A/N; As you may have noticed, I'm slightly altering the chapters so rather than there being 8 really short ones, I'm sticking some of them together where appropriate so that they will be longer. I hope that this doesn't cause to much confusion but I thought that in the long rum it would probably be more effective.


I guess I should tell you that Sirius and I both received top marks for the Effervesce Beans project, no thanks to him, and through another twist of fate Professor Nerf fell seriously ill soon afterwards which meant we had to teach ourselves the remainder of the course. The brief period of being Potion partners with Sirius had drawn to a close, and the two of us reverted back to being mere acquaintances that happened to share a common room. However we forgot the two other things, which linked us together, Lily and James. As they spent more and more time together, Sirius and I both found that the only way to keep in contact with our best friends was to accept that they were now a couple, and hanging out with one inevitably meant being with the other one to.

At first I spent time with the two of them rather reluctantly, having already formed my own ideas of James over the years. Thankfully though, most of these ideas turned out to be dead wrong, and by the time Christmas rolled around I no longer put up with James out of necessity.

I had always found him a condescending, smart ass bully who simply adored himself, but I discovered that James Potter was one of the sweetest, funniest, most considerate people I had ever had the pleasure to know, and was forced to admit that Lily and James' form of love did not seem so terrible as I had once envisioned.

I even managed to accompany the two of them to Hogsmeade one weekend and I had an absolutely terrific time before they snuck off behind the Shrieking Shack and I was left to trail after Katy and Susan for the rest of the day. But it was nice to know that not all boys were as conceited and lethargic as Sirius Black.

The next round fought between romance and I began the day that I received a letter from my parents, informing me, amongst other things such as the cat was doing okay and Nanny Rose was recovering from her cold, that the two of them were going into hiding as they'd received inside information that The Dark Lord happened to be honing in on them. If they didn't make themselves disappear soon then he would do it for them.

'WHAT!' I shrieked as I read it, infuriated by the casual way they chose to notify me that a mad tyrant was after them. The least they could to was have a member of staff gently break it to me.

I was vaguely aware of a hundred pairs of eyes watching me curiously, but I was to shocked and angry to care.

'What's wrong Ella?' Asked Lily, who seemed to be the person my friends elected to question me on my outburst

'They've only gone into bloody hiding! What am I supposed to do about Christmas? And I bet they haven't even found Tilley a place to stay! Honestly, those two never plan anything right' I exploded, chucking the letter at her. Lily went pale as she read the parchment, then looked back at me, along with the rest of the table.

'Ella, I think you're missing the point. Your parents could be in serious danger.' She said softly, touching my hand tentatively.

'Of course they're not; they're just being melodramatic. They left the country last year when they heard that Azcaban was being refurbished- they were convinced a load of convicts would escape and attack them. My Nan probably said that He who should not be named seemed to be going after people with surnames beginning with R and they somehow gathered from that, that they were in grave danger.' I exclaimed. Lily still looked horrified. I didn't blame her; I was horrified to when I found out that my parents were residing in a cave in Egypt until the refurbishments were over.

'Ella, it says here that they can't even tell you where they're going in case the information gets into the wrong hands- that sounds pretty serious.' Remarked Katy, who also looked a little shaken by the news. In fact I was the only person who seemed to understand how trivial it all really was- my parents were complete drama-queens!

'Shall we go back to the common room so you can calm down- I'm sure Professor Whelks will understand.' Lily murmured gently.

'I am calm' I bellowed, getting up and stomping out of the room.

Whenever my nerves became frazzled, I used to like to go up to common room and sit upside down on a chair whilst humming the theme tune to Happy Days- I don't know why but it always managed to calm me down- perhaps it was the process of draining the blood from my head. So that is precisely what I did- thankfully the room was empty although the previous time I had tried it I had terrified a new first year who I hadn't seen sitting in a corner.

I was in the middle of the second chorus when who do you think came crawling out of the portrait tunnel? Why Sirius Black, that's who.

'What in God's name are you doing?' He exclaimed

'I'm calming down' I retorted shortly, wishing that he would leave me alone.

'Well is there any reason for this little performance?' He asked, watching me in a bemused way.

'You know why I'm annoyed, you were in the hall!' I cried, becoming more and more irritated by his unwelcome presence.

'Actually I was talking to Dumbledore in the library so I have absolutely no idea why you're sitting upside down in a chair humming some God- awful tune.' He drawled, leaning back against the wall lazily.

'Well it might amuse you to hear that I'm stuck here for Christmas whilst my parents hide out in a cave somewhere, like Peru.' I exclaimed.

'Cool, I'm staying at Hogwarts over the holidays to.' He grinned.

My draw dropped, as if my day couldn't get any worse!


I didn't receive any more news from my parents after that one letter, and I have to admit I did start to get rather worried. Three days later as I was sitting (more like sleeping) through a particularly boring lesson of Muggle Studies, a rather nervous looking 3rd year shuffled into the classroom and mumbled something about Dumbledore wanting to see me right away in his office. ME! I'd never done anything in my life that would warrant a trip to the headmaster's office- someone had framed me, I was sure of it. It was probably Sirius Black, in a twisted attempt to get me back for yelling at him the other day (after he told me he'd be accompanying me over the Christmas break I screamed at him until he put a silencing charm on me and refused to take it off unless I danced the Hokey Cokey. In retaliation, I turned his hair into slugs and refused to reverse it until he told Hagrid that he fantasised about him in nothing but rabbit- skin underwear.)

