PART THREE: THIRD YEAR
Early September

"If it isn't my favorite little ravenclaw," Sirius gave one of his lopsided grins, making his way over to the girl. "How was your summer break, Eli?"

"It was going quite well until I saw your face." Eleanor grinned at the horrified expression that flashed across Sirius' face. "How was yours?"

With a hand over his heart, he replied, "I managed through the entire summer with no injuries, two minutes in this train station and you've broken my heart." His eyes sparkled and he fought back the smile threatening to break out, "congratulations, I hope you're happy with yourself."

She smiled at the boy leaning against one of the pillars, "really though, good summer?"

He gave an uncommitted shrug, "nothing special." When he raised a hand to run his fingers through his hair, Eleanor's eyes zeroed in on the exposed skin peaking out from his shirt sleeve.

She frowned instantly, moving closer to him. Sirius eyed her curiously, not catching on as quickly. Eleanor grabbed his hand, pushing up the sleeve, her eyes examining the dark bruises covering his forearm. Sirius' grin dropped and he pulled his arm away.

"I thought you said no injuries?"

"It's nothing."

Eleanor's eyes searched his, her frown deepening when he looked away. She tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder, "you can tell me anything, you know that, right? We are friends, you know."

He glanced at her quickly before looking away, "course." He hesitated before shrugging off her hand, "I think I should go, the boys will be wondering why I haven't gone to the compartment yet."

She nodded softly, "yeah okay."

"You're sitting with those girls from your dorm, right?"

"Yeah, Clare's already run off to find us a compartment." Eleanor couldn't stand looking into his eyes anymore, not with knowing he was hiding something from her.

Sirius sighed before nudging her softly. "Listen, Ellie."

Ellie, Sirius only called her Ellie when something was bothering him. She was always Eli to him. She looked up, frown present on her lips.

He ran a hand through his hair and another sigh escaped him. "It's nothing, okay. Don't worry about it."

"Okay Sirius," she couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice and she glanced away from him, not quite able to hold the eye contact anymore.

"I missed you, you know," when Eleanor looked back to him he was staring at her long and hard. "It was weird not going to the library to bother you."

She nodded softly, "yeah, I missed you too."

A small smile glinted across Sirius' face, though it didn't quite meet his eyes. He held his arms open just a little, signaling for a hug. Eleanor fell into his arms easily, squeezing him tight. Sirius responded with just as much enthusiasm and they stood there just holding each other for a second.

Eleanor finally pulled back, "I'll wait until you're ready to tell me."

Sirius nodded solemnly, the hug not being enough to ease the tension out of him. "You'll come visit us in our compartment, yeah? I know the boys have missed you too."

"I'll be there," a ghost of a smile on her lips.

Someone called for Eleanor and she gave Sirius one last sad smile before she was being dragged away by a way too excited Maggie.

Sirius' eyes fell to his shoes and he heaved a sigh, hands shoved deep into his pocket.

"Sirius!"

His head snapped up, finding Eleanor once more. "Yeah, Eli?"

She smirked, "what's up with your hair? Looking a little scruffy."

All somber thoughts seemed to evaporate and suddenly it was just like every other time him and Eleanor were messing around. His eyes narrowed at her, "I happen to think that my hair looks nice."

She gave a scoff, "you haven't had it cut since first year. It's getting quite long."

"It's the style nowadays, makes me look punk rock, yeah?"

"Makes you look homeless."

He let out a horrified gasp at her words, eyes narrowing at her mischievous smirk. "Take that back."

"Cut your hair and maybe I will."

"Never."

Eleanor grinned, "you're such a drama queen. I really missed you, you know?"

He rolled his eyes softly, "yeah, I know." A small smile playing at the edges of his lips, "I missed you too Eli."

Eleanor disappeared into the crowd of people with one last grin throw over her shoulder. Sirius let his eyes trail after her for as long as possible but eventually she left his sight, falling into the crowd of children giving their last goodbyes to tearful parents.

Sirius stayed there, leaning against the column, just staring at the ground before him where Eleanor had been standing. He thought, going over every possible thing that Eleanor could say and do if he ever decided to tell her about his family.

She was a muggleborn, she knew of the rising threat to her race but she didn't know that his family was on the side that wanted her dead. He frowned, so sure with himself that he didn't have a single thing in common with the people who shared his blood. But Eleanor had no way of knowing that.

When the whistle blew, he finally walked towards the train. He sat down in a compartment near the end of the train, surrounded by three boys. A smile slipped onto his lips as he began talking to them, all thoughts of the summer disappearing from his mind. When Eleanor's name came up in conversation his smile grew wider, though unbeknownst to him or any of the other boys.