CHAPTER THIRTEEN
↳ snowy hogsmede

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If you ever tried to define 'Elara Lily Lupin' you'd find millions of definitions. A nutter, a dolly daydream, a friend, a girl. All were what defined her. For years, Hermione had been searching for a simple definition for her best friend. But to no avail, it was too difficult to define the girl who's skin was pigmented by freckles that gleamed like the constellations that painted the lonely night sky at the early hours of the morning when everyone was locked in a deep slumber, unseen yet bright.

To Hermione, there would be no book she could read that would tell her who Elara Lily Lupin was. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe wouldn't bring any answers, nor would Alice and all of Wonderland. Even Jo March wouldn't be able to give her the answers she sort after.
The Hufflepuff was always occupied by the small details offered. 'Mione! Did you see that? It was a spider!' 'Oh Hermione, you need to look beyond what you can physically see! Imagine!' How could someone be so caught up in a different world that seemed impossible to even grasp with your bare hands?

"Hermione, what's got you so dazed and caught in Wonderland?" Elara was sitting with Hermione in the library, Hermione reading about werewolves. Elara stared at the brown skinned girl with interest in her eyes. She wanted to know absolutely everything and more, wanting to learn every detail about why Hermione was caught in a book more than reality yet again. "Don't tell me you'll find Wonderland and meet the red queen!" Hermione's eyes still scanned the book written about Werewolves. Her bushy eyebrows were furrowed and she squinted as though to be deep in thought. "Or Narnia! Although you aren't in a wardrobe which is disheartening," the girl's legs were crossed while she sat on the chair in the empty library.

Hermione smiled from Elara's rants, rambling on about fictional worlds far more magnificent then their own. It made her face feel warm, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Elara," Elara awoke from her daydream for a moment. "Is Professor Lupin- a- uh- werewolf?"

Elara's eyes widened and she paused, placing a bookmark into her book and turning to Hermione frantically. "N-no of course not!" She tried to lie, but Hermione saw right through it. "He just happens to have a poor immune system,"

"Lara, he's always sick during the full moon," Hermione wanted answers. Elara sighed, her gaze dropping to the table instead of Hermione's knowing gaze. "Please, it's no coincidence Professor Snape told us to do that essay,"

Elara took a deep, shaky breathe. "Yes- he is a werewolf," she mumbled, quietly for Hermione to hear. "That git had to do that!" Elara's eyes rolled. "Honestly, I don't get the prejudice against werewolves,"

"Lara, they are dangerous," Hermione tried explaining in the way she always explained. She tried explaining with this stupid emotionless logic that meant nothing to Elara. Not when it was about her dad, her papa.

"Hermione!" Elara gasped out. "How could you even say that? My papa is the least dangerous thing in the world!" She spat out. Elara couldn't believe what Hermione had just said.

Hermione looked guilty when she saw a few tears fall down Elara's dark chocolate brown eyes. "El- I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking,"

"Evidently," Elara chuckled lowly, her voice numb for a moment. "My papa spent months trying to get his name on my adoption certificate, all because he was bitten and is a werewolf," Elara's crystallised gaze met Hermione's longing one, looking down at the book that depicted her father's species. She grabbed the book off Hermione, pulling a pen out and crossing out the diagram. She ignored Hermione's gasp. "Those photos are exaggerated," she began. "Werewolves may be harmful to humans, but they're tamed by an animals presence. Even then, werewolves are only a threat if a human is near them. The ones who know and understand this distance themselves from humans,"

"Believe me, Mione, my papa is far from a risk. The ministry are full of prejudiced gits who are under the impression that werewolves when it isn't the werewolf are dangerous," Elara snapped, not meaning to sound so harsh, but that was what everything was.

"Are you... okay?" Hermione asked. Elara shook her head, small sobs escaping her mouth as she collapsed into Hermione's eyes.

"It's not fair, I'm so sorry If I sounded mean." she mumbled, stifling a cry. "It's just he wants to give me a better life than what we live right now but then someone has to ruin every opportunity for him. Papa doesn't deserve this at all," she muttered into Hermione's side, the girl's hand stroking her cheek lovingly.

"I know," was all Hermione was capable of replying.

"You aren't going to use your time turner and go back in time to fix this, are you?" Hermione had an unreadable look on her face. "I quite like this moment, it's rather beautiful and melodramatic."

"How did you-" Hermione gasped out.

Elara laughed quietly. "You really expect me to be that oblivious, I'm no Ron or Harry, I pay attention," Hermione and her both looked up at each other, faces inches apart, each other feeling their breathe tinkle on the other. Warm, fuzzy, they both felt their hearts thunder in their chests. Elara stood up, wiping her red nose and her wet cheeks with her blazer. She offered Hermione her hand. "Shall we?"

