Make Me.

Book 3 - Chapter 22

Ellie went into the first week of the new term with open eyes and a newfound willingness to allow herself, to be herself. The first Friday of term came without Ellie blowing up at Ron or Malfoy, without her threatening a first year who got in her way in the library, and without a sob session in her father's arms. She wouldn't admit this to anyone, not even herself, but she felt the slightest trace of excitement for her lesson with Snape later that evening.

She was sat with Fred at the breakfast table, and for the first time, Ellie was one of the more awake people at the table. Oliver Wood wasn't lying about increasing practices for the GryffindorQuidditch team to five times a week. Fred and the rest of the team, Harry included, were busy Monday though Friday, from four p.m. until whenever Wood decided to let them go, out on the Quidditch pitch. Fred's eyes were drooping and he was letting out little grunts of pain every time he had to move his arms away from his side. The constant beating of bludgers away from his teammates (Ellie was learning) had made them quite sore.

"Don't - " Ellie said, reaching across the table for the orange juice carton. "I've got it." She poured a little into Fred's cup and set the carton back on the table.

"Thanks," he said, sounding embarrassed.

"Excited for a long nap tomorrow?" she asked, taking a bite of her toast.

"You don't even know. . ." Fred's voice trailed off. Ellie looked to her side to see what had caught his attention.

Sweeping down the isle between the House tables was Professor Snape, his long black cloak billowing behind him. He brought with him a wave of bitter silence to the Gryffindor table. He barely stopped walking as he handed Ellie a new class schedule for the term. He was gone a second later, like an all too solid ghost that had floated into the room and then right out of it.

Ellie's eyes grazed her schedule, confused. She had received her class schedule on the first day of term, and now she was getting another one. Her eyes stopped halfway down it, staring at her lunch period which had been written over with Snape's tall, thin, slanted handwriting. Ellie's concern free week ended in a seconds time. Her lunch period on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, had been replaced with 'Remedial Lessons - Castle Front Steps.'

Ellie swatted Fred on the arm and moved the paper in front of him so he could look at it.

"Gaahh," Fred moaned in pain as Ellie hit his arm.

"Sorry," she said, still shoving the paper nervously in his face.

"What's this about -?" Fred's eyes caught on the paper. "He's moved your lessons? Why?"

"You think I know?" Ellie responded frantically.

"Hey - you were good all week. You're okay," Fred reassured her. "And, think about it, lunch is only an hour. So you only have to be there for an hour, three times a week. That's only three hours. That's way less than before."

"Yeah. . . I just get nervous."

"I know. It's okay. C'mon, eat your toast."

~~~

Ellie's bag was flopping behind her as she hurried down staircase after staircase that afternoon. She was coming from Ancient Runes and assumed Snape would be even stricter about her being on time considering they only had an hour for lessons on his new schedule. Neville tried stopping her in the corridor, asking if she could help with his Potions essay on Undetectable Poisons during lunch, but Ellie had to yell, 'Later, Neville!' at him and continue on her way.

She got caught up in the crowd that was walking at a relaxed pace to the Great Hall for lunch, unfortunately, going in the same direction as her. Ellie had to weave in and out of people. For once, she was quite thankful that she was taller than half the school and the other half was scared of her, openly hopping to the side when she got near them.