Eliza moved into Regulus' old room.
Kreacher had taken one look at her, the last bastion of the Black's, a slytherin, a dark witch and had almost burst into tears.
The grumpy old elf was still well, grumpy, particularly around Sirius but he seemed to be delighted by Eliza. She treated him kindly, far too familiar with what it was like to work for cruel masters, and he had immediately claimed her as his 'little mistress'
After learning she was Queen of Slytherin (something that took Sirius a few days to wrap his head around, especially when she told him about how she had won the title) he immediatley moved her into Regulus' room saying it was only befitting for his 'little mistress'
Eliza had heard quite a bit about Regulus these past few days – Sirius' little brother, a quintessential Slytherin who was too scared of his parents to do anything but please them and too proud of his heritage to rebel. Sirius called him soft but Kreacher called him kind – a glowing endorsement from the house elf.
She had spent the past few hours unpacking her trunk, for the first time ever. It was an almost overwhelming feeling.
She had packed all her clothes away in her wardrobe – muggle and wizard alike and after speaking to Kreacher he gladly popped in with a huge standalone bookshelf to run alongside one of the walls of the bedroom, next to an old dark wood desk.
Slowly Eliza began filling up the bookshelves. She placed her school texts on the bottom shelf, going from first year to third year although she gave Kreacher the Lockhart books so he could use them as kindling. Then she began stacking the shelves with all her other books, history ones, illegal ones, birthday gifts and extra studies on runes and alchemy. It was ridiculous how much she had managed to fit into her trunk really. She piled all of her potions texts onto one corner of a shelf and then her cauldron, obsessively ordering her empty phials and flasks.
Once all of that had been emptied out of her trunk what remained was only her most treasured items or miscellaneous bits and bobs that hadn't left the bottom of her trunk in years. She got to work.
Stepping back sometime later Eliza could almost cry, this was the first time she had ever seen all of her possessions in one place.
On the shelf rested Daphne's journal, full of family magicks, in an ornate frame rested a picture of her and her court. They were down by the black lake at the end of last year. Eliza had been reading, Theo resting his head on her lap as they both relaxed in the sun. Daphne and Draco sat to their left, Draco focusing intensely on painting Daphne's nails until Blaise shot a hex at Draco. The two boys ended up tackling each other, about to start play fighting before the picture reset again. Next to that picture rested the gorgeous hair clip Narcissa had given her for the yule ball and next to that was a small chipped piece of ruby red stone. A shard of the philosopher's stone, now nothing more than a pretty rock, from her first year. There was a fancy chess set and a small silver metal hippogriff that pranced around in a circle when touched. Hufflepuff's cup sat next to a small dark wooden box. It was filled with every letter she and Tom had ever exchanged, including the sporadic post cards he liked to send to her.
She did feel at home in the Slytherin green room – it was still strange to think of it as hers.
Kreacher apperated back into the room, a silver tray piled with sandwiches that he set on her desk that held all of Eliza's to be completed summer assignments.
"Is the little mistress settled in?" Kreacher croaked out gazing up at her
"Yes Kreacher" Eliza said looking around her new room "I think I am"
~
Of course things weren't perfect. Sirius had no idea what to do with a normal teenage girl, let alone a girl like Eliza. While she was content to stay in the library and work on her summer homework Sirius seemed to want to make up for lost time.
Eliza didn't mind the shared meals, nor the occasional game of quidditch but she was at heart an independent person and once she and Sirius had stopped walking on egg shells around each other it had led to some heated discussions.
"Eliza" he had called from the library door "tea's out"
"I'll come down later" Eliza had responded reading a book on old blood magic that Kreacher had found for her.
"Well what if instead you came down now" Sirius had parried in a joking tone but Eliza felt her hackles raise.
"You can't tell me what to do" she said scornfully, slamming her book closed.
"I'm your guardian!" Sirius had protested
"You haven't been for the past 13 years" Eliza has said and promptly left to go to her room.
That had been a week ago and Sirius had yet to try and make amends with Eliza. She hadn't expected things to be perfect straight away, she was more than happy to just have a place to finally call home but the argument still made something in her twang.
Maybe she just wasn't made for domesticity.
She had confessed most of her fears to Draco – the Malfoy's were nothing like Sirius and part of Eliza wished Narcissa had gone through with her original plan and also tried to claim guardianship of Eliza. They understood her better than Sirius even if the man had given her a home to go to.
Kreacher had been sending her meals to her room since her and Sirius' argument but after the third day of both her and Sirius moping in their respective areas of the house he had stopped. He 'refused to get involved with petty arguments and silly masters'
She couldn't blame him really, but she had taken up her old habit of sneaking about to get food at odd times of night so as to avoid Sirius.
But that only worked for so long. Mostly because Kreacher had locked both Eliza and Sirius in the kitchen after a week of them avoiding each other.
"We need to talk" Sirius said eventually and Eliza conceded, pushing herself up to sit on the kitchen counter.
"Okay" Sirius said, heaving a sigh and running a hand through his unruly hair.
"I'm not trying to be your father" he said eventually into the silence of the kitchen "and I know you don't want me to be, I know that whatever James and Lily are to me they won't ever be the same for you. I understand that Eliza-
"No you don't" she cut in, her voice was small, withdrawn and tired, she was so tired.
"You don't understand what it's like because you've never had to go through it. You had shitty parents, okay, but you've never been alone. You've never been trapped in a cupboard, alone. Locked in a cellar, alone, pushed from the roof of a building because hey let's see if the freak can fly. Before Hogwarts I have always been alone" Eliza finished meeting Sirius' eyes that were shining wetly in the dawn light streaming through the kitchen window.
"I've always been alone" she repeated before she could drive her point home.
"So I'm independent, and prideful, I don't like being told what to do and I learnt everything in my life the hard way and so the only choice I know how to make is the hard one. I'm difficult, I'm not what you expect but" Eliza paused taking a deep breath.
"I'm willing to try, but I'm only willing to try if you are too"
The silence that hung in the kitchen was heavy, it constricted her lungs and she watched Sirius in tense anticipation. That seed of hope she had harboured in her chest since Ostara began to unfurl as she watched his pensive expression.
