Family

As soon as Eliza got over to Remus' house for holidays, she went straight into her room. Nothing had changed; it looked like Remus was keeping it clean for her. Eliza sat on the bed and sighed. Furvus was already there, making himself comfortable.


The door opened a few hours later and surprisingly enough, it was Tonks.


"You look tired." Eliza commented, scanning the short woman in one quick look.


"I've had better days." She said as she sat next to Eliza. "You look better, happier."


"Going to Hogwarts, I couldn't disappoint my friends. I was forced to move on." Eliza responded, a soft smile appearing on her face.


"Is that all?"


The brunette raised an eyebrow as she registered what Tonks asked. Was there something else that should've happened? Was there something that she missed on while she was hiding in her room in twelve Grimmauld Place?


During dinner, Remus talked only about the business of the rest of the members and the disappearances in both muggle and wizarding worlds. It was an issue that they couldn't control. No matter how much information they would gather, it was always insufficient.


"What about school?" He turned to her, eyes bright and joyful now that she was acting like herself again.


"School is busy but nothing out of ordinary." She answered curtly, leaning to the side so she could give Furvus a bit of her pumpkin pie.


"We have information that Voldemort is planning an attack soon," Remus continued, placing his cup of Butterbeer down, "I'd feel much better if you wouldn't return to Hogwarts but I know you won't listen to me." He admitted.


"You don't have to worry about me anymore. I know exactly what I have to do." She said those words with so much assurance and calm that Remus couldn't help but feel like something happened.


That night, while lying on her bed, Eliza started to make light forms with her fingertips on the ceiling. Her owl was standing on her desk, staring outside with longing. As her mood was changing according to whatever she was thinking about, the forms ended up messing around.


For some reason, her thoughts would go from Voldemort and Ophelia to Malfoy. Frustratingly enough, her heart would always beat faster at the thought of Draco.


"Stop it. It's only fear and pity, Liz. Fear and pity." She whispered to herself.


But Snape was involved as well and Eliza learned in the past years that he was the key to all these mysteries surrounding Ophelia and her family. Besides, there was also Voldemort and the way he would visit her mind during certain nights.


Just in time, Remus entered the room with Furvus proudly strutting in behind as if he was a prince entering his castle. The cat hissed at the owl, the bird having no reaction at all, and jumped on the bed, curling as possibly close as he could to his master.


"Liz, can we talk for a moment?"


"Is this about you having to go to guard Harry? Because he told me before we left Hogwarts and Ron invited me over too."


Remus sighed and sat on the bed. The cat got up and turned to stare up at the werewolf man with bright green eyes. Lupin chuckled and patted his head, making the cat purr happily.


"He's really grateful to you for buying him."She started softly, watching the interaction between the two.


Remus chuckled and looked at his goddaughter, "I didn't have a choice. He literally got attached to me and he wouldn't let go no matter how much I tried."


"Sometimes I wonder if he isn't actually an animagus." The witch started, the cat glancing at his master from the corner of his eye.


That was unlikely but Furvus was definitely smart and sly, having his own desires and doing absolutely anything just to gain whatever he wanted. He was also very patient and wouldn't dare hurt her. Furvus was suspiciously loyal and careful to his surroundings, as well.


"Liz, is there something I should know? People don't suddenly forget how much they suffered and get over it so easily." His tone changed, showing just how worried he was even if he was equally happy that she was speaking and living normally again.


"I didn't forget and I definitely didn't get over it. If anything, it hurts more with every passing day when I realize that my father won't welcome me home for Christmas and won't nag me about my lack of skills in charms," Her green eyes lowered to her hands and her whole face darkened at the memory.


Truthfully, she's been so busy running around and asking for answers that she pushed her pain in the very back of her mind and locked her feelings away.


"Is there a boy involved into this change?" He asked, one eyebrow raised; even Furvus perked his ears.


Eliza's eyes snapped to her godfather and she scoffed, "Just because you found someone doesn't mean I did too. I do see the way you look at her, Remus. I'm not too young for this type of conversation."


They stared at each other for a few moments. Remus was looking for any kind of insecurity on her expressive face but there was none and in the end, Remus sighed in relief.


"Fine. But I don't need another person to worry about."


If only he knew what she knew, it would make him dead worried and he would probably lock her somewhere.


Silence fell in between them once again so she quickly changed the subject, "Have you found out what is Voldemort's hideout?"


"We are sure the central hideout is or will be the Malfoy Manor. Lucius Malfoy has been a proactive follower of Voldemort ever since the beginning and Bellatrix Lestrange lives with them for the time being."


