*long chapter*
(all of the first-year summed up in parts)
LEAVING
Arabella,
That was very kind of Evan Rosier. I will allow you to go to the Rosiers.
Also, I wanted to let you know, we are having a Christmas eve party. I have picked a dress for you. As you know we invite all of the important families. Including the Blacks. I've heard one of their sons Sirius, has made it into Gryffindor too. Do not associate with that boy. Stay with your Slytherin friends.
See you soon,
Mother
What else did I expect from her? A heartfelt apology? Please, at least I can hang out with Evan.
Packing for home was not easy. It took me three kicks and two sits on it to get it to close. I like clothes...
Before leaving I had given the girls their presents I got them with some extra money I had from the beginning of the school year. It was a lot, and I still had a lot.
"Oi Potter!" I yelled when I spotted him sitting on the couch.
"Yes?" he asked not turning his head.
"I got you and the boy's gifts where are they?" His head whipped around quickly. That got his attention.
"They're still packing but I'm pretty sure Sirius is making Remus pack his stuff."
"Makes sense."
We sat there in silence waiting for them to come down. James and I were like two kids that just met when we were alone. Acting as if we've never talked before. I tried to start a conversation but he ended them quickly with one word. It was 30 minutes before we had to leave to get on the train when the rest of the boys saved me from this awkward silence.
"Finally!" I groaned, "James doesn't talk."
"Don't look at me! Sirius made me pack his stuff, so I had to pack mine and his!" Remus argued. Laying frantically on the couch, "my arms hurt!"
"Um don't throw this on me!" Sirius yelled back.
"Excuse me-"
"Alright, alright, chill out. I have presents for you guys so would you please shut up." I said that in the kindest way I could manage.
I gave Remus a stack of chocolate which hopefully would last for a month, but I doubted it with how much he loves chocolate.
Peter a supply of candy.
Sirius a leather jacket with some hair gel.
And James I may have overdone it... but I got him a broomstick. The newest one. You know so he can practice for quidditch next year? Also, I was hoping after this he would not be so awkward when we hang out alone.
Catching me off guard, I got trampled by four boys. They all were laying on top of me attempting to hug me.
"Please get off. Can't- Breathe-" I struggled to speak.
They were all standing around me with the widest grins I have ever seen. How could I ever stop being friends with these dorks?
James squealed, "Thank you so much! I'm so happy I could kiss you!"
My face instantly reddened, "Please don't."
Sirius hugged me again, "Thank you, Arabella."
"Well, I'll hopefully see you all at platform 9 3/4. I'm going to sit with the girls on the train." I waved goodbye.
***
We had just arrived at platform 9 3/4 I hugged the girls tightly saying goodbye. Lily's lips were turned down into a frown. "I'm gonna miss you guys."
"We'll see each other soon. It's only a couple of weeks." Marlene smiled thoughtfully playing with Lily's hair.
We hugged one last time and we went our separate ways.
Unfortunately, I didn't find the boys in time to say goodbye before my family was in view. Scanning the room I saw that Sirius was looking at me with a sad smile. I gave him the same smile knowing we were both in for it when we go home. The pureblood supremacist families, and the two kids that got into Gryffindor.
Looking at him I felt a tug in my heart. I didn't know how bad his family was but I hoped not as bad as mine. As I thought that, I felt a hand squeezing my shoulder with a very hard grip. I turned to see my mother looking down at me with a disappointed expression.
"Hello, mother," I spoke quietly.
"Where is your brother?" she asked me. Of course, that was the first thing she asks me. Thomas this, Thomas that. Go figure, he got into Slytherin.
I simply shrugged my shoulders at her.
"How do you not know I thought you had would be hanging out with him and his friends."
She made a disgusted face realizing that I don't hang out with his friends. "You disappoint me- There he is! Alright, let's go."
Thank you mother it's not like you let me know that fifteen times in your letters.
We apparated out of there and to the doors of our house. We have a pretty large house with a gate in front of it. Most would rather call it a manor. Avery Manor.
When we walked inside the first thing I was met with was my father's angry face.
"You and I need to talk Arabella."
***
My mother had never been the type of person to hurt me. Not psychically. My mum rather yelled more than anything. I've never been punished physically. Not even from father. But when my mum slapped me... I was taken aback.
"Mum I-"
"Shut it, child." My father spoke watching in the corner. "You should know you deserve this. You know what you did, and you are paying for it. Now I advise you to go to your room and don't come out for the rest of the day. No dinner for you this evening. Remember this as your first punishment."
