05. REVENGE OF THE CARETAKER

Years had passed. And it was now the end of their second year. Elara and Theodore were the closest they could ever get. Bianca was the best girl best friend Elara could ever ask for. Theodore however was her true best friend.

As she grew, she grew to realise that her troubles with sleeping weren't always going to be solved by reciting the moons of Jupiter. She had a muggle sleeping disorder called Insomnia. Which is where someone had difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep. Her solution was to usually go to the Astronomy Tower and look at the stars. She usually wouldn't fall asleep, and would take an energy potion. Or if it was very serious, she would ask Madam Pomfrey for a sleeping potion. And the nurse, knowing of her condition, would give it to her.

It being her second year, she had gotten herself a pretty average broom to fly with on the team. As she did manage to get on the team that year as well, having no chance to even try out as a first year. Both her and Theodore made it as Beaters of the Slytherin House Quidditch team.

She had gotten closer to the Weasley twins and was excited to meet their younger brother, who would be attending Hogwarts the next year with her cousin Draco. She couldn't wait to finally meet him.

And as she was hugging Theodore goodbye, ready to head off for her summer back at the orphanage, she was pulled away. A hand with sharp nails gripped her arm, tight enough that it started to bleed. She looked up to see Mrs. Oldman, with a furious look on her face.

"OI! Let her go!" Theodore looked angry at the person hurting his best friend.

"You're coming with me, you nasty little brat." Mrs. Oldman usually never showed this side in public. She usually disciplined the orphans in the privacy of the home. But it seems someone had pissed her off today. "And you're never going back to that school ever again."

Elara's eyes widened, and she tried to pull away, reaching out to Theodore. "THEO!" She yelled, drawing the attention of everyone in the station. They all looked over to see a girl being dragged away by a furious old woman and a boy trying to help her.

They assumed it was family related and left it. But it wasn't. Mrs. Oldman kicked Theodore away and he fell to the ground with a groan. "THEO! PLEASE DON'T LET HER TAKE ME AWAY!" Elara never begged, and she rarely asked for help. But by the time Theodore had stood again, they were gone.

She had taken Elara back to the orphanage and locked her in a little room, isolated from everyone. The only time she would see anyone was during meals. Elara lost track of time and the only time she knew what day it was, was when she heard all the fuss above her and realised that it must be September 1st. She wasn't going to make it to Hogwarts. She wasn't going to see Theo and Bianca and the twins. She wasn't going to meet Draco.

And when that thought hit her, she buried her head in her hands and sobbed. She was losing hope by the day, thinking that she was never going to get out of here. She was doomed. And no one knew she was here. She had just about lost all hope when someone tossed something to her through the food flap with a note and promptly left.

Lifting the object, she found it was her wand. Hope was restored in her and she picked up the note, reading:

Dear Elara,

I'm not sure you know me, but I found this in your room in a suitcase. I thought it might help you pry the door open somehow. I heard Mrs. Oldman talking about having you here. Sorry it couldn't come sooner. I managed to get it today because everyone was rushing around for school. It's September 7th today, by the way.

Love,

Lucy

XO

Lucy. She didn't know who that was. But she was going to find her and thank her. One day. After she got out of here and left this horrible place. Elara stood up and gripped her wand tightly. "Alohomora." She whispered, and the door swung open.

She managed to get to her room without anyone noticing. There was an owl on her bed, with a letter. She opened the letter.

Dear Elara Black,

I know it has been a while since we've spoken. Years. But I do hope you still remember your Uncle Moony. Anyways, I got a letter from one of your friends, Theodore. He managed to find me, said that you'd told him about me.

He said he thought you were in trouble and told me the name of your orphanage. I'm sorry I couldn't come, but it's too risky, especially with the full moon being tonight. He's very worried, and he can't come. He said it was to do with his father being a little overprotective of him.

So he asked me for help. I've attached a Portkey charmed to take you wherever you'd like to go. You just need to say the password. Its James.

Hoping to see and talk to you soon,

Your Uncle Moony

Elara closed her eyes in relief. Theodore was an angel sent from above. She had never been more grateful for someone in her life. Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside her door. Someone was coming. She grabbed her broom and trunk and then placed the portkey on the bed.

The door slammed open to reveal Mrs. Oldman, gripping a long stick in her hand. Elara smirked at her. "FUCK YOU, YOU NASTY BITCH! I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL!" Before whispering James and wishing to be taken to Theodore.

