Chapter 19

Home...A Place Where I Belong


The door swung open, and I saw over a dozen pairs of eyes first look at Moody and then at me. Everyone's heartbeats started beating faster, I could no longer identify anyone's voice in the chaos that started.

"Isabella?" Harry was running up to me.

I couldn't contain myself any longer. I took my hand out of Moody's and closed the distance between Harry and I. My arms reached around him, and I was sobbing now. So many years I have planned for this moment to happen, and it was finally here. He was in my arms, so grown up and safe. It looked like he grew at least a foot!

"I can't breathe." Harry squeezed the words out of his mouth, and I immediately let go, moving a little too fast for a 'human'. "Is that really you? Your eyes…"

I looked at Harry and saw tears running down his cheeks. He took my hands in his. I nodded, not knowing what to say. He pulled me into another hug, and I tried my best to control my strength this time, although it was very hard.

I was pulled out of this hug by someone else's hands. Well, I felt someone touching me and let them pull me out.

"What did I call you when you were little?" Uncle Mooney was staring at me with so many emotions in his eyes. The tip of his wand was pointing directly at my face.

"Little pup," I replied confused, but with a smile on my face.

"It's really you." He whispered and I saw tears appearing in his eyes. "But how?" He asked after he hugged me.

"I'll explain everything very soon," I promised him and looked up to see everyone lining up in front of me. The tears stood on everyone's faces, even Bill, who I didn't know too well looked like he was crying.

Suddenly, I found myself being passed around the house, hugging every person. I stopped in front of the couch, on which George was lying. The smell of blood made my throat burn in pain and I stopped breathing immediately.

"Isabella." He whispered and reached to touch my hand.

"Hey. What happened to you?" I asked worriedly, not even mentioning the name I preferred now.

"Nothing my hair couldn't hide." George laughed. I chuckled at his attempt at a joke.

"We're outside, honey." I heard Esme's voice.

"Before you find out about what happened to me, there is someone I would like you all to meet. Can we call Amos here please?" I asked a few moments later.

"Why Amos?" Molly asked with a sad smile.

"He has to be here when my family comes," I spoke and then realized that they don't know anything yet. "My new family, I think it would be easier if you hear about what happened to me from Carlisle. I was always bad at telling stories."

"What are…?" Remus started.

"It's a very long story." I stopped him. "Come in, everyone, but hold your breath!"

"Well, how will they hear you, dear?" Molly asked confused and rushed to look at the window, but before she reached it, there was a knock on the door.

"Bella, it's incredibly impolite to tell us to walk into someone else's house without asking the host first!" Esme scolded me when Molly opened the front door. "I'm very sorry for her behavior." She spoke to Mrs. Weasley now, who looked very confused.

"Everyone, this is the mother I've never dreamt to have, Esme, and my second father Carlisle," I spoke and added. "Sorry, Esme."

"Pleasure." Carlisle shook Molly's hand.

"You have an amazing house!" Esme said truthfully. I guessed she was impressed at the architectural shape the house had.

"Thank you," Molly said unsure, and let my second parents pass inside.

"Rose, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper, my siblings," I spoke. "And I think you all know Edward." I smiled when my husband walked in after our siblings.

"Bloody hell!" Ron screamed out. I saw Harry and Fleur open their mouths in shock. All the Weasleys looked stunned as they eyed Edward.

"Cedric?" Arthur spoke.

"I go by Edward now, sir."

"Someone send a Patronus to Amos right this moment!" Arthur yelled as he hugged my husband.

"Amos, come to the Burrow right this second! It's urgent!" I heard Moody speak to a blue light coming out of his wand.

Edward was passed around the room just like I was a few minutes ago. I ran to hug Savi and Nessie who came inside right after him. I looked over their faces and arms to see if they were safe.

"Oh God, I was so worried about you." I cried.

"We're fine, mom." Savi rolled her eyes.

"Sav? Ness?" Uncle Remus looked at my girls. "Wait…'Mom'?"

"Yeah," Nessie spoke. "It's a veeeeery long story, old friend."