"We shall,"

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"Come on!!" Cedric grabbed Elara's arm. "Please, please, please?"

"Cedric Amos Diggory, are you so incredibly incompetent that you cannot find the definition of 'no'?" Elara shook her head, forcefully grabbing his hand of her arm.

"I'll have you know I'm quite smart,"

"I'm sure you are," Elara replied, sarcasm dripping venomously from her tone.

Lois walked towards the two, shaking her head. "Cedric, she finally got herself a date with Ms. Hermione Granger!" Lois teased.

Elara blushed a thick crimson read. "Lo, it's just us going to Hogsmede with Ron! It's the furthest from a date," she tried to offer, although clearly she wanted this to be a date from the disappointment in her words.

"And I'm the queen of Narnia!"

"No offense you aren't Susan or Lucy,"

"No shit sherlock," Lois spat. Although it was a playful tone that graced the spat. "Listen Lala," she started, Elara mumbling a 'dont call me that,' at her. "You love Hermione and Hermione loves you, just snog and get it over with,"

"I don't love her, I just think she's pretty," Elara sometimes found herself arguing this. She tried to convince herself that she was just infatuated by the Gryffindor and mistook this as love. But deep down, she knew she loved Hermione. She just wanted to wait it out and see if this emotion was anything else.

"Well you love her and I bet by fifth year you'll be snogging and everything!"

"Ew!" Cedric laughed out. "Lois don't give her snogging advice, that's nasty!"

"Don't act like you and Morgan haven't done snogging yet!" Lois exclaimed exasperated. "I wish I never walked in on you two, especially when you're eating my brother's face! Absolutely vile! Bless my poor virgin eyes,"

"Lois your eyes are hardly virgins," Cedric deadpanned at her. "I saw you kissing a boy in third year."

"He wasn't a good kissing," she gagged. "No technique or Chapstick! I'd rather kiss a dementor than those sandpaper lips," she placed the back of her hand dramatically on her head.

"I was drunk anyways,"

"You were?"

"Yes mum!"

"Can we- uh- maybe stop talking about snogging in front of-" Elara gestured to where Wisteria stood, a large blush on her face and her eyes wide. "Wis," Elara mumbled quietly. The poor eleven year old heard the whole conversation.

"I- uh- I-I'm going t-to get my q-quill- y-yeah," she excused herself, rushing away before the two older teens could mumble an apology.

"Nice work Tweddle Dee and Tweedle Dumb," Elara rolled her eyes at them. "Well done for ruining an innocent child," Elara clapped slowly. "I'll get you your golden stickers,"

"Where are you going?"

"To get my coat!"

"Will you please come to Hogsmede with us?" Cedric called out. "Pretty please!"

"Pretty no!" Elara called back, running to get her coat which was hanging in her wardrobe. She grasped onto it, the fluffy texture feeling like silk in her skin. It used to be her papa's when he was her age, it held so many memories that she found so beautiful. It was a blessing to own it.

Fortunately it was snowing, such a perfect day to be in Hogwarts.

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"Isn't it beautiful!" Elara exclaimed as she, Hermione and Ron trotted down to the fence that was close to the Shrieking shack. "It's like Narnia!"

"Elara I have no clue what Narnia is," Ron mumbled to her.

"Uneducated fool," she mumbled. She rolled her eyes, her attention now on Hermione. "This place is exactly like Narnia, isn't it 'Mione?"

"Nowhere is like Narnia, Lars."

"Ah, that's brilliantly true!" The group of three's foot prints were embedded onto the pavement that was coated in thick, white snow. "It must be awful that Harry can't go," she dwelled. "I'm sure he'll appreciate some sugar quills as a "I'm sorry the system is terrible and you can't come to Hogsmede" gift,"

Elara bent down, her fingers grazing some pebbles that laid on the floor. "El, are you seriously getting some rocks?" Ron asked, bewildered.

"They're memories I'll hold,"

"In rocks,"

"Yes Ronald Bilius Weasley, in rocks,"

Before Ron could even respond, Elara was in awe as she stood close to the shrieking shake. "It's wonderful!" She laughed. "I wonder why they didn't take it down,"

"Elara," Hermione shook her head. "That place is haunted, the people were too scared to go near it,"

"I'd definitely go there!" She exclaimed in glee.

"Of course you would," Ron said. "You'd get possessed but love it,"

"Of course I would!" Elara turned to Ron. "The ghosts would appreciate a host, I can't imagine how lonely it must be!" Hermione shook her head, a small smile on her face as more snow fell down and graced them all, dancing around them like ballerinas.

