Oh look, a surprise chapter in the middle of the week!
Song of the Day: Fortnight by Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone
Luiz4200: Yes, I am pretty sure that if Barty were alive Sirius would actually kill him and land his butt back in Azkaban
Cade's garden party was grandiose. She took of her travelling cloak and placed it on one of the coat holders. The garden party unfolded with an air of opulence. Everywhere Eliza looked, the tables were full of dessert, a whisper of wealth and privilege.
Towering trees provide a canopy of shade under which elegantly dressed women mingle and converse, their laughter like tinkling crystal. It was a bad day to where black, but that was the dress code Cade had been going for.
"My friend," Eliza cleared her throat as Cade hooked her arm around her. "I was not aware that you had… an extravagant taste."
"I don't do this all the time," Cade smiled. Her green eyes were nearly translucent in the sun. "Besides, a lot of important people are here today."
Cade pointed out to a woman dressed in amaranth robes. "That's Griselda Marchbanks. She's a part of the Wizarding Examination Authorities AND she serves on the Wizengamot as well. People are hoping that she'll take over because…"
"Because what?"
Cade looked around before whispering the answer into Eliza's ear. "They think Dumbledore has gone coo coo, you know. He's lost his marbles with this whole You-Know-Who thing."
"And what do you believe?"
"If anyone here speaks, I'll believe it," Cade winked. She spotted someone else. "Ohh! You might know this person."
Indeed, Eliza did. The woman basking in the sun let out a delightful sound as Cade brought Eliza over. Cade patted Eliza's arm as someone else needed her attention.
"Enjoy!"
Eliza was not going to enjoy it.
"Oh!" Miriam Strout said. "It's been such a long time since I last saw you. Say, was it…"
"When you brought me Peter Pettigrew's finger," Eliza said dryly. Miriam started out with her, and they'd spent many shifts in complete silence as they worked on their things.
"Right," she said nervously. "Not the best of times, I presume…" Miriam's words were slurred. Eliza ironed out her skirt as she sat down. "It's been better."
"But you've done good things since then?" Miriam inquired. "I dare say we are missing your expertise in the Janus Thickey Ward. What are you up to nowadays?"
The corner of Eliza's mouth twitched, and she eyed the alcohol on the table.
"Misuse of Muggle Artefacts."
Miriam stared at her.
"Really? How did you end up there? Surely… our hours were not that bad?"
"Very, actually," Eliza said honestly.
During the war, St. Mungo's became a sanctuary. Eliza would throw herself into her work, yet with each day; she feared that those sanctuary walls would break. For every life she managed to save, countless others were lost to the violence and chaos of the war. The long hours spent at St. Mungo's meant sacrificing precious moments, thinking that any moment, someone she knew would be rolled in through the doors.
That, and being watched by Death Eaters for who she was, made her powerless.
"I could offer you a better position," Miriam said and drank a flute of champagne. " At least it would be better and a lot less stressful than the one at the Ministry. It would be better paid, too. I'm head of the ward now, you know?"
Eliza picked up the champagne on the table and downed a sip. "I'm good for now, Miriam."
Something tugged at her head, and an idea formed.
"Say, Miriam. Tell me all about the latest gossip," Eliza scooted closer.
Miriam leaned in conspiratorially, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Oh, where do I even begin?" She paused dramatically, relishing in the anticipation before continuing. "Well, you won't believe what happened last week. Remember Healer Thompson? The one with the unruly hair and the penchant for causing chaos in the potions lab?"
Eliza nodded, a faint smile playing at her lips as she recalled the eccentric healer.
Miriam leaned even closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Turns out he accidentally brewed a love potion instead of a simple headache remedy. And guess who ended up drinking it?"
Eliza's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "No way. Who?"
Miriam's grin widened. "Oh two new recruits. They've been acting like a pair of lovesick teenagers ever since. It's been quite the spectacle trying to keep them from floating off the ground whenever they're together."
Eliza couldn't help but chuckle at the mental image. "That's... unexpected, to say the least."
"Oh, but that's not even the best part," Miriam continued, her excitement palpable. Eliza handed her another glass. "Apparently, Healer Thompson has been trying to brew an antidote, but every attempt just seems to make the situation worse. I heard he accidentally turned Healer Dawlish hair bright purple last night!"
"Poor Healer Dawlish. Sounds like he's in for quite the ordeal."
Miriam nodded, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Indeed. And that's just the tip of the iceberg, my dear. There's plenty more where that came from if you're interested."
"I have a little idea for you, Miriam," Eliza began. "Do you remember when you brought me the finger?"
