Walking with the "Dead" [Tag :: Ella Amelia Smith]

[tonks]

Nymphadora woke up bright and early, almost leaping from her bed in her squalid "home", and looked at her calendar. It was Saturday, and it had a huge ring around it in red marker. She had written nothing inside it to remind her why it was circled, because she could remember anyway. It had been planned less than a week beforehand. She got herself ready, and in her short sleeved white shirt, and sun-bleached jeans, she almost looked like her old self - her real self. There were only two things that were different. She wasn't wearing her old black coat as she had when she had been an Auror, and her hair was not bright pink. These two factors made her look like every other run-of-the-mill person...well, every other run-of-the-mill non-pureblood. Her hair was actually blonde today. She had chosen not to go with her preferred auburn as usual, as she realised that that was becoming her new signature colour. If everyone she was "playing" had auburn hair...well, people would get suspicious, wouldn't they?

Today she chose to wear black pumps - comfortable and nothing that drew attention. Today she had to be low key. Today she had to be surreptitious, and because of that, she made sure the only piece of jewellery she was wearing, was the one she had told the person she was meeting, that she was going to wear. A golden phoenix bracelet. One her mother had got handcrafted for her, when she had joined the Order of the Phoenix. The phoenix was about 3 or 4 centimetres wide and 3 centimetres tall. It rested on the back of her wrist, and when she wore it, she always felt like it was flying to freedom - the one place she longed to go herself. It was her own little personal symbol of defiance; the Death Eaters still frowned at the symbolism the phoenix had begun to hold to all halfbloods, mudbloods, halfbreeds and the rest of the "scum" who weren't good enough for them. But she didn't care. She could still have her own defiant piece of jewellery. As far as she knew, the rules were not stringent enough yet to have you placed in Azkaban for jewellery you were wearing. Yet, in this day and age, you could probably be punished for anything, near enough, if you weren't a pureblood.

Nymphadora inhaled deeply and then packed a bag. In it there was a photo of the second Order of the Phoenix, and of her father. There was her purse (she was now very glad she had saved up her money when she had been an Auror), the letters that she had been sent by her correspondant, and a pair of sunglasses, to cover her face if she felt she had been spotted. She also had her wand, but that was in a pocket she had added to her jeans. It acted almost like a muggle holster, except she placed her wand in it rather than a gun. She walked to outside the hovel, and locked the door, her bag on her shoulder. She took a few steps forwards, and then pirouetted.

With a "pop", she arrived in Hogsmeade. Looking at her watch, the students were not due in for twenty minutes. She walked into the Three Broomsticks, and ordered herself a Butterbeer. It would look less planned if she had a drink, and also, as she held the bottle, the phoenix would be clearly visible to the door. After paying her two galleons, she sat at a seat next to the main walkway, facing the door, for the same reason. She found herself a paper and pretended to read it. She hated the Prophet now. They always reported about what bad things the "scum" were doing, and half of it you could tell had been set up by the purebloods. taking a sip of her drink every now and again, looking at the door every couple of minutes.

Still, she wouldn't recognise the girl she was meant to be meeting. She would have to rely on the fact that the girl would be observant. After fifteen minutes or so, a few students trickled in, but none of them so much as looked at her - and a few of them were in Slytherin robes. The girl she had corresponded with had been in Ravenclaw, she had said so in her letters. Tonks opened her bag and rifled through the pages. Yes, there it was. Ravenclaw. She was looking for blue robes - but even then, that was no use. Only a few students ever came to Hogsmeade in their robes. It would be damn near impossible if she wasn't in robes. She'd said she'd bring the first ever letter that Tonks had sent her, so that was a sure sign that she was who she was meant to be meeting. Tonks felt like a spy - waiting for some unknown acquaintance to hand over the secret papers. Of course, it was nothing as sinister as that, but it felt just as weird.

Making sure her phoenix was visible, Tonks sat there, sorted out the bottom of her shirt, adn then sat as nonchalantly as possible, "reading" her paper.

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[Word Count : 873]
[Comments : Not as long as some of my others, lucky you! All yours, Vicki!][/center]

[ELLA AMELIA SMITH !]

Ella Smith
All I want, all I need
Is some peace

Crap, crap, crap, this word was running through her head as she ran down towards hogsmeade. She was an hour late. She wouldn't be surprised if her cousin had gone. She was dressed casually, having discard her school clothing the day before as it was the weekend. However, the bloodsnobs as if they knew that for once she actually wanted to get into hogsmead had kept her from going. First a teacher then some boys, who she thought were probably bored when she had gone past her and stopped her. She had been in no mood for their antics and had hit back. How stupid could she have gotten? She made it into hogsmeade and began to walk to the pub, ready to get into the warm. She had a black eye, and there were blood stains on her clothes were her nose had bled after being broken. However, she had become an expert at fixing her own nose with magic, that’s how sad it had got. However she had forgot about the blood and the black eye was not as bad as a broken nose.

