**Hello everyone and welcome back! I know I have been away for a long time but I've decide to take a crack at getting back into the habit of writing again. I've realized how much I've missed this story and hope I am able to see it to completion. I will do my best to write a little every day, in between work, general life, and wedding planning (yep I'm getting married!). Enjoy***
It was surprisingly easy to find their way back to the school as the two sisters slowly picked their way through the Forbidden Forrest, even in their exhausted state. They had remained in the clearing for a time, giving Elsa a chance to recover. However, when the rapidly fading light reminded them how late it had become, the two had decided that it would not be wise to delay.
Elsa leaned heavily on her sister as the two witches followed the path they had ripped through the thick undergrowth no less than an hour ago, weaving and twisting through the forest like a ragged, ligneous wound. The older girl's limbs still struggled to bear her weight and each step took a tremendous amount of effort, but Elsa simply grit her teeth and forced herself to keep moving. Many horrors lurked among the trees that she had no desire to become acquainted with, especially after their encounter with the centaurs.
After what felt like an eternity, Elsa and Anna finally reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Anna could have sobbed in relief when she caught sight of Professor McGonagall running towards the girls, one hand firmly holding her pointed hat in place while other pulled her heavy emerald robes away from her boots. But that relief turned to cold dread when she caught sight of blob of pink trying quite unsuccessfully to keep up. She felt Elsa stiffen at her side and Anna was sure to tighten her hold on her sister ever so slightly, lest she try to flee again. The centaurs' threat still fresh in her mind.
"Anna," Elsa said in small shaking voice. "Anna, it's her," her voice began to rise with her growing panic. "Anna what if she saw? She'll want to take me away!"
Anna turned Elsa so that she was forced to look her in the eye. "She won't, Elsa. Do you know why?"
Elsa shook her head, eyes still darting to the flashes of pink.
"Because I won't let her, okay? I'll turn her into a toad and get expelled before I let that happen, do you hear me?" She said fiercely.
Elsa didn't not seem entirely convinced but she nodded anyways.
"What on earth were the two of you thinking!" Professor McGonagall demanded before she had even reached the pair. "Running off into the Forbidden Forest like that, you know the rules!"
Anna opened her mouth to explain, but the raging woman was clearly nowhere near done her admonishment.
"I don't want to hear it, Ms. Arendelle. You both could have been seriously harmed! I will be alerting your Godparents of this and you with both serve detention. I-" It was then that Professor McGonagall seemed to take notice of Elsa, who was now trembling so violently that the sound of her chattering teeth filled the silence like a boney rattle. "Ms. Arendelle, are you alright?"
Even if Elsa had the capacity to answer her teacher, she was cut off by the heavy breathing of Professor Umbridge who had finally caught up to the Transfiguration professor. Her usually neatly folded curls fell around her face, giving an almost wild appearance, and her fluffy pink hat had slipped slightly to the side. When the woman came to a stop, she took a few deep breaths before thrusting a pudgy finger in Elsa's direction, causing the girl to flinch a bit, "did- did you see?" She heaved another breath, "Minerva did you see what she did!?"
Anna felt her cheeks grow hot.
Professor McGonagall did not answer her, nor did she even acknowledge Umbridge's sudden arrival for she was too busy studying Elsa, who was watching Professor Umbridge with the wide-eyed look of a terrified rabbit staring down a ravenous wolf. "Ms. Arendelle?" she said softly.
"I've never heard of something like this happening before. How on earth was this kept from the Ministry?" Umbridge looked like she was close to hysterics now. "Cornelius will want to know about this immediately." Then she suddenly became all too calm, and a cat-like expression settled over the squat witch's features, one that made the hair on the back of Anna's neck stand on end. "Yes, yes so many at the Ministry will want to examine what she can do. Oh, yes. Cornelius will reward me when I bring her to him…"
That seemed to grab McGonagall's attention as she whipped around so fast Umbridge forgot her rantings. "When you bring her to him? Ms. Arendelle is a child, not some sort of rare artifact for the Ministry to study."
