Eliza watched the countryside speed past her as the Hogwarts Express chugged onward. Draco was sat next to her babbling on about all the stuff she and him had to do over the holidays and Eliza listened indulgently. Daphne and Blaise were both slumped on each other fast asleep and Theo, like Eliza, was staring out of the window as they steadily near London.
"Mother and Father will pick us up from station, the Yule Ball this year will be on the 21st and then we'll have a small family gathering on the 25th, just us" Draco explained happily and Eliza nodded on to show that she was listening.
"Is it true the minister will be there this year Draco?" Theo asked curiously and Draco nodded his head a grimace on his face
"He said he would attend, I don't like him very much honestly" Draco confided unwrapping a chocolate frog.
"Oh I do, so easy to be manipulate" Eliza said fondly and laughed when Draco almost choked on his chocolate frog.
It would be strange not spending Yule at Hogwarts but it would be nice to finally spend the holiday with her court.
When they arrived at the train station Draco took pleasure in waking up Blaise and Daphne with a tickling charm. They were all still giggling over Blaise's offended squawking when they piled out of the train and onto the platform. They gained a few stares because honestly it might be the first time some of these people have seen her court act so undignified. Eliza tended to have that effect on them.
All her court go to their respective guardians, Daphne tracking down Astoria as she went. It's then that Draco lead her over to his parents.
Lucius was just how she remembered, even down to the poorly disguised sneer on his face. Narcissa Malfoy was an intimidating woman. Her blonde hair was perfectly styled, lips painted red, the perfect poise of a pureblood woman. She's dressed immaculately and her grey stormy eyes were studying Eliza as intently as Eliza was studying her. Narcissa may be a Malfoy now but she was once a Black and Eliza knew enough about that side of her family to be wary of the woman in front of her.
Narcissa Malfoy could kill her with her stiletto heel and not even bat an eye.
Eliza loved her.
"Hello Lady Malfoy, it is an absolute pleasure to finally meet you" Eliza said with a charming smile
"The sentiment is returned Miss Potter but please, call me Narcissa"
"Narcissa then, you must call me Eliza" she said ardently and inwardly sniggered at Draco's disturbed face. He's never really seen her when she's pandering, she never bothered with the charming innocent façade around her court. It must be a new experience for him.
Narcissa smiled as if she knew exactly what Eliza was doing and indulged her anyway.
"Shall we get going then?" she said and promptly turned to walk towards the floo dragging a surly Lucius behind her.
"I love your mum" Eliza murmured to Draco as they trotted behind his parents.
"Me too"
~
Eliza's honestly surprised about how much fun she's having at Malfoy Manor. On the first day Draco gives her a tour of the overly large manor and they end up playing a seeker vs. seeker game of quidditch on the pitch that was essentially Draco's garden. The boy was furious when he found out that Eliza was quite talented on a broom and for the next hour she listened to him begging her to join the team next year. Eliza simply asked him how she would even conceivably have time to play quidditch and Draco conceded to her point and then continued dragging her about the manor. The manor was a decadent display of wealth but Eliza has now grown somewhat accustomed to the purebloods ostentatious displays.
They shared meals with Lucius and Narcissa every night in the family dining room. Draco rambled on about the happenings of the term even though Eliza knew his parents have probably heard most of the stories before as Draco wrote to them at least once a week but they still listen indulgently.
The first night was tense, giving her and Lucius' tepid relations up until this point, despite what his son might think of her.
"And how have you been doing Miss Potter?" he drawled blissfully unaware of the warning glare Narcissa shoots him.
"Wreaking havoc I suppose" he sniffed disdainfully and Eliza returned his remark with one of her own.
"And how have you been doing Mr Malfoy? Missing a house elf I suppose?" she simpered and finished her question with a cutting vicious smile. Lucius reeled back angrily and Eliza took a slow sip of her water as she watched him splutter. To her surprise it's Draco who came to her defence.
