CHAPTER 4
Harry spent the rest of the day trying to rationalize what could possibly be in the box and why it was in Professor Ellis's possession. Hermione ran off to the library to see if she could dig up anything that could help. When dinnertime came they all gathered together at the dinning table to for further discussion.
"I couldn't find anything that could help," started Hermione as she flopped down a tower of heavy books on the table. "Sorry Harry."
"That's okay thanks for trying. It could be a good sign though, if it's not in any book it may not be that important. I guess," Harry said unconvincingly.
"I knew we couldn't trust her!" said Ron furiously. "Keep your voice down," said Hermione. "And don't jump to conclusions, we don't know anything about her. We don't have enough evidence to proclaim her our enemy. It's.it's just all very confusing right now, but don't worry," she said now looking at Harry. "we'll figure it out." "You know what I think," said Ron.
"What?" asked Harry.
"I think we should just go down to her office and find out for
ourselves," said Ron.
"You mean break into her office and just start snooping around?" asked
Hermione shocked.
"Well how else do you think we'll figure out what that box is for?"
said Ron.
"We could.we could just as easily ask her about it," said Hemione.
"Oh please, and if she is evil and wants to destroy us. Huh? What
then, do you really think she'll be happy to share her evil plans with
us?" said Ron.
"You're getting carried away," said Hermione trying to calm Ron down.
"I think Ron's right about this," started Harry. "I mean, it won't
harm anybody, we can just slip in unnoticed, look inside the box and
slip out, no harm no foul."
"But it's wrong it's her private property," said Hermione trying to
reason with them.
"No, it's my property," said Harry as she started to get up from his
seat to head for the dormitory. "And I have to find out what's
inside." After dinner, Harry and Ron were planning on how they would slip into Professor Ellis's office. Hermione refused to participate, but she still stayed around listening to their conversation (just to make sure they didn't plan anything too dangerous or stupid) while pretending to read her Divinations textbook.
The plan was simple they'd use the invisibility cloak to sneak out of their tower. They would wait for her to leave the office and then slip in through the door as she's leaving. Get into the storage room and get the box, and get out.
That night Ron and Harry slowly snuck out of their dormitory. Harry was ahead of Ron when he heard a crash behind him.
"Shhhhh!" he said. "You wanna wake the whole tower?" he whispered.
"Well sorry," said Ron in an aggravated manner, "but if we had left earlier maybe we wouldn't have to be sneaking around like this," Ron picked up the books that caused the crash back on the bookshelf. "Besides, how do you even know she's still in her office this late, she might already be asleep."
"Oh please, with the amount of papers she has to grade. I don't think so," replied Harry. They crept down the staircase with the cloak out, set and ready for their illegal objective.
"Guys," Ron and Harry turned to see Hermione standing by the fire waiting for them.
"Hermione, what are doing up?" asked Harry still trying to whisper.
"I'm coming with you," she said.
"Why?" asked Ron.
"Cause you'll mess up,"
"Oh," replied Ron in agreement. "Good point."
The three of them managed to squeeze in under the cloak, then waited until Harry's Marauder's Map read that the coast was clear, and headed out of the tower toward Ellis's office. Luckily the door to her classroom was open; consequently there was no reason to remain outside where they can be easily spotted by Peeves.
Harry put his finger to his mouth indicating that from now on there will be no talking.
They enter the classroom, it was dark, and the only source of light was emerging from the back corner where the entrance to Ellis's office was located. They slowly crept up to the already ajar door and saw Ellis sitting behind her desk grading papers. From the looks of the tall tower of papers with red marking all over it, it seemed that Ellis has spent hours hunched over her desk. The gang heard her mumble under her breath things like "can't believe he wrote that," and "they expect to get half points for this." She looked exhausted; from time to time she put down her quill and rubbed her eyes vigorously trying to stay awake. Finally she put down her reading glasses pushed her chair back a little, and arched back to stretch her back and arms. Knowing that Ellis was about to leave the trio stood back in the corner of Ellis's office trying hard not to breathe. Ellis picked up her everglowing lantern and waltzed out of her office, leaving out friends behind in total darkness.
They all waited patiently until they heard the classroom door slam shut behind her, before they began to speak again. "You think she saw us?" asked Ron gasping for air. Spending 40 minutes huddles under one cloak is very irritating.
"I don't think so," said Harry.
