The next day I found my classes fine. The first day of school was going okay until Defense Against The Dark Arts came in the afternoon.
"Wands away," said Umbridge.
Everyone looked around at each other but put them away obediently. After all, obedience, respect, and honesty were all taught at Hogwarts.
"We won't be using them in this class anymore," she said as she reached her desk.
I glared at her angrily.
"If you did not know the minister of magic has decided that things at Hogwarts need a bit of ... changing and we at the ministry think that knowing the theory of a spell will be enough to get you through you exams.
"Rubbish"
"No wands?"
"What are we supposed to do then?"
Echoed around the classroom walls.
"Silence!" Said Umbridge in her high pitched girly voice.
"Please open to page 1 of your textbook and read the first chapter to yourself,"
"This is going to be awful," I whispered to Ginny. She nodded and opened her book as did I.
"It requires no talking Miss-" she pointed at me.
"Miss-?" she said.
"Oh- um... Eliza," I said.
"I wanted your last name,"
"I'm sorry I don't give that out," I said blushing.
"Well, you have to tell me," she said a bit of the sweetness in her voice leaving.
"I go by Eliza every other teacher is okay with that," I said a little frustrated but trying not to show it. People were now looking at this from all over the classroom. Only a few people knew my last name. I wasn't allowed to give it out because people couldn't know I was related to Harry Potter. People thought that I had died. I mean how would the baby Potter survive?
"Do you think this is respectable?" asked Umbridge. I restrained from rolling my eyes in frustration.
"Professor, I am only saying that I can't give you my last name- it's not that big of a deal,"
"NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL? IT IS A VERY BIG DEAL ELIZA BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT SHOWING ME THE AUTHORITY I HAVE OVER YOU YOU ARE NOT RESPECTING ME."
"Mam, all I did was not give you my name why is it that important?" I asked rising from my chair. She was now in front of Ginny and my joint desk.
"It is important because your name is part of your identity. It shows who you are and what morals you were raised with!" she said.
"Well I don't have any parents! They are..." I screamed. It came out before I noticed it did.
"Why do you say that?" She said as her mouth formed into a evil grin.
"It's t-true," I said.
"Eliza have you ever been in trouble with the ministry?" She asked her eyes looking wide with mischievousness.
"I don't have to answer that," I responded.
"Do you have any siblings I can get your last name from?" she asked now actually laughing at the end of her sentence. She knew... somehow she had found out. I was supposed to be safe from people finding out about my true identity. What was going on?
"No," I said not looking her in the eyes.
"Do not lie to me Miss Potter," as she said that I felt the whole rooms eyes on me. Ginny tapped me on the leg to sit down. But I didn't I just stared at Umbridge in disbelief.
"Excuse me?" I said.
"Do not lie to me Miss Potter I know the truth," she said.
"Oh, does the ministry to? Because they sure aren't acting like it?" I said trying to change the subject.
"Don't not bring the ministry into this I've had that discussion once today and I wouldn't like to have it again, now before you cause any more of a fuss go to the Headmasters office,"
I stared at her for a moment before she pointed her hand at the door.
I angrily slammed my textbook closed and slung my bag over my shoulder without taking my eyes off of the bitch in front of me. I stomped out of the classroom trying to ignore the fact that all the eyes were on me.
I walked to the gargoyle that turned into the staircase for the headmasters office and I said "fizzing whizbees" I always knew the password to his office in case of emergencies.
I walked up the hidden staircase and sure enough when I was about to knock on the door Dumbledore said:
"Come in Elizabeth," I walked in slowly.
"What's happened?" asked Dumbledore as he sat behind his high desk and gestured for me to sit in the chair in front of it. I did and didn't respond right away.
"Professor Umbridge knew," I mumbled.
"Knew what?" Asked Dumbledore.
"That I was Harry's sister she announced it to the whole class after she asked for my last name and I wouldn't give it to her," I said quickly.
"Did she?" Asked Dumbledore.
I nodded slightly.
"What did you do?" He asked calmly but now keeping a intense look on me.
"I kinda tried to deny it and change the subject but she told me not to lie and that I couldn't see my way out of this one... when I wouldn't talk anymore she sent me here... what's going to happen now... everyone knows me to be dead... professor... what do I do?" I asked getting scared.
"Well, the first thing to do is to not deny it. The truth is out at long last and now you and Harry can stop pretending. The bad thing Elizabeth is that people may not react kindly. I heard that two people attacked you two nights ago. I believe them to have been death eaters most likely trying to get to you because they found out that you had lived. How they found out I couldn't tell you but I certainly is not pleasant. Now, Elizabeth you know what happened that night. Don't let other people make up stories. If you hear a lie about it tell them the true story. I know it won't be very pleasant for both you and Harry we already know he's having his problems with the Daily Prophet as am I so Elizabeth I believe you are the only person who can control this. Chances are it might make it go the papers tonight and tomorrow. For now, I suggest you go back to you dormitory. Classes will be ending soon and it's important you wait till dinner to go back into the public,"
"Okay, thank you sir," I said as I walked towards the door.
