Trouble [S.B]

28

"Please write to us as soon as you get to the castle! And write to us every once in a while, we know you're all grown up and you can take care of yourself, but we like to hear how everything's going. And eat lots of vegetables, they'll make you strong, yeah?"

"Dad, I always eat vegetables. Mum what did he eat this morning? Was any of it expired?"

"Ha ha ha, you're hilarious Noelle." Arnold rolled his eyes at the teenager in front of him and grunted when the two females laughed at him.

"I don't know what's wrong with you! You're telling me to do stuff I always do, as if I would forget to do them." she said the last part softly, figuring out why her adoptive father was acting all distressed.

It was the last time they would send her off for a new year, for she was beginning her seventh year. Her last year as a Hogwarts student.

She smiled sadly at Arnold and he grunted again as he looked off to the side, his gaze softening as he stared at something. Following his gaze Noelle saw a small girl, possibly a first year, hugging her father goodbye, while tears ran down her cheeks and her father told her that she would make loads of friends, he told her how she would have so much fun she wouldn't want to come home for Christmas. Noelle bit her lip as a sudden tremble overtook Arnold and she threw her arms over his neck, tears blurring her vision as she held him tightly. His arms wound around her waist and his grip was strong as he held her, his body shaking harder now. That was all it took for Noelle to break and sob onto him.

The first whistle blew and the two realized they had very little time left before Noelle had to board the train. With pain in her heart, Noelle let go of him but he still held her at arms length, looking at her with red puffy eyes as he sniffed and smiled at the raven haired girl in front of him.

"I'm so proud of you Ellie, you really have no idea. You may not be our daughter biologically, but you might as well be and we wouldn't have it any other way. We love you so much and don't ever fear us, please. If anything happens know that you can always count on us, okay? No matter what." Arnold embraced her again and Noelle felt the waterworks threatening to spill again. When he let her go again Noelle turned to Eliza only to see her holding a camera as she sobbed into her hands, making Noelle break even more.

Just as she had done previously to Arnold, Noelle threw her arms around Eliza making both of them stumble slightly before they found their footing. Both women cried into each others shoulder until Eliza sized Noelle's shoulders to look at her in the eyes. "Okay" she breathed as tears continued to roll relentlessly down her cheeks "We love you Noelle. We love you so much. We are so proud of you, so so so proud of you. You are a wonderful girl and I'm a hundred percent sure that any mother wished they could be blessed with having a daughter like you. You are so strong and you've taught us so much, and we couldn't feel more grateful and blessed that we were able to call you our daughter." she stopped talking as her voice cracked at the end and she took a shaky breath to compose herself.