The last few weeks of school for the second year Gryffindors were stressful, to say the least. The exams were much harder than last years' and the professors were running around to all of them to make sure they had their extra classes for next year picked out. Belle chose Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy as she loved muggle math and always had a knack with animals.
Spring Holiday had gone over well, as Belle, Eileen, and Sirius had stayed at the castle. They didn't do much, never actually left the common room other than to eat and get a breath of fresh air on Wednesday. Nothing extraordinary happened, and Belle was completely okay with that.
Belle and Remus had managed to escape the other frazzled members of their friend group, who were all doing something last minute. Lily and Snape were off who-know's-where writing their Potions essay, James and Sirius were doing last minute revising, as it was Sunday, and Peter, Eileen, and Rose were all crammed in the library studying for their Herbology exam. Only Belle and Remus seemed to be perfectly caught up and studied.
The two had chosen to take a rather long walk around the campus, admiring it's beauty and taking in every last detail. Next year was going to be even more busy than this one was, with extra classes and more homework, but it also meant Hogsmeade, and being closer to becoming an upperclassmen. She couldn't wait until she was no longer looked down upon by the other students.
"Rose had her first kiss." Belle sighed, looking out at the lake as they passed by. Remus turned to the girl, nodding.
"James informed us. Said it was something brilliant."
"Really? Rose said it was disgusting."
Remus chuckled, furrowing his brows as he squinted from the harsh sun glaring into his brown eyes.
"Seems like our subjects had very different views on the topic."
"Yea. I hope whoever I have my first kiss with won't think of it as disgusting. That'd just crush me quicker than you can say disappointment." Belle chewed on the inside of her cheek. "It's going to be different next year."
"The classes will-"
"No. Not the classes- I mean, yea, there will be more work, but we are going to change."
"We didn't change last year, why would we now?" Remus asked.
"We'll be thirteen, well- I'll be thirteen. You're already an old geezer." Belle laughed, making Remus smile in return. It was true, his birthday was in March, so he'd already turned thirteen, but he didn't feel much different. It felt good to be a teeneger, mentally, but he truly didn't see a change.
"Some fifth years told me that everything changes in third year. Friendships break apart, relationships form, and lives start to path themselves out."
"Nothing will happen to us, Belle. Not if I have anything to do with it." Remus assured, shooting his friend a small smile. "I promise."
"Remus?" Belle turned to look at him, only to seeing him already looking at her.
"Hm?"
"Thanks for being my friend."
"It was my pleasure."
The train ride was scarily similar to last years, as in no-one wanted to depart. Belle had no want to go back home as she did last summer, all she wanted to do was stay with the people that loved her and made her smile, and right now, she wasn't feeling it with her father.
"Do we have to leave?" Eileen whispered, staring at the floor as the train pulled into the station. Sirius jabbed his thumb in her direction, agreeing with her.
"Sadly." Rose sighed, chewing on her lip.
"Thanks for everything this year guys." Belle spoke up, all eyes falling onto her. She scanned her friends' faces, her brain finally making the realization that she wouldn't be seeing the people she loved for two months. Two whole months she would be alone. She had her father, but she doubted he would offer much comfort. "Everyone will write, right?"
They all nodded, even the boys who she'd gotten quite close with over the past year.
"Promise?"
"I swear on my left pinkie finger." Rose nodded, making the group chuckle. Belle glanced out the window to her right, a smile on her face until she spotted her father, looking around with a gloomy expression on his face. She sighed as the group departed from each other, giving each other hugs and high-fives.
"Hey Papa." Belle said as she approached the man with her trunk.
"Hey Bookworm, how was school?"
"Fine." She spat out. She was still upset from her father telling her not to return for Christmas Break. She purposely stayed over Spring Holiday to make him feel bad about it, but her father didn't seem upset after all. He seemed off in his own world, something Belle wasn't okay with. She'd often been in her own little world, but her father was not one to daydream.
"You okay Papa?"
"Fine." He spoke gruffly, in the same tone she did. She frowned as she took his right arm, the two leaving Platform 9 and 3/4 for yet another year.
Summer was going terribly. It had only been two and a half weeks and her father had yet to utter more than five words every time he spoke to Belle. It was only to ask whats she wants for dinner or to do some chore he didn't feel like doing. Her father was becoming more and more of a slob and lazy.
