Eliza doesn't sleep much that night, none of the Slytherins do actually. It's hard to fall asleep in the great hall, especially for those of her snakes who suffer from nightmares. When dawn arrived Eliza blinked blearily at the soft sunlight and told herself to try and beg some pepper up potions off of Snape later.
The professor's hadn't found Sirius Black, he had apparently escaped after failing to get into Gryffindor tower which was odd in and of itself. Afterall if Black truly was after her why would he go up to Gryffindor tower of all places?
Everyone knew Eliza was a Slytherin, her sorting had been in the papers and the parselmouth scandal had had her make front page news yet again. Many simply said it was because Black was insane but Eliza doubted it. If he were so insane then he wouldn't have made it out of Azkaban at all. But no one else seemed bothered by the break in all that much and so Eliza tried her best to push it out of her mind.
Instead she carried on with her work, supported her Slytherins and spent nights in the common room with her court letting the conversation wash over her. She met up with Lupin weekly, they chat over cups of tea and a plate of biscuits. She discussed in depth defence theory with him, explained Slytherin politics and how she took over as he listened clearly impressed. He shared stories about her father that make her uncomfortable but she grew to appreciate Lily Evans. People like her were born once in a blue moon. They talk about politics too, and slowly, ever so slowly she thinks Lupin starts to agree with her views on things.
She knew he was a member of the esteemed order, she doesn't wish to fight this professor on any form of a battlefield.
And when things settle down Eliza instantly knew what she has to do.
It's a Sunday afternoon and the castle is empty, students either relaxing in the common rooms or rushing to finish off last minute homework, when Eliza made her way to the seventh floor. It took her quite a while to track down the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy and dubiously trusting Tom she paced back and forth three times thinking of the room of lost things.
She wasn't that surprised when a door materialised on the wall opposite her but she was very surprised at the sight that met her when she stumbled into the room.
The room was cavernous, piled high with mismatched objects, junk and rarities all jumbled together in heaps and mountains. Eliza struggled to make out anything distinctly. There were quills and parchment and textbooks, old leather tombs in forgotten languages, trunks and cabinets and glimmering shiny things, daggers and jewels that drew her attention. Eliza wandered through the meandering paths, the trails that lead to nowhere and everywhere as she took in the sight of everything around her.
It's funny how a collection of lost things almost makes her feel at home.
She walked a bit further and near stumbled back in surprise when she's once again met with the sight of the Mirror of Erised.
It still showed her her older self, smiling happily with a glint in her eyes that's almost familiar now. Theo and Blaise are still stood by her side but now they are joined by Daphne and Draco, Tom stands by her side and his reflection winks at her when their eyes meet. Eliza smiled softly and carried on walking.
It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live Dumbledore had told her. She didn't need to dream when she could live it.
She rounded another corner and that's when she feels it, a soft calling on her magic that felt almost exactly like Tom's. Scanning shelves upon shelves and stacks upon stacks of things Eliza finally finds the cupboard that the familiar magic is calling from.
And there, sat on a plush cushion and sandwiched between a candle stick and a stack of books, lay Ravenclaw's Lost Diadem.
Lost no longer so it seemed.
Eliza cast some detection charms on the diadem, even a few in parseltongue just to be safe and was pleased when nothing came back. Tom hadn't mentioned any curses but he wasn't in any position to know right now. Checking and reinforcing her occlumency barriers Eliza finally gave into temptation and reached for the diadem.
The blue gems seemed to twinkle in the dim light as Eliza ran a hand over the ornate silver.
Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure
Smiling softly she placed it on her head.
Instantly the world about her dissolved and Eliza cringed at the disconcerting feeling of being roughly yanked into another's mind. It was just like when she used to go into the diary and soon the image about her stopped spinning.
She was stood in a forest, tall towering trees surrounding her, cold air nipping at her face as she breathed in sharply. Sunlight streamed in through the branches, casting shadows of dappled leaves on the ground. If she listened hard enough it sounded like there was a river in the distance. A twig snapped behind her and Eliza whirled around.
This Riddle was different from her Riddle, he was older for one but something about him seemed calmer, more tempered. Tom had a thirst to prove himself, he was ambitious and ruthless and Eliza could always see that in his tightly coiled movements, his sharp smiles. This Riddle was confident, he stood relaxed and comfortable instead of Tom's jagged edges, he was sure of himself. Not arrogant but steady in a way Eliza could only hope she would emulate one day.
