The next morning, I honestly didn't feel like going down to the great hall for breakfast. Instead, I told Amanda that I still had a bit of a headache and that I would meet up with everyone later. She knew that wasn't all it was but she knew me well enough to know that I wasn't ready to talk about it just yet. So, she took Olaf, who I had kept my promise too and turned him back to his normal form as soon as I could and left me alone to my thoughts and to look out the window at the Hogwarts grounds.
I didn't realise how much I was going to miss Hogwarts until that very moment. The old stone castle that got way too drafty in winter and way to hot in summer, the green grounds that Hagrid took such pride in looking after, playing quidditch and even the old four poster beds in the dorms. But part of growing up was having to move on from the comforts of childhood and there was no going back. But I could leave knowing that I had good memories from the past seven years and had made some of the best friends that I knew that I would be close to for the rest of my life.
I don't know how long I was sitting there just looking out the window but at some point of time I heard someone walk into the room and looked up to see Samantha standing at the door. I honestly couldn't think of anything I could have done to set her off recently but then again, she never really had a reason to hate me in the first place other than being a bully.
"What do you want Samantha?" I sighed. "It's our second last day at Hogwarts, can't whatever you want to yell at me wait until we get off the train because I kinda want to enjoy my last few days here as much as I can."
"I'm not here to yell at you, Elsa," Samantha said as she walked into the room and sat on the end of my bed. "I wanted to tell you that I am sorry for how I have treated you the last seven years. Things haven't always been the best at home and I guess I took them out on you because you always seemed to have the perfect life. But now I know that your life has been just as hard as mine, if not harder."
"You don't need to apologise to me, Samantha," I said to her. "I could have been a little nicer to you as well and looked past everything to see that you were hurting about something. And no one's problems are worse than anyone else's, just different."
"Thanks, Elsa," she said with a small smile. "You know what, under different circumstances, I think we could have actually been friends."
"Who says we still can't be friends."
"You know what, Rogers. Your right. So, what do you say, friends?" Samantha asked, holding out her hand for me to shake.
"Of course," I said, shaking her hand. "From here on out, we're friends."
"I'm going to like telling people that I'm friends with a superhero," Samantha said as she stood up and walked back over to the door to head out before pausing for a second. "Oh, and your sister said that she would be up in a second and not to move. But whatever, I'll see you later Rogers."
I sat on my bed, trying to figure out who the Hel would be calling themselves my sister but it turned out I didn't have to wait long. Before I knew it, someone was knocking at the dorm rooms door and quoting a very familiar song.
"Hey, Elsa do you wanna build a snowman?" Cassy called out from the other side of the door before starting to actually sing the song, with backing music and all.
"Do you wanna build a snowman?
Come on, let's go and play!
I never see you anymore
Come out the door
It's like you've gone away
We used to be best buddies
And now we're not
I wish you would tell me why!
Do you wanna build a snowman?
It doesn't have to be a snowman..."
"Go away, Cassy," I laughed, playing along with her.
"Okay, bye," Cassy sung in reply before moving on to the rest of the song.
"Do you wanna build a snowman?
Or ride our bike around the halls?
I think some company is overdue
I've started talking to
The pictures on the walls!
Hang in there, Joan.
It gets a little lonely
All these empty rooms
Just watching the hours tick by..."
Continuing to play along, I didn't reply to Cassy but this time it was actually because I was holding back tears. Cassy knew I was upset but had still gone out of her way to make me feel better by singing a song from one of my favorite movies, even though I knew she hated it.
"Elsa, please I know you're in there
People are asking where you've been
They say, "Have courage, " and I'm trying to
I'm right out here for you
Just let me in
We only have each other
It's just you and me
What are we gonna do?
Do you wanna build a snowman?"
When I finally opened the door, Cassy was standing there smiling at me and holding a large pink, vintage style looking trunk/suitcase in her hands. But why she was holding the suitcase didn't matter because the only thing that did matter was that Cassy somehow got into the Hufflepuff common room because she knew that I was upset and needed my 'little sister'.
"Thank you, Cass. I don't know what I would do without you," I said, wrapping my arms around her.
"Well, what is Elsa without Anna to cheer her up," Cassy said as she hugged me back.
"And here I thought that you hated Frozen all these years," I laughed as I pulled away and wiped the tears from my eyes.
"What can I say, it's grown on me," Cassy said, walking over to my bed where she put the suitcase down and flopped down next to Freya. "Cedric told me that you talked to Danny and Maggie last night and, well, we both figured that you were upset and since pretty boy can't walk up the stairs without them turning into a slide, it was up to me to cheer you up."
