Blackbird

Seventh year Gryffindor, Belle Crouch, daughter of Bartemius Crouch Sr. walked toward Platform 9¾ with her fifth year Slytherin brother, Barty and parents a good distance behind. Belle didn’t like her brother, and her father believes that she will join He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, when Barty is the one who has already joined him. The moment the boy was sorted into Slytherin, something happened. They hardly ever talked after that, only when forced to. Barty was headed down a path in which his parents were too naïve to see, and Belle wanted nothing to do with him because of it.
The Crouch siblings used to be close, but Hogwarts has changed Barty for the worse. When he became a Slytherin, he was pulled into dark things, by seventh year at the time, Lucius Malfoy, and his “crew” of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named followers. Belle was no doubt more of a trouble maker than Barty, but in an innocent way. She didn’t have ulterior motives when her and her friends pulled pranks, and did silly things that landed them in detention. She wasn’t trying to take down the Ministry; she was just mischievous in a harmless way.
She passed through the gate, stopped walking, and began looking around the crowded platform. Barty, Bartemius, and her mother, Rose, passed through behind her, and for the first time since their arrival at the station, they stood all together. “Belle?” Rose spoke. She turned to her mother.
“Hold on.”
“Belle!” she heard a male’s voice call. She looked around for a moment until she saw his face; Remus Lupin.
“Moony!” she cried as she jumped into his arms. Remus wrapped his strong arms around her torso, and her legs wrapped around his. Remus Lupin was the love of Belle’s life. She was head over heels for the boy she had known since first year. They had been together since fifth year, and now about to start their seventh year, the young couple was thinking about their future.
“I’ve missed you so much, babes,” Remus said into her neck.
“I’ve missed you too,” she said with a slight smile as she pulled away from him to meet his stunning green eyes with her own equally beautiful jade colored eyes. Their lips connected softly and sweetly for a few moments before they let go of each other.
Remus looked at Belle’s parents. “Hello, Mr. Crouch,” he said as he shook Bartemius’ hand.
“Remus, boy, how are you?’ he asked.
“I’m well, sir,” Remus responded before turning to Rose.
“Hello, dear,” she said sweetly as she gave him a hug. After a few more questions directed at Remus from Bartemius, Belle said her goodbyes to her parents, and the couple headed toward the train. Barty walked behind them for a few moments, silently, before he spotted fifth year Regulus Black, the younger brother of one of Belle’s best friends, seventh year, Sirius Black. He ran past his sister, but not without slamming his shoulder into hers and nearly knocking her to the ground. Belle mumbled something under her breath before shrugging her shoulder.
Remus shook his head as his eyes followed Barty for a few moments. He then intertwined his fingers with Belle’s and kissed her cheek quickly before they stepped onto the train, in search of their friends.

“I’m telling you, there is an Order,” seventh year James Potter declared, looking between his two friends and fellow seventh years, Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black, and then at Lily Evans. She sat with her arms folded across her chest. Her red hair fell in a wavy mess down the front of her as she listened to James ramble on about the Order of the Phoenix.
“James, Dumbledore does not have a secret assembly of Witches and Wizards that are fighting You-Know-Who. That’s what the Ministry and Aurors do,” Lily stated matter-of-factly.
“Just drop it, James. She’s not going to stop,” Sirius sighed as he put his head in his hands. They had been going at it for nearly twenty minutes, and they were both too strong headed and proud to give up the fight. Sirius didn’t know if James was telling the truth, but he wasn’t in the mood to keep listening to his rants. James opened his mouth for a rebuttal but couldn’t get anything out, because the door to the cabin slid open.
“Remus!” was what James said instead. Remus stepped into the carriage with Belle in tow behind him. The group greeted the couple happily, already having forgotten the “heated debate” between James and Lily only moments before their arrival. Belle took a seat by the window, next to Lily, while Remus sat across from her. Just as they settled in, the train departed.



