The icy cold wind danced across Elijah’s cheeks, drawing the crimson blood to the surface. The Slytherin fumbled for the packet of cigarettes he’d travelled to Dufftown for and extracted one of the cigarettes from the packet. Elijah placed it between his lips and put the packet in his pocket. He reached into the other pocket of his ¾ length coat and plucked the matches out from inside. He pushed the drawer out, half paying attention to what he was doing and half watching where he was walking, and took a red-headed match out from inside. He pushed the drawer back in and struck the head of the match across the dark landing strip on the side of the box. The match lit and he brought it up to the cigarette, shielding the flame with his hand. The tip of the cigarette began to burn and Elijah took the match away, waving his hand until the flame went out. He flicked the match away and buried his hands deep into the pocket of his coat as he inhaled the nicotine and tried in vain to keep himself warm.
Hopping up onto a rock jutting out of the slope, Elijah continued up the hill towards the Entrance courtyard. He was eager to get back to the common room. He was tired and wanted to send an Owl to Finn before he went to bed. He wanted to tell his cousin to hurry up and marry Camille so she would start Owling Elijah again. They were besotted with each other and frankly, Elijah wanted to hear about his children, not the size of his cousin’s...well, you know. Jen was the only useful one when it came for information on what Fauve and Thierry were up to. Rob just wanted someone to complain to and Elijah wasn’t that person. He had enough going on inside his own head without having to read about his namesake throwing up on Rob for the nineteenth time that week.
Elijah stepped onto the cobbled floor of the Entrance Courtyard and quickened his pace as he made his way towards the door. He bypassed a group of Ravenclaws playing Gobstones and jumped up the steps to the Entrance hall. He pushed one of the doors open and slipped inside, taking the cigarette from his lips afterwards. Elijah let the large door fall shut behind him and looked around. His eyes fell on a familiar looking Gryffindor in the house robes and he smirked slightly, remembering the last time he’d come in contact with Andrew. Elijah’s fingers went to bridge of his nose and frowned. Well, it hadn’t been nearly as painful as the chain Felix took to his face but Andrew’s punch was more of a wound to Elijah’s ego.
“You’re not going to punch me again are you?” Elijah called to the Gryffindor, “Really it wasn’t my fault...well not entirely.” He admonished with regards to Chase’s pregnancy. “It was a trick of the God’s...or it was meant to be! Or...something like that. How are you, mate?”