(After they discover Barty Crouch Jr. is impersonating Moody etc.)
Dumbledore lead Elle over to an old chair and sat her down. "It's Smith isn't it? Elle Smith?" She nodded. "Okay, well I think it's time we heard what happened to you, if you don't mind. I understand you must be feeling so afraid, but we really need to know what happened," he said.
Elle nodded. "I'm guessing everyone must be very confused. Best if I just tell everyone now."
Harry moved closer. Ever since the Quidditch World Cup he had wanted to know what had happened to her. All that he knew didn't seem to make sense; he needed the other facts to fill in the spaces.
She looked down at her hands before she spoke softly. "As Harry already said, it all started at the Quidditch World Cup, the night the Death Eater's appeared. I was there with some friends from school, we had all been dying to have a holiday over here and the World Cup seemed like the best excuse. Anyway," she said, realising she was straying away from what they needed to hear, "when we realised what was happening, with the Death Eaters and everything, we all just took off running. Didn't have a clue where we were going, but I got separated and I tried to find them but for some reason I ended up in the forest away from the path by myself. I don't really understand it, I wasn't even headed in that direction but for some reason I just turned and walked there, it was like I was in a trans or something. Next thing I knew there was this arm around my neck pulling me even further away. That was when I sort of woke up, I know that sounds crazy but it's the only way I can describe what happened to me. I started struggling and trying to get away." She paused before saying, "It was Barty Crouch Jr."
"That explains why I couldn't see who it was," Harry spoke up. "He was wearing the Invisibility Cloak. I though it was just really dark."
Elle nodded. "I was so scared. I just panicked and screamed. I counted eight people that just ran straight passed me – they didn't even pause for a second. Then I saw Harry and his friends in the distance and I saw them move towards me, but by that time the crowd was getting so much bigger, the Death Eater's getting even closer."
"I'm so sorry I couldn't get to you," Harry said.
"Oh, Harry. It wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could have done. Right after I saw you he pulled the Cloak over me as well to stop others from trying to help me and performed this silencing spell that took away my voice so I couldn't call out. He then sent the Dark Mark up in the sky while still restraining me, gave the wand to his elf and not long after we were both Stunned. He regained conciseness before me. I woke up at the graveyard in this really creepy old house and then that's it. I've been there ever since."
"I bet he was using the Imperious Curse to get you off the path away from everyone else," McGonagall finally spoke. "He probably spotted you earlier, during the match and recognised you."
"Yes, I'll agree with you on that one, Minerva," said Dumbledore. "Do you think anyone is looking for you? I've heard nothing from the Ministry about a missing girl? As far as I know everyone from the World Cup is accounted for, no-one was reported as missing."
"Well I've always lived in foster care back in Australia with Muggles, and because of me being a witch they always knew there was something odd about me, I was constantly moving to different families. Eventually I was sent to a property where a lot of abused and unstable teenagers lived together. Very seedy sort of people there, I hated it. Loved it when term came around and I could be with others like me. The people that run the institute probably thought I ran away, I'd always said I wanted to."
"You don't think you're friends alerted anyone at your school or the Ministry?" asked Dumbledore.
"They probably did but because of my family they most likely guessed I'd gone to join them or something ridiculous like that, but I don't know if they told anyone in the Ministry. If I know them they probably headed home as soon as possible, knowing the Ministry would probably be too busy to listen to a bunch of teenagers."
"Is that why you were caught, because of your parents?" McGonagall asked.
Elle nodded miserably. "I think so. I heard them mentioned once. Apparently you-know-who felt he had a right to use me as a slave as my parents used to be loyal to him. He was hoping once they were back alongside him I would follow in their footsteps and be just as useful. I think he eventually wanted to use me as a spy, play the innocent teenager act, but I wasn't going for it. In the end I was just there for Petigrew to boss around, to make himself feel big." She stopped, and then added softly. "My Father was there tonight. He didn't even look at me."
"Try not to think about it," McGonagall said.
