How to Live Life
Chapter
A/N: Hello everyone! How has everyone been? I haven't heard from any of you in awhile. Has everyone read Cursed Child? Or were you lucky enough to land some tickets to the play some time soon? I wish I was that lucky, but since I live in America, the plane tickets to London will cost more than the tickets to the play, so yeah... But I waited in line at Barnes and Noble at midnight to get my copy and finished fairly quickly. It didn't take very long to get used to reading it in the script format, how bout you guys? What did you guys think of cursed child overall? I liked it, but I can see why you just need to see it for the full experience, the stage directions just weren't enough. I was thinking of incorporating parts of Cursed Child in here, what do you guys think about that? It will probably be easy seeing (CURSED CHILD SPOILER) that I already have Bellatrix and Voldemort's child in my story, thanks to you guys, because I would have chosen someone else as her mother, so thanks for saving my butt their :) Vlasta could very well be Delphi, or maybe someone else... Hehe(END OF SPOILER) But if you guys don't want me to, speak now or forever hold your peace, it won't be in this chapter though, but maybe the next... Anyhow, here's the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter, so I don't own anything in this story.
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QUICK RECAP ON LAST CHAPTER: ELLA JUST WOKE UP AND WENT STRAIGHT TO JAMES TELLING HIM THAT SHE NEEDED TO TELL HIM SOMETHING...
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"Ella, if anything we need to tell you something, actually many things," James laughed.
Ella sighed, "No, I'm serious, I really need to tell you something."
James gave her a cheeky grin, "No, I'm Sirius."
Ella rolled her eyes, yet she was smiling while doing so, "I see you are a comedian again Potter."
Chloe cleared her throat, "Will you two stop flirting, I'm sitting right here."
Both had a look of horror on their face, but for different reasons. Ella being that she, in no way, fancied James Sirius Potter, therefore she would never flirt with him, or so she thought. James looked that way because he worked so hard for them to at least become friends, and he didn't want to lose that. Chloe just laughed, "What? Just stating the obvious!"
Ella shook her head, "There is no way in hell that would ever happen! No offense or anything James."
James shook his head, "None taken. But Chloe, really? I'm over Ella, you know that!"
A small frown formed on Ella's face at this, but only Chloe noticed, she didn't say anything though. She also didn't say anything about James clearly still having the hots for his sister, instead she joked, "Why don't you just tell James what you siriusly had to tell him?"
Both knew that she used Sirius and not serious just by looking at her. James snickered and Ella scowled her sister, "It seriously is serious. It could save someone's life!"
James and Chloe's joking smiles were wiped off their faces at this, a look of seriousness replaced it, James sat up in his chair and croaked, "What?"
Ella rolled her eyes at them, "I told you I was serious. But noooo, everyone has to joke around and ma-"
"Get to the point Ella," Chloe interrupted.
"You know how people can hear the conversations going on around them when in a coma?" Ella asked.
"Yeah, I have. So it's true then?" James asked, looking nervous.
Ella giggled a little at his nervousness, "Yes it is. So yes James, I do know that you stayed here with me for awhile. Thanks for that, it kept me distracted from all the depressing things going on around here. And no, I'm not mad about anything you, uh, said."
James nodded and let go of a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
Ella lifted his head up so their eyes could meet, "That's not what I wanted to tell you though. Remember, I told you I could save someone's life. James, I know about your mother."
James eyes started to water and he was at lost for words, so Chloe spoke, "Are you sure Ella?"
Ella nodded with a smile, "I'm ninety-nine percent sure it will work."
"Ella, how can you be so sure? The healers here have probably been working on a cure since the Longbottoms came over forty years!" Chloe told her sister.
Ella smiled and told her sister, "Aunt Ruby."
Chloe looked at her confusingly, "But it was a minor injury from the Cruciatus curse that she had, that's why the regular treatment worked... Wait-"
"Yes, it was me," Ella told her.
"How? This is something many smarter wizards with more experience than you have been trying to solve."