So those were the arrangements: Bellatrix was living with Malfoy and that was probably how Snape ended up with no choice but to protect Draco. On the other side, she also promised the ghost that in exchange for information, she would keep an eye out for the blond. It was still a mystery as to how exactly Eliza was able to protect someone when both of them could get killed by the same person.


"What are you thinking about?" Remus broke her line of thoughts.


"It doesn't seem like Malfoy has any power, no matter how high on the pedestrian he places himself. Voldemort can kill him and his family with one lift of his hand and no one would mourn." She said coldly.


"I don't care," The man responded sincerely, "If Malfoy dies, he does it with his own hand and I'm not going to feel any kind of remorse for him or his family."


Eliza licked her lips and tensed; only the image of Draco dying was horrible and she had to shake it quickly from her mind. Besides, Malfoy was the one who had the answers she was looking for; he was Ophelia's best friend so there had to be something different about him.


"He's a coward," She trailed, remembering just how scared Draco's been for the past months, "Cowards never die; just like Pettigrew."


Christmas came around and just as they planned, Mrs. Weasley had two more guests. Eliza's eyes widened at the decorations and food and she couldn't help feel like it might have been a good idea to tag along.


At the sight of Fred and George, Eliza frowned and became very wary of everything around her.


"Are you still mad about the powder of love?" George appeared next to her, taking the seat on her right while his twin took the seat on the left, "We didn't do it."


"It just appeared in my room and exploded on its own, right?" She asked sarcastically, her frown changing into a scowl. "It was the powder of obsession not love. It faded fast, thankfully." She grumbled.


The twins frowned and leaned back before glancing at each other, "We should fix that." They said at the same time and jumped on their feet, running somewhere.


Eliza rolled her eyes and kept close to Ginny. The radio was turned on and the voice of Mrs. Weasley's favorite singer was ringing through the air.


Oh, come and stir my cauldron,


And if you do it right


I'll boil you up some hot, strong love


To keep you warm tonight.


Eliza bit her lip and felt those words slip under her skin. Draco's face flashed in front of her eyes and she jumped when she realized what just happened. Her eyes widened and quickly surveyed the place in case someone saw her act so strange. Everyone was busy, especially Ron who was watching his older brother Bill and Fleur like he was ready to take notes.


The first thing Ginny told Eliza when she arrived was that she should be careful to the Phlegm and the brunette was confused. Of course, it made sense later on when she saw Fleur. It was even more interesting to meet Bill Weasley who looked nothing like the rest.


Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Harry talking to Mr. Weasley. She tensed when she heard him tell Mr. Weasley everything they heard that night in the classroom. Her eyes moved on Lupin, who was listening carefully to every word, even the part where Eliza was there as well.


Remus turned towards her with a strict face and Eliza looked down at her hands. The discussion continued and Lupin was visibly growing very tense.


Harry looked Lupin straight in the eye at some point.


*"--do you honestly like Snape?"


"I neither like nor dislike Severus," said Lupin. "No, Harry, I am speaking the truth," he added, as Harry pulled a skeptical expression. "We shall never be bosom friends, perhaps; after all that happened between James and Sirius and Severus, there is too much bitterness there. But I do not forget that during the year I taught at Hogwarts, Severus made the Wolfsbane Potion for me every month, made it perfectly, so that I did not have to suffer as I usually do at the full moon."*


Hearing Remus express his opinion on Snape, Eliza remembered her mother's escape from Voldemort.


"Severus, they know. They know I've been hiding with you for the past 7 months." She sounded so calm that even Eliza -as Ophelia- was surprised.


He kept her hidden for seven months and became her Secret Keeper. But Snape was one sly wizard so was he really trustworthy?


Eliza listened in to Harry and Lupin's discussion and heard her godfather tell Harry about Fenrir Greyback. She knew the story, he told it to her only once before when her smell got imprinted into his memory.


Next morning, Eliza woke up stuffed between Ginny and Fleur and from the looks of it, she ended up right in between the two when she was sure she went to bed last and the one in the middle was Fleur.


Christmas was nicer with more people and Eliza couldn't help but miss her father. Every present was nice and helpful and Remus took care to give her muggle sports equipment.


"So what's this for?" Ron asked, grabbing a bat. "Is it like the ones against Bludgers?"


"No. It's for baseball. You do hit a ball but under different rules." She explained just like Dean explained it to her. Eliza avoided saying that name around Harry after she realized he fancied Ginny.


"Blimey, you do need some anger management lessons." Ron mumbled, looking wary of the bat.


Eliza chuckled and swayed it around Ron, almost hitting him in the head twice. Remus walked in and gave a pointed look.


