The Last Time
July 29th, 1997
Belle looked at Fleur Delacour as she stood wearing her wedding dress in Belle's living room. It was a simple design, one of the simplest Belle had ever made. Whenever she did wedding dresses, she put aside some of her own personal style, a bride should look exactly how they wanted.
This dress complimented Fleur's exceptional beauty perfectly. The silky material and glistening overlay was exactly what Fleur wanted.
"Oh Madame Belle." Fleur exclaimed with a wide smile. "It is quite my vision. I do quite feel like a bride now. It will look lovely with the Goblin tiara Bill's aunt is allowing me to borrow."
"Well, this is the least I can do for you." Belle looked the dress over. She'd insisted on making Fleur her wedding dress, even though she had shuttered her shop.
She and Ed were going into hiding soon. They would go and see an old friend who had helped her many years before. They wouldn't leave the country, in case Jack resurfaced.
"You look very elegant." Samantha observed from the sofa. She was healed, physically, from her ordeal. She looked over Fleur with a deep admiration. Belle couldn't help noticing that Samantha's eyes lingered on Fleur's open back, unscathed, unscarred and silky smooth. Samantha's scars had healed like canyons on her skin. She had taken to wearing bulkier clothing and leaving her hair very long in the three weeks since the attack.
"Thank you!" Fleur smiled kindly at Samantha. "Your mother has more talent than any designer I've known."
Belle felt like maybe Fleur was just being kind, she had every French designer at her fingertips. Belle wasn't refined like a Parisian artists, or classically trained.
Fleur turned to Samantha, "You are very blessed to have such an artist for a mother. Someday, you will be a vision at your wedding."
Samantha threw her head back in laughter, "Yeah, only an idiot would marry me."
Belle rolled her eyes before she knelt down to pin the hem of Fleur's gown. "Oh hey, before I forget, I did have time to make that card. It's on the kitchen table."
"Thanks mum." Samantha went to the kitchen and came back with the little white card in her hand.
"Is it alright?" Belle asked. It was a very nice card. A bold seventeen written in calligraphy surrounded by green vines with a tiny black flower near the top.
Belle had added the little flower, knowing her daughter's new affection for the herb. She had seen a large bouquet of Moly on her bedside table at the hospital wing that had mysteriously appeared. She also noticed pressed sprigs on the writing desk in Samantha's bedroom.
"Yeah, it's perfect." Samantha took the card and smiled at it.
Bell had a suspicion about another new place of Sammy's affection.
"Who is so lucky to get a card like that?" Fleur asked peering down at it.
Samantha looked at the card in her hand. "Just my classmate, Neville." Samantha's cheeks turned slightly pink. "It's his birthday tomorrow."
"He's a nice young man." Belle nodded with an off putting sense of approval.
"Oh, the quiet boy. You two seemed very close." Fleur said while fixing her hair.
Samantha smiled more than Belle had seen in a while, "Yeah, I guess so."
"Yet, I hear you are coming to the wedding with Mr. Jordan, the twins' friend."
Samantha's nose wrinkled briefly at the sound of Lee's name and she dropped her smile.
"She and Lee aren't together, just friends." Belle laughed at Samantha's reeling.
"Oh so the card is a love note?" Fleur teased.
Samantha shook her head aggressively and said, "No. It's just a birthday card."
"Why ever not? During this time we must focus on the positives, like romance.Do not feel any kind of shame." Fleur said with a flip of her hair. She winked flirtatiously. "What kind of a beautiful woman, like yourself, does not have a few admirers?"
If Samantha's face was pink before, it was a deep shade of scarlet now. Belle had noticed her daughter's confidence lowered since her scarring. For Fleur, a woman of beauty and refinement, to call Samantha beautiful, really seemed a good boost her spirits.
Belle knew why her daughter chose not to pursue anything with anyone. Her daughter had sat both she and Ed down, to tell them about her newest plans just the other night. She was not of age till the middle of August, but she was allowed to do as she pleased after that.