I now lay in my bed, holding my red bruising cheek. I couldn't hold in the tears that were escaping my eyes, as much as I tried. I was so terrified of what had taken place tonight, I'd never seen my mom become so violent. And I've never had my father be so angry that he didn't allow his daughter to eat!
Stuck in my thoughts I didn't hear the door opening. Thomas walked in closing the door behind him. He turned to make sure it was locked. Placed a plate of food on my dresser and then suddenly he was hugging me tightly.
It took a minute for me to realize what was happening but when it processed I began to sob into my brother's shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm alright." I wiped my tears backing up from him. "It's mum, Thomas, she won't do it again. I know it."
"You're positive she won't do this again?"
"Yes."
"Ok," he sighed backing down.
"Don't worry about me, ok?"
"Yeah ok.." he said but I can tell he didn't believe a word I said.
He's right not to believe me.
In silence, my brother and I sat on my bed holding onto each other.
"Thank you, Thomas."
Christmas Eve
I was getting ready for the Christmas eve party. My mum had put out a knee-length green dress. It was tight around my stomach but had a puffy skirt, which I wasn't a big fan of but wore anyway. I curled my hair and put my pearl necklace on with my matching pearl earrings.
When I was done, I walked down to a massive ballroom. My parents were done setting up and waiting for families to arrive. That's when my mum spotted me at the end of the staircase.
"Arabella darling you look gorgeous," she smiled walking towards me.
"Thank you, Mother." My mum wanted me to look my best, the best. This was the night she would scout for potential suitors for the future. Yes, you heard me correctly. I'm eleven years old and I'm looking for a husband, already.
It's what crazy pureblood families do.
She will find a Pureblood Slytherin boy, around my age, and talk to the parents about me. Trying to make me sound like the greatest girl in the whole world. I don't dream of what she'll come up with because most of the parents will disapprove because I'm a Gryffindor. But my mum can be very persuasive.
The families started entering, some apparating to the front door, some appearing in our fire. It kept like that until the whole room was filled with purebloods.
It was at that moment I felt someone tug on my arm and take me into another room. Before I could scream the person covered my mouth. The light turned on and I let a relieved sigh out.
It was just Sirius.
"You scared the living crap out of me you arse!"
"Jeez! Calm down woman!" he whispered back.
"What do you want?"
"This party is so boring and I've got nothing to do!" he whined like a five-year-old, he was leaning on a piano tapping his fingers on it.
I sighed, "I'm bored too, but Sirius I'm not allowed to talk to you."
"What?" He made a face and stopped tapping the piano.
"My mum said that I shouldn't be seen with you at this party and I really don't want to get hurt again," I said that last bit slipping out on accident. Dang it.
He was silent, surprisingly. He looked down frowning. He lifted his shirt.
"What-" And then I spotted the bruises.
"Sirius, Oh my gosh." I ran towards him.
"You're not alone, Bella."
My hand was over my mouth not knowing what to do. "Sirius you need to get out of there."
"You're one to talk, what is on your face? Makeup?"
"Sirius."
"We are eleven we should not be dealing with this." He sighed. "But we are so it's best we just go through it together."
"You're right. But Sirius for both of our sakes let's pretend we don't know each other, alright?"
"Sure."
So I enter the huge room again first. I stood by the table by myself trying to ignore the slow song that was on.
But I failed, miserably.
A boy with Brown hair and brown dark eyes tapped me on the shoulder. I recognized him as one of my brother's friends. He was shorter than me, by a lot.
He put his hand out, "May I have this dance?"
When I say I almost barfed I mean it. So take that as you will. I only said yes for my mum. She would be disappointed if I said no.
"I guess," I said shrugging my shoulders.
So we began to dance, one hand on my waist and the other holding my hand. This is the most uncomfortable I've been in my whole entire life.
"So Arabella I've seen you around the school. I'm your brother's friend. I've been meaning to talk to you."
"That's nice."
"You are very hard to get to know. Short with your answers, you are. Do you even know my name?"
"Yes. You are Dylan Hastings."
"Yeah, I am! Slytherin. Pureblood. Such a pleasure to meet you, Finally."
"Nice to meet you too."
"Nervous?"
Could he be any more self-confident? Confidence want a bad thing to have but he had way too much. "No, I just have nothing to say to you."
"Can I call you Bella?"
"No." I bluntly stated dropping his hands as the song came to end.
