Hermione sat cross legged in the circle, her body coated in fresh goat's blood as she chanted along to the spell. "01010011 01000101 01001100 01000101 01000011 01010100 00100000 01101001 01101101 01110000 00100000 01000110 01010010 01001111 01001101 00100000 01110011 01110101 01101101 01101101 01101111 01101110 01011111 01110000 01101111 01101111 01101100"
It was a very odd spell to be sure, but Wilfred and K Lee insisted that this was just how things were done.
As she chanted, a black circle appeared at the center of her ritual binding runes. Slowly it grew and gained form, until with a cackle and a burst of flame, a demon appeared.
"Foolish mortal, you have called forth-"
Hermione sprang up eagerly, careful not to disturb the binding runes. "Oh, oh are really an imp? Oh you are! Ahem, um, you are bound to me now, demon."
The imp snarled and conjured a fireball in its taloned hands, and Hermione flinched back, but didn't break the circle. With a shriek of rage the imp flung the fireball at Hermione, only to have it rebound from the wards and strike it in the face. The imp squealed in pain and danced within its bound circle.
"Owowowowowow!"
"Ahem. You are bound to me now, demon."
The imp ceased its dance and glared at Hermione. "Oh alright already. I heard you the first time ya filthy animal. Ugh. Of all the luck. Summoned by a gnome. Wait. Are you a gnome? Oh sweet Sargeras, you're not a gnome at all."
"No, I am not," Hermione agreed. "I am a human."
"A little girl?! ARRRGH!" the imp began to bang its fists into its head. "I am just never never never NEVER going to live this down! A little human girl, summoned and bound. Oh the imp-manity!"
"Well, if you'll just sign this contract then," Hermione said, offering one she'd prepared earlier, in her own blood, of course. "We'll get down to business."
The imp took the contract, conjuring up a small pair of spectacles to put on. "Yeah, yeah. Let's see here. Bound to serve, blah blah blah, can't harm the master, yaddah yaddah, and...what the nether? What's a Britain, and where in the void is Earth, and why the Fel should I take you there?"
"Ah, yes, you see, I seem to have become somewhat misplaced in space, or possibly time, or, in fact, both," Hermione explained. "I'm originally from England, you see. I was learning to be a witch at Hogwarts, when I found myself here. Quite unexpectedly actually. So, if you have any information that would aid me in getting home, you'll be compelled to share it."
"Huh. Well I don't know nothing. Fine, I'll sign. Ugh. Damn warlocks." The imp bit its finger hard enough to draw blood, signing the parchment with a flourish.
Hermione stared at him eagerly. "Well? Do you feel compelled to tell me anything about how to get back to Earth and England?"
"What? No, of course not. I don't-wait. There is...something. Argh! I don't want to tell you, but, it's like I'm being compelled to!" the imp said, falling to his knees and clutching his head.
Hermione nodded eagerly. "That's the contract! If you know anything you have to tell me, it will force you! Come on, say it!"
"If...you...insist...I feel forced...to tell you…"
"Yes? Yes!?" Hermione said, crawling forward on hands and knees to peer at the imp. WIth the contract signed, he was no danger to her now and the wards were unnecessary.
"To tell you to kiss my scaly leather ass," the imp blew a raspberry in Hermione's face and hopped away, cackling.
Hermione sat down with a huff, crossing her arms. "That wasn't very nice of you in the least."
"Well it wasn't very nice of you to drag me all the way across the Twisting Nether and to bind me to your service, ya ugly bint," the imp said, glaring at Hermione from the corner of the wagon where she'd been summoning him. "Hmph. Can you at least dismiss me until ya need me? Being all corporal, it just feels wrong."
"Ugh. Disgusting creature," Hermione said, wrinkling her nose. Then she shook her head. "No, I have a task for you. I need your blood."
"WHAT!?" the imp said, recoiling. "That was not in the burning contract!"
"Subsection 3, under heading h, 'the summonee agrees to supply all bodily fluids and parts to the summoner, up to and including those that would cause painful death.'"
"Not enough to coat yourself in the stuff, you have to exsanguinate me too?" the imp snarled.
Picking up the contract, Hermione read the bottom. "Now you listen here… Pizyap. You're compelled to do as I say. And I'm not going to exsanguinate you. I just need a vial full for our latest experiment. We're trying to see what effect if any demon blood has on the Thought Outsourcer."
"Thought Outsourcer?" Pizyap asked.
