Chapter 10: Blame Game

October 12th cont'd


"You cheat!" Elara laughed, playfully slapping Harry's arm.

"It's not cheating! It's in the textbook!" He defended.

"Yes, but it's handwritten in by someone else! You never know what kind of things that person may have been into!" Hermione scolded.

"I don't know." Harry said. "But they're bloody good at potions!"

Elara leafed through the book as they walked back to the castle. She shivered as a gust of wind swept the snow into their faces. "Half-blood prince?" She asked. "Who is the-

"We don't know." Harry explained. "I got the book from the cabinet. We haven't been able to figure out who he is."

"They do give very good potions advice though." She said, closing the book and handing it back to Harry. "A lot of the tricks in there are ones Draco has taught me."

"Mal- Draco has always been good at potions." Hermione agreed. "It's probably my weakest subject."

"You still got an Outstanding." Ron grumbled.

They continued talking about the elusive half-blood prince until they were violently interrupted by a hair-splitting scream.

Elara turned around so fast she lost her footing and slipped on the ice, falling to her knees. The screaming was chilling. They type of scream that turned her blood cold and raised every hair on the back of her neck to salute the sky. Harry immediately ran to the source of the screeching. Elara scrambled to her feet and looked at Hermione, who looked alarmed. Ron had taken off after Harry.

"What is that?!" Elara said, covering her ears.

"I don't know!" Hermione replied.

"QUICK!" Harry shouted. "GET HAGRID! NOW!" He pointed behind Elara and Hermione.

The girls turned around to see Hagrid walking toward them. Elara turned back to Harry, confused. Her face fell when saw the panic in his eyes. Behind him, a dark-haired girl was thrust into the air, arms spread as if she were being crucified. Her mouth was open to scream again, but now the air was empty of sounds from her. The silence of her terrified face was almost worse than the blood curdling screams.

The girl from the bathroom.

Elara closed her eyes for a moment and snapped them back open as adrenaline began pulsing through her veins. There's no time to feel bad about it. She told herself, trying to steady her mind as the crippling terror pulsing through the girl's suspended body pumped through her. She ran toward Hagrid, passing Hermione and nearly smacking into the half giant.

"Help!" She said. "Please! You must! There's been… an accident, I think! I don't know!"

"It's Katie Bell!" Hermione shouted. "She's been hurt! Hagrid!"

Elara turned again and ran toward Harry and Ron. Just as she reached them, Katie fell to the ground with a thud, and began seizing violently.

"Don't touch her!" Hagrid said. "And that!" He pointed to the black velvet box, open, with the necklace next to it. "Don't touch the necklace. Only the wrappings!"

"I told her not to touch it!" Another girl, who Elara hadn't noticed before, was crying. "I told her not to!"

"Leanne, right?" Hermione said. "Leanne, where did she get this necklace?"

"I don't know!" She cried. "She went to the loo, and when she came back out, she had the box."

Elara stood, frozen in place, watching Katie's body twitch, cramped into an unnatural position. She couldn't take her eyes off of her, if she could just touch her, she could ease her pain, she could quiet her fear… She stepped forward to reach out to her and then stopped herself. She couldn't do it, she couldn't give her abilities away like this. Hagrid scooped Katie Bell up, and began running toward the castle. Harry bent over the necklace while Hermione tried to console Leanne.

"Harry- no." Elara said, snapping out of her dazed state. "Don't touch it. You don't know what that curse will do to you."

But she did. Elara knew exactly what it was. And she felt sick. She knew there was a possibility that whoever she gave the box could still open it. That their curiosity might get the better of them and their free will would overtake any work she could do to their mind. She knew there was risk, that someone else could get hurt. That the box may never even make it to Dumbledore.

"Do you know what it is?" Harry asked her, his green eyes looking fierce with adrenaline fueled clarity.

"No." She said. "But it's obviously cursed."

"How would you know that?" Harry barked.

