Chapter 24

"And 85 points go to both the Hogwarts champion," the results were an announced and it seemed that against the odds, the home team had won that event in the tournament.

There students who we were in the home school cheered. A joint victory for Hogwarts had just been scorn. This put them way in the lead.

Looking at her brother even thought Elle was freezing and shaking wet she was thrilled for him.

"Are you ok?" he asked her wrapping her in the warmth of his arms.

Smiling she nodded. "My only problem is I am bursting with pride." she said to him as they hugged.

He felt so good when he heard that. There seemed to be sometimes the two had forgotten about the friendship and love they had, but it was time like this that they realized that not much had changed for them, or the love they shared.

"Come on," he said as the school nurse cleared them and the headed back up to the castle to met there friends and warm up.

They never saw the stag that was bursting with pride and love for the two standing on the edge of the forest.

That night just as there was for everything that went right for the house the Gryffindors though a party for there champion. No longer was annoyed one so young in the thick of it they celebrated.

They no longer had to worry about the next task until June, which Ellouise was grateful f or.

She had to worry about her Dudley now.

On the first of the next month march, Ron turned fifteen. They were all making them day special for him and a few balloons went up in the common room that night.

Honestly, it was any excuse for the Gryffindors.

However that presented a problem for the young Potter. She wanted to hang got with her friend on his birthday even though he was more her brothers friend you didn't hang around with some one for the last two years and not care for them. The problem being of course that if she wanted to spend time with Ron she would have to see his elder brother as well but that wasn't such a bad thing she guessed.

"Can we talk?" she found herself asking Fred as a big group of them sat by the lake.

"Yeah sure," he said and the pair moved away from the larger sector part of the mass of Gryffindors and dent for the much needed conversation.

"I just really wanted to clear the air," she said to him.

"Yeah me too I hate it when we can't even talk to each other." he said to her. "Whatever you think I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable on then night of the ball I just needed to tell you how I felt, but I want you to forget it, ok? I want us to have a friendship to last no matter what." he said to her.

No matter how hard she tried no tot she couldn't help but think that was sweet.

"Ok and I swear we always will" she promised him and let him hug her.

"I will always be here for you," he whispered.

"I know."

After the air had been cleared, yet again it seemed that Elle restful. She hated the feeling that some on e wasn't aright with her.

Looking at the mountain of work she had to does she tried to cut it down before half term. She had to go back and didn't want to be taking a lot with her. Though why she was thinking about that yet was a mystery even to her.

When Harry heard she would be leaving for the two weeks he was a bit angry at Dudley. She had just suffered a break down over everything and yet it was shim asking her to be strong. In Harry's eyes it Southold be the other way round though when he asked his sister about the matter she seemed to think she could handle it now and the weight that she had put back on, making her look thin but no longer the skinny pile of bones she had been, and the colour in her cheeks told him the same things.

However not so long after the second task bought more worry for Elle and her brother as that evil cow Rita Skeeter wrote yet more crap over Hermione and Him.

"We all know it is just a bunch of lies," said Ellouise to the two as they read it.

"I don't care," said Hermione who seemed unaffected by the whole thing for a while.

However a couple of mornings later that all changed as the hate mail she begun to receive poured in.

Time begun to fly just as it always did for them. On that Saturday Harry and his two best friends had a meeting with his godfather. Why Elle didn't go she wasn't really sure but she didn't., her worry for Dudley grew with each passing day knowing he would be getting nervous now. She wished she could see him.

"Hey," she said down the mirror to her own godfather that Saturday as she finished writing her diary and got in to her bed.

"Hey sweetheart, just calling to say goodnight?" he asked her.

"AS always," she grinned back at him as she pulled her teddy close to her.

"Well have a good sleep," he said. "I love you."

"I love you too."

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Elle couldn't believe as she stepped off the train three weeks had passed since that day and she was going home again.

Stepping on to the platform she looked for her uncle Remus. He was the one picking her up for the break.

"Hello sweetheart," he said to her as he fought through the crowd to get to her.

"Hey moony," she said as they hugged and kissed each other.

"You ok?" he asked with an arched eyebrow.

"You are joking aren't you? I'm fine." Remus just knew as she said it was true. Ellouise was well and truly back.

Getting back at four Elle had an hour to get ready for dinner. She was so pleased to be back.

"Hey baby!" said lily.

"Mum!" said Elle and rushed to give her a hug. "I do not meant to be rude but mum, you are huge!" she said.

