Hollering
The hallways were fairly empty, Eleanor figured almost everyone was cuddling up in their Common Rooms, leaving the halls for loners. Why walk around dark and cold hallways when you can sit comfortably around a fireplace with friends? If you had business unless. Like she did. Those were the other type - loners and secret schemers roamed the hallways tonight. Some professors too, but you could argue both types fit them.
Wandering the dark halls and trying not to touch the cracks on the ground the girl thought about Spinoza, sometimes passing a kid or two. Time to reread The Fixer. Or at least write it down somewhere - each time she remembered Spinoza, she remembered the book too. And staying up finishing it right before Christmas last year. But then, only naturally, in the hallways of her brain, she turned to Plato. And Boston. How did Draco find the room anyways? And how can she get inside on her own?
“She caught the rumblin’...” Eleanor sighed as she reached the last stair finally and tried to stop her ears from longing for music just like the candles around her longed for a windless night, some even going off for a good moment. But this was Hogwarts and even the candles were magic - reappearing in no time. “Babe I never thought you could treat me this way…”
Only after climbing up she noticed how wet her hand had gotten - the four photos she kept in her hand now had dents that resembled the tight grip of her fingers. The dents looked like they were begging to be straightened out again. Or maybe Eleanor was the one begging - the photos were supposed to be mailed out to her parents. Most of the photos at least.
With her left hand taking ownership of the photos for a moment, she quickly swiped her right hand along her pants until they felt safe to continue caring for the photographs. But before she gave them back, Eleanor pressed her fingers on the middle of the photo stack and dragged them out, trying to straighten the four. Yet to no avail.
“Shh.” before she could take her fingers off the photos, Eleanor felt a hand grab hers. And before any words managed to escape her mouth she was dragged back behind a corner and pushed against the wall with what seemed to be a lack of awareness of the power used.
So the cold wall welcomed her body with slight pain.
“Ouch.” holding onto her right shoulders she hissed as the grip hardened.
“Snape’s patrolling there.” Draco’s quiet words landed on her neck. They were not much warmer than the cold wall whispering welcoming words to her.
“It’s not curfew yet.” Eleanor maneuvered her arm out of his and finally glared back at the boy who was carefully listening for footsteps. Half of his face was illuminated by the moonlight shining through the window, while the other half tried to capture every light emitted by the candles surrounding them. The cold white light fit him better than warmth.
Eleanor thought he always looked cold either way.
He reminded her of that one night this summer, where she could have sworn someone was walking around the house outside. Draco showed up just in time. Despite the various checks that were made after her telling every living soul about it, nothing, or no one, was found. But something was there. She was–
“Doesn’t matter– We won’t practice tonight.” he finally looked down back at her, but just for a second, before turning his head up at the possible danger zone and slowly walking backwards toward the staircase, dragging her too. It was quiet but you could hear the footsteps. Faintly. It sounded like they were receding but Eleanor stayed silent.
It took him a moment to realize and release her arm. Took just as much for her to notice too. “Just go back.” he whispered and a smile almost escaped from Eleanor but the darkness from a candle going out nearby caught it in time. This was a fantastic end to her evening. “We’ll do this tomorrow.”
Tomorrow? No. That wasn’t their deal.
“No. I have plans tomorrow.”
No she doesn’t.
A deep sigh followed Draco’s lack of response. “Let’s go to the library.” she crossed her arms.
“What?” he looked back at her frowning before looking back up, still searching for Snape.
Without their knowledge professor Snape had already reached the end of the hallway they were avoiding. With no prey caught, only descending the stairs was left for the professor.
“It’s empty.” Eleanor rolled her eyes and started walking backward until Draco made up his mind.
It had to be empty. She hoped.
It will be.
The old doors made a sharp sound upon opening, but no heads turned their way. Empty. Even the librarian was somewhere in the back, lost behind the many piles of books, probably organizing now that there were no students inside. You could only imagine her, lost somewhere deep, surrounded by dust and books. A dream to some.