"So, it was Cedric who let you into the common room," I laughed, pushing Cassy's legs aside so I could sit on the bed.
"It's the last day and we won't be back here next year, so no harm, no foul," Cassy shrugged. "And seriously, how the hell has no one figured out that the way to get into the common room was to tap the barrels in the rhythm of Helga Hufflepuff's name."
"That's the point, it's so simple that no one would ever think that it was the way to get into the common room," I told her.
"Hiding in plain sight, so retro, I love it," Cassy, laughed as she sat up. "But seriously, Elsa. What happened last night."
"We talked things through and I told Danny the truth," I sighed, picking up Freya and holding her tight. "That we had grown apart there last few years and that we should just forget the fight we had and move on. He never wanted his Asgardian powers and wants to move back to the farm. But well, you know where I want to go in life. So, I said it was probably for the best anyway."
I closed my eyes as the frozen tears started to fall on to Freya's fluffy white fur as she purred and rubbed her face against mine, trying to cheer me up. Suddenly I felt a pair of arms around me and I knew that it was Cassy. I leaned into her as the tears continued to fall.
"Hey, who needs cousins when you have honorary little sister," Cassy told me. "And you will always have me, no matter what happens."
"Thanks, Cassy," I said as I wiped the glittering, frozen tears off my cheeks and Freya's fur. "You don't know how much I needed to hear that."
"Spangles, you are stuck with me for the rest of your life," Cassy said as she swung her legs off the bed and stood up.
"Lucky me, stuck with a Stark to the day I die," I joked.
"Hey be nice or I won't give you the surprise present that I brought up for you," she said placing the trunk on the bed.
"Who is it from," I asked looking the pale pink trunk with flowers embossed on the leather.
"The note will explain it all," Cassy said as she handed me an envelope. "When you're done, come down and find us in the grounds. Enjoy the last day of the school year with your friends."
I opened the envelope as Cassy walked out and closed the door behind her. I pulled out a thick piece of parchment with a fancy crest that I have never seen before on the top of the page. Only three lines were written on the page with a set of initials signed under it.
Dear Elsa,
Place the trunk on the ground. Open it up and step inside. It's time to discover what your future holds for you.
NAFS
I knew that it was stupid to just follow the instructions in some letter written from some stranger. But Cassy was the one who had given it to me, so I knew that it wasn't some sort of trick. So, I placed the trunk on the ground and opened it up to find something that I never expected to see. A ladder that seemed to lead down into ground. Figuring what the hell, I climbed down.
When I dropped to the ground, I landed in some sort of gardening shed and I could hear someone fiddling with something close by. Cautiously, I opened the door to the shed and stepped into some sort of large room that was sectioned off and seemed to have some sort of artificial sun shining down on the grass and trees that was somehow growing inside the trunk.
"Now, why don't you place Freddie in the tree with his new friends," a very familiar voice.
"Like this?" Olaf said, excitedly.
"Just like that."
I walked around the corner of one of the sheets that was dividing the room to see the one and only Newt Scamander talking to Olaf like it was an everyday occurrence for him to talk to a living snowman. In his hands were a number of bowtruckle's that were jumping on to a tree that was in front of him and Olaf.
"Newt, is that you?" I asked as I walked towards them.
"Elsa! I was wondering when you would join us!" Newt said happily. "I've been talking to your little friend, Olaf here. And I must say he is amazing! Did you really create him?"
"Um, yeah. I did," I said, feeling slightly embarrassed. "But what is all of this?"
"Your new magical creature sanctuary," Newt told me as he spread his arms out wide. "And it's all for you to create, design, to make into what every you please. Which I hope you will do as my brand-new assistant."
"Really?" I asked him in shock.
"Really," Newt told me. "I know that being an Avenger will always come first and foremost to you but with all your traveling around the world, you will have the perfect opportunity to find and help so many kinds of magical creatures. And who knows, maybe even find some new ones."
"But you don't even know if I passed my NEWTs," I said to him, not wanting to get my hopes up.
"Well, actually, I do," Newt told me. "You see it was my son, Jacob, who assessed you."
Authors note: I have looked everywhere for the name of Newt and Tina's son but I could only find the name of their grandson, Rolf. So, I figured what better name to give Newt's son than the name of his best friend, Jacob Kowalski!
"Your son?" I said in shock, but when I looked back, I could see the similarities between the two. They had the same red/brown hair, the same hazel eyes and the same lanky build.