"Urgh, yeah," she sighed. "Oh poor Pettigrew."
"Tell me," Eliza continued. "Did it seem perculiar to you?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"The finger. It was from a blast, wasn't it?"
"You should know! You know the whoooolleeee story," Miriam grumbled. "What was only left of finger was one, extremely neat finger. I've had so many cases of appendages being blown up…" Miriam seemed confused. "Hm. Well. His finger was too neat to be blown up, but a finger is a finger, according to the Ministry."
Eliza leaned back, a small smirk playing on her lips as she watched Miriam's reaction closely. "Yes, but wouldn't you agree that it's rather odd for a finger to remain so intact in the midst of an explosion?"
Miriam's brow furrowed as she processed Eliza's words. "Well, I suppose when you put it that way..." She trailed off, her gaze thoughtful as she took another sip of champagne.
"Exactly," Eliza pressed on, her voice low and deliberate. "It's almost as if someone wanted that finger to be found, intact and unmistakable."
Miriam's eyes widened in realization, a flicker of understanding crossing her features. "You mean to say..."
Eliza nodded, her smirk widening. "Yes, Miriam. I mean to say that perhaps there's more to that incident than meets the eye."
A slow grin spread across Miriam's face, but her eyes were glassy. "Oh, I see what you're getting at. Clever, very clever indeed," Miriam patted Eliza's hands. "What an imagination you have…"
Eliza took a mental note.
Get Miriam to speak for the trial.
Eliza left the now-drunk Miriam to her own devices and proceeded to walk around. Her mind was buzzing as well. She'd only found one person who could be helpful, and she was already struggling.
Her footsteps echoed softly against the marble floor, the sound almost drowned out by the weight of her thoughts. She stumbled into the garden, putting distance between her and the party to clear her head.
Okay think, what do I need…
Then, she nearly collided with a figure standing in the shade. With a gasp, she stepped back, only to find herself face to face with Narcissa Black.
"Narcissa," Eliza murmured, her voice tinged with surprise and unease.
Narcissa's sharp gaze swept over Eliza, taking in every detail of her appearance. With a delicate yet deliberate motion, she reached out and adjusted a stray strand of hair that had fallen loose from Eliza's bun.
"Much better."
Eliza's heart skipped a beat.
"Thank you," she murmured, her cheeks flushing slightly as she stepped back, putting some distance between them.
"I see Cade has you at one of her parties," Narcissa noted. "So, you have seen the light, have you?"
"Yes," Eliza lied. "I have."
As much as she hated herself for it, Narcissa Black was the key to Lucius. Lucius, a known Death Eater, and someone who was supposedly there the night Voldemort returned, would be key to all of this.
Narcissa studied her for a moment, her expression unreadable. She ventured, her voice taking on a softer, more contemplative tone, "there could be even greater opportunities for you, Eliza."
"As do many people here think."
"Lucius might get promoted soon," she held her head high. "It will be great for us Malfoys…and for you."
Eliza's breath caught in her throat. Narcissa's gaze sharpened, her eyes locking onto Eliza's with unwavering intensity.
"You have a gift, Eliza," she said quietly, her words laced with a subtle yet unmistakable undercurrent of meaning. "A talent for the darker arts that few possess. With the right guidance, you could achieve so much more than you ever thought possible. They're watching you."
A tingle went up her spine.
Narcissa's eyes twinkled. "If it means saving the people you love, you would. Wouldn't you? If you join us… maybe your serious problem will be forgiven."
Eliza's heart hammered in her chest as she struggled to process Narcissa's words. Memories of her past with Regulus Black flashed before her eyes.
"I appreciate your confidence in me, Narcissa," she said finally, her voice tinged with resignation. "But I'm afraid not."
Narcissa grabbed Eliza's hand, a little bit too hard for her liking.
"It will get worse," Narcissa warned. "If only you knew what was coming."
"And do you?" Eliza glared. She shook her head.
"You would know why I am afraid. He's just a boy."
Eliza felt a surge of defiance rise within her at Narcissa's words, her jaw setting stubbornly as she met the older woman's gaze head-on.
"He's not just a boy," Eliza countered, her voice firm despite the tremor of uncertainty that lingered beneath the surface. "Harry is also my family. And I will do whatever it takes to protect him."
"I'm not only talking about him."
Narcissa's grip on Eliza's hand tightened, her eyes narrowing slightly as she searched Eliza's face for any sign of weakness. "And what if I told you that there are forces at play far beyond your control?" she asked, her voice low and urgent.
Eliza's pulse quickened at Narcissa's words, a chill running down her spine.