Harry tried to bite back his question but it was blurted out before he could stop it. "Who are your parents?"
Elle opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself. She looked uncomfortable at the topic. "Err…"
"I think it's time to get you both up to the Hospital Wing," Dumbledore spoke up suddenly closing the subject. His eyes met Harry's. They bore into Harry's stopping him from considering asking again later. It was obviously a topic no one wished to talk about. "Harry, I trust you and Elle will be fine escorting yourselves there. We have some business that needs to be finished. Snuffle's can go with you if you wish."
Harry nodded and led Elle out of the office and along the corridor, Sirius trotted along behind them. Neither of them spoke, each of them still shaken from the nights' events. When they were halfway there Harry realised Elle's pace slowing down. She was so weak and probably did little exercise while being prisoner; she had no energy left.
"Oh, umm, do you need a hand?" Harry asked.
"No, I'm fine, I just can't walk as fast as you," she replied, trying to give him a smile but looked more like a flinch.
Harry was about to continue walking but Sirius nudged his hand with his nose. He got the idea Sirius wanted to help her even though she did not ask. He put an arm around her waist and let her body weight lean against him with one of her arms resting on his shoulder.
"Thanks. It's a cute dog you've got there," she commented.
"Yeah, he's great." Harry said simply.
They both turned suddenly when they heard footsteps approaching them from behind. They both relaxed when they realised it was only Dumbledore. "On second thoughts, I think it best if I explain your situation to Madam Pomfrey and the Weasley's, I have a feeling they are waiting for you with Miss Granger.
They eventually got to the infirmary very slowly. Madam Pomfrey nearly had heart attack with their arrival. And Dumbledore had been right; Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Ron and Hermione were all standing there waiting for him. Mrs. Weasley rushed to Harry while Madam Pomfrey hurried to Elle and helped her into a bed.
Dumbledore turned to the Weasley's and said, "Harry has been through a terrible ordeal tonight, as has the poor girl," he gestured to where Madam Pomfrey was removing Elle's tatty, ripped jumper and inspecting the injuries to her arms and face. "I think it would be best if you don't ask either of them, especially Harry, what happened tonight, not until he's ready."
Mrs. Weasley nodded and held him closer. Harry changed into pajamas and opened the screen as Dumbledore moved to the bed next to his to check on Elle.
"I heard there was a girl who appeared out of the maze but I had no idea she would be in this kind of state. What on earth happened to her?" he heard Madam Pomfrey mutter to Dumbledore.
"I'm still not entirely sure. She'll tell us when she's ready," Dumbledore, answered.
"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you, dear?" she asked Elle.
"Umm, I'm probably going to sound like the most stupid person in the world but I'm not sure if I'm fifteen or sixteen. I totally lost track of time while I was there, no-one ever mention any dates or anything."
Dumbledore chuckled softly. "I don't think anyone here thinks you're stupid. Quite the opposite if you ask me, you're being very brave about all this."
"Yes," Mrs. Weasley piped up, "we all think you're so strong considering what you must have been through. I can only imagine."
Elle smiled weakly and said very quietly, "Thank you."
"And the date, if you're still wondering, is the 24th of June," Dumbledore said.
"Huh. Well there you go; my birthday was almost two weeks ago. I guess I'm sixteen after all. Happy birthday to me…" she muttered sadly.
Nobody knew what to say after that and it was followed by a very awkward silence, broken only by Madam Pomfrey saying, "Well I better finish getting you all cleaned up."
Harry couldn't help himself but peek while Madam Pomfrey continued to inspect her injuries, prodding each cut with her wand, some looked quite deep. She was now removing her ruined shoes and was left with bloodstained socks that anyone could see were stuck to the wounds. "Oh my. This is going to hurt, dear." Elle flinched but made no noise as her socks were removed taking the scabs and skin with them, leaving a horrible bloody mess where her feet had blistered and never healed properly. "What a mess. I don't know how she survived like this, Headmaster. I really don't. She must have suffered like this for months."
