There are no secrets that time does not reveal
Thursday, 13th of September, 1973
Gryffindor Common Room, Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts
Eleonore sighed, looking at the full common room. She knew full moon was tonight, so when Remus said goodnight and left the common room early, she knew he wouldn't return before the sun raised once again. "I'll see you tomorrow, alright?" She whispered, squeezing his hand with courage. "Stay safe."
He nodded his head, "Of course."
Ellie's eyebrows lifted when she noticed all of the Marauders following him. "Wait, where are you guys going?" She knew that they were aware of Remus his condition.
"We're just dropping him off, right Padfoot?" James smiled at Sirius nudging his elbow in his waist in the hopes of lowering Ellie's curious eyes.
"Padfoot?" Ellie looked at Sirius oddly, "What kind of name is that?"
"Just a nickname." Sirius quickly replied.
"A nickname?" Ellie crossed her arms in front of her chest, staring at the four boys in front of the portrait.
"Yes, a nickname." Remus agreed, knowing that he was actually the only one Ellie trusted and she would believe him. "It's silly, really."
"Alright then." The dark haired girl mumbled, "I'll see you guys in an hour then?" She looked at James, Sirius and Peter.
"Urh, we were actually planning on discovering the sixth floor. We still need to continue working on our map." James answered, "We're not that far along. It'll probably take quite some time."
Eleonore had heard of their plans of this infamous map. She didn't really know what to think of it, the idea behind it was actually really nice and brilliant, although she would never admit that but she knew the map would only be used to cause mischief. She didn't care that much, maybe later on she could be able to borrow it to visit Remus in the hospital wing.
"Right. Okay then." Ellie spoke, noticing that Peter was acting a little odd. He did not look her in the eye. "I'll see you all tomorrow."
"Night Ellie." James spoke, stepping out of the portrait with the rest of the guys. Remus gave her another timid smile as he followed the group outside.
Eleonore shrugged, still feeling that something wasn't right and turned around to walk towards one of the biggest sofas in the common room. She planted her ass on it and stared into the fire for a minute. Those guys were up to something. When they were exploring the grounds a few days ago, Peter grinned and actually looked a little proud. Now, he didn't dare to look into her eyes.
"You alright there, Ellie?" Christina spoke, planting herself next to Eleonore on the couch. She lifted her legs to place them on top of Ellie's lap. "You don't mind do you?"
"No. No. It's fine." Ellie mumbled, resting her hands on Christina's feet and shook her head. "Have you noticed that the boys have been acting a little distant lately?"
Christina locked her blue eyes with Eleonore's green ones. "Well, I don't know…Now that you mention it, James and Sirius haven't bothered you and Lils that much anymore…"
Ellie slowly nodded her head, "Yeah, and Peter… Just by the door he couldn't look me in the eye."
"Well, maybe you know, he's a little upset…" Christina mumbled.
"Upset?" Ellie looked confused, "But why?"
"Well, Remus and you and now that you're in the team with Hamblin…"
"Merlin Tina, not this again."
"But it's true!" Christina argued.
"I haven't thought of that." Eleonore spoke quietly, looking at her friend. "I should probably try to talk to him. I promised him we'd work on transfiguration tomorrow."
"Yeah, maybe you should." The blonde spoke, "Anyways, how was Quidditch practice yesterday?"
"It was alright. Everyone in the team is very friendly. I can't wait for our first game. I actually think we have a shot." Eleonore spoke, knowing that in two weeks she had her first real Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. They were quite competitive and a better team than the Hufflepuffs. They had actually won the cup last year, much to the annoyance of James Potter.
"I can't wait. Hamblin isn't busting your balls too much?" Christina questioned, looking at Ellie with that familiar grin.
Ellie rolled her eyes, "No, he's not. He's actually a real good captain."
"I bet he is." Christina raised her eyebrows, laughing when Ellie suddenly threw a cushion at her head.
Friday, 14th of September, 1973
Gryffindor Common Room, Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts
"Hey Petey." Eleonore grinned, placing her transfiguration books on the table in the common room. "Are you okay?" She looked at her friend in worry, noticing the dark shadows underneath his eyes as he looked at her from across the table. Ellie marched her feet towards him, pulling out the chair next to him. "Hey…" She briefly touched his upper arm, noticing the way he flinched.
She looked at him in confusion, "What's wrong?"
"Not-nothing, Ellie." Peter stammered, averting his eyes from her piercing stare. "Ca-can we start transfiguration?"
