Discovery

12.

Christmas break ended almost as soon as it began. Before I knew it, I was back at Hogwarts.

"Ella! Welcome back!" Hermione greeted me as  I walked into the common room. "How was your Christmas?"

"Great, and yours?"

"Good,"

I sat down with Harry, Hermione, and Ron and we talked for a while. Harry told me all about how he had gotten a Firebolt, the newest racing broom, for Christmas. Ron made sure to add that Hermione had gotten it taken away to make sure it wasn't jinxed by Sirius Black.

"Speaking of Black," I started to tell the three of them what I had discovered over the past couple weeks. "I found—"

"Harry! Can I speak to you?" Oliver Wood called out for Harry.

"Sorry, Ella. One moment—" I sighed.

Moments later, Harry returned.

"Sorry, guys. I've got to go and read up on brooms for Quidditch, seeing as mine is gone." Harry looked at Hermione sharply before heading to the dormitory stairs.

"But, Harry!" I tried to call after him. So much for trying to warn him. I trudged to my own dormitory, insanely frustrated. If Black was in fact, using Lupin, Harry was in great danger.

***

January passed quickly, and the thought of Black was pushed to the back of my mind, because I was now drowning in schoolwork.

"How am I supposed to finish all these assignments by tomorrow?" I banged my head against the table, exasperated.

"Come on, Ella! We can do this!" Hermione continued writing hastily, but I stood up.

"I can't take this anymore, I'm going for a walk." I hurried out of the portrait hole before Hermione could object, and turned down the corridor.

I had no clue where I was headed, but anywhere was better than the common room. As I approached the end of the hallway, I heard loud laughter coming from one of the classrooms.

I peered in, careful to stay out of anyone's eyeline. I saw my sister right away, along with a bunch of sixth years I didn't know, Lee Jordan, Angelina Johnson, and the Weasley twins. They were all gathered in a circle, most of them clutching butterbeers.

"Come on, Angelina! Your turn to spin!"

I realized they were playing Spin the Bottle. Angelina reached out and spun, and it landed on George.

"Ooh! Go ahead!"

Angelina leaned closer to George, and their lips met. Neither of them pulled away, and it was a good two minutes before anyone intervened.

"Woah there, you two! If your gonna bang, go do it somewhere private, will you?" Miranda rolled her eyes and George pulled away from Angelina. They both avoided looking at the other.

"Okay, Miranda!" a sixth year called out. My sister spun the bottle. I watched as it circled around, before finally resting on...Fred.