A/N: I wanted to give Evan's stalker the perfect name. For the longest time, it was Rose, but that was too similar to Evan's last name ("Rose Rosier"? Really? What was I thinking?).

Last note: Ancient Studies is Advanced History of Magic. They specifically focus on ancient societies, such as Egypt or Greece. Advanced Magical Theory is a class that combines both Arithmancy and Ancient Runes and focuses on the theory of spell creation.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Title: Perfection

Rating: M (for graphic violence and torture)

Pairing: Evan Rosier/OC


Chapter 3: Gradual Descent

Her name was Ava Chen.

It cost Evan two weeks and a few favors, but he finally got the name of his mysterious stalker. By making an opportunity for himself, he snuck into Professor McGonagall's office and looked at the school registry – as Deputy Headmistress, the Transfiguration professor had access to the registry in order to assist her with writing the letters that got sent out every year. Evan was annoyed about losing those favors, but it was worth it in the end.

Ava Chen was in Ravenclaw and was one year younger than him – he had known that much since September. She was a loner that spent most of her time in the Ravenclaw dorms or in the library. Her favourite classes were Ancient Studies and Advanced Magical Theory.

When he watched her in the Great Hall during meals, Evan discovered that she always drank Earl Grey tea at breakfast, water during lunch, and treated herself to pumpkin juice at dinner. Her favourite food seemed to be mashed potatoes. Nine times out of ten, she would scoop some onto her plate if it was available. At lunch during the week, she would bring her textbooks to the table and study: Mondays was reserved for Transfiguration; Tuesdays, for Charms; Wednesdays, Potions; Thursdays, Herbology; and Fridays, DADA. On Saturdays, she doubled up on studying both Ancient Studies and Advanced Magical Theory.

Sundays were different. On Sundays, she would bring her leather-bound journal to the table. Evan watched as she wrote in it. He watched as she continued to stare at him.

Evan took some time to learn her schedule. Ava Chen was a creature of habit, he noted, and she rarely deviated from her routine.

That was convenient for him, this way he could avoid her.

Despite this, she always seemed to know where to look for him. She knew the castle almost as well as Potter and his Gryffindor friends, and it never took her long to find Evan. Once he realized that his own associates were one of the contributing factors to this, he told them in no uncertain terms that they needed to give him some space. Mulciber found it funny.

"Never thought I'd see the day Evan Rosier would run from a girl."

"Lay off him, Mulciber," Wilkes said.

"Maybe we should give her some incentive to leave you alone," Avery suggested. His eyes shone at the prospect of testing out the new curses that they were practicing.

"Don't bother," Evan replied, "I have everything under control."

"Let us know if you want a hand." Avery shrugged and returned to his books. Wilkes raised an eyebrow. Evan waved him off and left the common room.

After this event, the chases that ensued would be, dare he say it, fun. Evan's heart leapt in his chest every time he spotted her, and increased as he slipped away. He knew she followed, every single time.

Such a game they played.

Sometimes he was successful in escaping her notice. Other times, she had the upper hand, especially on days when he wasn't at his best. Avery's idea had some merit though – Evan couldn't keep this up forever. But in order to do that, he needed to know what would best irritate her.

November became December as Evan learned more about Ava Chen.

She was muggleborn. She liked wearing her Ravenclaw scarf everywhere, even to class. She was on good terms with her dorm mates; she kept her side of the room clean, never took too long in the bathroom, and wasn't too noisy (if only his dorm mates were as unassuming as her, Evan thought). She was also Christian, likely Protestant – Evan presumed this as he was quite familiar with the Protestant Reformation due to his own family history*. However, she did have a Chinese background, as her dorm mates noted that every year in February, she always celebrated Chinese New Year.

The most frequent thing that Evan noticed, however, was that no one ever called her Ava.

Instead, he always heard Maria.

He wasn't sure what the significance was, but it was his only lead. Besides that, there wasn't much information on the illusive entity known as Ava Chen. She was nobody.

It appeared that he needed to confront her again.

Evan's stomach flipped at the prospect.


