Glitter
Christmas ended, Elouise sat in the Great Hall beside Draco, glancing around as it filled to the brim once again with returned students. Draco had been speaking highly of the new cloak he had been gifted by his Godmother to Aldora who listened to his ranting willingly. Though, she seemed a bit doozy, slight eye bags as she kept a slight smile.
"And what did you during the break? you mentioned having to be introduced to family members?" Elouise slipped in, giving Aldora the chance to speak as Draco finally allowed the space to be shared.
"Mostly some uncles, aunts, my cousin Henrick. He's quite accomplished, Grandmother loves to speak of his many perfections. It's like she thinks he has no flaws." Aldora smirked. "However, compared to the other cousins, beside I, I can see why. He truly knows how to grasp respect and deliver some of the greatest comebacks. Before I left, I had the pleasure of watching him put my Uncle Lorren in his place after he had decided to cause a scene at my grandmother's birthday."
"Birthday? If I may ask, how old is she now?" Elouise felt she had to ask.
"94, but my gosh, she still intimidates most the family by simply staring." she responded.
Aldora shared some experiences with Draco, meanwhile Elouise took the chance to look around at the other tables. Hermione was sitting by herself, their tables weren't near each other, so Hermione couldn't even sit near Elouise if she wanted to. Over at Hufflepuff, Neville had been in conversation with his roommate, Ron, though it seemed like Ron was becoming sleepy as Neville ranted on about something. Lastly, Gryffindor, The Weasley twins were surprisingly tame tonight. Simply eating, talking, likely plotting a future scheme.
Harry Potter on the other hand, had a large grin on his face the moment he saw Elouise meet his gaze. He held his hand next to his face, crossing his thumb and index finger to make a heart. Immediately, Elouise snapped back to Draco and Aldora.
...
Back in the dorm room, Elouise looked at her room now that it had it's 3 tenants all back. Aldora and Pansy were back, though it seemed Pansy had gained the habit of ignoring Elouise. Shutting her curtains closed without so much as a hello after being gone from the break.
Aldora, she just fell asleep on her bed, shoes untidy beside her bed, and her things weren't unpacked. She was tired and she was getting her rest.
Elouise fixed the girl's shoes and left a report about break during Hogwarts under her pillow before returning to her own bed.
...
You must love Harry Potter, or at least you should if you're a fan of chaos. Professor Riddle has long been known for not being very moved or biased, Draco being by his side was the only exception. But nonetheless, no one can really get a reaction out of him. Until now apparently.
Professor Riddle has been watching his back like death was creeping up on him, and for good reason. When Potter returned from break, he made it very clear he needed a wave of chaos to welcome him back. And so, he had spent 2 weeks when he returned placing charms on every single student and staff member to gain a reaction to Riddle. The reaction being, whoever was in a 10 ft radius of him, would hug him. Doesn't sound so bad, until it was activated.
During Supper, Harry had been muttering under his breath, not very noticeable to anyone who was too busy chatting or eating. But then with the small wave of his wand, it began. Professor McGonagall was sitting beside Riddle and suddenly reached over to wrap him in her arms. This action had startled Riddle and McGonagall, but it didn't stop, seconds later, Pince and Flitwick joined. It was one hug from each before they let go rather bewildered at their actions. Riddle especially stared like he'd just been violated, holding his arms as the professors apologized.
Meanwhile, the students had noticed the commotion, Elouise in particular glanced to Draco who seemed amused at their Head of House broken face. Riddle lost his appetite and tried to leave, but as he passed by Dumbledore, the old man reached out to also hug the Slytherin professor, he who squirmed as more students had their eyes on him. Every professor he passed by it was the same story, they'd reach out to embrace him while the students snickered at his misery.
Finally, Riddle was enough distance away, brushing his robe off as he stormed out of the Hall. With his absence, many of Hogwarts spoke amongst themselves about the strange happening. McGonagall glanced at Flitwick who stared at his hands, it had felt like they weren't his own. Dumbledore had assessed from his view, and own actions, before seeming to brush it off.
Morning come, and Riddle was still very perplexed about what had happened. It wasn't his birthday, not a Holliday, what had happened.
Harry Potter had slept in again, and he still hadn't deactivated the charm. Every early riser who came across Riddle, would find their arms open to embrace him, just as the Professors had. The first students it happened with, Riddle was again, baffled. The student as well, likely even more so, was shocked and ran away.
