Instead of thunderous applause the only thing her name was met with was a horrible oppressive silence.
"Eliza Potter" Dumbledore shouted again and Eliza slowly rose to her feet, unnerved by the feeling of everyone's eyes on her.
She had known that she would not be escaping this year unscathed, she knew Tom was using her as bait but that didn't equate in her mind to her being a champion for the school. She had thought she'd just be kidnapped like any normal evil mastermind would choose to do. She never expected to be a champion in a tournament she had ordered her Slytherins to not take part in. A tournament in which people died.
The other champions were already in the room when Eliza entered it. She immediately glared at Tom who did nothing but shrug in a 'well what can you do' manner as Eliza fumed.
But the champions weren't alone for long as suddenly the door slammed open and in stormed a large group of people: Dumbledore, Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, Ludo Bagman, Mr Crouch and for some reason Professor Snape.
"Miss Potter" Dumbledore said coldly "did you put your name in the goblet of fire?"
"Of course she didn't" Snape snarled and Eliza felt touched over his defence of her.
"Miss Potter" Dumbledore spoke again loudly and Eliza felt herself bristle underneath all their accusatory stares because really, if she had put her name in, it would say a lot more about their incompetency then her misdoings.
"I swear on my magic that I did not place my name in the goblet of fire, nor did I ask anyone else too on my behalf. So I say, so mote it be"
A bright flash lit up the room, stunning the rest of its occupants into silence and just to further her point Eliza carelessly sent green and silver sparks into the air above her head.
"Now are we still continuing with this ridiculous farce or am I free to go?" Eliza questioned icily, she had a house to go and try and control. No doubt some of them were already making a bid for her position as Queen.
"I'm afraid even if you didn't put your name in-
"I didn't"
"You will still have to compete in the tournament" Mr Crouch said.
It was funny, how some words could sound like a death knell.
"Well that's unfair" Karkaroff blustered angrily "I demand to submit names again until each school has two champions-
"Why Headmaster are you doubting my capabilities?" Tom said silkily and Eliza had to duck her head to hide the small smile on her face as Karkaroff paled dramatically. At least Tom was obviously enjoying himself.
"It wouldn't matter anyway" a gruff voice chimed in "it's a magically binding contract, they've got to compete" Mad-Eye said as he entered the room.
"Mighty convenient eh?"
"Convenient" Madame Maxime spat "how would it be convenient?"
"Obviously a death tournament would be a convenient thing for me to take part in if someone wanted me dead" Eliza pointed out, ignoring the heavy weight of Moody's gaze.
"I don't exactly have a good track record with murderers you see" Eliza said pleasantly, revelling in the tension of the room.
Eliza listened as the adults went on to argue around her although Dumbledore curiously remained silent in defence of his champion. In fact Dumbledore's eyes had barely moved from the corner Tom was standing in the whole time.
"...I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fourth school to make sure she was the only one in her category" Moody growled out explaining his theory.
She and Tom exchanged glances.
So it seemed she wasn't the only one to have suspicions about Moody after all.
The others continued to witter on until Mr Crouch cleared his throat.
"The first task is designed to test your daring. We will not be telling you what it is as courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality for any wizard"
Eliza rolled her eyes discretely, Snape seemed to have seen though judging by his muffled snort
"The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth in front of the students and the judges. You will only be permitted your wands and no outside help. That is all"
Eliza and Tom walked out of the door together.
"So this was your plan then Tom?" Eliza asked. It was a smart plan, she could give him that. Voldemort would steal her away in the final task and Tom would simply just follow her. Using his own plans against himself and finally reuinite his soul. Although all that would depend on Eliza even making it to the third task in the first place.
"I doubt you'll get to Voldemort if I die before the third task" she reiterated her thoughts to him as they stopped in the entrance hall.
"Oh darling" Tom murmured possessively, the moonlight from the window the only thing illuminating his features, his burning gaze.
"I'll never let you die" he crooned.
Sometimes Eliza wished they could say goodbye like normal people.
It was with great trepidation that she walked down towards the Slytherin commons. She knew an oath was all that would be needed to convince them, Slytherins held lady magic in high regard after all. No it was what she might be walking in on that worried her the most.
The second she stepped through the door she was immediately assaulted with loud angry raised voices.
'that traitorous bitch'
'shut your dirty mouth Carrow'
'About time someone fucking took her down'
That was only some of what she could hear as she stepped into the room, her court were standing by the door – obviously waiting for her despite their argument earlier on.
"Oh there she is" one of the Carrow's jeered "the traitor queen herself"
Someone tried to shoot a jinx at her but Daphne threw a shield up around all of them instantly. Sending Daphne a relieved smile Eliza took a step forward, casting a sonorous charm on herself so everyone could hear.
"I swear on my magic that I did not put my name in the goblet nor did I ask anyone else too on my behalf. So I say, so mote it be"
A flash echoed her words and Eliza cast her gaze upon the crowd of Slytherins, the betrayal they had felt now mollified by her words until-
"See the bitch won't even cast a spell, she lied-
Carrow was struck down by a nasty ear shrivelling curse and Eliza silenced her before she could bother them with her screams.
Sometimes the best way to handle things was simply to handle them quickly.
