The Unsolved Riddle.

1.2.3.4. Stop Knocking at My Door.

Sunshine had finally found England. The temperatures had flown and it was soon reaching the hottest day of the year, it had managed to reach 27 degrees Celsius and the people outside had been sweating for days. Those in the Abaza household were relatively unfazed as they opened their windows and welcomed the heat in. Eliana had found comfort in yet another book while her parents were forced to prepare for the last few weeks of lessons and the next year of learning. Hamid was less fussed with preparing as his university students would have the same lessons as they always did. Enyo, however, was preparing for the year ahead, knowing that OFSTED would be arriving and evaluating the school, knowing that ten teachers were leaving and needed to be replaced, six were on maternity leave and four would be off sick at the start of the year.

"She was pregnant at the start of the school year last year, I thought Georgia didn't want kids." The mumble was tough to miss and Hamid smiled to himself as he checked through the work he had to do.

Just as Enyo was preparing to pull her hair out, a knock was heard from the front door and Hamid was quick to get up, moving towards the front door. As he passed Eliana, he rubbed her hair slightly but she seemed too caught up in her book to notice him. Her school uniform was tugged around her and black shoes sat at the door, ready for when her parents would call for her to leave for school.

The second the door opened, a woman who could not be any taller than six feet at most, was stood. Her hair was black and pulled into a tight bun. Her face was stern and her shoulders were drawn back with authority. A green dress covered her body and sat around her feet, a black dress sat below the green one and Hamid had to squint his eyes to be sure that she really was wearing such an outfit in the high temperatures. "Good morning. Is this the Abaza residence?" Hamid nodded slowly, sizing the older woman up as he looked around, checking for a car that she may have driven to reach them. The closest bus stop was almost a mile away and she didn't appear to be sweating at all.

"Yes, this is the Abaza residence. How can we help you?" Her lips had puckered as he spoke and his confusion fluttered across his face.

"I am Minerva McGonagall, I am here to see Miss Abaza. I know this is a little late but school hasn't long finished." Her words were flat and her Scottish accent had followed every word that left her mouth.

Hamid's delayed return had drawn Enyo from the table that she worked at as the time for Eliana to leave for school was soon approaching. As soon as Enyo had heard the Scottish voice, she was sure that something unexpected was unravelling at the front door and so she watched from a distance, checking to see what was needed. McGonagall, however, had taken the chance to look between the pair as she waited for the girl to emerge. "Miss Abaza is aware of who I am." The reassurance did little to comfort the pair but they couldn't stand and watch each other forever.

"Ellie, there is someone at the door for you." Enyo didn't have to call loudly for Eliana as she was only in the room over but the three waited in silence as the girl could be heard making her way towards them. When McGonagall caught sight of the girl, a book titled 'The Secret Garden' was firmly held in her grasp and a torn-up piece of paper had been placed inside one of the pages. Her hair was perfectly pulled back into two plaits and her face was soft. Her jaw was kind as she smiled at the woman at the door. Directly beside the girl was a dog, the dog was tired and her eyes grew heavy as the girl patted her head and stroked the aged back. The girl's hand was pale but her moves were a little reckless as she glanced between the dog, the woman at the door and her book regularly.

"Hello, how can I help you?" Her voice was feathery and a few octaves higher than the professor had been expecting. The girl was tiny and her body was undersized for what McGonagall had first expected.

"There must be a mistake. I am here for Miss Eliana Amour Abaza, your 11-year-old daughter. If you could tell her that Minerva McGonagall is here, that would do." The tall woman had responded immediately with narrowed eyes as she then squashed her lips together. McGonagall may have been physically shorter than the two adults but she didn't show any signs of caring. Although the full-body checks proved that she was aware of their height.