Umbridge seemed to be rendered dumbstruck at the venom in McGonagall's voice for a few moments, but she quickly recovered and tried her best to bring herself to her full height. "You cannot be seriously implying that that girl be allowed to stay among the other students, Minerva? You saw what she did, it is apparent she does not have adequate control over her… abilities."
Anna was angry now. Not only was Umbridge speaking about Elsa as though she weren't standing only five feet in front of her but was openly suggesting that Elsa was dangerous. Anna was starting to realize just why her sister had been so afraid to reveal her secret. The girl had just made up her mind to tell Umbridge just what she thought about her opinions when she felt a vice-like grip clamp down on her bicep. She looked up to see Elsa watching her with a pleading expression and terrified tears in her eyes.
"Please, Anna." Elsa begged, so softly that Anna had to strain to hear it. "Don't."
She flexed her jaw and nodded.
Umbridge glanced at the girls then lowered her voice slightly, "We need to be cautious here, Minerva. We don't know what she is capable of."
Professor McGonagall's lips had drawn into a hard line and was leveling such a look of disgust at the other woman that Anna was impressed Umbridge was still able to meet her eye. "Cautious?" she said curtly. "Dolores look at her, the poor girl can barely stand let alone cause any harm. She needs to see Madame Pomfrey or possibly even Albus," she paused, looking the other witch up and down. "Are you really so inept that you are threatened by a fifteen-year-old girl?"
That seemed to be the wrong thing to say as Umbridge went stiff as a board. "How dare you!" she said in a shrill voice. "That- what she can do is not normal." Then in a condescending tone added, "I'm surprised at you. That you would put the safety of the entire school at risk so carelessly is not something I would expect from you, Minerva."
A shadow seemed to pass over McGonagall's expression and Anna saw her fingers curl into tight fists. Professor McGonagall had always been a stern woman, but nothing seemed to truly rattle her. Even Peeves, try though he might, only ever managed to slightly annoy her. However, this was different, McGonagall wasn't just angry, she was furious.
"My top priority at Hogwarts has, and always will be, the well-being of its students, Dolores. All of its students, including Ms. Arendelle," she said pointedly, her voice low and dangerous. "To question that would be such utter and complete nonsense to the point where I would, in turn, question the sanity of anyone making such accusations."
Anna couldn't help the snort that escaped her.
Umbridge threw a glare in the redhead's direction before turning back to her colleague, an angry flush working its way up her neck and turning the woman's entire face a bright ruby red. Umbridge's jaw worked for few unsettling moments, and it looked for a time as though she had become too enraged to even speak but eventually the woman managed to find her voice again.
"How dare you speak to me in that manner," she said, sounding at little breathless. "You- You have no right. I am Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic and the High Inquistor here at Hogwarts, and as such I will not tolerate insubordination. You do not have the authority to interfere with official Ministry business, Minerva." She then turned her focus to Elsa, who seemed to shrink under the weight of her gaze, as if she hoped the other witch wouldn't notice her. "Come, girl," she barked, pulling out her wand, seemingly to protect herself from any attacks Elsa may decide to level at her.
In perfect synchronization, both Professor McGonagall and Anna moved to place themselves between Elsa and the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Anna still maintaining a firm grasp of Elsa's wrist while at the same time pushing her older sister behind her. Her entire body tense and ready to put some of the new spells Harry had taught her to good use, should it come to that. However, it didn't appear that she would need to resort to such drastic measures as McGonagall seemed just as resolute in preventing Umbridge from reaching her target, as she pulled her wand from her robes.
Umbridge eyed the wand pointed directly in the center of her chest and swallowed thickly. "You wouldn't dare," she said, but she didn't look all that confident.
Before McGonagall could respond however, there was a loud crack, causing everyone to jump and Elsa looked like she might pass out. Anna was suddenly very thankful Elsa was wearing her enchanted gloves or she was sure there would have been a thick layer of ice underfoot.
