year four...
✠
It's been three weeks since her passing.
She missed her so much.
Elora didn't even cry when she was given the news. The tight throat and the silent tears were present, but the heavy sobs and chokes never came. Even when she expected them to eventually happen, their lack left an empty hole in her chest.
It was as if she could feel nothing at all.
Every time she stared at herself in the mirror, her pale face would stare back. The light from her coffee eyes was now gone, apart from the shiny brownish hair she once liked to style in a long ponytail or with braids on the sides. Now they both remained lifeless, her irises staring straight ahead and sleepy. Not to mention the darkest shade of purplish skin under her big eyes, a small gift from the sleepless nights that she passed just staring up at the ceiling wondering how long it would take for the sun to come up again.
But that morning, she wanted to do something different. She took out her paint tubes, grabbed a brush and began to paint a gorgeous sunset. Elora loved the way the orange collided with the bright yellow and the purple of the night falling down.
She took hold of a pair of old headphones at her side table, staining them in the process with the dark purple she had just used. She bit her lip at this, but shrugged as she put them on.
The melody was calming, until she recognized the track. Love of my Life by Queen had always been a classic to her but besides from that, she did not feel anything by the sound of it. She just wished she could dance it around the room, as if in an old fashioned ballroom along with her best friend; laughing and falling— Which couldn't happen anymore. Never again.
A loud knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Sweetheart, you've got everything ready?" Her mother asked popping her head into the room behind the door.
Elora was leaving to Hogwarts tomorrow. Her chest tightened with the thought of it, having to face reality and people again. Not to mention the fact that she wasn't going to have anyone this time, she would have to be all by herself.
"You do?" her mother's sweet voice pulled her back again.
Elora stared sideways by this act of gentleness towards her, considering the yelling she had to face just a few hours ago. Without wanting to cause any more trouble, she just nodded and turned back to her canvas, hearing the crack of the door closing at her back.
"You can do this," she muttered. "You just have to be nicer, that's all."
✠
The sound of birds chirping pulled her out of Morpheus's arms. Elora wished she could stay in bed forever, not wanting to have any responsibilities or the obligation to face reality. But instead of sinking back into her thoughts, she rubbed her eyes and stood up. She had to start someday.
It just wouldn't be the same without her, it wouldn't be the same going back to school knowing that she will never be there again to welcome her with open arms and tell the things she did over the summer or stuff like that.
Stop it, she thought. This is just going to make it worse.
The ride to the station was pretty quiet. Her mum and dad took her to the station in her grandad's old car, another person she trully missed. She hadn't seen him in a really long time, since he worked as a teacher in another wizarding school besides Hogwarts.
El also never quite understood why couldn't they just apparate to the station. They were wizards after all, weren't they? But her father insisted she was still too young. If she was young then, maybe apparating would be an option once she turned thirty.
"This is it," her father said, parking the car. "Everyone ready?"
She nodded, he gave her a soft smile and they got off the small car. He wore his usual brownish jacket, covered with pins from around the world. Elora used to joke about how he had to leave that jacket to her once he didn't want it anymore.
"Oh no," he had said, sipping his butterbeer. "Over my dead body."
That was when she did not feel so distant to them, specially to him. There seemed to be a lot on his mind lately, not to mention he was the only person she tolerated at home. But grief hasn't been generous to her either, so it was quiet in the Pembroke's home. All besides her mother's yelling.
Feeling very small, she slowly slipped a hand between his. Her dad raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything, just squeezed back and continued walking while looking straight ahead.
They went through the wall and wallah, they arrived to the prettiest place in the whole universe. Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. The big, scarlet train welcomed them with its loud whistle, letting everyone know it was almost time for them to leave. And for a moment, she expected her kind eyes to show up, to pull her out of her summer's misery with her stories and jokes and laughs and smile and. . .
But that didn't happen. And it would never happen again. She had to keep that in mind.
Elora pulled her hand away from her father's grip and took a deep breath. At the train she would have even more time to overthink, meaning Olive's death would only feel worse with time. Lovely.
It's not like she could help it, her absence was a piercing knife through her heart. But no tight throat, no tears, just her and the emptiness of the situation.
"I know it's hard," her father began, attempting a small smile. "But remember that you're strong. Don't think otherwise."