It was on a blistering cold Sunday when he found the time. Wilkes and the others tried to convince him to go to Hogsmeade, but Evan refused, claiming that he needed to finish up an essay.

It wasn't a complete lie. He did have an essay due. In two weeks.

Wilkes's brow furrowed. He was in the same class.

"You sure?"

"Bring back some blood pops for me," Evan replied. "I'll be in the library. You can find me there if you get back early."

"Watch out for your stalker, Rosier," Mulciber said. Wrapping an arm around Avery's and Snape's shoulders, he dragged the two boys from the common room.

"Be careful," Wilkes said.

"I plan on it," Evan replied.

"When do you plan anything?" When Evan raised an eyebrow, Wilkes raised his hands. "Besides homework. I'm just saying, girls can be… temperamental."

"Oh, I'm well aware. I'll be careful."

"Good. We should be back around three."

"Get going, Wilkes." Evan smirked. Wilkes saluted him before turning and hurrying to catch up with the others.

Evan watched the wall close up behind his friend before his smirk disappeared. He sighed. Shoulders back and head held high, he returned to his room to grab his book bag. Then, he left for the library.

Sometime after he passed the Great Hall, he acquired his stalker. Evan refused the urge to run, instead striding with renewed purpose. He found a table towards the back, some place no one would see them together unless they were actively looking. Evan sat and pulled out his books and a quill. He turned the pages of his Charms text, twirling the quill in his hand.

The chair across from him moved. He looked at her. She pulled her jacket off, followed by her scarf, which she then meticulously folded and placed on her lap. She met his gaze and smiled.

"Hello Evan Rosier."

He put the quill down. "Ava Chen."

Her lips twitched. "You learned my name."

"I learned a name."

"Indeed. Maria is my middle name."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why refer to yourself by your middle name?"

"I've always preferred it."

"It's just a name."

"Just as Rosier is only a name."

Evan's eyes narrowed. "My name means more than you know."

"Just as mine means more than you know."

"Ava. A variation of Eve. Eve was the first woman created by God, who committed the first sin. She was then responsible for making Adam do the same."

"Maria. Also Mary or Miriam. Mother of Jesus, the son of God. She represented the ideal woman at the time: silent, supportive, chaste, and virtuous."

"No one is truly virtuous."

"So we should not strive towards an ideal?"

"We should strive for it. But we must also overcome it."

Her smile widened and she leaned forward. "And how would you suggest we do that, Evan Rosier?"

"To reach perfection, we have to work hard and perform our designated roles."

"And if those roles are constricting? If those roles only hold you back? You just stated we must overcome the ideal, wouldn't those roles be the ideal necessary to overcome?"

Evan crossed his legs, leaning back. He frowned. "Those roles are there to provide order. A society without order is a crumpled society."

"You doubt that." Her eyes shone. She shifted in her chair.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"A society with designated roles is a society with hierarchy. Those at the bottom of the hierarchal structure are those who are deemed weak, those who are deemed imperfect, less than ideal by society's standards." She spat the word imperfect like it was a disease. "Tell me, Evan Rosier, why is that?"

"Why is what? Why are those considered weak deemed imperfect? If they are imperfect, than they have not overcome the ideal. And if they have not overcome the ideal, they must be too far down the hierarchal structure, making it impossible to overcome it."

"I disagree."

"Really? Do share."

"I believe overcoming the ideal is a matter of individual strength. Look at those that have lived a long time. Their experiences have shaped them, changed them. They have learned from those experiences and have become stronger. Those experiences make them wise. People listen to them and consult them. Look at Albus Dumbledore." Evan scoffed. Ava leaned across the table. Their noses briefly bumped against each other. "You may scoff Evan Rosier, but Albus Dumbledore is considered to be, by the general populace, a wise and great wizard."

Evan inhaled through his nose. "You are not wrong in that. But being wise does not make one infallible. Being weak does not mean it's not impossible to be strong. Or for the strong to be weak. To believe that there is only black and white, when in reality everything is a shade of grey, is illogical. If we follow that logic, overcoming the ideal should be next to impossible for everyone."

