Chapter Text
Just a quick note: This is my first story that I've uploaded. I've been working on this bad boy for a few years now off and on and just never had the guts to post, so I'm trying to be brave here and just go for it. I've got a lot of it written already, and still a lot more to go. Most chapters won't be this long, and they also won't jump around so much but I really just wanted to set the characters and the background for this story before getting into the plot. Thanks so much!
****
Under the dark sky walked a man who had made a terrible mistake. In his arms he held a problem, and a baby; the baby also happened to be his problem. His hands were shaking. He was panicked, his pale face was shiny with sweat. He clutched his precious cargo tighter, hoping that holding the bundle against his chest might calm his rapidly beating heart. It didn’t help like he thought it would. He looked down at the sleeping infant in his arms. His heart ached at the thought of him leaving her. Just three weeks old and she already looked so like him. He stared at the great iron gates and almost turned back. He couldn’t leave her here. He would find any excuse not to. The moment anything seemed wrong, he would turn and run.
Without him having to make his presence known, the tall gate swung open. He expected to see a small, skittish House Elf welcoming him to the large estate but instead he saw a tall, smiling man and a tearful woman.
“Hello, welcome.” She said graciously, grabbing her guest’s bags and eyeing the sleeping baby carefully. “Is this her?” She seemed almost desperate with happiness at the sight of the young child.
“Darling, let’s go inside. It’s dark and cold out here.” The tall man guided his wife and their guest towards the house, though his eyes were also glued to the tiny infant.
“Where are all of your House Elves?” The man asked as the husband and wife opened their home to him. “I’m sorry, that was the wrong thing to say. You have to forgive me, the past few weeks have been…” He trailed off and nodded at the bundle in his arms.
“Completely understandable, sir.” The husband nodded. “We actually don’t keep House Elves. We feel it is inhumane and we are really quite capable of managing this place on our own.”
“We would raise her with those same values.” The wife put in quickly, her brown eyes searched the father’s face. He looked down at his daughter. His daughter. They wanted her too. But his heart told him not to give her up.
“Olga, please, let the man breathe.” The husband chided his wife softly.
“No, it’s fine.” The father sighed. “It’s what I’m here for.”
“Only give her up if you feel it is what you want.” The wife, Olga, told him. She didn’t believe it, she wanted that baby with all of her heart, mind and soul. She was desperate, and just seeing a glimpse of the small thing’s face was enough to make her fall in love.
“It is what’s best.” The man sighed. “I can’t-I can’t raise her. Not properly, not safely. I just--she needs to go to a good family, a good home.”
“We’ll be that.” Olga perked up. “Darius and I, we will be good parents. We have a good name. Good standing with the Ministry. We’re very well off.” Olga was desperate to prove their worthiness.
“Olga, stop.” Darius said gently.
“Your family, you’re a Pureblood family.” The father stated. “She isn’t a Pureblood. You won’t discriminate against her?”
“Of course not,” Olga jumped quickly.
“But, you must be aware that we are giving her our name. The three of us would be the only ones who know that she isn’t actually our daughter.” Darius stepped in.
“So she’ll be raised off a lie?”
“Did you really think there was another way?” Olga asked gently. “We wrote up a contract, sir. When she comes of age, we’ll tell her, or if something happens to us, she will be left with all of this information. It will be up to her if she wants to see you, though.”
“No arranged marriages.” The father stated firmly. “I know Pureblood families are big on those.”
Olga and Darius laughed a little. “Not really, they are a bit archaic, even for the oldest families.” The father held his daughter closer and took a slight step back. “But of course we won’t. We’ll see it is put in the contract. Would you like to come into our office and see it?”
The father nodded once and the three adults retreated behind more closed doors and read over the contract. It all seemed fair, and it all seemed good.
“How do I know that you aren’t involved with You-Know-Who?” He was looking for any reason to not leave his daughter here. His daughter that he already loved so much. Olga and Darius both lifted their sleeves to reveal their lack of marks.
“We strive to walk down the middle. Remain neutral.” Darius said gently.
“But you come from a Slytherin family.” The father pointed out.
“Not all Slytherins are evil.” Olga said with a small chuckled.
“I know that.” The father snapped back quickly. “You just have all the makings of Death Eaters.”
“That isn’t the first time we have heard that.” Darius said.
“And it doesn’t change anything about us. We don’t believe in the fight.” Olga continued.
He was trying to catch them on anything that would stop him from handing over his daughter, his precious gift. He knew she would do well here, he knew she would grow up well. He knew he couldn’t take care of her.
“What if she isn’t in Slytherin?”
“Then I hope she will be true to her heritage, your heritage.” Darius smiled, putting a hand on the father’s shoulder. Under Darius’ firm grip, the father crumpled and began to cry.
“I can’t take care of her.” He sobbed. “I want to, you probably think I am terrible.”
“Sir,” Olga began, “would you like to see her room?” He nodded slowly, and walked up the stairs with the couple, tears falling from his eyes and onto the yellow blanket that wrapped his daughter so securely. He tried not to notice the contract and a quill in Darius’ hand. This walk was the last time he would see his daughter, and he knew it.
The room was huge, and beautifully decorated. It wasn’t a tacky spew of pinks and purples, which he was afraid of. Everything was grey and yellow and white. Very appealing to the eye. There were toys and a beautiful crib and rocking chairs and a changing table. There was a bathroom and a fireplace and a large closet.
“She’ll grow up in here.” Olga said, smiling at the nursery that would turn playroom that would turn safe haven as the girl grew.
The father tried to imagine the three week old infant growing and running around the room. Dancing and playing and laughing and crying and growing, growing older, growing bigger. Growing without him there.
“I’ve taken to calling her Eleanor, after her mother.” The father said, looking at his beautiful daughter, tears flowing down his face.
“W-we were going to call her Selene.” Olga said quietly. “After the Greek goddess of the moon.”
The father laughed at the irony of it, and shook his head. “Please, Eleanor. Her mother isn’t...around.” He choked on his tears a little. “Let her carry that namesake.”
Darius took a step towards him. “Eleanor it is.”
Defeated, and devastated, the father let go of his daughter and Olga scooped her up quickly. Crying furiously, the father signed away his daughter, his only true love. He waited a moment too long before Disapparating. Right before disappearing into thin air, his daughter woke, and their blue eyes met one last time.
