11-year old Belle Gratio sat in her bed, a candle gripped in her slender
hand, a letter in the other. She re-reads the letter for the tenth time
that evening.
"Dear Miss Gratio,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of
all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July
31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress."
Belle couldn't stop reading that letter. She had known about Hogwarts all
her life, and now she would finally be going there. She would be away from
her parents for most of the year, not to mention her younger siblings. Her
older siblings, however, were a different story. Although she wasn't
looking forward to being around them all year long, that thought was in the
back of her mind. She sighed as she set the letter down on her nightstand,
the candle next to it. She blew it out gently, and then closed the gap in
the semi-transparent curtain surrounding her bed. She leaned back against
the fluffy down pillows, pulling her comforter around her. Thoughts still
raced in her head, but she knew she should get some rest, and closed her
drooping eyes.
A stream of light awoke her with a start.
"Belle!! Belle!!" She heard someone shout. She recognized the voice immediately, and rolled over. She pulled her pillow over her head to muffle the calls. She soon heard footsteps approaching the bed, and the curtain being drawn.
"Belle!" The cry continued, this time more of a whisper. The figure shook her. "Belle, come'n, wake up. I have something important to tell you!" She groaned as she sat up, very slowly.
Rubbing one eye, she opened the other. Her blurred vision soon focused on the boy in front of her. "Draco," she began. "What time is it?" She said, stifling a yawn.
"I don't know." He said quickly. "But, Belle, listen to me. The Hecktorsons, our neighbors down the street, they.." He trailed. She observed how white his face was.
"They what Draco." She said bluntly, apparently not happy to be awake when she could be sleeping.
"They.they were killed last night. By Death Eaters.. Belle, it's really happening." He said, his voice quieter, more hushed.
Belle became more awake with the sound of the phrase "Death Eaters". She knew Draco would worry for quite some time now, he had told her this was coming. His father was associated with the Death Eaters, Voldemort's followers. Voldemort, one of the greatest wizards of his time, was pure evil. A while back, he had been defeated by none other than a toddler, Harry Potter, and had been in hiding ever since.
"Draco, don't fret, they're not going to do anything to your family. You still think your father supports him..right?" She said, scratching her head. He nodded solemnly. "Then I doubt Voldemort would harm you or your family." She said, trying to comfort her worried friend. "If your father remains loyal, that is." She added.
"Belle, you're missing the point." He replied. "I'm not fearful for my or my family's safety, I just thought it wouldn't start up again. I don't want Death Eaters lurking in the Manor!" He said, his grey blue eyes still looking unsettled. Belle sighed. "I don't know what to tell you Draco." She said, giving him a sympathetic look. "We'll be at Hogwarts soon, and all you will have to worry about then is homework and such. Now, do go home and get some rest. Everything will be fine." She said, leaning back against her pillow. "I suppose." He said, although his facial expression didn't differ much. "I'll see you later then..." He said, nodding a goodbye to her. She shook her head as he left, then drifted into a deep sleep.
"Belle!! Belle!!" She heard someone shout. She recognized the voice immediately, and rolled over. She pulled her pillow over her head to muffle the calls. She soon heard footsteps approaching the bed, and the curtain being drawn.
"Belle!" The cry continued, this time more of a whisper. The figure shook her. "Belle, come'n, wake up. I have something important to tell you!" She groaned as she sat up, very slowly.
Rubbing one eye, she opened the other. Her blurred vision soon focused on the boy in front of her. "Draco," she began. "What time is it?" She said, stifling a yawn.
"I don't know." He said quickly. "But, Belle, listen to me. The Hecktorsons, our neighbors down the street, they.." He trailed. She observed how white his face was.
"They what Draco." She said bluntly, apparently not happy to be awake when she could be sleeping.
"They.they were killed last night. By Death Eaters.. Belle, it's really happening." He said, his voice quieter, more hushed.
Belle became more awake with the sound of the phrase "Death Eaters". She knew Draco would worry for quite some time now, he had told her this was coming. His father was associated with the Death Eaters, Voldemort's followers. Voldemort, one of the greatest wizards of his time, was pure evil. A while back, he had been defeated by none other than a toddler, Harry Potter, and had been in hiding ever since.
"Draco, don't fret, they're not going to do anything to your family. You still think your father supports him..right?" She said, scratching her head. He nodded solemnly. "Then I doubt Voldemort would harm you or your family." She said, trying to comfort her worried friend. "If your father remains loyal, that is." She added.
"Belle, you're missing the point." He replied. "I'm not fearful for my or my family's safety, I just thought it wouldn't start up again. I don't want Death Eaters lurking in the Manor!" He said, his grey blue eyes still looking unsettled. Belle sighed. "I don't know what to tell you Draco." She said, giving him a sympathetic look. "We'll be at Hogwarts soon, and all you will have to worry about then is homework and such. Now, do go home and get some rest. Everything will be fine." She said, leaning back against her pillow. "I suppose." He said, although his facial expression didn't differ much. "I'll see you later then..." He said, nodding a goodbye to her. She shook her head as he left, then drifted into a deep sleep.