Ch. 9 – Forks High School for Gifted Students

"Oh em geeeee!" squealed Draco, pointing out the window. "Check out that ahmayzing thenery!"

We, Mikel, Cedric, Ashlee and I, looked out. Everything was coated in a frosty sheen, looking like a giant, snowy blanket. It was really amazing… snow was such a spectacle of wonder! We all marveled in the splendor as the train passed through it. Things in the train were amazing as well. I got to spend several hours with my best friends and my totally hot boyfriend. He smelled really good today!

We all decided to visit our loving parents at home rather than stay around school. Cedric and Mikel invited me to stay at their house for a few days, and that was really exciting! They said that they had another sister, older, and I couldn't wait to meet her and their parents. But, more than anything, I was excited to see my father.

I really missed him. His smiling face, gentle but firm misdemeanor, his skeptical "yeah okay"s. Blocking out the sound of my friends chattering, I drifted off to sleep. I dreamed of introducing Edward to my father and my father giving us the permission to marry with his blessing… until I woke up.

We were here! We were at King's Cross! My friends were packing up their bags, getting ready to get off. I gave Ashlee and Cedric a hug before gathering my own things in a frenzy, catching Mikel and Draco snogging in the corner of my eyes. Good for them! Yay! Young love is so beautiful!

"Bye Cedric and Mikel! Send me an owl!" I called out, running around the platform. My father oughta be around here somewhere… THERE HE IS!!!!!

I ran at him with pure delight and caught him in a giant hug! He spattered back a few steps, caught off guard. Oh boy, was he surprised to see me!

"Bella! Honey! Hi! I guess it's true then, this whole magic. You know, you could've told me you were leaving. You know how worried you got me?" he asked, looking at me.

"Daddy, I'm so sorry! I didn't think you were going to let me, so I just came myself! You always wanted me to be independent, didn't you?" I hoped that would work. He gave me a disapproving look.

"Well, whatever. Let's just get home first. We can talk about it later."

We left the platform and headed for the car. The whole way home, we didn't say a single thing. Just hours of empty silence and disappointment. I tried not to make eye contact. I dreaded when he was going to yell at me for running away without saying anything, because there was no way I could get him to understand… his mind was very difficult. If I showed him a spell I learned in class, he'd probably snap my wand and burn all of my books.

When we arrived in Forks and pulled up into our driveway, I grabbed my stuff and raced in the house at lightning speed. I shut myself in my room and locked the door. I hadn't realized my dad would be anything but happy to see me. It was a bad idea coming home to the miserable rain and muggles, and I wished I could just go back to Hogwarts or something. Anywhere but here!

"BELLA!" I heard him call from downstairs. "You up there?" I didn't say anything. I wasn't looking forward to… confrontation. "Don't tell me you're gone again! I'm not going to want to call another search party! GET DOWN HERE!" I decided to just face my fear. I slowly unlocked the door and depended the staircase.

"Hi, Dad…" I said meagerly.

"Come with me." We walked into the kitchen. "Sit down." He pointed to the chair in front of the kitchen table. We both sat down.

"Um… I'm sorry?" I tried to look cute.

"Sorry? No. You can't get anywhere with 'sorry.' And you can't get anywhere with a magical education. What are you going to do in the future? What kind of job are you going to get?"

"Um… a job in the magical world?"

"No. No, no, no. You're going to be a doctor, lawyer, something. None of this crackpot magic."

"But Dad—"

"Yeah okay. No. You're going to Forks High School for Gifted Students, where you can get a real education. I'm not supporting you when you're older."

"No, Dad! I'm going to Hogwarts. I don't care if you want me to go to some special school. I'M NOT!!"

I didn't care what he was going to say or do. I was going to Hogwarts before he could stop me. I ran upstairs, took out my wand, and shrunk all of my belongings so they could fit in my backpack. I heard him yelling and screaming at me, and his footsteps coming up towards my room. There was no exit! I was trapped! Except… the window! With nowhere else to go, I ranched it open and leapt out.

I was expecting a hard thud, but I landed softly on my feet. It must be magic. Not looking back, I took off running. Hopefully the cold rain would hide me from sight when my father came after me. I took turns everywhere, with no idea where I was going. My heart was pounding against my chest in protest, but I ignored it. But then my legs started pounding as well, and I knew I had to take a break.

I sat down on the curb. "Where am I going to do? Where am I going to go?" I said out loud to the darkness approaching.

"Well, I could take you back to our house," responded a kind voice from somewhere behind me. I twirled around like a cheetah, facing my follower. Though he seemed middle-aged, he was beautiful, inhumanly so. I had only seen this beauty in two other people in my entire life, and I knew it well…

"Mr. Diggory?" I asked, incredibly. He smiled. "Guilty. Now, since it seems you're in a bit of a fix at your house, would you like to come stay at mine? My children speak most highly of you."

"I'd love to! Wow, that'd be great. I hope I won't be much of a problem to you guys, I mean—"

"Don't worry about it," he interrupted, "you will always be welcome at our home. Now, shall we get going before your father finds us first?"

I looked around anxiously. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea." I didn't want to be so close to freedom when my dad came and took the magic out of me.

"Take my arm; we're going to Apparate. It might be a little uncomfortable, so brace yourself…" and with that, we vanished from Forks, with nothing but a loud CRACK.