The curls on Elara's head were splattered with snow flakes, the white specs standing out. She stuck her tongue out and the snow fell on her tongue, laughter escaping her mouth and bellowing like a bell.

Hermione glanced at the supposedly haunted shack, her eyes darting away from Elara as she felt a blush coat her face. "It's meant to be the most haunted building in Britain. Did I mention that?"

"Twice," Ron informed, Elara laughed out.

"Do you want to move a bit closer?"

"To the Shrieking Shack?" His eyes were wide for a split second. "Actually, I'm fine here."

"What a brave knight you are," Elara rolled her eyes at him.

"Well well, look who's here," Elara felt tempted to throw a pebble at him, but those pebbles already were coated in dirt, why do more to them? "You three shopping for your new dream home? Bit grand for you, isn't it, Weasle-Bee? Don't your family sleep in uh... one room?

"Shut your mouth, Malfoy." Ron spat, glaring at the platinum blonde who was absolutely vile and horrid.

"Malfoy in the politest way possible," Elara started, giving him a fake smile. "Fuck off,"

"Oh shut it Lupin," the Slytherin snarled at the Hufflepuff. "I heard your father can't even afford proper clothes, look at you in such a tacky coat,"

"Better than having my mummy add blush to my cheeks so I don't look like a dead corpse all the time," Elara cheeked back, her face blank.

"Boys, I think it's time we teach Weasle-Bee and ugly loopy Lupin here how to respect their superiors," Elara rolled her eyes at him. Honestly, does he think he's a god or something? The gods would have colour to their cheeks.

"Hope you don't mean yourself!" Hermione scoffed. She hated Malfoy with a passion. He was absolutely vile and revolting. Elara would rather kiss a dementor than go breathe the same air as him. The only thing that has held her back from going and kissing a dementor herself was the fact she'd rather not endure the same fate as those who did snog the death parasites.

"How dare you talk to me!" Draco snapped at her. Elara stood close by her, ready to throw rocks if he tried anything. "You filthy little mudblood!"

"Oh fuck off Malfoy!" Elara sneered at him. "Why don't you go find mummy and get more blush on? I'm terribly afraid the ghosts of the Shrieking Shack will mistake you as one of them if you stick around any longer,"

"Nice one El," Ron laughed, high fiving the girl with a smirk on his face. and before he could even go up to Elara, a snowball hit the back of his head. Then another. They just kept coming. One by one, they continued pouring out. Elara grabbed a pebble in her pocket and threw it at the back of his head, making the pasty boy hiss in pain.

Elara had a funny feeling who this was. No one was as bold as him and they didn't exactly have an invisibility cloak at reach. "Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, the boy playing with the Pom-poms on her hat.

"Bloody hell Harry," Ron breathed out. "That was bloody brilliant!"

"I agree!" Elara perked up, wandering to where her pebble had dropped to. "Told you these would make memories, Ronald,"

"Definitely," Ron replied. Elara passed him the pebble and he played around with it. "By degree, this is the rock that hit the bloody slytherin who is too annoying for his own good,"

"Well said!" Elara clapped her hands together with a bright, vivid smile on her face. Honestly Ron, what would you do without me?"

"Have a more boring life!"

"Well said!"

Harry went on to tell the group about how Fred and George ( who had someone found the marauders map in Filch's office when they received a detention ) gave him the map. The irony, a son of a marauder would receive it in the end. "But Harry isn't going to keep it. He's going to turn it over to Professor McGonagall.
Aren't you?"

"Yes mum," Elara rolled her eyes at the bushy haired girl who seemed to want nothing more than to have order rather than fun. "Honestly, aren't you feeling some adventure? Imagine what we can do with this map!"

"Imagine what Sirius Black could do with this map,"

"Oh don't you worry your pretty head," Elara laughed. "Don't you realise it requires a password," Elara knew he helped make the map, although she'd rather lie and keep the map than get Harry into trouble. The map was also cool, so that was an added bonus.

"Sure. Along with his Invisibility Cloak." Ron shot back. Harry would never give up his invisibility cloak, otherwise you'd end up with a broken nose if you even tried taking it.

"Oh, Look who it is. Madam Rosmerta. Ron fancies her." Hermione teased the ginger haired boy.

"That's not true!"

"Sure," Elara laughed out. "Honestly Ronald, there's no harm in a silly crush,"

"I don't fancy here!" Ron punched her shoulder, the girl muttering an 'ow' and hitting him on the head with her hand. "Bloody hell," he gasped, his hand rubbing where she had hit him.

The group all listened cautiously to Madam Rosmerta go on about the dementors ruining her customers visits. To be frankly honest, she wouldn't like it if these ugly cloaked creatures started trying to suck out souls on the counter. That wouldn't be good for advertisement.