Ella explained, "The problem with these wizards is that they don't have anyone to test it on. They can't try it on the victim because if something goes wrong they could physically or mentally harm them, they could even kill them."
"Then how did you test it?"
"One time our house got attacked, they used the Cruciatus curse on my cat, Honey. She is much weaker than humans, so her body gave up fairly quick. I was devastated, as you probably remember Chloe. This happened about a month before aunt Ruby," Ella explained.
Chloe still was confused, "Wait, let me get this straight. You used Honey as a test subject? I thought you were totally against people using animals to test their products?"
Ella nodded, "I did use Honey as a test subject, and yes, I am against it. The only reason I used Honey was because I knew this was her only hope at getting better. I was also really careful with it because I really didn't want to hurt Honey, so I did a ton of research. It took me a week to come up with my first attempt, and it didn't work. That's why Honey is blind in her left eye. But on my sixth try it finally worked. Luckily attempts two through five didn't really harm her, although I do think one of them may affected her mentally."
Chloe nodded, "So then when Aunt Ruby got hurt you just slipped it into one of her medications?"
Ella nodded, then looked at James, who was unusually quiet, "You okay Potter?"
James nodded, "I just can't believe it."
Ella smiled and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, then she started to move around, "I need to get up and stretch, I feel like I haven't moved it months. Wait... How long have I been out for?"
"About five months," James told her.
Ella's eyes looked like they were going to fall out her head, "Five months! It took you people five damn months to get me up. Damn..."
James sighed, "They tried everything they knew, but it didn't work. Today there was an attack at Hogwarts and Celeste gave me your journal that had a cure in it, we came straight here after the battle was over. I thought you said could hear though, didn't you know how long you've been out?"
Ella was surprised, "No one mentioned how long I was here, I thought it was a month tops. But that doesn't matter, their was a bloody battle at Hogwarts? And that bitch Celeste had the nerve to talk to you? How the hell did she even get my journal...?"
Chloe grabbed Ella's hand in attempt to calm her down as James nodded. Ella cousins believe it, she had missed so much! War, school, Quidditch... "Can you tell me what I missed?"
Chloe nodded, "Well after you got knocked out in that attack in London, Vlasta and her followers left because Celeste got hurt as much as you, and Vlasta was pretty pissed about it. Vlasta took James and I with her though and she help us captive in her dungeons. We were in their for awhile, but James' Dad along with the other aurors came and got us."
Ella's mouth was hanging open, "Damn... I'm sorry guys, that was all my fault... I shouldn't have left Hogwarts in the first place... I-"
"Ella don't blame it on yourself, we did it willingly, and we're all okay now, stop blaming yourself," James told her, "After that though, nothing really happened... Wait, my Aunt Hermione became Minister of Magic... Oh, and my Dad became a drunk and was so close to getting fired because he missed my Mom."
Ella's mouth still hung open, "Shit... I mean it's good news about Hermione, I bet she is doing great, but your dad... Really?"
James just nodded sadly, "Yeah, I just feel bad for my little sister, Lily, but I think tonight was a big wake up call for him and he is finally starting to get over it."
Ella smiled, "Well, there is no need him to do that."
James gave her a look of confusion as Chloe put her face in her hands and muttered, "Is your memory really that bad James?"
James still looked confused for a minute, then it hit him and he laughed sheepishly, "hehe... Oops."
Ella rolled her eyes as she got up out of bed for the first time in five months and stretched, "Is my stuff still at Hogwarts?"
Chloe nodded, "Yeah, we were all hoping you would be better by the end of the year."
Ella nodded then opened the door, "Come on you guys, I always kept a bottle of the cure there incase of emergencies."
(NOT THE END OF THE CHAPTER A/N: Did you people think I was actually going to take out Ginny? Ginny has to be one of my favorite characters the whole HP series, she and Harry are also my second favorite HP pairing! I'm wasn't lying when I said people will die, but I would never, never kill off Ginny. Never)
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"Where is she going?" Harry asked his son.
