Eliza’s screams became something common in the Malfoy Manor for the next two months and the pain was getting worse; everything she learned with Snape became irrelevant because Bellatrix was insane.
Bellatrix stopped calling her a bastard child and came up with an even worse pet name for her, one that Eliza hated.
“Sneaky little mutt! You can’t hide~”
It was by a miracle that Eliza found a way to escape Bellatrix’s sight. Hearing her loud voice resonating through the manor wasn’t helping Eliza.
“Come out, come out wherever you are~”
The green eyed witch spun around, searching for a place to hide but the doors were all locked and she didn’t have enough strength to use magic; she wasn’t even sure where her wand was. The sound of loud cracks on the old wood was enough to make her panic and gulp in fear. Bellatrix was just around the corner when Eliza got pulled into the wall, inside a hidden room that smelled horrible, had no lights and was altogether a mess. She knew the perfume so it wasn’t a surprise when he turned her around and checked her condition.
“You look horrible.” He whispered, helping her stay on her feet.
“This feels very familiar.” She chuckled, falling in his arms when her ankles gave up.
Her back stung and blood was oozing out of her side; it was worse than before and Draco was wondering for how long she could keep that up before falling unconscious. His answer came a few seconds later.
Eliza grunted and woke up in a room that was covered in Slytherin emblems and pride. She groaned and leaned on her elbows but someone pushed her right back.
“What the-“
Eliza was ready to curse whoever was forcing her to lie down but swallowed her words at the sight of Narcissa Malfoy.
“Rest. I will take care of my sister so no one will bother you tonight.” The woman said softly, placing something next to Eliza’s side.
Those green eyes widened, “My wand,”
Eliza reached out for it when Narcissa grabbed her hand tightly.
The woman leaned in with a frown on her face, “Don’t let them know you have it. He wants to awaken something that you do not have within.” She whispered, her eyes wide and scared.
“The darkness?” The young girl asked but it didn’t seem like that was the case.
“Ophelia.” She hissed before getting up and walking out of the room, leaving the door slightly cracked for Draco to enter.
Eliza leaned back, a look of confusion and complete surprise as she started to ponder on such possibility. What were Voldemort’s intentions?
“I had to carry you here; again. You owe me, Black.” Draco started, sitting on the bed, “Your condition is bad and the Dark Lord is angry.”
Eliza scoffed and, through some torturous movements, succeeded in getting up enough to lean against the mattress and have a good view of the door.
“Your room is extremely green and silver.”
That was random but she wanted to talk about things normal people would talk about.
Suspiciously, Draco actually understood why she suddenly started to talk about his room instead of the dreadful time she spent with Bellatrix- and it was a lot of time.
“I’m sure yours is extremely red and gold,” He answered her with the same type of rubbish sentence, “Pictures with Potter everywhere, I bet,”735Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqW9hYO6n0
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Eliza raised an eyebrow and stared at the blond bemusedly, “Not in the least. You genuinely think my relationship with Harry goes overboard.”
Draco chuckled and leaned on his hand, “Maybe. Whenever trouble occurs, there’s Potter and his friends.”
She bit the inside of her cheek and suppressed a light chuckle. Being there, having a conversation like nothing dark was happening right outside his room was good for their mental health. Draco’s been so scared, Eliza was sure he was ready to flee at any given opportunity.
“You’re going back to Hogwarts, aren’t you?”
He frowned and looked down, giving her a silent answer. It has been definitely announced through Death Eaters that Eliza was going to be kept there; she was a threat for them if she were to go search for Harry.
“Just- tell them I’m alive, my friends.” She mumbled, fidgeting when she thought how worried her friends must be.
Remus was probably going crazy.Thinking of her godfather, those green eyes saddened. Interestingly enough, Draco’s heart cringed when he saw the strength leave those pretty green eyes.
“You miss them so much?” The tone wasn’t soft, moreover it sounded like he was accusing her, “Those Gryffindors worth so much to you?”
