Differences

On the way back, she couldn't help but think about Sirius' last comment. A Slytherin at the core, what was that supposed to mean?


She was already in the hall and the sunrise was still far so she had enough time to sneak in and sleep for a few hours. Unfortunately, she got entangled into her own world and forgot to check out the way therefore, she got perplexed by a sudden ball of light stuck in her face.


"Just like I thought," Snape found her. He grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her with him.


"What are you doing? Let me go," She squirmed, easily breaking away yet the man was bigger than her and caught her again.


"I told him you will only bring terror to Hogwarts; just like your father did and his friends," He spat in a low murmur.


He dragged Eliza to the headmaster, whom wasn't very surprised to see them barge in.


"What is wrong, Severus?" The elder asked yet his eyes were set on the young girl.


Eliza frowned when he noticed the little, almost unnoticeable grin the headmaster had. It looked like he had foreseen her breakout.


"I found Miss Black roaming the halls after midnight while a serial killer is out there, his eyes set on revenge." Severus spoke with much hatred. She hasn't done anything of such hatred and wasn't even sure who the man was.


"Is that so," Dumbledore trailed bemusedly, "I'm sure she will repent on her misbehavior and won't cause trouble again, correct?" He addressed her, Eliza's head nodding automatically. "Now, Severus, please let me have a word with Miss Black; alone."


Severus scowled before leaving the room. It was amazing how relieved she felt after that person left.


"Professor Severus Snape," Dumbledore started, getting up from his seat and moving slowly around the table, towards her. "He will take care of today's Defense against Dark Arts class. I'm sure you only wanted to make sure your godfather is safe and didn't harm anyone, especially himself. But Eliza, no one can find out you have any connection to Remus or Sirius Black. We don't want to create even more rumors now, do we?"


"No, sir." She mumbled, linking her arms in front of her. "I just-"She wasn't sure what to say in her defense.


"Have you met him?" Dumbledore asked, lowering his voice to a whisper.


Eliza nodded, a smile uncontrollably creating on her lips. She was truly happy that she met her father.


"Is he alright?" Dumbledore continued and she nodded again. "Sirius has always been a character, even when he was a student. He would always create trouble with his best friends but would always protect them, with the cost of a few detentions," He started bemusedly. Eliza chuckled and walked closer to the headmaster.


"Why was professor Snape so angry with me? I haven't done anything bad, only broke a rule or two," She trailed, realizing that she indeed acted on impulse.


"Lily and Ophelia were two young women that never judged Slytherins. Severus, Lucius and Regulus were the three Slytherins your mother had a soft spot for because of common circumstances," He finally unveiled the mystery.


"Lucius Malfoy was there when my mother was murdered. They were friends before," Eliza mumbled to herself but Dumbledore heard and nodded. "He seemed very offended, for some reason,"


"The Black family is of pureblood lineage and they have always been followers of You-Know-Who. Fortunately, your father deceived the lineage and became the first Gryffindor in the history of the family." He finished, watching her closely.


After what she heard her father say, Dumbledore's explanation made sense. For the next few minutes, Eliza shifted her weight from foot to foot, thinking how Sirius cheated on the family tradition yet still ended up locked in prison. It wasn't fair at all, not for him, her mother or her.


"I understand but why was Malfoy so mad and disappointed? Mom wasn't a Slytherin,"


Dumbledore smiled softly and returned to his seat before responding, "That, Miss Black is a secret that can only be discovered in time."


Next day was horrible for everyone not only Eliza, who only got two hours of sleep and no homework done. She was lucky that she had Neville behind at Muggle Studies and Remus taught her well Transfiguration, getting quite ahead from what she could see. However, when the deadly hour came, she knew Remus was in no condition to teach so there was only one who could replace him: Severus Snape.


The whole classroom darkened when he entered, and not only because he actually pulled the curtains. His whole personality seemed to be nasty and rough, like he was venting his frustrations on the students. When his eyes met Eliza's he scowled and turned towards the rest of the class.


"Turn to page 394," He started in a calm yet still angry voice.


Everyone complied, some faster than others who took their time. Eliza was behind Harry when the boy asked what should have been the most logical question. Where was professor Lupin? Everyone was wondering the same thing, especially after how fun his classes have been. Of course, Snape's answer was rude.


"That's not really your concern, isn't it Potter?" However, he continued, "Your professor found himself incapable of teaching at present time. Turn to page 394. " He was quite rude and not very patient.


Eliza glanced at the professor over her shoulder, her eyebrows furrowed into a scowl. Harry glanced at Eliza, whose discomfort was very noticeable. Well, he knew how Snape was so it wasn't a surprise that she hated him already.