"I know, and I still have two more months, "said lily sitting down on her daughter's sofa as they were back in her room. Patting her stomach she smiled. God she loved being pregnant.

"Good to be home?" she asked as Elle sat by her.

"Yeah I guess, well better than last time,"" she muttered.

"I know things were rough but things are going to get better," she said to her daughter.

"What are you on about thing already are so much better than n they were before," said Ellouise.

"Good," smiled lily. "So how's school been going?"

"Not so bad," she said. "This term was a lot of catching up what I had missed when I was away but I am up with every one else so it isn't so bad now," she said.

Lily smiled. That was her girl. Keeping her chin up.

"Good girl, dinners at five."

"I know." smiled Ellouise.

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At dinner that night Elle had found out that the next day would be spent at him m the next she would go to her grandpas so that she could, look after Dudley on the night before the court case and then lily would b e at the court to decide with Elle where she wanted to spend the next day or two.

The day she had at home Elle was grateful for as she seemed to have another opportunity to learn more about her mother.

As summer was starting again lily had started work on her garden.

She had told Ellouise how the marauders had been given it to her as a gift when she had started living with them. She had chosen a garden.

"I used to garden with my mother," she told her daughter. "and I was kind of hoping that we could carry on the tradition."

"Was that were you got your name from?"

"Yes and my sister, your aunt. Mother wanted us both together to garden with her.""

"Did you?"

"Oh yes I did, but your aunt well Petunia wasn't as keen on thee idea as I had been."

"Were you the mummy's girl then?" asked Elle with a grin. Since she had been at the den she had been at the den quite a lot her self.

"And the daddy's, I had a better relationship with my parents than my sister ever did, which I wish could have been different, I hated the way the rowed over the smallest of things."

Ellouise was a loss for words. What did you say to that?

"The garden is already looking great mum, I'd love tot help you with it," she said.

"There's my girl," said lily.

Elle smiled. She was so glad she got on with her mum.

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"Knock, knock," she heard Remus popped his head round the door.

"Hey," she said as she put her book down.

"Boring," he teased her.

"Shut up," she played.

Laughing softly, he moved to the bed where she was laying.

"What are you doing here so late anyway?" she asked him.

"Is it a crime for a devoted god father to want to tuck his only god child in to bed once in a while?"

"I guess not."

"Good, now lay down," he ordered her and she did as she was told.

He pulled up her duvet and watched as she pulled her bear in to her self protectively.

"Night night, my sweetheart," he to her kissing her forehead.

"Night uncle Remus," she said and fell almost straight away in to dreams.

He smiled at her glad she was sleeping so easily now.

"No more bad dreams for you." He murmured and left for his chambers in the peace she was fine now.

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Turning up at he grandfathers the next day she was glad to be reunited with both Marcus but as ever more so Dudley. He had been so down in his letters, so fearful that the case wouldn't to his way.

It was late that night as he snuck in to her room at Marcus' house.

Her room there was lilac and just slightly bigger than an average bed room. There grandfather was a wealthy man and had given all three of his little ones a room the day each of them were born.

"Elle?" He asked.

"Hey," she said in the darkness. She had been expecting him it come in so had not feel asleep on him

"Are you ok?" she asked him as he cruelled on to her bed.

"Am I stupid for being scared over tomorrow!" he asked her.

"No, never," she tried her best to reassure him. She had ever in her life ever though he was stupid.

"One moment Ellouise and that will be it; my entire future will be decided. And I can not do a thing to change it," he murmured more to him self than her.

"Listen to me ok?" she told him. "No matter the pout come I will always be here no matter who you live with. You'll always have me," she said and they hugged until she fell asleep.

Dudley didn't sleep though. How could he? He had never ever been so scared.

Clutching his sister to his heart he swore that no matter what only one thing would matter or him truly, ever,

And it'd be her.

a/n: yayness!

moonfire-lovr: when I thought of em and Ron getting together I loved the idea. Elle and Dudley rule! As for lily and James, well wait and see. Thanks for the review!

Emma-Lizzy-Black: LOL! me too! Thanks for reviewing.

Abby: yes I have thought of twins and everything and I am thrilled to say what ever the sex or sexes and the name or names have been picked! So cute…lol…thank you!

randypotter1222: lily and James told them before Christmas already. I like Elle/Neville. The lake scene was so fluffy and fun to write, and Ginny got Harry so I didn't feel so bad for her. Thanks for reviewing

Taffy-Isabelle-TaffCunns: LOL what's the other fic called I want to read it! Thanks for reviewing,

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