"Those hoof-prints are really odd," Ella agreed.

"Let's go further into the forest," Filch said simply, stroking Mrs. Norris fur. They stood in a small clearing in the Forbidden forest, about ten minute of walking from Hagrid's hut. Hagrid started tracking the hoof-prints when the three took care of Madam Maxime's Abraxans, with Snape telling her the punishment for the way she behaved was full-days detentions on Saturdays.

Including her birthday.

"Are we sure it's a good idea to go just the three of us?" she wondered as she stood up. "I mean, you're a squib, you're not allowed to use magic, even though we all know you do," Hagrid coughed, placing his umbrella behind his back bashfully, "and I'm a seventeen years old witch who is a four year in her education. We have no idea what's waiting there."

"Yer right, Ella," Hagrid hummed, "This creature is possibly dangerous."

"We're growing a dragon," Filch growled. "I think we're fine."

The three exchanged a look, when Mrs. Norris meowed.

"You're right, Mrs. Norris," Filch put her on the ground, "Grey, you're better with magic than you get credit for, and Hagrid has more meat on him. Mrs. Norris and I will be fine if the creature is hungry."

Ella and Hagrid exchanged a look, before Ella shrugged.

"I say we go grab a sandwich and then head deeper in," Ella agreed. "Dobby?" she called into the air, and Filch jumped in fright when a house-elf appeared. He was covered in scarves. "Dobby?"

"Ms. Ella?"

"Uh," she scratched her cheek. "I know Poppy's feeling a bit under the weather, so could you please do me a favour and give us some-- OH MY GOD! Dobby, you should really join us in our adventure!"

"Adventure?" Dobby wondered.

"Look," Ella pointed at the ground, where hoof prints led farther into the forest. "These are hoof-prints none of us know."

"Well, they do seem familar..." Hagrid muttered.

"Adventure?" Dobby repeated. "So, Dobby will bring snacks, and meet you here in a few minutes!" he assured, and disappeared with a crack.

"We're losing the critter," Filch groaned. "These hoofprints are pretty fresh."

"We won't lose it that quickly," Ella rolled her eyes, "it's a big creature, but having Dobby with us would be helpful. He can apparate inside of Hogwarts, and he's got powerful magic. Dobby is really brave and good company, and he's good food. Kazan-kazan," she shrugged.

"Kazan kazan?" Filch repeated, and then Ella grinned.

"Sorry, win-win."

Dobby appeared again a moment letter, holding Ella's spare bag that was filled with food and water. "I hope Fang'll be okay alone with Koda and Jorgitha," he sighed.

Ella crouched again, and suddenly gasped, "look! There's fur there!" she pointed at a tree, "and blood?" she asked, and the group hurried to the tree.

"Maybe we should get Fang."

"He's scared of yer cat."

"Get him!" Filch said loudly, and Hagrid frowned.

"No."

"Stop!" Ella called. "I don't think Fang'll be helpful here, he's too scared of many things in the forest. I think we could make it on our own."

"What if we don't?"

"Then Dobby will bring Fang," the house-elf smiled. "I say we go."

"I second that," Ella smiled as well. "Let's go!"

::

The group ventured closer to the lake-side, when they heard a wail. Filch grabbed Mrs. Norris in his arm, prepared to run, when a greyish skinned head was suddenly calling out to them.

"Do any of us speak mermish?" the group shook their head, so Ella sighed deeply. Mermish involved a lot of screeching, and Ella wasn't a good screecher, frankly, so she stepped closer.

"I'm sorry, but none of us speak mermish," she apologized, and offered a hand to shake. "My name is Ella."

The mereperson screeched, and brought up to the surface a hand with greyish webbing, and grasped Ella's hand. It was obvious the two couldn't understand each other, but were willing to communicate.

Another mereperson joined, its green hair long. It pointed exctiedly to the other side of the forest, screeching at Ella. Ella grabbed the golden fur she kept in her pocket, and showed it to the merepeople.

The two screeched, nodding and pointing over.

She bowed, "thank you!" The merepeople waved, and Ella waved back as she stood up, and she joined the group.

"So it went that way?" Filch wondered.

"You know what's that way," Ella said grimly. Hagrid gasped suddenly.

"The Giants and Trolls!"

"It could end badly," Filch warned. "We should hurry up," He put his cat back on the ground, and Ella grabbed her wand.

"Listen, we're venturing into an area even the three of us rarely go to," Ella said. "I don't speak Troll, and Hagrid's relationship with the giants is only casual. We need to be careful as we go deeper," she looked at the group seriously. "Lumos," her wand sparked up, and she looked at them. "Keep your eyes open, this is getting dangerous."

"Yer right, Ella, maybe we should get a professor."

"I don't think we've got that much time," Ella shook her head. "Come on," she started walking deeper, and true to her belief, it got dark quickly that deep in the woods-- Dobby sparked a light too, and the group traveled close to each other.

"Yeh hear somethin'?" Hagrid asked suddenly, when they heard a loud honking sound, and Mrs. Norris hissed loudly, hiding behind Filch.

"A car?" Ella wondered as she heard the wheels getting closer, "What's going on--"

They heard a loud grunt following the car's noise, and Ella grabbed Dobby's hand. "Take Hagrid away first if things get down to it, then Filch and the cat," she instructed.

"Ella, stop," Hagrid said. "Yer a student, makes sense you leave first. But what is that--"

The grunt was heard closer, and a car honked loudly as it drove past the trees and right to them, it was light blue and blinking its light, throwing the doors open.

"GET IN!" Ella called, recognizing the grunt. "It's a mountain troll!" she said, and told Hagrid to climb to the backseat and get comfty there, while she and Dobby took the driver seat, and Filch the passenger seat with Mrs. Norris.

They barely got in when the doors were closed and they drove away.

The car flew over the lake ("WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?" Filch screamed out, while Ella looked behind her to see a troll pushing down a tree), and landed right on the castle grounds, at the entrance of the great hall.

"What the fuck just happened." Ella wondered.

The car threw the doors open, and the group stared at Fred and George Weasley.

"Is that--"

"Dad's car?"

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL JUST HAPPENED?" Filch wondered, getting out of the car. Hagrid made his way out, and Dobby hopped off of Ella's lap.

"It's your dad's car?" she asked Fred and George, who nodded. "What model is it?"

"Ford Anglia," George informed.

Ella shut the door to the driver seat, and locked the door. "Let's go, Ford Anglia!" the car honked again, before driving off quickly, leaving the group behind as Ella returned to the forest.

"Ella!" Hagrid called, to no avail.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL JUST HAPPENED?" Filch wondered again.

"She's gone teh see what the creature is, Filch!" Hagrid cussed. "We need teh get Dumbledore!"

"What's going on, exactly?" Fred wondered.

"And why is Ella in our dad's lost car?"

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL JUST HAPPENED?"