Inside My Mind (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Chapter XC

Hogwarts, Unplottable Location, Scotland, Great Britain

Saturday the 10th of April 1998

12:00 PM

Padma and Parvati Patil looked up from their books and looked at the girl with raised eyebrows. Bella Potter was standing in front of them, looking mildly nervous and she had a bag slung over her shoulder. Scrolls upon tomes were in her hands and a quill was tucked behind her ear. Padma and Parvati looked over at Anthony and Michael in confusion.

"Um…would you guys care to join me outside by the tree?" Bella asked, referring to the giant oak where they had all spent their time before relocating to the library during colder months. Padma looked over at her friend and Michael. They shrugged.

"Sure," Parvati said, cheerfully and Bella smiled, quietly before gesturing for them to stand. The group walked out of the library silently and Padma was sure that their leader was nervous about something though she wasn't sure what.

"Do you…do you mind if Fay, Linda, Lalita, and Theodore join us?" Bella asked, quietly and Anythony shook his head.

"No. I've been meaning to talk to Theodore anyway. I believe I've found a way to enhance the properties of his knives," Anthony said, calmly and Bella glanced over her shoulder and frowned. She sighed and fell into step with Anthony.

"Anthony…what is it that you actually do? I'm afraid that I've always been so caught up in myself that I never actually took the time to learn. I'd like to learn what you all do, if it's not too late," Bella said, tentatively and Padma's eyes widened.

Before, the Indian girl had never minded that Bella was not always on them and pushing them. She never taught any of them specifically except for Fay and even now, Bella wasn't helping Fay very much anymore. Most of her students had been shifted to Draco despite the fact that he was so busy with handling the dementors in Azkaban and furthering Hydra.

"It's not," Anthony said, quietly and Bella smiled.

"Will Blaise and Draco be there?" Michael asked and Bella shook her head.

"No. Blaise is having his one-on-one visit with Hermione. Draco is 'supervising'. He's actually there with Luna," Bella explained and Michael nodded in understanding. They were now outside and Padma could see her friends sitting underneath the oak already and it looked like they were studying for NEWTs as well.

"So…the N.E.W.T.s and Masteries are next month and so is Tom's final," Bella said, as they finally approached and Padma nodded. She had been upset when she heard that Professor Riddle was still giving a final exam. She had long since gotten over it.

"Are you ready?" Daphne asked when Bella sat down and Bella snorted.

"Not in the least. Are any of you?" she asked.
"I'm ready for most of the N.E.W.T.s I could help you, if you need any," Michael supplied and Bella smiled. She nodded in agreement and pulled out a book from her bags. It was a small journal. Bella opened it and Padma was surprised to see that it was full of writing and runes.

"What's that?" Padma asked, curiously and Bella bit her lip.

"A…my runes study guide," Bella said, quietly and Padma didn't doubt that. But, she knew that wasn't only it. She leaned forward, irked that Bella wouldn't tell her.