The Seven Potters
"I still don't understand, Arthur, why Ron and Hermione have to go," said Mrs. Weasley as I watched from the doorway. "They're barely seventeen." Yes, Ron and Hermione were already seventeen and able to help the Order. I, however, would remain sixteen until midnight, which for some reason merited that I was still not yet old enough to help the Order. I hated being treated like a child.
"Exactly," said Mr. Weasley pushing his chair under the kitchen table, "Molly, they're of age, we can't stop them anymore."
"You could if you tried," objected Mrs. Weasley. "Just because they're seventeen now, doesn't mean they should practically join the Order."
"Molly, they're Harry's best mates—" Harry—my stomach flipped at the sound of his name. "If anyone has a right to join it's them, and quite frankly you know as well as I do that we need all the help we can get."
Wait just a minute, I thought. If anyone has a right to join it's them. Hermione and Ron were Harry's best friends true, but if anyone had the right to join shouldn't it have been me.
"I want to help too," I said softly stepping out from the doorway.
Mrs. Weasley turned around startled.
"Evey, my dear, I didn't hear you come down the stairs," she said her hand on her chest.
"Sorry," I said as I pushed my long dark hair behind my shoulders. "I want to go too, Mr. Weasley. Ron and Hermione are—"
"Seventeen," Mr. Weasley firmly cut me off.
I sighed, but I wasn't giving up yet.
"I'll be seventeen by then so what does it—"
"Out of the question," said Mrs. Weasley firmly. "We have it all set up already."
"Don't worry, Evey. Unfortunately, I'm sure you'll have plenty of chances to help," said Mr. Weasley before stifling a yawn. "Well, I'm off to bed."
"I'll be up in a minute, dear," called Mrs. Weasley after him, but I wasn't paying attention anymore.
I stared out of the window into the Weasley's garden lit only by the moon. In a week's time, everyone else was going to help Harry get to the Burrow and I was being forced to sit behind and wait like a child.
"I know you want to help Harry," said Mrs. Weasley as if reading my mind, "but I'm sure he would agree that you should stay behind."
I couldn't help but let a small smile slip through. Mrs. Weasley was right. No matter how much danger we had gotten in before, there is no way Harry would have wanted me to help transport him from Little Whinniging to the Burrow. I knew he would be happy I was going to sit at home like a good little girl, but for some reason this didn't soothe the yearn to participate; it only made it worse.
"All right, well good night, deary," Mrs. Weasley said patting me on the back and pushing me towards the stairs.
"G' night, Mrs. Weasley."
I opened the door to Ginny's bedroom and tiptoed into the dark where Ginny and Hermione already lay fast asleep. I crawled beneath the covers and stared at the ceiling. Maybe it's a good thing I'm staying behind, I tried to convince myself. After all, in a week I will still get to see Harry, and staying behind will please him. I closed my eyes thinking of those emerald green eyes until sleep finally came.
Then suddenly I was walking through the forest. At least I thought it was a forest—there were trees all around. I could see a light, in the darkness so I ran towards it. As I got closer I got the feeling that something wasn't right—that I shouldn't be there. I hid behind a tree and peeked out and there he was- the man I had only seen in my nightmares. I stared at him from behind the tree, being very still so he wouldn't notice my presence. His face was distorted—snakelike, but somehow I knew that it had once been similar to my own. Crowds of hooded figures gathered around him watching his every move.
He spoke and his voice, though it sent chills down my spine felt strangely familiar, "I thought he would come. I expected him to come."
The hooded figures were silent.
"I was, it seems…mistaken," he continued.
My heart beat faster for at that moment another man appeared—this man was the opposite of the other man in every way. While the first represented death to me the second was my salvation. While the first kept me up at night in fear the second kept me awake not wanting to miss a second of his existence. The first sought to destroy and end my life; the second was my life.
"You weren't," said the second man and the crowds of figures roared.
I watched for a moment my heart pounding, waiting for him to end it once and for all, but he wasn't moving. He wasn't drawing his wand. He was only standing there. I couldn't understand why he wasn't trying to fight. I opened my mouth to scream, to tell him to fight back, but before anything could come out there was a flash of green light and my hope, my existence fell to the ground.
"No!" I screamed now not caring if the frightening man or his followers heard me. "No! Harry!"
"Harry! Nooo!"
