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Hogwarts. She was off to Hogwarts. Bellle slipped onto the gleaming scarlet train and eagerly found her seat. She pulled out her book and quickly buried herself inside of it. Unfortunately, Belle couldn't quite lose herself in the book of evil wizards, princesses, and Knights. There were noises coming out of the corridor as the train went underway.
Belle sighed and poked her head out of her compartment to see a boy about her age holding back tears with his fists clenched as a group of older boys laughed and the leader stepped forward raising his wand.
"Hey!"
All of them started, looking at her in surprise. Belle was the most surprised, and she almost backed out to continue timidly reading her book but the way the poor boy backed away from the group and her mother's words, "Do the brave thing and bravery will follow," helped convince her.
"You leave him alone!"
The leader laughed, "You're defending him?! He comes from the a pureblood family who supported He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! Though to be honest, they probably still do back You-Know-Who."
Belle marched forward with her hands on her hips, "You're supposed to be a prefect! You're not supposed to be bullying others just because his parents didn't make good decisions."
She grabbed the boys arm and dragged him behind her. The boy didn't resist her at all. She slammed compartment door, or as well as she could anyway, and turned to the boy.
"Hello! I'm Belle."
The boy sniffled and avoided her eyes.
"Well, go on, what's your name?"
The boy huffed and spoke in a thick Scottish brogue, "You'd make fun of it if you knew."
Belle sat down beside him, "No, I wouldn't! My name is Belle French- but I'm not from France. I'm from Australia."
The boy smiled slightly, "I've heard of Australia. Is it hot?"
Belle nodded, "Very hot."
The boy sighed and turned to face the petite brunette, holding out his hand, "Rumplesiltskin Malcolm Gold."
Belle knew that name. Lady Gold had been killed by an Auror after she'd killed several muggles. Lord Gold... Gold had been put into Azkaban for doing worse things. He'd been You-Know-Who's right hand man.
Belle ignored the facts that spilled into her head and shook Rumplestiltskin's proffered hand, "Why, that's a brilliant name. I love that fairytale!"
Rumplestiltskin smiled shyly as Belle tapped her chin. "Actually, do you mind if I call you Rumple? Even if it is wonderful, it's still a bit of mouthful."
The boy grinned, "Sure, that's fine."
Belle laughed and Rumple giggled as the young Mary 'Snow' Margret Blanchard gasped and glared angrily at the laughing David 'Charming' Nolan.
"Now you take after your namesake, Snow!"
The pale girl with flakes of snow decorating her raven hair scooped up a pile of snow and threw it at the still laughing boy. The boy spluttered as he got a face full of snow.
"How do like it now? Doesn't the snow look Charming on you?"
The grounds on Hogwarts was soon filled with snowballs whizzing through the air. Belle and Rumple stayed huddled under the tree in their hastily built snow fort occasionally hitting Felix the prefect and his cronies with snowballs.
"Rumplestiltskin!" Belle shouted as she dropped her books with a thump onto the library table. The young Slytherin jumped and hurriedly shushed her.
Belle didn't lower her voice, "What were you thinking?!"
"Belle, shh! We'll get in trouble!"
Belle sat down and hissed, "Rumple! How could you? I know Gaston is bothersome but you didn't have to hex him into a rose!"
Rumple cowed under the Gryffindor's accusing gaze. "B- but Belle he said that if I didn't play knights and wizards with him then he'd hex me for being an evil wizard and you know I don't like that game because I always end up playing the bad guy and I always get hurt."
Belle groaned, "I'm sorry. I know... but you don't seem to get it. You were the evil wizard when you hexed him."
Rumplestiltskin huffed, "He started it!"
"And if you'd finished it and gotten a teacher then he'd be the one serving detention- not you!"
"And how do you propose I get a teacher, Belle? Gaston would never let me tell." The unspoken, "And no one would help me, anyway," stood in the silence that followed.
The Gryffindor sighed and took out her book. "We'll find a way, Rumple. Don't worry. We'll find a way."
Belle didn't come back for her fourth year. She had been transferred to the Beubaxtons in, ironically, France.
