Ethereal

the eye of the storm

Chapter Two

"Ricky!" Belle's voice yelled as she apparated in the room with a pop. "Ricky!" She shouted as she threw her bag and ran up the stairs to his bedroom where he sat on the bed, head in his hand and sobs racking him.

"I saw him, Bells." He cried. Belle dropped to her knees in front of his and placed her cold hands on his knees. "He was right here."

"It was just a nightmare, Ricky." She comforted him. Ricky abruptly got up and she fell back in response. "Ouch." She muttered and rubbed her bum.

"No! He was here. Nathan was here!" Ricky threw his hand up in anger. Belle knew he'd been having these nightmares lately but this didn't seem like that. "He was here." His voice cracked.

"Shh." Belle held on him and rocked him. "It's okay, Ricky." He sobbed into her shoulder. Slowly Belle lowered him to his bed where he fell asleep. A sigh escaped her lips and she left the room, the door closing with a small click. Ricky would have to return to Hogwarts in a weeks time as break was coming to an end. How would he function if not even potions were working anymore? Belle was concerned for her younger brother, but she couldn't show it. Not to him at least.

Where was their father? Why had he left them all alone? Fury ran through her veins as she grabbed her bag and apparated again, this time to the Ministry, where he would surely be working. "Ah, Belle! Your father is in a meet-" Belle cut her off but slamming the door to the conference room open.

"Where were you?" All the men and women turned to loom at her. "Huh!? I sent a patronus. Ricky is losing his mind and you don't care at all!" She was yelling. Her voice was loud and her hands were clenched at her side.

"I have work, Belle. I have to keep providing for you two. Who else is going to do that? Ricky? Your mother? Nathan!?" He started to yell as well.

"We can come back later." One of the men in the chairs said but her father pushed him by his shoulder, forcing him down.

"Stay." He spoke to the man like a dog. Belle rolled her eyes at her father who didn't break eye contact with her.

"Why is your son not the most important thing?! For once!" She screamed. Sweat beaded along her father's head. Belle wasn't one for theatrics, this was new territory. "If you don't get your fucking head screwed on right then." She didn't dare finish what she wanted to say. Belle didn't know if it was the right thing yet.

"Then what, huh?! Then what?!" He screamed back at her. Belle didn't hesitate to throw the words like an acid in his face.

"Then you can count on your other kids hanging themselves too." She spit. Her father lunged for her but was held back by another man in the room and a man held her back to. Her father's secretary was telling her to leave but Belle wasn't done yet.

"You think I don't feel anything, Belladonna?! You think I didn't feel when I heard what happened?" He pushed the men off of him. Small laughs escaped her lips and she shook her head.

"You didn't find him." Her eyes were full of fire, an anger unlike anything anyone in the room had seen. The flames danced and she spun around, slamming the doors open and leaving. Her father was a bastard of a man and she would never forgive him. A warmth ran up her fingers and it became so hot it was almost unbearable. She looked down and saw flames prickling at her finger tips and with a quick flick of her wrists they were gone. Belle had trouble controlling her magic, she never told anyone that it was her own little secret. Belle figured she was just weaker than most witches, that she was too emotionally.