Cursed Child Years 1-4 | Marauders Era

117 | Broken Pieces

Broken Pieces

TW: Referenced past trauma, mentions of grief, murder, death, blood, torture and gore.

Monday 18nth December, 1974

Elizabeth pushed her way through the crowd of students bundled together at Hogsmeade Station, her suitcase gripped tightly in one hand. She'd chosen to walk to the station alone this time, knowing she wouldn't be able to relax or think straight for another two weeks. Choosing this time to be alone allowed her to gather her thoughts, control her emotions and build that emotional wall around her mind and herself in order to face her family and the Dark Lord again.

Knowing that she would be gone for two weeks made it easier. Elizabeth was preparing herself for the first ever holiday from Hogwarts, alone. She'd never been at the manor without the knowledge that Sirius was in Grimmauld Place, and if not, he would be returning. This time, she had no one. And the last time she'd been away from Hogwarts for two weeks, Regulus had nearly died, too many to count Muggle families were murdered and her friendship with Bellatrix had been torn.

It wouldn't be hard to find her friends, the train was only so big, and the Marauders tended to stick to one specific cart, so she had a good guess as to where her boys would be. Elizabeth was now on the train and most students were already either in a cart or waiting for their friends on the platform outside. As she walked past each car, she peered inside just in case the Marauders or her girls had decided to sit somewhere else for this journey back.

"Oi! Nugget! Where do you think you're going then?"

She smiled at the voice, an instant wave of calmness washing over her. "I thought you'd stopped calling me that, Sirius? It doesn't make any sense."

Sirius only waved a hand in her face before grabbing her suitcase and rolling it inside. "It does," he said, placing an arm around her waist and slowly pulling her into the cart. "It means you're small."

"Like a nugget," Peter intervened, head resting against the window and a small smile on his face as he made room for both her and Sirius on the bench. James had his back to the wall, legs curled in on himself as his eyes darted between Remus - who was reading a book in his lap beside James - and the others.

"It doesn't make any sense," she shrugged, sliding down against the compartment wall and next to Sirius.

"Hey, Ellie," James smiled. "We were worried you weren't going to get here in time."

"No, Prongs was worrying you wouldn't sit with us and choose Regulus or Marls over the Marauders."

"Moony!" James gasped dramatically. "No need to sell me out like that!"

"Next time, don't say 'we' then."

"Where is Regulus?" Elizabeth asked, sitting herself up straight, making sure her posture was perfect.

"With the snakes," Sirius glowered.

Elizabeth couldn't help but roll her eyes, he needed to grow up and get over the house Prejudice.

"It's your first Christmas living with James and his parents, isn't it, Pads?" Peter nudged his elbow with Sirius's, drawing his attention away.

"Yeah," he instantly grinned.

"I can't wait! I've had you round this time of year before but... it's different this time."

"Don't go getting all soft on me now, Prongs," Sirius laughed.

"And this is how I lose the ability of hearing," Remus mumbled, turning a page just as the train pulled away from Hogsmeade and began its journey back to London.