They walked out into the hall and again silence.
Ella shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot not sure what to do or say or Merlin she was panicking.
"So I just wanted to clear some things up" he started.
"Oh" she said and nodded slightly
"I need to know what's going on with all of this"
"All of...?"
"Well you and Black the other day and....us"
"There's nothing going on with me and Regulus" she said a bit confused
"You kind of seem to always be with him" he said
"And I just don't want to cause trouble"
Ella shook her head and furrowed her brow
"Fabian I'm sorry if it's seemed that way but...Reg and I are just friends"
"You're -"
"Fucking kidding me" Sirius's voice broke through the quiet hall.
Ella turned quickly to face her friend who had just come through the door.
"Sirius" she breathed out
"You're joking right?" He asked
"You're Fucking joking"
"I'm sorry did I-" Fabian looked between the two utterly confused.
"Shut up" Sirius shouted
"You're actually still messing around with my brother?" He spat.
Ella looked nervously between Sirius and Fabian
"No I never...." Her voice quivered and she felt hit tears prick her eyes.
"Fucking kidding me?" Fabian sighed and walked inside the common room.
"Look what you've done" she yelled at Sirius.
"What I've done?" He laughed
"You did this to yourself"
"No I didn't!" She cried
"I never did anything with your brother"
"I know that's a lie" he argued
"He's my friend... maybe but that's it"
"Fucking traitor" he said and stormed inside.
Ella felt sick to her stomach as tears streamed down her face.
She slid down the wall and wrapped her arms around her legs. How did this happened?
"El babe?" Marlene's voice made her look up
"There you are" she cooed kneeling next to her
"What's happened?"
"Sirius" she choked out
"He told Fabian that Regulus and I weren't just friends"
"You and Regulus are friends?"
"Kind of....maybe" Ella shook her head
"I don't fucking know"
She began to cry harder and Marlene wrapped her arms around her friend.
"I just want to go to bed"
"Alright then let's go"
November 3rd 1974
Ella stayed in bed for most of the weekend, until practice.
It also happened to be Sirius's birthday.
"I don't want to go" she whined
"You don't really have a choice" Marlene said dragging her out of their dorm.
They headed to the pitch and Ella felt sick to her stomach.
When they arrived she stood in the back sharing a small smile with James.
The boys definitely felt caught in the middle, no more than James.
Gideon addressed the team and talked up their next game against Slytherin.
Ella hated the idea of playing Slytherin.
When the team was released to start practice she didn't know what to do.
Marlene pat her back and gave her a reassuring smile
"You've got this"
"Thanks" she sighed.
She mounted her broom and got to work practicing with her bat...and avoiding Fabian.
Practice was almost over and Ella noticed the Slytherin team waiting below.
She immediately saw Regulus...he was looking back at her.
When she looked back up the bludger and hurtling towards her and she ducked just in time.
"Oi what the fuck" Fabian yelled
"Pay attention for fucks sake"
Ella gulped a knot forming in her stomach, Fabian had never yelled at her like that before.
His face red with anger as he followed her gaze to the Slytherin team, more specifically Regulus.
"Are you kidding me" he spat
"You can't pay attention for a few more minutes"
He flew off angrily and Ella burst into tears. She flew to the ground and got off of her broom.
"Hey Ella" Regulus called after her
"Don't talk to me" she screamed throwing her broom on the ground.
She turned, and saw the surprise on his face when he saw her tears.
She picked her broom up and stomped off to the storage shed.
"Oi Gallagher" Gideon called after her
"What's wrong"
She didn't stop she just kept going looking down at her feet.
"Ella what was that at practice?" James asked when he found her in the common room
"James" she sighed putting her book down
"I don't want to talk about it"
He frowned the concern obvious on his face. She picked her book back up and began reading.
"Well do you maybe want to come with us tonight?" He asked
"No shes busy" Sirius said walking into the common room.
James gave him a confused look
"Come on Potter" he said and headed up to their dorm.
James paused for a moment and looked back at Ella who was still reading.
