CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: Recovery
This time, Ellie didn't wake up in the same place. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Fred and George—and the sight was enough to bring a smile instantly to her face.
"El!" Fred shouted as a smile twice the size of hers lit up his own face. "Finally!"
"Sorry if my unconsciousness was inconveniently timed," she teased.
"Only a bit," George joked back. "How do you feel?"
She scanned the burns on her fingers and cringed when she tested out her toes to see how those felt. Even the strange, residual pain of using her shield still lingered. "I've felt better. Do you know what happened?"
"Besides me getting a whole lot of praise for delivering the Stone?" asked Fred with a grin. "Not really."
"Where's Harry?"
George pointed to the bed next to her. With some effort, she hoisted herself up, rested her back against the wall, and turned to look. Harry was still unconscious, with several scars from the chess game, but he otherwise seemed okay.
"How long have we been out?" she asked the twins, turning back to face them.
"It's three o'clock tomorrow," George told her.
"Like I said," said Fred grimly. "Finally. What were you thinking, El, going back in there after knowing how dangerous it was?"
"And jumping the flames twice?" added George. "We've seen your toes, girl. Those burns are gross."
"What was I supposed to do? Leave Harry alone with him?" Technically Harry had ended up doing just fine without her, but she couldn't have known that.
Fred sighed, seeming to accept that he was arguing a losing battle. "Just... promise me you'll be more careful next time. At least a little."
She wasn't sure she could or should make such a promise; she would never stop risking herself for the people she loved. But she loved Fred too much to let that pitiful look on his face linger for a second longer, so she said, "Fine. I promise."
For a split second, Ellie and Fred shared a look. It reminded her of both moments they had shared down there beneath the trap door—the kind of moment that made her doubt that the phrase "just friends" would work for them forever. There was something more between them, whether either of them would ever be able to admit it or not.
"You got more gifts than Harry," said George suddenly.
Just like that, the moment was over. Ellie tore her eyes from Fred's to raise an eyebrow at George, not sure she bought it.
"Okay, you didn't have more gift-givers than Harry," George amended, "but me and Fred got you like fifty things, Dean and Seamus showered you with candy, and Oliver came in and turned the whole place into a bloody shrine."
She glanced around her cot to see that George was right; it was very well-decorated, with streamers, balloons, and gifts littered everywhere. Several of the wrapped presents were labeled To Ellie, From Oliver.
"I thought nothing was going on there?" asked Fred pointedly.
She shrugged. "I guess my almost dying made him want to try again."
They all glanced up as the door opened and Albus Dumbledore strode calmly into the room. Fred and George stood, and Ellie straightened up.
"Mr. and Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore greeted the twins. "Would you mind if I had a moment alone with Eleanor?"
"Of course, sir," said George.
"She prefers Ellie," added Fred with a tiny grin, then darted out before he could be reprimanded.
"Do you have any idea how many rules you broke last night, Ellie?" Dumbledore asked her cheerfully as he took a seat on the edge of her bed.
"Er…" Ellie bit her lip. "A lot?"
Dumbledore chuckled. "A lot," he agreed.
From next to them, Harry stirred and opened his eyes. He glanced blearily up at them, then reached for his glasses.
"About time," Ellie teased him.
"Bet I was less than five behind you," he shot back, grinning. He looked around, frowning. "Where are we?"
"The hospital wing," replied Dumbledore. "You have been here since last night."
"Professor," said Ellie carefully, "you seem a bit… proud of us. Any chance that means we aren't in loads of trouble?"
"Indeed," Dumbledore confirmed. "Foolish and reckless as many of your actions were, it's clear they came from a brave and genuine desire to do good. I could never punish a student for that."
"Um… sir," said Harry carefully. "Do you think you could explain to us what, exactly, happened? I mean, did you have any suspicions that it was Quirrell? How was Voldemort… a part of him? And why was it that when I touched him, he… dissolved?"
Dumbledore gave him a calm, understanding smile at that. "While Severus warned me that Quirinius might be up to something, no, I'm afraid I did not have any major suspicions; I admit I thought Severus had him under control. Lord Voldemort must have been a very lost soul indeed to resort to living inside another… Though, of course, many hoped he was gone forever. I have not yet acquired the details of how Quirinius and Voldemort came together, but I suspect that it was during Quirinius' time in Albania. At some point during their partnership, Voldemort must have taken control of Quirinius."
Harry and Ellie exchanged a glance as they both processed all of this. "And the effect my touch had on him, sir?" asked Harry.
"When your mother sacrificed herself for you," Dumbledore explained, "she enveloped you in a kind of love Voldemort could never imagine—the kind of love that is toxic to someone so full of evil. Your touch became fatal to him because of that love—the very thing that saved you from him from the beginning."
"You mean that's why I survived all those years ago?" asked Harry, eyes widening. "Because of my mother's love?"
Dumbledore nodded.
"Sir," said Ellie, clearing her throat. "When Voldemort gave the command to kill me, he said something strange—'she's just as worthless as her father.' But everyone keeps telling me that my father was a huge supporter of his."
For the first time during the conversation, Dumbledore actually looked rather… stumped. "You're sure that's what he said?"
"I'm positive—Harry heard it, too."
Harry nodded in agreement.
Dumbledore's lips had gone rather thin.
"Sir," Ellie said, starting to grow desperate. "Please. Ever since I came to Hogwarts, I've been learning all these things about myself. I mean, Snape being my uncle—that was a bit of a shock." Harry gave a bit of a start at that one; she remembered too late that she hadn't shared it with him yet. "And when I was sorted, the Hat told me that my dad was a Gryffindor, but my mum had always said otherwise. My mum even admitted to me recently that Bretherworth wasn't my real name. And yet, there's still so much I don't know. If you could just tell me his name…"
Dumbledore sighed. "There are parts of it I do understand, and parts of it even I do not. But none of them—including his name—are things I can share without betraying your mother's trust." Seeing her pained expression, he added, "I really am sorry, Ellie."
The fact that he called her Ellie was the only thing to brighten her otherwise miserable spirits.
Ellie and Harry couldn't sleep after that, so they took turns trading candy and talking about anything and everything. He opened up to her more than he ever had before about the loss of his parents, and she vented to him about the mysteries of her father—and about her strange relation to Snape. He thanked her repeatedly for saving his life, to which she only laughed and said she hadn't done anything at all.
By the time they were released the next day, Ellie had bonded so much with Harry, she had almost forgotten that she already had a best friend of her own—at least, until they reached the common room and she saw Fred again.
He was alone for a change, sitting quietly in the corner and reading a book. The sight of him stopped her in her tracks for reasons she still couldn't quite explain, and once she regained control of her faculties, she found herself running over to him, leaping into his arms, and hugging him harder than she'd known she could.
It felt wonderful to hug him like that. Fred had more substance to him than any of the scrawny guys her age, and he hugged her with the same, crushing force that she used on him. When she finally let go, he said in amusement, "You're too skinny."
"Definitely too skinny," agreed George as he approached from the staircase to join them. "And a little too much of a daredevil."
George really had a knack for ruining their moments, Ellie mused as she shoved her other best friend playfully.
But it was probably for the best... right?
Totally NOT for the best if you ship Ellie and Fred... then again, she is still very young, and good things come to those who wait, right? Only one more chapter left in the Philosopher's Stone part of this story, so make sure to catch that, and then we'll be on to CoS! Don't forget to review if you're enjoying!