"Can someone start telling it already?" Moody said impatiently.

"We need to wait for my dad." Edward shook his head.

"I'm giving him 15 minutes before I drag him out of his house myself," Mad-Eye growled.

While we waited, I introduced everyone to my family and noticed Jasper looking like he has a headache. I guessed there were just so many strong emotions in the tiny room, it was getting a little hard for him.

A loud pop and rushed heartbeat could only mean one thing, Amos Diggory was here and he was anxious. I looked at Edward and took his hand in mine.

"Ready to do this, love?" I asked.

"No." He spoke honestly and squeezed my hand for support. "I need you next to me."

"Always." I smiled.

We stood from the couch and walked to the front door, followed by everyone's cautious gazes. Footsteps were getting a little louder with each second and then there was a knock on the door. Mine and Edward's eyes met, and I smiled encouragingly. He smiled back and opened the door. From the other side of it, a tall ruddy-faced man with a scrubby-looking brown beard stood. One of his hands went to his mouth, and the other laid on his heart. Oh no, hopefully, he's not going to have a stroke from this. I thought, beginning to panic. Amos looked at Edward in disbelief and then his eyes switched to me, and I saw his eyes rolling back into their sockets. The man started falling down.

"Dad!" Edward screamed.

"Amos!" I screamed at the same time.

We both reached to hold him before he landed on the ground. Edward carried him inside the house and laid him on the second couch in the living room. Carlisle hurried over to check on Amos.

"His heart?" Edward asked.

"Bro, his heart is beating steady, even I can hear it from over here," Emmett spoke from the back of the room.

"He's unconscious but will be fine," Carlisle assured; a relieved breath escaped my mouth.

"What do you mean, you can hear his heartbeat?" Uncle Remus asked.

"It's all a part of the veeeery long story." Emmett laughed, copying Nessie's response.

"I was right, wasn't I?" Remus addressed Savi now. "Back at Hogwarts, my theory. That's how you knew what I was. That's why you both haven't changed a bit!"

"What do you mean 'back at Hogwarts'?" Arthur asked.

"Not my secret to tell." That was all he said. Another moment passed before Remus looked at me with a shocked impression and then turned his head around to eye every single Cullen in the house.

"Yes. We all are." Edward replied.

"How…"

"How did I know what you were thinking?" Edward asked, I heard Emmett chuckle. "Can we just please wait till my dad wakes up?"

"It might take a few hours, kid. We can't waste any more time." Moody argued.

"He will be awake in less than ten minutes." Alice corrected and received a stare from the rest of the group. The wizards wondered how she could possibly know that; the Cullens wondered why she decided to show off her gift as well. "Stop it," the pixie addressed all of us. "It will all make sense to you in about two hours when we are done telling Bella and Edward's story."

"I guess there will also be an explanation why everyone calls you Bella and you – Edward?" Fred asked.

I nodded.

Amos woke up, just like Alice predicted, in less than ten minutes. His eyes shot straight at Edward and me again.

"It wasn't a dream." He whispered.

"No, Dad, I'm really here." Edward smiled and once again took my hand in his. "We both are."

"Ced!" Amos sat up on the couch and pulled Edward into a hug. "My boy!" He cried. I noticed Edward smiling his full smile. I was pulled into a hug next, with a loud: "Isa!" Amos Diggory loved to shorten names.

"Isa?" I heard Emmett whisper to Jasper.

"Don't even think about it, Amos is the only one who can call me that." I chuckled and looked at my big brother. I couldn't even think about getting mad. It felt like I can never feel anger again, being reunited with everyone who I loved in this world, well with one exception...

"Well, we have waited for Amos to come, then we waited for him to become conscious again, I have things to do, can we start?" Moody spoke.

"Alastor, I just got my son back!" Amos tried to protest, but Mad-Eye wasn't having it.

"How about I start telling the story and you guys can join me if you feel like I'm missing something?" Carlisle asked and I sent him a grateful smile.

Just like Alice said, once again, with all the interruptions from everyone it took us about two hours to finally tell the whole story.