My eyes opened. I sat straight up in the bed and tried to catch my breath. My clothes were soaked from sweat and tears and my hair stuck to the side of my face, but Hermione ignored all of that and rushed to wrap her arms around me.
"It's all right, Evey," she said soothingly. "It was only a dream."
I wiped my eyes and looked into my best friend's. I knew Mione couldn't understand these "dreams" so I just nodded.
"Only a dream, right."
"Are you all right?" Ginny asked turning on the light. She put a wet cloth over my forehead. "Here, you're burning up."
"I'm fine, really," I said attempting to get out of bed. They were really worrying too much about this.
"You don't look it," said Ginny scrutinizing me.
"It was just a nightmare."
"You do look sick," said Hermione examining me in the light.
"Mione, I'm fine. Go back to bed. I'm sorry I woke you."
"You don't have to ask me twice," said Ginny in the middle of a yawn.
"Well, all right. Try to get some sleep," said Hermione as she hopped back into her own bed. "Oh, and happy birthday."
"Happy birthday Evey!" Ginny sighed and she fell into her own bed.
Hermione waved her wand and extinguished the lights. I was relieved for the darkness. I was seventeen at last, but what did I have to show for it. Everyone, especially Harry, I knew would go on treating me like a child. I rolled over and closed my eyes, but I knew that sleep would not come again that night.
"Are you feeling better?" Ginny asked as they dressed for breakfast.
"Yeah," Evey said unconvincingly. That wasn't the first time she had had a dream like that but she never seemed to get used to them.
They finished brushing their hair and raced down the stairs to the kitchen just in time to hear one of Fleur's tiny temper-tantrums.
"I'm afraid I cannot do zeet," she said her silvery blonde hair waving as she spoke. "What zif I got hit in zee face? My wedding is almost here."
"I would rather you stayed behind too," said Bill, "but we need seven."
"I don't zink you should be going eizer," she said crossing her arms.
"Fleur, I've said I will go and I'm going," Bill said and it had a bit of a Mrs. Weasleyish tone.
"Well, you will have to find someone to replace me," said Fleur and she stomped her foot on the ground as if to make a point.
"I'm sure we can find someone," said Mr. Weasley joining the conversation.
"Who?" asked Bill turning to his father.
"Me," Evey said rushing past Ginny. "Let me go."
"Arthur," called Mrs. Weasley a stern look on her face.
"Please," continued Evey. "You know I want to come, and Fleur doesn't. And she's right, she has a wedding to get ready for, and—well let's be honest all I've got is what you're going to go get, so please—let me help."
Mr. Weasley and Bill looked at each other as everyone else waited for their reply.
"And she's seventeen now," Ron added. "Today's Evey's birthday."
"Yes, I know," said Mr. Weasley. "Happy birthday, dear."
"Thank you."
"She is seventeen, Dad," said Bill looking her over as if examining if she was ready to participate.
Mr. Weasley sighed. "All right, but only because we're in a bind—Mad Eye's just let me know that we are now leaving tonight."
Evey, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other excitedly. Evey couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Tonight she would see Harry again.
"All right, looks good," said Mad-Eye Moody after putting Disillusionment charms on everyone. "Let's go."
The plan was for everyone—meaning Evey, Hermione, Ron, Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, Remus, Tonks, Kingsley, Mundungus Fletcher, Mad-Eye, Bill, and Hagrid—to fly to Harry's aunt and uncle's house using brooms, thestrals, and one large flying motorcycle that had belonged to Harry's Godfather, Sirius.
Evey was to ride with Bill on a thestral which is a horse-like creature with wings and black scaly skin, but the most interesting thing about a thestral is that to see them a person must have seen someone die.
Evey walked toward Bill who appeared to hover in mid-air.
"Need help?" Bill asked holding out his hand.
Evey nodded and Bill helped her up.
"Number Four Privet Drive, Little Whinnging," said Bill and they took off behind the others.
The ride there was bizarre to say the least. Everyone had Disillusionment charms on so it was if they were all very difficult to see, not to mention riding on a thestral was like soaring through thin air.
They landed in Harry's Aunt and Uncle's backyard. It was late, and Evey knew that the roar of Hagrid's great motorbike would wake everyone in a six block radius and quickly wondered if they should have cast the muffliato spell on the surrounding houses.