Most people pitied him, as his wife had died, but Belle didn't. She had to get over her mother, one who had raised her and sang to every night since she was a baby. She was far closer to her mother than her father would every be, and he was taking her death way harder than Belle was. She grieved, she did, but she no longer let herself wallow in her own pity like her father. Been there, done that, over it.
She chewed the inside of her cheek as she scanned the letter from Sirius she'd just received. As promised, everyone had written her a letter, even Peter, and it made her spirits lift. She read each one twice to make sure she didn't miss anything before immediately replying back with her best ink and quill.
...Then I said to bugger off, too harsh? Nah, even Regulus is starting to get annoyed with that woman. She so bloody loud, I don't know how to deal with her! Anyways, my fourth cousin was born yesterday, and you'll never guess what they named him! Guess! Before you read the name, guess... Okay, so you guessed right? Now, for the reveal...
Elvendork. They named him Elvendork. What kind of a name is that?! I heard they were going to name the girl that if it was a girl...must be unisex.
Belle giggled at Sirius's letter as she winced from biting her cheek too hard.
"Belle, Maurice is here!" Her father called from downstairs. Belle's eyes snapped up to her open doorway as she abandoned her letter, her face racing down the stairs so fast she was sure she would trip. She steadied herself on the last step, taking a breath as she glanced up at Maurice. He grinned at her, opening his arms wide.
"Petal!"
"Maurice!"
"How's my favorite niece doing?"
"I'm your only niece." Belle rolled her eyes, already heard the joke many times before.
"That's why you're my favorite." She mouthed his response while he spoke, making Maurice raise a brow. "What, become a third year and suddenly my jokes are too lame for you?"
"Your jokes have always been lame, Maurice."
"Ouch, Bells. Right to the heart." He whispered, a feigned look of pain on his face. Belle giggled, pushing his shoulder.
"Where is it?" She asked, looking up to him with thoughtful eyes.
"You means this?" He laughed as he pulled open his coat, revealing a beautiful white rose, pure as snow.
"They get better and better Maurice." She grins, hugging her uncle. Her father stood off to the side, watching his brother-in-law and his daughter interact. He was happy she had someone who was good and happy in her life, but he also held a tinge of jealously for the fact that he could never make his daughter smile the way Maurice did. It didn't help that every time he saw Maurice he thought of Colette.
"I know, now go run off, I need to chat with your father." Belle nodded as she spun back around, glancing at her papa once before speeding up the stairs, rushing to find a vase to put her newest part of her collection in.
-- -- -- -- --
The yelling had been going on for weeks.
Her father and Maurice were obviously in different opinions about something and neither one wanted to give up their side. She hadn't been able to make out what they were yelling about, but it was something serious. The two had been having the same argument for most of the summer, and it was driving Belle absolutely mad. They couldn't seem to make up their minds about something or other and Belle wished nothing more than to not have to listen to the two bicker while she tried to fall asleep. After minutes and minutes of trying to burry her head under a pillow to block out the noise, she gave up, quietly tip-toeing down the stairs to go outside.
It was cold, making Belle regret her choice of not bringing her blanket with her. She took her usually spot on the back porch, sitting on the hammock her mother used to love. As her fingers ran over the knitted fabric she found herself remembering many times with her mother, thoughts and feelings flying past her head. Tears sprung to the corners of her eyes but she did let them spill. She was stronger than that.
What Belle feared had come true. She had changed over the summer, and from the letters from the girls, they did too. She had, as her father put it, 'become more womanly' over the summer. The talk her father gave her was awfully awkward and neither could look at each other for a few days after that. He had offered to take her to his mother, so she could explain it better, but Belle said she knew enough from Lily and the other girls to get by.
It was these times Belle really missed her mother.
She had also down appearance wise. Her hair was much longer than it had been at the beginning of summer and her face had thinned. She'd gotten paler, if it was possible, and her waist thinned out. But it seemed that the fat on her waist went other places, as she found herself with a slightly larger chest. She was now lanky and very skinny, a look she didn't exactly enjoy but didn't hate either.
As she stared out at the bright stars her thoughts were on her friends and how she would get to see them in a few weeks. Her birthday was two days away, meaning she had about two weeks left after that and then she was back to Hogwarts and away from the arguing. Finally, she was going back to her home away from home, which was now more of a home than her actual home now.
She just hoped nothing too drastic was going to happen this school year.
A/N: Not very happy with this chapter but oh well
Over 250 reads?! Even though I hate the number 250, that's totally awesome!!
-Hannah