e i g h t
The next day in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Hermione knew that she was going to keep a very close eye on Belle. The girl was different, that's for sure, and if she really did come from the Praevideat family, she could see everyone and everything that had died during the war.
If she could, Hermione understood why she hadn't told anyone. With the vast amount of those that had perished during the war, hundreds of people would probably give a limb to talk to Belle, just to speak to their loved one. Of course, Hermione didn't understand how the entire Clairvoyancy thing worked, but she figured that if Belle trusted her enough to tell her, then she would ask questions.
"Morning," Belle greeted the trio quietly, sliding into the seat that Harry had saved her.
"Morning, Belle," Hermione smiled at the Ravenclaw girl. Ron gave her a cheery grin and Harry just gave her a small smile. She returned it, the pair staring at each other for a moment before looking away, Belle becoming slightly flustered while Harry's cheeks reddened.
Ron and Hermione saw this exchange and glanced at each other in confusion. Ron had told the brunette that Harry had run out of the common room last night, but he had no idea what happened after that.
Had they met up, perhaps? Hermione wondered. Had something happened?
No, she thought. They've known each other for just over a month and besides, Harry had Ginny, right?
"What d'you suppose we'll be learning today?" Ron asked Belle curiously. Defence Against the Dark Arts had become one of his favourite subjects and he had taken a liking towards Professor Frenche, or Clarice, as she preferred to be called.
"No idea. Clarice wouldn't tell me," Belle replied. It was true, Belle had asked her sister plenty of times about what they would be learning over the next few weeks as she had dropped a few, subtle hints that it would be exciting.
"Good morning everyone!" Clarice burst through the doors to the classroom, waving her wand. Immediately, the books that each of the students had placed on their desks were whisked back into their bags and the desks piled themselves in the corner of the room.
"You won't be needing books or desks today," Clarice informed the students as they all stood up. The chairs followed the desks and were stacked neatly on one side of the room, leaving the floor open and spacey.
"Ooh, I love practical lessons," Hermione said eagerly as Clarice smiled at the students.
"Over the course of the next few weeks, you're going to be receiving a very large amount of homework from each of your teachers to get you ready for your NEWT exams. Now, I know you've probably heard this speech in every class but your NEWTs determine what career you go into once leaving Hogwarts. If you want to become an Auror or a Hit Witch or Wizard, it's incredibly important that you do well in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Therefore, over the next few months, rather than asking you to write down the properties of spells or hexes, you're going to be learning them. You're at liberty to choose whatever spells you want, so long as your partner, who will remain your partner, is okay with it. Your homework is only to perfect the spells you have chosen to study." A few of the students cheered at this and many of them had large grins on their faces as outbreaks of excited chatter rippled throughout the class.
"You may choose your partners and I will be here to assist you in any way possible. Be warned, any dangerous charms such as the Unforgivable Curses or anything that may seriously harm another student will not be permitted. If said spells are to be used, it will result in endless detentions, even expulsion."
"I never want to use an Unforgivable Curse again," Harry muttered quietly. Hermione and Ron seemed to know exactly what Harry was talking about, but Belle was clueless as to what he meant. She, however didn't question it, knowing that it was probably something he didn't want to talk about.
"You may choose your partners and a list of recommended spells will be up on the blackboard," Clarice called, waving her wand. In white, cursive writing, a large list of hexes, charms and spells appeared on the board, their name, wand movement and a short description of what the said spell does was written neatly for everyone to see.
"Hey, Harry! Want to be my partner?" A familiar voice called from behind Belle and she turned to see Rhylee McAllister, one of her old best friends beaming brightly at the dark-haired wizard. Ron and Hermione, who had agreed to go together, glanced between Belle and Rhylee, watching as the dark-haired girl took a step backwards.
"Er, no thanks. I've already got a partner," he replied awkwardly. Rhylee looked over at Belle with an expression of disgust.
"I hope you don't mean Belle. Ever since her Emilia left her and died she's been wallowing in self-pity and hasn't once reached out to her so-called best friends to see if they were okay. She was our friend too, you know." These words hurt about as much as being stabbed with the Sword of Gryffindor. Belle felt her knees tremble slightly, but she stepped forward towards the tall girl.
"I suggest you leave us, Rhylee, before I end up using a spell I'm not supposed to, on you." Belle narrowed her eyes dangerously at the black-haired girl.
"No you won't. You weren't put in Gryffindor for a reason. You're a Ravenclaw, a coward."
"Then what does that make you?" Belle asked, stumping the girl. She opened her mouth a few times, before shutting it, growling slightly at the girl and walking off. Belle ran a hand through her hair, letting out a deep breath before turning around.
"I'm really sorry about that," Belle said quietly, feeling extremely awkward.
