(CoS) CHAPTER TWO: The Breakout

"You okay, Ellie?" asked Ron a minute later as he descended down the stairs. "You look like you've just seen the Bloody Baron."

Ellie tore her eyes from the photograph, stuffing the mugshots and letter back into the envelope and forcing a smile. "Fine," she said. "Let's do it."

Ellie felt the worried gazes of both twins' on her as they crept out of the house and over to the garage. She did her best to send them reassuring smiles, but she wasn't sure she was pulling it off.

She knew his name. She knew his real name. She could research him now—figure out what, exactly, he had done and why.

She just wasn't sure she'd like the answer.

Fred insisted on driving, despite the fact that Ellie was the only one who had even ridden in a Muggle car before. Ellie managed to claim the shotgun spot, probably only because George felt bad for her. George and Ron took the back seats, of which there was still one remaining for Harry.

Ellie briefly explained to Fred the way to operate the break and gas pedals and to shift gears. They managed to back out of the garage without too much difficulty, and as soon as they were clear, he excitedly pressed the HOVER button. The car lurched unpleasantly into the air, and Fred coaxed it up and out. Ellie pointedly punched the INVISIBILITY button, which he had entirely neglected.

Once she got over the initial fear of being in a flying car, Ellie began to enjoy the ride. They put Ron and George in charge of navigation, since Ellie was preoccupied with trying to make sure Fred didn't crash the car. Listening to the two of them bicker about how to read the gigantic map of England they had borrowed from Arthur's study was hilarious, and between that and the gorgeous views below them, it was impossible not to have a good time.

Finally, Ron pointed to a sign below them and shouted, "Look! Little Whinging!"

"Wow, Ron," said Fred, impressed. "You actually did it."

"We did it," corrected George, peering out the window and frowning. "Bloody hell—they all look exactly the same. How do we know which one is Harry's?"

"They're numbered," Ellie said, laughing. "Harry's number four, I think."

But they were too high up to read the numbers. Fred squinted out into the distance, frowning. "Is it just me, or does that one down there have bars on the windows?"

"That sounds promising," said Ron eagerly. "Pull on down."

Fred didn't have an easy time lowering the car down to the barred window, but he eventually managed. Ellie leaned out of the car window to rap eagerly on Harry's door.

"All right, Harry?" shouted Fred from her other side as Harry Potter's shocked face came into view behind the window.

"What are you lot doing here?" Harry asked in astonishment.

"Rescuing you, of course," they all told him eagerly.

"Here," said Fred to Ellie, handing her a coil of rope he had found under the seat. "Tie this to the bars."

Ellie did as she was told, then passed the rope around inside the car so they could all hold onto it. Fred turned the car in midair so it was facing away from the window, then stepped on the gas.

It worked. With a loud clank, the bars were yanked from the window.

"Hurry!" she shouted to Harry as he scrambled to open the window and Fred backed the car up so that its trunk was facing Harry. "They'll have heard that!"

He didn't need to be told twice. He stuffed his trunk into the trunk of the car, grabbed Hedwig's cage, and thrusted it into the back seat before leaping for the back seat himself—only to be caught by the ankles by a man Ellie assumed was the infamous Vernon Dursley.

"Drive!" Ellie shouted at Fred, seeing that Ron and George were clinging to Harry by the arms, refusing to let go. "He'll make it!"

Harry shot Ellie a half-amused, half-panicked look at that as Fred stepped on the gas. Vernon didn't stand a chance; as the car left its spot by the window, he was dragged out of it and, subsequently, crashed into the bushes below.

Everyone but Fred stared back at the scene in amazement as the car drove further up into the sky. Finally, Ellie turned to Harry, smiled, and said, "Hiya, Harry. How was your summer?"


"We didn't work up much of an excuse," George warned Harry as they crept from the garage to the house later that night. "For you being here, I mean. So we're saying that you… walked."

"Walked?" Harry repeated, laughing. "From Little Whinging?"

"Well, do you have any better ideas?" grumbled Fred.

"No," Harry admitted. "S'pose not."

"We have loads to catch up on," said Ron as they neared the back door, "but we're likely to wake up Mum and Dad if we try tonight. Talk tomorrow?"

Harry nodded. They had made their way inside by then, and they all exchanged silent hugs before heading upstairs—that was, all except Ellie and Fred.

"Veggie sub?" he asked her with a small smile.

She smiled back at him, nodded, and followed him into the kitchen, where he got to work on their favourite midnight snack.

"It was him," Fred said as he worked. "Sirius. Wasn't it?"

Ellie nodded. "It was him."

"Right." He sighed. "Look, El… this is really serious. He's one of the most infamous dark wizards in history. If anyone finds out…"

"I know. I heard what you said before. I haven't told anyone."

He nodded, putting the subs into the magical toaster and turning to face her. "And your quest for answers? Is it appeased?"

"Well… not entirely," she admitted. "I've got to do more research, don't I? Find out exactly what he did, and why?"

He looked pained. "I don't know, El. You already know from Snape and from me and George that he killed all those people. Isn't that enough to make you want to… stop?"

"If not for what Voldemort said about him, maybe. But I told you what he said, Fred—called him worthless. Why would he say that if my father was evil?"

Fred shrugged. "Maybe those twelve Muggles were useless to him, anyway. Maybe he got himself arrested before he had the chance to do whatever You Know Who asked him to do. It doesn't necessarily mean he wasn't evil."

She knew Fred was right, but she didn't like hearing any of it from him. The toaster dinged, and Fred took out their subs, nodding to the back door. "C'mon," he said gently, and she followed him out back.

"I'm not saying he wasn't evil," she said once they settled onto their bench. "I get that he probably was. But what's the harm in seeking out the details?"

"The only harm I care about is the harm that could come to you," said Fred. "The emotional harm, El. It's not going to be easy reading about that stuff. It's going to hurt."

Her heart gave a little lurch at that. Again, she found herself thrown by her complex and confusing relationship with Fred. She wasn't used to having someone care so deeply for her. How was she supposed to know if it was platonic love or… something else?

"I'll be okay," she finally said. "I promise."

"Okay," he said. "Then I'll help you."


When Ellie woke up the next morning, it was to the sound of Molly Weasley's frantic shouting from inside the house—which meant Ellie was still outside the house.

She glanced around, confused as to where she was and what she was doing there, until she realized it: she and Fred had fallen asleep on the bench together.

She blinked up at him, lifting her head from his shoulder. He seemed to have been woken up by the same shouts that had awoken her, though he looked less panicked and more amused than her. "Morning," he said softly to Ellie.

Just like that. Morning. Was his heart pounding as quickly as hers? Ellie was too young to be waking up with boys. She tried to push her deep blush back, but had a feeling she was failing. "Morning," she muttered, jumping to her feet. "We'd better…"

"Right." He still looked strangely amused. He rose to his feet, as well, heading for the back door. "We got up early to hunt for gnomes, didn't we?"

"Y… yeah," she stammered. "Gnomes."

And she followed him inside.


Anyone else already getting major feels from these two, even with Ellie still being young and innocent? I hope so! We'll cover Diagon Alley in the next chapter, which of course includes the infamous Gilderoy Lockhart. Make sure not to miss it, and please review if you're enjoying the story!