House of Lions

November,1971

The leaves had already fallen from most trees, leaving the ground filled with red and orange spots. Eleanor loved this season almost as much as she loved summer —only if it wasn't so horribly cold. 

It had been a long time of detention, homework, and... joke-making? Well, yes. Since that conversation many afternoons ago, the boys had embarked on a long battle with Severus Snape. It started with something simple, when they hexed him into growing horrible pimples so big you could see them across the Great Hall. 

Eleanor didn't quite get why they thought of pimples as their great joke, of all the things they could do to him, but alas, it wasn't her business. If it were, Eleanor would have hexed his scarf to fly to the skies every time he thought about how cold the day was, making him miserable. But she was not getting involved in those childish plays.

A couple days after their 'great' debut as troublemakers, Snape poisoned the boy's food, and for three days, their skin was tainted a proud Slytherin green. Eleanor had to admit, it was hilarious. Especially when Sirius had to walk around like that and his cousins screamed at him for looking so foolish. Regardless, the jokes were indeed pretty harmless, as James has promised, so she didn't complain and just laughed along. But the ball was now on the guy's court. It was time to make a move, and they had no moves to make. That meant —to Eleanor's dread—asking for inspiration from the'most vengeful person' James knew.

"So what do we think about changing his hair colour?" James whispered that day during Defence Against the Dark Arts —abbreviated as DADA.

The class was given in Class 104, North Tower. The desks were arranged in pairs. Sirius was sitting with James, obviously. On the desk beside Eleanor were Remus and Peter, and sitting with her was Emma, but she was in the loo at the moment. Which meant she wouldn't be back in a long while because she liked to use it as an excuse to walk around with friends she had in other years. Lily was in the front row, right in the centre, and Marlene was sitting with a very loud girl named Mary. 

The professor was speaking, explaining the newest subject: how to cure werewolf bites. They weren't exactly supposed to be speaking as much as they were supposed to be paying attention—hence the whispering.

"Yeah" Sirius leaned over, so close Eleanor had to duck so he wouldn't hit her. "Make it pink or something. That ought to teach Snivellus."

Snivellus was the nickname the guys had invented for Snape. Eleanor had no idea where it had come from, but she really didn't care either. Eleanor frowned, her eyes still on her parchment, taking notes. "Why pink?"

"Because it's girly and lame."

"You are girly and lame."

Peter chuckled. Some people shushed them, but Sirius shushed them back.

"Changing his hair colour seems like a copy of what he did to us," Remus chimed in. "It's too basic. If we want to get him, we need to step it up a notch."

Eleanor shook her head. "And I thought Remus was the sane one of you lot."

"It's not my fault Snape is asking for it."

At that point, Emma walked into class. Right away, Eleanor noticed she had her head low and was shaking slightly. It was so unlike her. Emma was the most confident person Eleanor had ever met. She was always with her head high and a confident smile plastered across her face—a 'I own the world' kind of smile.

She sat down beside Eleanor, and didn't as much as glanced at her when she resumed to her parchment.

"Hiya," Eleanor whispered. "Are you alright?"

"Perfectly so," Emma smiled. "Now, can you please let me copy what I missed? This professor just talkes like there is no tomorrow."

Eleanor gave her a long, stern look that meant 'I know something is up', but then helped with the assignment. Emma didn't seem to want to talk about whatever troubled her, and Eleanor knew better than to push it. The class ended with an essay due next week. After class was over, she went straight to look for information on werewolf bites. Emma went with her, babbling about some gossip Eleanor had lost track of.

The library was cold, and busy as usual. Eleanor picked up some books, but none seem to have a lot of useful information. She knew the professor had already read the same kind of papers a billion times and wanted to be different. So she resorted to the old newspaper archive, hoping she could find some kind of first-hand information. Emma sat on the desk next to her while she checked headline after headline.

Werewolves were a taboo subject among the wizard population. It was kind of a 'if I don't acknowledge it, then it doesn't exist' situation. All she knew was that they were extremely dangerous, nasty creatures, and evil ran through their veins. At least that's what people said, but Eleanor wasn't raised to believe there was bad in people. Not even if they were mindless, dark animals with a taste for human flesh. Again, allegedly.