He appeared on the steps of his best friend’s home, needing comfort and needing to let the past year of his life off of his chest. The door swung open.
“Lily,” He breathed out, tears barreling down his cheeks. Lily was very pregnant, probably only weeks from having a baby of her own.
“Are you alright?” She asked, wrapping him in her arms. “James!” She called for her husband, who came rushing to the door.
“What’s gotten into you man?” James asked, bringing his best friend into his living room.
“I’ve made a terrible mistake. A huge mistake.” He wailed, holding James by the collar and sobbing into his shoulder while Lily soothingly rubbed his back. “I let her go, I gave her up. I couldn’t take care of her. I hurt her mother. James, I shouldn’t be alive. James, I’m a monster.” He sobbed loudly.
“What? Back up, what are you talking about?” James asked, grabbing his friend by his shoulders.
“It was an accident. She came over, she didn’t know. She didn’t know what I was.”
“Remus,” Lily pulled him back. “Remus, calm down.” She demanded. Her heart hurt for him, but hysteria was bad for everyone involved. It took a few minutes of sobbing and heavy breathing, but finally, composure was gained.
“There was a woman. A muggle. She...her and I...we…” He trailed off, wiping his eyes with his sleeves.
“So that’s why you’ve been acting strange, you’ve been shagging a girl.” James said in a light voice. Lily glared menacingly at her husband over the slumped figure of their friends, but Remus let out a chuckle.
“Yeah. She got pregnant, and we had a daughter.”
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” Lily demanded. “That’s something you tell people.”
“She was going to take care of the baby anyway, I-I wasn’t going to be involved. I couldn’t be.” Remus stammered out.
“Where are they now, Remus?” Lily asked gently.
“She came over during a full moon one night. She didn’t know. I told her not to come. I-I-” Remus began crying again and slumped into Lily. Lily and James looked at their friend and each other with concern.
“Remus, what happened to her?” Lily rubbed his back as he sobbed.
“I hurt her, Lily. I attacked her. She was unconscious when I came to in the morning. I took her to St. Mungo’s, they saved the baby, but they had to wipe her memories after she healed. She is out there, somewhere, not knowing how she got those scars and not knowing she has a daughter.”
“But she is alright, mate.” James said. “Where is the little angel then?” James asked, trying to lighten the mood by talking about something happier.
“I gave her to the Cordarris. They have been faking pregnancy for a few months now. They were desperate, so was I.” Remus was exhausted, and heartbroken and his friends could see it.
“Cordarri?” Lily played with the name, trying to remember where she had heard it before.
“Old, Pureblood, Slytherin family. She will be raised with a good name, in a good home.” James made a noise of disapproval as he brought his friend a drink. “They are good people, James. I couldn’t raise her, you know that.”
“We would’ve helped.” James said quietly.
“Things are a little busy here too, wouldn’t you say?” Remus retorted, nodding towards Lily’s large bump. “And besides, they aren’t caught in the crossfire during this war. No matter which way it ends up, my daughter will be safe from scorn and defeat.”
“I wish you had told us, we would’ve helped.” Lily whispered to her friend.
“This is what is best.” Remus nodded, though his heart was absolutely broken. “Please, you can’t tell anyone.”
James and Lily shared a look, saying a million things with a glance. “We won’t.” They promised in unison.
****
As the war raged on, and Remus lost all of his friends, he missed his precious daughter more than he ever imagined he would. But while Remus’ heart grew heavier by the day, and he grew weary and depressed, his daughter grew in grace and kindness and charm.
She was undoubtedly the kindest child most of her parent’s friends had ever seen--something that surprised next to none of the Cordarri’s friends, as they were the kindest two people most anyone had come across. Olga and Darius were good people in their very cores, and they raised Eleanor to be their likeness. Of course, Eleanor was like them in nearly every sense except looks. While both Olga and Darius had deep brown eyes, Eleanor had bright blue ones. And everyone expected the baby to be blonde, like both of her parents, but her tufts grew into long, thick, brown locks. She was rather short and stocky in comparison to her two tall, lanky parents. Her face was round, decorated with her dainty, turned up nose and plump lips, whereas her parents both had sharp, thin faces. All of them were rather pale, and that seemed to be their only similarity. Olga and Darius were constantly fearful that their differences would be cause for concern among their friends, but if their friends had any doubts about Eleanor’s true ancestry, they didn’t say.
After the fall of the Dark Lord, the Malfoy family found comfort and solace in the overflowing kindness and understanding that the Cordarri family offered. Olga and Darius knew of Narcissa and Lucius’ pains and felt for them. One night, when both Draco and Eleanor were not even two years old, Olga and Darius invited all of the Malfoys for dinner. They were skittish and timid people then; so afraid of judgement and scorn, but Olga and Darius offered nothing but friendship, which the couple gladly took. They couldn’t find this kind of acceptance anywhere.
“I would bet on my life they were meant to be Hufflepuffs.” Lucius confided in his wife once they left the Coradarris after their first dinner together.
“What would it matter, Lucius?” Narcissa asked, holding her nearly two year old son, trying to get him to go to sleep. “They were kind to us, they did not judge us. They offer up friendship, something we both need after all of this nonsense. Most of our friends are dead or in prison. My sister is rotting away in Azkaban. It’s over, Lucius. We need to move on, and Olga and Darius are giving us an opportunity.”
“I’m not trying to judge them, Cis.” Lucius told his wife gently. He wanted to comment on how he had never once felt that he was truly welcomed with open arms except by Olga and Darius, but he refrained.
And so, from then on, Lucius and Narcissa clung to Darius and Olga furiously. Olga and Darius grew to love the Malfoys with an equal amount of ferocity. It was a truly amazing bond. While the Malfoys were still the Malfoys, they still had their flaws, but they were gentler people. They still tripped up, they still held their son to unreasonable expectations, they were still sharp and aggressive, but everyone found them more tolerable to be around.
***
“Daddy!” A six year old Eleanor screamed out. Her shrill voice whistled throughout the hallways of the Cordarri Castle, and caused Darius to come running to his daughter’s aid. What he saw could have made him laugh out loud. Eleanor had her small, chubby arms crossed across her chest and her eyes were menacing, staring daggers at her best friend: a currently frightened Draco Malfoy.
“What is it, sweetheart?” He asked gently.
