After the second Sirius Black attack Eliza noticed she was being watched by the teachers. They monitored her in between classes and they each found many excuses to talk to her as they walked to Eliza's next class. Lupin had once tried to join in the 'we must protect Eliza Potter' garbage but one quick glare had seen him soon give up. The man knew she could cast a patronus, she didn't have much to worry about. Though it was very inconvenient really, for one she didn't need protection against Sirius Black and for another it made slipping away to use her time turner an absolutely herculean task.
Narcissa and Lucius had sent her a letter to check upon her and Eliza was delighted to find that Narcissa had packed her some sweets as well. Draco had rolled his eyes fondly when Eliza had crowed delightedly over the parcel of sweets and Eliza shared them out with her court. Narcissa was the best.
Thankfully by early March things seemed to have calmed down a bit, at least in regards to Sirius Black. Now the only thing Eliza had to concern herself with was stopping the OWL and NEWT students from having a nervous breakdown as exam season began to rear its ugly head.
Daphne and Blaise usually handled any near breakdowns, Eliza wasn't exactly the comforting presence needed for most of her Slytherins. Pep talks? Sure. Bullying professors? Absolutely. Violently attacking anyone who dared to make fun of a member of her house? It was her pleasure.
But comforting people? She absolutely sucked at it.
Which was why Daphne had kicked her out of the common room ordering Draco to babysit her so Blaise could do some damage control in peace and comfort some distraught students. It was about that time of year when mock exams were handed out by the dozens, Eliza couldn't blame them for being distressed.
Eliza didn't complain that much about being kicked out, she knew where her strengths lay and it was not there. That's what her court was for.
Draco had dragged her down to the quidditch pitch, it was cold out but not freezing and Eliza was more than happy to play a few rounds of seeker vs seeker with Draco who lent her his old nimbus 2000. There was nothing quite like flying, the cold biting at her as she dashed through the air, chasing the wind. Plus Draco almost had a heart attack when she attempted any risky dives and that was always fun to witness.
It was two games in when Eliza noticed something distinctly odd.
There was a dog in the stands, a great big shaggy one that looked faintly like the grim. She could have sworn she'd seen it before, something about it pulling at her memory. It was watching them with an uncanny precision, tail wagging ferociously whenever Eliza made a risky dive. She and Draco called it there for the day when it began raining and they made the trek back to the castle. Eliza couldn't stop thinking about the do. One thing was for definite, that was no normal dog.
It didn't end there. She began seeing the dog more and more, on the way to care of magical creatures, on her way back from herbology. She didn't mention her suspicions to her court, not just yet. For all Eliza knew it could just be a normal dog but Eliza had never had much experience in normal.
It was the next weekend that it came to a head.
"Eliza I swear to Merlin if you don't stop I'm going to kill you" Daphne said quietly with murderous intent. Eliza stopped her pacing and turned to look at the blonde who was organsing her flashcards (muggles weren't good for much but they were good for that. It beat making revision notes on parchment)
"But I'm bored" Eliza said – not whined, she didn't whine, and collapsed on the sofa behind her.
"We have no homework, I have no extra credit assignments, Jormy's asleep more often than not these days and I've not had a fight in ages" Eliza complained and Blaise chucked her legs off his lap in response.
It was that last one that was the problem really. Eliza could handle political manoeuvring, she loved scheming up new ways to topple Dumbledore's throne but she was restless. There was always some part of her, and she couldn't tell if it was her or Tom, that made her crave violence. She itched for it, that rush of adrenalin, her heart pounding in that affirmative rhythm of 'I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive'
It was like something else sometimes prowled underneath her skin.
She couldn't explain that to her court, it was best they just thought she was restless.
Thus, the pacing.
Daphne looked up from her flashcards then, studying her with those piercing blue eyes as if she could see exactly what Eliza was struggling with.
"Well why don't you take Draco and fly for a bit on the pitch" Daphne suggested and Draco immediately leapt up in excitement.
"Why don't you just try out for the team?" Blaise asked laughing when he saw Eliza perk up as well.
"I don't like quidditch" Eliza replied ignoring Draco's affronted gasp "I just like flying"
Blaise rolled his eyes fondly and both he and Daphne waved them goodbye as they went back to studying herbology.