"Hello" he said slowly, a soft smirk playing at his lips as he regarded Eliza.
"Long time no see Riddle" Eliza quipped back with a crooked smile and watched as he blinked in surprise. His eyes weren't like Tom's hazel, Riddle's eyes were a burning red. They made him seem otherworldly, a predatory edge to him that made Eliza feel a bit nervous.
This wasn't her Tom.
She would have to be careful.
"You seem to know me but I don't know you? That's hardly fair is it?" He crooned softly, stepping closer and Eliza edged back in response. It's a move he noticed judging by the growing smile.
"My name is Eliza Potter but you tend to call me darling" Eliza said teasingly. She didn't think Tom was actually aware that he called her that, didn't think he knew she now had a pet name but she wouldn't be the one to tell him.
"Explain" Riddle said shortly, dangerously and Eliza immediately launched into a rambling explanation of her life, of Voldemort's decline and destruction, of her first meeting with Tom, of their plans and aspirations. By the end both she and Riddle are sat on the forest floor, leaning on opposite trees.
Riddle looked contemplatively at her when she finally finished. The silence in the forest is peaceful and Eliza can't help but relax slightly as she breathed in the sharp cold air.
"I can understand why we are so fascinated with you Eliza" he said and Eliza didn't even bother calling him out on the collective pronoun. If Riddle had wanted one seamless identity he shouldn't have chopped his soul up into so many pieces.
"So what trouble have you caused this year Eliza?" Riddle said and Eliza almost felt like she was back with her Tom when she saw Riddle quirk his eyebrow and tilt his head. Shaking her head Eliza delved into an explanation of her year so far and ignored how her stomach twists when she heard Riddle's warm soothing laughter.
She could get drunk off the sound of it.
Eventually she has to leave the forest, leave Riddle. She has to let Tom know she's found the diadem so he can leave Albania, she has to go to her court but she's reluctant to part with Riddle. He may not be her Tom but he was still Tom. It was nice to finally be able to talk with him properly.
Promising to talk to Riddle tomorrow Eliza left the diadem where she found it and headed down to dinner where her court are already sitting, waiting for her.
She ignored the small part of her that wished Tom was sitting there next to her.
~
Anything involving Sirius Black was promptly forgotten when the upcoming Quidditch Match was set for the weekend and soon it was all anybody could talk about. Draco, who had gotten on the team as a seeker this year, was practically vibrating with nerves on the day of the match. Eliza sneakily piled his plate with fruit when he wasn't looking, Daphne slipping some slices of toast onto it from the other side in a moment of unity.
"You'll be fine Draco" Blaise said encouragingly across the table and Draco grins weakly back in response, taking a bite out of his toast under Daphne's intimidating glare.
Soon they escort Draco down to the pitch, and warmly wish him luck before they disappear into the stands. It's raining and Eliza wishes that Draco wasn't on the team because at least then she would not have to freeze as she supports him.
The match carries on at a ferocious pace and she and Theo share mournful looks as the rain starts hammering down even harder. Suddenly Draco dived, evidently having seen the snitch and the Gryffindor team's seeker, Ginny Weasley, dashes after him. Eliza stands up to cheer with the rest of the Slytherins when she notices something odd.
An eerie silence had swept over the pitch and suddenly she can see her breath fanning out in front of her. It's cold, too cold for it to be natural and when Eliza shivers it's because the cold has seeped into her, bone deep. Before Eliza could even react, although she had no idea what she would actually do, dementors swept onto the pitch. Her vision swam in and out of focus even as she tried to grapple for her wand
Not Eliza, please no, kill me instead
(green light and dull thuds)
Shut up Freak! (the darkness of her cupboard)
Devil children need to be punished
(blood under her palm, underneath her nails) Let me speak to her (flesh burning beneath her hands)
"Eliza?"
(the drip of water in the chamber)
I thought we didn't keep secrets sweetheart? (sharp smiles, bloodied teeth)
"Eliza!"
She sunk into darkness.
~
She wakes up sometime later in the hospital wing, her court are sat around her, speaking in hushed murmurs, Snape is looming in the corner and it is him who spots she's now awake.
"Finally back with us Miss Potter?" he drawled and handed her a headache reliever potion as she lifted herself up, sitting back against the bed. She uncorked the bottle and downed it in one go, smiling at Snape as the throbbing in her head abated.
Madam Pomfrey bustled into the room muttering to herself
"I don't know what they were thinking" she said laying down a stack of chocolate on Eliza's bed side table "letting dementors onto the grounds!"
