Better - The Marauders

THREE

Just as expected, no black owl belonging to her parents  came swooping down to her, she glanced towards the redhead next to her, watching her tear open a letter, a warm smile on her face as her eyes flick over the words scribbled onto the parchment.

Mulciber and Avery sat on the Slytherin table, had smirked at their letters and made eye contact with Elladora, holding them up and wafting them in the air tauntingly. She furrowed her eyebrows at them, not understanding what they were trying to say.

Then the impossible happened. A large black owl that looked more like an eagle flew in from the top window, other students looked up at the bird in amazement and awe whereas Elladora's eyes were wide with fear.

The owl dropped a letter down onto her lap and flew away again, it's wing slapping the girl in the face as it did.

With trembling hands, she slowly picked up the letter, seeing her name neatly scrawled on the front, now she knows it wasn't a mistake. Her eyes travelled to the staff table where her headmaster gave her a nod of reassurance, sitting up straight as if he was interested in the contents.

Elladora,
Writing to tell you not to come home at Christmas. We have some private business to attend to and your presence will not be needed or wanted here at the manor. You must come home for Easter however as that is when he is coming to imprint you. No excuses. Show this to anyone and you'll be dead before you can say "Voldemort'.

Cassiopeia

Her breathing became heavy as she stared down at the parchment, her hands still shaking. She looked up to see the two boys from before looking smug, although it was hard to take them seriously with their large tongues.

She focused on the letter once again, not believing what she had read. At Easter she would become one of Voldemort's loyal followers and she didn't have a choice. At Easter she will be bound to do whatever he tells her to, otherwise she'll be killed. Her new life starts at Easter, but that's ok. It'll all be over soon.

Now realizing that her vision had blurred, she set the letter face down onto the wooden table, beginning to wipe her eyes free of the hot stinging. Without another glance at anyone, she snatched the letter and strode out of the hall, knocking shoulders with a Ravenclaw as she did.

"I don't think I've ever seen her display any emotion." Peter told his friends, stuffing a piece of toast covered with jam and butter into his mouth.

"Yeah well, something in that letter made her cry." Sirius shrugged, dusting off his hands whilst he took a sip of orange juice from his goblet.

"It doesn't matter." James waved it off before leaning closer to his friends and continuing. "We need to find out how she dodged our prank, because if Moony's right and she really is friends with Lily, why wasn't she talking to her?"

"Oh come off it, Prongs. Have you ever actually seen her talk to anybody except the teachers?" Remus asked him incredulously, believing that just sitting next to someone was a lot for her.

"Hagrid." Peter pointed out as James and Sirius nodded.

"Plus Mulciber, Avery and Snape." The boy with round spectacles added, holding up a finger as he glanced at said three Slytherins who had inflated tongues, making him chuckle at his own prank.

"Yeah but she just looks angry when she talks to them." Sirius reasoned. "You can see it in her eyes."

"That's the only way she communicates." James snickered as the boys packed up their things to head to Herbology. Peter and Sirius joined in on the laughing as Remus rolled his eyes, following after them nevertheless.