"Father the only reason we lost Dobby was because you decided it was a swell idea to open the Chamber of Secrets in the first place. Please cease your posturing" he said scathingly and as Eliza turned to gawp at the blonde. In this moment she can truly see how much he took after Narcissa.
"What?" Draco asked as the stupefied silence dragged on, arching an eyebrow "I'm 13 not an idiot"
That seemed to snap his parents out of their shock and Eliza watched as Narcissa smiled at Draco softly.
"Of course Dragon"
It's amazing how far Draco has come in such a short time, it's nice to see he's finally stepped out of his Father's shadow.
Things between Eliza and Lucius are still tense but at least things were a bit more civil now, in fact sometimes she even finds herself getting along with the blonde as much as it pained her. She appreciated his Slytherin attributes, it took a very skilled man to be well known as one of the Dark Lords supporters and still retain such a high social standing after all. Many of their political beliefs even aligned and Eliza took great pleasure in debating the current bills in the Wizengamot with him.
Plus it made Draco happy.
What was perhaps most interesting about these 'family' meals was that Narcissa and Lucius both actually involve her in conversation. Although it's obvious Lucius is simply fishing for more information about her policies, Narcissa seemed genuinely interested in her.
"And how many subjects do you take Eliza?" she asked one night as the house elves appeared with their food.
"Currently all that are offered on the curriculum, including Alchemy and Magic theory" Eliza responded with a smile, murmuring a 'thank you' to the house elves much to their delight.
"Ah yes I heard they reinstated the subjects" Narcissa said with a small smile of her own.
"It's brilliant mother!" Draco interrupted "Eliza was the one behind the article you know"
Eliza was very careful when she revealed her political manoeuvrings to the Malfoy's. Draco had no such qualms.
"Eliza was actually going to organise a Samhain ritual, like the ones we used to do, but Sirius Black broke into the castle" he said one night and Eliza had to resist the urge to kick him under the table. She didn't really fault him, of course he was going to share these things with his parents.
Eliza just wished his parents weren't terrifying political powerhouses that could ruin her. The Malfoy's didn't seem to mind that much really, if anything they seem quite impressed but it never hurt to be too careful.
She spoke to Riddle a lot at night when she retreated to the guest bedroom. It was a bit overwhelming, being at Malfoy Manor. It was a permanent reminder that in high society she would always be out of place. Riddle was a comforting steady presence and Eliza stayed up well into the night to talk to him about anything and everything that crossed her mind.
"Did you ever celebrate Yule Riddle?" Eliza asked one night, she was wearing the diadem on her head as she wrapped presents for her court so she could still hear his voice.
"Not really" he replied as Eliza stuck a bow on top of Daphne's gift "I never had what you have with your court, they feared me and respected me, revered me in some cases but I doubt they cared for Tom Riddle as much as they cared for Voldemort"
Eliza paused in her wrapping. That sounded so unbelievably sad. Eliza didn't know how she would have turned out if she didn't have her court.
Well no, she did know didn't she?
She would have become exactly like Tom Riddle.
"Well you have me now" Eliza declared strongly and smiled as she felt a fuzzy warmth course through her. Riddle didn't acknowledge her declaration with words but he didn't need to.
Eliza went back to wrapping presents and kept up a steady flow of conversation as she basked in the warmth of Riddle's magic.
~
The 21st arrived quickly and soon Malfoy Manor descended into chaos as they prepared for the ball. Narcissa was clearly on a war path and Eliza had followed Lucius' lead for once and locked herself in her room to avoid being trampled by Narcissa's festive mania. The house elves were ridiculously busy making platters of food and setting up the main ball room. Draco had been roped into stringing up fairy lights all over the courtyard of the manor when Eliza had managed to sneak away.