"Alright then…" She mumbled, shaking her head softly. "Do you want to revise what we learned on Wednesday? When we transfigured the teapot to a tortoise?"
"Ye-yes that would be nice." He nodded his head, taking his quill. "I- I always have trouble to find the scale of viciousness."
Eleonore nodded her head, "It's difficult. I know. You have to consider a lot of factors. The way I do it, is that I compare it to the other formulas. Like when we did the raven, it was around 418. A raven is probably more vicious than a tortoise, you know? I thin-" Ellie watched how Peter closed his eyes for a few seconds, "Are you sure you're alright? Didn't you sleep well last night?"
"I-I, I don't think I got a lot of sleep." He stammered, watching how Ellie turned her body towards him.
"Why?"
"I-I just, well," He averted his eyes, looking at one particular spot on the wooden table. She noticed him biting his lip and fumbling with his hands.
"Hey." Ellie serenely placed her hand over his to calm him down and stop the fumbling. "If there's something on your mind, Petey, you can talk to me. I'm always here to listen."
"I don't think Padfoot woul-"
"Padfoot?" Ellie raised her eyebrow. "That stupid nickname for Sirius? You call him that too? What does he even have to do with this?"
"I-I. We- we just have nicknames for one another." Peter replied.
"Really? I know Remus is Moony and what's yours? And James his?" Eleonore spoke with interest. It would probably be something stupid.
"James is prongs."
"Prongs?" Ellie looked confused. "And yours is…"
"Wormtail."
"Wormtail?" Ellie awkwardly looked at Peter, raising her eyebrow. "What does that have to do with you?" She averted her gaze from his face towards his crotch, widening her eyes. "Is tha-"
"WHAT? No!" Peter fiercely shook his head. His cheeks burning up by even the suggestion of Eleonore. "No-no- that, that has nothing to do with it. I just-"
"Well they have to come from somewhere..." Ellie couldn't help but hold back a grin. She tried not to laugh at Peter's reddened cheeks.
"They do. They do come from somewhere but not from there." Peter immediately spoke, rushing his words.
"Where do they come from then?" Ellie couldn't help but cross her arms, looking at Peter. She knew they were holding back a secret. She knew it had something to do with this stupid nicknames. There had to be an explanation.
"I-I can't te-tell." Peter stammered.
"You can tell me everything." Eleonore smiled, using her charm. "Everything." She softly placed a hand over his sweating hands.
"Re-Remus would never forgive me."
"Remus?" Ellie raised her eyesbrows, "Remus has something to do with these nicknames?"
Peter looked concerned. He knew she already knew too much. Eleonore was smart, she would figure it out and the boys would know it came from him. He was the weakest. "I- I, Ellie you can't tell him. You can't, please forget I ever said something about it. Don't, please do it for me, for me." Peter mumbled, looking frightened.
"Hey, we're friends. I wouldn't betray your trust. It's fine. Boys have secrets. I don't need to be a part of everything. It's fine." She tried to smile, waving his concerns away. "Let's just, let's focus on transfiguration, alright?"
"Alright." Peter sighed in relieve, believing every word she spoke. He knew she wouldn't betray him.
Ellie couldn't help but be disappointed when Peter told her Remus was keeping something back from her.
Saturday 29 September, 1973
Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch, Hogwarts Grounds, Hogwarts
"It is a beautiful Saturday morning, the sun is shining and the atmosphere is amazing!" The Quidditch commentator shouted. "Today is the first Quidditch match of the year! The Ravenclaw team is still the same but Gryffindor has two new players. The lovely Eleonore Darensbourg- what a beautiful creature that i-"
"MISTER ARMIN!"
"Sorry Professor McGonagall. As I was saying Eleonore Darensbourg, better known as Ellie is the new chaser in the team and Sirius Black is the new beater. He beat 8 competitors for the position of beater so he should be a good attribute! We are very curious indeed!"
Ellie couldn't help but roll her eyes at the Gryffindor fifth year commentating. Her dragon hide gloves wrapped themselves around the broom. She wasn't even in the air yet and her adrenaline was pumping. She could hear the screams of the crowd in the background as Allan Armin shouted his commentary.
"You ready, Ellie?" James grinned from beside her, looking at Eleonore with expectation.
"Yes. We should be able to kick their ass, right?" Ellie mumbled a little nervously, looking at James sideways.
"Of course we should! We'll kick ass, Darensbourg!" Sirius grinned, throwing his arm around her shoulder.