"Yeah but," the words slipped out of her. "I-," she swallowed. "I don't want to go." ...Without her.
"I know El, but, she would've liked you to move on remember?"
The famous words all people tell the grieving. She, He, They would've liked you to. The best phrase of manipulation there could be out there to someone suffering a loss.
Trying hard not to eyeroll, she just nodded and took a step forward. He had good intentions. He had to have. But that's what her father would always be, no matter how many perfect days they have together. Logan Pembroke would always be a manipulator, sometimes for the best; as well as the worst.
He was a good person. She loved him. He loved her. But sometimes, he deserved a good hit in the head after thinking that being smart meant being superior to people.
"See you in the holidays darling," he said, stepping ahead and kissing her on the forehead. El closed her eyes at this, appreciating the gesture, "Please don't forget to write."
"Don't worry, I won't forget," she said giving her mother, who had a really serious expression in her face, a side hug. "See you, I suppose."
"We love you!" her mum reminded her as she walked far and more far away from them. "Please concentrate on your lessons!"
El frowned at this words; At the sudden kindness and love she was receiving from her mother, but decided to take it since she felt too tired to overthink it.
Now the hard part of the journey, she thought while walking in the hall, finding a compartment.
Walking across the small hall of the train, watching over windows as everyone caught up with their mates with bright smiles on their faces, El realized all compartments were full.
She despised socializing, that's why she and Olive would always be in one single compartment alone and chatting without anyone interrupting. Well, that was if they left out the twats that would bother them about blood purity as if it were a cult. Besides that, Olive would tell El about her summer, about the things she discovered, about the books she had read. The small things were what she most admired. Anything sounded interesting when it came out of Olive Grayson's mouth.
Just get into one and ask if you can stay, is not that bloody hard, stop being such a coward. Aren't you supposed to be a Gryffindor? You won't even listen to what they say. You'll just space out for hours straight!
Elora shook her head, abandoning all small nerves and suddenly not caring anymore. It was exhausting to fight her own brain. What was the worst that could happen? She sighed and opened a random one.
"Excuse me, can I sit?" she asked, her heart pounding to her chest.
There were three people sitting there. One bushy haired girl, a freckled guy with ginger hair and a boy with round glasses. Oh gosh.
Great.
"Oh I don't think so," said the bushy haired girl. "We're a bit busy you see."
"No, of course you can," said the boy with glasses, turning to the girl and hissing. "We were done with the conversation anyway."
"No seriously, its okay, I'll just..." El said as she stepped back, trying to keep her voice steady.
"No stay, it's fine."
"Well, okay." she said awkwardly, getting into the compartment a little ashamed.
They helped her with her trunk and then she sat next to the ginger boy.
"I'm Ron Weasley." he smiled politely, offering his hand to shake. El took it, biting her lip.
"El Pembroke." she went for a smile which probably seemed more forced than her liking. It wasn't much of her fault though, her cheeks felt tired. She felt tired.
Ron's eyes widened a bit. "Oh," he said, his tone low. "So you're the one everyone's talking ab— Ow!" The bushy haired girl hit his arm, eyes widened as well and he stared with his mouth opened offensively. "What? I just asked."
"Not the time, Ronald." she hissed at him.
Elora's eyes traveled from Ron to the girl a few times before she replied slowly. "It's fine. You're not the only one."
Wanting him to be ashamed for something he said wasn't in her list, she knew how it felt. So she decided to play it cool. Get along with these people until you arrive to the castle. Easy thing.
"Hermione Granger." The girl said to her giving her hand to shake just as Ron did. El shook it.
"Harry Potter."
I know, she wanted to say but thought it would be rude. Maybe he didn't like his fame nor his depressing story. Being famous for surviving a killing curse that killed your entire family wasn't something she found nice. She found it traumatic. But sadly, society thought it was amusing.
Fucking society.
Harry had raised his hand as well, but as she shook it she caught a glimpse of the greenish alive in his irises. They were so bright but at the same time dark as a forest, with small details of orange. Not bright green like Olive's.
El wanted to make a painting of just the gorgeous eyes of the boy in front of her.
"Anyway, as I was saying," Hermione continued. "It's bewitched! If a muggle looks at it, all they see is a sign saying: danger do not enter, unsafe."
