Chapter 12: A Short Disturbance

July 29th, 2007

The following morning went smoothly by all accounts. Bella successfully mastered the Floo Network, making it from Hogs Head to the Leaky Cauldron with little more than a bruised elbow. She'd picked up the seeds for Neville and made it all the way back without tripping once.

Of course she should have realized the exceptional morning was too good to last. Bella was coming up to the entrance of the obscured London pub when a vaguely familiar chill of cool air wafted from behind.

"Bella?"

She froze instantly as the sweet, airy overtones filtered in her ears. Only one person had a voice like that.

"Alice?" She turned carefully, and sure enough, the black-haired pixie of a vampire stood before her.

"Bella, what are you doing here?"

It took several seconds for the initial shock to fade. Alice Cullen was really right in front of her, wandering the same streets of Muggle London. Taking the moment to gauge the situation, Bella placed a hand gingerly inside the pocket of her purse and grasped her wand just low enough that Alice couldn't see.

"I could ask you the same question," she tried to sound confident, but compared to Alice's buttery intonations it came off as something closer to a raspy whisper.

"I had a vision of you in the Seattle Times. You were listed as a missing person. No one's heard from you in two weeks, Bella."

Had it already been two weeks? ...Had it only been two weeks? Bella wondered where the time had gone. "Well, how did you find me? Is London just a regular stop for vampires?" The likelihood wasn't too farfetched, she realized, glancing up into the darkened overcast.

"There was no trace of you until a week ago, when you withdrew some money from an ATM. I told Charlie we were headed out this way and would help look for you."

Stupid ATM, wait...Bella realized Alice had spoken in plural, and an uneasy feeling edged into her thoughts.

"We?"

"Edward's on the other side of town. He was...glad to help, Bella. He's missed you."

Alice's words had the opposite effect on Bella than she'd surely intended. Bella wasn't ready to see him. He'd left her beyond repair, broken, and alone. There was no telling what she might do if he showed his face now.

Not wanting to chance fate, Bella poked the tip of her wand above her bag so that it was pointed directly at herself. Stepping back into the threshold of the Leaky Cauldron's Muggle Repelling Charm, she closed her eyes and focused on the only thing she could.

Latesco.

"Bella?" Alice gasped as Bella shimmered into nothingness. "Bella!"

She took off through the doors of the pub and ran to the grate connected to the Floo. She wasn't ready to see the Cullens...and she wasn't ready to leave the wizarding world.

Notice how Bella didn't have to tap the wand on her head like wizards always do with disillusionment charms? She's getting more powerful! Muahahaha. Ok, I'm done…Thanks for reading! -V