Under the intense watchful eye of his professor, Draco had no choice but to carry Eliza to the Hospital Wing.
Madame Pomfrey took her away immediately and gave her some kind of potion.
"Professor? What happened to her?" Draco asked once they left.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65ZpuO8RZ0
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"I'm sure you have many questions but I would prefer you to focus on your studies." That was a very professional response but it only irked the blond.
When Eliza woke up, she found herself surrounded by people. Hermione hugged her tightly, Ron waved from the edge of the bed while Harry grasped her hand in worry.
"Are you alright? What happened to you?" Hermione asked in one breathe.
Eliza bit her lip, glancing at Harry from the corner of her eye. He understood straight away that it was something about her lessons with Snape.
"I fell." Eliza said innocently. "I was going to the dungeons when Peeves pulled the rug from under my feet."
"There aren't any rugs in the hall. Besides, why were you going into the dungeons?"
Eliza swallowed nervously. Hermione was too smart for her good and too perceptive.
"I had an essay for Potions..." The green eyed witch trailed, watching Hermione carefully.
The library rat didn't look convinced at all. She was ready to say something more when Harry interfered.
"You've been here for 24 hours and Madame Pomfrey wouldn't leave anyone near you. We barely got her approval." He said.
"What about the DA? Still going strong?" Eliza whispered, her eyes brightening.
"Yes. You should come around sometimes- at least once before Christmas." Hermione added when she saw Eliza open her mouth.
Harry glanced at the taller witch thoughtfully. Her lessons with Snape seemed rougher than he thought.
After the trio left, Eliza tried her best to look as healthy as possible so Madame Pomfrey could let her leave. It worked miraculously.
The day wasn't over yet and Eliza still had a lot of homework to do. She went in the library and sat at her usual spot in the back. Looking around, she couldn't help but feel sad again. Everytime she'd study in the library, the sparkling face of Cedric Diggory'd appear. Now, it felt empty and the sparkle was gone.
It took almost the whole day for her to finish absolutely every homework. She wrote the whole dream diary and put an enchantment on it so every entry would appear at the end of every week.
Walking back to the common room, she noticed the blond head of the Slytherin boy. She didn't glance twice at him but he did. He literally stared at her until she walked the marble stairs to the Gryffindor Tower.
"Mimbulus mimbletonia." Eliza muttered tiredly and the Fat Lady slid aside.
No one was inside the common room so she moved in front of the chimney. Her green orbs were reflecting the color coming from the fire. That until she felt someone tug on her pants.
"Miss Eliza, miss. Dobby thinks the black friend wants to tell you something."
Eliza turned quickly and saw Dobby the elf pointing at the black fur. Also, he had something in his hands that looked a lot like the stuff Hermione's been knitting.
Furvus was staring wide eyed at his master, something hanging from his left leg.
"Hey Dobby, can I ask you something?"
The elf nodded eagerly, "Anything Harry Potter's friend wants to know."
"Harry told me before about his adventures. He told me he helped you get free from the Malfoys."
Dobby nodded, his wide glossy eyes looking at her, "Yes, yes. Harry Potter saved Dobby. He tricked master Malfoy into giving clothes to Dobby so I was free."
"But you've worked for the Malfoys for a long time. Have you-have you ever seen a woman who resembled me?"
Thinking, Dobby's eyes widened and took a few steps closer to her.
"There was a woman yes. I remembers there was a big fight a long time ago." He took another step closer to her before he jumped on the couch. "There was a witch who'd come every holiday for three days at the manor. Dobby saw her once. I saw her crying, miss."
"She was in the Malfoy Manor and crying? Why?"
Dobby pointed for Eliza to lean closer before he whispered, "The Dark Lord found out something and he wasn't pleased. No, not pleased at all. Dobby could hear the screams. It was horrible."
"What did he find out? That she was pregnant?" Eliza asked, remembering her dream.
Dobby's eyes widened once again, "Miss seems to know already. Yes, Harry Potter's friend. The young miss was going to have a baby with the Black. But he helped her run away, Dobby heard. The Dark Lord was furious."
It looked like that memory sent a chill down his spine because he jumped off and bowed, "That's all I knows, miss Harry Potter's friend." He said and popped off.
"He helped her run away? Who's this 'he'?" She asked frowning.
Eliza went to bed just when Hermione opened the door to the dormitory. It was past midnight and Eliza couldn't believe it but she wanted to dream her mother again.
She didn't. For the next weeks, Eliza did all she could to dream her mother but her sleep was always dreamless. That didn't help during Divination either and she couldn't fall asleep during History of Magic either. It was frustrating.
The Quidditch game between Gryffindor and Slytherin was another reason for frustration. Even though she was hyped that Gryffindor won, Harry cornered her in the common room and told her that he and the Weasley twins have been banned from ever playing Quidditch again.