As the ride went on, the trio kept discussing about Muggle repelling charms and Dumstrang as she listened a bit. Her grandad had done his education at Dumstrang, all before moving to England and meeting his wife at a pub. They hated each other at first, working at the same place and wanting to get better marks than the other so they could ascend their position.
She didn't know how, but they fell in love at some point. They realized it and got married. It almost seemed impossible, but that was love she supposed. Unpredictable.
The rain became heavier and heavier as the train moved farther north. The sky was so dark and the windows so steamy that the lanterns were lit by midday. But as they went, she began to feel desperate to talk to her.
No. Another wave. No more thinking.
"Anything from the trolley?"
The trolley lady smiled from the door.
"Do you want anything?" Harry asked El, taking out many golden coins from his pocket.
"Oh, no thank you," she said. "I'm not hungry."
After losing Olive, her appetite seemed to be just as miserable as she felt. It kinda bothered her, because there would be times where she would be so hungry but without the energy enough to stand up and grab some food. Luckily, she was a bit over it by now.
A bit.
Harry eyed her suspiciously then shrugged.
"A large stack of cauldron cakes please and a chocolate frog." he told the lady.
Once he took the food, instead of returning to his spot, he took Ron's and sat next to her.
"Here." he said, giving El the chocolate frog with a small smile. "For you."
"Er, seriously i'm okay." she said, something in her chest flickering a bit but not enough for her to recognize it.
"No, you take it." he snapped back, taking her hand and placing the frog on it before squeezing hard. She stared at him in disbelief.
"What?" he said.
"Nothing," El smiled. "It's- er, never mind."
"Tell me!" Harry chuckled.
"I don't know, It's odd."
"What's odd?" Ron said from the corner, mouth filled with cake.
"How nice you lot are," it slipped before she could stop it.
But it was true. They had just met and they were buying her stuff. It felt a bit suspicious. Her brain began to process and realized it was probably just pity. The small smile she had began to fade.
Everyone exchanged looks at the comment but didn't say anything.
After several minutes, the compartment door opened and it showed three boys that El recognized as Dean Thomas, Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnegan.
"Hey everyone," Dean said. "Can we?"
All of them nodded and the compartment felt smaller from all the people. El just stared, wishing they wouldn't judge her tired expression because she certainly wasn't forcing a nice look again. It probably looked too forced.
"Oh, hi El." Neville turned to her, tilting his head. "What are you doing here?"
Elora shrugged, not wanting to reply but feeling that if she didn't, it would be rude of her. Bless Neville Longbottom. He was so pure and so sweet, he certainly did not deserve to be ignored or underestimated as most people always did.
"Just- For a change." she said and turned around, staring at the hills.
"Oh." The Longbottom boy said.
They started to talk about the Quidditch World Cup. That was enough for El to feel her eyes sting as she closed them for a while, a very long while. Until eventually she fell asleep.
"Gran didn't want to go," Neville's voice began to go through her brain. "Wouldn't buy tickets. It sounded amazing though."
"It was," said Ron. "Look at this Neville."
El opened her eyes to find herself on someone's shoulder.
Harry's shoulder.
The embarrassment took over as she quickly raised her head, staring around, not daring to meet Harry's eye. Luckily, everyone kept talking around them. Dean and Seamus seemed to have left, leaving just Neville behind.
"Sorry," she muttered, staring straight ahead.
"Don't mention it. You almost knocked your head against the window so, I thought. . . Yeah."
El did not care. She could swore it was fine. However, some small part in her chest began to sparkle. Sadly, that sparkle left as soon as it came when an annoying voice echoed from the door.
"For the first time in your life Weasley."
Draco Malfoy had appeared in the doorway, and behind him Crabbe and Goyle. Oh, great.
"I don't remember asking you to join us, Malfoy." Harry told the platinum blond.
El and Olive would always joke on how much he resembled a seagull, and now she began to realize it wasn't that far of a joke anymore.
Draco ignored Harry.
"Weasley... what is that?" he asked pointing at an owls cage. A brownish sleeve was dangling from under it.
Ron made to stuff the robes out of sight but Malfoy was too quick for him. He pulled the sleeve, taking it out and revealing pretty old dress robes that her grandad could've easily worn.
