Flames Just Create Us [OPEN]

[bella]

“Would you please watch where you’re going?!” snapped Bellatrix Black, as she strode through the main street in Diagon Alley. The young boy that had just collided with her looked up apologetically before ducking his head and running to stand next to his parents. His mother, who had just seen her son run into Bellatrix quickly apologized, but Bellatrix sent a glare in her direction and strode past the young family without a word. Politeness didn’t come easily to the seventeen year old Slytherin; in fact, it didn’t really come to her at all. Raised in one of the most elite Pureblood families, manners and grace were expected to come naturally. Her sisters pulled it off effortlessly, but Bellatrix could never quite grasp the concept. Several passers-by were staring at her in shock, having seen the display of her atrocious manners. They too, received a glare from the young Death Eater, as she turned the corner, heading in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron.

It was a cold autumn day, the bitter wind stinging her face as she strode purposefully on. Bella pulled her jacket tighter around her thin frame, wishing not for the first time she had had the sense to wear a thicker coat. It was a Hogsmeade weekend for the students of Hogwarts, but Bellatrix never had any intentions of staying in the confines of the small wizarding village. All of the students would be gathered in small groups, laughing and chattering with each other as they showed each other their new purchases. It was always the same, weekends in which Hogwarts students were allowed out of the castle brought a happy, carefree feeling to the village of Hogsmeade. It was enough to put Bellatrix off the village for life. And so, a quick apparation brought her to Diagon Alley.

And yet, as always, Bellatrix planned to spend the day alone. As much as she liked to think her company was desirable, there were few that would choose to spend any time alone with her. Not that she could really blame them for their choice. Her arrogant, egotistical, superior attitude made people keep their distance. And so she told herself she didn’t care, and that she preferred her own company anyway.

She walked into the Leaky Cauldron, reveling in the warmth of the pub. It was quite busy and loud, but it meant she was less likely to be noticed. And most importantly, there was no one from Hogwarts in sight. She approached the bar, knocking into someone as she passed. “Firewhisky.” She snapped. Her drink arrived in a matter of seconds. She walked over to a small table tucked in the corner and sat down, before pulling her jacket off. She took a drink from her glass, twisting her face as the alcohol burnt her throat. She smirked, if only her mother could see her now. The perfect Pureblood daughter? Not quite.

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[granton]

There was only so much of the sickly happiness that one could take before he or she simply needed to escape and find some sanity. The first Hogsmeade weekend of the year and, as always, there was an endless amount of excitement just oozing from the new 3rd years. What was really so great about Hogsmeade that they always looked like they were about to pee their pants? Seriously... Was he even like that? He really hoped not.

As it was, after the first half an hour or so of playing the ever helpful head, Granton had seen more than his share of giggles, squeals, excited stumbles, and pathetic children to last him a lifetime. He needed to escape this madness.

There were plenty of prefects about who could keep an eye on the third years and so Granton declared himself officially off duty.

His gaze wandered to the Three Broomsticks. More students in there no doubt. No. What he needed was a proper escape. To leave the small village. But he still needed that strong drink after the morning he'd had.

With a pop, he relocated himself at the entrance of an alleyway and looked around. Ah, good old Diagon Alley. It never changed, did it? Even when the summer rush to buy school supplies was over there was no stemming the flow of witches and wizards passing though. Life went on.

The Leaky Cauldron was right across the way from him and he headed swiftly in that direction, his path set. Others had to swerve and dodge around him but he paid no attention to their muttered insults and glares. They were probably all muggle-loving filth.

Inside, the smokey air raced into his lungs and he took a second to enjoy the rich stain of beer that hung there. He loved the smell in pubs. Rich and heady with smoke and alcohol. Heaven.

Granton let his gaze sweep the room and his eyes caught imediately on the figure sitting alone on the far side of the room. Now why wasn't he surprised to see that face here?

