From The Beginning
February 12th, 2005
“Mum!” Samantha festively called into the shop on a chilly afternoon, making Belle look up cautiously. Samantha stepped inside followed by Hermione and Ginny. Ginny had her little boy in her arms.
“Hello baby girl! Hello Hermione and Ginny, and James too.” Belle called back to her. “What can I do for you lovely ladies?”
“Hermione here, the greatest Magical Representation in history, needs your help mummy.” Samantha called making Hermione cross her arms playfully. Ginny was giggling exponentially.
“Is it something for the trial?” Belle asked cautiously approaching.
“No,” Samantha was giggling with Ginny now.
“I wanted to see if I could get some Maternity clothing.” Hermione admitted with a meager smile.
Belle practically squealed making the very reserved Hermione jump a little. “Oh my goodness! Congratulations!” Duke the dragon left Samantha’s shoulder and began flying around the store between her mannequins.
“Samantha says you make outfits that grow with you.” Hermione mentioned.
“Of course I do.” Belle laughed, she’d invented the charm while she was pregnant with Samantha.
Ginny proclaimed with a small groan sitting down onto a sofa with little James, “And they are amazing! Softest clothes I’ve ever owned.”
“And it’s on me!” Samantha insisted, “Payment for her wonderful work representing Jack.”
“I wouldn’t dare charge her full price for the same reason. I’ll let you pay for the fabric Samantha.” Belle insisted taking Hermione’s hands. “How far along are you?”
“About two months.” Hermione was practically glowing. “I can pay for it.”
“Don’t you dare think about it!” Belle insisted helping Hermione up onto the little pedestal.“Let’s get your measurements.”
Belle felt a little nostalgic as she listened to the three women giggling together. It was nice to have the laughter of three young friends in similar phases of life surrounding her.
“It still feels like yesterday that I was helping you three get ready for the Yule Ball, now here you three are, quite grown up.” Belle said as she grabbed her favorite tape measure and bewitched it to begin its’ work.
“Besides my wedding dress, I don’t believe I’ve never felt more beautiful Mrs. Fyre.” Ginny exclaimed, “That green really did offset my eyes and hair perfectly.”
“And Mione and I ended up doing each other’s hair a lot because of that night.” Samantha laughed but stopped midway, “Colin said I looked like a princess.”
Her hands began shaking, which Ginny noticed. Ginny put her one free hand upon Samantha’s in an instinctive act.
“Honestly, it was simultaneously one of the best nights of my life and the worst.” Hermione admitted, with Samantha and Ginny agreeing.
“Considering you spent what should have been an amazing night, dancing with your world famous Quidditch star who worshipped your every movement, sobbing over my git of a brother.” Ginny admonished putting a hand to her forehead. “Sam and I came to the rescue of course.”
“No surprises there.” Belle laughed as her tape measure finished her work. She reached for her sketchbook, “Are we thinking your regular minimalist style with a maternity twist?”
Hermione nodded, “I just want to feel comfortable and to have people take me seriously. Just because I am a mother now, doesn’t mean I can’t be a professional woman.”
“Hopefully, I can handle that kind of pressure.” Belle said as she began sketching. She was going to design a few structured suits for Hermione’s work. Then she would move onto a few relaxed dresses and cloaks for the rest of the time.
“Are we still quite fond of periwinkle?” Belle asked as she switched to her water colors and watched the brush begin its’ work.
“Yes,” Hermione nodded before sitting beside Belle, “And maybe a touch of soft lavenders and sage, maybe a bit of rose.”
Belle smiled, “A perfectly lovely combination.”
“I’m thinking I can make those colors for the nursery. Ron is convinced she’s a girl.”
“Yes, but when has he ever been right?” Ginny asked as she handed James to Samantha. Duke flew to little James and sat upon his stomach. The baby cooed upon seeing him.
“Well, his track record isn’t pristine, but I’m also convinced.” Hermione put her hand to her abdomen. “Ridiculous isn’t it?”
