Chapter 16: Coming Home
The ride home was a silent but comfortable one. Bella busied herself with watching the buildings pass by until they came to a quieter part of town that she knew like the back of her hand. When they passed by Mary's house, Bella saw her best friend putting up Christmas lights with her grandfather.
"Mum, can I go to Mary's house later?" Bella asked as they arrived at their own home. She had been unsuccessful in getting her friend's attention as they had driven by and was now determined to go by to say happy Christmas.
"I think you'll have to wait until tomorrow. We've gotta decorate too," Delilah answered as they headed into the house with Bella's trunk. "Besides, you've gotta call her first," she reminded her daughter.
Bella nodded disappointedly. She had been missing Mary since school started and she hadn't been able to write to her. Now she really wanted to hang out with her best friend and draw some.
"Go unpack and I'll see if I can find your surprise," Delilah told her daughter, cutting into her thoughts.
Bella nodded again as she head down the hall to her room and put away some of her clothing. As she opened her closet to put away her shirts, a black streak jumped out and nearly knocked her down. Bella screamed as the black thing continued on its chosen path and landed on her bed hissing up a storm.
"Bella?" Delilah called as she ran back to her daughter's room.
The scene that she found was not what she expected. On the ground was Bella sitting completely still as the black thing walked around her sniffing every bit of her. When it was satisfied that it knew her, is nuzzled her hand and let out a purr.
Delilah let out a quiet chuckle. "I see you found our friend from the Magical Menagerie," she commented as she came in the room and sat by Bella to pet the half-cat-half-kneazle. "Bella this is Ebony. Ebony, Bella," she introduced the two to each other.
Bella instantly broke out into a grin. "You adopted her?" she asked her mother disbelievingly as she petted the magical familiar.
Delilah nodded. "Yeah, I've been spending some time in Diagon Alley. She just looked so unhappy in that cage when I came to visit each time." Delilah stood up. "I'm going to make dinner. You should finish unpacking and then you can help me, alright?"
Bella nodded as she continued to pet Ebony. After her mother left, Bella also stood up and continued to unpack while Ebony hopped onto her bed and gave herself a bath. Once Bella had finished unpacking, she scratched the black cat's chin and left the room for the kitchen.
"Mum, one of my professors wanted me to give you this," Bella told her mother as she set the envelope Professor Snape had given her on the dining room table.
"What is it?" Delilah asked Bella as she pulled out the milk to put in the gravy.
Bella shrugged her shoulders. "He said only you're suppose to read it so I didn't open it," she answered as she stirred the gravy her mother had left to put away the milk.
Hm, I wonder what he wants to tell me, Delilah thought to herself.
Soon dinner was finished and Bella and her mother were sitting at the table, enjoying the warm, home cooked meal. Afterwards, they played a game of gin and then they just relaxed for a while couch, Ebony between them, while Delilah read from a book. After a while, Bella started to nod her head and her eyes would drift shut before snapping open again.
"Come on Bella, it's time for bed," Delilah told her half-asleep daughter as she marked their place in the book. She placed the book on the table and then led Bella back to her room. She helped her change into her pajamas and then tucked her in.
"Night Mum, I love you," Bella mumbled as she fell asleep.
"Good night sweetheart," Delilah whispered as she gently kissed her forehead. As she went to the door, Ebony came in and looked at her in question.
"You sleeping in here tonight?" she asked the black cat in a hushed voice. The cat took that as permission to spend some of the night in the room so she jumped on Bella's bed and snuggled up to the young girl's side. Delilah smiled as the cat began purring quietly.
"Good night girls," she whispered as she left the room.