"And he told me, unofficially of course that you got full marks on your exam," Newt announced with pride. "He said that he had never seen someone be able to connect with a wampus the way that you did. Now, why don't you come over here and meet Freddie's new friends."
"Well, hello there," I said to the three new bowtruckle's. "What are your names?"
"I thought you could name them," Newt said.
"Okay then, are they boys or girls?" I asked him.
"Boys," he told me.
"Then that's easy," I smiled. "The taller one over there is Bryan, the little one with attitude is Rogers and the quite one over there is Deaky."
"Quite unusual names for bowtruckle's," Newt chuckled. "Where did you come up with them?"
"I got Freddie's name from the lead singer of a band called Queen, so I figured I would name the other bowtruckle's after the rest of the band."
"I must listen to this band if you find them worthy enough to name the bowtruckle's after," Newt laughed. "But, come, there are a few more that you need to meet."
I followed Newt into another part of the sanctuary to a place that looked a lot like Asgard. I was confused about what creature would live in such a place, then a saw him. Unlike last time he, he was no longer a foal but there was no mistaking who was standing right in front of me.
"Theo!" I cried out as I ran over to the now fully grown Sleipnir and wrapping my arms around his neck, letting him nuzzle in my hair. "I have missed you so much! And look how big you got! You'll be able to rival Odin's own Sleipnir soon enough."
"I thought Theo would be better off in the care of an actual Asgardian who knows how to care for them properly," Newt told me as he stroked Theo's shiny black mane.
"But you are the expert in all magical creatures."
"That I may be but I am not Asgardian and that is was Theo needs the most," Newt said to me. "But that's not all, come on."
The next part of the sanctuary he led me to looked a lot like the Appalachian Mountains that I went to with Cedric before the school year started, where we rescued the wampus from the poachers.
"Now, this beautiful girl I'm sure you will remember," Newt said with a smile before calling out to the creature. "Nala, come and see who's here!"
Authors note: One of my cats is actually called Nala. I didn't name her that because I adopted her when she was four years old but I love the name! And ironically enough, I had already adopted a cat call Simba a few years before. So, the names matched perfectly. But Simba is in love with one of my other cat's Thor, who I did name, and Thor is in love with Nala...who wants nothing to do with him. So, we have a little bit of a love triangle going on in our home!
The next thing I knew a wampus came running towards us but I couldn't help but notice the slight limp she had. That was when I knew she was the wampus that I rescued at the start of the year. As soon Nala saw me, she knew who I was and ran over to me. When she was at my feet, she rolled on to her back for tummy tickles.
"You are as cute as ever, aren't you," I said as I tickled her tummy, making her purr.
"And on last person to meet," Newt said, pulling my attention away from the purring wampus.
"Who on else is there?" I asked, getting to my feet and wiping the dirt off my jeans.
"Come on, you'll see," Newt said with a cheeky smile that made his seem so much younger than he actually was.
He led me back to the main area of the sanctuary where Olaf was still introducing Freddie to the rest of the bowtruckle's. What I didn't notice the first time around was a round den made of dirt that was sitting behind the Wiggentree that was Freddie's new home. Newt gestured for me to go forward and look inside the den. I knew what I was hoping to find in the den, but I refused to get my hopes up. But it turned out that I had nothing to worry about because the very thing I wished for was looking back up at me with big blue eyes.
Authors note: Sorry for all these little notes, but this one was important. If you guys remember, back in her fifth year Elsa had to look after a niffler for her OWLs and she named it Olaf. But with the recent appearance of the real Olaf, I have gone back and changed the niffler's name to Sven. Just wanted to clarify the change so no one gets confused and if you happen to be reading this after the name change, just ignore this little note.
"Sven! I never thought I would see you again!" I said, picking up the little niffler who immediately cuddled in.
"I remembered the close bond that the two of you had, so I thought he would be the perfect addition to your little menagerie," Newt explained. "And you are the only one who has managed to cure him, or any niffler really, of his shinny obsession."
"I would love to have you around, Sven," I said as I tickled him under his chin before looking back over at Newt. "I am honored that you have entrusted me with all of this but how am I going to travel overseas with a suitcase full of magical creatures and not get pulled up by every magical law enforcement team around the world?"
"It's simple, with this," Newt said as he handed me what looked like some sort of passport. "This is a permit from every magical ministry in the world to travel with magical creatures as a Magizoologist and as my new assistant."