"We're attempting to create a device that would allow one to outsource their thoughts to a third party for a period of time to allow one to do things one wouldn't normally contemplate," Hermione confirmed.
Pizyap blinked, scratching its head with a long talon. "Soooo...you're making a something to mind control saps to force them to commit heinous acts?"
"That would be another way of describing the Thought Outsourcer, yes," Hermione said. "Though I would hesitate to put it in such negative terms. As K Lee is always telling me, think positive! Unless one is working with electricity, then one will simply get shocked."
"Well I suppose I don't mind contributing to some nefarious schemes. Provided I get to take it for a test ride some time?" Pizyap prompted.
"Not a chance. The last time we let a demon use one of our devices it was terribly embarrassing for both K Lee and Wilfred. Succubi have the most dreadful taste."
"Wow. I have got to get summoned by insane little girls and their pet gnomes more often. This might actually be interesting. Ok, fine, let's get this OW! You cut me you little bi-"
"The contract also stipulates that you will behave with proper decorum at all times, upon threat of wearing The Outfit," Hermione chided.
Pizyap paused mid swear. "What's...The Outfit? I could hear the capital letters in that, and let me tell ya, I do not like that."
Hermione dug around in a pack for a moment, before pulling out a frilly pink baby onesie.
"Sheesh. Ya don't mess around. Kil'jaeden I'm going to have to watch my mouth. Wait, do you think taking the Deciever's name in vain counts as improper decorum?"
"Only if I'm feeling petty at the moment," Hermione answered primly. "Now turn away, I need to wash this blood off and get dressed, I feel awfully sticky."
"You do realize that human nakedness does absolutely nothing for me, right?" Pizyap said as he turned away.
"That's entirely beside the point. It just wouldn't be decent in the slightest. You are male, aren't you?"
"Do I look bulbous and the size of a beached whale to you?"
"I'll take that as a 'no' then."
Once Hermione was mostly free of the goat's blood, she and Pizyap ducked out of the wagon. Pizyap looked around, sniffing. "Hmm. Faint trace of void, dung, and gronn sweat. Yep, we're in Nagrand."
"Really? You can tell all that from the wind?" Hermione asked, taking out a piece of parchment and scribbling something on it.
Pizyap snorted derisively. "No sweetheart, I can see the fel touched heard of elekk from here. Come on, I'm an imp. I got summoned here loads of times by those pesky orcs."
"Oh, what for?"
"Genocide, mostly."
"Ah. Perhaps we should discuss something else then."
"Why? Genocide's a pretty sweet deal if you like wholesale slaughter. Which I do."
"Ah, there's K Lee. K Lee, I got the blood!" Hermione called, waving the glowing green vial of imp blood.
"Excellent! I see the summoning ritual worked out well for you! That's excellent news! It was created by Kirkhouse the Mighty for summoning demons and sometimes the other races don't see to understand it at all," K Lee chartered as she took the vial of imp blood and flipped down a welding facemask while pulling on insulated gloves.
"It seemed like perfectly simple SQL to me," Hermione said. "Summoning Query Language is a perfectly sound medium for spell casting, the books were very clear on that."
"What's with the getup?" Pizyap asked, hopping forward to watch as K Lee poured the vial into a pewter cauldron. Far too late, he noticed that Hermione was standing well away from the scorched circle surrounding the cauldron. With a mighty WOOSH of flame, the imp blood went into the caldron.
"Oh. That's why," Pizyap croaked, gasping out a puff of smoke. "Well, there goes my eyebrows."
"You really ought to be more aware of your surroundings," Hermione chided.
Later that evening, Wilfred Fizzlebang (Master Summoner) returned with a reeking cart of dung.
"I have returned!" Wilfred proclaimed, leaping down from the cart. "Were you successful in summoning your demonic minion, apprentice?"
"Yes sir," Hermione said. "This is Pizyap, my imp."
"Hmm, a scrawny, malnourished specamine, but it shall do," Wilfred said, examining the imp as it sulked by the fire with various bandages wrapped around it.
"You know I can hear you, right small stuff?" Pizyap grumbled.
"Indeed minion, but I care not, for I am Wilfred Fizzlebang (Master Summoner!), and the demonic forces of this world and all others are mine to command!"
"Oh boy. I bet you've never even heard the phrase small name, big ego, have you hot stuff?" Pizyap asked.
"Hmph. Do not think I do not detect the derision in your tone, foolish minion," Wilfred said. "However, I take solace in the fact that is you who will be compelled to complete my unsavory task, not myself."
