Finding Her Way | Sirius Black

15. New Developments

"I have a date next weekend!" Ellie said, her eyes shining. Lily whipped around and squealed excitedly, holding a hand up for Ellie to help her up from the floor. Ellie obliged, and both sunk onto Lily's bed, facing each other.

"Ooh, it's Valentine's Day next weekend!" Lily said, then smiled. Ellie smiled even wider. She hadn't even thought about that. "So... Who's the lucky guy?"

"Spencer White."

"Wait... Sweet Spencer?"

"How did he get that name?"

"Uh... Does it matter. Is there a bad thing that comes with a name called Sweet Spencer?"

"No, I guess not."

"I'll help you get ready!" Lily said. "You would look so good in blue, and maybe some pink too!" Ellie wasn't really listening, so she just nodded absentmindedly. She was still thinking about their walk to the lake. It's like she and Spencer were the same person, he knew everything she was going to say before she even said it. They were so similar it made conversation so easy. And conversation gave her a good excuse to study his face, animated when he was talking about the things that interested him. There was no denying it, he was the cutest guy that had ever asked her out.

"ELLIE," Lily shouted, and Ellie started.

"What?"

"Have you been listening to anything that I've been saying?" Ellie looked at her hands sheepishly, then back up at Lily, who was trying to stare at her sternly, but a hint of her excitement still glimmered in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Lil, I've been thinking about him." Lily looked like she was about to melt and put an arm around her best friend.

"That is absolutely adorable. I'm going to go get some food, do you want to come?"

"Just ate, but thanks Lil," Ellie said, looking at her and Lily saw the Ellie's excitement dancing in her eyes. Lily nodded, gave Ellie a quick hug, then left the portrait hole. Ellie was alone.

She stood up slowly from her bed, still grinning, and sat down in the window, looking at the lake. Her eyes raked the grounds and landed on the forest. She blinked. Looking back up at her out of the forest was a beautiful unicorn.

Wow, Ellie thought, not taking her eyes off it. I wish it would come closer

I can, it replied in a female voice, taking a few steps closer. Ellie jerked up and stumbled back in shock, tripping over her trunk and landing painfully on the floor.

Whoa. What just happened. Ellie ran from the dormitory and out of the portrait hole, passing Sirius' confused face. She sprinted all the way to the gargle in front of Professor Dumbledore's office.

"Ice Lolly!" She shouted, and the gargoyle jumped aside. She sprinted up the spiral staircase and knocked, giving herself time to catch her breath. She massaged the stitch in her side as she heard a voice say,

"Enter." Ellie burst through the door and ran up to Dumbledore's desk. He remained perfectly calm. "Hello Miss. Green. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Professor. I can- I can talk to them!" She was barely making sense, but her mind was whirling as she tried to think of what was happening.

"Miss. Green- I don't know who 'they' are but, I assume by your tone that this is a new and surprising development. Is it snakes?"

"No. No, it's not snakes." She was still panting. She took a few deep breaths and brought her eyes to meet his piercing blue ones, noting that his face was etched in confusion, "It's unicorns."

"Ah. It seems as though you have monoequis- the condition in which one has the ability to nonverbally communicate with unicorns." He smiled at her softly, and picked up his quill, scratching something on a blank scroll. She looked down, processing the information. She could talk to unicorns.

"Thank you, professor." She finally spoke, and her voice was quiet. He looked at her and nodded,

"Always Miss. Green. Please come check in if anything develops, okay?" Ellie nodded, not really understanding what could develop, and ran to the common room, fully intending to go up to the dorm and tell Lily all about it but stopped as she saw Collin talking to one of his friends.

"No, you go up," Ellie heard Collin say, and she seized her chance.

"Uh- Collin? I was um, well I was wondering if you would um help me with uh beater practice." Collin smiled but shook his head sadly, his floppy brown hair whipping around.

"I would but your boyfriend Black told me to keep my hands off of you."

"What!" Ellie exclaimed, outraged. "When I get my hands on that little-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Collin said, laughing at Ellie's incredulous look, "He seems to care about you – granted in a weird way – but still. Give the bloke a break, Green."

"Thanks anyway Collin." Ellie called miserably, walking sulkily back up to the dormitory.