Sorry for the wait! I have been SUPER busy, so this chapter was a bit rushed for me. . . yeah. Anyway, I have also started another story so thats why this took so long. I just didn't want to forget it in the darker parts of my mind . . . O.O
Anyway, so here you are. Please tell me if anything needs to be changed, or if the overall story is a load of crap. . . here you are! ;)
Chapter 7:
Evangeline sat down for breakfast silently. She didn't have much of an appetite today. The previous night she had spent it in an abandoned classroom brewing, more of her exploding potions. This time purple and blue. So as per usual, her hair was also dyed purple and blue in some spots. It was mid October but it felt like December. Outside it was snowing.
She lifted a hand in greeting as Harry, Ron, and Hermione took seats around her. Ron was relaying a story that had evidentially happened just mere minutes before.
". . . .and then there was a flash of light and I landed on the bed again!" Ron grinned, helping himself to sausages. Hermione was smiling slightly, Evangeline took the moment to speak up.
"Was this a spell, by any chance, another one from that potion book of yours?" she asked. Harry frowned at her as Hermione gave her an approving look. "Always jump to conclusions, don't you?" snapped Harry. Incensed, Evangeline stood placing both hands on the table, leaning towards him.
"What is that supposed to mean?" she demanded hotly. Harry gave her a withering look. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe all your assumptions about everything! First you go and guess about Snape's position, MY book. . . . you've just wormed your way into everything!" Evangeline stood up right. Hurt, to say the least. She glared down at the boy-who-lived.
"Well, then, maybe I'll leave you all alone," she told him in a low even voice. "Find myself a lovely place to live on my own. Do tell Mrs. Weasley that I can no longer suffer being in the presence of the Great and Almighty, Harry Potter." Her sarcasm was dripping in excess. Maybe he would be the victim of one of her potions. The thought was so evilly perfect. Although Harry was not finished with her yet.
"Oh yeah? You do that, we'll just go on living our lives, like before you came along!" Harry was standing now, effectively shouting. Evangeline blinked and backed away from the table, thrown out, just like that. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Draco.
He was currently watching the row in process with narrowed eyes. His uneaten food forgotten. Evangeline slid her eyes back to Harry. He was staring her down, like she'd never seen him do so before. Finally she nodded.
"Fine," she said. Harry blinked in surprise. "I'll go. I'll go back to America, back to whatever the hell my life was before, I won't bother you all any more." With that she turned to go, walking down the long isle of seated students, with her fists balled at her side. Hermione's voice rose and Evangeline heard her admonishing the boy.
"Harry! That was uncalled for!" said Hermione, defending her. "Go apologize! This instance!"
" 'Mione, she deserved it," came Ron's reply, no doubt his face was stuffed with food. Evangeline did not hear the rest of the argument. Fumming, Evangeline stalked across the courtyard and onto the bridge. There she stood gripping the railing, her knuckles white with anger. What the heck was going on? Her mind was working at a hundred miles per second. She glared at the sky, it was Harry's potion book. It was a problem. Typical.
"What was that about?" asked a voice to her right. Evangeline's head snapped in the direction and her eyes landed on the ever familiar form of Draco Malfoy. She turned her glare to the sky yet again.
"You best not be around here, Malfoy. My temper may get the best of me," she warned him.
"Really?" he asked her in a disbelieving voice. Evangeline huffed, and shivered as a gust of wind swept past. "You want to talk about it?"
"No!" she snapped, her eyes meeting his. "It's his business alone, I won't go telling his secrets around the whole school. Merlin knows we have enough gossip." He stood staring at her for a moment before he shrugged. "Fine."
Evangeline pushed off from the wall, walking over to him. "What are your plans for today?" she asked trying to lighten the mood.
"I'm going into Hogsmead," he replied evenly. Evangeline nodded. "Well, I'll be here, wandering the grounds or tucked away in the library. . ." Draco shrugged and moved out of her way. "See you then." Evangeline watched him for a moment before walking back into the castle, Draco watching her the whole way.
