Chapter 3

Elethia rushed to the third floor, passing by every witch and wizard. She bumped into one of them, who gave her a horrid look when she didn't apologize, but she only cared about heading to her class. When she went through a set of doors, there were her classmates in their seats and her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher standing by the projector. Her hair was tied in a messy bun, her face was wrapped with wrinkles, and her plum robes were draped over her shoulders. Her name was Ebony Graeme.

"Miss Cromwell." Her eyes narrowed at Elethia. "Thank you for gracing us with your presence, but as I have said from our first class, tardiness is no exception."

"Sorry, Professor Graeme, but I was taking someone to the Hospital Wing. He has a case of boils you see-"

"Then where is the note?"

Elethia scowled as she questioned, "A note?"

"It is a requirement to have a note or else how would I know where you were."

"Well I just told you where I was."

"And it doesn't make it any better for you to talk back."

"I only meant-"

"Detention, Elethia."

"Bu-"

"Seat. Now."

Elethia looked down in disappointment as she said, "Yes, Professor."

The young witch made her way to an empty seat next to a girl with fiery red hair and green eyes. Marlene sat at a table next to hers, and Sirius, James, Peter, and Remus were in the back of the classroom. She didn't even bother looking at the four boys, especially Sirius and James's stupid grins on their faces.

Elethia scowled the entire class session as Professor Graeme explained how imps were magical beasts from Britain and Ireland and were known for their slapstick humor. By the time class ended, Elethia stood from her seat and looked at her classmate as her green eyes connected with her hazel ones.

"Hi. I'm Lily." she said with a small smile.

"Elethia."

"I saw you take Sev to the Hospital Wing."

"Sev?"

"Severus." Lily clariffied. "Is he alright?"

"I think so. Madam Pomfrey's taking care of him. I even took some notes for him, and he told me to ask you to take the rest if that's alright."

She smiled gleefully and replied, "Of course! Thank you."

Elethia smiled back, saying, "Don't mention it."

They went their separate ways, while Marlene followed Elethia since they had a free period together. They went to a grass open area where a massive iron armillary sphere stood in the centre of the courtyard. The young witches looked for a place to sit, eyeing on all the students in various houses who sat on the ground or on benches. Just then Elethia looked over at a tree in the corner where a wizard and a familiar witch sat under. Elethia nearly squinted her eyes to make out who it was, and then when the witch turned her head, Elethia smiled as she made her way over with Marlene behind her.

"Alice."

There was Alice Fortescue turning to see Elethia with a bright smile on her face. "Elethia. You have a free period. Do you?"

"Yes." Elethia gestured to her friend as she said, "This is Marlene McKinnon. Marlene. This is Alice Fortescue."

"Pleasure." Alice said.

Marlene smiled at her as she said, "Likewise."

Alice turned to the wizard beside her as he looked at them, putting a book away on his lap. He brushed away the strands of his curly hair away from his eyes to get a better look. His thin line made him look intimidating, but he soon lifted the corners of his mouth when Alice said, "This is Frank Longbottom. If you ever need help, he can help. He knows everything."

"Flattering, Alice, but unfortunately, it's not true. If I did, I wouldn't have had an Acceptable in Transfiguration."

"He's being modest." Elethia and Marlene smiled at each other as they sat across from them. "So how has your week been at Hogwarts?"

"Fine." Marlene replied. "We just finished Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Graeme, and..." She looked at Elethia for a moment before she said, "Elethia got detention."

Frank's eyes piqued with interest, while Alice looked slightly concerned as Elethia said, "I was only helping someone go to the Hospital Wing, and Professor Graeme was not pleased how I didn't have a note to prove where I was."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Alice said. "A few days ago she burned my notes and told me to copy off of Frank."

Frank smiled to himself, saying, "She burned your notes when she saw you drawing on them."

"Still, it doesn't give her the right to do that."

The rest of the day went by smoothly. Elethia made great friends, and she went to visit Severus in the Hospital Wing where Lily was. They talked about what he missed in his classes, and Lily boasted how unfair the four boys were by putting Bulbadox powder in Severus's pewter cauldron. Lily expressed how Potter and Black had been so rude to Severus and Lily ever since they were on the train to Hogwarts where they first met. It didn't seem it was a surprise for them to think that it was Black, Potter, Pettigrew, and Lupin. Elethia knew they would do something based on her vision, but she thought it would happen to her instead of Severus. She didn't know what to think when she saw him covered in boils. Her visions were always misleading and unpredictable, yet they always spoke true even when she tried to avoid them.

A couple of months rolled by, and Elethia didn't mind her life at Hogwarts. She just couldn't stand Black and Potter particularly. They often pulled many pranks with Pettigrew. Sometimes Lupin was involved, but there were times where Elethia noticed how he averted his gaze, while his friends laughed at their antics.

It was already Halloween, and Elethia was in The Great Hall surrounded by Marlene, Lily, Alice, and Frank. Alice often asked about how the first years lives were at Hogwarts, and the response was always the same. They enjoyed their life at Hogwarts, and they appreciated how Frank has helped them since he was incredibly studious.

"Excuse me."

Elethia turned around to see a student wearing her house's robes. He handed her a note without saying another word and went on his way back to his seat. Marlene, Lily, Alice, and Frank watched Elethia unfold the piece of paper. She narrowed her eyes when she read, "Meet me in the Potion's storeroom. I have vital info for you."

The young witch looked around, while Lily asked, "What does it say?"

"It says to meet at the Potion's Storeroom."

"Why?" Marlene asked.

"Don't know."

When Elethia stood from her seat, she heard Frank say, "Do you honestly think it's a good idea to do what the notes says when you don't know who sent it?"

"I know, but I want to see what they want to talk to me about."

She couldn't help but notice Frank shaking his head, while Alice, Marlene, and Lily watched her go with concerned looks on their faces. Elethia did not notice, but her headmaster watched her too as he brought his goblet to his lips but he did not take a sip since his eyes were fixed on her.

Elethia made her way to the Potion's Storeroom by going through a portrait to reach The Dungeons at the bottom of The Grand Staircase. She opened the door, and stepped inside. She could hardly see a thing considering how dark it was. Elethia then looked around and said, "hello," a few times to get a response and to make herself known. When she reached deeper into the storeroom, the door shut behind her. Elethia gasped and rushed to the door, banging ferociously as she pleaded, "Let me out!"

Just then something snaked around her ankles. She looked down and saw some sort of vine around her, so she squirmed and took her wand out. The young witch took her wand out, but it was no use, the strange vine grabbed her arms and tightened, making her wince and forcing her to drop her wand. She tried to scream for help when it wrapped around her neck. She soon fell to the floor and tried to escape only to close her eyes as she whimpered and begged for someone to rescue her.

Elethia wished she saw the door burst open as she heard someone exclaim, "Lumos Solem!"

The vines shriveled and screeched, letting go of Elethia. Her eyes slightly opened only to see three silhouettes before they closed.