"What are you doing?" Draco asked Theo as the other boy flanked Eliza's left side. Theo grinned at the two of them
"I don't trust you two when you're together" he joked and they all burst into laughter when Eliza and Draco exchanged identical mischievous looks.
They walked down to the quidditch pitch which was thankfully empty and Theo settled himself into the stands as Eliza and Draco grabbed their brooms.
Eliza kicked off from the ground with a loud cheer and played a quick game of tag with Draco as they ducked and weaved around each other flying around the pitch. Eliza instantly felt the tension that had been piling on her the past week melt away as she and Draco chased each other through the sky.
Eliza pulled out of a dive perilously close to the ground judging by Theo's muffled curse from the stands and laughed gleefully as she swept about the stadium. It was then that she once again noticed the dog sat on one end of the pitch, by the changing rooms.
Over the past week of observing it Eliza had determined one thing; it was far too intelligent to be any kind of normal dog.
Mulling over her choices, the choices being do something or don't, Eliza slowly drifted closer and closer to the dog, seemingly unaware.
The key thing about animagi McGonagall's voice echoed through her head is that they must retain their human mind
Acting quickly and hoping she was just being paranoid Eliza drew her wand viper quick and cast a stupefy at the blissfully unaware dog.
Eliza dismounted her broom and studied the dog carefully as Theo and Draco jogged over to where she was standing
"Care to explain why you're attacking random animals now Eliza?" Theo said exasperated. Although it seemed like he didn't doubt that she had a reason.
He was either that trusting in her erratic psyche or her paranoia really had rubbed off on him.
"I don't think it's a normal dog" Eliza said evenly leaning forward to study what looked similar to a wolfhound, it was certainly big enough to be one.
"Why wouldn't it be a normal dog?" Draco asked looking perfectly confused
"It's been following me for quite a while now" Eliza explained and then inhaled sharply when she finally got a good look at its eyes
"And the eyes" she spoke her thoughts and watched as Draco studied them, quickly turning pale
"The eyes?" Theo questioned, brows pulled together.
The dog's eyes were grey. Although that in itself wasn't that unusual even if it were uncommon it was the shade of grey that was worrying. For the dog had the same grey eyes that Narcissa had, that Draco had.
An animagus will always have an identifying feature
"It has the Black Eyes" Draco breathed already reaching for his wand. Theo paled when Eliza nodded confirming Draco's suspicions.
"It could be a normal dog-
"It could be" Eliza said with just the right amount of derision to imply it most certainly wasn't. Eliza had never had a good track record with 'normal'
"But that's-
"Insane? Just another thing us Blacks are known for" Draco commented drily.
Eliza realised they probably shouldn't be joking in this situation but she couldn't help but snort at that.
"Well what do we do now then?" Theo asked, ever the voice of reason.
"Well whatever we do we can't do it here" Draco replies.
They stand in silence for a few moments before Eliza casts a quick 'mobilicorpus' on the 'dog' and they began walking through the edges of the forbidden forest were they wouldn't be spotted by any wandering student or overly worried professor.
"If you're right Eliza don't you think we should hand him over to the authoirtes" Draco said, face more pallid than usual. Theo was pensive but that's the only thing that gave away his wariness about the course of events.
"And rid myself of a chance of vengeance? Black had my parents murdered" Eliza snarled at them both as they shared doubtful looks.
"What?" she demanded shortly, placing the dog on the ground softly in case it was actually just a poor normal dog she'd kidnapped.
"It's just that" Draco began hesitantly, appearing to mull over his words "you don't seem to blame the dark lord for murdering your parents yet you despise Black" Draco explained shrugging elegantly.
Eliza sighed running a hand through her hair realising she had been unfair on her court. When she usually got into these situations it was always alone. She'd never had to explain her own motivations to herself after all. She wasn't used to justifying her actions before simply acting.
"Tom killed my parents and there are a myriad of reasons why that doesn't bother me" Eliza began and smiles at Theo and Draco's looks of blatant curiosity.
"One, he was insane at the time, and although I know it's not an excuse his faculties were extremely hindered. Two, I never knew my parents. I find it hard to get any real friends in the first place never mind feel attachment to people I never met"
Both Draco and Theo gave her judging looks there but Eliza powered on regardless
"And third, it was war. And in war people die" she finished.
