Lumos Maxima ➣ Newt Scamander {1}

CHAPTER TWO

Ella had no need for an alarm clock when she had Sadie. The kneazle's violent purring right beside her ear was more than enough to wake her from the night's sleep. Groaning, Ella pushed at Sadie trying to remove the source of such a noise from right beside her. In retaliation, Sadie nipped at the young witch's finger.

"Oi!" Ella sat up, cradling the finger that had been so viciously attacked. She gave a glare at Sadie who looked rather content with her work. The young witch rolled her eyes and pushed the covers off herself, dragging herself out of bed. Ella shivered as the cool morning air hit her. Picking up the wool coat she had left out the last night, she pulled it on before walking back to her suitcase which sat on the footstool at the end of the bed. Opening the suitcase, she stepped inside.

Most suitcases flattened out at the bottom, but Ella's descended into a flight of stairs that led to a small room that might have resembled a foyer. At the bottom a line of hooks held various coats and a line shoe lay below them. Everything from heels to rain boots were neatly kept together. Three doors lay in a semi-circle ahead of her, each painted a different color. The far left was a dark blue, the middle was a crimson red, and the far right was black.

Ella walked forward and pulled open the blue door and stepped inside. A small bedroom was on the other side. It seemed to resemble the hotel room she currently resided in. There was a queen sized iron framed bed, a large wardrobe, a pair of a dressers and beside the bed an oak beside table with a lamp and an open book. A door just to the right inside of the bedroom led to a simple bathroom.

The witch quickly changed into a nice white button down shirt paired with a light brown vest and a pair of darker brown pants. Quickly brushing out her brown hair getting out any knots the wind on the ship might have whipped up, she gave herself a once over in the bathroom mirror.

Exiting her bedroom, she found herself back into her hotel room, Sadie still curled up on the pillows. The kneazle got up and stretched leisurely as Ella approached.

"If you want to come with me today, you are going to need to be well behaved. Understand?"

Sadie padded over to Ella and rubbed against her side a silent understanding. Ella gestured to the suitcase.

"Well go on, get in."

The orange feline trotted in and Ella waved her wand and the suitcase shut and locked. Grabbing the handle she disapparated.

***

Ella felt the familiar tingle of the air as she closed her eyes and concentrated. When she opened them again, she stood in a narrow alleyway that was almost dark. She stumbled as her feet adjusted to the solid ground beneath her, realizing how dizzy she still felt from apparating. The smell of exhaust and rotting trash intensified as she took a hesitant step out of the alley onto the street. Blaring horns and loud voices filled the air, but Ella felt calm amidst the chaos. She brushed off her coat before walking down the street, marveling at how fast time had passed since her previous visit. In no time, she reached the library that was close to her residence - ready to start her studies.

Though the young witch hadn't attended Hogwarts formally in her youth. She had been brought up by her parents, unconventional and conservative methods. Her childhood antics had eventually caught the eye of a professor at Hogwarts who went on to tutor her during school holidays, taking her to the school's stunning Scottish campus and providing private lessons under his watchful eye. Ella had been a professors assistant for Dumbledore as he taught transfiguration at Hogwarts. Though the work was fun, Ella had set her eye on the care of magical creatures teaching position. Having had seen her interest, Dumbledore had talked with the headmaster and they agreed to give Ella a year to start research in hopes that it will help her qualify for the job and to get some time in the field.