Katie Bell was in St. Mungo's. She'd been cursed, and so it was important that Evangeline play for the Quidditch team. She had been tempted to quit. Especially after her fight with Harry. She was determined to ignore him. Which she did quite well.
Practices were very interesting, and Evangeline stayed well out of the way. Ron had turned into a giant menace. His attitude was affecting his keeping, and he took his anger out on anyone around him. Most often the members of the team, his sister, and his most favorite at the moment, Evangeline. Evangeline had taken her seat at the Gryffindor table for breakfast one morning, when Ron had spoken up.
"Still here I see?" he sneered at her. Evangeline ignored him, like she always did. "Thought you'd be back with your Yankee buddies. I see your too much of a coward to do that." Evangeline stood up, slamming her hands down on the table's surface.
"Got something that crawled up your butt and died, Ronald?" she snapped. He leaned away from her in shock. Ginny and a few other girls began to snicker. "I don't need to listen to your crap, Ronald. I am no coward, and if you think as such, fight me." Harry and Hermione watched her wide-eyed. Ron's face turned red and he stood as well.
"Oh, yeah? What are you going to do?" he asked mockingly. Ron's face suddenly became wet, as well as his uniform. Evangeline had picked up the pitcher of orange juice and thrown the lot on him. He spluttered indignantly. "Oi!"
"Save your breath, you suck as a keeper anyway," she had said as she stormed off. This of course had offended, Harry, Ginny and Hermione. It did not bode well for her at the next practice. But still, Evangeline was hurt by Harry's words. She was hurt by everything. It did not help that her father still had not replied to her letter. Or rather, letters. That and her brothers. She was waiting for them to answer. Just a note perhaps? She found herself rather upset by everything, and could not bring herself to keep a calm head about it. Surely they had not forgotten about her already?
The next morning Evangeline went into the great hall, the Gryffindor table was a sea of red and gold. The Slytherins booed at her as she took a seat, while her fellow house mates cheered for her her. Evangeline sat next to Ginny, with a warm smile. The red headed girl had forgiven her already.
"Ready?" she asked her excitedly. Evangeline rolled her eyes, "duh."
Harry and Ron entered the Great hall then and received the same amount of enthusiasm as she had, if not more, from both parties. Harry grinned and waved; Ron grimaced weakly and shook his head.
"Cheer up, Ron!" called Lavender. "I know you'll be brilliant!"
He ignored her and sat next to Harry looking ill. Harry offered him food, which he took but barely ate. A few minutes later Hermione entered and approached them rather timidly. She had been avoiding Ron ever since his temper began to flare.
"How are you both feeling?" she asked tentatively, her eyes on the back of Ron's head. Ron moaned, "after this I am resigning." Harry took a glass of pumpkin juice and tipped something into it before handing it to Ron. "There you go, Ron. Drink up."
"Don't drink that, Ron!" cried Hermione as Ron was lifting the glass up to his lips. Ron paused, watching as Harry (not so discretely) put a small vial into his chest pocket. Ron's eyes widened slightly, as Harry shrugged. "Thats not. . . thats. . . you put liquid luck in. . . my drink?" Ron disbelievingly. Harry offered yet another shrug. Ron looked at his glass as if it were to make his dreams come true, and tipped the whole thing back, drinking it all. Hermione let out a scandalized gasp.
"Ron!" she said, "Harry!" Both boys grinned like idiots at her. Evangeline hid her laugh behind her hand and took another bite of her toast. Ron heaved an euphoric sigh, smiling at the ceiling before turning back to them all. "I feel really great!"
"That's good Ron!" said Harry cheerfully, clapping his friends shoulder. Evangeline noticed that it seemed to be somewhat, half-hearted. If a little fake. She eyed both boys with a wary look, were they planning on doing something? Perhaps to her? The thought made her feel very uncomfortable, and she shifted in her seat. Ginny meanwhile had finished with her breakfast, and was standing.