"But Black? He had a choice and he chose to betray my parents. If there is one thing that I cannot stand it is betrayal" Eliza declared strongly, feeling her magic roil over her as it reacted to her anger.
"Okay" Theo said simply as if that was enough and then also levelled his wand at the dog, Draco following a second later
"We trust on you this Eliza" Draco said seeing her confused face.
"We shall follow where you lead" said Theo. There's a smile tugging at his lips but there's a serious undercurrent to his words that made Eliza's spine straighten in pride. Every week she was reminded that she had the best court ever.
Eliza quickly cancelled the stupefy on the dog before casting a petrificus totalus instead. She wanted him frozen yes, but she also wanted him aware.
"I think he's an animagus" Eliza declared and ah yes, she could definitely see panic rising in those eyes now.
"And you wouldn't happen to know the animagus reversal spell would you?" Draco drawled.
"Why yes I do" Eliza countered and smiled when Draco laughed in response.
Eliza cast the spell and watched as the dog was enveloped in a startling blue light until it was not a dog who sat there, but a man.
He instantly scrambled to his feet, Eliza's curse evidently broken and his storm grey eyes kept flickering between all three of them. He looked gaunt, frail. His black hair was matted, wild and untamed and his skin was swallow, paper thin stretching over a skeletal figure.
He looked, well, mad.
His nervous eyes finally flickered onto her, pausing for a second and then he stumbled back inhaling sharply
"Eliza" he breathed and she saw out of the corner of her eye that both Theo and Draco tighten their grips on their wands.
"Good, you remember me" Eliza said unflinchingly "this will definitely make things easier"
The man flinched at that and tried to move closer but fell back when Theo slid forward so he was between him and Eliza.
"I wish I could take my time today but sadly I'll be missed if I don't return to the castle soon" Eliza continued in a blasé like tone and watched as unmasked confusion coated the man's face.
"But I'm sure Jormy will appreciate a snack"
Draco let out a choked laugh at that although he looked like he was questioning why he even found it funny in the first place.
"I never knew my parents but I believe it is my right to avenge them" Eliza said clearly, no emotion bled into her tone. Finally, with violence coating her hands, she was calm.
"Goodbye Sirius Black" Eliza said serenely and raised her wand to cast when she was suddenly interrupted
"Wait!" Black bellowed scrambling forwards from where he had fallen "I didn't- I didn't betray James and Lily. They were my best friends I didn't-
"Then who did Black?" Eliza said condescendingly and prepared to silence the man when he spoke again.
"Peter Pettigrew!" he blustered desperately
"Peter Pettigrew's dead" Eliza said icily "and you will soon join him"
"He's not, he's not, please I can prove it, I can" Black begged, a desperate look in his eyes.
The ramblings of a mad man? Or perhaps the seemingly inconceivable truth?
Eliza lowered her wand – it's a sign of trust on her part, even if she knew Theo and Draco would continue to guard her with their own.
"Start talking"
Black looked like he wanted to sob in relief but instead started weaving together a seemingly impossible story – a story that might even be true.
"When, when we were all at Hogwarts, me, James and Peter" Black began in a faltering tone "me and your dad had this friend, he was a werewolf you see-
"Lupin?" Eliza breathed slotting the pieces together.
"Moony!" Sirius exclaimed, it was the happiest she'd seen him since they began talking.
Moony, it sounded so familiar, like something she had long since forgotten.
"Well I don't know if he told you this but we all became animagi to help him. Your dad, Prongs, was a stag, I'm a dog obviously, and Peter" Black snarled out the name every time he said it "was a rat, should've been our first clue" he said ruefully and Eliza cocked an eyebrow prompting him to continue.
"And then the war came – James and Lily went into hiding and we all agreed I'd be the secret keeper"
Eliza's hand flexed around her wand.
"But then we realised that would be an obvious choice, everyone knew me and James were best mates. They'd expect it. No one would ever expect poor Peter Pettigrew"
"You switched secret keepers" Eliza said connecting the dots.
"Worst mistake of my life" Black said, his voice full of torturous pain.
