Better - The Marauders

FIFTY-TWO

- Chapter Fifty-Two -
"You certainly do a better job than my mother."

The holidays passed by in a blur. Elladora was sat comfortably in the Marauder's compartment of the Hogwarts Express as the April sunlight filtered in through the window that displayed the endless view of hills covered with grass. The chugging and puffing of the train was drowned out deep below the laughter of the group of five sat safely together in one small compartment where nobody could single any one of them out.

She was laughing at something James had said, putting a hand over her mouth as she chewed the chocolate that Remus had gotten her at the same time. Peter was almost in tears of laughter whilst Sirius just kept a goofy smile on his face. Remus was looking down at a book, the one that she had given him for his birthday and a small chuckle left his lips at the sound of the group's laughter even though his attention was on the inked words that printed the pages of the novel. He looked up at the group ad started laughing once more at the sight of them.

Then she woke up.

Gasping at the sound of a heavy fist banging on the door of the dark and shadowed room, Elladora pushed herself up from her lying position and became alert of the knocking on the door in front of her. She had to take a moment to realize where she was since one minute she had been laughing with her best friends and the other she was lying frailly on the hard floor of the room she had her worst memories in. Her hands were gripped into fists, so hard that little crescent shapes had begun to dig themselves into the skin of her palm by accident, and her legs were held up to her chest so her body was lying in a sort of ball position.

"Elladora." The rigorous tone of her mother's voice had her standing all too quickly, though she may have stood too fast since the dark surroundings of the room were now spinning slightly and her head felt disorientated.

The door flew open with a click of the lock and Cassiopeia came striding in, bringing a little bit more light from the outside of the room in with her. Elladora squinted in order for the new shine not to damage her eyes but she didn't have to do that long since her mother's physique came closer and the light was blocked from view.

The two of them didn't talk as Elladora allowed Cassiopeia to grab her arm and drag her out of the room. She slightly lost her footing from not having enough time to regain energy from the strenuous activity that took place before her mother had left the room and she fell into a tiresome sleep. The dragging continued up the stairs so they were in the entrance hall again and then her mother continued to bring her up the first floor where her room is.

"In." The woman said and shoved her daughter inside, Elladora nearly tripped over her long black skirt but stopped herself last second, instead opting to survey the room she had definitely not missed.