Eleanor smiled after looking around - she was right. The first weekend here was just like the one back at Ilvermorny - majority of students spent their time in the Common Rooms, having fun, chit chatting and catching up. All that with little attention to the ever growing mountain of schoolwork. Still living in the summer rhythm, which was like a big curtain hiding it all away. But come Monday and let the curtain fall.
“Dumbest decision.” Draco crossed his arms and shook his head slightly after taking a quick look around. Oh he’s one of those that could never acknowledge someone else was right, Eleanor thought.
Some could argue that the fact that he had asked for her help could disapprove her theory in no time. But the girl didn’t notice. Somewhere in the back a few books fell to the ground that made Eleanor’s head turn. The librarian groaned quietly. Today wasn’t her lucky day.
“Oh calm down. This is one of the few places you wouldn’t be questioned for staying past the curfew.” she rolled her eyes.
Without talking they both instinctively walked to the very back, where they both found each other last night. He did. And she wasn’t really hiding, according to her.
“We don’t practice on other days, Draco, that wasn’t our deal.” he scoffed at that. “We find another place to do that–”
“Like the library?” his eyebrows rose as his eyes scanned the room one more time. Then he sighed. Disappointed or full of disdain, who knows.
With each step Eleanor felt it get colder and colder. The wind was circling around the two, playing games and with every step, with every second of them getting closer to their dream desk, the wind got sillier and more playful, quickly circling and touching every possible inch of their body. The wind had managed to make even the smallest hairs stand up.
The librarian must be airing the library out.
“Have you seen a soul in here? Besides, I don’t think your buddies will show up here.” Eleanor rubbed her upper arm and quickly glanced at where Shakespeare’s books were supposed to be. A gap still visible. Annoying.
The table he had found her before was empty, just like the rest. But the window next to it was open.
A tsk from Draco before the boy closed it. “Every corner of this damn school is freezing.”
“You’re such a complainer.” Eleanor sighed and slumped into the chair by the window, brushing against his cloak before he sat down himself. Why was he in uniform?
He was. In uniform and a complainer. And there was silence too for a moment. Eleanor pressed her lips together and nodded her head ever so slightly not knowing what to say. She still didn’t quite get what he wanted out of this. And she found that teaching other people was far more pleasurable than him.
Somewhere outside an owl flew by but they didn’t notice with the window now closed.
“What do you have there?” he finally pointed at her hands.
A chuckle. Eleanor found it funny how hard he tried to sound unbothered. Disinterested. Sometimes it was too obvious. “The Headmaster showed me these–” he let out an annoyed sigh. “They’re of my dad.”
With rolling eyes his hand did reach out. “Dumbledore–” he scoffed.
Eleanor tried to straighten the photographs before handing them to Draco, her fingers gripped too hard without her notice. A sigh. She reshuffled too, putting their dads one last as not to dampen everything immediately. “Here.”
“‘72 Quidditch Cup Champions.” Draco studied it for a moment, his eyes searched for something slightly familiar but failed to do so.
“There.” she leaned closed and pointed to her dad smiling.
“Chaser?” she nodded and he put it to the back without a sound.
“Slug Club’78 & Christmas Reunion.” he read out quietly again. Seemed like more people were familiar to him this time. Then he frowned. “Potter’s mother?”
“Where?” Eleanor looked down, searching. None of the people in the photo reminded her of him.
“That one.”
“Lily Evans.” she read quietly and looked back up at the girl. Flaming hair. Looked like Ginny’s. “She has Ginny’s hair.”
Draco shook his head slightly. “Do you think Potter’s sweet mother cheated her way into the club too?”
“Don’t be jealous, Malfoy.” she elbowed him. “You sound dumb.”
“Tell me what’s helping him?” he put the photos down and moved the chair to face Eleanor.
“No.” she laughed. “I’d be selling myself out too.”
“Fine.”
Eleanor tried not to laugh before standing up and disappearing behind the bookcases, Draco was studying the next photo now.
Plato… Plato, Plato, Plato… she mouthed while her fingers ran across the backs of many books, collecting dust along the way. How come these stayed untouched?
Plato. Here. Timaeus too. In perfect condition. The two other books surrounding her new target slid halfway out before Eleanor pushed them back, carefully taking out the one she wanted.