“Draco said a dirty word. The ‘M’ word. You told me never to say it, and Draco said it.” Eleanor began yelling angrily. Darius looked at Draco for a moment, who looked ashamed and scared of his best friend’s wrath, which he had not seen until this moment.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was a bad word. Father says it all the time, I just thought it was normal.” Draco explained quickly, tears bubbling in his eyes. Darius tried not to let it show how saddened he was at his friend’s language.
“Do you know what that word means, Draco?” Darius asked slowly, he wasn’t accusatory, and he kneeled down to Draco’s level so that they could communicate as equals.
“Dirty blood,” Draco said shyly, “I don’t know what that means.”
“When that word is used, Draco, it is to be really mean to someone whose parents aren’t wizards. If you want to be a nice person, and a good friend, you can’t call someone by a mean name. What if you went around calling Eleanor names?”
“Eleanor is my friend.” Draco stated, looking at his still steaming playmate.
“Exactly, you wouldn’t call her names, right?” Darius asked, Draco rapidly shook his head. “So why would you call someone else names? It is important that everyone is treated like a friend, treated kindly.”
“Father says that Purebloods are the best kind of wizard.” Draco informed Darius.
“Eleanor, why don’t you tell Draco what you, mummy and I have been talking about together?” Darius invited, pulling his beloved daughter towards her friend. Eleanor sucked in a deep breath and looked Draco dead in the eye.
“We are Pureblood by accident, friend by choice.” She recited perfectly, her father smiled at her widely.
“What does that mean?” Draco asked.
“It means,” Darius supplemented, “that you don’t get to choose how you were born, but you can choose to be nice to everyone.”
***
Two eleven year olds clad in knit sweaters and pants sat outside the large Malfoy Manor, just outside the gardens. There were so many adults inside and it got crowded and warm very quickly. They were all talking of their children at Hogwarts.
“I can’t believe we are gonna be there in September.” The blond boy smiled at his friend. She was not so enthusiastic. She nervously played with the end of her braid and made a sound of acknowledgement. “Aren’t you excited?” Draco pressed.
“What house do you suppose you’ll be in?” She asked suddenly, dropping her braid and making eye contact with her friend.
“Slytherin, I expect.” Draco answered, “You too, probably. Your whole family has been a line of Slytherins.”
“What if that isn’t enough?” Eleanor asked anxiously, her blue eyes searching his for comfort. “I mean, I’m not like a Slytherin at all, really. What will they all say?” She asked, nodding her head towards the room full of wizards talking about their glory days and Slytherin House Pride.
“I think you’re quite Slytherin actually.” Draco said. “You’re very witty and charming, obviously. But you also are very focused on what you want. My mother always calls you ‘a tenacious girl, if I’ve ever seen one’,” He mimicked his mother’s voice here, “you’ll really do anything to get what you want.”
“What if I’m put in Hufflepuff?” She whispered meekly, analyzing her friend slowly as he digested her question. Draco was careful not to show the disgust for the house she had mentioned and formulated a response.
“I don’t think you will be.”
“But what if I am?” Eleanor pressed.
“I can’t see you being anywhere but Slytherin. We’ll keep being friends all throughout school.” Draco said with a finality that seemed to work towards comforting himself more than his friend.
“We’d still be friends even if I wasn’t in Slytherin, right?” Eleanor clarified.
Draco hesitated a moment, “Well, sure.” He supplied lamely.
***
“Did you hear the way that Potter spoke to me?” Draco seethed quietly to Eleanor as they entered the Great Hall. “How dare-”
“You were being a bit of a snob.” Eleanor snapped at him, tired of her friend’s complaining.
“What? How can you say that?” Draco whispered furiously to his friend, looking at her with angry eyes, completely betrayed.
“You were incredibly rude to that Weasley boy.” Eleanor stated, crossing her arms and staring straight ahead, refusing to look at Draco.
“Oh come on, you saw him.” Draco laughed, not believing that his friend could be so sensitive on behalf of a Weasley.
“I’ve actually met the Weasley family once, and they are very nice and wonderful people.” Eleanor informed her friend.
“They breed like rats.” Draco said, nose scrunched in disgust. Eleanor’s mouth dropped open in horrific disgust at her friend’s words.
“Maybe their parents wanted to have a lot of children because they weren’t stuck with one awful one.” Eleanor snapped sharply. Draco couldn’t believe what she was insinuating. His heart beat wildly, angrily in his chest as he tried to formulate something to say.
“Eleanor Cordarri.” Professor McGonagall called out. Eleanor walked up to the sorting hat, looking very fidgety. All her nerve was wasted on standing up to her friend. Draco wanted to feel for her, he knew how much she had been thinking about this sorting the past few months, but he was so angry at what she had said that all he wanted was for her to be as far from him as possible.
I hope you get Gryffindor with all your precious Weasleys, Draco thought angrily to himself as he watched the Sorting Hat debate atop his best friend's head.
I hope you get Gryffindor and your parents hate you.
I hope you get Gryffindor and my parents hate you, and won’t let us be friends anymore.
I hope we aren’t friends after this, I don’t ever want to be your Housemate.
Gryffindor, Gryffindor, imagine your parent’s faces.
Gryffindor, imagine the disappointment among all your friends
“GRYFFINDOR!” The Hat shouted out, Draco’s heart sunk to his shoes. He didn’t mean any of the things he thought, he just wanted to be in the same house as his best friend, he nervously looked around to find other people to befriend, but he knew in his heart that he wouldn’t enjoy spending time with any of them as much as he did Eleanor. He wished he could take it all back. Their eyes met before Eleanor was taken away with the crowd and sat at the Gryffindor table.
“I’m Hermione Granger.” Said a bushy haired girl that Eleanor sat next to.
“Eleanor Cordarri.” They shook hands and exchanged encouraging smiles, and Draco already felt his best friend slipping away.
***
“We’d very much like to meet Hermione sometime.” Darius said to his daughter, as she chatted nonstop about her new friend during her first Christmas break.
“You would love her.” Eleanor assured her parents. Olga and Darius smiled as the three of them set the table. The Malfoys would be over any moment to celebrate Christmas Eve with them. It was an old tradition between the families, and one that Eleanor always looked forward to, until this year. Draco and her hadn’t really spoken since their first night at Hogwarts. They would sometimes lamely smile at each other when they passed through the halls, or shared a class. Draco wouldn’t make fun of her when going down the line of Harry, Ron and Hermione. He would just look at her, narrow his eyes momentarily and then leave. Eleanor had found a strong friendship in Hermione, and while it wasn’t as strong, she also enjoyed a friendship with Ron and Harry. She found the two of them to be funny and kind, and remarkably good friends.
