J.K. Rowling owns these characters, and I am not she.
Chapter Nine: Revelations
The next thing I recall is a dull ache in my side, then in my shoulder, then in my head. I cracked my eyes, and, nearly blinded by the bright light, squeezed them shut again. I lead out a groan.
"Is she waking?" I heard a familiar voice ask anxiously.
"Mum?" I choked out.
"Yes! Evey, honey, I'm here!" I felt her cool hand on my arm.
"Evelyn, dear, can you open your eyes?" the voice of the school nurse, Madam Heathcliff, who had taken over after Madam Pomfrey's retirement five years ago.
"No...turn out the lights..."
"Okay, dear. Try again." I opened my eyes carefully. The lights were dimmer, and I made out shapes, then figures, then the anxious faces of Mum and Madam Heathcliff. Mine was the only bed occupied.
"Oh, Evey, I was so worried...I thought you were..."
"Mrs. Weasley, if you don't mind." Madam Heathcliff murmured.
"Yes, yes, of course." My mother moved a few feet away, allowing the nurse to examine me.
"Where does it hurt, dear?" I swallowed.
"My...head." I forced out. "My left side...shoulder..." She ran her hands over my side. I winced in pain.
"I'm afraid you have a concussion, two broken ribs, and a dislocated shoulder." My mother made a strange croaking noise. She bustled away, and my mother came over and smoothed my hair.
"Alright," Madam Heathcliff said upon returning. She waved her wand over my side, murmuring a word I couldn't make out. A burning sensation flooded my ribs, then numbness. "Ribs better?" she asked. I nodded once. "Good. Now, Mrs. Weasley...if you would hold her down, there."
"What are you going to do?" My mother asked as she obeyed.
"Her shoulder needs to be set. There's only one way to do it...brace yourself, Miss Weasley, this will hurt for a moment." I did brace myself as she pulled sharply on my left arm, but I could not prepare for the searing pain that shot through my shoulder. I cried out, and through the pain I heard the nurse murmur the incantation once more, and my shoulder was numb, too. I was breathing heavily.
"Oh..." my mother said in a whisper. The door of the Hospital Wing burst open. Will and my father stood in the doorway.
"What happened?" Dad thundered. "Why is she screaming?" Will's eyes were wide.
"I had to pull her joint back into place. She's fine, now. Well, just about." I watched her pour two vials into a cup, and handed them to me. "Drink." I obeyed. "You'll want to let her sleep, now." Madam Heathcliff said gently. My mother nodded, bending in to kiss me on the forehead.
"We'll be here when you wake up," she promised. I nodded. My father only patted my arm, at a loss for words.
"Evey, I'm so sorry..." Will murmured.
"Don't...worry about me..." I said. They may have answered, but I was already unconscious.
I woke again some immeasurable time later. I heard voices, so I kept my eyes closed and listened.
"Please...just give me a while alone with her..."
"I suppose," the voice of Madam Heathcliff said reluctantly. "But if she wakes again, fetch me immediately. Understand?"
"Yes, ma'am." I heard the door open and close. Footsteps approached my bed. I felt a hand on my cheek.
"Evey...it's my fault you're here..." I opened my eyes and peered curiously up at Will. He jerked his hand back. "You're awake!" He exclaimed. He threw a glance over his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Evey...I should have stayed with you, I should have been more careful...I didn't think they would try anything with that many people around, but...but..." He closed his eyes. I reached for his hand, still resting on the bed, and he clutched mine tightly.
"What are you talking about...what happened?" He opened his eyes.
"Don't you remember?" I frowned, and, suddenly, it all flooded back to me.
"I...you...you took me up the stairs, to the balcony. You...put me under...under the Imperius curse, you told me to...jump off the balcony..." I let out a strangled noise.
"It wasn't me, Evey! It was...Polyjuice Potion..." I held up my hand.
"No. I knew it wasn't you, I...I could feel it, like the centaur said." Will started to interrupt, but I shook my head. "I'll explain later. Then you, the real you, showed up with Fred...you stopped him...you...but then you tried to stop me from...from...the balcony. And I tried...oh, Will, I tried to stop, but I couldn't!" Tears streamed down my face.
"Shh," Will murmured. He knelt beside the bed and wrapped his arms around me as best he could, burying his face in my neck. I clung to him, and we stayed that way for...moments? Hours? Before I spoke again.
"Will?"
"Hmm?" He sat up to look at me.
"What happened...after that?" He pulled up a chair and sat in it, entwining his fingers in mine.
"You...fell. I watched you...your eyes were so...strange. I thought you were dead." He took a shuddering breath before he continued. "Then, that hippogriff...your hippogriff flew up out of nowhere. She caught you on her back. You landed on your left side, and you...sort of slumped over. She carried you down to the grounds—how she kept you balanced, I don't know—by the time you reached the ground, a crowd, myself included, had gathered there. It was Professor Hagrid that picked you up and carried you here. That hippogriff tried to follow him, though. She couldn't fit through the front door. Your parents arrived about an hour later, after things had been sorted out."