And out of the gloom stepped Dumbledore, wearing what looked to be a silver sleeping gown and purple earmuffs. A small smile painted his lips, as if he were about to settle in for an evening of tea and biscuits and not as if he had just walked in on two of his staff about to duel just outside the Forbidden Forest.
"What's all this?" He said calmly, taking in the scene.
Umbridge was the first to react. "Professor Dumbledore, this girl," again she jabbed a finger at Elsa, "just performed unregistered magical abilities. It is of my opinion, that as she has decided to hide this from the Ministry, I must remove her from the school grounds until we have a better understanding of just how dangerous these abilities are. I believe-"
"There is no need for that, Professor." Dumbledore said holding up a hand to stop the woman from continuing. "And as for no one in the Ministry knowing of Ms. Arendelle's abilities, that is quite untrue."
"Why, whatever do you mean?" Umbridge said, looking affronted.
"Because I have known about them."
Anna, Umbridge, and McGonagall all stared at him in equal amounts of shock.
When no one responded to this revelation Dumbledore continued in the same easy tone, as if he were simply commenting on the weather. "Unless I am mistaken, I am still part of the Wizengamot am I not?"
Umbridge did not answer him for she was still staring at him as though he had snapped her wand in half.
"Now, as for Ms. Arendelle, I can assure you she is no danger to herself or to others as I have gifted her with a lovely set of gloves that are bewitched with an enchantment of my own design." His smile widened slightly, and he began to stroke his beard, "I must admit it is still one of my more ingenious creations."
He then turned to the sisters and beckoned them forward. "Now, it is getting late, and I think it is high time we all got some much-deserved rest." When Anna reached Dumbledore's side, while still firmly holding onto Elsa's trembling wrist, he held out his arm to her and she took it without really thinking. He then nodded briefly to first McGonagall, then Umbridge, "Minerva, Dolores, good evening to you both."
The last thing Elsa saw was the face of Umbridge, her eyes locked on the girl so intensely that she felt a chill run down her spine. Then the world went black, and it felt as though she were being sucked through a tube that was slow getting smaller and smaller with each passing second. She began to panic as she struggled to breath and could do nothing but focus on Anna's almost painfully tight grip on her wrist. It only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Then suddenly she was falling to her knees in what she instantly recognized as the inside Dumbledore's office.
Luckily, Anna recovered quickly enough that she was able to catch her sister by the arm and help her to a nearby chair in front of a very large desk. It seemed that Elsa had reached her breaking point as the day's trauma finally caught up with her and her legs could no longer hold her weight. The girl was trembling violently and looked as though she were going to be sick. Anna could do nothing but watch helplessly as her sister cradled her head in her hands and rocked back and forth. Rubbing circles on her back, Anna looked up to see Dumbledore talking to an elderly man in one of the many paintings behind his desk. Most of whom watched the sisters with concern, while a few continued to sleep on within their frames, one of which was snoring rather loudly.
"Thank you, Ambrose." Dumbledore turned his attention back to the two witches. His face now completely devoid of the easy smile it once held.
Anna could see the unease in the tightness around his brilliantly blue eyes.
"Madame Pomfry should be here shortly, my dear. Will you be alright?"
Elsa squeezed her eyes shut and gave a small nod. "Yes, sir," she croaked. "It- It is my head."
"Have you tried practicing without the gloves?" He asked, though he seemed as though already knew the answer.
Elsa simply shook her head.
This reminded Anna that it was clear Dumbledore had known about Elsa's secret for some time, but just how long was still unclear. And though she was itching to know, she decided it would be best to save her remaining questions for a later time.
The man sighed then slowly made his way to the large armchair behind his desk and looked to Anna. "Now, Ms. Arendelle. While we wait for Madam Pomfry, maybe now would be a good time for you to inform me of what transpired while the two of you were touring the Forbidden Forest."
Anna spent the next few minutes explaining what had occurred, from when Elsa had lost control in the courtyard - though she left out the reason Elsa had not been wearing her glove - to when the two had run into the heard of angry centaurs, and finally how Umbridge had threatened to take Elsa to the Ministry.
