Played Like A Fool

"Harper! You're back― why are you so pale?" Elijah demanded. "Do you need to see Nicole?"

"No, I'm fine," I said, but then I had to test out a deduction of mine. I pulled out the silver urn that I had stashed inside my bag during my long walk back to House Sirius and gave it to Elijah to hold. 

"Elijah, is this silver?" I asked.

Elijah only gave me a pained look and held out one of his hands. He had only touched the urn for a brief second, but there was no mistaking the red mark of irritation left behind. If I looked carefully, I could even see the imprint of the urn's lily carvings left behind on his palm.

"Can you take it back?" Elijah asked hopefully as he passed the silver urn between his own hands as though it were a hot potato, trying not to hiss in pain. I quickly snatched it from him and put it in my bag, and Elijah shook his hands, as though it would help get rid of the stinging sensation.