Her peaceful silence was interrupted when someone knocked at her door. Pushing herself off her bed where she had been sat wrapping the last of her presents for her court she headed for the door. Eliza blinked in surprise when she saw Narcissa standing in front of her, last she had seen the Malfoy woman she had been ordering the house elves to set up the ice sculptures in the main ball room.
"Hello?" Eliza said but it sounded more like a question.
"Hello dear" Narcissa said warmly, smiling at her blatant confusion "we have a ball to get ready for"
Before Eliza even realised it she was being ushered into Narcissa's room. Narcissa didn't grab hold of her which she appreciated, instead she gently shooed her along the halls keeping up a steady stream of conversation.
"Now I know you probably already had a dress lined up for the occasion"
Eliza hadn't, she had planned on transfiguring herself one but she didn't say that to Narcissa.
"But I've always wanted another girl in the house and I have the perfect thing in mind" she continued and Eliza smiled nervously. That was the thing with Narcissa, she didn't treat Eliza like a guest or even just a cousin however many times removed. She was treated like proper, real family. It was disconcerting in all honesty.
Narcissa sat Eliza down in front of the vanity and told her to close her eyes. As Narcissa did whatever she does to her they chat. Eliza told Narcissa some stories about Draco (the time she dyed his hair bright pink in particular) that send her into uncontrollable laughter. Eliza found talking to Narcissa easy and enjoyed Narcissa's own stories about her time at Hogwarts and all the mischief she got up too. Eliza even told her about the darker moments of the years, about Quirrell in first year, the dementors. She told Narcissa about Jormy and her ongoing mission to tease Snape and Narcissa laughed at that too, and promised not to tell him.
Narcissa started on Eliza's hair then, hand braiding it instead of using cosmetic charms. She told Eliza about how she met Lucius and how they both went against their own families to get married. Lucius had been set to be betrothed to Bellatrix and instead he fell in love with the wrong sister. Eliza burst into laughter over tales of awkward dates and smiled so hard it hurt when Narcissa spoke of her own happy ending.
"Any boys in your year Eliza?" she asked curiously sticking another pin into Eliza's unruly Potter hair. Eliza's mind immediately flickered to Tom and when no one else came to mind she told Narcissa that no one's interesting enough. The other woman laughed at that and told Eliza that will soon change.
It was nice.
Eliza had no other words to describe it. It was like having Daphne with her but ten times better. Narcissa was wonderful, she didn't shy away from Eliza's more violent tendencies, accepted her oddities and quirks. Eliza understood why Draco loved his mother so much.
"Okay" Narcissa said "now we just need to find your perfect dress, keep your eyes closed" Narcissa ordered and Eliza dutifully followed them, even when Narcissa moved her off the stool so she was stood up.
"Oh I don't want to ruin the surprise" Narcissa practically whined when she realised Eliza couldn't get dressed with her eyes closed.
"Would it be okay if I use a switching charm?" Narcissa asked and she just sounded so excited and Eliza didn't really have a problem with it so she agreed.
A beat passed and then Eliza instantly felt herself being draped in a silky material, her shoulders were bare but Eliza could feel sleeves circling her arms. She heard Narcissa inhale sharply and then some rustling as the Malfoy fixed the fabric of the dress.
"Okay" Narcissa breathed "you can open your eyes"
When she did open her eyes she could barely recognise herself in the mirror. Eliza had never cared too much about appearances. She had the silvery lightning bolt scar running down her face which she knew many found disconcerting. She put in enough effort to be presentable, she's never really felt pretty before.
But the girl in the mirror, she's pretty.
She didn't look like a monster, there were no signs that she was damaged. She didn't look too sharp, too angry and hungering for something more.
The dress rested just off her shoulders, cinched around her waist with a satin belt and it flared out around her, skimming the floor, a faint shimmering blue. There was no fancy beading like there was on Narcissa's, it was elegant in its simplicity. Her hair was artfully done up into a twisting elegant bun on her head and she's sure Narcissa must have used magic to make it stay there. A shimmering grey has been swept over her eyelids, near silver and her green eyes pop against the colour.
