Ingrid Berg
Part 2: Belle Greene
July 16th, 1972
Belle soared over the mountains and through the trees. It was invigorating beyond description to smell the air and just inhale her freedom. She was on her way to a small cottage in a very remote valley. This was where McGonagall's contact was.
She found the cottage in the forest's clearing. She transformed into herself before she nervously made her way up the stone pathway to the stone cottage. She had all her money and a few desired belongings in a small brown satchel on her hip. She'd left everything else behind at the school.
There was a sign on the door.
Ingrid Berg's Pawn Shop.
It was stone on the inside, but it looked like little red mushrooms were growing from the moss covered walls. Little wooden bird mobiles lined the ceiling and many fantastical items were in glass cases around her.
"Here to bargain dear?" A low pitched voice sounded, but Belle couldn't see anyone.
"Professor McGonagall sent me." Belle called to the room. "She said you could help me."
A little woman popped up from behind a wooden counter at the end of the room. She had a little red triangle hat and she was wearing a green and white dirndl. She had little brown braids and big green eyes. "You must be Miss Brenna."
"Yes mam." Belle smiled a little.
"Call me Ingrid please." She smiled pleasantly with dimples forming at her cheeks. "I'm sure I can help you disappear if that's what you are after."
"I have money to pay you." Belle insisted reaching into her bag.
"Oh, I'd never accept payment for this kind of service. It would be against the Scandy Gnome code." Ingrid shook her head, "If you wanted to sell or buy something, of course, but helping witches disappear from patriarchal traditions, that's my birthright."
Belle tilted her head, she'd only ever known Garden Gnomes. They were nasty unintelligent creatures. "You are a gnome?"
"Well, I'm not a bloody house elf." Ingrid put her fists on to her hips.
"I'm sorry, I've just never met well, an intelligent gnome?" Belle worried she had offended her.
"I'm a Scandinavian Gnome. I will not be so insulted as to be compared to my lesser version. Garden Gnomes give us all a very bad reputation." Ingrid insisted as she bobbed along to come out from behind the counter top. Her little cap flopped as she walked. "All Garden Gnomes know how to do is eat, sleep and fu-" She stopped abruptly as she stepped out, looking Belle over.
Ingrid asked, "How old are you dear?"
"Seventeen." Belle felt herself laughing a bit.
"Minerva did insinuate you were young." Ingrid giggled, walking up to Belle. She bobbed around her with her hand on her chin. "She also said you wished to go to America, to become an artist or designer."
Belle nodded.
"I have an interested party who works at a clothing store in the hidden Wizard City of Moda, Wisconsin. She is looking to take on an assistant in exchange for room, board. Not a lot of money, but what use is that if you already have a roof over your head." Ingrid smiled, "If you are quite interested?"
Belle nodded that sounded like what she was looking for, "I would be."
"Now, to the Muggles Wisconsin is just cheese, beer and cornfields, but to the Wizard community there, Moda is quite the capitol of fashion." Ingrid took Belle's hand. "Come back with me child, let's get you some paperwork."
Ingrid took Belle into another little room, this one was covered in shelves. There were folders and papers flying above her.
Ingrid waved her hands and a folder flew to her. She licked her fingers before leafing through it.
"You will go by the name Belle Greene from now on." Ingrid continued going on. "Since you are leaving the country, you won't need to change much of your appearance, but perhaps a change in hairstyle could be necessary."
Belle looked to her black hair that lay flat against her scalp in one length. Her mother had always insisted it be long, a feminine staple as it were. She hadn't inherited the Brenna family curls, but the color was unmistakably Brenna. "What would you suggest?"
"Well, whatever you would like dear." Ingrid giggled a bit. "You are no longer pressed to anyone's likes and dislikes except your own."
Belle had never thought of it before, she'd played around when they learned hair growing and changing spells. She'd very much liked the rock and roll hairstyles she'd seen on a few of her more daring classmates. With curtain bangs that framed their faces like feathers. She liked the thought of making it a permanent change.
"Now that's a fine smile Dearest." Ingrid giggled a bit, "Unfortunately, now I have to start asking the harder questions. How much money do you have?"
Belle told her the amount she'd saved from working at Honeydukes and selling her designs.
