A/N: hmm… I don't know what to write. I guess I'll just hurry up with this so the people reading Sandy Roads can keep reading.
Disclaimer: See other chapters.
"The Second Sighting"
They emerged from the caves successful and unharmed. Bill's mind was still swerving with questions as he put his things away. They walked back to the castle grounds and Bill had decided to gaze at the lake as they passed it. Bella had walked ahead but turned around and went up to him, noticing his sudden pause. She grabbed his hand gently.
"You know, I have been thinking about it…" she said shyly.
"About -"
"Yes and… I suppose no harm can be done by just trying right?" she said in barely a murmur, cheeks pinked with timidity.
Bill was sure that his heart had just leapt out of his chest. She chose this moment to let him know about her feelings? This girl was a real brainteaser but he supposed that she had wanted to do something similar during their entire trip to the caves. The way she smiled and her way of speaking did show indications of it but how peculiar to choose now to say anything, just as they we're finishing the night.
"Bella, I –" started Bill.
"Just let me have my moment Bill," she said smiling. "I'm not used to this kind of thing. Let's just stay quiet for a while, we can talk later,"
Bill nodded but wanted desperately to say something. He then thought, perhaps this time words were not what he needed. Perhaps it was more; a gesture to show her how happy he was, how wanted to erupt with joy. The night was fading quickly and he couldn't wait any longer for another perfect setting with the moon bleeding its mirror image onto the lake. He looked at her and delicately pulled her against him. He rubbed his nose on her skin, trying to breathe her in. Bella closed her eyes trying to do the same but unaware of how truly taken she was by his presence. Then their lips met suddenly, eagerly and longingly. Both their faces had become warm and this kiss felt somehow familiar; like a long lost memory. A wave of satisfaction overcame them until Bella opened her eyes and tore herself away from Bill.
"I…I…" she mumbled.
Bill's eyes saddened. Why had she resisted him again? Was he a bad kisser? No, that couldn't be it. He felt how much she lived for the kiss, the same way he did. She ran her hand through the few loose strands of hair and let them fall back into place. Bill parted them behind her ear looked at her heartbreakingly. She stared at the ground, then back to his eyes to notice a single tear streaming down his cheek quickly. Bill then looked away shamefully and turned about.
"Bill…"
"Listen, you've got class tomorrow, well, more like today," he said as if trying to make her forget that moment of weakness. "We better hurry before its light. I think I can hear the birds already,"
Bill sauntered away quickly with his pack on his back. Bella followed far behind. He didn't want to look at her face for the moment, no matter how much it pained him. Not now. The days that soon followed had a different tone to them. Bill was seriously unsure of what to think of himself. This had never happened before. He never thought that he could be so infatuated with someone like this in his life. He was known for being a bit a ladies man in his circle of friends and what would they have thought if they saw him cry over this one woman… this one, lovely, prefect women but a woman none the less. He wasn't even sure himself why he cried. All he knew was that after that kiss he was all hers.
The end of November drew nearer as the cold winds began to creep in from the north. Bill and Bella continued to meet at their spot by the lake to discuss their new plans for the second part of the job. Their roles seemed eccentrically switched as Bella had become more open and jokingly and Bill more silent and shy. Well, perhaps not shy, for Bill could never be that changed, but he was more attentive to her in a way that surprised even him. It seemed that things would be going at a slower pace then he'd had expected however but slow was nice. At least now he was getting somewhere. Somber kisses in the shadows and lovely caresses every now and then were equally romantic and mysterious. It taunted passionate embraces to come over them when the need came and regardless of how new it was for the both of them, a haunting familiarity always returned to Bill unexpectedly. Bill's involvement with Bella had nearly made him forget about the werewolf and what he thought he knew about it.
Bill had come back from meeting her at lunch, to the Gryffindor tower to find his little brother sitting very cozily. Ron was lounging with Hermione and talking cheerfully. They were both in the same large, red, armchair, Ron in the back and Hermione in the space in front of him as she held her Charms book before them.
"Hello you two, how's life in paradise?"
"Good Bill! Can I ask the same of you?" inquired Hermione while flashing a grin.
Bill looked away, smiling, and scratched his back of his neck.
"Well – hey! Where's Harry? I've noticed that he hasn't been hanging around you two as much," said Bill suddenly concerned.