The subject they were going to study was not exactly a surprise: werewolves. Hermione combated right away, already knowing what they had to study with Remus yet not deepening the subjects they should have learned. Actually, Eliza couldn't care less as long as the professor would leave and she could go sleep. Ron seemed more surprised and interested in how Hermione appeared suddenly next to Harry. Truthfully, even Seamus was confused since he was standing next to Eliza and they were right behind Harry.


"What's the difference between an animagus and a werewolf?" Snape started, walking in the front.


Eliza's breath hitched and she looked to the side.


The only one who knew the answer or was willing to respond was Hermione who immediately raised her hand. Snape saw her but still asked someone else, anyone.


Once Hermione responded, forcefully from her part, Eliza leaned back on her seat, feeling paranoid for some reason. She couldn't keep a straight face as Hermione started to explain the difference between Sirius and Remus. Eliza knew how hard was for a werewolf to keep his consciousness while being in his wolf form; she's been through that already and she ended up running. But the others, it was only theory for them or even a bedtime story.


Worse was the homework, in which Snape was forcing everyone to write a lengthy parchment about werewolves and their traits. The professor was insufferable but Eliza complied and started to pay attention, just in case Dean or Seamus or even Ron would like some extra notes.


"That must have been the most dreading class I had ever listened to," Eliza moaned when the class was over.


Ron and Harry agreed but Hermione was mad on how awful she was treated, being called a know-it-all (which wasn't false but it was rude coming from a teacher who just embarrassed his student in front of the class).


"Why is he so angry all the time? And why Gryffindors?" She continued to vent, having most Gryffindors at the table agree with her.


"That's how he's always been, especially when it comes to Harry," Dean commented from his side of the table.


They were in the Great Hall, later that day, and they were doing their homework early because they had Quidditch in the afternoon. Gryffindors against Slytherins, not much of a surprise. Everyone was glaring at everyone and it wasn't funny at all; Slytherins were acting even worse than on normal occasions.


"Why are they beaming? The match hasn't even started yet," She continued, leaning towards Hermione who was next to her.


"That's Slytherin for you. Most insufferable house ever," Ron whispered with hatred from his seat across Hermione and next to Harry.


"But isn't that very strange? Why werewolves and animagus all of the sudden?" Hermione asked, getting a very subtle reaction from Eliza.


Thankfully, no one noticed; no one but the house ghost who suddenly appeared right in front of her.


"Ain't you an exact copy of Ophelia Molley!" Headless Nick exclaimed, since he hasn't really seen Eliza up close. "You, young lady, should be aware of the danger coming. Sirius Black," He whispered the name right in front of her face, a wide smile making it seem like a joke for everyone else. But he was serious; much like every adult in the castle the ghost knew she was a Black.


"Right," She mumbled, keeping her eyes on him. Suddenly, the ghost laughed loudly and appeared completely, not just his upper half, before leaving with his head hanging to the side.


"That wasn't peculiar at all," Harry mumbled sarcastically, making the rest laugh but not Eliza.


He couldn't ask her why she suddenly got angry because she got called into Charms for a quick chat about her incredibly bad grades, same with the new assessment for Muggle Studies.


Eliza sighed and stumbled around with a tank of books she had to read and write an essay on by the end of the week. She couldn't see much so of course, she was bound to stumble upon someone she didn't want to meet.


Her books sprawled at her feet and her right eyebrow twitched. In front of her was Malfoy and his face was the definition of a wolf who found his prey. She sighed and ignored him, getting quickly to gather her stuff. Being a prat, he pointed his wand at her forehead.


She raised her head and raised an eyebrow questioningly.


"I thought you can't use your arm," She started ironically. "Besides, you're pointing it for nothing," She continued.


"You want to test that theory?" He snarled, pushing the wand so that it hit her slightly.


"Do it then," She ordered him firmly. "Vex me. Use the Cruciatus curse, just like you had been taught."


That sentence seemed to have ticked him off because he mumbled something. She found herself levitating upside down.


"What were you saying, Molley? You don't seem to understand who you're talking to," He sneered.


"And who am I talking to?" She asked, more sarcastically than anything but he brushed that off.


Malfoy leaned in and responded coldly, "The Prince of the Slytherin house."


He boasted about his title with so much pride that she couldn't help but laugh in his face. Malfoy narrowed his eyes at her and pointed the wand at her nose.


"Let's see if you find it funny if your pretty nose is changed into a snout!" He yelled but he didn't get the chance to apply it because his wand got pushed aside by an anonymous well doer. The spell broke and she fell on her back, next to her books.


"Merlin, it hurts like heck," She mumbled, massaging the back of her neck.


"You were saved now but won't be forever," Malfoy snapped at her before grabbing his wand and running off.


Eliza stayed back, dumbstruck. She was sure she didn't use any spell. Then, who helped her

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