𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙣 - 𝙝.𝙥. ⚯͛

𝐱𝐢𝐢𝐢 - 𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗉 𝖻𝗋𝖺𝖼𝖾𝗅𝖾𝗍𝗌

✴ A.N. Here's another long chapter because I'm excited to wrap up the third year soon and go onto the fourth year where there will be some drama. 

Harry and Elsie share a cute moment this chapter. Also, is Oliver Wood flirting with Elsie? 

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

╰┈➤ HARRY'S POV

Harry led Elsie to a chair so that she could sit down. As he stared at her, his brow furrowed with concern, the image of Elsie's Boggart still fresh in his mind. What did it mean? Was that an image of Elsie at the orphanage? What were those cuts on her wrist? Why was she crying?

Elsie sat stone-faced as Harry and Professor Lupin stared at her. Harry shifted in his shoes, unsure of what to say or do. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how.

Professor Lupin broke off a piece of chocolate and handed it to Elsie. She took the chocolate and bit into it without saying anything.

"Elsie," said Professor Lupin gently. He knelt down so that he was at her eye level. "Your Patronus was very good for your first try," he said encouragingly. "Boggarts are nasty little things, but you handled it very well."

"Yeah," said Harry. "It was brilliant."

Elsie smiled weakly at them and finished her chocolate.

Professor Lupin looked a bit anxious. His features were tense and he spoke tentatively. "Elsie, about your Boggart-- is everything okay? I know your parents are-- well-- who do you live with?"

Elsie took a deep breath and steadied herself. She looked up at Professor Lupin. "I live at the Eugesheim orphanage in France. I have been since I was eight years old."

"I see," said Professor Lupin. He stood up and placed his hands in his pockets. He looked quite distressed. "Do they-- hurt you?"

Harry knew Professor Lupin was thinking about the red marks on Elsie's Boggart's wrists. Instinctively Harry looked down, but he didn't see any marks on Elsie's hands as she folded them in her lap.

"No," Elsie said. "They don't. But it's still not the best place to be. I'm forced to clean, cook, and take care of the younger children, but they don't hurt me. At least-- they haven't yet."

So that's why Elsie's Boggart had been wearing the apron. That's why she had soot on her face. That's why she was crying. Harry's stomach did nervous flips. At least, they haven't yet. Her words echoed in his mind. Did that mean they could hurt Elsie if they wanted to? Harry gulped. And he thought he had it bad at the Dursleys'-- at least they never physically injured him.

Professor Lupin ran a hand through his mustache. "Do you have any other family?"

Elsie sighed. "I do--technically. An aunt and uncle on my mother's side, but they don't want anything to do with me."

Harry shifted in his shoes. Elsie hadn't told him that she had other family members.

"Why's that?" Professor Lupin asked tentatively.

"My mother Amelie was a Pureblood born in London and when she married my father, who was a Muggle, her family disowned her. Her parents pretended she no longer existed. Her siblings cut her out of their lives. Typical behavior of Purebloods." Elsie crossed her arms in front of her chest and scoffed.

"My mother was young when she married-- only twenty-three-- and her parents refused to speak to her ever again or give her any more of the family fortune, but luckily she had enough saved to live comfortably with my father. They traveled for a while and then settled in Austria far away from her family to start a new life. Then I was born."