“Not at all.” Belle shook her head, “I knew what both of my children were going to be.”
“I considered the possibility that maybe it was a form of Legilemency but there is no proven evidence that a child in utero could be so developed.” Hermione breathed out.
“That’s true.” Samantha piped up, “I’ve been reading a lot about Legilemency for Kai’s book, there have been studies proving that, even in natural ability, it doesn’t really occur until children develop language skills.”
“Maybe it’s a form of divination then?” Ginny asked making Hermione groan.
“Don’t bring up that codswallop to me.” Hermione crossed her arms.
“Divination my dear girl is not codswallop.” Belle corrected as she handed Hermione a sketch for a simple rose colored blouse and gray trousers, “Just like any kind of magic, some people are just more naturally prone to it than others. Many sort of trip into it. Mr. Jordan for example seems to do it averagely as a joke, but considering his accuracy, I would conclude he is a real proficient.”
“I wouldn’t tell him that.” Samantha laughed heartily after kissing James’ chubby looking cheek. “He’s been making all kinds of unimaginable predictions lately, and I’m quite sure he’s lost his touch.”
Ginny asked as James began to fuss, “I assume he’s been spewing the regular doom and gloom he normally pushes at you.”
“No.” Samantha shook her head and handed Ginny the baby, “Quite the opposite really. It’s all been ridiculously optimistic. For example, he told me last week he saw a heart with a ring around it.”
“You are getting married.” Hermione rattled off without hesitation.
“I thought you said it was codswallop?” Belle asked jestingly.
“I still believe in a thorough education.” Hermione lifted her chin before turning to Samantha, “And is there something you aren’t telling us?”
“Wait, Lee didn’t tell me that meant marriage!” Samantha put up her hands and her face turned red. “He told me it meant good news.”
“Well, that would be good news!” Ginny nudged Samantha slightly, “But you wouldn’t get married and not tell us.”
“She didn’t outright tell her father or I for nearly two months after she began seeing Neville, so I wouldn’t be too surprised if she popped up married.” Belle took a deep breathe.
She loathed the fact she hadn’t been outright told about Samantha and Neville’s rekindled romance. It was just another secret, like Samantha’s deal with Kingsley and her trip to find her brother, that Belle was finding increasingly tiresome.
“Albeit, I’d be devastated.” Belle admitted.
“Well, if I were getting married,” Samantha smiled but crossed her arms, “I’d tell you. I’m not though, so I wouldn’t put much stock into that prediction.”
Belle finished her work with Hermione about twenty minutes later. Hermione, Ginny and James left for their homes, while Samantha stayed behind with the intention of taking the Portkey with Belle home for supper.
“Before we go home, can I ask a favor?” Samantha asked as she watched Belle do her spells to tidy up for the night. “I don’t want to ask in front of dad or Jack. Jack might find the practice archaic and Dad might make a joke.”
“Samantha Aithne Fyre if I find out you are actually getting married and didn’t tell me, I swear I will jinx you.” Belle only partially mocked.
“Oh goodness no mum.” Samantha laughed, “No, I wanted to know if you could help me make Neville a valentine.”
“That’s a very sweet notion.” Belle smiled.
“It’s silly, but when we were kids he secretly gave me a valentine.” Samantha was blushing now, but Belle’s mind transported to another time entirely. “It was after Jack left and he was trying to make me smile, and it would mean a lot to actually give him one back.”
“Wait, did it have a bumblebee on it?” Belle asked as her mind raced.
“Yes, flying in the shape of a little heart, Samantha’s eyebrows danced. “Yeah, how’d you know that?”
“His dad sent his mum one, almost the same one. I mean except the flowers. She spent a month trying to figure out who sent it. She had an entire list of people.” Belle felt herself start laughing, “They were both so horribly oblivious! She’d fancied him since first year!”
Belle kept laughing as she rambled, “Frank was such a git he never even noticed Alice’s advances. Cissy and I always wondered if Alice would ever notice he was really the most backhanded bloke in our year, but Alice was so naive she obviously never did.”