"So the pictures in the newspapers move too. Who would have guessed?" Emma laughed. "Is there ever going to be a time when I am not surprised by this world?" 

"I honestly don't have a clue."

Emma sighed. "So... any updates about your brother and his Robin Hood wannabes gang's vendetta against Snape?"

Eleanor shook her head, her eyes still on the newspapers. "I usually tune off my brother when he starts speaking like a nutter. What makes you think I know anything about that?”

"I don't know, maybe because of that whole twin thing. What is his problem anyway?"

"Whose?"

"Snape. He is like the nastiest little bitch, isn't he?" Eleanor looked up, surprised. She has never heard anyone speak like that. Granted, Eleanor had been around grownups and very educated children all her life. She didn’t know how to curse and she certainly wasn’t going around calling people a ‘bitch’. For that, Emma was so cool in Eleanor's eyes. She didn’t follow any social etiquette, Emma was all wild and free.

"Well, he is certainly something. Although I've never talked to him before, I can't complain much."

"He called me mud-blood earlier today." 

Emma had said it so simply, like she had no idea about the bomb she threw. Eleanor raised her head and looked at her friend. Her blood boiled, so much so that Eleanor had to hide her shaking hands in the pockets of her robe. "When exactly did he call you that?"

"When I went out to the loo, he was already outside with the Rosier kid.”

"Do you know what it means?" Eleanor asked.

Emma looked down, playing with her hands. "Not exactly, but I had a feeling it was not good, and looking at your reaction, I guess I was right."

"It's..." How could she explain something like that? She barely understood it herself: "Well, you know, in the world there are good people and people that are not so good, right?"

"Yes?"

"Okey, there are people like that in the wizard community. These people believe that there is such a thing as 'blood purity'." Eleanor sat beside Emma. "Which, according to them, means there are two kinds of wizards: pure and—well, not pure. The pure bloods are the ones that come from a long line of witches and wizards, without a muggle trace in their family lines. They believe pure-bloods are superior, per se, and then there are muggle-borns such as you and Lils, and half-bloods, like Marls. According to these people, your blood's contaminated, tainted by the muggle side. You are not as good because you are not... pure."

"So, in other words, we are less than people like you and Black?"

"Only according to them, and their word means nothing! It's pure poppycook," she said, taking Emma's hand. She could see some tears starting to form in her eyes. In that moment, Eleanor hated Snape more than anything in the world. "You are not less than anyone. No matter your blood status, gender, or whatever they want to say as an excuse to try and drag you down, their words are only that: words. They mean nothing. Do not let this get to you, Ems."

Emma looked at her, she looked childish, vulnerable, even.

"Do all wizards think like this?"

"Of course not. Me and my family hate people like that. Sirius and Peter don't think so either. And that's astonishing because Sirius comes from one of the most pure-blood-obsessed families in Europe. The Blacks would marry each other before marrying a muggle-born! But he doesn't think like that, does he? Or else James wouldn't have befriended him. Good grows in the most unpredictable places."

"But don't you hate Sirius?"

"I don't hate him. Do I think he is annoying? Yes. Do I believe my brother could have found a better friend to spend days and nights with? Absolutely, but hate; it's a strong word.”

"Okey"

"Are you going to be alright?"

"Yes," Emma said softly.

"Briliant!" Eleanor sighed. She took a chocolate bar and tossed it on Emma's lap. "Eat some. It will make you feel better."

"Eleanor Jane Potter, are you trying to make me fat?" Emma joked, but she took the chocolate anyway. "Now finish your research so we can go to detention, you nerd."

Eleanor laughed softly and stood up. She kept on searching the archives. Emma started talking again, but it all became white noise when she found a newspaper with the headline: Lyall Lupin and his Reforms to the Werewolf Identification Laws. 