“Do you have your present for Draco wrapped?” Olga asked her daughter. Eleanor fought the urge to roll her eyes at the mention of Draco and nodded.
“It’s under the tree.” Eleanor responded, hoping something would happen so that she wouldn’t have to spend the whole night talking to her old friend.
“Why don’t you go grab all the gifts we got for the Malfoys and come set them on the table.” Darius suggested, giving Eleanor a light shove in the direction of the sitting room, where the tree was kept. Eleanor walked over and picked up the three packages that lay under the pine needles and began dragging her feet towards the dining room. She didn’t know what she would say to Draco, it had been months since they had spoken like friends. She missed him, she really did, but she didn’t know how to be friends with him again.
There was a cacophony from their fireplace in the foyer and Olga, Darius and Eleanor walked to greet their guests.
“Eleanor, how long has it been?” Narcissa smiled widely, gathering Eleanor in a hug immediately. “Oh, you’ve grown so. Hogwarts is treating you well.”
“Despite the fact that this little traitor is a Gryffindor.” Lucius butt in, putting his hand on Eleanor’s shoulder. His voice was light hearted, and he was trying to be affectionate, but there was still a slight sneer behind his words. “I suppose we always knew you were a lioness.”
“Draco, dear, you look absolutely dashing.” Olga smiled, hugging Draco, who was turning slightly pink.
“Learning a lot at our old alma mater Draco?” Darius asked, shaking his hand firmly.
“I like to think so, sir.” He replied, avoiding looking at Eleanor.
“What’s your best subject?”
“Potions, probably.” Draco answered.
“What about you, Eleanor?” Narcissa asked.
“Definitely not potions.” Eleanor laughed a little. “I’d say Herbology is my best class right now.”
“Perhaps Draco could help you out a bit with Potions then.” Lucius suggested. “It wouldn’t do any harm.”
Draco looked mortified at his father’s words. Of course, the parents had no idea that Draco and Eleanor had stopped speaking.
“Perhaps.” Eleanor smiled with a nod, looking at Draco for a moment and then looking away.
The six of them all sat around the table over full plates and talked about their lives and the season.
“It is so strange having them gone, isn’t it?” Olga mentioned, looking at the two 11 year olds with love. “I mean, we used to spend everyday with them and now they are just gone.”
“I took to sending Draco a letter everyday, just filled with things I would have said to him to him had he been at home.” Narcissa laughed. Draco turned pink again.
“Actually, mum, maybe you shouldn’t send me a letter every day.” Draco mumbled into his food.
“It’s always good to have them back though.” Olga smiled, trying to keep the conversation moving so her dear friends didn’t have time to dwell in the ungratefulness of their well loved son.
“Tell me about your school chums, Draco.” Darius invited.
“I spend a lot of my time with Crabbe and Goyle, sometimes Nott as well. We have all of our classes together, and we share a dorm, so I’d say they are the people I spend the most time with. I usually help them with their homework, they can be pretty dumb.” Draco laughed. Lucius chuckled too, Eleanor rolled her eyes a little bit as she took a sip of pumpkin juice.
“What about your friends, Eleanor?” Lucius asked, still smiling from Draco’s joke.
“Well, they are no Crabbe and Goyle, that's for sure.” Eleanor jabbed sarcastically, only Draco could detect the dig. “We all have a good time together, and we are a pretty good study group if I do say so myself.” Eleanor didn’t elaborate too much on all of the nonsense her and her friends had already gotten into so far that year.
“You’re friends with one of those...Weasleys aren’t you?” Lucius asked with an upturned nose. Draco began chuckling quietly, and Eleanor ground her teeth.
“Yes, Ron. He’s quite remarkable, actually. He knocked out a troll all on his own, did you hear?” Eleanor bragged about her friend, hoping to gain him some honor and respect at their table.
Lucius made a small annoyed sound, and Eleanor was filled with pride.
“Alright, I want Narcissa to open her gift.” Olga clapped excitedly, noticing the tension and wanting desperately to release it. Narcissa smiled at her friend, and suggested moving to the sitting room, which they all did. Narcissa was stunned at the beautiful emerald scarf that her best friend had given her and Lucius joked that Olga was outdoing him in the gift department, all of them laughed because they knew that could never be true with the way Lucius spoiled his beloved wife. Narcissa gave Olga a pair of black, dragon leather gloves, which Olga promptly put on and refused to take off throughout the night because she loved them so. As a joke, Darius gave Lucius a variety of ribbons for his hair and everyone had a good laugh about it before giving him an ornate ring with the Malfoy family crest on it. Lucius was, of course, terrible at expressing his gratitude, but he was very grateful at the kind gift and nod to his heritage. Lucius then gave Darius an old, high quality bottle of Firewhiskey. The four adults then got very excited and retreated to the kitchen to get glasses and start pouring.
“You can open yours if you like.” Eleanor said, handing poorly wrapped package to Draco. “Sorry about the wrapping, I’m not very good at it.”
“It’s alright.” Draco shrugged and smiled as he took the package from Eleanor’s hand. He unwrapped it quickly and got excited when he saw the box that showed the gift inside.
“It’s a training snitch.” Eleanor said. “It is supposed to be faster than all the other ones, and it has a bunch of different settings to help you train. There is a book in the box that tells you a bunch of different drills to run to build up different seeker skills. I know you wanted to go out for Quidditch next year and thought this would help you train up.” She explained, turning a bit pink, worried Draco’s lack of words meant he didn’t like it.
“I love it!” Draco said excitedly, wrapping an arm around his friend in a half hug, forgetting for a moment that they weren’t supposed to be friends. “Thank you, El, thank you so much.” He spent a few more moments flipping through the book and examining the snitch. “I got you something too!” He seemed to suddenly remember, handing Eleanor a nicely wrapped package.
She opened it quietly, careful not to rip the wrappings. It was a small box, and when she opened it, she saw a gold necklace that just had the letter E as a pendant. It was simple, but Eleanor loved it.
“My mother suggested getting silver, but I thought gold would go better with your Gryffindor robes.” Draco said shyly. Eleanor’s heart swelled, that sentiment was better than the actual gift. “I still want to be friends with you, El. My friends now aren’t as funny as you, and they are so dull. Could we please be friends again?”