Please tell me you want to try
"Okay" Sirius said finally "Okay"
"So what now?" Eliza asked hesitantly as Sirius once again ran a hand through his hair.
"Now we set some boundaries and if you let me, I hug you to death"
Eliza let out a choked laugh and slipped of the countertop and Sirius immediately scooped her up into a crushing hug.
It wasn't perfect.
But it was theirs.
~
Things were a lot better after that.
She shared designated meals with Sirius and if she ever wants a break all she had to do was say and let Kreacher deliver her food. Sirius didn't like her snooping at the really dark magic books in the library but when Eliza finally lets him see her own personal bookshelf he quickly changed his stance, as long as she didn't intend to practice it.
He taught her about the Black history and told her stories about Regulus. She even managed to share civil conversations with the portrait of Walburga Black who simply adored her.
She spent most of the time exploring the house after she completed all her summer assignments. Hogwarts work really was laughable after the year she had spent studying from Salazar Slytherin's personal library. She was sure she could sit her OWLS right now and pass.
It was surprisingly in her own room that she made her first discovery.
She had been putting away her alchemy assignment (Essentially an in depth look at the periodic table – wizards were so behind on science it was laughable) when her knuckles had accidentally rapped against the panelling.
It sounded hollow.
Never one to leave things be Eliza investigated the draw until finally she found a dip in the wood. Scraping at it with the tips of her fingernails eventually she lifted up what was now obviously a false bottom of the draw.
Any magical means of protection would be detected, sometimes simplicity was best.
Pulling away the false bottom her hands finally landed on a leather bound dusty journal. Taking it out of the draw and resting it on top of her desk Eliza stared at it curiously, brushing the thick layer of dust off it.
This must be Regulus Black's.
It felt like an invasion of privacy to read the thoughts of the dead heir but once she started she found she simply couldn't put the journal down.
Mother and father argued again today – things haven't been the same since Sirius got sorted into Gryffindor but now he's even ignoring me. I wish things could be normal again.
I start Hogwarts this year, it will be strange to be away from home.
The hat wanted me in Ravenclaw but I managed to get into Slytherin. Sirius looked disappointed but that can't be helped. Legacy is more important than the feelings of a twelve year old. Or mine.
I'm enjoying Hogwarts, even if the lessons are dull the people are nice. Sirius ignores me at every turn but I didn't expect anything else. Maybe he'll grow out of it soon.
I'm the newest seeker for Slytherin, as a second year I'm the youngest on the team. There's something quite freeing about flying. I don't need to be a Black when I'm at one with the wind.
I never knew Sirius could be this cruel. He used to be my hero. I don't know where it all went wrong. Maybe it had never been right to begin with.
I miss home, and Kreacher.
This summer is the worst yet, Sirius ran away. He left me to join James Potter. The brother he 'never had' My parents never expected to train me to be the heir. They're expectations are more crushing than the cruciatas.
There's talk of a dark lord, who will bring back our traditions and protect us from muggles. Things are changing, I know it.
My parents think I should join this man. His 'death eaters'. I won't admit it to anyone else but I have doubts – he doesn't seem like the man he used to be.
Black's bow to no one and yet I have now been branded like cattle. I hope my parents are happy.
Blood, violence, murder, more blood. These were not the ideals I swore to fight for, this is not what I gave up my pride for.
Tom Marvolo Riddle. A half blood advocating for pureblood supremacy. Who would have thought?
Kreacher came back from the cave today, by pure luck. The dark lord took what was mine and left it for dead. He does not care for his followers, he does not care for the world – I doubt he even cares for himself anymore. That monster's mind is so warped I doubt he thinks of anything but domination. I have to stop him.
Horcruxes. No wonder he turned out the way he did.
Sirius was always meant to be the brave one – it's funny how things turn out. Sirius will hopefully live his life after this. I never thought I would be one for martyrdom but I should have known every step I have been taking would be leading me to death. The Black family madness, it takes down as many of us as it can.
I wonder what it's like to die.
I hope it means something.
I hope Kreacher can destroy the Dark Lord's horcrux and finally render that monster a man.
Goodbye,
Regulus Arcturus Black.
By the time Eliza finished reading Regulus' journal it was dark outside, the moon shining dimly through the curtains.
It had taken her six hours to read his entire life.
He had died so young.
She understood now why Sirius always compared herself to him. Regulus had been prideful and loyal to a fault with a quiet violence that he nurtured in his heart.
And most importantly he had stolen one of Tom's horcruxes.
When Eliza went to sleep that night it was a fitful one.
Idly she wondered what Regulus Black would think if he knew he had died for a meaningless cause.
A prideful man sentenced to suffer not just death, but nothing. The world would forget his name.
Eliza couldn't help but think that was the real tragedy.
~
When Eliza headed down to the kitchen the next morning her head was pounding as her thoughts chased after one another in an endless loop. So as she blearily made her way to the cupboards to pull out a coffee mug it was understandable that she missed that she and Sirius have an extra guest.
"Morning Eliza" Sirius said chirpily because he's a morning person like that.
"Morning" Eliza muttered and shuffled out of Kreacher's way when he glared, letting him make her a coffee.
"Yes morning Eliza"
"Morning professor Lupin" Eliza responded on auto pilot before her brain actually caught up with the rest of her. She whirled around quickly already reaching for the spare wand she found in the attic that she had shoved in the waistband of her joggers. It didn't work as well as her vine wood did but at least it didn't have the trace.
"What are you doing here?" She said narrowing her eyes and very aware she couldn't look less threatening in her muggle joggers, Draco's oversized Quidditch Jersey and a pair of fluffy rabbit slippers Blaise had given her to commemorate the time Draco had accidentally transfigured her ears into rabbit ones.
"I just popped round for a cuppa Eliza" Lupin said indulgently and gestured to his steaming tea cup.
"Sirius what is he doing here?"
"Why he just popped round for a cuppa Eliza"
Eliza let out a pained groan and took a gulp of the coffee Kreacher just placed in her hands desperately.