Her court nod along absently which tells her that this isn't the first time they've heard such a speech.
"Glad to see you up Miss Potter, you're not the first to have a nasty run in with the dementors" Pomfrey continued, shooing Snape out of the way so she can reach Eliza's bed side.
"Although I have to say you are one of the first I've seen suffer from such adverse effects" she murmured.
"I've not led a very happy life I'm afraid" Eliza replied to the unspoken question grimly. Pomfrey grimaced and dumped some more chocolate into Eliza's lap.
"Now eat that and tell me if you're feeling any lasting effects"
Eliza dutifully ate her Honeydukes chocolate and elected not to tell Pomfrey about the cold that still lingers in her veins. Eliza doubted that that particular feeling was caused by the dementors.
Soon Pomfrey told her she was free to go and Snape escorted her and her court back to the common rooms in subdued silence. Eliza knew she must have scared them, knew how worried they are from the way Daphne clung onto her arm, the way Theo kept brushing up against her side. She welcomed their soft touches, it's grounding, knowing she can depend on her friends no matter what.
When they return to the commons they all sprawled out on the sofa. The boys are taller than they used to be and they're all a giant tangle of limbs before they settle down comfortably. They don't talk a lot because sometimes words aren't needed.
Sometimes all you need was simply chocolate and good company.
~
It was the following Sunday when Eliza popped in on Lupin for their weekly chat over tea and biscuits.
"I heard about the dementors" Lupin said as he set a plate of ginger snaps between them. Eliza took one and happily dunked it into her cup of tea.
"Not the best creatures to be around when you have so many bad memories" Eliza drawled and then took a bite of her biscuit.
"I can imagine, there are of course defences against them, as I'm sure you know" Lupin commented taking a sip of his own tea.
"The house elves set up a hot chocolate bay in the Slytherin common room, I bullied Snape into it" Eliza shared and smiled when Lupin tried to unsuccessfully cover up a snort.
"There is also the patronus charm" he said and paused for a few moments before beginning again hesitantly "I would be more than happy to teach it to you, if you'd like?"
"After Yule?" Eliza asked trying to smother the pleased grin on her face.
"After Yule" Lupin agrees.
Eliza took another biscuit.
~
"Are you staying at Hogwarts over Yule Eliza?" Riddle asked curiously from beside her. They had been moving closer every time Eliza visited the diadem and now Eliza could comfortably rest her head on his shoulder if she so desired.
"That's the plan" she said in response "I certainly won't be returning to the orphanage"
Riddle gave a soft hum of acknowledgment at that and they sat in a comfortable silence for a while longer, listening to the wind blow through the trees surrounding them.
"When are you planning to return me to my counterpart?" Riddle asked suddenly, turning his red eyed stare on Eliza. His eyes hadn't grown any less unnerving over the weeks but Eliza found herself growing fond of them anyway.
"Whenever he deigns to reply to me" Eliza said drily and Riddle snorted in response.
"Ah I will be sad to part with you darling" he said and then winked at her. Eliza didn't blush but she came close to it and judging by the satisfied smirk on Riddle's face he knew it as well. That was something shared between both Riddle's. They were both absolutely incorrigible.
Eliza rolled her eyes and jabbed him with an elbow which only made him laugh.
"Tell me a story Riddle" Eliza requests and gives into temptation, resting her head on his shoulder.
It had become routine over the weeks, the diadem was a small piece of Tom's soul but it held most of his memories. Tom had travelled all over the world after he left his job at Borgin and Burkes (and hadn't that been a surprise) First he had only told her about Albania but after picking up on her obvious interest he told her more and more about his travels. The pyramids in Egypt, the catacombs in Paris, how he studied rare magic in Lithuania, in Germany, in Sweden. How he had learnt the art of possession from an elderly witch in New Orleans, had learned his warding from the old ruined temples in Athens.
Riddle smiled softly at her, it's a small tender thing that made Eliza uncomfortable with its sincerity.
"Did I ever tell you about Brazil?" he asked and when she said no he told her about how he visited what the muggles called 'Snake Island' to develop his parseltongue. Eliza relaxed as his voice washed over her, the deep timbre of it soothing her as she smiled.
She'll miss him too she thinks.
~
Dear Little Star,
Albania had not proved to be fruitful and now at least I know why. If you could perhaps send me your findings over Yule? It could be my birthday present.
How are you darling? Keeping your court busy I assume?