"Carrow didn't seem to inclined to listen so I hope the rest of you are" Eliza spoke dangerously "I didn't place my name in the goblet which obviously means someone is targeting me. I did not do this and I certainly didn't wish to betray you nor undermine you even though you may feel that way" Eliza said silkily staring out into the now calm crowd.
"That being said if anyone wishes to challenge my leadership I am willing to defend my position right here, right now" she continued, twirling her wand lightly in her grasp. The silence was deafening.
"Nothing?" Eliza said lightly "Perfect"
"Someone make sure Carrow gets to the hospital wing" Eliza said dismissively and turned to face her court. But instead of being behind her Eliza found that they had already vacated the room.
Eliza was beginning to think Samhain was cursed.
Or perhaps maybe just she was.
~
Thomas Gaunt was the Durmstrang champion.
When Albus had first seen Thomas Gaunt he had immediately reached for his wand believing Thomas Gaunt to be Tom Riddle. An image of a boy who haunted him more than his own family ghosts did.
But then after peeking behind Karkaroff's rather flimsy occlumency barriers he now knew something else.
That Thomas Gaunt was in fact Voldemort's own abandoned son.
Whilst still a ludicrous chain of events it still made more sense than Thomas Gaunt actually being Voldemort. Voldemort would never descend to such acts of 'low war' anymore. He would not charm and connive his way into Hogwarts, nor would he go out of his way to manipulate Eliza Potter onto his own side.
Instead he would simply attack and leave destruction and death in his wake.
But that didn't stop Albus from worrying. What was the Gaunt boy like? Did he know of his father and did he plan to join him? Why was he here now?
And just how was he familiar with Eliza Potter?
Eliza was also another rogue chess piece so to speak, Albus could never get a good read on the girl. Vicious and cruel, brilliant and charming, an adcovator for creature rights and yet she seemed so unapologetically dark.
She had always stood up against Voldemort however. Perhaps not out of chivalry like Albus would have ideally hoped but more out of slytherin self preservation, the ambition to live a long life. And what with the prophecy Albus had no worry over Eliza not fighting against Voldemort. When neither can live while the other survives one of their hands would eventually be tipped.
Albus didn't enjoy manipulating the girl like that but the second that prophecy had been made Eliza had been marked as a sacrifice.
It was only fair to the greater good that Albus followed through.
But Thomas Gaunt had shifted everything.
Albus was sure she would not align herself with Voldemort but his son? Almost a shade of the charming intelligent boy he had once known? Albus dreaded to think what could happen if those two were left to their own devices.
So he called upon his closest confidant to put his mind at ease.
"Ah Severus" Albus greeted genially as the potions professor swept into the room.
"Albus" Severus intoned looking much like he'd rather be somewhere else, but Albus didn't let that bother him. Severus always looked like he'd much rather be somewhere else.
"Lemon drop?" Albus offered, picking up one of the muggle treats for himself. He watched as Severus sneered and dropped into the chair across from Albus' desk.
"What do you want Albus?" he spoke tiredly, Albus reminded himself to give Severus some more vacation days.
"What can you tell me about Eliza Potter's relationship with Thomas Gaunt?" Albus inquired and watched as Severus despaired.
"Pass me a fucking lemon drop Albus"
Albus did as asked.
~
What with the events of yesterday Eliza didn't exactly expect her morning to be calm. Sure her fellow Slytherins were more than happy to protect her even if things between her and her court were still tense but that didn't mean everyone else was pleasant. Eliza just thanked Lady Magic that it was Sunday, she didn't think she could deal with time travelling to lessons on top of all of this.
This (in this case) being Severus Snape, glowering at Eliza over the breakfast table, black eyes glimmering dangerously.
"A word in my office. Now"
Eliza didn't need telling twice.
Snape didn't even wait until his office door had fully closed behind the before he whirled on Eliza.
"What have you done?"
A common question the man asked Eliza but this time it was different, no exasperation, no grim resignation, just pure startling worry.
"Well I haven't had a chance to do much today professor considering its still breakfast-
"For once in your life will you stop with your games" Severus commanded seriously "you will tell me what is going on with no riddles or word play, no masked truth and half lies. We both know that Thomas Gaunt is not the dark lord's son so I ask you again Eliza, what have you done?"
And what has she done?
She resurrected the dark lord to save her own skin. She fought for a home and a family turning a blind eye to the fact that one day she might have to face them on a battlefield. She had become a figure head of a war she didn't know would arrive. She had lied to her court (her family) because she couldn't handle their disappointment and as a result she had put them in even more danger because they didn't know, didn't truly know, all Eliza has done. That Voldemort would be back and she didn't know what that looked like anymore because this Tom, the Tom that was here wasn't her Tom. And Eliza didn't know if she could trust him, if she had ever trusted him, but she would stay on his side anyway because how can you divide one soul across two people.
She had never felt more like a child in her life.
"I don't know" Eliza whispered into the silence of the office, her eyes were burning in a way they hadn't for years "I just don't know"
"Eliza" Severus murmured and then moved forward, bringing her into a hesitant hug and Eliza swallowed around a lump in her throat.
"Just tell me what's going on okay?"
Eliza took in a shaky breath-
"Oh do tell Eliza, what is going on?" Tom drawled dangerously and Eliza whipped around to see him lounging against the frame of the door, his eyes a heavy weight on her.