"Is she going to be okay?" Harry called out.
Madam Pomfrey turned to him. "I'm sure she'll be fine, but it looks like she's been through absolutely everything. It may take her some time to recover. I don't think these scars will ever fade," she said. "You must have suffered so much pain."
"The pain never bothered me too much. It reminded me I was still alive and not simply died and gone to Hell, because it certainly felt like that," muttered Elle.
Sirius moved closer to the bed and had a strange look on his canine face. Why is he so concerned about this girl? Harry wondered.
After making Elle as comfortable as possible Madam Pomfrey moved to Harry's injuries. She had him fixed up in no time. She then handed him a dreamless potion for him to take and gave the same to Elle. They both fell asleep almost instantly.
Elle woke in the early hours of the next morning startled at where she was, and then remembered the events of the night before and relaxed a little. She could hear yelling, that's what had woken her up as well Harry's friends muttering amongst themselves about the noise.
The door burst open suddenly and the Minister for Magic strode in followed by two teachers, one of them McGonagall the other was a tall greasy haired man. The Minister went straight to the two beds occupied at the end of the hospital wing. Elle sat up suddenly wishing that the screens had been closed around her bed when she had fallen asleep. He instantly demanded where Dumbledore was. Before anyone could answer him the Headmaster had arrived to defuse the situation.
From what Elle could pick up from the argument the Minister had allowed a Dementor to enter Hogwarts and perform the kiss on Barty Crouch Jr. This was a problem, as they now could not question him about the Dark Lord and get the answers they needed. Everyone seemed outraged at the Minister's decision. Secretly Elle was glad. She had no fear of him ever coming to find her. She knew there were many others you-know-who could send, but because he had gotten her in the first place and nearly had her again only a few hours ago she would always fear him, but no more.
The Minister was refusing to believe Lord Voldermort was back; the voices of two teenagers were simply not enough proof for him. He glared at Elle as he voiced his opinions of them. Suddenly one of the teachers came forward, rolled up his sleeve and thrust his arm under the Minister's face showing him his Dark Mark and explained that they were only visible when the Dark Lord himself touched the mark of another Death Eater. Elle gasped quietly when she spotted the mark. She wished she hadn't made a sound as the teacher turned and gave her a hard stare.
The argument continued but the Minister could see he was losing. Eventually he walked up to Harry's bed and gave him his winnings from the Tournament then stormed out of the infirmary. Dumbledore then got to work organising everybody, asking if he had everyone backing him. Elle was confused. Backing him for what? He sent both Madam Pomfrey and McGonagall out to message and find certain people. One of the red haired Weasley friends of Harry's left to go send an owl to another person. Dumbledore then turned to face everyone that was left.
"Right, I think it's time we had some honesty among ourselves. If we're all in this together we need to trust each other," he said. Elle had no idea what he meant. "Alright, Sirius. I think it's time you showed yourself to everyone." He spoke directly to the dog and moved to stand beside Elle. The dog simply stared at him for a moment. Dumbledore nodded at it for encouragement and Elle swore she saw it sigh. Then to her surprise it transformed into a human right before their eyes. But not just any human–
"Sirius Black!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked.
"What? No!" Elle panicked and tried to leap out of bed but Dumbledore gently placed his hands on her shoulders making her stay put. "Calm yourself, Molly," he called to Mrs. Weasley while still holding Elle who was still struggling madly. It didn't feel right fighting against an elderly man but this wasn't right. What kind of a school had Death Eaters for teachers, psychotic murderers pretending to be cute, fluffy pets, and an old frail Headmaster who was freakishly strong?
"What is he doing here?" The oily haired teacher asked angrily.
"I trust him, Severus. And I want you all to trust him. Sirius is an innocent man," Dumbledore said. "He wouldn't be here if he was any threat to you," he added to Elle, who very reluctantly stopped fighting against him. She eyed Sirius suspiciously trying to hide her fear. Even at her school in Australia they had all been warned about him.