It had already been a week since school started. So it seemed that Elara had messed up her dates, as muggles started schools after September 1st this year. Theodore had been miserable since that day on the station. Sulking and scowling and snapping at anyone who tried to talk to him.

At school he had hoped to see Elara. He even walked around the train, looking in every single compartment and running into her cousin who demanded to know where she was. Theodore bluntly told him that she was missing and left before he could see the look of heartbreak on Draco Malfoy's face.

He was now sat in the courtyard, with a ton of other students. All of them milling around, some studying, some messing around, some just enjoying the cold air. When suddenly a figure appeared, dressed in ripped clothes and had messy hair. They dropped a trunk and broom onto the ground, and it was then that Theodore recognised the person.

Elara. She was here.

He stood and slowly walked closer, making sure it was her. She was looking around her and students were whispering. He was still far from her when she turned to look at him. "Theo?" Her hoarse voice called.

Gasps sounded around them. The only person who dared call Theodore anything but his name was Elara. "Lara." Theodore sighed in relief. He ran forward and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight to him.

She hugged back just as tightly and let a few tears slip. She felt her top get wet as he cried. "I thought I'd lost you when she took you away. She looked murderous. What did she do to do?"

"That's a story for another day. For now, I need to-." But before she could finish her sentence, her eyes fluttered shut and she went limp. Theodore pulled away from the hug to find her leaning against him, eyes shut. She had passed out. Fatigue, he assumed.

He lifted her up and began walking to the hospital wing. "MOVE!" He yelled at the people that stood in his way, whispering in a totally non-conspicuous way. "And someone take her stuff to the common room!"

Hours later, Elara's gorgeous grey eyes opened and she scanned her surroundings, and they landed on someone's head on her bed. A mop of dark hair. She smiled. "Theo. Hey. Theo." She called softly.

He groaned and lifted his head, rubbing his eyes. "What?" He yawned, before his eyes widened and he realised who had spoken. "LARA! YOU'RE AWAKE!"

"I'M AWAKE!" She cheered, laughing. Theodore wrapped her in another hug, before he sat back in his chair, shuffling around and trying to get comfortable. Elara noticed and patted the space beside her on the bed. She swung her legs over the edge and moved over to give him space.

Theodore stood and then sat beside her, and she leaned her head against his shoulder, and he put his head on hers, wrapping an arm around her. "I was so scared, Theo."

"It's alright. You don't have to go there anymore. I know this may not be what you want, but you could come stay with me? My father won't care. He's almost never home anyways. But it's alright if you don't want to." He was rambling.

"Theo?"

"Yeah?"

"I would love to. Thank you."

"Of course."

They just sat there for a while, Madam Pomfrey checking on her every hour to see if her bandages needed replacing. She had gotten the cane a few times when she badmouthed Mrs. Oldman. Soon enough though, she got a visitor.

Her and Theodore were still sat on the bed, leaned against each other when a young, platinum haired boy walked in, shuffling his feet. Elara's eyes widened and she stood.

"Draco?" She called, sounding a little uncertain. The boy looked over.

"Elara?" When she nodded, he ran into her arms, almost knocking her over, but Theodore grabbed her waist and steadied her before he could. The dark-haired boy sat down in a seat a little far from the cousins and let them talk.

"I was so worried, El. I thought you were dead!" He spoke hysterically. Elara sat down on the bed and motioned for him to sit.

When he did, she spoke, "Die before meeting you? Never." She grinned. "I'm alright now. All thanks to, Theo." She smiled at her distracted best friend. "He basically saved my life. I owe him a million."

"Elara, can you tell me what your name means now?"

"Of course little Dragon. Elara is Jupiter's 8th largest moon. It was named after one of Jupiter or Zeus' affairs with a woman named Elara." She explained.

Her and Draco got all caught up and he told her that he had been sorted into Slytherin along with Bianca's little brother, Blaise. They were friends, along with a few others.

Soon, Elara was released and her and Theodore walked to the Great Hall for lunch. As soon as they walked in, she was wrapped in a hug by Bianca. "ELARA! YOU'RE OK!"

"I'M OK!"

"YAY!"

"YAY!"

"Oh stop it you!" Bianca smacked her shoulder. There were two boys behind her. Draco and another. She assumed he was Bianca's little brother. Elara smiled at Draco and then held her hand out to the other boy.

