The Same Mistake

“I don’t see why you can’t just break your plans with Luna, I’m sure she’d understand. “ Seamus frowned at breakfast.

“I promised Luna I’d go with her; that means something to me. When I give someone my word, I follow through.” Ellie finished her porridge. “I need to go, I told Luna I’d meet up with her outside the Great Hall. See you tonight, Seamus.”

Ellie left the table, in her pocket, money clinked merrily together waiting to be spent. As she passed through the Entrance Hall, she saw a pair of cold grey eyes watching her. Malfoy was sulking near the stairwell; shadows smudged the usually pale skin beneath his eyes. His normally perfectly cropped hair had ridges rumpling it as though he had been running his fingers through his white blonde hair frequently. His appearance startled Ellie.

Without wanting to, Ellie crossed the room to him. Words threatened to fail her, but she fought it off. “What’s going on?”

Malfoy laughed without humor. “Nothing that concerns you.”
Ellie dropped her voice to a whisper, “Don’t do it.”

Malfoy’s grey eyes widened in surprise then quickly narrowed. “Get out of here, Frog. Your freakish friends are waiting for you,” he sneered.

Ellie paid no attention to his attack. “You don’t have to do this, Draco.”

“Leave!” Malfoy commanded true fear in his eyes now. He pointed toward the Entrance Hall doors where Luna and Ginny waited for Ellie.

“No.” Ellie reached out to touch Draco’s shoulder but he dodged her.

“Get out of here, Frog!” Malfoy shouted. Turning on his heel, Malfoy stormed down to the dungeons.

The urge to follow Draco burned bright in Ellie’s chest. She had taken two steps to do just that when a pair of hands settled on her shoulders. “Come on, Ellie.”

“No, I can’t –“ Ellie started.

“Yes, you can. “ Ginny pulled her friend after her. “Zachary is waiting for me.”

“If Ellie doesn’t want to go to Hogsmeade with me it is fine. I’m used to going alone,” Luna’s soft voice said.

“No, of course I want to go with you Luna,” Ellie tore her attention from the stairs where Malfoy had disappeared. “I’m sorry. Let’s go.”

Ginny kept a hand on Ellie the whole way to Hogsmeade seemingly worried that Ellie would break ranks and run back to the school. “Malfoy didn’t seem too pleased with what you were saying to him.”

“He never is,” Ellie replied listlessly. She was trying desperately to keep her thoughts from drifting to Malfoy. Ellie didn’t know what he was up to, but from the looks of him, it wasn’t good. Worry ate at her.

“I don’t think Draco is a very happy person,” Luna added.

“Where are you meeting Zachary?” Ellie asked, wanting nothing more than to change the subject.

“He wants me to meet him at the Tea House,” Ginny sighed.

“Try to sound happier about your date, would you?” Ellie laughed awkwardly.

“I am. Only, could Zachary get any more cliché? Honestly, Cho asked Harry to go to the Tea House with her last year.”

Ellie smiled slightly. “Oh. Harry and Cho?”

“We don’t talk about it,” Ginny replied shortly.

“Harry does have lovely green eyes,” Luna offered. “Though it must be hard to live a normal life with everyone constantly watching you.”

“Yes,” Ginny agreed. “Very hard indeed.”

“Where do you want to go in Hogsmeade, Luna?” Ellie asked after a quiet pause.

“Where ever you want. It might be nice to visit the sweet shop; I do rather love the Sugar Quills,” Luna replied.

“Sugar Quills, I love them too,” Ellie agreed eagerly.

“No way, the levitating sherbert balls are where it’s at,” Ginny disagreed.

They had reached the edge of Hogsmeade. Ellie and Luna headed for the Sweet Shop while Ginny separated to meet Zachary at the Tea House. And though the village was bustling, filled with energy, nothing could stop Ellie from wondering every few minutes what Malfoy was up to; if he was okay.

As Ellie and Luna began to trek back to the castle, Ellie found out exactly why Malfoy did not look fine. A hauntingly terrible scream filled the air, shattering the cheery conversation between Luna and Ellie. They rushed along the path only to find Hagrid carrying the limp body of Ellie’s fellow Gryffindor Katie Bell. Ron, Hermione, and Harry were following after him.

Ellie’s heart dropped to the bottom of her stomach. She raced up to her friends. “What happened? Is she okay?”

“She – she touched this necklace. And she got – got cursed, we think,” Hermione’s eyes were widen to their limits. “Her friend, she said Katie was going to deliver the necklace to Dumbledore . . .”

Ellie fell back, waiting for Luna to catch up with her. It had begun.

When Ellie reached the castle she dashed to her dorm, giving Luna a hasty goodbye. In the safety of her empty room, Ellie jotted down the essentials mixing them in with a vague story. She stuffed the letter into an envelope, smudging some of the ink that was not yet dry.

Ellie was out of breath when she finally reached the Owlery. Taking the steps two at a time, Ellie reached the floor with the schools owls and attached her letter to one owl’s outstretched leg. Leaving the Owlery, Ellie was concerned to find that her legs were trembling. She had gotten too involved and she knew it.