"Elle," Harry said leaning towards her bed. "I trust him, he really is a good person; he was just wrongly accused."
"I know you're frightened, but I'm hoping one day you will trust me, we are family after all," Sirius said softly to her.
"What?" asked Harry shocked.
"Harry," his Headmaster warned.
"My family has never treated me right, so excuse me if I don't trust you," Elle replied.
" I understand," Sirius sympathised.
"Well, now that's more or less settled…" Dumbledore continued to send off and organise everyone. Elle listened quietly having no idea who these people were that were mentioned. She had a strange sensation flow through her body. For the first time in nearly a year, she felt safe.
When she woke up the next morning she again had to remember where she was. She glanced over at the bed next to hers and could see Harry about to leave, his friends no longer with him.
"Harry?" she called surprised to find her voice quite hoarse.
He jumped slightly and whipped around. "Oh, Elle. Morning."
"Hey, you leaving?"
"Yeah, just about to," he replied.
"So it wasn't a dream then?" she asked glumly.
"I wish it was. But you got rescued; you're no longer there. This should be a good thing." Harry said a little baffled.
"I know, and I'm very happy and grateful that I'm now safe, it's just… the boy," she paused, "Cedric. He really did die then?"
Harry sighed. "Yeah he did. His parents came while you were sleeping. Must be hard for them."
"I bet they couldn't stand the sight of me," Elle said.
"Well I'm not going to deny Mr. Diggory gave you quite a nasty stare but his mother didn't seem to think you had anything to do with it."
She looked down sadly. "I'm sorry, I know I sound silly but I've never seen anyone die before. I've never seen a dead body."
He moved closer to her and sat at the end of her bed. "Me neither. Although, I hear my parents last words every time I'm near a Dementor as well as Voldermort's laughter."
Elle flinched at the name. "Don't!" It was the first time Harry had heard her voice harsh.
"Sorry. You're really scared of him, huh?"
"You have no idea. I mean the whole time I was there he was only this, thing! I don't know what you'd call him, but that was enough to scare me more than anything. Last night was the worst night of my life, I don't think I've been more terrified."
"Well, I'd have to say it's in my worst five," Harry joked thinking over everything that has happened to him over the lat few years."
Elle giggled slightly and Harry laughed with her. "Thank you, Harry. For everything."
Unsure of what to say Harry just smiled at her. "Well I better be going. Bye, Elle. I hope to see you again."
"Me too. Bye, Harry." She watched him leave the Infirmary and suddenly she felt very alone and isolated. She had no idea what was going to happen to her and where she would go next. She asked Madam Pomfrey when she came to check on her and give her a huge amount of food but she had no answers for her. "Dumbledore will be organising something right now if I know him. You have nothing to worry about. Just relax and eat. You're so skinny, you need to get some food into you," she told Elle.
She tried to relax but it was just impossible, she had too many thoughts and worries buzzing through her mind. She had picked through the food but ate little. She wasn't used to being able to eat huge amounts so she couldn't stomach much, but what she ate she was grateful for. Later she was handed some clothes from the lost property and was shown where she could have a wash. It had been so long since she had felt clean. The clothes she had been given were too big; baggy jeans, an old t-shirt and a knitted maroon jumper. It wasn't that glamorous but it was certainly better than what she had been wearing.
Throughout the day she noticed a lot of students coming into the hospital wing for some really trivial things. Hang nails, grazed knees, stomachaches and potions to get rid of the world's tinniest pimple, so small it couldn't be seen. Elle soon figured it out that this was a way for them to get a glimpse at the girl who mysteriously appeared out of the maze with Harry and his dead classmate. She hated it. She felt like she was at a zoo only she was on the wrong side of the glass, and her viewers did not admire her but judged her instead.
Mid afternoon there was two students – twins – that came in that Elle could see were finally a proper injury. One of them was supporting a badly burnt hand, which he wrapped in what looked like a torn bed sheet. It surprised her to see them laughing as if it were some joke, even though it was clearly painful for him. Both of them were tall with red hair and freckles. They looked like the family that had stayed with Harry. She wondered if they were related.