"Stay out of this Gaunt" Eliza snarled gripping her wand tightly "this has nothing to do with you"
"I have to disagree darling" Tom said kicking away from the wall walking further into the office.
"Severus is one of mine is he not?" he said quirking an eyebrow and smiled nastily when Severus lets out a choked gasp, his hand coming to rest on his dark mark.
"For once this isn't about you, I'm far too busy to deal with your overly inflated ego right now" Eliza spat back and watched as his eyes flashed dangerously.
"I think it is about me – you were about to spill our secrets to a turn-coat" Tom stopped and then switched into parseltongue, the soft sibilant hisses disguising the dangerous words.
"You know I don't take to kindly to betrayal Little Star"
"This isn't a betrayal you bloody wanker" Eliza hissed back and took a moment to balk over how swears sound in the snake tongue "we can't just Bonny and Clyde our way through this, we need allies and we can best secure them through people who are loyal to me"
"Loyal to you?" Tom hissed stalking even closer until he's stood right in front of Eliza.
"Then I'm sure Severus won't mind showing me just how loyal he is" Tom said lightly, not breaking Eliza's gaze.
There's a beat of silence before Severus inhaled sharply behind her.
"Of course...my lord"
Eliza grimaced when Tom practically preened at the form of address.
"Now Severus, remember not to hide anything from me. I assure you that you won't like the consequences"
And with barely a twitch of his fingers Eliza watched as Tom invaded Severus' mind.
The silence was horrible and Eliza could do nothing but watch. Watch as Tom invaded the perfect peace Eliza has cultivated over the years and smashed it to pieces. The worst part is she didn't even think he knew he was doing it. He was so used to sycophants and followers that he never truly knew what it meant to have friends, a family.
And she knew she needed to tell her court the truth, everything that has happened. Because if her court were the only thing that had stopped Eliza from becoming Tom Riddle than they deserved more than to be shut down every time they worried over her.
They weren't children anymore.
None of them were.
Suddenly Severus reeled back with a sharp gasp, clutching the desk behind him as a large smirk overtook Tom's face, his eyes lit up gleefully.
"Oh this is just perfect" he crowed, his usual decorum nowhere in sight. Some part of Eliza thought she preferred Tom like this. No fake charm or pretences just feral smiles and sharp eyes that showed her who he truly was.
"Are you going to tell her or am I?"
Severus glared at Tom in the most Gryffindor move Eliza had ever seen from the man before he sat back behind his desk with a sigh.
"I will"
Eliza settled into the chair across from him. Tom seemed calm, almost manically pleased with himself, but calm which meant Eliza wasn't in any danger.
The only person allowed to endanger Eliza was Tom himself.
"Are you going to be creepy and listen in on our heart to heart or are you going to go?" Eliza asked pointedly not looking at him.
"Why? Am I not wanted here Eliza?" Tom simpered and Eliza had to quell the fury rising within her.
"Not currently"
She and Tom would have to actually talk at some point as well. They couldn't keep arguing and arguing until one of them drew a wand. However Eliza wasn't one for civil conversations, neither was Tom.
It was sure to be an impossible task.
"You wound me darling"
"Good"
Tom let out a short laugh but started moving towards the door, leaving Severus and Eliza alone as his laughter echoed down the corridor.
"He's usually a lot more pleasant then that" Eliza said desperately trying to break the tension.
"He's a dark lord Eliza" Severus dead-panned.
"Yeah"
The silence was damning.
"So what did you need to tell me?" Eliza asks quietly, meeting the man's gaze.
"What do you need to tell me?" Severus counted raising an eyebrow.
Eliza sighed and allowed herself to slump over the desk despondently.
"We're going to be here for a while aren't we?"
Severus summoned a bottle of fire-whiskey in response which she supposed gave her his answer.
~
So Severus had loved her mother.
And her father had bullied him.
And her god-father had almost killed him.
She really had never hated her family more.
"And so when the dark lord decided to target the Potter's I tried to-
"You tried to save Lily Potter"
Severus nodded numbly.
"And when that didn't work Albus Dumbledore made you swear to protect me"
"I'm not a nice man Eliza, I was in the dark lord's inner circle for a reason and at the end of the war I traded one master for another with an unbreakable vow over my head. I was forced to teach dunderheads so he could keep a close eye on me and with the dark lord defeated I had all but given up fighting for my rights as a dark wizard" Severus said, voice monotonous but eyes still full of pain.
"So understand why I need the truth from you"
Eliza looked at Severus as the silence hung between them. This was a man who would fight till his last breath to protect her, not just because of the vow but because he cared. Eliza took a deep breath and let the truth spill out.
"All of this didn't begin with me, in fact it began with a boy 50 years ago who was desperately trying to survive a war" Eliza began to tell, she would have to tell Severus about the horcruxes if he was sworn to protect her. That way he would be a follower of the dark lord forever more considering Dumbledore wanted all horcruxes destroyed.
"And then I found out that I too, hold a piece of the dark lord's soul"
That Dumbledore was going to destory her.
"Does he know?" Severus asked quietly his large hand clutching Eliza's comfortingly.
