Sorry it has been almost two months, but I've had a lot of things to do in the interim. Here is the next chapter of Choices!
In the few short months since the Battle of Hogwarts, a lot had changed in the Wizarding World; not least of which being the reunification of the Death Eaters into society. Many of the 'former' members had been released on parole, and regularly spoke to their respective councillors, while a few, had fled to other countries, to get away from the scorn of the general public. What many members of the public didn't know, was just what happened that night, and indeed, many people didn't want to know the details, particularly from what they had read in the Prophet.
In the memory of Bellatrix Black, she had been reborn only a mere three months prior, and a lot happened in those long months. With her birthday having been ignored all those years in Azkaban, Bella had forgotten what it felt like to enjoy a proper birthday, so it came as a big surprise when all her friends and family arrived at Black Manor for a party to celebrate.
26th May 1998
Dear diary,
How does it feel to be the first entry in my brand new life? I have missed the feeling of a proper birthday since before Azkaban, I still can't believe it is my birthday today, and how old would I be? 20? Or 48? Hmmm, maybe I should start from 20 again, I doubt people would believe I was nearing my 50s.
Hermione Granger is my girlfriend, diary; and she is such a wonderful young woman; kind, caring, funny and smart. Yet after all that I did to her and her friends, she still sought me out, and that day, that choice, changed our lives. She is pregnant you know, by my hand, or should that be 'phallus', hehe. We are such good lovers, never afraid to try something new, never fearing that you don't trust the other. After all that I have done, I don't deserve someone like her, but she doesn't care about that. All she cares about is how much we love each other, and I'm grateful for that.
They threw a party for me today, Miney and her friend Ginny; they invited all our friends, the Order, Hogwarts staff, even my sisters came round. Andromeda dropped by and had her daughter's son, my niece's son; with her, and he was just so adorable, I never realised it before, but children were never meant to live in a world of warring parties, they should grow up in peace, harmony. Maybe Nymphadora and her husband, Lupin, had got something right after all.
Anyway, I'm rambling; she came over and talked to me. She didn't shout, didn't accuse me of returning to the old ways, she just stood with her grandson, saying that his future shouldn't be ruined any more than it already has been. I think she called him Teddy at one point; given his lineage, it is a very fitting name.
Anyway, got to leave you, my diary, the party is still going on, and there is a pair of lips I want to get a hold of. Speak to you soon…
Bella Black
June had been a surprisingly warm month that year, with the Muggles fretting over 'hosepipe bans' and water shortages. The wizards fared no better, as warm weather usually meant increased numbers of pixies, and pixies were not very nice to be around when they were too hot.
13th June 1998
Dear diary,
It has been a few days since I spoke to you, diary. Did you miss me? Well if you were me I bet you would love to see the backs of those rotten pixies, honestly, I hated summers as a child for this very reason; the pixies just love to annoy you. One minute, you will be sunning yourself in the garden, the next; a bunch of the buggers will fly around you and throw things at you, things like clothes, garden chairs, once I even had one throw a gnome at me. A FUCKING gnome! How did I even get gnomes in this garden anyway? Oh well.
I have been having a tough time with Claire, my house elf, at the moment. She wishes to travel about, and I am not sure what to say to her. If I tell her to stay, she will think I am keeping her against her will, even though she is a free elf. I let her leave, and she may not come back, and I would be lonely when Miney goes back to Hogwarts after it is finished rebuilding. Perhaps I should talk with Miney; she always has Claire's best interests at heart.
Love you, diary,
Bella
July finally arrived, and with it, some much needed rain, so much in fact, that it turned into a thunderstorm. It ended up causing a fire in a field not far from the manor, but it was still frightful, particularly when Crookshanks, Hermione's cat, arrived from the Burrow.
3rd July 1998
Dear diary,
What an interesting few days it has been. Let me fill you in on all the details. Andromeda and Teddy visited; we shared a cup of tea while cooing over Teddy, and enjoyed a good gossip as well. It turns out that the Ministry is recruiting for Defence Against the Dark Arts professors, and not a lot of people want the job.
Ginny, Miney's friend is staying with us now until she goes back to school. Apparently, word got out to her mother that she was pregnant, and when she wouldn't say who the father was, she went; for lack of a better word; 'ballistic'. Gin packed her things and left, bringing a furry little friend with her; Miney's pet cat: Crookshanks.
I would be lying if I said I hated animals, I loved having my pet owl when I was a student. But this particular cat seems to have an interest in me more so than any other animal I have ever encountered before. The other day I went for a stroll and it wandered out after me. When I returned home I locked the poor dear out, it wasn't until the following day when I heard about the thunderstorm and the fire at the nearby fields that I realised. The cat was still out there! When I found him, he was soaked to the bone and had some scorch marks on his fur. Miney was so pissed when I brought him back in that state. I was punished severely that night, not that I minded. Being 2 months pregnant, your hormones are said to start making you act differently. In Miney's case, she may have become more horny than usual, if that is even possible.