"Two firewiskeys - and make them doubles." He through down a few coins onto the counter and looked back at the seated figure. No doubt she'd left as soon as she was out of the gates of the school. Not that he blamed her. If it wasn't for his 'duties' he would have done the same.

He headed across the room, fire whiskeys in hand, and slid into the booth. "Fancy seeing you here, Bells." He pushed one of the glasses towards her and took a gulp from the other. He loved the burn of this stuff.

[bella]

It was only as Granton spoke that Bellatrix realised he was present. So wrapped up in her thoughts, she had barely noticed anything going on in the pub. One could hardly blame her. So much was happening right now, she needed to find a husband, her sister was drifting away from the family, she’d potentially ruined what was supposed to be a fool proof Death Eater attack, just to name a few things. Her thoughts absorbed her concentration, as did the drink in front of her. Within a few minutes the glass was empty, pushed to one side, ready to be replaced by another.

Her eyes followed him as he slid into her booth, but she did not make any comment. It wasn’t as if she resented the intrusion, in fact, she welcomed it. Her thoughts were not pleasant company at the present time. Sending a quick appreciative glance in Granton’s direction, she picked up the glass he had placed on the table and took a drink from it, eyes widening momentarily as the drink hit her throat. It was stronger than what she was used to, but perhaps exactly what she needed at this point.

She smirked at the use of ‘Bells’. There were very few students who could get away with calling her Bells, but Granton was most definitely in the minority. She took another drink from her glass before replying, “Head Boy duties finished for the day Granton?” she asked, almost teasingly. She hardly blamed him for ducking out on supervising the third years. Even five minutes with a bunch of thirteen year olds had her wanting to strangle the lot of them.

She observed Granton silently for a minute. They were well acquainted, being in the same year and fellow Death Eaters; they certainly saw enough of each other. “Tell me then,” she started, taking yet another drink out of her glass. Soon enough it would be empty. But if it helped take her mind of things, then so be it. “How are things in the world of Hogwarts authority?” Her voice was light, again almost teasing, but there was a definite bitter tone hidden in her words.

Of course, the Dark Lord had been thrilled when Granton had been awarded the position of Head Boy. Something to do with being able to keep a closer eye on certain members of staff and certain students. Either way, Bella was not particularly pleased about it. It was not the first time she had been overlooked by the Dark Lord in favour of other students.

[granton]

"Head Boy duties can be shared easily among prefects, and can become Prefect Duties without question. I'm sure your sister is enjoying playing nice with the third years. Among others."

Granton took a swig from his glass and held the burning liquid in his mouth for several long seconds until it was all he could taste, and the burning sensation made his head spin ever-so-slightly.

"Life in 'Hogwart's authority' is about as interesting as you thought it would be. It's about as interesting as watching the grass grow on the forest floor. However, it has its perks." He didn't want to say too much. He knew it was something of a sore subject between them and, even though he was glad that he held the position within the school, he wasn't about to make himself out to be a complete snobbish-swot around anyone. So if he had to talk down about the position, so be it. It didn't change anything.

For several minutes he just watched Bellatrix and tried to make sense of things. "I know you. Something's on your mind. Spill."

Not that he expected much of an answer from her.

(ooc: Sorry it took so long!)/size]

[bella]

Bellatrix kept her mouth shut successfully when he began talking about Prefect duties. It was a subject she felt she could say little about without getting worked up. Of course, it was barely a surprise that Bellatrix Black hadn’t been given a Prefect badge in her fifth year. She caused far too much trouble and had little respect for any of the Professors or other students. But she was still bitter about it, even after two years.

She ignored Granton’s comment about her sister. Quite frankly, she didn’t want to hear about her ‘perfect’ sister’s prefect duties. Narcissa had always been the favourite daughter. Beautiful, blonde, graceful, elegant, polite, in essence the perfect pureblood daughter. And Bellatrix was not. She took a large drink out of her glass, allowing the liquid to burn her throat as it went down. The Firewhisky was certainly making her bitter and resentful today.