"He doesn't know that I do. I'd rather keep it that way for now" Eliza said. If Tom knew that she knew of their connection he would be insufferable. Right now he was secure in the fact that he held all the cards, had yet to accept that Eliza would be nothing but his equal. It would do no good to have an off kilter Dark Lord in the castle.
"And what of the tournament?"
"That was Voldemort, the other Voldemort's doing. He wants to use me in a ritual to regain his body but instead of just me, Tom will be there. To once again become 'whole'"
Severus looked sickened.
"He's not the man you remember Sev" Eliza said because some time in the past hour they had dropped all notions of professionalism.
"He wants to segregate wizards from muggles of course but there's no blood purity mania, no raids and blatant war. His plans have my full endorsement"
"Only his plans?"
"Well you've probably noticed we're a bit-
"Murderous? At each other's throats? Overly aggressive?"
"Yes" Eliza said "things didn't used to be like this" she continued on pouting.
"I imagine they wouldn't be" Severus said drily and shook his head fondly at Eliza's blatant confusion.
"It's funny how things change when you realise you finally have something to fight for. Not duty or obligation or just for the thrill of it but to fight for something you care for, for someone you love. It changes you" Severus spoke strongly, more passionate then she'd ever heard him before.
"I suppose you'd know" Eliza commented softly and Severus nodded his head sharply.
"You are nothing like that second year girl he met Eliza. And my best guess is that our resident dark lord, much like me, has no idea what do with you now"
"Thanks Sev"
"That's professor Snape to you brat"
Eliza laughed softly and allowed the peaceful silence to settle over them for a while before she spoke again.
"Do you know why the dark lord decided to target the Potters?" Eliza asked haltingly peering up at her solemn professor.
"No" he said quietly "no I don't"
Eliza nodded and pushed herself out of her chair heading towards the door.
Eliza would fix things.
One step at a time.
~
One heart to heart ticked off her check list, two more to go.
Eliza knew she should probably be more concerned with the first task but she was sure no matter what was going on with her and Tom that he wouldn't leave her to flounder and die. So her court took priority.
She found them in the common room in front of the fire place talking quietly to one another. She took the moment to pounce on Theo's shoulders who cursed in alarm.
"Hello" Eliza greeted warily and watched as they all shifted maintaining their silence until-
"Oh have you deemed it fit to talk to us now" Blaise snapped eyes darkened in anger.
Evidently still mad then.
Theo shot a glare at Blaise before turning he turns his attention onto Eliza.
"Is there something you wanted to say Eliza?" he asked calmly.
"I- yeah, we need to talk" Eliza stuttered out. She'd never stuttered before in her life. This was not off to a good start.
"And how can we know we'll be getting the full story this time?" Draco snapped hurt flashing in storm grey eyes.
"Severus knocked some sense into me" Eliza offered running a hand through her hair "or I could swear an oath to tell the truth?" she suggested but hoped it wouldn't come to that, hoped that her court were willing to trust her as they worked everything out.
"I don't think that will be necessary" Theo chimed in keeping a steady glare on the other three. Eliza wondered just how much damage control he does when she's busy.
"Let's talk then – but not here"
Eliza lead them all to the room of requirement and prepared to lay all her secrets bare. There's nothing more unnerving then deciding to confront vulnerability, to trust someone wholly and completely. But if she was going to do it for anybody she would do it for her court.
"We all know what happened in my second year" Eliza began as they all settle down into the chairs the room had conjured for them "I obviously left a few things out"
Draco snorted here but otherwise didn't interrupt.
"I told you all that the diary was a memory of Tom Riddle, it was in fact something else. A horcrux"
Eliza went on to tell them about Tom's horcruxes, his slow slide into insanity, and their real plans of resurrection.
"I didn't tell any of you this before because I thought it was solely Tom's business but I discovered something relatively recently" Eliza spoke into the silence, the worried faces of her court staring back at her.
"That night the dark lord attacked he accidentally turned me into one of his horcruxes"
Draco paled dramatically and she can see how Blaise is barely stopping himself from retching. The shock of it has worn of for Eliza at this point but she remembers how she felt that Yule, the violation of having someone else's soul poured into your very being.
"Why didn't you tell us Eliza? You could have told us" Daphne choked out looking on the verge of tears.
"And say what?" Eliza scoffed "that I harbour a piece of the dark lord's soul? That I can't offer you neutrality in this war because my place in it has always been pre-destined? That by accepting my friendship you've ruined your lives because that's all I do? I ruin things-
"Shut up" Theo said darkly and Eliza jumped, staring at him wide-eyed
"This war has always been coming Eliza. We were always going to be involved and we were always going to be fighting for the dark. So fucking what?" Eliza balked at the sound of Theo cursing "you have a piece of the dark lord's soul but you're still Eliza, we don't love you any less for it"
"But you've got to stop treating us like kids Eliza" Daphne chimed in gently "we know the risks but you can't keep protecting us forever"
"I just don't want you getting hurt or-
"Eliza" Blaise cut in swiftly "if I was in danger, right in front of you dying or something, would you stand by and watch it happen?"
"Of course not" Eliza protested reeling back "I could never stand by and watch you suffer like that"
"Then why do you expect us to watch you?"
Any reply Eliza had to that died on her lips.
"Oh" she uttered softly, staring at the faces of her court. At her friends, her family who she'd fight till the last breath for. Who she'd assumed wouldn't do the same for her.