The silence hung for a few moments before Theo shifted beside her.
"What about the muggles?"
Black once again launched into his story.
"Once I realised what had happened I began tracking the bastard traitor down, I cornered him on a street and before I knew what was happening he began shouting at me for betraying James and Lily. And then he blew up the street, changed into a rat and disappeared into the sewer with the rest of the vermin" he finished darkly and Eliza watched warily as he clenched his fists.
"The biggest piece of Pettigrew they found was a finger" Draco murmured.
"He cut it off himself before he transformed" Black growled twigs snapping beneath him as he moved restlessly.
"That's a nice story" Eliza commented narrowing her eyes "how do we know if it's true?"
"He's here" Black whispered hoarsely "at Hogwarts"
"I managed to get a paper in Azkaban and there he was. The pet rat of a wizard family, missing a toe off his front paw" Black said viciously.
Eliza paused for a moment, wracking her brain to try and think of any rat at Hogwarts.
"Weasley's rat?" Draco exclaimed scornfully and Black nodded in response distractedly. That was why he kept breaking into Gryffindor tower, to get to Pettigrew.
"And what would you do?" Eliza asked softly "If I could get that rat for you?"
Black balked at the question before a near feral grin stretched his mouth wide.
"Why I'd avenge James and Lily" he says recalling back her earlier words "punish him for ruining your life-
"Then you'd be ruining Eliza's life as well" Draco burst, an angry blush on his face.
"What?" both Eliza and Black ask at the same time and Eliza wrinkled her nose in disdain.
"Eliza currently lives at an orphanage, she needs a guardian to get her out and you can't do that if you're still a convicted criminal" Theo said acidly, stray sparks bursting from the end of his wand.
Black opened and closed his mouth a few times looking like a particularly gormless goldfish.
"I'd be free" he whispered finally and it was the first thing Eliza has heard him say without that tinge of insanity in his voice.
"And- and you'd want to live with me Eliza?" Black asked blatantly hopeful.
Eliza looked at him then, really looked at him. He looked half feral, his eyes are tinged with insanity and he's drowned by the scruffy wizard robe he wears. But he didn't look severe, he looked open and honest. Eliza could have a house of her own, a real bedroom where she could finally unpack her trunk for the first time in years. No matron, no orphanage, no church on Sundays and no rationing food and avoiding punishment.
Just safe, steady, comfort
"Yeah" Eliza said finally "yeah I'd like that"
Sirius lit up into a bright smile, laugh lines now prominent. He looked years younger instantly and Eliza could see how at one point he really must have been quite handsome. He barked out a laugh in joy and she could see how he must have been friends with dry humoured Professor Lupin.
"I can get the rat" Eliza spoke, planning hurriedly as she saw the sky darkening "it will be easy to get a trial. Amelia Bones already knows you never had one in the first place because I told her at the Malfoy Yule ball ('you did what?!' Draco yelped) and Draco can get Lucius to bribe the minister for a fast trial so you can finally be free, maybe even before summer" Eliza finished mulling her plan over in her head, Theo already looked like he's scheming with her.
"Malfoy's son?" Sirius questioned dubiously eyeing Draco and Eliza bristled.
"Your cousin, Aunt Cissa has been very nice to me" Eliza said pointedly and Sirius smiled softly again.
"Lucius was always a bit of a tosser but Cissy was alright" he said absent minded and Eliza snorted at that which made him grin again. Draco rolled his eyes but otherwise didn't comment which was a testament to how much she made fun of Lucius.
"I'll meet you here tomorrow to let you know how it goes" Eliza said as they all tread back towards the tree line.
"I am surprised you didn't run to Dumbledore" Eliza commented trying to subtly fish on Sirius' stance. Sirius looked conflicted for a few moments before a scowl tugged at his mouth.
"Dumbledore left me to rot in that prison" he growled before trying to compose himself
"I might have forgiven him for you pup but I know what you Slytherins are like" Sirius joked not unkindly and Eliza smiled widely and ignored how her newly acquired nickname made her feel oddly warm.
"You're right but we can discuss all that later, when we have the time" Eliza said as they finally make it back onto the quidditch pitch.
"I have a rat to catch"
Sirius bid them goodbye and disappeared into the forest as she, Theo and Draco stride away.
