Author's Note:

Wow, this chapter was long in coming. I'm pretty excited though because it's Christmas (In the story. I'm not that crazy, I know it's July) and I love Christmas. Hope you like it.

Ch. 18 – A Christmas Duo

Ellyse yawned as she stretched out in her bed. She ran a hand through her silvery blonde hair without it getting caught once. Her hair never tangled; she suspected there was Veela blood somewhere in her mother's family.

With a sigh she threw back her thick quilt and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Hey Jordan?" she whispered. "You up?"

No answer.

"Jordan," she said a bit louder. She pulled back the curtains on her bed and pulled her bathrobe over her shoulders. "You know Lily never gets up early."

Ellyse slipped out of bed, intending to go wake Jordan, but the icy cold on her feet reminded her why Jordan wasn't answering. "Christmas," she breathed. She dashed over to the window and looked out to the snow covered grounds. "It's beautiful."

After staring out at the grounds for a good minute she turned back to the room. At the foot of her bed was a small stack of presents from her friends and family. Ellyse's smile was bittersweet. She loved Christmas, and the gifts, but she was all alone in the dormitory. The girls had left the day before. She lifted a brightly wrapped square package that looked like a book and opened the card

Merry Christmas, Ellyse!

Sorry we couldn't be there to celebrate with you. Missing you from my miserable home and wishing I was with you. Hope you enjoy yourself anyways.

Lily

All the girls in the dorm had gone home for the holiday. Claudia and Jordan both enjoyed time with their families; they had looked forward to the break. Lily's mother had caught pneumonia and Lily felt obligated to be around to help. Petunia was a terrible nurse. Ellyse tried to think of someone else she could spend the day with but no one came to mind. James, Remus, Peter and Sirius all had family they would surely want to be with. She didn't like Sam very much but regardless Sam had gone home too.

With a sigh Ellyse gathered her gifts into her arms and headed to the door of the dorm. With any luck there would be at least one person in the Common Room who she could talk to.

Ellyse stumbled down the stairs, having difficulty seeing over the parcels in her arms. She dropped them on the couch.

"Ouch!" one of the gifts yelled.

"Excuse me?" Ellyse asked. Maybe I'm still sleeping, she thought to herself.

"I said 'Ouch'," returned the voice.

Ellyse picked up a few gifts to reveal a disgruntled Sirius Black. "Oh my goodness," she exclaimed clearing off all the rest of the gifts. I didn't know he was here. "I'm so sorry. I didn't see you." No shit Sherlock.

He laughed, surprisingly. "I'd certainly hope not," he smiled charmingly. It took Ellyse a second to understand what he meant but then she laughed in response and sat on a different couch.

"I didn't think you were staying at the castle for the holiday," she remarked, reaching for the first gift box. Her voice was cheerful, glad to have company for the holiday.

"Didn't want to deal with my family," Sirius answered, also opening a gift. "I love the peace and quiet in the school when almost everyone else is gone."

"That sounds vaguely familiar," Ellyse remarked, her crystal blue eyes quickly transitioning to a dark, storm cloud shade.

"Family problems?" Sirius asked, flipping through the first few pages on a book, probably given to him by Remus.

"Yup," Ellyse answered, her voice sarcastically cheerful. She did smile a bit though as she opened the magical cosmetics kit Jordan had given her.

"Same here," Sirius told her with a shrug. She was amazed at how little it seemed to bother him. "What's up with your family?" he asked.

"My Mum and Dad were great," she began, pausing in her gift opening. "But my Mum died giving birth to my little sister Julia, she's eight now." Her voice was regretful and filled with compartmentalized pain. "My Dad remarried a year before I came here; her name's Susan. She's blonde, young, pretty, and was coming off a bad divorce. Her daughter, Caroline, is a fifth year, Hufflepuff. They're so happy together and I just don't fit in. For starters I hate Susan, and Caroline. But my Dad loves them, and so does Julia. She looks up to Caroline, instead of me." Ellyse broke off. "They're all happier when I'm not there," she finished in a quieter voice.

"My family is all dark," Sirius told her. "They love muggle baiting and dark magic and Slytherins and purebloodedness. And they hate me." He was matter of fact and completely calm; he didn't even seem upset. "They love my little brother. He's all into the pureblood, 'down with the muggle borns' crap."

"That's awful," Ellyse couldn't think of anything comforting to say. He didn't look like he needed it anyways.

"I could say the same to you," he smiled ruefully. "Now, onto more cheerful subjects, are you going to eat all of those?" he pointed to the box of chocolate frogs she had just unwrapped.

"Help your self," Ellyse told him, holding out the box.

"Indeed I will," Sirius grabbed a handful and popped one in his mouth. Ellyse laughed, glad again to not be spending Christmas alone.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

"SIRIUS I-HOPE-YOU-HAVE-AN-EMBARRASSING-MIDDLE-NAME BLACK!" Ellyse screamed across the Quiddich stadium. "YOU ARE SUCH A CHEATER! YOU SUMMONED THAT FREAKING QUAFFLE RIGHT OUT OF MY HANDS AND YOU KNOW IT!"