"Who was he? The man with the...the Polyjuice potion?" Will lowered his eyes.
"No one knows."
"But you do," I probed, surprised at how certain I was.
"Yes, I do." The door opened, and Rose entered the room.
"Evey! You're awake!" She practically sprinted to my side.
"What happened? Are you okay? Did it hurt?"
"Rosie, slow down. I'm fine."
"I heard you were attacked on the balcony, and that the intruder was unknown...but they aren't telling us anything. I came to see you yesterday, but you were still asleep, and Madam Heathcliff told me to go-"
"Yesterday? But...isn't it Saturday?"
"It's Sunday, Evey. You slept all day yesterday." Will said. I blinked in surprise.
"Were...were you hurt?" Rose asked. Will said nothing, but leaned in, curious.
"A couple of broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and a concussion." I informed them.
"Oh...did it...hurt?"
"Madam Heathcliff healed the bones easily...but the shoulder had to be put back in place..." I shuddered at the memory of the pain. Rose's nostrils flared.
"Who could have done this to you?" She said, her voice raw.
"I don't know." I said quietly. Just then, Madam Heathcliff reentered the room.
"Miss Weasley, you're awake! Mr. Malfoy, I told you to fetch me if she woke!" She said angrily.
"She only just woke up, Madam," said Rose.
"Very well. Either way, you two need to leave. Headmistress Lioda wants to speak with you, Miss Weasley." I nodded.
"Bye, Evey! I'll come back soon!" Rose said as she reluctantly exited the Hospital Wing. Madam Heathcliff tapped on an empty portrait on the wall. A plump witch appeared in the painting.
"You rang?" The witch said lazily.
"Inform the headmistress that Miss Weasley is awake." The witch left, huffing about being treated as an owl. Will stepped back up to my side.
"As soon as you're out, come and find me. I've got a lot to explain," he murmured to me. He threw a glance toward Madam Heathcliff, whose back was turned. He bent and pressed his lips to mine.
"Ahem." Will straightened up and saw Professor Lioda standing in the doorway. "Mr. Malfoy, I believe you should go." Will headed hastily to the door, with a final backwards glance toward me.
"Sorry, Professor," I heard him mumble as he passed her. I could have sworn I saw the corners of Professor Lioda's mouth turn up in a small smile as he left, but when I looked back, it was a harsh line once more. Professor Lioda had once been the Arithmancy teacher. She was in her late thirties, with blonde hair that fell to her shoulders and large hazel eyes. She was stern, like her predecessor Professor McGonagall, but she also had a startlingly wide smile that appeared only rarely.
"If you would excuse us, Elvira, I would like to speak with Miss Weasley privately." Madam Heathcliff nodded, disappointed, and took her leave. Professor Lioda took a seat in the chair beside the bed. "Miss Weasley, I know you have had a rough couple of days, so I will ask straight out: what happened the night of the Winter Ball?" I bit my lip, suddenly shy. I had never had a one-on-one conversation with the headmistress before—it was rather daunting.
"Where...where should I start, professor?" She inclined her head.
"Well, judging by the display I experienced a moment ago, you attended the ball with Mr. Malfoy, am I correct?" I nodded, blushing. "Then, what did you do when you first arrived in the Great Hall?"
"We...danced, ate, talked with friends...and then we danced some more."
"How did you come to be on the balcony?" I pressed my lips together.
"W—Scorpius—and I danced. He led me up the stairs and to the balcony. He pulled me into a corner, and he...he was acting strange..."
"How so?"
"He...said 'Goodbye, Miss Weasley.' I asked him what he meant, and he told me..." My throat closed up. Embarrassed, I plowed on. "He told me that he was going to throw me...off of the balcony. I pulled out my wand, but I...couldn't get the spell out. He put a silencing charm on me, then he put the Imperius curse on me." I shuddered.
"What did he command you to do?"
"He...told me to...to throw myself off the balcony." She nodded.
"Then what happened?"
"My brother, Fred, and...and another Scorpius burst onto the balcony. One stunned the...the one I was with, and then Scorpius...came over to me. He tried to stop me, b-but I couldn't stop...Fred tried to help him, but I slipped out of their grip. I hit something hard, and everything went dark." Professor Lioda was silent for a long while.
"Professor?" I asked. She didn't reply, but looked at me. "Do you know who he was...the person who...tried to..." I couldn't seem to finish the sentence.
"His name is Archibald Sachworth. We couldn't get much else out of him. His memory of what organization he was in has been erased. He has been sent to Azkaban for further questioning."
"Oh." I said, not sure what else to say. I suddenly felt frightened and alone. Who was after me, and why?
