think that's a boggart. A dark creature of ambiguous nature. It takes the form of the thing that a person fears most. No one knows its true form."
"Good. Does anybody know how to stand up to a boggart?"
Hermione raised her hand again.
"Yes?"
"With a spell Riddikulus."
Bellatrix cocked her head slightly and gave her a piercing stare.
"Are you Hermione Granger?"
Hermione was pleased, "Yes, I am."
The professor's voice was sweet.
"From what I hear you are a smart girl. So smart in fact, that I suppose you wouldn't mind demonstrating to the rest of the class how it's done. You can be the first one to tackle a boggart."
"But professor, I…" Hermione stammered. She read the theory but never tried it.
"Now, Granger. Step up or get the hell out of my class."
Hermione's wand was shaking in her hand as she made a few steps forward.
Bellatrix unlocked the wardrobe. You could hear a pin drop.
The door slowly opened with a squeak. But there was no scary monster that appeared in front of her.
"Professor McGonagall? What's going on?" Hermione asked, confused. Bellatrix watched with interest. She remembered McGonagall even from her school days. She couldn't see a reason why the nerdy mudblood would be scared of the woman.
McGonagall looked at her gravely. "Miss Granger, I have bad news for you. I'm afraid you cannot study at Hogwarts any longer."
Hermione was in shock. She forgot about the boggart, her wand hanging uselessly in her hand. "But why?"
"You failed all of your exams. You just don't have what it takes to be a witch. Tonight, your wand will be snapped, and you will be sent back to your family to live out the rest of your life as a muggle."
"No. No that's impossible."
"I'm afraid it is not. You failed."
As amusing as it was, Bellatrix couldn't stand to watch this level of incompetence any longer. "Come on, girl. It's a boggart. Use your wand."
Hermione remembered. She raised her shaking wand. "Riddikulus."
Nothing happened.
"Pathetic. Again!"
Now tears were streaming from her eyes as she whispered "R-riddikulus."
"Useless. Are you even a witch? Seriously, what Dumbledore allows to enter Hogwarts!"
Hermione couldn't take it anymore. Much to her embarrassment, she was unable to stop the tears from running down her cheeks.
"Ugh, you disgust me. Get out of here! GO!"
Hermione broke down into sobbing mess and ran out of the classroom. She never felt this hurt or humiliated in her entire life.
Hiding in the most secluded corner of the library, she cried her eyes out, not caring about missing other lessons, that's what her time-turner is for. And she used to think that Draco and his pack were bad. It was clear to her now, that he had learned hurting people from true master.
NOT ENOUGH BOOZE TO WASH DOWN ALL THIS
"God, I'm tired."
It was Friday evening and Bella was sitting in her room with a massive headache and a bottle of firewhiskey as her solution to it.
Incompetent students, a pissed off McGonagall and her irresponsible nephew provoking a hippogriff. What a week!
Like it wasn't enough that she has to endure filthy mudbloods in her class, McGonagall dragged her to Dumbledore's office for a chat. She promised to play nice just to make them shut up. And if she was completely honest with herself, to get away from that piercing blue stare. She was apt in occlumency, but she was afraid her shields won't be enough to hide her mind from such a powerful wizard. She always felt a bit of sympathy from him and she couldn't stand it. He was one of the few people who knew about her past. She didn't give a shit about the rumours. She preferred them to the truth.
"To hell with you, Dumbledore." And she took a healthy swig from her bottle.
Her thoughts now turned to the moron that was her nephew. Hippogriff baiting, who does that? Yesterday she received a tear stained letter from Cissy, the overprotective mother. She spoils the boy way too much.
However, she too was scared when she first heard that Draco was hurt. He was her nephew after all. She travelled a lot but the time she spent in England she spent at Malfoy manor. The boy loved to listen to her adventurous stories and she always brought him back a gift. He in return told her about his adventures in Hogwarts. About the self-centred son of two aurors who became a quidditch star his first year. Draco was so proud of himself when he managed to get him detention by luring him out in the middle of the night for a duel. About the mudblood know-it-all who doesn't know her place. The Gryffindor girl who has almost all the teachers wrapped around her filthy finger. And how he and his friends liked to remind her who she is. About the potions master who was his favourite teacher for giving Gryffindors everything they deserved and more.