"Well, I think Harry's being a bit of a -"
"Come on. It's not his fault!" added Hermione.
"What? What is it?" asked Bill.
"Well… Harry's been going off to practice for Quidditch more often and takes a lot of his breaks by going into 'study periods'. I just think -" continued Ron until Hermione's elbow found its way to his stomach.
"Don't say that! How would you feel if you found your best friends – well – Imagine if I liked Harry and were going out with him! You'd feel a bit left out too,"
"Yeah, I guess but he's being a baby about it! Just running away from us! He could just tell us about it if that's really the case,"
"I think it is. Would you really want to just walk in the room and find us -" Hermione then paused and realized that Bill was still in the room.
Bill lifted an eyebrow as Hermione blushed.
"The point is, we think he's just jealous, pure and simple. He could just tell us to stop if it really bothers him that much but he hasn't said a word about it. Just runs off or says he has other things to do. He doesn't even bother to tell us where he's going anymore and, well, it's getting me worried," said Ron.
"He'll get over it. He just needs a bit of time but, what were you two doing when he came in?" interrogated Bill.
"Oh! Nothing like that Bill!! Honestly! We were just kissing!" said Hermione.
"A lot!" added Ron as the bushy-haired girl tapped him on the arm.
Bill sighed relieved.
"Well, he's the only one that gets to see us like this. No one else can even tell that we're together cause we don't really act that way around them," said Ron. "It's a good thing too! Fred and George would have the time of their lives!"
"But you're always together. Isn't it obvious that you're going out? And even now -" started Bill.
"Well, today there are some activities outside so we knew no one would be here,"
"I should have known that Hermione Granger would figure things out!" said Bill smiling.
Before they knew it was dinnertime and Bill finally saw Harry at the Gryffindor table. He had asked him where he ventured off to so often but the boy just replied that he 'had things to take care of' which made Bill all the more convinced that Ron and Hermione were be right. After dinner Bill went up to the teacher's table to see Bella. He smiled flirtatiously as always, but noticed instantly that she wasn't smiling. Most of the students had long ago left the Hall but the teachers had stayed talking about something that seemed particularly interesting. Bill couldn't catch a word of it but proceeded to talk to Bella anyways. However, it seemed that she was in a hurry. Without a word, she took his hand and pulled him away as she left the teacher's table. Snape threw a suspicious look their way then spoke to Dumbledore as the pair left the Great Hall.
"My – my, I didn't think you wanted me that badly!" said Bill still smiling.
"You oaf," she laughed. "That's not it. We've got more important things to worry about," she added seriously.
"Like what?"
"Like… like the moon," she said as she pointed to the sky in a nearby window.
The pale, full moon was beginning to lift slowly into the heavens. Bill's eyes widened. The werewolf! Christopher! Should he tell her? He had no time to think as Bella continually tugged him towards the outside grounds. The girl's strength was impressive. Bill wasn't sure if he could escape her grasp if he tried. They ran into the courtyard quickly until they saw the luminescent silver disc well hung in the sky and then… there was a mighty howl.
"No! We're too late! Come on!!" she yelled at him as he ran quickly near the forbidden forest.
"Bella, wait!" he said as he followed behind.
The night was cold and uncaring, their breaths could be easily seen in the dark as they ran on the new fallen snow. When Bill caught up to Bella he heard it again. It was the same spine tingling sound he had heard a month ago and earlier that night. Bella was shaking furiously because of the cold. She didn't bother to bring a cloak with her in their pursuit. Bill took off his coat and tried to cover her but she lifted her hand for him not to bother as she looked for signs of sound amidst the silence. Then there was a growl and Bill could see yellow eyes piercing through the foliage but then it disappeared again.
"Bella… it's here…" he whispered.
"Where?" she breathed.
"In the bushes, I just saw it,"
"Over there…" she murmured.
"Yes…" he said looking into the dark.
But the moment that Bill and Bella took out their wands, they heard a horrible yell in the distance followed by a blasting noise.
They turned about and heard that the sounds were coming from the castle grounds. It was girl, a girl shrieking out of the top of her lungs! They looked around and saw that the werewolf was truly gone. Had it made its way all the way over to the other side of the grounds so quickly? There was no time for questioning as the two rapidly ran in the opposite direction of the forest. They went towards noise and saw Ron and Hermione out of breath and scared witless. Ron had his wand out and was grasping it tightly as Hermione held a cloak over her shoulders. Bill and Bella looked confused yet also very worried.