"Great" she said still very much out of it and aware that she's still half asleep "you two have resolved your differences and all you do is go out of your way to annoy me. Perfect, you're both horrible"
"Not a morning person Eliza?" Remus asked in a faux innocent tone that made Eliza want to strange him.
"Oh bugger off" she snapped before shuffling out of the kitchen hearing a bark like laugh echo behind her.
She wondered if this was how Severus felt whenever she went out of her way to annoy him.
It was a wonder she hadn't been strangled.
After her morning coffee kicked in Eliza went back to contemplating Regulus Black and the horcrux. She very much doubted it had been destroyed and as Regulus was quite obviously unavailable that left only one person to go to when it came to getting answers.
"Kreacher?" Eliza called softly pushing herself up from her desk when she heard the house elf 'pop' into the room.
"What can Kreacher be doing for the little mistress" the house elf asked adjusting its tea cosy. She made a mental note to order some of the finest fabrics around so Kreacher could make himself some new clothes in the future
"I need to ask you something Kreacher, and I'm afraid it's not going to be easy"
Kreacher didn't move his wide eyes away from her.
"I need to know what happened to the horcrux Master Regulus gave to you"
The elf promptly burst into tears.
"Oh I tried" Kreacher wailed miserably "But I couldn't, Kreacher couldn't destroy it"
"Poor master Regulus" he sobbed and Eliza dropped to her knees in front of him, taking his spindly hands into her own.
"I need that locket Kreacher, I won't order you, I know how much Regulus meant to you but I have already removed the soul from three other horcruxes, I know I can fulfil Regulus' last wish"
Probably not in the way he had intended to do so but from his musings Eliza had gathered that the boy had admired the Dark Lord when Tom was in his youth. She could only hope he agreed with her decisions.
Kreacher didn't take his eyes off of her for a few moments before the elf nodded sharply, disappearing and reappearing in a matter of moments.
"Kreacher thanks you dearly little mistress" the elf said and Eliza smiled at him softly.
"Now go and steal back some of those ornaments Sirius keeps trying to throw out – I know you want to"
Kreacher smiled and disappeared with one last 'pop' leaving Eliza alone in the room of a dead man with a piece of the dark lord's soul.
The locket was a garish thing, heavy and ornate and it seemed to pulse as Eliza held it. Like a heartbeat. With all the ambient magic in the Black ancestral home Eliza had no doubt the locket would be just as strong as the diadem.
Brushing her fingers over the emerald green gems Eliza realised she would have to tell Tom she had found yet another horcrux. However, safe in the knowledge that Sirius would be fully distracted by Remus downstairs, Eliza had the time for a little detour first.
Breathing in deeply she slipped the locket over her head and cupped it in her palm
"I'm here" she hissed in parseltongue and quickly she crashed, falling down and down and down into someone else's mind.
When Eliza opened her eyes she took a moment to assess her surroundings. Her Tom, the diary, had haunted Hogwarts, the diadem had haunted the Albanian forest.
This looked just like a normal apartment.
It was small for sure, a connected kitchen and living room with a door off the side that she assumed must lead to a bedroom. The window looked out onto what could only be knockturn alley.
It was almost cosy.
The walls were lined with books, there was a table in the corner where an old gramophone sat and the coffee table in the middle of the room was ladened with miscellaneous objects as it heavily tipped to one side. There was only one sofa in the room and the pillows were a typical slytherin green that had Eliza snorting. Overall it looked more like the apartment of a broke scholar than an up and coming dark lord.
"Hello Riddle" Eliza said, not even needing to see the man to know he was sneaking up behind her. She turned around to face him anyway.
"Hello" Riddle responding in kind tilting his head as he studied her which instantly told Eliza how much curiosity he was hiding.
There was one thing common in all the soul pieces she had spoken too, they were all absolutely ravenous for knowledge.
"And just who are you?" Riddle spoke, the smooth baritone of his voice dripping like honey as he slowly moved forward. His hair was the same, dark and wavy but his eyes like the diadems were a deep crimson. She wondered if it was an effect of splitting his soul too many times or simply another ritual gone wrong.
"I'm sure it would be easier to simply show you" Eliza suggested lazily even as Riddle prowled closer.
She had no need to be afraid of Riddle, not anymore.
"So fearless" Riddle purred as he finally stopped in front of her.
"Maybe it's you who should be scared" Eliza countered even when Riddle crooked a finger under her chin, forcing her to look up into his ruby red eyes. They reminded her of the philosopher's stone.
"We shall see" Riddle said and then he slipped into her mind.
Memories flashed rapidly behind her eyes but shockingly he only took what he needed, saw only what she directed him to.
An erratic and insane Voldemort, flesh burning beneath her fingers. My name is Tom Riddle and you are? The drip, drip, drip of the chamber, a change of fate with an unbreakable vow and all the plans that suddenly follow, the waltz in the woods with the diadem (who am I? who am I? who am I?)
Hello Little Horcrux he whispered into her mind and Eliza felt those words claw into her, permeating her to her very soul before he suddenly withdrew and they're both standing breathless in the apartment once more, his hand now cupping her cheek.
"Oh Eliza" he breathed and somehow he made her name sound like a sin.
"What a treasure you are"
Eliza jolted awake suddenly when she heard Sirius knocking at her door. She left the locket behind as she joined Sirius and Remus for a day out in diagon but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't leave behind the feeling of Riddle's burning gaze.
~
The weeks pass quickly now she has the locket.
She talked to Riddle every night and she's once again struck by how different the horcruxes are. Although not as mature and confident as the diadem, Riddle was more even tempered than her Tom. He wasn't as restless now and they spent most of their nights sat draped over each other on the sofa swapping stories. Eliza told Riddle about her studies, her court and Riddle in turn bemoaned what he had been stuck doing after he left Hogwarts.
The thought of dark lords and customer service was a hysterical combination.
She was also proven right about him having slowly changed his accent over the years. She dropped in unannounced one day and Riddle stumbled in front of her, stubbing his toe on the corner of the coffee table. He swore like a sailor in a thick cockney accent and Eliza near died of laughter.
"Did you miss Hogwarts when you left?" Eliza asked one night, her legs flung carelessly across Riddle's lap as he read. He looked away from his book considering her question.