"Weasley!" Madam Pomfrey scowled. Yep, they were. "Why is it always you two?"
"We're just making sure you don't get too bored, I mean there's only so much a school matron can do. We're just filling up you're day a bit," the uninjured twin answered.
"What on earth were you two doing?" she asked as she gently unwrapped the sheet.
"Oh, it was just a… err… mishap," the injured one said.
"And what sort of mishap?"
"Just the normal everyday mishap that occurs while we were both trying to study," the injured one said.
"Then why is it that I have no other issues with any other students?" she asked playing along.
"Well they're just not trying hard enough," the uninjured one answered.
"I'm just going to give up. I'm never going to get to the bottom of it with you two. Just stay here and I'll go get some ointment to put on that," said Madam Pomfrey.
"After all this," the injured one muttered holding up his blistering wound, "mum better not find them and get rid of them all again."
"Well fingers crossed, eh. I'm just glad it was you getting hurt for once," the other chuckled and they continued to joke and laugh.
Elle sighed as she listened. She remembered their mother from last night. She had sympathised with Elle, and comforted Harry when he needed it. Right after everyone had left the hospital wing last night she had heard Harry sobbing quietly. She had glanced a look at him and saw his friends' mother holding him so lovingly, just as a mother should. Elle couldn't ignore the jealousy. She wished she had a motherly figure to hug her and tell her everything was going to be okay. But she didn't. Instead she had to hear it being muttered to someone else. Her eyes prickled with tears at the memory. She desperately just wanted a hug. The best she had had was Madam Pomfrey pat her head after she had cleaned her wounds.
She brought her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs and blinked to try and hold back the tears. She looked up at the ceiling and sniffed. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the twins turn and look in her direction. As quick as she could she turned her face towards the door away from their eyes and preyed no one else would come in and see the tears sliding down her cheeks. She could hear movement at the end of the infirmary. Please don't come over. Just stay there, she thought.
"Okay, Mr. Weasley, whichever one you are, let's have a look at that, huh?" She heard Madam Pomfrey say. She relaxed slightly thinking the matron entering the room again was the movement she'd heard, but she nearly died of embarrassment when she felt the weight of someone sit down on the end of her bed.
"Hey, there," came a voice. She hurriedly whipped the tears from her face and rested her arms on her knees. Why did the curtains around her bed have to be open? Slowly she turned her head to look at him. "I'm a friend of Harry Potter's, his best mates brother." He continued. Elle didn't know what to say so she continued to stare. "I'm George," he said smiling and holding out his hand.
"Elle," she muttered quietly, the corner of her mouth curving slightly but she did not take his hand.
"I remember you from the World Cup." She frowned at him confused. "You tripped over a tent peg and took my brother Ron down with you."
Her brow crinkled at the memory. "That's right, I did too. Wow, that seems so long ago. You must have been one of them standing behind him laughing uncontrollably."
George laughed. "Yep, that sounds like us." They were then silent for a moment. "So… How you feeling?" he asked.
She looked down at her beaten hands and her bandaged wrists from the rope burn. "I'll live," she answered simply. She wasn't sure if he was going to reply or not but his twin suddenly appeared next to him, his hand bandaged and smelling of the vile scented ointment used for his burn but otherwise okay.
"Hello," he said cheerfully. "I'm Fred, the better half."
"Hi, I'm Elle," she said feeling slightly uncomfortable. At leased they were trying to be friendly and weren't simply gawking at her like the rest of the school, but it didn't mean they weren't judging her.
"Harry mentioned a bit about you to us, sounds like you've been through a fair bit," he said moving to sit next to his twin.
"Yeah. I'll get over it." Her eyes prickled again and she looked towards the corner of the bed next to hers not wanting them to see her eyes.
"It'll be alright, Dumbledore will make sure everything is sorted out," he said gently placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Yep." She didn't cry and she was glad she had fought back the tears. There was nothing worse than crying in front of people, especially people she didn't know.