They landed smoothly in the back yard of a house much smaller than Evey had imagined yet as neat and tidy as Harry had described. Bill helped her off the thestral as Mad-Eye lifted the Disillusionment charm. They were all visible again. Suddenly the back door of the house burst open and there he was.
Evey's stomach flipped and she couldn't fight the smile that burst across her face.
Hermione was the first to him and she flung her arms around him the moment she was close enough. Ron was right behind her clapping him on the back.
"All righ', Harry? Ready for the off?" he said.
"Definitely," replied Harry. "But I wasn't expecting this many of you…" he trailed off at the end. His eyes had locked on Evey who was making her way towards him and a smile spread across his face.
She ran forward and hugged him tightly, but before she could say a word Mad-Eye began pushing them all into the house.
"Change of plans," he said, as he closed the door behind him. The fourteen of them crowded in.
Evey leaned against the sinks between Harry and Hermione.
"Kingsley, I thought you were looking after the Muggle Prime Minister?" Harry asked.
"He can get along without me for one night," boomed Kingsley, "You're more important."
"Harry, guess what?" said Tonks, she was sitting by Lupin on the washing machine, her hot pink hair glowing. She held up her hand and a ring sparkled in the moonlight.
"You got married?" Harry yelped, looking from her to Lupin.
"I'm sorry you couldn't be there, Harry, it was very quiet."
"That's brilliant, congrat—"
"All right, all right, we'll have time for a cozy catch–up later," growled Moody. "As Dedalus probably told you we had to abandon Plan A. Pius Thicknesse has gone over, which gives us a big problem. He's made it an imprisonable offence to connect this house to the Floo Network, place a Porkey here or Apparate in or out. All done in the name of your protection, to prevent You-Know-Who getting in at you. Absolutely pointless, seeing as your mother's charm does that already. What he's really done is to stop you getting out of here safely.
"Second problem: you're under-age, which means you've still got the Trace on you."
"I don't—"
"The Trace, the trace!" Mad-Eye said impatiently causing Evey to jump. Her arm brushed Harry's and sent a chill through her body. Mad-Eye continued, "The charm that detects magical activity around under-seventeens, the way the Ministry finds out about under-age magic! If you, or anyone around you, casts a spell to get you out of here, Thicknesse is going to know about it, and so will the Death Eaters.
"We can't wait for the Trace to break, because the moment you turn seventeen you'll lose all the protection your mother gave you. In short: Pius Thicknesse thinks he's got you cornered good and proper."
"So what are we going to do?" Harry asked clearly agreeing that he was cornered.
"We're going to use the only means of transport left to us, the only ones the Trace can't detect, because we don't need to cast spells to use them: brooms, Thestrals, and Hagrid's motorbike.
"Now, your mother's charm will only break under two conditions: when you come of age or you no longer call this place home. You and your aunt and uncle are going your separate ways tonight, in the full understanding that you're never going to live together again, correct?"
Harry nodded.
"So this time, when you leave, there'll be no going back, and the charm will break the moment you get outside its range. We're choosing to break it early, because the alternative is waiting for You-Know-Who to come and seize you the moment you turn seventeen.
"The one thing we've on our side is that You-Know-Who doesn't know we're moving you tonight. We've leaked a fake a trail to the Ministry: they think you're not leaving until the thirtieth. However, this is You-Know-Who we're dealing with, so we can't just rely on him getting the date wrong; he's bound to have a couple of Death Eaters patrolling the skies in this general area, just in case. So, we've given a dozen different houses every protection we can throw at them. They all look like they could be the place we're going to hide you, they've all got some sort of connection with the Order: my house, Kingsley's place, Molly's Aunt Muriel's—you get the idea."
"You'll be going to Tonk's parents'. Once you're within the boundaries of the protective enchantments we've put on their house, you'll be able to use a Portkey to the Burrow. Any questions?"
"Er—yes," said Harry and he moved forward brushing Evey's arm again. "Maybe they won't know which of the twelve secure houses I'm heading for at first, but won't it be sort of obvious once fourteen of us fly off towards Tonk's parents'?"
"Ah," said Moody. "I forgot to mention they key point. Fourteen of us won't be flying to Tonk's parents'. There will be seven Harry Potters moving through the skies tonight, each of them with a companion, each pair heading for a different safe house."
Everyone froze up a for a moment wondering how Harry was going to take the news, and it was as they had feared.