By this point, Professor Riddle had caught on that something was going on, and tried to avoid people, even missing breakfast altogether, instead choosing to have it in his classroom as he waited for class to begin.
When Harry went to the Great Hall, finding Professor Riddle out of commission, he was to say the least, determined to get him back out for the charm to work. And so, Potter decided to pair with the twins.
Elouise was with Draco, suspicious about the lack of presence from Professor Riddle.
Meanwhile, Harry deactivated the charm. Temporarily.
...
It was during classes, time to switch that Riddle had thought the ordeal was over when people stopped trying to hug him. A moment of peace, he thought he was free.
However, Harry had decided to reactivate the charm. While Riddle stood by the door, sending his students out, suddenly those barely passing through the door or about to, spread their arms and cling to Professor Riddle.
Students could be heard down the hall panicking as everyone near Riddle embraced him. Kids were running, some seemed to be questioning their life, and others just passed it off as an impulsive thought and that everyone else was doing it.
It would be later that Riddle had help from McGonagall and Flitwick that they determined a radius. Of course, that whole work would be continuously challenged as Harry kept deactivating and activating the charm during random parts of the week.
Some students, found the whole situation quite funny, actively stepping near the stone face professor just to see him jump from another hug.
Finally, after a week, the spell had run it's course and Harry couldn't reactivate it unless he charmed everyone again, but he didn't want to be repetitive, and he'd caused the Professor enough distress as one could tell from the usual calm man now a wary and paranoid.
even though the prank was done and over with, some students (Draco) kept hugging Riddle whenever they were near. Most would get detention; the exceptions were unnamed.
The professors didn't know if the prank was from the twins or the young Potter, or both. However, no one had that much dedication of a prank to not be those options, so Gryffindor was stripped of points regardless.
...
While the meeting room was technically ready for a meeting whenever, Elouise decided it wasn't time to introduce it yet without a proper reason. Instead, she decided to look into Proffesor Riddle a bit more after seeing the situation of terrified children from the hugging incident. It was from their faces of hugging Riddle that struck something, but what? Why were they so scared of him, he wasn't that bad, or to her at least. If anything, he's quite fair, though strict, but not terrifying.
With her new question to be solved, she approached the one student Riddle has allowed by his side, Draco. In some random hallway, Elouise joined him on his stroll to the dungeons.
"Professor Riddle?" Draco pondered what to really say.
"You've researched about him, right? What's he like, who exactly is he. I have no idea what he's done or what he's like. My version of famous witches and wizards were centered around America you know. Not Europe." Elouise, despite her father's mentions of Riddle as an intimidating and perfectionist professor, didn't know much else. Professor Riddle had helped her father gain a sponsorship from a potioneer who would later move back to America, her father followed him and eventually decided to stay there with her when he met her mother.
"Well, he's written some books, and he has a place in the Wizengamot." He rested his hand on a nearby window as Elouise stared impressed.
"Wizengamot? But he looks so-wait. Right, he's older than my father. Carry on." Elouise waved it off. "You mentioned he published some books?"
"Well, his more recognized one was the ancestry of muggleborns and squibs, how magic is in the blood. It’s caused quite the impact in recent years.” Draco tapped his finger on his arm, “I believe you can find it in the library actually. Magic in the Blood I think it’s called, by Tom Riddle.”
“I will look into that. Any of the other books?” If Draco said books, he meant books, not 1 book.
“2 academic journals about dark magic, studies of the corruption of Amortentia, another academic journal but it was about dark creatures. I believe he’s working on a new study currently, but that likely won’t be published any time soon.” He explained, “I believe that’s all, about his works.”
Elouise needed more than that. “How did he get into the Wizengamot?”
“You’re automatically nominated when you gain the order of merlin, his research in magical blood gave him that achievement. Someone in the Wizengamot stepped down, and a bit of chance gave him his position. He deserves it of course, such an honor is rightfully his, but part was simply by chance." Draco was about to add on when some kind of loud crackles came from outside. Elouise and Draco rushed to the window and found a firecracker set off by the Weasley twins in the courtyard.
Draco scowled, rather bothered he be caught in a moment of shock by a mere firecracker that wasn't anywhere near him. "Of course it's the Weasleys." He scoffed before glancing at Elouise, Elouise who was staring like she was disappointed in a child, though they both were children currently.
"Draco." She warned as Draco began to wave her off. "I know, no hating on the Weasleys... but Father would say-" "Your Father put me in charge, didn't he?" Elouise cut the boy off.
