2.| ✮𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮, 𝓑𝓲𝓵𝓵. ✮ {𝓑. 𝓦𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓵𝓮𝔂}

\𝒻𝒾𝒻𝓉ℯℯ𝓃\

~

When the the students of Hogwarts found out that Eleanora Marks was dating Cedric Diggory, shock waves ran through the school. The two were seemingly opposites, with Eleanora being the best friend of the two biggest pranksters in the school, and Cedric being the Hufflepuff golden boy prefect, but somehow it just worked. Of course, the main thing they had in common was quidditch.

Cedric and Eleanora's trips to the quidditch pitch became a weekly occurence that they both looked forward to as the weather got colder. Most nights at the pitch they only ended up actually playing quidditch for a few minutes before opting for other things. Between these nights, the two spent almost every minute together.

"What's that?" Cedric asked softly as Eleanora pulled a small white envelope from her bag and started fiddling with it absentmindedly.

"What? Oh-" She looked down at it like she hadn't realized she'd pulled it out. "-letter from my dad. It came this morning."

Cedric didn't know much about Eleanora's family, but he knew there was something going on. He'd known Eleanora since they were eleven; he'd seen the way she reacted to family questions, he'd seen the bruises she'd showed up to school with before she moved in with the Weasleys. He sat back on the couch where they'd been cuddling by the fire and rested his arm behind her. "Were you... planning on opening it?"

She smiled, looking up at him with tired eyes. "I was thinking about it."

Cedric nodded, not wanting to pressure her. He wound his fingers through hers and watched as she tapped the envelope against her leg. She frowned down at the fire with a faraway look in her eyes. "Alright," she said at last. "I'll open it."

Dear Eleanora
Once again, I'm not exactly sure where we stand, but I felt the need to write to you with the latest news before anybody else does. First of all, your sister misses you very much and keeps asking if you can come here for Christmas, but I reckon you'll want to stay at school this year. We heard about the Cup and Daisy wishes she could go to Hogwarts early. Are you entering? Please be careful.
Anyways, after what happened over the summer, your mother was tracked down at a neighbor's house with a really bad head injury, but was otherwise fine. She says you saved her life and keeps asking me for confirmation that you're alright. We've been in contact over the last few weeks. It seems like she's finally waking up to what's been happening to you and her and Daisy ever since Stephen entered your lives. She feels horrible. Daisy'll be staying with me indefinitely for her own comfort while Eveline goes through this, and I have news you're going to like.
Your mother and Stephen are splitting up. The engagement's off (although it didn't seem like a wedding was ever going to happen anyways), and your mum's working to get him out of your lives completely. It's not as simple as just breaking up, though. Stephen's memory needed to be modified after Severus stunned him, so he doesn't even remember what happened. On top of this, he owns most of yours and your mother's belongings since he was the main financial provider for the family for so many years. Your mum can keep the house since it's technically in my name, but mostly everything else is Stephen's. They're battling it out now. It's nothing you need to worry about, I just wanted to warn you that she'll most likely be writing to you soon. I know you're probably angry with her for putting you and Daisy in danger for so many years, and she understands that, but now isn't the time to confront her about it. She needs all of our support right now. Just be gentle.
On a different, but no less serious note, we need to talk about the conversation we had before you left for school. I need to know how you feel about all of it, and I need you to know that I'm not the same person anymore. Everything I did, I did to protect you and your mother and sister. I deal with the repercussions and the guilt of it all everyday, but I don't regret it. I could never regret doing something to keep you safe. I need you to know all of this so you trust me with Daisy. She can't go back to your mum's, not yet. You know I'll do anything to keep her safe, Eleanora. It'll all be okay.
Love, Dad