"Besides, Hagrid is back. You know how his lessons are and Umbridge won't pass this opportunity to sack him." Hermione continued indignantly.
That wasn't exactly what happened but from the looks Umbridge was giving and the not so soft mumbles, it was pretty clear she had no good intentions.
Malfoy and his little Slytherin friends were a good cause for conflict, especially in their classes with Gryffindor. That was why one Potions class during the first week of December, she went straight next to Malfoy. Doing that, Pansy Parkinson looked offended and intended to vex Eliza's potion.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Eliza said so softly that only Pansy and Malfoy heard.
"Or what? You're going to attack me with your stupid kitten?" The Slytherin girl retorted.
Harry was on the other side of the room with Hermione and Ron. He and the ginger were confused how she got to sit between the most insufferable two people in the room.
"I thought she was partnering with Zabini?" Ron whispered, avoiding Snape's eye.
Harry knew that too. Zabini was one of the few Slytherins who would rarely annoy or get annoyed by the Gryffindors. He especially seemed fond of his Potions partner with how much she was helping him. So then, why was Eliza between Malfoy and Parkinson?
The answer came during the lesson. Hermione was first to notice and nudged Harry and Ron a few minutes later. Eliza's potion looked really bad and saw her eye twitching every time Parkinson would talk. On the other hand, Malfoy didn't utter a word.
It was almost the end of the class and they had to give their flagons of potions to Snape. Everyone put their flagons on the desk and returned to their tables. Harry was amazed by what happened next. He nudged Ron but he didn't catch it happening.
"She changed them." Harry whispered to the confused ginger. "She changed the flagons really fast."
When Snape opened the flagons from Eliza's table, two of them exploded in a puff of green smoke, making such a rotten smell that they had to cover their noses.
"Whose flagons are these?" Snape asked coldly.
For a moment, Harry saw Snape glare at Eliza but she looked completely innocent. Her potions were always perfect while Malfoy and Parkinson looked terrified at their hands.
"Have you seen that? It was amazing!" Ron exclaimed at dinner. "I thought Snape was going to give them detentions!"
"He didn't though. How could he, it's Malfoy and Parkinson. His valuable students." Hermione said sarcastically.
"But it was really smart to make it seem like bits of the potion got smudged on their hands." Ron continued, beaming with joy.
Eliza chuckled, "I got that bit of information while watching Fred and George research. I knew Parkinson will try to boycott my potion so I decided to make it super bad."
"What did you put in it?" Hermione asked genuinely curious.
"Everything I could get my hands on. However, I knew I had to have a perfect one too so I helped Blaise with it." She explained but everyone seemed even more confused. "In case you haven't noticed, Zabini's been watching me for the whole lesson. I'd nod or shake my head every time he'd do something so he knew when the potion was correct or had something missing. So, when I went to leave my flagon, Blaise secretly gave me one of his. So mine exploded for real but while the smoke was going around, I smudged some on Malfoy's and Parkinson's robes. When they put their hands over their noses, they got it on their hands." Eliza explained slowly for everyone who was curious.
"So we helped master this amazing plan?" Fred's voice rung over her shoulder.
"We came when we heard our names but didn't expect this outcome." George continued.
"Wait. But what if Blaise's potions wasn't correct? What if Snape would've noticed?" Hermione asked worriedly.
Eliza shrugged, "The plan had 50% chances to be bullocks anyway. I risked it."
Fred and George sat on each side and patted her encouragingly, "We're proud we've been such good examples for you, Liz."
Hermione didn't think so even if she enjoyed seeing Snape almost snap at his own Slytherin students. She nagged Eliza until they got in the common room and the green eyed witch was trying her bed to block her voice out.
When she got in the dormitory, Eliza remembered that Furvus was carrying something when he came back. She didn't have time to read it so she grabbed the letter and read.
Umbridge is a pain. I can't use any method to speak to you or Harry. I'll be waiting for Christmas. - Dad.
Eliza rolled her eyes. Why did it take Furvus so long to bring this message anyway? Then she saw...
Dear Liz, be careful. Umbridge tells the Ministry everything and she's having eyes and ears everywhere in Hogwarts. Lucius Malfoy knows where you are. Stay away from his son; avoid him at all costs. The Ministry should not, through any means, find out about you.
She didn't have to be a genius to know that last part was written by Remus. He was as overprotective as ever.
"A bit late for avoiding Draco at all costs..." She chuckled when she remembered just how fun was to see Snape so mad.
The next day, after dinner and a very monstrous lesson about Thestrals, (which Eliza rather enjoyed now that Hagrid was back) she went to her usual lessons with Snape. The room still had a faint smell of that rotten potion.
