"Everyone's staring at us..."
"They're just admiring our beauty."
"I don't know about that."
"Did you just call us ugly?"
"No."
"I'll have you know, we're the prettiest people in the hall right now. To hell, we're always the prettiest people in the hall. They're all just intimidated."
Ellie finally hit Sirius upside of the head, earning herself a kick under the table in return.
This was the first time she'd ventured out of the Hospital Wing in two weeks, and a lot had changed in that time - scars healed properly, practically half of the moon cycle already passed. Sirius hadn't left her side at any point throughout her recovery until the point where Madam Pomfrey had actually started to like him. He never failed to bring it up wherever he could. And now, they sat side by side right up one end of the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, as far from the rest of the Marauders as possible, drawing every unwanted pair of eyes imaginable. Not only did Ellie Gryffin look as if she'd been mauled by a Hippogriff, but her and Sirius Black weren't even casting glances down at their friends, something very suspicious indeed.
Of course rumours had been stirred up enough about why the beautiful girl had been missing for so long, theories ranging from another lost family member to unwanted pregnancies with the handsome boy that had also been just as illusive, but no one had predicted the state she'd return in. Whispers swirled in flurries, and it seemed like everyone was trying to get a closer look at her. Ellie really wasn't excited for her first few lessons back.
"We've got magical creatures first, you're gonna be fine, Cubs." Sirius told her knowingly, shovelling syrup-soaked pancakes into his mouth.
"Can you read minds now too?" She mumbled, running a finger around the rim of her coffee mug.
"I just know you."
Setting his knife down, Sirius pulled the hair tie off the end of her nearest braid before retrieving the other one too, starting to untangle the waves that had been returned to chocolate brown. Ellie had felt too sombre for such a bright hair colour during her recovery.
"Stop that." She batted his hand away, "It's an awkward length and must stay tied up to hide that fact."
"You don't need to hide anything... Now, eat."
Sirius shoved his plate in front of her, gesturing at the two pancakes left of his previously enormous stack, and he refused to stop staring at her until she'd finished every last mouthful. Whilst Ellie ate perhaps very begrudgingly, she felt better for it in the end. Like Remus around the full moon, her appetite had been on and off ever since she'd been bitten, where sometimes she could probably eat a whole cow, to others where just the mere mention of food made her queasy. The mornings were bad for it, but the evenings even worse, almost as if the moon coming out made her hungry for something else. Something she refused to think about.
"Better?" Sirius asked once she was done and Ellie nodded, "You did brilliant."
"Can we get a head start walking to class? I don't really fancy sitting here with all these eyes on us any longer."
She offered her hand and Sirius didn't hesitate in taking it, both standing and making a swift exit, but it was plainly obvious that they avoided those they were supposed to be friends with. Lily was sat with the rest of the Marauders, as were Alice, Frank, and Mary, and whilst Ellie knew it wasn't the case, it very much felt like her and Sirius' absence went unnoticed. James never even flinched as they breezed by, too busy discussing Transfiguration with Lily and Peter; Alice and Frank were in their own world as usual; and Remus was laughing heartily at something Mary had said.
The lanky boy hadn't so much as even made eye contact with Ellie since the full moon. It was starting to feel like he didn't care at all that he'd turned her into a Werewolf too.
But then again, Ellie knew that this disagreement, or falling out, or whatever it was, wasn't just a one-sided thing, for recently Sirius had been just as hostile. He actively sort out to glare at Remus and made a point of strutting passed them always as if they were invisible to him. Ellie would sigh and shoot them half smiles that were never returned, but even if she was making an effort for some contact still, she'd picked Padfoot's side.
"You will need to apologise to them soon." Ellie told Sirius once they were safely out of the Great Hall, their pace having slowed.
He frowned.
"I thought you said that I'm not to blame."
"You're not, but at this point, I think you'll just have to be the bigger person to restore the peace." The way Sirius wouldn't meet her eye told Ellie that he definitely didn't agree, "Just say sorry for even going after the Slytherins in the first place. That you were angry and-"
"No." He interrupted, "Someone had to do something about what happened. You were attacked and Dumbledore couldn't give a shit!"
"You're not an Auror yet, Padfoot."
"I see it as good practice."
Squeezing his hand tight, Ellie forced them both to stop in the middle of the corridor, shuffling to stand right in front of him.