"Don't touch me, Black." Ellie mumbled, throwing his arm off her shoulder.
"We're on the same team now, you know, you have no choice but to get along with me." He cheekily grinned, knowing that he was pushing her buttons.
"You're right, Black but that doesn't mean I have to like it. If this is your plan to annoy me every time we actually have to play-" Ellie crossed her arms over her Quidditch robes, raising one eyebrow when she noticed James and Sirius high fiving. "What is it?"
"Are you still nervous?" James wondered.
"What? What are you even talking about?" Ellie looked confused.
"Your mind is occupied by padfoot's ability to annoy you, which means you're not thinking about the game. You should thank him really." James grinned.
Ellie's green eyes slowly turned towards Sirius, who watched her with expectation in his eyes. "I think you're absolutely right, prongs."
"Stop your stupid nicknames, for godssake." Ellie snapped, "Just make sure my head's not smashed in by a bludger."
"Nothing's going to happen to that pretty head of yours, Darensbourg." Sirius grinned, dancing on the balls of his feet. He stuck out his chest, bowling his fist. "I shall be your rescuer."
"The saviour." James whispered, playing along.
"Get the hell away from me." Ellie spoke, turning around to march towards David Hamblin.
"She's always so easy to irritate, isn't she?" Sirius grinned, looking at James with a goofy smile.
"You do have a great ability to irritate Ellie. It seems she reserves that especially for you."
"I almost feel special." Sirius grinned, watching how Ellie still had the face of a slapped arse when she listened intensely to David Hamblin going through the strategy one last time.
The game went on longer than it should have. The chasers from the Ravenclaw team were nearly as good as the ones from the Gryffindor team. Everytime a quaffle flew through the Gryffindor loop, Ellie, James or Ian would throw one back in the Ravenclaw loop. It was a constant battle for the seekers, they had to watch the scoring board intensely and as soon as one of the team had a lead or were even, one of them would get into action.
In the end, Gryffindor won but it was pure luck. The team didn't celebrate as much and David was a little annoyed that the strategy didn't work out in their favour. The day after the game, at the practice, he instructed everyone to sit in the changing rooms.
He paced back and forth in front of the blackboard, his eyes glued to the floor. Everybody was sitting on the benches, the whole team's gaze following the Quidditch captain. Ellie sat in between Ian Willow and Mary-Gane McGonagall and there was an eerie silence. "Right." David Hamblin spoke, immediately stopping his pace and looking at the team. "We need a new strategy. We won, but barely."
His eyes roamed the entire team, "I think we need to adjust our beaters in favour of our chasers."
"…What does that exactly mean?" James carefully spoke, taking this meeting all too seriously.
"We need to re-evaluate." David Hamblin spoke, his eyes stopping at Ian and Ellie. "Yesterday, Vincent backed you two up. Sirius you backed James up. We need to change all of that."
"James, you're fast on your broom. You don't need one entire beater the whole game. Vincent is more experienced, he should stick with two chasers." David Hamblin pointed his wand at the blackboard, connecting certain dots to everybody's name. "This is what will happen next time." He pointed his wand at the dot that read Black, making it float towards Darensbourg.
"Wait, wait, wait." Ellie spoke, holding her hands in the air. "I don't need a babysitter every match. I'm perfectly capable of sharing a beater."
"Eleonore, you're a great flyer and amazing at Quidditch, but you're new. For now, I need you to be protected and if it means someone backing you up, then that's the way it shall be." David spoke sternly.
Ellie's mouth widened, her gaze averting towards Sirius sitting next to James a few feet away. "And you're just okay with this?"
"Well, it makes sense, Ellie." Sirius mumbled.
"How so?" Eleonore questioned a little loudly, standing on her feet with her hands on her hip. She ignored the fact that he actually called her by her first name, something that never happens.
Sirius immediately flew at his feet, standing in front of her in challenge. "Guys, seriously." James spoke up, knowing what would happen if he didn't interrupt.
"Because Darensbourg." He spoke, ignoring everybody staring at the two of them. "Yesterday we weren't good. We won but we were not good. We need to change strategies and I know your ego gets in the way of many, many things but I refuse to let it disturb the game."
"What does my ego have to do with any of this?!" She answered loudly, stepping closer to Sirius so that their noses were almost touching.
"You don't want me to back you up. Simple. You don't want me to protect you. You have this thing in your head that you always want to protect yourself. That you don't need anybody else." He pointed out. "And especially not me."
"That's is absolute shit." Ellie bowled her fists.
