Hello, I haven't updated for personal reasons. A day after I posted the last chapter my Poppa (Grandfather) passed away in hospital. My emotions were all over the place and my family has really been hit hard from this. I was just unable to write. My cousin Jay helped me with this, she basically typed up my ideas which I edited. This was done in 30 minutes so may not be good.
Belle sits at the kitchen table reading the Daily Prophet, her eyes skim the sentences after observing the moving picture. She places the paper down on the table slowly, her hands shake a little and she lets out a sigh. Dread and fear clutch her heart and refuse to let it go.
'Neville Longbottom, husband of Augusta Longbottom and father of Frank Longbottom has been found dead one article spoke about another about three muggle family's murder at nightfall in Endeavour District around the same time Muggle Studies Professor Linda Hart and her family were found dead at their house in Hogsmeade. One article in particular had a witnesses account of what seemed to be a snake and skull in the sky before there was a mass murder in Helga's creek with a muggle-born wizard who worked at the Ministry being murdered along with his family, a muggle-born Quidditch player and his family and many other muggle-born family's'
One by one people were disappearing and one by one they were being reported dead. Her mind wanders off to Frank, he has always treated her kindly and despite being a Marauder she always has profound conversations with him which is not centred on Quidditch.
"Lily" Belle calls after having a moment to collect herself, and after a minute Lily walks in with an annoyed look on her face.
"What Belle? I was busy doing my Arithmancy homework" Lily replies while taking a seat beside her sister, her eyes dart to the Daily Prophet which she quickly grabs.
"Murders are happening frequently Lily, muggle-born families and muggle families. Dad and Tuney could be next Lily, look Knightshire is not far from Cokeworth" Belle says nervously, her minty green eyes shine with worry and her fingers unconsciously grip James charm bracelet.
"And mum, don't forget mum" Lily adds softly, she gently places the paper down and she chews her lip nervously "do you think she will come back?" she asks, her emerald eyes fill with tears.
"I don't think so" the twins swivel around to see Petunia leaning against the doorframe, Petunia's cerulean eyes land on the paper in front of Lily "can I read it?" Petunia asks while strolling towards her sisters.
"How could you say that? Mum will come back, I know she will because she will realize how ridiculous she is being by running away with a younger man" Lily exclaims indignantly, tears are let loose from the emerald orbs and they slowly slide down her cheeks.
"We have bigger things to be worried about Lily, forget about her" Belle says harshly, and she picks up the Daily Prophet "like this" she says pointing to the picture of the skull and the snake in the sky.
Petunia takes the paper out of Belle's grasp and starts to read it, her hand covers her mouth and her eyes go wide in horror "this has been in our paper too but they were classified missing, it makes sense now. 40 people just missing did not make sense" Petunia whispers.
"Forget about her? She is our mother Belle and soon she could be one of those figures" Lily exclaims, she looks at Belle with disbelief "how could you not care?" Lily demands, her emerald eyes narrow and she places her hand firmly on her hip.
"Because she did not care when she left us, because she did not care about what we would think about her actions, because she did not care about how we would feel, because she did not care about tearing apart this family, because she did not care about dad, because she did not care about how hurt he would be, because she did not care about him when she ran off with another guy, because she did not care about us. You, Tuney, Dad and me, if she truly cared she would not go frolicking with another man and would not leave her family alone. Not one call Lily and Tuney said these figures have been in the paper and Endeavour District is near to us. Has she called to ask if we are okay? No, and do you want to know why Lily? Because she does not care" Belle started off as a mere whisper and at the end she was yelling.
"Belle that is enough, you are upsetting your sister" Belle swivels around to see Alex standing there, his sapphire eyes shining with disappointment and his arms folded sternly across his chest "your mother cares, it's just" "save it for somebody who cares" Belle interrupts instantly, she gets out of her seat and storms out of the kitchen.
"Belle, come back here. Belle" Alex calls when he turns around only to hear the front door slam and he starts to massage his temples. Petunia places a hand on her dad's shoulder "just let her cool off dad, you know Belle and her temper" Petunia whispers comfortingly.
Lily stands and glares angrily at her dad "you couldn't make mum stay and you can't even make Belle stay. You could have talked mum out of it" Lily croaks out while she furiously wipes away her tears "why didn't you talk her out of it" Lily sobs sullenly, she is scared of the war they are approaching and her mum is not even there to hold her. She knows it isn't Alex's fault but she needs someone to blame.
Lily runs off to her room and Petunia follows after her to make sure she is alright. Alex sighs sadly; he takes a seat and runs his hand through his auburn locks. A single tear escapes his sapphire orbs, the first tear he shed since his wife left him and he starts crying. A single crack in his façade made him finally fall apart, the emotions he bottled up finally escape and he buries his head into his hands. His family is falling apart at the seams and no matter how hard he tries he can't knit it back together.
"Read the letter out loud to me Tuney, read it now so I can hear that she cares. Belle can read it later" Lily says softly, she cuddles the pillow to her chest and Petunia nods rather reluctantly.