"I've been a bit of an idiot haven't I?" Eliza joked voice suspiciously thick.
"Yeah" Blaise said leaping up to sit by Eliza's side, throwing his arms around her "but you're our idiot so it's okay"
Eliza laughed to hide how near she was to crying.
Her court piled on top of her, the arm chair expanding into a ridiculously long sofa so they could all lie on top of each other in a crazy entangled pile of limbs. In the corner of her eye, hidden by piles of books and shelves she spotted the mirror of erised.
It almost reflected the same scene back at her.
She wasn't a Slytherin for nothing, in first year she had decided she would achieve her heart's desire. She would achieve freedom and a family, and unconditional acceptance.
And slowly but surely she was.
When they entered the great hall sometime later Daphne shot a bat-bogey curse at some Gryffindors that were heckling her in the corridor.
This year was an absolute mess but Eliza comforted herself in the knowledge that no matter what she had her court by her side.
And she always would.
~
Eliza let out a long suffering sigh as Colin Creevey dropped her off in the 'wand-weighing room'
She and Tom had been somewhat avoiding each other after their small argument over Severus the other day so of course Fate would conspire to place her in the same confined room with him when they were still knee deep in their own bullshit.
"Little Star, finally graced us with your presence?" Tom asked the second she walked into the room. Despite their arguments Eliza didn't hesitate to walk over to him ignoring the strange look Diggory gave them.
"Professor Snape was very disappointed to not be testing our antidotes today" Eliza said in lieu of a response and smiled when Tom snorted softly.
"Eliza!" Rita Skeeter's voice sounded behind her and Eliza whirled around to greet the journalist "I didn't know you knew young Thomas Gaunt?"
Eliza didn't trust that greedy look in the woman's eye. But she was also never one to pass up on an opportunity.
"I met Tom in London, summer of my first year – he was just coming out of Gringotts and he accidentally ran into me making me drop all of my books-
"How many more times must I apologise for that little star?" Tom asked in false exasperation.
"At least once more"
They took a moment to smirk at each other – she had missed having someone else to scheme with this past year.
"After that we struck up conversation and simply just stayed in touch"
"He didn't tell me he was coming, although the surprise has been dampened by current events" Eliza tacked on.
"Ah yes" Skeeter exclaimed "how are we feeling about the tournament Eliza?"
Eliza went on to proclaim her innocence, how Dumbledore had not told the school that she swore a vow proclaiming her innocence. How she had been met with nothing but scorn off her classmates and how worried she was about the tournament which she had never wanted a part in. She also brought Tom into the conversation a few times.
No doubt the public would simply adore the two of them after Rita's article.
"Very clever of you Little Star" Tom murmured when Rita disappeared from the room.
"What better introduction to society than a glowing endorsement from the girl who lived herself?" Eliza teased but they both quickly fell silent when Ollivander entered the room and the wand weighing began.
Eliza and Tom watched as Ollivander examined Delacour's wand.
"Are you using your own?" Eliza asked quietly "could be a bit risky"
Tom shrugged off her worries with a smirk.
"You never get over your dramatics do you?" Eliza commented snidely as Diggory stepped up with his own wand. Tom shot a nasty glare at her that Eliza pretended not to notice.
"Thomas Gaunt?" Ollivander called and Tom stepped forward, resting his wand in the wand-makers hands who paled suddenly when he caught sight of it.
"Yew... phoenix feather 13 ½ inches" he choked out staring at Tom in transfixed horror.
"I know this wand" Ollivander spoke barely above a whisper.
"I imagine you would" Tom commented "it was my father's"
"And it works well for you?" Ollivander asked, checking it over quickly.
"As if it were my own" Tom purred and ah yes that was Dumbledore she heard choking in the background.
Ollivander pushed the wand back into Tom's hand as if he couldn't bare touching it a minute longer before he called Eliza up to check hers.
"Ah I do remember this one" Ollivander said, his previous worries seemingly forgotten.
"Vine wood and phoenix feather, a wand for someone with great ambitions"
"I find we are still well matched"
Ollivander spared a second to glance over at Tom before turning his attention back to her wand.
"I imagine so"
Curious, very curious
Ollivander conjured a bouquet of begonias before handing Eliza's wand back to her deeming everything to be in order.
Eliza didn't waste a second before tearing out of the room hoping to dodge Tom for a tiny bit longer.
"When will you stop avoiding me Eliza?" Tom asked from behind her, the corridor suspiciously empty. No such luck there then.
"When you stop acting like a prick" Eliza retorted already cursing herself for speaking. Whenever she was around Tom all her filters just seemed to fall. She blamed the horcrux.
"Care to repeat that darling" Tom said dangerously, shifting into a duelling stance almost subconsciously.
"That" Eliza waved a hand trying to encompass Tom's whole being "you can't just threaten me every time I say something you don't like"
"I think you'll find that I can"
"You can't!" Eliza exploded, whirling around so she could stalk up to him "you can't because I'm not going to let you. I am either your equal in this or I'm out" she continued on desperately, giving him her ultimatum.
She barely ducked out of the way of his jinx in time.
"The Jelly-legs jinx. Really?" Eliza said scornfully, narrowing her eyes at him.