Ella waited outside the pub; she took in a breath, straightened up as best she could and entered. She was so late; it was packed with her school. Most of them younger than her. The novelty wore off by her year. She began to wonder her eyes darting to people's wrists, before going to something else, she looked like she was bored and was meandering her way to the bar. She was about to go to the bar, and order a drink the pretend to meander around for a table when she caught the sight of women. Her eyes were on her bracelet for less than a second. Ella's hazel eyes glanced somewhere else. She then ordered a butter bear. She then moved to the table and stood next to the women " Is this seat free?" gesturing to the chair next to her, her voice had a Irish accent, not too strong, it was from her mother's side. She eyed the blonde, this was for anyone who had been watching her, if there was, to make it look less like they arranged to be there. She then sat down and made it seem like she had dropped a piece of paper onto the table by accident. It was actually her cousin's first reply. Ella picked it back up, then eyed Dora, and a small smile hit her lips " Hello Dora". Ella spoke quietly barely audible over the noise of everyone else but loud enough for her to hear. Ella took a sip from her drink, and sighed, her black eye was starting to swell up but at least she had managed to fix her nose up, but the left over blood gave it away that it had been broken very recently. Ella was determined and smart, which was the description to most Ravenclaws, she worked hard. Not everyone in her year could fix their own noses, well some didn’t have to, some were the ones who broke the noses, but admittedly it was mostly Slytherins that did that.

[tonks]

Tonks sat, her eyes perusing the clock, drinking her fourth Butterbeer. If her cousin was anymore late, she would run out of money - it was getting expensive and she couldn't really afford to keep buying drinks that were getting harder and harder to swallow. What had kept her? Was she in trouble? Tonks got up and stretched her legs, after all, sitting for an hour meant she had got pins and needles in her toes. She wandered slowly around the pub, looking at the students. Many of them sneered at her clothing, but she merely raised her eyebrows and mentally jeered at them. They were obviously pureblooded - after all, as Ella had said in her letters, most of the others had left. After looking from the windows and seeing no-one look her way, she returned to her seat, in the same position as she had been before she had got up. She sighed, gently. Maybe the things in the letters had not been meant - no, she couldn't let her mind think like that. There was a reasonable explanation. She'd come, surely? She'd come...

The door opened once more, Tonks looked up briefly, and then again. The girl who had walked in was in such a state, she was horrified. Her bloodstained clothing and black eye made a girl, who she imagined would have looked very pretty usually, look absolutely awful. Realising she was beginning to stare, though the girl seemed to be looking everywhere apart from where she was, Tonks looked back at her paper, her heart still beating fast from the shock of the girl's appearance. Ella had said that the purebloods beat the "impure" ones up, but she wasn't prepared to see someone outside the school like that. Were the school happy to give off such a bad impression nowadays? That was an obvious yes. After all, they were non-purebloods. They didn't matter. They were worthless.

She suddenly saw a shadow pass across the newspaper, and she heard the voice of a young woman. She looked up, as she would to any stranger, and nodded, realising that this was the same girl who had been attacked. She had noticed that no-one had said anything about her appearance, except the small groups of students sniggering in the corners.

"Yes," Tonks said, nodding to the girl, "Yes, it is free. Here." She moved her chair to the left slightly to let the girl sit down. She had a lovely voice, soft and rich - her accent making it even more so. As the girl "dropped" the piece of paper, Tonks saw the first line. "Dear Ella," just before the girl picked it back up. Yes, this was her. This was Ella Amelia, her cousin. She heard her pen-name; her nickname, and she didn't react, just lazily turning the pages of the Prophet. This was just a ruse for the rest of the customers, mainly the students. She didn't want to draw attention to the fact they were meant to be meeting. Tonks nodded gently, and without moving her lips, as she had learnt while being an Auror, she whispered "Hello to you, Ella."

She rested her head on her arm which was now leaning on the table. Since the pub was now getting louder and more full, Tonks raised her voice by the tiniest amount. "You look a state - what happened? I take it that this was the reason you were late?" She took in Ella's full appearance and then said, "I mentioned the cave I know of, when I wrote you that last letter. If we go there, I'll sort your eye out - and I can get rid of the bloodstains too. It'll make you less obvious, and it can't be comfortable sitting there like that, either." She smiled softly, and welcomingly. She said, "Maybe we can go over to the cave when we've finished our drinks. No-one goes around there, it's a rather awkward place, too out of the way for students to care for. It's well hidden too - which is why I wrote what I wrote."

[Finished, finally]

[ELLA AMELIA SMITH !]