"Do you like it?" Narcissa asked from beside her, resting one hand on Eliza's shoulder.
"I love it" Eliza breathed and watched as the girl in the mirror repeated the movement.
"Oh!" Narcissa exclaimed "I know what we're missing" she said before going to root in the drawers of the room leaving Eliza to study her reflection some more. She soon returned with a victorious exclamation, bringing a pearl white box with her.
She opened it up and inside, resting on a pillow, was an intricate hair slide, a collection of pins all interconnected. They're shaped like stars and Eliza would bet anything that they truly were made out of diamonds.
"This has been passed down through the Black Family for generations" Narcissa said softly, picking up the piece and sliding it into her black hair so it rested against her bun.
"It's only right for me to pass it on to you"
Eliza breathed in sharply and she didn't cry because that would no doubt ruin Narcissa's hard work but she thought Narcissa knew anyway from the way her hand tightened on Eliza's shoulder.
"Thank you" Eliza said, voice choked. Thank you for letting me stay here. Thank you for getting me ready. Thank you for treating me like family
Thank you for finally letting me know what it would be like to have a mother.
She didn't say that of course but she hoped Narcissa knew anyway.
~
When she and Narcissa walked into the main ball room Draco and Lucius were already waiting for them by the stairs. Draco didn't gawp because that would be unseemly but his eyes do go suspiciously wide when he sees her and Eliza smirked softly.
Draco took Eliza's arm and Lucius took Narcissa's and together they all welcomed their guests into Malfoy Manor. It was a long tiring process only made entertaining by Draco's commentary beside her as he named everyone that passed.
She had to say she appreciated it. His snide remarks would be excellent fodder for conversation later.
Eliza watched as Lucius and Narcissa greeted all their guests, influential figures, politicians, journalists all filing into the manor. Eliza happily greeted Lord and Lady Parkinson as they passed her and Draco and they smiled at her in response.
Eventually the crowd of attendants slowed and Draco and Eliza were finally allowed to disappear as Draco's parents delivered the welcome speech. She managed to track down her court and greeted them happily. Daphne, like Eliza, was wearing a floor length dress fading from a crystal white to an icy blue as it tapered out. Theo and Blaise flank her on either side in black wizarding robes with crystal white embroidery.
"Eliza" Daphne squealed happily and pulled her in for a hug which Eliza gingerly returned.
"Look at you" she exclaimed happily.
"Narcissa helped me get ready" Eliza explained and smiled at Theo when he came to her side as Draco greeted Daphne.
"You're going to cause trouble aren't you?" Theo said holding his arm out for her.
"Wouldn't dream of it" Eliza said and they strode into the main ball room together. Narcissa and Lucius have finished their welcoming speech now. Joyful string music played out around the ballroom as people chatted and mingled. Eliza ran her eyes over the crowd, picking out the people she knew.
This was her introduction into high society, and if she was going to accomplish anything when she took on her lordships she would need to have everyone take her seriously now. This was her chance to do so, Tom would be so proud.
Daphne and Draco had swanned off somewhere, probably to greet some more guests but Theo and Blaise had stayed with her.
"Scheming face?" Theo asked from her left.
"Definitely" Blaise quipped and Eliza shook her head at their words before she spotted Lord and Lady Parkinson chatting amicably with a throng of other wizards. Eliza smiled and ducked into the crowd weaving in and out until she reached the Parkinson's.
"Lord Parkinson, Lady Parkinson, lovely to see you tonight" Eliza said smiling pleasantly at them.
"Ah Miss Potter" Lord Parkinson said cutting off the conversation about him "the sentiment is returned"
"Potter?" one of the pureblood's said scornfully, Burke, if Eliza's not mistaken "and how does the Potter Child end up here?" he carried on and Eliza straightened her posture even more, tilted up her chin and allowed an easy smile to appear on her face.
