Thick Smoke

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"Have you packed already?" Remus asked, entering her room two days later. She nodded and checked her watch before grabbing Willy's cage and running downstairs.

"I'm leaving!" She announced before using flow powder to get to the Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

Just like last year, students were crowding the station with their parents, saying goodbye for the rest of the year; or at least until the first break. Eliza grew taller during the break, probably because she reached another level of puberty; it was very visible in her posture and her body form.

"Excuse me! Excuse me," She repeated those words, just like the first time she stepped on the platform, looking for a place to hide. Now, it was different because she was looking after her friends, beaming with enthusiasm that wasn't there last year.

Once inside the train, she went searching for Hermione, ready to tell her everything she learned about muggles and their amazing ways of doing labor without actually doing it. She also spent a large sum of money on utensils and electronics, starting with her new phone that she wasn't truly in need of but was fun.

"Have you heard? They say they still didn't find the culprit from the World Cup,"

Eliza heard someone whisper from one of the cabins she just passed. Actually, a lot of students were talking about the same unfortunate thing that happened that weekend, at a large scale event.

"What happened?" The brunette asked when she finally found the trio.

"Eliza!" Hermione exclaimed before pulling her friend into a warm hug.

After spending time with Sirius, Eliza has loosened up a lot and quite welcomed human interaction, being content with anyone hugging her.

"So? What happened?" Eliza repeated once she sat next to Harry, across Hermione.

"The mark of you know who appeared at the Quidditch World Cup and Death Eaters attacked everyone who was there," Harry answered, still feeling a chill down his spine at the memory of the sign.

"And what did the Ministry do about it?" Eliza continued to ask curiously.

"They are stressed. My father's been working overtime because of it." Ron answered before sulking into his seat.

Eliza stared at Ron's face before her eyes fell on Hermione,"What's wrong with him?"

"Malfoy passed by."

That suddenly made sense. From what she heard and saw at Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy loved to show off his pure-blood status towards half bloods and muggle born students but also annoy the Weasleys.

Thick silence engulfed the cabin so Eliza quickly changed the subject.

"The Quidditch World Cup, huh? I heard it was amazing. Dad whined for a while but he couldn't really show up, not even as an animagus."

"How was summer with him?" Harry asked.

The green eyed girl sighed and rubbed her back remembering how proactive her father has been.

"Remus dropped me off every month and we'd spend a few weeks before going back home. He is still hiding and can't stay too much in one place. He really wants to pay up for the time he was gone but I feel like he had taken the wrobg route...Sudden duels, sudden lessons and a lot of other stuff based on his reasoning that I should be prepared, just in case," The girl responded, making Harry grin just imagining it while Hermione and Ron glanced at each other.

"Just in case of what?" The brunette asked her friend confused.

Eliza didn't respond, only shrugged.