"I know the risks," she replied, her tone steady despite the fear that gnawed at her insides. "But I also know that I can't let fear dictate my actions. I have to believe that there's still hope, still a chance to make things right."
Narcissa studied her for a long moment, her expression inscrutable. "The darkness is always watching. And sometimes, even the strongest among us can't escape its grasp."
With that ominous warning hanging in the air, Narcissa turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Eliza alone in the garden once more. As she watched Narcissa's retreating figure, a sense of unease settled over her.
The alcohol buzz left her body, the encounter too much. Eliza returned to the party. Cade looked at her quizzically, but Eliza shook her head.
She just wanted to go home.
When the sun finally set, she stepped out into the cool night air, a sense of relief washed over her, the familiar streets of London stretching out before her like a welcoming embrace.
Eliza's senses were on high alert as she made her way back home. There was a prickling sensation at the back of her neck, a nagging feeling that she was being watched, followed even. She quickened her pace.
Glancing over her shoulder, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure trailing behind her, keeping to the shadows as they matched her stride step for step.
But something held her back, a voice whispering in the depths of her mind, urging caution, restraint.
She pulled out her phone and sent an SMS to Remus.
COME TO MY PLACE.
As she rounded a corner, her culprit caught up to her.
"Eliza! I've been following you," Cade exclaimed. "You forgot your coat!"
"You didn't have to follow me all the way to Surrey for that!" Eliza exclaimed.
"Oh I didn't get to talk to you," Cade said in a sing-songy voice. "Besides, you never showed me your place."
"You could have just asked instead of, you know, following me," Eliza accused. "But I suppose you can come over for tea."
She felt panic creep up her neck as they approached Privet Drive. As they approached her house, she could see the figure standing at the door, hunched over back, trying to open her door.
"Oh!" Cade exclaimed. "Is that…?"
"Remus!" Eliza exclaimed. "Darling, did you forget the key again?"
Remus looked between her and Cade, then back to Eliza before answering, "It's hard pretending to be a muggle."
"There's an extra key," Eliza chided. She prayed that Remus would get what she was getting. "Oh good thing Cade is here to get me my jacket. The best we can do it make her some tea."
"You must be her husband!" Cade seemed excited. "I heard a lot from Marietta Edgecomb – she mentioned that you've been friends since your Hogwarts days, were you not?"
"Uh, well, yes," Remus laughed nervously. The door opened and they went into the house – "Take off your shoes please," Remus told Cade, who was ready to walk into the house with them – and Eliza quickly ran into the kitchen to make a tray of tea. She waved her wand around. As Eliza bustled about the kitchen, her mind raced with a thousand thoughts, each one vying for her attention as she tried to focus on the task at hand. She could hear Cade and Remus from the living room.
"So… you're a pureblood?" Cade asks.
Remus laughed nervously, his cheeks flushing slightly as he tried to deflect Cade's probing questions.
"Uh, well, yes," he admitted, his gaze flicking towards the kitchen where Eliza was busy preparing tea.
"At least that. What do you work as?"
"Those are not easy to come by for me, that's why I am happy that Eliza works for us."
Eliza emerged from the kitchen, a tray of steaming tea cups balanced carefully in her hands. "Tea anyone?" she asked brightly, her smile tight as she tried to mask the tension that lingered in the air.
Cade's eyes twinkled with mischief as she accepted a cup of tea from Eliza, her gaze flicking between her and Remus with barely concealed amusement. "Thank you, Eliza," she said sweetly, taking a sip of her tea. "And don't worry, your secret's safe with me."
As they settled into an uneasy truce, Eliza couldn't shake the feeling that this was a little bit too calculated.
"Say, don't you have a package that you need to bring to the post?" Remus asked suddenly. Eliza smacked her head. "Right! But you can bring it later."
The court files were right in her room, but it was too late for Remus to just bring it down, especially not with Cade here.
"Lovely house here," Cade looked around. "Not that many photos though."
"I subletted this place when I had the teaching position at Hogwarts, and I didn't really live in here much until now. Remus and I have been moving back and forth between his place and mine."
It was easy to lie when it was also partially the truth. They drank their tea in an awkward silence, but Remus kept light conversation.
"I'll bring by something to spice it up," Cade said excitedly. "I better get back to my party – I just needed some time away. I'll come by sooner, yeah?"
Eliza bid farewell to Cade. As soon as the door closed, she slumped against it.
"I. am. so. sorry," Eliza looked back at Remus, who just seemed amused.
"I've been in worse situations," he said kindly. He looked out the window to see that Cade was still standing there, outside of the fence. "And I think you have a stalker. Was she always like this?"