Harry just brought the three kids back to Hogwarts, and as soon as they stepped foot in the building, Ella ran off.
James smiled, knowing his Dad was going to be very happy soon, "you'll see."
Harry raised his eyebrows, suspicious of what his son could be up to, but decided to put it off because he saw his other son, Albus, looking at him furiously.
This scared the shit out of Harry, "Is Al okay?" Harry asked James.
James laughed sheepishly as he started to back away, "I may have shown him some stuff about your, uh... Drinking problem, and maybe...some other... Stuff?"
Harry glared at his son, but James already started to run away before he could say anything to him. Harry decided to approach Albus.
"Hey Al, what's up?" Harry asked his son.
Albus just glared at his father.
Harry sighed, "James told me that he told you that I-"
"That's not why I'm mad, Dad. I am disappointed that you went that low though, it was a pretty selfish thing to do to your family. I'm angry for a different reason though." Albus interrupted.
Harry kneeled down and put a hand on Albus' shoulder, "What's wrong son?"
Albus brushed Harry's hand off his shoulder coldly, "No, you obviously don't care. Nobody does."
Harry was surprised at his son's behavior, "What? Al, what are you talking about?"
But Albus didn't answer, he just walked off leaving Harry heartbroken.
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Ella ran out of Gryffindor tower and took a deep breath. She mentally cursed herself for not asking for James' invisibility cloak. She should have known that her entering the common room would have caused commotion though, it was really her own fault.
She let it go though, she had to get the potion to James. She ran off quickly, lost in thought. So much so that she bumped right into Albus Potter. Both of them falling on their bottoms, Ella holding the potion up as she fell so it didn't break.
"Oh! I'm so sorry Al! I didn't see you there, I was lost in thought, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine... Wait..Ella? What are you doing here?" Albus asked as he stood up.
"Your brother found the cure and I woke up about an hour ago," Ella told him as she too started to get up.
Al laughed, "That explains why you are awake, not why you're here."
Ella smiled at him, "I'm here because I needed to get this," she held up the potion.
Albus examined it from afar, "Why do you need a potion?"
Ella smiled warmly, "I need to help someone, why don't you come with me? You'll be happy to see what it will do."
Albus shrugged, "Sure, I was just going to tell Louis and Fred that James was okay, but they probably found him by now."
They started to walk and Ella noticed Albus didn't look like the Albus she remembered. He looked... Pained? Troubled? Confused? "Albus, what's wrong?"
Albus looked a little taken aback, no one noticed his change in behavior until now. Sure James made sure he was okay, but he didn't notice anything, and same went for Rose. But they felt they had to because of his Mom, they didn't notice anything different about him.
"Come on Al, I can tell something is troubling you, and I know it's not just about your Mom," Ella pressed.
She was right, it wasn't that, of course it was a contributing factor, but hardly the reason, to be honest, Albus didn't like talking about about this, "I don't know."
Ella sighed, "Of course you know, just tell me, maybe I can help."
Albus took a deep breathe, "I.. I just feel no one even knows I'm here most of the time."
Ella looked at him confusingly, "What? Albus of course people know you're there, I do!"
Albus laughed, "You just bumped into me because you 'didn't know I was there.'"
Ella shoved him playfully, "I told you it was because I was lost in thought! But stop avoiding the point, please tell me Al."
Albus sighed, "It's not just people forgetting about me, there's more to it. I just feel like a disappointment as well."
Ella gasped, "Why do you feel like that?"
Albus shrugged, "Well first of all, I'm a Potter so there is a lot to live up to. Second, I am a splitting image of my father so people expect more from me than from James and Lily. Third, I'm named after Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape, war heroes, headmasters, and much more. How am I supposed to ever live up to that? I can't, I never will and I'm already on my way to being a disappointment. Heck the sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin!"
Ella looked at the younger boy in shock. She never saw it that way, she didn't think anyone looked at him that way. What hurt her the most was that he felt that way about himself, "Albus, no one expects that from you."