I'm sorry to hear your Samhain celebration fell through, though there is always next year I suppose. I can't believe Black managed to break into Hogwarts. You would have thought they would have stepped up security although they must have thought the dementors were deterrent enough. Stupidity on their parts if you ask me, if he snuck past them one he can definitely do it again.
I'm glad to hear you are unharmed.
I'm currently staying in Germany, with no further direction to go on I've decided to take a pit stop so to speak before continuing. The wizarding community here is much larger than Britain's and have a much more diverse community. It's strange being reminded about how stuck in the past our home is, just another thing I will have to change when I begin again.
I hope you're doing well darling and please don't give the diadem too much trouble
Yours,
Tom.
~
Severus truly doesn't want to know what was in the letter Potter was reading that made her grin so widely. That smile spelt absolutely nothing but trouble and Severus wanted no part in it. Especially when he saw her scribbling back so ardently that she almost toppled her ink pot over in her haste to reply.
Eliza Potter was nothing like he had initially expected. He had expected a snot nosed brat, a bullying arrogant fool who expected the world laid at her feet.
He had then come to realise, when she had taken her place as Queen of Slytherin, that Eliza Potter was simply a masquerade of a girl and was instead a monster. She was ruthless, highly intelligent, manipulative and vicious. She was powerful and if her occlumency barriers weren't enough to make Severus want to run the other way then the memories he had viewed from other Slytherins did. It was that smile, Severus pondered as he took another sip of his coffee, that sharp manic smile that promised nothing but violence. When he finally discovered what happened That Night Severus had finally realised what a mistake Dumbledore had made leaving the girl who lived in that damned orphanage.
And then, he was forced to re-evaluate his opinion again. Because Eliza Potter wasn't just a girl and she wasn't just a monster. Watching Eliza Potter was like watching history being written in every breath she took.
She cared for the Slytherins, she took her duties seriously, more than any ruler had for years. She went above and beyond when it came to comforting and providing for the snakes. She was intelligent and capable and was taking a frankly ridiculous amount of OWLS. His godson adored her, as did her entire court and it was obvious just by looking at them that she felt the same. She fought quietly for their traditions, led silent rebellions and loud celebrations.
He didn't see James Potter when he looked at her, and he no longer saw Lily in her either (although in those moments, those little sparks of mischief he swore he could see both of them)
Against seemingly all expectations he had grown fond of the girl.
Even if she had made it her life's mission to be the bane of his existence.
He had wanted to resent her at first, the product of James Potter, the prophecy child, the reason Albus Dumbledore could chain him down to this castle, to his cause. But he couldn't.
Eliza Potter was special, and everyone who met her knew it.
That didn't make her any less annoying however.
Heaving a sigh Severus stood up from his chair downing the rest of his coffee in one gulp and set off towards the Slytherin table. He made his way down the groups of students checking to see if they were remaining at Hogwarts or leaving for the holidays before he got to Eliza.
"Staying at Hogwarts again this year Potter?" He asked already poised to write her name down.
"Not this year actually professor" Eliza said picking up a strawberry (he swore it was the only thing she ate at breakfast, he didn't understand her fascination with them, would it kill her to eat toast sometimes?)
"What have you done?" he asked because if he's going to have to find a lawyer for her it would be best to know in advance.
"Nothing" she exclaimed affronted as if she hadn't committed at least ten crimes (that he knew of) in her stay at Hogwarts.
"Mrs Malfoy has invited me to stay with Draco over Yule Break and who am I to deny such a gracious offer?" she asked perfectly innocent.
Severus swung his glare around onto Draco who appeared to be deeply invested in buttering his scone, far too busy to pay notice to the withering glare Severus was sending his way. Because there was no way Draco didn't know about this and there was no way both he and Narcissa didn't intentionally keep this a secret.
"And will Miss Potter also be attending the Malfoy Yule Ball Draco?" Severus asked dangerously because the Malfoy Yule Ball was possibly one of the worst places for Eliza to be. Anyone and everyone was invited, politicians, death eaters (although there wasn't much of a difference these days) journalists and all of high society attended the ball. And there was no doubt in his mind that Eliza would terrorise them all.
"Indeed I am professor, as Heir Black it only felt right to accept Mrs Malfoy's invitation" Eliza chimed in as though butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.
Severus shook his head despairingly and walked away, ignoring Eliza's twinkling laughter.
He knew by the end of Yule Narcissa will be regretting her decision, Severus already was.