“I’ll read and you can do the–” Draco was studying the last photo when she wandered back. “Homework–”
“Didn’t think they knew each other in school.” he frowned, gripping the photo too hard.
“Me neither.” she sat down with the book in hand and dusty fingerprints on her pants. “But then I looked at the year and it made sense.”
His eyebrows jerked up just a bit. “Hm” was all he could say.
She let him linger on the photo for a moment or two, quietly placing Plato’s book on the desk and looking out the window. It was dark, the moon covered by clouds, only their reflection played out on the glass. Draco was still looking at the photo.
“Hey,” she turned to him. “Let’s practice, okay?”
His hand shot out quickly, giving her back the photos.
“Why don’t you try and lift the book up.” Eleanor laid back, legs stretched out and the front two legs of her chair lifting up just slightly.
“Rubbish.” he scoffed.
“The book or the task?”
Another scoff, crossing his arms.
“Then it should be easy.” she sighed as he turned to her, frowning. “If it’s rubbish, you think it’s dumb? Easy?” all four of her chair’s legs were on the ground now. “C’mon, lift it then.”
Silence.
Slowly Draco’s gaze fell on the book in front of them. And slowly Eleanor’s cheek fell into her hand, resting.
“I thought a jinx would be harder.” she let out a sigh, concerned Draco wasn’t going to do it.
Another minute passed, but Draco’s eyes did not move.
Figuring it was best for her to stay silent, Eleanor wandered away, in her mind at least.
“Oh. Hello.” a gentle voice disturbed the two. It was Luna passing by.
A sigh of annoyance followed. Draco turned sour again, looking like that day at the clothing store with his mother.
“Hi.” Eleanor pushed her chair out and smiled at the girl.
She always felt like there were certain people she liked immediately, with no need for a long conversation to convince her. Luna was like that. Something about that girl.
“What are you reading?” Eleanor asked, resting her arm on the top rail. A head rest she liked to call it.
Luna was carrying two books.
“I am helping my dad with the upcoming Quibbler.” she smiled back, pressing the books against her chest a little harder.
A scoff. Both girls turned their heads to Draco staring at the ceiling. Bored, presumably.
Eleanor was scared he’d turn Luna away, angry. But it did not seem to bother the girl
“When will it be out?” Eleanor glared at Draco for a second before turning back to Luna. “The new issue, I mean.”
“The first of October.” Luna swayed from side to side slowly.
“I’ll be sure to finish the September one before that–”
“Here is the book, dear.” a faint voice called out from the front.
“We’ll see you around, Luna.” Eleanor gave her a small wave and caught her smile as a goodbye, going back to the front of the library, Luna disappeared.
“Good friends with the Lunatic?” Draco scoffed and leaned back. Smug.
“You’re so nasty, Malfoy.” she hissed, kicking at his chair. “The fact you have friends is surprising. Focus on the book, Jackass. I bet Luna could do this quicker than you.”
Truth be told, Eleanor knew nothing about Luna’s academic abilities, but the fight they were discussing on the train ride here led her to believe she had to have known enough.
Malfoy on the other hand had his eyes on the book again. Pissed off. Annoyed probably too - he seemed to always be
And slowly, one edge of the book stopped touching the desk.
You could almost hear the concentration.
There goes another corner.
Eleanor bit her gums to stop the smile. Was that all she had to do this whole time? Insult?
“See?” she laughed when the book was a few inches above the desk. “Good job, Malfoy.”
“Pfft.” he let out a deep sigh as the book fell back on the desk.
She knew exactly how he felt. When her mom used to ask her what was so difficult about this task, all she could conjure up was the feeling of stretching your hamstrings for a long time. Only difference - you were stretching out your mind.
“Take a break for a moment.” she frowned as his gaze fell on the book again.
A scoff.
And then a cave in.
Draco let his head hang over the rail, rubbing his slightly red eyes softly. The sleeve of his green sweater appeared for a moment. “So Granger finally has competition?”
Now she scoffed. “Don’t be dumb. This doesn’t mean anything. It has taken Hermione a week to be reasonably good at it. It took me years. Snape might be satisfied but it’s like…” she furrowed her brows. “– if a kid was to repeat a year and for the first few weeks he seems smarter than the rest.” her fingers traced the dark wood of the window still. “And I’m still learning things– I can’t produce a patronus.”