Ella Smith
All I want, all I need
Is some peace

Knowing her cousin was an ex Auror she knew she would get the ruse of asking if the seat was free. She eyed the blonde women gently her hazel eyes gleaming, as she sat down in her chair. She spoke louder saying " thanks" like any other person. She then sighed, taking a sip of her drink, eyeing the news paper as though she had just found something interesting on it. Ella rubbed her nose absent minded, it was a little sore still but it wasn't broken anymore. She then leaned back, taking a sip again when Tonks leaned in slightly and spoke to her. Ella's eyes flickered to her then around the pub as though bored, as though she wasn't even listening. This was far from the truth however. Ella was listening, letting her cousin's words sink in to her head while it processed them. However when she said about the blood stains she looked down at them " Oh yea" she whispered, pulling out her wand she waved it, tapped her clothing and the blood vanished. However she couldn’t deal with her black eye. She put her want back in her pocket " Yea, Professor Malfoy kept me back then on my way down I ran into some Slytherins who were probably bored" she then yawned " It’s my own fault I hit back at them and they descended like a pack of wolves, I got off lucky " Her voice carried an air of boredom, displaying how utterly normal this had come to her. Hazel eyes flicked to the women " I think it would be best if we moved" She sipped her drink again; she had half of it to go. She eyed Tonks apologetically for her lateness however. She knew it was rude, but she couldn't help it.

Suddenly behind them a sneering voice called out " MUDBLOOD" Ella scowled and turned in her seat, Hazel eyes growing cold. She glared at them then turned back to her cousin " you would think that they would come up something more original by now" Sitting back in her seat. She took a sip again looking around at the overcrowded pub, looking at the ceiling she sighed; she had stuck at Hogwarts and nearly achieved what all the bloodsnobs had tried to stop her in. She was going to finish she was only a few months until going to be with the women that was beside her. Together they would survive in a world thaat wanted them dead. They would beat the system.

[tonks]

Tonks saw Ella clean her clothing and her face, and then heard her comments about Draco and the Slytherins. She shook her head as she heard Draco's name. "Oh, so he's still around, then." She said, nonchalantly. Then her voice became more poisonous. "I thought he'd resurface once the Order were no longer a threat to him. At one time he was so afraid to come out because we'd have killed him." She smiled at the memory. "So, dare I ask what he teaches?" She then remembered the second part of her sentence. "I'm sorry," she said, after a moment, apologetically. "I should have been asking you how you were, not bringing up my own personal vendettas. Are you okay?"

She saw her yawn, and her next sentence made Tonks cringe inside. Pleasantly, Tonks quickly tried to rectify her comment. "As a rule, wolves only attack when their pack is threatened, or when one of their cubs is in danger. Unless this is the case, or they are injured, they rarely attack people. Maybe..." Tonks thought, "just calling them a pack of Slytherins would suffice. After all, I don't think there are any animals that attack as viciously or without cause as the Slytherin house. That's what the other Hufflepuffs and I used to say, anyway." She smiled, shrugged and then leant in closer. "I'll explain to you when we get to the cave why I don't like wolves being used in a context such as that." Tonks did have to admit, though, that her tone of voice almost sounded used to this treatment, and Tonks was mildly shocked, though Ella's letters had prepared her for it, slightly. As Ella agreed they should move, Tonks nodded her head a fraction of an inch. "Sounds good." She winked as she had an idea how they may get out together without raising suspicion.

As Tonks gathered her bag and placed Ella's letters back into it, she stood up and heard the word uttered. She turned at the person who had said it and raised an eyebrow. she heard her cousin's words and she nodded. "My thoughts exactly. Here, come with me." Tonks made her way from the table, standing beside it, waiting for Ella to catch up. "Of course I'll show you where Madam Puddifoot's is." She said, in her normal volume. "Follow me." She looked directly at her cousin and smiled. She knew Ella would get the hint, and needed no help. As the both rose, Tonks held the door open for Ella, and then walked out herself.

She beckoned Ella to follow her in completely the opposite direction to Madam Puddifoot's. The students had all piled into Honeydukes, and she stopped briefly at the Shrieking Shack. "That's a place I'll be mentioning soon." She commented, and passed by with no more explanation. She walked with Ella to the bottom of Hogsmeade, and then over some small rocks. "Sorry," she said, apologetically, "but it'll be uphill from here. Not for long, but long enough." She ended, laughing gently. She walked alongside Ella until they got to a roomy cave, a few drawings on the back wall, depicting what seemed to be a black dog and three children. Then, above them, was a phoenix - a phoenix not dissimilar to the one that Tonks was wearing on her wrist.

There was very little in the cave, but there was a fair view of Hogsmeade. Tonks turned to Ella. "It's not much, but it's a place where we don't have to worry about being overheard." She said, almost apologetically. She removed her wand from her pocket, and walked over to her cousin. "Here, I'll heal that eye for you." She pointed her wand at Ella's eye. "Episkey." The black eye disappeared from view and Tonks smiled. "I learned a few healing spells in my time as an Auror. I was the youngest Auror they'd ever had in the Department. It was a huge learning curve, put it that way. Does that feel better?" She then turned her attention to the cave, and noticed the drawings. She beckoned Ella over to see them. "See these? They were drawn by my cousin Sirius. Sirius Black. He died when you were 5. He lived here for a year or so. He was an Animagus, you see. His form was that of a black dog, and he used the alias "Snuffles" in his letters - or so I was told by Harry, before he died. Those three..." - she pointed to the three stick-like people - "...I think are meant to be Harry, Ron and Hermione. No doubt you'll know all about them. Yes?" she asked, uncertainly. The purebloods were good at editing history books - changing the past so people never knew about their defeats. She then saw the phoenix and smiled. "And he always dreamed of freedom too. He had been in Azkaban for a crime he'd not committed and always wanted to be a free man. Sadly, he never got his wish. But he didn't give up either. "Quitting" was a word that was never added to his vocabulary." She sighed and then turned to the centre of the cave. Whispering an incantation, two big soft beanbag seats appeared. She laughed and shrugged. "It's the only kind of chair I can summon."