"What… What on earth are you two doing out here? What was that yell?" questioned Bella.
Hermione looked up shamefully.
"It… It was me Professor Nightshade… we…" she muttered.
"Well answer the other question! What are you both doing here?" said Bill now becoming a bit angry by their presence on such a dangerous night.
"We just came out to see the snowfall that's all! Then – then that – that MONSTER attacked us!" said Ron forcefully.
"Monster? You mean –" started Bella.
"It was a WEREWOLF Prof. Nightshade! A werewolf! It nearly killed us!" said Hermione, now clutching Ron's arm.
"You saw it?" said Bill.
"Yes! As clear as DAY! I blasted it out of the way and it ran off. I think it got scared," said Ron with his arm now over Hermione's shoulders.
"Well… it could have just been a wild dog that –" started Bella.
"A WILD DOG? Sorry, but we've seen werewolves before and let me tell you that it was no silly DOG. Don't you think we would be less scared if Fang came up to attack us?" said Ron angrily.
"Watch it! Behave Ron! Let's go back to the tower. We can get things straightened out there," said Bill as he hurried them inside.
Bella had told Bill that she'd keep searching but Bill wasn't going to stand for it! He could see her fingers becoming blue as she held her wand. So they all went inside to get warmed up. Bill had quite a chore in calming down the two teenagers and making sure that Bella didn't wander off without him. Once they stood before the Pink Lady at the entrance to the Gryffindor tower, Bill voiced out the password and the portrait hole swung open. Bill and the others entered but Bella stood behind, insisting that she shouldn't enter. She wasn't, and would never be, a Gryffindor and didn't want to disobey the rules. Bill looked at her worriedly. She'd go back out, she'd look for that beast and she'd try to take it on, on her own. After seeing the look on her face Bill told Ron and Hermione that they should try to get some rest and swear not to tell anyone about the incident, including Harry. To this they agreed and left their sight as the warm light from the common room was hidden once again by the painting.
"You're going back out there aren't you?"
"What choice do I have Bill? You saw what happened to the children! Imagine if others were to go out!"
"Then, you'll have to bring me along too. There's no way I'm letting you face a werewolf alone!"
"Really, you should have more faith in me!" said Bella as her eyes slimmed, this was upsetting her again.
"Forget it! Come on! If you're so intent on going then let's get your cloak," said Bill as he began to march in the direction of Bella's office.
Before Bill could get very far, a shadow swept past him and turned a corner. All he could see were black ripples of the end of a robe sweep by. He paused a moment too see if he recognized to whom it belong to, and allowed Belladona to catch up. She passed him quickly and Bill followed determined to make sure she wouldn't be alone again. They, afterwards, headed outside to find but tracks in the snow. They were fairly large and some were swept away by the strong winds that had begun to build up. There was a faint howl in the forest but once they headed there… the howl had quickly moved again in the other direction. There was no use tracking the creature in these conditions. They could barely keep their cloaks up when the wind blew furiously against them. Bill then caught sight of it again and saw the same stare… the conscious stare embedded in the grayish thick fur but it blinked and began to run quickly away.
"Bella… There!" shouted Bill.
Bella stared eagerly and saw the creature but didn't move as it ran towards the other end of the lake. Bill had made a jump to start after it, but Bella held him back by his arm.
"Bill! It's too quick! And we'll loose it if things continue this way. Please… let's leave,"
"I don't understand you! First you looked like you would rather do anything than stay inside and now you just abandon-"
"Think clearly Bill. Oh… It's so cold…We - we can't follow it! It's nearly gone again,"
"But if it hurts someone-"
"Bill… trust me, it's heading in the opposite direction of Hogsmeade and there's nothing over there but grasslands and forest,"
"It moves abnormally quickly! Didn't you see how fast it moved from one place to the other? It could-"
"Please…" said Bella as she leaned on Bill's chest. "I know what you're thinking but I know dark creatures! It won't turn around until morning,"
Bill stood in the blustery grounds looking at Bella as she came near him… He then stared out into the direction where he last saw the creature and put his arm around Bella. She shivered slight before walking back inside.