"Harry, I… My father…." She began, not knowing how to say she had spent her entire life around dark magic and cursed objects. Not knowing how to tell him she knew exactly what it was without incriminating herself or her brother.

"You've had access to this type of stuff?" He asked, a brief concern for her flitting across his features.

She nodded. "I know a cursed object when I see one…"

"How can we get it back to the school without getting hurt?"

She leaned over and pushed the necklace with the tip of her wand, slowly and carefully shoving it back into the box. "Just don't touch the opal with your skin. Or the silver. The object itself is cursed, not the box that contains it."

Harry nodded, picking up the velvet box. "Come with us." He said. "We have to tell Dumbledore."

Harry grabbed her hand and took off, running at a speed she wasn't sure she could keep up with. As the five of them sprinted toward the castle, the knot in her stomach became a twist in her throat and she was regretting the cottage pie she had for lunch.

A girl could be dead, and it would be her fault and Harry was still holding her hand. What rubbish time to notice her hand being held.


Two hours had passed. Harry sat next to Elara, his left leg bouncing furiously. He had not lost grip on Elara's hand since he grabbed it to run to the castle. She lightly rubbed his knuckles, tracing patterns into the back of his hand. She wondered if he could feel her guilt, her devastation that she had not been strong enough, powerful enough, to create a simple mental block on Katie. If she had better control of her abilities, if she had made sure there was no way Katie would open the box…

Hermione was rubbing Leanne's back as she quietly cried, tears rolling down her chin. Ron sat next to Hermione, still and quiet.

The tension in the corridor was thick. Elara shifted, trying to calm her nerves. She looked at Harry and saw he looked tense and lost in thought, his jaw clenched tight.

"Follow me."

They all looked up to see McGonagall standing before them. She looked tired and concerned. Her tight bun on top her head pulling back her already taut features. They all stood and slowly filed into her study.

"Leanne, your parents are coming to get you. You may go gather your things." She said to the crying girl.

"Will Katie be okay?" She asked, her brown eyes looking desperate.

"You'll know as soon as we do." McGonagall said. "Go on. They'll be here soon."

She nodded, thanked Hermione for comforting her, and then turned to walk down the hall. Her quiet whimpers fading.

"Now," Professor McGonagall started, closing the door and taking her seat at her desk. "Katie Bell has been cursed. We don't know the extent of it yet, but Ms. Bell has been admitted into St. Mungo's until she is fully healed."

"She'll be okay then?" Elara was the first of the group to speak.

"We don't know for sure." McGonagall said. "Only time will tell. I need to know what happened. What did you see?"

"We only saw her in the air, screaming." Harry said. "We didn't see who gave it to her."

"Leanne said she came out of the bathroom with it." McGonagall stated. "Did any of you see anyone suspicious enter the toilets?"

They all shook their heads and Hermione spoke. "Elara you were in the bathroom. Did you see the box? Was there anyone in there?"

Elara steadied her breathing, trying to get her anxiety under control. She shook her head. "No ma'am. There was nothing when I went."

"I- I think… I know…" Harry said, looking to Elara and back to McGonagall. "I know who did it."

As he spoke, Professor Snape entered the room. "The object has been turned into the Aurors, Minerva." He said.

She nodded. "Continue, Potter."

Elara noticed him swallow hard, look at her from the corner of his eye, and then speak to McGonagall. "It was Malfoy. Draco…"

Elara turned to look at Harry full on, shock on her face. Hermione and Ron both stared at him in disbelief.

"That's quite an accusation, Mister Potter…" Snape said.

"Harry… I don't…" Elara searched his face, something to tell her he was joking. "It was not Draco." She said, a fury to her tone that she could not hide if she tried.

"Potter, your obsession with Draco Malfoy is-

"I'm not obsessed with him!" Harry said, speaking more to Elara than McGonagall. "He's been dropping hints all term! And he's-

"He's in detention, you git!" Elara hissed.