"Would you really have fed him to Jormy?" Draco asked curiously
"Yes" Eliza replied without missing a beat.
They laugh all the way back to the castle.
~
Eliza decided to let Theo and Draco explain what had happened to Daphne and Blaise so for once she wouldn't be on the receiving end of Daphne's ire. Both Theo and Draco looked chastised when they all meet in the common room that morning and Eliza didn't even pretend to not feel smug about escaping Daphne's rebuke.
They all headed down to the Great Hall, a soft lull of conversation around them as they took their seats at the table. Eliza joined in the conversation with her court and kept one eye on Ron Weasley at the Gryffindor table.
She would have to write to Tom about what was happening on the Sirius Black front, or she could just let him find out from the papers like he had with Gringotts. She wondered how he was doing but immediately shook that thought from her head. It was nice that they made an effort to stay in touch but-
Tom had his own life.
And Eliza wasn't sure if he thought she fit into it.
Pushing those thoughts out of her head Eliza went back to watching Weasley who was standing up, heading out of the great hall. Rising Eliza set out to follow him, gesturing for her court to remain behind. She didn't want him to feel cornered.
She was just going to have a friendly conversation.
"Weasley" Eliza called after the red head and they both came to a halt in an empty corridor. Weasley turned to face her with a scowl on his face and Eliza saw him obviously reach for his wand. Letting out a sigh over what was doubtlessly going to be a painful interaction Eliza began speaking again.
"Weasley I think it's about time I call in that favour you owe me" Eliza said pleasantly and Weasley narrowed his eyes, folding his arms.
"What do you want?" he said bitingly and Eliza tried to keep a pleasant smile fixed on her face. She felt it pulling at her lips, unnatural, and she tried to make it reach her eyes. Tried to convince Weasley that she was harmless.
"I need your rat"
"What!" Weasley blustered and stepped away from her "you can't have Scabbers. He's mine! What would you do to him-
"Calm down Weasley" Eliza said rolling her eyes "I'm not going to do anything that will harm the rat, I just need him – just for an hour even" she said trying to placate him.
"So you can use him in your creepy dark rituals! No thanks" Weasley snarled and Eliza felt the tight grip she had on her temper slip. She didn't have time to be dealing with this.
It was funny, Gryffindor was supposed to be a house of bravery and yet her court seemed to handle her rages better than Weasley who took a faltering step back as she shifted forward, glaring.
"Now listen here Weasley, we had a deal, and you said you'd keep your word" Eliza said stalking forward
"I think I've been extraordinarily nice this year and I really don't mind changing that starting with you" Eliza spat out and Weasley paled even further. Everyone knew what happened when you crossed Eliza after all, oh there was no proof. But bad things tended to dog people's footsteps if they had harmed any of her Slytherins.
Poor Cormac still couldn't look at her in the eyes.
"You promise you won't hurt him?" Weasley said anxiously and Eliza sighed.
"Weasley if I'm wrong you'll have your rat back within the hour perfectly unharmed"
Weasley seemed to be considering her words and Eliza had to stop herself from tapping her foot in impatience. Finally Weasley reached into his pocket (and by Salazar did she feel sorry for the poor sod if that was actually Pettigrew) and pulled out a softly dozing rat.
"Pleasure doing business with you Weasley" Eliza chirped as she grabbed the rat. She left Weasley standing dazed in the corridor as she set off to enact the next stage of her plan.
She needed to see professor Snape.
~
When Eliza Potter stepped into his office Severus knew today was not going to be his day.
"Hello Professor" she chirped, her curly black hair swinging behind her as she practically bounced towards his desk.
"What do you need?" Severus asked feeling as tired as he sounded. Eliza gave him a smile and her green eyes lit up in a malicious glee that made Severus fear what she was going to say next. Except she didn't say anything, instead she strode over to his desk and slammed something down on it.
Severus honestly thought he could cry.
"Why is there a rat on my desk Miss Potter?" he said instead and was already planning on pouring himself a gerneous glass of fire whiskey after this interaction is over – perhaps his early thirties was too early to develop a drinking problem but these things just couldn't be helped.