"Well, it's no fortune, but you can work with that." Ingrid said before handing Belle the folder.
"I hope I can." Belle shrugged, "I don't have much else. I couldn't use my family fortune."
"That's just fine Dearest, you do not need to lean off of their misdoings." Ingrid shrugged before climbing up a ladder and reaching up to a book on the top shelf. "You can stand on your own I'm sure."
Belle nodded, wishing she had something more valuable. She wracked her mind for what she might have to sell or barter.
She reached into her bag and pulled out her Brenna watch. It was gold after all. "Would I get anything for this?"
Ingrid took the watch and looked it over. "Oh what a horrid family crest! I can see why you'd like to be rid of it."
Belle chuckled, "I always disliked it."
"I can give you a pretty penny for it though, pure Goblin Gold is hard to come by." She placed the watch down. "What kind of birds are those?"
"Augurey. My family breeds them for their feathers." Belle revealed, "Nasty business, they like to modify them genetically."
"What a cruel family you must have, to take innocent creatures and harm them so." Ingrid shook her head before handing Belle a bag of coins for the watch.
Belle felt her shoulders ascend, she had felt like one of them for so long. It suddenly felt wrong to leave the birds behind to their fate while she was allowed to escape her's. A thought struck Belle's mind.
"If I had a bird, an Augurey, would it fetch a good price?" Belle asked.
"Not the bird itself, but it's feathers of course would." Ingrid bobbed her head, "You don't have one do you?"
"No." Belle silently began wondering if she could perhaps get one. It would be risky, but then money would be less of an issue. She was an Animagus and they didn't know what she looked like in animal form.
"Now dearest, it would be unwise to steal from your family. They could find you easier and put everything at risk." Ingrid insisted back as if she could read her thoughts. "If they were to see you, everyone is compromised. Myself, Minerva, everyone who cares for you would be at risk."
Belle nodded, but considered the prospect a bit more.
Ingrid continued giving Belle information and tips about disappearing into America. She was to have no contact with anyone from home, unless it was Ingrid or McGonagall. She was to be an orphan, no family and no friends from back home.
Belle fought internally with herself, she really could use the money and if she were to save at least a bird or two from their fate it would be worth it. She also worried she'd put people at risk, but could it be worth it? She would have to act quickly if she were going to do it.
Ingrid had booked Belle a flight to America in two day's time. She didn't have to stay with Ingrid, but Ingrid asked her to stay out of trouble for those two days.
Belle left the stone cottage a few hours later, wondering if she'd ever return there. She hoped she wouldn't ever need to.
August 3rd, 1997
Belle watched her daughter Apparate away with Lee. She'd never been more numb. It was the morning after Bill and Fleur's wedding, where news had broken that the Ministry had officially fallen. There had been an attack by Death Eaters who were looking for Harry Potter.
Belle and Ed had chosen not to attend the wedding, they would have known a few people, but in light of previous circumstances, they weren't up for it. Lee and Sammy had both gone in their place and thankfully escaped unscathed. Not without carrying the most devastating news of all, her son was truly a Death Eater. He'd been seen with the group that had attacked.
One would have considered that enough bad news, until the next morning when Sammy stood in their kitchen in her pajamas with her Hogwarts letter. Attendance had been made mandatory and there would be blood screenings. If Sammy were to go, she'd be putting the whole family in danger.
They decided she had to go into hiding with Lee immediately. Sammy did as she was told and Belle had never felt more empty in her life.
She wanted her children back in her arms. She wanted them small and running around her shop, driving her insane.
She and Ed packed away the essentials, including her birds and all important documents. As they left to pack things into Ed's car, she placed a charm on the house, to make it appear abandoned. She wanted to come back to it eventually. It was her home and they weren't going to take it from her permanently.
She transformed into a vulture and flew beside his car as they traveled away. She could keep him safe, but he hated side Apparating. She couldn't blame him, it was ruddy uncomfortable for those who weren't used to it.
They pulled the car off a dead end road in an old familiar valley. They'd have to hike a little trail for a bit in the woods, something Ed was wary of.
"So is your, friend, well, a human?" Ed asked cautiously as they hiked the little.
"She's a Scandinavian Gnome." Belle answered, knowing he was always suspicious about anything that could bite.