McGonagall nodded. "Mister Malfoy was only released from detention with me when Hagrid arrived with Katie. There's no way-

"I know he's involved somehow."

"How do you know?" Snape asked, a slight smirk pulling at his lip.

"I just… I just know."

"Such wisdom." Snape goaded.

Elara was seething. The heaviness in her chest had turned to fire and she was doing everything she could to not slap Harry right across his mouth. "May I be excused, Professor?" She asked, trying to steady her tone.

"You all are dismissed." McGonagall said.

Elara immediately turned on her heel and stormed out, trying to ignore the ache in her knees from slipping on the ice and the ache in her chest from almost killing another student. Her mind was reeling. She had spent the afternoon with them, had held his hand, had kissed his cheek… had accidentally cursed another student… And Harry still blamed Draco. Furious tears built up in her silver eyes, threatening to push past her black lashes. Even more infuriating was that she had no reason to feel angry, to feel betrayed! He was right. It was Draco! It was her! He had every right to be suspicious of the Malfoys! She was proving him right and that was even more infuriating!

"Ellie, wait!"

"Leave me alone!" She said, continuing to the dungeons. She needed to get to Draco, to tell him what happened. He had to know that this plan was going to fail, that she clearly wasn't enough to keep Potter from his suspicions and she had failed in getting the necklace to Dumbledore.

"Ellie please! Just… I need you to understand this isn't about you!"

She stopped and turned around so fast her hair whipped across her face. "Of course, it's about me, Harry! You clearly aren't over any problems you have with my family. You heard McGonagall! Draco was in detention with her all day! That's why he couldn't come to Hogsmeade with me! You knew that and you still blame him!"

She knew her anger was misdirected. She was mad that Harry was continuing to blame her brother, yes. But she was angrier with herself, that she could so convincingly lie, so easily lie, that they all believed her. That they all believed she was innocent. She was even angrier that she was so stupid to allow herself the day to enjoy, to actually like spending time with Harry and his friends. She was here with a job to do, and clearly getting involved with Harry was going to cause too much of an issue.

"No!" He said. "No! I- Look… I'm sorry, okay?!"

"No! It's not okay! You aren't sorry that you blame Draco!" She said. "You're sorry that it upset me! And there's a difference! You can't tell me to my face that you don't care about where I come from and then turn around and blame them when something goes wrong! Simply because of who they are! Who I am!"

"But you aren't them!" Harry shouted. "You aren't them, Elara! That's why I didn't get angry at you! That's why I don't blame you for knowing what that necklace was! Because you aren't one of them!"

He said it before he could stop himself. She wasn't one of them. She's a Malfoy yes, by name. She even looked so very Malfoy… With her silver eyes and white hair and a bone structure that looked as if it was meticulously chiseled from marble... But if was being honest with himself…. After the conversations he's had with her, after listening to her excitement over muggles and her confident honesty… He was sure she wasn't like the rest of them. She wasn't evil or bad. She was direct and slightly terrifying, yes. But she was caring and compassionate and even sweet.

She clenched her jaw, breathing hot, angry breaths through her nose. Her eyes still fierce with rage as she examined Harry's pleading emerald eyes. He closed the gap between them and touched her shoulder, slowly bringing his hand to her face. When his thumb brushed against her cheekbone, she felt it again, an electric surge. A tingle on her skin, buzzing beneath the surface of his touch. He was being honest. He didn't believe she was bad anymore. He was confused, and slightly skeptical with himself, but he was being honest. She felt her fury die down, replaced with uncertainty.

"I'm not… I'm not honorable and good like you." She admitted.

"I'm not very good either." He whispered. "We all have our shit."

"What is it with everyone in this school and the use of foul language?!" She said.

Harry laughed; happy the tension had broken a bit. Her anger seeming to subside a little. "I need to remember how much you hate that if we're going to spend time together."

"You want to spend time with me?" She asked.

