Inside My Mind (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Chapter XXV

Hogwarts, Unplottable Location, Scotland, Great Britain

Monday the 8th of November 1993

12:00 PM

"Stay after class, Bella" Lupin insisted. Bella blinked in surprise and turned to Hermione, Ron, and surprisingly Draco.

"Oi, you, overprotective and hateful blood brother…go somewhere. And Ron, Hermione, I'll be fine. I'll catch up with you later" Bella promised. Draco sneered at her and stormed away, his robes billowing. Bella wondered off hand if he got that from Snape or what.

"If you're sure…see you at lunch. Come on Ron" Hermione said, dragging the redhead off by his ear as he seemed ready to object. Bella glanced at Tom who was sitting behind his desk, his feet on the table and reading a book.

"Don't you have reading glasses?" asked Bella, curiously. Tom lowered the book from his face and Bella grinned to see them on his face. He glared at her and looked back at his book.

"At least I'm not blind."

"I'm not blind! I just wear contacts" Bella snapped. Tom nodded.

"A filthy Muggle invention. Spectacles are much more respectable" Tom said, carefully. Bella rolled her eyes and sighed.

"You think all Muggles inventions are stupid" she pointed out. Tom nodded, sagely and turned back to his book, continuing to read. Lupin turned to Bella as she sat on Tom's desk. He raised an eyebrow at her and gestured for her to move.

He watched as she smirked and crossed her legs, primly.

"You wanted me to stay after class, Moony" she prompted. Remus nodded and cleared his throat. He didn't understand how she hadn't gotten in trouble yet but didn't bother to ask. She called him 'Tom'. He wasn't surprised that she was allowed to sit on his desk.

"I haven't been able to speak to you about your fear. Would you like to talk about it?" asked Remus. Bella froze at the mention before clearing her throat and tilted her head with a slight smile.

"You know, Remus, that was only one of my fears. I have two. That was the one I think I felt like sharing. My other fear is much more private. But, yes, I think I'd like to talk about it" Bella said. Remus nodded, in understanding. She was being very serious now if she was calling him by his given name.

"Then just talk and I won't interrupt. Would you like to do this more privately?" asked Remus, glancing at Riddle. Bella looked at Tom who was still reading. She smiled at him before shaking her head.

"It's fine. So…those three people on the ground. Obviously, you could see that one was the man that saved us on the train. That was Draco. Thanatos. My brother. My big brother. The woman was Hermione. When she's older. She's my sister. That last man…that was Apollo. I don't exactly know who he is but he's very important to me" Bella said. Remus couldn't help himself.

"How is he important to you if you don't know who he is?" Remus asked.

"Soul brother."

Bella and Remus turned to Riddle who had put down his book, finally. He looked rather bored to be frank.

"Her soul brother? Are you sure?" Remus asked, shocked. Riddle nodded once and cleared his throat.