MORE, james potter ✔

chapter nine

      She had no idea what to expect when she was called to the headmaster's office. She just hoped that it was something good though that seemed unlikely. With her behaviour the past few days, it seemed more likely to be something negative. Probably some warning about her getting drunk or staying in places she shouldn't be after curfew. Abusing her prefect powers. It was probably something about that.

     "Ah, Miss Woods," The voice of Dumbledore brought her out of her negative spiral. She looked up to see the Headmaster stood behind his desk. A small smile on his face. He then gestured to the seat across from him. Ella didn't move for a second, "Please, sit down. You are not in trouble," He added. Ella finally crossing the room and perching on the seat. She sat on the edge of it, feeling awkward and uncomfortable. Is that what James felt whenever he was called here? Not that it was too often.

     "Have I done something wrong, headmaster?" Ella asked, her gaze staying on his desk. It was surprisingly messy, various parchments and trinkets scattered along the surface. She almost expected it to be neat. Dumbledore seemed like a very put together man but then again, she didn't know much about him. He only made speeches and walked around sometimes. She hadn't spoke with him nearly as much as some pupils had.

     "No. On the contrary, you are one of our most promising pupils," Dumbledore responded, taking a seat across from her. He pulled his seat in and then reached out to the Bertie Bott's packet that he had lying on his desk. He took one for himself and then offered it to her. Ella cautiously taking a bright green one. She popped it in her mouth and found the taste to be a rather pleasant lime.

     "Thank you," She said once she had swallowed it. Her gaze then moving up to his face. A shaky breath escaping her lips, "Then why am I here?" She asked. Her voice soft. She didn't want to sound accusatory. She was simply curious. Usually people only came to his office when they had done something wrong or were getting into trouble. She couldn't help feel uncomfortable as she adjusted in her seat.

     "The issue concerns our new teacher." He began. He paused for a moment, looking at her and seemingly debating his words, "I am aware of your relationship with your father and I wanted to inform you that he has taken a position at this school," Dumbledore finished. He was attempting to be as delicate as possible. Ella looked up at her headmaster. A lump forming in her throat as she shifted uncomfortably. Her hands played with each other before she ran her fingers through her hair. Letting out a soft breathe. How was she supposed to react.

     "Why are you tellin' me this now?" She asked as she looked up at him. Dumbledore couldn't say he expected that question. A calm and pleasant smile spreading across his lips as he stood up. He walked past her and reached out for a bowl of sweets he had in his office. Ella looked back at him and he gestured for her to walk over. She stepped down from his platformed desk area and stood next to him. He offered the bowl to her and she cautiously took one. A smile forming on his lips.

      "If you returned to school after Christmas and discovered that your father was teaching classes. You would have been far more confused and put off than you would be now. I am aware of who he is and how he has acted towards your family. I thought a fair warning would give you time to prepare for his reappearance in your life," Dumbledore explained. Ella unwrapped the sweet, nodding her head. He was right to some extent but it didn't stop her gut twisting. The anger bubbling in her veins at the mere mention of him. She placed the sweet onto her tongue, sucking on as she stared down at the floor. Her hangover symptoms seemed to ease within a second of it being on her tongue but she tried not to show her confusion. Unsure what to say or do, she just stared at the floor.

     Ella took a deep breath and lifted her head, giving the headmaster a small smile. Trying to portray how grateful she was in just that smile. She had no idea how to say it or what she was even really trying to say but she knew that she was grateful for the warning. If she was able to talk to James about it over the break, she would surely feel a little better. He was always able to calm her down when it came to things like that