"What task are you talking about?" Pizyap asked.
"Behold!" Wilfred said, gesturing to the noxious cart. "I have located the best source for caracoli needed for our latest invention!"
Pizyap looked at the cart, and his ears drooped. "Oh. Yay."
"Oh, it's in the dung is it?" Hermione asked, pinching her nose and eyeing the cart skeptically. "Couldn't you have parked that down wind?"
"Hmmm? Oh, yes. Apprentice, park the cart down wind, as my brilliant intellect has deduced that would be the optimum position for it! And then have your minion extract the caracoli!"
"This is going to be the start of a terrible relationship," Pizyap groused as he got to work digging through the dung for the caracoli berries.
"With that attitude, it will," Hermione informed him. "Do this well and I'll make sure to give you a reward."
Pizyap's ears perked up at that. "Like, maybe some small children to torture?" he suggested.
"I was thinking more along the lines of a nice bath and some sweets," Hermione answered.
Pizyap considered that, then shrugged. "Meh. It beats getting squashed by angry paladins I guess."
/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/
It had taken about six months (Neville had a hard time keeping track in the constant twilight and night of Teldrassil) but he and Braxiss had finally made it to Darnassus. Much of their time had been spent gathering herbs and brewing potions. To Neville's astonishment, he turned out to be a dab hand at making potions when not in constant fear of his life and given a kind and nurturing teacher. They had also spent a great deal of time sleeping, eating, getting food, and wandering about as Braxiss saw something interesting and wandered over and got lost. By now, Neville was familiar with the massive tree-like beings known as Ancients, and bowed respectfully to them as he passed between the two Ancients of War.
"Ishnu-alah, Sentinels," Braxiss said as they approached two of the female warriors who were guarding the gates of Darnassus. "Tell me, where might I find the human embassy? You see, I found this stray human child, and I wish to return him to his rightful place."
"Braxiss the Sleeper?" one of the Sentinels said. "You've been missing with this human boy for months! We sent out search parties when you didn't return to Darnassus."
"Oh. Have we?" Braxiss sat on his haunches and scratched absently at his hide. He was currently a bear, a form he seemed to assume almost by instinct at times.
"You have," the Sentinel answered. She put a hand on Neville's shoulder. "I apologize, human. Normally the shal'dorei are far more conscientious in these matters."
"No, it's quite alright," Neville said. "Braxiss has been teaching me all sorts of things. Really, I enjoyed it."
"Are your parents or guardians not concerned about you?" the Sentinel asked, frowning down at Neville.
Neville blushed and looked away, thinking of his parents. "My parents...won't miss me. Much. They're...not well. And my Great Aunt, well, she's always saying what a disappointment I am. And no one at school really liked me either. Honestly, this has been the best time of my life."
"Regardless, you are but a child, and need caring for. I am not certain this...druid...is well suited to such."
"Why I've taken excellent care of Neville. He's in good health, has suitable clothing, didn't go hungry, and even learned how to gather herbs and brew potions. He's a remarkably talented pupil," Braxiss protested, standing and turning back into a night elf.
"Hmph. I believe we shall give you an escort to the human embassy in the Tradesmans Terrace. I believe you need an escort. Sentinel Shal'anda, escort this druid and the human."
"Sentinel Shal'anda went home, Lieutenant. She was ill," another Sentinel said.
The lieutenant frowned. "But the rest of us are needed for patrol later. Except for...sigh. Very well. Recruit Elyssia, escort these two to the human embassy."
There was a loud crash, and then the sound of several objects falling over from within the guard barracks nearby. The Lieutenant closed her eyes and seemed to be counting something silently, or perhaps praying. Out of the guard barracks stumbled a young night elf with a bucket on one of her feet, which she was kicking at. Her legs and the hem of her robes were soaked with soapy water, and she tripped, flailing her arms and grabbing the nearby door for support. Managing to steady herself, she kicked off the bucket at last and hurried over, saluting.
"Sentinel Recruit Elyssia reporting for duty, aunty!" Elyssia said, blowing a few stray strands of green hair out of her face as she stood at attention.
"For the last time, Recruit," the Lieutenant growled from between clenched teeth. "When we are on duty I am Lieutenant Glademoon."
"Oh, right. Sentinel Elyssia reporting for duty Lieutenant Aunty Glademoon!"
Several of the other sentinel's sniggered until the Lieutenant glared at them. With a heavy sigh she turned back to her niece. "Escort this druid and the human boy to the human embassy. Ensure that they arrive safely, and do not get distracted. Stay with them until the boy is returned to his rightful guardians or taken in by the humans. Understand?"
