Eleni's Missing Years

 

 

Chapter 9

 

‘What’s up with you Malfoy?’ mocked Crabbe. ‘How come you can’t keep you eyes off the Mudblood? Turn you on does she?’

‘Shut up you idiot,’ growled Malfoy, pushing away his uneaten bacon. ‘My father’s given me a special assignment.’

‘Yeah like what,’ said Goyle, dropping a whole egg in his mouth and chewing loudly.

‘Do you mind not talking with your mouth full,’ said Malfoy, ‘you spraying me with egg.’

‘Come on,’ said Crabbe. ‘So what’s going on? Tell us.’

‘Look you meatheads,’ said Malfoy, giving them both a nasty look. ‘This is a delicate project, one that I must keep a secret and one I must do on my own. So why don’t you both go and save me a seat in Herbology.’

‘Why does it have to be a secret?’ asked Goyle, leaning in, his face goggled with expectation.

‘Didn’t I just say “GO”’ cried Malfoy, grabbing Goyle by the tie.

‘Hey let go, you’re choking me,’ cried Goyle, fighting for breath.

‘Let him go,’ yelled Crabbe, hitting Malfoy over the back with his wand. ‘You’re hurting him.’

 

Malfoy’s eyes turned to ice like his father’s. He gave Goyle such a vicious shove that it made Goyle topple back onto his back. Malfoy then turned to Crabbe and moved within inches from his face.

‘Don’t you ever and I mean ever touch me again,’ he hissed, ‘otherwise I’ll throw you such a curse you’ll be writhing on the ground.’

‘Okay, okay,’ said Crabbe, backing away. ‘Take it easy. Aren’t we supposed to be friends? It was just that you were hurting him.’

‘What I do to him,’ said Malfoy, ‘is my business. Just remember who the leader of this trio is. So when I say shove off, I mean shove off. Got it?’

‘Sure,’ said Goyle, struggling to stand. ‘Whatever you say, we’re going.’

‘Gee Malfoy,’ said Crabbe, ‘you’re becoming more and more like your father.’

‘Good,’ said Malfoy, ‘because I aspire to be just like him.’

 

‘What’s up with those three,’ said Ron to the others, having watched the byplay between Malfoy, Goyle and Crabbe. ‘Malfoy turned positively manic. Did you see what he did to Goyle?’

‘Looked like some sort of argument,’ said Harry, narrowing his eyes in thought. ‘You know Hermione,’ he then said, ‘Malfoy’s been watching you all through breakfast.’

 

Hermione looked up from her cereal. ‘What are you talking about?’ she said.

‘Just as I said,’ he said. ‘He’s been staring at you all morning.’

‘He probably has nothing better to do,’ said Hermione, turning the page of her book, which was propped up against the milk jug.

‘Maybe he’s decided you’re the love of his life,’ said Ron.

‘Please,’ said Hermione, ‘don’t make me laugh.’

But Harry looked at Hermione with a serious face. ‘I’m not kidding. I want you to be careful.’

‘Don’t worry,’ she said. ‘Draco Malfoy doesn’t scare me one bit.’

‘Yes,’ he said, ‘but I still want you to be careful.’

 

Hermione decided to change the subject. Sometimes Harry treated her like his kid sister, like she was some sort of fragile thing that needed his protection.

‘Hey,’ she said to Eleni, who was eating and listening to the conversation, ‘you never told us about your Christmas. How did it go?’

‘There’s not much to say,’ said Eleni, ‘it was pretty quiet. By the way guys thanks for the Christmas presents. It was such a wonderful surprise and Ron you’re going to have to thank your mother for me. I loved the jumper.’

‘Well why don’t you thank her yourself? I’m sending her an owl, this morning. Why don’t you write a note too? Pig won’t mind taking two letters instead of one.’

Eleni smiled. ‘All right, that sounds like a good idea.’

‘How were the Christmas tutorials?’ asked Hermione, closing her book.

‘Not too bad. No one worked me too hard, well except for Snape. You should have seen all the homework he gave me.’

‘He’s relentless,’ grumbled Harry. ‘Wouldn’t dream of making anyone’s life easy, would he?’

‘Actually,’ said Eleni, swallowing her last bit of toast, ‘he wasn’t too bad. Sometimes he was almost nice, well as nice as Snape can get. Probably because it was holidays and there were no students around. I even assisted him on Christmas afternoon with some potion he was making.’

Harry and Ron looked horrified but Hermione was in awe. ‘You assisted Snape,’ she said. ‘Wow. What potion did you help him with? It must have been fascinating.’

‘He never said what the potion was,’ said Eleni, ‘but there were cauldrons everywhere.’

‘I can’t think of a worse way of spending Christmas,’ said Ron. ‘You poor thing.’

‘As I said, it wasn’t too bad. And it did make Christmas day go a whole lot faster, which was what I wanted.’

