"The Muggle"
May 19th, 1994
Belle was very proud of her son. Jack had made Keeper for the Slytherin team and they were in the Quidditch final. She and Ed decided to make the journey to see him play. Ed didn't often have the opportunity to participate in the more magical activities, but he would be allowed to see this one.
"Mum! Dad!" Samantha came bounding down to them as they entered the grounds from Hogsmead. She was dressed head to toe in maroon. Her pigtails sported golden ribbons.
"Not supporting your brother I see?" Ed asked as he kissed his daughter's forehead.
"And be murdered by my own house?" Samantha asked. "Not to mention both of the seekers are in my year and I'm hoping Harry knocks Malfoy right off if his haughty broom."
"That's the guy who catches the smudge right?" Ed asked wrapping his arm around Sam's shoulder.
"It's called a snitch, Ed." Belle shook her head as they began walking. Several other parents were arriving, all dressed in either green with silver or gold and maroon. They eyed him judgmentally. Belle knew it was controversial to bring him, but she stood proudly as his wife.
"I don't care what it's called. I could do that with a vacuum cleaner. Couldn't you just see it? Suck that tiny little gold nugget right out of the sky. Wouldn't even need to leave the ground." Ed joked animatedly, making Sammy laugh uncontrollably. "Ten points for the muggle, 0 Points for Harry Potter and whoever else is on Gryffinpuff or whatever!"
Belle giggled a little, but noticed the people around them staring. She often laughed when Ed referred to himself as the 'Muggle', because he was the most magical person she knew.
"Gryffindor, Dad! I'm in Gryffindor." Samantha wined but looked up at her father with a smile. "And although Jack is in Slytherin, I can guarantee you will be cheering for my house by the end of the game."
"Your mother told me to wear green so I haven't got much choice do I?"
Samantha took a look at Ed, she raised an eyebrow. "That's a Green Bay Packers shirt dad."
"It's green." He shrugged as they made their way to the stadium.
"I decided against arguing with him Sammy." Belle said rolling her eyes. She had personally chosen robes of emerald today. The robes had little slithering snakes along the trim. She still wore one of her signature Vulture hats, but it was in an emerald shade. She was supposed to cheer for her son today after all.
"And when you make the Quidditch team someday, I'll wear Cincinnati Reds or something along those lines." He chuckled some more.
Samantha looked despondent as they climbed the bleachers. "I'm no good at flying, so I guess it'll have to stay the Packers."
She waved a little at a few young kids in maroon who were climbing a few stair sets over. A little red haired girl and a little boy with a camera were yelling her name and waving. She exclaimed up to Ed. "That's Colin and Ginny! Ginny's my best friend and Colin's on the Gazette."
"Go Gryffinsore!" Ed yelled back at the kids with a wave.
"Dad!" Samantha groaned, her eyes widened and her face turned red.
Belle started laughing at her daughter's ridiculous embarrassment. "You can go sit with them if you'd like."
"I'll sit with you." Samantha insisted as they reached the sunlight and the full Quidditch pitch. Samantha continued down to a set of open seats.
"What about your Gazette?" Belle asked, worried her daughter would miss something important.
"I don't have to write the report on the game, Diggory is going to. I only had to write the reports for Hufflepuff matches." Samantha giggled, "Besides, the visitors box has all the real journalists. I'm hoping to see a few from the Prophet."
"Woah." Ed said stopping in his tracks as they entered into the sunlight. His eyes were wide and he had a real look of awe. Looking down at the giant field and the hundreds of witches and wizards. Belle knew he joked, but he did appreciate the magical world around him.
"You think this is big, wait till we take the kids to the World Cup this summer." Belle kissed Ed on the cheek before guiding him to the seats beside Samantha.
She noticed Minerva a few rows down. Belle was surprised not to see her in the teacher's block. She was seated beside a boy with dreadlocked hair in a maroon shirt. He was sitting beside the megaphone, he must be the Commentator.
Belle noticed platinum blonde hair from a couple she recognized all too well. Her heart entered her throat and she tried to stiffen her breath. Narcissa Malfoy and her husband, Lucious were a few rows away. They turned up their noses as they noticed them.
Belle grabbed Ed's hand. No one was allowed to make her family seem any lesser than a normal magical family. She was proud of her Keeper son, her journalist daughter and her hilarious husband.
Minerva had noticed them now. She made her way up the bleacher to greet them, blocking the Malfoy's scathing glares.
Belle and Ed stood from their seats to meet her in the clear aisle.
"I thought I noticed you Fyre's." Minerva gave Belle a quick hug before shaking hands with Ed. Samantha waved at her professor, but stayed in her seat behind Ed.
"Always good to see you both." Minerva smiled proudly before looking them over, "Although your garb is exquisite, you are wearing the wrong color, I fear."
"Well, we can't betray Jack of course." Belle laughed and fixed her hat, "I'd prefer to be cheering on Ravenclaw today anyway."
"I believe this is your first Quidditch match Mr. Fyre?" Minerva smiled at Ed. "It should be a fine game today."
