A Little Bit Of Joy
August 5th, 2006
Belle, Vivi and Ed arrived at Augusta's home promptly at nine-thirty in the morning. Luna had given them very meticulous time schedules with pain of death hovering over everyone if they didn't follow them explicitly.
Belle had been to Augusta's property a couple times. It was a pretty looking victorian farm house with a decent size property and a wrap around porch. The inside was impossibly pristine, almost too pristine.
Belle knocked on the door, with a few garment bags in her hands.
"They are missing." Augusta explained with a huff as she answered the door.
"Who?" Ed asked.
"Samantha and Neville!" Luna exclaimed pulling them all inside the door.
"Again?" Belle asked watching them run around. She was trying not to laugh.
"What do you mean again?" Vivi asked scrunching her face as they were lead into the kitchen.
"It does seem to be an uncomfortable habit with them doesn't it?" Luna observed entering the kitchen. She looked flustered and out of breath as she opened all of the cabinets.
Vivi's eyebrows raised, "I'm confused."
"Freya the woman who blackmailed Jack and killed Kai Jones," Luna explained as she lifted the tablecloth off of the table and looked underneath, "I mean she's done a lot more than that, but we don't have hours to go through it. She threatened and attacked Sam a few months ago. Then Samantha decided to face her and Neville decided to go with her instead of stopping Samantha like he was supposed to!"
"But they neglected to tell any of us they were leaving." Augusta said from the sitting room, waving her wand making all of the drawers open up. Her face was red, quite an opposite from her normal paper thin skin. "Their penchant for trouble does nothing for my nerves."
Ed was full on laughing as he leaned closer to Belle and whispered, "Do they think they are hidden in the drawers?"
"They've been found in odder places." Belle asked as she watched everyone run around. "Has anyone checked behind Neville's Greenhouse?"
Luna began laughing as she opened a door in the kitchen, "First place I checked aside from their rooms."
"Maybe they are at Sam's apartment?" Ed suggested with a shrug.
"They are on the property." Luna exclaimed turning to look back at them, "Duke wouldn't have let his Samantha go anywhere without him."
"Where is Duke?" Belle asked looking around and putting the garment bags down.
"On the stairs I think." Luna said, still digging through the closet.
Belle left everyone in the kitchen and made her way over to the large stairway in the hallway off of the foyer. Belle knelt down to Duke who was calmly sitting on the stairs. "Do you know where they are?"
Duke danced around in a little circle before flying up the stairs. He flew up to the third floor to an incredibly clean room.
Duke crawled beneath the bed and before Belle could look under, she heard voices.
"Shit!" Samantha's voice exclaimed. "We've overslept Nev!"
"I'm sure we haven't. Five more minutes." Neville's voice sleepily sounded.
"Duke get off my face." Samantha grumbled. "Luna is going to kill us."
Samantha crawled out first with Duke pulling her hand with his tail. Her face was completely red as she stood up and noticed Belle. She was still in her floral nightdress and her hair was in quite a crazy state. "Hi mum."
Belle tried to hide her amusement so she put a small scowl on her face.
Neville followed, an apologetic smile on his face as he grabbed Samantha's hand. He was still in his pajamas. Belle assumed they had spent the entire night under the bed.
"Hi Mrs Fyre." His voice cracked.
Belle exclaimed with a shake of her head, "I'm sure it's much more comfortable above the bed than below it."
They both started laughing uncontrollably.
Luna ran into the room, she threw her arms dramatically. "Oh thank merlin you found them! We thought you two had run off on some sort of crazy adventure again."
They continued laughing, even harder now.
"This is no laughing matter." Luna gave them both the stink eye. "It's horrible bad luck for you to see each other."
They both stopped laughing immediately but smirked at each other like teenagers.
"I was under the impression it's only bad luck if he sees her wedding dress." Belle interjected, trying to find a loophole for Luna's sanity.
"You are right, that means we can still salvage this if you two don't see each other the rest of today." Luna said very seriously. "We are forty-five minutes behind. Neville your job is to shower and stay put, your gran will bring your breakfast, you are not to leave this room till it's time to head to Hogwarts."
"Can I-" Neville started but was interrupted.
"I already watered the Wiggentrees!" She insisted aggressively before grabbing Samantha and pulling her towards the door. "You need to go shower immediately and then you have to eat everything on your plate whether you want to or not!"