Her eyes narrowed as he mentioned the perks the job of Head Boy had. But she kept her eyes glued to the table. She was not about to show her jealously, it gave him something to use against her, and besides, her mother had always insisted that jealousy in a woman was not attractive. She was aware of Granton studying her, but she pretended not to notice.

“Why Granton, I didn’t know you cared.” She replied sarcastically. In truth, even if she was about to tell him, she wouldn’t even know where to start. Her marriage, the failed Death Eater attack she had messed up, her sister and the mudblood, just to name a few. In truth, a few months ago she’d have told Granton what was bothering her. But not anymore.

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[granton]

Granton smirked slightly and had another drink, eyes on Bella. He hadn't missed the sarcasm, nor the way she'd averted her gaze when he mentioned his head duties. He just shook his head. She was the one who'd started the conversation. He'd merely answered her questions.

"Whatever would make you doubt something like that?" He drawled. The two of them got along great most of the time, but any mention of his duties, or anything that even suggested that one of them was 'better' than the other and they weren't quite so friendly for a while. Of course this was one of those times. Even though he knew that he shouldn't be retaliating, it had become something of an automatic thing to do. So, he matched her sarcasm with a drawl.

He shouldn't be stirring problems like this between them and he knew it, so instead of saying anything more he just sighed, finished of his drink, pushed the glass to the end of the table, and leaded forward with his arms crossed on the table top. "Come on, you know me better than that." A few possibilities flashed through his mind of what could be bothering her, but he couldn't think of any one in particular that could be causing her problems. "Tell me about the other week. The thing with the muggle borns and blood traitors. I never got the chance to hear the details of it."

Attacks, torture, and mudbloods. If there was something that would get Bella talking then hopefully this was it.

[/justify]

[bella]

The tone of Granton’s voice was not something that slipped by unnoticed. Her eyes immediately snapped up to his. It was one of those occasions where a quick scornful remark could have come in quite handy. She was so used to doing it that it was almost like second nature. But Granton was the last person she wanted to argue with, and so instead she bit her tongue and remained silent. But this was Bella Black after all, and a harsh glare was sent in his direction as a substitute.

It was a strange relationship the two had. They usually got on so well, being in the same year and fellow Death Eaters. And so the way she was acting was ridiculous. She sighed heavily and softened her gaze. Unconsciously, she leaned back in her seat as he leaned forward. She barely noticed it herself, but it was fairly unlikely it would go unnoticed by the seventeen year old sitting opposite her. It was something of a defense mechanism. Distance herself from everybody, let nobody in.

“I’m sure you’ve heard enough. Alecto didn’t turn up so it was just Evan, Amycus and myself. We got them out into a clearing in the forest then attacked them. They were screaming, begging for mercy. I just wish it could’ve lasted longer, it was all over way too soon.” Despite herself, she could feel herself getting into the story, her eyes were lit up with excitement.

She turned her eyes back to him, a mischievous grin on her face. It was almost shocking how much her mood had changed in the past minute or so. But anybody that knew Bellatrix was more than used to it. “Tell me Granton,” she smirked, “How is Elena these days?”

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[granton]

"I've heard enough of the rumors, but I've been waiting on hearing the full story from a more reliable source than the gossip chain. I feel I've waited more than long enough." Some of the rumors that had been circulating bordered on ridiculous. But what did you really expect when the only people talking were the ones who had been safely tucked up in their beds? "I'm sorry I missed it. Sound like you had far too much fun."

He'd never known anyone who liked seeing other people suffer quite as much as Bellatrix did, but that was what made her such an excellent choice for a Death Eater. She was someone he'd trust to watch his back, that much was sure. She was loyal and fierce and had a sharp mind.

Well, it seemed that talking about the attack had certainly lifted her mood - it showed on her face. Granton was somewhat amused with the sudden change around.