"So do I call her Mrs. g-nome?" Ed jokingly asked.
"No, they actually find that insulting. They find a lot of things insulting actually." Belle chuckled, hoping to scare him into a bit of silence. "Her name is Ingrid."
"I'll keep that in mind." Ed nodded and squished his nose.
They walked a little ways to a clearing, there were more flowers in the area now, but the cobblestone path was the same. As was the stone cabin.
They entered the cabin. There were still red mushrooms lining the walls, along with the many beautiful items. However, now there was a little gnome girl laying on her chest with little golden braids. She was coloring pictures on the floor. She looked up at the couple with wide eyes.
"Hello sweetheart, is Ingrid here?"
The little gnome girl sat up on her knees before calling out, "MUMMY!" In a very loud voice.
Ingrid now had several wrinkled under her eyes and a bit of gray in her hair, but she still wore her traditional dress and was still quite adorable as she greeted them.
"Ingrid!" Belle leaned down and hugged the small woman.
"Oh if it isn't Belle Greene?" Ingrid kissed Belle on the cheek.
"Belle Fyre now." Belle laughed as she let go and stood up.
"I am aware. Look at you, all grown up." Ingrid held out a hand and looked over to Ed. "And this must be Mr. Fyre?"
Ed nodded and held out a hand, "You can call me Ed."
Ingrid nodded before motioning to the little gnome girl on the floor who had returned to her drawing.
"And this is my daughter Imogene." Ingrid laughed. "Not the friendliest child, I do apologize."
"What a lovely drawing!" Belle complimented kneeling down to look at the paper. She was drawing a beautiful starry night with what looked to be beeswax crayons.
"Thank you." Imogene looked up and continued kicking her feet, "Want to see something cool?"
Belle nodded, "Sure."
Imogene sat back up onto her knees. She waved her hand and the stars began moving across the page.
"How incredible." Belle complimented, "Very difficult magic. I am an artist myself."
"Really?" Imogene's eyes sparkled as she held the drawing out to Belle. "A real one?"
Belle coughed, "Sometimes."
"Do you have children." Ingrid inquired back to Ed.
"Yes, a boy and a girl." Ed nodded, his face dropping.
Belle's throat tightened before she stood up.
"I wish I could say it was pleasant to see you both. So many have come to me for help in disappearing during these dark days, I had hoped not to see you." Ingrid shook her head.
"Well, we need to disappear, but we also need help finding someone." Belle revealed.
"Finding someone?" Ingrid looked between them. "Who?"
"Our son." Belle revealed before explaining the situation.
"That is very tragic Belle." Ingrid said before taking Belle's hand. "For the present all I can offer is helping you two take on new identities. I can also send word to my network of contacts in the country to keep an eye out for him. See if I can get you any leads on his or this Hilda Burke's whereabouts."
She led them to the back room and handed them a folder.
"For the present you will be Bob and Anna Civic." She revealed.
"Oh I like that, backwards or forwards you can't spell any of the names wrong." Ed laughed looking at the papers.
Ingrid raised her eyebrow. "They were common muggle names. Your husband is a character."
"Thank you." Ed shrugged and as he smiled, Belle saw the slick smile their daughter had inherited.
Belle rolled her eyes. Ed often dealt with trauma though humor, it was one of his better qualities.
Ingrid gave them contacts for places to stay and suggested that they get a new mode of transportation as even muggle cars were traceable.
As they left Belle stopped at one of the glass cases. Inside it gleamed a gold watch with the Brenna family crest.
"I was never able to find a buyer for it." Ingrid said as she noticed Belle's eyes tracing it. "No one is interested in pieces from a dark family."
"That was yours?" Ed asked taking Belle's hand.
Belle nodded, "Yes, when I was still a Brenna. It was given to me for my seventeenth."
"I thought you gave Sam the watch from when you turned seventeen?" Ed asked his blue eyes looking up at her.
"The one I gave Sammy was one I received from Minerva as a present." Belle revealed, she'd never told him about it. She rarely told him snippets about her past.
"Is that your daughter?" Ingrid asked, "I don't mean to pry, but after hearing the state of your son, one can't help but wonder where she might be."
"She's in America." Belle lied. "With my in-laws."