The Same Mistake

“It’s nine,” Ginny nudge Elle with her elbow.

“Thank goodness!” Ellie said. She had been losing rather spectacularly to Ron in a game of Wizard’s Chess. “I’m no good at violence and cunning.”

“We can rematch and I’ll go easy on you,” Ron offered very pleased with his own skills.

“Don’t count on it,” Harry warned. He was seated against the stone fireplace of the common room, his knee touching Ginny’s.

“Do you know what you’ll be doing?” Hermione asked referring to Ellie’s detention. She closed her astrology book and turned the chess board so that it was situated between Ron and herself.

“Not a clue.” Ellie stood offering her bag of chess pieces to Hermione. “I just hope it’s a solo task. I’ve had enough bonding time with Draco Malfoy, thank you.”

The others nodded in agreement. “Feel free to wake me up and complain when you get back,” Ginny patted her friend’s knee reassuringly, the only part of Ellie she could reach from her position on the floor.

“Trust me, I will.” Ellie waved at the group. After checking to make sure she had her wand, Ellie headed for the portrait hole.

She had just stepped into the darkened hallway when a hand on her shoulder stayed her. “I wanted to ask a favor,” Harry said quietly in an effort to not be overheard.

“Yes?”

“If you get the chance, try and find out if – if Draco has the Mark.”

“You can’t be serious,” Ellie said astounded at his proposition.

“I have reason to believe – “

“Harry, Ellie’s going to be late.” Ginny interrupted, placing her hand on his forearm.

Harry looked from Ginny to Ellie, finally stepping back into the common room. “If you get the chance . . .”

Ellie furrowed her brow. “Yeah, Harry. If I get the chance.” The Fat Lady swung shut behind her two friends.

Ellie’s footsteps echoed loudly down the castle hallways making her way to the dungeons. She stopped before Snape’s closed office door. She knocked on the door, her knuckles rapping against the hard wood. Inside, there was the scrape of wooden chair legs against cement followed by fast moving footsteps. The heavy door was pulled open, revealing the swallow face of Professor Snape.

“You’re late,” he greeted her curtly. “Five points form Gryffindor, Ms. Loren. My, my,” he shook his head, “you’re not doing your host house any favors. Though, I would dare to say that you fit perfectly with Potter and his group of rule breakers. No respect for the rules or for teachers. If I was your head of house, I would send you straight back to Beauxbatons.”

Ellie knew Snape’s words were meant to rattle her, to urge her to talk back. She remained neutral, not wanting to lose her house further points. Standing quietly before Snape, Ellie waited for the detention assignment and wondered distractedly where Malfoy was.

Her curiosity was quickly rewarded. Malfoy swaggered casually into Snape’s office, a look of disregard on his handsome face. He didn’t acknowledge Ellie, rather he stopped before Snape tapping his foot impatiently.

“I have Quidditch practice early tomorrow; make sure this thing doesn’t take too long.”
Snape’s lips curled up into an unpleasant smile. Ellie noted, rather angrily, that Snape did not dock Malfoy any house points for showing up late. “The two of you will be washing the castle windows in each of the towers without magic.”

Ellie grimaced. She wouldn’t have minded the task had it no included working with Malfoy. It was a bitter disappointment.

“Mr. Filch has agreed to provide the supplies necessary.” With a flick of Snape’s wand, two pails of soapy water floated up from behind his desk. One came to rest at Malfoy’s feet and the other at Ellie’s. To Ellie’s supreme horror, the water was a grayish color. She could barely make out a tattered rag lying at the bottom of the bucket.

“I will come to check on you within the hour,” Snape warned. “It would be in your best interest to have finished the towers by midnight.”

Ellie hoisted her pail up without a word. She set off for the astronomy tower, the tallest tower of the castle. She wanted to work her way downward from tower to tower. The grey water in her bucket threatened to spill over as she headed steadily upward.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Malfoy drawled from behind.

Ellie didn’t turn to face him, but she did stop. “I’m going to the astronomy tower.”

He sighed in exasperation. “And why would you do that?”

Annoyance flushed Ellie’s cheek bright pink. “Because it’s a tower and it has windows.” She resumed walking.

“Yes, very good, Frog. But of course that would mean you actually plan on doing elves work. Is that true?”

“Yes, it is.” Ellie sloshed grey water across the floor as she turned the corner to the staircase.

She didn’t know whether or not Malfoy was following her. Quite frankly she hoped he wasn’t. Her desire to finish the detention quickly propelled her up the numerous stairwells. Ten minutes later, Ellie arrived at the astronomy tower panting and perspiring slightly.

Slamming the pail down, Ellie watched the water that spilled out be immediately replenished in the bucket. Ellie rolled up the sleeves of her sweater not wanting to get them wet. She plunged her right arm into the depths of the questionable grey contents, searching the bottom for the rag.

Catching the thin material between her fingers, Ellie pulled it out and wrung it above the bucket. Ellie clambered onto the stone ledge o f the window nearest her. With a defeated huff, Ellie began to scrub the grit and brim from the old window.

It took a solid hour for Ellie to clean each window of the astronomy tower. They sparkled back at her, reflecting the stars outside. With aching arms and damp skin, Ellie picked up her pail. She headed down the stairs toward the next tower.

As she walked, Ellie’s thoughts drifted to Malfoy and Pansy. Sophie had been undeniably correct; it simply didn’t make sense for someone who looked like Draco to date someone who looked like Pansy. Ellie assumed it came down to blood. Both believed that the blood flowing through their veins had more value than everyone else’s. Ellie grimaced in distain, how utterly ignorant.

Her mind was still on the ignorance of pure bloods when she reached the next tower. She had just set her pail down when a splutter of muffled laughter ran through the small circular room.

Out of breath and flushed, Pansy and Malfoy into the tower. Pansy’s lipstick was smeared and her hair was mussed. Malfoy’s tie hung loose around his neck, the top few buttons of his shirt were undone. The sight left very little to the imagination.

Ellie backed up against the wall in complete horror. Her foot collided with the bucket knocking it over. Grey water gushed forth endlessly over the floor seeping into Ellie’s shoes and drenching her socks.

The rapid spread of cold water garnered the attention of Malfoy and Pansy His grey eyes swept across the room coming to land on Ellie. She had dropped to the floor righting the pail to stop the flood. When she straightened up, her grey skirt appeared black from the water that had soaked it.

Pansy erupted into fits of laughter at the hopeless appearance of her nemesis. A malicious smirked lifted the Malfoy’s mouth. “Is that a pillow case? Surely you haven’t swapped positions with one of the house elves.”

Pansy pointed at Ellie, her hand trembling with laughter. “No-no!” She gasped for air. “She’s a frog, Draco, and we’ve entered her swamp!”

Ellie felt an odd whoosh of wind whip around her, the air was cool, charged with energy. Her hand did not move for her wand. Ellie knew she wouldn’t need it. As Pansy continued to laugh, the temperature continued to drop.