"I'm Elara Black. I put up with your sisters shit."

"I'm Blaise. And I applaud you on doing that. It is no easy feat." He grinned, causing Bianca to gasp and smack the both of them on the head.

"Right, now that we've been acquainted, I'm going to go say hello to two certain gingers at the Gryffindor table." She said.

"WAIT!" Bianca called. "What electives did you take?"

"Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes."

"Oh cool, I'll be seeing you in Ancient Runes then. Now go to your lions." Bianca waved her off. And Elara shook her head, amused, before heading for the gold and scarlet table, with Theodore behind her.

Elara stopped behind of Fred and George and cleared her throat.

They turned around and bright smiles appeared on their faces. "ELARA!"

"FREDDIE! GEORGIE!" She hugged them both. "I've missed you!"

"And we've missed you!"

"Who are you?" She heard someone ask. And without even turning to face them, she replied.

"Elara Luna Black, you uneducated bastard. Bloody hell." Then she turns and sees who she spoke to, and takes a step back in shock. The messy hair, the glasses. The robes worn lazily and the tie draped around the neck. This boy was a carbon-copy of her godfather. Minus the eyes, they were Lily's. Tears sprung to her eyes and she turned and ran.

"What's the matter with her?" A younger ginger asked, while Harry looked confused.

"James Potter was her godfather. So seeing the splitting image of him in you was a bit of a nasty shock for her." Theodore replied.

"She's my god sister?"

"Mhm. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be off to find her."

"Better yet, let her cry. Maybe she'll get miserable enough that she'll kill herself. Do us all a favour if she did." A malicious voice cackled. Theodore flicked his wand sharply, causing invisible ropes to tie around Leia Lestrange.

"Insult Elara one more fucking time and I promise you I will not hold back." He threatened darkly before stalking off to go find said Black.

"He's awfully protective of her, isn't he?" Ron asked his older brothers.

"They're very close." Fred said.

"Have been since we started here." George continued.

"He was going bloody mental on the train looking for her. I thought he was going to kill someone!" Fred laughed.

"Can't blame him Freddie." George nudged his brother. "His best friend was missing."

Meanwhile, Theodore had ran out of the Great Hall and headed right for the Black Lake. And there she was, sat at the edge of it, her shoes off and her feet in the water. "Lara." He called.

Elara lifted her head but didn't turn around. She lifted her hand and extended it to him. He shook his head with a small smile on his face and grabbed her hand, letting her pull him down beside her. She lay her head in his lap, and closed her eyes.

"Can you do that thing you do with my hair?" Elara didn't let anyone touch her hair. No one. Except Theodore.

"Of course." Came the soft reply. Theodore dragged his slender fingers through her sleek hair, playing with the locks and twisting them around his fingers. "Harry was confused as to why you left." He stated after a while.

"I didn't mean to upset him. I just- seeing his face reminded me of Uncle James." Elara still had her eyes closed, but a small tear slipped out, and Theodore saw it, but chose to not say anything about it. "I just miss him so much. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Harry is here, but he looks exactly like James. The hair, even the way he wore his robes. But his eyes, there's so much like Aunt Lily's, so green. They're beautiful. Your eyes are prettier though." She said.

Elara opened her eyes and looked up into his. They were not emerald like Harry's. But rather a darker, richer green. They reminded her of the Forbidden Forest. Beautiful and dangerous. Theodore looked into her grey irises too. They were like Draco's eyes, grey, but that was where the similarities stopped. Elara's eyes were stormy, but warm, welcoming, filled with mischief.

"I missed you." Theodore's voice broke the silence.

"I missed you too. I almost lost hope you know. It was terrible. Then someone threw me my wand, and I managed to escape to my room, where I discovered that you basically saved my life Theo. I owe you my life." She said sincerely, sitting up and hugging him.

"It was the least I could do, Lara. You're the only person I have left."

Theodore coaxed Elara into going back to the Great Hall, and the first thing she did was walk back to the Gryffindor table. She approached the messy haired boy and tapped his shoulder. "Harry."

He turned. "Elara?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry for running off. Its just- you look so much like Uncle James, I- I just miss him." She sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"You remember him?" Harry's green eyes were wide. He noticed Theodore stood behind Elara, almost protectively.