His head shot up and for what seemed like a brief moment - real curiosity. “Ask Potter, he’ll help you with that.” and then again - so full of disdain.
“Harry?”
“I heard that was something they all practiced last year.”
Eleanor frowned. “Before the battle?”
“Battle?” he sat up. Was he mocking her?
“I don’t know. I heard them talk about the Ministry. And fighting.” trying to piece everything together was difficult. Sometimes she wondered if it was worth it - maybe not knowing everything was the way it had to be - wasn’t their fault she practically barged into their lives unannounced.
“Well, I can’t produce a corporeal patronus either, if that’s what you’re wondering.” as he crossed his arms she noticed him deterring. She won’t pry. Maybe Harry would tell her himself if she just asked.
The upcoming week struck her in the face, just like it did everybody else. If she wasn’t at the library finishing homework, she was finishing it in any other place. Usually it was the Dining Hall in the mornings, sharing a barely noticeable wave with Blaise, who was finally back on his feet (and to her surprise, not angry about her unkept promise), or the Common Room late in the evenings.
Harry’s book was life-saving in Potions and she tried to enjoy the last drops of Professor Snape’s indifference to her as the classes seemed to have gotten merely impossible to understand in just a weekend.
Her saving grace - everyone had the same problem.
Malfoy did not so as to even look her way, rushing off somewhere after dinners. At least he did better in Snape’s class now. It’s a slow progress. But it will take Eleanor some time to start to care. The trio occupied the couch almost every evening, with Ron being the first to close the books. Harry soon followed.
“Dear, the first dinner is tomorrow.” Professor Slughorn managed to remind her proudly as she put the scales up after class. “You too, dear boy.”
Blaise was lingering in the doorway, nodding at the Professor. He tried to wait for her on Monday, but Nott dragged him away - something important he had to share it seemed. Now Blaise was untucking the white shirt underneath the slytherin sweater, sharing a quick glance over to Eleanor.
“Thank you.” she smiled at the Professor and walked back to grab her backpack. Sometimes others would rush out without putting everything back where they found it, Eleanor tried to put everything back in place.
If she had been at Hogwarts since the start, it would surprise her the ravenclaws made most of the mess. Her bet would have been on the slytherins, sneering loudly as each left the classroom.
“Finally.” both of her hands went up, just like her eyebrows, to wave at a friendly face as she went out the door with Blaise by her side. “Feeling better?”
“Much better.” he fixed his dark leather bag falling off of his shoulder. “You think the dinner is going to be any good?” the boy turned around for a moment to catch Slughorn closing the door.
Eleanor frowned before a chuckle escaped her. She didn’t expect this to be the first question. Though it made sense. “Have you seen the man? I’m betting on a full course meal.”
“Are you trying out for Quidditch?” he nudged her arm, half-joking, dropping the previous topic.
“Don’t be stupid.” she watched her step as they went up. “Heard yours are today?”
Eleanor listened to the snippets as she passed around their table today. And of course the audio was clear even from their table - Ron and Harry had stopped talking to eavesdrop as well.
“In about an hour.” he shrugged. Confident in his abilities?
“Sure about your spot?” she raised a brow and stopped. She had to visit the library. What his plans were for the remaining hour were still unknown to her.
“Want to come watch?” with a playful scoff he dismissed her question entirely.
“They wouldn’t let me on the grounds - beware! A gryffindor!” she mocked almost roaring. To be completely honest, Quidditch wasn’t something she was too interested in. She told herself she’ll watch the important games. “Howling at me, howling at you.” she sighed. “I need to finish my essay for tomorrow.”
Blaise groaned, rolling his eyes. “I completely forgot.”
Eleanor smirked. “Good luck, Blaise. Let’s play chess this weekend.”
“No, but there have been more dementor attacks.” Eleanor frowned as she passed the trio in the morning to go after Blaise, pushing by a few smaller kids with a letter from home in her grip, doing the same thing to it as she did the photographs.
