The Elvin Bride
Chapter Three:
Walking up the spiral staircase and through the trap door the first thing Ginny saw was Professor Trelawney. Her messy, tangled hair and her huge glasses on her crooked nose was almost a perfect `out of this universe' picture as she fidgeted around her desk.
The crystal ball cupped by a silver metal claw seemed to glare at Ginny as she dropped her bag down on the floor next to her chair. For some reason that ball had always irked Ginny in the wrong way and almost every time she had to struggle to take her eyes away from it.
She groaned silently at the Tea Leaves that rested on the tabletop. She didn't know if she could handle any more Tea Leave Readings. Just when she thought she was going to fake sick she noticed a distinctly shaped Jade colored rock with a lopsided X carved in the middle.
Runes.
Now that was something she could handle and considering the runes were color coordinated, one side jade the other side black ice Ginny knew they'd be focusing on certain topics. Ice runes were most commonly used for questions about struggles, conflicts, and achievement whereas jade runes leaned more towards relationships, friendship, and love.
"And it would figure-" Ginny started but abruptly stopped as the over powering aroma of Patchouli and a hint of Sandalwood nearly knocked her off her feet.
Ginny shifted her gaze to the doorway as she sat down to see Cela staring at her. Shivers ran up and down Ginny's spine. That elf was frightening. Her mere presence was enough to make Ginny want to jump out of her skin, and yet at the same time she soothed her. It was strange really, that this elfin girl could pull Ginny into separate directions.
"What are you doing here?" Ginny asked proud of herself for keeping the small tremble out of her voice.
Cela sauntered towards her.
Sauntered? More like glided. It looked as if her feet had never touched the ground!
"Don't you remember? I'll be attending your classes with you."
Ginny went to say something but paused. From her first encounter with Cela she hadn't expected her to be so friendly. She had been cold and unflinching in the beginning, but her tone now was soft and gentle.
What changed?
Ginny shook her head and smiled. "I remember. So-are you stressed?"
Cela frowned and turned her shockingly blue eyes on Ginny. "Why do you ask?"
Ginny paused and stared. "Well-I just thought-well, Patchouli is an oil that helps stress and I-"
"You know your oils. It's also an antidepressant and an aphrodisiac among other things. What do you know about Sandalwood?"
Ginny grimaced and bit her lip. "That the Japanese name is Byakudan-I never knew that before."
Ginny froze in shock and repeated the words she had just said.
I never knew that before.
"Elves have a great love for anything involving nature. It's a natural characteristic and we don't have to be taught the properties of lets say…oils," Cela smiled gently.
"Oh," Ginny breathed out softly sinking into Cela's smile.
Ginny snapped her teeth and swiftly faced Professor Trelawney. Cela just gave an amused yet superior look to Ginny. Cela elegantly lifted her hand and trailed it almost lovingly along Ginny's skin.
Ginny turned her eyes and stared at the elf as if she had grown another head. "I-I…"
Cela licked her lips. "You intrigue me."
"Okay, let's review. Who can tell me what Divinations is?" Professor Trelawney smacked her hands together in anticipation.
A Slytherin boy with short black hair and piercing green eyes raised his hand and literally smirked his answer out, "Seeing into the future."
Professor Trelawney lifted her fish bowl glasses up and nodded. "Yes, but you're sixth year, where's the depth to that answer? Miss Weasley?"
Ginny, who hadn't raised her hand, started to panic. "I-I-what?"
Why did this have to happen to her? Why do teachers always have to call on people who aren't raising their hand…or paying attention for that matter? It wasn't fair.
"Divinations, Miss Weasley, a definition please."
"Divinations is an attempt to gain knowledge of the future or otherwise hidden information through a supernatural agent."
"Bravo! Ten points to Gryffindor! You'll get another ten if you can tell me five forms!"
Ginny gritted her teeth. She had always had trouble naming forms of Divination, but when she opened her mouth to answer the words just seemed to flow. "Hepatoscopy or reading livers, mainly from sheep, dice, astrology, pig entrails, dowsing, graphology, palm reading, runes..."
"Runes! One of the topics for today! They were first used over 1500 years ago by the East Goths, and later appeared throughout England and Scandinavia. As Christianity took hold, the use of runic alphabets in divination became reviled as a Pagan practice. The word "rune" itself comes from an early Anglo-Saxon word meaning "secret" or "mystery", and they remain an enigma to the world at large. Runes were initially most popular among Wiccans and modern pagans, but have enjoyed unprecedented mainstream adoption in the past 30 years. Now, there are two sets of runes, both different colors on your desk. Who can tell me what each color means?"
