"Sooo why are you running exactly?" Nellie said. She was bent over and gasping for breath. "He doesn't even know yet!"

"Because," Elena leaned against the wall clutching her chest, "if James is calling your name loudly you run. Trust me."

"But, I, what?" Nellie fell to the floor. Her legs ache terribly. She thought by sitting it would help but with her luck they ached even worse.

"Did you not hear him? He said it was my fault! I don't know what he's talking about but better let him cool off." Elena stayed standing and started stretching her legs. She couldn't let her mind wander too much, Hogwarts was a sensitive place for her still and it brought terrible memories.

Nellie grimaced, "I don't know El, he didn't seem that made. It probably wasn't even that bad! I mean what could you have possibly done." She let a small giggle escape her lips before coughing up a lung. "Why did we run ugh. We're in a tunnel he probably doesn't even know about."

"We're actually in the astronomy tower."

"Wait how did we get here so fast! The tower was on the other side of the castle!"

"Uh, tunnels and a shortcut?"

"That hardly even makes-"

"Magic!"

Nellie sat straight up and glared at her. Lifting a finger she pointed it straight at Elena's nose. "You know you can't blame everything on magic right?" With her piece said she flopped back onto the floor and sighed.

She couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity, seeing Nellie practically pouting on the floor was comical. It was hard really watching someone so young be so carefree.

Hadn't it been like this once upon a time? Before Hogwarts was taken over? Laughter and smiles. It wasn't always happy but children didn't live in fear of their teachers. They could walk the halls without downcast eyes or wary glances at wands. It hadn't been too long ago when she was Daphne, it had only been a year. But it felt like an eternity hadn't it?

Sometimes she wonders if Harry Potter manages to defeat him. He was the chosen one right? She couldn't see it happening though. Harry was just a kid, they were all just children. No one could stand to look that man in his eyes and even attempt to lie. Much less try to kill him.

Her chest twisted horribly as she stared at the wall next to Nellie. Hadn't they're blood splattered across the tiles? Hadn't they gone too far and things happened. His body thumped across the floor, she still remembered the smell.

Elena didn't know how much she missed Hogwarts in its older state. It was a beautiful thing ruined by someone who didn't know love.

Daphne wouldn't have been able to handle being back. She would have run, she would have cried and cried. She wouldn't have stopped until she had nothing left to cry.

("What's wrong with you? Haven't you ever seen a dead body?" Astoria looked up at her with cold eyes. She had never felt such fear before-)

"We still have to go to class." She blinked and looked down at Nellie. Her eyes were closed, she thought she had fallen asleep.

"We don't have class today." A soft oh left the other girls lips.

Nellie Greengrass, the next queen of hogwarts. She was small and sassy. She had the air of someone who couldn't sit still for too long, someone who needed constant attention. Nellie liked raspberries and her favorite drink was peach juice. She said pumpkin juice tasted like grapes and couldn't stand it.

Nellie was something of a problem. When Elena worked up to this new world she hadn't thought about all of the little details, she had barely even thought of her old parents and seeing them anew. But this wasn't something they planned for. Nellie was a spur of the moment "yes let's be friends why not" and she couldn't say she regretted it but it made things complicated.

First year was the year of establishing who you were. Making your story and letting people know who you were and that you meant business. Nellie couldn't know the truth could she? She was just a little girl, she hadn't known the horrors that they did. They couldn't very well tell her now.

"Hey Nellie sorry we didn't tell you earlier but we're actually from the future and when we died we were also reborn! Oh did I tell you? I was actually your niece and you were dead before I was even born. Oh yeah there's also this huge war and I have a ton of trauma and nightmares just thinking about all the stuff that happened in my sixth year! And Regulus was a death eater did we say that? He also had this super traumatic death! Hahaha did we mention Sirius was a mass murderer? And that my brother was killed because of him and his son was an orphan? Great story! Want some treacle tart?"

Yeah that wouldn't go down well.

She had uses, if she just became the queen of hogwarts (and what did that even mean to her?) they could have all of the connections they needed.

Elena just wanted to have a happy simple life, with a happy simple family. In a nice home and have nice children and be happy. Obviously this is to much too ask for. Elena couldn't be happy as Daphne, she wouldn't be allowed happiness here either.

It was with this sour thought that she allowed herself to finally sit next to Nellie and join in the pouting fest. Her head hurt, her chest felt odd, and all she wanted was some peace and quiet.

"Found you guys!"

Or not.

Regulus skidded right through the doorway of the astronomy tower and fell over. A loud crack was heard as his body thumped the floor. She could only imagine that hurt like Merlin's hell.

"You okay there?" Nellie opened one eye and looked at him languidly.

"No." He groaned, lifting himself onto his knees.

"That's good." She curled into herself and continued to attend sleep. For the first time Elena noticed the little blanket she was laying her head on. It was the one she left up there for them when they tried to sneak away

Regulus rolled his eyes at her. A little smirk was thrown there way as he sat back finally and leaned on the wall across from them.

"So your father is high priest Arthur and you never mentioned it?"

Nellie started laughing next to her, "How could you not have known that? Like come on that's so old news! It was all over the papers even my parents were talking about it and they hate the church."

"I don't look at the papers. The prophet is just propaganda."

"You sound like my Uncle Gilkern." With her eyes still closed she lifted herself up and started to make wide exaggerated motions with her hands. "Back in my day we learned about the news through the gossip circles during tea time! That's what witches were good for yer see? News! Now all they do is gossip gossip gossip!" She let out an exaggerated cough and wheeze. "Darn prophet! Propaganda machine for the ministry! Down with the minister!"

Elena couldn't help laughing with Nellie at poor Regulus' expense. The voice Nellie made to accompany the man was just too spot on. Daphne had fond memories of him, though when she knew him he must have been at least one hundred and fifty, and he was starting to show it.

Regulus pouted and snatched the blanket from Nellie.

"Hey give it back!"

"Make me!"

The two were running around the tower now. Though it was a mock fight they laughed at each attempt of her grabbing the blanket back.

Elena could only enjoy the little moments like this. Soon they wouldn't have this would they? Soon the start of the blood wars would arrive and nothing could stay the same. She wasn't sure how they would play out now with the church but she was sure it would be just as bad.

Because this was what led to the rise of Voldemort. One little disagreement that led to centuries of hate and prejudice. Justified or not this would start his reign of terror. They could only do so much to drag their families away now.

She smiled and laughed with them. But on the inside her chest thumped uncomfortably. She was fearful for the future.