Chapter 25:
Normal Pov
"Wait a minute Severus. You're saying that you had floo powder in your pocket this entire time?!" Bella snapped at him, and Severus nodded sheepishly. "Yeah. I forgot. But it's not in my pocket. I've got a big jar of it right in my book bag. I forgot about it-!"
"I had to sit on a plane for four hours! I spent almost seven hundred dollars! Plus another four hour train ride! And we could've been here in a snap!" Bella snapped at him, and then sat back on the couch. Lily wagged her finger at Bella naughtily.
"No, no, no, no, no, no. We do not yell at children Mrs. Swan."
"What about biting them? Bella snarled at her, an animalist growl escaping her bared lips. Lily squeaked.
"Nope. Nope. Can we just go now; I want to change into-! We didn't go to your mothers!" Lily snapped suddenly, and the Mauraders groaned.
"I forgot!" Everyone snapped.
"Don't worry, when Tom decides to take me to see Renee, I'll bring you guys with me." Bella assured them, and everyone nodded with relief.
"So, can we go now?" Severus asked, gripping his bag tightly. Bella shook her head no. "Jacob's on his way now. I just got off the phone with him."
"Will Dumbledore even let him stay…? Okay that was a pretty stupid question." James said, and at that moment, the door opened. Jacob walked inside, empty handed, and Lily bounded to his side.
"Hello Jacob. Now listen up and listen well. Because you are about to be introduced to the power of floo powder-!"
"Oh, we're traveling by floo powder? Sweet." Jacob said, and then stopped by Bella's side. His nose scrunched up a second painfully, and in the next second, it was replaced by a bright smile.
"You know what Floo Powder is?" Bella asked, turning to him curiously. He nodded with a smile. "Yeah, Tom told me all about it." Jacob explained, and Bella frowned curiously, but turned to the fireplace after a second.
"Okay Severus, give me the powder." Bella explained, and he handed her a small glass jar filled with powder. She looked from the powder to the fireplace, and then back to herself.
"Okay… How do I use this?" Bella asked, and everyone snickered. "Here, give it to me." Severus said, taking it back. "Alright, everyone take a handful." Severus said, taking one for himself and then passing it to everyone. Soon, everyone had a handful of floo powder in their hands. He stepped inside the fire place, and took a deep, calm breath.
"Now, just do what I do. Slytherin Common Room!" He shouted, and then threw the powder onto the floor. Bella's eyes widened when a bright, glowing green fire rose from the powder and ashes, encasing Severus in bright green flames. He went tumbling out of existence.
"Whoa. Cool." She said as Lily stepped forward. "Remember Bella and Jacob, you have to say it clearly." She said, and then proceeded to do the exact same thing Severus had done. Except she said, "Gryffindor Common Room." Green flames encased her and she was spinning away.
"Wait, what happens if you don't say it clearly?" She asked, frowning. Jacob smiled at her comfortingly. "Well, to be honest Bella," He leaned forward until his lips were at her ear. "Bad things. Bad, horrible things. You'll burn-!"
"Jacob!" She squealed, pushing him away. He laughed. James, Sirius, and Peter went, before only Remus was left. "If you don't say it clearly, you can end up pretty far away. The floo is a network, and its connected to thousands of gates. I daresay there are a lot of places that sound like Slytherin. Tumble Inn, for example." Remus smirked at her, and then stepped into the fireplace. As he became encased in flames, she breathed in fearfully, but then smirked.
"What am I scared about? I'm a vampire. I can just run to the castle if I get off at the wrong turn." She chuckled, and Jacob laughed behind her.
"That's the spirit!" He said as she climbed inside the fireplace. "Meet me in the Slytherin Common room?" She asked once she was inside, and he nodded. "Yeah, sure."
"Slytherin Common Room!" She yelled, and then threw the powder down onto the floor. She was encased in flames. Her feet were jetted off of the floor and suddenly she was spiraling around her body "Whoa-! Whoa-!" She shut her mouth and was glad that she had no need for her bodily functions, such as her lungs. For there was so much airy and ashy dirt going down her throat. Why oh why had she breathed in?
She fell out of the fireplace quickly, and then fell onto the floor. She was up in a second and face to face with Severus.
"Hi Sevie." She smiled, and he smirked. "That was quite an adventure Bellsy." He cooed, and Jacob came tumbling into the room. Immediately, he was in awe, staring around the room. "Wow!" He said, and Bella turned back to Severus. "Yeah, it was wasn't it?" She chuckled.
"So, wait! Why is the fire white?!" Jacob said, amazed at the white fire blazing bright in the common room. "It's a spell. Salazar Slytherin, the founder of Slytherin House and one of the four founders of this school, Hogwarts, enjoyed white hot pain. As you can see, the fire expresses his excitement for-!"
