Chapter 14: Leaving

Classes continued right up until the Christmas Holidays. Bella served out the rest of her detentions but strangely Professor Snape only supervised her two more times; the other she was handed off to Professor Flitwick or Professor Thompson.

Most of the teachers pulled back on the work as the term came to an end but they still assigned homework for the holidays. In every class, Bella and her classmates were assigned an essay and, in the case of potions, brewing a potion.

Bella was finishing her packing the morning after classes ended when she decided to see which of her other friends would be on the train with her.

As Bella walked into the Great Hall pulling her trunk, she noticed Hermione talking to Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table. Hermione had her trunk while Harry and Ron did not and were playing chess.

"Hey," Bella greeted them quietly.

All three of the Gryffindors looked up in surprise. They had hardly seen Bella, even after her detention sentences had ended.

"Hi Bell," Harry and Hermione replied as Ron told one of his chess pieces to take one of Harry's.

"That's barbaric!" Hermione exclaimed as she, Harry, and Bella looked at the board and realized that Harry's queen was now in ruins.

"That's a wizard's chess," Ron answered. "Hey Bell."

"Hi. So you guys are staying here for the holidays?" Bella asked.

Harry nodded his head as Ron answered for himself. "Change of plans. Mum and Dad decided to visit my brother Charlie in Romania, so I've gotta stay here."

"Well then you can help Harry look in the library for Nicholas Flamel," Hermione said as Harry moved one of his few remaining pawns across the board and into the trap that Ron had set.

"Really, you must have looked in there a dozen times mate," Ron told Harry while he analyzed the chess board. "Checkmate," he proclaimed as he moved his own queen to the pawn and checkmated the king.

"You haven't looked in the restricted section, have you?" Bella wondered aloud as Ron gathered up all the chess pieces and put them away.

Both of the boys looked at her astonished expressions while Hermione just rolled her eyes.

"Of course they wouldn't think of that," Hermione commented as Harry took on a look that told his friends he was planning something. "Well we don't wanna miss the train. See you both after the break. Happy Christmas," she said as turned to leave.

"Bye Ron," Bella said as she hugged him. "Bye Harry," she whispered as she hugged Harry also, turning slightly pink as she did. "Happy Christmas, both of you," she finished as she quickly followed Hermione out the great hall doors and down to the Hogsmeade train station with the other students.

All the students that weren't staying for the holidays were escorted to the train station by three teachers every break. This time it was Professor Thompson, Professor Snape, and as always, Hagrid.

When the students reached the station, Hermione and Bella found Jared and Dustin just as they were putting their luggage on the train.

"We'll save you both seats," Jared said as he climbed on the train behind Dustin. As soon as the girls had their trunks on the train, they went in search of their Ravenclaw friends.

"Miss Darling, if I may have a word?" Snape said as Hermione climbed on the train.

"Sure Professor," Bella answered as Hermione stopped and looked back. "Go ahead. I'll catch up," Bella smiled. The Gryffindor girl turned and left in search of their Ravenclaw friends.

Snape walked a little ways away from the train so that he could talk to Bella without other students over hearing anything.

"Is there something wrong sir?" Bella asked. Snape had been distant around her ever since her detentions with him had ended, which wasn't a bad thing but Bella felt like he was avoiding her on purpose.

Snape shook his head. "There is nothing wrong. I need you to give your mother a letter. It concerns your academics," he stated as he handed her an envelope that looked just like the one she had received from Hogwarts before term started. "Be sure only your mother reads it," he added when Bella started examining it. "The train will be leaving momentarily; I suggest you get on so your mother won't worry." With that Snape nudged Bella in the direction of the train.

Bella nodded as she followed her teacher's directions. "Have a happy Christmas sir," she said as she climbed on the train smiling. "See you next term!"

In response, Snape merely nodded his head as a whistle blew from the front of the carts and the train started to move forward. As it picked up speed, Bella leaned out of a window to wave at Professor Snape one last time before the train turned a bend and the platform was lost from her sight.

. . . . .

As Snape watched the train leave the platform, he couldn't help but let a small smile escape through his emotional mask. Even with him avoiding her company as much as possible during the last few weeks, she still smiled at him and had remained the only student to do so. She was so much like her mother in that respect: completely trusting and infallibly caring.

"Happy Christmas Bella," he whispered into the frigid air as he turned to walk back to the castle with his colleagues.