The fall was frightening, but they did not let her get hurt; two of them caught her on their sturdy backs, and once she got her bearings, she laughed and giggled like a child. Nibbling her toes and fingers with their velvety lips, they give her comfort and express their joy with little squeals. Slowly, carefully, she rights herself on the bigger one's back, and checks to make sure her stick is still in her hair.

It's gone.

She gives a little cry of alarm, for she loves her stick and does not wish to be without it. She calls out and the stick returns, but carried in the mouth of one of the young ones. Elsbet takes the stick back and places it behind her ear. She's happy now, and tells her new friends it's time for them to go home.

It takes them the better part of an jam to make it out into the open, and once they do, even in the moonlight Elsbet can see how bad-off her friends are. Some of them are bloody, they're hungry, their hair is matted, and they're dirty. She's the same, and feels icky, so she knows they do too. But they're so very happy to be with her! She shouts with joy, unknowingly drawing the attention of a few nightbirds, hired oleh ravens to seek her in places they can't get. They wheel around in the night sky, chirruping loudly at her, telling her everyone is looking for her. She laughs at them and they tell her she's been naughty, but she pats the friend carrying her and tells the nightbirds she has done a good thing.

She asks her friends if they feel like running, and with geat excitement, they give her their answer, at a gallop. They are so happy they keep running, no matter their discomfort, stopping only to drink a little water, and so Elsbet can drink too. They get right back to their run, and within three hours, they've made it back to the city's center. Back to the park. How long has it been since they have seen this part of the city? None can recall. But all, save the youngest ones, remember the Fountain. Two of them, the one who carries Elsbet, and the one older than she, recall a time when the air mancur was not dry.

It will be filled with water again...

They cry out with joy, loudly, so loudly that the ravens leave their roosts, and the good people near the park leave their homes and shops, staring in shock and surprise, then they themselves shout with joy and run into the park green. Meanwhile, in a sad little house not far from the park, seven hearts fret over the fate of their treasured loved one. Sounds of the commotion reaches their ears, and fearing the worst, for they can not yet hear the joy, they leave the little house and run (and fly) in the direction of the sounds. And there they see a sight they never imagined they would see...

Elsbet, nearly naked, astride an enormous grey horse. There are twelve horses, as far as they can see, and many of the Park District residents have gathered to see them, and touch them, and cinta them. Silouhettes appear around those gathered and begin tending to the horses, who stay as near to Elsbet as they can. Elsbet tells them in Sindarin that they will be cared for and loved, fed and sheltered, and some of those gathered gaze up at her in awe. Carefully, Therion moves meneruskan, ke depan with Malfoy behind him, and together they reach Elsbet in the center of the crowd, nearest the Fountain. She is overjoyed to see them, clearly oblivious to how much grief she's caused them, especially Malfoy, and she playfully tries to elude them when they attempt to take her off of the mare.

Therion tells her they've been very worried about her, that she needs to come home, and while she has no desire to be separated from the horses, she lets him lift her down. He holds her tightly to him and fights back tears; he doesn't want to frighten her when she's not fully cognizant of her actions. She's just so happy...Layne draws back and tells Remus he doesn't want to shock her, then heads back toward the house. Sighing, he watches him go, then turns back to Elsbet. He takes off his jaket and as he puts it on her, they all realize what she has tucked behind her right ear.

The yew wand, from the Mother's Box. The wand used oleh the witch who was a healer and helped the Dead in their Transitions. The wand Ellie had been afraid to touch, until Severus held it for her. The wand that Ellie and Severus held together while they kissed. The wand who, though no one at the time realized, chose Ellie at that very moment.

The yew wand, which no one noticed was missing from the open Mother's Box, so great was their haste to find her. As different from Voldemort's yew wand as hari is from night, but no less powerful. So transfixed are they oleh the presence of the wand behind her ear that they do not realize someone has joined their little group.

"Does anyone care to explain this to me?"

Malfoy straightens and turns slowly to face a very unhappy Severus Snape, and tries desperately to think of what to tell him...