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chapter zero
PROLOGUE
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HOGWARTS WAS A PLACE DREAMED OF BY MILLIONS OF WITCHES AND WIZARDS ALL ACROSS ENGLAND. For Isabelle and Sirius Black, it was a safe haven from the cruel place they called home. A ruthless mother and a bystander of a father, it seemed that no matter what either of the twins did they were never enough.

At eleven years old, they each received their Hogwarts letter. To say they were excited was quite the understatement. Finally, they would get to practice magic. They would get their own wands, they would make new friends. They had stars in their eyes as they walked the streets of Diagon Alley, gathering their supplies. They were awed at the various magical trinkets, brooms in the shop window of the Quidditch store, the elegantly sewn robes, and the wand in the window of Ollivanders.

Their excitement was short-lived. All too soon, they were heading to the train station on September First, bright smiles illuminating on their features. They had boarded the train, had befriended a boy by the name of James Potter and decided they didn't like Severus Snape. Belle made acquaintance with Lily Evans, although it took the girl time to warm up to Belle. They were sorted into their houses, and at the time, it seemed so exciting.

But when the Sorting Hat called out their houses, Gryffindor, of all houses, that excitement had flickered out like a flame. Instead, they were filled with dread, and, when their parents found out about their house, they became the black sheep of the family. That was alright with them- they accepted it after a while. As long as Belle and Sirius had each other, it'd be alright.

They made friends along the way. Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew had joined the trio on their second day. Looking back now, Belle couldn't exactly recall when they all became friends. It just happened, and now, The Marauders, as they began calling themselves, had made a name for themselves as Hogwarts trouble-makers. Belle and Remus became the brains behind the pranks, and James and Sirius would execute them. Peter would be on the lookout for teachers, although he wasn't very good at his job at times.

It seemed that, despite their hardships at home, Belle and Sirius had found a place to belong. Their third year, they discovered Remus' secret: he was a werewolf. It explained his sudden disappearances once a month, the countless scars littering his body, and why he was reluctant to befriend any of them. But, in their fourth year, after countless hours of research and studying, Belle found a way to help Remus.

The werewolf wasn't as hostile towards animals as they were humans. So, Belle devised a plan for her, Peter, Sirius, and James to all become Animagi, joining Remus below the Whomping Willow once a month, every full moon. For a while, it had worked out fine. The five students would sit with their friend, watching with heavy hearts as he transformed painfully, sometimes hours at a time. They would comfort him for the night.

Belle's form, a deep brown wolf, seemed the closest with Remus during the full moon. While the others would be a few feet away, close to the door in case something happened, Belle ─or Howlett─ would curl up right next to him.

Their fifth year, Belle, along with her friends, created the Marauders Map. Their greatest creation, if Belle was being honest. It made sneaking around much easier for them, and they were caught much less often than they used to.

That very same year, Sirius and Belle found refuge at the Potter's household. Bruises were blooming on the twins' skin, and tears streamed down Belle's face as Sirius held her. They had been embraced into the Potter's household, and after a discussion with Dumbledore, all letters for the next two years for Belle and Sirius would be sent to James' place. Belle had brought her cat, Phillipe, with them.

It was nice, Belle thought. When Mrs. Potter first hugged her, Belle had cried. She had only ever been hugged by the boys, but there was something so warm, so comforting about a hug from a mother. Having James as her new brother was a pain, and she was sure her headaches had doubled with him and Sirius in the same household, but seeing her brother so happy made it worth it.

Things seemed to be looking up for the Black twins. There was that time their mother demanded they come back home, pounding on the Potter's door at three in the morning. James had stood protectively in front of them, blocking them from Walburga's view. Mrs. Potter had demanded she leave, and even threatened to call the police. Perhaps the aspect of interacting with muggles scared Walburga off.

Not too long after that, September 1st had approached, and the three students were being whisked away to Hogwarts for yet another year. Now sixth years, one year closer to graduating, they vowed to make this one of the best years yet. They weren't going to go out with a bang quite yet. No, that was being saved for their last year at Hogwarts.

If only Belle knew how wrong - or maybe right, depending on how you look at it - things would have gone, she may have begged to stay home their sixth year.

▬▬ authors note. ▬▬

So, I'm bringing this fic back a bit early! At the request of pepperronys who also owns this plot! I'll probably pre-write a bit for this after chapters one and two are published, so it can be on a consistent updating schedule. But, let me know what you guys think below, and some developments between Remus and Belle you'd like to see! The intro gif was made by -saoirses, and the sign-off gif was made by freddycarters.