She sat on one of them, and then looked at Ella. "So," she said, quietly. "I'm Dora...well, Nymphadora - but I prefer Tonks. And this..." Tonks closed her eyes and furrowed her brow. Her hair changed to short and spiky - and most definitely bubblegum pink. She opened her eyes and grinned. "...is how I used to always look - hence why I never choose to look like this nowadays. I feel more...me, though, like this. Anyway," she continued, smoothing down her shirt. "Is there anything in particular you want to ask or say? I'll be completely honest with you. I promise."

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[Word Count :: 990]
[Comment :: Hopefully you'll have a lot here to play with][/center]

[ELLA AMELIA SMITH !]

Ella Smith
All I want, all I need
Is some peace

Ella sat the noises of the people all around her was starting to fill her head and give her a head ache. She eyed her tonks as she spoke about her potions master. She then realised, Draco was in fact very young, and tonks would have known him when he was a lot younger. She wondered, however when tonks pointed out about not dwelling on her vendettas Ella made a wave of her hand, a common gesture that meant she didn't mind " potions " she said quietly a small smirk on her face on a private joke, she would tell tonks later if she wanted to know. Professor Malfoy hated her, well she was muggleborn, enough said.

However when she started to talk of wolves it clicked in her head. She had mentioned in one of her letters that her husband had been a werewolf. Ella mentally slapped herself for using that certain figure of speech. As she spoke, Ella nodded " I know" she patted her pocket where she had placed the letter she had used to identify herself. " Spoke without thinking sorry" she gave Tonks an apologetic look. Then sipped her drink she was finishing it off now. Ella wondered if her casual behaviour about her own beatings shocked Tonks, that fact of the matter was Teddy was being beaten too. She had spoken to some first years and knew Teddy was one of the ones like herself had been that often became Slytherin's chew toy. It was the sad truth. Signs of the constant brutality were the ease she was able to perform spells such as ones to fix noses, clear up blood and such.

Ella chuckled under her breath when her cousin agreed about the crude remark about Ella's parentage. The remark no longer offended her, well it hadn’t when she had first heard it, but that was more due to the fact she had not actually known what it had meant. When tonks made a move, Ella played along, getting and following her to the door then going out speaking loud enough for anyone who had suspected them to hear " Thank you". She walked out wrapping her arms around her as the contrast of cold air hit her rather than warmth of the pub. She then turned and walked quickly staying close to tonks.

Ella was a fit young individual, she spent a lot of time walking long route to avoid people and running away. She exercised regularly. In fact she would have been a very good quidditch player had it not been for the fact that she had only been on a broom a few times, and even then the broom was in a really bad condition. Muggleborns were never picked for the teams, only Gryffindor had impure on the team and even then none of them were muggle born. When Tonks said about uphill she shrugged " I run around a lot" she spoke in her light Irish lilt, but tonks might have got the hint, she ran away a lot.

The cave intrigued her. She saw the drawing on the wall and studied it lightly, looking around it, then back to Hogsmeade were the faint dots of people could be seen scurrying form building to building. Ella then went silent as she healed her eye. The pain turning into a tickling sensation then disappearing. She rubbed it gently and nodded to questioning about her health. Ella then silently listened as Tonks explained about the cave. The drawings fascinated her. She ran a finger on one lightly, tracing it " Yea I have books, warped and twisted versions of what happened, you only need to read them in an unbiased state of mine to release that" She sighed, she wondered what they had been like. Harry had died at her age, He had been in the exact same year at Hogwarts had he been a normal child. She sighed turning back to tonks. She knew tonks must have lost so many friends and family in that war. So many died, the purebloods boasted about those they had killed. Using them as examples of what would happen if anyone tried an uprising.

Her mood was somewhat mellow until some beanbag chairs appeared, she chuckled with tonks " Why not, as good as any". She sat down in her own. But then Tonks changed her hair. Ella couldn't help herself, she giggled, eyeing her hair with fascination " yes not exactly subtle " She smiled softly then " Teddy's turquoise hair stands a mile out too" She then eyed Tonks softly " ever since I said I would try and see him, I have not had the time, I asked some of the first years in house and apparently he " she stopped, breaking off looking uncertain, she eyed tonks, then spoke her voice was full of sincere apology for the news she was bringing " Like I was he one of the favourite targets of the Slytherins and apparently he had a run in with professor Malfoy, but I don't know the details" She leaned more into the bean seat, slouching slightly she sighed loudly " I hate that man, he is the biggest bloodsnob of them all, the slytherin's worship him. He hates me and I have had a through run ins with him, it’s not pleasant" She then chuckled, her chuckle had low element to it, she smirked " I am the only impure one taking NEWT potions, because despite the fact he puts me in detention all the time, I am good at his subject" She then stretched, her muscles aching somewhat from her beating earlier but she would survive, her Hazel eyes flickering back to her cousin.

