The Potter Factor

By: Amora

Standard and non-standard disclaimers apply.

A/N: Check out the page on Bellatrix Lestrange on the Harry Potter Lexicon. That picture of her with the wand is almost exactly how I pictured her in this story: sadistic, powerful, and sexy as hell.

Chapter 9: A Chanceat Repentance

"Ennervate"

Without thinking, I tried reviving the poor girl who fainted at our arrival. Unfortunately, being awaken out of a shock induced period of unconsciousness was not going to put said person in a calm state. The little girl took one look at my appearance and ran into the castle screaming.

"Mangeurs de mort!" could be heard throughout the castle. Bella and I shared a look of foreboding. This couldn't be good. Without a second thought, we sprinted after the girl in an attempt to explain ourselves. No sooner had we stepped into the school's main foyer when twenty students of different ages accosted us with wands drawn.

"Ne pas se déplacer!" one of the older students with some sort of prefect badge demanded. Not comprehending what was being said, I took a second to access the situation. A myriad of students no older than me looked back with nervous glances between Bella and me. Taking a deep breath, I began explaining our situation when suddenly, the calm in the room disintegrated as a random student in the crowd opened fire.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Protego!"

As soon as I brought up my shield to deflect the spell, the tentative atmosphere in the room exploded. Three stunners whirled by my head as I ducked behind a trophy case to avoid being hit. This was not the way I saw life in France to be! My introspection was cut short, however, as the glass case in front of me was blasted to hell. A piece of glass slashed my forehead near the scar Tom gave me giving it what I would later decide to be a cool dual lightening effect.

"Petrificus Totalus!" I shouted while waving my wand in an arc. The intended area effect worked and three students slumped out of the fight. "Tarantallegra! Rictusempra!"

One by one the students were doing jigs, laughing, being tickled, or paralyzed. I took their moment of distraction to do some of the spells I had learned from Gred and Forge. An upperclassman's wand was turned into a rubber chicken and he dropped it faster than Malfoy would drop a Weasley hand-me-down. A girl who was about to curse me found her tongue hanging on the ground from a well placed engorgio. Taking a quick look at how Bella was fairing, I shook my head at her bored appearance after having the rest of the students hoping on one foot on the imperius curse.

I started laughing from the scene but my humor was instantly cut short as the telltale sign of a bone breaker curse narrowly missed my head. Oh shit…the faculty had arrived. It was all I could do to convince Bella to retreat before we were attacked by flying chairs and airborne tables.

"This way!" I yelled pulling her through a nearby door and adjacent corridor. I wasted no time turning around and blasting the entrance with everything I had. The roof started caving in and soon the door was completely blocked by rubble. Wow, that was close. Even with Bella here, I didn't know if we could make it out of that fight in one piece.

"La reddition ou meurt!" A deep baritone sounded from behind us. I turned around slowly and took an involuntary step back as I saw the most imposing figure I have ever seen in my life. Almost three meters tall and dressed from head to toe in full battle regalia, the headmistress of Beauxbatons was a sight to behold. Bella took a defensive stance when Madame Maxine began swinging the huge ceremonial broadsword in her hands as if it were a mere toothpick.

"We're not here to fight!" I said nervously holding up both my hands. Damn, this lady could give Voldemort a run for his money in mere presence! "Don't you remember us?"

This seemed like the wrong thing to say as Madame Maxine's eyes drifted from me over to where Bella was standing. A murderous glint appeared in her eyes as she recognized Bellatrix Lestrange. With an inhuman growl, she charged forward and tried to cleave us in half. Bella and I both rolled to either side of the blade as its downward arc imbedded the massive sword into the rubble.

"Madame Maxine! Don't you remember me from the Tri-Wizard tournament? I'm Hagrid's friend!" I yelled across the corridor towards the murderous giantess. I really don't want to die here before I could have my revenge on Tom and Fudge. I was in luck, because at the mention of Hagrid, the headmistress lost a bit of the bloodlust look in her eyes. After carefully examining me and glancing at my forehead, her eyes widened in recognition.

"Potter! Que l'enfer est-il vous faisant ici?" She demanded fiercely. I just stood in confusion until I heard the giantess mutter some words under her breath. An odd tingly sensation washed over me and I was about to ask what she did before being cut off.