Albus scoffed, "sure."
Ella sighed, "No, I'm serious. I don't view you that way and I don't think anyone does, now stop beating yourself down, Al. But what is this about Slytherin?"
Albus shook his head, "See, you're judging me now, I'm just a disappoi-"
"For the love of Merlin would you stop it Al! I was only curious as to how you got into Gryffindor if the hat wanted to put you in Slytherin," Ella snapped.
"Sorry, I've just been thinking this way for awhile now..." Albus told her sheepishly.
Ella put a hand on his shoulder, "It's fine, Al. Now tell me how you managed to change the sorting hats mind."
Al frowned, "It really wanted to put me in Slytherin. I had to put up a fight, it didn't listen though, it was about to yell Slytherin, but I smacked it real hard, but in the backside so no one noticed. Screamed Gryffindor after that."
"Wow, didn't know you could do that." Ella laughed.
Al's face dropped as he said, "My dad told me you could tell the hat where you wanted to go, that it took your opinion into account. And I didn't want to be a huge disappointment being the first Potter in Slytherin, so I had to put up a fight."
Ella sighed, "Oh Al."
Albus put his hands up, "I know, I know."
Ella laughed at his reaction.
"There you are! Oh hey Al!" James said as he approached them.
They both waved and James sighed, "Where have you been, I've been looking everywhere, It took me forever because I don't know where the map is."
Ella laughed, "I bumped into Albus here, no literally, I bumped into him and we both fell over. Then we got into a... Conversation. Lost track of time."
"That's nice. I see you've found the potion, now let's get going! You too Al!" James said as the three started to run off.
"Wait, where are we going?" Albus asked, realizing he had no idea what was happening and why he came.
James turned to look at his brother and smiled, "To St. Mungos."
Albus was confused as to why they were going there, but he could tell there was something important going on there.
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"According to 's notes here, she should wake up anytime in the next fifteen to twenty minutes," A Healer at told everyone.
They all nodded to the healer as he left. Ella and Chloe took this as their cue to leave as well, "We should leave you guys alone with her, we'll be in the waiting room."
Harry nodded, but James also got up, "We should go with you, leave Dad alone with Mom."
His siblings nodded in agreement, they knew their Dad missed her more than anything. So then the Smith sisters and the Potter kids made their way to the waiting room.
Once they sat down, James spoke up, "Thanks Ella."
Ella pushed it away like it was nothing, because to her it wasn't, "It was really nothing, no need to thank me."
"You brought our Mom back to us, of course we need to thank you," Lily told her.
Ella sighed, "well I'm not going to waste my time arguing with you three, so I'm just going to say, you're welcome, see? Now we're done with it."
There was an awkward silence amongst them until James spoke up, "Do you think we'll go back to Hogwarts? I mean because of the damages?"
"I think they'll just try to get exams done then close early so they can work on repairing the school for next year," Al told them.
Chloe nodded then asked, "Any plans for the upcoming summer?"
All three Potter's shrugged while Albus told them, "We'll probably do what we usually do. Two week vacation to a "secret" place with just the Potter's in the middle of July. Then another two week vacation with the rest of the Potter-Weasley Clan at the end of August. So many little things in between. How about you guys?"
Chloe shrugged, "Well seeing our parents are still captured or dead, We're going to our Aunt Ruby's and that's pretty much it."
James gave her a sad smile and asked, "That's in America, right?"
Ella nodded, "Yep, I don't know where she is staying now though. She did have a home in New York City, but with MACUSA being corrupted by Vlasta in that same city, I think she probably moved."
Chloe added, "She sent me an owl the other day. Apparently she is living in Boston now. We'll just take a portkey there."
"That sounds nice, haven't been to Boston in awhile." Ella told her.
"You guys should come visit us sometime," James told them.
Ella pushed it off, "You guys seem busy, we don't want to intrude."
"You won't be," Albus told them.
"It will be hard to get there anyway," Chloe added.