"Hogwarts was my first home, I miss it but" he paused turning his intense ruby eyes onto her "there's a whole world out there Eliza, and it's simply waiting for you to take it"
Eliza doesn't say anything after that and they fall back into an easy companionable silence.
~
Usually her summer holidays drag, it amazed her how fast her birthday arrived.
She's honestly not expecting much for her birthday apart from her usual fare of presents (she still warms at the thought) so when she finally stumbled down the stairs in the morning she balked at the sight in front of her.
The kitchen table was ladened with stacks of presents in a myriad of brightly coloured wrapping paper. Remus was sat at the table sipping a cup of tea and the chair next to him was suspiciously empty. Her suspicions were proven to be correct a second later when she was practically tackled by Sirius in his dog form. Falling to the floor under the weight of the grimm Eliza let out a stream of laughter as Sirius wagged his tail madly.
"Get off me you mutt" Eliza choked out between laughs as she tried to shove Sirius from where he'd settled on her chest. Sirius let out a whine that could only be a dog's version of 'hell no' and Eliza looked up imploringly at Remus who was trying his best to ignore the two of them.
"Remus help me"
"What's the magic word?" Remus asked because he was just an absolute bastard like that – Eliza had heard enough stories from the both of them to know what the marauders were like.
Wrestling her back-up wand from the waistband of her jeans Eliza fired a stinging hex at Remus and finally succeeded in rolling out from under Sirius, stumbling to her feet.
"Happy birthday pup!" Sirius cheered as he shifted back, plonking down in his seat next to a pouting Remus.
"I hate you both" Eliza dead pans slipping into her own seat and thanking Kreacher when he handed her a coffee.
"No you don't" Sirius trilled and then began shoving presents across the table towards her "Now open your presents!"
Eliza rolled her eyes fondly and started digging into her stack of gifts. She started with what was obviously Sirius' going by the bright red and gold wrapping paper and when she finally saw what was inside she gasped in surprise.
"It's the Black family grimoire" Sirius explained "I didn't know if you'd be interested but-
"I love it" Eliza cut him off immediately "I love it"
She set the grimoire aside reverently and then moved on. Remus has given her a giant box of chocolates which she didn't hesitate to share with the man. Theo had given her a brand new knife set for ancient runes, the different metals interacted differently when carving and Eliza had been wanting to experiment for ages. Blaise had gotten her a new black leather satchel considering hers was now falling apart at the seams and Daphne had sent over another picture in a frame, this time a picture of them all at the Malfoy Yule ball, smiling at the camera. Draco had sent over a snow globe with a perfect replica of Hogwarts sat in it, golden lights twinkling amidst the 'snow' and Narcissa and Lucius, never to be outdone, sent her her very own firebolt which had Sirius practically drooling.
Eliza couldn't believe all the gifts she had already gotten and was surprised when Sirius shoved one more across the table.
"Now I'm not going to tell you why you need these this year but you do" Sirius explained and then looked oddly nervous as he bit his lip.
"If you don't like them then we can change them but Narcissa helped and I just thought, well-
"Sirius" Eliza cut off the man's ramblings "I'm sure I'll love it"
Lifting the lid off the box Eliza gasped at what she saw, lifting the dress and shaking it out to see it properly.
It was a strapless deep emerald green silk gown, it flared out softly when Eliza unfolded it. The bodice was studded in an intricate pattern of silver beading, cinching in at the waist before it flared out. At the bottom of the dress, running all round it, was an intricate elegant weaving pattern of silver studded snakes, lining the hem of the dress that shimmered when the light touched them.
"Oh Sirius" Eliza breathed "this is gorgeous"
Sirius audibly breathed a sigh of relief and Eliza continued to stare at the dress, running her hands across the material.
"Won't you tell me what it's for?"
"My lips are sealed" Sirius said miming zipping his lips as Eliza carefully folded the dress back up, placing it into the box.
"Oh!" Sirius exclaimed rooting through his pockets "I almost forgot"
He rustled around for a few more moments before he victoriously pulled out an envelope tossing it towards Eliza who peered into it.
"Are these-?"
"Oh yeah" Sirius said and they exchange matching grins.
Three tickets to the Quidditch world cup.
This was shaping up to be the best birthday ever.
She spent the rest of the day with Sirius and Remus and they go out to eat in a fancy Italian restraint where Eliza couldn't even name what she ate. When they came home Sirius blasted his old favourite muggle music from the record player and they all sat around drinking butterbeer and swapping stories.
She doesn't want the day to end.
When Eliza returned to her room she was more than ready to fall asleep but there was a black eagle owl perched on top of her desk with a package and a letter.
She scratches the fearsome owl beneath its beak as she opened up the letter
Dear Little star,
Happy Birthday darling, I hope you have a truly wonderful day – it's what you deserve. With this letter I've enclosed a birthday gift, I hope you like it. Its indestructible so nothing will break it and it's immune to most charms such as accio, I'm sure you will look stunning in it.
And although I have no wish to discuss shop-talk on your birthday I'm afraid we must. I can't begin to tell you how relieved I am that you found the locket – you seem to have a proclivity for finding my horcruxes. If you could send it to me before the next Sabbath? I'm currently in the magical catacombs of France studying a branch of soul magic and Sabbaths are supposed to amplify soul magic – I don't know why I never thought of it before honestly.
Happy birthday
Yours,
Tom
Eliza smiled at the letter and turned her attention to the small packaged box left on her desk. Pulling the ribbon loose she slowly took the lid off and peered into the box.
Nestled on a velvet cushion lay a stunning necklace. The chain was silver and hanging from it were white crystals melded into the shape of a small glimmering star.
What a sap.
Eliza swore she would never take it off.
~
Time moved quickly and she spent her nights alternating between studding the Black family magic which predominantly seemed to focus on human transfiguration and mind magic's, or spending time with Sirius or spending her nights with Riddle who bregrudingly let her practice legilimency on him.
Before she knew it, it was the day of the quidditch world cup.
She woke up to a loud yelp and when she finally pushed herself up in bed it was to the sight of Sirius confusedly slumped on the floor outside her bedroom
"Thought you could pounce on me?" Eliza drawled, throwing her blankets off of her.
