( CLUELESS )
✧*
IT'S WEIRD ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO NORMALITY WHEN BELLE'S worries are just rising higher and higher, and soon enough she is going to leave this castle and find her parents herself. That is crazy so she would never actually do it, where would she even start? Maybe if she could get some information out of Mrs Weasley about where they went for their mission, she could start looking around that area (good luck with that). How will she get there? She doesn't know, but she would get there somehow, to guide her parents back to their home, so that they can spend Christmas, and New Years, and Easter, all together once again, they could even do a redo of Christmas, so it is like they never even missed it. Oh, one can dream...
On the morning after she arrived back from Grimmauld Place, while she is getting ready for the day ahead, Hannah comes up to her, which is weird because they haven't spoken since the walk back from the meeting after Belle and Ernie's date. They room together, so they have talked, just not as often, and not in the way they did before Hannah took Ernie's side (she doesn't blame Hannah for it, what she did was awful), and it has sucked. Belle misses her friend, she misses having someone in her house to confide in, and she should have been the one going to Hannah.
When she thinks about their friendship last year, about how they used to accompany each other to every class they were in together and going on Hogsmeade trips when Ginny couldn't, and just being around each other when no one else was available. Things have changed; why do things have to change? Why can't everything just stay the same, instead of her parents going missing, her friendships changing?
"Can I talk to you?" Hannah asks, to which Belle nods, and Hannah takes a seat on her bed. It seems obvious for her to be the one apologizing, but she can't bring herself to say it. "Well, I shouldn't have taken sides, firstly. I've been worried about you, there has been a bit of talk about your parents. And I've missed you." Hannah finishes.
Belle looks at her for a moment, thinking about the fact that there has been talk about her parents, what is that supposed to mean? Only a few people know that her parents are missing—how has anyone else found out?
"I've missed you, too, but, um, what do you mean by there's been talk about my parents?" she says, and Hannah sighs.
"Well...you did go to the Weasley's over the holidays, so Ernie was suspicious, and he started asking around because he thought something was going on. Well, Elliott told him," says Hannah.
"Do you mean Amelia's boyfriend?" she responds, and slowly, Hannah nods.
"It seems like a few people know because Elliott said so."
"I mean, I'm sure Amelia wouldn't mind, she never does when rumours are going around about her...it's usually me who is annoyed by it," her sister has a habit of wanting people to talk about her, but that is usually things like her latest boyfriend, not her parents disappearing.
"Yeah. Well, we better get down to breakfast before class starts, do you want to walk down together?" Hannah asks.
Belle stands up, with Hannah following close behind her. She doesn't know what to think, but Amelia has the right to confide in her friends and boyfriend, right? It would be hypocritical for her to say that it isn't because she's been telling her friends, too, but the fact that Elliott has been telling people doesn't sit right with her.
The two of them sit down at the house table, and she doesn't feel very hungry after hearing all of that information, but she grabs a piece of toast anyway. Hannah's owl flies down as soon as Belle reaches for a slice, dropping what she recognises as The Daily Prophet, to which Hannah unfolds and reads through the front page. She started getting it sent to her because of all of the rumours going on, and because of Harry's situation, so it isn't a surprise to Belle at all.
"Goodness..." Hannah says, and in need of a distraction, Belle leans over to see what she is reading. Her eyes scan over the article, which states that the Ministry of Magic announced late last night that there has been a massive breakout from Azkaban and that Cornelius Fudge confirmed that ten high-security prisoners escaped in the early hours of the evening. Her mind instantly jumps to her parents, who are possibly out there, somewhere, and now some of their worst enemies have escaped. And not only that, but Sirius is being blamed.
It sends shivers down her spine.
"That can't be right, can it? How can a bunch of high-security prisoners escape from Azkaban? Dementors are quite scary, you know," Belle explains, moving away from Hannah's open newspaper, returning to her partially eaten toast. "Unless the dementors like, helped or something. That's crazy, though."
"Yeah, that is crazy," Hannah responds, folding the newspaper and filling a bowl with cereal. "Maybe Sirius gave them a few tips? He escaped just fine, so maybe he shared his secret with them or something. It makes sense."
She doesn't want to out Sirius, so she just nods, remembering the words he exchanged to her about her mother before they left yesterday, wishing that she had talked to him a little more, to make sure he would do his best to find her parents. She looks over at the Ravenclaw table in search for her sister, who she finds happily beside Elliott, engaged in some kind of conversation. She spots the necklace around her neck, and even though she isn't feeling the greatest this morning, that certainly lifts her spirits.
And her spirits come down the same way they came up because now she is thinking about the fact that all the prophet can talk about is terrible people when her parents are out there, missing, and no one seems to give a damn (and yes, she said damn, because it is necessary). Those people could be out there trying to find her parents, and what is everyone in The Order doing? Nothing. Sirius can't do anything, her friends can't do anything, the only people who can do anything aren't doing anything.
