Ink and Parchment ~ blood and bone

22: what happens in the common room stays in the common room II

Hermione had scoffed at the idea.

But then everyone heard the rumours about Cormac Mclaggen and Hermione saw Eliza in a new light. She moved in a predatory sort of manner, lazily observing those around her and Hermione knew it wasn't arrogance but rather a deep unshakable belief. That Eliza Potter knew she was invincible.

Hermione tried her best to forget about the girl but it didn't last long. Because in second year the chamber of secrets had opened and no one was a bigger suspect than Eliza Potter, the quintessential Slytherin who had the rest of her house eating out of her hand.

Of course the girl had never blatantly seemed to care for blood status, in fact ever since Potter had integrated into the house Hermione barely heard the slur at all. But that didn't change her suspicions.

So she and Ron brewed the polyjuice potion and sneaked into the Slytherin Common room.

And Hermione had been confronted by a monster.

She still remembered how it felt, to be paralysed and at the feet of Potter. Just a girl her age who seemed so much more. She had moved with a predatory grace and when those arsenic green eyes landed on Hermione her brain had screamed at her to run. To run as fast as she could because she had never experienced anything like Eliza Potter outside her storybooks.

She had tried to push that incident out of her mind too.

But the slytherin girl was becoming harder and harder to avoid considering she was in every single one of Hermione's classes. Even the ones that by all rights she shouldn't be able to attend at the same time.

It made Hermione worry but she believed in the headmaster. Only responsible students would be given access to a time turner, and Eliza Potter for all she appeared charming was not someone to be trusted.

Her worries came to fruition however on the day of the first Care of Magical Creatures class. With a wink Eliza Potter reached into her robe and flashed Hermione a look at her shiny golden time turner lying about her neck.

Hermione felt herself stumble in shock.

She thought of Cormac, coming into the common room, face wet with streaming tears, trembling and twitching and felt herself pale further. One of the most dangerous students in Hogwarts could now manipulate time itself. She dreaded to think about what would happen next.

She resolved to stay far far away from Eliza Potter in the future. She treasured her life far more than she treasured a mystery.

*

Blaise had no idea how Eliza was attending all of her classes and at this point he was too afraid to ask.

Not only was Eliza attending all of her classes she seemed to easily keep up with the work load, excel even, and still have time for all other engagements and leisure time (assuming Eliza ever actually took a moment to rest)

It was confusing to say the very least and Blaise was absolutely certain he'd be better off not knowing.

But eventually they slowly became accustomed to Eliza's brand new schedule and more interesting things became the topic of conversation. Like Sirius Black.

Blaise regretted opening his mouth in the first place.

Eliza was eerily still as she contemplated the news about Sirius Black and Blaise felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Seeing Eliza still is worse than anything. Of course Eliza is always in control, perfectly managed but there's always something there, static beneath her skin, glinting eyes and small smiles or the drumming of fingers. This stillness was unnerving and Blaise shifted uncomfortably just looking at it.