"You coming, Ev?" she asked. Evangeline nodded and stood, following Ginny out of the Great Hall and heading towards the Quidditch pitch. The grass crunched under their feet and their breath hung in the air, like small miniature clouds. Ginny's cheeks became flushed with the cold, and Evangeline hugged her coat around herself tightly. What she would give for a surprise trip to Florida about now.
"Ginny! Ev!" called a distinctly feminine voice. Turning both girls watched as Demelza ran up to them, her Gryffindor scarf flying in the wind. She halted before them, a bright look in her eyes. "Did you hear?" she asked eagerly.
"Hear what?" asked Ginny. Demelza huffed and rolled her eyes. "Vaisey took a bludger to the head yesterday and they're playing Harper in his place," said the girl with excitement. Both Ginny and Evangeline smiled at each other. Harper was not a very good Chaser. "And, Malfoy's gone off sick!"
"What?" asked Evangeline surprised. Malfoy not playing? That was odd, and if so, what was he sick with. Ginny asked Demelza how she came by this bit of knowledge. "Oh, I heard some Slytherin's talking about it on my way to breakfast," she replied airily. Evangeline shook her head in disbelief. Could their luck get any better. She thought darkly about what Harry had done with his Felix Felice's. Such a waste. Together the three went down to the Gryffindor changing rooms and exchanged their school robes for Quidditch ones. The scarlete robes hanging off Evangeline's form fluidly. She felt so unreal in them. So much more sophisticated than just wearing a soccer jersey and shorts. She was pulling on her gloves when Harry and Ron entered.
"Conditions look ideal," said Ginny, ignoring Ron. "And guess what? That Slytherin Chaser Vaisey - he took a Budger to the head yeasterday during their practice, and he's too sore to play! And even better than that - Malfoy's gone off sick too!" Evangeline shot her friend a dark look are both boys started.
"What?" said Harry, wheeling around to stare at Ginny. "He's ill? What's wrong with him?" Evangeline took a seat. Her thoughts exactly. . .
"No idea, but it's great for us," said Ginny brightly. "They're playing Harper instead; he's in my year and he's an idiot." Evangeline nodded at that, and watched as Harry gave Ginny a vague smile, his mind obviously on other things. Ginny watched him for a moment longer and turned to Evangeline, who gave the red head a significant look. Ginny looked away, "what?" she asked her cheeks coloring.
"Nothing," Evangeline replied with a smile. It seemed that Ginny did have something for the team captain. Ginny shot her a half-hearted glare and they walked out onto the pitch to tumultuous roars and boos. On one end of the stadium it was a solid mass of red and gold; the other a sea of green and silver. Harry stepped up to Madam Hooch, the referee, who was standing ready to release the balls from the crate. Evangeline mounted her Moontrimmer and waited for the whistle to play. Harry was shaking hands with the Slytherin Captain, Urquhart.
"Mount your brooms. On the whistle . . . three . . . two . . . one . . ." The whistle sounded and Evangeline shot off the ground with the rest of her team. Ginny had the Quaffle. Evangeline flanked her and soared to the end of the pitch to assist in scoring and distract the Slytherin players. A voice filled the loudspeakers, the commentator's commentation started up.
"Well, there they go, and I think we're all surprised to see the team that Potter's put together this year. Many thought, given Ronald Weasley's patchy performance as Keeper last year, that he might be off the team, but of course, a close personal relationship with the Captain does help. . ."
The the Slytherin end of the pitch a round of cheers went up. Evangeline dove at Urquhart as he stole the Quaffle from Ginny and zoomed down to Ron. Evangeline flew beneath him until he was close enough to score.