All the while, Dumbledore simply watched her with a troubled expression. He did not interrupt except to ask the occasional clarifying question. And when she was finished, he simply leaned back in his chair leaving the silence to fill the room as though it carried a physical weight.
After what felt like an eternity, he spoke.
"You say Ronan referred to Ms. Arendelle as an Elemental?" He asked. "You are certain that is the term he used?"
Anna looked cautiously at Elsa before turning back to Dumbledore. "Yes, Professor… but what does that mean? I don't think I have heard of one before."
He smiled thinly. "And I am not surprised you haven't. Elementals, my dear, are an extremely rare type of witch or wizard who can wield exceptionally powerful magic, typically in the form of one of the four main elements: air, water, fire, or earth. This magic is often so powerful that often the wielder does not require the use neither wand or incantation. It has been over one hundred years since the last."
"It is a wonder I didn't see it before now." He paused for a moment to observe Elsa, who had stopped cradling her head and was looking up at him with a spark of timid curiosity. "I imagine it is because, Elsa you are able to control water in its frozen state. That would make your wandless magic even more rare than any other Elemental in recorded history."
"Woah." Anna said. But before she could ask another question a knock sounded at door.
"Come in." Dumbledore called and the door quickly opened to reveal a very stern-looking Madame Pomfry. "I came as soon as I could, Headmaster. I was in the middle of patching up some poor first-years. It seems those Weasley twins have been using them to test their trick sweets for a few sickles again. I swear I have half a mind to-" She stopped when she caught sight of Elsa.
"I see why Ambrose called me up here is such a rush," she hurried over to Elsa, who was pressing her palms firmly against her eyelids, and looked to Dumbledore. "How long has she been this way?"
"A little over an hour." Anna said quickly, wincing as Elsa hissed in pain.
Madame Pomfry quickly got work pulling out several potions from her bag, before handing each vial to Elsa who raised each one to her lips with trembling hands. "These will help with the pain and nausea, dear. That's it, the whole thing." She then pulled out her wand and got to work on both girl's cuts and scrapes, as well as repairing any tears in their robes.
When some of the colour had returned to Elsa's face, Madame Pomfry got to her feet. "How are you feeling now? Any dizziness or loss of feeling in your extremities?"
Elsa slowly shook her head. "No. I'm just tired. Very tired."
Madame Pomfry then turned to Dumbledore. "This girl needs rest… lots of rest. She is to remain in bed for two days, no classes. No, Ms. Arendelle I will hear no arguments." she said when Elsa opened her mouth to protest. "Two days… minimum." She said the last word as if she had just issued a warning, before packing up her bag and leaving.
As soon as the door shut behind the woman, Elsa looked pleadingly at Dumbledor. "Professor please, I have my upcoming O.W.L.s. I can't miss two days of lessons."
Anna had to physically stop herself from rolling her eyes. What she wouldn't give to have a few days off from classes. Leave it to Elsa to beg for more work after what they had just gone through.
Professor Dumbledore shrugged before holding up his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry Ms. Arendelle, in this, I have no authority. You are not to attend classes for the next 48 hours." When the girl deflated, he smiled sympathetically. "I may be forced to restrict your activity, but I will not restrict your learning. You may have your classmates take notes for what you've missed, and you may go the library to study."
This seemed to perk Elsa up a little and she gave the wizard a grateful nod.
"As for right now, both of you need to get some much-deserved sleep. Return to your dormitories and Await my owl, there is still much the three of us need to discuss. I believe Professor McGonagall is downstairs to escort you back to your beds, goodnight."
Despite the cryptic dismissal, the girls both rose and made their way to the door. Elsa continued to allow Anna to help her walk. Exhaustion rolled through her like waves crashing against the shore and it was all it took to keep her eyes open. When they reached the bottom, they found an anxious looking Professor McGonagall waiting for them, and to Elsa's relief, Umbridge was nowhere in sight.
"Come along you two."
***Well after many long years, there it is. I hoped you liked it. As always review, review, review! Nothing helps my creativity going like some good reviews ;) ***