"I think Ernie tried to get it out of him, I don't think he would go around telling people," says Hannah, noticing Belle's line of vision.
"He's her boyfriend, he shouldn't be spilling her secrets like that. Even if Ernie tried to get it out of him," she says, and soon enough, the people left with classes to get to start getting up from their seats. She didn't finish her toast, but she figures she can make it up at lunch, and if she doesn't make it to class now, she'll be late. But she has bigger things on her mind than schoolwork, and exams, all of those things seem irrelevant now, considering her situation. And her friends' situations.
✧*
"Did you have a nice time at the Weasley's?" Violet asks when Belle sits down beside her in the Arithmancy classroom. Hermione is sitting beside Violet, her textbooks already open and ready for their lesson ahead, a slight frown on her face. This is her first time speaking with Violet since before Christmas, and after what Ginny told her over the holidays, she is unsure whether she should ask the two whether or not they are dating. But, she refrains, because that seems a bit too personal, and, how awkward would it be if it isn't true?
"It was good. Did you have a nice Christmas?" says Belle, pulling out her textbook and ink, laying both out on the table in front of her, she knows her notes will probably be non-existent.
"It was whatever, as usual. I think next year I should spend it at the Weasley's, too, everyone is always going there." Violet says, to which Belle smiles because that is sort of true. Well, it is true, who is she kidding?
"I did ask, you know," Hermione adds, side-eyeing Violet.
Violet rolls her eyes, but more in a playful way than anything, because she is smiling along with it. "You know why I can't come, love. And I'm better off without all of the calories."
"It was really fun. And there's a lot of good food," Belle says just as Professor Septima Vector enters the classroom, causing her and Hermione to go silent (this always bothers Violet).
For the whole lesson, Belle attempts to catch signs of Hermione and Violet's relationship. But, as usual, all Hermione does is focus on writing her notes, and Violet stares off into space while occasionally writing something down in her book. No indication that...anything is happening between them, and hasn't it always been like this, for the past year and a half? How did Ginny catch that? She is the one who has classes with them, wouldn't she know? She wonders if maybe she isn't as present as she thinks she is, because of all of this time she has believed something is going on between Hermione and Ron when something else is going on right in front of her.
In the end, she decides not to worry about it, until something weird happens—first, Violet asks if she can go to the bathroom, and after five minutes pass, Hermione puts her hand up and asks to go to the bathroom as well, which she doesn't find strange, because it isn't the first time that has happened. And before, she hasn't thought much of it, and when their teacher asks her to go get them, she goes without a second thought. And Hermione's hair is always a mess afterwards...
"Belle, do you mind going and checking on Violet and Hermione? They've been gone for quite a while." Professor Septima Vector asks after fifteen minutes have passed, to which she nods, and leaves her seat.
The closest bathroom is the one at the end of the Third Floor, the one Hermione and Violet always go to. She decides that when she finds them, she'll ask them what is going on, and hopefully find some sort of answer, because if it is true, then Ron is completely free...not like that matters (oh, it does). She heads down the corridor, which is empty because everyone is in their classes, and once she reaches the bathroom, as always, the door is shut. It isn't locked because there is no lock on the other side, so Belle pushes it open, and as soon as she realises what she is seeing, her hands fly over her eyes.
"Oh, it's just you," Violet says.
"How are you not freaking out? You freaked out when Ginny caught us!" says Hermione.
"Yeah, but Belle's different. She won't tell anyone."
"Is the coast clear?" Belle interrupts, slowly uncovering her eyes.
Violet looks at her. "We were just snogging, you know. Wasn't that graphic."
"I just didn't want to interrupt...with my eyes." At least now Belle doesn't have to have an awkward conversation with them. And to her, Violet looks happy, and she has been like that for a while, even with everything going on...
"Ginny wouldn't tell either, would she, Belle?" Hermione asks.
She shrugs. "She told me..."
"Told you." Violet looks at Hermione, who just smiles.
"Professor wants you two back in class, though," Belle says, to which the three of them leave the bathroom and head back in the direction of the classroom. While Hermione and Violet begin bickering again, her thoughts wander, especially to the thought of a specific red-head, and this time it isn't Ginny. How can she think about that while her parents are missing, while her sister's boyfriend is spreading their business? It makes her feel selfish.
"You're not, like, weirded out by it, right?" Violet asks when Hermione enters the classroom before them.
"What? No, no way. I'm cool with it." she responds, and Violet nods before following Hermione.
For the rest of the lesson, Belle thinks about how glad she is that Violet and Hermione are happy together, and she wishes that she could have that happiness, as well.
After Arithmancy finishes, and her next class, Divination, is over, she uses her lunch break to have a quick bite to eat and to spend the rest of her time studying. After the Azkaban news, students have been even more worried than before, and she uses studying as her way to get her mind off of everything going on around her. It couldn't be that serious, could it? They'll catch the people who escaped...right?
