As Ellie sat in potions, she couldn't even pay attention. Her eyes kept threatening to close, and it wasn't until they were told to go make Draught of Insanity that she realized she hadn't listened to anything Slughorn had said in the last twenty minutes. She walked over to the cauldron closest to Rose's, which happened to be right across from her. Sirius was out for the day, making some kind of mischief, and James was back minding their cauldron.
Rose had already started the potion and was swiftly completing each of the steps. She finally looked up to see Ellie unceremoniously throwing the wrong ingredients into the cauldron, which was expelling some kind of blue smoke.
"You didn't get enough sleep last night," Rose accused casually, as she continued to stir.
"I feel well rested," Ellie argued.
"Your draught of insanity disagrees. I think you've managed to make poison out of it," Rose replied.
"Which I could give to a questionable looking stalker," Ellie said matter-of-factly, as the potion began turning an ugly brown color.
"Or drink it yourself mistaken for pumpkin juice; the more likely scenario." Rose replied, dead serious, which caused both girls to let out a short laugh. "So you never said, how was last night?"
"It was ok, I guess," Ellie's face lit up at the memory of the previous day's Hogsmeade visit spent with James, a smile immediately on her face.
"Yeah, it was just ok," Rose repeated, picking up on Ellie's sudden change in mood.
She went back to work, tactfully sprinkling in the powdered moonstone and turning her own potion a pleasant turquoise blue.
"Absolutely perfect, Miss Bennett!" The professor exclaimed. "I've never seen such an exquisite Draught of Insanity!"
"Thank you, Sir," Rose accepted.
"Maybe you could lend Miss Claybourne your notes tonight, seeing as I expect a six-hundred word essay on my desk on the draught of insanity from her tomorrow, following the catastrophy in her cauldron. I'll have to destroy it, as I feel that it may combust," he said waving his wand apologetically and vanishing the foul liquid, before continuing to circle the room.
Rose looked over at Ellie who, at this point, was minutes away from completely falling asleep. Rose used a flask to scoop out her potion, labeled it with her and Ellie's names, and placed it on Slughorn's desk.
"You are all dismissed."
The moment the words left his mouth, Ellie was halfway out the door on her way to the dorm to try and squeeze in an hour's worth of rest before dinner.
Turning around she looked at Rose.
"Well, looks like I have an essay to write. I'll see you in the great hall," she said beginning to walk away.
"Els, I put your name on my potion, you don't have to write anything," Rose called down the now empty hallway.
"I need to get my grade up anyways," she lied in response.
Rose smiled, knowing Ellie's true intentions for the next hour walking off to the library to check out a book about dragons.
Ellie felt much better after the hour was up and her nap was complete. She was about to make her way out of the dorm, when she ran into her sister, Lynn, for the first time since she found out about her relationship with Nate.
"Hey, are you going down to the dining hall?" Ellie asked.
"Not today. I actually made plans with a friend," Lynn responded, as the pair continued down the stairs towards the common room.
"Is that friend a boy? Maybe with the name Nathan Bennett?" Ellie asked, suggesting the truth, stopping Lynn abruptly.
"Did Rose tell you?" Lynn questioned.
"Didn't have to. I was lucky enough to hear it straight from the ugly mouth of Oliver Tray," Ellie accused.
Lynn only nodded, her gaze leaving the floor to meet Ellie's.
"I was going to tell you, I promise, I just… Wanted to figure out where it was going first," she replied, using a light voice that made Ellie feel bad for her choice of tone.
"Listen, I like Nate, I really do, but is snogging him the only way of 'figuring it out'?" Ellie knew she'd hit a nerve by the fierce look in Lynn's eye.
"Who are you to talk?" Lynn responded. "Don't think I don't know about James!"
Ellie froze; wishing for nothing more than for Rose to walk in and put an end to the conversation.
"There's nothing to know," she explained, even though the words didn't sound right. "We're just friends."
"So staying out past curfew is something's you do with a lot of guys? And, you totally missed my first trip to Hogsmeade," Lynn accused.
This time it was Ellie who couldn't speak, so her sister did.
"Listen, I'm older now, and I need you to trust me, okay?"
"I do," Ellie replied honestly. "But no more secrets."
"No more secrets," she promised.
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Creds for help in this chapter go to a friend who has a little sister just like Lynn. Feel free to review with any thoughts! Thanks for reading, and don't let the muggles get you down!
post edit: OK so this chapter is way shorter than i thought it was? Idk, i think i'm goint to try keeping them a more uniform length in the future so yeah. Thanks for reading and reviweing!