He nodded. "I want to know you."

Those five words struck her so odd. No one had ever told her they wanted to know her before. Everyone she talked to, even Blaise and Pansy, she had talked to because they wanted to be friends with Draco at first. They just hadn't realized that Elara was part of the package until they came to the Manor over summer holidays. She had never had friends that weren't like her, that didn't follow the same dark circles her family danced in.

"My brother is important to me." She said. "You don't have to like him, but you do have to leave him alone."

Harry nodded. "Understood."

"And stop swearing. I don't like it. It makes you sound stupid."

He laughed. "Okay."

They stood in the corridor, Harry's hand still cupping her cheek. He liked how her skin felt against his, like it was buzzing with energy. He took a step closer to her, the toes of his boots touching hers.

"I'd like to kiss you." He said. "If that's okay?"

She bit her lip and smiled. "I suppose that would be fine."

Harry smiled at her, his breath hitting her face as he bent down. She hadn't realized how tall he was until now. He was nearly entire head taller than she was. He stopped, their noses almost touching, and took a breath. Elara noticed the earthy smell of his again, like the woods. Her stomach felt tight as his lips brushed against hers. Lightly, at first. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel it. His feather light lips pressing against hers.

Her lips were soft, despite the dents from her nervous chewing. Harry moved his hand from her face to the back of her neck to deepen the kiss when she didn't pull away. He pushed his lips harder onto hers, willing her to kiss him back. And she did. She tasted like cinnamon and cranberries and he felt dizzy from it.

Finally, after several long moments, they parted. Harry pressed his forehead against hers and took a deep breath. "Please don't be upset with me." He said.

She stood on her tiptoes and pecked his lips again, ever so light, and smiled. "I'm not. But I am going to go to my dorm. It's been a long day. I'd like to go lay down."

He nodded and pecked her lips several more times before letting her go. "Have breakfast with me tomorrow. Seventh floor. Say, nine thirty?"

She smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Elara walked to the dungeons feeling light as air. She knew she couldn't develop real feelings for him. It would complicate everything, but the kiss had been electrifying. She had goose bumps all over her body and she could still smell him, still taste him. She was trying to figure out how someone could smell like the earth but taste like honey when she entered the common room.

Draco was sitting on the large sofa next to the fire, his feet propped on the small table in front of it and Pansy sitting next to him, lightly stroking his thigh as she read over an essay.

"How was Hogsmeade?" Draco asked.

"Interesting." She said.

"Did you get my sweets?" He asked.

She nodded and pulled her bag off her shoulders. She opened it up and tossed the bag of goodies into his lap. "Fizzing Whizbees are mine." She said.

"You look flushed." Pansy said, looking up from her parchment. "You've been snogging. Your lips are all swollen!"

"I have not." Elara lied.

"You have." Pansy pressed. "Oh! Who is it!? Was it Blaise? I know he's fancied you!"

"What? No! I haven't been snogging anyone, and it wouldn't be Blaise if I were." She said.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Snogging? I would say you did have an interesting time then." He chuckled.

Elara's face turned red and rolled her eyes. "Can we talk privately?"

"Panse, go away." Draco demanded.

She pouted for a moment and then collected her things and headed to the girl's dormitory. "Fine. But I want you to myself tomorrow. I have plans."

"Fine. Whatever." Draco grumbled.

Pansy smiled and disappeared behind the door. Elara sat on the couch, folding her legs under her and turning to face her brother. "Plans, huh? And you really should be nicer to her."

"She wants a shag." He said. "That's always her 'plans.' And I'm nice enough to her."

Elara made a face and chuckled. "I'm surprised you aren't jumping for that…"

He shrugged. "How was your snog with Potter, then?"

"What are you talking about?" She asked, a little too quickly.

Draco laughed. "So, you're snogging Potty now. Great. I heard Katie Bell got cursed. I was in McGonagall's office finishing my lines when that great oaf busted in with Dumbledore."