"To make sure I don't do anything stupid, yes, yet you've already made yourself at the bottom of status in the Slytherin Hierarchy! I would have been at the bottom alongside you if not for my own connections made with our head of house." Draco pointed out. He didn't like how even though Elouise had no power in Slytherin, she had power over him.
"So what? Not everyone started off as the most connected person in Hogwarts. If Slytherin doesn't like my methods, I'll make my own hierarchy." She declared, only to feel her resolve crumble a bit when the professor McGonagall could be heard yelling as she chased the Weasley twins. "Eventually."
...
It was the last game of the year, Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff. Sure, Elouise had attended the Slytherin vs Gryffindor, earlier this year, but only to support her house. She left halfway when she saw Slytherin wasn't going to win, and she was right. However, in support of her friend Neville Longbottom who insisted he wanted her to come with him, in the end, Elouise caved and attended the show. Just until the game was over.
Harry Potter, the star and upcoming Golden Boy. Seeker he was, skilled as he flew through the air dramatically before taking position with his team. Elouise had to cover her ears as girls rooted for their bias, mostly first year girls screeching, "Harry potter" was being chanted by the red ridden students as the game started.
Unlike with the match against Slytherin, Elouise watched as Harry was immediately in action, zooming with his new nimbus 2000, bolted around the pitch looking for the snitch. It wasn't like before, against Slytherin when he was playing his debut and being wary of his opponents. He's settled now and he has his head in the game.
3 minutes in, Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff was 1 - 0, Gryffindor in the lead. Elouise was too busy watching as a bludger was accidentally hit towards the audience, luckily a Hufflepuff Beater hit it away. Suddenly, the game was called, everyone looked to Harry who held his hand up, holding the snitch. it barely reached 4 minutes, and the game had ended almost as quickly as it started.
Everything was silent, mouths wide open before the twins set off bombs of red confetti in congratulations of the win for the year's inter house Quidditch game victory. All of a sudden, every stand made noise as they processed the new record Harry Potter had made, Gryffindor won the interhouse Quidditch games. With a record of 4 minutes, anyone wearing red went wild and ran down to the quidditch team.
People were looking at Potter, the brightest smile on his face as he made a victory flight around the pitch, high fiving people as he zoomed by the audience before joining his team on the pitch ground. Elouise was about to leave, but Neville wanted to go down and speak with someone on the Hufflepuff team, and so, against Elouise' prior mental wish, she moved down to the grass with Longbottom leading her to the grass where Gryffindor team celebrating and throwing Harry in the air.
Harry had been midair when his eye caught onto Elouise walking up, suddenly his eyes went wide as he fell for his teammates to catch him. Ignoring the waves of cheering, he got through the crowd up to Elouise and got on one knee. Suddenly, everyone went quiet, after all, all year he's been open for his dedication to her, now he just proved himself in Quidditch.
Longbottom was with the Hufflepuff team when he realized what Harry was doing. Harry cleared his throat, holding out his hand to Elouise who seemed very uncomfortable. "Oh, Great Maiden, the girl whose name shines like the brightest red flower blooming in the clearest waters! I, a humble boy, Harry James Potter, feel my heart be filled at the sight of your presence, knowing you've watched me in my greatest moment breaks the air from my lungs. I could not name a greater victory than the girl of my dreams having been before me at such time. Please, for my victory, would you allow yourself to grace me with a reward, as your greatest devotee." He took her hand in his, kissing her knuckles as some of the older kids looked around confused where he got that speech.
Some of the older Slytherins who came to watch the match, had heard Harry and his speech, suddenly, whatever Slytherin's were in attendance, now had their eyes on Elouise. Was her strange band of misfits not enough attention? Now Harry Potter, Gryffindor rising golden boy, was proposing his feelings?
Elouise pulled a calm smile, all eyes on her as she took her hand back. "No chance."
...
Harry was facing rejection. It had been barely a day when Elouise rejected him like that, and he's been moping about it all night. Seamus and Dean were making the most of a still potter, stacking books on his chest as Harry stared at the ceiling.
"Rejected." He mumbled as Dean placed the 4th book. "Yeah." Dean confirmed as Seamus found he was out of books. An apple would have to do. Harry groaned pitifully before rolling to his side, the books and apple falling over with him.
"Okay. We need to get you out." Dean looked up at Seamus, Seamus nodded and helped Dean pick harry up out the dorm room. "Up you go."
