The Year of Friends (Jake's Charrie)

Ellie smiled. She loved this place as if it where her second home. Hogwarts was of course her first, and then her home home.. but..ya. Weasley a Wizard Wheezes was her home. She loved shopping here for supplies for her pranks for the school year. She loved thinking about pulling them and seeing people's reactions. It was the high light of her day. Of course, she wouldn't go and try them out in "the field" without testing them first. Considering she was an only child, and her mother being the only one who lived at home with her... her mother was the only test subject available. She knew she gave her mother a run for her money, but how else was she supposed to make friends?

Sure it would be nice to find friends who appreciated her pranks and wanted to do them HER way. Otherwise it was no fun. They had no purpose. Ellie grabbed whatever she could carry. Money was no object. She had been saving since she was eleven knowing that fifth year would be her year. The year of pranks. The year of making friends.ellie had a hard time making friends. Her mother worried about Ellie for that reason, but Ellie assured her that she was going to change things up this year. This year She would make at least one friend and it would be all fine. It was time.

Ellie was just minding her own business looking at some love potions when all of a sudden somebody BUMPED into her. How DARE they! Didn't they realize that she was precious cargo? Didn't they realize that they might possibly be the new target to her ideas that where popping into her head that very moment? And when she steadied herself and took a look at the person who RUDLEY bumped into her her wheels in her brain started turning. This could be fun.

Max. Gryffindor? She thought she recognized him. He was either her age, or a year or two younger but she had definently seen him around before. Yes this could be really fun. Maybe she could make an assistant out of him. Make him a pawn in her games. Toy with his mind. It would be ideal to have somebody to mess with the next year.

She realized that she was just starring at him. She said, "sorry. I'm Elowyn. Ellie for short. Nice to meet you Max. You're in Gryffindor right? I think I've seen you around. Have you seen me?"

He most certainly had probably seen her around. Ellie was a very important person to keep track of. If he hadn't seen her around, Ellie would be highly offended.

A fourth year.. A little younger than Ellie hoped, but he was better than no friends at all, and that seemed to be a pattern for Ellie. No friends. It sucked because sometimes she got lonely, but at times she was thankful. When she got upset she had nobody that would beg her to tell them the reason for her attitude. Now, it worked. She could act out without anybody being suspicious. She could do what she wanted without being questioned by anybody other than an authority figure. Of course, sometimes she wished she had a partner in crime... but it was best to act alone. That way if Shen did get in trouble, she wouldn't feel guilty if her partner did. Well, she wouldn't anyways, it was just one less person to worry about.

Ellie was appalled. He hadn't seen her around and was even brave enough to admit it. A true Gryffindor in that one. And she admired it. At least he didn't lie to her and say he had seen her around when he hadn't. Lying would be worse than telling the truth. And Ellie hated liars with a burning passion. She shrugged.

She smiled when he guessed her house. Well one of the two was what he thought it was. Ravenclaw. She hadn't pictured herself a ravenclaw when her mother told her all about the houses and being sorted. Her mother had been in Hufflepuff. She was somewhat disappointed she didn't get sorted into Hufflepuff because it's common room was right next to the kitchens. But whatever. She was happy being a ravenclaw. She said, "I'm a ravenclaw! Nice guess. But I'm more of the rebellious sort. I don't like doing homework and don't care about grades. But apparently I'm still smart enough for Ravenclaw, but whatever." It didn't matter because the sorting hat was always right, and didn't make a mistake, even though sometimes it seemed like it.

Ellie looked at the couple of things she had. One item was a fake chocolate frog that made your face blow up and your hands and feet as well. Genius. She held it up and said, "Just this chocolate frog thingy. It's not really a chocolate frog, it's a fake one. Like it doesn't taste good or anything. It blows your face up. LIKE BOOM!" Ellie liked to over exaggerate a little bit. She hoped the boy wouldn't think it would LITERALLY blow up his face... Just make it poofy for a couple of hours... She started picturing his face all blown up and it made her giggle a bit.

And then he went on about animals. Ellie had a strong passion for animals. Some would call her crazy about them, like her madre, but she was supposed to think that so it didn't really count. But when she mentioned to other people that she had tons of animals, they looked at her like she was crazy so that was how she knew it was really true. This kid.. she might like. She hadn't really met anyone at Hogwarts that was friend worthy. But since he had a thing for animals, it might give them something to talk about.

Ellie said, "I here you on the animal part... I hate hearing stories about how people abuse them sometimes. And don't even get me started on Animal testing. I've tried stopping it. Writing strongly worded letters and such, but nothing has happened to change it. I have a butt load of animals at home. What about you? My horse is probably my favorite. He can take me on adventures."

As she tried to get the image in his head, she started getting homesick for them. She couldn't wait until she could go home here in a few hours and take her horse out for a ride. Maybe this Max kid would like to ride her other one... But she'd have to get to know him a little better before that happened. Maybe even be friends with him.

The explanation of what the girl had picked up made Max's eyes go wide. Exploding faces didn't sound like a very pleasant prank - Max had taken the words quite literally and couldn't quite fathom how that could be fixed. "That sounds painful..." Max replied to her words, obviously unsure on the idea by the look on his face. "But I'm not fond of chocolate frogs, so at least I won't get them confused in error!" He added with a small chuckle.

Max was eagerly nodding at her words on animals, and even looked impressed when Elowyn said she'd written letters to try to stop animal testing. Max hadn't.. but then he couldn't even remember to write to Elyah so it wasn't exactly surprising he couldn't write a full letter to wonder official.

"I have a cat, his name is Freddo. Like the chocolate bars. He's a nightmare for stealing things, to be honest. But I love him very much! Then I have Buckle, my Bowtruckle. I found a nest of Bowtruckles in the grounds of Hogwarts. They're awesome creatures!" Max explained happily. "They were quite difficult to get near, though! But they have grown to trust me."

The final words were said with a puff of the chest from Max. Animals were the only thing he was really any good with.

Ellie laughed at his expression. It was priceless.

She said, "No... I didn't LITERALLY mean they would blow up... I meant that your face would get all puffy, and so would your feet."

She brushed some of her hair out of her face and chuckled at the boy. This could really be a great friendship if she played her cards right. He wasn't a fan of chocolate frogs?? Was he for real?

She smiled and said, "I wasn't at first. But now, I love them. I know they are based off real frogs and it seems wrong, but you just have to get passed the fact that it's not a real frog. Just a spell on some chocolate, and you'll be fine. Maybe you'd like to try this one?"

She laughed. If he fell for it, she'd be surprised. Maybe this kid was gullible. Ellie watched his face when she was telling him about all the things she had done to save animals. She was getting rather boasty and flipped her hair back as she bragged. When he said he just had a cat, she laughed.

She said, "Well. I have a horse named Petunia, a turtle called Rodger, my owl is Ernie, 2 bunnies named Earl an Pearl, a cockatoo named Melvin, two dogs, Dodger and Freddie, and 2 cats named Sylvia and Ruby."

She smiled. She was proud of her animal collection. She planned on having even more as she grew older, but for now, that would do. But one thing that Ellie didn't have, was a Bowtruckle. And when he mentioned it, she wanted one.

She said, "Take me. I want one!"