Chapter 37

It was hard to say goodbye to the Weasley's and Remus after Christmas. Especially Fred, he had promised that he would come and see her during the next Hogsmeade visit and that he would get George to help him to write letters to her but she still cried as she kissed him goodbye.

"Evening Miss Potter, try not to get too much ash on the carpet." Professor McGonagall said, she glanced up from her work and passed Eliza a tissue which she took gratefully.

"Thanks, Professor McGonagall." She said quietly, waiting for the others to arrive.

They walked to the Common Room and Ron was immediately pounced upon by Lavender Brown.

"Won-won! I've missed you so much! I know you were only upset when you sent that owl!" Lavender immediately locked lips with Ron and he had to manually push her off him.

"No, Lavender! I meant it, I don't want to be with you. I'm sorry." Lavender froze and Parvati and Seamus who were standing behind her backed away several steps.

"It's because of her isn't it?" Lavender asked, pointing at Eliza. Ron looked bewildered.

"No, it's nothing to do with Eliza!" He yelled, stepping in front of her. Lavender whipped out her wand and fired a purple curse at Eliza, who threw up a shield charm quickly, deflecting the spell to Seamus who jumped out of the way just in time.

"Lavender!" Ron yelled, reaching over and pulling her wand out of her hand. "Detention!" Everyone seemed to gasp, Ron had never used his prefect power before, preferring Hermione to take the strain.

"What?" Lavender asked dangerously, taking a step towards Ron.

"You heard me, detention. That was unprovoked, I'm reporting you to Professor McGonagall." And with that Ron left the common room, alone, leaving a heart-broken and angry Lavender Brown in his wake.

Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Eliza moved over to a table quickly and started discussing Ron's situation. Ginny claimed she had never been so proud of her brother and Harry complimented Eliza on the speed of her shield.

The next day Apparation lessons were announced leading to a flurry of excitement amongst the sixth years'.

"So, Apparation, should be a laugh," Ron said as they made their way to charms.

"I dunno, maybe it's better when you do it yourself, I didn't enjoy it much when Dumbledore took me along for the ride." Harry said and Eliza nodded.

"When I first did it, after Harry blew up Aunt Marge, I fainted." She said, looking at Ron.

"You fainted?" Hermione asked, looking worried.

"Yeah, but I had a chest infection. I've done it a couple of times since and I've been okay, I still prefer the Floo network."

"When can we take the tests?" Harry asked as they joined the queue outside Professor Flitwick's classroom.

"Soon as we're seventeen. That's only March for me, you could do it already Hermione." Hermione smiled at him, she had been much kinder to him since he had split up with Lavender and the relationship between the quartet was normal again.

That evening Harry and Eliza walked to Dumbledore's office in a comfortable silence.

"Good evening both. I hope that your holidays were, well better than you had expected the last time you were in here." Eliza nodded, remembering the night well.

"I hear that you met the Minister for Magic over Christmas?"

"Yes, he's not very happy with me."

"No, he is not very happy with me, either. We must try not to sink beneath over anguish, Harry, but battle on." Eliza smiled.

"He wanted me to tell the Wizarding community that the Ministry's doing a wonderful job."

"It was Fudge's idea originally, you know. During his last days in office, when he was desperately trying to cling to his post, he sought a meeting with you, hoping that you would give him your support…"

"After everything Fudge did last year? After Umbridge?" Harry said angrily.

"That is why Scrimgeour approached you first Harry and not Eliza, he believes that Umbridge may have burnt that bridge beyond repair."

"He's right about that." Eliza said quietly and Dumbledore smiled at her.

"I suspect he will approach you in time Eliza, be prepared." Eliza nodded at him. "I told Cornelius there was no chance of it, but the idea did not die when he left office. Within hours of Scrimgeour's appointment we met and he demanded I arrange a meeting with you…"

"So that's why you argued!" Harry blustered out and Eliza looked at him, amused.

"The Prophet is bound to report the truth occasionally…"

"A broken clock is right twice a day." Eliza said, looking up at Fawkes.

"Nicely phrased, Eliza. Yes that is why we argued. Well, it appears Rufus found a way to corner you at last."

"He accused me of being 'Dumbledore's man through and through.'"

"How very rude of him." Eliza kept her eyes of Fawkes, feeling like she was intruding on a private moment.

"I told him I was." Fawkes let out a soft cry.

"I am very touched, Harry." Dumbledore said softly.

The rest of the meeting passed quickly and Eliza soon found herself exiting Slughorn's memory and sitting down again.

"As you may have noticed, that memory has been tampered with."

"Tampered with?" Harry repeated, also taking a seat.