"It makes so much sense now why you were being so cocky back in 1977 when you bet James Sirius was going to have a girl." Remus laughed. "That's cheating."

"I got 10 galleons out of it. It's not like James missed them that much." Nessie laughed and showed her tongue.

"It must be strange for you to think that your daughters were friends with your parents in school," Hermione spoke.

"Sometimes, but I've also had to adapt to living in the times where there were no showers and sewage system, I learned how to be adaptable to strange things." I chuckled.

"I can't believe it. Two hours ago, I thought I had no family left." Amos spoke for the first time. "Now, I have a son again…" He looked at Edward with a big smile on his face. "…and a daughter…" His eyes travel to me, I returned his smile. "…and two granddaughters. I think I'm the luckiest man around here!"

"It's so nice to finally talk to you, grandpa!" Savi came closer to us and hugged Amos. "We've seen you and grandma in Hogwarts in your last year, but it wouldn't be sensible to speak to you both back then."

"Oh yes, you ought to tell me everything about your lives."

"So, you can start bragging about them just you like did with me?" Edward chuckled.

"Nothing wrong with that." Amos shook his head.

"Just don't do it until this war is won." Edward chuckled again.

Bill and Fleur left with Moody a few minutes after, I noticed Kingsley wasn't here either, he had probably left before Mad-Eye, and I came to the Burrow. Arthur went upstairs to prepare for bed.

"It's getting very late," Molly spoke to us. "Are you going to be staying with us?"

"We don't sleep actually." Jasper smiled at her. "And our house is connected to the Floo System."

"You're welcome to stay in the house, either way."

"Please don't leave," Harry spoke to me.

"I'll be here when you wake up," I assured him.

"If that's settled, everyone under twenty who are not vampires, it's bedtime." Molly ushered everyone upstairs.

"That includes you two," I spoke to Sav and Ness. "Time for bed."

"Well technically, we're 27, mom," Savi spoke.

"Well, physically, you're still under 20," I argued. "Besides, we can continue talking in the morning."

"Use our room, I'll stay with Georgie on the couch." Fred offered.

"Are you sure?" Savi asked.

"Of course." Fred smiled at her and I saw my daughter…blush? Very interesting.

"You promise you're not leaving?" Amos asked.

"Promise." Edward and I spoke at the same time.

"Yeah, I know you'll be back as soon as you wake up." Edward chuckled.

Amos's face lost its confused look after a second.

"No wonder you have telepathy now, you were always very good at reading people." Amos hugged both of us and the girls before he left.

"We'll be back in the morning too," Tonks spoke.

"I'll walk you out," I said and went outside the house.

"So, you're a mom now." Said Uncle Remus.

"And you're my cousin now." I chuckled, and so did Tonks. "I know it has only been a year for you, but I've lived a very long life now. I'm over three hundred years old, definitely mature enough to have kids."

"You were always mature." Remus chuckled at me. "It's really good to have you back, pup."

"I don't think I've congratulated you two yet. It brings me so much joy to see both of you so happy." I spoke to both of them.

"Not as much joy as seeing you alive and happy brings us." Said Tonks. "I know Sirius would have been so happy to know you survived. You were his whole world."

I didn't know how to reply to that, so I just hugged them both and let them apparate home, promising to see them in the morning.

Edward came up behind me, putting his hands around my shoulders. I took a deep breath, still looking in the direction where Remus and Tonks just disappeared. There were still so many things that we needed to talk about, so many topics to discuss, and yet all I really wanted is to hug all of them and never let go. It was even harder to think about things that we'll need to do next.

"How are you holding up, love?" Edward whispered into my ear.

"I wouldn't say no to a hunt." I let out a breath.

"I doubt there is anything in these woods."

"Apparate to the nearest one?" I asked.

"As you wish." He placed a small kiss on the back of my neck and the next moment we were standing in a completely different setting.

The woods around were dark and quiet. I closed my eyes and tried getting my thoughts away from my handsome husband who was still holding me in a calming hug. I heard three animal heartbeats and raced to get my prey.