"I...I really don't know what to say," I said as I started to get teary, but this time they weren't frozen tears of sadness but tears of happiness.
"You don't have to say anything," Newt told me as he placed his hand on my shoulder in a grandfatherly way. "All I want you to do is to go outside and enjoy your last day at Hogwarts."
After gently placing Sven back into his den, I wrapped my arms around Newt's waist, which was the only place I could reach because of his height, and hugged him. At first Newt was a little shocked but quickly hugged me back.
"Thank you so much, Newt. I promise I won't let you down."
"I know you won't, Elsa. But there is one more thing..."
After leaving Newt and promising him that I would look after the magical creatures, I headed outside to find my friends with Olaf. The entire way he held my hands and chattered on about how Newt had showed him how to look after the bowtruckle's properly and how excited he was to help look after the rest of the magical creatures.
It was a pleasant walk out in the sun with Olaf who had changed to talk about how much he was looking forward to summer, which made me realise just how much he really was like the movie Olaf. Eventually we found everyone down by the lake, just having fun. Henry was doing some sort of crazy dance and was making everyone laugh. When he saw me, he stopped mid dance move, which just happened to be leaning back so that he was almost parallel with the ground.
"Hey! There she is! The final member of our little group and she brought our mascot!" Henry called out as he waved, still leaning back.
"Did you hear that Elsa, I'm a mascot!" Olaf said excitedly. "What's a mascot?"
"We will tell you later, Olaf," Amanda said as she took him hold of his hand and guided him over to sit down next to her.
"I'm not the final member of our group," I said as I sat down next to Cedric, making sure I was as far away from Danny and Maggie as I could get. I didn't want to have to get into everything with them again, I just wanted to enjoy our last day at Hogwarts. "But unfortunately, they're not here."
"Who's the final member?" Henry asked as he straighten up and sat down next to Able.
"I believe it's not a member but two members," Cassy told him as she played a game of exploding snap with Lee.
"She's talking about Fred and George," Able to Henry as he took hold of his boyfriend's hand.
"I miss those two," Lee said, sounding a little down.
"Hey! Have I not lived up to their reputation and more?" Cassy said in a mock offended voice. "I mean, I did manage to help Peeves set off that lovely dung bomb in Umbitches office."
"Wait, that was you?" Zane asked her. "The classroom next to Umbridge's office, which was the one that a few of us used as a study room, stunk for weeks because of that dung bomb."
"It's called being a casualty of war, Zimmerman," Cassy told him never taking eyes off the cards in her hand as she won the game. "In your face, Jordan! I'm still the reigning queen of exploding snap!"
"I can't believe it's our last day," Hamish said, looking a little sad.
"I know, it feels like yesterday that we sitting on the boats and following Hagrid, all nervous about being sorted," I said, leaning back into Cedric who was absent mindedly playing with one of my curls.
"Scared that the giant squid was going to eat us," Henry added seriously, making Able roll his eyes.
"Little did we know that Elsa would make friends with the squid," Cassy laughed.
"Leave Squidward alone! He's friendly and like's the students," I said, defending the giant squid.
"Elsa, it's a giant squid. I'm pretty sure it doesn't care one way or another about the students," Cassy said.
"Of course, he does. But after that comment, he may not care one way or another about you," I joked as I stood up.
"Where are you going?" Amanda asked.
"To say goodbye to the giant squid who doesn't care one way or another," I laughed, stepping on to the lake and creating an ice bridge out to the middle of the lake.
It didn't take me long to get to the middle of the lake where I created a soft snow seat and sat down to wait for Squidward to come and say hello. I wasn't surprised when I heard someone walk up behind me and sit down. I also didn't have to turn around to know that it was Cedric.
"How did it go with the one and only Newt Scamander and his magical suitcase?" he asked as I leaned my head on his shoulder.
"Of course, you knew about it," I laughed. "But it was amazing! Theo and Sven were already there, so was the wampus that we saved before school started."
"That you save, love. I was just a bystander."
"We both know that's not true but anyway, Newt named her Nala. He also brought three new friends for Freddie who I called Brian, Roger and Deaky after the other members of Queen. And I can officially travel with them where we end up going with the Avengers because he got me a special permit as his new research assistant!"
"That's amazing, love. I always knew you would end up working with magical creatures and I know you are going to change how the world looks at them. To help everyone see that they aren't all dangerous monsters."