[tonks]

"Ah yes," said Tonks, her eyebrow raising. "That suits. Though I'm surprised slightly. I'd have thought he'd have gone for Dark Arts - after all, he was the one sent at 16 to kill the Headmaster by Voldemort." Said Tonks, shrugging, a hint of venom in her voice. "Sorry, he makes my blood boil. He was a stuck-up brute when he was a child, and he sounds like he hasn't grown out of it. He's a disgusting creature if there ever was one." She looked at her cousin and and her face softened. "When we get to the cave, I'll tell you what Hogwarts used to be like - what Hogwarts ought to be like." She said, quietly. She saw her cousin's smirk and looked at her questioningly. She wasn't going to ask though. If her cousin wanted to let her in on it, she was sure she would.

As Ella apologised for her remark, Tonks waved her hand, gently. "No, no, it's okay. I don't mind that much - it's just...well, you know what I said in my letter." She smiled and shrugged. "You don't need to apologise. I know you didn't realise." As they got up and walked out, Tonks saw Ella hug herself - she had to admit, it was pretty cold. "Ah, shoot!" Exclaimed Tonks, as she looked in her bag. "I didn't bring a jumper - otherwise you could have worn that..."

As she heard her cousin's comment about her fitness, she raised an eyebrow. "I take it the Slytherins have enabled you to take up the sport?" She said, with dark undertones. She knew Ella'd understand, as she figured Ella had hoped she'd pick it up. No doubt everyone ran away from them...even Teddy?

As her thoughts on the records were aired, Tonks sighed. "Many noble people died in that Battle, ten years ago." She opened her bag, and took out the two photos of the Second Order of the Phoenix - one taken when it had first formed, and one taken just before they left to go to that fateful battle. In the first, Tonks pointed out to her cousin, "These are photos of our group - the Order of the Phoenix, at the beginning...and just before many of us knew we'd lose our lives. In this one, the original one - these people died before that last battle. Mad-Eye Moody - he was the guy who taught me all I know about being an Auror. He died protecting Harry from the Death Eaters. Dumbledore - The greatest wizard ever to have lived. Voldemort was scared of him, and that's why he felt he had to have him killed before he made his attack. Sirius Black - the guy who lived in here for a while, he died when you would have been only 5. He was a great man, who was convicted of horrible things he never did." She then paused and smiled. "And here...here I am - looking a lot younger, and a lot happier." She added, then laughed, and then pointed to the guy behind her. "This is Remus - he's the man I married. He spent a long time trying to convince me he was "too old, too poor and too dangerous" for me, but he saw sense in the end." She smiled. "And these three at the fron were only in their fifth year at this point, but we let them join our photo. This is Ron, Hermione and Harry. As far as I know, Ron and Hermione survived the War - but we all know what happened to Harry. The puresnobs won't let the Wizarding World forget it."

She then pulled out the other photo. "As you can see - we had less people by this time. Ron, Hermione and Harry were off doing some task Dumbledore had left them to do, and the others who aren't in here...well, they had lost their lives. However - here you go." She pointed to the left hand side. There was Tonks, very obviously, and the man she had pointed out to be Remus with an arm around each other, smiling - almost carefree. But what was new - other than the rings on their fingers - was the child in their arms they were cooing over. The child had a small tuft of shockingly bright, turquoise hair. She turned to Ella. "I doubt I have to tell you who that is."

She heard her comments about Teddy as she sat, and she wass suddenly sitting upright. To think that that awful, caniving, evil brute had done something to Teddy was unbearable. She stood up and paced. "That evil, foul, mean, son of a..." Tonks stopped as she stood still and breathed deeply. "He lets this happen, and he'll let it happen even more to Teddy since he knows he's my son." She dropped back into the seat, and rubbed her temple with one of her hands. "I knew I was letting him in for a tough life..." she mumbled. "...He was given the task of learning how to control his metamorphosing, and as I know, it's tough. Draco is descended from the Black bloodline. He hated my mother and I just as much as the rest of them - me, even more, as I was part of the Order. Now, no doubt, he thinks I'm dead, and that my mother - his grandmother - is too frail to do anything to stop him, and if she did they'd kill her." Tonks looked around, almost desolately. "I've met my son. I've introduced myself to him as I did to you - as Dora. I'll write to him." She decided. "I'll give him someone to rely on - someone to understand. You know what I mean." She smiled saldy and then straightened herself up.