"Look at this!" Malfoy said. "Weasley you weren't thinking on wearing this, we're you? I mean, they were very fashionable in about eighteen ninety..."
"Christ, why don't you just get lost?" El snapped, arms crossed and a dark look flashing in her eyes.
"Well, well," he said back. "Look what we have here."
Without unlocking their eyes, he sneered and threw the robes back at Ron.
"Leave us alone." El said simply. "Is it just too hard to understand or do you want me to spell it for you?"
"Or what?" he smirked. "What are you going to do? Tell Grayson?"
Do not bloody dare, she thought. Don't bloody dare mention her name. Her face must've been priceless, because a wave of satisfaction was visible on Malfoy's green eyes.
"If I'm honest with myself," he continued, leaning against the doorframe. "That's what she gets for being a filthy blood traitor."
El stood up, heart pounding and acid running down her veins, to her chest.
"Say that again?"
Her hand was trembling down her pocket to reach her wand. Her mind raced, she didn't know any hexes that could be effective with Crabbe and Goyle against her advantage. No insults were at her tongue. She felt hopeless at the lack of defense she had.
"I said," Malfoy leaned closer. "She deserved to die."
Before any of them could respond, there was a flash of light and Draco suddenly petrified in place; falling backwards onto the hall. Crabbe and Goyle began to take their own wands out but before they could do so, the door closed and their own hexes seemed to have rebounded on themselves. Yells were heard, along with running. El turned and found herself in front of Ron to his feet, wand raised and ginger brows furrowed in a defiant expression.
He sighed and sat back down. El felt shocked at the speed of how angry she felt just minutes ago, then numb as if nothing just happened, not surprised at all. But she couldn't deny she felt overwhelmed at the boy's actions.
"Thanks." she muttered.
"C'mon, we'll be at Hogwarts soon." Harry took her shoulder gently, pulling her down next to him.
✠
Ron's bad mood after Malfoy's jokes continued for the rest of the journey. He didn't talk much as they changed into their school robes and was still glowering when the Hogwarts Express slowed down at last and finally stopped in the pitch-darkness of Hogsmade station.
She decided to stick to them, just from some distance behind as they arrived to the big castle. The rain was so thick and fast that it felt almost impossible to walk ahead, but as she struggled to not slip into the mud, someone had taken a hold of her robes and was pulling her forward.
They went into the ceilinged carriages relieved, and as she took off her hood she noticed how Harry let go of her robes. They went quietly, just commenting on how big it was raining until El caught a glimpse of the gorgeous castle.
Hogwarts. Its many lightedwindows blurred and shimmering behind the thick curtain of rain.Lightning flashed across the sky as their carriage came to a haltbefore the great oak front doors, which stood at the top of a flightof stone steps.
People who had occupied the carriages in front were already hurrying up the stone steps into the castle. The trio did the same and Elora followed hesitantly. After an encounter with Peeves, Ron's mood just worsened as they sat down on the big, long Gryffindor table. She hesitated again, unsure if they felt comfortable with her following them everywhere.
"Are you sitting with us or not." Ron asked, apparently annoyed.
"Can I?" she asked, wishing to be sounding polite instead of annoying. They all nodded so she sat with them, trying to look unbothered.
"Good evening," Nearly Head Less Nick said, beaming at them.
"Says who?" said Harry, taking off his sneakers and emptying them of water. "Hope they hurry up with the Sorting. I'm starving."
El felt hungry too, but as she stared over the Slytherin table and watched the lack of short ginger hair, all appetite seemed to have gone instantly. Colin Creevey, who she knew was in third year at the time, came over and began to chat to Harry about his little brother coming to Hogwarts. Elora watched in awe, wishing she could have the boy's energy.
"El?"
"Yes?" she said, a bit quicker than she meant to.
"You okay?" Harry asked her, showing concern.
"Oh," she frowned, attempting her best to look unbothered. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
"You sure?" he said. "You look like you're about to cry-"
"I'm more than fine Harry, thank you." she said quite sharply. He nodded, not so convinced before looking at Ron.
After what it felt like ages, the doors of the Great Hall opened and silence fell. Professor McGonagall was leading a long line of first years up to the top of the Hall. If the four of them were soaked, it was nothing to how these first years looked. They appeared to have swum across the lake ratherthan sailed.
