𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 - ʰᵖ

10.

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TEN:
THE WRETCHED GHOST

    Elsie practically had to run to keep up with Hagrid. The girl, along with Hermione, Ron, and Harry was trying to convince Hagrid of what they had seen at the Quidditch match.

    "Nonsense! Why would Snape curse Harrys broom?" However the giant man was proving to be stubbornly incompetent.

    "Who knows? Why was he trying to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween?" Harry asked back sassily.

    Hagrid turned to them surprised, "Who told you 'bout Fluffy?"

    "You named a three headed dog Fluffy?" Elsie asked exasperated.

    "He's mine. I bought him off an Irish feller I met down at the pub last year. Then I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the.." Hagrid trailed off.

    "Yes?" Harry questioned expectantly.

    "Shouldn't have said that. No more questions! Don't ask any more questions. That's top secret, that is." Hagrid waved the group off and continued walking.

    "But, Hagrid, whatever Fluffy's guarding, Snape's trying to steal it." Harry tried, Elsie nodded her support.

    Hagrid shook his head, "Codswallop. Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher."

    "Hogwarts teacher or not, I know a spell when I see one. I've read all about them. You've got to keep eye contact and Snape wasn't blinking." Hermione explained.

    "Exactly," Harry nodded turning back to Hagrid.

    Hagrid sighed and faced them once more, "Now, you listen to me, all four of you. You're meddling in things that ought not to be meddled in. It's dangerous. What that dog is guarding is strictly between Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel."

    Nicholas Flamel? Elsie didn't recognize the name, this could be useful.

    'Who?" Harry asked.

    Hagrid's eyes widened when he realized what he had said. "Should not have said that. I should not have said that,"

    When the man was gone Harry faced the others, "Do you guys know a Nicholas Flamel?"

    They all shook their heads. Who ever this mystery man was somehow had something to do with the three headed dog and whatever it was guarding. Elsie knew she needed to figure it out soon.

* * *

    A few days later and it was finally time for Elsie's wand-less magic practice.

    The air had turned bitter as Christmas grew closer. The trees began to loose their leafs and the lake developed a thin layer of ice. Though Christmas was the happiest time of year for Elsie, she found herself missing home and her foster family more than ever.

    Of course she still had the opportunity to go home, but the girl also wanted to explore the school.

    In the days that had passed the group had failed to uncover who Nicholas Flamel was, but they weren't giving up.

    Elsie shivered as she wrapped her black cloak tighter around her. She was set to meet Mrs. Tripp in the potions classroom which was set underneath the school causing the freezing air to become 10 times worse.

"Hello?" Elsie called as she opened the door and stepped into the empty classroom.

Deciding the woman was just late, Elsie took a seat and anxiously bounced her leg.

"You're nervous," A voice called out causing the young girl to jump slightly.

"What?" Elsie muttered trying to find the owner of the voice.

"You should be." The voice said again. "Wand-less magic is not something to take lightly."

"Mrs. Tripp?" Elsie called out.

A blue wisp of cool air came out from one of the walls. It was a woman, with long blonde hair, eyes silver, like the moon. She didn't smile, in fact she seemed quite displeased. The woman wore a gown of blue and white, decorated with ruffles and pearls. It was a ghost, Elsie realized.

"The one and only." The ghost said stopping in front of where Elsie sat.

The brunette girl had never met a ghost before, "I- well its nice to meet you,"

"I would say the same but then I'd be lying, and you'll soon learn that I do not like to lie." The ghost woman paused. "I've been lied to my whole life and I don't appreciate it. So let me tell you now that I will always be upfront with you, for worse or for better. But mostly worse,"

Not really knowing what to say to that Elsie just nodded. Mrs. Tripp leaned forward and studied the 11 year old.

"Muggleborn doing wand-less magic," She went silent for a moment. "With proper training anyone can do wand-less magic. But what makes you so peculiar is that you haven't had training, correct?"

"Righ-"

"Now Dumbledore has gone through quite the effort to get me here. I'm the only ghost working at the ministry and the only one who could possibly teach someone like you," The ghost cut Elsie off.

Elsie was beginning to grow annoyed, but she didn't let it show. "Thank you for agreeing to teach me. Shall we start then?"

The ghost let out a bark of laughter, "Don't be ridiculous child. Wand-less magic is an art. It is something so complicated that most wizard can only do a few simple spells, and even that takes so much energy. I was different you know,"

"I could do whatever spell I wanted, all I had to do was think it. I am here on account  of Dumbledore and that only. I do not expect anything from you, do I make myself clear?" The ghost sneered at her. Elsie felt her heart drop at her words.

"Yes,"

"Now for today I simply want to see what you can do. The energy is already inside of you, you've just got to find it and harness it. I doubt you can do it, it is something that took me years to master. But once you find it you will always have it." Mrs. Tripp instructed.

"What spell should I do?" Elsie asked.

"Something challenging, if you can handle it. I want to be impressed." Mrs. Tripp frowned.

Elsie thought hard, she hadn't learnt a lot of spells yet, only a few. But she had read about one.

The girl ignored the ghost staring into her soul and looked around the classroom, only stopping when she found a glass beaker. Hoping the spell would work Elsie grabbed the beaker and threw it to the floor.

It shattered instantly, shards of glass scattered around the floor and a loud crash sounded.

"You stupid gir-"

Elsie blocked the annoying ghost out and stuck her hand out in front of her. She thought of the spell in her head, reviewing the name over and over yet never speaking it aloud.

    Then she forced all her energy out.

    The glass snapped back together as if in reverse and in the blink of an eye, the beaker was good as new.

    Elsie picked it up and put it back where she found it. Then she turned to the ghost who refused to show any emotion on her face. "Have I full-filled your expectations?"

    The ghost scowled. "You're sloppy. There much work to be done. You so desperately need my help it almost comical. We will meet again soon. But for now leave." Under her breath the ghost murmured, "You are so lucky to have me,"

    Elsie turned on her heel and made way for the door, only pausing to call over her shoulder, "Thank you for your generosity."

    Elsie was quite sure that the ghost had nothing better to do.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter, feel free to leave a vote or comment. If you went to Hogwarts what would your favorite class be?