Moon and Stars

CHAPTER 11

Elara couldn't stop smiling as she walked back to her dorm. His scent, his touch, she felt all of them still lingering on her delicate skin.

"Oh Godric!" she exclaimed as she looks away, holding her hand up, shielding her sight.

Pansy got off Draco's lap as she accidentally walked in on them making out on the couch in the seating area of her and Draco's dorm.

"I am sooo sorry!" Elara exclaimed, still blocking the view with her hand.

"No, we're sorry, Elara. Didn't know you would be coming back here tonight." says Pansy, as she straightens her quidditch sweater. "I actually came here to pick up a few things, I'm sleeping over at Conor's tonight." Elara said awkwardly.

She bolts to her room, pulling out a huge tote bag, filling them with whatever she could grab.

She hurried out her room but stopped before exiting the door to their dorm, " I'm going... Now... So yeah... Bye!" she said awkwardly, as she walks out the doors as fast as she possibly could.

The minute hand points at ten, indicating ten minutes to eleven.

She hurried down the hallways, up to Dumbledore's tower. She arrived just outside the entrance precisely four minutes before eleven.

"Miss Stardust?"

"Oh Godric!" Elara exclaimed, surprised. "Oh! My deepest apologies, Professor. I didn't know it was you." she continued.

"It's alright, Miss Stardust. No need to apologize. Well, come on inside, it's freezing out here." says Dumbledore.

This was the second time she's ever entered his office in all the years she'd studied there. The first time was when her parents dragged her with them when they complained over how high her room was during first year.

Embarrassing...

"Please, feel free to look around, make yourself at home." says Dumbledore. Somehow his voice was very soothing, welcoming.

"Sir?" says a voice, as Elara was about to roam around. "Severus..." Dumbledore says, welcoming him in.

"Severus, may I know why you arranged this... meeting?" Dumbledore queried. "Miss Stardust here has been chosen to join the dark side." Severus says, not wasting any time.

"Gee, what a way to break the ice there, professor." she said, eyeing him. "Miss Stardust, this is important." says Snape. "I know deep down, you don't want to do this. Am I correct?" Snape continued.

She nodded, looking down.

"Sir, she did this to spare her parents, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Zabini and Mr. Nott." Severus tells Dumbledore. "But we both know that  Voldemort would stop at nothing. Merlin knows nothing is going to stop him from breaking his deal with Miss Stardust here, if he wants to." Severus continues.

"What are your thoughts about this, Miss Stardust?" Dumbledore asks. "I-I honestly don't know, professor. I barely turned sixteen and now I have this to think about." she said, upset.

"Miss Stardust, I knew your great great grandmother, Queenie Goldstein. She was a remarkable witch. You know, I think you might find comfort in knowing that you are facing a rather similar situation to hers..." Dumbledore says.

"I'm sorry, professor... Comfort? Are we talking about the same situation here?" Elara queried, as her brows furrowed.

"What I'm trying to say here is, whatever she did, even when she felt like the whole world was against her, deep down, she always had room for love in her heart. With love, she always finds a way to do the right thing." Dumbledore continues.