"Guys, guys, guys-" David spoke, pushing his hands in between his two players before Eleonore would actually physically attack him. "This is not the time not the place to fight out your personal battles and I will not let this happen, ever again. For all I care kiss and fucking make up but stop being childish."
"I am no-" Ellie argued.
"Ellie, just shut your mouth for two minutes." James spoke in the background. Ellie's furious eyes made contact with James' and she immediately shushed when she saw his troubled face. "You know I care about you but this isn't about you nor is this about Sirius. This is about the team. David is the captain and we will listen. It makes sense. Sirius should back you up and Vincent will back Ian and I up the next match and that's how things will go. End of discussion."
For once, Eleonore shut her mouth, clenching her teeth. Swallowing her pride, she slowly nodded her head. Ignoring Sirius, she turned towards the captain. "You're right. I'm sorry, David. The team is more important."
"Thank you, Ellie." David gave her a small smile. "Now everybody sit and listen."
Wednesday, October 10, 1973
Transfiguration Class Room, First Floor, Hogwarts
Ellie sat next to Lily at the front of the classroom. She watched how Professor McGonagall stood in front of her desk, her hands clasped in front of her robes. "Today we shall not practice, this a purely theoretical class." Ignoring the student's groans, she continued. "We will talk about a little about this particular subject."
Eleonore watched how Professor McGonagall slowly sunk down, until there was nothing left but a cat. It looked at the classroom non impressively for a minute before it she transfigured back towards her normal self. "Animagus. Can anybody tell me what that is?"
Her eyes scanned the room and stopped at Alice her raised hand. "Yes, Miss Henderson?"
"An Animagus is a witch or a wizard who can morph him or herself into an animal at will." Alice quickly answered, a blush upon her cheeks when everybody stared at her.
"Very good! And does anybody know the difference between an Animagus and a Metamorphmagus? Yes, Miss Evans?"
Ellie heard Lily reply from right next to her, "Metamorphmagus are born with it. It's a hereditary skill. Being an Animagus has to be learned."
"Indeed, Miss Evans. Five points for Gryffindor. It takes a lot of practice, patience and a particular skill to become Animagus. The process is long and laborious but once the training is over, an Animagus can change at will, with or without a wand." Professor McGonagall spoke, her eyes stopping at the four Marauders sitting in the back. "Animagus can only take on the form of one specific animal, it is not chosen by the wizard itself. It is determined by their personality and inner trails. Each Animagus bears an identifying mark on their animal form that is a reflection of their human body. I hope everyone has noticed that I am indeed an Animagus and that I am a cat. I have markings on my Animagus form caused by my spectacles."
Ellie raised her hands in curiosity, watching how Professor McGonagall nodded her head at her to continue. "Professor, how do you learn to be an Animagus? What makes it so hard? Is that why there aren't that many Animagus?"
"Well, Miss Darensbourg, there's always a risk. The chance that it backfires is real. The transformation can go horribly wrong in many ways. Part of the process is holding the leaf of a mandrake in their mouth for an entire month, then using that leaf to create quite a difficult potion and reciting an incantation on a daily basis. Since the process is so long, many wizards prefer to spend their time more wisely, that's why there aren't a lot of Animagus. If you do want to become an Animagus, you have to register so there's quite a bit of paperwork involved furthermore." Professor McGonagall spoke.
Ellie nodded her head slowly, watching how everybody actually listened intensely to the professor. She watched how Marlene raised her hand, "Professor, if it's so much work, why do people do it then? Become one?"
"Well, it can be used for many things. It comes in handy in Auror Training, especially." Ellie's ears peaked at that. "If you need to disguise or conceal it's the best way to do so. Animagi also have the ability to communicate with normal animals. There seems to be a clear understanding. There are a lot of advantages for Animagus, you can communicate with other creatures and there's a less chance for a human to physically arm you."
"Because you would be faster, right?" Frank spoke with a grin.
"Hands, Mister Longbottom." Professor McGonagall spoke, "But yes, you would be faster."
"…Is a werewolf an Animagus, Professor?" Daniel Bord, a Hufflepuff spoke. Ellie couldn't help but feel a pang of hurt inside her chest. She tried not to turn her head towards Remus, ignoring the fact that she wanted to give him a smile. She knew he would hate the pity and people might suspect something. So she stayed put, her head turned straightly towards the professor's desk up front.