She looked up at him and licked her lips, taking her wand and playing with it while speaking, “Does Slytherin mean so less to you?”
“Slytherin is my house. Of course it matters.” He sneered.
She chuckled and nodded, “Exactly. Voldemort won’t let me out of here anytime soon and you will be my only connection to the outside world.”
He scoffed and leaned towards her, enough for her to notice the scratch on his neck. She didn’t ask anything about it since she wasn’t in any position to comment but her eyes would always end up on the fresh scratch.
"Right now it’s too late for us to realize what we entangled ourselves with. We can only survive and hope we won't die.”
Saying it out-loud, reality seemed even worse and brutal. Their lives were hanging on a thread tied around the tip of Voldemort’s wand.735Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsM42nUmdL
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It was a few days later when Eliza got thrown into a bookshelf by her so called trainer. Bellatrix was softer but her hits were sharp and the target was always Eliza’s face.
“Come on, mutt. You have the blood of Gaunt and Black mixed in that thin body of yours. Show me magic,” Bellatrix hissed, her eyes getting wider and crazier as she levitated Eliza closer.
It was getting harder to contain her anger and disappointment and all the bad energies she accumulated over the past three months. Eliza was bound to show Bellatrix what she wanted to see and it happened sooner than expected. As Eliza’s body was flying towards the Death Eater, one of her hands twitched and sparks erupted from her fingertips.
Belatrix chuckled darkly, finding the sight really pitiful.
“Expecto Patronum.” Eliza groaned.
The sparkles fell on the ground, shifting into the form of a wolf before the animal rose on two feet and growled at Bellatrix.
In one swift motion, the werewolf attacked the woman, launching at her crazily, overwhelmed with sorrow.
Being busy with the Patronus, Bellatrix dropped Eliza on the floor. She had little time so the young witch quickly retracted her Patronus and glared at Bellatrix before whispering, “Crucio,”
Bellatrix’s eyes widened even more, getting thrown into the fireplace quite harshly.
Lucius Malfoy entered right in time, his condition being worse than the last time Eliza saw him.
“We have a meeting and you are to take part in it as well, Eliza.”
She bit her lip and glowered at Bellatrix’s rising form, “What is it about?”
“Harry Potter.”
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“Let me go.” She hissed at what was probably a mix of disgust and hatred on the man’s face.
Eliza refused to enter the room so a Death Eater appeared at the door and grabbed her forcefully, bringing her in front of Voldemort. The snake glanced at her with sparkles in his eyes, feeling very proud that she could witness what he had planned.
The Death Eater with an ugly face named Dolohov placed her on a chair and took his own seat at the table. Eliza tried to get up but an invisible force kept her on the chair. A few minutes later and Snape walked in, taking his seat on Voldemort's right while the other Death Eater named Yaxley sat next to Dolohov.
" So? You bring news, I trust?”
Snape glanced at what has been once his student before his eyes fell on the Dark Lord, “It will happen Saturday next, at nightfall,”
Eliza frowned, moving a bit in her special seat.
Yaxley took the word, “I've heard differently, my Lord. Dawlish, the Auror, has let slip that the Potter boy will not be moved until the 30th of this month. The day before he turns 17.”
“This is a false trail. The Auror Office no longer plays any part in the protection of Harry Potter. Those closest to him believe we have infiltrated the Ministry,”
“Well, they got that right, haven't they?”
Everyone laughed.
Eliza couldn’t help but feel powerless in front of them, having no desire to interfere in any way. She sighed silently, having a very good sight over the table, especially the back of Lucius and Draco Malfoy.
*“My Lord,” Yaxley went on, “Dawlish believes an entire party of Aurors will be used to transfer the boy—”
Voldemort held up a large white hand, and Yaxley subsided at once, watching resentfully as Voldemort turned back to Snape.
“Where are they going to hide the boy next?”
“At the home of one of the Order,” said Snape. “The place, according to the source, has been given every protection that the Order and Ministry together could provide. I think that there is little chance of taking him once he is there, my Lord, unless, of course, the Ministry has fallen before next Saturday, which might give us the opportunity to discover and undo enough of the enchantments to break through the rest.”