It was his turn to sit back in his seat and he smirked back at her. "Elena is quite fine from what I can tell. Still as feisty as ever." Granton and Elena made no secrets of what went on between them. The only difference was that when they were around others they acted quite distant and cold towards each other in comparison to when they were together. Then, their friendship showed through enough to make what passed between them a fun and satisfying encounter. "Now you tell me, Bella, what man has caught your fancy as of late?"

[/justify]

[bella]

Bellatrix laughed inwardly at the thought of the Hogwarts student population discussing the attack. It was almost inevitable that Granton would have heard some of the rumors floating around; the students had been discussing the attack for weeks now. “Perhaps it is more sensible you wait for the truth. The rumor going round at the minute is that the attackers were the Dark Lord’s most senior, experienced Death Eaters. In other words, his inner circle Death Eaters.” She said in a light, playful tone. It was where they both wanted to end up, in the Dark Lord’s inner circle, and hearing people speak about those elite Death Eaters with such fear had increased her determination to get there even more.

She smirked as he responded to her question about Elena. Bellatrix was well aware of the relations between the two, as was most of the Slytherin house. It was almost amusing to see the two around each other, acting as if they weren’t so closely acquainted. And so she brought it up in conversation in time to time, simply for her own enjoyment.

Her smirk increased when the conversation was brought back around to her. “Haven’t you heard? I am to be engaged very shortly. I’m sure my fiancé to be wouldn’t think too highly of me if he saw me chasing other guys.” She answered. She picked up her drink and finished what was left in the glass. Making eye contact with the bartender, she signaled for two of the same to be brought over.

“The task that remains of course, is finding a fiancé. I don’t suppose you fancy it? I could be Mrs Granton Cusatelli-Metzuko.” Her tone was teasing, her smile mischievous. She was of course joking, Granton really didn’t strike her as the marriage type.

[granton]

Granton raised an eyebrow. "That might be one rumor going around... if you're not a pathetic second year in Hufflepuff who is still convinced that the Dark Lord can control the minds of the centaurs through his control of the stars." He shook his head and laughed slightly, "It was some sort of nonsense like that anyway. See what I've had to deal with?"

He had heard the rumors that Bellatrix was talking of, but that was just an opinion held by many of the students, which they probably got from their parents. That, and the report in the Daily Prophet had suggested that it was outside sources. Who would ever expect a measly group of school children of being capable of something as... horrendous as the cruciatus curse? He sneered to himself. If only they knew. These 'school children' could probably take any one of them in a duel. Well, if faced with someone like himself or Bellatrix - Evan even, then there were no 'probably's' about it.

One of these days they were going to learn just how 'measly' they really were, but until then, their ignorance played in their favor.

After Bella's questions about Elena he could see the smirk on her face. Why she found so much enjoyment in quizzing him about Elena constantly he'd never know, but he always found a way to twist things back around to her own life. Her answers were always somewhat hazy though.

He smirked in return. "Well that's the way it normally works with family's like ours, isn't it? They want you hitched and out from under their skin the first chance they get. Luckily, I haven't heard much of that conversation. Good things come to those who don't promise to write home every other week." He shook his head and stared into his empty glass. He had heard that conversation, or rather, suggestion, several times. It had been why he'd spent the majority of the summer out on his own rather than at home. He had no intentions of following with the whole 'get married at 17' routine. When it got down to it, he was just too stubbornly independent to let his parents decide his life for him like that.

His focus returned to Bella when he saw her signal for more drinks. A fine idea. He could definitely use another whiskey.

“The task that remains of course, is finding a fiancé. I don’t suppose you fancy it? I could be Mrs Granton Cusatelli-Metzuko.”

He had to laugh. And it wasn't just because he found it hard to picture Bella as married, it was also because the grin on her face was pure mischief. It wasn't often he saw a look like that. Marry Bella? He could only guess what his parents would have to say about that. But why should he think of them? That would almost be an encouraging factor.