"No!" he shouted. "No way!"
"I told them you'd take it like this," said Hermione. Evey nodded.
"If you think I'm going to let six people risk their lives—"
"Because it's the first time for all of us," said Ron.
"This is different, pretending to be me—"
"Well, none of us really fancy it, Harry," said Fred. "Imagine if something went wrong and we were stuck as specky, scrawny gits forever."
Evey waited for Harry to smile, but he didn't.
"You can't do it if I don't cooperate, you need me to give you some hair."
"Well, that's that plan scuppered," said George. "Obviously there's no chance at all of us getting a bit of your hair unless you cooperate."
"Yeah, thirteen of us against one bloke who's not allowed to use magic; we've got no chance at all," said Fred.
"Funny," said Harry. "Really amusing."
"If it has to come to force, then it will," growled Moody. "Everyone here's overage, Potter, and they're all prepared to take the risk. Let's have no more arguments. Time's wearing on. I want a few of your hairs, boy, now."
"But this is mad, there's no need—"
"No need!" snarled Moody. "With You—Know—Who out there and half the Ministry on his side? Potter, if we're lucky he'll have swallowed the fake bait and he'll be planning to ambush you on the thirtieth, but he'd be mad not to have a Death Eater or two keeping an eye out, it's what I'd do. They might not be able to get at you or this house while your mother's charm holds, but it's about to break and they know the rough position of the place. Our only chance is to use decoys. Even You—Know—Who can't split himself into seven."
Evey, Harry, Hermione, and Ron caught each others eyes and quickly looked away.
"So, Potter—some of your hair, if you please."
Harry looked around reluctantly.
"Now!" barked Moody.
And with a look of fury on his face, Harry reached to his head and pulled out a lock of hair.
"Good," said Moody pulling out a bottle of potion. "Straight in here, if you please."
He dropped the hairs in and the potion gurgled and turned a clear, bright gold.
"Ooh, you look much tastier than Crabbe and Goyle, Harry," said Hermione. Evey and Ron raised their eyebrows. "Oh, you know what I mean—Goyle's looked like bogies."
Evey laughed and nodded in agreement.
"Right then, fake Potters line up over here, please," said Moody.
Ron, Mundungus, Fred, and George lined up beside Evey and Hermione in front of the sink pushing Harry out of the way.
Moody began passing out glasses full of potion as Harry watched, his eyes fixed on Evey. She watched him carefully as she took the glass from Moody's hand. He sprang forward.
"Absolutely not!" he shouted.
"We've already got your hairs, Potter," said Moody.
"You're not even seventeen," Harry said now standing in front of Evey.
"Today's my birthday," she quietly.
He stared at her for a moment seemingly lost for words.
He shook his head. "I don't care, you're not doing this."
Evey looked around at the others a bit embarrassed. She had finally convinced the others to let her help and now here was Harry forbidding her to do it, but she would have been lying if she said she hadn't expected it.
"Yes, I am," she said.
"No," he continued. "No way." He turned to Moody. "We'll just have to have five fake me's."
"The plan's for six, Potter. We're sticking with it," growled Moody.
Harry turned back to Evey. He moved closer seeming to forget everyone else in the room. .
"It's too dangerous," he said staring into her eyes.
Evey took a deep breath. Harry standing so close made her head spin, but she knew she had to be firm.
"I'll be fine, Harry," she said.
Harry sighed.
"Fine," he said through gritted teeth.
He turned his back to her and walked to the other side of the room.
"Drink up," said Moody.
Harry stared at her fiercely but Evey ignored him and swallowed the contents of her cup. A burning sensation went throughout her body. Her skin was bubbling. She could feel herself growing taller, her hair shorter, her body less curvatious and suddenly she couldn't see a thing.
"Harry, your eyesight really is awful," said Hermione before Evey could get it out of her own mouth.
"Those whose clothes are a bit roomy, I've got smaller here," said Moody, "and vice versa. Don't forget the glasses, there's six pairs in the side pocket. And when you're dressed, there's luggage in the other sack."