"Hey Harry do you think that dementor's like butter- where is he?" Elara's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She noticed the footprints in the snow and began to follow them along with Hermione and Ron.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. So much for being subtle.

"No underage wizards allowed in today!" The shrivelled heads screeched at the trio. "Shut the damn door!"

"So rude."

"Thick heads."

"Thick heads?!" The heads spluttered out. "How dare they! Who are they calling thick heads? Young whippersnappers!"

"I'm so sorry!" Elara exclaimed apologetically before joining Ron and Hermione outside. She sat besides Ron, a small smile pressed on her face. "I wonder what Harry'll hear," she mumbled. Ron knew that Elara was hoping for nothing bad, after all Sirius was on her adoption certificate as her other dad.

"I don't know, maybe just the usual 'Mass murderer, Sirius Black'," Ron answered, his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it. Hermione didn't seem to notice. Ron was the only person who knew about Sirius being Elara's dad, he knew she needed some comforting.

"Probably just Madam Rosmerta ranting to the minister about how her customers don't want a side of soul sucking with their firewiskey," Elara lightened the mood with a dim joke, Hermione laughing and leaning down so her head was resting on her shoulder. Hermione's legs were propped up on the bench as she laid on Elara, Ron sitting directly next to Elara and chatting quietly about whatever they could.

"Ron, El, look," Hermione said, almost inaudibly as she pointed to where footprints started appearing. Harry. Elara was so nervous for what he had heard to cause him to not even go to them. He knocked over some carol singers, Elara apologising immediately as she ran to follow him. It was lucky it was snowing, otherwise the group wouldn't have a clue where to find him. He was on a rock, soft sobbing faintly heard.

Elara cautiously wondered towards him. Her eyes were filled with sympathy as she reached out, grasping Harry's invisibility cloak off him. His nose was a bright red, either from the cold or sobbing ( perhaps even both ), his green eyes stained with tears that were rolling down his cheeks. "Harry?" Elara mumbled, questionably.

"He was their friend and he betrayed them," he mumbled out. Elara imagined he was silently hoping that it wasn't true. That Sirius Black didn't do that to his parents. He prayed that he'd wake up and all he did was conspire with Voldemort. But the tragedy that hurt harder than Romeo and Juliet came from the betrayal of two men who were practically brothers. "HE WAS THEIR FRIEND!" Elara breathed out, eyes wide as she stared at him. Soft brown meeting furious green. She couldn't comfort him with words, words seemed to fail now. All she did was pull him into a hug, rocking him back and forth.

"Harry," she mumbled softly. "I-I'm so sorry," she looked at him apologetically. She could tell Harry had heard Fudge mention her relation to the mass murderer and traitor. From the way he flinched when she grasped the cloak to the way his eyes bore into hers. He couldn't blame her. She wasn't Sirius Black. She was Elara Lily Lupin. The girl who was named after her godmother, his mother. The girl who smiled brighter than the sun. She was still the girl who loved her Cadbury's chocolate. She wasn't different. In a way, it felt nice knowing he had a godsister in the girl. She was older, but nevertheless he acted more like a big brother to her. Sure, they were connected by Sirius Black, but they were also connected by his mother,

Despite the vow he made to kill Sirius if he tried, Harry brought himself to bring Elara into a hug. He rubbed her back softly "It's okay," Harry mumbled. He couldn't bring himself to hate Elara for a name on her adoption certificate. He just couldn't. She was still herself and she wasn't ever going to end up as another Sirius Black. She was always and will remain, Elara Lily Lupin.

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HARRY + ELARA = BROTP.
also I don't know whether Harry's reaction was actually realistic. But then, I kind of make the excuse that he has known Elara for years and thinks of her as a sister. I was planning to have some moment where she pulls him away and mentions it, but I wanted to have him find out the same time because Fudge can't shut his mouth about anything. To anyone thinking "Elara knows she likes Hermione why are you making her think otherwise?" I want you to know Elara is based on me, I had a massive crush on a girl when I didn't know my sexuality and I was mixed between "I like her" and "she's just pretty". Elara likes Hermione romantically, but the voice of homophobia in her mind is trying to tell her that she is just being overly nice. I'm not trying to make it seem like a long thing, I wanna portray the struggle with understanding who we are properly from my experiences.

ALSO CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT ELMIONE IN THE START? PLS THEY ARE SO CUTE AND 'MIONE MESSED UP FOR A MOMENT BUT THEN FIXED IT AND ELARA WAS SMART AND WORKED OUT THE TIME TURNER

elmione lives in my head rent free 🤧🤧

It's like half one in the morning when I post this so like if there are any errors, we'll oops.