Whispers From No-One (Elijah's POV)
Saturday morning found both Elijah and Ryan in the library, researching. Ryan was pouring through Transfiguration books again, and Elijah was looking up the full moon phases. Something odd had caught his attention when reading Lockhart’s book and he wanted to make sure he was right before he talked to his dad about it. They sat at the same table, both with parchment spread and notes on each paper. Ryan finally put her quill down, massaging her wrist. “What’re you looking up?” She asked curiously, breaking the silence between them.
“Werewolves.” He said simply, not looking up. “You?”
“Animagi. It seems tricky, though.”
“Yeah, it’s not supposed to be easy.”
“What’s with the werewolf research?”
“Just curious about something.” He finally looked at her. “Why’re you always so nosy?”
“Hey, you sat by me.” She pointed out. “There’s plenty of empty tables in the library.”
“Fair enough.”
He saw Ryan’s eyes dart to the aisle then quickly hide her face in the books, pretending to be too absorbed in them. He glanced around, seeing that same first-year from the other day, with a Ravenclaw girl he already didn’t like because she tended to be mean to Oscar. He glanced back at Ryan and went back to reading. “Aww, look, it’s the reject table.” The Gryffindor girl giggled, laughing at Ryan. “So, I guess Hufflepuffs are the leftover house, Mandy?”
“This one is.” Mandy sneered at Elijah. “Some of them are okay, though.”
“Can we not do this, Brocklehurst?” Elijah asked politely. “Go back to teaching all your bad habits.”
“Bad habits? Like what?”
“You and your fear of soap, for one. You’re starting to look like Snape with all that grease in your hair.”
He heard Ryan’s giggle from behind her book. “What’re you laughing at?” Mandy snapped. “Don’t you actually have friends to hang out with?”
“I’m with one of my friends now.” Ryan stated.
“Oh please.” The Gryffindor girl scoffed. “Holmes complains all the time about how annoying you are.”
Elijah swallowed hard. Ryan’s eye flickered from the Gryffindor to the Hufflepuff, something flickering in her blue eyes, but she smiled. “It’s a good thing you don’t hear what he says about you then, Mandy.” She calmly stood up, the stack of books shaking a little, and walked past them to replace the books.
“Watch your back, Holmes.” Mandy hissed before she and her new friend left.
When Ryan came back to gather her notes, Elijah noticed her eyes were a little red. “I don’t mean it now.” He started, trying to help.
She didn’t say anything; instead, she just walked past him and left the library. He sighed and replaced all of his books, shoving his notes in his bag and tried to catch up with her. However, she was nowhere to be seen. He went back to his dorm and found a letter from his dad waiting for him. Elijah quickly opened it.
Eli,
I’m sorry I couldn’t see you off to Hogwarts this year. I wish I didn’t have to deal with this disease, but I do, unfortunately. I’m reminded every day how grateful I am that you don’t have to deal with it as well. If there’s anything you or Frankie need, just owl. Your mum and I love you. Be safe, and have fun.
Dad
Elijah put the letter on his nightstand, intending to write him back. After he found Ryan. He left the Hufflepuff dorms, again looking for her. After a couple hours walking around the castle, he finally gave up and headed to dinner. Ryan wasn’t at the Slytherin table, and neither was Daphne. She wasn’t at the Gryffindor table, either. He sighed, sitting down across from Justin and Ernie. “What’s wrong?” Justin asked as soon as Elijah started making his plate.
“Nothing.” He lied and began to eat.
Around midnight that night, Elijah was tossing and turning; he still felt guilty for hurting Ryan’s feelings. After all, she’d been nothing but nice to him even when he didn’t want her around. “Come . . . come to me. . . . Let me rip you. . . . Let me tear you. . . . Let me kill you. . . .” Elijah sat straight up, heart pounding.
He looked around; his roommates were all sleeping, even snoring lightly. He quietly went out into the common room and still nothing. Everyone seemed to be sleeping. He held his breath, straining his ears to hear it again but there was nothing but silence. That cold voice was no more. Elijah made his way back to his bed, unable to sleep that night.
The next morning, he almost fell asleep eating breakfast until he spotted Ryan with her back to the table. He quickly ran up to her, ignoring the looks he was getting from both his friends and hers. “Hey, can we talk?” She shrugged, still eating. “Look, I’m not going to lie and say I didn’t say you’re annoying because I think you are. But that doesn’t mean that we’re not friends.”
“So don’t be friends with me then if I’m so annoying.”
“Ryan.” He sat down beside her. “You only annoy me because you talk so much. And my housemates think you like me and-”
She started giggling, her face turning red. “They think I like you?” She asked in between breaths. “Oh, Merlin, no.”
“You don’t?”
“No.” She stopped laughing long enough to breathe. “You don’t like me, do you?”
“Eww. No.” He made a face. “Not that you’re not pretty, you’re just-”
“I could never.” She started giggling again. “I want to be friends with you. You’re cool. But boys are gross.” She paused. “Well, most boys are.”
“All girls are gross.” Elijah said. “Okay, so we’re friends again?”
“Yes.”
“You’re still annoying, though.” He teased.
She rolled her eyes, still smiling. “Yeah, yeah.”
“Oh, did you hear anything last night?” He asked suddenly. “Like a weird whisper?”
“No?” She questioned. “Should I have?”
“I’m not sure.” He frowned. “It was weird, like coming through the walls or something-” He stopped when something hit him in the head. Elijah turned around to see Harry frantically waving him over. “What does he want?”
Ryan shrugged, following him over to the Gryffindor table. “Hey. Did you say you heard a weird voice last night?” Harry whispered when Elijah sat down.
“Uh, why?”
“Because I heard it too.”
Ryan and Elijah looked at each other; Hermione and Ron were strangely quiet about the subject. “So I’m not crazy?” Elijah joked. “That’s a relief.”