My time is approaching, slowly, steadily.
My life has been a good one, overall.
But now, in this one day I have left, it is time for the whole story to go down.
You have heard bits and pieces over the years.
Here, it'll all be collected into one place, in chronological order.
Like a written Pensieve.
My life has been a good one.
I feel as if I have said that a lot.
Even my story starts with that saying.
That I'm a lucky girl.
Death is only the next great adventure.
Didn't Albus say something like that, long ago?
He did. And he was right.
Any intelligent person won't fear death.
Because death is inevitable.
But enough of my mindless chatter.
It's time for you to read what you deserve to read.
The whole thing.
Tarabelle Carrick.
Affectionately known as Ell.
I solemnly swear that, possibly, for the first time in my life, I am up to some good.
"I'm a very lucky girl." I directed this observation to my friend of 17 years, Tucker McVell. As the head of the orphanage I lived in, he knew me quite well. He was five years older than me, and a fierce supporter of whatever I decided to do. As a matter of fact, at the moment, he was pushing along my heavy trolley containing 6 huge suitcases and an owl cage towards Platform 9 3/4. I would have insisted that I push it, but that argument had already occurred and ended with me barely being able to move the heavy trolley a few feet.
"Really, dear. Now why is that so?" Tucker responded cheerfully, expertly moving the trolley out of people's way.
"For not having any family at all, quite a lot of people love me to death." I suppressed the urge to jump on Tucker's back and ride on him as I normally would in this type of crowd. Instead, I maintained a stately pace at his side, trying to look more like his sister than his daughter. My height did not help.
"Who?" Tucker sounded absolutely confused. I smacked him sharply on the arm, glaring up at him as he grinned broadly. "Sorry, dear, go on."
"Well, I've got a father's love, from you. The sort of type that jokes around, but always has a loving word when you really need it."
"Thank you."
"No problem. Then I have the overprotective big brother love from James. You know, the type who baby you and act as if you're four years old when in reality, you're quite capable of taking care of yourself."
"But don't deny it, you love James." Tucker said with a smile as he checked the Platform Number. "Number 4. We can take our time, the train's in no rush to leave."
"Of course I love James, he's still like my big brother." I rolled my eyes. "Then I have the twin's love from Remus. The sort when you both give each other glances and can read each other's mind. Where if you're just sitting next to each other, you can have a whole conversation without opening your mouths just by using body language and stuff."
"Very true... I've never seen Remus in that way." Tucker nodded. "I approve. Go on."
"I have the admirer's love too!" I added on cheekily, a mischievous smile on my face. "From little Wormy!"
Tucker smiled exasperatedly. "I really fail to understand how he's managed to keep your friendship all these years."
"So do I, but that's James and Sirius' call. I'm not going to risk ruining that relationship. Nuh-uh-uh."
"Talking of Sirius, why have you not talked of him yet? Does Mr. Black not love you?"
I furrowed my eyebrows as we came to the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. "Sirius loves me... but it's like a joke with him. Not like I'm a joke," I quickly hastened to add on, "but it's like a joke between us. We'll flirt and act like soppy lovers, but under that, I don't know what his love's like..."
"Maybe it's a lover's love," Tucker suggested softly.
"Ew!" I shrieked. "Bloody hell, Tucker, the man's my brother!" I grabbed my trolley away from him and stuck my tongue out. Tucker simply laughed uproariously.
"Go on, catch up with your little friends!" He said loudly, gesturing. "I'll see you at Christmas!"
I grinned, waved a quick goodbye to my Muggle guardian, then slipped through the barrier, my arms already aching from the weight of the trolley. I looked around the steam-filled station, trying to identify familiar figures. One found me.
"Tarabelle Carrick!" I turned and ran into Remus' arms, kissing him quickly on both cheeks.
"Call me Ell, Moony," I laughed, surprised to find tears in my eyes. This had been our ritual upon meeting ever since we had both laid eyes on each other. "I missed you, you furry little thing."