“Of course, Draco. But you need to accept that I am also friends with Harry, Hermione and Ron.” Eleanor pointed out.
“I don’t have to be friends with them, do I?” Draco asked warily.
“No, but you can’t be mean to them either.” Eleanor warned, and Draco shrugged a bit, but hugged his friend anyway.
***
Second year was incredibly hard for Eleanor. Draco had called Hermione, her best friend, a mudblood to her face, and she was furious with him for a long time, but she also didn’t support her friends thinking he was the heir of Slytherin and decided to remove herself from that whole debacle completely, refusing to have any part in it. At the end of the year, when Harry told them he thought that Lucius was the one who gave Ginny the diary that nearly destroyed her, she didn’t want to believe his words, and she didn’t. In her mind, there was no way that Lucius, the man that had grown up caring and being friendly towards her and her family, could have committed such a horrible act with another young girl.
Eleanor was determined during third year to not let Harry and Draco’s feud make her friendship with either of them harder. Her excitement for the year grew when she found that her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was exceptionally good and was neither incompetent, nor You-Know-Who, which had been a problem in the past.
When she first met Professor Lupin in the compartment on the Hogwarts Express, it was a strange encounter. He had been sleeping until he sent the dementor away from Harry.
“Eleanor Cordarri you said your name was?” He asked again, looking rather pale after Eleanor introduced herself. She nodded with a smile, and his smile seemed to falter a bit, and he began looking around nervously.
“Do you know my parents or something?” Eleanor asked, wondering why he needed that confirmation.
He cracked a small smile and chuckled a bit. “Sort of.” He shrugged, then made a mad dash out of the compartment.
“Strange.” Eleanor mused quietly, but returned to her reading without a second thought. At first, in class he seemed to avoid her raised hands and her remarkable execution of spells. She was frustrated when he stopped the lesson after Harry’s boggart turned into a dementor, she wanted to show him how well she would be able to do the spell, and since she was behind Harry in line, she never got the chance. But as the year progressed, she asserted herself more in class and made it nearly impossible for Professor Lupin to continue to overlook her. One day, before Christmas Break, Snape gave Eleanor detention for blowing up a potion and making her station a mess, but he conveniently couldn’t oversee it and left her with Lupin.
“He put you in detention for making a mistake in class?” Professor Lupin asked as she sat in his classroom, prepared to write lines. “Did you clean it up?”
“Immediately.” Eleanor nodded. “And apologized profusely, but it was too late.” She shrugged and laughed a little. “It’s alright, though. At least I don’t have to sit with him to write lines.” Eleanor picked up her quill and began her lines.
“Wait, wait. I won’t make you do that. Mistakes are a natural occurrence, and are a part of learning. I don’t think you deserve to be punished. I’ll tell him I had you alphabetize my books.” Lupin laughed as he tapped the bookshelf with his wand and the books rearranged themselves. Eleanor smiled gratefully at him. “So tell me about yourself, Eleanor.” Lupin poured two cups of tea and the two of them sat at a desk.
“Not a lot to me, to be frank.” Eleanor shrugged. “You already know the important stuff, that I’m in Gryffindor, and rubbish at potions.” Lupin cracked a smile. He didn’t want to show Eleanor the effect she had on him, or that his heart was hammering wildly. He’s tried to get out of the job the first night, but couldn’t explain to Dumbledore why he had changed his mind, and was so coerced into staying. He tried to push her away, to leave her in the back of the class, but she was determined to show off her skills, and she had them, and Lupin couldn’t ignore her, and so he began getting to know his daughter, and accidentally becoming enamored with fatherly love and everyday regretting giving her up.
“Very skilled in Defense Against the Dark Arts though.” Remus noted, Eleanor smiled and shrugged modestly. “I would also guess very good at Charms?”
Eleanor shook her head a bit. “I’m alright, not great. I’d say my best subject is probably Herbolody, Professor Sprout says it probably has something to do with my ‘gentle spirit’ or some rubbish,” Eleanor rolled her eyes in good humor and turned a bit pink.
Remus wanted to give her more compliments, he wanted to get to know her. He wanted to ask her about her home life, about her parents, he wanted to know if she was happy, but he knew she wouldn’t confide in him. So they made small talk, and when she left his office, Remus locked himself inside and let himself weep.
***
The first day back after winter break, Olga and Darius Cordarri angrily stormed to Dumbledore’s office and demanded to speak to Remus Lupin. It was a sight to see Olga and Darius angry, many people never had. Dumbledore granted the three of them privacy but asked that everyone remain civil.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing?” Darius demanded furiously.
“I promise you, I don’t understand.” Remus began desperately.
“You don’t understand?” Olga repeated. “Explain why our daughter comes home from Christmas break and tells us all about her new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, who also pulls her aside for tea, and lets her off without detentions.”
“We had a contract,” Darius reminded, “or did you forget?”
“As soon as I realized she was here, as soon as I realized she would be in my class I tried to quit, I tried to get out of the job.” Remus swore. “I’m not trying to get close to her, she is just a student.”
“But she isn’t just a student, she’s your daughter, as much as we’ve tried to forget. You aren’t allowed to make contact with her, and you know it.” Olga growled.
“I’m not going to be here next year.” Remus promised. “I’m leaving and you’ll never see me again.”
Darius and Olga shared a look and both glared menacingly at Lupin before leaving.
“You see to it he is gone next year, Dumbledore, or there will be hell to pay.” Olga spat angrily.
***
Despite the fact that she found out he was a werewolf who was friends with Sirius Black, Eleanor was extremely sad to see Lupin go. Harry, and Hermione explained how they had saved Sirius to Ron and Eleanor (both of whom remained in the infirmary due to minor injuries sustained that night). Eleanor said her goodbyes to Lupin at the end of the year, who seemed especially sad to be leaving, and went home for the summer.
The Weasleys invited Eleanor to join them at the Quidditch World Cup only days after she had accepted the Malfoys invitation. She did promise to meet up with them while they were there.
Olga and Darius had decided to stay home from the craziness and trusted Lucius and Narcissa to take care of their daughter. While at the Cup, Eleanor was excitedly on the lookout for her friends that she hadn’t seen since the end of their third year.