"I can't exactly crucio you in the Hogwarts halls can I?" he responded, eyes darkening as he twirled his wand in his hand, deceptively relaxed.
"Oh I'd like to see you try" Eliza responded with a snarl.
She didn't know who fired the first spell but before she knew it they were duelling up and down the empty corridor.
They exchanged spells at lightning speed and she was sure some of them, especially on Tom's end. could barely be classed as legal.
"Stupefy" Eliza shouted and watched as he effortlessly deflected it sending more spells her way.
Eliza had knowledge in bucket loads but Tom had experience.
But then again he'd probably never experienced anything like her.
Eliza sent a bombarda his way and then cast a quick cutting spell in the direction he would be forced to jump to and watched in satisfaction as it hit, tearing his shirt and the flesh beneath it as blood spilled from his arm.
"I really don't know what your problem is" he growled out, parrying her jinx with a nasty bone breaking curse.
"My problem" Eliza spat as she deflected his curse, casting a glacius beneath his feet "is that you're treating me like I'm inferior"
More flashes of light, quick exchanges of spells and the pain of a cutting curse hitting her left hand.
"And how am I doing that?" he said condescendingly, casting an expelliarmus.
"You act like you don't care!" Eliza shouted back before casting an accio which made Tom stumble slightly.
"Did you just try and summon my heart?" he demanded dangerously
"To see if you actually have one" Eliza spat back just as viciously.
"Aguamenti" Eliza cast hoping to distract him but balked as he transfigured her water into sharpened ice and sent it back down the corridor at her. Eliza threw up a strong protego and went back on the defensive. Spell after spell they exchanged as Eliza danced about the corridor. A knockback jinx got through Tom's shield and Eliza jumped on his moment of distraction.
"Duckifors" she cast and watched as a suit of armour transformed into an angry hoard of ducks set on attacking Tom.
Sirius had shown her that spell over the holidays.
Preoccupied with the ducks Eliza took her chance to go back on the offensive and cast hex after hex at Tom who growled in frustration. The ducks around Tom suddenly went up in flames, a circle of fire surrounding him and Eliza took his moment of blindness to cast a disillusionment spell over herself. By the time the fire cleared she was nowhere in sight.
"Didn't take you for a coward Darling" he spat out angrily, shooting spells in random directions that Eliza nimbly dodged. It wasn't until she was right in front of him did she drop the spell, jamming her wand underneath his chin
"Not a coward" she breathed not removing her wand from Tom's throat, glaring up into his dark eyes, glimmers of red pulsating around his pupil.
"Not a winner either" he said with a half-smile, half-snarl as he pressed his wand into her stomach.
A beat passed.
Eliza lowered her wand. Tom wrinkled his nose visibly confused by the action.
"You just keep acting like you don't care" Eliza repeated her earlier words.
'You act like you don't care about me'
"I thought we were friends Tom" Eliza said softly, the words seeming loud as they stood in the ruined corridor.
"I- we are" Tom spluttered, looking the most off-kilter she had ever seen.
"Well you've not been a very good one" she responded snidely and then turned her back on him, walking away.
She was fine without him, he could stand in a ruination of his own making and Eliza would leave him there.
"Wait" she heard him say loudly and her step faltered as she heard him come up behind her.
"I suppose I've not been a good friend lately" he murmured quietly "it's a bit new to me after all"
And then with a crooked grin he held out his hand to her.
"I'm Thomas Gaunt and you are?"
"Eliza Potter, pleasure to make your acquaintance" Eliza responded grinning back at him happily.
Standing amidst the rubble of their fight Eliza couldn't help but feel like it was a new beginning.
~
"Have you two made up then?" Daphne asked drily when Tom sat next to her at dinner in the great hall that night.
"Was it that obvious?" Eliza questioned grimacing piling food on her plate.
"You're scarier than a basilisk when you're mad Eliza" Blaise commented and Eliza felt Tom sit up straighter beside her.
"Jormugand" he exclaimed, turning to look down at Eliza who stare at him blankly.
"Sorry who?" she said desperately trying to keep her face straight.
"We have to go and visit Jormugand" Tom demanded, his face seemed as blank as usual but Eliza could see how his eyes light up happily. She still didn't respond however and instead continued to look at him blankly.
"Oh for Merlin's sake, Jormy, we have to go and visit Jormy"
"Oh why didn't you just say that Tom" Eliza exclaimed and burst into bright ringing laughter at the frown Tom levelled her with.
"Don't we have more important things to focus on?" Draco cut in sounding very much like a harried mother "like the first task for instance? The first task that's less than two weeks away?"
Ah yes.
That.
Come to think of it had she sent a letter to Sirius about the tournament yet?
"Oh don't worry about that" Tom said waving a hand in elegant dismissal "its dragons"
"Dragons?" her court yelped.
"How do you know?" Eliza asked instead.
"Karkaroff was more than willing to share what the task was with me" Tom confided smirking largely.
"I wonder what possessed him to do that" Eliza said lightly, sharing a smile with him.
"I imagine it wasn't possession he was worried about actually"
"I think I preferred it better when they weren't getting alone" Eliza heard Blaise mutter to Daphne and snorted in response cracking a smile at her court.
"So dragons, any ideas?"