Dear Petunia,
You have always been my proper, sophisticated, well-mannered and well-educated princess. I have always been proper, from a young age I have always been realistic which I once called myself. I have been the loyal housewife, and loving mother that presses the importance of manners into you and your sisters. I married your father, a lovely gentleman from a high-class family which my father appreciated and my mother did not, she wanted me to marry someone I love. We did not marry for love your father and I, love came after the wedding in our relationship and so did my three joys of the world. I have always done what is best for you, have I not? I have never been selfish; I even dutifully named you and Lily after flowers, my family's tradition. Belle I did not, I rebelled a bit with her name and maybe that is why she has such as rebellious personality. You and Lily have been my perfect daughters, orderly, polite, proper and well-mannered and a mother could not be more proud. I have always gloated about the pair of you to friends. Belle is different, the black sheep amongst the perfect white ones in the flock. How could I ever mention her to friends? She goes against everything a lady is expected to be. But she is so happy, so full of life and bubbly. She does not seem to care about the expectations, she goes against tradition of my family and that is what I envy of her. I distanced myself from her when she was very young; it was so my family saw that I hardly parented her and that your father did making her behaviour his fault. It breaks my heart to say that I share no mother and daughter bond with her and have never been much of a mother to her. She barely sends letters to me, from her second year onward I got one letter a year. I love Will, he brings out the best in me and he makes me feel free and young. He makes me go against everything I have been taught and I love it. I am no longer tied to rules, expectations and etiquette. My sweet Petunia, you have always tried to please me but be free, live your life to the fullest and like my mother says follow your heart. I followed mine, and I am filled with joy. Tell Lily I love her, that she should follow her heart and that sometimes books don't hold the answers your heart desires. And tell Belle, I am so sorry for always criticizing her uniqueness instead of praising her for being able to stay true to herself, also that I love her more than she thinks. I am sorry about leaving Alexander the way I have and I know you three especially Belle will probably despise me for this but I am finally happy.
Love mum
Frank sits staring aimlessly at the wall, his chocolate eyes stained red from crying and his room around him is chaos. He doesn't notice when Alice's enters slowly, her cobalt blue eyes staring at the mess before flickering to him who sits in the middle of the destruction. Alice quietly takes a seat beside him and she shyly grasps his hand and intertwines their fingers. She lifts his hand to her lips and she places a soft kiss which is louder than any words she could have said. Frank turns to look at her with a tear sliding down his cheek, which Alice wipes away with the back of her hand, "He is gone" Frank whispers, he struggles to swallow the lump in his throat and he lays his head on her shoulder "he is really gone".
Augusta leans against her son's door, tears run down her cheeks and she releases a soft sigh. Her eyes travel to the family portrait where her husband is smiling at the camera before placing a soft kiss on her lips and Frank in the portrait cringes and turns away with his face the colour of beetroot.
"Why can't you be like Regulus" Walburga screeches angrily at her son, she narrows her eyes furiously at him and places a hand on her hip.
Sirius bites his tongue, he wouldn't admit it but he loves his mum despite her pure-blood beliefs and her saying that hurt immensely "because I am not Regulus, I am Sirius" he whispers softly, he swallows the lump in his throat and he turns away from her "and I will never be him"
"That's a shame" Walburga replies coolly, her dark grey eyes shine with disappointment as she looks at Sirius "you brought shame on our family by being in Gryffindor, by befriending a blood traitor Potter, what else are you going to do Sirius? Announce that you are a muggle-lover" Walburga remarks bitterly.
"I don't hate muggles or muggle-born witches and wizards. I never have and never will" Sirius states firmly, his dark grey eyes are met with light blue eyes that look at him with disgust.
"You are a disgrace to the Black family" Orion hollers angrily, he drops his suitcase and walks swiftly towards his son. Regulus stands behind the door, he always knew his brother didn't share the family view but he did not realize that he would stupidly announce it.
Sirius holds back tears and he stares firmly at his father "I know and I have always been. I have always been your disappointment, the one son you wish you never had haven't I father. I am not sorry for being able to think for myself, who are you two trying to fool? You know muggle-born witches and wizards deserve magic, you would have to be thick not to know that. So what they aren't from a wizard or witch background? Unlike us they don't need a family with a history of magic, they get magic without needing to inbreed with other pure-bloods. What are you two? Are you second cousins or first cousins? Inbreeding is probably the cause of squibs because squibs are only present in pure-blood families. Yet you two cling to the belief it should be that way, getting rid of muggles and muggle-born witches and wizards is going to prove what? That you're jealous? Jealous that witches and wizards that have a muggle background can have magic? Well people like you marry off to your cousins with the hope to continue a pure-blood line. Is your blood purely magical or purely the blood of inbreeding? Why do we judge a person on their blood or heritage? Why not judge them on their skill?" Sirius whispers, Orion's eyes darken and he points to the door.
"Get out, get out and never come back you blood traitor" Orion bellows angrily, it echoes of the walls and inside Sirius' mind.
