Discovery

35.

"Well? What did Fred want?" she asked eagerly.

"He wants me to go to Hogsmeade with him— just him." I said. "Do you think he meant as a date?"

"Of course he meant a date!" she exclaimed. "What else could he mean?"

"I don't know...Do I say yes?" I asked, desperate for help.

"Oh, Ella! You like him, don't you?"

I nodded slowly.

"So of course you say yes!"

Hermione grabbed my arm and dragged me back down the stairs.

"But what do I—"

We reached the bottom of the stairs.

Fred was no longer there.

"I'm sure he didn't mean to blow you off," Hermione reassured me as we left the common room.

"Then why would he leave?" I asked grumpily. "Look, you guys go to Hogsmeade. I'm staying here."

"Ella, don't be like that!" Hermione pleaded. "Don't you want to see Sirius?"

"Tell him I said hi," I said, turning around. "See you guys later."

As I walked away, I heard Ron ask,

"What was that about?"

***

March turned into April, and then April to May. Fred seemed to be avoiding me, but that was the least of my worries. The third task was weeks away, and I was nervous for Harry.

One night in the dormitory, while trying to calm my racing thoughts, I opened my locket back up. I pressed my thumb to the picture, and it changed again.

The first thing I noticed: snow. Lots of snow. My sister was playing in it. She looked young, maybe two or three.

I also saw a baby, which I assumed was me. I was being held by someone, but all I could see was their hair.

Curly, dark hair. The hair of Sirius Black.

I jumped off my bed and ran down the stairs. Sirius was in almost every picture that had appeared in this locket. Surely that was no coincidence.

I got to the common room and saw Miranda sitting at a table with a pile of books, alone. I pulled up a chair and sat down.

"What are you doing?" she said, looking up at me in disgust.

"Look, have you seen this picture before?" I asked, opening the locket and showing her the photograph.

"What am I looking at?" she said. "Hold on..."

Miranda pulled out her wand.

"Engorgio!"

The locket grew to about twice its size. Miranda leaned in closer.

"Is that me?" she said, taking the locket from me.