~
Eliza had forgotten how much she liked brainstorming with her court. It had been ages since they had last sat down and schemed together.
Because scheming together was obviously the most important part of any friendship.
She had asked Tom if he wanted to join them in the Slytherin common room but he had declined stating that 'she needed to at least do something in this tournament herself' which was really Dark Lord speak for 'its funny when you suffer and I need a nap'
She had also forgotten something else as well, her reminder came in the form of a bright red letter being dropped at her table at breakfast the next morning.
"What is this?" Eliza demanded staring at the somewhat smoking envelope.
"Oh Little Star, is this your first howler?" Tom asked clearly amused by the situation.
Any reply Eliza was going to make was halted by the envelope bursting open.
ELIZA LILY POTTER
The envelope bellowed, or more accurately, Sirius' voice echoed across the hall and Eliza groaned in despair.
YOU GET ENTERED INTO A DEATH TOURNAMENT AND YOU FORGET TO TELL ME. I HAVE TO FIND OUT FROM THE PAPER? FROM THE DAILY PROPHET?
AND WHO'S THIS GAUNT BOY? YOU BEST BELIEVE WE'LL BE HAVING WORDS WHEN WE MEET
Eliza didn't even have to look to know that Tom was smirking. She'd take a dragon over this.
I WON'T BOTHER LECTURING YOU BECAUSE WE BOTH KNOW YOU CAN WIN THIS THING BUT REMEMBER TO SEND A BLOODY LETTER IN THE FUTURE
OH YEAH, REMUS SAYS HI
And with that the letter burst into flames.
"So that's a howler" Eliza muttered, glaring mulishly at the pile of ashes that had been the letter.
"Yep"
Eliza glared at her court but she assumed it didn't have the intended effect considering they all burst into raucous laughter.
In the week leading up to the first task her court didn't stop quizzing her on her plan, over breakfast, in potions, battling Hagrid's blast ended screwts.
It was a risky plan, more dramatic than she would usually go for but Tom was obviously rubbing off on her. She had found the spell in Salazar's library and they had tested it out but her court kept quizzing her anyway.
She couldn't blame them really, it wasn't everyday your friend went up against fire breathing dragons.
Tom hadn't told her his plan yet either. Whenever she did ask he just got this infuriating smirk on his face and told her that she'd just have to wait and see.
She could understand why he always got along with the Malfoy's. They were all dramatic narcissists.
Eliza had just given Severus her time-turner for 'safe-keeping' as she couldn't have it on the day of the tournament when she bumped into Professor Moody.
"Alright Potter?" he asked gruffly, coming to a stop in the corridor.
"Of course professor" Eliza replied with a charming smile, already turning to walk away from him when he spoke again.
"Do you have a plan for tomorrow Potter?" he said, mechanical eye whirring madly as he spoke.
"I'd be an idiot to not have one" Eliza commented drily and Moody laughed shortly, nodding in response before walking away.
Now that was odd.
What could Mad-Eye Moody possibly gain from helping Eliza in this tournament?
She would have to ask Tom after the task. Now wasn't the time to be worrying about strange defence teachers, they usually didn't become a problem until the end of the year anyway.
~
The day of the first task Eliza felt oddly nervous.
"I swear to Merlin you are going to eat some toast or I'll kill you before you meet the dragon" Daphne hissed across the table, jamming a piece of toast into Eliza's open hand.
"You're going to be fine Eliza" Draco said, ruffling her hair softly although it didn't have the same effect as normal considering her hair was bound tightly to her head in complicated plaits. Daphne had helped her this morning, braiding runes for protection into her hair.
"He's right Little Star" Tom said gently "after all you faced me in second year, now all you've got to do is get past a dragon" he quipped.
It shouldn't make her laugh but it does anyway.
"Potter" Severus said as he swooped down the aisle to stand in front of her "Gaunt"
He looked pained when he addressed Tom.
"Champions need to make their way to the grounds now for the first task"
Eliza nodded in response and she and Tom rise up from the bench in silence.
"You're gonna smash it Potter!" Warrington yelled and Eliza strode out of the great hall to the sound of her Slytherin's cheering her on.
She smiled all the way down to the tent.
Eliza listened as Bagman ranted on about the instructions for the task, shaking the bag in his hands as he held it out to Delacour for the first pick. The blonde put her had in the bag and drew out a tiny perfect model of a dragon, the number two hanging around its neck.
Tom went next, shoving his hand into the bag carelessly and yanking out a hissing ferocious Chinese fireball. Eliza watched Tom flick its head when it went to bite him and had to muffle a laugh.
Cedric pulled out the Swedish Short-snout with a number one hanging from its neck and Eliza grimaced knowing which dragon was left.
The Hungarian Horntail.
"Are you going to tell me what your plan is now?" Eliza asked Tom as Ceric left to battle his dragon "as I won't be able to see it?"
Tom just smirked looking down at her, his dragon now lying docile in his hand.
"Not to worry darling, you'll be able to hear it just fine"
Eliza knew better than to question what he even meant by that.
After 15 minutes and a lot of screaming from the crowd Delacour was called into the arena.
"Do you feel like you can take on a dragon then darling?" Tom asked quirking his lips into a smile.
"I feel like I can win" Eliza responded "can the same be said for you I wonder?"