James raised an eyebrow, "It sounds like you two just don't want to see us."
Ella frowned in defeat, "It's not that we don't want to see you guys, it's just that we bring trouble with us wherever we go."
James was about to respond, but the door flew open revealing Ron and Hermione.
"Is it true?" Hermione asked as she sat down next to Lily.
"Yep," James nodded.
"Merlin," Hermione muttered as her and Ron's eyes starting to fill with tears.
"Is she awake yet?" Ron asked.
Albus shrugged, "Don't know, left her alone with Dad about fifteen minutes ago..."
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Ginny started to stir in her bed, Harry took her hand and whispered, "Gin? Gin, are you okay?"
Ginny groaned and turned around, now facing Harry with her eyes closed. Harry brushed some hair out of her face, "Gin?"
Harry was worried it didn't work, that she was still insane, but then she muttered, "Harry, what happened?"
Harry let go of a breaths he didn't realize he was holding and told her, "took a nasty Cruciatus curse that made you insane like the Longbottom's"
Ginny opened her eyes to look At Harry, "That explains why I felt trapped. It was horrible, I couldn't control myself and I felt like I was... Like I was... Gone.."
Harry sighed with tears in his eyes and held his wife's hand a little tighter, "Oh Gin, I'm so sorry."
Ginny gave him a sweet smile, "Don't be honey, you did all you could."
Harry put his face in his hands, "But it wasn't enough, I could have done more."
Ginny sighed and lifted Harry's face up to meet hers and gave him a sweet kiss, "No Harry. Don't blame yourself, none of this was your fault."
"I've missed you so much Gin. I love love you so much," Harry told her.
Ginny gave him a sweet smile, "I know Harry, I love you too."
Harry kissed her forehead, then a thought came to Ginny, "Wait, you said I was insane like the Longbottom's, right?"
Harry nodded, "You were, and I see where you are going with this. Some one we know found a cure."
"Hermione?" Ginny asked.
"Nope."
"You?" Ginny asked.
"Gin, you know I'm horrible at potions."
"McGonagall?" She asked
"Nope."
"A healer here?" She asked
"I said it was someone you know, but no."
"Then who?" Ginny asked, giving up.
"Ella," Harry smiled.
Ginny's mouth hung open in shock, "Ella? Ella Smith? The Ella who James has had a gigantic crush on since forever?"
Harry laughed, "Yes, apparently she has a lot of free time over the summer because of the Vlasta stuff."
"Wow," Ginny muttered.
"I know. Anyway, how about we let some others see you, but don't worry, I'll have my time with you later, tonight," Harry told her, giving her a knowing look.
Ginny laughed, "I'm not getting much sleep tonight."
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"I can't believe we only have a week left at Hogwarts," Victoire told her roommates as she lay across her bed.
"I can't believe we only have a week to get ready for N.E.W.T's," Chloe groaned.
"I can't believe I only have a week to get the Quidditch team together for the last game, we have to get the cup," Olivia told her friends.
"Always thinking about Quidditch, aren't you Olivia?" Chloe laughed.
"Well it is the last one I'll play for Gryffindor, but I'm just really nervous because there is going to be Quidditch scouts there." Olivia told them.
"I forgot about that, what teams are going to be there?" Victoire asked.
"McGonagall told me that Puddlemore United, Holyhead Harpies, and Pride of Portree are coming," Olivia told them nervously.
"Which team do you hope to get on?" Chloe asked.
"I don't know really. Both my parents were on Puddlemore United and it is a really good team. Pride of Portree is also really good, but I really like the Harpies. They're really good and I like how it is an all girl team, they all seem to have really good bond." Olivia told them.
"Well it seems like you want on the Harpies the way I see it, why are you questioning it?" Chloe asked.
"My parents really want me to go to Puddlemore United," Olivia muttered.
"Oh, they do always press about that," Victoire added.
"Just do what you want Liv, it's your life," Chloe told her friend.
