Make Me.

Book 1 - Chapter 15

Remus was standing in the living room, behind him the roaring fireplace and to his left a moderately sized Christmas tree that looked too small in comparison to the rest of the room. His right arm was down by his side being supported by a long, thin wooden cane, his hand fitting perfectly into the molded handle. In his left arm sat Ellie, supported under her butt, her arms flung around her fathers neck and her legs resting on either side of his body. Their faces were smushed together, their smiles practically one. Ellie looked to be wearing an old sac, a sweater far too large for her; it was dull and fuzzy with a few small patches here and there. Remus wore one that had the same pattern, but fit him much more nicely and looked considerably newer. 

On the bottom of the Polaroid photo, in messy handwriting, the words: Christmas - 1991. Hermione was the first one Ellie showed as they boarded the Hogwarts Express at the end of Christmas Holidays. Neville was second and, subsequently, Ellie spent the rest of the ride back to Hogwarts explaining to him why the photo was stationary. 

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Upon returning the day before term started, Hermione was disappointed to find out that Harry and Ron had yet to find out anything about Nicolas Flamel and Ellie was disappointed at the realization that she never got a straight answer from her father, who definitely recognized the name. Once term had started, the four first years were back in the library during their ten minute breaks, though Ellie usually wandered off on her own, leaving Ron and Hermione together to search, seeing as Harry's time spent at Quidditch practice was increasing. 

It wasn't until a particularly wet and dark Saturday afternoon that the search for Nicolas Flamel finally amounted to anything. 

Hermione and Ron were in the Great Hall, playing a round of wizards chess and Ellie was sat next to Hermione working ahead on a few school assignments for the next week, a habit that she had started and was determined to keep up as long as the professors permitted it. Chess was the one thing Hermione was poor at in comparison to Harry and Ron, so naturally, as Ellie scratched away at her parchment she kept one eye on her assignment and one eye on the chess board, occasionally leaning into Hermione's ear and whispering suggestions on where to move next; Ron found this highly irritating. 

Ellie's dual attention converged into one as she turned her head in the direction of Harry, who was making large wet slopping noises and leaving muddy footprints on the floor as he walked towards them. He had his broomstick in one hand and his face looked just about as miserable as the state of his clothes. Harry sat down next to Ron and opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted. 

"Don't talk to me for a moment. I need to concen -" Ron said. 

"What have you been doing? Rolling around in the mud?" Ellie said to Harry, feigning seriousness. 

Ron scoffed at the girl and turned to Harry. 

"What's the matter with you? You look terrible." 

Harry leaned in towards the table, making sure nobody else could hear what he was about to say. 

"The next Quidditch match, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, Snape is refereeing!" Harry whisper-shouted. 

"Don't play," said Hermione at once. 

"Say you're ill," said Ron. 

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested. 

"Really break your leg," said Ron. 

"Or, I can break Ronald's leg and Harry can say he can't attend because his friend is injured," Ellie inserted into the conversation. She was feeling energized from the weather and insulting Ronald was the cherry on top.