Samantha was leaving with Lee to start some sort of secret radio station. Samantha had never been the type to sit idly by. They just wanted information that she was alive occasionally. Belle trusted Lee to at least keep her daughter safe. Ed took a slight bit of convincing on that end, but Samantha's insisting that their relationship was strictly professional, did ease some worry. Lee had been over almost every other day since Samantha had been home, but she'd shown no romantic inclination. She seemed more interested in fighting in the war and .
It was admittedly a hard decision to go into hiding and not insist Samantha along.
Samantha shrugged uncomfortably, "It's complicated. Do me a favor though, don't mention the card to Lee."
"I wouldn't dream of it." Belle chuckled especially after finding out how Colin felt about Lee, she knew he was definitely the jealous type.
"Before meeting my dear Bill I had quite a few suiters, and sometimes several at the same time." Fleur giggled looking down to Belle, "I'm sure you were Un dragueur, Madame Belle."
Belle took a needle from her mouth, she knew just enough French to know she had called her a flirt, "Of course. I had a few trysts before Samantha and Jack's father. Not at the same time of course, but I did break up with one boy in the same day I began dating another."
"Oh Madame Belle." Fleur giggled putting a hand over her mouth.
"I'm not having any trysts." Samantha crossed her arms over her chest but laughed. "I'm sending a birthday card."
"Of course." Fleur giggled with an unbelieving tone. "Even my future mother-in-law has admitted she had her share of romance before meeting Arthur. I heard her tell little Mademoiselle Granger and Ginny that she used to use love potions."
Belle laughed, "Amortentia?"
Fleur giggled slightly, "Yes, how'd you know that?"
"Her brother once told me she was an expert at the brew." Belle had never said that out loud before.
"You knew Mrs. Weasley's brother?" Samantha asked raising an eyebrow, feeling confused. "I didn't know she even had a brother."
"Two brothers, they died in the first war." Fleur revealed looked down. "It is truly tragic. Molly does not speak of them often."
Belle stopped her work momentarily, and rubbed her neck, Gideon's face and brown eyes were flashing in her mind, "Gideon and Fabian Prewett were killed by five death eaters. Dolohov the man who-well you were dueling Sammy, he was one of them. Another, was your uncle, Kyle Brenna."
Samantha's face went gray and sickly. "I'm sorry mum."
Belle shook her head, "It's been a long time. I haven't seen him since he left Hogwarts. Honestly, that was the day I saw a few classmates for the last time."
June 30th, 1972
Belle stood on the platform letting Gideon kiss her goodbye. She wasn't getting on the train of course, but she figured she could at least say goodbye to everyone. She had this sinking feeling she'd never see them again.
"Write to me." Gideon insisted after kissing her one more time.
Belle nodded, lying, "Of course I will."
He put his forehead to her's, "I love you."
"I love you too." She lied again, glad it was the last time she'd be lying to him at least. She felt his rough hands leave her's and she watched him walk away.
She'd never write him back. He was going to be heartbroken, but at least he'd be safe. He'd be safe from her brothers and her family, they'd never know the wiser.
"So you aren't getting on the train again?" Cissy asked hugging her shoulders from behind. Cissy still didn't know that Belle knew everything about her and Lucious.
She'd kept her distance from her, from everyone really, except Gideon. She'd just say she was busy with a different special project. That really wasn't really a falsehood, she'd sat with Dumbledore twice for his portrait and it would only take maybe one more session. McGonagall agreed that once she finished the portrait she should begin her journey. Their world was becoming worse, and the sooner Belle was out of the country, the better. The Brenna's had publicly expressed their devotion to The Dark Lord, and Belle was terrified what that meant for her.
"No, I'm not getting on the train, special lessons still." Belle said patting her friend's hands. She wasn't used to Cissy being particularly affectionate.
Cissy let go of her and faced her, "Well then, I'll see you again soon?"
Belle nodded, her farces were becoming so easy now. "Of course Cissy."