"But of course" Tom said, moving out of the tent as his name was called "dark lord remember?"
And with a wink he left heading for the arena.
Eliza waited in tense silence as she heard the cheers of the crowd. It wasn't long after that did she hear Tom's voice echoing about the stadium.
'Dragon' his voice echoed 'there is a fake in your nest, a golden fake hidden amongst your hatchlings'
It took Eliza a few moments to realise he was speaking in parseltongue because of course he was. Eliza was beginning to think the only reason he became a dark lord was because he loved to be dramatic.
'I can take this imposter from you and you shall be freed' his voice came again.
Nobody expected anybody to actually try and bargain with a dragon. She couldn't decide if using parseltongue was the most slytherin move or the most Gryffindor one. Either way it was certainly the quickest. Tom had acquired his egg in record time. He was going to be insufferable.
And now it was her turn.
Striding out of the tent and into the enclosure Eliza straightened her spine, tilted her chin up and held onto her wand with dear life.
She had painstakingly embroidered her own battle robes, her time at the orphanage coming in useful for something as that was where Eliza had learned how to sew. She had decorated her battle robes in runes for protection, for invisibility, stealth and silence. It would make it that bit harder for the dragon to spot her.
The dragon in question was at the other end of the arena crouched low over her clutch of eggs, wings half furled and monstrously long tail whipping from side to side dangerously.
Eliza took a deep breath and then cast a disillusionment charm on herself, shivering slightly at the feeling of the charm covering her. Now she just had to get a bit closer to the dragon.
Never tickle a sleeping dragon.
She never thought the Hogwarts school motto would ever apply to her life.
Eliza moved carefully towards the dragon, it didn't matter if she wasn't visible if the dragon could hear her approach. Although she could do nothing from stopping the dragon sniffing her out – that's when the distraction came in.
Halting behind a large boulder near the dragon's nest Eliza pointed her wand at a rock on the other side of the arena and smiled remembering her duel with Tom.
"Duckifors"
Immediately the arena was filled with loudly quacking ducks waddling about. She hoped Sirius would get a good laugh out of that. It also had the intended effect.
The dragon shifted at the sound of the ducks and prowled further away from the nest to investigate giving Eliza enough room to grab the golden egg.
Eliza moved quickly and quietly, scaling the large rocky outcropping the horntail had set its nest upon. The rock shards dug into her hand, cutting them open but Eliza didn't pause. She wouldn't have long to grab the egg.
Flinging herself atop the nest Eliza scrambled desperately for the golden egg and grabbed onto it just as the Hungarian horntail let out a ferocious roar that shook Eliza's very bones. Not wasting time by climbing back down the nest Eliza simply held the egg tightly to her chest and threw herself down the side, sliding down it as rocks tore at her battle robes.
The second her feet hit the ground Eliza started running ignoring how her legs were jarred at the impact.
The disillusionment charm wouldn't cover the egg, she had already known that and so instead of draining her magic Eliza let the charm drop.
She just had to make it to the other side of the arena.
She ran.
The dragon roared behind her and Eliza kept running, heart pounding ferociously in her chest as her feet slammed against the ground.
The only warning she had was the sound of the dragon breathing in deeply before her world was lit up in flames.
Eliza could barely breathe, her heart was in her throat and she still laughed madly as the fire burned around her, full of colours she had never even seen before.
In Salazar's library they had found old journals, detailing the times of the witch-burnings. And in it were detailed many forgotten spells that witches used to freeze the flames about them to escape. With the amount of power Eliza had to fuel the spell they knew she would be able to withstand dragon fire.
And now Eliza was stood in the middle of dragon-fire, wrapping the inferno around her.
As sudden as it came the fire disappeared leaving Eliza's skin prickling and her bones practically humming with the magical power of the dragon.
Eliza didn't waste a moment before she turned and sprinted for the exit. The second she passed the arena cheers and screams erupted around her and Eliza laughed madly clutching, the egg.
She would never forget that for as long as she lived.
~
"Eliza!" Daphne yelled, throwing herself at the other girl the second Eliza made it back to the tent "you gave us a heart attack"
"Scariest moment of my life" Draco said face pale as he also joined in the hug.
"Scariest moment of your life?" Eliza asked "I was the one bloody facing the thing"
"And you did marvellously darling"
And that's Tom, standing at the edge of their spontaneous little group hug.
"You didn't do too badly yourself" Eliza said as her court pull away and this time she's the one to wink at him.
After all that Eliza honestly couldn't care less about what score she had gotten from the judges, that was until she found out she was in first place for her 'daring, ingenuity and courage'
Her court carried her away from the arena on their shoulders, the whole of Slytherin cheering behind her.
Later, she'll have to write a letter to Sirius and Remus.
Later, Severus will come in to congratulate her and find the biggest party that has ever taken place in the slytherin common room.
Later she'll process just how close to death she had trodden for the sake of a game.
And later, when everyone else is gone and Eliza can still feel her heart pounding and skin prickling from phantom dragon fire Tom will find her in front of the fire in the common rooms. She'll fall asleep to the sound of his voice and for the first time she'll finally hear his heart thumping in his chest as he pulls her closer. It will be the safest she's ever felt.
Right now however she smiled, bright and large, and as everyone cheered around her she felt like she was on top of the world.