Dementors? She read about them last night after finishing her essay early - surprising herself with her efforts. Patronus… Patronus… She read about the charm too. But Eleanor was yet to understand what a tremendous set back her lack of knowledge on this matter truly was.
But Blaise now.
“Mornin’.”
Or not.
“Coming to watch the tryouts?”
Looking over Ginny’s shoulder Eleanor watched as Blaise left the hall with a few other boys. After class then. “Tryouts?” her eyes narrowed back on Ginny.
“In fifteen.” the girl in front of her started gathering her long shiny hair into a ponytail.
“Sure.” Eleanor sighed and pressed her lips together into a faint smile. The essay was done, no other homework left to finish - she didn’t manage to think of something in a non-awkward amount of time. “How long does it take to get down there?”
“Five minutes?” the girl bit into a navy hair tie for a second before grabbing it to tie the hair. “You can get a sweater in time.”
With a nod and a small wave back to Neville, Eleanor quickly ascended up the staircase. The Common Room looked completely empty. Was everyone truly going to see the tryouts? With a sweater on and the letter under a pillow, she left for the field.
It was a foggy and wet morning. A true English one, she thought. It wasn’t that warm anymore. Following a few younger students she found herself taking large and quick steps down a hill. She could see the stadium and all she could think about was the size. Ilvermorny had a much smaller one.
Catching herself almost falling down from the wet grass made her slow down, letting two girls giggling pass her. She guessed they all were used to getting down there quickly.
Finally reaching the bottom she scoffed in surprise. The amount of people on the field made it feel crowded. With her hands now in her pockets she scanned the stands searching for anyone familiar.
There was Luna. Then Hermione a few rows above.
Well there was practically every gryffindor, small and big, either on the grass, surrounding Harry, or sitting all giddy.
“I didn’t know this was so popular.” finally understanding why Blaise invited her in the first place yesterday Eleanor pressed her lips together and sat right above Luna.
“It’s all Harry.” Eleanor turned back to look at Hermione. Her face was rather serious this morning. “I think those girls are hufflepuff!”
Right. Harry was the star of the English wizarding world. For good reason, she heard.
“Couple of ravenclaws too.” Luna smiled with her voice ever so dreamy.
By the time Harry gave everyone their first task, Eleanor made Hermione explain the rules again. Pretending to have understood a thing, she turned back to see a first year hit a goal post. This might be more entertaining than she expected.
“They tried talking to Harry on the train, right?” Eleanor leaned down right above Luna’s shoulder and squinted.
There were a few girls down on the field, all giggling and pushing each other around like that time they entered the train compartment. They were quite rude, she remembered.
“Mhm.” Luna nodded.
Harry was getting visibly annoyed as the girls did not even try to fly, merely continuing to giggle and push each other to the front. “You can go sit down.”
And soon everyone on the stands will be just as annoyed as Harry as the group of girls started searching for available seats to continue their gossip.
Harry continued.
“You guys were right.” Eleanor leaned back and rubbed her cold hands together as a group of hufflepuff boys, and a few ravenclaws just a minute later, left the field. Harry was uniting the whole school. “When’s Ron playing?” she looked up at Hermione but two more eyes landed on the girl’s face.
Hermione shrugged slightly. “I think soon. But Ginny’s going now.”
And Ginny was fantastic. Goal after goal everyone cheered. You could spot her by her hair from afar, it felt like a red target was on her back, catching every eye. She was the quickest too, making students rise from their seats each time she flew close enough for her generated wind to touch their faces.
Eleanor wondered a lot, what it would feel like to be really good at one thing. To have people rise from their seats for you. Every gryffindor that day understood then that with Ginny on board - dreaming of a win won’t be much of a fantasy for this team.
Having skipped breakfast the hunger really started to bug her as Harry made student after student leave the field. After another great girl showed off her skills, Eleanor could not sit still anymore. “Save my seat. I’ll be back soon.” she glanced at both Hermione and Luna, but Hermione was the one to respond with a nod.
Wanting to make it in time for there to still be food on the tables, Eleanor rushed up the slippery hill, being the one to pass others this time around. Although, not wanting to miss Ron play and not knowing how one could get food during the in between times, sure added more speed to her jog up the hill.
