Ink and Parchment ~ blood and bone

58

Quite obviously, Dumbledore never returned to Hogwarts.

(“We can’t just throw Albus Dumbledore into your creepy murder cave lake Tom”

“Why not?”)

Eliza did however, she found her court where she left them – draped across the sofa in the common room. Astoria was asleep curled up next to Daphne who was clutching Draco’s hand. Draco, who was heavily leaning against Blaise who was in turn propped up on Theo’s shoulder. Eliza wondered if she shoved one of them if they would all topple over like dominoes.

Daphne was the only one awake and Eliza saw her physically slump in relief when they met eyes. Eliza smiled as she wedged herself between everyone and caught sight of the mug sat on the centre of the coffee table.

“Thank you for the hot chocolate” she said and Daphne let out a soft laugh.

I’m home, I love you.

“Your welcome”

We know.

Some things just didn’t have to be said.

But Albus Dumbledore’s disappearance was not one of them. The rest of the professor’s realised Dumbledore had gone missing two days later.

And then it had hit the papers.

DUMBLEDORE MISSING? DUMBLEDORE ON THE RUN? DUMBLEDORE RE-JOINING GRINDELWALD?

Eliza may admittedly have something to do with the last one.

It was all anyone could talk about. That the infamous headmaster had ran away out of shame, had retreated before he was thrown into Azkaban. Even Rufus Scrimgeour, the minister himself, didn’t bother searching for the truth. Of course Eliza and Tom had known he wouldn’t before all of this. The man had despised Dumbledore, why would he bother searching for his enemy when he could simply profit instead? In fact it was really only old Order fanatics who even put up a semblance of a protest, and even they were quiet after the reveal of Dumbledore’s past.

It was going surprisingly well.

She hadn’t spoken to Tom since that night but when she spoke to Severus who had surprisingly lasted the whole year of teaching defence, he was quick to tell her that the dark lord was unusually chipper and if being a spy was a legal occupation he would have surely gotten a pay rise.

And then, even though it felt like it had only just begun, Eliza’s sixth year at Hogwarts had ended.

~

Usually Eliza’s summer drama began at least half way through the six week break. This summer it began before they had barely left the train. Astoria had wished them all goodbye before they had clambered onto the train, wanting to spend the journey with friends in her own year. Daphne had disappeared half way through the journey to spend some time with Susan with promises to meet soon.

Draco and Theo had disappeared into the crowd leaving Eliza and Blaise to cling onto one another as they searched the platform for their pseudo-uncles. It had unanimously been decided that Blaise would be joining them for the summer and Blaise hadn’t bothered arguing, accepting his fate.

And it would have been easy, if it weren’t for the woman stood next to Sirius and Remus.

Mrs Zabini was incredibly beautiful, the rumours were right about that. Her skin was flawless, dark hair falling perfectly sleek down her back and her full lips were pulled into a tight plastic smile as she and Blaise approached.

Eliza reached down to intertwine her hands with Blaise’s as they came to a stop in front of the intimidating woman. Sirius and Remus were glaring at her but Mrs Zabini paid them no mind, instead turning her attention onto Blaise.