DISLCAIMER
I do not own Harry Potter ... but if I did there would've been a more accurate representation of British boarding schools
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Sunday morning.
Breakfast.
Bel was staring straight ahead at the Gryffindor table where three friends sat.
At the current moment, they were her friends too.
But that remains to be seen.
It all depended on the outcome of the conversation she was about to offer to them.
"Bel? Are you listening to me?" Tia said from her left.
"Appears distant ... deep in thought. Distressed even. I'm jotting that down to report to Professor Sprout next week", Cedric teased from where he was sat to her right.
"I chose you to watch me because I didn't think you would take it too seriously", Bel complained.
"I don't know what made you think that. I am taking this very seriously. The way I see it, your life is in my hands. I'm watching your every move", Cedric said before ruffling her hair and standing up.
"Stay out of trouble, May", he called out as the third year smugly walked out of the Great Hall.
"Sorry, Tia, what were you saying?" Bel asked, snapping back into her other conversation.
"I was telling you of all the different ways I should hex you for losing us 10 house points. If you're supposed to be part of all four houses, can't they split it up at least? 2.5 points from each", Tia continued her complaining.
It had started after Bel told her friends about the outcome of her meeting with Dumbledore and the other staff members.
Needless to say, Tia wasn't happy.
She was a dear friend to Bel. But sometimes her competitive nature can cause her to become a bit ... snappy.
"Well, then I'd be hated by everyone. I'd rather it just be you who's mad at me because you can't stay that way forever", Bel said with a sweet tone and a wink.
Tia rolled her eyes, but the accompanying smile told Bel she was right.
And out of the corner of her eye, Bel saw the three Gryffindors stand to leave.
"I'll see you guys later", Bel quickly said as she pretty much jumped up from her seat and bolted over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
By the time she reached them, they were at the entrance of the hall.
"Hey!" Bel said as she ran in front of them, stopping them in their tracks.
The cold looks she received were a result of a talk the three had had.
They had decided that Bel was hiding something.
If she was being secretive and distant, so would they.
"I need to talk to you three", Bel said.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione all exchanged looks before nodding at Bel to let her know they did too.
"Not here, though", Bel added, seeing the three remain still.
"I've always wanted to go into the Hufflepuff common room", Ron said quickly.
Of course he would. It was right next to the kitchens.
"I think that can be arranged. Follow me", Bel said as she turned on her heel and led the three Gryffindors towards Hufflepuff basement where the entrance to their common room was located.
Not a word was exchanged between the four the entire time.
"Go on then, what's the password?" Ron asked as they approached the barrels.
Bel was about to tell her friends that they don't have a password, instead they tap a rhythm onto the Barrels.
But she was already on thin ice with Tia.
Telling three Gryffindors the secret to their common room might actually result in her getting hexed.
It might not be fair that Bel was allowed to know the entrance secrets to the other house common rooms, but the heads of those houses had made her swear not to go around spreading the word.
But she was a Hufflepuff first, and she didn't like the idea of Gryffindors knowing how to get into her common room.
So, to cover her tracks, Bel discreetly moved up to the correct barrel, tapping the correct rhythm on the correct spot as she covered it up with her body, all while saying "Sugar and Spice", for absolutely no reason.
The barrels all moved aside to reveal the marvellous Hufflepuff common room.
Bel walked into the golden light and scent of freshly baked bread and cookies, mixed with watered plants.
When she turned around, she saw the looks of amazement on the Gryffindors faces.
"This is so not fair", Harry muttered under his breath as he looked around.
"Can you smell that? It's heavenly in here. Why don't we get this stuff?" Ron added as he walked further in towards the centre of the room.
"Look at all these books! They're not in the library", Hermione exclaimed, approaching the bookshelves.
"Does the Gryffindor common room not look like this?" Bel asked.
"Not at all", Harry said flatly, still taking it all in.
It reminded Bel of her initial reaction to the beautiful room.
"I'm sure you'll see it one day", Harry added.
Oh, she would.
Soon.
And she didn't need them to get in.
"Up to any trouble, May?" the voice of Cedric called out as he walked into the common room from the dormitories with two of his friends.
"No. I'm on my best behaviour", Bel said innocently with a smile.
