Break Free | Harry Potter

Chapter One

-September 1st, 1991, Rosetti House-

"Elenora? What are you doing?" came the perpetually wary voice of Cecilia Rosetti.

Elenora Rosetti looked up from her place behind the kitchen aisle, fingers wrapped around a soggy piece of bread. French Toast, Elenora had decided to make herself. Although now she regret her decision to make it as she saw her Aunt's face.

Aunt Cecilia looked rather horrified as she stare the girl down. That didn't phase Elenora, though. She always looked like that. If someone were to ask Elenora to state a day where her aunt had smiled, they'd be here a while.

"French toast..." Elenora mumbled, plopping the piece of bread onto a plate. The batter Elenora had dipped it in seemed to have overtaken the piece of bread, making Elenora cringe. "Would you like some?"

"I could have done it for you," Aunt Cecilia released the perpetual response.

Shaking her head, Elenora mutely walked over to the stove with the plate of bread. "I'd like to make it myself."

Aunt Cecilia hurried over to her, snatching the plate from her hands, "I don't think you should be cooking this on your own, Nora. It's best if I help you."

There it was, the constant need to help. Elenora was done with it. What help would it give her if her Aunt couldn't ever smile for a change? What about that?

Instead, the eleven year old glanced her Aunt's way before taking the torn piece of bread and laying it down on the frying pan.

Aunt Cecilia frowned deeply, though Elenora couldn't tell if it was at her or the sizzling piece of bread.

"Since when did this philosophy come into play, Elenora?" inquired the redheaded guardian, taking the plate and placing it on the kitchen counter. She moved around the kitchen from there.

The girl simply shrugged, "Ever since my stomach rumbled, I guess?"

"Alright..." Cecilia mumbled, taking the syrup out from the fridge and placing the strawberrys right next to it. "Any other reasons?"

Elenora could tell she was trying to pry the truth out of her. She wouldn't give in. It was her problem, not her Aunt's, and she wanted to find a way to solve it.

The problem at hand? Her Aunt. Not that she didn't love her, it's just that she had never seen her truly happy. Sure, some days Elenora was taken down to the pond and Cecilia gave a few signs of "happiness", but that wasn't enough.

Aunt Cecilia, noticing that the conversation was getting nowhere(mostly due to Elenora's quietness), cleared her throat. She tried to sound cheerful, "Today's the big day, right?"

"For what?" Elenora asked, eyebrows furrowed up at her Aunt. What day was it, really, so that her Aunt had to change the subject?

"You're going off to Hogwarts," Cecilia gave her a faux grin, making Elenora turn her head.

Oh, that was the day she was talking about. It wasn't too much of a big deal, all it was was Elenora heading off to a boarding school full of magical children, so what?

The big thing, Elenora could say, was the sorting. She had a plan. A plan to bring a smile onto her Aunt's face!

Her Aunt had been a Ravenclaw, and a smart one at that. Not that she wasn't as intelligent now, it's just that with all the moping and sadness around her, Aunt Cecilia was nothing more than a cocoon.

Elenora knew that, for she had been the one to rummage through pictures of her Aunt and her Mother, the two smiling happily together. Something Elenora could only see in a picture, though.

But that would stop today, or tomorrow depending on when the letter would arrive, because Elenora had just the full proof plan.

She would get sorted into Ravenclaw! Aunt Cecilia would be ecstatic and once more carry a smile around, one that would surely last until Christmas holiday so that Elenora could see it.

Honestly, Elenora felt quite giddy as she thought over her plan. It would work, and the two would be happy!

Oh how she'd give anything to see her Aunt smile once more. To be happy, to be the Aunt that cared for her when she was little. Not the Aunt that moped around and spread negativity throughout the house.

Elenora had to admit, Aunt Cecilia's pessimism spread on her. It was hard to resist it. However, Elenora planned to change that. She planned to change the way the family was forever. Oh boy!

"Really?" Elenora put on a fake smile for the sake of her Aunt. "Have the days gone by, right Aunt Cecilia? Would you help me pack? Last minute, I know, but-"

"Elenora," Aunt Cecilia put on a stern tone in an instant. It always surprised the girl on how she could do that so easily. So fluidly. Yet it seemed to be her only two modes. "You can do that while I finish your French Toast, alright?" Her fake grin was stretching a bit too much.

Elenora shook her head, complying as she went up the stairs in a flash. Quickly running into her room, she shut the door before pulling out a suitcase from under her bed and grinning. "Hello Ravenclaw. Goodbye pessimism."

Motivated by her plan, Elenora got her things packed rather quickly before she heard the sound of her Aunt calling her name.

"Elenora!" Aunt Cecilia yelled from the kitchen. "Your French Toast is ready!"

"I'll be down in a few minutes, Aunt Cecilia!" Elenora yelled back, opening a drawer slowly and looking down into it.

Here was one of the first steps of her plan. She reached into the drawer and pulled out a scarf with the colors of the Ravenclaw house. Elenora grinned, trying it on before taking it off and making her way downstairs with it.

Shoving it into her palm as she sat down, she began to eat, enjoying the wonderful flavors the meal had to offer. She was done in almost world record time, due to how starved she was. Although, she could do with a bit more.

Nevermind that, though. Elenora placed the scarf gently onto the kitchen counter, smiling slowly up at her Aunt. "Aunt Cecilia?"

"Yes, Nora?" She turned around to face the noirette before a tiny gasp escaped her. "My scarf? Nora, what are you doing with this?"

She almost sounded wistful. That was a start. A great start!

"I was wondering if I could keep it," Elenora stared up at her in curiosity. What would her response be? Oh, she hoped it was a good one.

"But you'd only keep this if you were going to be sorted into..." Aunt Cecilia trailed off, hands wrapping around the scarf as if she couldn't help herself. She stared down at Elenora, a little figment of a smile on her. "You're going to be sorted into Ravenclaw?"

Elenora nodded, a chuckle escaping her lips as she gently took the scarf from her Aunt and put it on. "Of course."

Aunt Cecilia's lips trembled for a mere second or two. "Elenora..." she started, not seeming to want to continue anytime soon, for her expression said it all. Gratitude.