"I know what you mean about Draco. He's a vicious man. And his family are the biggest bunch of snobs you're ever likely to meet." She heard her comments about the NEWTs and nodded. "Well Done, though. To have made it this far through all that is...well, simply amazing. You're a very tough woman, and a force to be reckoned with when you're angry - yes? That's a Tonks family trait. I'm lucky or unlucky, depending how you look at it, as I have the same trait from my mother as well, so I guess that that makes me doubly unbearable when I'm annoyed!" She laughed. "But in all honesty and seriousness, it's the ability to rise to challenges that will get you through your time at Hogwarts. Just, if you're anything like me, watch what you say. I had a habit of saying things that got me into a lot of trouble at school. However, the school has grown even harsher now, meaning that what was a lot of trouble in my time there is nothing to what you will get now. Be careful."

[Word Count :: 1,158]
[Comment :: No foreshadowing there at all. Not at all. *whistles innocently*]

[ELLA AMELIA SMITH !]

Ella Smith
All I want, all I need
Is some peace

When tonks exclaimed about not bringing a jumper Ella smiled softly and chuckled " It’s alright I will soon adjust" She had walked forward easily, she then heard Tonks's dark undertones in her voice when speaking. Ella smirked and chuckled darkly " Yea I am sure they are just thinking of my health" sarcasm dripping off her tongue like running water. Ella always had her moments of Sarcasm, in fact Ella had the extremes she was Shy to begin with but once she was settled her own sometimes sceptical sarcastic nature becomes to be more apparent. Not everyone is perfect.

Ella watched curiously as Tonks pulled out two photos from her bag. Wizarding Photos intrigued her, they moved unlike their muggle counterparts. She remembers in her first year she had found it fascinating to watch photos move. There weren't many paintings in Hogwarts, well none she wished to look at, some were quiet unpleasant. One picture had the battle of Hogwarts in it; there were a lot of dead people and green light in it. She shivered they had made them all practice that curse, they had all learned it. She also knew all too well of the other two curses. She sighed and turned her attention to the pictures. She was silent as tonks explained who each of the people were. Her eyes lingered on Dumbledore, and then on Remus, well she looked at all of them. These were the people who were known to be evil and wrong, it’s what they were taught at schools, it was the purebloods wanted to believe. She eyed the three children, her eyes lingering on Harry. The boy who died trying to prevent what was happening now.

The second picture she eyed carefully as well, she smiled weakly as the mini Remus and Tonks cooed over a baby. " He looks like a really nice person" referring to Remus. She eyed the baby Teddy, she had to admit he looked cute as baby with his shocking hair. She felt a sudden pang of sadness. It was thanks to the Death Eaters and purebloods that Teddy had grown up the way he had, without his parents. Her life would have been easier. Her mother and Tonks’s father would hopefully still be in contact. So when Ella would have got her letter to Hogwarts she would have met the Wizarding side of her family sooner, she would have had support from them and have attended a much more fair Hogwarts.

She knew Tonks would react to the news about Teddy, well she was his mother, she would not expect anything else. Sympathy rose within her, She didn't know what to do to reassure Tonks. She let her talk then wrapped an arm around her shoulders " It will get easier as he gets older, Less people to avoid, The first year purebloods may hate me, but they do realise I am taller and know a lot more Magic then them." She paused hugging her cousin lightly with he arm around her shoulders " I will speak to him, I am gunna tell him that we are related" she paused then eyed tonks reassuringly " but don't worry I won't tell him how I know". Life was difficult for them all, but it was only a few weeks until spring break.

When tonks talked of Draco, but then she felt touched when she said how Ella was a strong person. She smiled as Tonks spoke about it being a family trait. It certainly described her. Ella often, hit back or spoke back when Slytherins taunted her, but then again sometimes she had the restraint to just stand there in silence. She knew it would be better for her own health is she had just stood there in silence. She nodded lightly at her warning " I know" she sighed, then lightened up, changing the subject " Its spring break in a few weeks maybe we could meet up then, I was planning to stay at Hogwarts cus my parents are on holiday" She drifted off, maybe she was being too intrusive, she was probably wandering in on her cousin's life too much. She stopped eyeing her cousin gently

[tonks]

Tonks smiled and nodded. "If you're sure." She laughed as Ella's sarcastic side began to show. She patted her cousin on the back and said, almost sadly, "You know, I wish I'd got to spend more time with you as a kid. You and I would have had so much fun together. You know...you remind me so much of me when I left Hogwarts. It's kind of scary, actually!" She smiled again, and then looked brighter. "Still, it's not as bad as if we hadn't met. I'm glad you sent me that owl. I wouldn't have met you otherwise."