Evey changed her clothes quickly. When she finally got her glasses on, the scene was even more bizarre than flying on an invisible horse. There were now seven Harrys standing in the kitchen. Evey looked around at each one and was amazed that she could still discern everyone's actual identity. Hermione took her glasses on and off trying to see exactly how bad Harry's eyesight actually was while Ron watched her. Mundungus looked around the kitchen with greedy eyes, and Fred and George made jokes about being identical. Each one looked exactly like Harry, but Evey knew which one was the really Harry for only when she looked at him did her stomach feel like a million butterflies were fluttering inside.
When everyone was settled they moved back outside. Evey watched as Harry whispered something in the ear of one of the fake Potters.
"Oh, Harry, I didn't know you cared so much," said Fred putting his hands over his heart.
Harry coughed and turned pink.
"Looking for me?" Evey asked waving at Harry trying not to laugh.
"Er—Evey?" asked Harry making sure he didn't repeat his last mistake.
She nodded.
He walked to her. It was odd being at eye level with him, but she knew it must be odder for him looking deep into his own eyes.
"Please be careful," he said in a low voice.
"Don't worry," she said putting her hand on his shoulder.
Harry nodded as Mad-Eye instructed them to get ready. A few moments later they were off.
No sooner had they taken flight, than they realized something was not right. A mass of hooded figures swooped in around them. Evey lost sight of the others as she and Bill fought off the Death Eaters that followed them.
"Stupefy!" shouted Bill, and a large Death Eater toppled off his broom falling to the ground below. Three other Death Eaters were catching up to them, but they suddenly changed direction, and as Evey looked out into the distance, she saw why.
There flying without broom or Thestral was Voldemort himself heading directly toward Mad-Eye and Mundungus. Voldemort raised his wand. A jet of green light flew from it, and as if in slow motion, Mundungus disappeared, and the light hit Mad-Eye right in the face.
"No!" Evey and Bill shouted at the same time. But Evey knew it was too late. She gasped as before her eyes the invisible creature beneath her turned to the black scaly skin of a Thestral. She had watched Mad-Eye be killed and she never not be able to see the creatures again.
More Death Eaters had caught up now and were on their tail. Evey and Bill shouted curse after curse, disarming and causing Death Eaters to take the long fall to the ground below, until suddenly, they seemed to give up and changed direction once again.
"Professor Moody," whispered Evey holding onto Bill as they soared toward their safe house. Mad-Eye Moody was dead, but Evey couldn't help but think about the fact that Voldemort had not been aiming at Moody. He had been aiming at Mundungus. Dung who was in Harry's body. Who else would Voldemort aim at that night in Harry's body? Would any of the others suffer from Voldemort's curse? What if he found the real Harry?
Evey swallowed hard and hid her face in Bill's back trying not to let the tears of grief and fear fall from her eyes.
It seemed like hours later that Evey looked down and could finally see the Burrow not far beneath them. The Thestral began to descend and Evey tightened her grip around Bill's stomach.
"Bill! Thank God!" called Mrs. Weasley as they landed.
Bill hopped off the Thestral as Mrs. Weasley wrapped her arms around him.
But Bill looked to Mr. Weasley. "Mad-Eye's dead," he said.
As Bill told the others what they had seen, Evey squinted through the darkness to see who else was there. She could see Ginny's long red hair glimmering in the moonlight. Lupin was standing close to Tonks and Ron and Hermione were close together on the other side. Their appearances were back to normal so she figured hers must have been too. Her heart felt lighter as she saw her friends safe and sound, but it beat faster for she could not see who she was looking for. Then the clouds moved and a ray of moonlight lit up his face. Harry was standing right behind Ron and Hermione listening intently to Bill's story.
"Of course you couldn't have done anything," said Lupin when Bill had finished.
Bill looked to the ground. The only noise was of them breathing until Evey realized that she was still sitting on the Thestral. She carefully put her leg over the invisible creatures back and hopped down as noiselessly as she could, but the sound seemed to awaken everyone and they silently started walking back into the Burrow.
Evey caught up to Harry. He walked with his head down looking at the ground. She knew she shouldn't but she put her hand in his. He didn't object or even look up, but held it tightly. It made her think as they walked of brighter days when they had walked through the grounds at Hogwarts hand in hand without their gloomy future being held over their heads. She had thought then that she and Harry would perhaps always be together, but of course fate stood in their way. When Harry realized he was either going to have to defeat Voldemort or die trying, he had ended their relationship telling her she had to move on because her future wasn't etched in stone as his had been. She had tried but nothing seemed to help.