They been closer like this, physically, ever since she'd come round after the full moon. It hadn't been much more than hugs and holding hands, for if it was any closer, Sirius still flinched or squirmed uncomfortably, but it was as if Ellie becoming a Werewolf had put a few things into perspective - snapped them back together like an elastic band. The day on which the handsome boy finally spoke those three words that had always choked him, was probably one way into the future, but they were back together for now. Ellie respected that there was lots that happened with Flora that Sirius refused to speak about, and so at the moment everything between them was on his terms.
"Please just apologise." She begged, holding her free hand right next to his cheek and allowing him to lean in if he wanted to. Those stormy grey eyes of his swirled as he cocked his head to the side, melting under her touch, "Just so this ridiculousness can stop. Don't you miss the others?"
"Moony hasn't come to see you, Cubs..."
"I know but-"
"His fault or not, he should've come to see you by now. He's got no excuse and if it was the other way around, you would be grovelling at his feet for his friendship."
"I don't grovel."
"But you would've been there for him. You're the same now, the least he could do is check you're okay with it."
"I suppose so..." Ellie's hand fell away from Sirius' cheek as her eyes dropped to the floor, "Why does it feel like they accept it with him but not with me?"
"'Cause they're idiots that have got too caught up in pointing fingers."
Sirius opened his arms out and they sank into each other as he kissed her forehead gently.
"Tell me what you think about it." Ellie whispered.
"About you being a Werewolf?" Her silence was answer enough, "What is there to think about it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you expect me to see you differently now?" Sirius asked, his arms tightening around her, "Because you do realise that you're still gorgeous, don't you?"
Ellie felt her cheeks flush as a stuffy heat rose up the back of her neck, and she tucked her face into his chest to hide it, her voice becoming muffled.
"Well, I figured, I don't see me in the mirror anymore, so I thought you might not either."
There was nothing wrong with being a Werewolf, not in Ellie's eyes. She wasn't upset about being bitten, or angry, or even scared, it was more just a case of feeling like a stranger in her own skin. There was something new that lived in her mind now, another consciousness that grew restless at night. Sometimes it got angrier than she, over Remus' absence and all the healing potions she still had to take; sometimes it pined more than she, for the earthy smell of the forest and Sirius' attention; sometimes it grew hungrier than she, but never for food.
And sometimes that other consciousness was what she saw behind her eyes. Not Ellie Gryffin, not Cubby, not even Persephone Eloise, but whatever it was inside her now that wanted to howl at the moon - the way she felt unrecognisable was what unnerved her. She didn't want to become someone that no one knew anymore.
"I've been a dick recently, and whilst I can't excuse what I've said and done, I can apologise for it." Sirius began, "But even when I was angry and cruel and in such a deep hole, one I've still not quite crawled out of yet, you still looked at me the same... You said that you'd have me even if everyone else wouldn't and you need to know that I'll have you always too. I'll have all of you, just like this, just perfect, but-" He paused deciding whether this was the right time or not, "But I need you to tell me something first."
"I'm not bargaining for your love, Padfoot. You can't have me in return for something." Ellie stated with a frown, but Sirius shook his head furiously.
"No, no, it's not like that, I just-" There was no way for him to ask this easily, so he took a deep breath and shut his eyes, "I just need you to tell me that you've been snogging Moony. I need you admit it to me so that I stop thinking it's more than what I hope it actually is."
"I- What?" Ellie stuttered out, turning as pale as a ghost.
"Don't act like I'm a fool. I've known since before Christmas."
"But we- how?"
"I overheard you and Camille talking about it by accident." Sirius left out the part where this piece of information then sent him spiralling, "I wouldn't have cared- well, I would've cared but it wouldn't have been so bad if you'd just told us- me that you're interested in Moony that way despite the fact that we've got whatever it is that this is between us."
"Whatever this is between us?" Ellie scoffed, taken aback and caught off guard as she moved away from him, "I love you, Sirius. Is that not declaration enough for you?"
"Then why were you snogging Moony?" He demanded, matching her hostility.
"For the same reason that you were snogging Flora!"
There was silence.
Other students began to pass them as everyone else finished breakfast too, dodging around the two testy looking sixth years that the whole school was talking about. 'Do you think Gryffin regrets giving up the baby?', one girl whispered to her friend. 'Maybe Black's the one that messed her skin up like that, freak', someone else said. Those were just a couple of the rumours that had been swirling, but the fact that Ellie and Sirius were now stood staring at each other randomly in the corridor wasn't helping their situation. They glared, both refusing to concede, until the beautiful girl was shoulder barged out of the way by another student and almost took a fall. Sirius' hands shot out to catch her straight away, but Ellie batted him away, righting herself and taking off down the corridor.
