A/N: The next part of the story is probably going to be the climax…which means there are going to be maybe five more parts after this one. I hope everyone is still enjoying the story and will stick it out to the end with me! I want to extend my gratitude to the lovely people who comment on my story, especially ravenclawblonde1428, hufflepuffbrunette247, and xoxoS.A.M; they're all so wonderful and comment on pretty much every chapter. Thanks to everyone who reads and/or reviews! I also want to extend more thanks to the most awesome and incredibly sweet beta I discovered!
"Pass the treacle, Leigh," Eleanor mumbled, lost in thought.
Leigh slid the plate towards Eleanor and gave her a once-over. "Where is your brain Elle? It certainly is not here."
"Hmm?"
"Wake-up Eleanor!" Leigh snipped, snapping her fingers in front of Eleanor's face. "What the hell is wrong with you? Did Professor Snape put you in detention again?"
"Yes, that's it," Eleanor replied. "Actually, I need to get there now." Standing up she added, "And I may pop down for some Butterbeer in Hogsmeade afterwards, so I will not be up to the dorm for quite awhile."
It looked for a moment like Leigh did not believe Eleanor, but the moment passed. "Alright Elle. I would support your sneaking out by accompanying you, but I put off my Charms homework again. Joy. See you later."
Eleanor flew down to Slytherin House before anyone else could catch her and pull her away from her intended pathway. She slipped into the dorm and began to throw things into her bag including her wand, a spare set of clothes, and her small pack of potions that she had gotten into the habit of keeping around when her mother married Rupert. There was no telling what she would need or could possibly use with what she was about to do. Before exiting the dorm, she hesitated by the desk in the corner that the girls shared. Her hands flew out, snatched up a piece of parchment and quill, and wrote a quick letter giving instructions about what she was about to do just in case she did not come back. In fact, as the moment approached for her to leave, she began to feel stronger and stronger that she was not coming back.
Her heart pounded. Each part of her body seemed to be trembling as she walked towards Snape's office; she was shaking so much, she could barely slide the letter beneath the door. When Eleanor had reached the end of the hallway, a voice stopped her.
"What is this Miss Reynolds?" Snape asked her coolly, holding up the folded parchment in one hand.
"Just – just read it later," Eleanor breathed, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"What is it?" he asked once more, his tone sharpening slightly.
"Please, just read it later Severus. I really need you to do that for me, but please, don't read it now or ask me to talk about it. I have something I need to do Severus; trust me."
The sound of his name softened Snape's posture considerably. His body had been tense to match his tone, but his body relaxed when his first name rolled off Eleanor's tongue. In that single word, Eleanor had forgiven him and had made a totally 360; she was now requesting his help. Almost meekly, he nodded at her. "Okay."
She turned once more to leave but then stopped herself again and rushed back to Snape. "Thank you, and I'm sorry." She took his free hand, gave it a squeeze, and then raced away.
The sky poured out on Eleanor as she raced across the grounds of Hogwarts and down to the gate that would open into Hogsmeade. Her body had stopped trembling with her forgiveness of Severus Snape and had become completely numb to the bitter wind and rain that beat against her cloak and face. She mentally tried to calm herself as well, hoping that she could keep her head as still and stable as her body. It didn't seem likely, however. She could not stop thinking about the letter that she had received just that morning. She couldn't believe that she had received it just that morning, it felt like eons ago. The words penned by Rupert were on repeat in her mind.
My dearest Eleanor,
Why ever did you run at St. Mungo's in September? I was greatly looking forward to spending time with you, but that was made impossible by the fact that you came accompanied on the rest of your visits. That is not even mentioning the fact that you spread a dreadful falsehood about me that required I use quite a bit of Polyjuice Potion in order to see Lena on a regular basis. You have made it very difficult for me to go out in general. Despite this, I have been fortunate enough to run into your charming sister Rosaline in Hogsmeade. We have been having an absolutely marvelous time together, and I figured that it would be in your best interests to join us as well. We never did spend time together away from your mother. I will be in Hogsmeade with Rosaline for the next six days; after that, Miss Rosy seems to feel like taking a trip with me to the continent.
Hope to see you very soon Eleanor.
Rupert
Those words narrated Eleanor's whole trudge down to Hogsmeade. She had to go; Rosaline was her sister and had done nothing to deserve Rupert's wrath. Eleanor felt as if she had failed her mother; she was not about to fail her sister.
In truth, when Eleanor had become angry at Snape for getting Dumbledore involved in the matter with Rupert, she had never imagined that it could turn into this. She had direly underestimated the levels Rupert would sink to in order to get his way – or perhaps it was better to call it his revenge. Making Rupert a 'public enemy' had turned him into something even more dreadful than Eleanor had ever known. She was so scared, but she shoved that fear down and slipped into the Hog's Head, which she knew was normally frequented by Rupert.
"What can I get you love?" a stringy young man asked as she passed by the bar.
She shook her head. "Nothing at the moment, thank you." She would need her wits about her when Rupert showed up. That's when she saw Rosaline in a corner.
Her 26-year-old sister did not look a day older than when she had left England four years prior. However, Eleanor could see a few bruises on her face that could only be from Rupert. Tears of both sadness and happiness sprang to Eleanor's eyes at the sight of her sister; despite the situation, Eleanor could not help but be thrilled at seeing her. Rosaline had been very busy with her first four years of cursebreaking; a newbie like Rosaline was often given the most time consuming jobs. Despite this, it had surprised Eleanor considerably that her loving sister Rosy had not flown to the bedside of her mother.
Just as Eleanor began to approach Rosaline, her sister's eyes found her. They widened in surprise, and immediately she motioned for Eleanor to go away. Eleanor did not turn back; she was not turning away from her family ever again. Instead, she sprinted to her sister and hugged her tightly.
"Do not stay Ella!" Rosaline said immediately. "Rupert will be back any minute, and I just know he will hurt you! You should hear the dreadful things he says about you."
"I am not leaving you Rosy. We can just…leave. Dumbledore will help protect you."
Rosaline smiled sadly. "I wish it were that simple. Rupert, of course, has put a dreadfully complicated binding spell on me so that I may not leave Hogsmeade."
"How did he find you? And why didn't you come and see mum?"
A sigh fell from Rosaline's lips. "Well, I wanted to come see mum something awful as soon as I got Auntie's letter. It took me a good two weeks to manage to get some time off work, so I headed here as soon as I could. Unfortunately for me, I made the mistake of going to our house first. Rupert had been lurking around, hoping that either you or I would show up to get some of mum's things. He stunned me, and I have been stuck with him since the end of September."
"Oh dear!" Eleanor squeezed Rosaline's hands. "You poor thing; I'm so sorry you got pulled into all of this Rosaline! Why didn't Rupert try to lure me here before now?"
"Because Rupert was having too much fun with your enchanting sister," Rupert drawled, appearing next to the girls. The person only sounded like Rupert; he was someone different entirely, so he was clearly still using his stash of Polyjuice Potion. "So glad you could come Eleanor, darling. I have been just dying to see you." His lips curled into a nasty grin, and Eleanor suddenly regretted coming very much.
A/N Part 2: My friend Jen had some issues with Rupert in this part. She asked me what his motive was. I'd just like to say that he really doesn't have one. He is completely deranged and evil. He might have a hint of mental illness, but mainly, he's just evil. He is furious about Eleanor ruining his reputation in the public eye and wants to ruin her now.