Ever since Eliza was brought to the manor, she had been locked in a room and no matter how much she tried to leave, she couldn't. She hadn’t seen Voldemort after that first meeting and she wasn’t particularly keen on seeing him again.
It's been almost three weeks since she has been living with the Malfoys and even though Narcissa was a kind companion, Eliza was like a bird locked in a very tight cage. Another problem was Bellatrix Lestrange who was also living with her sister- a presence Eliza hated with every fibre of her body.661Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQfhroPyKS
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The Malfoy Manor was decorated through and through, with dimly lit corridors that Eliza couldn't fully explore. Eliza's room was close to Draco's from what Mrs. Malfoy told her but didn't come check on her once. Mrs. Malfoy told Eliza only what Voldemort found important for her to know, which was pretty much nothing.
Eliza was kept under strict attention and she swore house elves were checking on her regularly.
Death Eaters were coming and leaving according to their needs. Just as Eliza imagined, Lucius Malfoy was released with the others from Azkaban and he was ready to do anything just to be kept alive.661Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpQvl26Zr1
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Every morning, a house elf would come into Eliza’s room and find her on the bed in what looked like a trance. Every morning the elf would place the breakfast on the table in her room and leave swiftly. However, one special morning, the house elf entered without a tray and asked Eliza to follow her downstairs, into the dining room. Bellatrix was not there, Eliza checked that first.661Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93vM6iUAP9
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“How do you feel, Eliza?” Malfoy asked from his seat at the end of the table.
The house elf pulled the empty seat from across the table, having Eliza sit at the other end. She was uncomfortable and glanced at Draco every so often but he avoided her gaze.
“You don’t have to look so wary. No one will harm you in any way.” He added, sipping from his morning tea.
Once the plate of food was placed in front of her, Eliza scanned it closely before she leaned back, “Why am I here?”
“For breakfast, of course. I thought you might want to get out of your room for a change.” He said cordially, like everything was normal and she was a willing guest.
“Then why don’t you let me go, for a change?” She retorted ironically.
“You are needed here.”
She rolled her eyes, “I am most definitely not needed anywhere but home. Voldemort’s plans don’t include me and even if they do, I don’t care.” She got up and pushed the plate aside, “Put me in a cell or whatever you want but don’t act like I want to be here.”
The older blond glared at her but didn’t say anything while his son hid his smirk behind the glass of pumpkin juice.
Surprisingly enough, at lunch Lucius did take her out in the garden for a change.
"I never intended to have Ophelia endangered. I treasured our friendship unlike her." He started, his chin raised so he could look down at the world from his gigantic ego.
"Strange. I thought you were always by your Dark Lord's side and only vowed to protect her because she was his daughter." She retorted, not being used to hear Lucius talk about her mother yet, "She trusted you and you betrayed her in your hunger for power."
He raised an eyebrow and stopped, plunging his walking stick right in front of her, almost into her foot.
"If I were to betray her I would have been dead by now. I protected her."
Eliza stared at him for a moment before she asked, "From what? Sirius Black? James Potter? Her father? If you treasured her then how did they find out where she was? How did you find out exactly?"
"There are many ways to find such information especially with a family like hers." He sounded like he really hated the Gaunts but he was at the mercy of Tom Riddle himself.
"Voldemort seems to value blood relationships greatly. I know he murdered his father and grandparents and even blamed his uncle for it. Even so, he's proud of his pure blooded roots and kept an eye on Ophelia." She changed the subject and Malfoy pulled back his stick, resuming their walk.
"Even if he dies, his blood will continue to residue in your veins."
At that sudden realization, Eliza shuddered, feeling like she was infested with a deadly virus.
"That is disgusting. He looks at me and sees Ophelia not I."
"And that should work in your favour. The Dark Lord has raised Ophelia when everyone else left her to rot. He became the only man she could look up to. She was overflowing with love and admiration for the one who was holding onto her life."
"Until she met Sirius Black," Eliza added, Malfoy's face morphing into an older version of his son's sneer, "He offered her a second perspective, one with friends that would never betray her and would always give her a reason to smile and hope. Something you never did, have you?"
Lucius stopped, narrowing his eyes at the shorter girl, "She wasn't like them. It was bad enough that she chose Gryffindor against her real house but she wanted to erase her past completely."
"And she asked her friends to help her. You, Snape and Regulus were the closest people to her and she tried to get you to join Dumbledore. Ophelia was sure you could redeem yourselves together." She figured, which was actually making a lot of sense now.
Every Slytherin wanted to be a Death Eater back then and being regarded as gifted and powerful, the three Slytherins Ophelia cared for barged inside the dark world willingly. That must have hurt Ophelia since she knew exactly what kind of man was Voldemort and how much their lives were going to change.
"I told her back then what I’m telling you now: they will get you killed sooner or later so just give in and follow his path." He hissed.
Eliza stared ahead, breathing in the fresh air before she had to enter the dark, cold mansion.