In the common room, Harry glanced as one of the other first years were quivering as they spoke to prefect Percy Weasley about an older Slytherin having picked on him rather cruelly not too long ago. Harry found himself out of his dramatic slump and joined his fellow Gryffindor, listening for details about the bully.
...
Harry messed up. He played another prank. One of the older Slytherins had been caught bullying a young Gryffindor, and as righteous and courageous as Harry was, he needed to enact revenge to pay them back for their misdeeds on his comrades. And so, Harry, along with Fay and Dean, stalked the rotten Slytherins and found a single hallway they always walk into where they would put their trap.
Dean looked out the hallway for witnesses, while Fay helped Harry plant a glitter bomb against the wall. Dean rushed over just as they finished, "they're coming! Positions!" He whispered as they left. Harry placed a trigger spell before rushing to the end of the hallway.
Unbeknownst, while the Slytherin was in fact the douche, he was not alone. Aldora, a first year, not allowed to walk the halls alone was headed in the same direction as the older Slytherin and gained their permission to temporarily join them. And so.
Passing in front of the bomb, it activated. They were poofed with a plume of red glitter. What was meant as revenge on one Slytherin, Aldora had been caught in the crossfire.
Harry glanced into the hall smug, his plan worked, but he could feel his blood run cold as when the glitter settled, he made out Aldora trying to rub a buckets worth of glitter off her robes, to no avail.
"Oh dear." He could imagine it now, the disappointment stare, the anger, the resentment on Elouise' face when she hears about Harry's latest action.
The older Slytherin used a cleaning spell, it did not work. Reversal spell? Failed. Scourgify? Yet another dud. Fay had suggested a temporary sticking charm so they couldn't just take the glitter off easily with magic. And while the older Slytherin was indeed in distress, so was Aldora seen trying to wipe it off by hand, but even that did nothing.
...
Elouise had been with the twins, discussing the probability of making a profit. "Making treats that make you ill? Why would someone buy that?" Making medicine seems like a better idea.
"You don't get it," George put his arm over her shoulder, "It only makes you look ill." Fred finished over her right side. "Get you out of classes," He held his arm out like he were explaining a vison, "or a day off of work." George winked.
"But won't they just take the fake sick student to Madam Pomfrey? Won't she find out the scam?" Her eyebrows raised as the Weasleys looked at each other. "I'm sorry, but you'll need to convince me another time to invest-" "Elouise!" Draco came running down the hall.
He was not happy, though he never was when there was a Gryffindor around. "Draco." She greeted only for Draco to scowl. "It's Pottah." She snorted at the way he spat out the name.
"What?" Draco questioned at the switch in the atmosphere. It didn't help that the twins were acting the same way. "Nothing, nothing. What about Potter? Did he do something dastardly again?" She waved him off for the details.
"It was another prank." Draco began before the twins cut him off. "Isn't that the norm?" "What about us?" They stared with four eyes.
"Aldora was caught in the crossfire." Now this caught their attention, especially because Aldora was known for being on of Elouise' group to not hate potter. "She'd covered head to toe in red, magically sticking, way too shiny Glitter! It hasn't gotten in her eyes, mouth, nose, or ear, but they haven't been able to reverse it. It won't come off!" Draco explained.
Elouise remained silent; the twins laughed a bit when Draco spoke of the original person it was meant for who was also caught in the trap. "I see. Draco, call Neville to the room. I say we finally get that first meeting started." She smiled, seeming calm, but her hands hidden behind her back said another story.
...
Draco, Neville, Hermione and the twins all entered the room, gazing at the comfortable cottage like room that they had assumed would be full of cobwebs and cracked walls. "Not what I expected when you told me this was the room." Hermione had heard of the room, the rumors about it being abandoned and not taken care of very well, not even for a secret rendezvous.
"Sit, please." Elouise pointed to the many very comfortable seatings in front of a blackboard. Draco sat first in a very comfy looking chair whilst the twins jumped on a beanbag. Hermione and Neville simply sat at the desks to the sides.
"Welcome to the clubroom that which Albus has allowed for us to use to bring order to Hogwarts-" Elouise took a chalk stick when she saw the Weasleys hands up. "Yes?"
"Do we have to be here?" "Seems boring." They propped themselves up.