"You're small," Ron announced suddenly, causing Belle to do a double take.
"I-what?"
"You're small but you're real scary, you know that?" The group of four was quiet for a moment, before Hermione started to laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. This set Ron off and Belle couldn't help the smile that crept its way onto her lips. Harry had a smile on his face as he watched his friends, shaking his head slightly at them.
"So, partners?" Belle asked once their laughter had ceased and Harry nodded.
"Be warned, Lockhart was an amazing teacher in our second year and taught me how to duel excellently," Belle told the dark-haired boy as they pulled their wands out of their pockets. Both Harry and Ron turned to Belle with horrified expressions on their faces. Belle snickered, aiming her wand at Harry.
"I'm only kidding. Stupefy!"
***
Once Defence Against the Dark Arts had finished, Hermione decided to talk to Belle and cornered the girl when she had finished speaking to her sister after class.
"Hey, Belle, can I talk to you for a moment?" Hermione asked and Belle nodded.
"Of course. What's up?"
"So, er, about a month ago when you were going to talk to Professor McGonagall, I kind of heard you talking in the corridor." Belle's face paled at this.
"I-I," she started to stutter.
"You're a Clairvoyant, aren't you? The only living one from the Praevideat family?" Hermione questioned. Belle looked as though she was about to pass out.
"It's okay," Hermione reassured the girl. Belle sighed and ran a hand though her curly hair, before nodding.
"Yes," she replied quietly.
"Hermione, you can't tell anyone, please. Only you, Luna, Clarice and Professor McGonagall know and for now, I want to keep it that way." Belle pleaded and Hermione placed her hand on Belle's shoulder.
"Belle, I'm not going to tell anyone," she said softly, causing Belle to look up at her in confusion.
"Er, you're not?"
"Not unless you want me to. I can understand why you'd want to keep it a secret in the first place," she explained. Belle let out a sigh of relief, feeling extremely thankful towards the brunette Gryffindor.
"Thank you, really." Hermione smiled kindly at Belle, before hesitating slightly.
"If it's alright to ask..." she trailed off and Belle smiled slightly.
"You want to know if I can see Fred? Or any of the friends you lost?" Belle asked and Hermione nodded sheepishly.
"If it's alright, of course." Hermione replied.
"Remus was watching the entire lesson," she started.
"He was standing up by my mother the whole time. Clarice didn't get the Clairvoyancy trait, so she can't see them, but because she comes from a long line of them, she can sense if someone's in the room that others can't see," Belle explained.
"I've talked to Fred many times. He was the one I was talking to when we bumped into each other in the hallway." Hermione's laugh was slightly watery and Belle saw that the witch had tears in her eyes.
"He still hasn't figured out that Remus, Sirius and James are three of those who created the Marauders Map. Fred was telling me about how he found it when I was going to Professor McGonagall."
"You've seen Harry's parents?" Hermione asked in awe and Belle smiled, nodding.
"Yeah. James looks almost identical to Harry. It's quite scary actually - I thought it was Harry the first time he showed up. That was right after our fourth year, after Cedric died," Belle explained.
"You'd love Lily. She's incredibly kind and just as smart as you," Belle said, causing Hermione to scoff, but a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"Tonks, Sirius, Lavender, Dumbledore, Snape, Mad-Eye Moody, some house elf called Dobby, they're all okay," Hermione sniffled a few times, wiping the tears away with her sweater sleeve.
"And what about your girlfriend? Emilia, is that right?" Hermione asked quietly, realizing that it was still a touchy subject for Belle who looked down.
"I haven't seen her," Belle replied quietly.
"I'm sorry," Hermione told the girl who only smiled weakly.
"It's okay. I've got the others to keep me company."
"If it's alright to ask, what was it that you were asking Professor McGonagall that day? Oh, and also, what was it exactly that Fred was doing?" Belle laughed at this.
"Fred was imitating you and Ron kissing rather intimately behind your back," Hermione blushed bright red at this, "and I went to see Professor McGonagall because earlier on that week Fred was able to move my cassette player from my bedside table and onto the floor." Hermione furrowed her eyebrows at this.
"But spirits can't have any physical contact with anyone or anything in the materialistic realm, can they?" Hermione asked and Belle shook her head.
"No. Professor McGonagall explained that it was just his spirit getting stronger as he's spent so much time around myself. I think it might have also been because of his strong emotions. He was incredibly frustrated because he couldn't move the quill I'd set out for him to practice on and when he had yelled at it, it embedded itself in the wall just beside my head." Belle explained.
"That's rather strange..." Hermione trailed off, her mind going over everything.
"It's a lot to take in, I know," Belle laughed softly at Hermione who was mouthing words, trying to wrap her brain around everything that Belle had just told her.
"You're able to see everyone who died during the war, right?" Hermione asked after a moment and Belle nodded.