"Oh, and here comes Slytherin's first attempt on goal, it's Urquhart streaking down the pitch and. . . Weasley saves it, well, he's bound to get lucky sometimes I suppose. . . .oh, and here Fallon has come into possession of the Quaffle, making her way back down the pitch, lovely girl, if I do say so myself."
Evangeline fought the urge to turn and throw the Quaffle at the Hufflepuff. Instead she when and scored, and scored yet again. "It seems that Fallon has scored yet again," came the Hufflepuff's voice as Evangeline scored yet another goal. After half an hour Gryffindor was leading Slytherin sixty points to zero. As they scored yet again, by Ginny, a loud 'BOOM!' filled the stadium. The Slytherin end of the pitch was engulfed in a thick cloud of red smoke and gold glitter. Several cries of dismay filled the air as it cleared and the Slytherins found themselves covered head to toe in red and gold.
Evangeline laughed loudly as Gryffindor scored yet again. And then the the whistle went off being drowned out by the deafening cheers of the crowd. Harry had caught the snitch. Gryffindor had won!
After changing and making herself clean Evangeline went down to the common room, in full swing of celebrations. A messenger bag slug over her shoulder, and her hair pulled up into a very hastily done bun. She was greeted by several cheers as she entered.
"Ev!" Ron called. Evangeline turned and smiled at the beaming Keeper.
"Ron!"
"Brilliant potions!" he called to her before he was dragged back into the celebrating group. Evangeline smiled, shook her head and went to the portrait hole. She entered the hall and ran down it until she ducked into a classroom at the end of it. She opened up one of the cabinets, enchanted to stay locked by her own spell. Inside was a bubbling cauldron, the liquid a shimmering orange in color. A thin veil of vapor wafting up from it. Evangeline reached into her bag and produced a handful of long smelly blades of onion grass. She cut them up on the table and sprinkled them over the cauldron. She then stirred it clockwise four times, as it began to changed color. Changing from orange to red.
Smiling to herself she shut the cabinet and locked it with a spell, uttered from her lips. She then ducked out of the classroom, watching for anyone and then changed her shape. She was an animagus. Like her brothers, she had become one and had used her animagus form to sneak those exploding potions into the robes of the Slytherin's for the game. It had taken her a long time of planning, but it had paid off.
Padding down the hallways, as a sleek black cat, Evangeline made her way to the Astronomy tower. For it was a fine night for stargazing, and she didn't feel like celebrating with her House. No, tonight she would enjoy the still calmness of the night sky.
But those thoughts were cut short as she came up the stairs, ans spotted Draco. He was leaning against the railing, looking out over the landscape. Deciding to stay as she was; Evangeline approached slowly, mewing at his feet. The blond boy started, a swear escaping his lips as she saw her. He gave her a dark look before sighing. He ran a hand through his hair, "scared by a cat." He laughed at himself, before bending down to kneel before her. He reached out a hand to stroke her fur, in which she let him do. She was a cat after all.
"What're you doing up here, huh?" he asked softly. Evangeline mewed and purred as he scratched a rather good spot near her ears. "Who's your master?" She then fixed him with her wide blue cat eyes and tried to convey what she could not say, 'I serve no one'. Her look seemed to pierce him, for her looked away, sighing yet again. He then stood.
"I don't think I can do it," he moaned. He ran his hands through his hair yet again. "But if I don't he'll hurt my family. . . kill me," he sighed. Alarm flickered through Evangeline's small form, she mewed again. Draco sighed and turned back to her again, a small smile on his lips. "I will call you Shadow. Since you seem to have come from nowhere." He bent down again and patted her head before standing and leaving. "Night, Shadow," he called, his shoulder's slumping as he descended the stairs. She would not be getting any sleep that night.
Say what?? Yes, I could not help myself, I wanted her to have an animagus. And another way of interacting with the inhabitants of Hogwarts. Other than that I think thats all I have to say. . .
Oh and to those of you who have favorited and alerted my story, I THANK YOU! (gives hugs) And also, I love reviews, okay, bye. . . :)