Ink and Parchment ~ blood and bone

60

Eliza woke up feeling strange. This in and of itself wasn’t unusual; Eliza was used to feeling strange. Used to an uncomforting cold in her lungs, a small hum of restlessness in her veins when she stayed too long in the quiet, went too long without a fight. She was well accustomed to the ever burning fervour that she could never seem to quite shake off.

And she had grown used to that, over the years. This – this was different. It felt as though something had been carved out of her, a rattling sort of hollowness settling into her lungs, the cold carving into her bones unlike the usual restlessness she was constantly haunting by.

Eliza stretched out, much like a cat, as she tried to shake off the clammy feeling. Savouring the last few moments of warmth and comfort beneath her thick quilt before she dragged herself out of bed. Today was a big day, she had no time to waste.

Humming slightly to herself she tried to tame her hair, the odd feeling fading into the background as she got herself ready. Nodding at her reflection Eliza grabbed her purple robes and slung them casually over her shoulders and started to head towards the common room.

Today was Samhain, and it was also time for another Wizengamot meeting.

Hopping down from the last of the stairs Eliza smiled slightly when she spotted Daphne perched on the edge of the armchair, heels clicking together as she swung her legs back and forth evidently waiting for the rest of them to drag themselves out of bed.

Daphne glanced up and frowned “I thought you would have hijacked Severus’ floo by now” she joked and Eliza gave a little shrug, ignoring how her limbs shifted oddly with the movement as though she weren’t fully attached to them.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day Daphne” Eliza said instead and swished out of the common room with Daphne falling into step beside her.

“You never eat Breakfast” Daphne protested “In fact you’ve told me on multiple occasions ‘why have breakfast when I can have coffee’”

“Well now I can have both breakfast and coffee” she returned without missing a beat “Aren’t you proud of me? I’ve turned over a new leaf”

Had it always been so cold in these corridors? Eliza burrowed a little further into her cloak.

“You’re not turning over a new leaf though” Daphne said before jumping in front of her slightly so she could point an accusatory finger in Eliza’s face “You’re scheming-

“I’m not scheming” Eliza cut in immediately but reconsidered her words when she was met with dead silence “I’m just making a public appearance”

Daphne let out a startled laugh, leaning heavily on Eliza’s shoulder as they approached the great hall “You’re pulling a publicity stunt in your own school” she choked out through her laughter “Oh that’s gold”

“Shut up” Eliza retorted maturely as they slipped into the hall, nodding at Granger when she spotted the girl across the hall also wearing her Wizengamot robes. There was already a buzz in the hall – it wasn’t often a Hogwarts student actually took up the mantle and claimed seats on the Wizengamot. And the fact that Granger, a muggle-born, was now also on the council was causing quite a stir.

Between them, and whatever trouble Tom managed to cause, it was going to turn into a rather eventful morning.

“What are your plans for the day?” Eliza asked as they walked towards their seats and Daphne smiled brightly as they slipped onto the bench, waving at the few other slytherins at the table.

“Susan stole some pumpkins, we’re going to carve them in the Hufflepuff commons”

“How domestic” Eliza drawled and Daphne shot her a conspiratorial grin.