Ink and Parchment ~ blood and bone

59

She and her court pushed through the Great Hall doors, ready to start their last year at Hogwarts.

“Isn’t it strange” Daphne spoke as they made their way to the usual spot at the Slytherin table “That we’re here already – it feels like so much has changed”

“Eliza’s still a midget” Blaise pointed out gleefully, moving to ruffle Eliza’s hair. Instead Eliza tripped him and darted to her place at the table before Blaise could retaliate. Draco and Theo took a seat on either side of her, Blaise and Daphne sliding onto the bench across from them and Eliza smiled slightly.

It would be a strange year indeed, knowing that it was their last.

“I wonder how McGonagall is holding up” Draco pondered as they waited for the sorting to begin “Quite a staff change, professor to headmistress in a matter of weeks”

“That’s not the only staff change” Theo said with muted surprise. Furrowing her brows Eliza followed his stare and found herself sharing his confusion.

Because sat at the staff table was none other than Severus Snape.

“I thought the curse got him” Blaise said and Draco snorted.

“I thought he’d finally given up”

“Evidently we were all wrong” Eliza commented waving down the table at the younger Slytherins, Harper and Maddock as they greeted her. Draco let out a dramatic gasp by her side

“You, the great Eliza Potter, not knowing something-

His tirade was cut off when Eliza hit him with a tongue-tying hex, and it was at that point Severus looked up sending them all a disapproving stare.

Eliza didn’t know why he was so bothered, they were the best influences – really.

The sorting commenced, Slytherin gaining seven more new students only four of which were purebloods Eliza noted with some smug satisfaction. McGonagall delivered the Welcome Back speech and Eliza had to admire the woman for her resolve. She heard from Severus that the school board had offered him the spot as headmaster but he had instead recommended McGonagall. She had taken that to mean Severus wouldn’t be back at Hogwarts at all instead of, judging by Slughorn’s presence, continuing teaching DADA.

She and her court stood, leaving the prefects to lead the first years instead, and made their way back to the common room. Hermione Granger had been offered the role of Head Girl to nobody’s surprise, but to the shock of everyone Draco had also been offered the role of Head Boy. Draco had turned down the role citing it was ‘too much responsibility’ and had instead gleefully taken the chance to become Quidditch Captain.

The blonde had spent a day trying to threaten Eliza onto the team before she threatened to set his broom on fire, with him on it.

He hadn’t mentioned it since.

Instead the role of Head Boy went to Anthony Goldstein, a Ravenclaw in their year which Eliza felt was a good choice. Ravenclaws tended to be neutral which is exactly what someone needed to be when paired with Hermione Granger.

Eliza stood when the prefects finally gestured to her and the court and came to stand in front of the first years, feeling oddly sentimental. Her last year as Queen, looking after the house, causing trouble. She would miss it.

“As your prefects have said; Welcome to Slytherin. In this house I am the authority” Eliza began to explain “And I have been for the past five years. Which means you’re all my responsibility”

The first years shuffled nervously, and Eliza didn’t need to see the rest of her house to know they were all sharing the same conspiring smile. There was not one Slytherin that had not heard Eliza’s welcome speech by now.