Robyn's was the first death of many in the months that followed. Shortly after the wedding of Eloise and Sirius and then that of James and Lily, Euphemia and Fleamont Potter both caught Dragon Pox. Within weeks, they had both died and it had only forced Eloise further into her cocoon of grief. After the death of Marlene McKinnon less than a year later, Eloise was merely a shell of her former self. Although there was a shed of light in the otherwise dark situation. A shed of light that was the cause of Eloise getting on the track to being herself again. In September of 1980, just a few months after James and Lily's son Harry had been born, Eloise found out she was pregnant again. Alfie had grown into a gifted toddler and was walking and talking like it was nobody's business. He had also shown his first signs of magic and Eloise and Sirius weren't too surprised when they saw the dungarees that Alfie refused to wear floating in the air in the living room...aflame. Alfie and Harry got on well...for a two year old and a newborn. The extent of their relationship being that Alfie would chatter away to his cousin whilst Harry just lay in his little bed, staring up at Alfie with emerald-green eyes full of wonder.
Speaking of Harry: James, Lily, Sirius and Eloise had been informed of a prophecy containing Harry which also surrounded the Dark Lord. Due to this, Lily and James were forced into hiding and purchased a small cottage in Godric's Hollow. Neither of them had to work due to the extensive fortune that both Potter siblings had inherited after the death of their parents so the Potters were safe and sound. Saying this, it came to light that there was a mole in the Order. This was the cause of a fair few riffs in the whole organisation. One of them being between Remus and Sirius, both of them suspecting one another. Eloise found the whole thing infuriating and hated seeing her husband and best friend fight. But Remus, sick with grief from Robyn, refused to speak to Sirius or Eloise and took to hiding away in his small house in Wales.
Times were dark in the Wizarding World. People were being murdered and the war was still in full swing. Eloise hated that her children had to grow up in such a world and the whole situation left her feeling distressed. Though the stress subsided significantly when the 17th of June 1981 was upon them and little Mia Lyra Black was born. Both Sirius and Eloise were bargaining on her eyes being grey like her father but, alas, the world had other plans. When the baby girl opened her eyes to peer up at her expectant parents, they weren't met with the silvery, summer storm they had anticipated. Instead, Mia's eyes were blue, icy blue. An icy blue that Eloise had only seen on one other person in her life: Regulus Black.
A few months after the birth of Mia, on October 31st, Eloise had left Sirius in charge of the kids whilst she visited her brother. Lily had just taken Harry up to bed, with James close behind when the sound of the gate could be heard. Eloise immediately stood up from the sofa and she heard a shout from James,
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off! Belle-" James went to call for his sister to leave but she was already at his side, tossing him his wand which he had left on the sofa. Eloise gasped when she met eyes with the wizard in front of her. His pearly white skin glowed in the evening night and his red eyes narrowed as he raised his wand towards her. James tried to disarm him but he was too quick with a shielding spell. Voldemort raised his wand once more, this time towards James. Eloise had no time to think before a jet of green light shot out towards her brother. Though it didn't meet its intended target. The necklace that sat around Eloise's neck, the necklace that had belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw, had begun to glow. Eloise had almost forgotten about its existence until it let out a bright blue light which took the form of a protective bubble around James. The killing curse bounced off the forcefield and Eloise trembled as Voldemort let out a yell. Without bothering to try again, the dark wizard snapped his fingers and disappeared in a twist of robes. Eloise almost let out a sigh of relief, surprised that he had given up so easily until-
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead-"
"This is my last warning-"
"Not Harry! Please... have mercy... have mercy... Not Harry! Not Harry! Please — I'll do anything..."
"LILY!" James frantically sprinted up the stairs with Eloise close on his tail. Before either one of them could reach the top they heard the shrill voice speak once more,
"Avada Kedavra!"
"NO!" James' yell was masked by the scream of Lily. Eloise's eyes covered over with tears as she felt her heart breaking. Lily, her Lily, was dead. Her best friend. Her sister-in-law. Harry's mother...Harry.
