House of Lions

September 1971

Eleanor opened her brother's door slowly. The hinges gave a small shriek in protest. It was a warm summer morning, and if James didn't get up in five minutes, they would be late. She could not let that happen. James was asleep in his bed. His arms unfolded over his head like he was on freefall. His fuzzy black hair was, as usual, so messy, and a semi-dry trail of saliva escaped his lips. He looked peaceful— too peaceful for her liking.

The wooden floors creaked slightly as she entered and climbed into his bed. Eleanor had a mischievous smile as she stood up and started screaming, "AHHHHHHH! Wake up, wake up!" she began jumping, stepping on her brother a few times. "It's timeeeee. Get UP"

"Eleanor, stop it" he cried, pulling his pillow over his head for protection. "Five more minutes, please."

She laughed and stopped, letting one of her knees fall on James's ribcage. With one strong pull, she took the pillow away from him and breathlessly said, "We are already late. You take like a billion years to get ready," she frowned. "I refuse to be the last student to board that train."

The Hogwarts express—the train that would get them to Hogwarts, the school of sorcery and witchcraft. Eleanor had dreamed to go there since she could remember. Her dad had told her of all the adventures, all the great time he had there, and how much they learned. She just hoped her brother wouldn’t screw it up.

"And you won't be the last. I'll be right there with you, won't I?"

"Well, that is certainly depressing." 

She stood up and started walking towards the door. 

"I'm serious, James. This is important. It's the first day of the rest of our lives. Promise me you'll be good."

"Whatever you say, your highness."

"Very funny" Eleanor looked at him with narrowed eyes. Why couldn't he take anything seriously? "Go take a bath. You smell like you've been dead for the last century."

And with that, she went to her own room.

→──✦──←

Saying that platform nine and three quarters were full, was an understatement. In her short life, Eleanor didn't think she had seen so many of the wizard population in the same place. Not even at Diagon Alley or one of his dad's boring parties at the british Ministry of Magic. There were families of wizards and witches of all sizes and ages, but you could also spot some muggles, whose scared faces were easy to spot. She wondered what it would be like. Not knowing about this world until you received the letter. Had they thought it was a joke? She certainly would have thought so too.

She caught herself looking at someone specifically. He was young—probably her age. He had golden brown hair and matching eyes that took half his face, a full mouth, and really big ears. He was nearly comical to look at, like one of those cartoons she saw in one of those muggle newspapers once. And he stared back at her, his face frowning slightly.  

"Ellie? Are you listening to me?"

She turned around, where her mother and brother stood, looking in confusion. Her mum was also frowning, but not so slightly. Her curly blond hair was in a low bun, and a few pieces fell around her face. If she got close enough, Eleanor could see the wrinkles starting to form around her eyes and mouth. Her mother wasn't young, she knew that, but she hadn't noticed she was getting old. "Are you alright, honey?"

"I'm fine. Just a little nervous."

"Oh, honey, that's ok. Everyone is a little nervous when they go to school for the first time. Godrick knows I was."

"But you went to Ilvermorny," James argued.

"And if I had any say on it, so would you. But we moved to England for your father's job, and you two were born here." Her parents— Fleamont and Euphemia Potter—had met the summer after they had finished school. Her mum was travelling to find herself, but instead she found a dark-haired wizard. They got married that same summer, and she moved to New Hampshire to the Potter Manor

"Anyways," James cleared her throat. "I think we better go. I definitely do not want to end up in a cabin with Mulciber."

Eleanor sighted. It was time. She had waited so long, and it was finally here. She was so not ready.

"I guess you are right." Euphemia gave them a sad smile, brushing Eleanor's hair with one hand and James's with the other. "I can't believe how big you have gotten. Eleven years ago, I was carrying you two in my belly, and now you are off to Hogwarts."

"Mum stop it. Someone might hear you." 

"James Fleamont Potter, you will not be ashamed of your mother, you hear me?" She spoke loudly—to James's horror—drawing a couple eyes to them. But then her eyes became soft again. "I'm gonna miss you so much. What am I going to do all by myself?"

"Mum you do remember dad exists, right? You are not going to be alone.".

"I know, I know... But he is always at that horrid job of his” she sighed. Fleamont worked at the Ministry, she didn’t really know what he did, but she supposed it was very boring “Besides, it's not the same, you are my babies.".

"For Merlin's sake, mum. You really need to stop saying that, Nate might be close."

"Ugh, imagine being so lame that you make so much effort to impress mister-no-personality."

"First of all, I do not make an effort to impress anyone, that comes naturally. And second, at least I have friends to impress."