"Bondage?!" Jacob laughed, and Severus nodded.
"Um, yeah. Kind of. But Salazar Slytherin enjoyed pain on the outside. It wasn't exactly a sexual pleasure for him, more like emotional." Severus explained, and Jacob nodded, pretending to understand what he had just said.
"I think I should know-! How that works! Look, the painting is moving!" Jacob exclaimed excitingly, and to Bella's surprise, a picture of Shakespeare was on the wall, holding a decayed skull in one hand, and a primitive smirk on the other.
"Come byte Twas thumb! There say therefore be a muggle in arte presence-!"
"A muggle? Not completely. You see, I'm a shape shifter, but I also have no magic inside my body. But there is some spiritual stuff in my bones or whatever the elder said." Jacob explained. And Shakespeare raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, he's weird like that. He'll pretend he can't hear you if you don't speak like your from the five hundreds." Severus explained, smiling at William, who nodded at him.
"Oh… Well I'm not saying it again. You head me!" Jacob snapped, and then walked back off to Bella's side. William laughed.
"Twas been forever since I have since such a dwelling brave heart in a male-!"
"Thanks." Jacob called over his shoulder at him, and Bella waved goodbye to the painting as they walked away. "So, where should we go first?" Jacob asked while they climbed up the marble stairs. Bella smiled.
"Well first, Dumbledore. I'll let him know that your going to be staying here with me." She said, nodding at him. He smiled wider.
"Wait, what if I can't stay?" He asked, frowning at her.
"Dumbledore would not let you stay away, when he knows that it will hurt me. This is going to be like… A privilege. I'm sure if you volunteer to do some work-!"
"Work? You mean I can't just wait around our room while your out in class?" Jacob groaned, and Bella laughed. "Well not really. Why should you have fun when I have to be in school?" She asked, and he frowned.
"Yeah I guess that seems wrong." He said, frowning.
"You can do the homework I'm suppose to do while I'm in class." She smiled, and Jacob grinned at her. "That's adorable. Don't make me kick you." She laughed as they rounded the great hall and sat down at the Slytherin table. "Weren't we supposed to go see Dumbledore-!"
"Let him come to us. I'm not just going to jump for him." Bella shrugged, and Jacob smirked at her as she started sipping from her bottle. Then frowned when he caught the absurd bloody smell.
"Ew-!"
"You smell like an animal you know." Bella nodded at him with a smile. Jacob smiled at her. "what?"
"Yeah. I can see your blood. Just swirling around through your skin. Its cute. But also very tempted." Bella said, smirking at him. Jacob smiled.
"You know that your fangs are poison to me?" Jacob smiled at her quickly. Bella frowned.
"What?"
"Yeah. Just one bite, and I'm dead. Its an interesting fact that I've picked up throughout the thirty eight years of my life-!"
"Your thirty?! I've had no idea! Your look so young-!"
"Thank you!" Jacob said, and they both started laughing.
"Bella!" Lily giggled, and she was running through the Great Hall with Dumbledore at her heels, both looking absolutely giddy and wise.
"Miss Riddle, we've missed you these past… Vampire?" Dumbledore asked, catching sight of Bella's new condition. He took in the bottle of blood she was sipping, her pale skin, and her pearl white shiny teeth.
"Yep. Courtesy of Marcus, from the Volturi." Bella smirked, tipping her glass towards Dumbledore in toast.
"Well… You are safe, am I correct?" Dumbledore asked. Bella nodded. "If you mean am I contained? Then yes. I'm hooked on bottled blood." Bella explained. Dumbledore nodded. "Ah, then I am sure that is completely safe. I'll have to alert the Ministry and make sure they are aware of the vampire attending our school. Bella, who is your friend? Is he Muggle?" Dumbledore asked, staring at Jacob through his large moon spectacles. Jacob, who had originally been obediently quiet, stared at Dumbledore with a shy smile.
"Err… I'm Jacob. Jacob Black. And I sort of am a muggle." Jacob said nervously, and Dumbledore raised a kind but curious eyebrow. "Kind of?"
"Um, I'm a shape shifter. I lived in La Push, Washington. And my dad is friends with her dad." Jacob said, jetting his neck in Bella's direction. Bella, blank faced, nodded. Dumbledore nodded, rubbing his chin curiously as he looked at Jacob.
"Yes, a shape shifter. Well that's fascinating my dear boy. But why are you here?" Dumbledore asked, and Jacob frowned. He started stuttering. "Err, I-! I don't know! I-! Am I not allowed-!"