Hermione, Ron and Harry exchanged glances at Eleni’s barely contained sadness.

‘Whatever you say about Snape’s teaching methods,’ said Hermione, ‘you can’t deny he knows his potions.’

 

Harry and Ron looked at each other and snorted again.

‘Don’t tell me,’ Ron said to Hermione, ‘that you’re going to start another “House-Elf Liberation Front”, only this time in honour of Snape.’

Both boys collapsed in fits of laughter. Hermione scowled and turned to Eleni. ‘Is Snape still giving you that dreamless sleep potion?’

‘No he’s started me on something else.’

‘What?’ asked Hermione, consumed with curiosity.

‘Well,’ began Eleni, ‘it’s kind of a long story but you see…’

‘Not now,’ said Ron, getting up from the table. ‘If we’re going to owl mum, we should move otherwise we’re going to be late for class. You know how Professor McGonagall goes ballistic whenever someone is late.’

 

The four of them picked up their books and left the great hall. Draco calmly finished his breakfast and waited till he was certain they were gone. Then he stood and made his way to where Hermione had been sitting.

He examined the chair closely before chortling when he found what he was looking for.

He held up two long brown hairs that were quite obviously Hermione’s.

‘Success,’ he said out aloud. Not that he was surprised. The Mudblood shed more hair than a cat.

Draco carefully placed the two hairs in a small plastic bag and pocketed it quickly.

‘Now,’ he thought, ‘let’s see if those two idiots have saved me a spot.’

* * * * *

 

‘Hogsmeade this Saturday,’ said Hermione, two hours later, after transfiguration, as the four of them battled their way through the crowded corridor to their next class.

‘You don’t know how I’ve been looking forward to it,’ said Ron. ‘My sweet supplies need replenishing.’

‘I’ve never been to Hogsmeade,’ said Eleni.

‘Well you’re going to love it,’ said Hermione. ‘It’s positively brilliant.’

‘You know,’ said Eleni, ‘I don’t think I can go because I don’t have written permission from a parent or guardian.’

‘Oh no,’ said Hermione.

‘Tell McGonagall,’ said Ron. ‘After all you’re a fifth year, she should make an exception.’

‘No way is she going to say yes Ron,’ said Harry. ‘You know what she’s like with rules. Remember how it was with me, before Sirius signed my form?’

‘But Eleni’s a fifth year,’ argued Ron.

‘I could lend her my invisibility cloak,’ suggested Harry.

‘Harry,’ warned Hermione, ‘remember the trouble you got in when Snape caught you sneaking back.’

‘Yes,’ he said, ‘but remember how he was never able to prove a thing.’

‘Perhaps I better not,’ said Eleni. ‘I really don’t want to get into trouble but I’ll talk to Professor McGonagall and see what she says.’

‘Well even if you’re not allowed to come,’ said Harry, ‘we’ll bring you lots of sweets.’

Eleni blushed. ‘Thanks but don’t worry about it, I don’t really have any money. Hogwarts has given me a scholarship but it only covers things I need for school.’

Harry laughed. ‘Well if that’s the case we’ll bring you back a sackful of goodies.’

‘You guys are the best,’ said Eleni, as the four of them walked on and disappeared around the corner.

 

Draco then emerged from behind a pillar, with a look of disgust on his face.

 

What a sanctimonious Gryffindor you are Potter, he thought to himself. So generous and a caring true friend. Well boy, sit back and wait cause I’m going to fix your little friend.

Draco patted his pocket where Hermione’s strands of hair were. ‘So,’ he said, this out aloud, ‘it looks like it’s going to be this Saturday. And then Eleni Devon will live the rest of her life at St Mungo’s.’

 

* * * * *

 

As expected, Professor McGonagall said no, when Eleni asked about Hogsmeade and insisted that she needed some sort of written permission.

‘But,’ added McGonagall, as Eleni’s face deflated, ‘I suggest you bring the matter up with Professor Dumbledore when he returns.’

‘Returns?’ asked Eleni.

‘Yes he’s away till next Monday.’

 

* * * * *

 

On Saturday, except for the 1^st and 2^nd years, every student left for Hogsmeade. Eleni wanted to sit in a corner and cry. It was worse than when everyone left for the Christmas break.

It made her realise how alone in the world she really was. Even Harry who was an orphan like her had someone. He and Sirius were always sending each other owls.

 

She let herself mope but soon became tired of it. Okay, Eleni told herself, enough with this useless self-pity.It doesn’t serve anyone and it doesn’t change anything.

She had lots of things to be thankful for. She had friends, who despite her lack of money, promised to bring her back sweets. She was at Hogwarts and not once had there been any hint of sending her away. In fact Hogwarts was the closest thing she had had as a home.