"Yes."
"I hate to ask this, but have you, at any point, seen... him? Voldemort?" Hermione whispered the last word, not knowing how it was going to effect the girl. Thankfully, she had no reaction to the name and shook her head.
"Thankfully not. I can only see the spirits that present themselves to me while I'm awake. The only ones I'm able to see are those who haven't yet passed over into their afterlives in the Underworld. While I'm asleep, however, I heard once from my grandmother that it's possible for Clairvoyants to enter the spiritual realm while they're asleep to interact with the dead. Thankfully, I haven't had to experience that yet."
"Does that mean Voldemort could rise once more?" Hermione asked, slight fear in her voice.
"I don't know," Belle replied honestly. "The chances of it happening are very slim as it hasn't happened in thousands of years, but, I suppose, if it really come down to it, it's possible. He'd need a proper body to come back to, however, and seeing as his is who-knows-where it's unlikely. But, hopefully he's in the pits of Tartarus, burning with his Death Eaters at this very moment." Hermione seemed relaxed at this and sent Belle a small smile.
"Thank you for telling me this," she thanked the curly-haired girl who only smiled.
"Well, I didn't have much of a choice, did I?" The two girls laughed softly at this before setting off towards the Great Hall. As they had a free period, Hermione invited Belle to sit with them at the Gryffindor table. Seeing as there were barely any other students around, Belle agree.
"Hey, Belle," Ron greeted when the girl took a seat opposite him, next to Hermione.
"Hey Ron, Harry," she replied, tucking her bag down at her feet so it wouldn't get in the way.
"What took you so long?" Harry asked curiously.
"Hermione and I wanted to ask Clarice about a couple of spells that weren't on the list. We just wanted to make sure they were safe to use," Belle replied smoothly. Hermione blinked at the sudden lie, but realised that coming up with excuses as to why she was staring at something that wasn't there, or talking quietly to herself, was something she had become very used to at this point in time.
"Can I ask you a question?" Ron asked Belle curiously as she picked up a bread roll. She nodded her head once and gestured for him to go on.
"Was Emilia your girlfriend?" Belle froze, her roll halfway to her lips and Hermione sent him a disapproving look.
"Ronald!" She hissed, knowing it was a sensitive topic for the young woman. Belle however, gave Hermione a weak smile.
"It's okay," she replied quietly.
"It's been a few months, I should probably start to move on."
"You don't have to," Harry spoke, his tone the same, quiet one as Belle's.
"I know I haven't and I never met my Mum and Dad." Hermione and Belle's eyes met and a surge of guilt ran through Belle's veins.
She had spoken to Lily and James more than Harry would ever get to.
"Yes, Ron. She was." She broke off a piece of bread, but at the sudden loss of her appetite, she decided just to roll it in her fingers and watch as the crumbs danced along the table, before coming to a complete stop.
"Was she smart?" Ron asked once more and with another disapproving look from Hermione, the red-headed boy shut his mouth and looked down at his plate.
"She was incredibly smart," Belle replied.
"History of Magic was her favourite class, though I've got no idea how. She and I... we'd planned on going in to the teaching business together. She always said she was going to take over Binn's position once she was able to and turn it into lesson everyone would be excited about going to. I didn't understand how, seeing as I almost fell asleep every lesson, but she sounded so excited about it that I never dared to doubt her. I swear she knew more about Goblins and Ogres than Binn's himself. She never would have gotten the chance to anyway - her parents were Pureblood elitists and she ended up joining... joining him during the battle. R-Professor Lupin was the one who took her down, just before Dolohov got him. Flitwick and I finished him off right after."
It was clear that the two had been very close and the loss of the girl had hit Belle hard. But, from what Harry, Ron and Hermione could all see, the young Ravenclaw was dealing with it. She glanced up at Harry who was frowning and she sighed quietly.
Hermione, after talking to Belle in the corridor, had realised just how mentally strong she was. Hermione knew that if she were the one to be seeing the dead spirits of friends and family and classmates that had died, she would go mad. Belle, however, seemed to have taken a different approach it and had befriended the dead, rather than try to push them away.
"I'm sorry," Ron said suddenly.
"I shouldn't have asked."
"No," Belle shook her head immediately.
"You were curious, that's not a crime. I suppose it was nice to finally talk about her after trying to pretend she never existed. It's all I wanted to do after she tried killing me, but... but I'm alive and here and that's what matters."
Hermione, Ron and Harry were all quiet, each one of them admiring the strength that the girl had. Her girlfriend had betrayed her, joined Voldemort and tried killing her but yet there she sat without a single tear on her face because every day got easier and easier. It had been just over eight months since the war and whilst she still found it harder to talk about on some days, Belle was slowly getting better and that was what mattered.