That was Remus dad, it had to be, ‘Lupin’ wasn't a common name, even for wizards. It was a short paper; basically, it was an interview about the reforms he was making with the Ministry of Magic in regards to the registration and identification of werewolves across England. Also, the law he had passed and then the Ministry had approved said that anyone who breached it, was going to be sent to Azkaban—the wizard prison—as a punishment for not following those rules. 

Behind that article, there was another one titled: Lyall Lupin fired by the British Minister of Magic. Allegedly, he had a nervous breakdown when they let some werewolf named Fenrir Greyback free after a full moon. He said Fenrir was dangerous and had threatened him and his family because of the reforms he created. The Ministry didn't believe him and wrote him off as paranoid. And he just moved to Wales with his muggle wife—Hope Lupin—and his son—Remus Lupin. 

Eleanor felt dizzy. Her hands felt heavy. It seemed like the articles in her hands were something important. The answer to a riddle she hadn't yet come across. 

"Ell? Are you okay? I think I lost you for a second."

Eleanor turned to her, putting the articles inside her robe pocket. "I'm perfectly fine. But you are right, we should go, or we'll be late, and McGonagall will probably kill us."

After that, Eleanor and Emma went to their respective detentions. On the way, they ran into Marlene. Apparently, she has been walking around all afternoon with Lily and Snape. When she said his name, Emma and Eleanor exchanged a glance. She didn't know if Marlene already knew about the whole thing, but Eleanor wanted to clear her mind a little bit before making another friend cry, so she didn't say anything. 

McGonagall was waiting for them in her office, and dropped them off in their respective detentions as usual. The Care of Magical Creatures's class had improved tremendously since Eleanor and Remus began fixing it up. By that point, the creatures were familiar to Eleanor and Remus. It had taken some work, especially since Remus didn't really want to touch them, or carry them, or play with them. But regardless, Eleanor Potter was proud of her work.

"Did you get any more ideas about the whole 'prank' thing?" Eleanor asked, sitting on the professor's desk. It had been a quiet day, but for some reason she felt so tired. It wasn't like they had much else to do in that class anyway. Everything was pretty much already done. She hoped McGonagal would realise that soon and shut down detention. 

"Not much... Peter said we could snick laxatives into his food —he knows where the kitchens are."

"I don't think the house elves would like that. Or even let you get away with it to begin with."

Remus frowned. "House elves?"

"Yes, the house elves." Eleanor said like it was obvious, but then realised it may not be that obvious to him. She had read that his mum was a muggle, right? It was in the second article. So she explained: "The house elves are like helpers, or maids. Every wizard family has one. They are all over Hogwarts, believe it or not. They do our laundry, the food, and keep this place from basically falling apart. They are very nice, some of them at least; the not so grumpy ones."

"That doesn't make any sense," he said, shaking his head as if Eleanor were lying. "I've explored every single part of this castle; if there were elves running around, I would have seen them by now."

"Well, elves are not supposed to be seen, at least not if that's what their master wants. Although I'm not sure who's supposed to be their master—Hogwarts has existed for so long... Dumbledore, i guess."

"What do you mean, 'Master'?"

"A Master, Remus; as in 'owner'."

"So you are telling me these elves are something to own? That's ridiculous!" He looked extremely outraged. "Does your family have one?"

Eleanor felt a little judged, and every inch of Remus's face told her that he was indeed judging her. "Well yes. Her name is Winnie, and she has been in our family for generations." Eleanor didn't understand what was so wrong with that. It's not like they were mean to Winnie or something. He had to know that!

"Unbelievable!"

"It's not like that! Look, when dad inherited the house and her ownership, he tried to set her free, but Winnie didn't quite like it. Dad says she went ballistic and basically begged him not to let her go. You see, elves consider being'set free' an offence—the lowest of disgraces. Besides, she had practically raised my dad and his siblings, and she loves my family. But if you want to judge someone, I suggest you look into Sirius's family because they are the worst kind of wizards."

"I guess I will have to investigate because I can't trust anything that leaves your mouth. You hate him."

"I do not hate him. Why does everyone think that!?" Eleanor shook her head. Remus made a face that could be read as 'wonder why' and Eleanor stuck her tongue out. 