"That's the thing professor" Eliza said with a guileless innocence that he didn't trust one bit "I have reasons to suspect that that isn't actually a rat but rather an animagus"
"And what reasons do you have?" Severus asked but Eliza quickly fell into an infuriating silence, rocking back and forth on her heels.
He really had nothing to lose by casting the animagus reversal spell. If it was an ordinary rat then Eliza could just give it back to whatever poor sod she'd stolen it from and if it wasn't then, well, he'd cross that bridge if he came to it.
"Step back" Severus ordered and did his best to ignore that smug pleased grin on Eliza's face. The brat.
Eliza placed the rat on the floor and took a few large steps back as Severus pointed his wand at the disgusting vermin. The rat is disturbingly still which made Severus think Eliza had already cast a petrification spell on it. Not exciting much he cast the spell and stepped back in surprise when the rat was enveloped in blue light.
The rat twisted all of a sudden, the spell didn't work straight away suggesting that whoever it was had stayed as a rat for too long. The spell finally ended and a man was slumped on the floor, although he still looked more like a rat than a man. He was a short snivelling thing with a pointed nose and small beady watery eyes and a balding head. He was missing a finger.
Severus stumbled back in shock.
"Peter Pettigrew"
Eliza didn't look at all surprised, and instead observed Pettigrew with a disdainful look with hard cold poisonous green eyes. She was filled with tension and Severus watched as she flexed the hand gripping her wand.
"Hello Peter" she said and Severus couldn't see anything of that girl who had come bounding into his office with a teasing grin mere minutes ago anymore.
Pettigrew let out a shrill squeal and started to scramble away but Severus quickly stunned the man before he could make any move to escape.
"Explain" he demanded and watched as Eliza seemingly came back to herself.
"Sirius Black wasn't my parents secret keeper, Peter Pettigrew was and then he pinned the blame on Black and an innocent man was left to rot in Azkaban for 13 years" she said matter-of-factly and returned to glaring at Pettigrew.
Severus inhaled sharply, it was almost unbelievable. It would be unbelievable if he didn't have proof of it, stupefied on his office floor with Eliza Potter looking like she was one misplaced comment away from murder.
"I'd contact the auror office if I were you professor, and Amelia Bones if you can, she knows quite a bit about the Sirius Black case"
"And what are you going to do Eliza?" Severus asked raising an eyebrow as a delighted smile flit across her face.
"Why someone needs to alert the press" she said brightly and then turned on her heel walking out of the office leaving Severus with a headache and the prone form of a shockingly alive Peter Pettigrew.
Forget a glass of fire whiskey, he needed a full bottle.
~
After tracking down Sirius and letting him know how their plans were advancing over a lunch of sandwiches and strawberries Eliza set off back to the castle to inform a certain journalist about current events. It was all well and good Eliza having proof that Peter Pettigrew was alive and Sirius was innocent but none of that would matter if it all got swept under the rug just like it had 13 years ago when Sirius got sentenced without a trial.
Eliza honestly hadn't expected Rita to write an article so quickly but at dinner that night owls descended the hall carrying copies of the Evening Prophet which was enough to stir everyone's curiosity. The Evening Prophet only came out if something really big had happened after all.
RATTED OUT AT LAST?
By Rita Skeeter
My dear readers in the most riveting turn of events I am proud to be the reporter that finally sheds the truth on this titillating case at last.
As we all know thirteen years ago Sirius Black, the secret keeper of the Potters, turned traitor and betrayed James and Lily Potter nee Evans to he-who-must-not-be-named who was then defeated by our very own girl-who-lived. When brave Peter Pettigrew cornered Sirius Black the madman blew up the street murdering his once friend Peter Pettigrew and twelve muggles in the cross fire.
And that was that.
Until now.
An anonymous source at Hogwarts, out of concern and worry, addressed me when they found out some shocking truths straight away and as I live to serve my readers I set out to confirm their story at once – Amelia Bones was more than happy to talk and share the truth that has been sadly hidden from us for more than a decade.
R: Madam Bones, Rita Skeeter here from the daily prophet. Here for some questions on the development in the Sirius Black case. Care to tell us what occurred this morning?