Although she knew the answer Ginny wasn't one to volunteer for class discussions and frowned in disappointment as another Slytherin answered the question.
"Jade is for love, friendship, and relationships, and black ice is for struggle or some type of conflict, and achievement."
Ginny held in a groan as ten points was awarded to Slytherin. If she had only raised her hand! Where was the `elf' in her now?
"We won't be spending more than five minutes on Runes because our main topic today is Palmistry, however I thought this would be a fun beginning of the year project. With the person that is sitting next to you at a later time, you will practice ten rune readings on each other and write two paragraphs for each reading you accomplish successfully. This will be due the next time we meet and since it's your first big grade I suggest you do well."
Ginny wanted to be upset about the assignment, but it was a topic she was familiar with. She had done plenty of rune readings on herself and was pretty experienced for not being a professional.
"Ginny, I'd like you and your elf friend to be my example. Would you both please come up here?"
After she thought her embarrassment for the day would be complete Ginny grudgingly, followed by Cela, lifted herself up and walked slowly down the stairs towards the front of the room.
"Find your heart line, head line, and life line!"
"Would you like me to read your palm after she lies about it?" Cela's thick exotic accent breezed against Ginny's ear.
Ginny jerked back. "Okay…space is something everyone requires," she waved her hands around her, "this is my area and this is your area. We don't cross the lines between them!"
Cela's eyes flashed a light red before the elf grinned. "I love your logic."
Ginny lifted her finger and shook it. "And stop doing that!"
Ginny had the greatest urge to smack herself in the face and make her mouth stop moving. Cela was sure to kill her now. Elves were grudge holders.
Giving an innocent look Cela licked her top lip. "Doing what?"
Ginny stuttered slightly, still pointing. "That! J-j…stop what you are doing! If you think it's something you'd do then do the opposite!"
Cela gave a small chuckle and chucked Ginny under the chin causing Ginny to sputter in shock. "You better pay attention!"
Ginny growled and lifted her right hand up. Silently she opened the Palmistry book that Trelawney had presented to her and very quickly identified her heart line, lifeline, and headline.
"Produce your writing hand!" Professor Trelawney lifted her hand out so Ginny could place her right hand into hers, and she cleared her throat. "Your growth line has remained static for some time now. It crosses the line of expediency approximately midway. A positive change will be taking place in your life. There is a place you have been dreaming of, and it will become a reality if you keep working toward it and do not diverge."
"Am I hearing this correctly? No Grim?" One of the students snickered out.
Ginny felt her eyes widen as anger crossed Professor Trelawney's face, but she simply cleared her throat and continued.
"You are often faced with small temptations that you see other people giving into. Sometimes you feel deprived because you do not allow yourself to give in. Instead of feeling deprived, you should feel proud that you are stronger than the others. Stay strong and you will be extremely pleased with the success it brings."
Ginny snorted and walked to back to her seat. "Oh yeah…static means remaining the same! She was definitely wrong," Ginny murmured.
Cela looked at the Professor and frowned. "Perhaps about that, but she was more accurate than I would have anticipated with a few of the details. I can give you a reading tonight in our room."
Ginny choked and gasped for air. "W-w…our room?"
"Hmm, I didn't tell you. It must have slipped my mind. I failed to mention that your roommates agreed to move into another room while you and me will be living there for the year. Just you and me."
Ginny could feel her mouth drop open. "WHAT?"
"Miss Weasley, however impressed I am with you today, please do not irritate me!" Professor Trelawney scolded.
She gulped and gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry Professor!"
"What about Professor Dumbledore? I'm sure he would say-"
"He's the one who asked your roommates to move."
Ginny groaned and gave a defeated look. Cela patted her gently on the shoulders, letting her hand rest a little too long for comfort against Ginny's shoulder blade. Cela then let her hand trail down the spine.
"SPACE!"
Cela frowned. "Why don't you like me?"
Please don't let her hit me!
"It's not that I don't like you it's just-what? Do you want me to say that I'm afraid of you? That you scare me and calm me at the same time…if that's even possible? You have this immense power radiating off of you and your eerie beauty is just off putting. I'm scared of you and if that's going to make you angry then-"
"I'm not angry, but you have nothing to be afraid of. I promise. I'd rather hurt myself than hurt you."