I waited for Edward to finish with his deer before using the charm to get rid of the carcasses. He apparated us back to the Burrow and we walked to the house, only to see our family sitting around in the circle in the front yard. Alice was sitting on Jasper's legs, drawing something in her notebook. Emmett was lying on the grass, looking at the stars; Rose was talking to Esme about helping the Weasleys financially…If only she knew how against the Weasleys were about accepting others' money…Carlisle joined in on their conversation occasionally.

"Why are you all outside?" Edward asked.

"We didn't want to wake up anyone in case someone decides he's bored," Rose spoke, sending a look toward her husband. It made me giggle a little.

"Understandable."

"Bella, Edward, you have a very nice group of friends," Esme spoke kindly. "I really hope we'll be able to help keep them all safe."

"Thank you, Esme," I said gratefully. "I hope you can all get along."

"I'm sure we will. I know Emmett really looks forward to speaking to Fred and George." Carlisle spoke. I noticed Emmett sit up at the mention of his name.

"I'll be really disappointed if they're not as good as you always say they're, Bells." Big brother grinned at me.

"I'm sure they'll make you delighted," I said with all honesty.

"Oh, not only Emmett will be delighted by them." Alice giggled, a little too maniac…I looked at Edward, but he just shrugged his shoulders at me. Pixie was hiding her thoughts from him.

"I thought we already had a talk about you hiding your visions from us." I used my 'scolding-mother' tone that usually worked on Ness and Sav.

"You'll see tomorrow. Well, you've already seen a little, I think." Alice showed me her tongue.

I understood what she was talking about...Or at least I thought I understood what she was talking about. I ran up to Alice and grabbed her hand, making sure Jasper isn't touching her before apparating. I found myself standing in the forest area where Edward and I just were.

"Bella!" Alice exclaimed.

"Is it what I think it is?" I asked, not really knowing how I would feel if that was the case.

"I don't know, what do you think it is?" She smiled mischievously.

"My daughters and Weasley twins…Are they…You know?" I asked.

"Maybe." She spoke, definitely eluding my question. "Why do you always need to spoil things?"

"You said the words first, now you have to tell me."

"They will get very close. Other parts of that future are still not clear to me, but I think it's safe to assume that they're mates." Alice sighed with disappointment.

I was so happy and disturbed to hear that. Happy because I knew what having a mate felt like, and I wanted more than anything for my daughters to experience such strong love. But I was also disturbed because Fred and George were my friends, Edward's friends, I couldn't think of them as future sons-in-law…No way. At the same time, I thought about my daughters being friends with my own father, James, and Remus. Time travel was so weird, and it completely displaced my thoughts about what's normal and what's not.

"No word of that to Edward. Remember how he reacted when you mentioned there will be boys in their future?" I spoke after what felt like a ten-minute discussion with myself.

"Well, that wouldn't be too hard. I didn't want you to know either." Alice crossed her arms. "Let's just go back."

I held her hand in mine and apparated us back to the front yard. The sun was rising now, I saw my family's skin start to glow with the first beams. It was time to head back inside if we didn't want anyone to question this part of our nature.

We all walked into the Burrow, I could feel Edward's stare on me, he wanted to know why I felt the need to talk to Alice so suddenly and what did I find out. I hated keeping a secret so big from him, but I believed it was for the good.

We went into the kitchen, where Molly was already preparing breakfast for everyone, Esme and Carlisle jumped in to help her, while we all sat down in the dining area, waiting for the rest of the house to wake up.

Hermione and Ginny came downstairs first. They greeted us with smiles and sat down at the table next to Edward and me.

"So…Bella told me you're really good at Quidditch," Emmett spoke to Ginny.

"I'm pretty good." The youngest Weasley blushed.

"She's amazing, probably better than Harry," Hermione added, which made the first girl blush even more.

"Cool, I'm somewhat of a pro myself." Emmett grinned.

"I'm sure you didn't mean to sound so arrogant, especially seeing as you lost the last three games we played." I gave my brother a look.

"That's because you are cheaters."

"Funny how you say that exact same thing no matter how many gifted members of the family are on your team," I replied again.