Of course, she was quickly followed, but she had no desire to stop when Sirius called out. Instead, her strides remained even as she followed the route which led towards the wooden bridge and out onto the grounds for their Care of Magical Creatures lesson. Whilst she didn't want to cause an unnecessary argument, Ellie really believed that Sirius could've been more tactful in his asking about what her and Remus had been doing. One minute she was melting under his heartfelt words about always wanting her and the next he was demanding why she'd dare approach another boy. Or at least that's how it felt.
Sirius didn't exactly struggle to keep up with her, but he'd learnt by now when to give the beautiful girl space, so he made sure to hang back. Following right across the wooden bridge and down the grassy slopes towards the Forbidden Forest tree line, he tucked his leather jacket around himself and prayed he hadn't ruined everything already. It seemed that no matter how good things felt, how secure and finally settled, he always had a way of messing it all up again.
Ellie's hair flew everywhere, and he knew she'd be cursing the fact that he'd unbraided it now as the wind picked up, but he still wouldn't deny that he'd always preferred it down, no matter how well an up-do showed off the curve of her neck perfectly. He watched her cross her arms over her chest as she strode, then uncross them to unravel her Gryffindor scarf from around her neck and use it as some kind of shawl or blanket instead - she still didn't get on with the robes as he didn't, refusing to wear them in the winter time. Sirius figured that she could be lucky that it hadn't snowed, but even still, she looked as if she was starting to freeze. He rolled his eyes and picked up his pace to fall into stride at her side.
"I'm gonna tell you something, and you're gonna think I'm lying but I'm not." He told her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to pull her close for warmth. "I used to think about you when Flora kissed me."
"That's the most unoriginally cringey thing you could've said." Ellie grumbled, not wanting to stay near, but also reluctant to move away.
"I said you'd think I'm lying, but however predictable it is, it's the truth."
Sirius was hardly paying attention to where they were walking too, his gaze fixed on her as he repeatedly brushed her hair out of her face. Ellie hummed and then snaked her arm around his back to pull them even closer together, their feet almost clashing with each of their steps.
"You have no right to be upset about me snogging Moony whilst you were with Flora." She said plainly. "Accept that and move on."
"So you're not snogging him anymore?"
"I love you."
"That's a no?"
"I love you."
"If you don't give me a definite answer I'll mull over this and we'll argue again."
Ellie met his gaze with a fiery glare which completely contrasted the words she spoke once more.
"I love you."
"Is that the only answer I'm going to get?"
Whilst Sirius had really wanted her to tell him directly nothing was going on with her and Remus, he also couldn't complain about the way his heart clamoured with such surety whenever she spoke those words. It was an excitement of sorts, some giddy feeling that pooled warmth in his chest and filled his mind with foggy daydreams.
"That should be the only answer you need." Ellie rested her head against his shoulder as they joined the small gathering of a few of their more eager classmates who'd arrived early in the forest tree line, "Trust me about this please. You don't need to worry about Moons unless you're concocting a way to apologise to him."
"And he's not like... gonna have some weird hold over you 'cause he was the one that turned you, is he? Like he's not made you his-" Ellie clapped a hand over Sirius' mouth to shut him up.
"Do I need to act like I'm obsessed with you for you to hear me properly?"
"No." As her hand fell away from his mouth, the corners of his lips curled upwards, "Might be nice though."
"You are insufferable."
Ellie rolled her eyes and turned her back on him, but Sirius merely moved to stand right behind her, his arms snaking around her neck still in efforts to keep her as warm as her stubborn self would allow.
"I do hear you." He told her quietly, lips moving right next to her ear, "I just don't believe it yet."
"We've got time." She sighed.
Care of Magical Creatures class should've been a nice way for Ellie to be reintroduced into lessons, it was her favourite subject of course and an easy one in her books, she hardly ever had to actually listen to Professor Kettleburn. However today, not even the Diricawl they were taught how to handle could've brought a smile to her face, for the lingering annoyance of James Potter's presence got in the way. She could've dealt with him hovering awkwardly, no one to be with or talk to now that he wouldn't speak to them, but it was the way that he kept shooting Sirius dirty looks that ruined everything. There was absolutely no way either boy was listening to Kettleburn, let alone actually getting involved, and their childish staring contest got boring quickly.
