ghost stories - h. potter

0.2

【𝐓𝐖𝐎】

· 。ﾟ☆: *. ☆彡

Upon entering Hogwarts, Belle couldn't bring herself to tear her eyes away from the brightly lit castle that held some of her best memories and some of her worst. The glittering lights in the distant stared down at her, their warmth inviting, yet misleading and Belle felt her hands curl around the gold locket around her chest. She didn't realise that she was holding her breath until Cedric pointed it out.

"Belle, you do realise you're going to need to breathe at some point, right?" He spoke, causing her to let out the breath she had been holding. Luna glanced at the girl, noticing the way she was tugging gently at the necklace around her neck. She curled the chain around her finger before letting it go, redoing the moment over and over that gave away just how nervous she was.

"Are you okay?" Luna asked gently and Belle stayed quiet for a moment before replying.

"I'm starting to rethink the idea of coming back," she admitted quietly. She felt somewhat sick as her heart started to thud in her chest. The echoing thumps resounded in her ears and she swallowed thickly, her mouth going dry as the carriages grew closer and closer to the looming castle above them.

"I think it's good that you did. At some point, we were all going to have to face the reality of the aftermath of what had happened and it's better to do it now then leave it to later in life when it would only hurt more." Fred and Cedric stared at Luna, their eyebrows raised and Belle nodded slowly.

She released a shaky breath and allowed Luna to reach out and give her hand a comforting squeeze. Neither one of them spoke as they entered the courtyard and the sick feeling in her stomach intensified and her hands started to shake. Her eyes burned with tears that thretened to well at her waterline and she bit down gently in the inside of her cheek to stop herself from crying. She tried her hardest to ignore the memories of the war that were now very much present in her mind.

Rather than the usual chatter, laughter and the occasional shout from the students as they packed themselves into the Great Hall, it was nearly dead silent, for they were entering the room where many of them had seen the dead body of someone they loved. Though Belle could see everyone who had become part of the deceased during the war, it didn't make it any easier on her when her eyes drew to the spot where she had seen many of her friends die. Her dark skin paled a few shades, her shaking hands curling into fists as felt bile rose in her throat. Belle wondered if coming back was really a good idea.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Luna asked gently and Belle licked at her lips, trying to regain some of the moisture in her mouth as she tried her best not to cry. She had done that all summer - she wasn't going to allow herself to continue that now.

"I-I'm not sure," Belle whispered, her eyes not moving from the spot where she had seen her girlfriend take her last breath. She knew it was only her eyes playing tricks on her but she swore she could have seen her body for a moment, lying broken and bloody on the floor below her.

"Hey, Belle?" A gentle voice broke the air and Belle turned her gaze on the spot next to Luna, where Remus had appeared. "Just focus on Luna, okay? You're alright,"

By the looks of it, Belle wasn't the only one that was having difficulty entering the Great Hall, no matter how great it looked. Many had started to cry quietly, others even had to leave as they were so overwhelmed at the sight. Luna was staring at Belle worriedly and Belle gave the girl a week smile and a single nod as she exhaled.

"I'm okay," she replied, her heart racing. Her legs felt like jelly and she was nothing less than thankful for Luna who had wrapped an arm around Belle to make sure that her knees wouldn't buckle.