Remus shook his head again as he kept checking the cages. As he passed in front of one in particular, he froze. "Eleanor?"

"What?"

"The Niffler's gone."

"WHAT?" Eleanor stood up. Nifflers were very adorable, hard-to-catch creatures that loved shiny things. They were pretty smart and fast, hence the shiftiness. "For Merlin's sake, McGonagall is going to murder us."

"She doesn't have to find out! We'll find him and put him back in his cage."

Remus looked determined, so much so that Eleanor didn't even bother to tell him how much of a bad idea that was, or that the chances of them finding the niffler—let alone trapping it—were worst than vague. She just followed along when Remus walked out of that classroom and started walking around the hallways. 

At least they had some kind of plan. Eleanor had the cage, and if they saw the niffler, Remus would try to catch it. It wasn't a very good plan, but it was something. If anyone saw them... if anyone told McGonagall they were out of their detention, Eleanor could kiss freedom goodbye.

"This is a deplorable idea," she complained in a whisper. "Flich could find us any second, or worse, Mrs. Norris." Eleanor shuddered. Mrs. Norris was Argus Flich's cat, and she was completely creepy.

"’Deplorable’! Has anyone told you that you speak like an old hag?"

Eleanor hit him in the back of his head, and he let out a soft 'ouch' as he rubbed where Eleanor hit him, "I do not speak like an old hag."

"If you say so..."

Eleanor narrowed her eyes. She was to punch him against when she saw something with the back of her eye. It was a little glim in the dark, like a spot of gold that seemed to be walking away. It has to be the niffler, Eleanor thought. She exchanged one look with Remus, and he nodded, understandingly. 

They walked slowly, trying not to scare the niffler. When they were close enough, Remus jumped on top of the niffler and tried to catch it with his hands, making him run away in terror. Eleanor corned him, and Remus grabbed the niffler and carefully put him in his cage. "And you said it would be difficult." Remus laughed, putting his hands on his hips.

"Has anyone told you that you are very cocky?" Eleanor mocked, "Anyway, we should probably go back to the class before someone sees us."

Remus nodded and walked to her side, but then stopped. He was looking behind Eleanor's back, everything about his demeanour changed. When she looked back, she understood why. A few steps away, Severus Snape was looking at them with an evil smile. "What do you want?" Remus asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Nothing," he shrugged. "Just walking around. I would be more concerned about what you are doing."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Remus frowned.

"If I am not mistaken, you too should be in detention, right?"

"That isn’t exactly your problem, innit?" Eleanor asked, stepping out behind Remus.

"Well, Potter, I think it is my problem. First Loony Lupin over there punches me in the face, and then your brother and his terrorist friends target me. It's natural to feel so unsafe. It kind of makes me want to tell, McGonagall."

First the thing with Emma, and now this? Eleanor had enough of him for one day. "You can say whatever you want, Severus, but you are all barks and no bites. You can't hurt me, what was your plan? Call me mud-blood? Because I think it's rather hilarious you go throwing that slur around, and yet I have never heard the last name 'Snape' 'till now."

Snape gave her a long, hateful look, and she rolled her eyes. "Let's go, Remus. There is nothing interesting here."

She turned back and woke beside Remus, who still didn't look away from Snape. It was like he thought that the moment he looked away, Snape would strike.

"Yes, Remus," Snape mocked. "Listen to your little girlfriend."

"Piss off, Snape," Remus snarled, and he followed Eleanor to the classroom. 

None of them spoke until they were far away enough from Snape.

"Emma is right," Eleanor said, shaking her head. "He is the nastiest little bitch!" Remus looked at her, definitely surprised by her words. Even though, to be honest, it was the first time she had ever said anything remotely offensive, Severus Snape deserved to be her first curse word. "And 'Loony Lupin'? How dares he call you that? We need to stop him once and for all."

"I'm in" A mischievous smile plastered across Remus eyes "What do you have in mind, Eleanor?"

"Well, my plans aren't exactly as overstated as those of my brother and your friends —I am a little bit more petty than that. And no one can know. Not my brother, not Lily, alright?"