A: Early this morning we received a call from Potions Professor Severus Snape urgently requesting back up from aurors. According to the professor it was uncovered that there was an unregistered rat animagus masquerading as a wizard's family pet and had been for the past 12 years. Once we arrived we were met with someone who was long since thought to be dead. Peter Pettigrew.
Madam Bones went on to assure me and all my dear readers that they are handing this case with the utmost scrutiny and professionalism but many of my questions remain unanswered.
Does this mean Sirius Black is indeed innocent? Did he ever betray the Potter's at all? And did we all condemn an innocent man to suffer in Azkaban for more than a decade, falsely imprisoned without even a trial?
This has been Rita Skeeter, and I won't stop until we all know the truth.
Eliza read through the article with a gleeful smile and the hall instantly filled with hushed whispers and mutterings as everyone shared the article.
"Potter!" she heard someone shout and watched as Weasley stormed across the hall to stand in front of her at the table. All of her Slytherins bristled but Eliza didn't move, instead she placed the paper aside and looked up at Weasley.
"Yes?" she inquired politely and watched as his face turned even redder.
"What did you do to Scabbers?" he demanded angrily and Eliza couldn't suppress a snort. Tapping her finger obnoxiously against her the copy of the Evening Prophet she watched as horrified realisation dawned on his face.
"But- you said-
"I did you a favour Weasley, I just hope you kept that rat in a cage"
Weasley looked vaguely nauseous here – not that Eliza blamed him, and he slipped away without any further confrontation.
Blaise shook his head as they all watched Weasley stride away.
"I have no idea how you have enough time to enact all your schemes" he said and Eliza wiggled her fingers tauntingly.
"Magic"
Her court groaned around her and Eliza burst into laugher.
~
Every day Skeeter wrote a new article updating Wizarding Britain on the Peter Pettigrew case and soon his trial date is set for the 30th March, a little over two weeks away. Sirius was ecstatic and Eliza went down to the forbidden forest every other day to visit him. He told her stories about his childhood, stories about her parents that make her laugh although she felt uncomfortable when he talks about the pranks they pulled.
She didn't have a lot of feelings on her parents but it was still uncomfortable to learn that her father was apparently a giant tosser. Especially to Snape who Eliza had come to see as a sort of honorary uncle over the years.
Other than that Sirius talked about all the things he wanted to do when he was free, the house they were going to live in, and all the things he wanted to do and see and explore with her.
He constantly asked questions about Eliza and her friends – he's open and honest and it looked like he actually enjoyed Eliza's company. Although it's obvious he didn't know what to do with her sometimes. He was expecting someone like James or Lily, not to be confronted with Eliza's callousness or sharp biting wit but he tries.
It's nice. New, but nice.
Eliza didn't want to get her hopes up though. She wanted to leave the orphanage more than anything, and living with Sirius would be nice but she didn't want to think she could be that lucky.
Nice things don't tend to happen to people like her.
So to take her mind off the oncoming trial Eliza instead turned her attentions to something she could actually do. Such as an Ostara celebration.
Ever since Eliza's planned Samhain celebration was derailed thanks to Sirius' bad timing – something she had even brought up with the man himself, Eliza had been planning another celebration. It wasn't right that their heritage had been taken away from them, that celebrating Lady Magic was now illegal.
Even if they had to hold their rituals in secret, as if they were something to be ashamed of, it was better than not doing anything.
So Eliza began setting up the chamber in preparation for a ritual whenever her past self was running around Hogwarts.
Ostara was the celebration of the spring equinox, they should really do it outside but the chamber would simply have to suffice. It's a time of potential, a time for growth and hope and all those whispered promises that grow stronger with the sun.
Eliza thought Ostara has come at a good time, she too was feeling hopeful.
She set up a small altar in the chamber and began talking to her Slytherins. She went to the leader of each small year group and asked who if any would like to participate in an Ostara celebration. Draco and Daphne handle the younger years as she and Theo tackle the upper years. There are 150 Slytherins this year, in a depressing trend Eliza has noticed they get less and less students sorted into their house every year. Many of the older students are excited to take part, and most of the quidditch team but younger students opt out. Ostara wasn't one of the biggest cyclical days, not like Beltane.
So Eliza only has to sneak 70 students into the chamber with her.
