𝟏.| ✬ 𝒟ℯ𝒶𝓇 ℬ𝒾𝓁𝓁, ✬ {ℬ. 𝒲ℯ𝒶𝓈𝓁ℯ𝓎}

\𝓈ℯ𝓋ℯ𝓃\

Eleanora woke up late the next morning, meeting Fred and George in the common room twenty minutes after when she'd said she would. She was met with complaints of; "Always late-"
"We should start sending you wake up owls-" and "I'm starving, Nora," but she mostly ignored them. The twins went on and on all the way down to the entrance to the great hall, where Eleanora stopped them. "Hold up. What's that sound?" There was a horrible yelling echoing out of the hall.

"Someone's got a howler," George said, grinning as he threw open the doors.

"I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE-" 

The twins stopped dead in their tracks. "Uh-oh," muttered Fred. Eleanora led them over to the table amidst the continued screams of Molly Weasley. They took their seats next to Lee and watched the action.

"-WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD HAVE BOTH DIED-"

Eleanora looked over at the twins, whose faces were somewhere between amusement and terror. Lee nudged her and whispered, "She's just been going on like this, she's really angry." Eleanora nodded, not enjoying the screaming. Harry and Ron seemed to be enjoying it less, though; they were both slumped in their seats, faces red.

"AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."

The letter burst into flames and complete silence fell, only broken by the twins dissolving into uncontrollable fits of laughter. "At least it wasn't us," George managed, wiping at his eyes. Eleanora and Lee went back to their breakfasts, chortling. Just then, Circe flew over and skidded to a stop in front of Eleanora's plate.

"Your owl's just as late as you," Fred joked.

"Have you got a howler too?" asked George, before the twins burst out laughing again. Eleanora shook her head, smiling, and detached the letter from Circe's leg. It was simply addressed:

Eleanora Marks
Hogwarts

Recognizing the neat lettering, Eleanora smiled and slipped the envelope into her school bag.
"Ooohh, was it a love letter?" said Fred, leaning over to look. Eleanora snorted and pushed him away.

"It's from Bill, you idiot."

When Professor McGonagall handed Eleanora her schedule, giving her a tight smile and a "welcome back," she studied it closely. She knew O.W.L. year was more rigorous than most, but this didn't look so bad. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around. Cedric Diggory was standing over her, smiling.

"Hello, Eleanora!" he said, clutching his schedule in one hand.

"Hey, Ced, what's up?"

"I just wanted to look at your schedule, someone said Hufflepuff's having Potions with the Ravenclaws this year." He passed Eleanora his own schedule and she handed him hers.

"No way," she murmured, studying it closely.

"I don't believe it," said Cedric in awe. "How could they change it after four years?"

"Wait a moment," Eleanora said, eyes widening. "That means... I've got potions with the-"

"Slytherins," Cedric finished for her, shaking his head sympathetically.

"Who am I going to partner up with?"

He let out a deep sigh. "Dunno, we were the best pairing in the class for four years, El, I don't think anyone can beat that." 

Eleanora's shoulders slumped as she took the schedule back. "We've still got Herbology though."

"Partners?"

"Always."

When Cedric walked away, Eleanora turned back to the table to finish her breakfast, but felt people's eyes watching her. She looked around to see half the table eyeing her up.

After breakfast, Eleanora met up with her roommates, Phillipa and Beatrice to walk to History of Magic. She hadn't seen them the night before, they'd gone out and hadn't come back until late.
"How were your summers?" she asked.

"Great, Bea came to stay all summer," Phillipa said brightly. "You were at the Weasleys again?"  Phillipa knew better than most what Eleanora went through at home. They'd been inseparable for their first few years at school.

Eleanora brushed her off nonchalantly. "Yeah, you know how it is. Family problems." The girls nodded sagely. To change the subject, and because she knew Phillipa and Beatrice would be able to give her an answer, she asked, "Why was everyone looking at me after I talked to Cedric?"