"No, no it is not but that is a really interesting question, Mister Bord." Professor McGonagall spoke, eyeing the auburn haired boy. "Lycanthrophy is caused by a blood infection transmitted through a bite of a werewolf, whereas Animagus is learned. The werewolves cannot keep their minds after a transfiguration whereas Animagus, can so. Werewolves cannot control themselves when they transform, whereas Animagus can. There are many, many differences between a werewolf and an Animagus. However, there is something particularly curious. Werewolves only harm humans. Animagi, while in their animal forms, are completely safe to be in company of a werewolf." Professor McGonagall spoke, her eyes gently searching the class in front of her. Ultimately resting upon Eleonore, "Another reason to become an Animagus, more so." She gently spoke.
For a moment, Eleonore's brains started to run a hundred miles an hour.
Hey Padfoot, pass me the potatoes? Will you?
Prongs, your hair looks like you just ran a mile through a thunderstorm!
Wormtail is losing his mind once again. Come on, you don't need help from Ellie with transfiguration, you did fine before!
Moony! Come here!
She remembered Peter trying to avert his eyes from her when she helped him with the transfiguration essay, she knew he was lying back then. He was hiding something from her. She remembered her words,"Padfoot? That stupid nickname for Sirius? You call him that too? What does he even have to do with this?"
"Really? I know Remus is Moony and what's yours? And James his?" "James is prongs."
Why did they call James Prongs? Why was Sirius Padfoot? These nicknames weren't made just for the fun of it. They were missing when there was a full moon. Wormtail. Wormtail. That didn't have anything to do with Peter's… Crotch…
They were animals. Animals. They were Animagus. They had gone through the entire process without contacting Ellie, without trusting her. Without even asking if she wanted to be a part of it.
"Yes, a nickname. It's silly, really." She remembered Remus his words, the way he smiled at her certainly.
"Urh, we were actually planning on discovering the sixth floor. We still need to continue working on our map. We're not that far along. It'll probably take quite some time."
They weren't discovering the sixth floor. They had been behaving oddly since the start of the year. Peter was dead tired when they sat together to do the transfiguration homework.
The quill in her hand snapped from her deadly grip, her teeth were gnashing together. She was furious. If she would have been a dragon, the whole room would be burned down by now. Not one single thing would be standing up.
She could not believe it.
Remus lied.
Remus lied.
She had been there for him from the start, she was the one who wanted to help. She was the one who protected him. It was her job to protect him. She had held his hand the last year, kept up with his notes when he was sick in class. She had defended him time and time again, just for him not to trust her in return? Really?!
He lied.
They were there when he transformed. Didn't he trust her enough? He knew she was good at transfiguration, hell she was better than all of them combined. Peter could be there but she could not?! Really?!
He thought of her as such a poor friend?!
"Miss Darensbourg? Are you alright?" Professor McGonagall stared over her glasses at the young student with worry. It was not Ellie's usual way to become this pale and stare at one particular spot on her bench. Her fists were clenched and her jawline sharpened by the way she gnarled her teeth. "Miss Darensbourg?"
"Ellie!" Lily whispered, nudging her elbow in Ellie's ribs.
"I-I" Ellie looked around, her eyes finally finding the professor's. "I'm not feeling well, is it alright if I step out of the classroom, professor?"
"Of course. You look ill." Professor McGonagall spoke, eyeing the young girl with worry. "Go to Madam Pomfrey, get some rest."
"Thank you, professor." Ellie spoke, snapping her book shut and placing it in her bag in hurry. She quickly strapped her bag around her shoulders, stopping when she heard Remus speak.
"Professor, shouldn't someone escort Ellie to the hospital wing?"
"Yes, that might be a good idea." Professor McGonagall spoke, "Why don't you help her mister Lupi-"
"No! No!" Ellie shook her head. "I wouldn't want to be a burden." Ellie snapped.
"Miss Darensbour-"
"I'll be fine. Sorry, Professor. I can take care of myself. Would not want to disturb, Mister Lupin. He clearly has other thing's on his mind." Ellie answered not looking at Remus. Her feet quickly marched out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Things that apparently were not any of her business.
Or she just was not important enough to know of.
Author's note: There you go, a lot of drama coming up. I've decided if Ellie would become an animagus or not and if she would be, what she would actually turn into. Remus and Ellie's relationship will go through a rough patch, but I promise it will end well. Atleast if you review, Eleonore Darensbourg isn't the only one with the ability of blackmail. Oops. Xo Eva
Special thanks to; paulaa90, mbob4980, blissangel91494, bellaphant for the reviews. Much appreciated.