It was sad in a way, Eliza had read accounts on what the festivals used to be like. Thousands of wizards and witches all gathering together to celebrate their gift of magic, apparently the magic was so strong you could physically feel it pulse through the air.
Now more wizards gathered for a quidditch match than to celebrate Lady Magic.
The day before Ostara the Slytherins were all giddy, something she was sure Snape had definitely picked up on but he had yet to say anything.
Thankfully Ostara landed on a Saturday that year so Eliza could safely hold the ritual without disrupting classes or anyone's sleep schedule for that matter.
She left her court behind for the day and set up the altar where she placed a white candle, a bowl full of soil and a bowl full of water. After much exploring and then giving up and pestering Jormy she also found an entrance in Salazar's office that lead directly into the common room.
She wished she could have found that out a bit earlier. It would have saved her all those nasty trips down the slimy pipe she had been using for the better part of the year.
At noon the next day Eliza ushered many excitable Slytherins down the tunnel into the chamber of secrets, anticipation brimming and a nervous energy holding them all. The tension is somewhat broken by Roman
"Eliza" he crowed, running about and studying the chamber "you've been holding out on us!"
They all laugh at that and Eliza took her place behind the altar, her court at the front of the crowd as she mulled over the speech she had prepared. Eliza wasn't often nervous, she's determined and ambitious and she knew she was a good leader, but this felt different.
"I'm going to be honest with you all" she said friendlily with an easy grin "this is my first time doing this, it might be some of yours as well, or you might have celebrated Ostara before. This might not be what you celebrated growing up but it is ours now" Eliza declared strongly and smiled when she saw many heads nod in agreement
"Lady Magic does not need perfect, she just needs belief. And all of you here today are here because we believe, we believe in our cause, and we believe in ourselves, and we believe in our magic. And that will always be enough"
The crowd amassed in front of her cheered at that and Eliza grinned seeing so many happy faces in front of her. She never really got a lot of things right, but she knew she did this. She would do anything to keep her Slytherins happy.
"Let's begin then shall we?"
People begin shuffling forward and one by one drop flowers onto the altar, daffodils and primroses, violets and crocuses all piling on top of another. Some scatter seeds and some leave notes on parchment but eventually the alter fills up until it's a bright cacophony of colour – it's beautiful.
As the last Slytherin, Warrington, placed down a daffodil on the altar they all step back into a circle and watch Eliza as she breathed in deeply, the aroma of the flowers filling the chamber. Then- she spoke.
"Today is the time of the spring equinox" Eliza began to recite the passage she found in those old books Theo had gifted her those years ago.
"Ostara is a time of equal parts light and dark, it is time of rebirth.
The earth welcomes new life and new beginnings and so too, will we"
Eliza took a deep breath and began to incant the rest of the ritual. She reached down and took the bowl of soil she had gathered earlier from the Hogwarts grounds and begins sprinkling it over the altar of flowers as she spoke.
"With the blessings of the earth and the life within the soil, may you be reborn"
Twitching her hand ever so slightly Eliza conjured a breeze to run through the chamber as she continued.
"With the blessings of air, may knowledge and wisdom be brought to you on the winds"
The power in the chamber built up, it felt like pure undulated magic was swirling around them and Eliza breathed in deeply as she took the bowl of water that she had gathered from the black lake and begins to also pour that over the altar.
"With the blessings of water, may the chill and darkness of water be swept away by the warm spring rains"
Finally Eliza reached for the burning white candle with shaking hands and spoke the last part of the ritual
"With the blessing of fire. May the fire of the spring sun bring growth and harmony into your life, step forth out of darkness and climb into the light" Eliza finished and then directed the flame of the candle onto the pile of flowers.
The altar immediately leapt into strong roaring flames, crackling ferociously and soon Eliza is swept up in a tidal wave of magic. It crashed all around her and filled her with comforting warmth, her heart was pounding and she gasped as she felt the magic roil around the chamber like nothing she had ever experience before. It felt like the magic was being poured into her very soul, she's drowning in it but she didn't want it to end.
Slowly, it faded away.
The altar is now empty but Eliza was left with the unmistakable feeling of a quiet hope, nestled with in her chest, pounding to the rhythm of her heart.
Ostara was a time of new beginnings.
Eliza was looking forward to having hers.