"Yes ma'am," Elyssia declared, snapping off a salute. Then she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet twice. "Oh! Oh! Does that mean I get to requisition weapons for this mission? Please? It's my first mission!"
"Oh for Elune's sake girl, you're just going across the city! What do you need weapons for?!" Glademoon demanded.
"But Aunty Glademoon!" Elyssia gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "You told me a Sentinel must always be prepared to do her duty and to face any foe! What if the legion attacks? What if the scourge comes back? What if black dragons descended from the sky and try to burn the city to the ground?"
"Oh for the love of starlight...Fine! Go requisition some weapons and light travel gear. And put away the mop and bucket while you're at it."
"Ok!" Elyssia turned and grinned at Neville. "I'll be right back Mr. Human sir!"
Elyssia vanished back into the barracks, where there was a sudden shriek, the sound of leather boots slipping on stone, and a crash. "I'm OK!"
"Elune grant me strength," Lieutenant Glademoon groaned. She frowned at Neville. "Please, bear with us a moment."
Neville glanced at Braxiss, who had got back to being a bear and was napping on a nearby boulder. "I think we can do that."
About 15 minute later, Elyssia reappeared wearing modest leather armor and carrying a redwood bow on her back, along with a quiver of arrows and a hunting knife. She hurried to the side of the barracks and whistled.
"Night Fury! Come! We have a mission!"
There was a loud feline roar, and Neville trembled slightly at the realization that this sentinel was going to be bringing one of the giant moon sabers with her. A moment later, two glowing eyes stalked out of the shadows, then the hulking lithe form of an enormous nightsaber appeared. Neville licked his lips and swallowed. He still didn't like those very much, but he was determined to be more brave.
However, the giant cat suddenly stopped, turning around and using it's mouth to grab ahold of something. A moment later, it turned back with a wriggling cub between its jaws. Gingerly, the mother set the cub down at Elyssia's feet. The small grey cub tumbled forward, and Elyssia picked it up, kissing its whiskers and rubbing its belly.
"Oh, who's a good nightsaber? You are! Oh, you're just the cutest little thing aren't you!"
"Meow!" the kitten said, though it was about the size of a full grown tomcat already.
"Recruit! Your nightsaber is your companion and first line of defense! It is not a cute pet!" Glademoon barked.
Elyssia sighed and dropped the kitten down to the ground, where it began to bat at the dangling bow hanging from her back. "Yes, Aunty."
"Don't-ugh. Never mind. Just get going. Remember: Don't leave these two until the young human is either returned to his rightful guardians or delivered safe into the hands of the human embassy. Understand?"
"Understood Aunty Lieutenant Glademoon ma'am!" Elyssia said, snapping off another salute. "Come on Fury! Let's go." Elyssia bounded over to Neville, the nightsaber cub flouncing after her. "Ready to go?"
"Sure. Hold on." Neville took a bottle out of his satchel and withdrew some mageroyal from it. Wetting the dried herb with his lips, he crushed it and held it under Braxiss' snout. "Braxiss, come on, the Sentinel is ready."
"What? Oh! I'm awake, I'm awake," Braxiss said, yawning and sitting up. He scratched at his chin with a paw, then heaved himself up and nodded. "Very well, we shall follow you, Sentinel um... what was it again? Elinda? Starbreeze?"
"Recruit Elyssia at your service master druid sir!" Elyssia declared. "Come on, I know right where to go! I've lived in Darnassus since the city was founded! Even if that wasn't all that long ago I guess."
The night elf capital was an impressive city, looking more like it was grown rather than built. Despite the fact that Elyssia informed him it was only two years old.
"You built this in only two years?" Neville asked, astonished as he gazed about. "I mean, it looks really old. All those vines and ivy and such. Seems like this city must be ancient."
"Yep! Well, I mean, I didn't build it myself. I didn't do anything really. Our old home got destroyed by the legion. That's where my mom died, actually. Aunty Glademoon rescued me and took me in. That's why I'm becoming a Sentinel, just like her! So I can protect people and fight the bad guys!"
"What about your dad?" Neville asked.
"Oh, he's probably dead by now. He should be. He sided with the Betrayer and fled to Outland after the War," Elyssia said. "I don't like to think about him very much."
"I understand," Neville said. "My own parents couldn't look after me and I got taken in by my great aunt. Really, living with Braxiss has been sort of a relief. He never goes on about how rubbish I am at magic."