"I told you there was the possibility of free will! I knew someone was going to get hurt!"

He looked sick for moment and closed his eyes. "This is bad, Ellie. I don't know what we're going to do."

"Harry blamed you." She said. "He told McGonagall it was your fault."

"Well obviously that old cow knows I was in detention with her all day."

"Yes but, how long until he figures out it was me?"

"You said you'd make him forget." Draco stated.

"Apparently I can't even make someone forget to touch a ruddy necklace so that isn't extremely helpful." She said. "But I did get some other information that could be useful. He studies twice a week with Dumbledore. Private lessons."

"What do they study?"

"I don't know. He didn't say. But I'm going to find out."

"Good." Draco said, standing up and stretching. He rooted through the bag of sweets before tossing her the packages of Fizzing Whizbees. "Chocolate frogs? I didn't think you liked them." He tossed a few of them in her lap.

"I don't." She said. "But Harry does."

"Buying chocolates for your girlfriend now, are we?" He chuckled.

"Shut up." She grumbled, shoving the sweets into her knapsack. "If you want real information, I need to act like I really care."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. Just remember to keep your emotions in check. We don't have the luxury of you getting attached to him."

"I'm not an idiot." She replied, standing as well and making her way to her Dormitory.

"I know you aren't." Draco said, wrapping her in a hug and resting his chin on the top of her head. "But you're kind and soft. And you can't be either of those things right now."

"You can be kind too, when you want to be." She whispered, returning his hug.

"I don't have the time for it right now." He said. "Goodnight, Ellie."

She sighed and walked through the door, tossing her bag on the bed and removing her boots. She changed into her pajamas and wondered what would happen if Draco did choose to be kind now? But, then again… Perhaps he was. He was trying to get his task completed with the least amount of casualties possible. She had just mucked it up. That was his way of showing kindness in a situation that didn't offer kindness as an option. He'll be better when this is all over. We'll be better.

She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, allowing the tears to spill once more. Just a few moments of self-pity a day, she reminded herself. She had cried more in the last two months than she had ever cried in her life. But, she supposed, that she had never felt such burdening sorrow that she felt now. Back home she was always able to turn a blind eye, lock her door and pretend the things that happened weren't real, weren't happening. It worked for a long time. She blatantly ignored the decline of her father's sanity when the Dark Lord came back into power, she ignored the way her mother trembled constantly. Ignored Draco getting called to action…

She had buried herself for so long. Had told herself the world was sunny roses and rainbows when it was very clearly a storm of hate and torture and death. A twisted place where sixteen-year-olds were forced to fight for things that were decades beyond them, to play key roles in wars they were barely old enough to grasp the concept of. A place where she finally got to be exactly where she had longed to be for so long—with the condition of murdering a very powerful, very respected wizard.

She choked back a sob as she rolled over and pushed her face into her pillow. She had never been so angry in her life. Rage gripped her lungs and fought its way through her, coursing fire through her veins all the time now. She was always irritable, finding it difficult to concentrate on anything beyond her coursework or the task.

Ah yes. The blasted task. She wished she would have thought harder about the repercussions of coming to Hogwarts before agreeing so quickly. Used her head and thought long about all the possible outcomes of this. She sniffled and wiped her face on the back of her hand. It didn't matter now. She was already here. She was already challenging her principles and ethics. At least, whatever shaky ones she thought she had left.

"Ellie?" She heard Pansy's voice, quiet and questioning.

"Sorry." She sniffled. "I'm okay. Go back to sleep."

She heard a shuffling and the curtains around her bed drew back slightly and Pansy's large dark eyes were looking at her, concern written on her features. "You cry almost every night." She stated.

"I just miss being at home."

She nodded. "I understand if you can't tell me what's going on. Draco has been pretty clear that it's private. But you don't have to lie and pretend you're okay around me. We're friends. I can try and help."

