Ellie woke rather comfortably as she rolled over in the bed, the satin sheets falling smoothly against her skin. Her instincts told her to sling her arm over Hermione just as she did every morning, but her arm hit the bed, embracing an empty space and leaving her alone. She groaned as she sat up, finding yet another set of black clothing neatly set on the bench at the end of the bed.

Ellie entered the connected bathroom, staring at her sullen eyes in the mirror. She was tired, but not physically; it was more of an emotional drainage from the recent events. Her golden necklace dangled over the sink, her girlfriend's name printed on the metal.

The necklace sparkled for a split second. The Hufflepuff's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she examined the necklace further, leaning closer to the mirror for a closer look. It sparkled once more, lasting for a few seconds. Hermione's name suddenly transformed into another message.

It now read: Danger.

Ellie's eyebrows widened as she read it over once more. Perhaps the mirror was playing tricks on her, deceiving her eyes the longer she stayed.

"What do you mean, darling... what do you mean..." Ellie muttered as she clutched the edge of the counter.

The necklace changed once more, this time reading: Snatchers.

Panic quickly overcame Ellie as she rushed out of the bathroom, gathering her belongings quickly from the bedroom. Nearly stumbling a few times, Ellie managed to make it out of the bedroom and back towards the dining hall. She glanced around frantically as she determined the direction of the front door. She paced down the hallway quickly, sighing in relief as she saw the hinge of the front door from around the corner. Ellie now broke into a sprint, desperate to leave the wretched manor. A glimmer of hope made its way to Ellie as she neared the front door, the intensity of that feeling ever-growing.

The hope was cut short abruptly as she stopped in her tracks, noticing the man who stood in front of the door, blocking her way out.

Ellie immediately withdrew her wand in attempt to frighten him, but he remained unfazed by her action.

"I'm leaving, Steven," Ellie announced coldly, nearing her wand closer to the man as she took a cautious step.

"I am your father, Ellie. I expect you to call me that. It's rather disrespectful of you to refer to me using my name," he replied cooly, his body set in a rigid position.

"I told you, I'm leaving. Please step aside," Ellie countered, disregarding his request.

"Why don't you stay? Just for a little while longer? Catch up on some family time," Steven asked casually, his expression smug.

"I can't, I already told you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go," Ellie urged, raising her voice at the man.

The man didn't nudge one bit. He continued to stay in front of the door, irritating his daughter even further.

"You think I'll ever forgive you? Who do you think I am? I need answers, not you forcing your so-called 'family time' on me. Why are you living a life full of lies? Why do you lie to everyone you meet? Does it give you some sort of entertainment? Does being Muggleborn have anything to do with your grand scheme? Tell me, Steven, why are you like this?," Ellie snapped as her wand inched towards her father's throat.

He said nothing. But soon enough, he had dragged his daughter to a nearby room, slamming the door behind him as he silence the room. Ellie tried to squirm out of his tight grip, but her skin continued to turn white under his fingers.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Ellie snarled as she finally broke away from his grasp, backing away as his eyes turned dark.

"Shut your mouth," he demanded in a stern voice, furrowing his eyebrows angrily. "You need to learn how to control yourself, especially what comes out of that damned mouth of yours. You understand?"

"You don't get to talk to me like that!" Ellie screamed as she pointed her wand at him, her hand trembling vigorously.

"You want your damn answers? You stay here! You join us, and you serve the most powerful wizard of all time. So if you want your answers, so be it! But you know what you have to do!" he roared, his voice deafening the ears of the Hufflepuff's.

Ellie took a step back in response, flinching at his words and stumbling on her own feet.

"Never," she spat coldly. "I'd never become one of you. Never in a million years would I become an evil, wretched, selfish prick!"

"Don't lie to me, young lady!" He advanced towards her and gripped her arm once more, twisting it harshly to produce a piercing screech. "I know you you want to be here! You have nothing else to live for! It's hopeless for you, for every one of your friends. The Ministry, Hogwarts, the entire goddamn Wizarding world has already fallen to our feet!"

"Stop it! You're hurting me!" Ellie cried out as swung her hands helplessly as Steven withdrew his own wand and pointed it at her head.

"Legilimens!" he incited, and another ear-splitting scream came from Ellie's mouth as her wand dropped to the floor.

Flashes of white light fluctuated between every scene, allowing full access to Ellie's memories.

Blasting badges with Fred and George. Hermione and Ellie's first kiss. Cedric's death. The Department of Mysteries. The Protection Ring. Her own death. Christmas with the Weasleys. Picnics. Quidditch matches. Shattered mirrors. Dances under the stars. The battle in the sky. Ministry break-in. Ron's departure.

Steven finally drew back, tucking away his wand as Ellie doubled over. He had a look on his face that showed clear bewilderment, his eyes wide with surprise.

"What the hell?! Those are private! You have no right to see it! You don't deserve any right to see my life!" Ellie shrieked with an anger so intense, the entire manor would have heard it if the room hadn't been silenced.

"My ring. Where is my ring?" he growled, scanning Ellie's fingers for it.

"Don't you dare change the subject! You're a piece of-"

"I need my goddamn ring! Where the hell is my ring?!" Steven repeated in a louder tone, his expression panicked.

"I don't fucking have it! In case you haven't noticed, it's clearly not on my finger. Is that really what you care about? Your precious little ring?" Ellie countered angrily.

"You tell me right this instance! Where. Is. My. Ring."

"Fine! You really want to know? I gave it away, you prick! I don't have it!"

Ellie's father ran his hands through his hair hastily as his chest heaved with a terror-stricken expression. He paced around the room in quick steps as Ellie watched with furrowed eyebrows.

"No, no, no, no, no! You dumb girl! It's useless now! It's bloody useless!" he yelled with panic. "The ring! Blood! Protect! Death! Tragedy! Useless! Gone! Family!"

"What are you saying? Tell me what you mean!" Ellie urged as she watched her father pace about the room, shouting random words like a madman.

Steven collapsed to the floor, sitting upright as he curled his knees to his chest. He began to rock himself quickly, his eyes focusing on his hands. He carried a dazed expression with wide eyes, seeming to be lost in deep thought and realization.

Ellie approached her father cautiously, stopping just before him. She picked up her discarded wand, readying it at his head. She took a deep breath, shutting her eyes tightly in concentration.

"I need answers," Ellie sighed with regret. "Legilimens."