Chapter Four ~ Night Watch

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''Where's Lily?'' Rob enquired, looking round the common room. Lily Potter looked up.

''I won't pretend to misunderstand you Rob, but I think I'd better be known as Lily P for now.'' She said, shutting her book. ''And to answer your question, she went to bed about ten minutes ago, and I intend to do that just now.'' She stood up and yawned. ''Night.''

''Night.'' The three boys chorused in a murmur. Rose entered the common room and she too went off to bed. Half an hour later, Rob, Fred and Albus went. By midnight, the common room was empty.

Then came a darting shadow, slipping past the paintings and through the darkness, the flickering firelight dancing on her face as she trod silently through the common room and disappeared into the corridor outside. With careful, hurried steps, she reached a wide, open window that lead onto the slate roof just as the clock began to chime.

The wind blew fast and furious that night, howling, but she didn't notice it. Climbing out onto the flat part of the roof, she watched as the green jets of light began to coil themselves round her body and change it as they went. She became taller, graceful, elegant. Her night clothes became tight, Intricately woven and embroidered leather garments, upon bare feet fitted black hunting boots that came up to her knees.

And her face. Her whole face changed.

High cheekbones, refined features, eyes even more luminous and framed by dark, long lashes. She was enchanting, mesmerising. Her true form was that of extreme, captivating beauty. 

Once the transformation was over, she began her explorations, jumping nimbly over the roofs. She used the telescope at the astronomy tower, greeted Fawkes through the headmistresses window, and sat on the window sill looking into the boy's dormitories. Albus was sleeping, face peaceful and silent. She watched them, watched all of them sleep. She wanted to know how they acted, already she was getting the hang of their speech and body language. Her accent would go, she knew that. Did she want it to? She didn't have a choice, she adapted to her enviroment, that was her natural instinct.

The natural instinct of an elf.