"You're a tough cookie," he said. She looked at him puzzled, as did his twin.
"Tough cookie?" George asked.
"Yeah. I heard it a while ago and I've been looking for an excuse to say it."
"Muggle saying?" George asked.
"Yeah."
"Heard it from dad?"
"Sure did."
"Well you probably got it wrong. Otherwise Muggles really are strange."
Fred started laughing and George joined in. Elle couldn't help but crack a smile.
"Well, we better leave you to get some rest. I'm sure we'll see each other again, especially with Dumbledore sorting everything out for you," said Fred when he'd stopped laughing.
Elle nodded, not quite sure what he meant.
"Bye, Elle," George said getting up with Fred.
"Bye," she said.
Dumbledore arrived later near dinner she guessed not quite sure of the time. "How are you doing today?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she said smiling meekly at him.
He smiled and nodded. "Well I'm not sure if you are wanting to go back to your home in Australia or not, but I've contacted some of your family here. Not your parents," he said suddenly seeing her panic stricken face, "but your aunt and uncle as well as your cousin. They are lovely people and are more than willing to have you live with them. They don't have anything to do with your parents or the rest of your family, with the exception of Sirius, but as you saw last night, he's quite harmless. And your cousin works at the Ministry and has heard about what has happened, and don't worry, she does not agree with the Minister. She knows you are innocent. And, if you decide you would like to stay and live with them you are more than welcome to attend Hogwarts to finish your education. Although, you will have to drop down a year as you missed your fifth year."
Elle couldn't believe her ears. "Are you serious? I mean, are you sure? Do they– Should I– I don't–" Dumbledore laughed and held up his hands to slow her down. "Sorry, it's just. I don't know what to say. I really don't have to go back to that horrid place?"
"Not if you don't want to." Elle laughed excitedly. "I'm guessing you would like to stay here then?" he asked.
"Yes. As long as they don't mind," she said.
"I'm sure they will be over the moon about your decision."
"Great!"
"Now, lets get you out of bed and organise everything. I assume you'll want you're belongings from Australia sent over?"
"Yeah. Although I may have to go shopping to buy new clothes, ones that fit," she said looking down at the oversized maroon jumper she wore.
"Yes, I have to say your attire doesn't quite suit you. I have a feeling the boy who owns that jumper lost it on purpose, can't understand why," Dumbledore said with an amused expression on his face. Elle guessed it must an inside joke or something as she had no idea what he was going on about.
Not long after she stood in his office about to leave for her Aunt and Uncles home. They had organised everything for her to finish her schooling at Hogwarts nest year and Dumbledore helped her tie up all the loose ends with moving her whole life halfway around the world. He seemed to be quite enjoying himself.
"Now," he said, "there's just one thing left." Baffled that there could be anything left to do she watched as he reached into his robes and produced a small, thin polished wooden box. He handed it to her.
"Happy belated birthday," he said tenderly.
Very gently she opened the box to find a new sleek wand. "Oh!" she breathed.
"Eleven inches long, rosewood containing the tail hair of a stunning female unicorn, as I was told by Mr. Olivander. The same as the wand that was taken from you, am I correct?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes it is, I– It's– How did you know?" she asked moving a shaking hand to touch the smooth surface of it.
"Well now, that's my secret. I hope it helps you to produce some remarkable magic. I know it's in you."
She looked up at him appreciatively. "Thank you," she whispered, "so very much!"
Dumbledore shook his head at her. "Think nothing of it." Elle couldn't believe the kindness of this man. "Let's get you to your new home."
Elle followed him astonished at how her luck had turned around. Only days ago she believed she was living in Hell and now everything in her life was finally falling into place. Maybe there was someone up there, he only just thought to cut her some slack. She nearly giggled at the thought. Hopefully soon she would be able to laugh again.
(So what do you think? Do you want me to continue and let out her secret family? Please review! Like I said before, this is my first attempt and I would like to know what everyone thinks of it).