"Pup I think Gringotts is less warded than your room"
"Can never be too prepared" Eliza quipped thinking about the horcrux sized secret she was harbouring in her room.
"Your paranoia is ruining my fun"
"Good"
With a bark of laughter Sirius disappeared down the hall to wake up an unsuspecting Remus as Eliza got ready for the day. She pulled on one of Draco's quidditch jerseys (house pride) and pulled on some jeans, forgoing her wizard's robes. Sirius had booked a tent for the 'real experience' and as the field was owned by muggles it was best to be inconspicuous. Hopping on one foot as she pulled on her dragon hide knee high boots Eliza debated taking the locket with her before clasping it around her neck, her necklace off Tom lying on top of it.
Grabbing her old worn leather jacket from her coat peg she dashed down the stairs pulling her hair into a ponytail as she went.
"Are we ready?" Sirius chirped brightly wearing his own leather jacket. Remus was stood beside him looking half asleep and murderous but still smiled softly when he saw Eliza.
"More than"
With a loud 'crack' they apparated away.
~
I don't understand what the appeal is
Hush Eliza told Riddle as she walked through the amassed crowd of wizards and tents trying to track down her court.
You don't even like quidditch why bother?
I like flying though, plus I'm in the top box.
Ah Riddle uttered, his smooth baritone echoing in her mind building connections, I approve
Do you ever take a break from scheming? Eliza thought at him as she ducked between tents, she could have sworn her court were here somewhere.
Dark Lord Darling, what's your excuse?
"Eliza!"
Whirling around just in time to catch an armful of Daphne she smiled when she heard the rest of her courts laughter.
"Hello Daphne" Eliza smiled at the taller girl, in fact all of her friends were taller than her now which was terribly rude of them. How was Eliza supposed to be threatening when Blaise kept ruffling her hair?
Batting his hand away from her she grinned at them all.
"Is that my jersey?" Draco asked narrowing his eyes when he saw what she was wearing.
"No" Eliza lied blatantly and laughed at his glare.
It was nice to see them all again.
Eventually she and Draco broke away from Blaise, Theo and Daphne. Although the others had good seats they weren't in the top box like she and Draco (the other boy had not stopped bragging and or fanboying over that fact either)
Blaise had been staying with Theo for the better part of the summer and Theo's grandfather had bought the tickets for the boys as a surprise. Daphne, never one to be left out, immediately jumped on the band wagon.
"Mother, Father" Draco called as they approached the tent where there were thankfully no peacocks "look who I found"
"Ah Draco, Eliza" Narcissa greeted warmly and then stepped to the side revealing Sirius and Remus stood awkwardly behind the Malfoy's.
"How perfect, look who I found"
Eliza was surprised the tent was still standing.
Sirius met her eyes and mouthed a 'help me' over Narcissa's shoulder but immediately plastered an innocent expression on his face when Narcissa looked back at him. Lucius, obviously catching the gesture, seemed to muffle a snort before smiling at Eliza.
"Lovely to see you Eliza, have you had a nice summer?"
"Brilliant Lucius, have you had fun terrorising the board of governors this summer?"
Remus seemed to choke at that but Lucius simply chuckled.
"Indeed"
Abraxas' son, I do love the Malfoy's. It's rare you find Slytherins so loyal.
Could you reminisce in your own head?
I could
"Great the introductions are out of the way" Draco exclaimed "can we go now?"
It was rare to see Draco so caught up in such childish glee and Eliza had to laugh.
"Of course Draco, lead the way"
The top box was filled with an interesting selection of people, most of which were Weasley's. Thankfully they didn't try to bother them although Ron kept sending her and Draco wary looks. When Eliza saw the minister she allowed an easy going charming smile to slip onto her face and she and Lucius exchanged glances before slowly meandering over. Sirius took one look at their scheming faces and rolled his eyes dragging Remus over to their seats.
Gryffindors.
"Hello minister" Eliza said smoothly and felt Riddle perk up in interest.
"Ah Eliza Potter, lovely to see you again dear girl" Fudge proclaimed boisterously.
"Likewise minister" Eliza replied easily and watched as the minister turned to the large burly man standing next to him.
"This is the Bulgarian minister, this is Eliza Potter" Fudge over accentuated when talking to the man. The Bulgarian minister looked at him blankly and beside her Lucius let out a small long suffering sigh.
"You know" Fudge blustered "Eliza Potter, Girl Who Lived"
At this Fudge tried to discretely gesture to the faded pale lightning bolt scar that ran down the side of her face. At this the Bulgarian minister started to babble and Riddle snorted.
He can understand English you know, he just doesn't like Fudge
You know Bulgarian?
Of course
Of course Eliza echoed and after finishing her idle chit chat with Fudge, it was always good to have the minister in your pocket – a Lucius Malfoy life lesson, she slipped into her seat besides Sirius and Remus and settled in to watch the game.
~
The celebrations lasted well into the night, Draco ended up crashing with Eliza in her tent after he tried a bit of fire whiskey much to Eliza's amusement. It was some time later when Eliza was woken up to the sound of a loud 'bang' coming from across the camp site.
She shot up with a gasp instantly reaching for her spare wand that she kept beneath her pillow as another loud 'bang' came again.
"Eliza!" came Sirius' panicked voice.
"What's going on?" Eliza asked sharply as she shook Draco awake, shoving his shoes in his direction as she turned to face Sirius.
"Death Eater attack, head for the woods and I'll come find you later. They have muggles, there's civilians. I need to help"
She sometimes forgot that Sirius used to be one of the top aurors before the war. If there had ever been a time before the war.
"Go" Eliza said sharply "you know I can hold my own"
Sirius let out a sigh of relief but before he dashed out he levelled her with a serious stare.
"Stay safe, I'll be back as soon as I can"
Eliza nodded and turned to Draco who now stood, wild eyed and panicked.
Death Eaters at the world cup. This wasn't Tom's doing, it could just be a random attack but
Get out of there and don't risk it came Riddle's voice clear and sharp and Eliza nodded decisively grabbing Draco's sleeve and dragging him out the tent, pocketing the dagger she had kept under her pillow as she went.