James would stare, so Sirius would do something ridiculous like throw his arm around Ellie's shoulders in a bid to be spiteful, she'd then stomp on his foot 'by accident', and the cycle would continue. All whilst they were supposed to be learning how to handle the Diricawl properly.
"The wings, Padfoot." Ellie repeated for the third time, "You've got to hold its wings gently, like a chicken or a duck, or else-"
There was no need for her to finish her sentence, for their Diricawl started flapping wildly, its wings repeatedly hitting him in his face until it disappeared into thin air. The rest of the class laughed, Sirius did not.
"And now you've lost it..." Ellie sighed, running a tired hand down her face.
"Congratulations, Mr Black." Professor Kettleburn silenced all the snickering with a bellow, "It appears you've landed yourself extra homework. Two rolls of parchment on the difficulties of monitoring Diricawl population sizes." Sirius was too busy scowling at the rest of the class to sigh in frustration, but Ellie rolled her eyes for him. Kettleburn came hobbling over to them both with his lips pressed into a firm line, "You'll have to make notes for the rest of the class now... I expected better from you of all people, Miss Gryffin."
Ellie felt her stomach churn. She'd never failed an assignment in Care of Magical Creatures before, she'd never so much as dropped below an O grade, and now she'd lost a Diricawl not even half way into the class. Or more, Sirius had lost the Diricawl for the both of them. If this had been Charms or Herbology, she wouldn't have cared in the slightest, she'd just make up the grade somewhere else, but in Care of Magical Creatures, everything counted. They may have a war to fight in, one to win, but Ellie wasn't prepared to sacrifice her dreams for it. Whatever the future would bring, she'd work with magical creatures, full stop - she'd work for magical creatures.
"Do you have your Fantastic Beasts book?" She asked Sirius, slumping down on a nearby log.
Her dejected tone seemed to snap him out of his anger fuelled obsession with glaring at the messy haired boy a few pairs over.
"Yeah, I do." He mumbled in reply, and I'm sorry I mess everything in your life up with my temper.
"Good, 'cause I won't help you with this extra homework. You can face consequences on your own for a change." Ellie told him firmly, pulling out a sketchbook from her satchel and getting to work on her Lycanthrope Legislation project.
She was exhausted already and she'd barely done anything. With a patience that felt snipped even shorter than usual and a lack of energy, Ellie was starting to wonder whether this would be her new life. Remus always seemed like he was running on little fuel and if he'd actually spoken to her, she'd have been able to ask if exhaustion was a side effect of being a Werewolf - somehow she knew it was. But her frustration that bubbled over so quickly was something she'd not expected. It was only around a full moon that Remus got testy, not all the time, but Ellie felt constantly annoyed.
It was too cold; Professor Kettleburn kept shooting her disappointed looks; Sirius was huffing loudly; James wore a satisfied smirk with their somewhat telling off; and the poor Diricawls looked fed up with being poked and prodded by sixth years.
"I'm skiving." Ellie announced suddenly, snapping her sketchbook shut. Sirius' textbook slid of his knee with a thump, "Can't get into much more trouble now that you've bloody lost the bird."
"But this is your favourite class?" Sirius frowned.
"And right now it's shit, so I'm skiving."
"Then I'll come with you."
"Don't. I just..." Ellie fumbled to shove her sketchbook back in her bag as she stood, "Just give me a little space for a while. Please. Everything's kind of-"
"I'll cover for you." Sirius interrupted when he noticed her floundering for an excuse to leave, grabbing her nearest hand and placing a gentle kiss on her palm, "Go, beautiful. Take your time."
"Thank you." She sighed, ducking behind a tree to hide her escape from Kettleburn as the handsome boy watched her go.
Ellie didn't know what she wanted, what she needed, but she could list everything that she didn't want. She didn't want the cold, the noise, the lack of privacy that Hogwarts provided, the way her friends were angry with her for who she loved. Actually, the more she thought about it, the more she realised that she longed for the solace of the Orangery back home.