"Now answer me Harry Potter. Why are you in France and why are you attacking my school with a known Death Eater?" she asked in a dangerous tone but it was surprisingly in English. I mentally kicked myself for not thinking of a translation spell earlier.

"We're not attacking! Bella and I are seeking asylum from that little island we used to call home." I explained. This was obviously not what she had been expecting as the look on her face became more confused. I sighed and resigned myself to do what I had to.

"It'll probably be easier for you to just read my memory. Either pensive or legilimency is fine." I offered. Hopefully, this wouldn't be as bad as that fucker Snape trying to rape my mind. Madame Maxine paused briefly to contemplate before aiming her wand she had hidden in her sleeve and whispering the incantation.

Instead of trying to clear my mind as I had for Snivellus, I thought about everything that had happened since my sixteenth birthday. The images flashed by as I recalled what happened since July 31st. Bella and three lackeys attacking number 4. Fudge's edict. The scuffle with the British aurors. The shootout with the thugs. The skirmish with Voldemort. The battle with the Ministry High Inquisitors. The muggle police chase. Everything that had transpired since then Madame Maxine now knew. Even some of the more illicit activities I had been participating in...

I scratched my head in embarrassment as I saw Madame Maxine give me a knowing look and raised eyebrow. I shrank away further as I saw Bella smirking at my predicament. What the hell was this? Pick on Harry Potter day?

"If we could continue this conversation in my office Mr. Potter." Madame Maxine said while leading us down the corridor. "That will give me enough time to call off the French Ministry and alert the other professors of the situation."

I nodded as she led Bella and me through a door which I had not initially seen. The interior of her office was much more refined than Dumbledore's. Instead of the mass amounts of trinkets lying around, Madame Maxine's office was almost as immaculate as Aunt Petunia's kitchen. Almost being the right word as no dirt particle in the world could escape the notice of that horse-faced hag. In a span of thirty seconds, the headmistress had firecalled the ministry, reassured the professors, and conjured up two chairs before taking a seat in her 'throne'.

"Let me get this straight." Madame Maxine started as she leaned forward on the huge oak desk. "You," she said pointing to me, "and you," she said pointing to Bella, "are not only trying to escape You-Know-Who, but you are also fugitives of the British Ministry of Magic? And now you have come to this country seeking asylum only to be the most wanted criminals on the cover of all newspapers muggle and magical for your blatant attacks getting to this school? And on top of that, you have dueled with almost two dozen of my students?"

"Wow that sounds really bad if you put it that way…" I said nervously while scratching my head. Madame Maxine gave me a critical gaze for almost a full minute before a deep rumble passed from her lips. I sighed in relief as I realized that she was laughing.

"Boy-Who-Lived indeed! Only you would attempt to pass such utter nonsense off as the truth. Any other wizard who would even commit such acts that you have in the past few days would be instantly sentenced to your Azkaban prison no?"

"But-"

"Don't worry Mr. Potter." Madame Maxine waved off my protest. "As I have seen in your memories, you are clearly a victim of circumstances, and I thank you for not harming any of my students beyond their pride. However, please explain your intentions of bringing this…woman to my school." She finished with a suspicious glare at Bella who instantly stiffened in her seat. I could tell that Bella was preparing for an attack.

"I can vouch for her." I said quickly to try and dissolve the palpable tension that was emanating from the room. Seeing the headmistress weighing the options, I reached over and pulled up Bella's sleeve to reveal the dark mark. "What can you tell me about this?"

Madame Maxine frowned as she stared at the ugly tattoo that was Voldemort's call sign. Slowly, her eyes met mine and she nodded slowly.

"It is the sign of You-Know-Who. It bonds the soul of the user to the Dark Lord and forever ties that individual to him. For the bond to cultivate, you must willingly," the headmistress said staring at Bella, "submit your life, soul, and magic to the caster. Such a bond CANNOT be done under the imperius."

"Is there a way we can get rid of it?" I asked. From the desperate looks that Bella and I were giving, Madame Maxine finally realized our motive for coming to France. Her anger and suspicion towards Bella instantly deflated, and she shook her head sadly.

"That particular marking is irreversible. The only way to be free of You-Know-Who is death."

"I knew it!" Bella shouted turning towards me with a scowl on her face. "I told you that I was doomed but you didn't listen! You had to go and convince me there was a way!"

I opened my mouth to reply but couldn't think of anything to say. There had to be a way! I refused to believe that in a society where people could turn into animals that there would be no way to remove a damn tattoo.