"Narcissa invited me" she said and enjoyed how they balked at the declaration, how a filthy traitor half blood was the guest of honour.
"We've heard you're very close to Draco" Lady Parkinson said innocuously but Eliza could tell from the slight gleam in her eyes that she was enjoying watching Eliza cause havoc.
"Well yes I am, but Narcissa wanted to meet me for other reasons as I am heir to the most ancient and most noble house of Black" Eliza said with a smirk and enjoyed how the people around her pale rapidly.
"And how do you know Heir Black, Parkinson?" Flint asked tightly (his son looked so much like him it couldn't be anyone else)
"Why she saved our Pansy's life last year, what with the chamber of secrets situation" Lady Parkinson said furtively and Eliza had to smother a grin when Burke scoffed and muttered something about foolish Gryffindor's. They really were making this far too easy for her.
"Actually Burke" Eliza said neglecting the formal form of address to snub him "I saved Pansy because she was one of my slytherins"
"You don't own the court little girl" he said snidely and Eliza smirked wickedly in response.
"No but I have been Slytherin Queen since the start of my second year"
No one knew what to say to that and Eliza allowed her smile to turn a bit more manic before turning back to the Parkinson's.
"Pleasure to see you two again but I believe the minister wanted to have a quick chat with me" Eliza said politely and when she left she did in fact go over to the minster who was talking with Lucius. She made sure that a journalist clearly saw them shaking hands happily before Eliza disappeared into the crowd again.
She walked through the crowds quietly and took a curious sip of the champagne she had stolen before cringing at the taste. Vanishing the drink she then filled it up with water instead and continued to eavesdrop on conversations that she could interject herself into.
"It's absolutely shameful that Sirius Black is still at large" Lady Macmillan crowed to Amelia Bones on her fourth glass of sherry.
Perfect.
Eliza approached the group carefully and as they all murmured in agreement she cut into the conversation.
"Forgive me for cutting in Lady Macmillan" Eliza said imploringly "but I heard you mention Sirius Black and I have to agree. Why he even broke into Hogwarts on Samhain night and there wasn't one word of it in the papers" she said with a faux worried tone.
"Really?" said Lord Travers, a supporter of the olde ways who would have no doubt noticed her use of Samhain instead of Halloween, hopefully cementing her as a traditionalist. First impressions were important.
"Indeed, although I've found quite a lot about Sirius Black goes unmentioned in the papers. Do you know he never had a trial?" Eliza confessed and pretended not to notice the strange silence that came upon the group of purebloods. The second she found out about Black's involvement in her parents' death she researched all she could about him. The information was easy to find if you looked in the right places, or had the right connections.
"A scion of an ancient and noble house, thrown into Azkaban with all the other rot, it's simply dreadful to think about" Eliza finished and noticed Amelia Bone's tight drawn face.
Eliza bid them all goodbye and once again disappeared into the crowd. She spotted Theo and Daphne dancing on the ballroom floor as well as little Astoria Greengrass dragging Draco around as Blaise laughed. She had just given a house elf her now empty flute when she heard someone shout her name.
"Rowle?" she asked as she turned around seeing the former Slytherin king standing by the wall of the room with a few others.
"It's so good to see you" Eliza said as she approached and this time it wasn't even a lie.
"I heard you replaced me as the new ruler of Slytherin" Rowle said with a grin as Eliza finally reached them.
"And I'm doing a much better job of it than you" Eliza quipped and Rowle barked out a laugh.
"I don't doubt it"
Rowle introduced her to his friends, a few people from the department of mysteries and went on to talk about the on goings in the ministry before they were interrupted by Lord Selwyn and Lord Avery.
"Aaron Rowle!" Lord Selwyn exclaimed, shaking Rowle's hand "what are you doing lurking back here?"
Rowle smiles largely and shook hands with the two men.
