Percy didn't usually leave the common room after dark, but he had forgotten his lucky quill in the Great Hall at dinner. He didn't really like the others to know that he, Percy Weasley had a lucky anything, so he had mumbled something about leaving his floss somewhere and rushed out before his housemates could say anything. He just hoped they didn't take a look in his trunk and find his floss. That would be bad. Well, it was almost over now. He had found his quill right where he had left it, pocketed it quickly and was now returning to his dormitory a happy boy. Suddenly, he stopped in the hall. He had thought he'd heard something. Like… Wait there it was again. Someone was crying. Not just crying but sobbing from the sound of it. Now what would someone be doing out in the hall at this hour crying their eyes out? Percy followed the sound down a secluded hall and there sat a girl with her head in her arms, next to the wall. Her long black hair hid any other distinguishing features she might have had. Percy felt sorry for the girl and went to her.
"Excuse me? Are you all right?" The girl jerked up her head and quickly scrambled to her feet, turning away from him, but he had already recognized her, "Elynn?" He asked shocked. Elynn just stood with her back to him, her sobs now forcibly reduced to the occasional sniffle, "Elynn, what are you doing out here? Why aren't you in your dormitory?" He asked confused.
Elynn started to cry a little more, "Because *sniff* I…I got *sniff* lost." The tears were flowing freely down her face and she attempted to wipe them away with the sleeve of her robes. Percy offered her a tissue that he had in his pocket. She took it gratefully and wiped her eyes.
"But, I don't understand. Didn't your Head Boy or Girl lead you there?"
Elynn shook her head, "No, I was with Grandfather after the feast, when everyone left."
"And he just let you try to find your own way?" Percy asked angrily.
"Oh no," Elynn said quickly turning to face him not wanting him angry with Grandfather. Her face was all puffy, which told Percy that she had been out here for quite awhile, "He got a boy to show me the way, but he… he was going to fast and… well, I asked him to slow down, but I suppose he didn't like the way I asked because he," Elynn put her head down and turned her back to Percy again, "He started to yell at me. He told me that just because I was the headmaster's granddaughter I… couldn't order him around and if I didn't want his help I could just find the common room on my own," She was crying again, "And then he… he left me. I tried to apologize, but he wouldn't stop and he left me. Even if I could find the way I wouldn't be able to get in, he said, because I don't know the password." Percy put a hand on her shoulder and before he knew what was happening Elynn turned around and threw her arms around his neck, "I didn't mean to make him angry. I just was so tired. And now I'm lost and I got scared so I sat down here. I just didn't know what to do. I'm sorry if I did something wrong."
Percy cautiously put his arms around her and began to comfort her, "There now, it'll be alright. You didn't do anything wrong."
Suddenly, Elynn realized what she was doing and quickly let go of him, wiping her face, "Sorry, I just… you're the first to come along and you're so nice."
Percy smiled, "Come on then," He started to walk down the hall. When he realized he wasn't being followed, he turned back to Elynn, who was still standing right where he had left her, "Well, do you want a place to sleep or not?"
Elynn looked at him suspiciously, "Where are we going?"
"Well, I don't know where the Ravenclaw dormitory is or the password to get in, but I do know where there's a comfortable couch you can spend the night on until the morning, then we'll go and figure out where you belong. Keep in mind that this is breaking school rules and this is a one time thing only, but unless you want to spend the night in the hall, I suggest you follow me."
"But where are you taking me?" She asked starting to follow him.
"Griffindor common room." He replied. She stopped again and he turned back to her, "What? You don't trust us Griffindors?" He asked playfully.
"No it's not that, but you could get in a lot of trouble for this couldn't you?"
Percy shrugged, "Yeah, supposedly, but that's only if we get caught." He said slyly, with a wink. He put an arm around her shoulders and began to lead her down the hall, "Don't worry, none of them will rat on us. I promise, I won't let them."
Elynn smiled at Percy, "Ok then."
Percy smiled back, "Great!" They walked through the halls a few minutes in silence, when Elynn realized that Percy's arm was still around her. She started to say something about it, but silently decided that right now, she didn't really mind.