You could never be too careful.
Immediately they were assaulted by burning tents and smoke as they battled their way through the crowd
"My parents-
"We don't know where your parents stand Draco. My priority is keeping you safe, everything else we can worry about later"
Draco swallowed loudly but nodded in agreement as they ducked and weaved through the trees until they reached the tree line. It was cold and dark but Eliza wouldn't risk casting a lumos in case it alerted anyone of their presence. They kept walking in silence until finally they reached a small clearing in the trees lit up by moonlight.
"We can stay here for a while" Eliza ordered and Draco slumped against one of the tree trunks running a hand through his blonde hair.
"Do you think-
"I don't know Draco. I don't know"
And it was true. Was this Voldemort finally acting at last? Was it a desperate stunt by death eaters who had no concept over what they had truly been fighting for? And was Lucius among them?
She didn't know.
It's okay little star, just focus on staying safe.
Riddle's voice had no right being as soothing as it was.
It could only have been ten minutes before a rustling came from the trees around them. Eliza immediately raised her wand, keeping it trained on the figures moving in the tree's before them. A curse was on her lips before she finally saw who it was who had stumbled upon them in the forest.
Theo and Blaise both stumbled into the clearing, Daphne thrashing in their arms as she sobbed hysterically.
"Daphne" Draco called rushing over to the hysterical girl, grabbing her and pulling her in closely "What's going on?"
"It's Astoria" Daphne choked out between sobs "we got separated I don't- I don't know where she is- I don't"
Draco cut off her hysterical words by pulling her closer, whispering soothing words to her in an effort to calm down. Daphne was usually unshakable but nothing was more important than family. And hers was now under threat.
"Where did you last see her?" Eliza asked coolly already feeling herself entering a different frame of mind. Where everything fell away and it was just her and her instincts and her mind screaming at her to act.
"We had just passed the tents where Selwyn had been staying"
Eliza nodded.
"Don't do it Eliza" Theo said warningly stepping away from Daphne and Draco. Eliza turned her glare onto him.
"You have no right to question me-
"I do when you're just going to run off into danger, I have a right to be worried" Theo spoke angrily over Daphne's sobs and Eliza sighed. They didn't have time for this.
He has a point darling
This is Daphne's sister. How am I meant to rule when I can't look after my subjects?
Riddle fell silent after that and Eliza turned her attention back to her court.
"Stay here, I'm going to cast a few rudimentary wards around this clearing before I go" both Blaise and Theo went to protest but Eliza cut them off.
"I have a secondary untraceable wand, if anything happens I'll send a patronus to you"
And wasn't that a neat trick that Remus had taught her over the holidays.
Theo nodded curtly, obviously not happy with her decision but his eyes were full of worry.
"Stay safe"
"I will"
And with that Eliza walked away into danger and felt herself finally feel calm.
"Point me, Astoria Greengrass" Eliza murmured again and minutely adjusted her direction before walking again. She had been continuing this pattern for the past ten minutes and had yet to encounter anything but charred tents and ash, the sound of the real battle far on the other side of the camp site.
You're being followed Little Star
I know
She had yet to encounter anything but that didn't mean nothing had encountered her. She had felt eyes on her two minutes ago and the faint rustle of footsteps could be heard clearly in the strange distorted silence of the camp. She wished she had put on her wizards robes, at least they had runic protections.
Asking the wand to point her again she barely had time to duck before a spell went whizzing over her head, causing the tent behind her to burst into flames
"The Girl Who Lived" a voice growled behind her and Eliza whipped around to see a masked death eater lurking behind her.
"What a treat"
The mask did nothing to disguise his identity, Eliza recongised the voice of Walden Macnair. That meant no overtly dark spells, ministry official's death's always got investigated.
"You're going to pay girl"
Eliza nimbly jumped out of the way of what looked like the cruciatas.
Shit.
"Confrigo" Eliza cast at Macnair quickly following it up with a 'bombarda maxima' which he ducked into to escape her other spell. He was blasted backwards and Eliza wasted no time in advancing.
"Expulso" Macnair shouted and Eliza countered with a protego, ducking out of the way of another dark curse sent her way, losing the ground she had just gained.
"Stupefy" she cast following it up with an expelliarmus and incarcerous as well as a petrificus totalus, hoping her rapid spell fire would catch him off guard. This wand didn't work as well as her own, she had to push her magic extra hard to get it to co-operate. Her heart was pounding, her blood singing and Eliza wanted nothing more to just let herself unleash on the man.
As long as you make it look like an accident you can do anything Riddle told her as Macnair shot what looked like an entrails-expelling curse at her.
It would be unfortunate if Macnair died in a freak accident, what with all the shrapnel lying about.
Eliza felt a twisted grin cross her face and allowed herself to laugh maniacally.
"Oh Macnair you have messed with the wrong girl"
Eliza immediately lobbed Macnair with a bone-breaking curse, as well as 'engorgio skullius' which he infuriatingly blocked.
Macnair sent another jinx her way, cutting into her arm. The sharp stinging made Eliza hiss in pain and her magic roiled around her in anger.
Eliza quickly cast another succession of jinxes and smirked when her knee reversal jinx got through his shield. Taking his moment of distraction Eliza smiled nastily and cast a blood boiling curse at the man.
He immediately dropped down to the ground, screaming loudly as his blood boiled beneath his skin, running down his eyes. Eliza smiled and stalked closer to his writhing body.
Somehow Macnair summoned enough strength to murmur the counter spell and immediately sent a cutting jinx at Eliza which she deflected easily, with a lazy wave of her wand.
"Now that wasn't very nice" she cooed, revelling in finally having the upper hand.
"Crucio" she purred and watched as the man immediately contorted, screaming out in agony. The pleasure over casting such a dark spell threatened to overwhelm Eliza and she smiled as it coursed through her, cutting off the spell leaving the man sobbing on the ground.
Oh darling Riddle whispered in her mind, his familiar warmth pulsing through her as they both observed the wrecked man on the ground
"You're insane, you bitch" Macnair choked out between heaving gasps and Eliza felt her grin grow wilder.