It felt as if nothing had been right since the last full moon, and whilst she'd been telling everyone, including herself, that she was completely fine being a Werewolf, things weren't fine at all. She could cope with the actual Werewolf part, but it was everything else that came with it - the isolation, the sensory confusion, the struggle with food, the restless nights, all the anger. Anger at what, she didn't even know. None had told her how things would be now, what the procedure was on a full moon, or whether all the teachers were aware of her state and able to be sympathetic, and it was beyond frustrating. Dumbledore hadn't cast her so much as a second glance, not about how she was attacked in the corridors, not about being a Werewolf. How is that fair?
By now, she knew not to expect answers from her Headmaster if he wasn't willing to give them, but this was an entirely different situation. He had a duty of care and Ellie felt neglected. But not just by him either.
Remus should've been right by her side through this, it was his duty as a friend and as the Werewolf that did this to me. He had no excuse, Sirius had done it, and every day that went by with him actively avoiding her was another day alone. It scared Ellie sometimes how badly something in her craved Remus' presence, no matter how in love with Sirius she was, and he wasn't there. He'd left her abandoned in this when he should know first-hand how it felt to be so isolated.
But perhaps that was the life that Ellie was destined for now, one where no matter how or who she loved, people would always be just too out of reach.
And so she wandered as this thought swirled in her mind. Her feet dragged on the floor along with her satchel that had slipped off her shoulder, and she roamed the school corridors until she was tired of walking. Quiet, she chanted, just find an empty classroom that's quiet. But what she ended up finding was much better.
It wasn't just a classroom that didn't have a lesson going on, but an almost empty room entirely. Cavernous and dark, Ellie actually found herself smiling slightly at the prospects of nothingness. As soon as the heavy wooden door closed, shutting her inside, the world seemed to fall instantly silent, and she couldn't have wished for anything more perfect.
Pulling her tie loose, kicking off her combat boots, and untucking both her shirt and jumper, Ellie made her way further into the abandoned room before dropping her satchel on the floor. This space would provide the peace she needed to take some relaxing time alone, quiet to continue working on her Lycanthrope Legislation - something that felt ten times more important now than it did before. But that idea of being alone entirely was an uncomfortable one, so she pulled out her wand to cast a Patronus for company. The look on Sirius' face every time she uttered that word 'love' was her happiest memory now; how his pupils dilated so wide stormy grey all but disappeared and how pink flushed up his neck and his ears. It looked heavenly. He was heavenly.
Ellie didn't even have to mumble the spell for light to go scattering everywhere, her eyes watching eagerly for the silver wisps to take form, but they seemed to swirl for a lot longer than usual. They shot upwards and then cascaded down all around her like a thousand shooting stars, illuminating the darkness like she'd never seen before. Maybe the spell had just been more powerful, it certainly looked it, but as the silver wisps gathered at her feet, they slowly stared to form two groups instead of one.
"You sent me a Patronus, Cubs." Sirius had told her, but apparently there had been two.
Could this be it? The scruffy dog and the lion? Why suddenly the lion she didn't know, but as the familiar Patronus formed, the one beside it wasn't what was expected at all. She'd seen this Patronus before, not her's but someone else's, though not a lot could surprise her anymore.
In fact, the beautiful girl actually rolled her eyes when a wolf went bounding across the room at the side of the scruffy dog.
"I'm so done with this shit." Ellie cursed, dropping her wand without care for what happened to it.
As it clattered on the stone floor, both the scruffy dog and the wolf ceased their game of chase and rounded on her, heads cocked to the side in confusion. They padded back over to her slowly, slumping into sits side by side as if they knew she was miserable. Magic didn't have a conscience as far as she was aware, or at least it shouldn't do, yet both her Patronus' definitely did. But then again, Ellie figured, magic had always had its funny way with her.
"I suppose we thank Godric?" She asked the scruffy dog and the wolf, "We must get special perks since he was so powerful." Special perks like not being mauled to death by a Werewolf who'd never even smelt human before, but guarded by him for a night after he'd bit me instead, "Maybe we're just even more magic."
Ellie chuckled bitterly; she didn't want to be any more magic than she already was. Carrying the title of the Youngest Descendent of Godric Gryffindor whilst also being an Animagus and a Werewolf wasn't as exciting as it may seem. Of the purest magical blood and not just a witch now either - what did that make her? There wasn't an ounce of Muggle in her, not even any known Squibs in her lineage. Ellie had been quite literally born and bred as an embodiment of powerful magic, and recently it had felt like that was all that mattered.
