For Bella/Alyssa. My fab twin forever.
Finally cleared for boarding, the shiny red train was swarmed with students as they poured into the cars. Since houses typically separated by car, it was always easy to spot the first years at the front of the train both anxious and eager to part from their families. Small and naïve, they were in for an unforgettable first term.
Bellatrix Black stood and pushed back the black curly mane from her face as she watched her family say their goodbyes to the youngest sister Narcissa before she boarded with the other first years.
She then noticed out of the corner of her eye, a group of fourth years had stopped whatever they were discussing and were looking right at her. Slightly uncomfortable, she threw them a threatening look, something that was all too natural to her, and turned to board the train herself.
Since her first year at Hogwarts, Bella's features had become considerably more…defined. The summer holiday seemed to be the final wind of a sterling transformation, in fact. She had grown slightly taller, and having spent many hours outdoors, there was a sun kissed radiance about her. Her body had slimmed down, but it couldn't hide the now womanly figure every girl waits so patiently to attain. Her sleek legs extended from a thin waist and curved hips, which were topped by a rather enviable chest and long neck. Accompanied by a face seemingly carved from marble with cheekbones that could cut glass were dark eyes that gave Bella her intense aura.
This natural revamp, as well as many of the other students' did not go unnoticed, garnering looks from many others. Her friends greeted her on the platform, all relieved about leaving their awkward, ungainly years behind them.
Bella wasn't one to focus entirely on physicality, she thought it was overrated, but she finally felt as though people would simply look at her and be intimidated, a feeling in which she reveled.
In the midst of her Slytherin friends, she boarded the train and spotted an unclaimed area of seats. Sitting down by the window she leaned her back against the wall and stretched her legs out. She hoped no one would sit next to her, preferring a somewhat quiet train ride. This desire was shattered when a third year came and took the seat across from her. Sighing, she looked to her sister.
"Cissy get on alright?" she asked, somewhat bored.
"Yeah," answered Andromeda. There was a brief moment of silence before Andromeda took in a breath to speak, only to be cut off immediately by Bella.
"If you're going to sit here, you're gonna have to not talk," she ordered, pulling out a magazine and setting it on her lap. Following her sister's request, Andromeda closed her mouth and ran her fingers through her straight chestnut hair. Then she leaned back in the seat just as the train started to move.
A few hours passed and the sky had grown darker, warm light emanating from the train's windows. The chatter and laughter of reunited friends had died down considerably, the ambiance transformed into a quiet murmur of stories and gossip. Some people had nodded off, others quietly reading books, some writing or drawing, something to pass the time. Bella put down her last magazine and turned to look out the window.
"You think she'll like it? School?" Andi asked.
"Of course she will. It's Narcissa," Bella responded, still watching the dark landscape. She looked back at Andi when there was no response.
"For god's sake, she'll be fine. You saw her at Diagon Alley, she could barely stay in one shop for more than two seconds." Bella's focus was redirected when someone called her name a few seats up.
"Bella! Come here, you've got to see this!"
It was her good friend Imogen Wespurt, standing up in a huddle of her other friends all looking at something of particular interest. Bella smiled and brought her feet down to put on her shoes. As she slid them on and straightened to stand up, she addressed Andi again.
"Look, I get it. We're the older sisters. We're supposed to look out for her. But my first year I was on my own, and I'm fine. There's a point when you've got to stop treating her like a baby, the sooner she makes her own friends the better because I am not going to be toting her around all year," she stood and walked over to join her friends, leaving Andromeda to herself.
. . .
After second year, the sorting ceremony became incredibly boring. But, looking up after hearing Narcissa's name called, Bella actually felt a twinge of excitement for her little sister. Entirely certain she would be placed in her own house, it was no surprise when the hat called Slytherin. Applause from the Slytherin table thundered as she took her place among her new housemates, waving to Bella and Andromeda before sitting down. Bella smiled and couldn't help but be proud.
As the evening went on and the sorting ceremony over, the great hall was filled with exuberant voices and loud prattle. The professors sat at their table conversing among themselves while watching the enthusiastic newcomers greeting new friends with bright eyes.
Bella sat and ate with her friends as they gossiped and laughed. Boys seemed to be their topic of interest for the most part; something Bella simply had no interest in discussing. She was not one to gush over chiseled looks and crystal blue eyes. She still joined in the fun of seeking out former acquaintances, what she found though was something she had no idea she was unprepared for.
Tom Riddle sat a little ways down on the opposite side of the table and something about him managed to catch Bella's eye for more than a mere second. She looked at him for a moment, slightly intrigued. Indeed, his features had also seemed to morph from past years. He went from a boy into something of a striking man. With his strong jaw and bone structure matched with his height, there couldn't have been one person, girls particularly, that let him go undetected.
Bella's gaze held even longer as he smiled, laughing at something a friend might have said. As she wondered why they had never really talked to each other, his glance doubled back and then they were both looking at each other.
Bella suddenly realized her open staring and embarrassed, broke eye contact by looking down at her plate, leftover food in neat scattered piles.
Tom looked back at her, mainly curious as to why she was looking at him. His curiosity inadvertently turned to interest and before he could nod acknowledgement or give a smile, her eyes darted away. Embarrassed, he also looked back to his group of friends, but wondered to himself why he hadn't noticed Bellatrix Black before that evening. Sure, he had seen her, not really knowing anything about her other than what he heard from others, but he hadn't truly noticed.
Leaving the great hall to go to their dormitories, Tom found himself close behind Bellatrix, the dark bouncing waves hard to mistake. He merely followed her closely until they came to Slytherin's common room where room assignments were given. The first years stood in a group as names were called, and the other students started off to bed. Trunks were earlier delivered to each student's room, but bags and other luggage such as animals were left in the common room.
Bella was struggling slightly as she tried to remove her luggage from underneath a stack of others. Finally managing to get it free, she accidentally caused a small avalanche of suitcases. Bella tried to stop it, but she couldn't possibly manage it without making a complete mess. Thankfully another student strode in quickly enough to stop them all from toppling and set them straight.
"Oh, thanks," Bella exhaled as she bent down to grab her bag. But a hand extended in front of her and grabbed the handle before she could. About to object, entirely annoyed that someone would try to take her bag, she looked up and saw that now unmistakable pair of dark eyes set above some ungodly high cheekbones and all thoughts seemed to escape her.
"Hi," he said. His voice seemed to match his face perfectly, deep and pleasant. They both straightened as he offered a friendly smile seemingly made of porcelain. Bella inadvertently began searching him for any flaws, something he seemed to be void of.
"Hey," she said, realizing how nervous she sounded. What she didn't understand was why she was nervous at all. She reached down to retrieve her bag, which he was holding effortlessly in his hand, despite the weight.
There was a brief moment of contact when her hand touched his and Bella could feel her pulse quicken slightly. He handed it over with a slightly crooked grin, eyes not leaving her face.
She smiled, and even though they had not said more than two words to each other, she couldn't help but be charmed.
"Thanks again," she said.
Bella gave a nod then went off to her room and Tom went to his, but not before glancing back over his shoulder at her.
Thanks for reading, reviews are appreciated.