The sun had gone down nearly three hours before, but the heat lingered. Belle sat in the train station, with her long blond hair slightly sticking to her neck. Not being of age yet was driving her crazy. She was still only sixteen, meaning she was not legally allowed to use magic outside of school. Her wand was tucked into her old, worn out, black and white high top converse, for safekeeping. At times like these though, it was hard to resist the urge.
She diverted her attention from her wand, knowing that if she looked at it any longer, she would have decided apparate home. The subway station was empty, which didn’t surprise her. It was half past eleven on a Wednesday night. No one would be out at this hour. Had it not been for her “Muggle shopping day” with Lily, Belle would be home too. As she stared at a poster, with an inhuman looking woman on it, a train roared past. It kicked up miscellaneous papers left behind by carless Muggles. Once it passed, everything was silent, but only for a moment.
“Hello, Belle,” someone said suddenly. Belle nearly jumped out of her skin. They must have apparated when the train went past, she thought. She looked to the source of the voice.
“Lucius,” she said, venom dripped from lips. She wanted nothing to do with Lucius Malfoy. He was nothing but trouble, and has been ever since his Hogwarts days. When he left, Belle was hopeful she would never see his devilish face again, unless she was throwing him into Azkaban herself.
“What is a pretty little thing like you doing in a Muggle subway at this hour?” he asked as he slowly walked up to her.
“That’s none of your business, Malfoy.”
“Now, now, Crouch. Be nice,” he said tauntingly. He was talking to her like she was a child, which was the one thing she hated more than the Dark Lord himself. She was not a child.
“How about sod off. That nice enough for you?” she spat irritated. Lucius laughed, and then anger fell upon his chiseled face. That was when she noticed his wand. She grabbed her wand just as he threw a spell at her. She blocked it. He threw another and another. Each time she blocked it, and each time he got angrier and angrier. Finally, Belle got a spell in and knocked Lucius onto his back. “Why are you doing this?!” she shrieked, sounding almost like a banshee.
Lucius laughed breathlessly. “The war is here, Belle.” That was all he said before he apparated right there from the floor.

“Love,” he said, “it’s time to wake up.” Remus leaned forward and placed his hands on her thighs. When his hands met her legs, she jumped awake. It was obvious she had had an unpleasant dream, but he wasn’t sure if it went as far as a nightmare. She looked at Remus and gave him weak smile before leaning forward and kissing his lips lightly. The rest of the group talked amongst themselves. Belle noticed the addition of seventh year Marlene McKinnon, Sirius’ girlfriend, and seventh year Dorcas Meadows, Peter’s girlfriend. They had arrived sometime after Belle fell asleep. She diverted her green eyes to the window then, which was now covered in raindrops. She could see the lights of Hogwarts in the distance, her home away from home.
“This is the last time we’ll be doing this,” Belle said, to no one in particular. The chatter suddenly died down amongst them, until they all fell completely silent.
“You’re right,” Lily said as she looked at her then at the rest of them.
“We’ve got to make this a year to remember!” James exclaimed. “Hogwarts is going to remember the Marauders.” Remus leaned forward again and intertwined his fingers with Belle’s. She smiled at him. James followed suit and wrapped his arm around Lily’s shoulders, then Sirius around Marlene’s, and finally Peter around Dorcas’. Hogwarts is going to remember the Marauders.

“Now that sorting has concluded, I would like to say welcome to all of our students. Before we feast, I would like to just say we are in a dark time, but, happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times... if one only remembers... to turn on the light,” Head Master, Albus Dumbledore said, before returning to his seat, and allowing the feast to begin. His words lingered in Belle’s mind as she turned back to her friends. The Great Hall roared to life with voices, making it hard to hear anyone who wasn’t sat close. “James, you ready to take on your responsibilities of being Head Boy?” asked Marlene as she looked over at him. Sirius laughed a little.
“Seriously, mate. The thought of you as Head Boy is ridiculous,” said Sirius.
“I always thought Remus would be Head Boy,” Peter added in. Belle noticed Remus tense up at Peter’s statement. She knew he wanted to be Head Boy, and had expected to get it too. Remus was selected to be a Prefect in fifth year and since then, all he wanted was to reach Head Boy in seventh year. But Dumbledore surprised them all, and appointed James. She placed her hand on his leg softly. He looked at her, and she gave him an apologetic smile. Remus leaned in and kissed her cheek lightly.
“Thanks for the faith, guys,” James piped up with sarcasm.
“I have faith in you,” Lily said as she ran her hand through his brown hair. James smiled and leaned over to peck her lips quickly. James and Lily were perfect for each other in an odd way, and though it had taken them until the end of sixth year to realize it, it seemed as though they had been together forever. They were much like Remus and Belle, but without the “complications.”
After dinner, James and Lily led Gryffindor House toward the Fat Lady portrait, on the seventh floor which was the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. While they looked after the first years, their friends fell back, not wanting to be shoved and pushed by annoying eleven-year-olds who just can’t seem to contain themselves while going up the changing staircase. As they walked, Remus snaked his arms around Belle’s shoulders. “Have I told you, I loved you today?” he asked with a smirk.
“I don’t believe you have,” she responded with a laugh. Remus kissed her in the most passionate way he could as they walked.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” Belle hugged him from the side, and then they both released each other. Remus then intertwined his fingers with her, and they continued to walk. Once they all reached the Common Room, they all decided to turn into bed, knowing the next day would be a very long one.