"Now there's an idea. Once you get past all the bickering and sarcastic digs that is. I could even ask Elena for her blessing, now there's a thought." The sarcasm rolled off in waves but the grin to match hers stayed in place.

He didn't picture himself as the marrying type. He didn't picture Bellatrix as the marrying type. Put the two together? And what did that leave?

[/justify]

(ooc: sorry it's terrible! i've not been too well and i'm struggling to focus a bit.)

[bella]

Bellatrix laughed at the rumor Granton spoke of. It was one she had not heard, and yet it did not surprise her. The younger students of Hogwarts were constantly coming up with ridiculous rumors; the Hufflepuffs in particular seemed to have a particular affinity for it. It was no surprise that Bella often lost her temper with the loud, giggling pre-teens from the house of Hufflepuff. Admittedly, there was a difference between losing your temper and hexing someone so badly they needed hospital treatment. But whatever. The little brat had been asking for it. That happened last year. And Bella was still receiving detentions for it.

She nodded in agreement as he spoke. Admittedly, what he was saying was correct. That was just how it worked with Pureblood families. When she had first received the letter she had been furious, outraged that she was going to be forced into a marriage by the time she turned eighteen. But now her resistance was fading. Perhaps it would just be easier to let her parents find someone for her, it would certainly lessen the workload for her. Finding someone who would willingly put up with Bellatrix Black day after day was not the simplest task.

“Apparently so. And with two other sisters to be married off, I suppose they want me out of the way as soon as possible.” She said honestly. She did not let any sound of resentment enter her voice, perhaps because she didn’t feel resentful towards her parents for this arrangement. After all, it gave her all the time in the world, once things were settled, to devote to serving the Dark Lord. Which had been her original plan anyway.

Bella raised an eyebrow slightly as Granton vaguely mentioned his family. It was not often she heard him mention his family, in fact, she had no idea what his relationship was like with his parents, it was something he hadn’t ever willingly thrown into the conversation. And of course, Bella being who she was, couldn’t keep her nose out of anybody else’s business. “Do they not insist on a fortnightly letter?” she asked lightly, trying to be subtle. “My parents would probably contact the school if they didn’t get a letter from me at least once a fortnight.”

“Well, you know what they say, the first year is always the hardest. Although in our case, we may end up killing each other.” She smiled. It wasn’t the case that Granton and Bella had huge arguments, but they tended to snap at each other frequently. Lock them in a house together, and it was likely that someone would lose their temper. She laughed at the thought. She doubted her parents would ever consider Granton as a suitable candidate. But then again, there was only a limited number of young Pureblood males for them to choose from.

[granton]

Granton didn't choose to talk about his family very often so when ever he mentioned even the vaguest reference to them those around him always seemed a little shocked. By now, that shock only served to amuse him. Growing up he'd seen relatively little of his parents as neither of them ever seemed to be home, or if they were, they were busy with some form of work or another. It had only been when he was older that they'd really started to take an interest in his life but by then he'd already developed a keen sense of independence and their sudden wish to be involved wasn't a welcomed one.

Granton shook his head. "They tried the fortnightly letter thing when I was in first year. It seems we don't have enough in common to be able to hold a conversation for that length of time. I stopped replying. In the years that followed they'd try the same old routine - or my mother would at least. By time I reached fourth year they gave up trying. Once a term is more than sufficient, and even that is often more than what I bother with." Granton glanced over as the bar man set two glasses down on the table and walked away. From the looks of things they were doubles, not that he was complaining. He picked up his own and pushed the other closer to Bella before taking a sip. "Besides, we speak in the summer and we speak at Christmas. What little we have to say is said at those times."

Granton had known Bella since they started their first year. In fact, no. First year had been the first time they'd talked, but he was pretty sure he'd seen her at some of the various events that many wizarding families attended. Pureblood families were expected to show their faces at certain events. If they didn't they risked losing their respect and power among the rest of the wizarding community. It was a weird system, but one that he'd grown up with. There were many students he was now at school with whose faces he recognized from those events but had never spoken to.