"Take a seat." He said sharply.
Eliza glanced around before she sat across him. He looked rather stressed for someone who could easily disregard Umbridge.
"I have to inform you that drawing attention will not benefit neither you nor me. I suppressed the desire to give you a week of detention because there was no proof of what you have done." He started, his eyes darkening when they moved on her. "Also, keep that animal locked if you want it to continue to breath." He added as he got on his feet.
Then, out of nowhere, she found herself surrounded slowly by fog. It was getting heavier and she was sure it was coming from Snape's wand. Suddenly, she felt danger approaching and the pain ensued.
Snape just used the Cruciatus on her and she had no idea which direction it came from.
Just as Remus advised, Eliza started to avoid Malfoy. He didn't quite get the hint because his eyes were following her everywhere.
During the last week before the Christmas break, Eliza felt Malfoy stare at her back with all the power he could muster.
"Can you come today? It's the last meeting before the break." Hermione asked suddenly, grabbing Eliza’s attention.
"Yes, sure." Eliza responded absent mindedly. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that Malfoy was gone, "I have to go now, sorry. See you tonight." She said really fast before leaving the table.
Hermione tilted her head to the side, watching her friend run out the door. It was strange how much she was running around lately.
"Malfoy!" Hearing her scream after him, everyone turned to watch.
Crabbe and Goyle were with Malfoy so whatever she wanted from him, it wasn’t a good time. He had to act as if he didn’t know anything and she was just a normal Gryffindor.
"Are you looking for trouble, Molley?" He turned to her with his usual scowl.
"As a matter of fact, yes."
Her response made the viewers curiously whisper to each other and Malfoy instantly remembered the letter from his mother.
The blond rolled his eyes and quickly did a spell just to shove her in the nearest passerby. It happened to be one of the twins.
"Hey, are you alright?" He asked as he helped her up.
"I'm fine. Thanks Fred,"
"I'm George," He added.
Her eyes widened, making him chuckle bemusedly, "I'm joking. I'm Fred. You got it right."
She narrowed her eyes at him and playfully pushed him, "You Weasleys."
"I heard you're coming tonight. I really want to see more of what you've done that time in Potions." Fred said.
He laughed but Eliza's body was aching at that memory. Snape took care to punish her during their lessons and she was genuinely considering getting detention with Umbridge just so she could escape from Snape.
"I will try my best to come tonight. How is it going?" She changed the subject.
"Well. I'm more interested in the little cat roaming around the Gryffindor tower." He started in a teasing manner, aware that she didn't like having Furvus go with the twins.
"He is a smart cat and does everything for attention. The girls find him adorable." She joked but it wasn’t entirely a joke.
"I noticed. Do you think I can take him for a while? Nothing suspicious,"
"That sound suspicious." She chuckled seeing the mischievousness in his eyes.
He was going to use Furvus' sly attitude to mess around for sure. Eliza could already hear McGonagall yell at her for not taking care.
"As long as he doesn't get in too much trouble, you can entertain yourself." She answered eventually.
"Happy to make deals with you, Miss Black." He whispered and hurried through the portrait.
She frowned and glanced around; thankfully, the Fat Lady didn't hear the name he called her.
Since she promised, Eliza tagged along that night to practice. She finished her training with Snape earlier and ran around, hoping she could find the Room of Requirement.
When she found it, she entered warily. Twenty eight students were going around, training with confidence. She saw students from every house except Slytherin and she was quite proud of them, especially of Harry who was going around, helping everyone how much he could.
Eliza walked around as she watched Neville try to disarm someone. Her green eyes caught sight of Ernie Macmillan and he waved at her. Anthony Goldstein was there as well and once he saw her, Eliza turned instantly and went to Hermione and Ron.
"Hey! You actually came!" Ron seemed really surprised.
Eliza shrugged and moved on. She noticed a Ravenclaw doing the Impediment Jinx and motioned for her to lower the wand but raise her elbow, which proved quite useful.
Overall, the students were learning how to protect themselves and they were doing surprisingly well.
"Hey, Liz! Try it out!" She heard George scream.
Eliza chuckled and pointed her wand at him. She did the movement but wasn't intending on using the spell so he got the chance to disarm her easily.
"Good work George! Next time try faster!"
"It was fast!" He retorted laughing.
She chuckled and turned to watch a Hufflepuff.
Christmas was coming and Eliza could already feel warmth engulfing her heart. She woke up in the morning with a wide smile on her face. Unfortunately, Hermione appeared in the picture.
"Mr. Weasley's been attacked last night." She whispered. "Everyone's over at Snuffle's and I think we'll spend the holidays there."
Except the fact that Mr. Weasley got attacked, Eliza found the news very good. She could hardly wait to get to Grimmauld Place and see her father.
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