Black beauty

Chapter 40

I got up and kissed Bella and Cissy goodbye. I apparated to the castle.

When I arrived, many people ran towards me. "Did she hurt you?" "where have you been?" "are you okay?" I managed to shake them all off, I was beginning to feel claustrophobic. "Everyone I'm fine. I don't know what or who you're talking about" I had to play it off smoothly. "Bellatrix Lestrange" someone shouted. I looked at them confused, as if I've never heard the name before. "It was in the daily prophet, that she was holding you hostage and that you were in love with her" another said. I burst out laughing. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Clearly you shouldn't believe everything that goes into those papers. Now has anyone seen Harry Potter, I really need to speak to him"

Someone guided me to him. He was sat with two people. A red head boy and a brunette girl. "Harry, hi. Sorry about the other day" he stood up and hugged me. "I didn't know where you went, we thought something had happened to you" I was shocked at the sudden feeling so I didn't hug back properly. After all, this boy was the reason there is no peace. "Who are your friends?" I asked trying to be polite, after all I need him to trust me. "I'm Hermione Granger and this is Ron Weasley" I recognized the surname, he must be Arthur's son. "Ah, a Weasley. I work with your father, Arthur" he nodded and smiled.

We sat in silence for a little while before Harry finally spoke. "What was my father like with you? I mean I know from Lupin and Sirius' perspective but what about you?" I sighed slowly, remembering his father and how he took me in after I left the love of my life. "Your father could be a complete idiot sometimes but he took me in when I needed help the most. I just wish I had stayed in contact with them all" he nodded slowly. "What did you need help with, if you don't mind me asking" I couldn't mention Bella, I don't think he even knows about Talon. "Lets just say I had a complicated breakup and needed somewhere to stay" "Nasty boyfriend?" Ron asked. "Something like that" I said, it was completely untrue but they needn't know the truth.

"I must know, what the plan is. What is going to happen next, Harry?" I asked. "Before I tell you that, I think we should know where you went. And if what the papers are saying is true?" I rolled my eyes. "Not you as well. How come everyone seems to think I was held captive by Bellatrix?" He raised an eyebrow, "you were seen kissing and then you both disappeared" I pulled a disgusted face "allegedly. Harry, you shouldn't always believe what you hear and read"

"But, it was me that saw you" My eyes widened. How was I supposed to get out of this one? "Oh, well. I guess I should tell you the truth then" "That would be nice Y/N. How do I know I can trust you if you're close to her" I had to think quickly, I needed to come up with a believable lie.

"Have you ever been told by Moony or Padfoot about Talon?" he shook his head. 'Brilliant Y/N, dig yourself a deeper hole' "Right well, I can see why. She was also a marauder. My ex-girlfriend" his face dropped. "Wait, you mean Bellatrix and you were dating. And she was my father's friend" I nodded my head. "That is why your father helped me. I left her when she became a death eater after our graduation and I'd not spoken to her since" He looked at me in confusion "so why did you kiss her then?" I tried to act defensive, this lying is killing me inside. "I didn't kiss her, she kissed me. She apparated us to some shack so we could talk. I told her that I didn't love her anymore because she is a psychopath. It broke her but it had to be said" I kept a serious face the whole time. "But you were going for longer than just a few hours, where did you go?" 'Good question Harry, hold on while I think up yet another lie' I thought to myself. "I know, I went to 12 Grimmauld place. I just wanted to see it one last time. It was my home, after all. I had to process seeing Bellatrix again. It has been a very long time since I walked away from her" Thankfully the conversation ended. I think I convinced them, quite successfully.

Later that evening, I was sat by the fire in the Gryffindor common room thinking. I didn't hear Hermione come in because she sat next to me and said "You know, you should be an actress"...