"Draco?" Elara asked, confused by her brother being brought up.

Pansy nodded again. "Mhm." She mumbled. "He's been… different this year. I noticed it right away… He doesn't want to be with me as often as he did before." There was a tinge of sadness to her voice and Elara didn't need to be an empath to feel that Pansy felt rejected.

"Oh, Panse…" She said, scooting over and patting the space next to her. Pansy sat on the bed and faced her, folding her legs up under her. "You know it's not you, right?"

"I know." She said. "And we've never been… exclusive. And I've always been okay with that. But… But he's never shut me out like he does now. He's short with me."

"He's short with everyone."

Pansy gave a soft laugh. "Usually, yes. But he seems annoyed to be around anyone now. He's barely talked to Vince or Greg… Theo said he hasn't joined him in tricking the firsties… He doesn't even… He doesn't even want to shag anymore." She trailed off in a whisper.

Elara sighed, wrapping her arms around her friend. She hadn't expected this when she came here, that was for sure. She never thought she'd be spending time trying to comfort her brother's pseudo-girlfriend's feelings of dismissal from being shut down for sex. "Pansy, you understand I can't talk about it. But you should talk to him. He's under a lot of stress right now, is all. His head is just in a different place."

"He doesn't want to talk to me. All he ever wants to do is look over old arithmancy or runes books and scribble in his journal."

"I'll have a chat with him." Elara promised. "He'll listen to me."

Pansy gave a half hearted smile. "Thanks, Ellie." She made to get up and turned back around to face her. "I was being honest, by the way." She said. "I don't know what I could do to help you feel better, but I'll do whatever I can. I'm glad you're here, Ellie. We all are."

"Thanks, Pansy." She gave a small smile and closed her curtain when she heard Pansy climb back into her own bed.

It was nice to know she had friends. Even if the possibility was strong that she would not get to have them long. She punched the pillow down and laid back, staring up at the stone ceiling and decided to think about something more pleasant.

Harry.

She was still intrigued by him, his emotions were so strong, pulling her in every time he was around. She liked that he seemed decisive, like he knew exactly what he wanted. It was a bit intimidating, she supposed. She barely knew what assignment she wanted to work on next, and he seemed so self assured. He was a bit arrogant at times, she had certainly noticed that. But when he wasn't around a crowd, he was sweet and had a quiet confidence to him. Not to mention he had the most expressive eyes she thought she had ever seen on a person.

This niggling feeling tickled the back of her head though… Pansy had instantly brought up Blaise when she accused Elara of snogging earlier. That he fancied her? Blaise. Her closest friend. Blaise. Who spent majority of his time chasing other girls around… In a different time, she suspected she would find herself attracted to Blaise. He was handsome, after all. Tall with the muscular shoulders of a Beater. His coffee black skin was always so smooth, and he had a smile that made almost every girl in their year weak in the knees. He was witty, and intelligent, and fiercely loyal to people he cared for… But ruthlessly cruel to anyone who forced him to do anything he didn't want to do.

She turned to her side and clenched her eyes shut. She couldn't think about Blaise and his unspoken feelings toward her. His unfelt feelings. She would know, if he fancied her. She would feel it. And she had never felt anything beyond friendship from him. And besides, that ship has sailed. She needed to get close to Harry. She needed to have him on her side, to help her get information about what the Order was doing. What Dumbledore's plans were… It wouldn't make a difference if she enjoyed their snogging or not. She had a job to do, a task that needed to be completed. At least that's what she told herself to get to sleep.


a/n: Ladies and Gents, we are officially in double digits for chapters! Woohoo! As promised, two updates today and can I get some love for that maybe?! Three chapters in two days! Don't get used to it. But, the update fountain has been flowing freely this week.

Anywho, reviews? yes?

big thank yous to everyone who follows and faves. You guys are wonderful!

It's getting late now though, and I have a few things I need to work on for work so I must go! Thank you for reading!

xo

-Mimi