Eliza and the Other Bookworm
Eliza Diawna Snape

"Eliza."

The one named Eliza ignored the call to attention, all on purpose, as she kept her nose in a book. The child's mouth twisted into a slight frown as her hands clutched each side, looking utterly bored out of her mind as she kicked her feet back and forth. She turned a page of the old tome, continuing to frown.

"Eliza Diawna Snape," came the firm commanding tone.

Eliza didn't respond, still looking at the book in front of her. She turned another page, letting out a deep yawn of boredom, purposefully ignoring the person who called out to her from the doorway, her mouth forming a thin line. A pale hand reached out, yanking the book away from her, resulting in a dejected sound from the preteen girl as she rolled over onto her back. "Why do your books smell funny?"

The man snapped the book shut. "What have I said about picking up the old tomes, that they don't need a child's sticky fingers touching them?"

"This child doesn't have her books, Papa," the girl said, stretching out her fingers and toes to either side of the bed so she lay sideways on the emerald green and beige colored comforter while wearing a matching green set of pajamas that weren't threadbare like the black robes her papa wore.

There came a grunt and the door closing slightly as her pop peered in from the hallway into her room. "What happened to the books Lady Prewett gifted you?"

"I'm not a child anymore and too old for them." Eliza let out a small sniff as she sat up, not noticing the conflict between what she had just said and what she'd said before. She held her chin up high. "I'm going to be starting at Hogwarts this next year."

"You've not yet received your admittance letter, so you don't know that for sure," the man said, shaking his head at his greasy black hair, his mouth pressed into a thin line. "Hurry up and…"

Eliza let out an ear-piercing wail, which made the man roll his eyes as she flopped onto the bed, arms and legs sprawled out. "Are you saying I'm going to be a squib?"

"Don't do that," her papa said, opening the door slightly more so she could see his threadbare, overused black robes that he never got around to replacing despite having the money to do so, or so Eliza suspected.

"If Papa loves me, he can make it up by taking me to the Muggle library," Eliza sniffed, sitting up straight as she batted her blue-gray eyes.

"We will not be going to the Muggle library today as we have other business to attend to, Eliza, so hurry up…"

Eliza folded her arms across her chest, her lips forming a pout as her curly brown hair cascaded around her shoulders. "Not fair."

"Get dressed."

"Why? Why can't you take me to the Muggle library instead?" Eliza said, her mouth forming a pout.

"Because I have an important matter to attend to today rather unexpectedly, and I don't need you running around purposefully causing chaos while I'm not here."

The door clicked shut while Eliza let out a typical preteen huff at what he said. "You're no fun."

She glanced around her room, with the various browns and greens of the paint and paper and furniture made of the same wood. She sighed, not intending to follow her papa's orders when he came back, knocking at the door. "Hurry up, Eliza Diawna. The Black family is expecting us at their family home."

Her blue-gray eyes widened, and she hurried to get dressed, quickly leaving her room to arrive downstairs, where she stood up straight with her chin held high while her papa gave her a look of irritation. He turned towards the fireplace, reaching for the container of Floo powder when an owl started tapping at the window. Eliza's head turned, finding herself quite excited as her papa walked over to open the window, allowing the owl to fly in and drop a letter.

Her eyes widened upon seeing the familiar red seal, and she moved, attempting to pounce on the letter, but with one deft move, he swept the letter up off the floor and held it over her head as she bounced up and down, reaching for the paper. "That's mine. My acceptance letter."

He held it away as she tried jumping to grab the letter, "You do not know that as you have not seen whether it is addressed to you or not, so stop being impolite, Eliza."

Eliza stopped jumping, her arms crossing her chest as her mouth formed a pout. He lowered the letter, looked at whom the letter was addressed to, and tucked it under his arm before heading over to a small writing desk, scribbling out in his messy scrawl a reply letter that he, in turn, gave to the owl that brought the letter. After, he turned back towards the Floo when she said, anticipation getting to her. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Is it my letter?"

"And what if it is?"

"That's not fair!" Eliza blurted out. "It's my letter, and I should be able to open it!"

"There is no need to open it until we go and get your school supplies, as I've already written a reply to the headmistress letting her know…"

"You bully!"

He turned, dark eyes wide. "Need I remind you we're expected at Grimmauld Place that the Black family is expecting us?" His mouth twisted into a sneer. "Perhaps if you behave, you can ask one if they can take you shopping for school supplies?"

Eliza frowned, her mouth twisting. "Because you don't want to, papa?"

