The Serpent and the Lion [L.S]

Chapter 13

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The steam of the engine whines loudly as Elowen stalked back to the train car, her heeled black boots clicking loudly on the concrete.

It was an honest accident that she had left her scarf behind, but if she really stopped to think about it, Elowen was glad to have a quick escape.

There have been too many changes lately. Too many goodbyes. It felt good to be the one to walk away first, for once.

Elowen had been doing well to try and navigate her emotions with care, which really just meant steering clear of anything that might trigger the nagging loneliness that pulled at her heartstrings every so often—which, unfortunately, meant steering clear of Louis, most of the time.

It wasn't that she didn't want to be around him, but the last three weeks had been painful for Elowen.

Not even for the obvious reasons, which were bad enough already. Now Elowen can't even properly wallow in her own bullshit, because the whole reason she even has bullshit to wallow in has broken her boyfriend's heart!

Ex-boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend.

Elowen sighed, flipping her hair over her shoulder, careful not to let her inner thoughts display themselves so obviously on her face.

There were too many eyes still on her, maybe expecting for her to look like a lost puppy without Louis and their mates, but she won't.

They won't catch her looking like anything other than what she wants, which is strong. Unbothered. Unperturbed.

Was it how she felt on the inside? No. But that was an issue for another day.

It'd been an adjustment to say the least.

It felt small and petty to be upset that Louis appeared to be properly heartbroken over Harry fucking Styles, more so than he ever was over her, but even that didn't feel important anymore.

Not when Louis had looked like a shell of himself for three weeks straight.

No matter how upset Elowen wanted to be, she couldn't muster it. She couldn't bring it up anymore, couldn't find it within herself to be selfish and be angry with Louis any longer.

All she wanted was to see him smile again, to hear his laugh, for Louis to return to his normal self. For them all to return to their normal selves, whatever that even meant at this point.

This isn't how she saw seventh year panning out.

Elowen dragged herself and her cases back onto the train car they'd arrived in, and walked down to their cabin.

It felt odd to be on the carriage with nobody else, eerily empty and quiet. Every time Elowen had taken the journey to Hogwarts, the train was always filled to the brim with the whir of excited energy and mouths running a mile a minute, but now it just felt hollow.

Her scarf, mercifully, wasn't difficult to find. The moment she stepped into the compartment, she spotted the corner of green and silver fabric poking out from where it was wedged between the seat and the window.

Elowen pulled it free, and as she turned to leave, she noticed a plain brown case still sat atop the metal bars.

"What in the world?" Elowen wondered aloud. "Who do you belong to?"

"Me."

Elowen jolted, whipping around to find Niall leaning against the doorway behind her.