He sighed and hurried after his friend unsure what else to do.
"You don't get it" Fabian complained
"No Fabian you don't get it we only have a few more weeks before-"
Gideon stopped when he saw Ella sitting at the table by the window.
"Hey Ella" he said his voice a bit harsh. She looked up but said nothing.
"What was going on during practice?" He asked
"I....." she shook her head not sure what to say
"You...?" Fabian asked clearly still angry
"I...I" she looked between the two brothers panic rising within her
"I don't know" she shouted slamming her book closed tears streaming down her face. She got up and pushed past the boys running out of the common room.
She ran as fast as her legs would carry her and climbed all the way up to the astronomy tower.
When she finally stopped her heart was racing and she was trying to catch her breath.
She felt like she couldn't breath as she continued to cry wiping tears off of her face.
"El" Regulus's soft voice came from behind her
"What's going on"
She dropped to the ground sitting on the floor holding herself tight.
He walked over and gently sat next to her
"Ella?"
She shook her head not knowing what to say.
"Everything gotten messed up" she whispered
"Why?"
"Because Sirius thinks...." She trailed off
"Sirius?" Regulus asked
"He did this?"
"No...I don't know!" She said struggling to get her words out
"He thinks we fancy each other or something"
"Oh...." Regulus said his voice quiet
"I know it's mental" Ella said seeing that he didn't like the idea
"Oh yeah" he said with a chuckle
"But he thinks that and he won't talk to me and now..."
"Now?"
"Now Fabian won't talk to me" she said her voice trailing off.
"Oh...I see"
"Yeah" she sniffled
"So you fancy him then?"
"I guess" Ella shrugged
"But that's going nowhere"
Regulus nodded and got to his feet
"I'm sorry El, that all of this is happening...but I've got to go"
She looked a bit surprised and hurt but he just turned away.
He walked down the stairs his mind racing. He didn't like her anymore, he was mad at her. Because of him.
He couldn't help the small smirk on his face. She could be his now.
He let out a sigh as he walked back towards the dungeon. Did he even want her?
Not in the way she wanted to be wanted.
But he wasn't sure that would stop him.
December 5th 1974
Dumbledore had announced that there would be a ball, before the holidays.
Everyone was bursting with excitement buying new dresses to wear or asking their crush to be their date.
Ella however was not interested in the slightest.
Gideon had asked the keeper of the Ravenclaw team and she was ecstatic.
She assumed Fabian had asked someone as well.
"Come on Ella" Mary begged
"I'm not even going why would I go dress shopping?" She asked
"Because we need your opinion" she whined
"Really we do" Lily agreed
"Girls" professor Mcgonagall warned
"Sorry" they said lowering their heads going back to their work.
"Think about it" Mary whispered. Ella sighed and continued to write on her parchment.
She glanced to her right at James and Sirius. Still nothing from Sirius, he hated her.
Remus saw El looking and gave her a smile which she returned.
Peter was flipping through his textbook searching for help with his essay.
She missed spending time with the boys. Even her time with James at practice was weird now because of Fabian.
As soon as class was over the three girls got back to pestering El about going shopping with them as they walked to lunch.
"Why would you want her to go?" Sirius asked
"It's not like anyone would want to take her"
Her stomach dropped as she froze in place
"Sirius!" Mary snapped
"Really?" James asked looking disappointed in his friend.
Remus gave him an angry look and the three boys walked off leaving Sirius behind.
"I'm not wrong" he added looking Ella in the eyes.
She clenched her jaw and quickly walked off away from the great hall.
She didn't want him to see her cry, but the moment she rounded the corner she couldn't hold it back any longer.
She looked down at her shoes as she walked tears falling from her eyes.
While looking down she bumped into someone and immediately lifted her head
"Sorry...I didn't see you" she mumbled but quickly took a step back when she saw it was Gideon and Fabian.
"Ella" he said obviously concerned
"I..." she couldn't speak.
She just took off walking again ignoring the twins calling after her.