(England 1973)

"I do not think this is the right place mother"

"Oi that's Clara now" Eleanor rolled her eyes at me, "I mean it. No more mother business"

"Don't treat me like a child and I might treat you like a sister" I smiled, she got her cheek from me alright.

"Enough of the gob or I'll smack it off your face"

"I'm so scared" She shut up the second I shot her that old no bullshit look of mine.

Her eyes drifted away from the ground and up towards the gothic building. She'd first laughed when she saw it, giving me that knowing smile. It was once a mansion, built around the same time as my life as Clara. Not that that was the reason why I'd chosen it. But Eleanor didn't know that. So I didn't correct her.

"I hardly think a girl's school is the right place for us. You barely pass as an eighteen year old"

"Barely is enough" I countered with a smirk she sighed at, "Don't be so uptight. If you'd seen any of those girls in there you'd know I'd fit right in. Now stop moping and get going"

I gave her a gentle push and started walking up the stoney drive. It wasn't long before she was following me. It was the unsure child in her, driving her to follow mother's protection.

We were halfway to the door, laughing about how the gargoyles on the roof looked remarkably like the old innkeeper who had sheltered us before his "untimely" death, when a massive explosion went off behind us, swiftly followed by a crew of screaming girls. Eleanor had leapt into my side the second she'd heard it and was now stood with her face pressed firmly into my neck, hands balled up and quivering on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her and soothed her, knowing the nightmarish memories praying on her.

"Hush love, c'mon. It's just a little explosion" She shook violently and I started to sing for her, slowly starting to walk forward again with her clinging onto me. It was an old song. One my mother had sung to me before she died, and one I'd sung to Eleanor every night since the day I went back for her. It calmed her, the sound of my voice. Made her feel safe. As a mother's presence should.

She sighed to herself after a while, annoyed she'd let herself be won over by such irrational fear and slowly released her grip on me. I simply smiled and wrapped an arm over her shoulder, walking close for comfort while appearing like her older sister.

"You honestly believe we will blend in here?" I gave her an easy smile and leant down to her ear

"Of course. Just trust me"

I gave her a gentle squeeze before removing arm and walking separately to her. It was clear from the auror the school unleashed what the girls inside were thinking. Like us they worked on fear. Cut out the weak to make better use of the strong. Like I did. Only on a less plutonic level. I could feel Eleanor watching me but I ignored her. We had to remain strong if we wanted to survive.

I walked up the stone steps, impatient that she was taking her time to timidly look around behind me, and strutted confidently up to the reception desk, giving the old bloke sat behind it a bright smile.

"Good morning, and welcome to St. Trinians. How may I be of help today ladies?"

"We're here to see the headmistress" I said brightly. He gave me a slightly dazed smile before picking up his pen and opening a book on his desk.

"And your names?"

Eleanor walked up behind me, fingers brushing mine in her usual plea to keep her name. I looked down at him and bent forward on the desk, smiling back at the little tot sat playing with a wooden toy sword on the floor beside the man.

"Claudia. My name is Claudia Jones" The name felt so natural and I smiled, another life to create. He jotted it down and looked over my shoulder at my daughter. She was looking at me beggingly and I sighed

"Don't mind her. She's a shy one my sister. This is Eleanor Jones" He smiled at her

"No need to be frightened dear" he told her soothingly. I bit back a laugh and nodded

"Exactly what I said"

"Well if you'll follow me, we'll get you acquainted with Miss Fritton"

"Smashing" I hooked an arm around Eleanor's neck and started to walk after him, smiling at the little boy again as he ran around us pretending to fight off invisible villains with his sword.

"He's an handsome little fella" I said pointing at him as he skipped around Eleanor's feet. The boy grinned up at me and took my hand.

"I'm Harry!" I smiled down at him.

"Nice to meet you Harry"

"They should call you Flash, the way you run about" Eleanor added shaking the young boy's hand. His smile widened.

"Do you want to play hide and seek with me?" She looked back at me unsure and I quickly stepped in

"Not now honey, Eleanor has to meet Miss Fritton. Maybe afterwards yeah?"