"I know, I just feel pressured by them sometimes. Anyway, what are your guys plans after Hogwarts," Olivia asked them.
"Well I'm going into healing, I already signed up for the two year training. It starts in August after the N.E.W.T's come in, seeing if I still qualify," Victoire told them.
"Don't worry Vic, you'll get it. How about you Chloe?" Olivia asked.
Chloe sighed, "I... Uh... I don't think you'll be very happy with either of my choices."
"Come on Chloe! We don't care, do what you want," Victoire told her friend as Olivia nodded in agreement.
"Well I'm not exactly sure if I'm staying here, I was thinking about going to work with the MACUSA back in America," Chloe told them.
"I really don't want you to leave Chloe, you're our best friend, but if that's what you want..." Olivia told her.
"I don't know, I just feel like it's what I should do. But what I want to do is go into auror training with the ministry here," Chloe told them.
"Now I have four people to worry about," Victoire mumbled.
"You don't have to worry about me, I'll be fine," Chloe told them.
"You don't know you will be. My Uncle Harry has been hurt many times. I remember my Uncle Ron was too before he went to work at WWW. I know he will get hurt again though seeing he is an auror again, Teddy will get hurt too when he gets on the field, and so will you," Victoire told her.
"Calm down, Vic. Anyway, what are you going to do?" Olivia asked.
"Well I haven't really thought about it in awhile, I think I'll just think about it for a little while longer," Chloe told them.
Victoire yawned, "I think we should get to bed. Good nig-" Victoire paused, "Did you here that?"
Chloe and Olivia looked at each other, "No."
Victoire sighed, "I'm probably just hearing things, good night girls."
"Good night," They sang back.
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Five minutes earlier...
Ella sat downstairs in the Gryffindor common room by herself. It was nearing midnight and everyone but her were up in the dormitories. She should have been there too, but she couldn't sleep.
Too many thoughts were going through her head. So much had happened since she last sat here. Things were too different now. She was different now.
Ella just sat there and watched the fire burn. It relaxed her, it reminded her of being home. Her home before Vlasta took over, and when Celeste and her were still friends. The good times. The fun times. The peaceful times.
The fire in her living room always sat there and burned away. She had many memories in front of it, all happy memories. So she pictured the Gryffindor towers' as hers at home to put her at ease.
She could have fallen asleep there, she probably would have if it wasn't for an unwanted entrance of an unwanted person.
"Ella, can I talk to you?" A familiar voice coming from the portrait hole said.
Ella turned around to face a person she did not want to see. Celeste.
"I don't know how you managed to get in here, but there is no way in hell I'll talk to you," Ella said as she turned back around.
"Ella, please," Celeste pressed.
"No means no, Celeste," Ella told her calmly.
"I.. I just...just wanted to... to..." Celeste tried to say.
"You wanted to what? Just spit it out!" Ella told her as she turned around to look her ex friend in the eyes.
"Calm down Ella," Celeste told her.
"Calm down! You want me to bloody calm down! How am I supposed to do that when you're here! You have made my life a living hell," Ella yelled.
"Well you haven't been easy to work with either!" Celeste yelled back.
"What's that supposed to mean? You faked your death and ran off to work with Vlasta, we stopped being friends there. There is no need to 'work with one another,' we'll never work with one another because we're enemies!" Ella retorted.
"You bitch!" Celeste muttered.
"What did you say?" Ella said.
"I called you a bitch!" Celeste yelled.
"Me? No you're the bitch! You betrayed us!" Ella yelled.
"That tears it!" Celeste yelled as she reached for her wand.
Ella smiled and she too reached for her wand, "You're on bitch."
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A/N:So what do you guys think? Please tell me in a review so I can make things better! I respond to all of them! What did you guys think of Ginny? How about Albus and Ella's conversation? How about Vic/Olivia/Chloe's conversation? And most importantly, Ella and Celeste's conversation.
Thank you for reading everyone, make sure to drop a review if you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns!
Talk to you next update!
~~~Lanie 3