He rolled his eyes. "I thought you preferred shopping, Lady Prewett." He reached out for the container of Floo powder. "Now, do you remember how to use the Floo?"

"Say the place. Otherwise, Eliza will get lost." The girl let out a sigh, rolling her own eyes. "I can do that."

He held the Floo powder out further. "Behave."

"Of course," Eliza said, taking a pinch of the powder. As he set the container back on the mantle, she stepped towards the flames and tossed the Floo powder on top before saying, "Grimmauld Place."

She stepped through, the flames flashing up around her, and then she stepped into the drawing room of Grimmauld Place, her jaw-dropping, having not yet visited the place. Her silver-blue eyes looked around, taking in the vast windows, the grand piano, the luscious tapestries, and other ornate trimmings, such as an extensive family tree.

"Leaving one's mouth open is impolite, child."

Eliza's eyes blinked, her head turning to look at the Black family matriarch, muttering hurriedly, "Sorry."

"Did he have to bring the girl with him?" the matriarch asked, turning to her sister-in-law.

"You know exactly why Severus Snape needs to bring her along, Burgie. Apparently, more than I do," the other woman said, sighing.

Eliza looked over at her. "Hello, Lady Prewett."

The woman frowned. "I believe you and Walburga Black have already met, Eliza?"

Eliza swallowed, turning and making a quick curtsy. "Greetings, Lady Black."

"Have you received your letter yet?" Lady Black said, letting out a sniff, her disdain—disdain it seemed from Eliza's experience was held for everyone.

Eliza frowned. "Papa won't let me have my letter!"

"What nonsense," the woman said, letting out a sniff.

"I know!" Eliza chimed in.

Walburga's mouth twitched, and then, "It would bode you well to remember children are meant to be seen, not heard."

"Burgie," Lady Prewett sighed as Snape came through the Floo, glaring at Eliza.

"What have you done this time?"

"Nothing," Lady Prewett said, glaring at her sister-in-law.

"Don't jest, Lucrettia." The matriarch let out a sniff. "The girl would do well to learn her place."

"And I say you and I have never seen eye to eye with this children should be seen and not heard nonsense of yours, Burgie."

"No wonder that filthy runaway turned out the way he did," Walburga sniffed. She lifted a handkerchief to her mouth. "He broke my heart; he did."

"Can I use the loo?" Eliza said, finding herself uncomfortable with the conversation unfolding before her, shifting from one foot to another. When she didn't get the response she wanted as quickly as she thought she should, she added, "Please?"

"Use the one across the way," Walburga said, sniffing as she did so. "And don't make a mess."

Eliza took a deep breath, not needing to use the loo, thinking at first she'd explore, only to quickly discover the halls were covered with paintings that wouldn't hesitate to tattle on her the moment the Black matriarch asked. And down the stairs were the creepy heads of various House Elves and an old living one staring at her, glaring.

She swallowed, hurrying into the bathroom, closing the door behind her, freezing upon seeing a china doll floating face down in the sink. Her blue-gray eyes widened as she stepped over, her hands reaching into the cold water to pull the doll out. She lifted one of the doll's arms, perplexed, before heading back to the drawing-room, the creepy House Elf hanging near the household's mistress, who stood, eyes wide.

"What is that?"

"I didn't do it," Eliza said, frowning.

"He's up to his old tricks," Lady Prewett said.

Walburga Black turned to Snape. "Do the job you came to do," heading out of the room after she said those words. "Follow me."

Snape glared at her but followed.

"What did you mean, he's up to his old tricks?"

"Nothing, dear. Why don't you bring the doll here?"

Eliza nodded her head, walking over and handing the door over.

Lady Prewett sighed. "This was mine when I was younger, but I wonder." She shook her head, bringing out her wand and waving it, removing the water and any subsequent damage with the wand, resulting in Eliza's eyes going wide. She held the doll out. "Would you like her?"

Eliza nodded her head, taking the doll into her arms. "Do you think he'll be mad?"

"I doubt your papa would object," Lady Prewett said. "So, do you think your papa will let me take you shopping for school supplies, dear one?"

Eliza turned. "If I'm behaved." She then frowned. "Does it have to be to Lady Black's standards, though?"

"Certainly not," Lady Prewett said, leaning in close. "But to tell you the truth, most papas aren't fond of taking their daughters shopping for things like clothes, so he does prefer to hear you behave so I can take you, dear."

Eliza nodded her head. "I'll behave." She turned to the doll in her arms. "I'll call you Diawna Eliza Snape. We'll behave together."

Lady Prewett let out an amused laugh. "Indeed."