"It's a shame we can't spend more time with each other but as it is" she quipped and raised her wand one last time –
"Leaving so soon Potter. Without your guest?"
An unfamiliar death eater had snuck up behind her and with him, shaking, terrified and crying was little Astoria Greengrass.
"Now you're going to put down your wand Potter or else" the man said jamming his wand underneath Astoria's chin who whimpered in fear. Eliza felt her blood roar in her ears as she took in the sight of her friends little sister being held hostage.
Until finally, the rage fell away.
And she was calm.
Eliza lowered her wand slightly and as the death eater watched that action Eliza discreetly dug into her pocket for the dagger she had taken with her when she left the tent.
"That's it Potter. Put it on the floor" The Death Eater ordered as Macnair unsteadily climbed to his feet behind her. Eliza concentrated heavily on Astoria meeting her eyes and pushed her mind forward until she was brushing against Astoria's. She could only hope her legilimency was strong enough for this.
Get ready to duck Eliza imprinted into Astoria's mind and smirked when Astoria discretely nodded her head back wide-eyed. Black's were supposed to have a proclivity for the mind arts, she was glad it worked.
"You know" Eliza said calmly, a smile showing too many teeth pulling at her lips "I don't think I will"
Quick as lightning Eliza struck. With deadly precision she threw her dagger at the Death Eaters throat, Astoria ducking out of his hold. In the same breath Eliza whirled around to face Macnair casting a diffindo straight at the man.
The fight was over in seconds.
Macnair let out a choked gurgled gasp as the severing charm hit his throat, severing his jugular. His hands raised to his throat, red blood bubbling through his fingers before he fell to the ground with a loud 'thump'
Eliza turned around and dashed towards Astoria who was lying curled up and shaking on the ground next to the dying death eater. Her knife had embedded itself shallowly in his chest, incapacitating him but leaving him alive.
"Is he dead?" Astoria whispered through small sobs.
Not yet
Eliza couldn't tell if that was Riddle's voice or her own.
"Close your eyes Astoria" Eliza murmured gently, a sharp contrast with her bloodied mud covered form.
"You've been so brave, you just need to be brave for a bit longer"
Astoria whimpered and closed her eyes, burring her face in her knees as Eliza stood over the death eater. He was heaving, gasping for breath as he feebly tried to remove the dagger, even with the black robes Eliza could see how they were soaked in blood. She removed her dagger and ignored how the warm blood felt on her palms.
Breaking off a stray plank of wood with a great pull Eliza chipped at it slowly until it resembled a crudely fashioned spike.
She would remove the mask from Macnair and leave his body. Macnair the ministry official will have battled an unknown death eater valiantly until he was killed. His last spell – a bombarda maxima, when they check, will have hit the death eater sending him flying until he was accidentally impaled on stray shrapnel.
She and Astoria will have been in the forest with her friends, completely uninvolved.
Steadying herself Eliza lifted the wooden spike up high and slammed it down through the man's torso. A scream died in his throat and his body gave a terrifying lurch before he fell back, dead on the ground.
"Astoria?" Eliza breathed stepping away from the bodies "It's okay now, the bad guys are gone"
Astoria peaked up at Eliza, eyes still wet with tears before she threw herself at the other girl disregarding the fact that she was covered in blood.
"I was so scared" Astoria sobbed and Eliza held her closer.
"I know" she soothed "I know, now let's get you back to your sister okay"
Astoria nodded but didn't let go of Eliza's arm, clinging onto it with dear life.
Raising her right hand Eliza hissed when it stung sharply from the cut she gained earlier. Focusing on the faces of her court, safe and protected in the middle of the forest and nowhere near the charred camp site stained in blood she cast her patronus.
Her hippogriff pounced out of the room loftily, unlike its usually playful self it stood ramrod straight as if it knew just what exactly had occurred. Astoria let out a tiny gasp of delight and Eliza was struck with how young she was.
When Eliza had been in her second year she had walked into a chamber to face a dark lord and a sixty foot basilisk, blood already staining her hands.
Eliza would gladly kill anyone if it meant keeping her court safe and untarnished.
"Tell Daphne Greengrass that I have Astoria, we are both safe now and that the situation has been dealt with"
The hippogriff nodded and soared off towards the direction of the clearing she knew her court was as she and Astoria slowly stumbled in the direction of safety.
When they both passed the protection of the wards she immediately heard a scream. Daphne ran up to them and scooped Astoria into her arms, the two sisters both sobbing as they were reunited.
"Eliza!" her name was shouted and Eliza's head snapped up in surprise over seeing Sirius and Remus stood beside her court, Lucius and Narcissa there as well clutching onto Draco as they all looked at her in horror.
"I'm fine" Eliza said coolly, prying her arm out of Astoria's grip.
"You are not fine" Sirius roared "Look at you"
"I'm fine" Eliza repeated "I only have a cut on my arm"
"Then who's- Sirius cut himself off, eyes lighting up in horrified realisation
"Eliza" Narcissa said softly walking toward her "what happened?"
"I was cornered by Macnair" Eliza recited dully "some other death eater captured Astoria to get me to comply. I wouldn't let that happen"
She wondered what she looked like, clothes ripped covered in mud and dirt, clammy hands tightly wrapped around a wand that wasn't hers and covered in murdered men's blood.
"They would have killed me"
So I had to kill them went unsaid.
"And what's the official story?" Narcissa said as fast and accepting as ever. Eliza wanted nothing more than to slump into her comforting embrace but she knew it wouldn't end well. Not when there was static still trapped under her skin, ozone crackling about her as her magic prepared for a threat that was now long gone.
"Macnair confronted the death eater and was tragically killed. His last spell sent the death eater flying into the stray shrapnel, impaling him. They will find the evidence they need" Eliza reported as her heart finally calmed to a dull steady thud. She thought she heard someone retch, she couldn't tell if it was Sirius or Remus.
"Eliza saved my life" she heard Astoria whisper and they all turned to look at the small girl huddled into Daphne, big blue eyes looking adoringly on Eliza.
"She saved me from the bad guys – she's a hero"
Eliza didn't feel like a hero. Not with the blood beneath her fingernails and the sickening choking gaps of a man's last breath echoing in her ears.
