Author's note:

Dear readers,

another extra-long update for you to enjoy. Thank you so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting and/or following my story. It means a lot to me and motivates me to update faster ;). I have altered the age of Eileen and her classmates for about 10 years (née 1939/40) in this story to better fit into my storytelling.

Have a nice day,

Vani12

Chapter 2 – Heartbreak can throw you into a hellish life!

Rose Garden, Prince Manor, December 1978

Eileen Prince sat with a wistful look on her face in her parents' Rose Garden. She had loved chasing around the trees, smelling all the pleasing, different rose bushes, and playing hide-and-seek with her house-elves as a kid. She had desperately wished for a playmate to join her, but her parents sadly hadn't been able to conceive any new babies, and due to their sheltered, secluded life, she hadn't gotten any friends till she went to Hogwarts. Her father, Aurelius Prince, was the CEO of their ancient, famous Potions company, Prince Potions, but he wasn't a social butterfly that threw huge Winter Balls or Summer Picnics at his Manor. He loved his silent, academic life and assigned the task to organize publicity-gaining, social events to his beloved wife Lucretia Prince, née Shaqif. But he only allowed her to host them outside of Prince Manor, for he didn't want to let anyone into his private, safe haven. Her mother, Lucretia Prince, was a kind-hearted, bubbly, Herbology genius who had charmed every boy at Hogwarts with her captivating, mysterious, onyx eyes and her unruly, dark-brown curls. She had been the captain of the Gobstone Club at Hogwarts and fallen in love with her intelligent, dark-haired classmate Aurelius Prince while harvesting exotic flowers in the greenhouses.

They had been the Hogwarts it-couple of their time – two rich, good-looking, Pure-blooded teenagers from ancient and noble families in love, and with high hopes for their future. The sarcastic, Slytherin Potions expert, Aurelius, and the charming, Ravenclaw Herbology genius, Lucretia, had experimented relentlessly on new potions and ways to improve and shorten the brewing process of expensive and difficult potions. Whereas Lucretia had researched new ways on how and when to harvest ingredients, Aurelius had studied ancient brewing techniques and methods on how to prolong the storage life of brews. Together, they had developed new potions recipes and had invented numerable Healing Potions and Antidotes that cured Chicken Pox, replenished your blood more quickly or blocked snake venom inside of your veins. They had been the academic power couple of the thirties and Eileen's birth had made their family perfect. Her parents had been very hands-on, attentive, and kind parents who taught her how to harvest flowers, brew potions and treat everyone with kindness, respect, and politeness. But Eileen had been a shy girl, always trying to make her parents proud of her by writing down her own creative potions recipes by six, reading every book in their library till thirteen, and winning every Gobstone match at Hogwarts.

The lack of playmates and her sheltered, academic upbringing had turned her into a socially awkward, insecure, and unique outsider at Hogwarts. Whereas other girls in Slytherin had loved to gossip about boys, discuss the newest Make-up Spells and fashion trends or cheer their Quidditch team on, Eileen had loved to play Gobstones, read books in the Hogwarts library, and duel in an empty classroom. She had had a close-knitted group of Slytherin friends – Robert Fawley, David Avery, Regina Nott, and Angelina Zabini – who had visited her in the Summer Hols, studied with her in the library and chatted with her about their hopes and fears. But Eileen had sometimes still felt like a passive bystander who let all the fun and adventures of life rush past her. She had mapped her whole future out at fifteen – studying in her dad's company Prince Potions to be a Potions Mistress, inventing new, revolutionary potions in the lab, and marrying the love of her life. But her plans had gone all crashing down when she had fallen in love with her fellow Slytherin Prefect and Quidditch captain, Orion Black, in their fifth year. Eileen had had a secret crush on Orion thanks to his captivating blue eyes, handsome smile, and unruly, dark-brown locks since her third year, but Orion had never been a member of her close group of Slytherin friends, because unlike them, he had loved to party, boast about his Quidditch moves or prank the Gryffindors. He had always seemed too cool, fun-loving, arrogant, and cocky to befriend his Slytherin year mates and hung out with the older Slytherins.

