8. Magical Mystical Creatures
It was late morning when Belinda finally woke from her first night sleep back at Hogwarts and she felt like she had quite possibly never left. A thin line of sunlight was creeping in through her curtains and landed on her pillow shining almost in her eyes. She stretched and slowly she got out of bed. She walked over to the window and threw open the heavy curtains, warm sunlight lit the small room. The castle grounds were green and bright in the sun outside. Birds flew round the castle as small animals ran from the dark forest to the castle and in every other direction. She opened the window in the room to let the sweet summer air fill the small space. The sounds of the birds and the breeze that blew off the lake reminded Belinda of the happy times she had spent as the school year began at Hogwarts when she was a student. Finally when she was dressed she descended the spiral staircase into her class room and realized why Professor McGonagall had said it was one of the nicest class rooms in the castle. It was the most beautiful classroom she had ever seen, and never remembered seeing it before when she attended Hogwarts. The sun shone in the walls of windows and cast colored shadows all about the room. The windows that were opposite the her staircase depicted a scene filled with magical mystical creatures all living in harmony in the wilderness of the forest. Magical plants, flowers and trees outlined the scenes of unicorns and birds of all types that all led to the front of the room. At the peak of the ceiling where the glass met the ceiling there was a large circular window, a rose, that depicted the sun itself in beautiful reds, yellows and oranges. Right beneath it, in the most brilliant and brightest reds, pinks and oranges, a Phoenix with its wings spanning from one side of the wall to the other flew to the sun, its fiery tail trailing though the other parts of the wall of windows. Many other spectacular creature could be found in the most brilliant purples and blues, pinks and golds. Animals of all types, serpents, monsters, fish and birds seemed to guard the class room. Belinda stared in awe for many minutes before she was interrupted by the hunger noises of her stomach. She left the class room quickly in hopes that she might find some food still in the dining hall.
In the hall outside her class room she noticed that the paintings were once again filling with people and the statues and armor had been cleaned and polished and stood in place with pride. The staircases seemed to stretch themselves and move more frequently. The Castle glimmered in the sunlight and much more noise could be heard throughout it. She walked slowly remembering her way and the things that had happened to her, the happy things in these hallways. "Good morning Sir Nicolas," Belinda said noticing that the Gryffindor house ghost had returned as well from his summer.
"I know that voice, it is very familiar," Sir Nicolas said as he looked around at Belinda, "However I do not recognize you my dear, but welcome to Hogwarts."
"I suppose I would have changed a bit over the years, Sir Nicolas, but I was a student here, a Gryffindor." Belinda smiled, "Belinda Bellatour was how you would have known me."
"Oh for heavens sake," Sir Nicolas cried, "yes, yes now I remember you! Look at you now! All grown up and teaching. I suspect you have children now of your own too."
"Yes I do, they will be coming to Hogwarts to finish off there magical schooling," Belinda smiled.
"Well that is wonderful you will have to introduce me," Nicolas smiled.
"Oh they will be in Gryffindor so I am sure you will see them around," She smile, "it was good seeing you again Sir Nicolas, I hope you will come and visit me in my new class room. I would like to catch up on old times."
"I have all the time in the world my dear, you can count on a chat soon," Sir Nicolas Smiled and was off down a corridor.
Upon arriving in the dining hall Belinda notice that quite a few of the teachers had just settled in to eat. The time schedule for the teachers while the children were not in the school seemed very relaxed and joyful. She joined them at the head table and enjoyed her breakfast and yet another lovely chat. When she had finished eating to the point where she could not possibly eat anymore she then decided to take a walk around the castle to explore and relearn her way around before heading off to settle into her class room and setting it up to her liking. She wondered up and down the stair cases all about the school remembering paintings and placed she had hidden and snuck off to. She found herself even exploring the highest towers and the lowest dungeons. She rounded a corner admiring the hallways of the dungeon close to the Slytherin common room remembering meeting Severus down in this place on so many occasions when they were young. A part of her wished that he would appear from behind a sculpture like he had in the past and yet a part of her was afraid to find him down there. She soon found her way down to the library, remembering the many times she had come and hid here to try and get her homework finished. She found herself looking though familiar sections and books remembering her years at Hogwarts as a student. As she was leaving Madam Pince called her back, "Belinda, there you are, I have something that may be of use to you," she said as Belinda came back into the library, "I have a box of books that was left by the last few Magical Creature professor, perhaps they will be of use to you in your class."
"Oh yes they will be very useful," Belinda smiled as she skimmed though the books, "may I take them with me?"
"Oh of course, if they will be of use," Pince said, "but I fear that this box will be much to heavy to carry up all those stairs perhaps we can find, oh there, Hagrid," she called out the door.