"Technically no, but you can prank someone and won't get detention even if you're caught." Elouise spoke fast so they wouldn't interrupt. Luckily, once they heard that, they were willing to listen a bit more. "Right. So, Dumbledore gave me permission when I created this, but one of the benefits is we are allowed to do club activities beyond the rules if it means house equality. Basially, we are our own version of a judge signed off by the headmaster himself." Elouise started writing a name on the board.
"Harry Potter?" Neville read before a loud screech from the board sounded as Elouise crossed the name.
"Yes, Potter. He enacted justice on a rather bad student, however, in the process, bring an innocent bystander into it causing another's distress. So, we by the rules, are allowed to enact the command of an eye for an eye. What do you all say we play our own prank on Potter?"
...
All of Hogwarts was at the great hall, talking and expecting of the latest news as the last supper of the year. Dumbledore looked to Professor McGonagall, she nodded and clinked her spoon to her glass, the sound bounced off the walls garnering everyone's attention to Dumbledore as he stood up, "If I understand this correctly, we are missing one last thing before this year comes to an end." He started, the great hall gone silent as his voice bellowed aloud.
"I'd like to award the House cup, and from the points stand, in fourth place, Hufflepuff! With 352 points!" There was a rather small applause.
"Third place, Ravenclaw! With 426 points!" He called out, the blue table cheerier than the last.
"Second place, Gryffindor! With 470 points!" Gryffindor sounded pained but still cheered.
Now all attention was on Slytherin, the last to be called for its obvious position. "And in first place, with 490 points. Slytherin House!" An eruption of loud praise from the House of Snakes took over the great hall, clapping for themselves as other houses could only congratulate on their success. Elouise looked up to find Professor Riddle clapping his hands lightly, a satisfied look on his face.
"Hah, we beat Potter. I reckon he's wallowing away." Draco spat the name out, looking triumphantly at the Gryffindor wailing on his friend's shoulder. Of course, he was only being dramatic about the loss, but still.
Elouise found the applause went down and rested her hands. "I take no pleasure in anyone's misery... Though I suppose... Seeing Potter like that does lift my spirit a bit." Elouise was still hung over on the fact that Potter had Aldora stuck with glittery red for 3 days until that sticking charm came off.
"Are we still doing it-" "We're still doing the prank. He dared to drag my garden snake down with the python and dirtied her in shiny red when she was green. He has to pay." Draco raised his hands up in defense as Elouise stabbed her fork into her meal.
...
Elouise boarded the train, tucking her luggage on the shelf over the seat next to Draco's. When the Compartment door opened, her view shifted to see Neville with his bag, and a very nervous Harry Potter behind him. "Neville, come in. Get comfortable." Elouise let Nevill inside before stepping out herself to speak with Potter. "Potter."
Harry bit his lip, not sure how to start off. "I... I'm sorry about what happened, with Aldora. I swear, I didn't mean for it to happen!" He tried to gather his words, "It was just... She was walking with someone else who was a bad person and she-" "Was caught in the crossfire. I know. I heard the full story." She cut him off, backing against the closed door to let people pass. "Then you should understand that I was only trying to-" "To what, Potter. To be a hero? An avenger for your hurt companion? Not only was that not your job, no one asked you to do it, bringing someone completely innocent into the mess along with your target, but you didn't even tell me yourself until 2 weeks later."
He sucked in a breath, starting to bend his legs, ready to kneel and beg for forgiveness.
"All is forgiven." She shrugged.
"What-" "Move out the way!" Harry felt his legs come out as someone pushed past him.
"Sorry!" they called out as Harry fell to the floor very un-majestically.
Elouise snickered as Harry jumped back up, fixing his clothes instead of his hair, though she supposed he couldn't do that if he tried.
"I'm forgiven? What?" Harry in shock.
"Mhm."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"So... You're not mad?"
Elouise sighed, glancing to the ceiling before looking back to Harry, "You defended a comrade. Truly... courageous." Elouise handed him an envelope. "Open it when you're back in your cabin." She walked back into the cabin, no extra words, no goodbye, just walked in. Harry, too caught up in the fact he was forgiven, ran to his cabin without so much of a second thought.
"That easy?" Draco raised his brow as Elouise sat down. "Potter is a simple boy. Of course it was easy." She took out her book as Aldora walked in.
Meanwhile, Harry slammed the door to his compartment open, staring at Fay and Dean with wide eyes. "I spoke with Elouise." He mustered, closing the door behind him.
The twins were outside the compartment, safe they could tell as there was a sudden loud poof sound coming from the cabin. They both snickered as Fay could be heard yelling Harry, starting to leave before getting dragged into their squabble.
