The Girl Who Survived - Start And Stone

The Owlery

"Merlin's sake, I told him not to go back Ron!! Why does he have to be so difficult?!"

Ellie and Ron were shuffling slowly up the stairs to the boys dormitory, the girl complaining to a very tired boy. You see, after Ellie and Harry left the mirror, the boy who lived had insisted on showing Ron. Ellie objected but had had no choice as Harry had already strutted away. She had no choice but to do what was asked, or demanded.

So Ron had looked into the mirror, yet did not see a redhead or pureblood either; He saw himself as head boy, holding the house and quidditch cup. Ellie felt sorry for him in that moment. She couldn't imagine what it was like to grow up under the shadows of one prefect and two head boys. Fred and George didn't really count for the whole 'leader thing'.

And so Harry had gone back the next night, desperate to be with his parents again, if not actually with them.

"Seems to me like you're the one being difficult Ellie," said Ron. "I mean, Harry never really knew his parents and that mirror is the only way he can be with them. Just give him a break."

Ellie grumbled. "I'm just trying to keep him safe," she replied snootily.

"Whatever you say." By now they had reached the dorm. "I'm going to bed now, goodnight." Ron walked, more like stumbled, through the door and flopped onto his bed, pulling the bed curtains shut around him.

Ellie sighed. Now she was alone in a massive castle with only the wind for company. So she decided to take a walk. The downside: she didn't have the Invisibility Cloak. But stealth was all she needed.

Some 20 minutes later, Ellie found herself on the path to the Owlery, because talking to her Father and seeing her favourite nickname was all she wanted on that cold, snow-covered winter night. When she got closer, she noticed the quite substantial amount of owls circling, soaring and spinning around the top of the tower. Ellie wondered what it would be like to fly: no worries, no care, just herself and the air around her.

She was so caught up in gazing at the landscape around her that she didn't notice she had gotten to the open doorway of the owl's residence. Only when a miniscule, muffled crying came from the other side of the room, next to the window was she snapped from her trance.

The person was so quiet yet so loud that Ellie felt compelled to go over, ignoring the sudden rush of wings and a crashing noise from the wall behind her. And, oh, what she saw was nothing what she originally thought.

It was Draco, tear-stained cheeks casted in the moon's glow while new tears ran continuously down the pale flesh. Ellie couldn't believe it, wondering why the hell the school bully was crying alone in the house of the owls. "Draco?" She whispered.

The boy shot his head up, eyes wide and sweat glistening along his forehead. A still silence filled the air, both parties simply staring into each others eyes.

"So uh, you gonna talk?"

"What's there to talk about?"

Ellie huffed and sat down on the makeshift bench across from him, her feet up and legs pulled into her chest. "I don't know... maybe the fact that you're crying?"

Draco sneered. "What're you talking about? I'm not crying." He frantically tried to unstain his cheeks.

"Oh yea," started Ellie, sarcastically, "because saltwater falling from your eyes is a recurring and normal thing. C'mon, you can trust me."

"Forget it."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"No."

"No. Wait!!"

Ellie didn't wait. It was a classic trick and she had already begun to laugh.

"Hey, that's not funny!!" Draco whined.

"To me it is. So, why were you crying?"

"It's none of your bloody business."

"Yes, it is. Why?"

"I said no!! Merlin, Ellie, why can't you take no for an answer?!"

Ellie was taken aback. "I - I'm sorry,"she stuttered, "I just want to help."

By now, Draco had stood up and was pacing the room, taking care to not step on owl droppings and crash into the owls themselves. "Well you're not helping!" He shouted, his tears beginning to resurface, "besides, why would I tell you when it's about you!?"

Then the world stopped and all you could hear was the loud breathing of both students. Their eyes widened at what had just spilled from the Slytherin's mouth. But Draco couldn't take the silence and so he turned and ran, staggering down the curved stone steps.

Ellie; she so wanted to follow behind, but knew it was a lost cause. So instead she finally noticed the owl that had previously crashed into the wall, who had been still on the floor for some time. She rushed over to it just as it awakened, having been unconscious before.

It was the same owl that Remus had sent and to Ellie's happiness, their was a letter tied to it's leg. She bent down and carefully untied the letter; she opened the letter and read;

Dear Ellie,

It sounds like your school life is going wonderfully, and I'm sorry you had to find that out. It must have been very hard for you to know who they were murdered by. But I'm also glad you now know their names, and the fact Snape is your Godfather. I know you hate it(I hate it too)and you wish he wasn't, but you will come to see that it is a good thing. As for Cedric, I'm happy to know that you've found someone to make your memories with.

Keep me updated my Pup, remember you can always talk to me. I love you.

- Remus

Ellie smiled. What did she do to deserve a father like that?! Nothing, apparently. But alas, she was happy to hear from him so she pulled some parchment, a quill and inkpot from her pockets and began writing back.

DEAR FATHER

Well, he's actually growing on me a lot. I even defended him some two weeks ago, against Harry. I was very shocked to say the least. Anyway, I hope you're doing okay, and thanks for the present!! Did you like yours? I was very selective in telling Fred and George, Ron's older brothers, what I needed.

I love you more.

ELLIE

Ellie slipped the parchment into an envelope and was about to tie the letter to the bird's leg, when she looked up and realised it was gone. She rolled her eyes and looked around the room. She found James, in his cubby, ripping apart a small mouse.

Ellie gagged; poor mouse, she thought. Nevertheless, she walked over and tried to get the letter onto his leg but James kept nipping her. "James!!," she motioned, "stop ripping that thing apart and let me tie it!!"

After some time, she had finally gotten him to stop and was now watching him fly away into the night until he became a black dot and she was climbing down the steps.

Yet Ellie's mind went back to Draco; why was he crying? What did he mean when he said it was about her?