Elysia

Chapter Four ~ The Dorm

The first child to be admitted in to the new 'dorm' was a girl named Jae, a long legged first year who had been beaten beyond recognition. Her friends could barely stammer out a name as Neville laid her across the hospital bed, their distant eyes pained.

 "Talk to them, Nev... They're hurt." I whispered as Neville passed me my wand, his grey eyes blinking as he understood.

The girls were gathered so sit on a long, cushion laden couch, where they soon began to grasp each-other as they recounted the events. Neville's soothing words and strong arms seemed to calm the hysteria as I tended to Jae. Her uniform crest revealed that she was a Gryffindor; so she would be brave.

As her bones began to snap back in to place, I steadied my quivering hands. Jae was a first year, eleven years old and slightly taller than her cohort. She was beaten by a teacher aid, another death eater eager to prove themselves. 

Whilst Neville ushered the girls silently back to their dorms, I realised that Jae wouldn't be able to return to classes for at least a week, enough time to count her as officially missing. She couldn't return to her dorm, lest she be captured and questioned; and that was how she built the newest dorm.

The second my head hit the pillow that night, the tears rolled freely. To gain freedom my students would have to be beaten like the sweet little first year, a blood payment for the haven Elysia James offered. Squeezing the edge of my pillow, I imagined that I was squeezing the life out of Voldemort; and the thought eased me to sleep.

Amidst the fighting she saw him, his long silver beard and blue eyes shimmering under the light of spells exploding in the night air. Her lungs had no need for air, not in this world, and as Dumbledore held out his hand, she turned back to Hogwarts and smiled faintly.

"You have done so well..." Dumbledore said slowly, a sad smile reaching his face.

"They're safe?"

As he nodded slowly, then and only then Elysia James grasped her fathers hand and followed him, her sadness palpable. Yet despite this unknown sorrow, she was happy. 

"El?" Neville called out as he swung the door open with ease.

Jae was across the long dorm, whimpering in her sleep. Rubbing the sleep away from her eyes, I sat up and stared at the room surrounding me. I had made my own quarters within the dorm, a replica of my childhood room with Snape.

Neville entered slowly, offering me a weak smile. Patting the foot of my bed softly, I signalled for him to sit. Last nights dream, or my future (whichever it was), haunted me faintly, promising to be forgotten. 

"She looks better already." Neville said with a smile and a kiss.

"She can't go back to her Gryffindor dorm." I said in a tired voice, tired in so many ways.

"I know... I was just thinking about that... Do you- Do you think we should open this up to more kids?"

"I considered it. But they can't return to classes if they stay here." I said in a hopeless whisper.

"We could hide them in some classes, though, like McGonagall's. Some teachers only have death eaters as aids, and they'd hardly notice a new student."

I pondered the thought, and the effort it would take to conduct this black market dorm. And then I remembered my promise to my father, to take care of Hogwarts no matter what. Dumbledore's Army could protect the students... The effort would be worth it...

"We have to try it." Neville urged, a determination in his eyes that told me I couldn't sway him.

"You're right.. The DA will conduct it, and we'll get as many houses as possible involved." I agreed, the monumental decision made in a matter of minutes.