"Aye aye captain." Samantha saluted.
"Hey, hold on." Neville called before they could leave the room. He took Samantha into his arms and kissed her rather aggressively.
Belle looked away, but she had to admit it was certainly sweet. She couldn't remember seeing them be exceptionally present in their displays of affection before.
"You both will have plenty of time for that later." Luna exclaimed before grabbing Samantha's hand again and pulling her fully out of the door. Samantha was laughing exuberantly.
"Sorry Mrs. Fyre." Neville apologized with an off centered smile on his face.
"It's your wedding day." Belle concededly shrugged, "And do me a favor, if you are going to be my son in law, call me Belle."
"If you insist?" He nodded.
"I insist." Belle begged as she made her way out the door, "Now for Luna's sanity, don't leave this room."
Neville saluted uncomfortably with a downturned smirk.
Aside from the morning's small debacle, the rest of Luna's schedule was kept tightly. The ladies made their way to the school first, with Ginny and Minerva meeting them at the gates. They set up in the Gryffindor common room, somewhere Belle had never been in her whole life. It was cozy and definitely maroon colored.
Samantha seemed incredibly calm. Ginny and Vivi eventually snuck off to get a bottle of champagne. Luna and Minerva had headed down to the grounds to make sure everything was being properly put together.
The little dragon was just resting on her shoulder as Belle combed through her hair to begin pulling it up. She was in just an onyx robe now, and Belle hadn't seen her shake the whole day so far.
"Are you ready for this my Little Lion?" Belle asked as she began to pin her hair. "Any nerves."
Samantha took a deep breathe before responding, "Not about getting married to Neville. I feel pretty good about that."
Belle pinned another curl, "Good, I felt the same way before I married your dad. Nervous about anything else?"
"Duke dropping the rings." Samantha laughed a little, with the little dragon huffing in response.
"Oh he will do fine." Belle exclaimed as she finished a few more pins. She went around to the front of Samantha and began meticulously pulling curls to frame her face.
Samantha closed her eyes but laughed, "I'm nervous Neville might step on my toes while we dance."
"Go easy on him." Belle laughed looking over the eyeshadow Luna had done on Samantha's eyelids. "It's his wedding day too after all."
Samantha laughed again but stopped, "What if I trip on the way up the aisle? Dad cries too much and so do I, normally."
"You will both make it."
"Mum," Samantha opened her eyes, "I know we didn't practice it yesterday, and I know it's quite out of tradition, but will you walk with me too?"
Belle stopped her work and just stared at her daughter. She couldn't believe what she was being asked.
"I already talked to dad, he thinks it's great." Samantha continued with a big smile on her face, "Please mum, you raised me to be the woman I am now. It would be wrong not to represent that."
Belle nodded before taking her daughter's hand and kissing it. "Of course baby."
"I'm less nervous now." Samantha breathed out.
"Less nervous about what?" Ginny asked coming in through the portrait hole with the bottle in her hands.
Vivi followed with a twirl and a laugh, she had a bundle of Moly in her hands, "Luna sent this, said I should start putting them in her hair."
"Mum's going to make sure Dad and I don't trip up the aisle." Samantha revealed happily as Belle took half of the Moly and began putting it into her hair. "So now all I have to worry about is kissing Neville in front of everyone."
Vivi went around behind Samantha and began her work on the back of her head.
"Oh come on Sam," Ginny chuckled before pouring a glass, "If anyone has experience kissing in front of an audience."
"Don't you dare bring that up today please!" Samantha giggled a little. She waved off Ginny's offer of champagne.
Everyone was soon dressed and ready. Samantha looked as radiant as Belle had imagined in her dreams. Her scars had never looked more beautiful.
Before taking his place with Luna for the ceremony, Jack ran to his sister, picking her up off the ground in a very ecstatic hug.
Belle walked with pride, her daughter on her arm, surprisingly not crying a tear. Samantha's eyes were fairly clear as she seemed at the sight of her groom at the end of the aisle.
It was a lovely ceremony on the lawn of Hogwarts with about two hundred in attendance. Simple wooden chairs were set for the ceremony and little black flowers lined the aisle. There was a large arch made of black trees and covered in deep green vines. The vines looked like they were moving.
Everyone was sobbing, except for the bride and groom. They seemed to be lost in their own little joyful world.