"Lumos," said Hermione and her wand lit up the room.
"Come on, I'll show you were it is," Harry dragged Ron and Hermione to the storage closet, "Lets see, it was riiiight..here!" Harry found the glowing red box hidden behind the junk in the storage room.
"Wow!" said Hermione as soon as she saw it, "it's so. pretty."
"You weren't kidding Harry. Well what are you waiting for? Pick it up!" said Ron impatiently.
Harry hesitated for a second, then swallowed his fear and slowly reached out to grab the box off the shelf. It glowed brighter and brighter the closer Harry got to it. When his hand made contact with the box Harry felt a small jolt go through his whole body. Then he took hold of the box and the glowing stopped.
"Whoa!" said Harry surprised, "that was strange."
"Are you ok Harry?" asked Hermione concerned.
"Fine, just a little head rush."
"Open it," whined Ron.
"Hang on," Harry said searching for a clasp on the box, he looked and the front of the box, there was a lock on it. "Damn!"
"What?" asked Hermione.
"It's locked."
"What?!" yelled out Ron.
"Oh for Christ. where's the key to it?" said Hermione rummaging through the shelves looking for a key.
"She's probably got it around here somewhere," said Ron walking out of the storage room into Ellis's office looking around her things for the key. "Come on, if we look for it together we'll find it faster."
"We can't go through her personal things, that's invasion of privacy," said Hermione.
"Look you wanna know what it's the box?" asked Ron.
"Yes!" said Hermione.
"Well then start looking for the key."
"You know, we could just ask her!" but the guys weren't paying attention to Hermione anymore. "How would you like it if Ellis went through your things, like if Ellis went through your mind," snapped Hermione at Ron.
"Shut up and look for the key."
"Fine, whatever," finished Hermione and opened the top desk drawer then let out a gasp.
"What? Did you find it?!" asked Ron and rushed up to Hermione to look at what she was gasping at, then let out a small gasp himself.
"What's wrong?" curious Harry walked up to where Ron and Hermione were standing and looked inside the drawer. In there hidden underneath a few papers was a picture frame of a young Professor Ellis sitting on the lap of a young dark haired gentleman, hugging each other. Harry was shocked, "She knew Sirius."
Harry spent the rest of the day trying to rationalize what could possibly be in the box and why it was in Professor Ellis's possession. Hermione ran off to the library to see if she could dig up anything that could help. When dinnertime came they all gathered together at the dinning table to for further discussion.
"I couldn't find anything that could help," started Hermione as she flopped down a tower of heavy books on the table. "Sorry Harry."
"That's okay thanks for trying. It could be a good sign though, if it's not in any book it may not be that important. I guess," Harry said unconvincingly.
"I knew we couldn't trust her!" said Ron furiously. "Keep your voice down," said Hermione. "And don't jump to conclusions, we don't know anything about her. We don't have enough evidence to proclaim her our enemy. It's.it's just all very confusing right now, but don't worry," she said now looking at Harry. "we'll figure it out." "You know what I think," said Ron.
"What?" asked Harry.
"I think we should just go down to her office and find out for
ourselves," said Ron.
"You mean break into her office and just start snooping around?" asked
Hermione shocked.
"Well how else do you think we'll figure out what that box is for?"
said Ron.
"We could.we could just as easily ask her about it," said Hemione.
"Oh please, and if she is evil and wants to destroy us. Huh? What
then, do you really think she'll be happy to share her evil plans with
us?" said Ron.
"You're getting carried away," said Hermione trying to calm Ron down.
"I think Ron's right about this," started Harry. "I mean, it won't
harm anybody, we can just slip in unnoticed, look inside the box and
slip out, no harm no foul."
"But it's wrong it's her private property," said Hermione trying to
reason with them.
"No, it's my property," said Harry as she started to get up from his
seat to head for the dormitory. "And I have to find out what's
inside." After dinner, Harry and Ron were planning on how they would slip into Professor Ellis's office. Hermione refused to participate, but she still stayed around listening to their conversation (just to make sure they didn't plan anything too dangerous or stupid) while pretending to read her Divinations textbook.
The plan was simple they'd use the invisibility cloak to sneak out of their tower. They would wait for her to leave the office and then slip in through the door as she's leaving. Get into the storage room and get the box, and get out.
That night Ron and Harry slowly snuck out of their dormitory. Harry was ahead of Ron when he heard a crash behind him.