"Oh, and Miss Potter anything you want to tell me?" said Dumbledore. I could tell he knew about the dreams. Dumbledores somehow knew everything.
"No sir," I said keeping my eyes averted and running back to my dormitory. Once, I made it back to the common room I sat down in a chair and wrote a quick letter to Sirius:
Dear Sirius,
New teacher Umbridge is big problem. Don't have much time... She revealed Harry being my brother. Don't know if Harry knows yet. I talked to Dumbledore... was told to hide till dinner in my dormitory. Get back to me soon please!
-Eliza
Potter
Then I went into my dormitory as the first person walked through the portrait hole.
The hours seemed to last years as I anxiously paced the dormitory, but at long last dinner finally came. I waited till I didn't hear talking in the common room to leave. I put on a hoodie and kept the hood up. It worked for a while and no one recognized me but then I ran into Snape.
"Miss Potter hood down now," and he walked on. I rolled my eyes.
I pulled down the hood and entered. As I walked into the great hall it went silent. I'd seen this happen before when Harry entered but I'd never had it happen because of me. It wasn't pleasant.
"Hello," I said monotonously as I set next to Hermione.
"It's all over school," started Ron.
"How did it happen?" asked Hermione.
"Why?" asked Harry.
I explained what happened as I stared at my steak and kidney pie... though I wasn't hungry much. The trio stared at me open mouthed.
"What did Dumbledore say to do Liza," said Harry after. Hermione nodded and looked at me so did Ron. Ginny was now talking with the Parvarti twins.
"Wait in my dormitory till dinner and tell people what really happened that night. He said it might be in the papers. I'm really not liking this at all..." I said shyly.
"It'll be fine," said Hermione consolingly.
"I suppose" I said. I left early because I didn't want to be in the crowd as everyone from different houses left the hall.
I put my hood back up and started towards the tower again but as I did a hand grabbed my hood and pulled it back.
"Don't make me tell you again Miss Potter," he said as he walked away.
I sighed and walked back still trying to not be seen though. Once I got into the common room I saw Hedwig fluttering at the window. I opened the window and grabbed the letter she held from her from her. She fluttered away happily.
Elizabeth,
Be carful the ministry will not take this lightly. They will blame it on someone to try to cover up Voldemort again. Be careful with the new teacher. Tell Harry that we will talk soon!
Luck,
Sirius
I stared at the letter as someone first filed into the common room. People didn't try to hide the fact that they were talking about me. Once Ginny came in she sat with me for a while. We talked but she eventually went to bed. After not seeing Harry, Hermione, or Ron come back and it was close to 11 I decided to look for them. I was holding off my homework till tomorrow because I was way to much in a mood for doing it now.
I eased open the portrait door and stepped into the darkness of the halls. After walking for a while in darkness I pulled out my wand.
"Lumos" I whispered. The tip of my wand ignited.
I walked towards the library. That is where they always were, especially Hermione. Once I was a few classrooms away I hear footsteps coming from beside me.
"Nox"
It was okay, no one caught me and I continued to the library. I snuck inside fine. Surely enough in the back I found the three of them sitting on desks Hermione had her face deep in a book.
"You guys better get back it's almost midnight,"
"Already?" questioned Ron.
"Yes, and I heard a teacher on my way here. Now come on" I said.
"We will be back in a bit. Wait up for us?" Asked Hermione.
"Sure," I said.
"Lumos" as I walked into the dark hall the light was a great comfort. I was past the Great Hall when I hear a cold voice whisper Lumos.
"Nox" I said quietly.
"Miss Potter," said Snape as he approached me with he wand tip ignited.
I didn't look at him.
"What might you be doing wandering around the halls after hours?" He asked me.
"I'm just having a identity crisis?" I said slowly and awkwardly.
"Funny, it's usually the other one of you two that always gets in trouble today I hear it's you," he said evily.
I sighed.
"Not trouble... just... revealing something that could possibly kill me in their near future and almost already did," I said.
"Before you get in more trouble Miss Potter go back to your dormitory and I went you now one more slip up and I won't be so merciful," and with one sweep he disappeared down the hall.
I ran down the rest of the hall and into the common room. After deciding against waiting for the trio and I went to bed. But I did leave a note... That would never be found....
Hey guys,
I would have waited up for you but I got in trouble with P. Snape. Sorry, goodnight you all. By the way do any of you have a odd feeling about Umbridge. I never got to tell you about how I got in trouble from her today.
~Eliza
I left it on the fireplace for them to see. Then I went to sleep.