Meanwhile
Oliver was the only one awake in the Griffindor house. Everyone else had gone to bed in preparation of classes tomorrow, but he had decided to wait on Percy to get back. He sure had been gone a long time. Oliver glanced at the grandfather clock in the room. It read ten 'til midnight. What was taking him so long? He sat on the couch in front of the fireplace to wait.
Meanwhile, he thought of all that had happened today, especially concerning that girl, Elynn Dumbledore. First, she had flown out of the car like a jittery bird on the train, when Percy and he had just met her. Then, she gets knocked down by one of the meanest second-year Slytherins in the school. After that, she spooks in the Great Hall, when her name is called to be sorted. Yes, the Great Hall, something had happened then and they were the only two who seemed to have noticed it. Oliver wasn't sure what it was, but that girl had a knack for getting in trouble and he had a knack for being there when she did. In fact, Oliver had been shocked that the hat hadn't put her in Griffindor. Honestly, he'd been a little disappointed too. He liked Elynn, even with her odd ways or maybe because of them. He had never met a girl quite like her.
At that moment, Oliver heard the portrait creak open. Percy was back. He could hear his footsteps coming down the hall. Wait, was that two sets of footsteps? No must just be an echo. Percy emerged into the common room.
He looked toward the couch and started, "Oliver!" He whispered, "What are you doing up?"
"I was waiting on…" He started to explain, but the words died on his lips when he saw who followed his friend into the room.
"Hello, Oliver." Elynn said timidly. Oliver looked from Elynn to Percy and back to Elynn then back to Percy, waiting for an explanation.
Seeing that one was not forthcoming from either of them, he proceeded to try and force one from someone, "Would someone like to tell me what exactly is going on?" No answer. He turned to Elynn, who was concentrating on the toes of her shoes, "Aren't you supposed to be in the Ravenclaw dorms right now?" She never looked at him, but instead turned to Percy, hoping he would explain her presence to him. Oliver looked at Percy too, "Would you like to tell me why, exactly she is here in OUR common room instead of her own?"
"Oliver, please lower your voice. You're going to wake everyone!" Percy whispered, alarmed, "She couldn't get into her common room. She got lost and didn't know the password. She's just going to crash here tonight." Percy explained gesturing to the couch.
This explanation didn't seem to satisfy Oliver however, "Why didn't she follow her Head Boy or Girl to the dormitory? Why didn't they tell her the password? This is very suspicious, you know."
"I was with Grandfather when everyone got lead to their dormitories and the boy who was supposed to help me, left me in the hall. I was sitting on the floor, crying when Percy found me." Elynn answered quickly.
"Why didn't you find a teacher?"
"Because they would have wanted to know why I was out in the hall and I would have gotten in trouble. You don't want points taken from Griffindor before the year even starts properly, do you?" Percy answered, "Come on Oliver. It's just one night. Tomorrow we'll find her house and wait until the picture opens and that will be the end of it. I promise, this is the first and only time this happens."
Oliver looked at the two pleading expressions before him and sighed, "Fine, but if you two get caught I didn't know anything about this." The two culprits nodded. Oliver shook his head, not truly believing he was allowing them to do this, "I'm going to bed. Percy, I expect you up there in two minutes." Oliver said firmly.
"Alright Oliver." Oliver started to go up the stairs.
"Oliver!" He turned back and saw Elynn smiling at him,
"Thank you."
He nodded and smiled, "Good
night, Elynn."
"Good night."
As he walked up the stairs, he heard Percy saying his good night, "Good night, sweet mistress of mischief, who has stolen my heart and hypnotized me with your beauty…"
"If you don't leave and let me go to sleep, I'm going to hypnotize you with a fist!" He heard her reply, playfully. Percy laughed and Oliver could hear his footsteps coming up the stairs. He quickly snuck the rest of the way up and into his dormitory. Percy walked in and as he changed for bed he spoke.
"Quite an honorary Griffindor, we've got there, eh Oliver?"
"Yeah quite a girl." And with that the two friends climbed into bed and fell asleep.
Elynn however, stayed awake for a bit longer. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable or that she wasn't tired. She was scared. What would happen tomorrow? Finally, sleep overcame her, but her dreams were filled with yelling teachers, piles of detention notices and boys with the symbols of Ravenclaw and Slytherin on their robes leaving her in dark places all alone. She cried in her sleep.