Dark child

37

Draco was thrilled to tell anyone who would listen about the details of what had happened down in the lake, which was a relief to Elara, as for once, she wasn't the centre of attention.

Elara noticed that Draco's version of events changed subtly with every retelling. At first, he gave what seemed to be the truth — Dumbledore had put all the hostages into a bewitched sleep in Professor McGonagall's office, first assuring them that they would be quite safe, and would awake when they were back above the water. One week later, however, Draco was telling a thrilling tale of kidnap in which he struggled single-handedly against fifty heavily armed merpeople who had to beat him into submission before tying him up. Elara didn't bother to correct him so she can have a laugh at his entertaining stories.

As they entered March the weather became drier, but cruel winds skinned their hands and faces every time they went out onto the grounds. There were delays in the post because the owls kept being blown off course. A brown owl turned up at breakfast on Friday morning with half its feathers sticking up the wrong way; Elara wasn't expecting a letter, but tore off the letter from the owl anyway, and recognised Sirius's handwriting. Sirius's letter was short.

Be at stile at end of road out of Hogsmeade (past Dervish and Banges) at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Bring as much food as you can.

What in the name of Merlin was this about? For a second, Elara thought it was a trap, but Sirius wouldn't do that to her. In addition, she missed Sirius very much and was glad to get a chance to see him. She was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't realise Pansy and other Slytherins are having a laugh at a magazine called Witch Weekly during the breakfast.

She therefore approached the final lesson of the afternoon — double Potions — thinking hard about all the things she wanted to tell Sirius. As she arrived, she noticed that Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in a huddle outside the classroom door with Pansy's gang of Slytherin girls. All of them were looking at something Elara couldn't see and sniggering heartily. Pansy's face peered excitedly around Goyle's broad back as Harry, Ron, and Hermione approached right after Elara.

"There they are, there they are!" she giggled, and the knot of Slytherins broke apart. Elara saw that Pansy had the Witch Weekly magazine in her hands. The moving picture on the front showed a curly-haired witch who was smiling toothily and pointing at a large sponge cake with her wand.

"You might find something to interest you in there, Granger!" Pansy said loudly, and she threw the magazine at Hermione, who caught it, looking startled. At that moment, the dungeon door opened, and Snape beckoned them all inside.

Elara sat in the first table right in front of Severus. Between thinking about Sirius and making a potion, she could not find any space in her mind to devote to the subject of that mysterious magazine. She started unpacking the ingredients she would need for her Wit Sharpening Potion. But she was distracted anyway, by the low whispers coming from the end of the dungeon. As she finally turned her head to see who's talking, Snape spoke:

"Fascinating though your social life undoubtedly is, Miss Granger, I must ask you not to discuss it in my class. Ten points from Gryffindor."

The whole class was now looking around at them; Draco took the opportunity to flash POTTER STINKS across the dungeon at Harry.

"Ah... reading magazines under the table as well?" Snape added, snatching up the copy of Witch Weekly. "A further ten points from Gryffindor... oh but of course..." Snape's black eyes glittered. "Potter has to keep up with his press cuttings..." The dungeon rang with the Slytherins' laughter, and Snape smiled. He then began to read the article aloud.