“Cissy?” Samantha pulled her face back, “You don’t mean Mrs. Malfoy?”
“Yes.” Belle nodded her head, wondering why all of a sudden she couldn’t stop talking, “We grew up together she and I. I almost miss the days where our only real grievance involved the fact she started dating my ex-boyfriend. He was a conniving bastard though, and I had already moved onto a different boy by that point.”
“I didn’t even know you knew Neville’s parents.” Samantha said, her face contorting slightly as Duke flew into her cloak’s pocket, “Let alone that you and Mrs. Malfoy were friends.”
Belle nodded and took her gaze away from Samantha.
“If I’m honest mum, I don’t know much about your school years. You’ve never told me much of anything regarding your life before dad.”
Belle breathed, realizing she hadn’t told Samantha, or Jack, much of anything. She wondered if things would have been different if she had.
After a moment of silence, Samantha put her shaking hand on Belle’s shoulder, “You don’t have to talk about it.”
Belle turned her head to her daughter, the same daughter she had just scolded for holding things too closely to her chest. It was like a splinter that had festered in her soul, terrifying to remove, but it felt better once it was out. She would need to lead by some kind of example.
“I guess, I’ve never exactly been the perfect model for transparency have I?” Belle asked.
Samantha shook her head.
“Maybe, it’s time I started.” Belle admitted,“It’s a bit painful for me.”
“Me too.” Samantha took Belle’s hand now. “How about we do baby steps together?”
“Baby steps seem like a decent place to start.” Belle conceded.
“So what was the boy like, the one you moved onto?” Samantha asked with a twinkle in her eye, “Off the record I promise.”
“He was very brave and very smart.” Belle smiled, “He had red hair and these gorgeous brown eyes that made my heart stop. He was convinced we were going to run away together and that he’d protect me from my family.”
“Sounds like a Weasley.” Samantha laughed.
“Close, he was Mrs. Weasley’s brother, Gideon.”
“You dated Ginny’s uncle?” Samantha asked first smiling, but then her face dropped. Her shaking hand instinctively went to her neck where her scars still remained. Belle remembered telling Samantha what had happened to him.
“As I said, it’s all a bit painful.” Belle admitted, feeling all of the hurt all over again.
“Sorry mum.” Samantha put her hands into her pockets. “Why didn’t you stay with him?”
“I didn’t love him and I thought his ideas were unrealistic.” Belle crossed her arms, “I didn’t know what love really was until I met your father. When I met your father, it was like music was playing and I never wanted to be anywhere else, than with him.”
Samantha briefly flashed a small, but knowing smile.
Belle nodded before remembering the happiness she’d escaped to, “Know anything about that?”
Samantha smirked, “Maybe not the music part.”
“I think it’s your turn. I have to admit I only know fragments of your love story.” Belle suggested, “How about I make you that Valentine while you fill me in?”
“I wouldn’t even know where to start.” Samantha admitted.
“The beginning is always a good place to start.”
August 24th, 1980
The beginning of little Samantha Aithne Fyre’s life had been a very chaotic one. Fifty-six hours of grueling labor had extraneously pushed Belle’s body to its’ very limits. This child was a little fighter and Belle had never been more relieved to be home four days later. She could watch her beautiful little baby in her very own crib. Belle couldn’t believe how beautiful she really was. Little crystal blue eyes and very delicate features.
Jack had only turned a year two weeks prior, but he was adjusting well. He was still garbling at a mile a minute, and Belle worried what would happen when he actually learned real sentences. She was on the floor of she and Ed’s bedroom with Jack, just looking through the bars of the crib.
“Gamy” He cooed as he pulled himself up to look in Samantha’s crib, “Gamy.”
Samantha was swaddled quite tightly, her eyes just opened enough to look through the bars of the crib.
“Gamy.” Jack exclaimed again, his big brown eyes twinkling.