The next DA meeting is held shortly after the news, and because of it, everyone is working harder than ever, which means that there is less chatter between her and Ron, which disappoints her for some reason. But the DA isn't meant for jokes and fun, it's serious, so Belle puts her heart and soul into every spell that she hasn't perfected. She even notices Violet getting better, as she knows that Violet only really comes to spend time with Hermione.
At the end of the meeting, after everyone is dismissed and she is about to leave with Hannah, Ron calls her name.
"Belle, uh, can I talk to you for a second? Won't take long..."
"Of course. I'll just meet you back in the common room, Hannah," she says, and Hannah looks between the both of them.
"Are you sure you don't want me to wait for you?" Hannah responds.
Ron interrupts. "That's okay, I'll walk her back. It might take more than a second."
He waits until Hannah is gone, taking her to the side so they are far enough away from Harry, Hermione and Violet, all of whom are in some kind of conversation. Harry seems to be teaching Violet the right way to do a spell. Ron doesn't say anything when they are finally alone.
"So, what do you want to talk about?" Belle asks, noticing that for some reason, he looks nervous, which in turn, is making her nervous.
"I was just going to ask if you wanted to—um—hang out on the Hogsmeade trip, you know, the one that's coming up." he finishes, looking at her in anticipation.
"Yeah, sure. I don't have any plans, so, that would be nice." she smiles, wondering why he was so nervous about that, like, how many times have they hung out before? So many. People are very confusing.
Ron beams. "Great! I better take you back now, before we get in trouble, for like, the fiftieth time."
She laughs, and they leave the room with Hermione, Harry and Violet, and Violet is the first to leave. Belle feels bad for making Ron take her back when she could easily make her way back to her common room herself.
While Ron is talking about Violet to Hermione, she places her hand on his arm to get his attention. "Ron, I think I'm going to go back by myself. So, I'll see you guys later,"
"Are you sure? It's not a big deal—"
"Yeah, it just seems silly, that's all. Goodnight," she says, exchanging a smile with Harry (who is acting much kinder to her now) and Hermione.
Before she leaves, she catches Ron's smile turn into a frown, and feels bad. It's not that big of a deal, is it? She just doesn't want to bother him with the chore of walking her back to her common room, if Violet can do it, then she can, as well, right? But her mind is telling her that she would much rather have Ron walking with her, through the dim corridors, making her laugh to distract her.
✧*
The month of January seems to pass in a flash, with Belle's overwhelming pile of homework to do, her stress about her exams, and of course, her parents. But no letters from them have come, and her sister seems to be doing okay, at least. The only time they really speak is on weekends when they have the time, but other than that, they barely pass each other — which worries her a little, because if her sister is worried, there isn't much she can do. Except sit and wait, and repeat that, because she can't send letters to Mrs Weasley, as Ron informed her when they last spoke.
Thankfully, she gets the chance to speak to both her best friend and sister when they all decide to go to the library together (no studying involved), to catch up. She's only spoken to Ginny briefly during DA meetings, but even those are hectic.
"I can't believe you haven't heard anything, it's starting to piss me off. Like, can't someone bloody tell you what's going on? I bet it's just because they don't know. They never do. Useless. Not my parents, though." Ginny says, pretending to write down something on a sheet of parchment.
"Your parents are leading the whole thing," Amelia responds, amused.
Ginny rolls her eyes. "Whatever. They always do what they can."
"They do, we appreciate everything they do for us." Belle reaches over and squeezes Ginny's hand with her own, before returning to her reading for one of her classes. She brought her books, so she might as well do something useful with them.
"Thanks. Anyway, what are you both doing for Valentine's day? I don't care about it, but maybe we could all go on that Hogsmeade trip together. The second one of the year and I'm not missing it." says Ginny.
A realisation hits Belle. "Wait, the trip is on Valentine's day?"
Ginny nods. "Hm, you didn't know that?"
For a moment, she doesn't respond. How did she not know that? And Ron asked her to hang out on that day...does he know it is Valentine's? And if so, is that why he asked? No, it couldn't be, that would be crazy.
"Hypothetically, if a boy asks you to hang out on Valentine's, and he isn't your boyfriend, does that mean he is asking you on a date?" Belle asks, and both Ginny and Amelia stare at her for a second before Amelia says anything.
"Yeah. Who asked you out?"
Oh.
SOO i know that ron and ginny actually have quidditch practice when the hogsmeade trip is on but i'm just pretending they dont know at that point (which i dont think they do), and it's not useless it's there for plot purposes
also i havent updated in almost two months and im really sorry about that! i had a major slump so yeah, hopefully i can get back into it but i'm gonna have to plan some things out first!
anyway i hope u guys enjoyed this chapter and havent disappeared on me oop!! <3