Chapter 8
She took a deep breath, wiped away any trace off tears, straightened in her chair and started, "My name is Elizabeth, sir, but I do not know my proper last name. I am an orphan. From what I have been told, when I was a baby my parents decided that since they already had a boy, to pass on the family name, that they did not want a girl. I was never told what the family name was. And tho I wish I had a family, I do not wish to know who my birth parents were. They abandoned me and left me in some muggle orphanage. I don't even know if they were a wizard and witch or not. I have never had a mother or a father, but I have had tons of brothers and sisters. All the children who came and went from the orphanage, I considered them my brothers and sisters. I am the only child ever to have been in that orphanage for more than a year. All the others have found families for themselves. When I received my letter from Hogwarts I was so excited. I thought that everyone here was going to be my new family, but I have learned that they are not. I have learned that the students here, are nothing like brothers and sisters. They say that your house is your family, but I believe that not to be true. My classmates in my house want nothing to do with me, they call me weird, yet they come to me when they need help with their school work. I have learned that when summer holidays come I have to go back to the orphanage. This is nothing like the family that I had always imagined for myself. I love the school and the teachers. I love the fact that I am a witch, I feel that it gives me something to belong to. However, I do not want to go back to that orphanage." at that moment other students started to come into the class. Harry leaned in some so nobody else could hear and said, " Thank you. And would you mind coming to my, well Professor Tonks' office this evening after dinner." Elizabeth nodded and turned in her seat to prepare for class.
At lunch he had asked McGonagall about Elizabeth. She confirmed the child's story. Harry felt awful inside. After lunch he caught up with Ginny, before his next class started. He had asked her about Elizabeth. She told him that a couple of time she had to make some other kids that were teasing her, leave her alone. She said that she kind of reminded her of Hermione because she always seemed to be studying. Harry asked Ginny, "Would you totally kill me if I asked that we not meet tonight. I would like to talk with Elizabeth. I don't know why, but I feel some kind of connection to her." Ginny replied, "No, that's fine. I will try to be more friendly towards her. Maybe we can see if she would like to hang out with us on Wednesday night, I want you alone tomorrow." Harry smiled, "That sounds good I will let her know that you have something to ask her. It would be more comfortable for you to ask. Well I gotta go I got a class starting soon." Ginny smiled and said, "Good luck Professor." The rest of the day went pretty well for Harry.
That night, after dinner Harry was in Tonks' office pacing. He wasn't sure what he was going to say to Elizabeth that would help her to trust him. When there was a knock on the door, it was the small, frail looking Elizabeth. He said, "Good evening. Come on in and take a seat." Harry sat on a desk and was thinking of what to say, when his thoughts were interrupted. "Excuse me Professor," Elizabeth said, "But why did you ask me to come here? I hope that it was not that you feel bad for me because I have no family. I do hate it when people take pity on me." Harry couldn't help but laugh.
"Well I can understand why you are in Gryffindor. No I did not ask you here because I pity you. For some reason I feel connected to you. I d not understand why, but that is also not why I asked you here. I asked you here so that we could talk. You seemed rather angry this morning. And well I thought I could share with you some things of my past that may or may not help you." Elizabeth looked at him. She had no idea what he was talking about. How could his past help her. She had heard all about him and his parents. They had loved him so much, that is what had kept him alive. Surely they didn't have anything in common.
Harry smiled at her and said, "You don't think we have anything in common do you?" She was shocked, "No sir." Harry began, "I am sure that you have heard about how my parents love saved my life?" Elizabeth nodded and he continued, "Well, tho they saved my life they pretty much left me an orphan. Of course I lived with my Aunt, Uncle, and their son, but I did not consider them family. They treated me like trash. They did not want me. And they wanted nothing to do with magic..." Harry had continued telling her all about his life before he came to Hogwarts and while he was there.
When he had finished he said, "So you see, even tho our lives are very different, they are similar in many ways. I know that you may not trust me yet, but please understand that if you ever feel you need somebody to talk to, that you can talk to me. Even after this week is over. Do you know Ginny Weasley?" Elizabeth nodded, "Yes sir. She is nice to me and makes the other kids who are not, leave me alone." Harry smiled, "Well she knows how to get in touch with me if you need to. Okay. I don't want you to feel like you don't have a family, it is very hard to enjoy life when you think that way. You can think of me as your family, brother, uncle, cousin, what ever. Okay?" Elizabeth nodded and said with a smile, "Okay and thank you Professor. However, I do need to go, I need to finish your essay." Harry laughed "Very well. I will walk you to your tower."
When they got the painting of the fat lady Harry turned to Elizabeth and said, "Ginny has something that she will be asking you, and please don't feel it is out of pity." Elizabeth nodded, told the fat lady the password 'undeniable love' and looked at Harry, "Ginny picked the password, I think. I will be glad when it is changed," she stated as she blushed. Harry asked her if she could fetch Ginny for him and she had agreed. Harry waited for Ginny outside the portrait.