At Bella's comment he had to laugh. "Remember our first year here Bells? We almost killed each other then, never mind in marriage. It would be an interesting theory to test out but we'd be risking our limbs." A grin crossed his face as he pictured the mayhem that would be caused if the two of them were locked in a room together for any length of time. "If it wasn't for the risk we hold to the well being of each others body parts and mental sanity, I'd have said it was worth a shot. And I say that purely because I know my parents wouldn't approve. They're quite... reluctant when it comes to the Dark Lord's ideals and those who follow him. Their picture of a perfect bride would be a doe-eyed girl who keeps her mouth shut and does only as she's told. A active follower of the Dark Lord himself? Well, you certainly don't match their perfect image, do you?"

It was no secret that his parents weren't big fans of the Dark Lord. They didn't agree with getting involved with him and they weren't big on the idea of making muggles and muggleborns suffer. Which was preposterous. While Granton himself didn't go around torturing fellow students in the school, he did make his distaste known, and as a Death Eater? Who didn't find the odd torture somewhat therapeutic every once in a while?

[/justify]

[bella]

Bella raised an eyebrow slightly as Granton spoke of his family. She had almost been expecting a refusal or a dismissal when she had questioned him about his family. But thinking back, Granton had never actually refused to talk about his parents . . . he just never did so. And so she listened intently, but the words coming out of his mouth made her frown. A letter once a term seemed incredibly insufficient. If Cygnus and Druella Black didn’t hear from either one of their three daughters within two weeks, they’d be contacting the Headmaster and Head of Slytherin, demanding to know what was wrong with their girls.

It had never seemed excessive before, Bella had never seen her parents as being over protective. But in comparison to Granton, it was definitely looking that way. “Well perhaps you have the better deal,” she started, picking up the glass Granton had pushed towards her. “After all, I wouldn’t be under the pressure to find a fiancé if I didn’t have frequent correspondence with my parents.” She took a drink, before setting the glass down on the table. “But it’ll change when you leave school I imagine. You’ll be closer to your parents when you can see them more.” This statement was said firmly, as if she genuinely believed it to be true. And she did. The Black family were very interfering, always involved in each other’s business, that Bella found it almost impossible to believe a fellow Pureblood family wasn’t like that.

She laughed at the thought of their first year at Hogwarts. The two of them had instantly taken a dislike to each other. It was an endless circle of fighting with Granton, being caught by a Professor, and being put in detention together. By second year the two of them had spent so much time in detention together that they had become close friends. “How could I forget? Didn’t I attempt to throw a trophy at your head when we were given a detention cleaning the trophy room?” she smirked; the eleven year old version of herself had been quite violent. And it had only gotten worse as she had grown older. “I’m shocked we were so well behaved when it came to Pureblood gatherings in the holidays of our first year. Can you imagine my mother’s face if we had of started a fight in the middle of the ballroom?” The thought was incredibly amusing to Bella, and it showed on the young Death Eater’s face.

She smirked; the girl that Granton was describing was definitely the typical desired candidate when it came to pureblood marriages. It was no secret that most parents wanted their sons to marry a girl that spoke only when spoken to and stayed away from the public eye. Most pureblood females didn’t fit the description exactly; Bellatrix didn’t fit it at all.

“You’d be disowned if you ever took me anywhere near the aisle Granton.” She said lightly, the smirk on her face still present. “And Merlin forbid I get involved with someone that’s been disowned. That would only result in my own name being burnt off the tapestry.” Her tone was light, although it darkened towards the end of her sentence. Getting her name erased from the family tapestry was Bellatrix’s greatest fear.