"But that's not the best part," I said, looking up at Cedric. "He needs another assistant to work alongside of me, one that will be able to travel everywhere that I go and one who can help him write up the changes in all the legislations for the Ministry. And we all know that I can't do that. Sure, I could write up legislations for Asgard just like I could write up a battle plan to take on any army but since I didn't grow up in the Wizarding World, there is no way I would be able to write anything for the Ministry. Besides, I have a feeling I'm not their favorite person at the moment. But Newt thought you would be the best person for the job...That's if you want it."
I looked down and fiddled with a bit of snow that had fallen off the seat that I had made. I wasn't sure if Cedric would want to have a job where he would be helping to change the rules that his father would have to enforce as head of the Department of the Regulation of Magical Creatures. I mean, from what Cedric told me, Mr. Diggory didn't even say anything to him the night at the Ministry when Voldemort made his public comeback.
"Are you crazy! Of course, I would want to take the job!" Cedric said excitedly as he pulled me into him. "It's a once in a life time opportunity where I could help make a difference. But the best part is that I'll get to work with you not only as an Avenger."
Almost as if he sensed our excitement, Squidward came up from the lake and sprayed us with water. Giggling, I leant down and splashed Squidward back who seemed to enjoy the game and continued to splash water at us. If there was one thing that I was going to miss more than anything about Hogwarts, it was going to be days like these. Where there was nothing to do other than have fun and make memories.
"So, we have reached the end of another year," Dumbledore said from his rightful spot in front of the teachers table when we had finished the end of year feast that night. I may not have always agreed on the way that he handled things, but there was no doubt he was the best person to run Hogwarts. "Many things have changed throughout this year but one thing remains the same. The strength that we have when we stand together as one."
"As we say goodbye to our graduating students and wish them the best in their ventures ahead, I would like to remind you that while we may not see each other as much as we may like. We will never truly be separated from those we cherish as long as we carry them in our hearts. And with the dark days that lay in front of us, it is important for us to keep those bonds we have made with each other strong, for they may be the one thing that will keep us holding on to what we believe in when it seems like there is nothing left to hold on to. Never forget that even in the darkest of nights, the single light that a friendship can hold can seem like the brightest of stars."
There was a quiet murmur of agreement echoed throughout the Great Hall as Dumbledore spoke, even a few of the ghost were nodding in agreement. Well, except Nearly Headless Nick who couldn't nodded his head without it falling off his neck, so he gave a hearty 'hear, hear' in agreement instead.
While Dumbledore finished off his speech, Loki managed to catch my eye and gave me a small smile that meant the world to me. In that one small smile, he told me how proud he was of me and that meant everything in the world to me.
"So, as the time grows near for us to head off to bed for the last time this year, it occurs to me that we still have two more very important announcement," Dumbledore said as he smiled down at everyone. "After sorting out the house points after so many were needless handed out and removed, it is with great honor to announce that for the first time in a century we have a tie for this year's house cup. So, please put your hands together for both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, the winners of this year's house cup!"
For a second, we all sat in shock, after everything that had happened that year with Umbridge, no one ever expected for anyone other than Slytherin to win the house cup. But unsurprisingly it was Cassy who found her voice first as she jumped up on to her seat.
"YO! Spangles! WE DID IT!" she yelled at the top of her voice as the banners in the hall changed in to both Hufflepuff's and Gryffindor's house colours. "I told you on our very first train trip here we were going to rule this school and I was right! Stark and Rogers forever!"
With Cassy's little delectation, every single Hufflepuff and Gryffindor got to their feet and cheered at the top of their voices. Even the Ravenclaw's joined in, as did a few Slytherin's which included Zane of course.
"Yes, congratulations to both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," Dumbledore called out, quieting the hall down. "But now we must hand out this year's Quidditch cup. So would this year's head boy and captain of the Hufflepuff team, Cedric Diggory, like collect the cup with his team."
I had to pull Cedric to his feet because he looked like he was in the middle of a dream that he couldn't quite believe was real. He stumbled over his feet when I first started to pull him up to the front of the great hall. But it didn't take him that long to regain his composure and before I knew it, he had swept me off my feet and carried me up to the front of the hall as the rest of the team followed. I couldn't help but giggle as I wrapped my arms around Cedric's neck and I heard Cassy wolf whistle from the other side of the hall.
Cedric put me back on my feet when we reached Dumbledore and Professor Sprout who had hold of the quidditch cup to hand to him but he didn't take his arm off from around my waist for a single second. Even when he held the trophy up, letting Hamish take hold of the other side. As I heard Loki cheer for us in a very loud and very un-Loki like manner, I couldn't think of a better way to finish off our time at Hogwarts.