The Same Mistake

“Professor, what can you possibly mean by assigning me detention with that blood traitor?“ Malfoy argued angrily. After Snape left, he had stalked after him until they reached Snape’s office.

“The Dark Lord requires a service,” Snape spoke quietly flicking his wand in the direction of the door so that it closed on its own.

Malfoy's eyes flashed suspiciously. “Wh-what service?”

“He would like to make allies with Ms. Loren’s parents who happen to be very powerful wizards within France. It would . . . behoove you to be kinder to Ms. Loren. Tomorrow’s detention will provide the perfect opportunity for you to rectify your first impression.”

“And when the others question my actions?” Malfoy replied snottily.

Snape waved away this comment. “Respond as you may, simply remember this is your duty to the Dark Lord.”

Snape stood, pushing his chair back from his desk. “Coincidentally, have you any other missions at present?”

Malfoy’s eyes flashed. “If I do, that is between me and the Dark Lord, not you Severus.” And with one last impertinent look, Malfoy left.

XXX

Ellie climbed the many steps that eventually led to the Gryffindor common room. With great agitation, she sat down beside Ginny who was in front of the fireplace completing her Defense Against the Dark Arts homework. “Je deteste Malfoy!”

Ginny laughed, putting her quill down and looking up at her friend. “What?”

“I hate Malfoy! I hate all of the Slytherins actually,” Ellie groused.

“Why, what happened?” Ginny leaned back, stretching her arms.

Ellie shook her head. “A lot. And now I have a detention! I never had detention at Beauxbatons!”

Ginny didn’t hide her surprise. “How did you end up with a detention?”

Ellie blushed slightly. “There is a good possibility that after Pansy Parkinson hit me, I cursed her. There is also a good possibility that I was on the verge of cursing Malfoy when Snape stepped into the Hospital Wing.”

Ginny roared with laughter. “Goodness, Ellie. I had no idea you had it in you!”

“Had what?”

“The ability to retaliate. You’re always so quiet and polite, I didn’t think anything could upset you.” Ginny smiled widely at her friend. “I knew the Sorting Hat placed you in Gryffindor for a reason.”

Ellie rolled her eyes, lying back on the plush carpet that covered the cold castle floors. “I’m not too pleased.”

“Let’s celebrate your detention!” Ginny’s eyes lit up.

“You cannot be serious. I don’t want to celebrate my fall from educational grace. I want to go home.”

“No you don’t,” Ginny assured her friend. “No. What we are going to do tonight is sneak down to the kitchens, have the house elves provide us with some food, and sneak it back into our dormitory! Then we can discuss all the reasons why we hate Malfoy.”

Ellie had to admit, the plan sounded ridiculous and fun. She smiled, “Okay.”

When most of their fellow Gryffindor’s had headed up to their dorms for the night, Ellie and Ginny slipped unnoticed from the common room. With quiet footsteps and furtive glances down dark hallways, they crept slowly closer to the kitchens. It was a long process and both girls were reverently thankful that they had not crossed with any professors or Filch.

“Its right up there,” Ginny whispered, pointing to the large painting of fruit. Ellie nodded. “On three?”

“Oui,” Ellie’s voice was almost silent.

Ginny held up her fingers: one; two; three. Both girls sprinted toward the fruit portrait, they had just reached it when a drawling voice froze Ellie to her spot. Hot anger swept through her.

Ginny’s eyes were wide with the fear of being discovered. “Come on!” She begged Ellie.

But Ellie had made up her mind. Dashing toward the source of the voice, she slipped her wand from the robes of her pockets. She would stay in the dark and curse Malfoy without him ever knowing it was her. It was almost necessary, but more than that, Ellie was simply sick of his superior attitude.

XXX

“Outrageous, me in detention. I don’t know what Snape thinks he’s playing at. He’s not as important as he once was. Before too long he’ll be -” Malfoy cut himself off. He had no intention of revealing too much, just enough to raise the suspicion of his fellow Slytherin’s.

Pansy looked up at him with adoration. “He’ll be what, Malfoy?”

“Never mind,” he smirked in the dark. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Pansy pouted unhappily. “The least you can do after all I went through today is tell me.”

“Today? It’s your own fault that Frog cursed you. Punching her, like a common muggle,” Malfoy shook his head in disgust.

“Snape should have expelled her! Pansy seethed angrily. “Horrible prat.”

“Well, he didn’t.”

“Don’t you just hate her?” Pansy continued. “And she’s so hideous to look at. If I ever get my hands on her . . .”

Malfoy stopped listening. This was the same boring speech Pansy gave every semester though usually it was pertaining to Hermione Granger. Though, Malfoy couldn’t honestly agree that Ellie was hideous to look at. With her long blonde hair and bright blue eyes, Malfoy would have found her very attractive had she been in Slytherin. As it were, she was a Gryffindor git and a disgusting Frog.

It was while he was lost in these musing that a new voice startled him.

“Mettrais!” it was nothing more than a whisper, but it caught his attention loud and clear. Draco dropped to the floor. Bright red jets of light passed over his head, knocking Pansy to the floor. Immediately Pansy’s lips began to swell to an unbelievable size. She lay unmoving on the floor, it appeared that the fall had rendered Pansy unconscious.

Malfoy scrambled to his feet, whipping out his wand and staring around the darkened hallway. A flash of blue and blonde shimmered for a moment then disappeared. Knowing in his gut that the blue eyes and blonde hair belonged to Ellie Loren, Malfoy ran after her. His footsteps clacked loudly against the old castle floors. When he rounded the corner he saw nothing, only a large portrait of fruit.

Irritated but slightly intrigued, Malfoy returned to Pansy. “Levicorpus.” Pansy’s body rose in the air to float in front of Malfoy. Retracing every step he had taken in the last ten minutes, Malfoy returned Pansy to the Hospital Wing. When Madam Pomfrey demanded to know what had happened, Malfoy shrugged, explaining as much as he could while leaving Ellie completely out of the description. Malfoy couldn’t help but think the Dark Lord might have been right, the Frog did seem feisty enough to belong on the Dark Side.