"It doesn't look like it to me. Bringing three Gryffindors into our common room. I'm writing that down", Cedric said as he shook his head.
"Don't! It's an emergency", Bel pleaded.
Cedric glanced between the three Gryffindors who had stopped looking around and were now huddled together in the centre of the room.
"I'll let you off this time. But they better not be here when I get back from quidditch practice", Cedric said.
"You said I could come along next time you played quidditch", Bel replied with a hint of an annoyed whine to her voice.
"And I meant it, but it looks like you're rather busy with an emergency. I'll come and find you next time I promise", Cedric responded before exiting the common room.
Bel let out a disappointed sigh.
She was desperate to get back on a broomstick.
After watching Harry's game, she was slightly annoyed that she wasn't playing already.
But what she had to do was much more important than flying.
"This way", Bel said to the three Gryffindors.
She led them through a small archway to a closed off table that she sat on with Riley and Ollie every day.
It was intended to be a study table of sorts, where you could do your homework in peace.
"Well, sit down", Bel offered when she saw her three friends pause at the head of the table.
It was a circular wooden table, with cushioned wooden chairs, surrounded by a wall of tall plants, a few candles floating up in the centre to provide light.
Bel took her own seat and the three Gryffindors looked at her expectantly.
"I haven't been totally honest with you all", she started.
"Well duh ..."
"We noticed ..."
"Obviously ..."
The three Gryffindors all spoke over each other.
"There's a good reason. I swear. Just, let me talk and when I'm done you can ask any questions you like and I will answer every one with complete honesty", Bel said.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione all nodded.
"Ok. Where to begin? Dumbledore's lessons. He isn't finding my family that was a lie. The truth is that ... he's teaching me wandless magic. I have to learn how to do it because of this", Bel started, and she placed her wand onto the table.
"My wand is different to yours. To everyone's. It has a mind of its own. And that mind is ... corrupted. In simple terms, it's evil. It wants to be used for dark magic. And it has the power to do it. It talks to me, toys with me, tempts me into performing spells that will do terrible things. That's how I was able to take down the troll, that's how I was able to succeed in charms class. The wand tells me what to do.
"But Dumbledore says that I need to control it. To keep my wand in line. Learning wandless magic will help me do that because it needs to be used. If I am able to perform magic without it, it will compromise with me. It will listen to me.
"But ... and here's why I didn't tell you ... it chose me because I'm its equal. I might fail. I might lose control and give into its temptations. I already have. It's torture. It's exhausting. But if I don't succeed ... I might turn into one of those bad wizards that come from Slytherin.
"And I think it's already happening. I went into the forbidden forest. I've been told by Dumbledore and the other teachers that I'm part Slytherin. The hat said it was from my heritage. I don't know my family, I don't know if they were evil. I don't know who's sending me weird notes that are telling me that they're watching my every move. I don't know how to cope with everything at the same time.
"I didn't ask for the wand to choose me, but I can't get rid of it. I could become the burden that the hat said I could be. And all I can think about is the fact that I thought my life here would be better than my old one, but somehow, it's worse.
"I didn't want to tell you because I thought that you'd think I was evil too, like the wand is. But I'm not and I'm trying my best not to listen to it. I never had real friends before. But I can understand if you're angry. All I'm trying to say is I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
Bel had found herself begin to tear up towards the end of her massive rant.
Each word lifted a new weight off her shoulders.
The entire time she hadn't dared look into the eyes of her three friends.
She was already so worked up from her confession to them that if she had to see their disappointment in her, she would break down.
"Please don't hate me", Bel whispered under her breath as she stared at the table.
The next thing that happened was something she didn't expect.
Two arms were around her, pulling her into a tight hug.
It was Harry.
Hermione had gotten up from her seat and walked around to join the hug, resting her head on Bel's shoulder.
Ron then joined in, making sure not one part of his body touched Hermione.
The four stayed in a tight group hug for a while.
"We don't hate you", Harry whispered just before they all returned to their seats.
"You ... don't?" Bel said with a small sniffle as she tried to hold back her tears.
"Of course we don't", Hermione replied.