"There's always at least one of you on the opposite."

"Stop bickering, you two," Esme spoke from the kitchen. Emmett and I showed each other tongues at the same time, which made everyone chuckle.

"If you're asking to play, I have no problem with that. All my brothers play to." Ginny spoke.

"That's a deal." Emmett grinned in victory.

I heard footsteps on the stairwell and the two heartbeats that I would recognize anywhere.

"Good morning," Savi spoke.

"Morning, my wonderful family and friends," Nessie said with a British accent, which got her a gentle punch on the shoulder from her twin. "When in Rome…"

"You've never spoken like that before, and we've lived in Britain for years," Savi said.

"But we're in the British household, my dear sister."

"Grandpa, Mom, and Dad are British," Savi replied.

"Well, their accents aren't as defined."

"Well, yours is totally fake."

"Stop bickering you two!" I exclaimed and heard Carlisle, Molly and Esme laugh from the kitchen.

"I still can't believe you're a mom of two adult girls, it suits you." Hermione smiled at me, and I couldn't not smile back at that.

"Well, you can't do anything about the…" I heard the hushed voices come from upstairs. Ron. "…Horcruxes till you're seventeen. You've still got the Trace on you. And we can plan here as well as anywhere, can't we? Or, d'you reckon you already know where the You-Know-Whats are?"

"No," Harry whispered back.

"I think Hermione's been doing a bit of research," said Ron. "She said she was saving it for when you got here."

"What are they talking about?" I lifted my shield to ask Edward. He shrugged his shoulders, but I noticed he was listening in on their conversation and thoughts, just like I was.

"The Trace will break on the thirty-first," said Harry. "That means I only need to stay here four days. Then I can…"

"Five days," Ron corrected him firmly. "We've got to stay for the wedding. They'll kill us if we miss it."

That part I understood, 'they' meant Fleur and Molly.

"It's one extra day," said Ron.

"Don't they realize how important…"

"'Course they don't," said Ron. "They haven't got a clue. And now you mention it, I wanted to talk to you about that. Mum's been trying to get it out of Hermione and me. What we're off to do. She'll try you next, so brace yourself. Dad and Lupin have both asked as well, but when we said Dumbledore told you not to tell anyone except us, they dropped it. Not Mum, though. She's determined."

They both came downstairs, and I pretended that nothing has happened. I would need to talk to Harry privately. Or get Edward to read his mind while I question him in case Harry doesn't tell me anything. Or both, one way or another, I'm getting that information out of him.

After breakfast was done, Arthur left for work and Molly dragged Harry to the backyard to help her sort the laundry. I knew it wasn't right, but I eavesdropped anyway. To be fair, they were still within my hearing range and it's not like I could control what I hear and what I don't.

"Ron and Hermione seem to think that the three of you are dropping out of Hogwarts," she began in a light, casual tone.

"Oh," said Harry. "Well, yeah. We are."

They are what? I understood that it wouldn't be safe for Harry to be anywhere once he turned seventeen, but Hogwarts was supposed to be one of the safest places on Earth.

"May I ask why you are abandoning your education?" said Mrs. Weasley.

"Well, Dumbledore left me . . . stuff to do," mumbled Harry. "Ron and Hermione know about it, and they want to come too."

"What sort of 'stuff'?"

"I'm sorry, I can't… "

"Well, frankly, I think Arthur and I have a right to know, and I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. Granger would agree!" said Mrs. Weasley, I agreed to every word, and added that I needed to know as well.

"Dumbledore didn't want anyone else to know, Mrs. Weasley. I'm sorry. Ron and Hermione don't have to come, it's their choice…"

"I don't see that you have to go either!" she snapped, dropping all pretense now. "You're barely of age, any of you! It's utter nonsense, if Dumbledore needed work doing, he had the whole Order at his command! Harry, you must have misunderstood him. Probably he was telling you something he wanted to be done, and you took it to mean that he wanted you…"

"I didn't misunderstand," said Harry flatly. "It's got to be me. And that's not mine. I don't support Puddlemere United."

