To Protect

89

My dearest,

I can not wait to see you and Harry both. Our first Christmas! I've already got the whole weeks planned, not a day we should spare out of boredom! I chopped a tree down yesterday morning. Already have it set inside the study. In the mean time, I've been doing a bit of Christmas shopping myself, of course I'm doing it safely— I send Remus out to pick it up for me. It's not the easiest time to be a wanted man during the holiday season. Soon enough all of that will be behind us. I'm truly thankful for what I have. You and my godson. A redeemed life is a perfect one for me. Send an owl when you can, until than— see you very soon.

With all my love...
Sirius

Eleanor carefully slid the letter back inside it's envelope before placing it on her night stand.

Her eyes glanced over to the gifts wrapped up with ribbon sitting in the corner of her sleeping chamber. An extra gift was placed amungst the other presents she had picked up during her Hogsmeade shopping spree.

She just hoped Severus would like it.

Christmas had been coming up quickly, by tomorrow students would be packing their trunks for the holiday. As well as Eleanor who was grateful to be out of the eyes reach from Dolores.

Everytime she had crossed paths with her, Eleanor could practically feel her beady eyes burning into her skull.

Recently, Dolores had been wearing a mischievous smirk on her lips. Eleanor knew the dark arts teacher had been up to something, but there had been no proof of her being involved with a secret club since it didn't exist.

Instead of writing Sirius back Eleanor found herself growing tired as it became later into the night. She promised herself that she would write him by morning.

As she drifted off into a slow slumber her mind wondered, she thought about what he had said in his letter, a particular phrase in mind: A redeemed life is a perfect one for me.

Eleanor had felt as if she had quite a few too many of those. Her childhood, the death of her parents, her own brother had followed behind, Ted, years of absence and isolation— she came back into the wizarding world without a clue of who she was. Only a false identity under the name Adler.

She wondered what it was like to relive as herself again, but as long as the dark lord was wanting to kill — it wasn't possible.

It will never to be considered an option.

When her eyes fell and her mind had turned off it felt to only be to the count of ten until a hastened knock was heard from the opposite side of the door.

Eleanor sat up and looked to the clock, it had only been three hours.

Wrapping a robe over her, she sped to the door in worry.