Fooood.

"Do you want me to- take a turn cooking?"

She hums, thinking. "I don't need the help, right now, but if you enjoy cooking or want to learn spells for it then I don't mind letting you handle some of the meals."

"I'm not going to require you to do chores, though - beyond a request you tidy up after yourself when in common areas, and that you don't leave food or dirty dishes lying around your room."

Nod nod. "Okay."

"You're a guest, right now. You should get to relax."

This makes her happy.

She smiles. "Is there anything particular you'd like to do today?"

"Not in particular? Just keep reading and practicing."

She nods. "I'm available if you want help."

"I'd like to get out of the apartment at some point today, though - we can eat out, or walk down to the park, or something else..."

"Okay."

"In general I'd like that to be every day, unless something comes up. Get a bit of sunshine and exercise."

"You'll probably have to remind me."

She smiles. "I can do that."

Shy smile.

And onward with their day.

Professor Reynolds remains available for questions as promised, otherwise working on what's probably lesson plans or on her own reading. (She seems to read muggle works, as well as magical ones). Her library's open to Ellie, of course, so Ellie's immensely unlikely to run out of things to read any time in the next... Oh, decade, even if she manages two books a week.

The same pattern continues, eventually settling into a nice routine - Professor Reynolds teaches Ellie a few more spells before term starts, mostly utility charms she might find useful at Hogwarts. (Repairing small breaks in items, cleaning different materials, creating a timed alarm, telling the time...)

She's fairly insistent about spending time outside every day - though she doesn't mind if that time outside involves sitting in the park reading a book, and she takes Ellie to a few magical restaurants over the month (especially if the weather's poor).

As term approaches - "There's a magically hidden platform at King's Cross, called Nine and Three Quarters," she explains. "Most students take the Hogwarts Express from there - even ones who live closer to Hogwarts, since it's a tradition. We can floo straight to the platform rather than going the muggle way."

"I won't be on the train, since I have a teacher's meeting to attend at Hogwarts, but I'll see you off."

"I'd like that."

She grins back.

Professor Reynolds does help Ellie make sure she's packed everything the night before - "Though if you realize you've forgotten something, I can get back here pretty easily," - and then she wakes Ellie up in plenty of time (up to her whether she wants to put her uniform on ahead of time or slip the robe on as the train gets closer to Hogwarts), and they can floo to Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

They're a little bit early, so it's not too horrendously crowded yet - still, there's dozens of students and their families here already. Professor Reynolds helps Ellie get her trunk onto the train, then says, "Are you good to take it from here?"

"Yes Professor. You can go have your meeting now."

Small smile. "You're a good kid. I'll see you at Hogwarts."

"See you."

She smiles and heads off - presumably toward the little courtyard with the platform's floo connections.

Ellie takes a look around the platform. For somewhere to sit, or anything interesting-looking.

There's some benches and some small shops. There's also a lot of people, with more arriving before the ones already here can finish their goodbyes, promising a bit of a coming crowd.

She gets a little snack and claims a bench before it gets too terribly crowded.

Many of the students board, reducing the crowds, but the majority of Hogwarts' three hundred students seem determined to get on the train shortly before departure time - there's a lot of wizarding families, most of them with only one child, two at most. Ellie sees Tonks in the crowd at one point, accompanied by a kid about her age, before the crowd swallows them. 

There's still a pretty large press when a whistle blows and the conductor starts calling for the people still lingering to get on board.

Time to go. She stands, brushing off her robes, and makes her way up to the train.