“How far up are we?” She heard a familiar voice call. Eleanor spun around and saw a large group of red haired people, plus Hermione and Harry.
“Well put it this way, if it rains, you’ll be the first to know.” Lucius drawled. Eleanor furrowed her brows in annoyance at the snideness of his comment, but quickly lifted her features and ran up to greet her friends.
“Getting a good workout then?” She joked as she hugged all of them. “You’ll be able to see everything!” She gushed.
“Your boyfriend doesn’t seem to think so.” Ron huffed, looking at Draco, who was growing more annoyed with Eleanor holding them up by the second.
“Ron, you know I don’t like that joke.” Eleanor sighed, rolling her eyes.
“Will you come to our tent after the match?” Ginny asked excitedly. Eleanor and Ginny became good friends the past year, and Eleanor was excited to see the youngest Weasley.
“Yeah, of course!” Eleanor said, and glanced back at the Malfoys, who were getting impatient. “I should probably go! Enjoy the match!”
“We’re sitting in the minister’s box. We were invited by Cornelius Fudge himself.” Draco bragged as they began walking away. Eleanor rolled her eyes as Lucius jabbed the end of his cane into Draco’s chest.
The match was exciting, and the Malfoys were a lot more fun to be around when they weren’t taunting the Weasleys. Eleanor often felt guilty on behalf of the Malfoys’ behaviour.
“I’m gonna go find the Weasleys, if that’s alright.” Eleanor announced to the Malfoy family after the match.
“Narcissa and Draco were going to head home, I suggest you go with them.” Lucius warned heavily. “It will probably get pretty rowdy here tonight.”
“I think I’ll be fine.” Eleanor assured.
“Eleanor, I really need you to go with Draco and Narcissa. I promised your parents.” Lucius insisted, eyeing her carefully. Afraid to cause a conflict, Eleanor simply agreed and grabbed Narcissa’s arm, causing her to Disapparate with Narcissa.
***
“How’s Potter holding up?” Draco chuckled to Eleanor one evening as they sat and studied together in the library. It wasn’t really studying as much as it was Draco bragging about already finishing his studying and trying to avoid his dorm mates. Draco sat on the table, looking down at Eleanor’s open books.
“He’d be doing a lot better if you hadn’t made those ‘Potter Stinks’ buttons.” Eleanor sighed. It was exceptionally hard, and getting harder, for Eleanor to be friends with both Draco and Ron, Harry and Hermione. She didn’t want to participate in trash talk of either party, and refused to side with either in a feud. It was extremely difficult to just remain neutral throughout it all.
“I made those all myself, they are pretty brilliant, huh?” Draco laughed proudly.
“No, not really. They are pretty rude.” Eleanor huffed, trying to focus on her research and essay-writing.
“So sensitive,” Draco tsked and laughed a bit, “can’t take a joke anymore?” Draco snatched her book up and held it above his head so that she couldn’t reach it. Eleanor sighed
“I can take a joke, just not you disrespecting my friends. Give that back, I have homework to do.” Eleanor groaned a bit, growing tired of Draco’s antics. He’d been hanging around her all day due to some conflict with his friends that he wasn’t keen on elaborating on, and had taken to annoying Eleanor just to get a rise out of her.
“Come take it, then.” Draco challenged. “If you can.” He taunted as Eleanor attempted to reach for it. She stood on her toes, but due to the shortness and stoutness of her arms and legs, she could not reach the book at the end of Draco’s long arm.
“And you wonder why I never study with you.” Eleanor crossed her arms impatiently.
“Why do you even study, you’re smart.” Draco pointed out, handing her book back, seeming blue that she didn’t enjoy his little game.
“I’m smart because I study, not in spite of it.” Eleanor chuckled. “That’s how it works for most people. Not everyone is a nearly certified genius.” She rolled her eyes.
“A genius?” Draco repeated with a laugh, but he showed no intention of renouncing the label. Draco loved all compliments, but the ones on his brain were definitely his favorite. Once Eleanor returned to her studying Draco decided to gain her attention once more, not liking the fact that he was being ignored. “Anyone asked you to the Yule Ball yet?” Draco asked, he thought he sounded smooth, but his voice trembled a bit. Eleanor couldn’t tell the difference.
“No, actually.” Eleanor shrugged. “It’s so funny, Harry is in such a panic about who to ask, and he hasn’t thought once to ask me.” She chuckled a little.
“Do you want him to ask you?” Draco asked sharply, a quick pang of jealousy flashed through him, and this surprised him, but he suppressed it.
“Not particularly, but I would go with him as his friend, and there would be no reason for him to stress about it.” Eleanor mused a little. “You’re taking Pansy Parkinson, right?”
Draco scoffed a little and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “I was, but then a Durmstrang boy asked her, and she told me a better option came along.”
Eleanor’s mouth dropped open. “What?” She asked. “She can’t do that, that is so rude.” Eleanor began chuckling a bit now.
“Yeah, ha ha, laugh all you want.” Draco sneered. “It’s embarrassing,” He confided quietly, “but it’s fine, I’ll find another date.”
“Well, I’d go with you.” Eleanor offered casually. “I mean, only if you aren’t too proud to take a Gryffindor.” She mocked slightly, eyeing her friend playfully.
“I was actually thinking about asking you.” Draco told her with a small, uncomfortable laugh. He was glad that she was the one who brought it up, smooth as he was, he would not have been that casual.
“Then it’s settled, we’ll go to the Yule Ball together.” Eleanor nodded in confirmation, elated that she had a date and ecstatic it was her friend.
***
“You look lovely.” Hermione sang happily in the Gryffindor common room. She was elated in spirit of the Yule Ball as she admired Eleanor’s dark navy dress.
“I’m sure Malfoy’ll love that.” Ron grumbled, shifting uncomfortably in his archaic dress robes. Eleanor rolled her pale eyes at the jab that flew her way.
“Ron, stop acting like a git because Hermione and I both got dates and you are stuck going with the only girl who was left.” Eleanor chuckled, her voice ringing like a bell as her and Hermione spun around each other and adjusting each other’s dresses with joy and anticipation. Fred and George had slipped the pair a few drinks to calm nerves and “enliven the party” but had cleverly kept it from Ron, who would only sulk further.
“At least I am not going with a Slytherin.” Padma Patil sniffed from the stairs, looking down at Eleanor condescendingly. Eleanor’s heart dropped to her feet as she felt immediate regret for her mean comment about the Patil girl.