Eileen had known that her crush on him had been pointless, silly and shallow because Orion had only noticed her when she beat him with a victorious smirk in a duel or helped him to not explode his cauldron in Potions, and cost them many points. She had realized that Orion only flirted with outspoken, sexy, beautiful, and fun-loving, older Slytherin girls. She, with her shy nature, study-focused mindset, and Snow-white looks hadn't been his type. Besides that, she had known from Regina Nott that Orion had been engaged to his older female cousin, Walburga Black, a rich, mean girl with nasty hexes under her sleeve and a volatile temper since he had been ten years old. Eileen had wrinkled her nose in disgust at the evident incest of the upper Pure-bloods and regretted that the Blacks didn't know anything about genetics or they wouldn't put their slogan Toujours Pur above the health, magical power, and sanity of their offsprings. Eileen had tried to cure herself of her unhealthy crush with an "All the things that are wrong about Orion Black"-list in her secret diary that only opened to her magical signature and appeared to be an empty notebook for anyone else. But she hadn't been able to heal her lovesick heart.

And her beloved Potions' skills had triggered the path to her heartbreak further. Orion had been such a fumbling dunderhead in Potions that he had nearly melted one cauldron every month. Somehow, he had seemed to be unable to read the brewing instructions correctly, follow them in the right order and prepare the ingredients with efficient methods. Losing countless, valuable house points and seeing Orion's handsome face plastered with some dangerous liquid, had grated on Eileen's nerves and tugged on her heartstrings. She had feared that Orion would kill or hurt himself badly in Potions one day, hence she had guided him with non-verbal gestures and whispered words through his brewing tasks. Thankfully, Prof. Slughorn had been too preoccupied with praising her dear friend, Angelina Zabini, for her superb Potions' skills, and hadn't noticed her secretive tutoring sessions. Orion had thanked her with some handsome smiles and gifted her an expensive, new, silver cauldron engraved with her initials E.P. that she had accepted reluctantly with a beaming smile.

One evening, late at night in the Slytherin Common Room, she had left her dorm dressed in lavender, silk pajamas after curfew to drink a glass of water and had encountered a devastated, crying Orion who lounged on a comfy armchair in front of the fireplace. She had known that it probably wasn't her best idea to approach him, because he would most likely lash out at her for seeing him at his most vulnerable point and throw some insults at her, but she hadn't been able to help herself. Her stupid heart had urged her to comfort him, make sure that he was all right and offer him an open ear to talk to. To her utter disbelief, Orion hadn't scolded her for lounging herself beside him on the armchair or had flinched away at her comforting touch. He had only blinked away the tears in his sapphire eyes, smiled at her gratefully, and intertwined their fingers in a desperate attempt to feel some comfort and human warmth. Snuggled closely onto his side with her ebony curls resting on his muscular chest, hearing his heart beat rhythmically in his breast, breathing in his unique scent of bergamot, geranium, and cedarwood, and sensing his warm breath brush her face, she had felt that she wouldn't be able to cut Orion Black out of her heart.

He had confessed to her in a broken voice that the pressure of achieving top marks, representing Hogwarts in dueling tournaments, being the cocky, unbeatable Quidditch Captain, and studying finances and business with the Goblins to lead his father's Black Investment Company was too much for him. He was failing Potions, hated his business studies, and felt like he would suffocate any minute. He had dreamed of becoming an independent curse-breaker, living a life without the responsibilities of Black Investment, and traveling around the world. He didn't want to marry his crazy, gold-digging harpy of a female cousin, Walburga, because she drove him mad with her talk about blood purity, her worship of the Dark Arts and her sadistic personality. He had confessed to her that he wasn't in love with his fiancée, found her looks and personality repulsive, and thought about playing the runaway groom if he wouldn't cause a huge scandal, lose his family and be disinherited by the Blacks.

Eileen had listened without judgment to his heart-breaking story, offered him tutoring in Potions, and encouraged him to live out his dreams. She had confessed that she sometimes also cracked under the pressure of being the creative Potions genius, female dueling champion of Hogwarts, and perfect daughter. But she knew that her parents loved her and that they only wanted to see her live a happy, successful life. Hell, in her loneliest, darkest hours, she felt like an imposter, albeit, she knew deep down in her heart that creating new potions and researching new potions techniques was her calling and passion. Unlike her, Orion hadn't been able to fulfill his dreams without enraging his family and losing everything. Feeling sorry for him, she had promised to always have an open ear for him when he needed someone to talk to and to help him make his dreams come true to some extent. Perhaps, he could persuade his dad that training as a curse-breaker wouldn't be such a bad idea to keep the security standards of Black Investment up-to-date if he promised to undergo an internship in business and finances in his firm. And if he could somehow prove to his family that Walburga was a crazy harpy and incest increased the chances of birthing deformed or magical powerless children, they would possibly cancel his marriage contract.