"I'd like if you could put that aside before cracking someone's skull first thing in the morning." Lupin said in the same manner Mr. Weasley would tell Fred and George to take their stuff from the floor.


Harry smiled when he saw the relationship between them and couldn't help feel a tinge of jealousy. He could have had that with Sirius. Of course, he remembered Sirius was Eliza's real father and Remus could never take his place but she still had Remus while Harry had a family that he wouldn't like to return to soon.


On the same morning, the Minister Rufus Scrimgeour paid a visit to the Weasleys, accompanied by none other than Percy. Remus made a sign to Eliza to get inside and not appear in front of the Minister. Eliza almost forgot that she was born under utter secrecy in a house that was enchanted. No one knew of her existence except the people around her and the Ministry couldn't trace her if she was using magic.


After Christmas, Mrs. Weasley tried to keep Eliza in The Burrow, explaining how nice it would be to have another girl in the house. Eliza was sure it was more because Mrs. Weasley didn't like Fleur and wanted to nag how she would've liked Tonks to marry Bill instead. Fleur didn't like Tonks at all and it was probably because of the same reason.


"You have already done more than enough. Thank you for the invitation," Eliza knew when to smile and charm her way out of situations. That was definitely inherited from Sirius.


That was how Eliza spent the rest of the break in her room, looking through her old stuff. She found an old photograph of her mother and smiled. Ophelia was a beautiful woman, especially when she was smiling and Eliza knew that was what attracted Sirius to her.


When time came to return to Hogwarts, Eliza Apparated in Hogsmeade and walked by foot to the castle. When she got there, she noticed blond hair walking up the stairs once again. Eliza bit her lip and tried to shrug it off but it was impossible. With one look at the way to the Gryffindor Tower, she turned and followed Malfoy.


He knew she was there and didn't avoid her anymore. He was at the top of the stairs and waited for her in front of an empty wall.


"Who's the one drawing attention now, Black?" He asked, though he didn't sound annoyed.


"I'm not the one who crashed a party, am I?"


Malfoy looked at her closely, his hand twitching when he realized she knew. It was all over her face actually.


"Run away before they come, Eliza. You won't be able to escape afterwards." He softened his tone by only a bit but his eyes were sincere; those blue eyes were honest for a moment.


"When will they come?" She whispered before leaning in.


Malfoy sighed and rubbed his head in frustration.


"Sooner than you think." He mumbled, already shuddering at the thought.


"Let them come. My blood won't be spilled in vain, Draco. Your father knows that the best."


They decided to walk back together, at least until the crowded corridors; it was dangerous walking next to the person that your house hates the most.


"Snape is risking a lot for you. You should be grateful." She started after half of the way in silence.


Malfoy scoffed, "Why should I? It wasn't my choice and I don't need him to look over my shoulder; it's my task to complete not his."


Eliza nodded and connected her arms behind her back, walking in a manner that was reminding of her father, "This task must be of great importance if Voldemort chose you to complete."


It was obvious for anyone with half a brain that she was taking him for a fool and her words were meant to insult him as a wizard. Strangely enough he wasn't as pissed about that as he was of her friendship with Zabini. Actually, that begun during last year. His father told him not to involve Eliza in their recent affairs and there was the Dark Lord himself who warned him not to look at her twice which sounded a lot like a back off.


"I deserve this," He sounded very sure of what he was saying, like he was trying to prove himself he was on the same level as the others. Suddenly, he remembered something and stopped her. "You shouldn't hang around Potter anymore. Aunt Bellatrix is-"


"Do not even mention that name." Eliza said in an icy cold tone.


"You should have left when it begun. Bellatrix was delighted to tell every detail about what happened in the Ministry." He continued while leaning closer.


She laid her head back against the wall and stared at him bemusedly, "Who is the fool now, Draco?"


He tensed when she grabbed his left hand and turned it so she could see his forearm. She only caught a small glimpse but there it was: the Dark Mark.


"You should have ran when the opportunity arose but now you are his propriety. Once he's done with you, he will easily throw you aside like nothing."


The blond took a step back and narrowed his eyes at her.


"You remain loyal to your family, Draco and I will remain loyal to mine." She continued, her eyes scrunching lightly making her look like a snake.


"You are part of my family." Draco muttered, making her freeze for a moment.


"No, I'm not. Family makes you happy not curses you for your entire life." Eliza said, remembering her father and everything he did just to keep her away from the Black family.


As soon as they walked in the corridor, she hurried to the Gryffindor tower while Draco returned to make sure everything was going to work accordingly.

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