Make Me.

Book 1 - Chapter 8

Ellie woke up early the next morning. It was her first Saturday at Hogwarts, and since she had completed her homework for the week the previous night in the library with Hermione, she was free to do whatever she pleased. During the week she had planned out a few spots around the grounds she was eager to visit before the weather turned cold. 

The weekend meant she didn't have to wear her Hogwarts uniform so instead opted for a pair of shorts and one of her fathers baggy sweaters, finishing off the look with her favorite high-top sneakers, her socks poking out the tops. 

Ellie set off early enough to visit the owlrey before breakfast that morning, keen on sending the letter she had wrote the previous night off to her father. The corridors were empty as she walked with her letter in hand, already sealed and ready to go. Ellie quiet enjoyed being able to walk somewhere without being stared at or whispered about, even if was only for a few minutes before the castle began to wake up. 

As Ellie had reached the exit to the grounds, she poked her head out the door to see if the sun had risen yet. To her dismay, the sun was up, bright and shining without a single cloud in the sky blocking its rays. During the week, Ellie got away with staying under the cover of the castle and when she had to go out on the grounds, say for Herbology class, made quick trips with her hood up or hat on, which was enough to keep her protected from the sun for a few short minutes. The walk to the owlrey however, was a bit longer and required a new solution in order to keep the girls fragile skin protected from the fireball in the sky. 

 Pulling her head back under the cover of the castle, Ellie plunged her hand into her bag and pulled out a book that she had borrowed from the library. It was old, dusty, and marked up, but contained some of the most amazing and useful charms Ellie had ever heard of. The girl began flipping through the pages for something that could be useful in this situation, ignoring the big letters on the front cover that said 'Grade 5.' Her fingers thumbed through the pages until one caught her eye, a charm for turning your wand into an umbrella. Ellie scanned the page, quickly waved her wand in the directed manner practicing the movement a few times and whispered the incantation to herself. She closed the book and plopped it back into her bag. If there was any chance she was going to return the book to the library, it was gone now, and who would notice one missing book anyway? 

Stepping out into the sunlight, Ellie immediately felt her skin begin to burn. Scrunching her face up in pain, Ellie waved her wand, reciting the incantation. On her first try a black umbrella shot out of the end of her wand and opened up, casting a small circle of protection over the girl. Triumphantly, Ellie crossed the grounds and climbed the stairs to the owlrey. 

It only took Ellie a few minutes to find a suitable school owl to tie her letter to and send off. As she tied the large scroll of parchment to the owl's leg, it looked at her and hooted indignantly, as if the letter was too large for the birds liking. Letting the owl climb onto her hand, Ellie walked over to the nearest window. 

"Take this to Remus Lupin. Can you do that?" 

The owl hooted and took flight. As Ellie watched the owl disappear into the sky, she wondered how exactly the owl knew where to find where it was to be going. Ellie sighed as she conjured her umbrella and made her way back down the stone owlrey steps, hoping that the owl would be able to deliver her letter, and making a mental note to ask Hermione if she knew anything about owl delivery. 

By the time Ellie had returned and made it into the Great Hall for breakfast, the castle was bustling. As Ellie entered, she scanned the hall for any signs of the few friends she had managed to make in her first week. The Slytherin table was still basically empty, so no Theodore. Looking to the Gryffindors, the only familiar faces Ellie could find belonged to Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George. Slowly, Ellie made her way to their spot along the Gryffindor table, hoping they would allow her to sit with them.