"How funny is it that you shoved pure-blood supremacy hogwash down my throat as a child and I don't believe in it? The child is smarter than his parents. You have your perfect little prince who absorbed every word you said. I am not like him because I was able to question that as a child, to have my own thoughts and opinions unlike him who follows your opinion. I am not a lamb like you who would dutifully follow the shepherd to the slaughter house" Sirius exclaims furiously, he storms out of the house and starts walking away.
Belle plops herself down on the lush grass beside the stream, she plucks pieces of grass and throws it at the stream angrily. Her minty green eyes narrow angrily at her reflection, mainly her mother's features she inherited like her eyes so she picks up a stone and flings it at the water. It creates ripples making her reflection blurry, just like her vision because of her tears.
"You seem to be in a good mood" Severus sarcastically remarks, he walks awkwardly over to her but that is maybe because of his lanky frame which reminds her of a spider.
"Let's go somewhere Severus, anywhere but here" Belle blurts out, her lingering gaze on her reflection flickers to Severus, "to Diagon Alley" she adds after a moment of thought.
"But why?" Severus splutters out, he couldn't believe she asked him to do something irrational.
"You don't have to come I suppose" Belle comments, she quickly stands and starts running towards the road. Severus of course runs after her, his eyes widen in horror as she sees her pull out her wand.
A purple triple-decker bus appears instantly, what Belle knew to be the Knight Bus which came to any witch of wizard in need of transport. A scrawny young man exits the bus, he has stringy dirty blonde hair and ice blue eyes "You going to stand there all day, or are you going to board the bus" he asks impatiently. Belle boards the bus and takes a seat beside the window and Severus grumpily takes a seat beside her.
"My name is Stan Shunpike, where would you like to go?" Stan asks while he leans against a seat on the bus.
"We are both heading to the Leaky Cauldron" Belle replies, she reaches into her jean pocket and brings out her wallet.
"11 sickle each please" Stan says, extending his hand so he could take the coins and Severus averts his gaze to the bus floor because he could not afford the bus fare.
"Here you go" Belle says handing over the right amount for both her and Severus and she thanks Stan for the bus ticket he hands to her in return.
"The Leaky Cauldron Ernie" Stan exclaims, Belle watches as the man quickly sits up in his seat and starts to drive. She tightly grips onto the seats that seem to move and that are not connected to the bus. Her mint green eyes look astonished when she hears a snore emit from a stranger who is sleeping in a cot on the bus, how could the person sleep?
"So are you getting school supplies or knickknacks" Stan asks curiously only to receive a venomous look from Severus.
"It is none of your business" Severus proclaims coldly, he blanches when he the bus goes smaller to fit between a pair of cars.
"I can't believe you were rude to him, I guess he was a bit nosey but still" Belle says while they both stroll through the bustling Diagon Alley, Belle's eyes land on the Eeylops Owl Emporium, she had been meaning to get an owl.
She enters the shop without her shadow who wanders off to the Flourish and Blotts and she covers her ears when she hears an owl screech loudly.
"Fancy seeing you here" a voice tears her attention away from the annoying owl to one Sirius Black "Prongs is over there looking at owls" he remarks casually while pointing to where his raven haired friend is "he said something about getting you an owl since you don't have one" he adds.
"I am getting my own owl" she replies firmly, she marches towards James with the intention of growling him but she falters when she sees a tiny brown owl on his shoulder pecking at him.
"Ouch" James cries out, he frowns when he hears a familiar giggle and he turns around to see Belle giggling at him "Belle, what are you doing here?" he asks curiously.
The owl flies off his shoulder and towards Belle, where he takes his place on her shoulder and nudges her gently "hello to you too" Belle whispers tenderly while stroking the owl affectionately.
James eyes go wide "how come he seems to like you not me? Honestly that is ridiculous" James cries out in outrage and Belle laughs a little more.
"Because I am more likeable, I have to get you and maybe I can name you Prince. You can be my Prince" Belle coos to the owl which hoots in disagreement and pecks her sharply to show its refusal while James stands flabbergasted as he watches.
"You are just like him, biting my neck and maybe I can name you James junior but junior for short" Belle says softly to the owl which hoots in agreement and nudges her softly.
"What bloody hell woman, naming that devil after me" James exclaims while he glares at the bird.
The store owner walks over and smiles at Belle "he will be ten galleons, I have needed to get rid of the twerp for weeks as he keeps pecking the customers, the little mischief maker. You know what take him for free" the shop owner says, he departs but after he glares at the bird.
"What are you doing in Diagon Alley" Sirius asks curiously, they all weave through the crowd at Diagon Alley and walk towards the Quidditch store.
"Do you think Belle will come home? It's just after seven" Lily asks Petunia softly, they both sit at the dinner table with their father eating the lamb chops and vegetables he cooked up.
They hear the front door open, instantly Alex flies out of his seat and walks quickly to the front door to see Belle with a caramel brown owl perched on her shoulder. She knows she is in trouble; he let the bite mark slide because he thought it was a mosquito bite from what she told him but she knew he would not let this slide.
I am sorry it is bad but I just am a mess but knew I needed to post something up.