It seems James was thinking the same thing as he lifted himself off the ground and made towards the nursery. The house was instantly bathed in a fierce, white light and Eloise could feel the ground shaking beneath her as the walls trembled. She and James shared a terrified look at they rushed into the room. Eloise let out a choked sob as she caught sight of Lily on the floor. Her red hair splayed over the floor like a fire and her emerald green eyes unseeing. James collapsed to the floor and took Lily's body in his arms. His shoulders shook as he leant over her torso, sobbing heavily. Eloise took a deep breath and almost cried out in relief when she heard the high-pitched wailing of her nephew. She was at his side in a flash and plucked him out of the crib, cradling him in her arms,
"Mma...Mamma." Harry howled into Eloise's chest and she couldn't help but break down. She knelt next to her brother and placed a hand on his shoulder,
"J...Harry." she whispered and James looked up. He tore his gaze from his wife to see his son holding out his arms for him, his bottom lip stuck out as his eyes were glazed with tears...Lily's eyes. James continued to weep as he pulled Harry into him. Eloise put her arms around his shoulders and James buried his head into his sister's chest. He and Harry had survived...but Lily hadn't. After years of chasing the girl of his dreams, James Potter got her, only to lose her almost no time after.
~~~
Sirius Black walked into the almost ruined cottage in Godric's Hollow and ran up the stairs. Fearing the worst for his wife and best friend, his breathing was shallow and fear nipped at his insides. He collapsed against the wall in relief when he saw them both sat, alive, on the floor with Harry in between them. Though his breathing quickened again when he saw what they were crying over,
"Lily..." his voice was scarcely a whisper but Eloise's head still shot up. Sirius rushed to her, taking her in his arms and rubbing her back as she bawled,
"Th-the kids-"
"Mia and Alfie are with Molly." Sirius explained and Eloise nodded, "I had to come...Lily, what-"
"He came." James' voice was hoarse from the crying, "He almost killed me. Would've done if it weren't for Eloise. And then...he came upstairs a-and Lils was b-begging and pleading that he k-kill her instead of Harry and-" James broke off into sobs once more and Eloise pulled away from Sirius, wrapping her arms tightly around her brother.
"This is my fault." Sirius stood up and launched a punch at the wall,
"Sirius? What? No-"
"If I hadn't told you to make Peter the secret keeper this wouldn't have-" Sirius stopped himself and his face darkened drastically, "Peter." he turned and stormed out of the room.
"Sirius!" Eloise had a conflicted look on her face as she held her brother,
"Eloise, go."
"But-"
"Go!"
So she did. Eloise chased her husband out of the cottage and onto the street where she watched him and Peter Pettigrew circling one another. Eloise scarcely had time to call out to the pair before she caught the glimmer of a blade in Peter's hands. She met the boy's eyes. Her hazel ones pleading with his watery blue ones but it was no use. With a flick of his wand, the street exploded. Eloise felt herself being pushed to the ground and opened her eyes to see Sirius' body on top of her, shielding her from any debris. She looked around to see the swish of a rat's tail disappear under the sewer right before there were the cracks of people apparating.
Aurors surrounded the pair and Sirius stood up, helping Eloise to her feet.
"Lou, these people are going to arrest me." he whispered to her and Eloise's eyes widened,
"Sirius, no-"
"Eloise listen to me. Work on getting me out. You are an eye-witness. For now, let me go and tell the kids I love them."
"Sirius..." Eloise began to cry as the Aurors shouted at Sirius,
"I love you."
And just like that Eloise watched as her husband was stunned and arrested. She stood in the middle of a blown up street with tears flowing down her grimy cheeks. She was shortly joined by James who was clutching a still crying Harry.
"James..." Eloise cried into her brother's chest as he rubbed her back,
"We're going to get him out, Belle."
"And Lily-"
"I know...it's over"
AND THAT'S A WRAP! Thank you so much for reading this ickle book it means the world. I decided to write this story when I began thinking what character I could be were I in Harry Potter and voila! Eloise Malfoy was born. It has been my pleasure to write this book and the fact that people actually read and enjoyed it is mindblowing. Thank you so much and...see you soon?