“Should you be speaking such words, Malfoy? I was there, hiding in a secret compartment and you saw me,” She said, her eyes moving on the platinum blond,“You didn’t tell him. You betrayed him already because just like your son, you are only words and no action.” She stated coldly.661Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTQGMvW8ip
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Lucius glared at her and looked like he was going to hit her. Luckily, someone interfered.
“Father, Fenrir Grayback is here.” Draco announced, his eyes on the brunette.661Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCl8PRtkP7U
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Malfoy grunted and seized her up before he returned inside the manor. Eliza turned towards the dark scenery and sighed heavily, feeling like her heart was being squished.
“Are you alright?” Draco asked once he got next to her.
“My mother accepted him so easily. Even when she found out he was a monster, she didn't care. She stayed with him until she realised she couldn't anymore." Eliza mumbled thoughtfully.
The blond had a vague idea what she was speaking about but he had a different curiosity, “Why did they bring you here, Eliza? Why is the Dark Lord so obsessed with you?”
“My mother was his daughter and I believe that makes me his only blood relative alive. Half is the blood of Gaunt and the other half is the blood of Black. Anyway you look at it, my life is nothing but thick smoke.”
Draco’s eyes widened and looked down at her with pity. Voldemort was a scary entity, moreover facing the snake was too high of an accomplishment for him. He didn’t know how to comfort her so he changed the subject.
“They will have a meeting today.” He admitted, his voice trembling slightly.
“You don't have to look so terrified. I'm sure he won't kill you.” She retorted, finding her own issue far worse than his petty one.
He shook his head and licked his lips nervously, letting the mask of false bravery break, “I didn’t complete my task. I didn’t kill Dumbledore.”
Eliza sighed and grabbed his hand, squeezing it a bit in sign of reassurance, “He will definitely be angry but he won’t kill you; the worse he can do is depreciate you and your family.”
Which was exactly what happened and it wasn’t a nice view at all; she could see Draco’s body trembling in fear and Lucius looked scared out of his mind.
Eliza wasn’t sure why she had to be brought there when she made herself clear that she won’t raise a finger for Voldemort; of course, that wasn’t a matter he couldn’t resolve as he personally stated.
That was how Eliza found herself chained in the air with Death Eaters around, pointing their wands at her. She was panicking. Her eyes fell on Snape but he wasn’t looking her way, preferring to look down at the table.
“W-What are you doing my Lord?” Malfoy stuttered, walking behind his master.
Voldemort smiled and tilted his head to the side, looking like he was going to do something really bad to her,
“Crucio.” He whispered.
Her eyes widened and felt her spine bent.
Draco jumped on his feet and turned to Snape. He wasn’t moving a finger but he was cringing at her whimpers.
Bellatrix laughed loudly and walked closer to Eliza, “My, my, the bastard child is in pain~” That didn’t stop her from pointing her wand at Eliza and using the cruciatus curse as well.
Thanks to Snape’s training with the deadly curses, Eliza learned that she should bite back her screams and concentrate on pushing the pain into her hands and legs so that her heart wouldn’t be pressured. That was easier done in a classroom with her professor than actually doing it in front of Voldemort. As soon as the pain numbed, she looked at him, that cruel wide smile widening when their eyes met.
“My Lord-“ Lucius started but quickly shut his mouth and leaned back as his precious Dark Lord glared at him.
“What a disappointment you are, Lucius. Your son couldn’t complete a simple task and you lost sight of your priorities.” The blue eyed snake moved aside and let Lucius free path towards the witch, “Prove to me that you aren’t blinded by your past and you are still loyal to me.” He smiled and nodded towards Eliza.
Everyone in the room waited in silence for Malfoy to use the curse on Eliza, showing therefore that he wasn’t seeing her as her mother.
Eliza eyed Malfoy and scowled, “You can’t do it.”
And he didn’t have to because Snape finally rose from his seat and cursed her himself, sparing both Malfoys the shame of revealing their weak points. Eliza threw her head back and groaned, closing her eyes tightly as her whole body fought against the pain.
“Let’s drop the act, my Lord. She’s not yet prepared to use her magic at the same level as your daughter.” He said coldly, his tone well controlled so he wouldn’t end up offending the snake.
Voldemort seemed to ponder on Snape’s remark and came to a positive conclusion. He dropped the spell and she fell on the ground like a rock. Malfoy’s eyes widened and he swallowed nervously, moreover he signed to his wife to grab the witch and tend to her wounds. Narcissa nodded and asked her son for help, noticing the scowls on everyone’s faces.
“She’s not Ophelia, my Lord. She needs to learn.” Snape continued, walking next to him, “I can teach her for the time being.”
Voldemort hummed and played with his wand while thinking who to honor with that position; Snape had to go back to Hogwarts and he couldn’t trust Lucius when he knew he had a soft spot for Eliza.
“No, let someone else do the honors.” He smirked and turned to what was probably his most faithful follower, “Bellatrix.”
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