"Yes Professor?" Hagrid said with a smile, "Well, well, Belinda newest teacher at Hogwarts!"
"Nice to see you again Hagrid!" Belinda smile.
"Hagrid, would you mind helping Belinda with this box of books, they are needed for her classroom," Madame Pince asked.
"Oh, would be my pleasure to help this young lady," Hagrid smiled and picked up the box with one hand. "Where's this room of yours?" he asked and followed Belinda through the halls.
"It must be sad for you Hagrid, with your love of the magical animals, to have to give up this job," Belinda sighed feeling a bit guilty for taking the position.
"Don't you feel bad Belinda, cause I can tell that you do, but I had to give it up and who better to give it to than you." Hagrid smiled, "back when you were in school you was always sneaking me the books to read and helping me with my animals, its no surprise that Dumbledore's hired you to take the job."
"You will help me wont you Hagrid?" Belinda asked, "I don't know the first place to look for the animals I am going to need. I am so nervous and haven't been around the dark forest in a very long time. They give me a beautiful class room and the teaching equipment I need but I still need the animals what good is it for the children to only learn from books?"
"Oh of course alls you have to do is tell me what you need and I'll find it for ya," Hagrid smiled as they came to the door to Belinda's class room, "but by the looks of the windows in here you aren't going to need my help finding the animals they are all around your room!" Hagrid laughed.
"There is a door back here that leads to the court yard and pens that Dumbledore provided," Belinda said as she took Hagrid out the door.
"Ah yes I remember building these for Dumbledore," Hagrid laughed, "anything you need right away for these pens little lady? I can find them for you if you need me too."
"Thank you so much Hagrid, I will tell you as soon as I can what I am going to need. I am not sure right now but I would love if you could help me take care of them for the kids," Belinda smiled.
"I would have, even if you wouldn't have asked me Belinda you know that!" Hagrid smiled, "but I better get off, Fang will be wondering why I have left him alone so long."
"You still have Fang?" Belinda asked excitedly.
"Oh yeah the old boy is still going strong if you'd like I will bring him up to the castle to see you later," Hagrid smiled.
"Oh Hagrid that would be wonderful,"Belinda said at the glass door. She waved across the yard to Hagrid before going back into the class room.
Belinda spent the rest of the morning and all of the afternoon setting up her class room. Winky had come around to help her with all the cleaning and arranging. She arranged her desk at the front of the class so that she could be able to view the whole class and still leave room for the children to get around the desk and out the door to the court yard. She placed all the books on the shelves in the room and generally planned out what creatures to first introduce to the class. She had filled out a list of bird species that she wanted to bring into the class room and sent it by owl to Hagrid who was very quick to bring back most of the caged birds she wanted. Placing them around the room and making sure that they were all properly fed and had water she proceeded to her bed chamber and unpacked her trunks and boxes with her personal effects. She placed portraits of her family around the room and settled most of her personal papers and books in and on the desk. When she had finished with her unpacking and organization she found herself back in her class room admiring the walls of windows once again.
"You haven't seen these animals in a long time," A voice came from the door that frightened Belinda. She jumped and snapped out of her train of thought. She turned around quickly to see a tall, old figure at the door and a beautiful streak of light fly past her.
"Dumbledore, you scared me half to death," Belinda cried as she sat down, "come in please."
Dumbledore laughed and came and sat beside her at a desk, "do you like the room?" he asked.
"Oh very much, its perfect, but why don't I remember this room from when I was a student here?" Belinda asked.
"Because it wasn't here," He laughed, "this room changes to suite the personality of the person who is here teaching. You want so badly to do well, to teach the students to love the magical animals, that there are so many beautiful magical mysterious animals that you have created this room for yourself. And judging by the front of the room, you still hold the Phoenix very close to your heart." he smiled.
"Oh yes I do." Belinda smiled, "I missed my phoenix very much!"
"And he missed you," Dumbledore smiled.
"Fawkes," Belinda cried as the beautiful Phoenix landed on her shoulder, "where did you come from?"
"He led me up here," Dumbledore said, "he too knows you have returned to the castle and the second I opened my door he got out and came looking."
"When I was a student he would find me so often. He inspired me to learn more about magical creatures," Belinda smiled as the bird cuddled closer to her.
"Yes he missed you very much, when you left him behind with me and left the school to get away he was not what he once was," Dumbledore frowned, "I believe you did the right thing leaving him here at this school, you would have been in more danger had you taken him with you but he was unhappy for a long time."
"I know," Belinda sighed, "when I found out that Fawkes was the Phoenix that's tail feather was in the wand. That wand that caused so much bad. Fawkes cannot leave this castle it is not safe for him anywhere else," Belinda sighed, "you have to stay here with Dumbledore, Fawkes," she said as she looked into the birds eyes. Fawkes jumped suddenly over onto Dumbledore's shoulder.