 

So with fresh determination, she collected her books, relieved that the spell of self-pity had disappeared and went to the library. With luck if she kept herself busy with homework, she’d forget all about the rest of the school having a great day in Hogsmeade.

 

* * * * *

 

Malfoy took a quick look in the mirror and grinned.

Perfect, he thought. I look exactly like the Mudblood.

‘And now,’ he said to his reflection and flicking back the long brown hair, ‘I have a job to do.’

 

The previous day he had bribed a scared first year, who he had caught trying to sneak into the kitchen. In exchange for his silence, he had forced her to tell him the Gryffindor password. “Pickled Onions”. Draco grimaced in disgust. What a ridiculous password. But then it was expected, there was little imagination in Gryffindor.

 

* * * * *

 

Eleni sat in the library by a window, her books open in front of her and her quill resting on clean parchment. She had sat idle for almost two hours, unmotivated to do anything but stare out of the window.

 

A dark shadow suddenly entered her line of vision. She looked up and saw Snape standing across where she was sitting.

‘I suggest that if you find sitting by the window this distracting,’ he said, ‘you should move away.’

‘I’m not distracted,’ she said, ‘I was just thinking.’

‘What are you doing here?’ he asked, putting the pile of books he was holding down on the other side of the table and looking through the titles. ‘Shouldn’t you be at Hogsmeade with the rest of the school?’

Eleni shook her head. ‘I don’t have written permission. No parents and no guardian.’

Snape nodded slowly without looking up. ‘Of course, I had quite forgotten that rule.’

‘I’m going to talk to Professor Dumbledore when he returns,’ she said, wondering why she was again confiding in Snape and why he was listening.

‘I presume you have enough potion for tonight?’ he asked, casting certain books he didn’t want to one side.

‘Yes one more vial,’ she said.

‘Well then don’t forget and come and see me tomorrow for another batch,’ he said, picking up the books he wanted. ‘Anything new with your dreams?’

‘No,’ she said, paling a little at the thought, ‘but the screaming’s starting to get worse.’

‘Very well,’ he said, watching her closely. ‘I’ll talk to you tomorrow.’

 

Eleni watched him leave and then closed her book. Why bother she thought, she wasn’t one bit motivated to do any work. I know what I’ll do, she told herself. I’ll sit by the fire and read the book Hermione got me for Christmas.

 

* * * * *

 

Getting past the fat lady had been easy. He had said the password and she had opened the entrance not noticing anything amiss but complaining about students that disturbed the few moments she had to herself.

 

Draco took a quick inventory of the Gryffindor common room and noticed a second year girl come out of one of the doors. Draco had heard that Eleni had a room to herself at the top of the stairs, adjoining the girl’s dormitory. This was going to be easier than he thought.

 

There were only a few students milling round the fire and they barely paid him any attention, as he walked past them through the door to the girl’s dormitories.

Outwardly he was as a stoic as a scarecrow but inwardly everything was shaking. Draco felt a thin line of nervous moisture across his brow.

He continued climbing the spiral staircase, till he came to a tiny room with one bed.

It has to be hers, he thought. He walked in and looked around. Draco knew he had to be quick. He needed to find the vial Snape had given her and get out before the Polyjuice wore off.

 

The room had the barest furnishings, a bed, a chest of drawers and a half burnt candle on her bedside table. There were no posters on the walls or pictures of family members. Except for a book lying on the middle of the bed, the room almost looked unoccupied.

 

Draco suddenly exclaimed in relief and delight. There it was. On the bedside table. There for the whole world to see.

He quickly pocketed the vial and replaced it with the one his father had given him. It was done he thought, just as his father had ordered. Now all he had to do was get out.

 

But just as he stepped out of the girl’s dorm and into the common room, he crashed into someone.

 

Eleni Devon.

 

‘Hermione,’ she said in surprise. ‘What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in Hogsmeade?’

‘Er…yes but…I…,’began Draco in panic.

‘I was just off to my room to get the book you gave me,’ said Eleni.

‘Book?’ said Draco.

‘You know, the one you got me for Christmas.’

Draco recovered sufficiently to speak. ‘Yes of course.’

‘So what are you doing here?’ Eleni asked again.

‘I forgot something and had to come back and get it,’ he said. ‘But look I can’t talk now, I’ve got to go. Bye.’

 

Eleni watched in surprise as Draco/Hermione, pushed her out of the way and ran out.

Weird, she thought, as she climbed up to her room to get her book.

 

But Draco didn’t stop running till he was safe in his room.

Damm he thought, it was going so well and she had to see me. If anything goes wrong, father is going to kill me. Then he laughed. Of course by the time the potion takes effect he told himself, she’ll be too crazy to remember that she saw the Mudblood coming out of the girl’s dorms.

 

Draco looked down at himself and smiled, as he began to transform back.

 

thanks to those who have read this. I’d really appreciate your opinions, please review. Thanks to those who have.