She saw Ella's smile as she looked at the second photo, and Tonks smiled too. "It's one of my most prized possessions. I like to look at it when things go wrong. Reminds me of how things used to be, and are going to be again." She said, her cheeks pink, as if she had just admitted one of her deepest secrets. As Ella spoke again, she smiled more broadly. "Who, Remus? Oh yes, he was lovely. He had been so worried that Teddy would be a werewolf like him. He only got to see Teddy once. Then again..." Tonks said, pursing her lips, "It could be that, like me, he's hiding - rather than being dead. It's...it's probably wishful thinking..." She said, and then paused, inhaling deeply. "...But I can hope." She finished, smiling gently. "No doubt a lot of the Order are doing something similar to me. I just hope that one day we can join back together and sort this out once and for all." She looked more hopeful, and then looked back to the photo, and then back to Ella. "You know," she said, after a pause, "You can tell you're related to my father. Here..." she pulled out yet another photo, this one creased, and of a single man. Ella and her father had the same shape and colour of their eyes. Their jawlines were similar and many other similarities Tonks could point out. She turned to Ella and handed the photo to her. "Here - this is your Uncle Ted. You have some really big similarities between you."

After Tonks had ranted, she sat and felt a reassuring arm around her shoulder. Hearing Ella's words, she half-smiled, but her mind was still rife with worry. She squeezed Ella's hand, and forced a smile to her face. "Thankyou. I'll still send him an owl - let him know I've spoken to you, using the same name as I used in my letters to you. He's already met me as "Dora" before so that's not an issue...and I know you'll look out for him." She smiled properly this time, and her voice took on a thankful tone. "Thank God I've got you to be there for him. You don't know how much this means to me, Ella. I have a lot to thank you for. I really do."

When Ella mentioned the spring break, Tonks' whole demeanour lightened. "You don't have to stay at Hogwarts, if you want..."she said, measuredly. "...I have a small bungalow on the outskirts of London. It's nothing fancy - of course, the puresnobs won't let me have much more. It's a little rundown, but there is two bedrooms, and all the necessities. It is a bit out of the way...but if you wanted to spend the holiday there with me...you'd..." she paused and then shrugged. "Well...you'd be more than welcome."

She then sat there and said quickly, "But if you'd rather stay at Hogwarts, well...well that's fine too." She knew that Ella probably wouldn't really want to stay at Hogwarts if she had a choice...but she didn't want to intrude. Ella was old enough to choose, and, in the end, she had only met Tonks this once.

She sat there in silence, and waited for a reply.

[ELLA AMELIA SMITH !]

Ella Smith
All I want, all I need
Is some peace

As tonks patted her back, she smiled weakly eyeing her softly; she chuckled as she spoke about them being alike. Ella smiled and then looked back out towards Hogsmeade. She sighed " If everything had been how it was in your day, I suppose my parents would have contacted my uncle, which means you as well and we would have met soon" she then looked back towards tonks and then chuckled to herself at her own thoughts, she then spoke them aloud so tonks didn't think she was completely barking " Just thinking anyone tried to bully me in my first years then I could turn around say 'My cousin is an Auror are you sure you want to be doing that'" She smiled at Tonks lightly again.

She shifted slightly in her seat, before looking at the photos again as Tonks spoke about them, she was glad of the broad grin on her. Ella sat quietly again watching the moving photos as Tonks explained, but then perked when she said about Ella's uncle. She eyed the man in fascination. Replicas of her own eyes stared back out at her, a hand waving. She took the photo watching it intensely. She smiled then " Its wonder no one has guessed that I am related to you if they knew him" She would have been proud as well to admit she was related, however she knew as much as she was proud of her cousin. She must not admit it at school or her last term was going to be hell, especially form Draco Malfoy.

When she spoke about sending an owl " you might get a confused response If I have not managed to talk to him" She then lent more into the beanbag and stretched yawning. She smiled at tonks apologetically and sat back up. " Teddy will be fine, I survived, he can, I heard he is a tough one" She then smiled " One of the first years in my house love his hair and has a few classes with him". She settled and relaxed, she only had one more term of Hogwarts to go before it would be all over; she was going to have to send her NEWT results to her parents, maybe her parents would like to meet their niece again. She sighed she wondered what kind of job she could get as a muggleborn Wizard.

Then everything got exciting as Tonks replied to her comments about spring break. She smiled, her whole face lighting up, which made Ella's features look something close to beautiful. " Really? I can come, I would love to stay with you" She smiled happily and added " I can use magic outside of school now as well as I am 17"It meant Tonks could teach her anything she had not been taught in order to pass her NEWTs. She was suddenly happy, but then she wondered about something " Tonks can you apparate?" she asked lightly, well she assumed she could but she was going to ask anyway, if her house was in London how had she got here then? Ella felt the question was stupid all of sudden. But the thing was, she had not been allowed to learn how to apparate as the classes were 'fully booked' which was rubbish it meant they didn't want impurities learning only their precious purebloods

[tonks]

Tonks smiled as Ella spoke about the past. "Yes, that's true. I think my father would have liked for us to have met. He always did like keeping our family close to our other relatives - apart from my mother's side, of course. They wanted to kill us...and we wanted to keep ourselves as far away from them as we could." She heard her laugh and then her explanation and Tonks laughed too. "Well, that's very true. But you probably wouldn't have needed to. Either I'd have still been stationed there with the Order anyway, or the Houses would be a lot less segregated than they are now - and the Slytherins would have been on a more stringent leash, per se."