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[granton]

"Better indeed. You have your sisters with you here. They write home... How can your parent's honestly want to read the same news three times?" Granton frowned as he looked at Bella. She was such a strong, independent person. He was hard for him to picture her abiding by her parents wishes to write home regularly. Or maybe it was just his own understandings clouding his judgement. "You don't strike me as type who bends to their parents wishes all the time. You're too stubborn for that."

The lack of correspondence with his parents meant he didn't have to deal with a lot of the conversations and topics that they no doubt wanted to have with him at some point, but the longer he could avoid them the better. In the end, he had every intention of living his life in his own way - not theirs. They hadn't cared when he was younger. It wasn't their place to care now.

"When I leave school I will not being going home to live out of the pockets of my parents." In his eyes it was as simple as that. At Hogwarts, right from age 11 you had your own freedom - you made sure you woke up, that you showered, ate, got to class, did homework, arranged your free time, went to bed... the only real rules were that you were in your common room by curfew, and that you showed up for class. But it wasn't like you had an adult breathing down your neck all the time saying you must be in bed by 10. You must do your work now. You must eat your vegetables. Whatever like that.

Going back home after all the freedom that the school offered always caused problems between Granton and his parents, even from 1st year. He couldn't go back under their strict ruling, and no matter what he said they could never understand his side of it. So why bother?

If one thing was for sure, when he left school at 18 he was not going to go back and be treated like a child. And if his parents didn't like that? Well that wasn't his problem. Most wizarding families kept in close contact even if they weren't particularly close. Granton didn't give a damn about that. Family were an annoyance and far too pestering.


If someone had told Granton when he first started school, that one day he would be sitting here talking civilly with Bellatrix Black he would have laughed, called them insane, and reminded them how much himself and Bella didn't get along. He would never have imagined back then that one day he would be friends with the hostile girl who attempted to launch Quidditch trophies off his head... among others. How times changed..

"And it was a fine trophy at that. The 1876 Champion trophy the first Tri-wizard tournament this school was ever involved in. Won by one of out own. Ever hear the story of Cygnus Burke? An ancestor of yours, I believe." Granton took a weird interest in things like that - there'd been a few times when he'd been feeling quite bored when he'd gone into the trophy room just to wander around a while and read the plates on the trophies. Some of them were interesting... some were plain stupid.

“I’m shocked we were so well behaved when it came to Pureblood gatherings in the holidays of our first year. Can you imagine my mother’s face if we had of started a fight in the middle of the ballroom?”

Granton shared her amusement. "We had no choice but to behave. At 12 we would have been in trouble if we'd so much as raised out voices the wrong way."

Bella was probably right. If he married Bella his parents' faces would go from confused, to disbelief, to outright disapproval. There were plenty stories going around in the wizarding world about members of most families, and with the news of the Dark Lord's rising, the rumors were very focused on anyone who might or might not be involved. So far, his name had mostly stayed out of it, but there was no guarantee how much longer that was going to last for.

Regardless of that, if he married Bella the first thing his parents would wonder was whether she was involved in anything that could damage the family name. Which, frankly, was ridiculous. His parents needed to open their eyes and stop being so close-minded. If they would just listen to the views of the Dark Lord they would no doubt agree with what he was saying. But they were stubborn in that regard.

"Well... at least being disowned I wouldn't be required to write home, right?" Granton laughed, finding the subject an easy one to joke about. He knew that it wasn't quite as easy for Bella as her whole family was a lot closer than his had ever been, and even as she made a joke about it too it was impossible to miss her darkening tone. "Well, that wont happen. You'll find someone perfectly platonic." He grinned at her and reached over to shove her arm.

"Anyone in particular in mind yet? You've got the school to choose from after all." And there were a few definite 'no-no's' around the school too. Picturing Bella with any of them was tricky. She was just so independent...

((ooc: sorry it's taken so long! and... also for it being quite bad. it's impossible to concentrate with my nanna babbling non-stop in my ear. so... 3 hours later... hope it's okay!))