The castle, for the first time, seemed so warm as she walked toward the Hall. Inside the tables were stacked as many students still enjoyed their breakfasts. Some woke up late. Others came back, just like she had.
With a napkin on her palm Eleanor stacked pieces of bacon, chewing one when the search for sausages began. As the napkin soaked up the oil from the bacon, it got heavier. Quickly placing everything down on the dark wood she finished a glass of orange juice in mere seconds before stepping out.
And there the boys were. Five, slytherin. Three she knew names of for sure. Last one’s at least.
Draco, leaning against a cold stone wall, was whispering something to the rest. For a moment there, he caught her eyes, narrowing down on her, like a Bald Eagle up in the air. There was almost a slight nod before getting back to his friends. Almost.
Eleanor shared a real nod with Blaise, before her stupid smirk almost gave her up. Malfoy was so strange.
“Thanks.” she gave a faint smile to a group of girls that held the door for her. It seemed like the majority of late breakfast eaters were now on their way to the field.
And for good measure. By the time Eleanor walked back up to her seat, she was thanking Hermione with her eyes - almost every seat was taken and more people were going down the hill to Harry’s dismay.
“That’s the fourth one Cormac’s got.” a younger gryffindor boy, who had taken a seat to her right while she was gone, was shaking his head in disbelief.
“Thanks, Hermione.” Eleanor smiled at the girl and sat down on her untouched seat, noticing only that now Hermione looked even more serious than earlier this morning, carefully eyeing someone in the air.
The bacon was cold now and you could rip the napkin with ease. Before even focusing in on Cormac in the air, a big wave of disappointed groans surrounded her all at once. Students hollered at the field, at Cormac, at Harry, while Eleanor’s eyes scanned for the boy that had his hands up in the air as if to question what had happened that Eleanor missed.
Soon the disappointment turned into laughter and booing. Even Blaise would enjoy this. She tried not to laugh while looking around. It was admirable how seriously everyone took this.
Ron was next and he looked terrible. The boys next to her were already giggling.
“Good luck!” a girl with beautiful hair jumped up as Ron positioned himself. Lavender was her name, it took some time to recall. Eleanor was better with faces, not names. Either way, with one quick turn around to ask about Ginny it was enough to note Hermione’s sourness.
It’s easy to notice something you used to do yourself, isn’t it? So Eleanor tried to hide her smile. Unsuccessfully.
The upcoming minutes were chaotic if not crazy. With every save by Ron the crowd got louder - even Luna was standing up now. It was three. Then four. Then the ear piercing hollers followed by friends pushing each other around out of excitement, nudging her in the process. And then it was five followed by someone calling Ron a King.
“Look at Cormac!” though it was directed at Hermione and Luna, it came out as more to herself.
Cormac was inches away from Harry, all huffing and puffing. “–gave him an easy save.” was all Eleanor could hear as it took a moment for the crowd to settle down.
“Rubbish. That was the one he nearly missed.”
Cormac took another step closer, running his hand through the curls, but Harry did not budge. “Give me another go.”
Crazy, was all that Eleanor said quietly chuckling to herself.
“No.” Harry shook his head as Ginny landed nearby. “You've had your go. You saved four. Ron saved five. Ron's Keeper, he won it fair and square. Get out of my way.”
And there, for a moment, everyone watched Cormac carefully, waiting for a punch that fortunately did not arrive. Only loud threats and insults followed the curly headed boy as he stormed off the field.
“Sorry.” Hermione was pushing through everybody, trying to descend quickly. “You did brilliantly, Ron!”
“Those two, huh?” Eleanor chuckled at Luna after searching for Lavender in the crowd. But Luna was barely listening, looking at something beyond the field while Lavender was on her way to the hill, hand in hand with her friend and out of Eleanor’s sight. “See you around.”
“Lookin’ good!” Eleanor chuckled when she saw Blaise by the staircase.
The boy was wearing a black set that managed to ooze wealth off of it.
“Why the lack of red or gold?” he tried to bite.
“Why the lack of brain, Blaise?” she stopped by the door. “You’re knocking.”