Ginny huffed. "For someone that can tell the future you sure couldn't tell what was nagging me."
"I more open to telling the future, that doesn't mean I can get everything that's channeled my way."
Ginny bowed her head, turned away, and listened as Professor Trelawney began calling on students. The first was a Gryffindor girl; she pulled through the reading stuttering and with a nervous twinge to her voice. Ginny knew then that this would be a long class period.
By the time everyone had spoken their readings, and class had ended, Ginny found herself fidgeting. She stood up and gathered her books, scratching her side, and sighing as the Slytherin's pushed their way through, glaring down their nose with distaste at the Gryfindors.
"What's your next lesson?" Cela asked softly.
"Transfigurations, and then everyone has the rest of the day off because it's only the first day."
Cela just stood there eyeing Ginny, showing no sign of emotions. Ginny turned, widened her eyes, and walked out of the classroom, clutching her bag to her right shoulder.
Run; get as far away from this magical beast as you possibly can, Ginny thought to herself and instantly felt ashamed.
Cela, however bizarre it was, had been trying. Ginny, try as she might though couldn't stop her legs from forming a `V' as she sprinted towards her next classroom. Once she was safely in her seat guilt plummeted into her gut and she knew she should get up and find Cela.
Just as she had gotten the courage up to go and find her Cela sat down.
"Tsk, tsk, Ginny! I thought we had discussed this fear of yours?"
Ginny had the insane urge to jump up and down, to stomp rudely and cry out that `it wasn't fair', but then she had done enough temper tantrums for the day.
"Like I said it's not that I don't like you and now that I know I don't need to be afraid of you I-it's just that the thing that happened in the Great Hall…and, and," she stuttered, "and you are trying to provoke me!"
Cela crossed her arms across her chest. "I haven't done a thing," she said letting the tip of her tongues slide along her top lip.
"Sit over there!" Ginny pointed to the corner.
"I cannot," Cela spoke softly letting her white hair fall into her face.
"Ah Miss Weasley, welcome back! I trust you've had a good day so far?"
"So-so!" Ginny gave a generous smile.
A silver chalice with foreign engravings on it appeared in front of Ginny's face, making her jerk back in shock.
"Don't be startled. Is everyone here?" Professor McGonagall asked. "Right then. This task should be extremely easy so once you've finished and you've shown me what you've done you may leave and have the rest of the day to yourselves!"
The class cheered.
"Transfigure the cup into a heart pendant. Wave your wand, with precise wrist flicks, saying Commutabilis Exta. It means Change Heart."
Students began flicking their wrists and working on the pronunciation. As Ginny began to do the same she felt something crawling up her back. She turned to see a huge spider resting on her shoulders. Ginny screamed and pushed it away. She expected it to hit the ground and creep away with its crawly hairy legs, but she didn't see anything.
"Miss Weasley would you please sit down!"
Ginny felt the hysterics in her voice when she pointed. "But there's a spider!"
"I see nothing!" McGonagall glanced towards the floor.
Squinting her eyes she spoke with sarcasm. "Really? No I was just screaming for nothing! Just because I'm a student doesn't mean I'm a liar," Ginny slapped her hand to her mouth, her eyes widening in horror. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that!"
McGonagall gave Ginny a grim look. "I'm willing to let that slide under your circumstances, but please in the future hold your tongue!"
"Yes," Ginny forced out as she sat down and began the phrase. "Commutabilis Exta."
The raunchy smell of blood and the sound of a beating heart was what Ginny saw as the cup changed into a bloody heart. The coppery smell of it was so strong she could almost taste the liquid in her mouth. She gagged and heard a Hufflepuff girl scream and scramble away from her.
"Professor!" the girl screamed.
Ginny tried desparetly to explain that it was an accident, but all she got out was a loud gag. She quickly covered her mouth, blinking her eyelids rapidly so as to get the water out of her eyes.
"Oh! Dreadful smell!" a Gryffindor boy scowled.
"Well, I suppose class will be even shorter today! You all are dismissed. Ginny, you may go to!"
Ginny quickly darted for the door, but paused as a thought formed in her head. "Um, professor? Couldn't you have just used magic to get rid of it instead of dismissing everyone?"