"It's no Nascar, but I'm sure it should be fun." Ed exclaimed crossing his arms and making Minerva laugh.
"I haven't the foggiest clue what that is, but I hope to rival the excitement." Minerva exclaimed with a big smile.
Belle looked around, "I'm shocked you aren't sitting with the other Professors today."
"I have to keep an eye on Mr. Jordan's commentating." Minerva turned and motioned her head towards the boy with dreadlocks who had left his seat and was walking up the aisle on the other side now. He had a flag in his hand."He's a bit biased and can be prone to swearing. We'd get someone else to do it, but between you and I, he's the only one who can tell the Weasley twins apart from a distance."
Belle nodded before turning back to Minerva, "Jordan, he isn't Elias' son is he?"
"He is."
"Elias was the commentator for Quidditch up till my fifth year." Belle explained to Ed. She remembered his father being a very respectful commentator, almost too quiet. "That's nice to see his son continuing his legacy."
They all turned their heads to see Lee Jordan, coming back to his seat and sending a very inappropriate gesture to a set of Slytherin girls sitting a few boxes away. The Malfoy couple made a very disproving face to the gesture and that was enough for Belle to decide she liked the boy.
"Mr. Jordan that'll be five points from Gryffindor." McGonagall yelled down at him. "If you will excuse me, I must go and try to dissuade him from anymore lewd gestures."
Belle and Edward sat back down beside Samantha who had a small Gryffindor flag now in her hands.
"Where'd you get that?" Belle asked.
"Lee gave it to me. Said I shouldn't be the only Gryffindor without one" Samantha shrugged but waved the flag.
"Oh. Are you two friends?" Belle asked.
Samantha shook her head. "Not really. He's best pals with Ginny's brothers though, The Gryffindor Beaters."
Belle nodded as the game began. It was one of the dirtiest games she'd ever seen. The Slytherin team was nothing better than bullies, with Jack being the only team member not getting flagged. Samantha was often out of her seat yelling quite aggressively and almost knocking over the bearded man next to her.
Minerva was right, Lee Jordan swore more than she expected and at one point Belle was sure that Minerva joined him.
"I could do better flying on a leaf blower than those Slytherin idiots with the clubs." Ed whispered to her at one point.
Belle laughed and agreed with him. She hadn't been to a Hogwarts quidditch game since her youth and she had to say it was just as exciting now. When Gryffindor won, Samantha ran to rush the field with McGonagall and young Mr. Jordan as the rest of the house hoisted Harry Potter into the air.
October 15th, 1971
"What a shame for Slytherin, I'm sure the Gryffindors will hold this victory over them for a while." Xenophilous Lovegood, the newest commentator and a fourth year from Ravenclaw announced as the game came to a close. "But there you have it. Gryffindor takes the first game of the year."
"What a load of codswallop." Cissy exclaimed with a stamp of her foot. Her face pouted slightly as she and Belle made their way from the stands. "Damn those Gryffindors. Sending that bludger right to poor Craggy's nose."
"They never get penalties either." Belle shook her head but heard McGonagall excitedly bragging to Professor Slughorn.
"It's only the first game Minerva." Slughorn reminded. "We will get you all next time I'm sure."
"I'm not so sure, we have a real chance with our team this year." McGonagall stated proudly.
Belle chuckled a little, but noticed a blonde Slytherin boy with nice eyes looking them both over from the bottom of the stairwell. He said nothing to them, but nodded his head with a smirk.
"Who's that?" Belle asked Cissy as they continued their way out into the sunlight.
"Lucious Malfoy." Cissy rolled her eyes. "He's nothing but a notorious flirt. He's dated nearly every girl in Slytherin."
"Even you?" Belle asked with a chuckle.
"No." Cissy laughed, "I wouldn't stoop so low. Wouldn't want the comparison."
Rabastan Lestrange was leaning against his broomstick outside the pitch, "Hey Black!" He called at Cissy. He looked her over with his dark eyes and his dark hair billowed in the wind.
Cissy raised an eyebrow. "Besides, I have bigger fish to fry. I'll see you later won't I?"
"I'm heading to work with Alice." Belle reminded.
"I know, but I'll come get you after your shift." Cissy rolled her eyes before walking over to Rabastan.
Belle nodded before making her way down to Hogsmead. She'd worked at Honeydukes twice so far. She was coming to work after the game. This was going to be a bigger weekend though, because older students were allowed to visit Hogsmead to celebrate, or lick their wounds after the game.
Alice was waiting behind the counter. She had a big smile on her face and braids in her hair. "How'd the game go Belle?"
Belle shrugged and grabbed her apron as she joined her behind the counter. "Gryffindor won."
"Oh good." Alice exclaimed excitedly. "Hufflepuff has a better chance of beating them next month then."
"Probably. What are we doing today for work?" Belle asked watching several customers enter behind her.
"Well, we have to tend to customers of course, when we aren't, we are supposed to cut and curl ribbons." Alice held up scissors and yellow ribbon. "To wrap boxes."
