"Is there a problem Malfoy?" Ely almost cried out in relief as Lucius momentarily faltered, which gave Ely enough time to break free and run into Matt's protective arms.
Lucius almost hesitantly turned around to face Matthew. Matthew protectively wrapped his arms around Ely, giving Lucius a death stare.
"I was just congratulating Elanora on her many duels today. She's undefeated." Lucius tried to be sly but everyone knew it wasn't working. Ely was trembling slightly, trying to regain her composure from being pinned helplessly. Lucius noticed the position that Matt had Ely, but said nothing.
"I know, she is an excellent duelist. She knows almost all of the seventh year spells." Matt continued to stare down at Lucius, which Lucius wisely resigned.
"I will take my leave then." He bowed to the both of them and then turned on his heel and left.
Ely buried her head in Matt's chest and started to sob. She hadn't been this afraid since she saw Hogwarts being attacked, and to her that was almost four months ago. Matt didn't say anything but continued to hold her, rubbing soothing circles on her lower back until she calmed down.
"It's going to be okay Ely. Malfoy won't do that to you ever again." They sat down at a nearby table as Ely composed herself enough to talk.
"I was so scared Matt…" She took a shaky breath, "He had his wand in my side and had a tight hold on my wand arm. I couldn't fight back no matter what I thought about doing."
Matthew couldn't say any comforting words simply for the fact that he didn't know what to say. However, he did wipe the tears away from her face, which is when he noticed the scar across her eye and cheek. She flinched away when she felt his thumb graze her cheek.
"Ely, what happened?" Ely curled into herself as she shuddered at the question. Matt immediately regretted asking when Ely opened her mouth.
"Both of my parents were killed before I was five. My dad in a car accident, my mother by a wizard. This is from a stray piece of glass that flew by and hit me in the face. I have another one across my shoulder."
Ely expected him to shudder away from the scar or look at her with pity. She almost didn't want to meet his eyes but she knew it was inevitable. Looking at him, she saw something completely different.
Matt looked at her with more respect and admiration then anyone had ever looked at her before. She knew at that moment that he was looking past her scar, and neither of them had to say anything to know that he still thought she was beautiful, freckles and scars.
"Thank you for saving me Matthew." She finally remembered to say, but they both knew she didn't have to.
"I'm here for you Elanora, and I will be for as long as I can. You're an amazing person all around. People like you are hard to find and only come around once in a lifetime."
Holding her into his side, they walked out of the library and into the Great Hall. Most of the higher years had yet to arrive, probably due to fact that they were still looking for their wands, while the rest of the houses just turned and stared at them, Ely already hiding the scar again with her hair. Even the Professors looked at them with a confused expression as they went towards Slytherin table. Bella was seated towards the end while Severus was sitting towards the middle. Bella had a scowl on her face but immediately turned to relief when she saw Ely.
"You're alive! I thought you might have ended up at the hospital wing when Matt offered to look for you." Bella hugged Ely and she winced slightly, "Are you hurt?"
"I had a close call with Malfoy, but Matt came and saved me." She smiled softly at him, which he smiled back.
"It was nothing really." He said it sincerely, but Bella still thanked him profusely. No one said a word as he sat down next to Ely.
Ely nodded towards Severus in question at Bella, to which she rolled her eyes. "He is neutral to what just happened to you, and puts blame on Matthew as well."
Ely didn't say anything but continued to pick at her food. Matt, grabbing her head and gently giving it a squeeze, urged her on. Leaning on his side for support, she ate a little bite each time. All she wanted to do was curl up and sleep. Right when she was about to doze off at the table, Headmaster Dumbledore showed.
"Miss Taylor and Mr. Watson can you come with me please." It wasn't a question to be discussed as both of them stood. Saying a quick goodbye to Bella, all three of them headed up towards the headmaster's office, Matt's hand on Ely's lower back in support.
"Considering what I just heard from your Head of House Miss Taylor, would you happen to know why it was that a third of your house was looking for their wands in the common room?" Dumbledore asked and Ely kept a straight face.
"When I left the common room Headmaster everyone was perfectly fine." Ely didn't even blink an eye as she said this. The Headmaster looked at her questionably before turning to Matt.
"Mr. Watson, would you happen to know anything that was going on?" Dumbledore looked at Matt hard, watching for any sign that would give away that he knew something.
"I was in the library looking for Elanora when I saw her talking to Mr. Malfoy sir. That's as far as I know about Slytherin."
"Why were you looking for Miss Taylor?" Dumbledore looked between the both of them this time.
"He invited me to go to the winter dance with him Headmaster. He was coming to ask me what colors I would be wearing so we would match. Matt walked in on Lucius trying to persuade to come out of my promise to go with him instead. I politely declined." Ely covered it up without any give away in her tone or her facial expression, for once both eyes trained on the Headmaster as she moved her hair out of her face.
Dumbledore saw the scar briefly but said nothing. He knew her story and how she had come to acquire it, and for her to be showing it off meant that she must have told Matthew how she had come to acquire it. He deducted that whatever happened, the two of them must have been very tired.
"Very well." Dumbledore stood up, "You two are free to leave. However Miss Taylor, the remaining Slytherins have been set up to go to the Great Hall while we find out what exactly happened. Since you are friends with Miss Evans, Mr. Lupin, and Mr. Watson, you may stay in either the Ravenclaw or Gryffindor rooms. You would have to sleep in the common room, but beds can be provided."
"I would like to stay in the Gryffindor common room if it is alright with you Headmaster…" Ely's cheeks turned pink as she asked, "Would it be too much to ask if Bella and Matthew come with me as well? I've had a rather rough day if you can imagine."
A smile broke out on the Headmaster's face, "I'm sure I can arrange that. However, Professor McGonagall would have to be present as well."
Ely smiled in thanks, and Matt and her left the headmaster's office.
"Why did you do that?" Matthew asked as soon as the staircase rolled back into place.
Ely immediately became defensive. "I didn't want to leave Bella in the pit of the snakes by herself."
Matthew chuckled, "I know that, but why me? And how come you didn't ask Severus?"
"You've been standing up for me when I need it most. Severus just stands back and doesn't do anything. The only person he does anything for it Lily." When Ely had gotten to Severus, she let out the bitterness in her tone, which caused Matt to raise his eyebrows.
"Am I sensing a bit of jealousy?" Matthew made it sound playful, but Ely just rolled her eyes.
"Whatever, he's just a wanker anyway. Let him sleep in the bed he made of snakes." Matt immediately detected the iciness in her voice and dropped the subject. Figuring what they needed was going to be sent to the Gryffindor common room, they picked up Bella, Ely not giving even a sideways glance at Severus, and they left to the tower. None of them noticed the glare Severus was giving to the two of them.