She saw Ella's interest grow as she showed her the picture of her father. Again, as she spoke, Tonks nodded. ""Yes, but you must remember that not many people choose to remember him, and he was killed as a traitor. Therefore, not many people take to "his sort" lightly." She frowned slightly. "It's a shame. If it weren't for him being related to me, he'd probably still be alive." She frowned even more. "Then again...would I really want him living in a world such as this?" She shook her head and smiled. "I'm sorry. I get like this sometimes. Anyway, this should be a positive time - after all, I'm meeting this awe-inspiring young woman who is my cousin. Why should I be down?" She laughed and then hugged Ella lightly around her shoulder. "You know, I think my father would be ever so proud to have you as a niece. I know I'm proud as hell to have you as a cousin."

As Ella warned her about telling Teddy too early, she nodded. "I understand, but I do need to check he's okay. I know he's tough - I wouldn't have expected much less, the brutality they must've shown him, but he can't hide everything inside. I did that for years, and it did me no good at all." She laughed and then nodded. "I know what you mean though."

When Tonks talked of the Spring holidays, she saw Ella's face brighten up majorly. She had never thought someone could be so happy to visit her and it made her feel full of life and happy again, almost as happy as she had been when the world had been more equal. it made her feel, well...younger...and more like her proper self, rather than this echo; this shadow that she had become. She laughed as the question was posed. "Yes, really!" She said, laughing, her features radiant. She heard all of Ella's comments, one after another and was almost knocked backwards by the flurry. "When you said you were 17, I thought you ought to be able to practise magic outside school. Maybe during the holiday I can teach you some spells - if you want. I'm sure there's a lot of stuff they leave out for those who aren't purebloods. I'll admit, I'm not the most skilled witch in the world - but I know how to survive. That's all that's important in the end, nowadays, isn't it?" She said, smiling. "And yes, I can apparate. I learnt how to in my seventh year of school. I bet that's stopped now, hasn't it? I can't teach you how to, before you ask - but I can do side-along apparition, where you and I apparate together." She said softly, guessing why she had asked. "You have to be "Ministry approved" to teach Apparition. Sadly, as much as I hate the Ministry nowadays, it's more that it's worth to try and teach it without being permitted to. Also, I wouldn't dare teach you. Not because of you, but because of me. If you were to splinch yourself - that is, leave part of you at your starting point - I wouldn't know how to heal it. I've splinched myself and it's one of the most painful injuries I've ever had. I wouldn't risk it. I'm sorry."

[ELLA AMELIA SMITH !]

Ella Smith
All I want, all I need
Is some peace

Ella remained quite as Tonks responded to her comment about how it could have been, well more how it should have been. As Tonks said about not being bullied she shrugged. " Maybe, but some cocky Gryffindors tried to pick on one of the first year Slytherins, which makes them no better than them" she sighed leaning back she had been somewhat disgusted, she hated the Slytherins, but that was just hypocritical. She sighed then smirked slightly to herself " rumour goes that someone even tried to pick on Professor Malfoy's daughter" She eyed Tonks, raising one eye brow lightly " At least I am not that stupid" She relaxed, hazel eyes drifting to the view over Hogsmeade.

The day was clear, but cold, a chilly breeze that made it seem a lot colder than it was. However the cave sheltered its inhabitants from this breeze so it was starting to warm up nicely. Ella's brown hair was only loosely tied up, she had a pony tail but hair was loose on bother sides, she ran her hand through these loose side pieces absent minded. From the way they were there it looked like she did this often. When smiled weakly as Tonks hugged her and spoke about Ella being more than the filth she had been told she is. She looked up at Tonks " I am proud too you make a brilliant cousin too" She beamed up at Tonks then, reassuring her with her smile.

Although as Tonks spoke about the brutality of the world now she nodded, she knew alright. She knew all too well what awaited her after Hogwarts, they would realise their mistake form years ago. They would realise she was never interviewed about her blood status, and she knew her relation to Tonks would not be enough for her to prove she had not stolen magic from another. She knew she would go to Azkaban, she wondered if she could do that to Tonks, she was realising now Tonks had a home now, she was rebuilding her life, Ella would destroy any stability she had built up, because Ella did not want to go to Azkaban and she would have to go on the run.

Keeping these thoughts to herself her mood lifted at the thought of staying with Tonks over spring break. Then as she said about learning magic Ella nodded like an excited seven year old being asked if she wanted to go on holiday or something. To be honest she felt like that seven year old " plus you were an Auror so you must be good, I might actually learn defence against the dark arts, rather than the dark arts" She scowled for about a mini second at those thoughts but cheered up. Then Tonks spoke about apparating, her heart slightly sunk but it lifted, why she would be disappointed, she was going to learn more than she had ever dreamed of learning from the most amazing cousin ever. She knew didn’t think twice about the loss of apparating. " Never mind" she said cheerily, honestly not minding she might in the future but for now she was too happy to care about one little blip. She was nearly bouncing up and down on her seat but not quite. She smiled up at Tonks " as you can probably tell I am excited, I can finely be somewhere and not treated like dirt on the ground".