"He imprinted on me and now I'm stuck with him." Bella explained to Dumbledore with a smart faced grin, and then started drinking from her bottle subtly.
"Oh. Well my boy, you only had to say you imprinted. Of course you can stay. Who would I be to break apart true love?" Dumbledore said with a loud chuckle, and Jacob breathed a sign of relief. A few words were shared between Bella and Dumbledore, and then he and Lily took off.
"Heh, I imprinted on you and now your stuck with me. Is that how you really think of this-!"
"Jake, shut up. Of course I don't think of you like that. But Albus isn't going to just go along with it quickly if he thinks that I'm going soft. Plus he'll start to expect good things. Oh how I hope he's not expecting your chipper attitude to rub off on me." Bella moaned, and Jacob started laughing. There was a screech from high up, and then an owl started swooping through the window. Bella eyed it for a second, her fingers tightening around the plastic bottle so hard she was pressing spots in.
Jacob watched her closely, and then hovered a hand over her wrist as her pupils darted back and fourth, watching the owl swoop past them and towards the door. "Bella, its just a bird-!" She jumped up quickly and turned on her heel, ready to attack it before the bird could escape. But Jacob was a step ahead of her. When she kicked off he spun around, wrapping his two burly arms around her shoulders and locking his hands together at her chest. She snarled and kicked at his feet, her arms being held tightly to her side by his, but his hands tightened and lifted her towards his body.
"Bella-! Bella no! If this is how your going to act when you see a bird, maybe I should be going to class with you. Imagine all the children-! Good girl." Jacob smiled at her when she collapsed, ducking her head as she tiredly gave up trying to attack the bird. He loosened his hold on her wrists, and she stood up and took a deep breath. "Okay Jake, you can let me go now." She said, and when he did she turned back to the table and sat down.
"I feel like a babysitter." Jacob chortled, and at that moment, both him and Bella's head snapped towards the doors to the great hall. Jacob stood closer to Bella and even held her wrist in place in case she jumped. But Bella was holding her breath, not smelling or breathing, and had her head laid down on the table in an attempt to ignore the commotion in the hall.
The children were returning to Hogwarts.
Hundreds of them rushed and ran through the halls, greeting old friends and discussing their summers. Jacob breathed in slowly, edging looks at Bella, who had her eyes closed and her long straightened hair fanning over her face.
"Bella, do you smell the humans? Feel at any way tempted to feed? Or eat? Or whatever a blood sucker does?" Jacob asked, and Bella snorted. "Yeah, right. If I can smell them or see them, I don't feel tempted. How about we go for a walk in the woods?" Bella asked him, looking up to meet his eyes. Jacob's deep and warm dark brown eyes met Bella's cold, solid blood ones. He smile weakly. "Yeah, of course." Bella stood up slowly, and Jacob helped her over to the wall that held a large window that the owls used. It was all the way towards the ceiling. "Need help?" He asked.
"Sure." Bella shrugged. He leaned down and locked his hands together. Using his shoulders as balance, she gripped them tight and stood on his strong open hands. "Okay you ready?"
"Yeah."
"One, two, three!" Jacob said suddenly, and then with all his might, launched Bella towards the high ceiling. She gracefully gripped a crack in the ceiling when she reached the top, and then swung over to the open window. She dropped over and fell through the air. Jacob stared at the spot she had disappeared through, and then frowned.
"Something tells me I'm not going to get out the same way you did. I'll use the front door." Jacob said.
"Baby!" Bella snapped at him, and he laughed. Jogging lightly, he made his way through the tables of the Great Hall, and pass the children in the hallway. Due to his immense size and strength, people just cleared the way like a tidal wave. Jacob stopped to pause often, looking around at the different moving paintings. A group of kids had owls on their shoulder. Some of them had wands out and were waving them around. It was very fascinating to him. As Jacob jogged across the fresh grass lawn he smiled, glad he had came. This place felt like home.
Twenty Years Later
She ran quickly and swiftly through the cobble stone driveway. She couldn't be seen here. No one would have to know. Not Jacob. Not even her brother. Jacob would understand, he would even want to come with her. Jacob always supported her rational decisions, and this one was one of them. But she didn't want Tom to find out. One tiny attempt to bypass Jacob's mind would tell Tom everything that he suspected, but didn't want to believe. Tom wouldn't understand her need to do this, but Jacob would. Jacob thought about her first and put her needs before his, and she did vice versa. But Tom, though his love for Bella was a real and true bond, couldn't help himself of thinking what he thought was best for him and her. She knew what he would think if he found out what she was doing. The word traitor passed through her thoughts.
