Eleanor & Fred

As the week came to an end the Christmas holidays approached. It seemed that the school year had flown by extremely fast, but especially the last week. I had been dreading facing Umbridge with every waking moment. If she caused me to write in my own blood simply for some classroom prank, what would she do now, with her increased power and desperation to squash the group of disobedient students that she knew existed?

I hadn’t spoken to Fred or Alice about what was to happen and, though I was on speaking terms once again with him, I hadn’t told Jay either. I just couldn’t bear to listen to them discuss it. I was already getting tired of hearing it in my own head.

Finally, the day came when I was to see Umbridge after class to give her the list of names. I took my time putting my things in my bag and told Alice, Wes, and Jay to go on without me. I definitely did not want them to witness Umbridge dealing out whatever punishment she saw fit.

“Ah, Ms. Brooks…may I see the list?”

I sighed, a debate raging inside my head. I pulled out a piece of parchment, not allowing her to see it, and stated, “I just have to add one more name…” I leaned over the parchment, hiding my quick scribbles from her view, and handed her the “list”.

She glared at me before reading what I wrote aloud. “My dearest Professor Umbridge, I know we haven’t exactly seen eye to eye on most matters….and that’s because I find toads such as you vile and disgusting! How DARE you! You little, insolent brat!” Umbridge’s eyes were bulged and her face turning purple. “I should have you expelled for this!”

I felt a lurch in my stomach as she stopped speaking, a devilish smile growing on her face. “Yes….and that’s exactly what I shall do! Ms. Brooks, you are expelled from Hogwarts!”

“You can’t do that!” I shouted. “Give me any punishment you want, but you can’t expel me!” I stood up from my seat, anger in my chest. “Send me to the Forbidden Forest, lock me in the dungeons!”

“Shut up!” Umbridge cried, still smiling. “I have the power to dish out any punishment I wish. Now, go and pack your things. You will not be coming back after the holidays.”

I turned and began sprinting out of the class, ignoring Umbridge’s call of “Happy Holidays, Ms. Brooks!” All I wanted to do was to get away from everything.

“Ellie, you’re so stupid,” I scolded myself, once I had ducked into an empty passageway. I leaned against the cold, stone wall and slid to the floor, tears flowing from my eyes.

It wasn’t fair. Something had to be done with her! She was ruining lives and there was nothing that anyone could do to stand up to her. We were all powerless, little flies and she was a giant toad who could snatch us up and eat us in a split second.

My throat began feeling like it was closing and I started gasping, my eyes so full of tears I couldn’t see anything. I shut them, not knowing what to do. I had never felt so awful in my life. Everything was a mess and there was nothing I could do. I was completely helpless. I was being forced to leave Hogwarts, due to my need to say something cruel to Umbridge most likely, and I had no idea how I would tell everyone. The past few months came crashing down around me; the problems with Jay, Umbridge hurting those I cared about, keeping secrets from my friends. Furthermore, where would I go? I had no home.

“Ellie? Is that you?”

I lifted my head and wiped my tears away with the back of my hands. A small, unexpected laugh escaped my lips as a result of the awkwardness of the situation. “Hi George.”

“What’s the matter?” He quickly sat down beside me, concern etched upon his face.

“Well…” I struggled for a moment with what to say. “I haven’t been telling everyone all that’s been going on lately. I’m not sure how I’ll break the news to Fred, especially. I mean, I don’t know what I’m going to do without him after break.”

“Whoa, wait. Ellie…are you breaking up with him?”

“No, no, of course not! It’s just….I got expelled.”

“You what?” George looked shocked, and then he smiled. I hit him in the arm, telling him it wasn’t funny. “No, it’s not that. I’m sorry. It’s just…I never imagined that a girlfriend of Fred would get expelled before either of us did. But wait, what did you do?”

I explained to him everything that had happened over the last week, including how guilty I felt about keeping it from Fred and everyone else involved in the D.A. He assured me that I did the right thing, though the note at the end might have been left out.

“No one will be made at you Ellie, I promise. You’re sort of a hero now.”

“Oh, shut up!” I stated, a small grin appearing on my tear stained face. George reached up and wiped away a few stray tears, brushing some of my hair behind my ears.

“Seriously, Ellie. We’re all going to help you get through this. And I know that my mum would never let you go without a place to stay. You’re coming home with us for the holidays.” He reached down and squeezed one of my hands reassuringly.

“Thank you, George.” I leaned forward and placed a small, friendly kiss on his cheek.

“Oi!”

George and I turned to see Fred standing at the end of the passageway, a hurt expression on his face. I almost laughed, imagining what Fred could have been thinking. George and I?

“It’s not what it looks like, mate.” George was on his feet in half-a-second, following after a retreating Fred.

As if my life didn’t have enough drama.