It had been a rainy start for the school year, it was officially the first day of classes and Eleanor had lost sleep due to the pouring rain, but that was just an excuse. An excuse to hide the fact that she had been overthinking, worrying — imagining the worst.
There was something she knew, deep down she had the feeling that life for her was never going to go back to normal. Even if she had Harry, Sirius, Remus and everyone else by her side. She had visions of terror, loosing more people in her life, loosing her own. Loosing Harry. It would have been her fault. It was her responsibility to protect him. No matter what anyone else has to say to that.
So when Eleanor kept hearing of this tournament coming up, she guessed the worst and hoped to the heavens above it wouldn't be true.
Keep harry away from the goblet of fire.
That morning Eleanor suprised herself on the decision she made, and it all started with a knock.
Severus was almost stunned to see Eleanor standing outside his door, and she could see it too by the way he frowned questionably.
"I need to ask a favour." Eleanor looked up at him due to their hight diffence.
He looked at her, his eyes looked down either side of the halls to see if anyone was looking. Than he nudged his head for her to come in.
Eleanor welcomed herself to look amongst his chamber. It smelled of coffee. Stacks of books, random potion bottles along a writing desk next to a microscope, and a the morning view peeking behind dark navy curtains.
"I figured you'd ask about the Triwizard Tournament." He walked passed her, cleaning up the random books throughout the place with a simple wand gesture. Before Eleanor could say anything he interrupted, "I saw the way you responded to it when Dumbledore announced the event."
"Its not just the event." She muttered, "Do you mind if I?" Eleanor asked to sit on the sofa chair that sat in the corner of his room.
He nodded as she sat.
"I just have the worst feeling about him."
"Him?" He repeated
"Harry."
Severus stood still with a fixed gaze, "What about him?"
"I dont know let's look back three years, It's like— oh, I dont know, something bad always seems to happen. I can't get any sleep because it's all I think about." She looked down, "I can't lose him." Eleanor spoke quietly as she slouched in the chair.
"So in conclusion, you're just overthinking?" Snape had gathered from all that she told. She peered up at him, reminding herself why she came to him in the first place.
"I need you to do me a favour, please." She begged, "Maybe I am overthinking—"
"You are." Came out his monotoned voice.
Eleanor had gotten up from the chair to walk towards him. He needed to understand that she wasnt just talking crazy. "Severus, If it wasn't that important to me, I wouldn't be coming to you. I'm pleading that you will understand. Help me keep Harry away from the tournament." She Says
This time Severus had saw a real glint of fear in her hazel eyes. In the back of his mind he kept nagging to himself over why he should even help her. The voice was silenced quickly, giving their past— severus still cared for her.
He cleared his throat, "Fine, but I really do think you are just overwhelmed over the whole thing. I know for a fact that nobody is allowed to enter their name into the goblet under the age of seventeen." He watched as her shoulders seemed to relax at that.
"You know," She began biting the inside of her cheek, "Even if we disagree sometimes, I still appreciate everything you've done. I'm sorry we tend to always get off on the wrong foot, I hope we can set that aside and still be friends." She spoke softly.
For a split second Snape had an unreadable expression on his face. His full lips pursed and eyes danced around her face.
He said nothing for a moment but came back to reality with a small smile given to her. "Of course, we're friends, we'll always be friends."
Eleanor smiled to that, giving him a hug, "Thank you." She whispered before letting go.
She left his chamber without saying anything, but that was because she didnt want to stand in awkward silence. She genuinely felt bad for him. She once thought she had feels for him. But it turns out she used him to cope with her own loss of love, which was given back to her.
It was the same way around for the man that stood in the center of his room where she once stood. Expect he didnt get that lost love back, Lily was gone. He exepted that as hard as it was for him, but deep down he knew that this was familiar. The same feelings he had shared with Lily felt similar to Eleanor. Not as much, but similar.
They were just friends.
Eleanor felt quite alone as she was sat at the high table again for breakfast, Hagrid was often turning to her to give her a great smile before going on with his feast but that's just the amount of conversation she was getting. Snape hadn't come for breakfast, but Moody on the other hand had treated her as if she wasn't there. Instead of asking for something to be handed over on her side of the plate, he would reach over her to grab it and ate his breakfast rather aggressively.
Class schedules were being handed out as owls had flown in dropping off letters to studnets.
Much to Eleanors tiredly dazed suprised she felt a letter being dropped on her lap by her owl. The envelope looked as if it had been rained on than dryed.
For a fact, she knew this was from Sirius.
She opened it, reading—
Good morning love,
I figured you'd get this by early morning, I haven't figured out my travels yet, but I left Manchester yesterday. I didn't want to be a burden, the cottage is more than welcoming, but it's not home without you. I heard about the Triwizard Tournament, nothing you should be worried about. Happens every century or so. Just be happy that something will take up your class time during the year. Enjoy it. I miss you, and hope you have a good first day of teaching, you'll do great as you always do. I love you dearly. Tell Harry I said the same.
Love Sirius
xxxx
She smiled after reading the letter. She looked up to catch Harry's eyes. He had known that she had gotten a letter from Sirius. Who else would mail her something that makes a grin on her face that noticeable.
School didn't get going until the next week, as Professor Adler had soon seen stacks of homework settled in front of her. Surprisingly this new Dark Arts teacher seemed to have more of a hand full of work than Severus which suprised her alot. Already the fourth years were learning about unforgivable curses, which seemed odd to her as it seemed more like a seventh year topic.
During class there had been murmuring about what happened in their recent dark arts session.
"The man is a loony, I tell you!" Called Seamus who sat beside Harry. "Poor Neville."
"Neville?" She questioned looking between the class of Gryffindors and Slytherins. "What's happened?" She now had noticed his seat was empty.
"Professor Moody did a demonstration in class over the three unforgivable curses." Harry started
"He made Neville participate in the cruciatus curse, it's the one that tortured his parents." Spoke up Ron who frowned seeing Eleanors facial expression to that.
There was a glint of heartache in her eye and anger rose within her. Shes just about had it with this git.
AN: THIS CHAPTER IS SO BAD IM SO SORRY AGH. Honestly not having the best day or few days. But life happens and you just got to keep pushing.