"Oh, Aunty Glademoon is nice enough, but I do wish I was a bit less clumsy. I try really, really hard, I do! But, I keep getting distracted and breaking the rules. I guess I'm sort of a disappointment myself," Elyssia admitted. "Oh! Here we are, the human embassy. Come on!"
Unlike the surrounding Night Elf buildings that were either tree houses, simple platforms with roofs or pagoda like structures, the human embassy was a brick and mortar building with a tiled roof that looked blocky and out of place amidst the more natural night elf buildings. Out front, two humans in plate armor with blue plumed helmets and a lion tabard were guarding the door.
"Er, hello," Neville said, coming up. "I'm, er, human too?"
"King's honor, friend," the female guard said, nodding to Neville. "What can I do for you today?"
"Um…?" Neville trailed off looking to Braxiss, but the druid was playing with Fury, having turned into a cat. He was batting at the smaller animal, who was growling and pouncing at the druid's paws.
"Hi, I'm Recruit Elyssia! This human is lost. And, um, this druid is sort of absent minded I guess. He was found wandering around Teldrassil a while back and we sort of misplaced him. But that's OK because we found him again and brought him here!"
"Well met, Sentinel Elyssia," the male guard said. "And you as well, young man. Don't see many of our brothers here in Darnassus. Tell me, what brings you here?"
"Well I don't really know actually," Neville admitted. "I sort of woke up in Braxiss' barrow den one day. He's the druid. Er, the bigger cat, that's also a druid. We were sort of hoping that you could tell me where England is I guess so I can go home."
That prospect didn't make Neville all that enthusiastic, but he figured he should at least try to go back to Aunt Augusta.
"England?" the two guards exchanged a puzzled look. "Hmm. Well, we should ask Captain Forthright if there have been any reports of missing boys. Please, come inside and I'll get him from his quarters."
Neville and Elyssia followed the guard, while Braxiss got distracted again and went off to chase butterflies with Fury.
"Missing boy?" Captain Forthright said. He was a big man with a bustling black mustache, which he stroked as he examined Neville. They were standing in his office, where the captain had a desk filled with parchment and inkwells. "Hmm. Don't recall any reports of a missing boy at all. Where did you say you were from, lad?"
"York, England," Neville supplied. "I'm Neville Longbottom."
"Longbottom...Longbottom. Hmm." The captain leafed through some parchment, then shrugged. "Well I can't say I've ever even heard that name. And you say you were found by a night elf druid?"
"Yes sir, his name is Braxiss the Sleeper. He's taught me all sorts of things, herbalism and alchemy mostly. I've actually rather enjoyed my time. I'm sort of an orphan, really. My parents can't look after me, and my other relatives never really liked me all that much, so I don't think anyone will miss me."
"Huh. Well, of course we can look after you," Captain Forthright said. "I'll have you shipped back to Stormwind on the next boat if you think we can find your family there. Though I've never heard of this York or England. Is that in Kul Tiras? Never been there. Maybe we should send you to Theramore instead."
"Please sir, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather stay with Braxiss for now," Neville said. "He's been talking about teaching me to be a druid and really I think it would be quite famous to be able to turn into a bear."
"A human druid? I've never heard of such a thing. Though I can't say that would be bad, mind. I fought with the 7th Legion in the Third War, you know. Those night elf druid chaps were right handy in a fight, let me tell you. Healing the wounded and casting spells, and of course turning into all manner of beasts to slay the demons and undead. Very well. I'll file a report here saying you've been found. Where will you be staying, then?"
"Probably here on Teldrassil near Dolanaar," Neville said.
"Very good. Neville Longbottom of York, staying near Dolanaar. Right, well, if anyone comes looking for you lad we'll know where to send them. Good luck, and Light be with you."
Neville and Elyssia went back outside, where Elyssia scratched her head in confusion. "Well what am I supposed to do now? Aunty Glademoon told me not to leave you until we found your guardians or left you with the humans here, but we didn't do either of those things."
"Ah, there you are young Neville," Braxiss said, walking over back in his night elf form with a sleeping fury curled up in his arms. "You know, I was thinking to myself, it has been a very long time since I've been to Moonglade. And, well, you're rather lost, aren't you?"
"Yes," Neville agreed. "We just talked to Captain Forthright and the humans here don't have any record of me getting lost. Honestly I've never seen anyone like them before in my life so I wasn't expecting much."