"Vividly. I may have only been four, but I remember everything. Did you know he was an Animagus? He could turn into a stag, and whenever he did, my father would place me on his back, and we would parade around the garden." She sniffed, before wiping under her eyes quickly and smiling as though nothing happened. "I heard you got Seeker?"

"Yeah. All thanks to that kid in Slytherin, Crabbe I think?"

"Congratulations. They didn't let Theo and I on the team in our first year, so we tried again last year and made it as beaters." Elara shook her head, grinning at the memory of them trying out and getting the team. "Anyways. Enjoy lunch. We'll be off." She waved, before grabbing Theodore's hand and dragging him out of the hall. "Hungry?"

"Not really."

"Well then you can help me with something." She pulled him to the edge of the Forbidden Forest and made him sit. Elara pulled out some parchment, ink and a quill. "I want to make a list of things to do before I leave Hogwarts. I kept forgetting to make one."

So they sat there, for a while. Maybe until dinner, and of course not all of it consisted of making the list, they fooled around, pushing each other, talking, catching up. But they ended up with this:

ELARA'S LIST OF STUPID SHIT TO DO (before leaving Hogwarts)

1. Spend a night in the Forbidden Forest

2. Swim with the Giant Squid

3. Tickle the Giant Squid's tentacles

4. Scale the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw tower

5. Go on a date

6. Ride a Dragon (specifically a Peruvian Vipertooth or a Hungarian Horntail)

7. Ride a Thestral

8. Get a tattoo

9. Go to a concert

10. Get a bike (motorbike specifically)

11. See my father

12. Free fall off my broom in the middle of a game and then land back on it and shock everyone

13. Break into the Shrieking Shack

14. Drink some firewhiskey before I turn 17

15. Free fall off one of the towers

16. Fall in love

17. BE EXPELLED

Later that night, after dinner, when everyone had gone to bed. Elara lay awake in her bed, staring at the ceiling. She tried listing Jupiter's moons, even went to listing all the stars she could remember. But nothing helped. So, as she usually did when it came to this, she got up and wrapped her leather jacket around her before walking out of the common room.

But what she didn't notice was Theodore sat in the common room, staring at the fire, and he saw her leave, and decided to follow her. He walked behind her silently, all the way up the stairs to the Astronomy until they got to the topmost part of it.

Elara walked to the open window and sat on the sill, letting her legs hang out dangerously. She leaned her head against the wall and looked up at the sky, saying the name of the stars and constellations she could see. "Perseus, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Cetus, Cepheus, Hercules, Sagitta, Aquila, Lyra, Cygnus, Hydra, Crater, Corvus, Ophiuchus, Serpens, Centaurus, Lupus, Corona Australis, Ara, Orion, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Lepus, Monoceros, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Canes Venatici, Boötes, and Corona Borealis."

She stared up at the brightest star in the sky and sighed. "Sirius. I miss you Dad. Please come back to me." Her voice broke a little at the end of that sentence and Theodore shuffled his feet, making a sound. Her back tensed and he froze. "Who's there?"

"It's Theodore." She relaxed once more, and he walked forward, sitting down beside her. "You seem to be very familiar with this route. Have you been coming here a lot?"

"Maybe too much. I'm sorry I haven't told you, Theo."

"Told me what?"

"I have a disorder. I don't know if you've heard of it, not many wizards suffer from it. it's called Insomnia. And its where I have difficulty sleeping or staying asleep. Sometimes I list moons or stars to help me, sometimes that doesn't work. So if I can, I get a sleeping potion from Madam Pomfrey, but I wanted to see if I could sleep normally tonight."

"You can't sleep?" Theodore was in disbelief. She always appeared so energetic and alive in the mornings.

"Most of the time, yeah." She gave a sad smile, and sighed once more.

"I'll stay awake with you." Theodore had a determined look on his face.

Elara's eyes widened. "No, Theo! You can't! I can't have you losing sleep too!"

"At least let me stay with you until I fall asleep?" He practically begged. Elara nodded.

"In the common room only. Let's go." She stood and held her hand out to help him up. Then they both walked back to the common room. When they entered, Theodore flopped down on a couch beside the raging fire. He pat the space beside him and she sat, and leaned her head against his shoulder, and he in return leaned his head on hers.

Elara was awake, and so was Theodore for a while, then his breathing evened out and she knew that he had fallen asleep. But she couldn't move now, or she would wake him. So she just sat down for what seemed like hours until she felt her eyelids get heavy and she fell asleep.