"Certainly, Professor Slughorn has meddled with his own recollections."

"How can you do that?" Harry asked.

"It's easy, Harry." Eliza said, looking over at him. Dumbledore leant back looking intrigued.

"How?"

"You imagine a difference and if you imagine it and wish for it enough, you start to believe it." Eliza said, turning back to Fawkes.

"But you haven't actually changed the past." Harry said, looking between Dumbledore and Eliza.

"No," said Eliza, softly. "But if you believe it hard enough, sometimes you forget what the truth was." Harry looked like he would question Eliza further but Dumbledore shook his head lightly, warning him to hold his tongue.

"Especially if you train yourself not to think about it." Eliza shook her head quickly, shaking away the cobwebs.

"Why would Professor Slughorn do that?" Eliza asked, looking at Dumbledore.

"Because, I think, he is ashamed of what he remembers, he has tried to rework the memory to show himself in a better light, obliterating those parts which he does not wish us to see. It is, as you have seen very crudely done, and that is good because it shows that the true memory is there beneath the alterations."

Eliza nodded thinking hard.

"And so for the first time, I am giving you both homework. It will be your task to persuade Professor Slughorn to divulge the real memory, which will undoubtedly be our most crucial piece of information."

"But, surely you don't need us, you could use Legilimency or Veritaserum or something?" Harry said, looking confused.

"Professor Slughorn is an extremely able wizard who will be expecting both. He is much more accomplished at Occlumency that poor Morfin Gaunt, and I would be astonished if he has not carried an antidote to Veritaserum with him ever since I coerced him into giving me this travesty of a recollection.

No, I think it would be foolish to attempt to wrest the truth from Professor Slughorn by force, and might do more harm than good; I do not wish him to leave Hogwarts. However he has his weaknesses like the rest of us and I believe that you two are the only two people who will be able to penetrate his defences. It is important that we secure the true memory, how important we will only know when we have seen it. So good luck. Eliza if you could remain behind I would like to discuss something with you."

"Goodnight sir," Harry said, looking surprised by the abruptness of the dismissal.

Eliza and Dumbledore sat in silence for a few minutes, until the sounds of Harry's footsteps had faded from the room.

"How are you, Eliza?" Dumbledore asked, looking across at her with his twinkling eyes. Eliza looked at him and thought for a moment before responding.

"What can I do for you, Professor?" She asked, side-stepping his question.

"I would like you to resume Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape." Eliza looked over at Fawkes, thinking back to the wall she had conjured.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Professor." She said quietly.

"Professor Snape does not blame you for injuring him."

"Are you asking me to resume my lessons, or telling me, Professor?" Eliza asked, crossing her arms but trying to regain composure.

"I am asking you." Dumbledore said, stroking the phoenix that had flown to his desk.

"Then I am saying no. Hermione bought me a book of meditation for Christmas, I'm sure that will help with the dreams."

"The twin bond certainly seems to be strengthening."

"Yes, it is."

"Eliza, remember help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." Eliza looked at him, confused.

"I don't need help." She said, looking at him carefully.

"Professor McGonagall informs me that you are now a proficient animagus, it is an extraordinary achievement Eliza, you should be proud of yourself." Eliza was struggling to follow the conversation, it had no logical structure.

"I am."

"Eliza, what was life like at the Dursley's?" Dumbledore asked, bluntly. Eliza closed her eyes as if praying for patience; she was trying to hold her temper but it was proving difficult.

"Why don't you ask Mr and Mrs Weasley? Or Remus?" Eliza asked, standing up.

"Because I am asking you." Dumbledore remained calm and it only made Eliza angrier.

"It was fine."

"Was it really fine, or have you just wished for it to be fine so much that you have distorted you own recollection. Maybe you have forgotten what the truth was?"

"Or maybe you're just feeling guilty for abandoning two one-year-olds on the doorstep of the one blood relative they had left without checking on them for ten years? Maybe you're scared of the truth? Maybe you're scared that we could have been your biggest mistake?" Eliza shouted the last sentence and then jumped back, surprised by her own anger.

Dumbledore did not look annoyed with her, on the contrary he looked upset, his eyes were glistening as if holding back tears and he nodded at Eliza.

"Maybe you are right" He said calmly. Eliza stormed out of the room not even caring that she was being rude. She walked straight to the Room of Requirement and walked in circles being specific about what she wanted.

The door appeared and she walked into an orchard, she lifted her wand and started blasting. Within half an hour all of the trees were dead.

A/N So we're back at Hogwarts, don't worry we'll still hear from Fred, and see his POV every so often.

Thanks to mozie for beta-ing