“P-padma.” Eleanor stuttered out, looking at both of the Patil twins standing identically with crossed arms and cross expressions. “You both look lovely.” Eleanor breathed out.
“Shove it.” Padma hissed.
“Bitch.” Pavarti whispered as she stalked past her and hooked herself onto Harry’s arm. Hermione and Eleanor shared annoyed looks. The Patil twins started pulling Harry and Ron towards the portrait hall.
“A-aren’t you both coming?” Ron asked, stopping Padma in her tracks, causing her to let out an annoyed huff.
“My date is going to walk up and get me.” Hermione smirked lightly, looking at the floor. Eleanor nudged her playfully, aware that her best friend was going to the Yule Ball with the one and only Viktor Krum.
“And I’m meeting Draco by the entrance of the Great Hall.” Eleanor nodded. “I thought I’d wait up here with Hermione for a while.”
“Draco isn’t even man enough to walk up to the Gryffindor Tower and walk with you down to the Great Hall?” Ron snorted. The Patil twins both cackled along with him.
“I asked him not come up.” Eleanor admitted, warning him with her eyes to not continue making fun of Draco. But Ron was confident with the laughter of the Patil twins behind him.
“Can’t break a sweat, can he?” Ron continued, Pavarti and Padma continued to giggle madly. Harry caught Eleanor’s eyes behind Ron’s head, warning her to keep her defensiveness in check. But Eleanor had warned Ron, and now was not holding anything back.
“Actually, I told him not to come up for your sake, Ronald.” Eleanor crossed her arms, her eyes alight with mischief. “Yeah, see, I knew your dress robes were going to be simply hideous and I just didn’t want Draco to say anything that might cause you embarrassment in front of your … beloved date.”
Ron turned red and turned away quickly and stalked out of the portrait hole as Hermione hid her laughs behind her hand. Once the portrait closed Eleanor began laughing as well. “Merlin, he doesn’t know when to quit.”
“No.” Hermione shook her head, her smile held the ghost of her past laughter. “Is that really why Draco isn’t walking up here, though?”
Eleanor’s eyes dropped to the floor. “No, he didn’t want to walk up here, but it’s for the best, really.”
“Did you want him to walk up here?” Hermione asked, putting a hand on her friend’s arm. Eleanor was about to answer when a fifth year poked their head into the portrait hole.
“Hermione, you’ve got a special someone waiting out here for you.”
Hermione blushed deeply and nodded. “Walk down with Viktor and I.” Hermione pleaded.
“No, no. This is your date. Becoming the third wheel is something I can’t imagine I would like.” Eleanor laughed, shooing her friend off.
“I insist. Truly.” Hermione grabbed Eleanor’s hand and yanked her towards the portrait hole. The two girls exited and saw the handsome Viktor Krum waiting for Hermione. Eleanor stayed a few feet back to give her friend some space.
“I feel truly lucky to be able to escort two lovely ladies instead of just one.” Krum complemented in a heavy accent, holding out his empty arm for Eleanor. She hesitated for a moment, this was her friend’s day, but Hermione nodded and so Eleanor wrapped her arm around Krum’s. The trio made their way down to the Great Hall. Eleanor broke away from Hermione and Viktor once she saw Draco. She had hoped he would at least look happy to see her, but he did not. Eleanor frowned a bit at Draco’s unhappy expression. Did he not think she looked nice?
“Really nice, Eleanor.” Draco snapped as he put her arm in his. Eleanor jumped at the way he said her name. He usually called her ‘El’ or ‘Ellie’ if he was especially pleased with her. She didn’t like hearing her full name come out of his mouth.
“Draco,” Eleanor started, her voice saturated with confusion and hurt. She tried to meet his eyes but he wouldn’t look at her.
“It’s embarrassing enough I have to take a Gryffindor to this bloody ball, but then you walk in on the arm of Viktor Krum. Did you even think about how that would make me look.” He seethed through his teeth. Eleanor snapped her arm out of his and stopped in the middle of the crowded entry way.
“Would it have been more embarrassing to come to this alone?” Eleanor half yelled, causing the people surrounding them to stare, which Draco did not like. “Let us not forget that that would have been your fate had it not been for me, Draco Malfoy.”
Draco panicked for a moment as people started to stop and take in the spectacle. He quickly and gently gathered Eleanor’s arm in his again. “I’m sorry.” He whispered to her as he forced her to keep walking. “You’re right.”
“As always.” Eleanor huffed, looking away from him.
“You really do have a short temper.” Draco laughed a bit as they continued into the Great Hall.
“I do not.” Eleanor spat angrily. “I just don’t have patience for gits.”
“Is that not the same thing?” Draco mused jokingly. He was trying to be funny now and get back on Eleanor’s good side. Eleanor was perturbed because she knew it would work within moments.
“Shove it, Malfoy.” She hissed as she looked among the crowd to see Harry and Hermione had begun to dance to the opening song. “Oh, they look lovely.” She smiled at her friends. Draco scoffed a little at her comment. “Draco Malfoy, I swear to Merlin.” Eleanor threatened, as she turned to look at him angrily. When she did all she saw was him smiling charmingly as he snaked a hand around her waist and moved her onto the dance floor.
“Thought we could dance.” He smirked.
“Yes, well, thank you for asking.” Eleanor sighed, but was surprised at how good he was at dancing.
“Remember when we were kids and our parents would host balls. We were supposed to stay upstairs with the nannies but you somehow always managed to sit at the top of the stairs and watch all of the couples dance.” Draco laughed.
“You would do the same thing.” Eleanor defended, not wanting him to make fun of her for her old antics.
“Only because I wanted to spend time with you.” Draco rolled his eyes. “And I would have never been this good of a dancer had I not done that, so in the end, you benefited from it anyway.”
Eleanor rolled her eyes. “Don’t be too dapper now, Draco. What would your friends say if they saw you smiling as you danced with a Gryffindor.”
“At least I have a date. And a pretty one at that. If you hadn’t saved my ass, I would be in the dungeons right now with Crabbe and Goyle.” Draco whispered low so that no one would hear the breezes of him being grateful to Eleanor.
“How unfortunate that would have been.” Eleanor chuckled a bit under her breath. “But then Crabbe and Goyle would have had a pretty date, so it would have all worked out.”