Eleanor looked ready to kill me. She loved children but playing hide and seek in a school full of strangers was pushing it way over the line. Harry nodded eagerly and skipped ahead of us giggling manically. Eleanor cut me a furious glare as soon as he was gone

"Are you serious?!"

"Oh chill out El" I sighed.

"Moth..Clar..argh! Claudia please, I'm begging you"

"And I'm not listening" I replied shortly, subtly speeding up with my walk to avoid her next glare.

I slowed back into a lazy stroll when I reached the receptionist, smiling when he sighed at his son's gleeful screams. I loved watching children laugh and play, maybe because I'd missed out on watching Eleanor growing up as a child. It was all so innocent and pure. childhood really was the sweetest moment in a persons life. and i should know, I've watched plenty of the turn once they hit adulthood

We walked up a set of stairs, hands grasping the old worn bannister like the thousands of girls before us. I smiled as I ran my finger along it. This school had never met anything like us before.

"Don't drag your feet sis" I called back to her, softly mussing Harry's hair when he stopped long enough to hug my waist, "The headmistress won't be at all pleased"

She muttered under her breath so silent the receptionist didn't hear, but I could. I have her a stern reproachful look over my shoulder and nodded her over. She grumbled some more before walking up to us, too fast for an average pace, luckily no one but me saw it. I slapped her hand when she slowed down beside me

"Trying to get us out before we've settled in?!" I hissed at her

"Maybe. It would be the easier way to save them all from you" she whispered back, calm and blunt as ever. I rolled my eyes. Talk about over exaggerating!

"I'll save it for when I get bored" I shot back, letting my voice dip with that old ruthless sarcasm that warned her against pushing me. I watched her swallow her angry reply and smirked a little as she shoved past me.

The receptionist stopped by a door halfway down the corridor. He rapt on it and shyly opened the door to exchange a few short words with the headmistress, words that weren't lost on my sensitive hearing

"Two new girls Miss Fritton"

"We're not expecting anyone this term"

"They say you asked them here today" he replied nervously. I smiled.

"Send them in. I wish to see the girls who would put lies in my mouth for me"

I laughed under my breath and Eleanor sighed. The receptionist stumbled back into the corridor and looked back at us still stood by the stairs.

"The headmistress will see you now" he looked back at his son and scowled, "Come along Harold"

"But I wanna stay!" he wailed skidding to a stop between Eleanor and I and reaching for our hands.

His wrist brushed my pinkie and I felt that warm tingle rush up into the back if my throat, jaw already aching while I swallowed the urge to act on impulse. Eleanor's hand gently knocked his away and squeezed my wrist.

"Don't" she said it soft but sharply, trying to snap me out of it. I started walking again.

"I won't" I muttered, forcing myself into acting normal again. Harry didn't notice a thing and reached instead for Eleanor's wrist when mine swung away. I rolled my eyes when I saw the same reaction run through her before turning away fuming. I'd been at this longer than her yet her restraint quadrupled mine to no end. Like she was born to resist temptation.

I stopped beside the man and gave him another dazzling smile he fumbled to reply to before entering the office. Eyes just grazing over the old plaque attached to the door before settling on a frail figure sat haunched in the dark reading her mail. I heard Eleanor slip in behind me and click the door shut. I looked back at my daughter and gave her a strong look.

"Don't" I mouthed pointing down at her hand.

She tucked it into her pocket and looked away from the woman she'd been staring hungrily at, knowing just as well as I how frail and old she was, how riddled with aches and pains. Knowing how much she wished she could be rid of it. She was the perfect person for Eleanor's sympathetic and merciful tastes.

She locked eyes with me and I read the hunger rushing around inside of her as it dilated her pupils into a sharp dark circle around her blue irises. I pressed a hand to her heart.

"Steady love" she nodded and stepped back, distancing herself from the woman.

I turned back when the sounds of paper shuffling snapped into a soft slap onto wood before she the headmistress out a long tired sigh. I smiled and cracked my neck, feeling the strange power course through me.

"Time to get to work El" I whispered walking up to the woman and leaning down to her.

"So you two believe you can swan your way into my school and.." She looked up and locked eyes with me, mouth opening slightly under the intensity burning in mine. Eleanor locked the door behind us and a smile twitched on my mouth.

"We have a proposition for you Miss"