Opening the Door

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

Chapter 2 – Your Star

"Padfoot, are you sure she's here? Usually there's a cold draught when she's around." James joked, as he, Sirius and Remus walked towards Evangeline's room, where they intended and expected to find said girl.

I can't see your star.
I can't see your star.
Though I patiently waited, bedside, for the death of today.

Sirius knocked on the door of her room and turned back to James, smirking. "Well, where else is she going to go? It's not like she knows how to do anything fun, right?" he joked, turning back again, expecting to see Evangeline there, watching sadly, having heard his comment.

But the door remained shut.

Sirius growled and knocked again, loudly.

Remus smirked to himself, secretly pleased Evangeline wasn't there.

I can't see your star.
The mechanical lights of Lisbon frightened it away.

"Okay, she's not in there." He said calmly, "now let's go before we get caught again." he pleaded, his mind casting back to when Evangeline had tried to hex them for being near her room.

Sirius and James rolled their eyes and walked past her room, heading back towards the stairs they had just come up. "C'mon Moony, we'll go find her. She's gotta be around here somewhere." James called, grinning mischievously.

"And I'm alone now,
Me and all I stood for
We're wandering now.
All in parts in pieces, swim lonely, find your own way out."

The Marauders stopped to listen to the words drifting through the door of the music room. It sounded suspiciously like Evangeline, and at first none could believing, each agreeing that it was probably someone brought in for the ball.

But after hearing the chorus, they all had to reconsider their thoughts, and came back wondering the same thing: 'was that really Evangeline?'

Remus frowned and bit his lip gently. Sirius and James glanced at him: all three as concerned as the other.

I can't see your star.
I can't see your star.
How can the darkness feel so wrong?

"…Did she write that?" wondered Sirius, finding his voice at last. James and Remus both shrugged, all three staring at the locked door in astonishment.

"Well if she did, she must be really lonely!" Remus added, his eyes softened in pity for the young Potter. James' frown deepened.

"No wonder she has no friends. She started off with no friends, got lonely, and didn't talk to anyone because of it, until everyone had friends but her. Now people probably pick on her." he muttered.

And I'm alone now,
Me and all I stood for.
We're wandering now.
All in parts in pieces, swim lonely, find your own way out.
 Sirius' expression set into determination. "We'd better keep an eye on her before she does more than write lonely songs." He added firmly. James and Remus nodded at once to this.

Evangeline slammed the door behind her, panting.

"Eve! Eve, come on! We just want to play Quiditch!" called James and Sirius from the other side.

"…Please, Eve?" asked Remus, after all was quiet for a few seconds.

"Go away! Whatever you're planning, I don't care about it!" she called back, half angry, half tired.

So far away.
It's growing colder without your love.
Why can't you feel me calling your name?
Can't break the silence,
It's breaking me.

"…Eve, we're not planning anything!" Sirius replied.

"Honest!" added James.

"It's true!" ended Remus.

Evangeline sighed and slowly sank to the floor, her back still up against the door, though it was shut and locked. They weren't getting in, but it was her peace of mind to do this.

Her room was her sanctuary. She'd hex James and his damn friends just for going near it.

Besides, they shouldn't be round her room, she would tell them sometimes. James's room, and the rooms Remus and Sirius stayed in when they were here, were in the East Wing, while Evangeline's was in the West Wing. They had no reason to be there, since the kitchen, lounge, etc were in the main part of the house, closer to the East Wing than the West.

All my fears turn to rage.

So she'd continue to hex them, and anyone else who threatened her Sanctuary.

But she was getting suspicious of them.

For the past few days the three boys had been asking her to join in with them a lot, instead of ignoring her and leaving her out as she was accustomed to them doing. At first she had accepted their offers to join them, but when it became constant, she got suspicious.

And I'm alone now, me
And all I stood for.
We're wandering now.
All in parts and pieces, swim lonely, find your own way out.

It was her nature: Evangeline had a hell of a lot to hide from them.

To list some included her self-harming, her songs (all of which she wrote personally), and also the personal things in the room, like her Diary.

If James and his dumb Marauders were going to prank her, they'd have to do better than that!

Evangeline's eyes widened as a mind-numbingly bad thought hit her.

When had it started? As soon as she'd first seen them after coming from her room to put her new song, 'Your Star' away…

Evangeline's eyes softened into dark, deep sadness once more.

They had heard her.

Now, do not be mistaken: Evangeline didn't want them to hear her singing, or to read her songs, not because she didn't want them to guess her hidden sorrow, but because it was the one thing she could beat James at.

James was good at everything – everything except music and poetry: Evangeline's favourite things in life. She was afraid – and always had been – that James would find out about the one thing she could beat him at, and take that from her too.

Evangeline bowed her head as she quietly began to cry.

It wasn't fair…