I'm back! Felt like I should finally start part 2.
I do not own any Harry Potter Characters.
Chapter 11:
Dear Ms. Bell,
We have received intelligence that you performed a dangerous curse resulting in the injury of one wizard, and the death of another at thirty-one minutes past midnight in a muggle-inhabited area.
The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, along with Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unfortunately, Ministry representatives will be ringing at your place of residence shortly to confiscate your wand.
As your offense has resulted in the injury and death of two wizards, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 A.M. on the fourteenth of July.
Hoping you are well,
Mafalda Hopkirk
Improper Use of Magic Office
Ministry of Magic
That was the letter Katie obtained upon returning to her home in the early hours of the following morning. Katie would later say this was the pinnacle moment where her streak of unfortunate luck started. The day of the disciplinary hearing, Katie stood outside waiting patiently with her real father. After spending a little more than a week at St. Mungo's, he had mostly recovered. The Doctors were doing their best to give him ongoing treatment for his physical and psychological issues.
They could not ensure that they would be a hundred percent successful, as the years of mind-altering magic had damaged his prefrontal cortex, along with the amygdala. The doctors wanted to continue assessing him, but here he stood waiting for his trial that would take place after his daughters.
Soon a small woman told her it was time, and led her into the court room, a single chair sat in the middle of the marbled floors. Infront of the chair was a large podium with dozens of chairs stretched out behind it, filled with wizards and witches either dressed in red or black robes. They all sat silently, observing her as she entered the quiet room, Albus Dumbledore stood just before the chair. Silently greeting her, he directed her to sit in the lone chair; uneasily she did so.
An older man in all black stood up, his face wrinkled with age, however he did not come off as frail with his military like posture. In a deep voice he began speaking, quickly gaining everyone's attention in the room. "Disciplinary hearing of the fourteenth of July, into the offences committed under the decree for reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Katie Bell, resident at number ten, Wintergreen Lane, New York."
The trial was brutal. When they showed pictures of Katie's dead grandfather she broke down. The same old woman from earlier then escorted her father into the room, testifying to what he saw that night. The prosecutor did their best to discredit Katie after she testified, claiming that her story was "convenient" and "a weak cover." Arguing that she didn't have a credible witness as her father was a felon.
Dumbledore came through at the end of the trial stating Clause Seven of the Decree for the Reason Restriction of Underage Sorcery, which was reasonable enough for Katie to defend herself, along with the use of magic to save someone's life. He also informed them they did not have the power to expel Hogwarts students, nor the right to confiscate wands until charges were successfully proven. Katie had been lucky that Dumbledore had showed up for her and was only given a warning. Her father however did not end up so fortunate, he would have to report to a probation officer once a week for the next two years.
After the trial Katie sat at her desk in her late grandfather's home, having spent all day packing. Her Grandfather had left the home to her in his will, and after a few days of deciding she knew what she had to do. Katie asked her father to sell it, no longer wanting to live in the home that held so many deceptions. She had spent her whole life in this home, with "parents" that had killed her mother and altered the memories of her father. They had made their son serve years in Azkaban for their crime, stole his only child and claimed her as their own.
She wasn't sure if it was the grief that made her not want to live there, or the fact that it did hold some decent memories. Remembrances she didn't want to consider because then she may start to feel remorse for killing her grandfather. That was a road she did not want to travel down quite yet.
Her dad agreed and put the house up on the market, on the condition that the money would be put in a trust fund for her to access when she was older. Along with the house her grandparents had given her their fortune that was left in a vault at Gringotts. Katie wasn't sure what to do with that, to her it felt like blood money. So, for now she chose to ignore it.
The only decision she had left to make was if she wanted to move to England to live with her father or stay in America. Katie wanted an opportunity to get to know him but was also scared because he was like a stranger to her. She did have friends from Ilvermorny that she could stay with in Boston, or even stay with Alicia.
Feeling stuck, she knew she wouldn't be able to decide until she heard back from him. Sighing she began writing Marcus a new letter. Hoping this one would find him; she handed the letter to Capone. "Please take this to Marcus." The owl hooted and flew out the window into the sweltering summer night. So many thoughts were running through her mind. Was Marcus safe? Why wasn't he replying to her? Was she ever going to see him again?
The following morning Katie found herself in Alicia's bedroom telling her everything that had transpired over the last month. "I still haven't heard back from him" Katie said while sniffling.
"Oh girlie, you know that some love stories are only short stories but that doesn't mean they any less packed with love. Appreciate the time you had with him, and maybe consider moving on." Alicia rationalized.
"But if you say you love them and you break up, what happens to the love, where does it go?" Katie asked in a small voice.
"Oh Katie, honey. This is pathetic, I can't bear to hear this anymore." Alicia didn't know how to manage Katie when she was in this state. She knew her friend just wanted to vent, but Alicia was an analytical person.
"Can't you just prentend to be interested for five more minutes?" Katie groaned throwing her face in her friend's pillow.
"You want to schedule in time for complaining? How about a week from Friday?" Alicia teased her tossing a pillow at the back of her friend's head, who continued to lay face down on the bed.
"Why can't real life be like fairytales, I wouldn't have to worry about my hair, and then when I've completely hit rock bottom, some guy would pour his heart out and we'd kiss. Happily, ever after. The End." Katie huffed punching the bed.
"Your prince charming isn't coming, and you are not a damsel in distress. You are Katie Fucking Bell." Alicia was trying to be a patient as possible, knowing how stubborn Katie could be.
"I'm done with the relationship thing. I'm emotionally unavailable." Katie rolled onto her back crossing her arms over her chest. Knowing she didn't really mean it, how good at being alone did she have to be? So set in her ways to not get hurt. Would she miss a chance to be with somebody great? Or did she just need to be patient enough for him to make his way back to her.