Minerva who was performing the ceremony even started to dab her eyes near the end. Belle wasn't a person to cry unless deeply upset. It showed weakness.
However as she watched her daughter beam with joy, she remembered feeling that way on the day she married Ed. She remembered feeling that joy when she first held Jack in her arms. His big brown eyes staring back at her with such maturity. She remembered that joy when she held her daughter for the first time as well. Every moment of sweet uninterrupted bliss swept through Belle's mind and she couldn't help but feel incredibly lucky to have her children home and living the lives they deserved.
The tears were warm as they fell. She allowed it, she wasn't weak, she was living.
After the ceremony everyone made their way into the Great Hall where the large four tables had been replaced by dozens of smaller round ones. There were green vines covering every arbor but the ceiling still sparkled with stars.
Ed and Belle were seated at a table with Minerva, Vivi and Jack. Vivi left to grab more drinks and Jack left to prepare for his speech.
"So this is Hogwarts?" Ed asked with a giant gaping smile. "I understand why you three like it so much. It's incredible."
"If you'd like a tour, I'd be more than honored Mr. Fyre." McGonagall offered kindly.
"Would I?" Ed's eyes lit up and he sat a little straighter.
"Once the standard traditions are through, I'll take you both around. Belle's never seen the Gazette headquarters. I think you would love to see where Samantha spent all of her time." Minerva continued with a chuckle, "I'll also show you the greenhouses where your new son works."
"Which I've always found ironic, Sammy always hated Herbology." Belle interjected between sips of butterbeer, "Yet somehow she took it in sixth year, when she had planned on dropping."
Minerva said before taking a sip of wine, "If there had been a conspiracy, there are, at least two other contributors. One of which, had them pegged for each other, in first year."
"You are joking?" Belle asked raising an eyebrow.
"No, Snape was convinced day one." Minerva raised her eyebrows, "We all thought it was cruel when he made them partners in potions, considering he knew poor Neville wanted to impress her."
Belle took a deep breathe, "I always forget Professor Snape was a trained Legilement."
"Like the dragon fellow right?" Ed asked making Belle and Minerva give him an impressed expression.
"Sort of, Kai Jones was a natural and Snape was taught, but good job knowing the term." Belle kissed her husband's cheek. Only took him thirty years to get a term right.
"Snape could read minds and he was convinced it would challenge them to be partners." Minerva rolled her eyes, "I still think it was a bit cruel of course, but I guess he was right. Then Sprout has always had a habit of setting up her favorites."
"Minerva, I thought you didn't play favorites." Belle joked.
"I don't with my students." Minerva smiled wistfully taking a drink, "But, Goddaughters are a different story and after Samantha's tryst with Mr. Jordan, I agreed it was best to push her in a more appropriate direction. Not to mention, it was good to academically push her out of her comfort zone."
"I guess I should be thanking you." Ed looked slightly misty eyed again, "I think. Always taking care of my family."
"I've always tried to do my best." Minerva pat Ed on the shoulder slightly.
August 13th, 1984
Belle opened the door on the rainy August day to greet a small cat she was nervous she would never see again.
Moments after the cat was inside the home, Minerva McGonagall stood in her foyer wearing a wide smile. They hugged, which was something Belle couldn't remember being comfortable with before. Under the circumstances, it felt more than appropriate. She smelled like Hogwarts' firewood and melted wax. Just the sight of her made Belle feel at home again.
Minerva was there to spend a week in America with Belle and the family. Then they were both heading back to London to try and settle a few things. This way Belle could begin the two year process of transitioning her family, work and life.
"Look at you!" Minerva said stepping back a bit, but keeping her hands on Belle's shoulders, "You are a far cry from the little girl I remember."
"You haven't changed a bit." Belle exclaimed honestly.
"You have not lost your kindness." Minerva smiled sternly.
Belle smiled, just happy to have someone she knew standing in her home.
"How has married life been?" Minerva asked as she removed her rain coat, hanging it on the coat rack beside her children's pig and bunny raincoats. Belle took her bags before sending them up to the guest room.
"Wonderful."
"I was quite hoping to meet the muggle." Minerva said as Belle led her into the home.
"Ed will be along." Belle laughed, "He's so excited to meet you, he'd even tried to get the day off of work, but it hadn't worked out. He should be home soon."
"I am delighted to meet him." Minerva said with a wink. "And your little designer friend."
"Yes, Vivi wants to meet you. She will be over tomorrow." Belle said, exaggerating Vivi's excitement a touch. Vivi wasn't a fan of anyone attempting to convince her business partner to move home.
"You know I could ask the same thing. How's your married life?" Belle said with a smirk, "I thought you weren't going to ever say yes to Mr. Urquart."
"I decided a little bit of joy couldn't hurt." Minerva said as she looked over the house with a small blush upon her cheeks. "He and I are very happy. He has quite a few nieces and nephews, so our home is never empty."
"It's a shame he couldn't come to America with you, Ed would have liked to meet him." Belle said, honestly quite disappointed.
"Yes, the trials and investigations from the war seem to be endless. He is excited to have you in our home though." Minerva huffed slightly, "I do hope we may reach a real peace soon. He plans to retire as soon as this mess is over with."
Belle admitted watching her old Professor look over the hallway of pictures. "I hope that happens soon."
"These past years have been quite incredulous." Minerva admitted putting her hand to her heart seeing Belle's wedding photo, "I must admit it is quite a relief to see you and your family so happy."
"We are very happy." Belle smiled looking at the little memories around her. She knew how blessed she was and how hard Minerva had worked to make it that it could happen. "Want to meet the children? Samantha is in the other room and I'll fetch Jack, he's out with the Augury."
Belle walked Minerva into the sitting room where Samantha was laying on her stomach looking at a picture book. She had her feet behind her kicking in the air.
"Sammy, we have a visitor." Belle called into the room, making Sammy sit up and her ponytail fly around. Sammy looked over Minerva with a tilt of her head.
"You must be my Goddaughter." Minerva exclaimed kneeling down beside her.
"I'm Samantha." Sammy's blue eyes sparkled as her mouth formed into a bow. "What's your name?"
"I'm Minerva, but you can call me Godmummy if you'd prefer." Minerva said putting her hands on her lap.
Sammy stood up a little and gave Minerva a hug around the neck, "Godmummy Minerva."
"That's very good, my name is a tricky one." Minerva observed as Sammy let go of the hug.
"She's really good with language and phonetics." Belle revealed with a small bit of pride, "She's already reading picture books."
"What are you reading?" Minerva asked picking up the book.
"It's called Green Eggs and Ham." Samantha said excitedly with a giggle. "I am Sam, Sam I Am."
"Well, the muggles certainly know how to teach proper rhyming prose." Minerva said flipping through the pages.
"Want to see a trick?" Sammy asked and Belle's heart jumped into her throat. Before anyone could answer, Sammy had pinched her nose and wiggled it.
The characters from the book jumped off of the page and began dancing.
Minerva put her hand over her mouth to cover her laugh, but it was there all the same.
"Samantha Aithne Fyre, what have I told you about wiggling your nose like Samantha on TV?" Belle asked with her hands on her hips and the sternest voice she could mutter. The little characters popped back onto the page.
"To not to." Sammy's face downturned and tears started pouring.
"No crying, you know the rules." Belle was on the verge of laughter herself. "No magic until you go to school."
"Sorry mummy." Sammy looked downward.
"Your birthday is in a week, right Samantha?" Minerva asked looking at the little girl with a large smile Belle could rarely remember seeing.
Samantha nodded and held up a hand with four fingers, "I'll be four. It was Jack's birthday the other day, he turned five!"
"Four and five are big ages." Minerva explained, "Someday, you will be old enough and you can come to Hogwarts with me."
"You go to school too?" Sammy asked wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her shirt.
Minerva laughed taking Sammy's hand and sitting with her on the sofa, "I teach there. It's a big beautiful place where lots of other children learn how to use magic."
"Mummy went there!" Sammy exclaimed bouncing a little.
"That's where I met your mum." Minerva began as she tilted her head back to Belle, "A long time ago."
Belle left the two to their discussions and retrieved Jack.
Minerva was wonderful with both of her children. They seemed to enjoy her stern but friendly presence in their playtime. When Ed arrived home, Belle had never seen him more awestruck. He kept fixing things and asking the most incredible questions about Hogwarts. Belle was sure she wouldn't have to do much convincing to get him to actually move someday.
