Lions Learn

Lesson One: Pain

  It had been a week since her fathers death, anyone could tell she was at the edge of tears. A part of herself lost, her mind amidst in her thoughts. If you where to look at her, you wouldn't see the strict, intelligent, perfect ponytailed girl you would usually see. She looked broken, her face pale with nervousness, her eyes puffy and red from crying. She didn't let it effect her, teaching wise. She didn't have the energy to have her usual arguments over quidditch with Severus Snape. Elladora was reading more, her eyes growing colder and sadder each day. Most of the staff had noticed, some tried to comfort her the best they could. She only replied "I'm fine." Then touched her necklace...

   She had lost her friend, one of her only friends...Regulus Black in 1979. Only a few years before her brother and mother's death. She was in hiding for two years, two long painful years, Her only outside world was hogwarts the only place she felt somewhat safe. She brushed her words and thoughts off her, she had her job to do and wasn't going to stop from doing so because of a death. She learned that the hard way, people let that influence their lives when there is nothing they can do about it now. It was near Halloween for hogwarts, she was in charge of enchanting the pumpkins, she reminded herself. As the students began to file into her classroom, she took a deep breath, putting her thoughts behind her and began to teach her class.

   After her class had been taught and a pile of papers lay on her desk, She slowly began to read the essays that the sixth years had written. She sighed at the stupidity of some of her students, smiling to herself. She continued to grade and read her papers, eyes moving across the pages, occasionally dipping her silver quill into the ink. She finished her papers within the hour, as she always did. She was very quick with these things. When Elladora put her mind to something, she would stop at nothing. She didn't bother to go to the great hall for lunch, Elladora wasn't hungry these days, or any days for that matter. Just as she was about to stand up to look at the photograph again, the door creaking opening. Not turning to see who it was, she had a guess "knocking is an option." Elladora called to the witch or wizard. "Excuse me?" She heard a familiar female voice say back, a small Scottish accent in her voice. Elladora's eyes widened slowly, from fear mostly. "Why where you not in the great hall?" "I ordered food from the house elves." Ella replied hand going up to touch her necklace, she refrained herself from doing so by having another hand stop it quickly. "I don't appreciate you lying to me Elladora. I know it's hard.. but you need to talk to someone. It doesn't have to be me. But I know from personal experience," "you have Dumbledore. You realize I don't have.... someone like that." Elladora said, getting the small box down from the shelf, not daring to look at Mcgonagall. "You have friends if I recall." Mcgonagall replied, looking at her warmly. "Do you think they would understand?"  Mcgonagall was silent at her words, hurt. Elladora sat the box gently on her desk and turned to the professor. "I apologize.." She said, sighing and rubbing her eyes through her glasses. "For lying to you. I didn't order anything from the house elves" "I know. Your necklace, you always touch it when your lying." "Habit I suppose." Elladora said as Mcgonagall Turned her gaze to the box." Your fathers... he used to carry it everywhere." Elladora winced at the words, holding back tears and turning away. "I-I know..." She managed to choke out. Mcgonagall put a hand on her shoulder, they had been so close before the war... Elladora was so young... only the age of 16 when she was forced into hiding. Born in 1965, during Voldemort's rise to power. Befriending slytherins, told her they where both misunderstood....most of them turned to Voldemort. She was asked to join them, but refused. She they weren't bad friends, or bad people for that matter. Just choose the wrong path or where raised that way. Elladora was born on the nineteenth of April,nineteen sixty-five, a full moon...

   Elladora's mind raced at the memories that she had, of her whole family. Her fathers will. He made one when the war started.... she turned to Mcgonagall, teary eyed. "His will." "The ministry has it dear.." Mcgonagall stated softly, pulling Elladora into her arms. Elladora was surprised at first, her eyes softened for the first time in weeks. She embraced her aunt back, letting tears fall from her face the first time freely. They hadn't relied on each other for years.... a memory flashed through Elladora's mind: