eloise martin enjoys her simple life in diagon alley with her best friend, nymphadora tonks, until dora's cousin needs a place to stay while on the run. soon, not only is eloise's life upside down with cousinly chaos, but also budding feelings for...
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On this hot Tuesday, Eloise was exhausted as she walked up the stairs to her flat, immensely regretting the anti-apparition charms protecting the flat. She had just worked a double shift at Flourish and Blots after Dora had kept her up all night to watch muggle films.
Tonight was Dora's night to cook, as the girls switched off cooking duties for Monday through Friday. Saturday, the two girls would get take out or go out to dinner, and Sunday, they would eat dinner with one of their families.
Dora and Eloise were hardly ever apart, not that they minded. They had been that way since their first September first. Holidays from Hogwarts were spent split between the Tonks home and the Martin home.
"Dora!" the blonde called into the flat.
"Eloise!" the green-haired Metamorphagus exclaimed, coming from the kitchen, an apron around her waist and her wand in hand.
"Green?" Eloise asked, smiling at her friend's appearance. "You were purple this morning!"
"This matches my apron better," Dora replied with a goofy grin.
Eloise had always found Dora's ability to be extremely entertaining as the girl would change her hair color for any reason.
"What's for dinner?" the blonde asked. "And when will it be ready? Do I have enough time to shower?"
"About twenty minutes. Just some muggle recipe I found in one of your books. I think my mum may pop by, is that alright?"
"Of course!" Eloise grinned. "Is she staying for dinner?"
"I'm not sure. I'm making an extra plate, just in case," the chef of the night answered, before waving around a wooden spoon from the pot on the stove. "Now go shower!"
Eloise showered quickly and began to cast spells in an attempt to tidy the flat.
"Why is your mum coming to visit? Aren't you going over on Sunday?"
"She said she wants to talk to both of us. Plus, I told her we were coming a different Sunday, since it's Hudson's birthday and all."
This was true. It was Hudson's eleventh birthday the coming Sunday and, for some reason, Dora was convinced that he would be receiving a Hogwarts letter, leaving her more excited than most for an eleventh birthday.
"Dora, I'm a muggleborn," Eloise reminded her friend, as she pulled out three table settings for dinner. "It's incredibly unlikely Brooke or Hudson get a letter."
"Unlikely, but not impossible!" Dora chirped. "How was work?"
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door.
"Aunt Meda!" Eloise cheerfully greeted her best friend's mother. "Come in!"
Andromeda Tonks smiled at the girl. "Hello, Eloise! How's your book coming along?"
"Oh, slowly but surely."
Eloise was writing a book for parents like her own, muggles with magical children, who wanted to know all they could about the magical world. Ted, Dora's father, had told her several times he wished his parents had had a book like that.
Dora came out with dinner, Chicken Parmesan, slightly burnt, and the three women sat down to eat.
"So, girls," Andromeda started after a few moments of comfortable silence as the meal was eaten. "I must confess, I'm not just here to spend time with you. I've come to ask a favor of you."
"What's up, Mum?" Dora asked.
"As you know, my cousin is on the run," the older witch said. "Sirius Black. As you may recall, Dora, our cousin is innocent."
"I'm sorry, how do you know?" Eloise inquired, shyly.
"Peter Pettigrew was the Potters' secret keeper, and we happen to know he was also the one who killed all those muggles," Dora told her. "Mum was there that day."
"You were?" Eloise exclaimed.
"Yes, but unfortunately, my statement was thrown out and my cousin into jail," Andromeda sighed. "Anyway, my cousin is need of somewhere to stay until he can clear his name. I was hoping, with your empty room and all, you might be able to host him. I do believe he'd be willing to pay for the room ."
"Eloise, up to you," Dora stated.
Eloise looked a little uncomfortable. She believed the Tonks women, but couldn't help but feel nervous about agreeing to this. The third person paying would help Eloise, as she'd be able to work less shifts.
"Well, okay, sure. If he's willing to pay for the room," Eloise agreed. "Only if he pays for the room."
Andromeda smiled. "Thank you, girls! I'll have him write this week."
"Mum, where is he staying now?" Dora asked.
Andromeda looked in her lap, avoiding her Auror daughter's eyes. "Our house."
"Mum!"
"Nymphadora, it's fine."
"Don't call me that," Dora whined. "Mum, you're going to be one of the first homes visited as the Aurors look for him."
"So he should probably move in soon, huh?" Andromeda laughed n
Dora gave her mother a look.
Dora did have a point, the Ministry of Magic was desperate to find him. While they wouldn't search Dora's flat, since she'd only been six when Sirius was arrested and because the girl was an Auror-In-Training, they would likely stop by the Tonks home in search of Andromeda's cousin.
If Dora wasn't an Auror-In-Training, Eloise would never had agreed to Sirius Black living in their flat.
"Anyway, I must be off, I told your dad I'd get him some fish and chips on my way home," Andromeda said.
She hugged the girls and thanked them again before walking out the front door, her muggle cape flapping behind her.