Later in the evening as Ed put the children down for bed, Minerva and Belle convened for a few private moments together. They were going to strategize her UK visit, and make sure they covered all the bases for what she would need to know.
"What do you know of your family's upcoming trials? I must urge you to take caution, their downfall is splashed across the media." Minerva asked as she sipped on a glass of wine.
Belle took a sip of her tea, "I've been reading about it in the papers. I know Newt Scamander took them for a good run for their money, their entire operation has been shut down. They are allowed to keep birds for personal use under strict supervision, but no more distribution."
"Should be quite good for your business when you return to London." McGonagall winked, "You will be the sole purveyor of Brenna raised Augury birds and goods there."
"Yes, and Vivi will be the only distributer in America. I am keeping my name on her business to ensure it." Belle smiled, it had softened the blow to Vivi that she planned to leave in two year's time. "I also saw that Kyle, Glen and Eamon are all on trial for their time as Death Eaters. I know my other suspected brothers that were playing the imperious curse card have been released."
"In my mind all but Mr. Ian Brenna were deeply involved. Ian it seems has been in charge of your parents and taking care of them in their failing health." Minerva took a drink of wine with a raise of eyebrows, "Always was a bit softer Ian, good boy, good grades."
"I also saw about Logan's death." Belle mentioned.
"Should I offer condolences?" Minerva asked putting a hand on Belle's shoulder.
Belle shook her head, Logan's death didn't cause her much pain. Only the pain of losing the brother closest to her in age. However, if they were to have met on the street, they would have been nothing but strangers now.
"Eamon's trial should be an open and shut case." McGonagall insisted with a tilt of her head, "He was witnessed when he killed those muggles."
Belle's heart jumped, thinking of the poor family who had been murdered in their beds.
"Glenn, well-" McGonagall swallowed difficultly, "He is credited to several high profile deaths like Marlene McKinnon and her whole family. There is no denying his penchant nature for torture and his disregard for human life."
Belle tried not to think about all the pain he had caused her as a child. He had started when she was no bigger than Sammy was now. She would never have allowed anyone to hurt her babies the way her family had allowed him to hurt her. "He always had one."
"Kyle, well he's taken credit for the death of the Prewett boys of course, but he refuses to imply it was personally motivated." Minerva said causing Belle's heart to beat faster, "He wants to say that he had no idea you and Gideon were involved, that no one truly knew the status of your relationship with him. He is crediting Dolohov as the purveying mastermind."
"Narcissa knew about Gideon and I." Belle said putting her tea cup down before she dropped it, "So did-" Belle had a hard time saying Alice's name at late, "A lot of people."
"People who are dead or," Minerva looked away from Belle, "worse knew. Narcissa Malfoy is not entirely willing to give forth information. She claims to be quite traumatized by the whole war and remembers nothing. I myself have offered to put myself forward as evidence, but I can't prove that Kyle knew."
Belle shook her head as an idea came to her, "I could speak to it. Or at least to the nature of Gideon and I's relationship."
Minerva put down her wine glass while her mouth formed into a pinched and stern expression. "You will do no such thing! Your transition home will already be fraught with their bigoted insolence, their family influence may be crippled, but their wrath is still prevalent."
Belle felt her jaw clench, "I just want to help."
Minerva crossed her hands over her lap. "I will not allow it! Those beautiful children need their mother."
Belle didn't want to agree, but decided she would.
"All right, so I get that the staircases move to keep things interesting for the kids, but has anyone ever fallen off of them? I think that's just a death trap waiting to happen!" Ed called in as he reentered the room. He brought the bottle of wine with him and a can of beer.
Minerva's face contorted into a laugh, Belle joined her, happy to be focusing on the positives again. He poured Minerva another glass of wine.
"No one has died on the staircases." Minerva answered as she looked over her spectacles, "I can assure you of that."
"I feel better then about sending the kids there." Ed said sitting down and crossing his legs. He opened his beer with a crack. "It sounds amazing otherwise, but that one certainly made me nervous."
"Not to worry Mr. Fyre." Minerva insisted with a small smile. "Now I do hope you will be alright with the children by yourself for the next two weeks?"
"I will manage, my parents have offered to help and Vivi is a wonderful babysitter." Ed insisted looking over to Belle, "Just promise my Belle will come back in one piece will you?"
Minerva nodded her head and put her hand to her heart, "I'll do my best."