...
At the Station, Elouise stepped out of the train. Parents crowded to finally reunite with their children. Elouise glanced around for her mother, finding her in conversation with another man who seemed somewhat familiar. Draco's father was easily recognized, long pale blond hair stuck out among others.
"Father." Draco bowed his head slightly as the older man stared at him, so serious before moving on to Elouise where his eyes softened with a smile. "Draco. Elouise." He greeted.
Narcissa on the other hand, was delighted more for Draco's return and held her son's arms, checking him lightly before nodding in satisfaction. "It's good to see you again."
Elouise left to give Draco a moment with his parents, instead making her way to her mother. The older woman was nodding along to a man as he boasted about his record tracks on the field.
"Mother." Elouise tapped her shoulder, snapping her mother out of the conversation. "Elouise!" She beamed, instantly wrapping her arms around the young girl. "Oh my sweet-How was it! Are you okay? Not hurt? You're fine?" Her mother started to turn her around to get a look.
"Hey Elouise." Potter greeted, causing Elouise to snap her attention to him. However, she had forgotten about the situation in the train and was met with Harry potter looking like he just failed to disarm a green glitter bomb. Hair was blown back, and his glasses were resting on top of his head out of the way of his eyes finally showing their bright green. What was really funny though, was the fact only his eyes weren't hit by the glitter because of his glasses that took the hit, though, now he couldn't see very well without them either way.
"You know Elouise already? That's fine, Elouise, this is James Potter and his wife, Lily Potter. And this man right here is Sirius Black." Her mother introduced the adults.
Sirius... for some reason, she found she did not like him. The way he kept his eyes on her mom was... unnerving. "Sirius Black? You wouldn't happen to be related to Regulus Black, would you? I have heard he has a brother." Elouise' eyes narrowed a bit to the man, black luscious locks, and the body of a jock. He either works somewhere physically demanding, works out a lot, or is some kind of celebrity.
The man she's found as Sirius, scoffed and laughed at her calling him a Black as he threw his arm over Harry's father. "No no, this guy right here is my only brother. While we may not look alike, we both bleed red!" Elouise took that as them being half-brothers... somehow.
"Uncle Sirius works as an Aurore with my dad!" Harry boasted.
"I... see... I suppose some people do share last names with pureblood houses by coincidence." By that the man nodded, not directly saying yes, but it was enough. "We should be leaving now, Mother?" Elouise gestured to her mom.
"It was a Joy to meet you Mrs. Rosewaters." Harry's mother, Lily, shook hands with her mother. "Please, Call me Emily. Rosewaters makes me feel old, and I'm quite young still." Elouise' mom insisted before saying more goodbyes to the others.
Elouise had expected Harry to be making a fuss, but looking around, she found Harry being dragged around with Dean by Fay Dunbar to show her parents the mess he put them in. "You're leaving then?" Elouise looked back to see Draco and his parents.
"Yes. I'll see you later this summer?" Elouise looked expectantly, "Of course. I'll send you an owl in advance. Farwell, for now." Draco and Elouise shook hands before going separate ways.
...
Back at the Rosewater Manor, Elouise handed her luggage to the house elf to take to her room. Her mother would have done more to welcome Elouise back home, but an owl came in for her urgent need. "I'm so sorry, I have to leave. But I'll back tonight and I have a present for you." Her mother kissed the top of Elouise' head before scurrying off to the floo, throwing in the dust and leaving. Elouise took this chance to glance back to the daily profit, the news of a recent accident in the lab of Potioneer Snape, one of his newest assistants didn't heed the warning of no touching and blew the lab when he poured a not yet stable potion. This particular potion was a new experiment, and thus, Snape had to stay a little longer to find a treatment.
She debated going to her room, approaching the large stairs to go up, but at the top of the stairs, she glanced up to find a familiar face.
"Sevion."
Sevion Rosewaters is the Eldest child, mostly taking after their mother in physical looks, personality wise, he takes after their father. And like his father, he has his hair to his neck, he wears long dark cloaks and is usually seen stoic as he observes. The Prodigy of Ilvermorny, his name doesn't have much appearance out of America, but he's well known in the junior category as an up-and-coming politician like his mother, having already wrangled the young heirs of Ilvermorny in his house, Horned Serpent, by first year. And
"I heard someone's really making a name for themselves recently." He walked down the stairs. "What's this I heard about, a new name you made for yourself? Chimera?" He teased. Elouise flinched a tad bit and furrowed her brows.