"I think it's wicked that you have an evil wand. Learning wandless magic is pretty cool too", Ron said with a smile as he analysed Bel's wand on the table.
"There's not a chance in the world that this wand will control you. Not ever", Harry added.
"It's too early to tell ...", Bel started before Hermione cut her off.
"No way. It's never going to happen. You couldn't possibly be a dark witch. You're the nicest person I know."
Bel could feel her heart growing about a hundred sizes.
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Harry asked.
"You already have helped", Bel replied with a smile.
It was true.
This is what Dumbledore had meant.
Friends can help.
Because they remind you of the things that you forget.
They reminded her that she wasn't alone.
That she would succeed.
And that's exactly what she needed.
"Don't tell anyone else, though. You three are the only ones that know. I'm planning on telling Riley and Ollie at some point soon", Bel said, and her three friends nodded in agreement of her request.
"It would be hilarious to see the look on Malfoy's face when he heard that you owned a dark wand", Ron said.
"He'd probably use it as leverage to ask you to be his friend ... again", Harry added.
"Probably", Bel said with a small chuckle.
The next hour consisted of them talking through every secret Bel was keeping from them that was of note.
Well, almost every secret.
She left out the clearing she had found.
She left out pretty much all information about her past, they already knew the bare minimum and that was enough.
What she did fill them in on was her experience with Firenze, the meeting with Dumbledore, the fact that she was now allowed in the different common rooms and on duties with Hagrid, and the notes she had received.
"Merlin ... and I thought our lives were complicated because of this whole Snape thing", Ron said as Bel finally finished explaining.
"That's another thing! The issue with Professor Snape and Fluffy and the mysterious trap door. I've been giving it some thought. Dumbledore never mentioned Nicholas Flamel to me, but I think that if we –", Bel started before she was cut off.
"Bel ... you have a lot going on right now. Perhaps you let us look into Nicholas Flamel", Hermione said.
"No way am I letting you three do this by yourselves. Hagrid said it was dangerous. Firenze said I have danger heading my way. Maybe this is what he meant. My point is, I can help", Bel pushed back.
"Fine. But at least for the time being, we will put this whole thing on hold ... unless something happens. We will all look into Nicholas Flamel. Bel, try and mention it to Dumbledore. The three of us will ask around and look in the library. But that's it", Harry instructed.
The other three nodded.
"You guys should probably get out of here before Cedric gets back. I don't need to hear about more things that he's supposedly going to report to Professor Sprout", Bel said.
"That's another reason why I think you should let us handle this one. You're being monitored", Hermione pointed out as she stood up.
"Oh, Cedric isn't actually going to report me for anything. That's why I recommended him to be my mentor. Trust me, unless I do something totally and completely out of line, he won't say a thing", Bel said with confidence.
"Alright. I believe you. But be careful around him", Hermione replied, walking away from the table.
"I will", Bel said, following her path.
As they reached the entrance, Ron and Hermione both said their goodbyes and that they would see her tomorrow in class.
"You know ... if you want to practice at quidditch ... I could, maybe, help you with that", Harry said as he glanced down at the floor.
"Really? I might just take you up on your offer, Potter", Bel replied with a smile.
"Don't call me Potter, you sound like Malfoy", Harry quickly said with a distasteful tone and expression.
"Ew. You're right", Bel said with a scoff. "But I think learning from the seeker from my team will be more beneficial."
"Are you saying that he's better than I am?" Harry asked. Slightly sarcastically, but also seriously.
"You haven't played Hufflepuff yet, Harry."
"So if I catch the snitch when we play Hufflepuff, you'll agree to let me teach you?"
"Maybe", Bel said with a smile.
"Noted. I'll ... see you tomorrow", Harry said before hurrying after Hermione and Ron.
Bel slumped herself down in one of the soft and fairly large armchairs that pretty much swallowed her whole.
She couldn't hold back her smile.
She still had her three friends.
And they still trusted her.
Not only could she finally cross something off her list, but it had turned out extremely well.
Much to the dismay of the little voice in her head.
For what it didn't anticipate was the fact that Harry, Ron, and Hermione cared about Bel.
And they always would.
Despite all of the trouble that she would cause.
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Shorter chapter which I hate but like also it melted my heart <3