After the War.

Elliot.

"Attention all students." Professor McGonagall stood readily and Professor Flitwick tapped his glass with quick succession to silence us all and it didn't take all that long to reduce the noise to murmurs and a few shuffles. I had a plate of food served up by Mike on my left and I messed with it constantly as I waited for her to start.

"Why does Leah keep pointing and whispering?" I didn't look at him or where his eyes had stuck but it wasn't difficult to figure out where he was looking and I just shook my head whilst scrunching my nose.  I was telling him to stay silent.

"Yesterday there was an incident down by the lake. It was late and most were in class. When this happened a student was pushed into the water. Those who had done it knew that their victim could have died and although they did not die, Mr Filch was happy to tell me of the wet floors. I do not wish to present details but we are looking for the individual involved. Those who had pushed this student state that they didn't know them. If you know anything, seek out any of our professors or members of staff and it will be dealt with. Thank you." I didn't look up at Elliot when this happened. The second she mentioned the lake I knew that she had to of been told by him. I couldn't think of anyone else who could have known and for a split second, I saw red. Then it faded and my eyes stung as tears threatened to fall. I had been told once again about what had happened the night before and how silly I had been.

"Did you hear? It was the Luciana group. They all have separate detentions with the professors that they hate the most and they have it for a month with no weekend exceptions. Sucks for them but they do deserve it, the lake is freezing and as dangerous as the Forbidden Forest. I think it should be called a death trap. If it isn't the squid that kills you it is the rest of the life in it. Not the most forgiving types of creatures in there, horrible really." Mike wasn't always the best at biting his tongue but his words kept me from crying as I had something to focus on and by the time he had finished I stood quietly and walked out of the room. Nothing being said.

"Iona." His voice sounded desperate and as Elliot got close to me I could smell his aftershave and it made me feel safe and angry. He had gone behind my back and so when he went to hug me I pushed him off of me and walked on again. Only for him to stand right in front of me.

"Why did you tell her? I was going to leave it and yet you decide to play God and organise everything and go behind my back. I wasn't going to let them walk all over me and show them that I was struggling, eventually, they would stop. I have spent my life with people like that around me and when you react, in any way, they keep going. That's why Adelaide kept me around for so long and yet you act like I have no spine and like I can't fight my own battles. I can care for myself but some battles should be dealt with in complete and utter ignorance. Like nothing is going on at all it makes it stop when you do that." I stepped to the side and tried to walk on but he stepped with me.

"I didn't say anything. I know and trust that you can hold your own. That you are able to handle this but it seems someone really did see something." I sighed out but still felt tense. The likelihood was that what had gone down was insignificant and then it would be another thing to forget.

"I think, with Professor Vector coming to collect me and when she walked me to the hall I had been more than a little suspicious and I had my guard up. I'm so sorry. Besides, Professor McGonagall will forget all about this and so will the others before long. Not the type of thing to stick in a school. People do cruel and mean things all the time. With the girls being told off it doesn't overly matter who it happened to just that the school reacted to it."

"Miss Flint, Professor McGonagall also asked me to tell you that it is improper to keep guests in your bed even if it is only to sleep and also that you cannot get into the habit of missing meals again. I must admit that your absence is one many staff notice. A bright young witch like yourself should be well fed and also watered. Be sure to do that." I nodded and felt like I was bright red. I must have looked like a tomato and it must have been so clear to her that I was shy of her person. "I now also see why it was demanded that you stay for tonight. Now, run along before I am forced to tell her that it was you who was targeted last night. It is clear that you are keeping it to yourself for a very important reason." As soon as Professor Vector said this a pointed look was given and I looked down, allowing my hair to cover my face. It had grown since starting at the school and I preferred it that way.

"I think she already knows, Professor." It was really a thought but my tired mind couldn't hold back and I knew that she had heard, only she didn't react as she walked away. A strange woman that one. She was cruel and demanding in class and yet out of class she gave me an unexpected complement. She called me smart.

"How does she already know?" Elliot was intelligent but not smart. He wasn't one to easily connect some dots but I was just as clueless as he was until Professor Vector came along.

"Come, follow me." I pulled at his arm and we moved through the halls, Elliot trusted me enough to follow me and he only seemed to tug back when he grew to be breathless and tired. The library wasn't far off of where we had been though so it didn't matter. "I'm not allowed in there during meal times so can you go in? I need everything on animals who have the ability to talk or things like that. Maybe they are not even animals." He nodded and I told him to grab as many as he could before meeting me back in my room.

I walked slowly to my room. Portraits talking to me in kind and upbeat voices as well as comments from students as they passed. I kept it polite and didn't say anything of importance just so that I didn't stand out to anyone. As soon as I got to my room though my pyjamas were pulled on and I sat on my bed waiting to see him again.

It took an age but eventually, the door to my room was opened and I shifted slightly. There was plenty of room for him and the books. He had about six and so I grabbed the top one before flipping it open and pulling Elliot up next to me and he wrapped his strong arms around my body. It reminded me of how safe I felt with Tim when we rode our brooms with one another. When we would ride together or when he would occasionally study with me.

"The comment, having someone in your bed. Well, you have visited me most nights since we starting school but only twice have we shared bed and last night was the second. Also, the comment about seeing why I had to come and listen to the speech, McGonagall didn't call me there to see my reaction, if it was true. She was telling me that it was dealt with, she was also warning others off and also seeing if I would be silly enough to step forward. She might not think it is stupid for me to admit it but I know it is." He was agreeing but there were clearly some questions still. "Last night, other than you and Babushka there was one person or thing. A cat, it was at my door and in here when I walked in. It would have heard us, seen us in bed because the door was wide open as well as the sound of you snoring. I have seen the cat before, I only ever see it before I see McGonagall though. Like Mrs Norris for Filch just a little bit more platonic." He laughed and smacked my arm slightly before closing the books shut.

"It is possibly more than just platonic but that depends on how McGonagall feels. A tabby cat?" I nodded with a set of wide eyes and he shook his head before all of the books were placed on the floor in the corner to keep them away. He would have a motive for actions like that. "She is an animagus, she is the cat." I couldn't believe it. The liar. McGonagall as a cat had seen a lot and many times she could have corrected me and yet she didn't even try to.

After a million more thoughts I wrestled Elliot down and I was hanging over him. A smile plastered on his face as he pretended to fight back only for me to keep him there. "I could kiss you right now. That bloody woman." He winked at me and I moved back to my knees whilst looking at his disheveled state. A smile claiming his face before I hugged him tightly and squashed him so tightly he struggled to breathe and then I pulled back, on top of the world.

"You don't have to kiss me." With that he pulled my body down to his and then when I looked up at his face the deep look on his face captivated me in like a book did. Then his arms pulled me up so that my face was closer to his and he ran his hands up to my head and he pulled me close enough for our lips to be barely touching and then he closed the small gap.