"How did you even hear about that!" She raised her voice him as he got closer. But instead of receiving an answer, all she got was her brother gently shushing her.
"Inside voice, please." He acted like he was reminding a child. "As for your question... Let's just say that Draco actually remembered to write home, unlike someone. He wrote to me, complained about your attention being on strangers instead of your angel brother."
An imaginary arrow shot her a pang in her heart as she was faced with the realization... she forgot to send letters to her parents and brother... "I was busy...?" She made her excuse, not a good one.
"Very it seems. I assume your new nickname has some tie to whatever your supposedly doing, and you're gaining a lot of attraction from it." He frowned and turned his back to her, walking away with a stride in his step.
"Someone's acting cold." Elouise pointed out.
"I'm the same as always." Sevion responded.
"You're never like this with me though. Is this because I joined Hogwarts instead of Ilvermorny?" Sevion stopped for a brief moment before continuing on his way, not allowing her an answer.
...
Severus arrived a day late, coming out of the Floo with his briefcase in hand. Elouise, Sevion and their mother had been waiting in the room for his return. Emily, too excited after not seeing her husband for more than a year, ran into his arms, wrapping her own around his waist and snuggling her head into his chest. "Welcome Home!" She cheered.
The papers described Potioneer Severus Snape as a cold man, scowling or glaring in every photo taken of him, even in America. People assumed he would never be capable of love, or if he did, it would be a relationship of distance with no actions of passion.
And yet. As her mother squeezed the man tighter, locking him in her embrace of affection, his arm moved to hold her waist while his other hand raised to rest on her head, gently running through her scalp as he stared most attentive. While his gaze wasn't jumping with excitement, there was a hint of... adoration. He didn't pull away from her hold, never attempted to even adjust himself, he simply accepted it, they hadn't seen each other since Christmas after all.
Only when Sevion and Elouise approached did his gaze falter to meet their presence. "Welcome back Father." Sevion greeted with a smile, adding himself with his mother's embrace. The older man let a slight smile form at his son's action, almost exactly like his mother.
Then his eyes drew to Elouise, still standing there. She was about to also welcome him back, when Severus held his arm out for her to join them. Emily looked back, finding her daughter not yet included and grabbed her arm, all four wrapped together in Severus' arms.
...
"Is that right?" Severus listened as Emily complained about the recent politics behind the scenes.
"You make potions bubble, that man makes my patience boil over. One day, I swear, I'll smack the shining right off his bald head." She glared, stabbing her fork into her food.
"You're talking about the same Samuel, right? Samuel Ricket?" Sevion spoke up, "I thought he had hair."
"It's a wig." Elouise kept herself from snorting as her mother glared daggers at Sevion, a completely serious look on her face, "Cordelia went against her principles as an Effontson to personally slap him, and it just fell off. No one was around to see the way the lights shined off of it, so it's not news as of yet."
"Yet?" Sevion continued, amused.
Elouise cleared her throat, not wanting to lose her appetite from hearing of a supposed bald man. "Perhaps a change of subject? I would much rather keep my appetite." Emily laughed while Severus looked over.
"... How was Hogwarts." Elouise snapped her head over to meet her father, he was waiting a response as he cut through his food.
"It was alright? A bit difficult to explain and was harder to navigate the social standards, considering I've been looking forward to Ilvermorny before I changed to Hogwarts. But... It was fine I suppose. I made some friends-" "Elouise has a Gryffindor boyfriend." Sevion interrupted, the whole table going silent.
"I do Not! Harry is just a wierdo who follows me around. I could care less about him!"
Severus' hands stopped moving and crossed in front of him, a dark look on his face appeared as he looked straight at Elouise. "Gryffindor? Boyfriend?" Elouise stomped on Sevion's feet.
"Father, I swear. He's lying! I don't want to date yet! I'm much too young!" Elouise panicked as her mother giggled. "Mother!"
"Would you be talking about that boy we met at Diagon alley? The same boy from the station?" Her mother had met Harry, right. "A rather funny young boy, but too childish. Let him grow up, mature. Maybe one day-" "Ew! Mom, no!"
"Oh, come on, nothing's wrong with a mom wishing their baby happiness."
"I'm eleven." Elouise reminded.
"Yes, but some day in the future."
Elouise would not win. "You're Joking, right?"