This war was over who was worthy enough to bare magic, who should and shouldn't be let in on their world, and it felt like everyone had forgotten that really they all lived in the same one. But it wasn't just Lord Voldemort and his followers, it was those who were supposed to be the 'good' side too. They had to be of age, able to do magic outside of school, before they were allowed into the Order of the Phoenix and be let in on everything they had questions about; she had to pull herself back together after a life altering event so that she could get back to classes on magic; Ellie had been entangled in something to do with Godric Gryffindor's sword that had never been mentioned properly since they woke up to it being stuck in the middle of Sirius' bed, all because of who she called parents and grandparents and great-grandparents, who her magical ancestors were.
She wouldn't wish away her life, but sometimes it felt like everything would be a lot easier if she had nothing to worry about but Muggle family or Muggle school. A life where witches, wizards, Werewolves, and swords were all mere fairytales.
"Does that make me selfish?" She asked the two Patronus'.
When the scruffy dog came nearer to stand at her side, it seemed as if it was disagreeing in pity of her miserable mood, and Ellie found herself chuckling lightly at how concerned it looked. She felt the need to tell it not to worry, but then the wolf was pacing away towards the other end of the room, illuminating more of the space for her to see. It stopped briefly, casting a look over its shoulder to beckon her to follow, and Ellie found her feet moving without thought. Down the end of what she'd previously assumed was the completely empty abandoned room was a monument of sorts, but as she went closer, it revealed itself to be an ornate mirror instead. She had the fleeting thought that maybe she'd stumbled upon Dumbledore's dressing room and resisted the urge to snort to herself.
Squinting beyond the silver glow of the Patronuses, Ellie neared the huge mirror to get a better look at the design around the frame, slightly dazzled by how beautiful it was. And it was in this distracted state, that she missed someone padding up behind her in her reflection. Only when they stopped just a foot away did she notice, about jumping out of her skin.
"Bloody hell, Padfoot!" Sirius just smirked at her, "I thought it was clear I just wanted some space?" He didn't reply.
In fact, he remained gazing at her through the mirror with the same expression as if he'd not even heard her speak. Ellie shivered and back away from the mirror slightly, reaching a hand out behind her, but it seemingly went straight through him. That was when she looked over her shoulder, only to be greeted with the empty dark room and no Sirius in sight.
But he's there in the mirror... Ellie spent a very long time looking back and forth between her reflection and reality, making up explanations in her mind that ranged from Invisibility Cloaks to a loss of sanity. It made absolutely no sense that he could be stood there in the mirror and not in real life, for he looked so entirely him. That smirk, that leather jacket, the way his hair was tied up, those eyes. Sirius was stood right next to her, he had to be, but when she spoke to him he didn't reply, just a reflected statue that she finally decided had to be a figment of her imagination.
Ellie ended up sitting down and waiting for him to disappear, both of her Patronuses curling up on the floor with her. By this point, she would've expected anything to happen, so when Sirius was slowly joined by anyone else that was important in her life, all of them the same, reflected but not really there, she didn't bat an eyelid. The last person who joined the scene though had her back on her feet almost immediately.
"Mum?" She choked out as Adelaide Gryffin weaved her way passed Sirius and Cyrus to stand by her reflection's side.
Her mother looked no different to how she remembered - so beautiful, so elegant. But she wasn't real. When Adelaide placed her hands on her reflection's shoulders, Ellie couldn't feel it, and it made her want to scream. Right there, her mother was right there as clear as anyone should look in a mirror. But she wasn't real.
"I'm finished here." Ellie mumbled, shaking her head back and forth in hopes all the people would disappear just like that. They didn't, "I don't understand."
As she got worked up, her Patronuses fizzled out into nothingness and the room was submerged into more darkness, yet the reflections in the mirror seemed to be just as visible. It was cruel, whatever this enchanted mirror could do, it was cruel, and Ellie wanted nothing more than to go running right out of the room. But something kept her standing there, staring at everyone beside her reflection as if they might provide some comfort that she wasn't turning mad. Though, of course, none of them moved. Not until Adelaide leant slowly towards her reflection's ear.
"We see you, sweetheart." She spoke silently, lips readable, "All of you."
"Even like this?" Ellie asked hopefully, not quite understanding how she'd receive an answer.
"Especially like this." Her mother replied, and then everyone faded away until it was nothing but the empty room being reflected around her.