WHO: Joseph Bell & Katie Bell. WHAT: Joe tries to comfort his bb sister after finding out about Layla. WHEN: 28 January, dinnertime. WHERE: Bell House, Arran, Scotland. WARNINGS: None.
"Alright, well, now the number is blocked and deleted," Joe informed Katie, as he handed her phone back to her. He had been successful in blocking Layla from various social media and saved the number for the last, and now that it was done, he hoped she wouldn't be contacting his little sister again any time soon.
Joe took a seat next to Katie, bumping his shoulder against hers, and cleared his throat. "I'm so sorry, Katie," he spoke, his voice unwavering. He couldn't possibly understand how it must be like to be in her feet, but he had to try. He felt hurt and humiliated, as well, though he never really knew the newly-revealed Death Eater on a personal level.
Katie leaned into the shoulder bump and sighed heavily. Chin perched on her hands as she sat at the kitchen table, and looking decidedly glum, she didn’t quite know what to say about the whole situation. She’d gone through denial, anger, even bargaining.
“None of us knew,” she mumbled unhappily. “I feel so stupid though. We knew it was someone close to Alicia.”
"You're not stupid, Kates," Joe replied at once, without missing a beat. "No one could have predicted anything like that. She was a shit friend, and she doesn't deserve any one of you caring about her." He frowned, not particularly fond of seeing his baby sister like this. (And she would always be his baby sister.)
Katie shook her head firmly. “No, that’s the thing. She’s not always been shit. I’d get it if she’d been shady or backstabbing — but I guess this is pretty back-stabby.” Katie groaned, stretching her arms out in front of her. “But it’s Layla. And when we talked and I said she could explain it just sounded to me like — no, it’s dumb.” Katie rolled her eyes at herself. “But she was trying to do what she thought was right and it was horribly awfully wrong.”
It's the ones that we least expect, Joe wanted to add, but he knew that Katie was already aware of that, and there was no reason to add salt to the wound right now. Instead, he pursed his lips and listened to her speak.
But he frowned immediately, and tilted his head to one side. "Why would you ask her to explain anything to you? I mean —," he paused, trying to rephrase his words. "No, I know why. But I don't think it's very fair to yourself or wise to ask her to explain anything. She shouldn't get that privilege, in my opinion." He wrapped an arm around Katie's shoulder, and gave her a gentle squeeze.
“Because I want to believe she can come back from it, I guess.” Katie tapped her fingernails on the wooden table, frustrated at herself as well as the entire situation. “Because she says she doesn’t want to hurt any of us, and maybe somewhere deep down that’s true. She could try say no to them, maybe she’s in too deep and they’ll kill her or something.” Katie gulped suddenly, afraid at the words she’d just spoken. “But there’s people who could help her, I’m sure.”
Joe didn't look as convinced, and instead stared at his sister with a blank expression. He raised one brow, as though he were waiting for her to snap out of it, but logically, he knew she was still in denial. "Right, I don't think you should be feeling sorry for any Death Eater," Joe stated, emphasising the words. "They have to murder people to take the mark. She may not want to hurt you specifically, but she sure is in cahoots with others that want to hurt you and your friends for being you and your friends, for being not purists." He exhaled loudly, and shook his head.
"You can't help her, Katie."
“Blehhhhh.” Katie frowned and made a noise in response. She was struggling to reconcile Layla Her Friend with Layla The Death Eater, and this wasn’t making it any easier. “I know that. Honest I do.” She turned her frown to him, and decided a swift change of subject might be easier. “Anyway.”
“I’ve been thinking we need to work out our Imperius checks. You know, things we can ask each other so we know we’re not under it or anything.” Katie suggested. “Better safe than sorry.”
Joe welcomed the topic change, if only because he didn't know how long he could keep telling Katie that her former friend, the Death Eater, was not worth her love or attention. Instead, he nodded, and got to his feet immediately. "You can ask me about…," he paused, trying to think of something that he could be certain that would remain only between the pair of siblings.
"Remember that time we went to Italy and we walked into the wrong room and we scarred our brains forever?" Joe chuckled, thinking about that particular memory.
“UGH,” Katie grimaced. “That’s not something I want to relive every time I’m not sure it’s you, Joe.” She shook her head, as though she were trying to get rid of the mental image yet again. “How about the time on that same holiday where you tried to flirt with that girl and she ‘accidentally’ pushed you in the pool?” Katie smirked. “Smooth moves, Joey B.”
Joe wrinkled his nose, even though he was well aware of that particular incident she had been referring to. "Listen, how was I supposed to know someone named JANE would be so rude?" Though he feigned mild annoyance, he was still thoroughly amused by that situation, several years later. "She was cute. And I was a simple-minded teenager." He shrugged, but grinned again. "Good one to Imperius check, though."
“And maybe we can ask Mum what jinx she used on Dad the year he pretended he forgot their anniversary and wound her up all day,” Katie grinned, getting more enthusiastic about this conversation as they came up with ideas.
"I'm sure dad'll love that," Joe smirked, glad that his sister was actually smiling. "But you know what? He deserves it, in retrospect. I'm team mum all the way with this. How could he pretend-forget their anniversary? Honestly!" Joe's mock-shock made himself laugh and he grinned, a moment later. "But mum was so pissed, I can't believe how pissed she was."
“That’s a cruel trick to play on someone, even if you have been married forever and ever.” Katie said, finding her mum’s anger fairly justified. “I would never even dare.”
Katie paused briefly, leaning back on the chair she was sat in. “I guess I should start doing this with everyone, you know?”
"I think that's a sound idea," Joe agreed, giving her a quick nod. "Do so."
A moment later, he stood on his feet, glancing towards the front door with a thoughtful glance. Inhaling deeply, Joe spoke once again. "Right, I'm going to go put up some extra wards before dinner."
He turned his head over his shoulder, a brow raised. "You'll be okay, kid."
“Hope so,” came Katie’s reply, about as unenthusiastic as she felt.