The Tale of a Gaunt

New Beginnings

It was a nice summer afternoon in the town of Windsbury, near London, and Arabella Gaunt was sitting in her room in the cosy home of 21 Smaldick Road.

Arabella was at her desk, writing a birthday letter to her friend, Amari Onai, who would be turning eighteen the next day, on July twenty sixth.

After she had finished the letter, Arabella folded the letter, and waved for her owl, Lunaris Jr's attention.

Lunaris Jr flew down to her desk, and Arabella placed the letter in Lunaris Jr's beak, and she flew off.

Arabella watched as the year old owl flew into the distance.

"Bella! Come down please!" Arabella's godmother, Abigail Black, called.

"Coming!" Arabella yelled, and she walked out of her bedroom and walked downstairs.

She had adapted well to living at the Black household now, now that she had moved out and sold the house on Willowbrook Lane.

But of course, this wasn't a permanent stay, as Arabella was now of age, and would have to move out soon, once she had gotten enough money.

Arabella walked to the lounge, to see everyone there.

"Bella!" The two year old Black twins, Rose and Thomas, exclaimed as they ran and hugged Arabella's legs.

Arabella chuckled, and patted their heads.

"You alright?" Sirius asked, smiling.

"Yeah, I'm fine" Arabella smiled after the twins had let go and Arabella walked over to the sofa and sat in it.

Suddenly, three owls flew and landed outside the window, and stared into the room.

Abigail walked to the window and took the letters from the owls' beaks and looked at them.

"There's two here for you" Abigail smiled, passing two letters to Harry and Arabella. "Seems to be from the Ministry" She continued.

Arabella looked at her envelope, and started ripping it open and unfolded the letter.

Dear Miss Gaunt

Following the Battle of Hogwarts, and the entire year of the country being occupied by Voldemort, we have decided to give all seventh year students who fought in the Battle of Hogwarts a chance: either redo their seventh and final year at Hogwarts to achieve their N.E.W.Ts, or accept a completely free employment as an Auror. We expect your answer by July 31st.

Kingsley Shacklebolt
Minister for Magic

Arabella looked at the letter.

"What's it about?" Sirius asked.

"It's a choice. Either go back to Hogwarts for a redo of seventh year, or become an Auror" Arabella told him.

"Well, what do you want to do?" Abigail asked.

Harry looked at his letter too.

"I think I'll become an Auror" Harry said.

"Alright, that's fine" Sirius smiled. "How about you, Bella?" He asked.

Arabella thought for a moment. Taking the next step to actually having a job sounded good, but it had been one whole year since she last stepped foot into Hogwarts as a student, and she missed the memories dearly. She thought some more, before speaking up.

"I think I'll go back" She said.

"Oh, brilliant idea" Abigail smiled.

"Well then, you'll have to write your responses!" Sirius beamed.

Arabella ran upstairs to her room, and started writing her response with a spare piece of parchment.

After she had written her response, she turned to Lunaris Jr, only to remember she was delivering Amari's birthday letter.

She decided to wait a bit for Lunaris Jr, until she remembered.

"Hedwig" She muttered, and went to Harry's room to find that he was just finishing his letter and trying it to Hedwig's leg.

"Can you send my response back with Hedwig too?" Arabella asked her boyfriend.

Harry looked at her, and smiled. "Of course. Where's Lunaris?" He asked.

"Well, Lunaris Sr is dead and buried in the back garden, but Lunaris Jr is delivering Amari's birthday message" Arabella smiled.

"Oh, alright then" Harry smiled, and Arabella walked over to Hedwig and tied her response to her leg too, and Hedwig flew off.

The next day, Arabella made her way to Diagon Alley to get new school equipment.

After entering through the brick wall, she walked along the path to Gringotts Bank, which she did feel a little guilt for visiting, after she had broken in just two months earlier with Harry, Ron and Hermione to get the Hufflepuff Cup Horcrux.

Arabella walked towards the front of the hall, to see the goblin at the front desk.

"I would like to enter my vault" Arabella said.

Unlike the last time she had 'entered' Gringotts, the goblin looked up straight away.

"Madam Gaunt, right, this way" The goblin smiled. Of course, he and neither did anyone else in the bank know that Arabella had broken in as the four of them had been disguised.

The goblin walked away, and Arabella followed him.

The pair of them got into the carts and sped towards the Gaunt vault. The goblin opened the vault.

Arabella looked into the old vault, which had since been filled from the few Galleons there once were, to the mounds of Galleons which Arabella had earned from events such as the Battle of Hogwarts.

Arabella took some Galleons and shoved them into her pocket. After that, she made her way out of Gringotts and started walking around Diagon Alley, getting the equipment she needed.

After she had gotten everything, she went to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and ate some ice cream.

After a few minutes, someone sat in front of her.

"Hey" Hermione smiled, sitting opposite Arabella and eating her own ice cream.

"Hi" Arabella said, looking at Hermione.

"How are you?" Hermione asked.

"I'm feeling good" Arabella smiled.

"Are you staying at Hogwarts this year?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, you?" Arabella asked.

"Yeah, I am" Hermione said. The pair of them ate their ice creams for a bit while talking about what was happening in their lives.

"Anyway, I'm going to Australia with Ron next week to find my parents and bring their memories back again" Hermione said.

"Good for you" Arabella smiled.

"Yeah. I have to go now, it was nice talking to you. I'll see you soon!" Hermione smiled, waving and walking away.