Rumplestiltskin only got one letter from her. He read it in the cold Slytherin common room, huddled under the blankets in his bed.
"Dear Rumple,
My father has decided that it would be best for me to continue my education at Beubaxtons. He thinks Hogwarts is not the place for a proper young lady. Truthfully, I think he found out about our friendship and he can't stand that I associate with a Gold. He doesn't get that you're really wonderful.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to write you anymore letters because I'm leaving in a week. I'll miss our book debates.
Sincerely yours, Belle."
Rumple checked the date, he still had three days. She should be able to get a return letter. Rumplestiltskin didn't mind spending his meager Hogsmeade money from his Aunties for express mail. Belle was more important than any sweets he might be able to buy.
"Dear Belle,
I shall miss you quite a lot. I do believe you're my only friend here. I hope you have a wonderful time at Beaubaxton and I will miss the book debates too, though I don't think it'll be just the debates that I shall miss.
Affectionately, Rumplestiltskin.
Rumple cringed. He was a coward. He loved the book debates, but he didn't dare tell her that what he loved the most about the book debates was that she debated them with him.
The Slytherin folded his envelope and scurried up to the owlery to send his letter.
Belle never responded.
Belle sighed as she stepped through the doors of Hogwarts. It had been so long. Now she was returning not as a student but as the new Charms teacher. She would've been here right as she came out of school, but her father had fallen sick and Belle had left to take care of him.
Then, he had died and Belle had forgotten about Hogwarts. It was only after finding the letter from her childhood friend Rumplestiltskin in an old tin box full of mementos that Belle quit her low-paying job and ventured to Hogwarts.
Twelve years had passed since she left, but she was finally home.
Belle peeked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. She hadn't met the teacher yet. A man bent over a desk and scribbled something on the parchment before straightening and scowling at his students.
Belle gaped. It was Rumplestiltskin, and he had changed.
Premature wrinkles lined his displeased face and his hair now fell to just above his shoulders with small streaks of grey.
Grey? He was her age.
He didn't wear the traditional clothes of a wizard. His dark brown robes had a high collar, flecked with dragon scales. Leather boots laced to his knees where they joined leather pants and a leather vest underneath the robes.
Belle felt that the outfit should be banned from the school. For the students sake, of course.
Rumplestiltskin stepped out from behind his desk and Belle muffled a gasp. He limped down the row of tables leaning on a cane, scowling, and making quips that left the students white-faced and shaking.
Belle closed the door behind her and fled.
Belle carefully avoided Rumplestiltskin's gaze as Headmistress Blue announced their new Charms teacher.
She saw Rumple jerk and gaze at her with wide hazel eyes before they suddenly closed off and he resumed scowling once more.
Someone knocked on her classroom door and Belle straightened her robes and turned, "Come in."
It was Rumplestiltskin.
"B- belle?"
Belle turned, her eyes widening. She didn't believe that this was the same man that had harassed his students so viciously. Rumple's eyes were huge as he slowly thumped closer, his usually intimidating robes swishing behind him.
"Rumplestiltskin. It's been awhile."
"Twelve years.... What in Merlin's name happened to you?"
Belle avoided his gaze and brushed past him to place the books she'd been holding in a cabinet on the wall.
"Oh... Things..."
She turned and bumped into him. Rumplestiltskin hadn't grown into a tall man, but she was still smaller than him.
"I thought- I thought you might come back after you graduated..."
Belle froze and looked up into his hurt gaze.
"I thought maybe I did something wrong..."
Belle's gaze softened. Whatever had happened to so change his countenance over the years did not matter. What mattered was that to her, he was still her best friend, who she'd always had the hope that perhaps he might become more than that.
"Oh, Rumple, I'd never voluntarily leave you."
The wizard looked down at his boots before he spoke softly in his familiar brogue, "I missed you."
Belle laughed quietly and smiled, saying, "And I you."
This shy teacher was completely different from the frightening man in the classroom, but oh so familiar to the little boy from all those years ago.
"I- I still have your letter, you know."
Belle took his hand, "Still? After all this time?"
Rumple's lips twitched into a grin,
"Always."