"Alright. Can I know why?"

"Because Lily is friends with Snape, and i am friends with her. And James would not let it go and make me part of your... How did Snape say? Terrorist group? This is a one time thing.”

"No one will know. Team?"

Eleanor smiled sweetly, already thinking of all the things she could do with Remus's help, "Team."

→──✦──←

Eleanor was, indeed, more petty than everyone gave her credit for. Her plan, basically, was to slowly drive Severus Snape into madness. The first thing they did was change his set of quills with enchanted ones that would only write gibberish whenever he had something important to write. It worked very well, as he threw some to Mr. Binns—the ghost that taught History of Magic at Hogwarts—in an anger tantrum when he was trying to take notes on the Goblin Revolution. Remus and Eleanor fought to keep a straight face for the rest of the class, much to James's confusion.

Next, Remus had come up with the idea of hexing his books to switch places all over the castle, which made him seem a little unhinged as he explained to the Rosier kid that the book he had borrowed from him—Eleanor and Remus didn't know, but it was a happy accident— had somehow appeared at the girl's second floor loo.

The rest of that week was hilarious. Eleanor had charmed his hair to stand on whenever he said Lily's name, and Remus had transfigured well enough,—considering he wasn't the best in the subject— Snape's uniform into a 'Gryffindor pride' outfit, with a sweater, vest, scarf, and mittens all scarlet red and lion coded. All that was left was the last punch, which, thanks to a very naughty elf named Sandy, — who hadn’t taken so much to persuade as Eleanor had anticipated— was already in motion, she just had to relax and let things happen. 

It was a Sunday morning, Eleanor had woken up at five in the morning from the excitement, and she had been at the Great Hall for at least four hours waiting. She didn't know when Snape would get up. The girls came and joined her not so long after. Emma still had fluffy eyes and, essentially, still looked half-asleep.

"Honestly, I don't understand," Marlene complained, her mouth full of food. "We are swamped with homework, and yet we still have detention. Your brother is making me want to murder someone, Ell."

"Yeah, he usually has that effect on people." Eleanor shrugged, her mouth full of oatmeal. "Once my grandma —may she rest in peace—was so tired of his nonstop talking, she sent him to pick lilies from the back yard to make a flower arrangement for the dining table. The thing is, there are no lilies in the back yard, there never have been, but he didn't know that, and he spent all afternoon looking for them."

"Your grandma was a smart woman."

Eleanor nodded, smiling. Her grandma was indeed a smart woman, she was also kind and beautiful. She had a hard time remembering her sometimes, it was like it wasn't enough time to erase her from earth, but it also had to take her memories. "Anyways, what are your plans for the day?"

James and his friends —and her new partner-in-crime— came down a few seconds later.  Eleanor and Remus shared a look as he sat in front of her, and she shook her head. No, it hasn’t happen yet. Snape walked into the Great Hall and sat on his table. Eleanor smiled softly, returning to her food. Lily stood up and went to her friend. 

"I'm telling you, Potter." Sirius was saying, "Someone is messing with Snivellus, and it isn't us. We need to stop him, whoever he is."

Peter arched a brow, pilling more and more food from his plate. "Why? He is helping us. In fact, he is doing his job better than us."

"And that cannot happen! We need to stop him."

Eleanor looked at Remus. It didn't seem to be their first conversation about it, and his face confirmed it. "Have you considered that it may not be a he?" Remus asked Sirius.

"What do you mean? Like a ghost or Peeves? I have considered it, but I don't think it's very likely that Peeves spends so much time pranking one person. As annoying as Snivellus is."

"I think he meant it may be a girl," James frowned. Yeah, you back-minded moron, Eleanor thought. James was looking at her with slightly narrowed eyes, like he could see into her soul. Eleanor sometimes wondered if he could, because of the whole twin thing. 

But something else caught their attention. It was a horribly high-pitched shriek. In that moment, Eleanor knew it had worked. The elf had sneaked the potion she had given him into Snape's food—the potion that was supposed to make his voice extremely high-pitched. Eleanor and Remus exchanged a quick look as Snape came walking—very angrily—to their spot on the table with Lily running behind him.