Professor McGonagall gave Ginny a knowing look and waved her hand, muttering some words, and the heart disappeared.
"Oh!"
"Have a good day, Miss Weasley."
Ginny nodded her eyes still wide with shock. Cela glided up to her and let her arm, rest on her shoulders. Cela began playing with a piece of Ginny's hair that had fallen in her face.
"Professor Dumbledore has given permission for a special back to school trip in to Hogsmeade. Would you like to go?"
"Yes, but why has he given permission?"
"Harry, Hermione, and your brother thought it would be a perfect time for you to start your fundraising. You'll be dancing and singing while we all gather money from the crowds."
Ginny slipped out from under Cela's arm. "That soon huh?"
"Of course! Don't you want to see my home town?" Cela's eyes twinkled with happiness. "It's beautiful. The most magical place on Earth-"
"I don't understand Cela, why can't you just get us in?"
"I could tell you, but there would be a price!"
"A price? For you telling me why you can't take us to Elf Town?"
"Yes."
Ginny sighed as the walked out of the classroom and down the empty halls. "What's the price?"
"We elves aren't allowed to give away our secrets of Elf Town without a price we set."
"That price would be?"
"Trust and love. I've never given both away. So I'm sorry that you'll have to take the long way to get to Elf Town. It's a journey that will make you realize your worth. I believe it's for the best anyhow. I will however willing be your guide for the long way if you provide me with your kiss."
"Whoa-wait-what?"
"Oh, it isn't that bad!" Cela smacked Ginny's thigh. "When are you going to understand that you are now attracted to both sexes?"
"I am not!"
"Yes you are!" Cela argued back.
"No, I'm not!"
"Yes you are!"
"NO, I'm not!"
"Yes-oh for the love of moon petals-it's simply a fact now that you are an elf. It's nothing to be ashamed of!"
"I'm not ashamed! I'm just not kissing you!"
"Do you ever want to be rid of this curse?" Cela asked calmly almost eerily.
"I do but-" Ginny sniffled trying desperately to hold back the tears.
Ginny slowly leaned forward, cupped Cela's face, and placed her lips against hers, Ginny felt her heart start to escalate just as she pulled away.
"You now officially have a guide."
________________________________________________________________________
"Ginny, ready?" Hermione asked as she popped her head into her room.
"I don't think I can do this! Is this going to work?" Ginny asked as she walked out the door.
Hermione trailed behind her. "I don't know. All we can do is hope for the best. Ginny, you'll do great."
"Hopefully the elf gene will kick in fast because I couldn't dance or sing if my life depended on it!"
Hermione gave a chuckle as the walked towards Harry, Ron, and Cela. Ginny choose to ignore the glare Hermione sent towards Cela as the elf trailed her hand down Harry's arm. Harry laughed at something that was said and leaned back against the Gryffindor table.
"She's become very familiar with everyone hasn't she?" Hermione asked. "Can she not make up her mind and decide who she's attracted too?"
"Hermione, are you jealous?"
"Not in the slightest," Hermione huffed as they walked over to the group.
"My interest is solely towards one person Miss Granger," Cela informed Hermione while she stared at Ginny.
"Well, if it isn't four eyes, the momma's boy, and the mudblood," Draco Malfoy drawled out with a sneer on his face.
Ginny sighed and plopped herself down on the bench, letting her head lean back as she stared at her brother's worst enemy. Draco gave a glance to Ginny and swiftly averted his gaze.
"I didn't say anything to you, Malfoy so why don't you just get bent and die?" Ron growled out.
Cela lifted her finger up and grinned almost evilly, "You forgot a bisexual elf that wants Ginny, and the newly formed bisexual elf, Ginny."
Ginny grunted and shook her head, tiring of fighting with Cela about her bisexuality. This news however, obviously new news, seemed to shock Malfoy enough allowing his face to actually show emotion. Ginny didn't know who was more surprised.
"Bisexual, huh? Well that's interesting!" Malfoy smirked and rubbed his hands together as he eyed Ginny and Cela. "Well any time you guys want a real man, you come over to my room."
Malfoy chucked a shocked Ginny under the chin and smirked at a glaring Cela. Ron growled as he watched him touch his sister.
"You do look a lot better with blond hair," Malfoy grinned down at Ginny who'd averted her head, a warm blush flushing her cheeks, amusing him more.
