AN: I'm on semester break! Yay! That means I can try updating a little more. Here's the next chapter. As I'm writing this note, I have the next document opened up to write away! 3

Chapter 21: Jill's fear

The next day, Jill and Bella didn't see one another. Which wasn't a good thing, now that Jill remembers, Bella ordered her to visit her at least once a day, to be exact, at eight ó clock every night. However, she had to tend to a lot of chores she got from her other classes and that she didn't yet take care of. But to be even more exact…Jill was scared. Bella announced that Jill would have to meet the dark lord very soon, and as much as she was happy about it at first, because it would bring her closer to the mission, anxiety was to be felt a tad more. While Jill was cuddled into her pillows, she started thinking about the past few weeks. Over and over again, as if she didn't do that for ages. Kolem visited her and gave her this little phial. Whom to use it on, though? Whom would Jill force to say something? She was a tough girl here and then – or at least she ways displaying it but deep inside, she was just that insecure little girl that wanted to go home and get up late in the mornings again. Oddly enough…she was also the little girl that developed a weakness for a woman far ahead of her, in age as well as in magical abilities. Not to mention in temper.

Just when she was about to close the book that she didn't read anyway, because she got carried away by her own thoughts, a sharp sound above her head reached to her ears. An origami-looking type of mouth folded out of a letter that she had just opened up.

"GET INTO MY OFFICE RIGHT NOW!" it hissed and Jill couldn't jump up as quickly as she wanted to. This world is going to cost her a bunch of nerves, she thought to herself as she hurried over to Bella's office. As ordered.

"What were you thinking!" hissed the woman dressed in black, turning around from her window towards the door that just flew open. Jill panted a little because she ran like a maniac, knowing how uncomfortable Bella could get.

"M.. …I'm sorry! I have so much to do, I don't even know where to start…I got a bunch of homework and…yeah. I'm sorry." Jill tried explaining and caught her breath closely afterwards and let herself drop onto the chair. Bella, still unimpressed, sat down and looked at Jill from across the desk.

"Hnn…I don't know what can keep you so busy to be busy enough to drop by and say "Hello"." She crossed her arms like a defiant little child, not satisfied with what it has been told.

"I've been with you in my very thoughts" Jill smiled and looked into Bella's eyes – whom, at this moment, tried very hard to keep her stern and cold composure but she couldn't help but let it drop when she saw Jill's lips forming into a smile. Bella smiled back, everything seemed forgotten.

"There's something I've been thinking of" said Jill and rubbed a hand through her hair, her voice got softer, her eyes wandered down to the side for the split of a second, then up to Bella again. The dark witch knew that kind of face, usually Jill had to announce something that she didn't like at all.

"What is it?"

"See…Since you know that…Kolem sent me here to find out about the dark lord…and you said I would meet him soon...I…I've been thinking. You ignored the fact that he sent me here to stop what he's planning. I don't understand why…someone like you would ignore that…Dra..I mean..somebody told me that you have some sort of obsession with him. And his ideals…"

"Which have not changed, Jill." Said Bella sternly and Jill's eyes widened, her mouth gapped open. For a moment, she felt backstabbed. "What…?" she muttered in disbelief, expecting an answer right away, which Bella had in stock.

"I told you I don't see you as a mudblood…which doesn't mean that I hate mudbloods less."
"But Bella…this..this doesn't make sense. Do you want to know what I believe? Please hear me out…" Jill hurried with her last words because she saw how Bella shook her head and wanted to end this discussion already.

"Fine. Go on…"

"I believe…all of you have this image of a muggle in your head…most of you..haven't even met muggles, yet you hate them. I believe…it's fear of the unknown. I mean! Once you got to know me…you noticed there's not a lot of difference between you and me…everyone has got different talents and abilities…even amongst witches and wizards do magical abilities vary…why…why do you want to keep a grasp on that sort of muggle you hate, that doesn't even exist? You kill them for being what they are NOT…and not for what they truly are…which is human beings! And you fell in love with one of them…" Jill played with her hair the whole time and at the end, she even bit her own lips to suppress the tears. It was a very touchy subject to her and she was a crybaby, she had to admit.

Bella, for the longest while, didn't respond. She turned her head away and gazed out of the big, parabola formed window, then back at her. Her facial expression seemed concentrated, she pursed her lips and wanted to say something but failed and Jill knew that, whenever this happened, she would usually get yelled at. Another minute that seemed like an eternity was filled with deafening silence.

"Are you mad at me?" Jill suddenly asked, leaning forward with her torso. There was this sudden irrational fear that Bella would reject her out of nothing and she couldn't handle that thought very well. However, Bella didn't say a word. She just stared at Jill, but it seemed like she stared past her.

"Bella…talk to me…please!" Jill exclaimed suddenly and jumped up and walked around the desk and to her professor, standing next to her chair. She had to fight the tears that started to sicker out of her eyes, her heart beat faster. Would Bella leave her? Would she dump her? Has she come to a conclusion that didn't include Jill any longer?

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