Draco stepped on her foot on purpose and smirked at her as he regained his composure. “I do miss your little jests, Ellie.” He chuckled. “You always think you are the smartest in the room.” He looked over her head and didn’t make eye contact with her though he could feel her blue eyes staring at him.
“Well, I usually am.” Eleanor then stepped on his foot to snap his gaze back to her.
Draco looked down at her and looked amused. “Except for any times that I am in the same room.”
“Oh please.” Eleanor snorted. “You don’t honestly believe that Draco. Because if you do than you are dimmer than I think.”
“You think I’m dim?” Draco laughed in disbelief.
“The dimmest.” Eleanor chuckled affectionately. Of course, she didn’t actually believe this, and Draco knew that too.
“Well, when you are in the room, that is absolutely true.” Draco finally conceded with a compliment.
***
Olga and Darius were sitting in their front parlor reading one evening. The next day they were to pick up Eleanor from Hogwarts for Christmas Holiday. They were not expecting visitors that night, so when their Floo flamed green, Olga and Darius were understandably startled.
“Lucius.” Olga breathed out, her heart clutching her chest as she looked at her stoic friend standing in her parlor. Though Lucius was normally a stone-faced, unenthusiastic man, he seemed even more emotionless than normal. “You gave me a fright.”
Darius reached his hand out to shake his friend’s. Lucius’ fingers twitched on the serpent head of his cane, but did not clasp around Darius’ outstretched greeting. “All is well I hope.” Darius stated, but it sounded like an inquiry.
“I am afraid that all is not well. That is why I am here.” Lucius finally spoke. “You both were there for Narcissa and I when we needed it most. I must warn you both, the Dark Lord is planning his return. This time around he won’t be as lenient with people remaining neutral.”
Olga and Darius both stared at their friend in disbelief. “Y-you don’t mean to tell us you are involved with that again, do you Lucius?” Olga’s mouth felt dry and chalky as she tried to comprehend the Malfoy family in the same awful position as they had been the last time the Dark Lord rose to power.
Lucius’ jaw clenched and he looked away from her face. He was a proud man and did not regret easily, but he could not bear the shame of looking Olga and Darius in the face as he told them that he had not become a better man like they had hoped. “I don’t have a choice, Olga.” He finally spit out. He tried to ignore the irritated, itching feeling on his arm. Of course, he wanted nothing more than to rip the bloody thing off. He knew Narcissa and Draco were safer when he was not involved with the Dark Lord, but he also knew that there was no other way. He couldn’t get out of it. Not with that skull and snake dancing on his forearm.
“There is always another way.” Olga pleaded, her eyes filling with tears. She grabbed Lucius’ collar, trying to drag him to sense.
“If He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is really back on the rise, surely the Order of the Phoenix knows about it. We can ask for your protection.” Darius began to reason, laying a comforting hand on his friend’s shoulder.
For a moment, a tiny sliver of time, Lucius’ eyes glimmered as though he would consider it. It was a fleeting moment, but Olga and Darius saw it. Then Lucius shoved his friends off of him.
“You insult me.” He snarled. “I did not come here to ask for you help. I came to help you both and your daughter.” He regained his composition and looked down on his friends. He wouldn’t admit that he was angry with himself for causing the looks of shock and hurt that fell over the faces of Olga and Darius. “If you do not join his side, you shall be persecuted. Anyone who is not with him is against him. Your daughter is in an especially bad position, what with her being a Gryffindor, a friend of Harry Potter, and an adopted Half Blood, no less.” Olga and Darius both looked shocked. Darius opened his mouth to speak and Olga began to cry. “Yes, I know. I’ve known for a while. It isn’t hard to figure out. The Dark Lord knows as well, and he is willing to spare her if your family sides with him.”
“What?” Olga asked in a watery gasp.
“Your daughter is of special interest to him. She is intelligent and charming and personable. Her proximity to Harry Potter is what interests him most. He does not want to kill her, despite her being a Half-Blood and of werewolf spawn.” Lucius wanted to spit those words to uphold the illusion that he was cold and unfeeling, but he felt himself breaking. He didn’t want to subject Draco to the life he had chosen, he knew it would break him. He knew it would break Eleanor too. She was too kind for his world, but it was the only way she and her parents would live. And Lucius loved all of the Cordarris as much as his own family.
“You know we do not believe in his cause.” Darius held his ground as Olga paced and wept. She clutched her heart for support.
“He will kill you.” Lucius shouted. “He will kill her.” He added, knowing very well that Olga and Darius valued Eleanor’s life above their own.
“Maybe we should listen to him.” Olga finally let out, surprising both her husband and Lucius.
“Pardon?” Darius asked, furrowing his brows. He couldn’t comprehend his proud and kind wife who always stood up for what was right choosing to side with the Dark Lord.
“I don’t want to. I hate the man, if he is even a man anymore. But Eleanor, she cannot die. Darius, I would do anything to protect her.”
“As would I, but you must see that siding with him will only put her at greater risk.” Darius reasoned. He then turned to his long time friend with stone cold eyes. This was a look that Lucius had never seen on his usually loving and nurturing friend. “Lucius, you know that joining You-Know-Who will only bring about pain for our daughter. We will do everything in our power to protect her from that evil fiend.”
“I’m only trying to spare your family.” Lucius told them, desperate for them to reconsider. He couldn’t imagine a world without the Cordarris in it. He didn’t want to think about their castle being empty. He and Narcissa and Draco needed their friends, they had no one else.
“You would be sparing us nothing.” Darius hissed. “If you will not seek refuge with us, then we will do it alone.”
The proud, stoic, cold, emotionless Lucius crumpled. They would not come. They would not join him. They were sentencing themselves to death. “I can not stray. You must protect yourselves. Let me protect you.”
“He is not protection, Lucius. Can you not see? He is the enemy.” Darius wanted to offer his friend safety. He wanted them to be in everything together. Friendship and love was the hero of the first war, and it would prevail again. Lucius could not see that. He straightened up and regained his cold self. His face ice, his heart retreating back into the cold and black. He knew their fate. He tried. He would be there if they decided to come over to the side of the Dark Lord, but he had a greater obligation to his wife and his son. He had to protect them the best way he knew how. He had to keep them safe first.
“You’ve made your decision then?” Lucius asked.
“We have.” Darius nodded firmly, holding a panicked Olga by the waist.
“Then I am afraid I cannot protect your family any longer.”