"I did no such thing," Sirius protested as he flew closer, but still far enough away to scram if she decided to try and knock him off his broom. He couldn't hold back his bark like laugh, however, making his guilt impossible to deny.

Ellyse shook her head disapprovingly and turned her broom to descend slowly. "What am I going to do with you, Sirius Black?"

"Oh, oh," Sirius waved his hand in the air, "I know!"

"What, Sirius?" she asked as she touched the ground and swung her broom over her shoulder.

Sirius landed next to her, dismounting likewise. "You can take me to the kitchens to get the house elves to give me hot chocolate and lots of Christmas cookies," he suggested excitedly.

"And have you spoil your supper?" she joked. "I don't know where the kitchens are anyways."

"I do," he told her naturally, opening the door to the castle for her.

"I should have known," Ellyse chuckled, "Of course you do. Lead the way Sirius."

He grinned and grabbed her hand and led her through passageways she'd never seen before. Finally they reached a wide, well-lit hallway lined with paintings somewhere deep underground. "Where are we?" she asked.

Sirius approached a large canvas with a still life bowl of fruit on it. He reached up and tickled a pear. "The kitchens," he turned to grin at her as the picture swung forward revealing hundreds of little oddly dressed house elves in a warm bustling kitchen.

Ellyse's eyes widened and she stepped through the portrait hole uncertainly. "So these are house elves?" she asked as the little creatures bustled around them, offering them seats as well as food and drinks.

Sirius smiled at her mystified expression. "Have you never seen house elves before?" he asked, bemused (A/N: I've been waiting to use that word in a fic for weeks). Ellyse just shook her head as a female house elf lifted her feet onto a stool. "We have one at home," he told her. "Nasty thing. Name's Kreatcher and it practically worships my mother." Ellyse noticed how he said "it" instead of "him".

"Would yous be wanting anything to eat, Mr. Black and Miss?" asked a small, male house elf.

"Oh hello," Ellyse smiled and held out her hand, having gotten over the initial shock. "I'm Ellyse Mellow. What's your name?"

The house elf stared at her out raised hand like it was poisonous. "I is called Froble, Miss," he informed her shakily.

"Oh, Ellyse please," Ellyse insisted, lowering her hand.

Froble smiled weakly. "Yes, Miss." Ellyse decided not to interrupt. "Would yous be liking anything?" he addressed Sirius.

"Yes, please, Froble," Sirius smiled, flashing perfect white teeth. "Some hot chocolate and cookies, if you wouldn't mind."

"Right away, Sir," Froble grinned at the order. "Just a moment." He bowed so low that his long nose touched the ground and backed away.

"Poor guy," Sirius watched Froble walk away. "He's probably terrified out of his wits by you."

"Why?" Ellyse was completely confused. "I tried to be polite. He wouldn't even call me Ellyse. Did I offend him?"

"Completely," Sirius nodded, smiling at her shock. "House elves expect to be mistreated. It's who they are. They live to serve wizards for nothing and they expect all wizards and witches to demand the utmost respect and adoration. He's probably afraid you're testing him or something."

"That's awful," Ellyse frowned, "We don't pay them anything?"

"That's why none of them are properly clothed," Sirius nodded. "If a house elf disobeys his or her master or embarrasses them in any way the master will present them with clothes which is symbolic for sacking them."

"How terrible," Ellyse watched the elves on the other side of the room thoughtfully. "Why don't they revolt or demand wages?"

"They like it," Sirius laughed again at Ellyse's incredulous look. "No, really. They enjoy working. It's the biggest shame imaginable to be given clothes. Dumbledore's offered to pay them before but he offended them so thoroughly that he vowed never to make the offer again."

"Strange," Ellyse mused, chewing on the end of a clump of hair. She would have continued but Froble approached.

"Here you are Sir and Miss," he presented them with a huge silver platter with two huge, steaming cups of rich hot chocolate and countless, delectable cookies. "Yous tell humble Froble if there's anything else he can be getting yous."

"Thank you very much, Froble," Ellyse smiled warmly, flashing her own brilliant set of teeth, "You have been a most helpful and amiable servant."

"Oh thank you, thank you, Miss," he beamed from ear to ear. "Froble is always happy to help." With another floor scraping bow he backed away.

Ellyse smiled to herself as she sipped her hot chocolate, surprised to find it at just the right temperature. "Looks like I've made a new friend," she looked up to see Sirius gazing warmly at her.

"Indeed you have," he looked away quickly and grabbed a Christmas tree shaped sugar cookie off the tray. "I don't think you could have said anything he'd find more complementary. He'll be the most loyal of friends to you now, since he likes you. You can come down here for a snack any time and I'm sure he'd give you a feast."

"Oh good," Ellyse commented, choosing an oatmeal cookie. "But I don't think I could easily find the way by myself," she suggested.

"I'll show you," Sirius told her.

Ellyse grinned as she accomplished her goal. "I'd like that," she told him.

A/N: I could have added more but I like this one, sort of short and sweet. I love Froble. He's definitely showing up again. I considered making him hate working like Dobby but then Ellyse would have freed him on the spot and then I couldn't have him in the story as much.

HAPPY FORTH OF JULY! (almost...)