𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗳𝗼𝘆.

twenty four.

   "Hagrids back!"

   Harry and Elizabeth exchanged glances, the two dropping their bags and following after Ron and Hermione. They took off out the courtyard and down the stairs to the hillside where Hagrid lived.

   They ran down the hill as quickly as they could manage without falling, reaching the small house in almost no time. Just as they were about to knock on the door they heard a rather unpleasant voice from inside.

   "I will say this one last time, I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been."

   The children snuck around to the side, peeking through the window. Umbridge and Hagrid were inside, the woman's pink, the only bright color in the house.

   "I told you! I've been away for me health." Hagrid argued, Umbridge raising a brow. "Your health?" she questioned. "Yes! Bit of fresh air, you know." Umbridge sighed, her perky smile taking over her face again.

   "If I were you, I wouldn't bother unpacking."

   Umbridge then exited the house, the kids exchanging looks as they watched her go. It wasn't long before they were all seated inside, cups of tea placed in front of them.

   Hagrid settled back in his seat, taking a sip of his drink. "This is top secret. Dumbledore sent me to Parley with the giants." Elizabeth leaned forward, a trace of a grin on her face. "Giants?" Hagrid shushed her, the girl leaning back. "You found them?"

   "Well they're not that hard to find to be perfectly honest. They're so big. I tried to convince them to join the cause, but I wasn't the only one trying to win them over." Hagrid explained. Harry sighed, "death eaters."

   "Yes, trying to persuade them to join you-know-who." The big man glanced around warily, as if there was someone else in the house. "And did they?" Harry asked impatiently. "Well I gave them Dumbledore's message, suppose some of them remember he was friendly to them."

   Ron looked at the man's scarred face, a frozen slab of meat pressed to his cheek. "And they did this to you?" Fang growled slightly, Hagrid shushing the dog. "No exactly, no." Fang barked again, Hagrid tossing him the meat. "Go on, you have it then."

   The wind suddenly began to howl, Fang barking even more. Hagrid made his way to the door, the kids standing to follow. "It's changing out there, just like last time. There's a storm coming Harry, and we all best be ready when she does."

* * *

   "Neville?"

   Elizabeth strode into the room of requirement, finding her friend standing in front of the mirror, staring at the clippings of newspaper attached. She stood beside him, the picture of Cedric catching her eye.

   "Fourteen years ago...a death eater named Bellatrix Lestrange used a cruciatus curse on my parents." Elizabeth followed his eyes to the photograph on the mirror, the couple smiling together.

   "She tortured them for information but they never gave in. I'm quite proud to be their son," he turned to the blonde, "but I'm not quite sure I'm ready for everyone to know just yet."

   She wished she had family she could be proud of.

   A proud lineage, one that didn't get her dirty looks everywhere she went. And sure her parents were alive but in Elizabeth's mind, they might as well be dead. The only real family she had was Draco and even their relationship was fading.

  She looked back up to Neville, the two meeting eyes. "We're gonna make them proud Neville, that's a promise." She looked back to the mirror, Neville's gaze lingering on her a little while longer.