"No," Eliza shook her head. "I met her when I got drunk on Halloween."
"Those are not exactly the best times to make a friend," Remus put his hands in his pockets. "I'll stay the night, if you want."
"Don't you have to go back to Grimmauld?" she asked.
"You need me more tonight," Remus shook his head. "And he's not alone. Molly and Arthur came tonight."
"Oh Harry!" Eliza smacked her forehead. "He should be home now! I… I'll go to him…" she trailed off. She had work tomorrow morning. She couldn't see Harry yet, but Harry probably didn't know she was back in the neighbourhood. There was an Order meeting then as well.
Remus rubbed her back.
"It'll be alright."
But things were not alright.
Cade bombarded her with more questions the next day and invited her to the next soirée.
"I saw you were talking to Narcissa – do you know her? I've been dying to get her to come to more of my things. I really want a better position, and her husband is the man to know."
"Oh I know him too," Eliza grumbled.
So she missed another meeting.
But the soirées came with a perk. Her proximity to Narcissa.
Eliza wrote every cryptic message that Narcissa mentioned to Remus in an SMS following the get-together. She hoped he'd report it well to the Order meetings because she definitely wasn't going to go to them while this was still happening. The other perk that came with these meetings was the amount of alcohol that would flow, and by the end of it all, Eliza would know one or two thing more about who was in charge of what, the when and where.
Fudge. Holiday 2nd of August, Eliza wrote to Remus. From what she gathered, they needed Fudge to be out of country when Kingsley smuggled Sirius into the ministry into an interrogation room with Dumbledore, who could call for veritaserum before a triumvirate, one that was created specifically for crimes that were committed during the Wizarding War. But according to Wizard Law there was nothing about escaping Azkaban that was illegal because they assumed that it wasn't possible.
Idiots. All of Wizarding Law, really.
"Now, there is nothing in British Wizarding Law about breaking out of Azkaban because so far, it was seen as impossible. According to a rule created in 1489, every Witch and Wizard are entitled to a trial regardless of crime. That is international law. There is no clause that speaks about an exemption during the Wizarding War, only that upon entry into Azkban, every Witch and Wizard needs to be checked over, which they did not do with Sirius," Eliza spoke over the phone to Remus, who was jotting it down for verification.
"We still have the problem that Sirius is an unregistered animagus," Remus frowned. "That is bound to land him in jail again."
"For a period a lot less than what Sirus already spent in prison for a crime he did not commit," she said, looking out the window. It had been more than a fortnight since she'd been back at Grimmauld. It did not sit well with her.
"I'll relay it," Remus promised. "But I hope Dumbledore and Kingsley do it soon. I'm … being sent away. To the wolves."
"Oh," they both did not speak for a second. The last time Remus was sent away, bad things happened.
"I won't be long this time," Remus promised. "And I asked Arthur to break you away from your very lovely social life for next week's meeting."
"You're going to need to show up again, I think she's getting suspicious."
"May Sirius not catch wind of this," Remus chuckled. "Good night."
At the very least, Sirius wasn't alone in Grimmauld. Looking around the empty house, she felt her heart tinge. She didn't have an owl to use, so she walked out of the house and walked two blocks down to Arabella Figg's house.
Arabella, who had fallen asleep watching EastEnders, groggily opened the door.
"Are you part of the watch?" she yawned. Eliza frowned.
"No? What? I just need you to ask Petunia that Harry comes over for tea on Sunday," she gave Arabella the paper.
Arabella chuckled and nodded to Privet Drive 4. "The boy has been okay, but are you sure you should be around him?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Just asking, that's all. There's a lot of Order business about."
"How am I supposed to know that?" Eliza said, irritated.
"Alright, alright," Arabella shook her head. "I'll ask Dumbledore."
"When did he become the authority on Harry?"
"Since everything else happened."
She regarded Eliza with a solemn expression.
"Look, " she began, her voice tinged with concern. "The Order is doing everything they can to protect him, but sometimes it's best to keep your distance. Especially given everything else."
Eliza's brow furrowed in frustration, her patience wearing thin. "I appreciate your concern, Arabella," she said evenly, her tone measured. "But I know what I'm doing."
Arabella sighed, her gaze softening as she reached out to place a comforting hand on Eliza's arm. "I understand," she said gently. "I'll talk to Petunia and see what I can do."
A day later, the answer came. However, it came from Petunia personally in a handwritten note, much to Eliza's surprise.
July 30th. Tea Time. Figg's.
Petunia is fascinating and we shall be seeing more of her
Next up: harry's birthday and the dementors! Return to Grimmauld and other things.