Cissy was off to the train and Belle noticed Alice preparing to get on the train. Frank was handling her suitcase. The two girls hadn't spoke since their fight and it suddenly felt wrong to let Alice go away, possibly forever, without saying a proper goodbye.
Belle ran through the crowd and stopped her. "Alice!"
"Belle?" Alice stopped stepping onto the train, a look of confusion in her eyes. Belle surprised herself, wrapping her arms around Alice.
Alice quickly hugged her back, "I was worried you hated me."
Belle let go and shook her head, "I could never hate you Alice."
"See? I told you she didn't hate you. Good friends can look past such arguments." Frank called down with a wave, "So long Belle."
Belle waved back to him as Alice let go of their hug.
"I'm sorry, what I said was none of my business." Alice insisted as the train whistled.
"It's fine Alice. You are probably right. Things in my life are just complicated." Belle said as Alice climbed onto the train.
"Goodbye Belle!" Alice called as the train pulled away.
Belle waved watching the many faces go past her. She even spied the little Evans girl, waving wildly at her.
Belle looked down to her feet after the train was finally out of sight. She felt an odd weight off of her shoulders. All of her lies came tumbling off her shoulders. She walked towards the forest and didn't worry about catching a carriage. She instead transformed for the first time in what felt like forever.
It felt amazing to have wings again and finally let her claws leave the ground. She glided through the air looking over everything she could before returning to the Astronomy tower.
"I noticed you wasted no time in practicing your skills Miss Brenna." McGonagall greeted her as they met for a spot of supper in her office.
"Practice makes perfect." Belle responded with a smile.
"Indeed it does, especially since you are about to spend a good amount of time as a vulture." McGonagall nodded as she ate her marmalade sandwich. "These next few days, before your departure, I wish to help you set a strategy. I have a contact who has agreed to help you get somewhere safe."
Belle sat up a bit straighter, her heart racing out of her chest.
"First, you are to write a series of letters to your family, mentioning your intentions to stay the whole summer." McGonagall instructed, "I will keep them and begin sending them as soon as you leave. I also need you to leave a few locks of hair with Professor Slughorn."
"Why hair?" Belle asked.
"In case your family arrives, Poppy has agreed to pose as you. It is of course, a worst case scenario." McGonagall insisted. "Every remaining staff has sworn to keeping this secret Belle, I hope you are aware of their sacrifices and risks."
Belle realized this was becoming bigger than she intended, "I am aware, I won't let you down."
McGonagall smirked, "I assumed you won't. Now, I'm hoping you don't mind, but I'm curious to know where you intend to go?"
"America, I've read about the landscapes there. The canyons, the beaches, the rolling fields and the mountains. It would be amazing to paint it all." Belle said thinking back to the book she'd read about America's geography.
McGonagall said after finishing her sandwich, "America seems a fine choice for your escape. When you arrive to my contact, you will inform them of your decision."
Belle's heart began beating excitedly. It was actually happening, she'd be free soon.
"I also suspect my family won't look there. My father hates American muggles more than British ones." Belle said remembering her father's backhanded firmness against the country. "He also says Ilvermorney is a joke of a school."
"I never believed I'd agree with your father, but unfortunately, I do agree on that count. Ilvermorney has more flaws than I care admit." McGonagall laughed, "Promise me one thing Belle."
"Yes, of course, anything Professor!" Belle owed McGonagall so much, she would do anything for her at this point.
"If you marry some American idiot, and have his little yankee children," McGonagall said, with her best mocking American accent, "you will not send them to that decrepit place."
Belle laughed, having no intention of either, "If that tragedy befalls me, I will not send any children to Ilvermorney. I will only send them here, so they can be taught by the greatest witches and wizards in the world."
McGonagall laughed heartily.
"Do you think I'll ever see you again? After I leave I mean." Belle asked, realizing she was probably the only person she'd truly miss.
"Well, I assume you'd have to if your children are to attend this fine school." McGonagall's eyes twinkled.