"Shut up," he hissed, a smile still broad on his face.
"You find Ell, Moony?" A call came from the distance as two tall figures loomed into sight.
"Duh," The other figure answered. "Who else would cling to him like this?"
"It's not like he has a girl!" They mocked in unison. Then I threw myself upon James, kissing him as I had Remus. He picked me up and spun around.
"Hey, James." I smiled, and slid out of his grasp. Then I dramatically fell on Sirius. "Siri, darling, it has been far too long. My heart is broken for having not seen you since summer started."
"The feeling is mutual, Ell," he drawled, mock-serious, and I hugged him, going on tiptoe to whisper something in his ear.
"Push my trolley for me?"
"I still don't see why I have to be your porter, Ell," Sirius complained as he pushed my trolley towards the train. I turned towards him from my perch on my suitcase.
"Well, you have muscle. Arm muscle. You're the Mr. Buff of the group. Cause you're a Beater." I giggled as he glared at me. "Talking of which, which one of you is Quidditch Captain? Cause I didn't get a shiny badge in my letter this year."
"Poor, poor Ell," Remus pouted, pretending to feel sorry for me. I smacked him on the arm.
"Don't look at me," James put his hands up in protest, "I have enough shiny badges to last a lifetime."
"What do you mean?" I asked, cocking my head to one side. "What other shiny badge..." Then I caught sight of the HB emblem clipped to his shirt. "Bloody hell! You're head boy!" I jumped off my suitcase, alighted on the ground and stared at the pin. "Dumbledore's gone completely mad!
"Hey!" James protested, and I grinned up at him.
"It's all in love, Jimmy dear. So Sirius is our captain?"
"That's right. So you better be nice to me, else you'll find that you're out of a position this year," Sirius warned, hefting my luggage onto the train.
"You wouldn't do anything so dastardly, would you, Monsieur Capitaine?" I gasped in mock-shock, putting one hand to my mouth. "But I could do the same, you know. If you're not nice to me, well then, I just won't try out for Seeker this year!"
Sirius groaned. "Touche, the team would die without you."
"You never know!" I pointed out as I jumped onto James' back. He winced at the sudden weight and I patted him on the shoulder. "Sorry dear. But like I was saying, someone could just come out of nowhere and be a much better Seeker than I could ever hope to be."
"And who would this mysterious person be?" Remus asked after climbing onto the train.
"Someone who has been at Hogwarts all these years and is bursting with hitherto unsuspected Quidditch talent!" I proclaimed grandly from my perch on top of James. "Someone like... her!" I pointed at a blonde head of curls ducking into a compartment. "Tessa McGrath, quiet little bookworm friend of Evans'!" I made a face at the name. No, I had no problem with Tessa. She was witty, friendly, and quite fun to be around. Evans, on the other hand, was evil. The red-headed female dog had been eluding my poor Jimmy dear for years now. Would it kill her, I ask you, to go on one date with the man? Apparently so.
I could go on and on about my hatred for Evans, but you're not interested in that, are you? Didn't think so. In a few words, we didn't get along.
"Hey, it's Wormy!" I said suddenly in delight as the last member of our group walked down the train compartment. He jumped as I called out his name, looking as if he had been caught red-handed.
"Oh, hey, Ell." He gave his trademark watery smile as I hugged him. Inside, I gave a little sigh of relief. Little Peter was still littler than me, and all was right with the world.
"Where have you been?" I asked as we stepped into an empty compartment. "You weren't down at the Slytherin end of the train, were you?" I asked suddenly, with a look of disgust on my face. He had been coming from that direction.
"No, no, I just had to go check that my luggage got on the train,. That porter looked a little shifty... but everything's okay." Peter sat down at one window seat and I took the other. Sirius sat next to me and James and Remus sat facing us.
"Now, there's only one question left for all of you before my mind is at peace with the world," I announced as we all settled down. "If our Jimmy dear is Head Boy this year, then who is our darling new Head Girl?