"Oh, of course not," said Mrs. Weasley with a sudden and rather unnerving return to her casual tone. "I should have realized. Well, Harry, while we've still got you here, you won't mind helping with the preparations for Bill and Fleur's wedding, will you? There's still so much to do."

"No…I…of course not," said Harry, disconcerted by this sudden change of subject.

"Sweet of you," she replied, and she smiled as she left the scullery.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but vampire hearing…" Alice spoke to Molly as soon as she got inside the house. "Do you mind if I help with the wedding? And Esme would love that as well."

"Of course, dear. I would be very grateful." Molly spoke to her.

I noticed Harry standing in the doorway, looking at me like a deer in the headlights.

"You've heard everything?" He asked with a sigh, already knowing the answer to his question.

"I can't really help it," I spoke sheepishly. "Can we talk?"

"Well, I can't really say no, can I?"

"Not a chance." I smiled apologetically and started dragging him back outside.

"Wait, it's sunny outside!" He pulled my hand back. I laughed at his concerned expression.

"Well, the sun doesn't hurt us, we avoid it because it affects the way we look. Come outside with me, you'll see." I took him by the hand once again and went out.

"Wow." He gasped when my skin started shining like diamonds. "So beautiful."

"And annoying," I added, giggling. Harry was brushing his fingers against my hand, turning it around to see if my palm would be sparkling too. "I need you to tell me everything. I promise, I won't stop you, I just need to know. You never know, maybe I can help you."

Harry watched me for a few seconds, completely forgetting about my diamond skin. I could nearly see his mind thinking about what he should do.

"Fine, but you can absolutely not tell anyone about it, except for your new family, they will hear us anyway, I suppose."

"They will." I agreed. "But no one else will know, not from us," I promised.

Harry proceeded to tell me about Horcruxes and the mission that Dumbledore left them.

"Sounds like you have a lot of things to do," I spoke after he finished. "Do you have any idea where to start?"

"One really. The locket that Dumbledore and I managed to find. It had a note in it that said someone stole it and was planning to destruct it, but we need to be certain that R.A.B. managed to find a way to do it."

"Wait, you said R.A.B.?" I asked surprised.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, see I'm already helping you, and you didn't want to tell me anything." I smiled at him.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I know who R.A.B. is. My uncle – Regulus Arcturus Black. I bet Kreacher would know where he hid it."

"He was a Death Eater," Harry spoke, I nodded. "Sirius told me about him, he joined up when he was really young and then got cold feet and tried to leave, so they killed him. That makes sense. Kreacher!" Harry called instantaneously.

A loud pop signified the appearance of my house elf. Kreacher looked at Harry and then at me.

"A blood traitor and a dark creature together…calling poor Kreacher over. Oh, how Dear Mistress would be disappointed in Kreacher." He grunted.

"Yeah, yeah, no time for that," I mumbled; Harry looked frustrated at the elf. I guessed he hasn't gotten used to Kreacher's foul mouth as much as I had. "Does Uncle Regulus ever show you a locket, a very important one?" I asked.

"The man stole it all; Miss Bella's and Miss Cissy's pictures, my Mistress's gloves, the Order of Merlin, First Class, the goblets with the family crest, and…and…" Kreacher was gulping for air: His hollow chest was rising and falling rapidly, then his eyes flew open, and he uttered a bloodcurdling scream. "…and the locket, Master Regulus's locket. Kreacher did wrong, Kreacher failed in his orders!"

Harry reacted instinctively: As Kreacher lunged for the boulder that stood next to us, he launched himself upon the elf, flattening him. Harry bellowed louder than Kreacher's scream: "Kreacher, I order you to stay still!" But the elf didn't stop, so I repeated the same thing, which worked magic and the elf froze in place.

"Kreacher, do you know who stole the locket?" I asked.

"Thief…Bastard…Mundungus Fletcher." He spoke.

Crap! I didn't even think about him, completely forgot.

"Do you know where he is now?" Harry asked Kreacher.

"No."

"Um…I do." I spoke a little guilty. "He's locked up in my house..."


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