It was an almost silent walk to the Hospital Wing, punctuated only with the dazed mutterings of Lockhart and the quiet pitter-patter of their footsteps against the stone floor.
Estella and Ron trailed a little behind Lockhart, calling out the directions whenever they approached a fork in the road. They had tried leading but found that this newly memory-less Lockhart tended to trail off and meander in the total opposite direction.
This way, they could keep an eye on him and it gave Estella a sliver of comfort; feeling his eyes on the back of her head was unnerving and his complete lack of recognition of her was daunting.
Still, Lockhart had gotten what he'd deserved, and Estella wasn't going to spare any more sympathy for this fraud of a man who had almost cost them their memories.
As they crossed a window with a clear view of the dark sky with its shimmering stars, Ron called out to her.
She turned, instinctively checking to make sure that Lockhart was still heading in the right direction.
"Hm?" she blinked, trying to gauge his expression in the dimly lit corridor.
"Listen, Stella," he swallowed, looking nervous. He fiddled with his fingers for a bit and adjusted the sleeve of his robe.
"Yes?" Estella prompted, confused and slightly impatient. She was eager to get to Hermione and didn't want to sacrifice her speed for simple pleasantries.
"I-" he breathed in and then spoke in a kind of rush. "I'm sorry for suspecting you and, you know, ignoring you. It was wrong and I see that now- you were only trying to help and I didn't try to listen to you or consider that I might be wrong." He stopped and looked at her, eyes wide with the tiniest hint of hope. "I'm not asking you to forgive me- at least not right away but I promise I'll try and-"
"Ron." She placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him and he paused mid-sentence. "It's okay."
He stared at her with shock and disbelief and something close to reverence swirling in his blue eyes.
Perhaps if it had gone on longer, if she had not just experienced a life-threatening encounter with a young You-Know-Who, if she wasn't buzzing with the excitement and elation of seeing her sister again and well, she would not have found it in her heart to forgive him.
As it so happens, all three of those things had happened and more, and presently she was too tired from her adventure and tired of being upset that the sincerity of his apology caused a small smile to spread across her face.
He opened his mouth to say more but she stopped him.
"Ron, it's alright," she assured him again. "I know you were just worried and concerned and I was too. Let's not argue or dwell on this anymore. Although," she added, her smile turning a little wry, "next time you suspect me, I would prefer it if you talked to me first."
Ron nodded frantically. "I will."
Estella laughed and nodded her head towards the doors ahead as her footsteps slowed. "We're here."
Lockhart had reached the doors and was already pulling them open.
As light spilt from the long room into the corridor, a very cross and anxious Madam Pomfrey appeared in the doorway.
"Oh, what is it? I've got patients to treat and parents to deal with and- oh," her mouth formed an almost comical 'O' as she stared at Estella, Ron and Lockhart.
"Hi Madam Pomfrey," Estella greeted with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of her neck. She didn't want to give the Matron any more stress for the night, but Dumbledore had sent them down here and she was not about to disobey the Headmaster of their school.
"Oh my dear, come in," said Madam Pomfrey, pulling the door open wider and ushering them in. "I was informed about you two and Potter- where is that boy? Goodness knows he needs to be checked for injury- been in here almost more than his father..." she muttered the last part and then spotted Lockhart.
"Where are we?" Lockhart asked in confusion, trying to peer past Madam Pomfrey and into the room.
"Gilderoy?" Madam Pomfrey said in shock.
Lockhart looked around, evidently trying to figure out who she was talking to.
"An... incident happened down in the Chamber," Estella explained, gesturing to Ron to continue.
Ron lowered his voice and leaned in closer so that Lockhart couldn't hear. "He tried to use a Memory Charm but it sort of backfired." He indicated the DADA professor hopelessly. "Professor Dumbledore sent us down."
Madam Pomfrey's expression cleared like mist on a foggy night and she snapped to business. "Of course," she said promptly, ushering them in. "Gilderoy-" she looked pointedly at him "-you can take this bed while I check you over. I've just got to check Miss Weasley..."
But her voice faded out as Estella glanced at the far end of the room, a few rows down where Ginny was sitting.
It was Hermione, rubbing her eyes and starting to turn at the commotion.
"Hermit!" Estella screamed and Madam Pomfrey turned her disapproving look on her. Estella ignored her and ran towards her twin, kneeling down quickly beside her bed as she started to sit up.
"Estie?" Hermione's voice was groggy and weighed down with sleep but it was still, undeniably her twin.
Estella beamed. "It's me. I'm here." She took one of Hermione's hands in her own and squeezed it, clutching it to her chest. "Are you alright?"
"My head feels strange," Hermione commented as if they were back in science doing an experiment and she was the subject that they'd been instructed to make observations on, "and my body strangely heavy."
"You were at the library," Estella reminded her, knowing that was all she needed to understand the situation. Hermione was like that; brilliant and talented and an excellent problem solver.
Her eyes widened in sudden realisation and she nodded, then turned abruptly to Estella, squeezing her hand so tightly Estella was worried she would cut off her blood flow.
"Did you do it? Did you find the note?" She looked down at her empty hands and breathed a sigh. "You did. I knew you would- even if I couldn't get it to you. At the library, I realised- I mean it couldn't have been you who took the diary-"
Estella felt strangely prideful at her twin's sense of faith in her and relief that she no longer found her guilty.
"Hermit," she said, unable to stop the glee from creeping into her voice, "we did it. The Basilisk is dead."
Hermione sat there for a second, perhaps still dazed from her recent petrification. Then she gasped and lept at Estella, pulling her into a tight hug.
