About half an hour later, la new little family was in London, shopping in the famous wizarding street, ready to buy everything they need. They took their time so the little girl could get used to everything she was seeing around her.
With the holiday decorations and the snow, the already magical street was even more wonderful and Isabella didn't have enough eyes to see everything she wanted to see.
When they passed in front of the animal shop, they allowed the little girl to go inside and look around while Helena bought some owl food. Tom stayed behind his sister and smiled when he saw her talking with a baby owl that seemed to have isolated himself from the others.
"What do you think?" Tom asked Helena, pointing to Isabella who was still talking to the baby bird.
"Go ahead. If she wants it, it might be good for her." Helena nodded.
"Would you like him to be yours Bella?" He asked her, kneeling by her side while Helena went to pay for it and buy everything they would need along with it.
"Can I? Really? He's so cute and nice!" She nodded.
"Of course you can. Helena's already paying for it." He assured her before the little girl jumped on him, her hands tying around his neck.
"Thanks dad." She told him with a wide smile that would be hard to resist.
"You're welcome Honey. Come on now, I'll carry your cage for you." He offered, knowing it would be too heavy for her.
Once they were outside, the little family went over to one of the best clothing store for children and Tom stayed outside with the owl, claiming he had a bit of Christmas shopping to do himself before they met up again.
Helena took the time to ask Isabella what she liked and didn't like and in the end, they had a magically enlarged bag full of clothes for the little girl.
"Where's dad? Did we lose him?" Bella asked her new mother.
"No, he went to get some shopping done as well. He'll meet us at the toy store. Come on, it's not far from here." Helena replied.
They stayed a couple more hours going from one store to the next, sometimes just to show things to Isabella, sometimes because they wanted to buy something.
.
When they finally went back home, the arms full of bags and packages for Christmas or Isabella, it was almost time to eat lunch.
"Finally, you're home! We were starting to get worried." Katherine exclaimed when they stepped out of the living room's chimney.
"I'm sorry mom, we lost track of time. Bella was having so much fun…" Helena apologized.
"Don't worry about it, I'm glad everything went well for you three." She replied while Nicholas bent to be face to face with the little girl.
"What a petty little owl you have here! Is he yours?" He asked her, trying to make her comfortable.
"Mom and dad bought him for me. They said I can call him like I want and that they're loyal and that he'll carry mail for me if I ask him to." She replied with a large smile.
"Well, you're a lucky girl, aren't you? Do you know how you'll call him?" He asked her.
"Yes. Sally, like Dad's ancestor in Hogwarts. »
"That's an excellent idea. Why don't you come with me? Grandpa' will show you were the other owls are. When Sally is board, she'll go there and you'll always be able to find hr this way." Nicholas suggested and after a questioning glance to her parents, she nodded and took her new grandfather's hand, following him to the owlery.
When Nicholas and Bella came back, Katherine and Helena took her in her bedroom to put everything away while Nicholas and Tom went in the elder man's office to speak.
"Everything is official now. Nobody will be able to take Isabella from you or Helena. You should be able to use the name of Gaunt before July starts as well. You'll get an official ministry letter to inform you that it was done when it's done." He explained.
"Thank you. Really." Tom nodded, happier than he had ever been before.
"Don't worry about it Tom. I like you a lot. I know you'll be the son I never had." Nicholas told him before they both joined Katherine and Helena and Isabelle's room and helped the little girl change the bedroom to her liking by using magic.
Helena had bought a magical nightlight for Isabella but as she showed her how it worked, she assured the little girl that she would always be welcomed in her room if she wanted to. They also settled a space for Sally the owl near her window and they all went to have some lunch before showing Bella the entire house and gardens and helping her understand that the House elves were peaceful and actually very nice.
That night, Bella slept much better and the next day, she was already much more comfortable in her new life.
.
The engagement ceremony and party was planned for Christmas eve and a lot of their friends had been invited for the occasion, along with a few of their teachers and friends of Helena's parents.
The ceremony in itself would be quite short. Tom would stand alone in front of Nicholas and would ask for Helena's hand in front of everyone. Nicholas would grant Tom permission and give him his grandmother's engagement ring, a real ancient piece of art. Tom would then kneel in front of Helena and pass the ring on her finger.
Then the party would start.
Isabella was wearing a very pretty dress that made her look like a princess. Of course, she wasn't very comfortable around everyone but with her family's help, she got more comfortable as the night passed. She was happy to be a part of this happy family and wouldn't wait for the wedding so Helena could be officially her mother.
On Christmas morning, Bella felt comfortable enough in the house to go down in the living room on her own. Well, she had Sally flying by her side, but still, she felt like it was big. She went straight for the magical tree and greeted happily and cheerfully her parents and grandparents.
They were waiting for her next to a very big pile of presents and she was very excited. She had never had presents before and they assured her that everything in this large pile was for her.
"Merry Christmas!" She exclaimed.
"Merry Christmas Princess." They all replied joyfully, hugging her in turn before she joined them to eat breakfast.
"When you're done eating your breakfast, we'll all go and open the presents." Helena informed her.
Bella nodded vigorously and started eating while her owl, Sally, left and came back with a few pieces of papers, rolled up. Bella gave him a bite of her toast and thanked him before she gave each of the adults at the table one of the pieces of paper.
"It's for you!" She added.
She had made each of them a pretty drawing.
"Thank you Honey, it's very pretty. » Helena said, kissing her on the forehead.
"Yes, I'll hang it up in my room at Hogwarts." Tom added.
"I have room for it on my wall, it's perfect." Nicholas smiled.
After that, Isabella quickly ate her breakfast, eager to open her many presents. Of course, they all had presents but she was the one who had most of them.
She had gotten a flying broom for children, a speaking mirror, a doll who could answer a few questions, a teddy bear who could hug her back and several other toys and books.
Tom was also quite spoiled. Indeed, Nicholas had always wanted a son and now that he could, he wanted to enjoy it. That's why he had gotten him a lot of things, along with clothes to go hunting, a sword that had once belonged to Nicholas' grandfather and a complete and new set of dressing gowns.
From Helena, Tom had received the egg of a magical and very rare snake that wouldn't be born until at least one more year.
All in all, they all enjoyed a very happy Christmas and the four grownups felt like they were pulled back in childhood as they spent the entire day playing with Isabella and her toys.
So, one day, Isabella will go to Hogwarts as a student... Who do you think she'll end up with in the end? What house will she be in?
Lorelei Candice Black