"Well, Arabella thank you for this dance. I enjoyed it very much. I look forward to seeing you at school."
I need to go wash my hands now.
***
I never did find Sirius after the little bit we had. I hope he's ok. It's been a couple of days and I haven't heard from him. I feel kind of bad.
But besides that, I am going to Evan's today. He's been writing me letters like every day. I think he's really excited.
I arrived at their house and he introduced me to his parents. "Mum, Dad this is Arabella Avery one of my best friends." Evan smiled from ear to ear.
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. and Mr. Rosier," I smiled at them.
"Isn't this the girl who got into Gryffindor?" His father said turning to his mother.
"Does that matter?" Evan's mum said talking back to his father. I felt like we shouldn't be there as they bickered about my worth. His father grunted and turned to smile at us.
"Glad to have you here Arabella."
It was fun at Evan's house we kind of just hung out after that little event with his parents. We talked and laughed. But that was pretty much the end of the break. Back to Hogwarts, we would go.
***
LAST DAY
I finished packing my things and headed downstairs. It's now the day we leave Hogwarts for the summer. I can't believe the first year is already over. It feels like just got back from winter break.
"Hello there sunshine," Sirius hopped off the couch and put an arm over my shoulder.
"What's with the nickname?" He only shrugged and hugged me.
"I'm gonna miss you."
"I'm going to miss you too," I tell him still hugging him. "You know you're still really annoying."
"Are you serious right now?"
"No, you're Sirius." I laughed letting go of him.
"Oh, that's good..." Sirius admitted, laughing.
"I know."
"Oi! What are we laughing about?" James asked running into the room.
"Just this joke Bella made up."
"Oh yeah, what was it?"
"It's not a really joke. You had to be there," I was laughing still.
"I wanna know." James pouted and crossed his arms.
"You had to be there Jamsie! If I get another chance to make that joke I'll say it ok?" I tell him
"Fine. Whatever," he whined.
"I have to go meet up with the girls and then we are going to head to the train. So I guess it's time to say goodbye." I tell them as Remus and Peter walk into the room.
"What?! No!" Remus said dropping half his things, "that's not fair I just got here."
"Yeah no!" James agreed. I turn to see Sirius nodding with them.
"You guys I have to go they're going to leave without me" I explained.
"Then they're not very good friends are they?"
I got pushed down by a hug. James was on top of me squeezing the crap out of me. That's when Sirius and Remus got on top of me too. Peter stood there thinking for a second but decided to join this painful hug.
"You guys this is like the second time this year you've tackled me into a hug." I was dying because I could not breathe. But my whining turned into me laughing uncontrollably. "I love you guys. But please let me go."
They all get off of me and wave saying their final goodbyes.
"See you next year," I said and I walked out to find the girls.
***
We were on the train headed to platform nine and three-quarters. The girls were laughing about something Marlene said. That's when Dylan Hastings opened the compartment door.
"Hello ladies," he said to all of us.
"Hello, Hastings. What do you need?" I rolled my eyes.
"Just need to talk to you."
"Ok, only for a second" We walked out of the compartment and entered an empty one.
"What is it?" I asked him a little on edge.
"Just wanted some quality time with my favorite Gryffindor" he answered.
What a cocky toe rag.
"Well if that's all. It's been enough time I'm going to go now"
He grabs my wrist and sits me back down.
"Excuse me! I'm going back." I yelled at him.
"No. Not yet. My other compartment is so boring. Please stay here for a little" he groaned.
So I stayed only for like 15 minutes. Then decided that I would finally go.
"What did that hunk want?" Marlene asked winking at me.
We all gave her the most judgemental face.
"What? Should I lie? He's cute let me be!" Marlene confessed defending herself.
"He was just bored so he wanted to hang out with me," I tell them.
"That's annoying" Lily pitched in.
"No kidding!" I answered, "he's getting on my nerves but I felt bad if I left."
"Yeah yeah. Whatever, we were talking about James and how Lily will not give him the time of day" Marlene changed the subject.
"Oop, that's true." I laughed. So we start talking about that instead laughing at Lily and her thoughts about James. She does think Remus is charming though. I don't blame her.
And that was the end of my first year. Couldn't have asked for a better one.
A/N: be prepared for a time skip to like the end of the school year cause I'm rushing to get to the fifth year. Also this chapter was really sad. so sorry!
Love y'all!
I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you so much for reading!
Aka Dylan Hastings is dylan o'brien