After the sorting, Professor McGonagall picked up the hat and the stool and carried them away.
"About time," said Ron, seizing his knife and fork and looking expectantly at his golden plate.
Professor Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was smiling around at the students, his arms opened wide in welcome. "I have only two words to say to you," he told them, his deep voice echoing around the Hall. "Tuck in."
"Hear, hear!" said Harry and Ron loudly as the empty dishes filled magically before their eyes. Nearly Headless Nick watched mournfully as Harry, Ron, Elora and Hermione loaded their own plates.
"Aaah, 'at's be'er," said Ron, with his mouth full of mashed potato.
"You're lucky there's a feast at all tonight, you know," said Nearly Headless Nick. "There was trouble in the kitchens earlier."
"Why? Wha' 'appened?" said Harry, through a sizable chunk ofsteak.
"Peeves, of course," said Nearly Headless Nick, shaking his head, which wobbled dangerously.
Elora wished she could focus on the ghost's words, but after a thought came up her mind, it felt hard. If ghosts were dead they had to die first. Did all dead were ghosts? Could she find Olive's ghost?
Clang.
Hermione had knocked over her golden goblet. Pumpkin juicespread steadily over the tablecloth, staining several feet of whitelinen orange, but Hermione paid no attention. El frowned, unsure if she missed anything.
"There are house-elves here?" Hermione said, staring, horror-struck, at Nearly Headless Nick. "Here at Hogwarts?"
"Certainly," said Nearly Headless Nick, looking surprised at her reaction. "The largest number in any dwelling in Britain, I believe. Over a hundred."
Elora stared, she and Olive would always sneak to the kitchens for food. Her lip twitched at the memory of her, Olive, and one of the house elves in the kitchens making jokes in first year.
Her small smile faded within seconds.
"I've never seen one!" said Hermione.
"Well, they hardly ever leave the kitchen by day, do they?" said Nearly Headless Nick. "They come out at night to do a bit of cleaning . . . see to the fires and so on. . . . I mean, you're not supposed to see them, are you? That's the mark of a good house-elf, isn't it, that you don't know it's there?"
Hermione stared at him.
"But they get paid?" she said. "They get holidays, don't they? And — and sick leave, and pensions, and everything?"
"She's obssesed with house-elves." Harry muttered at the expression in the girl's face.
"Why-"
Clang.
"Oh c'mon, 'Er-my-knee," said Ron, accidentally spraying with bits of Yorkshire pudding. "Oops — sorry, 'Arry —" He swallowed. "You won't get them sick leave by starving yourself!"
"Slave labor," said Hermione, breathing hard through her nose."That's what made this dinner. Slave labor."
And she refused to eat another bite. Elora found this a little extra, but probably she had good intentions. She tried not to dwell on it too much.
After eating desert, the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, stood up. The buzz of chatter filling the Hall ceased almost at once, so that only the howling wind and pounding rain could be heard.
"So!" said Dumbledore, smiling around at them all. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices."
"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended toinclude Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever Bashing boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it."
The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched.
He continued, "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year. It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."
"What?" Harry gasped. He looked around to see his teammates reactions, Elora found this odd. Why would they cancel it?
"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy — but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts —"
But at that moment, there was a deafening rumble of thunderand the doors of the Great Hall banged open. Elora jumped at the noise.
A man stood in the doorway, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black traveling cloak. Every head in the Great Hall swiveled toward the stranger. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark gray hair, then began to walk up toward the teachers' table. A dull clunk echoed through the Hall on his every other step. He reached the end of the top table, turned right, and limped heavilytoward Dumbledore. Another flash of lightning crossed the ceiling.
El's eyes widened.
The lightning had thrown the man's face into sharp relief. Mad-eye Moody.
The man who found Olive's and her family's bodies.
A/N
Hello everyone, it's been some time since I've been active in this account. Just want to say that I'll be rewriting this book every once in a while because the writing makes me sick by just looking at it so, yeah that's pretty much it. If you had just started this book and wish to have all the old chapters available, sorry to disappoint you but I'll have to unpublish them and publish them again since there will be some changes in the story (nothing big, just deleting some unnecessary scenes and making the story have a bit of more sense since some things just don't make sense at all.) So yeah, if you have any doubts lmk on my message board. Thank you for understanding <3