The Other Potter

Price of Protection

She smirked back, looking proud of herself. "You are welcome, Eli.. We brought you up a plate of food if you're hungry?"

He looked at the plate of food they'd wrapped up for him, and nodded. "I am, but I have to go see Dumbledore." He murmured.

Alix frowned, "Did the potion not work?"

"No, it did, this is about something else." He sighed, offering a reassuring smile. "Nothing to worry about, just Tournament stuff." He lied easily.

"Ok, well, we will wait up for you if you want?" Felix offered.

"No, it's ok. I don't know what time I'll be back.. But, I'll see you guys in the morning. Thanks for today. Really, I already feel better." He said as he moved to the exit and slipped through the portrait hole.

"Anyone else worried about him tomorrow?" Ezra murmured.

"Definitely." The other three mumbled at the same time.

Elijah made his way through the castle, which was pretty much empty now other than a few students heading back to their dorms from the library, a few teachers leaving their offices and classrooms, and the select few Prefects on duty.

He entered the headmaster's office with ease, the door ajar, clearly in preparation for his arrival. He slipped through quietly, knocking on the final door gently.

"Come in." The familiar voice called from inside.

Dumbledore was sat at his desk, writing on some rather formal-looking parchment. He didn't look up to address Elijah, simply gestured to the chair opposite his desk.

The boy took a seat, looking around the office as he waited for the Professor to stop what he was doing and get to why he was there.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up, Elijah." The Headmaster sighed, putting his quill back into a pot of black ink and peering over to the boy over his half-moon glasses.

"Time escaped me, I guess." The boy shrugged.

"And I hear you didn't attend any of your classes today?"

"Didn't feel well."

"Yet you didn't go to the hospital wing?" Dumbledore countered, raising his brows.

"If I went to the hospital wing, Poppy would have me on all kinds of sleep potions. I was just tired and needed to rest."

The Headmaster studied the boy as if he were able to tell if he was lying or not. He eventually gave a small nod, "I'm assuming you have nothing to report from your rest?"

"Not a thing, Professor." He said simply.

"Then I suppose we should discuss why you are here, should we not?"

"Well, as much as I do love our chats, Professor, I'm not here for your company. Lovely though it is." The boy replied.

Dumbledore's lips twitched up into a slight smile, the boy reminded him of James at his age, except James would unquestioningly follow he suspected Elijah would have questions. Many along the way.