"Damn you Potter!" Bella shouted before shrinking back into her chair. Her next sentence was spoken so softly that I barely caught it. "Damn you for making me believe in you…"

Goddamn that really hurt. Was there really no escape from Voldemort? I guess the only reason Bella isn't suffering adverse side effects from openly defying Voldemort is because he is recovering from multiple gunshot wounds. How long would that last though? How much time before he would start torturing Bella through that damn mark? I couldn't just sit here and do nothing. I won't!

"Madame Maxine, is there really NO alternative?" I asked the headmistress. She had been watching the exchange with calculating eyes and apparently no longer considered Bella a threat.

"I'm sorry Mr. Potter. Unless you change history, there are no pos-"

"That's it!" I yelled. Both ladies gave me a startled look but I didn't care. "A time-tuner! Bella won't have the mark anymore if she never got it in the first place!"

"Absolutely not!" Madame Maxine bellowed. "Do you realize that you could destroy the entire universe with your little time traveling escapade?"

Damn! I never really thought of the consequences. If I were in the past, I'd do all sorts of things to change it in my favor. But if I did that, then the past few decades would not have existed. I might never be born! And if I'm not born, then I could not have gone back in time to change the fact that I was. Shit, this is giving me a headache!

"Madame Maxine, I will swear a wizard's oath that the only thing I will change is whether or not Bella joins Voldemort."

The headmistress looked pensive, but upon seeing my determined face she sighed and slowly relented.

"Very well Mr. Potter. You are no ordinary wizard as you have already demonstrated. Against my better judgement and also breaking almost every magical law ever made, I shall provide you with the location of a time-tuner that is powerful enough to send you on your way."

Provide the location? I guess even headmistresses didn't have direct access to one of those.

"So where is it?"

"The French Ministry of Magic has one under heavy guard in an antechamber by their Dark Artifacts Department."

Ministry of Magic? Oh shit…I knew there would be a caveat! Bella and I were already wanted criminals. I guess breaking into this Dark Artifacts Department wouldn't extend the incarceration time by too much.

"Are you sure you want to do this Harry?" Bella asked softly as she followed us towards the fireplace.

"Yeah. I promised to help you and I'm not about to break it." I said feeling a little better that she was using my first name again. "By the way, when did you get the mark?"

"Ten weeks before my seventeenth birthday. Almost twenty years ago."

I nodded and waited for Madame Maxine to prepare the floo for us. When the fire started crackling, she handed us both a handful of powder and gave me a stern glance.

"Good luck Harry Potter. May the next time we meet be under better circumstances."

Recognizing the apology for what it was, Bella and I shook her hand before jumping into the floo network. It was only later that I realized that even though I mentioned a wizard's oath to Madame Maxine, I did not give the proper incantation. Therefore, it did not take place.

"Oof!" I muttered falling on my face out of the floo. I hated floo travel almost as much as a damn portkey. Of course Bella had the audacity to step right over my head as she smoothly exited the fireplace. I glared at her backside to no avail.

"Quit goofing around Potter." She joked and gave me a hand. I mumbled various obscenities under my breath before calming down and examining my surroundings. It was nightfall and the ministry only had torches for lights. The visitor check-in station was almost empty and the attendant was busy snoozing. This was going to be easy!

"Can you disillusion us?" I asked Bella who promptly nodded and added a silencing charm for good measure. We crept past the useless gate sentries and proceeded down the main corridor. Aside from the odd guard or patrolling auror, the entire place was pretty much deserted.

After wandering around in the dark searching for the elusive department, Bella finally got fed up and paralyzed the next guard we saw.

"Legilimens!" She whispered and after a few seconds, released the poor sap who had an utter look of terror on his face. "I should have done that sooner." Bella declared after wiping the guard's memory and releasing him. "This way!"

After about five more minutes of rummaging through unknown corridors, Bella stopped in front of a pair of inconspicuous doors. We both looked at each other and nodded before opening the door with wands ready. There would be no turning back. If we didn't make it to the time-tuner, we wouldn't have a second chance. As we rushed into the dimly lit antechamber, four guards instantly sprang into action. Soon, stunners, bone breakers, and a myriad of other curses were flying at us from all directions.

