Only a few days passed before Umbridge declared yet another statute. Ellie clenched her jaw as she watched Filch hammer the framed decree above the doors to the Great Hall. Though she knew it wasn't the caretaker's fault, Filch seemed more than happy to follow Umbridge's order, and it took all of Ellie's moral strength not to kick over the ladder the man stood upon.
Education Decree No. 82: All Students Will Submit to Questioning About Suspected Illicit Activities.
Ellie rolled her eyes as she read the decree, her hatred for the woman only growing. The Galleon used for DA meetings heated itself in her pocket, summoning the members altogether. She climbed the Grand Staircase casually, her hands buried in her pockets as she went.
At last, she finally approached the wall to the Room of Requirement's entrance, her need in mind to activate it. A eerie feeling crept over the Hufflepuff, causing Ellie to glance over her shoulder. The corridor appeared empty as she shrugged unknowingly. The wall began to make way for the entrance, revealing itself to the girl. She entered the room without another look backwards, oblivious to Crabbe and Goyle's presence from behind a pillar.
Harry immediately approached Ellie, tapping his wand against his thigh with a friendly expression.
"You're in a good mood today," Ellie observed.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Harry chirped. "How are you today?"
"I'm doing fine..." Ellie trailed with suspicion. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, I'm going to be straightforward," Harry blurted. "I need your help."
"Harry Potter needs my help?" Ellie repeated with bewilderment.
"Yeah, I do," Harry admitted. "I've seen how easy this comes to you. The whole spells, magic, things like that. You make the most difficult spells look like something from first year Charms class. You catch on really quickly, it's quite brilliant. And seeing how you handled Hermione the other day, it proves how much better you think you are."
"And what do I owe to be complimented by you?" Ellie arched a brow.
"I want you to be my assistant. I'll teach the class first, you take a go at it, and you help the others," Harry explained. "You'll be great, I can sense it. I know you have it in you."
"You really trust me that much?"
"Well... I'm getting there," Harry confessed.
"Say if I do. You won't be a dick to me anymore," Ellie proposed.
"Deal," Harry agreed.
Ellie gave a tight-lipped smile as she turned away from him, silently standing by Harry's side as she awaited for the other members' arrival. The students slowly trickled in, their wands already withdrawn eagerly. Ellie approached her girlfriend, their beams wide upon seeing each other.
"How are you, darling?" Ellie greeted with a low voice, temporarily leaning close to Hermione's ear.
"Lovely now that you're here," Hermione grinned.
"I've got amazing news to tell you. Harry just—"
Harry clapped his hands from up front, signaling for the attention of the students who had gathered before him. The lovers reluctantly stopped their conversation, turning to face the boy.
"Hello, everyone. Unfortunately, we won't be learning anything new today. I'd like to take this meeting to touch up on previous spells, just to make sure we've got everything down. You're welcome to pair up or work on your own today, and there's a few dueling dummies stored in the back if you'd like."
Harry gestured to Ellie, motioning for her to step beside him.
"Considering Ellie's exceptional performance during these practices, I've asked her to help me out in teaching you all. She'll be my assistant, and she'll be here to monitor and aid you in your learning process."
"That advanced, eh?" Fred beamed proudly. "I'd like to see you take me on. What do you say?"
"You wouldn't last a minute, Freddie," George scoffed. "Ellie's got talent—there's no denying that. She'd be better off against You-Know-Who himself."
"Alright, everyone. Let's move along," Harry announced hastily, pushing through the group to disperse them.
The group shuffled to their own corners, some pairing off while others drew out the dueling dummies. They immediately got to work, their incantations echoing across the room as a multitude of beams flew over their heads.
Harry and Ellie split, each walking around the room in observation. Harry went to help Neville with the Disarming Charm, still unable to get it down. Ellie smiled at him, eventually turning to Luna, who stood with her wand pointed at a dueling dummy.
"You doing alright there, Luna?"
"I'm doing just fine," Luna chirped as she blasted the stick from the knight's hand.
"Nice work," Ellie smiled, turning away to divert her attention to the others.
Ellie rounded the room, watching with amusement as Fred and George dueled each other. She approached Harry's direction, watching as he guided Cho's hand to levitate Nigel in the air. The Ravenclaw looked at Harry with a deepening blush, losing her concentration as Nigel dropped to the floor. Ellie immediately rushed to the fallen Gryffindor, helping him up as he brushed the dirt off his trousers.