"Well, you know, in the Emerald Dream, all things could be found. If we went and asked the Arch Druid or the Keepers what to do with you, perhaps they might know," Braxiss said. "So if we made our way to Moonglade, perhaps we could thereby find your way home."
"You'd be able to find Neville's guardian's in Moonglade?" Elyssia asked, suddenly eager.
Braxiss frowned and blinked at Elyssia. "And who are you, young lady? I'm sorry, but I've quite forgotten your name you see."
"This is Sentinel Elyssia. She's going to help us find my way home," Neville explained. "That's her moonsaber you're holding."
"Oh!" Braxiss started, looking down at the snoring cub. "You know, I couldn't remember where I had found this little one, but it seemed the right thing to do to bring him along. Well, I suppose the two of you should come with us, then. Hmm. I don't suppose any of you can turn into birds of some kind, can you? I'm not very good at flying myself, but I can manage a raven when I have to."
"No, but sometimes I dream about flying," Elyssia said happily. "Oh boy, Moonglade! I've always wanted to go there! I've heard the inn there has the BEST mooncakes!"
"I suppose I could if I had a broom but I don't like to fly very much," Neville said hesitantly.
Braxiss yawned then nodded. "Well, I suppose then we'll just have to take a boat. Hmm. Where could we find one of those, I wonder?"
"Oh, at Rut'theran village!" Elyssia said, standing on her tippy toes and raising her hand. "I've had duty there sometimes. There are boats that go to Auberdine, Stormwind, and even Theramore there!"
"Well then, lead the way, um, Mistress Sentinel. I shall carry this young one and follow along," Braxiss stated.
As with everything that involved Braxiss, things too much longer than they should have. For one thing, first they stopped at an inn in Rut'theran village. Neville was able to pay for their stay and meal by trading various potions and herbs he'd made and gathered, and the innkeeper remarked at how well made the mixtures were. After that they took the day long voyage to Auberdine, where once more they stayed overnight at the inn. They could have flown via Hippogriff to Moonglade, but Neville didn't really like that idea and neither did Braxiss. So instead, they joined a caravan bound for Astranaar in Ashenvale.
"I hope my Aunty Glademoon isn't too worried about me," Elyssia mused. "I'd best send her a report to make sure she knows I'm still doing my duty and everything's OK. Hey! Maybe you can write your parents a letter too, Neville. I'm sure they'd appreciate it."
Neville nodded. "Alright."
Dear Mum and Dad,
Hello. I know you can't read this, but I think writing to you helps a bit. I messed up. Again. I know if you were still around you'd probably think I was a useless failure. I couldn't stop Harry and Hermione and Ron and now something happened and I don't even know where I am any more. I was rubbish at Hogwarts, and I could barely cast any spells at all.
But now I'm doing something useful. I'm learning all about plants and alchemy from a night elf druid named Braxiss. He's sort of odd and more than a little forgetful, but he's a really good teacher and I like him. He's shown me all sorts of things and how to make all kinds of wonderful medicines. Maybe when I get back I'll know enough herblore and alchemy to cure you. Braxiss has also shown me some druid spells. I'm pretty bad at most of them but I sort of like the healing ones. If can do do those well perhaps I can use them on you.
I've also made a friend at last. Her name is Elyssia. She's really old, like 90 or something, but she acts sort of like a teenager still. I think night elves might grow differently than we do. She has a pet moonstalker named Night Fury. Moonstalkers are these really big cats, like giant sabertoothed tigers like the ones that live in the magical zoo in Edinburgh. Except Night Fury is a kitten or something. Eylssia's sort of clumsy but she's really nice and funny. She's also wicked with a bow. I saw her take out a rabbit through the eye at night from 100 yards away! She says that wasn't really impressive because seeing things at night is easier but I think she was just being modest.
Anyway, I don't know if I will ever see you again. I think England might be gone, and that means I won't get any more gum wrappers. I still have one, you know. I'm saving it for a special occasion.
Love, your son, Neville Longbottom
Neville tucked the letter into his pouch with the old gum wrapper, where he would take it out and read it sometimes, adding more parchment to it. He didn't think he would ever deliver it, but it felt good to have a connection of home.
/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/
Authors Note:
This one goes out to all those nelf huntards out there, especially the ones who kept growl on when I was trying to tank for them. No, a turtle isn't a DPS pet (well it wasn't).
Also, Hermione is no more evil in this story than your average gnome warlock.
So, you know, pretty evil, but not on purpose.