The two stared at each other, noses barely brushing. Evan's knuckles clenched the arms of his chair. Ava tilted her head – Evan noticed that if she leaned forward any further, their lips would touch. He swallowed.

"You, Evan Rosier, are fascinating," she whispered.

"I try not to disappoint."

She giggled. He felt himself smiling.

Never, in all of his years, had he debated with someone so intensely, and on such an intriguing topic. When he returned to the Slytherin common room, it was well past seven. He and Ava took their debate to the kitchens and spoke over dinner, their only witnesses being the house elves and the paintings. They spoke about history, about magic, about muggles, anything they could think of. Upon realizing the time and unable to stop himself, Evan suggested that they meet up again another time. She agreed and they had gone their separate ways.

"Where have you been?"

Wilkes looked up from his game of chess against Snape as Evan walked into the room. Evan shrugged. "Library."

"You weren't there when I checked," Wilkes said.

"I was in the back."

"I checked the back."

"Honestly, Wilkes," Snape snapped, "You're like a mother hen. If you are so intent on figuring out where Rosier has been, we can end the game here."

"Don't let me interrupt you," Evan replied before Wilkes could respond, heading towards the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Once out of sight, he took them two at a time. He slipped into the bathroom upon reaching his dorm and as quickly as possible, jumped into his four-poster and spelled the curtains shut.

He did not want to explain this to Wilkes.


*For those who are interested, here's the information on the Rosier family history. It's very long, I'm sorry.

The Rosier Family's Formation & Catholic Roots: As a result of the War of the Roses in the 15th century, much like their muggle counterparts who married to form the Tudors, two wizarding members of the House of Lancaster and the House of York married to form the Rosiers. Due to the prevalence of Catholicism within European households, the new Rosiers brought their religion into the wizarding world with them. Because of their ties to British nobility, the Rosiers were held in high esteem. Talk of their religious leanings, however, was common due to paganism being the dominant religion in wizarding Britain. As such, they were ridiculed behind closed doors.

The Protestant Reformation & the Fischer Feud: As wizards live long lives, the progenitors of the family, Maxwell Lancaster and Aveline York, were still alive and retained their connection to their muggle roots. Because of this connection, they heard word from their family of the reformation which was occurring in the 16th century. Around this same time, the Protestant Fischers moved to Britain from Germany. Things quickly escalated between the two families, resulting in a blood feud which lasted several generations.

The End of the Fischer Feud: The Rosier-Fischer feud was known and quietly ridiculed throughout wizarding Britain due to their beliefs contrasting that of the majority. In the late 18th century, however, the Forgotten Lord rose to prominence, a dark lord whose name has been forgotten. He killed off what remained of the Fischer family, leaving the Rosiers victorious.

Taliesin Rosier & the Rosier Family's Break from Catholicism: The Forgotten Lord, much like the dark lord Grindelwald, emphasized the importance of blood purity. His main focus however, were the old pagan ways in a time where those traditions were starting to die out. Taliesin Rosier, the head of the family at that time, embraced the Forgotten Lord's cause. He officially declared that the Rosier family was no longer Catholic, and fully accepted paganism. It was not long after when the Forgotten Lord was defeated that these traditions began to die out once more. Taliesin Rosier was killed soon after by Gregory Moody in a duel.

The Rosiers' Paganism: Due to Oswald Rosier, son of Taliesin, the Rosier family retained their paganist lifestyle. In recent times, however, because of the influx of muggleborn and muggle-raised children, the Ministry of Magic has placed more and more restrictions on rituals and other practices that could be seen as "dark" by the new arrivals. Wizarding families are, in increasingly larger numbers, moving away from paganism in favor of other options. This in combination with the Forgotten Lord's defeat back in the 18th century has resulted in paganism no longer being the dominant religion of wizarding Britain. Families like the Rosiers, however, continue to practice the old ways, despite it becoming more difficult to do so. Michael Rosier, the current head, is looking for ways to bring the old traditions back. His allies include the Averys, the Blacks, the Mulcibers, the Notts, and the Wilkeses.