"I was just debating the new creature bill with Eliza"
"Eliza?" Avery asked before he finally caught sight of her and then he spluttered out a laugh.
"Come join the grown-ups Rowle, your school days are behind you"
"Just because I am young Lord Avery does not mean I am stupid" Eliza said pitching her voice just-so so that anyone in the vicinity would hear them.
"Okay Miss Potter-
"Heir Potter actually" Eliza interjected and smiled as the crowd that had grown around them twittered.
"Heir Potter, what are your thoughts?" he said condescendingly and Eliza smiled sharply in response, her smile only grew when she heard Rowle laugh in pity for Avery.
"Ever since we first started criminalising and passing bill upon bill that limits creature rights, in this instance werewolf rights, we have in fact seen an increase in attacks per year rather than a decrease. Feel free to check those figures I'm sure you will find I'm right" Eliza began holding Avery's challenging stare.
"If we pass yet another bill limiting werewolves right to work on top of the normal discrimination they already face then the chances of them earning a steady income to provide for themselves slip away. Wolfsbane is notoriously expensive even though it's the only known potion that helps with lycanthropy. This bill has been presented as something that will keep our people safe, instead it is nothing but a scam that jeopardises are already precarious society even more" Eliza finished strongly and enjoyed the stupefied silence that followed her speech.
"And what would you suggest Heir Potter? No laws to protect us at all? We truly would be in danger then" Avery said incredulously rearing back from her.
"Never was anything great achieved without danger" Eliza quoted.
"Machiavelli? Really Eliza?" Rowle teased successfully breaking the tension. Eliza laughed happily and turned her back on Avery in a direct snub to continue to talk to Rowle.
The night passed in a blur after that and finally she returned back to her court to spend the rest of the night with them. At some point she thought she saw Professor Snape but before she could go over to torment the man in front of his associates she was dragged away by Draco. Eventually the ball winded down, guests began to leave and Eliza joined the Malfoy's in bidding everyone a good night and a happy yule.
Later when she returned to her room all she wanted to do was sleep. Instead she sat down on the plush bed and settled the diadem onto her head.
She was instantly transported into the forest, Riddle was already waiting for her in the moonlit clearing, red eyes glinting in the faint silver light.
"Have fun tonight Cinderella?" he asked and it was only then Eliza realised she was still wearing her dress from earlier, although her shoes were conspicuously absent. She wiggles her toes and felt the damp grass brush against her feet.
"Does that make you my prince charming?" Eliza quipped back and laughed when Riddle wiggled his eyebrows.
"I did have fun actually, I've never been to anything that extravagant before in my life" Eliza said walking forwards through the trees, their branches sway slightly with the wind and Eliza headed for the glade ahead of them.
"You will get used to it eventually" Riddle said and joined her in her meandering of the forest.
"Did you?"
"Not completely, but I'm different from you. You Eliza, deserve only the finest things life can offer"
Eliza rolled her eyes instead of responding, suspiciously tongue tied around the man.
"I also had fun terrorising the politicians from the ministry" Eliza said turning the conversation onto lighter topics and smiled when Riddle lets out a laugh. This Riddle laughed easier than her Tom did, she had quickly grown to love the sound.
"And did anyone sweep you off your feet?" he asked curiously and Eliza shook her head in response suddenly embarrassed.
"I can't dance" she muttered, looking at the ground.
All the other purebloods could of course but in modern day England dance wasn't a thing that was just taught anymore, especially to poor orphans.
"I can teach you" Riddle said, halting suddenly and spinning around to face her.
"You can dance?" Eliza said with a growing smile even though she honestly wasn't that surprised. Tom Riddle could do anything he set his mind to.
"Oh yes" he said walking closer to her "the waltz, tango" he paused to wink there "even swing"
Eliza burst out laughing at that.
"Swing Dancing!" she crowed delightedly and allowed Riddle to spin her into his arms.
"It was all the rage in the 40's darling, but-
He said and brought one of her hands into his, wrapping another around her waist.