"Protego!" I shouted bringing up my shield before jumping behind a desk and returning fire. A sickening purple light bounced off my shield and into a nearby wall blowing a huge hole in the concrete. Without waiting for a second barrage, I leapt out of my hiding space while slicing my wand in a downward motion. My cutting curse flew forward in an arc and neatly chopped off the wand arm of one of the guards. He screamed in agony before passing out due to blood loss.

Before I could even land from my aerial attack, a blasting curse all but shattered my shield from behind and plowed me into a nearby bookshelf. Goddamn that hurts! I'll feel that in the morning. Various artifacts fell on me as I collapsed onto the ground.

"Crucio!"

Holy shit was I ever glad that I had Bella around to watch my back! The fucker who blew me into the shelves was instantly served a heavy dose of pain via the cruciatus. While he was screaming his throat dry, one of the non-stunned aurors tried to attack Bella from behind. He wouldn't get the chance if I had anything to say about it.

"Reducto!" I screamed. He ducked but I wasn't aiming it at him. The table behind him was blown to bits and I banished the wood chips at the auror who was unable to shield himself in time. The chips and shards dug into his face and neck making him scream bloody murder. Before he could recover, I vaulted over a nearby chair and gave him a nice foot to the head knocking him out. Looking back over at Bella, I realized that I had better do somethingbefore that poor sod turned insane.

"Stupefy!"

"Hey! I was enjoying that!" Bella complained now that her cruciatus target was unconscious. I rolled my eyes and gave her a pointed look. Old habits die hard I guess.

"Remember that these aren't the bad guys." I said while searching for the time-tuner. "They're only doing their job guarding this place." At her pout I continued, "When we meet your old buddies in Voldemort's fan club, feel free to do whatever the hell you want with them."

Bella chuckled at my description of the Death Eaters, and we started looking for our time-tuner. It took only thirty seconds to locate the wayward time-tuner. Unfortunately, that's also how long it took for reinforcements to show up.

"In the name of the French Ministry, drop your wands and surrender!" an auror shouted from the doorway with his wand drawn. Behind him were approximately twenty five more just waiting for us to make a move. Holy shit! This did not look good.

"I'll hold them off!" Bella yelled before facing off with the horde of French aurors. What the hell is she thinking? She may be good but there's no way she can beat that many people in a duel!

"But-" I started before she rudely cut me off.

"Goddamnit Potter! Get that time-tuner spinning! If you can make it then my sacrifice is well worth it!" At that she shoved me aside and charged into the fray.

I stood rooted to the spot for a moment before Bella's words sunk in. Of course! If I change the past, then nothing that happens to her now will mean anything! As I grab the time-tuner, I see her conjure up hundreds of knives and banish them towards the mob of aurors.

'Come on Potter! Hurry up!' I chided myself as I heard inhuman screams from behind me. Quickly, I conjure up a horizontal spike and impale the device on it so it spins like a bicycle wheel. How many turns? The thing says month, but how many? Doing some quick calculations, I come up with the answer and start spinning. Faster you piece of shit!

While I was frantically spinning the time-tuner, Bella was slowly but surely being overwhelmed. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to drown out her screams of pain and concentrate on the task at hand. Come on! 100 more turns!

A stunner narrowly misses my head and I hastily put up a shield. My blood runs cold as I hear the killing curse starting to be used. Biting my lip to keep from turning around, I spin even more frantically. Faster! 30 more spins!

25.

20.

15.

"Avada Kedavra!" Tears are falling down my cheeks and my eyes are burning but there's nothing I can do. In my grief, I overturn the time-tuner by a couple of spins but I didn't care. Grabbing the now active time-tuner, I spun around to meet the sight of bruised and bloody aurors standing smugly over a lifeless Bella. No! Bella! With an inhuman growl, I leveled my wand at the group and snarled.

"Fuck you! AVADA KEDAVRA!" I poured everything I had into it. The force of the spell coming out of my wand almost knocks me backwards. As the time-tuner takes effect, the last thing I see before being thrown back in time is the shocked and horrified look death.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Hopefully you find this chapter to your liking. Just remember that even though MILF Bella is dead, sixteen year old Bellatrix Black isn't.

French Translations are from an online site. Correct me if it is wrong.

Mangeurs de mort - Death Eaters

Ne pas se déplacer – Don't move

La reddition ou meurt – Surrender or die

Que l'enfer est-il vous faisant ici – What the hell are you doing here