THE SHADOW PATH ⎯ james potter

[046]

But for now, she just had to make it through the night.

A few weeks had passed since Barty's disappearance, and the tension at Hogwarts was palpable. 

The staff were growing more frantic by the day, their concern trickling down to the students, though no one seemed to know what had happened. 

Ellie had been preoccupied, constantly thinking about Barty and the Shadow Path, but life at Hogwarts had to go on.

She was in Care of Magical Creatures that afternoon, standing beside Lily Evans as Professor Kettleburn introduced their lesson for the day. 

They were learning how to care for Bowtruckles, which, under different circumstances, would have fascinated Ellie. 

But today, she found it hard to focus. 

Lily seemed equally distracted, though Ellie wasn't sure if it was for the same reasons. 

They were having a casual conversation about the lesson, discussing the proper way to handle Bowtruckles without startling them.

"So, do you think they'll ever let us try handling a dragon?" Lily joked, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

Ellie smiled back, but before she could reply, Lily's expression suddenly shifted. 

Her eyes flickered, distant, as if something had just dawned on her. 

Without a word, Lily abruptly turned on her heel and walked away from the group, her movements purposeful and quick.

Ellie blinked in surprise, watching Lily's retreating figure as she headed toward the edge of the forest, away from the class.

"Lily?" Ellie called after her, but Lily didn't respond. She didn't even look back.

For a moment, Ellie stood frozen, confused. 

It wasn't like Lily to just leave without a word. 

Maybe she wasn't feeling well and was heading to the infirmary, but something about the way she'd left—so sudden, so quiet—didn't sit right with Ellie.

She glanced around the class. 

No one else seemed to have noticed Lily's departure. 

Professor Kettleburn was busy tending to one of the Bowtruckles, while the rest of the students were too focused on their own creatures.

Frowning, Ellie made up her mind. She carefully set down her Bowtruckle and followed after Lily, trying to shake the uneasy feeling growing in her chest.

"Lily, wait!" Ellie called again as she quickened her pace, but Lily had already disappeared into the distance. Something was definitely wrong.

It was dinnertime, and the Great Hall buzzed with the usual chatter and clatter of cutlery. Ellie and Charlotte were seated at the Slytherin table alongside Regulus, Dorcas, and Evan. 

The conversation was light—about their upcoming exams, Dorcas mentioning Marlene McKinnon during a Quidditch match, and Evan mocking one of their teachers.

Just as Ellie was about to ask Regulus if he'd seen Sirius recently, a commotion erupted over at the Gryffindor table.

Ellie turned her head sharply, her gaze locking onto Mary Macdonald and Marlene McKinnon, who were standing up and seemed to be arguing with a few of the boys. 

Marlene's voice carried across the hall, and while Ellie couldn't make out the words, she could sense the tension. 

The rest of the Gryffindors were starting to whisper, their heads turning towards the scene as more students began to notice.