“Well, Yaxley?” Voldemort called down the table, the firelight glinting strangely in his red eyes. “Will the Ministry have fallen by next Saturday?”
Once again, all heads turned. Yaxley squared his shoulders.
“My Lord, I have good news on that score. I have—with difficulty, and after great effort—succeeded in placing an Imperius Curse upon Pius Thicknesse.” Many of those sitting around Yaxley looked impressed; his neighbor, Dolohov, a man with a long, twisted face, clapped him on the back.*
Eliza's eyes lowered on the snake moving around like he was at home, crawling towards whomever he didn’t find trustworthy. It was really close to Eliza but the snake didn’t glance twice at her. It slipped up towards his master in utter silence. A sudden cry of pain sent a chill down Eliza's back, tensing her immediately.
Voldemort's face suddenly became grim and angry. He screamed at Pettigrew to keep the guest quiet yet he wasn’t referring to Eliza; no, there was someone else, someone in deep pain. That didn’t mean Eliza didn’t flinch at the sudden change of attitude; she closed her eyes and swallowed nervously.
*“As I was saying,” continued Voldemort, looking again at the tense faces of his followers, “I understand better now. I shall need, for instance, to borrow a wand from one of you before I go to kill Potter.”
The faces around his displayed nothing but shock; he might have announced that he wanted to borrow one of their arms.
“No volunteers?” said Voldemort. “Let’s see . . . Lucius, I see no reason for you to have a wand anymore.”*
Eliza leaned forward a bit. They were all cowards, spending their lives as cockroaches running from one pile of thrash to the other, just as the wind was blowing and their needs were lowering or increasing.
Lucius Malfoy was the principle cockroach, in that case; he was the perfect prey at the moment, scared and willing to do anything just to save his life, his pride already greatly damaged. He gave his wand, more or less forced by the circumstances. Eliza sighed and leaned back, her mother’s face appearing in her mind telling Eliza to trust Malfoy and Snape; if only her mother could witness what Eliza was.
Voldemort seemed pretty content with what he’s done, and smiled slyly, “Why do the Malfoys look so unhappy with their lot? Is my return, my rise to power, not the very thing they professed to desire for so many years?”
“Of course, my Lord,” said Lucius Malfoy. His hand shook as he wiped sweat from his upper lip. “We did desire it—we do.”
Eliza scoffed behind her hand. Voldemort's eyes flickered to her while Bellatrix beamed with pride and emotion for her beloved Dark Lord.
“There is no higher pleasure than having you here. My Lord knows I speak nothing but the truth!”
“No higher pleasure . . . even compared with the happy event that, I hear, has taken place in your family this week?”
She stared at him, her lips parted, evidently confused.
“I don’t know what you mean, my Lord.”
“I’m talking about your niece, Bellatrix. And your, Lucius and Narcissa. She has just married the werewolf, Remus Lupin. You must be so proud.”
Eliza's eyes widened and felt her whole body freeze. Remus and Tonks got married and she wasn't there. Her godfather got married, found love in another and Eliza didn't witness any of it. She choked and made a guttural noise that sounded a lot like a half heartened howl.
"Such an event and the most important member was not there. Such a pity, isn't it, Eliza?" The snake asked, his eyes moving over her figure. He looked very content with himself unlike Bellatrix who looked furious. 735Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuezTeM8HAE
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As the subject progressed, Eliza was sure her hatred for Bellatrix increased over normal hatred. Voldemort's eyes flicked to something hanging upside down above the table. Eliza blinked twice, not sure she had seen it when she first walked inside the room. With one sway of his wand, the body flinched and woke up. Eliza's eyes widened when she recognized her professor.
Muggle Studies has never been her favorite subject and she’s had a lot of homework for that particular class yet Professor Burbage did not deserve death. She was one of the nicest professors at Hogwarts, full of compassion and understanding towards her students.
