The Unsolved Riddle.

Wrong Time, Wrong Place.

"Quidditch, do you think you'll try out next year?" Eliana shook her head as she turned to the three girls with her.

"No, I didn't think any of you were into Quidditch that much either." They agreed with her quickly as they heard her.

"We all enjoy watching it, just not playing it. Who wouldn't love to watch it if Snape gets set on fire every year?" Eliana pushed a smile onto her face and looked up, in time to catch Draco's eye and just as she was about to pass, the temptation grew until it could not be stopped.

"You guys can go ahead. I want to talk to Malfoy." With a moment of trepidation, the three left to Ravenclaw Tower to stare at the starlit sky that covered the roof of the common room and read one of the many books contained within its walls to complete their homework.

"What do you want?" Malfoy muttered as he noticed Eliana stop moving and instead, staring at the exchange between the Slytherins and Gryffindors.

"I don't give a flying Hippogriff what is going on. Your Potter obsession is obnoxious and it is Saturday. Shouldn't you be off, feeling more powerful than you are? I spend the whole of Herbology listening to you fantasising about Potter. I can't go two seconds without you being annoying. We get it, you feel insecure, that doesn't mean you have to shout your head off and run to daddy every two seconds. Have some self-respect." Before Eliana could walk away, the two thugs that followed Malfoy wherever he went had turned towards her. Ron and Hermione attempted to get in front of her but she shook her head at them. "They won't hurt me, we're in a public place and you three are here. Malfoy is a coward, he only hurts people when they have their back turned or when it's ten to one." Malfoy sneered and took a step closer to her.

"What's your problem?"

"Look, I think Potter and his posse can be annoying at times, but I happen to feel the same way about you, Malfoy. Many rule-breakers are insufferable. Even if it is impressive that they took on a troll alone. However, look at you, shouting for no good reason, getting all up in my face, despite the fact that I am significantly shorter than you. Calm down, put your big girl panties on and accept the fact, Harry doesn't like you and you don't like him." Malfoy hadn't let another word leave her mouth as he growled in return.

"You filthy little Mudblood!" Roared Malfoy as he heard her speak but Eliana didn't flinch, an emotion she had rarely felt was growing inside her and her vision was clouding over but she was rooted to the spot. The emotion didn't seem to pass across to the Gryffindors, however, as they lost their concentration due to something that had caught their eye at the top of the stairs.

"Calm down Malfoy, no one wants to talk to you when you're this emotional." There was a bitterness that Eliana had never heard in her voice before, still, though, the Gryffindors were anxiously looking at the space behind Malfoy that neither the Slytherins nor Eliana could see. "If you tried smiling, not only would you look prettier but it might improve your mood. If your issue is your period then Madam Pomfrey can help with that. If your issue is just your fragile masculinity and a crippling realisation that your parents' standards are so high you will never be able to please them, then punch a wall, it's helped many a person before you," Eliana bitterly snapped as the three Gryffindor student squirmed where they stood. As if in warning, Harry stretched out a hand to grasp Eliana, it was perfectly in time with two approaching sets of steps that Eliana had failed to hear. Just as Harry's skin met Eliana's, a gasp was heard and she pulled away from him, forcing him to let go of her, crouching as careful hands caressed her face. The ache, the sting and the burning that passed from where he had touched her hand to her cheek grew immensely. The scar that was barely a year old seemed to bellow on her skin and she felt heat grow through it. Pain ran around her face and her eyes closed as she hoped to block the pain out. But she couldn't even block the mumbles around her or the click-clack of shoes from behind the three Slytherins who seemed to run as far away as they could.

"Ten points from Slytherin for inappropriate name-calling." The voice was female but Eliana could not tell who had spoken as she felt and heard the blood pumping through her body and a buzz similar to the buzz of magic that Hogwarts created, ran through her ears and heart. Everything was fading from her mind as she tried to grasp what was happening. "What is wrong with Miss Abaza?" Replies had been given to the questioner, it was the same person as before, but Eliana had finally managed to block out the world around her as her hands held her face and the hat on her head came tumbling off as somebody else's hands had taken to her wrists, trying to see what was on her face.

"Hex or curse?" Came another voice, whoever they were, they were male but Eliana couldn't focus herself. The world was slowly coming back into view and her eyes had slowly opened, although her vision was blurry, and people crouched around her. Just as the world seemed a little brighter and Eliana was tempted to pull her hands from her still burning cheek, a searing hand met her back and she jolted forward, away from the point of pain again.

"Potter, it would be wise not to touch her." It was the woman again but in Eliana's attempts to jolt away from the hand, she assumed to be Harry's, her body had fallen and she was suddenly curled over her knees, no longer squatting as somebody's hands still held her arms, supporting her. The pain had once again, started to subside and Eliana felt her whole body suddenly start to heave with deep breaths as if they were her first, and potentially her last.

"At least she's breathing again." Eliana was sure that it had been Hermione that time but something told Eliana that there was something wrong, Hermione was trying to reassure someone but her voice sounded worried still. Ron was mumbling something to Harry but all Eliana could make out was his signature, 'bloody hell,' as Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were sent on their way, Eliana was sure that she had heard them laughing and mocking her, until even more house points were taken away from them.

"Miss Abaza, come with me." The voice was faint still but she managed to muster her strength and her hand held tight to whoever was trying to get her to stand. Eliana had to lean, almost completely, on whoever they were as she struggled to see and her muscles ached as they threatened to give way beneath her. Wherever they were headed, Eliana was completely unaware of it as her eyes remained blurry and her hands trembled.

"What would cause such a reaction? I've never seen someone hurt from a simple touch. Perhaps, Miss Abaza here was the victim of a spell. I didn't hear anyone cast anything but I could have been mistaken." Came a high-pitched voice from a short distance away as Eliana felt whoever was guiding her, slip a hand around her back and pull her a little closer, allowing her to lean on their shoulder.