I slowly dragged myself from the classroom, my heart pounding against my chest, and followed the terrified little kid down the hall.

Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, deeply enthralled in a terrifically long piece of yellowing parchment. He looked up when he heard me come in and gave me a funny, sad little smile, and then beckoned me into a huge, comfortable chair opposite him.

'Ah Ella, it isn't often that I have the pleasure of your company although these are rather… regrettable circumstances.' He remarked gently, stroking his greying beard.

'I have to tell you sir that whatever it is I swear I didn't do it- feed my truth serum and I'll still tell you it wasn't me.' I burst.

He looked at me in utter astonishment, as though he had absolutely no I idea what I was talking about- funnily enough it turned out that he actually didn't.

'What on Earth do you mean Ella? The reason that I called you here was to discuss your parents…situation.' He replied. It was at that moment that it suddenly dawned on me just how serious the danger my parents were in truly was. Dumbledore didn't get involved unless things were pretty bad.

'At the moment they are safe and well, but I'm afraid not even I know their exact whereabouts. We decided that it would be safest to keep you here where I can personally watch over you, but it is still unclear just how long your parents will be away for.' He told me tentatively, his clear blue eyes watching me with a mixture of sympathy, regret and sadness. He knew as well as I did that the future did not look good for my parents.

'So they weren't being melodramatic?' I croaked, suddenly feeling extremely sick.

'I'm afraid not, negotiations for there departure have been going on in secret for weeks, but getting information to you was far to dangerous. We are living in perilous times Ella and from now on you will have to be extra careful in all aspects of your life. Luckily I have been informed that Sirius Black is also staying over Christmas, and so I ask that the two of you to stay together at all times.' He said sombrely, and because of his serious tone I didn't even try to disagree- in fact I was almost glad that there would be someone else staying with me, it made me feel safer.

'Do you think I'll ever see them again?' I asked, my eyes searching for any sign of doubt on his face. He did not meet my gaze; instead he looked back at the parchment he still clutched in her hands.

'All of our best people are doing everything in their power to keep your parents safe Ella, if anyone stands a chance against the Dark Lords its them.' He replied after a while. I suppose he was trying to phrase it in a way that still gave me hope, but didn't promise anything.

After I had left Dumbledores office, I felt lost and disorientated. I couldn't face having to go back to lessons still feeling so awful, so I resolved to take a walk around the grounds to clear my head.

Subconsciously I had been preparing for this news for a long time, ever since my parents started working against Voldermort, but it had still come as a tremendous shock.

I was halfway round the lake when I suddenly realised just how cold it was, and that I'd left my coat in the Muggle Studies classroom. The harsh winter winds whipped round me, as I shivered violently, wrapping my arms around my body to try and generate some warmth.

'Y'all righ' there young un? Came a gruff voice from behind me. I turned to face Hagrid, who was lugging a large deer- like creature over his shoulder.

'Um, yes…actually no not really, my parents are in hiding.' I muttered feeling rather dazed.

'Ah I see.' He said, looking pretty uncomfortable.

'Well come on then, ya can't stand out in the cold, I'll make some tea or somethin'.' He replied, leading the way to his little hut. I followed his enormous figure, and was immensely grateful for the warmth and comfort of his humble home. He busied himself in the kitchen area, setting out the teacups and a strange assortment of cakes and then bringing it all through to me on a large, wooden tray.

'Ere you are Ella, take a cake.' He instructed, and so I uncertainly took a rock- cake. My teeth almost broke on the impact; I guess it wasn't called a rock cake for nothing.

'Now, whas all this about yer parents?' He asked, giving me a piping hot cup of tea that slurped down my cloak.

'Well it turns out that they're in hiding and they can't tell me where they are. I have to stay here over Christmas while they spend it God knows where.' I exclaimed, upsetting my tea all over me.

'Oh God- I'm so sorry, look at me coming in here and getting tea all over your floor!' I cried, feeling despair rising in my chest.

'S'all right Ell..' He began, but I interrupted.

'I just don't know what to do with myself- I don't even know if I'll ever see either of them again and if I'd have known that last time I was with them was, you know, the last time then I would have done things differently. I just feel so utterly wretched, everything's so messed up and I have no idea what's going to happen to me.' I burst, shaking with the weight of it all, but still feeling unable to cry. Rather than say anything, Hagrid simply crushed me in his gigantic arms.

I tried to calm myself down, but my eyes felt as though they were burning.

'S'all righ' Ella, you're paren's are safe wherever they are.' He said reassuringly

'But I don't know that- all I can do now is wait around until they tell me that he's got them, its as though I'm simply waiting to hear the inevitable.' I exclaimed, but my voice was muffled against his arm.

'You've jus gotta hope for the bes' Miss Ella.' He sighed after thinking for a while. It turned out that this was the best piece of advice that any one could give me.

After another cup of tea Hagrid took me back to the castle, where I went straight to my room and collapsed with exhaustion. It was most definetly the worst day I had ever experienced and I had made it through- that had to mean something. I had no idea what the future held, but I had a sinking feeling that it would be nothing good. I was both right and so very wrong about this yet right then it didn't really matter. All that mattered was my parents were safe, and so was I. For the time being at least.