It wasn't too boring, but several hours of curling ribbons and checking out customers wasn't the most entertaining.
As Belle looked at the ribbons, she began imagining a beautiful dress made with ribbons like these. It would shimmer and glow with every movement. Maybe a deep blue tulle underskirt or a shawl to offset the bright color. She figured it wouldn't be her style, more frilly than she preferred, but someone like Alice could pull it off.
Belle had sewn dresses before, it had been a pastime her mother didn't demolish. She said it'd be good for when she had children someday. Belle sometimes drew extravagant designs but very rarely made those. They were impractical.
"I've got my date to Slug's Christmas Party." Cissy excitedly admitted as she burst into the shop a few hours later.
"Already?" Belle asked trying to hold onto the idea of the dress in her head. "The party isn't for another month and a half Cissy."
"I decided it was better to start now. I'm going with Rabastan Lestrange, Bella's fiancé's younger brother."
Belle chuckled, "He's a fine looking fellow." He was also a stuck up bully, but Belle decided to leave that tidbit out. She'd heard him pick on several muggle born students. He'd join many other Slytherins in calling them all horrible names.
Alice apparently agreed with the bully description, as she was not really responding to Cissy, just nodded despondently.
Alice also wasn't curling her ribbons correctly anymore. She'd practically been an expert moments before, now the ribbons were almost shredded. It may have possibly been that she was distracted by who had just walked into the shop.
It was Frank Longbottom in all his slumped over glory with an obnoxious Gryffindor sweater. He waved at them and Alice absentmindedly waved back. He walked over to a display of chocolate frogs.
"Just ask him to Slughorn's party already Alice." Cissy whispered lightly at Alice and rolled her eyes. "Before someone else does."
"I can't do that." She slumped a little. "He's so smart and I'm-"
"Very kind and very pretty." Belle interrupted still not really understanding the big deal. Belle wasn't sure why someone as pretty as her would have trouble getting a date. Belle was a decent looking girl and had very little trouble, so Alice shouldn't have any trouble at all.
Alice crossed her arms, "Well, I wish I were."
"Oh come on Alice." Cissy chimed in as she watched Belle curl her ribbons. "I heard him tell Pandora that he was impressed by your work in Charms."
Alice's eyes widened, first looking at Cissy and then nervously looked over at Frank. She nodded "Alright. I can do this."
Cissy chuckled with Belle as they watched Alice walk over. He smiled at her widely and it seemed to be going well.
"I'm still waiting for her to figure out Longbottom is a pompous twit." Cissy whispered and Belle burst out laughing.
"So who are you going to the Slug party with Brenna?" Cissy asked.
Belle shrugged, "No one yet. It's a month and a half away Cissy and I'm not sure I'm ready to be dating anyone again."
"What about Craggy? You know, you could go as friends." Cissy made a face. "He's almost tolerable. Good family. He's on the Quidditch team!" Cissy jumped up and down. "We could go together, double date!"
"I don't know Cissy." Belle had known Stuart Craggy since she was a child. He was alright academically, but he was short and not exactly the most handsome.
Alice came back with Frank. He had a chocolate frog in his hand. He was bragging a bit.
"Well of course I'd get into Slug Club eventually. My good grades must have impressed him." He smiled before greeting Belle and Cissy. "Brenna and Black, I assume you two are also going to the Slughorn Christmas shindig?"
They both nodded and Belle felt a fake smile spread across her face.
"How wonderful?" He said with a haughty laugh, "It will be nice to be surrounded by other accomplished people."
He bought a chocolate frog from Alice who had a large dopey smile on her face the whole time. He left without saying another word.
"He thinks I asked him as a friend." Alice exclaimed dramatically slamming her head onto the counter. "I can't fix this now."
"You could just tell him." Belle reminded rubbing her back. Belle locked eyes with Cissy who just shrugged.
"Of course I can't." Alice proclaimed.
"Well, maybe if you dress up really nice he will realize you are the woman of his dreams?" Cissy suggested but laughed a little.
Alice popped up her head, her braids flying around, "You may be right Narcissa. My dress robes are horrible though."
"I could make you something." Belle offered without thinking, just imagining how pretty Alice might look in the dress that had been twirling in her mind.
"You sew?" Cissy asked with a raised eyebrow.
Belle nodded, "Yes, and McGonagall showed me how to transfigure fabric over the summer. I've always wanted to try. You would look beautiful in a soft yellow color."
"Oh or a pink perhaps?" Cissy recommended taking Alice's braid. "Your hair color would be lovely with a dark blue though."
"Really?" Alice asked clasping her hands together. "I'll pay you and everything."
"Yeah, it could be fun. We've got plenty of time, so if it's dreadful you can just get something else." Belle offered.
Alice hugged Belle around the neck. "Oh Belle, you are a true friend!"
Belle wasn't the most comfortable with hugs, and Cissy found it utterly laughable to watch Belle struggle with the hug.