When they reached the light of the back door they stopped. His emerald eyes met hers as he took a deep breath. He squeezed her hand then dropped it. She nodded and walked into the kitchen.
The others had already found places to sit. Hagrid and Tonks were crying into hankercheifs. Bill walked to a cabinet and took out a bottle marked Firewhisky. He poured twelve glasses and sent them flying across the room with a wave of his wand. He held the thirteenth up. "Mad-Eye," he said.
"Mad-Eye," everyone repeated, and they drank.
The Firewhisky burned in Evey's throat, but it made some of the numbness go away. It seemed to have the same effect on everyone for they began to speak again.
"So Mundungus disappeared?" said Lupin.
"I know what you're thinking," said Bill, "and I wondered that too, on the way back here, because they seemed to be expecting us, didn't they? But Mundungus can't have betrayed us. They didn't know there would be seven Harrys, that confused them the moment we appeared, and in case you've forgotten, it was Mundungus who suggested that little bit of skullduggery. Why wouldn't he have told them the essential point? It think Dung panicked, it's as simple as that. He didn't want to come in the first place, but Mad-Eye made him, and You-Know-Who went straight for them: it was enough to make anyone panic."
"You-Know-Who acted exactly as Mad-Eye expected him to," sniffed Tonks. "Mad-Eye said he'd expect the real Harry to be with the toughest, most skilled Aurors. He chased Mad-Eye first, and when Mundugnus gave them away he switched to Kingsley…"
Evey looked around the room. She couldn't imagine any of these people betraying Harry. They had all already sacrificed so much on his behalf. Harry was apparently thinking the same thing.
"No," he said. "I mean…if somebody made a mistake, and let something slip, I know they didn't mean to do it. It's not their fault. We've got to trust each other. I trust all of you, I don't think anyone in this room would ever sell me to Voldemort."
"Well said, Harry," said Fred.
"Yeah, 'ear, 'ear," said George. Evey shook her head and couldn't help but smile a little. Even in the darkest of times the twins always managed to remain positive.
"You think I'm a fool?" said Harry to Lupin who was looking at Harry with an odd expression.
"No, I think you're like James," said Lupin, "who would have regarded it as the height of dishonor to mistrust his friends."
Harry stared at Lupin for a moment, Evey knew trying to think of a retort, but Lupin spoke again before he could.
"There's work to do," he said. "I can ask Kingsley whether—"
"No," said Bill, "I'll do it, I'll come."
Lupin nodded and they headed out the back door.
Everyone else began sitting down. Evey squeezed onto the couch beside Hermione. But Harry remained standing.
"I've got to go too," he said suddenly.
At once all eyes were on him.
"Don't be silly, Harry," said Mrs. Weasley. "What are you talking about?"
"I can't stay here."
Evey stood up again. She didn't know what she could do, but she couldn't let Harry leave.
"You're all in danger while I'm here," he said touching the scar on his forehead. It looked like it was bothering him again. "I don't want—"
"But don't be so silly!" said Mrs. Weasley. "The whole point of tonight was to get you here safely, and thank goodness it worked. And Fleur's agreed to get married here rather than in France, we've arranged everything so that we can all stay together and look after you—"
"If Voldemort finds out I'm here—"
"But why should he?"
"There are a dozen places you might be now, Harry," said Mr. Weasley. "He's got no way of knowing which safe house you're in."
"It's not me I'm worried for!"
"We know that," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "but it would make our efforts tonight seem rather pointless if you left."
"Yer not goin' anywhere," growled Hagrid sitting in the corner. "Blimey, Harry, after all we wen' through ter get you here?"
"Yeah, what about my bleeding ear?" said George.
"I know that—"
"Mad-Eye wouldn't want—"
"I KNOW!" he shouted making them all jump. They stared at him for a moment in silence, until Mrs. Weasley broke it.
"Where's Hedwig, Harry? We can put her up with Pigwidgeon and give her something to eat."
Harry just swallowed hard and looked at the floor.
"Wait 'til it gets out yeh did it again, Harry," said Hagrid. "Escaped him, fought him off when he was right on top of yeh!"
"It wasn't me," said Harry flatly. "It was my wand. My wand acted of its own accord."
They all looked around. No one had every heard of a wand doing magic on its own.
"But that's impossible, Harry," said Hermoine. "You mean that you did magic without meaning to; you reacted instinctively."