"I think we'll begin with a waltz"
They started moving then, so very slowly, and Eliza stumbled more times than she could count even though she was looking down at her feet. Eventually she finally got the hang of it and she risked looking up (and she had to look up because he was so much taller than her) to meet Riddle's red eyes. He was smiling softly at her and Eliza wanted more than anything to look away from his entrapping stare.
(There are some eyes that can devour you)
"We can't keep dancing with no music Riddle" Eliza said following his slow movements.
"Excellent point" he said in response and pulled her into another spin. Now with one hand free he snapped his fingers obnoxiously and soon loud waltz music filled the air.
They danced around the clearing faster than before and Eliza laughed in delight as Riddle picked her up and spun her. She didn't know how long they spent dancing about the forest but Eliza felt lighter than she had in months. They twisted and turned and ducked through trees and danced and danced by the river side until she was breathless. She couldn't stop smiling.
Eventually the music slowed down and Riddle pulled her in closer until they were swaying softly back and forth.
"You're sending me back tonight aren't you" Riddle said over the softly playing music. Eliza nodded in response and shifted slightly so her head was pressed up against his sternum. She couldn't hear his heart beating, he wasn't human enough for that but Eliza could pretend.
"I have too"
"Ah but I know that you don't want too" he countered and suddenly the music around them came to a halt, the silence of the forest eerie now the sound of the playing strings was absence.
"Don't bother protesting. I have seen into your heart Eliza Potter and it is mine" he said possessively, pulling her closer until Eliza had no other choice but to look into his red gleaming eyes
(There are some eyes that can devour you)
"But don't fear, little horcrux, we are never too far apart" he crooned dangerously.
And then Eliza was falling and all she could see were Riddle's ruby red eyes glinting in the moonlight.
~
She jolted out of bed with a start, throwing the diadem as far away from her as possible. It gleamed innocently and Eliza wished she had never placed the damn thing on her head in the first place.
Little horcrux
His crooning voice echoed about her mind and suddenly a lot of things made a sickening amount of sense. The parseltongue, her connection with Voldemort, being able to sense Tom's magic.
I believe that night he transferred some of his powers to you
And Dumbledore knew.
"What are you?" Eliza asked exasperatedly and Riddle let out a raucous laugh as if she had just told an amazingly funny joke.
And so did Tom, and he had never bothered to tell her.
No one had ever survived the killing curse until Eliza Potter, and it turns out she hadn't survived it at all.
Eliza barely made it to the bathroom before she was throwing up, body wracked with great heaving sobs as she heaved over the toilet as if she could physically expel Tom's soul from her body.
Little Horcrux. The word repeated round and round her head until she could think of nothing else, the words strangled her lungs until she couldn't breathe. She sat sobbing and shaking on the cold tiles of the bathroom floor as the very threads of her soul unravel one string at a time.
Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?
She asked herself again and again, she couldn't escape the question.
Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?
It's a mantra she repeated, it burned in time with her own faltering heartbeat and her mouth formed the words even though no sound escaped her cracked lips.
(Who am I, who am I, who am I)
She wanted to peel away her own (Eliza Potter's) skin, to try and find meaning in a labyrinth of blood vessels and cells. 'Who am I?' she asked as she met her eyes (Eliza Potter's eyes) in the reflection. She wanted to pluck them out to see if it would help to see herself more clearly. She looked in the mirror and saw a stranger and she couldn't tell if it was because she couldn't recognise herself or if it was because she had been holding someone else's eyes all along.
Eliza has had nothing her whole life, she has only had her name.
What would you do with my name Riddle? What would you do with my soul?
Eliza Tom? Eliza threw up again and resisted the urge to claw open her own skin.
What would you do with my soul?
Eliza didn't move from her spot on the bathroom floor, curled up and shaking against the cold tiles until dawn's soft light shined through the bathroom window.
Who am I?