"Shhhhh!" he said. "You wanna wake the whole tower?" he whispered.
"Well sorry," said Ron in an aggravated manner, "but if we had left earlier maybe we wouldn't have to be sneaking around like this," Ron picked up the books that caused the crash back on the bookshelf. "Besides, how do you even know she's still in her office this late, she might already be asleep."
"Oh please, with the amount of papers she has to grade. I don't think so," replied Harry. They crept down the staircase with the cloak out, set and ready for their illegal objective.
"Guys," Ron and Harry turned to see Hermione standing by the fire waiting for them.
"Hermione, what are doing up?" asked Harry still trying to whisper.
"I'm coming with you," she said.
"Why?" asked Ron.
"Cause you'll mess up,"
"Oh," replied Ron in agreement. "Good point."
The three of them managed to squeeze in under the cloak, then waited until Harry's Marauder's Map read that the coast was clear, and headed out of the tower toward Ellis's office. Luckily the door to her classroom was open; consequently there was no reason to remain outside where they can be easily spotted by Peeves.
Harry put his finger to his mouth indicating that from now on there will be no talking.
They enter the classroom, it was dark, and the only source of light was emerging from the back corner where the entrance to Ellis's office was located. They slowly crept up to the already ajar door and saw Ellis sitting behind her desk grading papers. From the looks of the tall tower of papers with red marking all over it, it seemed that Ellis has spent hours hunched over her desk. The gang heard her mumble under her breath things like "can't believe he wrote that," and "they expect to get half points for this." She looked exhausted; from time to time she put down her quill and rubbed her eyes vigorously trying to stay awake. Finally she put down her reading glasses pushed her chair back a little, and arched back to stretch her back and arms. Knowing that Ellis was about to leave the trio stood back in the corner of Ellis's office trying hard not to breathe. Ellis picked up her everglowing lantern and waltzed out of her office, leaving out friends behind in total darkness.
They all waited patiently until they heard the classroom door slam shut behind her, before they began to speak again. "You think she saw us?" asked Ron gasping for air. Spending 40 minutes huddles under one cloak is very irritating.
"I don't think so," said Harry.
"Lumos," said Hermione and her wand lit up the room.
"Come on, I'll show you were it is," Harry dragged Ron and Hermione to the storage closet, "Lets see, it was riiiight..here!" Harry found the glowing red box hidden behind the junk in the storage room.
"Wow!" said Hermione as soon as she saw it, "it's so. pretty."
"You weren't kidding Harry. Well what are you waiting for? Pick it up!" said Ron impatiently.
Harry hesitated for a second, then swallowed his fear and slowly reached out to grab the box off the shelf. It glowed brighter and brighter the closer Harry got to it. When his hand made contact with the box Harry felt a small jolt go through his whole body. Then he took hold of the box and the glowing stopped.
"Whoa!" said Harry surprised, "that was strange."
"Are you ok Harry?" asked Hermione concerned.
"Fine, just a little head rush."
"Open it," whined Ron.
"Hang on," Harry said searching for a clasp on the box, he looked and the front of the box, there was a lock on it. "Damn!"
"What?" asked Hermione.
"It's locked."
"What?!" yelled out Ron.
"Oh for Christ. where's the key to it?" said Hermione rummaging through the shelves looking for a key.
"She's probably got it around here somewhere," said Ron walking out of the storage room into Ellis's office looking around her things for the key. "Come on, if we look for it together we'll find it faster."
"We can't go through her personal things, that's invasion of privacy," said Hermione.
"Look you wanna know what it's the box?" asked Ron.
"Yes!" said Hermione.
"Well then start looking for the key."
"You know, we could just ask her!" but the guys weren't paying attention to Hermione anymore. "How would you like it if Ellis went through your things, like if Ellis went through your mind," snapped Hermione at Ron.
"Shut up and look for the key."
"Fine, whatever," finished Hermione and opened the top desk drawer then let out a gasp.
"What? Did you find it?!" asked Ron and rushed up to Hermione to look at what she was gasping at, then let out a small gasp himself.
"What's wrong?" curious Harry walked up to where Ron and Hermione were standing and looked inside the drawer. In there hidden underneath a few papers was a picture frame of a young Professor Ellis sitting on the lap of a young dark haired gentleman, hugging each other. Harry was shocked, "She knew Sirius."