"Oh really—"

"Enough!" Her mum screamed, and the two of them turned to each other. "You need to stop fighting. You are twins. Love each other. Be a team. And Ellie, honey, it wouldn’t kill you to try and make some friends while you’re at Hogwarts."

"But mum—"

"There is no time." She dismissed her with her hand. "The train will leave at any second, and I would rather it leave with you two in it."

"I thought you were going to miss us."

"I am. But your little argument reminded me that this is going to be the first time in eleven years I'm going to be able to take a nap without someone screaming for me."

Eleanor opened her mouth, but she had no reply. So she just hugged her mother tight, inhaling the scent of potions and brews she makes at work. She had never been away from home, and she was going to miss every part of it. The home-cooked meals and the Friday night family games. The tiny quidditch pitch her dad had made for them and the way the sun set over the mountains. But her mum was right, and she had to go, so she let go, said goodbye to her teary-eyed mother, and let James drag her to the train.

Inside, it was as crowded as it had been on the platform. Students passed by them with their busy lives. No one seemed to notice them as they kept on with their itineraries. They began looking for an empty compartment, but they were late, and they were almost all full. So they settled on a semi-empty one. There were two people in it, a red-haired girl and a boy. She looked like she had been crying, her nose was red and her eyes were irritated, but the boy didn't seem to notice it, and if he did, he didn't seem to care.

"Hiya, can we come in?" James asked, flashing a smile, although he was already inside. "Everywhere else is full."

The boy didn't even glance at them, but the girl tried to smile.

"Erm, sure, why not. I'm Lily, nice to meet you."

"I'm Eleanor, but you can call me Ellie, everyone does. This is my brother, James, but feel free to ignore him," she smiled at her, trying to ignore the offended look on James face. Eleanor frowned. " I know it's none of my business, Lily, but are you alright?"

Lily gave her a weak smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just going to miss my family. It's silly, don't worry."

Eleanor nodded. She definitely knew that feeling, she had it too. But she would be damned to cry in front of James and Mr. Silent over there. So she did the one thing she could think of.  She searched in the pockets of her rope until she found a little small wrapper. "Here, it's chocolate. My mum says it can cure all harm."

"Cheers!" Lily took it, a small pink colour stained her cheeks. She gave the boy a tease with the shoulder, and he rolled his eyes. Whoever he was, he didn't seem to like Lily very much. "This is Severus," Lily explained. "He is a little shy, that's all. Right, Sev?"

"Sure"

"Well, it's nice to meet you both, right, James?"

He shrugged. Eleanor narrowed her eyes. What was wrong with him? He was always mister-makes-all friends, but now that she was trying, he was suddenly out of speech. He apparently seemed to notice her confusion, because he cleared his throat and spoke: So, which house do you reckon you'll end up in?

She rolled her eyes. The only school related subject that seemed to come to mind in James's eyes was house sorting.

"They are the ones you get sorted into, right? Sev told me about them," Lily said, cheerier than before. "Lord, I have no idea. But they must all be good, right?”

"Yeah, kind of. All four have their own attributes. Except for Slytherin, the house of snakes. Everyone there is a moron or a Dark Wizard. That's why I'm going to go to Gryffindor, the house of lions and the brave."

She would have rolled her eyes again if she hadn't seen Severus laugh at her brother, and she wasn't the only one who saw. 

"What's the problem, Snape?" James asked, looking him up and down.

"It's just so predictable," he laughed, his long nose scrunching up. "Everyone in Gryffindor is either brain-dead or an ego-maniac, and I guess you prove it."

"Who cares what you think? You're just some moron who hasn't even put two sentences together since we got here."

"Whatever," he growled, standing up. For the first time, Eleanor noticed his greasy hair or dirty clothes. She wondered what kind of parent would let their child walk around like that "I'm leaving, are you coming, Lily?

She looked at him, then at Eleanor, and with sad eyes, she uttered the word 'sorry' before she went behind her rude friend. Eleanor looked at her brother with judgy eyes.

"What? He started it."

"He did not—"

"Hiya," someone else interrupted her. He looked their age. He had long, jet black hair and piercing blue eyes that shone with mischief. "Can I stay here? Everywhere else is too crowded or filled with relatives.".

"Sure. I'm James Potter, and this is my sister Eleanor."

"Great, the Potters!" He smiled, stepping inside the compartment and reaching for his hand. "I'm Sirius. Sirius Black. My dad told me not to talk to you."

The boys smiled at each other. Of course, now he wanted to make friends. 

"Whatever," she said, "I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when it's time to get off the train."

As she drifted asleep, she heard her brother ask: "So in which house do you reckon you'll end up?"