ALOHOMORA | CEDRIC DIGGORY

36〝thirty-six〞

THE DAYS LEADING UP TO New Year's passed without event, apart from an endless bout of daytime snow that precluded any attempts at flying. On that account, Ellis spent most of her time in the library, analyzing dragon books and making her own notes. The only difference was that she now used the long table, where she had space to spread out the many tomes and volumes pertaining to the legendary creatures, while Cedric went over readings for his upcoming classes a few seats down on the opposite side. They never spoke while they worked, but stole glimpses of each other from time to time. To the handful of outsiders who still visited the premises, they could pass off as studying separately.

At two o'clock in the afternoon on New Year's Day, Ellis returned to her dormitory to deposit her stationery and notebook, then headed up to the Entrance Hall. Cedric was already waiting for her a little ways to the side of the Great Hall, and straightened up from where he had been leaning against the wall when he caught sight of her.

"Why are you all worked up?" he asked.

"Huh?"

Cedric inclined his head towards her hands that were wringing each other with such force they were both red. Ellis hastily dropped them to her sides.

"It's about Elliot, isn't it?"

Ellis nodded as they began strolling toward Professor Kettleburn's office.

"I don't want to get my hopes up. But I realize I won't ever know whether it's truly...and now I just don't know what to think."

"Does Legilimency not work on animals?"

"No," answered Ellis. "At least, I don't think so. I've tried, but I've never really been able to understand any memories extracted from them. Feelings—yes, I can interpret them in general, whether they're scared, angry, happy...but memories, I haven't gotten anywhere. Except—"

The recollection of Ellis once "hearing" an animal—or so, she thought—leapt to the front of her mind. She had been ten and on a field trip to the London Zoo. Mr. Clarke the science teacher was enumerating all the characteristics that made the stork a bird when he was upstaged by a sudden surge of screaming patrons spilling out of the nearby reptile house. The source of the chaos came slithering out behind the fleeing guests: a long, thick, patterned snake.

Many of the other girls shrieked; Mr. Clarke jumped protectively in front of the class. That was when Ellis started picking up a faint chanting she was convinced to be: "Brazil, here I come..." It became clearer—though sounded strangely warped—as the snake glided towards them, but ceased abruptly once it was recaptured by its keeper. Ellis distinctly recalled catching a low "Darn it" at that point, which didn't make sense coming from anyone else on the scene but the ensnared serpent. But there was no chance to confirm or re-experience this, for the snake's appalling escape led to the reptile house being shut for the remainder of the day and Mr. Clarke cutting short their excursion and chivvying them back onto the school bus in a fit of cold sweat.

"Except what?" said Cedric curiously.

"Nothing. It was just a one-time thing."

"What was—?"

But Ellis did not register anything else because she had dashed up the corridor in excitement. The nifflers on the door were finally awake and wrestling one another for glittery treasures again, indicating Professor Kettleburn was in. Ellis had ventured here on a couple of occasions prior; after all, she did have permission to visit whenever she fancied. Professor Kettleburn, however, hadn't been around since the start of the holidays, and the nifflers were always snoozing in his absence.

Paying no heed to the dilapidated room on the other side, Ellis climbed into the magic case after Cedric and found a bright and colorful pathway illuminated by fairy lights—literally. As if this was not obvious enough, signs pointed them all the way to a small marquee erected upon the treeless paddock in the middle of the forest, beneath which the Care of Magical Creatures teacher and Hagrid were bustling about, stringing up streamers, paper-chains, a "Happy Birthday" bunting banner, and festoons of tinsel that looked to be recycled from the Great Hall's Christmas decorations.

A long table draped in white linen was lined invitingly with multi-tiered trays of scones and crumpets, muffins and cakes; dishes of butter and jams; steam-spewing teapots and flagons brimming with foam... They helped to lay out plates and cutlery, by which time, the other invitees arrived too.

Escorted by Professor McGonagall, Allister was quite delighted (Ellis could sense it) to parade once around the tent to the applause of all who had gathered in her name before joining the other unicorns at the far end of the clearing, where the family of seven laid, snacking on apples and sunbathing.

Soon, the party was in full swing and Ellis was reminded of how much socializing disagreed with her. Nobody was talking about dragons today, and—incredibly—there was no mention of unicorns either. Kettleburn and Hagrid were tucked in a corner, having a rather serious discussion. Cedric was the one who chatted away merrily with the staff, and while Ellis was capable of engaging in polite conversation herself, she still felt as out of place as a fish on land.

Then again, she was hardly here for that.

Catalyzed by a glance the Headmaster flashed in her direction, Ellis slunk out of her seat and sidled toward the horses. She patted Fontaine and Louis the abraxans fondly, but instead of approaching the unicorns as she had intended to, Ellis found herself nestling between the gigantic palominos lazing on the ground. Here, she was a good distance from the unicorns, but had a good view of them too, and was engrossed in admiring a certain horned foal when she was nudged roughly in the back.

Slightly alarmed, Ellis whipped around, only to witness Fontaine throwing back her large head; her shiny blonde mane went swishing as if in a shampoo commercial.

"Such a show off," said Ellis, chuckling, but flicked her own tresses behind her shoulders in imitation. Then she gently stroked the winged horse's hair. "Yours does seem softer than mine, though. What's your secret? Whiskey?"

Fontaine snorted blithely.

"I'll be sure to try that when I come of age," Ellis told the mare, nodding.

Predictably, it was not long before her eyes strayed to Elliot once more. This time the horned foal gazed back fixedly, and though he did not possess the mismatched silver and black irises of one Elliot Grindelwald, the way he made her feel—like she was, indeed, in the presence of her big brother again—was bizarre enough to send chills down her spine and pimple her skin with goosebumps.

Even the wintry surroundings didn't do that.

He blinked once, almost knowingly. Ellis had the peculiar sense that the young unicorn was intrigued by her, and was egging her into his company.

"I think he wants me to go over there," she said to Fontaine and Louis.

"Then why don't you?"

It was Cedric; Ellis's first instinct was to sidestep.

"What's that?" she asked, indicating the goblet he was carrying.

He lowered himself next to her and held it out for her to see: frothy golden liquid was bubbling feebly and emitting a vague sugary aroma. Ellis had the fleeting idea that it was hot whiskey. Had he also overheard her exchanging haircare tips with a winged horse?

"Butterbeer."