The blankets that had recently been wrapped around her fell to the floor and hung over the frame of the bed.
"Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey chided from the other side of the room, hurrying over. "Get back in bed! You shouldn't be exerting this much physical exercise this early on-"
Hermione's arms clutched the back of Estella's robe and her bushy brown hair surrounded them like a halo.
"You did it." She repeated the phrase like a mantra, laughing and grinning with so much glee that Estella couldn't help but match her enthusiasm.
Finally, Estella pulled back and considered her. "How are you?" she asked. "I mean, you were just petrified and all."
Hermione laughed again. "I'm great! I'm so proud of you and happy and excited!"
Estella felt a flicker of warmth fill her chest and she smiled.
"I am a little cold though," Hermione added as an afterthought.
Estella's eyes crinkled like their father's so often did when he smiled. "I think I can help with that."
She turned to Madam Pomfrey who was still eyeing Hermione with slight objection but was nonetheless keeping a respectful distance so that the twins could talk.
"Madam Pomfrey?" she addressed the Matron. "Can we get some hot chocolate?"
✰♪
Estella had attended many feasts at Hogwarts, but she'd never been to one quite like this.
Everyone was in their pyjamas and the celebrations lasted all night. Estella didn't know whether the best part was her friends' exuberant reactions when she told them what had happened, or how her, Harry and Ron's six hundred points secured Gryffindor the House Cup for the second year running, or Hagrid turning up at half past three with a jubilant smile, or Professor McGonagall standing up to announce that the exams had been cancelled as a school treat or Dumbledore telling them that, most unfortunately, Professor Lockhart would be unable to return next year, owing to the face that he needed to go away and get his memory back.
Quite a few of the teachers joined in the cheering that greeted this news.
"Good riddance," Larissa sighed with relief, nudging Estella, "that means we won't be attacked by any pixies anytime soon."
✰♪
The rest of the summer term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine.
Hogwarts was back to normal, with only a few, small differences: Defence Against the Dark Arts classes were cancelled and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor(as Harry told Estella, he had been bribing the others to get his way).
She was pleased to know that Dobby had been freed and appalled that Lucius had tried to attack Harry.
Estella had sent a letter via Alora to her parents who were ecstatic to know that Hermione was un-petrified and healthy, though Estella was completely ready to receive a lecture about it when they returned home.
Ginny was perfectly happy again, having recovered well from the attacks but Estella still found herself trying to find her in a crowded room to make sure she was okay and well.
Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Estella and her friends got a compartment to themselves and spent the remaining time using magic and raiding the candy Trolley.
Eventually, the Hogwarts Express slowed and came to a stop.
Estella got up and stretched her arms, gathering Alora's cage and her guitar in one hand and her trunk in the other(she had let Alora fly ahead to her house so that she wouldn't be cramped during the train ride).
She ambled off of the train, jumping the last few steps and looked around at all of the students making their way over to their families as the sound of chattering people, hooting owls and the call of the conductor filled her ears.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a bushy mane of frizzy brown hair and smiled.
Turning back to her friends, she said her goodbyes and made her way over to her twin sister.
"Hermit," she greeted, angling her head to indicate her arms, "hold one of my bags for me please?"
Hermione shook her head. "Can't. My hands are full."
Estella huffed in indignation. "You're only holding books! Why didn't you put them in your trunk."
"Well I had to read something during the trip, didn't I."
Estella spotted a folded-up, slightly crumpled piece of paper in one of her hands. "Hey. What's that?" she asked, pointing.
"My telephone number," answered a voice behind her, and Estella saw with a ridiculous spark of joy, Harry. "Well," he shrugged, "the Dursleys' anyways. It's so Hermione and Ron can call me during the holidays. You should call too," he added.
Estella grinned and bobbed her head up and down in a very silly, completely unnecessary nod that she felt severe embarrassment about later on. "I will."
"Hello Estella Estella," said Fred, materialising in front of her.
"Now where on Earth did you come from?" Estella mused.
"Percy's got a girlfriend," George replied, not answering her question, popping up next to his twin.
Estella's mouth fell open. "What?" she gaped. "Percy- with a girlfriend?"
"I told you not to make fun of him," Ginny said, walking up to them with a frown and whacking their arms.
"Make fun?" Fred said with wide eyes. "We would never, would we George?"
"Certainly not," George answered, placing a hand on his chest. "We're merely informing the general public."
"They've been telling everyone they meet," Ron told Estella, making his way to stand next to her.
"I figured," Estella laughed as Fred yelled, "Penelope Clearwater, Ravenclaw prefect," into the bustling crowd of people.
"Ah there they are," George said with a malevolent grin. "Shall we be off Freddie?"
"Certainly Georgie," Fred replied. "See you around," he said to Estella, Harry and Hermione and they departed.
"Wait," Ginny protested, "I told you not to make fun of..." Her voice trailed off as she ran after them, flitting through the crowd.
Estella giggled and tried burying her face in her sleeve to muffle the noise although the sound of the students around her already accomplished that.
"Alright," said Hermione, "we've got to go find Mum and Dad."
Estella nodded, then gave her a look. "They're not going to be happy you know."
Hermione sighed. "I know. They'll be-"
"Livid," Estella finished at the same time as her, making both of them laugh.
"We'll head off first then," Hermione said to Harry and Ron. "Make sure to write over the break- I'll call you on the phone Harry."
"See you," Estella smiled, letting go of her trunk for a brief moment to wave at them.
"Bye," they waved back, and then the twins were off, sliding through the barrier and back to the Muggle world where their parents awaited them.