It was then that Ron reacted smashing his fist into the ferrets face.
"Oh! Ah!" Ginny cried out, holding her head, as she watched her brother and her enemy start bashing each other.
"Harry, do something!" Hermione screamed.
The fight began and ended so quickly that all Ginny had to do was blink. The very last thing she saw was Malfoy swinging his leg, his foot making contact with Ron's face. When Harry ran to intervene another kick he was rewarded with a roundhouse to the side of his face. The force of it was so hard Harry did a flip and fell to the ground.
Draco stood over them, slightly out of breath, glaring. "Don't fuck with me!"
"Ron!" Ginny cried out as she saw that he wasn't getting up.
She leapt past Malfoy to go to his aid. Blood was pouring out of her brothers' nose. Ginny ripped one of her sleeves and tried to force him to tilt his head back so that she could stop the bleeding.
"Put your head back," Ginny demanded as she took a rubber band out of her hair and started tying it around his finger. "This will make you brain register that you finger needs blood, and the blood flow of your nose will slow."
"Let him bleed to death!" Malfoy growled viciously.
"Just leave! You've done enough damage!" Ginny yelled
Malfoy, who'd been glaring at Ron, jerked his gaze towards Ginny. She expected him to say something, but all he did was stare for about three seconds, before he smirked, glared, and walked away.
Hermione, who'd been examining Harry, walked over to Ron. "Harry just has a nasty bruise on his forehead, he might have a concussion. Lets see Ron," Hermione lifted his chin up and grimaced. "I think you might have broken it."
"Looks like the fundraiser Hogsmeade trip is on hold then," Ginny said with hope.
Ron gave a nasal response. "No, Ginny, you have to go. Cela and Hermione, you guys will go with her right? Harry and I will take ourselves to Pomfrey."
Hermione stood and gave a sigh. Ginny, who'd thought, she'd gotten out of her humiliation, groaned.
"Are you sure Ron? Because I mean-"
"Ginny, I'm sure!"
"Come on," Cela spoke into Ginny's ear as she gently pulled on her arm.
"Can't we just have a bake sell like everyone else? Why do I have to shake my arse in front of people?"
"Ginny, watch you language!" Ron said still holding his nose.
"Right, because you do!" Ginny sneered and stomped away.
Ron gave a pained sigh and went with Harry to Madam Pomfrey's.
====================================================================
"I don't want to do this!" Ginny glowered. "This is so ridiculous."
"If you want to find a way to lift this curse, Ginevra Weasley you'll have to do this. We need to go to Elf Town and for that we need money that we just don't have. This is your only option."
"My full name is just dreadful!" Ginny grumbled.
"I think it's cute…virginal," Cela grinned, her face a little too close to Ginnys'.
"Do I have to do that, this is my space this is your space speech again? Why do you have to go from being my worst nightmare to teasing me?" Ginny asked crossing her arms as she stood on the sidewalk in front of a chain of Hogsmeade stores.
Cela gave a chuckle and gently tickled Ginny's back.
"I'm going to get something to drink. I'll be back in a second," Ginny sighed.
Cela frowned as she watched Ginny retreat down the street. Hermione glanced up and looked at a dreamy Cela.
"You like her a lot huh?" Hermione concluded.
Cela slipped her hands into her front pockets and shrugged. "She's different."
Hermione gave a knowing smile. "She's a good girl, too. She's taking this situation very well. Probably better than I would have."
Cela smiled, still looking in the direction Ginny had gone. "Yeah."
________________________________________________________________________
"Oaf-" Ginny crashed into someone's chest and fell to the ground. "Oh! I think I broke my butt!"
"Watch it, you stupid Gryffindor!" the voice sneered.
Ginny lifted her head up to see a 7th year boy from Slytherin, his name was just on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't remember it. He had black hair, searing black eyes, and he was extremely tall.
"Well excuse me, but I think it was you who ran into me!"
He sneered and gave a look that sent shivers down her spine. "You're dead meat weasel!"
Ginny glared as she watched him walk away. "Jerk."
====================================================================
"Ginny, finally! Come on! Get up on those steps and start," Hermione pushed.
"I-I don't even know what I'm going to do!" Ginny complained.
Cela smiled. "It'll come to you."
Ginny bent the tips of her toes, and turned, stretching. It was almost as if she knew what she was doing.
To Be Continued…
-->