"And as long as you are at this castle you will remain safe because the dark lord also knows that Fawkes is the Phoenix that his wand was make from and he knows that the bird once belonged to you. Belinda the reason Voldemort was looking for you, the reason he came to Snape in the first place was to get to you."
"I know," Belinda said as tears grew in her eyes.
"Voldemort wants to be stronger and the way for him to obtain another feather from the same bird but there is a catch, you have to pull the feather from the birds tail for it to work as his does."
"Why did I do it in the first place?" Belinda sobbed
"Belinda, you didn't know," Dumbledore said trying to comfort her, "you were only a child and little children touch and you pulled on Fawkes' tail. Your father simply gave the feathers to be made into wands after that." he said as he tried to sooth her, "you were not as wise then as you are now."
"But its my fault this happened to Severus, its true isn't it...Voldemort was looking to get close to me. Severus would have never turned if I wouldn't have pulled the feathers of that bird. He would have been no use to Voldemort other wise," Belinda gasped for air as she continue to realize what had really happened in her past, "that is why my father was tortured and killed... Voldemort believed he had taken the feathers..."
"Severus went to the dark side out of hatred and selfishness. Not because Voldemort wanted to get to you," Dumbledore said softly, "at the time Snape did not know or understand what he had at this school and all the good he could have done. He was blinded by rage against other people that had wronged him at this school. He was tired of the ridicule. Revenge can be a very ugly thing. Severus turned to the dark side because it was not the side that the students that ridiculed him were fighting for. Voldemort promised him revenge, promised more power than he could ever imagine. And in his clouded state he didn't realize what he had."
Belinda sat silent for a few minutes before she spoke, "So it wasn't for me?"
"No," Dumbledore answered, "but you did the right thing by leaving. It wasn't long after you left that Voldemort did find out about and what it would take to increase his powers. There really was no telling if he would have used Severus to get to you." he explained, " but now I can say that he would have never given you to Voldemort, at least not voluntarily."
"What makes you so sure?" Belinda asked.
"Because the moment you were gone from him and that harsh reality was enveloping his entire world he fell away from the grasp of the dark lord and he swore not to return to him ever," Dumbledore said.
"But doesn't Voldemort know?" Belinda asked fearfully.
"About Severus' betrayal?" Dumbledore asked, "oh yes he is suspicious of it but Severus is very good at what he does. He has fooled a lot of people."
"But what if they find out about him?" Belinda asked feeling more worried, "he could be killed."
"So could we all," Dumbledore said, "as long as the dark lord is alive we are all taking our lives in our hands. But Severus know what he is doing and he can take care of himself. He knows the circumstances and he does the work of his own free will. It is his decision not Voldemort's anymore."
Belinda didn't speak again for a very long time. She worried about being around Snape in the beginning but some times the harsh truth must come out. Now she worried about him and his new decision and his new path.
"Belinda you are safe in this castle and Fawkes is safe," Dumbledore said as he looked her in the eyes, "Voldemort is growing stronger but nothing anyone can say or do will stop destiny and if destiny is correct then the boy who lived with be our salvation weather he gets to Fawkes or not. And I am here to see that, that does not happen. You have my word."
"I could never wish anything to happen to Harry," Belinda said as she wiped tears from her eyes, "he has become very close to my children..."
"And he will be the line between good and evil," Dumbledore interrupted, "and he knows that already. He knows that is in his future and so does Voldemort. It is just a matter of time before this war comes to its climax."
"I must speak to Severus. I have to apologias. I have to tell him why this happened," Belinda began to panic again.
"He already know Belinda," Dumbledore sighed, "he knows everything. What is keeping you two apart is fear and time. Fear that you both had betrayed each other and time has pulled you and molded you both into the people you are."
"Yes but..."
"He is as afraid as you are in this castle together," Dumbledore interrupted again, "you will both find your way around it. Just remember everything is safe right now."
"You're right," Belinda said taking a deep breath and trying to stop her crying.
"There, there, you stop crying and join me for dinner shortly how does that sound," Dumbledore smiled.
"That would be lovely I will meet you there when I am feeling more composed," Belinda said as she reached over and touched Fawkes head again.
"You know you will not be able to stop him from coming to you," Dumbledore smiled, "he watched you grow Belinda, he is your guide and guardian as well as many other things to all of us in this school."
"He's a very special bird," Belinda sighed, "I may have to do a lesson on him." she smiled and headed off to her bed chamber to calm herself.
Dumbledore sat admiring the wall of windows that had appeared in the room. The colors and likeness of the animals was soothing and peaceful. She would have great results with her students he could tell.