I suddenly forgot while writing that Apparition cannot be used within the Hogwarts grounds, and the Forbidden Forest should also count as part of the school area.
Let’s just treat it as a personal headcanon, avoiding the trap in advance.
…
Ten minutes later…
Two figures silently left the hospital wing, and they were none other than Bellatrix and Isolde.
The wind drilled in through the cuffs and collars, gently fluttering their hems.
Bellatrix wrapped her cloak tightly around herself, full of remorse.
Her delicate brows were tightly furrowed, and her arms were crossed over her chest.
Her posture was upright yet full of awkwardness, her feet nailed to the spot, refusing to move even half a step.
She lowered her voice, her tone full of anxiety and a hint of disbelief:
“Winnier, you are simply a lunatic, sneaking out privately in the middle of the night. Once we run into the patrolling professors, we will all be punished!”
At this moment, Bellatrix was full of annoyance, even suspecting whether she had inexplicably fallen under her Confundus Charm just now.
Otherwise, she, who had always strictly adhered to the rules and was arrogant and self-restrained— how could she have muddle-headedly nodded in agreement and obediently followed this half-blood girl out of the hospital wing?
Merlin’s beard!
Seeing that she refused to move, Isolde actively took a step closer.
“Don’t move.”
As her voice fell, she slowly raised her hand, her fingertips reaching straight toward Bellatrix’s chest…
The sudden action made Bellatrix’s whole body stiffen, and she instinctively took a big step backward.
Her pupils suddenly constricted, her voice suddenly rose, and she shrieked out:
“What on earth do you want to do?!”
“Shh—keep it down.”
Isolde hurriedly stepped forward half a step, raising her hand to make a silencing gesture, reminding her helplessly and softly.
“Bella, shouting so loudly, are you afraid you won’t attract the patrolling professors?”
Bellatrix barely reined in her emotions then, a trace of annoyance staining her cheeks.
She pressed her lips tightly together.
“Don’t call me Bella.”
“Ooh ooh, okay, Bella.”
“…”
Isolde’s gaze fell upon the neatly worn Slytherin house badge on her chest, her tone incomparably natural:
“I just wanted you to take off your house badge. The light is dim at night, just in case we really get bumped into.”
“Even if we manage to escape by luck, our identities can be easily traced through the badge, the loss outweighs the gain.”
She casually raised her hand to take off the badge on her chest, clutching it in her palm, and stubbornly said:
“You don’t need to run your mouth; such a shallow reason is naturally clear to me.”
Taking the opportunity to carry a bit of her habitual bias, she faintly sneered:
“As for you, being so well-versed in evading school rules on usual days, I suppose night-wandering has long been commonplace for you.”
“As expected of a half-blood mongrel, most skilled at doing these opportunistic, unprincipled things.”
Facing her mockery, Isolde was not embarrassed at all.
Her expression was calm and composed, speaking frankly:
“This is also my first time night-wandering, these things are all common sense.”
The first time in this lifetime, how could it not count as the first time?
Finishing her sentence, she tilted her head slightly, a trace of slyness flashing across the bottom of her eyes, softly adding:
“If there is still a chance in the future, next time I actually want to change into a badge of another house to wear for fun.”
These words instantly aroused Bellatrix’s interest, and she slightly raised an eyebrow.
Looking at Isolde, her tone carried an unquestionable firmness:
“You want me to wear the badge of Gryffindor, that gathering place for idiots?”
“Simply wishful thinking, absolutely impossible.”
Hearing this, Isolde explained patiently, her tone gentle and submissive:
“Naturally, I wouldn’t make you wear it; next time I’ll be the one wearing it, you just need to follow closely by my side.”
Bellatrix was slightly startled upon hearing this, pondering for a moment.
Feeling that this proposal happened to suit her wishes, she nodded loftily, faintly spitting out a single word:
“Mm.”
As soon as her words fell, her cold eyes suddenly paused.
She belatedly realized something was wrong…
Wait, there’s a next time?
She carefully savored the conversation just now, the more she thought about it, the more wrong it felt.
She had clearly been muddle-headedly fooled by a few light words from the person in front of her, and unknowingly tacitly agreed to future opportunities for night-wandering.
Losing face, Bellatrix instantly became unhappy again.
Staring at Isolde who looked nonchalant beside her, she inwardly slandered that tonight was truly crazy.
Because Isolde said she was going to take Bellatrix for a stroll in the Forbidden Forest.
Therefore, she met with strong rejection.
“The Forbidden Forest is very dangerous, we are only first-years.”
“Of course, I can do seventh-year ones too. I dreamed of them muddle-headedly in a prophetic dream, and as soon as I woke up, I knew how.”
It hardened, Bellatrix’s fists hardened.
Gripping her wand, she really wanted to give the other’s head a “Reducto.”
She endured and endured, took a deep breath, and held it back.
Then Bellatrix was unwilling to walk anymore.
If they really ran to the Forbidden Forest and encountered something they couldn’t solve, the professors would definitely find out.
Even if it’s on the outskirts, what if they run into an accident?
Seeing her procrastinating and refusing to move her steps, Isolde’s mind turned, and she strode straight forward, naturally reaching out to gently hold Bellatrix’s slightly cool wrist, her fingertips gently fitting together.
Her tone feigned considerateness:
“My dear Miss Bella, don’t you want to walk around?”
She leaned over slightly closer, appearing a bit showy, and said sincerely and proudly:
“It doesn’t matter if you really can’t walk anymore, I’ll just take you over with Apparition, saving you from exhausting yourself.”
As soon as these words came out, Bellatrix, who was still full of entanglement and awkwardness, instantly stiffened her body.
Her face was full of astonishment: “What?”
She subconsciously struggled with her gripped wrist, her face full of shock and uncertainty, confirming once again:
“You don’t mean that Apparition I am thinking of, do you?”
This gadget, she can use it too?
Is she bragging?
Without waiting for Bellatrix to say another half sentence, Isolde had already tightened the force gripping her wrist.
Steadily bringing the person to her side, she quickly concentrated to gather the few remaining magic power within her body.
At this moment, the two of them were still young, their bodies had not yet fully matured, and the magical foundation stored in their bodies was far from sufficient.
But just for short-distance small-scale teleportation, and with few times, it was barely manageable for her.
The next instant, a strong sense of dizziness suddenly swept over her whole body, the surrounding scenery suddenly distorted and overlapped, and the space seemed to be suddenly folded and pulled.
Bellatrix only felt her whole body spinning, her wrist being pulled by the other party, too late to make any reaction at all.
After a brief moment of trance, her feet had already steadily stepped on the soft, damp soil, and the rich scent of vegetation all around rushed toward her face.
The cool and quiet late-night forest breeze proved that the two of them had steadily landed on the edge of the serene and deep Forbidden Forest.
After landing, Isolde’s figure swayed slightly, as if she was a little rusty.
Bellatrix was even slower to recover, raising her hand to gently press her swollen and dizzy temples, her delicate face filled with lingering fear.
No, seriously, you can actually do it?