It was Draco who suggested she should take up this job. Both he and her sister constantly nagging her about being too secluded on her journeys. At this moment she couldn't for the life of her understand why she agreed to it.
Teaching at Hogwarts. Preposterous.
ONE BLOODY TRIP
Hermione tried to go about her business, not allowing hateful words to get to her. Days at Hogwarts were hard, her sanctuary, the library, was her lifesaver. And so were her beloved lessons, practically all of them apart from Divination and DADA. Divination she thought to be utter nonsense. The Defence however, she thought to be practical and overall great subject. If it wasn't for the hateful and sometimes downright evil witch who taught it. It made her feel marginally better, that Black was hard on everybody.
As she realized, that her thoughts had again wandered from the Transfiguration homework in front of her, she came back to reality. She shouldn't really think about her this much, there's no point to it. But sometimes she just couldn't help it. With a sigh she went on writing her paper. It was almost done, and it gave her a small sense of pride to know, that she will turn it in early.
Taking her many books and the finished essay she left the library and headed for the Great Hall. As she rounded the corner, she felt a strange tug at her ankles. She tripped over her legs and fell smack on the floor in the middle of a hallway, all her books and papers a mess. A pain was shooting through various places of her body. She reached for her nose and felt blood on her fingers. First to the infirmary, I suppose. She started to gather her things and herself, when she heard clicking of heels on the stone floor.
"Well, well, well. What's this filthy mess on the floor." Black was looking down on her with charcoal eyes.
"I tripped." She whispered.
"I tripped!" Bellatrix mimicked in a high-pitched baby voice. "Is that an excuse for sullying this ancient floor with your blood?"
Hermione was shocked. This woman can just walk around Hogwarts and say or do anything to anyone? Who does she think she is? In the past few weeks Hermione learned a few vital things for surviving a conversation with Black. She needs to hold her tongue as well as hold back her tears. Not letting the witch antagonise her, she went on picking up her books. The largest volume flew from the floor straight to professor's awaiting hands.
"Duelling: A brief history of magical combat" She read aloud the title of the massive book.
Bellatrix looked at her puzzled. "What subject is this for? I didn't assign you this."
Hermione finally stood up, wiping the blood off on her sleeve.
"That's not for school. I borrowed it from the library for my spare time reading."
Bellatrix handed her the book, giving her a you're-a-bloody-freak look.
"I didn't know you were interested in duelling."
"Why would you know?"
"Perhaps because I'm the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. It falls into my area of expertise."
Hermione just shrugged ready to turn around and leave, when Bellatrix said:
"There's a reason I don't assign this book and many others. There is only so much you can learn in theory and as for fighting and defending yourself, the best book will not prepare you."
She looked her up and down, the bloody face, messed up hair and hands full of books, before she continued.
"The real wizards and witches don't rely solely on books and theory. They feel the magic, they fight with passion. So far, your attitude just isn't enough for my class. Instead of spending hours reading this garbage, you should try practicing magic. That is, if you're capable of it."
Feeling the sting of that jab, Hermione turned around and started walking towards the infirmary, when Black stopped her once more.
"Wait. You left a little something." The professor was pointing with a tip of her shoe at a few small bloodstains on the floor. "I would hate to report you to Filch for littering. You better take care of this at once."
Now Hermione was just steaming with anger. This was way too much. Don't say anything. Just don't say anything.
She bit her tongue giving the smirking witch a stony look.
Balancing all her things in one hand she reached for her wand, pointed it at the stains near Black's feet, cleared her mind and thought in a strong inside voice: Tergeo.