"We have a guest tonight. It is Miss Burbage's belief that Muggles are not so different from us. She would, given her way have us mate with them.” The Dark Lord continued, Eliza closing her eyes waiting for what was to come soon, “To her, the mixture of magical and Muggle blood is not an abomination.” He continued.
“Severus, please.”
Eliza felt her breath hitch in her chest when she heard the pleadings of her former professor. Snape did not react, his face blank and eyes cold as ice.
“Avada Kedavra!”
The pale demon killed the muggle without remorse, giving her to his pet as dinner.
That was the end of the meeting and everyone scattered yet Eliza wanted to speak to Snape.
She thought she was quite good at sneaking around but once he got inside the hall, Snape stopped and turned to her.
"What is it, Black?" He asked through gritted teeth.
Eliza couldn't even look at him without remembering the face of professor Burbage. However, she had two questions that needed immediate answers.
"What is the reason you didn't give me Occlumency lessons? The real one." She asked bluntly.
Snape looked down at her with less to no patience. She was repeating the mistakes her mother had done without even realizing it.
"Your mind is a mess. A labyrinth created by your dear mother in order to hide her memories."
Eliza's eyes widened. So everything she dreamed for the past years was all real, memories left behind by her mother.
"Then why does Voldemort want these memories?" She continued with the second question.
Snape sighed and for a moment, in the dimly lit hall, he looked very tired, on the verge to collapse.
"Remember that Ophelia is his daughter. He taught her Dark Magic and originally intended to make her a horcrux. But your mother ran away."
Something clicked in her mind. So, it wasn't necessarily the blood but the spiritual connection. She could easily become a horcrux and if that wouldn't work, Voldemort could just enchant her and use her soul. Ophelia was his daughter after all and that was her so called responsibility.
"Is that all?" Snape asked irritably, interrupting her trail of thoughts.
"What happened when she died? Why can I remember it like it happened yesterday?"
"The one dying in your memory is Lillian Gaunt. I was there when you were born and I helped Ophelia place the enchantment over you. I took you and gave you to Remus Lupin when you were just a newborn baby just before your grandfather killed her."
Those were very, very important details and they were turning her whole life upside down. Everything she knew was a lie implanted in her head by her own mother. Memories. It was always about these annoying memories.
Snape left afterwards and Eliza went upstairs. Not even Fenrir Greyback could shake her out of her mellow mood and he almost literally shook her if it wasn't for Lucius Malfoy.
"Worried for Potter?" The older blond asked her when he noticed the way she'd just stand like a puppet.
"My whole life is a big joke. My memories are not even mine. My whole existence is revolving around my mother." She breathed out, feeling her heart cringe.
Lucius' eyes widened and he harshly pushed her inside her room before closing the door and locking it.
"You don't understand even half of her life. She didn't want you to have the same fate." He said in Ophelia's defense.
"Then what is the truth about the day she was murdered by Voldemort?"
Lucius sighed, visibly uncomfortable with remembering that.
"You were already gone when we arrived. I knew you wouldn't be there but I didn't expect Ophelia to send you to Lupin. The Dark Lord knew about the prophecy and before killing Potter he visited your mother, in June. She was waiting for him, knowing what he wanted and she refused once again. Ophelia was ready to die and the Dark Lord lost his patience."
"She was his daughter!" Eliza snapped, "Ophelia was his daughter and he just killed her like it was nothing. What about Lillian?"
"Lillian died a long time ago, in the same house. The reasons are different, only the Dark Lord knows them. But your mother was there and she saw it happen. Her memories probably got mixed with your own illusion." He explained slowly.
"You're telling me I've been imagining that all this time?! I have been dreaming that terrible act of murder, I've been haunted by it for nothing?!" She said gritting her teeth as tears fell down her cheeks. "He will kill me for the same reason he killed her."
"Not if you do as he says. You should learn from your mother's mistakes."
Eliza scowled, "My mother has been ruining my life. My life."
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