I will speak to you again soon, diary. I promise.
Bella
After that, things were pretty quiet around the manor, of course being around two pregnant teens did make for a fairly relaxed atmosphere. At 10 weeks the pair of them started to show a slight baby bump, and both were wearing long flowing summer dresses whenever they could.
24th July 1998
Dear diary,
I have some good news! Tom has decided to apply for the Hogwarts position, isn't that great! I think the Ministry would be fools to not hire him as the new DADA professor. Speaking of the Ministry, Arthur Weasley, Ginny's father has been visiting me once a week to check up on me, both for the Ministry and for his family. He has been looking for something which could hint as to who the father is, but for now, he is clueless.
Also, my Miney is starting to grow, her baby bump is showing and she loves it when I caress her stomach. She says I will be a great parent, although to be fair, I don't exactly have a good comparison. Maybe I should talk with Narcissa and Draco; maybe they will tell me what good parenting is. Then again, maybe not. Draco isn't exactly the best apple in the bag, but he is loyal where it counts. Family. God I miss my mother…
Speak to you again when there is any news.
Bella
With August came a balmy addition to the summer, a heat wave. England wasn't known for having particularly hot summers, normally they were mild by other countries standards. However this year, nature decided to treat the English to a very hot few weeks.
13th August 1998
Dear diary,
I cannot believe how hot it is out here, and I'm love every minute of it! The three of us have decided to try and get tans, but since these UV ray – thingies are harmful to babies, we have to apply lots of tanning lotion. And guess what, they decided that I'm the one who has to apply it. Honestly, who knew that rubbing lotion onto a baby bump was so, sexual…
Claire has left on her trip, Miney and Gin have convinced me to let her go and see the world. She knows how much I care for her though; I gave her a big bear hug before she left. She isn't exactly the best with conveying feelings, something she takes after me I guess, but when I let her go, she was crying; crying because she meant that much to me, to anyone. Not many house-elves can say that.
Tom is in the last stage of interviews for the position at Hogwarts, hopefully Kingsley can convince the board that he is the right man for the job. I mean who knows the Dark Arts better than him?
Crookshanks is all better after the storm, thankfully. I was hoping the furball would stick around the Manor, he is good company. Arthur is also popping round frequently for a chat, although he is holding something back whenever we meet. I don't know what it may be, but I have a funny feeling it concerns me and the Ministry.
Cissy brought Draco around for a visit yesterday while Gin and Miney were out shopping. After the war, she has been very withdrawn, afraid her family will be put in Azkaban. Hopefully, she is just being paranoid. Having said that, perhaps she isn't…
Speak to you again soon, got to go work on my tan!
Bella
25th August 1998
Dear diary,
Just a few more days until Ginny and Hermione set off for Hogwarts, along with Draco, Ron, and some others who think they can still learn things from the time they missed. Mr Neville Longbottom came to see me yesterday, said he wanted to know if there is any way I can reverse what happened to his parents. To be honest, I actually want to help him, but I don't know if there is even any way to reverse the damage. It's been 18 years and the wizards at St. Mungo's haven't managed it. I think I owe it to him at any rate.
Tom's been hired! He's on a probationary term at Hogwarts, and he will have an Auror present at all his classes to help him out. Although, I don't think he would try anything anyway, from what he told me, he always wanted to teach children. I guess the Ministry is just covering its collective ass.
Arthur brought his wife round last time he visited. She was bawling her eyes out, saying that it was her fault for not being a good parent, letting Gin get pregnant. I told her that it doesn't matter, all that matters is that she needs to be a good parent now, and a great grandparent when the baby arrives.
Speaking of babies, Miney and Gin are to go for their prenatal scans, so me and Molly will go with them, I want to start panning the baby's room while they are away.
Speak to you soon.
Bella
27th August 1998
Dear diary,
OMG! Ginny's having twins! I don't believe it; she is having fraternal twins, a boy and a girl. And Hermione is carrying a healthy baby girl with her too, both will be expecting sometime in January, so I have a good few months to plan rooms. I don't even know if Ginny will be staying with us after she finishes at Hogwarts, but according to Molly, she wants her own place, but she also wants to stay close to her friends. I think I may be able to sort something out…
I went to visit the Longbottoms after the exams, with Neville accompanying me of course. I was able to restore some faint memories, but nothing more than that this time. Perhaps in a few weeks of this 'therapy' they will recover. Neville was pleased that I could do just that, for now. Being able to talk to his parents was a luxury he never had growing up. Now I realise just how bad Potter must have had it, both his parents being dead.
Ginny is going to stay with her family until term starts, so me and Miney will be able to have some alone time. Given how much time is left, I think she needs some quality alone time.
Speak to you soon.
Bella