The growing sounds of incantations traveled across the room with a more prominent intensity, Ellie smiling at the multi-colored lights of magic in the air.
"Diminuendo!"
"Stupefy!"
"Expelliarmus!"
"Levicorpus!"
"Working hard is important, but there's something that matters even more: believing in yourself," Harry announced as he rushed around the room, helping the students.
"Everyone starts off at square one—no advantages, disadvantages, none of those factors. We are more powerful than we think," Ellie added, adjusting a few students' forms.
"Think of it this way. Every great wizard in history has started out as nothing more than what we are now: students. If they can do it, why not us?" Harry continued.
Harry's voice faded from Ellie's ears as she approached her girlfriend who stood in front a dueling dummy, her eyes fixated on the object in concentration. The Gryffindor muttered a Reductor Curse quietly, causing the object to blast into large chunks before reassembling again.
"Quite the teacher, aren't you?" Hermione spoke proudly, lowering her wand as she waited for the knight to fully reassemble.
"I hope I'm dong well," Ellie chimed, her doubt evident in her voice.
"I think you're a wonderful teacher," Hermione smiled. "And apparently, you seem to be enjoying yourself too."
"To this day, magic still amazes me. And seeing everyone like this... together and all that—it's quite beautiful."
"So I've noticed your amazement," Hermione admitted. "I like seeing you smile—makes me happy."
Ellie blushed as Hermione returned her attention to the inanimate knight, her wand raised at it.
"You know, Hermione... your spell would be a lot more powerful if you flicked your wand with your wrist, not your arm."
"I don't need your help," Hermione huffed, her attitude changing altogether at Ellie's attempt at guidance.
Ellie stepped closer to her girlfriend, but far enough so that it seemed like a friendly whisper. The Hufflepuff leaned in close, her lips hovering just before Hermione's ear as she opened her mouth to speak.
"Oh really? Didn't seem like that when you needed help standing a few days ago," Ellie whispered quietly, just low enough for Hermione to hear.
Hermione bit her lip at the what had happened just a few days ago, her cheeks growing a deep shade of red. Ellie simply stepped back with a smirk, crossing her arms over her chest casually.
"What I'm trying to say is that I know a bit about the Reductor Curse," Ellie continued with a shrug. "How do you think the twins and I got rid of those badges last year?"
Ellie stepped behind her girlfriend, extending her arm to place her hand over Hermione's to adjust her form.
"Try it now," Ellie ordered, stepping back to let Hermione go at it again.
Hermione cast the Reductor Curse under her breath, but there was no change in her previous attempts. Ellie waited for the dummy to reassemble, then raised her wand at it.
"Reducto!" Ellie incanted with a swift flick of her wand, successfully blasting the knight into powder.
"See how the pieces are a lot more finer than the ones you did? It's all in the wrist, Hermione," Ellie spoke with intent of teaching her girlfriend. "Here, let me guide you on this next one."
Ellie resumed the position she had been in beforehand, angled slightly to the side as she stood behind Hermione. The Hufflepuff held the back of Hermione's raised hand, ready to guide her motion.
"Reducto!" Hermione spoke as Ellie's hand guided her wrist in the proper motion.
The night broke down into a fine powder, resembling that of Ellie's. The corners of Hermione's lips curled into a small smile as she lowered her hand, Ellie still behind her.
"Just like that, my love," Ellie whispered into Hermione's ear, her voice low and seductive.
"Don't do this right now," Hermione muttered, her eyes darted away from her girlfriend in attempt to distract herself.
"Are you bothered, Granger? That I'm better than you," Ellie teased, knowing that it'd get Hermione riled up.
"I'm not bothered at all," Hermione huffed, holding her head high in confidence.
"Sure you aren't," Ellie rolled her eyes, her tone still low enough for her girlfriend to hear. "For once, Hermione Granger isn't the best at everything. Admit it, darling. I'm better in bed too, aren't I?"
"Watch yourself, Ellie," Hermione warned quietly, finally breaking from the Hufflepuff's captivating presence. "Just wait for next time. You have no idea what I have planned for you—how good I'll make you feel."
"I think I'll just make you wait even more," Ellie grinned teasingly.
Ellie began to walk backwards, her palms upwards at her sides as Hermione narrowed her eyes at her. With a wink, Ellie turned around to aid another student, leaving her girlfriend with an unsatisfied frustration.