Catch Me When I Fall ~ [George Weasley]

Preface

Eleanora Black. Everyone knew her name, everyone knew her face. Her father was infamous for betraying his closest friends to the epitome of evil, before committing mass murder and subsequently earning himself a permanent residence within the walls of Azkaban. Everyone knew her story, at least, they thought they did. But the truth of the matter is, that no one really knows Eleanora Black at all. Most of the time, she's not even sure she knows herself.

There were only four people in Eleanora's life who she perceived to have any insight into what goes on inside her head.

The first was Remus Lupin, her godfather and sole guardian. He had been best friends with her father at school and vowed to take care of Eleanora when her father abandoned her to serve the dark lord. Although his finances were limited, he truly did take care of Eleanora- just as if she were his own child.

When she first came to Hogwarts, she made the acquaintance of Cedric Diggory. Lost in her own wonder at her surroundings, Eleanora had tripped on Platform 9 3/4 and would have surely fallen if it weren't for Cedric's quick reflexes. It didn't take more than a few minutes for Eleanora to recognize the pure kindness that existed in that boys heart. To make up for his slight reaction to learning Eleanora's name, he proceeded to sit with her for the entire train ride to Hogwarts- telling her all about the school as he was entering into his second year. The two became fast friends, and that friendship soon blossomed into a relationship one might find more amongst siblings. Cedric was the brother Eleanora always longed for.

But the two people who seemed to have the most consequence on Eleanora's life appeared during the sorting ceremony. Fred and George Weasley wasted no time in displaying their mischievous side, and when they saw how their antics amused Eleanora- when they saw her pretty little smile- they wasted no time in talking to her and befriending her. Eleanora's family proved to be of little concern to the twins and the three soon became inseparable.

These four individuals were the only people with whom Eleanora shared a real connection, however not once did she ever use the word love to describe her admiration for them. To Eleanora, love was a concept that held little benefit for the beholder and held little consequence over one's life. Her father had supposedly loved Lily and James Potter- but he betrayed them. He had supposedly loved Peter Pettigrew- but he killed him. Her father had supposedly loved her, and yet Eleanora was forced to grow up without him- because he left her. He abandoned her. Therefore, in order to preserve her dignity- and her heart- Eleanora closed herself off to the notion of love at a very early age. Never, she decided, would she ever have to feel the pain of love again.