Ink and Parchment ~ blood and bone

60

“We’re then breaking into the Gryffindor common room and hiding them all over the place”

Eliza couldn’t help but grin back “Brilliant”

Daphne shook her head with a laugh and started serving herself breakfast, keeping a judgemental eye on Eliza when she made no move to get any food herself.

“And are you actually having breakfast?” Daphne said, the mild undercurrent of a threat in her voice and Eliza hummed slightly, pouring herself a steaming cup of coffee as she glanced down the table. She wondered when Susan was going to steal Daphne away, she was quite scary in the mornings.

“Pancakes?” Daphne suggested and Eliza narrowed her eyes slightly.

“With strawberries on top?”

“With strawberries on top” Daphne agreed and Eliza let an easy smile slip onto her face, forgetting all about the strange feeling she had woken with.

Daphne and a handful of strawberries, there was nothing in the world that that combination couldn’t fix.

Eventually the rest of her court piled in, Blaise bounded into the hall with Draco and Theo trailing after him. Theo had his head buried in a book trusting Draco to guide him through the slowly filling up corridors. They all paused however when they saw Eliza sitting there in her Wizengamot robes.

“Please say my father will be in one piece by the end of this meeting” Draco said, making himself a cup of tea as they all settled in at the table and Eliza scoffed.

“As if Narcissa would let anything happen to him”

No one could argue with that one.

~

Eliza understood why Sirius never took up his place on the mantle, these Wizengamot sessions were so dull. Eliza would even go as far as to say that Umbridge’s defence lessons were more entertaining than this current session. At least in the classroom she could cause chaos but here she had no choice but to be on her best behaviour.

Lucius was sat a few seats across from her, a remarkably empty expression on his face which told her just how bored he truly was. Burke was rambling on about some inane droll matter that no one gave a damn about that would be dismissed soon and Eliza traded commiserating looks with Tom. For the past several minutes she had been, in vain, attempting to banish his shoelaces but either her spells weren’t getting through or he was superstitiously deflecting them.

Granger was sat a little way away, ardently paying attention.

Eliza had no idea how she did.

When the motion was called to dismiss Burke’s rambling plea (something about tariffs on the Diagon Alley entrance?) Eliza was one of the first to raise her wand, practically everyone else following suit and Burke sat down grumpling to himself. Glancing through her papers Eliza breathed a sigh of relief when she saw they had only one more matter to debate for the day. Being trapped in the stuffy meeting hall had done nothing to ease her agitated mood and she honestly couldn’t wait to get back to her court. Maybe she and Draco could pay some Quidditch.

“Well” Scrimgeour’s gruff voice cut through the room – Eliza really didn’t think he had long as minister “I believe we’re now almost done for the day”

“That is if Lord Gaunt has no more ridiculous ideas to impose on the school board” Lord Smith drawled sharply and Eliza felt herself perk up slightly, now this at least would be interesting.

Tom tilted his head slightly, lazily examining the old wizard from across the room “I would hardly call a suggestion and imposition Lord Smith, much like how I would hardly call a wizarding heritage class ridiculous”