"Hey Snivellus! Looking good," Sirius laughed.

“And sounding even better!” James laughed.

The second Snape screamed, with a very funny voice, "Incendio!" Everyone jumped off the table and backed some steps as that side of the table burst out in flames. Eleanor instinctively put one hand in front of Emma, and with the other, she dragged Marlene behind her, too. 

"Sev!" Lily screamed.

"You did this to me!" He screamed at James.

"You have no idea how much I wish I could take credit, but i think it's puberty's fault." James mocked "Oh, wait, I thought you meant your face. What on earth happened to your voice!?"

"You will all pay! You are behind everything " He looked at Eleanor, his eyes were so full of madness. Eleanor was worried she may have gone a tad overboard. Apparently, Snape was a little more fragile that she thought "You disgusting blood-traitors!"

Eleanor opened her mouth to speak, to scream at him to go get lost, but someone else bit her to the punch, "I think those are very strong words, Mr. Snape," Dumbledore said, standing behind him. With one move of his wand, he shut down the fire and felt the table looking like new. Or, well, as it was before the fire, everyone could tell those tables were as old as Dumbledore.

"I think you may agree with me when I say that a table in the Great Hall may not be the best place to be showing your magical abilities." Snape looked down and said,  "Everyone, return to your tables, the show is over. Now, Mr.Snape, go to your table and finish your breakfast. There will be a meeting with the two of us and the Head of your house later." To that, James and Sirius laughed slightly. Eleanor shook her head, idiots. "And you, gentleman, finish your breakfast too. I advise you to avoid trouble. I hear you already have detention." 

As Dumbledore walked away, Emma asked, "Was I dreaming, or did it really happen?"

Marlene burst out laughing, and shook her head as she grabbed Emma by the shoulder. "Come on, Ems, I’m going to get you a decent cup of coffee."

Later that afternoon, everyone was still talking about Snape's little outburst. Eleanor felt vaguely guilty, maybe she went too far with it, but she could have known Snape would go all psycho. Even Lily said she had no idea he could get like that, as she had said after the four girls went walking through the halls. It was an honest mistake. One she wouldn't make again because now she was retired for good. 

But right then, she was in the library writing her essay on werewolf bites. She needed to concentrate elsewhere. After a while, her brother and the others showed up, sitting at her table.

"So that was something very curious that happened with Snape," James said as soon as he sat. "Very weird, innit Lupin?"

Remus looked at him, and then at Eleanor and said, "Sure."

"More than sure, Lupin. It was amazing. But it got me thinking..."

"Shockingly," Eleanor commented, but James ignored her.

"... who was smart, calculated, and petty enough to do something like that?"

Eleanor glanced at Remus for a second. Had he told them it was them? Had he betrayed her? Sirius and Peter seemed lost enough to assume he didn't, but they could be acting, right?

Whoever it may be, I think who ever did it needs a proper thank you for that show," he said, looking at his sister. "Although that person could have thought of including other certain people in the joke."

"Potter, you're talking riddles." Sirius looked exasperated. "C’mon, tell us what you know!"

But he didn't, he just stared at Eleanor, raising an eyebrow. Eleanor had a hard time not laughing, he looked hilarious. They both shared a look for a few seconds, and she gave up.

"How did you know?" She frowned, and then looked at Remus. "Did you tell him?"

"Oh, please, I didn't need anyone to tell me anything. I am your twin, remember? I know the nutter i have for a sister!. I just don't understand why you didn't tell me, but you did ask Remus for help."

"Wait, it was you!?" Sirius screamed, his face full of shock, and then turned to Remus, and his expression changed to betrayal. "And you? How could you?"

Remus shrugged, smiling. "What do I say? Your sister is scary, Potter."

"Tell me about it," James said, shaking his head.

Peter smiled at her sweetly. "Well, I think she is amazing. A complete evil mastermind, but amazing too.”

Eleanor couldn't help but smile broadly as her cheeks turned red.