Bella eyed Mr. Pettigrew suspiciously, but didn't comment at the moment. Her mind immediately went to Ben, and the next moment she was wondering whether or not he usually spent time with people who ruined their parents' lives. (Had he ruined his parents' lives? She'd never actually heard anything about Mr. and Mrs. Crouch.)

"I didn't, actually," she responded finally. "I think I ruined both of my mothers' lives, to be honest," she added without any explanation. "What'd you do to your mother?"

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