Orion had looked at her in awe, embraced her in a fierce hug, and rambled about his happy future thanks to her ingenious ideas with a mischievous, happy glint in his baby blues. Eileen's heart had threated to jump out of her chest and she had felt so carefree, beautiful, and alive in his embrace that she had entertained him with silly stories of the adventures he could experience as a curse-breaker. They had met twice a week for Potions coaching in an unused Potions classroom Prof. Slughorn had allocated to his Potions genius for experiments. After Eileen had pointed out to Orion that reading the recipe closely and organizing your working place were the keys for a successfully brewed potion, and had explained to him the basics of Potions' theory in simple words, Orion had managed to brew decent potions and receive an "Acceptable" in most of his assignments. He had complimented her shamelessly for her teaching talent and teased her that she would be an excellent Potions Mistress of Hogwarts if she managed to fail Prince Potions. Eileen had hexed him for his cheek, but seeing his smug look and good-naturedly shining sapphire eyes as well as hearing his deeply rumbled laughter, she hadn't been able to be angry at him and laughed with him.

They had met thrice a week in the Common Room at night for two hours, chatting about their daily lives, studies, friends' shenanigans, Hogsmeade plans, and hobbies. Naturally, they had only met in secret with a Movement Charm in place that would notify them immediately with a loud alarm when someone approached them. Eileen had lived for their friendly chats, close cuddles in front of the fireplace and laughter-filled stories. Her friends had remarked that she glowed lately, seemed energized and looked really happy. She had rebuffed their suspicions by citing breakthroughs in her potions' experiments, and a new blueberry diet as her secrets for a happy mood and smooth skin. Nobody could know that she spent cozy nights with Orion Black in their Common Room, for it would turn her over to Walburga's wrath and put Orion in trouble with his family. Although he had accomplished that his dad supported his training as a curse-breaker, he hadn't tried his luck and asked him for an annulment of his engagement from hell because he hadn't wanted to destabilize their fractured father-son-bond further.

Eileen had fallen deeper in love with Orion, especially when he had gifted her a self-created amber talisman that should protect her against harm at Yule. He had presented the beautiful talisman to her with a sheepish smile, a twinkle in his sapphire eyes, and a heartfelt speech on the night before they had to depart for their Winter Hols. He had called her his best friend, thanked her for being his light in a pool of darkness and believing in him, and promised her to always be on her side. He had closed the necklace with shaky fingers around her neck, brushed her skin slightly and gave her a quick peck on her cheek. At this moment, Eileen had felt like the world had stopped moving around them, stroked her cheek with a happy smile on her face, and jumped into his arms. She had thanked him with a beaming smile for his beautiful gift, squeezed him tightly, and called him her kindred spirit as well as best friend. She had gifted him her self-created Laughing Potion that would endow him an hour of laughter on a dark day as well as a leather wristlet charmed with runes for luck, protection, health, and companionship, blushing bright pink and vowing to always be there for him.

Orion had looked at her as if she was the most beautiful girl in the world and kissed her passionately on the lips. He had admitted in an emotional voice that he had fallen in love with her and that she would make him the happiest wizard in the world if she would be his girlfriend. Overwhelmed, Eileen had returned his kiss, confessed her feelings to him, and consented with a beaming smile to be his girlfriend. They had agreed that they needed to keep their romance secret till Orion had freed himself from his marriage contract, but from this night on, they haad interrupted their study sessions or romantic chats for some snogging and cuddling. They had communicated via secret gestures or codes in the Great Hall, via mind messages in their classes and via owls or their Patronus messengers during the Hols. Whenever she had seen Orion's majestic Thunderbird Patronus rush into her bedroom and heard him confess his love to her or tell her something about his latest adventures, she had felt loved, happy and carefree. She had cast her beautiful Unicorn Patronus thinking about his passionate kisses, handsome smiles, and sweet love declarations. Orion had organized romantic, forbidden midnight strolls around the Black Lake, secret candlelight dinners on the Astronomy Tower and passionate make-out sessions in the Room of Requirement during their sixth and seventh year.

Eileen had been so in love with him that she lost her virginity to him in the suite of a London hotel in their seventh year. All had seemed to be so perfect. They had received top marks in their N.E.W.T.'s, studied hard to excel in their curse-breaker training or Potions apprenticeship, snuck away on secret trips to St. Moritz, New York, and Paris and enjoyed the colorful Muggle culture by going to the cinema, the opera, museums or football games. Eileen had discovered her love for Muggle arts and classical music, whereas Orion had discovered his enthusiasm for football and Muggle movies. If Orion hadn't been still engaged to Walburga, their romance would have been perfect. He had even gifted her a stunning ring on their two years anniversary – a center amber stone lined by three diamonds on each side set on a simple, white-gold band engraved with their initials E.P. & O.B. and the vow Toujours l'amour – that she had sadly needed to hide under a Notice-Me-Not Spell on her left ring finger with the promise of marrying her in the near future. But his engagement from hell with Walburga had loomed like a Damocles sword over them, for Orion's father had refused to discuss his engagement. He had urged him to marry Walburga in a Spring Wedding in May 1959 and threated to burn him off their family tree if he played the runaway groom.

