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"A snake! You understand, right, professor that it was really dangerous and irresponsible? The boys had to use only the disarming charm, not to mention the fact that the blond here decided to show off his bad and shoddy skills by inciting the snake to attack another student!" Scolds Elaine, she, Snape and Lockhart are in the principal's office, the woman ranting about with insults and reprimands towards the two, Dumbledore attentive and interested, Snape keeps rolling his eyes from time to time and Lockhart tries to get in the conversation to save his image.

"I'm just a little out of shape, I don't have bad skills..." Enters the man, Elaine turns to him in a flash and points her wand, "Do not speak! I'm gonna show you how I don't have shoddy skills and how I'm in perfect shape by turning you into a ferret."

Gilderoy falls silent and retracts to a point farther from the room, Snape smiles a little bit, Elaine points her wand at him, "And I'll turn you into a beautiful black cat to keep him company, what do you think?" She questions, no trace of a smile on her face.

"Elaine, calm down. We'll fix this without violence." placates Dumbledore, leaning forward, Elaine sighs and retracts the wand, not removing the glare from her face. " Severus. Allock. I have to ask you to reconsider your attitude, Elaine is right, you have endangered many students tonight. Don't repeat it again, please." The principal resumes, the two affirmatively answer, while Elaine widens her eyes.

"That's it?!" She incredulously questions, Snape smiles mockingly, "You're not going to say anything else?" The brunette asks again, "Elaine please. Severus, Allock. You may go." Dismisses the man, the two add nothing else and leave the room.

Elaine rolls her eyes and sits comfortably in the chair. Dumbledore observes her for a while, the two remain in silence for more than a minute, staring at each other very intensely. 

"Did you have something to ask me, Elaine?" Questions Dumbledore, the brunette stares at him for a few more seconds before silently sighing, "I need a leave for a few weeks. And I wanted to ask your permission,"

The elder leans his hands under his chin and elbows on the desk, "Do you want to tell me why?" He asks, Elaine doesn't change her expression but tilts her head slightly to one side, "Do you think I should tell you?" she questions.

Dumbledore smiles slightly, "It's your choice. I don't force you to do anything," he replies, Elaine smiles back, "Then I choose not to tell you. As I believe you expected."

"You probably won't believe me, Elaine. But I'm really sorry for what happened," adds Dumbledore, the woman's smile disappears, "I'm sorry too. That I wasn't smart enough back then." She answers. "If you don't mind, I'm going to pack my bags," and so she gets up and walks to the exit.

"Is there something else you want to ask me, Elaine?" Calls the man, the woman stops and looks back at him. Another moment of silence falls upon them. "Why do you insist on keeping the school open?"

"You know as well as I do, these kids' parents are about to start asking more questions than they're asking right now. This will cast doubt on your position, and as much as I hate to admit it, Hogwarts still needs you." Elaine explains, Dumbledore keeps looking at her, "It's an answer you wouldn't understand,"

Elaine raises an eyebrow, "Why shouldn't I understand? The best solution right now is to send the kids to their families." Dumbledore leans his back to the back of the chair, "Would you like to let Harry spend more time with them?" questions, immediately, the man. The woman remains silent, Dumbledore decides to continue, "A curiosity, Elaine. Why did he enter that cave?"

The brunette narrows her eyes, a dangerous light can be glimpsed in her pupils, "As much as I can respect you professor. Don't get involved in my business, it's an advice I'm offering you as your former student." She responds, turning around and leaving the principal's office.

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Luna Lovegood enters her godmother's office with the letter that the woman herself sent her that night. Going into the brunette's bedroom, however, the blonde finds her carrying magically her clothes in a trunk.

"Aunt Lainy, what are you doing?" She questions, the woman blocks a pair of tunics in the air and looks down with her brown irises towards her niece, "I'm getting ready to leave, I have an immediate need to sort out some dangerous chores." Hastily replicates the brunette, resuming her work. Luna raises her eyebrows, surprised by the answer.

Elaine decides to stop and puts the wand over the bed, "I promise I'll be back soon, I won't let anything happen to you, you know that right?" She asks, placing her hands on the 11-year-old's shoulders, putting a protective charm on her, unbeknownst to the blonde, and praying that it will work against whatever thing is inside the Chamber of Secrets.

The little girl forcefully nods, "Does Dad know? That you're leaving?" She questions, Elaine smiles slightly, "Not yet, but I need his help, so I go there in person." He explains.

Elaine grabs a crystal ball, the same one that Luna had used two years earlier to call her, and hands it to her niece, "Now listen carefully LouneyLu. I also need your help, I want you to fill me in on everything that happens while I'm gone, and when I mean everything, I mean everything. Do you understand?" She questions, Luna nods and takes the sphere in her hands, memories of that morning resurface in her mind, at that moment her hands trembled anxiously, now she holds the object with her hands firmly.

"All right, aunt Elaine. Good luck," announces the blonde, hugging the woman tightly before heading out.

Elaine watches her walk away with a small smile.

Then her eyes rest on the Astronomy charts that are on the floor, deciding that it was better to hurry up, the woman grabs them and throws them into the trunk along with her clothes, closing and shrinking it to be able to carry it easily.

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A beautiful dark-haired woman walks away from the kitchen to open the front door, in front of her in the porch there is a young woman with dark brown hair, eyes of the same color, and is not older than thirty for sure.

