Exile || Sebastian Sallow

1 | Seventh Year

1 | Seventh Year

Belle's Perspective

1 year later

Rolling hills and plateaus blurred past the train's window in my peripheral vision, rain splattering on the misty glass. The cozy atmosphere inside the cabin embraced me against the early autumn chill, enough to keep me warm in my beige sweater.

My hand delicately flipped the page of the book on my lap, my eyes intently focused on the words. I'd been so consumed with the story since boarding the Hogwarts Express that I barely left my seat for the whole ride.

And to be honest, I just wanted to occupy my mind with something else.

I was excited to be back at Hogwarts. Of course, I was, considering this was our last year of making memories. But I couldn't help but feel as though this year was going to be different.

I sighed, trying to shake my head out of some nonsense paranoia. There were so many memories I'd buried since the end of fifth-year, so many that used to haunt me when I took my first steps back to Hogwarts.

Most of them were threads of moments with a particular Slytherin. I couldn't even bring myself to speak his name. All the friendships we'd built before died with my old self underneath that Repository.

Sometimes, trying to puzzle out whatever happened that day seemed to break my mind. I got this phantom feeling that was impossible to complete.

But having met new friends... and a special someone... those memories have haunted me less and less to the point I could barely feel them.

I suddenly smiled at the thought that I would see him at Hogwarts soon. My special someone.

The cabin door swooshed open suddenly, making me look up from my book. I got slightly annoyed, which tended to happen when my reading got interrupted.

Imelda Reyes stood there in all her black attire and red lips, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorway.

She raised a brow at me. "Seriously, Belle? We're almost at Hogwarts and you're still reading that bloody book?"

"What? It's a good book!" I argued.

"How do you not get motion sickness from reading that in here?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I just don't."

Imelda chuckled. "Fine, fine. Can you at least stop being a typical Ravenclaw for once? Come on. You missed out on the fun earlier. Amit had these fun candies with him earlier and they exploded into fireworks right in front of him."

"You lot were the ones who decided to leave me here to go mingle," I huffed. "Not my fault I missed out on the fun."

"Your fault for not coming with us," said Imelda with some attitude that I knew was only from the goodness of her own heart. "Everyone was asking where you are."

"Everyone?"

Imelda chuckled. "Yes, everyone. Considering you're practically the most popular girl in school, yes, Belle, everyone was looking for you."

"Oh please, what do they even want?" I shook my head, a small blush on my cheeks.

"Everyone loves you," she said as a matter of fact. "Do they need a reason?"