Snape's Daughter (Book Three)

Chapter Two : The Changed Replica

They had all gathered around a small table in the pub after the students had left, with Draco positioned very awkwardly at the end of the table beside Ellia. Everybody was chattering away to each other, gossiping about how they had been the last few months and what they intended to do next. Ellia sat in silence, starring into space as she munched on a couple of biscuits. And Draco, well he appeared to be mirroring her, but starring at her and not into space, admiring her beauty and innocence.

"Snapey, how abouts me, you and Malfoy over there leave all these mature adults and go outside or downstairs," George suggested, alerting Ellia's attention span.

"It's cold outside, let's go downstairs," Ellia agreed on, Draco not even mentioning a word," Excuse us." She excused herself, Draco and George from the table as they made their way downstairs to Aberforths quarters.

"You're very quiet Snapey, are you sure you're okay?" George asked Ellia as they reached the quarters, where the portrait of the late Arianna was hung.

"I'm...."

"She's not. She's been boxing herself inside of the house ever since the funerals," Draco answered for her, already awake that Ellia would lie and say she was fine.

"It's not your fault, and it's hard to cope but you will be fine," George replied, taking a seat at the smaller table.

"I'm already fine," Ellia answered, turning her back on the two men as she walked towards the portrait of Arianna.

"Then explain to me why the last time I saw you was at Fred and Aurora's funeral. The only reason Draco saw you after that was because he forced you into having company so you wouldn't turn completely insane," George replied, crossing his arms and sterling his voice as Ellia continued to remained stubborn.

"I just need a bit of thrill to cheer me up, not everybody sopping around for me," She snapped, before retreating her words in regret. It wasn't their fault.

"Thrill? Well that's simple. The portrait still works as a tunnel door, let's go and cause trouble at Hogwarts."

"But that's..." Draco begun, before Ellia interrupted him, as she spun on her heal to face them.

"Yes! George, that's a great idea!" She shouted in triumph, dragging him from the chair to the portrait, holding Draco's hand in the other, "After all, who doesn't need a little bit of mischief in their lives."

"I don't know Ellia, are you sure this is a great idea?" Draco asked her, more taken back by the idea and uncomfortable.

"Unless you want to stay here alone?" Ellia asked him, before his expression changed.

"I'll come," he replied, as the portrait swung open to reveal the tunnel leading to the Room of Requirement.

"Well then, come on boys," Ellia said, finally excited and thrilled for once in the past months, a smile beaming from her skin.

They'd trekked through the tunnels, until finally the door, or portrait, swung open at the end of the tunnel. Jumping out, Ellia looked around at the bare a Room of Requirement, which had been re-established and re-built since the fatal explosive battle of fire that destroyed it just months ago. The room itself was chilling and empty, with no student, hammock, beds, or anything in sight.

"They sure cleared up in here," George commented, springing from the tunnel and brushing his hands off.

"I don't know what else we expected, it was completely blown to pieces," Ellia replied, starting her journey to the presumed door just metres away from them.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? We're trespassing," Draco said, the last to leave the tunnel and enter the room.

"Trespassing Hogwarts? Oh know what are they going to do, it's not like it's under the control of your Death Eater friends or Snape," George joked, a small laugh following after until he silenced himself, knowing Ellia was taken back by the comment. But she couldn't lie either, her fathers rulings weren't certainly the nicest, and Hogwarts wasn't the best place to be back then.