"Andromeda Tonks?" asks the woman at the door, Andromeda stares at her for a few seconds, then nods slowly, letting the guest into the house.

Andromeda accompanies her to the living room, where they sit and look at each other, "You must be Elaine, I assume." Elaine smiles and nods her head.

"Sorry for the sudden visit, but this is a very important issue..." Explains the brunette, Andromeda nods, "Have you already figured out who imitated me in that letter?" She asks, Elaine closes her eyes and sighs, nodding, "Yes."

A silence falls upon them.

"I think you remember Walburga and Orion's house elf, don't you?" Asks with anticipation Elaine, Andromeda sighs and nods.

"So you're aware that Kreacher was in charge of writing the Black letters as if they were writing them?" Andromeda doesn't answer and Elaine continues, "I suspect he did it, to try to trick me into doing something very important, I don't know why he wanted to imitate you, but, given your... interesting story..."

Andromeda smiles amused, "Don't worry, I've been used to it for a long time now," The two smile, then the seriousness returns.

"What is this important matter? If I may know, of course." Questions Andromeda, Elaine meets her eyes, "It concerns my husband..." She replies.

Tonks doesn't blink, a slight grimace on her face, "I see." Elaine sighs, "It's not what you think,"

Andromeda smiles widely, "It is easy to talk when you are blinded by love, Elaine in that family they are all the same. No one is saved, no one." Elaine shakes her head, "I am not blinded by love."

"Really? If he were here right now, I know you wouldn't hesitate to hug him." She says, crossing her arms across her chest and narrowing her eyes, "If he were here now, we probably wouldn't be together anymore,"

"That's what you think now, just because he's not actually here," Andromeda replies, Elaine does not answer.

"Why do you still believe in them? Look at Sirius, even I thought he was better and instead..." Andromeda continues, Elaine looks at her, "I'm not sure of his position in that matter."

"You're not sure of his position?! He killed your brother and his wife, Elaine!" The woman exclaims, a twinge in the heart pierces Elaine, "It was Voldemort who killed them. Not him." The brunette replies, Andromeda raises an eyebrow, "But he was the Secret Keeper, right?" She questions. Elaine lowers her sorrowful eyes. 

Between the two, a tense and awkward silence falls, Elaine decides to break it, "I'd better go," Both get up, the thirty-year-old reaches out to her.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Andromeda." The woman in question smiles and shakes her hand, "Likewise, Elaine."

"You got lucky, you know?" Andromeda speaks, Elaine is already in front of the door with one hand on the knob, she turns to look into the woman's eyes, "About what?" She asks.

Andromeda crosses her arms again, "For still being yourself after living a long time with them. Not many succeed," She explains, Elaine tilts her head, "Did you succeed?" She questions with a raised eyebrow. Andromeda smiles, "Not quite."

Elaine smiles in turn, then nods, opens the door and heads for Ottery St. Catchpole.

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Xenophilius sips his tea, not shifting his gaze from his friend who is sitting in front of him.

"Okay, you're probably a little confused and annoyed, I know I promised I'd stay with her all the time to check on her-" Apologizes Elaine, the blond interrupts her, "Confused and annoyed is to say little Elaine."

The woman clumps her lips shut and takes another sip of tea, "I put a protective charm on her, she doesn't know it. It's one of the ones that P and I created together, nothing will happen to her." She reassures, the blond just looks at her.

"Why are you here exactly?" He asks sighing, Elaine does not meet his gaze and removes the locket from her neck, the man rests the cup of tea, stands up in a flash and shakes his head frantically, "Do not even dare, Elaine. I'm not gonna do that."

Elaine stands up too, "Xen please, I can't do it alone." Prays the young woman, the man shakes his head, "I love you, Elaine. But I can't and I don't want to help you with this." The woman grabs his hands, the cold metal of the locket contacts Xenophilius' fingers, "I understand you, really, but you can't ask me to help you with... that."

"Xen please, I-" Elaine begins but the man interrupts her, "No!" He exclaims, moving away. " It's because of that damn locket that my wife died and Luna doesn't have a mother!" Yells the blond, "And now you want to meddle me with that thing? Don't even try to explain Elaine, my answer is still no."

The two look at each other, both with tears in their eyes, "I know what you think, we all do, but I wouldn't ask if I didn't have an idea." The woman murmurs, Xenophilius looks down, "We both know that Pandora has always been ready for a challenge, not because of you but because of her determination and impulsiveness in trying new things, she knew what she was facing."

Then his eyes fall on the golden locket, "I will help you, but you must promise me that there will be no more deaths because of it." Elaine looks at him wide-eyed, "You know I can't know that, Xen." The blond shrugs, "What's your idea?" He questions, the brunette smiles slightly, "Astronomy and Potions."

The man raises an eyebrow, Elaine approaches, "Think about it, Pandora wanted to try with a charm, but we are talking about a very dark object, wouldn't it be better to use the science that divides the Muggles world from that of the Wizards?" She asks, "We could use P's charm with some tweaking and create a potion," Xenophilius nods, "Let's use her study, I haven't touched anything, the charm's notes should still be there."

The two walk up the stairs, "What are you going to do with the locket?" Asks the blond, Elaine fiddles with her fingers, Xenophilius freezes and looks at her suspiciously, "Elaine? What do you want to do with it?" 

"I want to hide it once and for all." She responds, the man shakes his head, "You haven't answered my question yet," Elaine sighs and finally meets his gaze, "I want to hide it in my memories, Xenophilius."

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