Discovery

11.

Mum

I took the book from the paper and flipped through the pages. Despite it being super old, it was in great condition. I turned to a new page and read the first poem.

Alone
Lying, thinking
Last night
How to find my soul a home
Where water is not thirsty
And bread loaf is not stone
I came up with one thing
And I don't believe I'm wrong
That nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

After reading through the book a little while longer, I decided to give in and owl my sister.

Miranda,

Happy birthday, I guess. Mum told me to owl you, so here it is. Have fun being sixteen, don't get into too much trouble. I was gonna get you a present, but I forgot. Whoops.

Ella

Somehow Moony knew I needed to send a letter, and she appeared in front of Ginny's window a couple minutes later.

"Hey, Moony! To Miranda, it's her birthday." I tied the parchment to her leg and she flew off once more.

I reached for the second package, which had my name but no one else's, so I was unsure of who sent it. I ripped off the wrapping paper, and opened the box. There was a silver locket sitting inside of it.

"Woah," I muttered to myself. I picked it up, and tried to open it.

Inside was a picture of my mother. Next to her was Lupin, holding baby me. Next, James and Lily Potter, with baby Harry. And then Miranda. She was being held by a man, and though she was covering his face, I saw the familiar curly hair, and I knew.

It was Sirius Black.

I knew what I had to do, so I grabbed a fresh piece of parchment and began writing.

Dear Harry,

We need to talk after holidays. It's URGENT!

From Ella

I hurried downstairs and found Mr. Weasley sitting at the table.

"Could I use Errol?" I asked.

"Of course, Ella." I went to the window and tied my letter to the Weasley's owl, Errol. Though he was old and slow, I hoped he would get my message to Harry.

"Thanks, Errol." I sent him off. I went back to the package, trying to find out who sent it. But all I found was a chocolate bar at the bottom of the box. But somehow, that told me everything I needed to know.

"Are we interrupting anything?" Fred and George suddenly barged in the room. I slipped the locket under my leg.

"No, not at all. What do you two want?"

"We just wanted to give you some hot chocolate. Mum made it." Fred said, holding out a mug. I hesitated.

"This is a trick, isn't it? This is going to make my eyebrows disappear or turn my skin green!"

"Turn your skin green?" Fred said curiously.

"Make your eyebrows disappear?" George added. "No, it won't do that, but those are great ideas."

"Yeah, thanks for the inspiration, El." Fred held out the mug once more. "So will you just take it?" I gingerly took the hot chocolate, glancing at it.

"Thanks guys," but instead of leaving, the twins lingered. "you know you can leave, right?"

"Oh yeah, we know. We'll leave," Fred replied. He slowly inched to the door, George following.

I still did not drink the hot chocolate, because I knew the twins too well. But, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to regift their prank. I hurried downstairs.

"Hey, Percy, do you want this hot chocolate? I made too much, and I can't finish it all myself."

"Sure, thanks, Ella!" Percy took the cup from me and downed it almost instantly. Fred and George snickered silently from the other side of the room.

Within seconds, Percy'a face had become covered in purple spots.

"Fred! George!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked.

"It wasn't us!" they said in unison. "It was Ella!"

"Oh, that's rich! I don't expect anything like that from her!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

"How could you blame Ella for this?!" Mrs. Weasley continued to shout as I hurried back upstairs, unnoticed.