Orion had been devastated. He had to make a choice between his love and his family. Eileen had reassured him that she would stand by his side, elope with him in secrecy and live a simple, happy life if he got disowned by his family. She had stated that her parents would surely support their romance. Hence, she could end her apprenticeship as a Potions Mistress at Prince Potions and he could end his curse-breaker training at Gringotts and be employed in their company. Orion had vowed that he would run away from Grimmauld Place in late April 1959 after he had managed to buy a small cottage from the inheritance of his beloved grandmother and to transfer all of his money into a Muggle bank account. But somehow, the harpy Walburga must have learned from their secret romance and future plans. She hadn't wanted to give up Orion without a fight, be the jilted bride and embarrassed Black heiress. Hence, she had created some fake magical photos of Eileen in the arms of another, staged a love affair between Eileen and a handsome Muggle she had met on a vernissage in Muggle London and had seduced Orion with the help of a Love Potion and Aphrodisiacs a few days before his envisioned escape day.

To bind him to her for life, she had taken a potent Fertility Potion and presented a guilt-ridden, devastated Orion, who had called her an insane bitch for tricking him into sleeping with her, confessed his romance with Eileen to her, and vowed to make her life a living hell, with her staged pictures of Eileen in the arms of Abraxas Malfoy and fabricated love letters between Eileen and some Muggle man named Tobias Snape, who they had met on a vernissage in a London Art gallery. She had called Eileen a three-timing whore, mocked him for his naïve belief in her love declarations and lies as well as his stupid decision to throw everything away for some beautiful, potions-obsessed seductress. Orion had refused to believe her lies. He knew that Eileen would never cheat on him, deceive him and destroy his life. He had wanted to beg her for forgiveness, elope with her as soon as possible and send Walburga to hell. But the cunning harpy had presented him with a freshly-printed copy of the Daily Prophet where the engagement between Eileen Prince and the widowed Abraxas Malfoy had been announced. Orion couldn't believe his eyes. How could Eileen play him like this?

What he hadn't known was that Eileen had only agreed to marry Abraxas Malfoy because Walburga had threatened to kill Orion otherwise. She had sent an owl to her, boasting that potions were an ingenious way to seduce your runaway fiancé, make him fall in love with you and get pregnant with his child. As evidence of their passionate night, she had enclosed pictures of them between the sheets and a sample of her Fertility Potion. She had threatened to kill Orion if Eileen didn't announce her engagement to Abraxas Malfoy in the next Daily Prophet. To underline the gravity of her death threats, she had enclosed a flask of Orion's unique perfume mixed with a deadly poison. Although a devastated, heart-broken Eileen had cried constantly for an hour, she knew that she had to sacrifice her happiness and love to save Orion's life. Hence, she had sent her Unicorn Patronus with her engagement agreement to Abraxas Malfoy, who had tried to charm her for months and asked her to marry him one week ago, contacted the advertisement manager at the Daily Prophet with her engagement news, and pinned a quick message to Walburga - "You have won. May you rest in hell for your crimes."

She had blocked out every Patronus message from Orion with a self-created spell, ignored his owls and played the happy fiancée of Abraxas Malfoy. It had broken her heart to see his wedding photos with Walburga in the Daily Prophet a fortnight later. Seeing his empty sapphire eyes and forced smiles, her heart had been shattered into a million pieces. She had known that it was wrong of her to string Abraxas along, give him false hope and pretend to be happy with him. But she had thought that she would be able to go through with her marriage to protect the love of her life. Alas, a positive pregnancy test had turned her world upside down. She was pregnant with Orion's love child. To protect Orion's and his life, she had needed to escape into the Muggle world. Even if she had married Abraxas in a rushed ceremony, slept with him and staged a premature birth, she knew that her child would never have Abraxas' white-blonde hair or grey eyes. Walburga would realize that her child was Orion's love child and threaten his life. Thence, Eileen had decided to vanish into the Muggle world. She hadn't been able to predict that her life would turn into hell there.