She had never truly killed before.
It was an odd experience.
"Okay" Sirius breathed "we're all okay"
And then he walked forward and wrapped Eliza into a near strangling hug
"You're okay"
"Let's get you home kid"
~
Eliza watched as the blood swirled down the drain as she stood under the torrent of water. She had scrubbed every inch of herself raw and yet she still felt the phantom sticky touch of blood on her hands.
Killing was different, thought Eliza as she switched off the shower.
She knew she wasn't a nice person, knew there was something just a bit different about her and probably always would be. She had proclivity towards violence, wasn't fully calm until she had ripped something apart whether it be with her words or with her magic.
But she had never really killed before, or at least not intentionally.
She wasn't sure why it bothered her so much.
The torture hadn't. She had practically revelled in it when she had placed Macnair under the cruciatas.
She wondered what that said about her.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Sirius asked when she finally wandered back downstairs, Kreacher shoving a hot chocolate in her hands.
"No" she said simply, nursing her drink next to Sirius who stayed as a comforting steady weight.
"It doesn't matter who you think you are Eliza" he said looking down at her with those stormy grey eyes "you're not untouchable"
It amazed her how much she had needed to hear those words.
Sending Sirius a smile she timidly hugged the man before she went off to her own room, claiming she needed to sleep. It wasn't a lie, her magic was exhausted after today's stunt but when she finally settled into bed she found her thoughts wouldn't rest.
She kept seeing Macnair's throat slit open, blood bubbling through the cracks, kept seeing Astoria begging and pleading for help. 'Hero' her voice said mockingly as Eliza ran a wooden spike through a man's body, 'hero'
Eliza kept tossing and turning restlessly until she felt a pulse from the locket, her only warning before she was pulled into Riddle's mindscape.
She didn't even have time to re adjust to her new surroundings before she was being pulled into Riddle, his arms wrapping around her. Riddle was warm and solid and so tall, Eliza's head rested on his chest and she felt herself melt into him just a bit, slumping into his embrace as Riddle held her tighter.
"You were so brave Little Star"
Eliza felt her eyes burn as she tried to press closer to Riddle, until there was no space between them, as if they were trying to pour their souls into one another. In a way maybe they were.
"I don't know why I'm so bothered" Eliza confessed quietly and suddenly she was being scooped up into Riddle's arms and she let out a squeak. Riddle walked them both backwards until he was sat, lying on the sofa with Eliza on top of him, his head on her shoulder and his arms still wrapped around her.
"Your first kill is always the hardest" Riddle said calmly as Eliza sunk into his embrace
"Was it for you?"
Riddle went quiet at that and seemed to absent-mindedly play with a strand of her hair as he contemplated her question.
"Myrtle Warren meant nothing to me, she was but an accident and as such I felt no guilt over the situation. My first intentional kill was of course my filthy muggle father" Riddle explained, running a thumb over the Gaunt Ring that Eliza wore on her hand.
"Killing is easy for someone like me Eliza, I don't like spilling magical blood but I will if they are standing in my way. I seek power, I seek vengeance, I seek fulfilment" Riddle explained calmly, pondering his own experiences and Eliza's eyes flicker shut as he cards his hand through her hair.
"I cannot love, it only follows that I cannot experience guilt like everyone else"
"I don't think you can't love" Eliza murmured sleepily, feeling herself doze off against Riddle's chest
"And why's that?" Riddle asked indulgently.
"Because in one life I was you, and I know how to love"
She thought Riddle might have replied to her but she doesn't catch his response. The hauntings of her mind have quietened and quickly she fell asleep to the steady rise and fall of Riddle's chest.
~
"When are you giving me back Eliza?" Riddle asked from his spot on the sofa, looking up from his book
"Soon" Eliza said ignoring his probing stare.
"You said that last time Eliza, and the summer holidays are almost over" Riddle said lightly but there was an undercurrent of warning in his voice that made Eliza look up.
"Tomorrow. I'm sending you back tomorrow"
"And you weren't going to tell me? How heartless" Riddle drawled placing a hand on his chest and watched her when Eliza shifted uncomfortably.
"You don't want me to go do you Eliza?" Riddle said in a lilting tone, a smirk pulling at his lips and Eliza slammed the book she had been reading shut with a loud 'thud'
"Of course I don't want you to go" Eliza replied waspishly rising to her feet "I'm not going to see you again now you have all your horcruxes"
Riddle regarded her intensely for a few moments.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that"
Eliza didn't even bother responding to his preoccupied musings and instead tried to look anywhere but at the budding dark lord.
"Well I refuse to let our last night together be so depressing" Riddle proclaimed leaping to his feet
"What?" Eliza questioned narrowing her eyes at him as he sauntered over to the record player on the table. She watched as he flicked through his pile of records with his long fingers until he let out a victorious proclamation.
Eliza watched as Riddle set the vinyl beneath the needle and soon upbeat lively jazz music was filling the air. With a click the furniture in the room vanished leaving a wide open space that Riddle crossed to join her. He took her hands in his large ones and looked down at her with a crooked smile that made her heart pound.
"I take it you've never swing danced before?" Riddle asked, raising his eyebrows.
Eliza shook her head, a smile playing at her lips. Riddle's nose scrunched and his grin grew wider before he suddenly spun her under his arm, pulling her back in viper fast and started moving around the room in time with the upbeat music.
"Then I'll just have to teach you"
Eliza laughed delightedly as Riddle picked her up by the waist and lifted her up the ground, having her copy the steps he made.
She didn't know how long she spent bouncing around the room with Riddle but by the time they stop she was breathless and her sides ached from how much she laughed.
"I think I'll miss you" Eliza said in a moment of vulnerability, meeting Riddle's haunting blood red eyes. Riddle raised his hand to her cheek, running a thumb delicately down her scar in a parody of their first meeting.
"I believe I shall miss you too"
She fell asleep that night to the melody of a jazz score and the echo of Riddle's laughter.
The last day of August she sent Hedwig off with the locket and a letter with a small pang in her heart.
She hated how much it felt like goodbye.