Her robe swished lightly in the wind as she stopped on the front porch. It looked like a run down cottage, but she knew it was the spell. She leaned forward on the tips of her toes, and breathed in a deep, long breath. She had excepted the invitation, and would now be invited in. She closed her eyes and thought hard. When she opened her eyes, she was staring in front of a clean and well kept cottage. It was very nice and modern, and she strolled over to the front door. Her fist raised softly and she knocked on the front wooden door. She barely even flicked her wrist, her control was good enough. The curtains on the windows to the right rustled, and she could sense the movement of the person on the other side peering out at her. There was some kind of protection spell on the house, for she could hear well, but the sounds were muffled. She couldn't smell inside the house very well either. The door creaked open, and a pair of hazel eyes, matured by golden aged peered through. The door opened fully, and the man strode onto the porch, wrapping his arms around Bella in greeting.
"James." She voiced, not knowing what to really say, but wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back.
"I haven't seen you since I graduated Hogwarts. Your still so young-!"
"It's the vampire in me James, I don't age, remember?" She grinned. James nodded at her and then guided her inside. "Yeah, that'll do it. Come on lets get inside, before someone sees." James said, and ushered her inside. When the door was closed, she got a full look of James. He was taller then her now at about five foot nine or so. His hazel eyes were no longer childish and mischievous, instead aged and mature. She liked this new James.
"Where's Lily?" Bella asked curiously, and he smiled kindly. "Come on, she's in the family room. We want to introduce you to someone special." James said with a smile. Bella smiled lightly.
"That's right. You both had a son." Bella smiled, and James nodded. "Yeah, he's growing and so happy and healthy. He loves new people you know. He'll like you a lot. He hasn't been meeting many new faces for a while now, because well… We went into hiding a week ago. You know he can go on for hours without being bored with bubbles! He's such a giggly little baby…" James said quickly, changing the subject as they reached the living room door.
"How old is he now?" Bella asked. James smiled widely. "He's ten months old! Sitting up on his own and everything!" James said with a smile. Bella nodded. They stopped at the door, and James peered in.
"Ah, Harry's awake. Come on in sweetie, don't be shy." James chuckled, and she walked in, James at her heels. "His name is Harry?" Bella asked. Lily was sitting in a rocking chair, holding a small bundle of blankets that Bella knew Harry was in. She could smell him, and hear his heart beating quickly, a tiny one, fit for a tiny baby.
"Harry James Potter. Sirius was disappointed-!"
"Well we couldn't name him Harry Sirius Potter. He would be teased and always expected to be serious. You have to think about these things." Lily smiled, and then looked up at James and Bella. Lily had long, curly red hair. She was still beautiful, even thought she was thirty two years old know, she was still young at heart. Bella couldn't see any wrinkles, as she enjoyed counting them on Tom every time she was near him. It was a fun but pointless game.
"You've grown up Lilith." Bella smiled at her proudly, but inside was a little disappointed. The Lily that Bella remembered was not here. The small for her age, giggling red headed twelve year old that clung to Bella's waist whenever she could. She had befriended the Mauraders for her, befriended her, and trusted her when no one would. Everything Lily did, was for her. Bella liked the fact that Lily looked up to her like a sister. Lily admired her like she had no one else. This Lily, she was different.
Bella's Lily would have run. Would have put down Harry, and run to Bella's side and threw her arms around Bella. She would have yelled and shouted and laughed and cried at Bella for not seeing her in sixteen years. This Lily, she kindly smiled at Bella and hugged Harry closer to her chest. Bella walked forward and got down on her knees to Lily's side.
"Hello Lily." Bella breathed, her eyes flashing over Lily's face. Harry's heart beat was faster. Bella's lips twitched a little at Harry's blanket covered form. Tiny little Harry, sensing someone was near him, he looked up, but only saw his mother's face and the ceiling. He twisted over onto his side to try and see Bella, but she was too far to the left. "Oomph." Harry pouted, rapping his tiny fist against the blanket. Lily smiled at Bella.
"Bella, I haven't seen you in ages!" Lily said, and threw a spare arm around Bella's shoulder. Bella smiled. "Yeah, I know. I've been busy."
"Really, well you can tell me and James all about it later. Right now, I think Harry wants to meet you." Lily smiled, and then taking her arm off of Bella's shoulder, balanced Harry evenly, and then held him and the bundle of blankets towards Bella.
"Wait… oh!" Bella voiced, and lightly, as gently and slowly as she could, placed her index finger on Harry's forehead. "I love his green eyes." She smiled. Little Harry's eyes darted around quickly. He saw the ceiling, the fireplace, a square inch of Lily's face, and then Bella. His eyes widened fascinatingly.