Belle logically knew her children probably didn’t have the coherence to see each other, but she liked the thought.
Belle watched her children’s eyes meet and felt an overwhelming wave of wonder. She wondered, how could her mother have ever been so negligent or cruel? Belle couldn’t help but feel absolutely overpowered by love for both her children.
Her mind swam with questions regarding her own mother. How could her mother have never held her? How could her mother have expected so much? How could her mother have allowed terrible things to happen? How could her mother have looked into the eyes of any of her children and wished them to become cruel and heartless individuals?
“Alright Jack!” Ed exclaimed as he walked into the nursery and picked Jack up, “Time for bed.”
“Gamy!” Jack exclaimed in a louder tone.
“I’ll get him to bed Belle.” Ed said as Belle stood up and kissed Jack’s cheek. “How’s our little girl?”
“Good I think.” Belle answered looking down at her baby girl.
“Look at my beautiful family.” Ed kissed Jack’s cheek first, then Belle’s.
Belle nodded, just enjoying her sweet family for a moment. It was an absolute gift to have so much joy all in one room.
“Say goodnight Jack.” Ed nudged Jack with his nose.
“Gamy.” Jack responded but put his head on Ed’s shoulder. The two left the room leaving Belle and Samantha alone.
Samantha began to wail as newborns often do. Belle leaned over little Samantha’s crib before picking her up. She smelled like lavender lotion and baby powder. Her pink baby blanket was lovingly knitted by Vivi. She'd taken the news she wasn’t Samantha's Godmother decently well. Belle enjoyed bouncing her sweet baby and feeding her. After she managed to get Samantha to sleep she heard a tapping at the window.
“Whoooo.” Hazel the owl called from outside the window.
Belle put her sleeping daughter back into her crib.
Belle opened it quickly, it was quite hot in August and she didn’t want to let the air conditioning out.
Hazel gave her a letter, it wasn’t Alice’s handwriting. Belle wasn’t expecting mail from home, she hadn’t told anyone about Samantha’s birth yet.
It was from McGonagall.
Dear Belle,
I wish I were writing to congratulate you upon the birth of my Goddaughter, if she has been born yet. If she has not, I would not wish to cause you distress until after the baby’s birth. Please promise you will not read the rest of this letter until it is appropriate for your health and the health of your little one.
Alice would have written you herself, but she and Frank are quite beside themselves regarding this recent news. Gideon has always remained a close staple in their home.
Gideon and his brother, Fabian were attacked by a group of Death Eaters for their involvement in the Auror Department. This group was led by Anton Dolohov and comprised of several high ranking Death Eaters. Considering Gideon’s death was publicly credited to your brother, Kyle Brenna, we at the order believe it may have been personally driven.
Belle couldn’t read anymore, instead she covered her mouth in fear she would scream and waken her babies.
Ed returned to their bedroom and found Belle in a somewhat catatonic state. He took the letter from her hands with a deep fury. It was barely a moment later and she was in his arms, feeling the comfort she desperately needed.
How could Kyle do such a thing and why would he still have a vendetta against Gideon? It had been nearly a decade since Belle had even spoken to the man, it couldn’t be her fault, could it?
She desperately hoped it hadn’t been her fault. Her mind trapped itself into the dark image of poor Gideon and his beautiful brown eyes, completely lifeless. He had never been apart of the life she dreamed of, but her guilt consumed her.
Ed helped Belle to bed, not asking much from her, just letting her fall into a dreamless sleep. Her pillow was cooler than the air and it seemed to soothe.
Belle awoke alone in bed a few hours later, wondering why she hadn’t heard Samantha crying. Even in her grief, Belle’s priority would always be her children.
She pulled herself from bed to check on her, finding the crib empty. Belle stumbled from her room, looking for her baby.
She checked on Jack first, he was in his pack n play, completely asleep.
She found Ed asleep on the living room couch, with their little girl asleep on his chest. Belle wondered if aside from her wedding day she had ever loved him more.