"No," said Harry. "The bike was falling, I couldn't have told you where Voldemort was, but my wand spun in my hand and found him and shot a spell at him, and it wasn't even a spell I recognized. I've never made gold flames appear before."
"Often," said Mr. Weasley, "when you're in a pressured situation you can produce magic you never dreamed of. Small children often find, before they're trained—"
"It wasn't like that," said Harry through gritted teeth. He sighed and put his hand over his scar. All eyes still on him, he turned and walked out into the back yard.
Evey followed him immediately with Ron and Hermione right behind her. No way was he leaving—at least without her.
"Harry?" Evey and Hermione called.
Then they saw him. He was clutching the gate to the garden. They ran toward him, but he didn't seem to notice.
"Harry, come back in the house," Hermione whispered when he seemed to notice their presence. "You aren't still thinking of leaving?"
"Yeah, you've got to stay, mate," said Ron.
"Harry, are you all right?" Evey asked concerned. He didn't look all right.
"You look awful," said Hermione as the moonlight fell across his face.
"Well," said Harry, pulling himself up straight, "I probably look better than Ollivander…"
"What do you mean?" said Hermione at once.
"Voldemort's got Ollivander locked up. He's yelling at him right now because of what happened with my wand tonight."
"But how do you—" Evey began but then she realized how Harry knew. He was seeing into Voldemort's mind again, something that was dangerous, and wasn't supposed to happen anymore.
"But it was supposed to have stopped!" shouted Hermione. "Your scar—it wasn't supposed to do this anymore! You mustn't let that connection open up again—Dumbledore wanted you to close your mind!"
Harry didn't say anything.
Hermione looked at him impatiently and grabbed his arm. "Harry, he's taking over the Ministry and the newspapers and half the wizarding world! Don't let him inside your head too!"
Harry shook her off, seeming to have regained his strength.
"Fine," he said and he walked back toward the house.
"Time for bed," Mrs. Weasley said as soon as they made it back in through the kitchen door. "March right upstairs, all of you."
Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Evey said good night to those remaining in the living room and climbed the stairs to their bedrooms.
When they reached the top they said good night to each other and went their separate ways, but as Evey turned she felt a hand grab her arm.
"Come in here for a minute," said Harry. Evey followed him into his room and shut the door behind her.
"What's up?" she asked.
He looked at the floor seeming to try and think of the right words to say.
"I just wanted to say—well, er—Happy Birthday," he said a bit awkwardly.
She smiled. "Thanks."
They stood there a moment in silence, just looking at each awkwardly not sure what to do next. Evey was just happy for him to be there, close enough to touch, and safe—because she wasn't sure how much longer he would remain that way.
"Harry," she said finally breaking the silence. "Harry, I'm still having those dreams."
"The dream where Voldemort's killing me?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered and she blinked trying to fight back the tears that were starting to fill her eyes. "And tonight—tonight was—I watched him kill Mad-Eye. It was just like my dreams—only more—more horrible."
She stepped closer, looking into his green eyes. "And as soon as it happened—Harry, I could see the Thestral—and then—then as we flew the other way all I could think about was the fact that Voldemort had been aiming at Mundungus—"
"That's why I didn't want you to come," said Harry.
"I wasn't worried about me."
Harry wiped a tear that had escaped down her cheek. "I know."
Evey looked up at him as several more tears leaked from her eyes.
"I'm sorry for crying," she said quickly wiping them away. "It must be the firewhisky." She tried to smile.
"Don't worry about it," said Harry, but he didn't smile, like usual these days he seemed to have something more on his mind.
Evey wrapped her arms around his stomach and put her head on his chest. "I'm so glad you're okay," whispered. "Just don't go into any forests."
She looked up and he had a slight smile on his face.
"I'll do my best," he said.
And he wrapped his arms around her and their lips met. His hands traced up and down her back as she slid hers up his neck and through his hair. For a moment the butterflies in her stomach chased away the feelings of grief and fear, but too soon they fluttered away and she remembered that they weren't supposed to let this happen. Harry had said that they could never really be together and they were supposed to act accordingly.
Evey stepped back pushing him away slightly. She swallowed hard to keep her voice from cracking.
"Good-night, Harry," she whispered and before he could say anything she turned and left the room shutting the door behind her.