"I think he likes you." Lily giggled suddenly, but it was a womanly, mature chuckle more then a high pitched giggle that the old Lily would have done. "Go ahead Bella, pick him up." Lily said, holding Harry closer to Bella's face. Bella gulped deeply, but bit her tongue. She reached out, and gripped Harry's under arms loosely, but sturdy. Harry's bubbling baby lips were shaking happily and parted as he stared at her. "Be careful though Bella-!"
"I know." Bella snapped at James defensively. He grinned slightly. After an extra deep breath, she lifted him straight up slowly out of the bundle of blankets, and raised him closely till they were face to face. He was tiny. So tiny that face to face, the tips of his toes reached the top of her chest. He had short black hair, messy black hair that sat on top of his hair. She edged a quick look at James and smiled at the similarities. James's hair was brown, but him and Harry both had the same messy hair. They had the same face bone structure. Harry watched her curiously with a smile, wondering what she was doing when she leaned her head forward and placed her ear against his small chest. His heart was small, and his flesh was soft and plushy. She breathed in deeply, his scent was sweet. It wasn't appetizing though. She had already learned long ago how to contain her thirst and hunger.
"Small little Harry, I suppose that you will grow up to do great things." Bella said, smiling against his skin. Harry giggled. Clad in his feetie pajamas and still hovering in the air with Bella holding him up, he kicked his feet and clapped his hands.
"We've been teaching him patty cake." Lily explained proudly, and Bella pulled back so she could look Harry in the eyes. He scrunched up his hands tightly, but smiled at her nonetheless.
"I wish you well Harry." She said, and then laid him onto her chest. Harry shivered when his cheek touched Bella's chest. She was as cold as ice. Still on her knees, she laid his feet on her legs and pulled his head back so she could look at him.
"Harry. Harry sweetie, that's Bella. She's an old friend from Mommy and Daddy's school days. Your going to be seeing her more often, I hope." Lily added, casting an uncertain but hopeful look at Bella. Bella looked from Lily's face to Harry's. He reached forward and gripped her elbows to steady himself, and then started lunging up and down, his feet now leaving her knees.
"Oh! He's dancing!" James said suddenly, and Lily smiled at Harry.
"I'm sorry, but maybe not. But, I do have a little special message for Harry himself." Bella cooed suddenly, and then leaned forward. She rested her chin on Harry's shoulder, and he let go of her elbows to reach behind her neck in a tight hug. He was marveled by the marble texture of her skin.
"I promise you Harry. You will see me sooner or later. It may take years, but hey, I'm a busy lady with a complicated schedule. I don't know how old you'll be when I see you again, but your going to have fun! I'll introduce you to Jacob, he's my werewolf husband. He's not cold like me. He's more like boiling hot! He's hot. Temperature and looks!" Bella grinned at him, and Harry laughed. He reached up and pulled and tugged at her hair, fascinated with how long and straight it was. When she pulled back, Harry smiled even wider at the sight of her eyes. Red, like the color of his mother's hair, Harry thought to himself with a smile.
"Bella." Lily said suddenly. Bella looked at Lily with a kind smile. "Yes Lily?"
"Please. I know your physic." Lily started, and Bella knew at once what Lily was talking about. "Lils, the future isn't written in stone-!"
"As a mother, I… I just need to know! And you can tell me right here and now. Will Harry survive?" Lily asked, her eyes matching her true emotions. Grief.
"I… Lily I can't just see-!"
"I worry for him every day! Please Isabella, tell me my baby survives! That your brother doesn't succeed in finding him." Lily said, her eyes bubbling over with tears. Harry could barely register what they were talking about, and busied himself with playing with Bella's hair. Bella tried to think. She tried… "I…" Bella started, closing her eyes in the ability to concentrate. She saw Tom, standing on the street. A little boy was standing near him. "Hey mister, nice costume." He said, and Bella noticed that he was dressed as a pirate. Tom looked down at the boy, and the little boy saw Tom's red eyes. He ran. Bella looked up and shook her head.
"I don't know. I think its Halloween. He was standing on this street, and a little boy was dressed up in a costume. He'll find you, or not, on Halloween."
"This Halloween?" James asked suddenly, and Bella shook her head no. "No, I don't know! It was just Halloween. It could be years from now!" Bella said, and Lily nodded. Bella handed Harry back to Lily, who, with a little struggle on Harry's part, was released from Bella.
"I have to go. Jacob thinks I'm getting chocolate from the store." Bella explained, and started backing up towards the door. "Chocolate? But you're a vampire." James laughed.
"But he isn't." Bella said with a smile, and then disappeared through the hall and out the door, fresh into the night.