She allowed herself a few seconds of joyous satisfaction. The shocked professor looking up from the perfectly clean floor to stare at Hermione. After the small stare-off, the girl turned around and finally left. She might suck at DADA. She might be bad at connecting with people. She might get bullied almost every day. Yet, there was something even this witch couldn't take away from her.
SO SHE KNOWS HOW TO BITE
Just a day after the incident with muddied corridor, Bella was sitting at the teacher's lounge, reading Daily Prophet. Her lessons for the day were finished and she didn't have any papers to grade, so she was relaxing with a cup of coffee. Suddenly the door burst open and in comes professor Trelawney, clearly upset. She headed straight to Minerva.
"Sybil, what in Merlin's beard is going on?"
"We need to have a serious conversation about that Gryffindor know-it-all. I knew she would leave my class eventually, but her behaviour was simply unacceptable." Trelawney's voice missed its usual mystique. Bellatrix raised her eyes with interest, listening in on the conversation.
"What are you talking about, who left your class?"
"Hermione Granger. She questioned my skills in divination, disrespected me in front of the whole class by calling me a charlatan and she broke one of my glass balls. I knew she would leave, but I insist she gets detention for her outrageous behaviour."
A loud cackle rang through the room. Both Minerva and Sybil turned to see Bellatrix laughing in her chair.
"She didn't. Don't tell me she really called you a charlatan."
"Well yes, besides a lying fraud and many other things. What are you laughing about?"
"I just can't believe it. Bookworm's got teeth."
"Bellatrix, this is highly inappropriate." Minerva gave her signature look.
"Don't tell me you are really going to punish Granger for saying it like it is."
"Excuse me?!" Sybil was beside herself.
"That is not the point. A student cannot disrespect a professor in such a way and go unpunished. It would set a bad example. I agree with you, Sybil, give Hermione detention as you see fit."
"Me? I don't want anything to do with her ever again. Her mere presence is clouding my inner sight. You're the head of Gryffindor, do it yourself."
"Well I suppose she could help me grade the first year's papers."
"You call that a punishment? She'll probably enjoy it."
"Let me do it."
All eyes turned to Bellatrix.
"What?"
"Let me punish Granger, I can be creative, you know." Bella smirked. This could be fun.
"I don't think that is appropriate. I am the head of the Gryffindor house, it's up to me to give Hermione detention."
"No, I agree with her." Trelawney looked at Bellatrix with disdain. "As much as I detest her, she should do it. That will teach the insubordinate girl her place."
Minerva wanted to argue but was exhausted. Hermione was in detention only once, in her first year for being out of bed in the middle of the night. She is strong girl, surely, she will handle whatever Bellatrix trusts upon her.
"Alright then, Bellatrix, you deal with the girl."
"Excellent! How I love to reprimand wrongdoers."
At the dinner table Hermione was quieter than unusual. She had barely eaten a thing. Instead she buried her head in a book about dragons. Suddenly she felt a chill run through her spine. Accompanied with a scent of dark, interesting perfume. Too late she realized what it meant. She hastily turned around in her seat to find Bellatrix Black standing right behind her, eyes shining with glee and staring at her.
"Professor Black." The girl stammered. The famous corset was right at the level of her eyes and so very close. She could see the detailed embroidery, the complicated lacing and clasps as well as everything it was holding on display.
"Eat up, Granger. You're going to need your strength."
"What for?" She asked absent-mindedly.
The professor noticed what Granger was staring at. Incredulous, she raised one eyebrow. The girl averted her eyes quickly, staring at her plate, red as a tomato. Bellatrix sat next to her.
"Well, your little tantrum in the Divination class cost you more than just a few house points. You're getting a detention. And you're getting it with me."
Hermione tried and failed to mask her fear. What is this madwoman going to force her to do?
"Cheer up, girl. I saved you from grading papers with McGonagall. What fun would that have been?"
Bella winked at her and giddily walked to the teacher's table leaving Hermione speechless.
"Bloody hell. I'm glad I'm not you."
"Thank you, Ronald. That makes me feel much better."