"Miss Weasley, I'm afraid I have some things to look into. Good afternoon." She rose again and left. It was only then that I realized how terrified I was of being alone. I took deep breaths, looking wildly into the shadows. The door opened again, and it was the most magnificent sound I had ever heard. Madam Heathcliff entered, followed by my mother and father.
"Oh, Evey!" Mum rushed over to me and threw her arms around my neck. I relaxed.
"How are you?" My father asked. "Are you feeling any better?" I nodded.
"I feel fine. Great, actually. I'm good as new." My father beamed at me. He looked tired.
"That's my girl." He collapsed into the chair. My mother sat at the foot of my bed.
"Are you hungry?" I shook my head. "Thirsty?
"I'm fine, Mum. Really." She looked at me worriedly, then glanced at my father.
"I think you should come home with us for a while...just to rest." I frowned.
"What? Mum..."
"I told you she wouldn't want to go..." my father said wearily.
"Why not? Evelyn Weasley, you were just attacked! You almost died. How can you expect us to leave you here knowing it's not safe-"
"But it is safe! I mean, now that everyone is on their guard, this is the safest place I could be! It was my fault I almost died, Mum...I was out on the balcony, I couldn't get a spell out fast enough...I couldn't even scream for help! I need to be here, Mum." I was surprised to feel my eyes welling with tears. My mother opened her mouth to argue, but Dad stepped in.
"She's right."
"I-what?" Mum wheeled on him furiously.
"She's right, Rachael. It's her decision. Besides, the is Hogwarts we're talking about. She's surrounded by some of the best witches and wizards in the world."
"That didn't stop her from being attacked once."
It took nearly an entire day, but my father finally convinced my mother to let me stay at Hogwarts. They left the next day, with the assurance from Madam Heathcliff that I would be fine. I was released from the Hospital Wing on Tuesday. Rose dutifully brought me my missed assignments, which, thankfully, was easy enough to finish in a couple of hours. As I entered our dormitory for the first time in nearly four days, I took in the comfort of the familiarity. Rose entered the room, fresh from the library, balancing a large stack of books. I petted Roxie, who wound her tail around my hand happily.
"Good to be free, Evey?" Rose asked absentmindedly, her nose already buried in a book.
"You have no idea," I replied. A familiar tapping sound came from the window. Lysander balanced outside the window.
"Well. He's punctual," Rose remarked, peeking her head over the book to look at the cat. Lysander's note asked to meet earlier than usual. I left the dorm immediately, in order to take the back corridors. I was not in the mood to deal with whispers following me as I passed. Will was already in the secret study when I arrived.
"Evey!" He jumped up. "It's good to see you!" I laughed.
"You saw me this morning."
"No, I meant...it's good to see you on your feet."
"It's good to be on my feet." I admitted. He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the chair.
"I...have a lot to tell you." I nodded. The untold truth hung like something tangible between us. He hesitated. I reached for his hand.
"What's wrong?" He took a deep breath.
"I'm just afraid that, after I tell you all of this...you'll hate me." I looked at him.
"You know that's not true. I could never hate you. I know that seems silly to say—we've only really known each other for four months—but..."
"I know." He shifted closer to me. "But then, you don't know what I'm going to tell you. Before I begin, I just want you to know that...that everything I'm about to tell you, all the things that I've done...know that when you came along, everything changed for me."
"Will, you can tell me anything." He sighed.
"I hope that's true." He took a deep breath, ran his hand through his hair, and began. "You know, of course, about Death Eaters. The Dark Lord's followers during the war. These people had direct contact with the dark lord, and did his bidding. However, long, long ago, before the dark lord had risen to power, another order was established. They called themselves the Death Keepers. The Death Keepers, unlike the Death Eaters, were sworn to a loyalty of a different sort—loyalty in secret. They did not take part in dark deeds, they did not side with the Death Eaters—they did nothing. They were sworn to sit back and watch the battle from the sidelines. They were to keep completely silent, unless, the seven horcruxes were all destroyed, and the Dark Lord fell. Then, and only then, would they act." Will watched my face closely throughout this. I kept my face expressionless.
"What were they supposed to do?" I prompted.
"Well...you've heard of the horcruxes?" I nodded. "And you know how they were made?"
"Yes."
"Creating horcruxes is the only well-known and proven way of preserving the soul beyond death. However, there are other, archaic texts that tell of another way. The act of binding a part of one's soul with another's. But, in order to perform this bond, the subject must be all but sacrificed. A human sacrifice was out of the question."
"Why?" I asked, then cursed myself for interrupting.
"Because, a human would leave too many things to chance. The agony it takes, to have someone's soul bound to your own is...beyond excruciating. You've heard of a Dementor's Kiss? The removal of the soul is agonizing in itself, but when it's done, the pain is gone. The hole left behind is irreparable, but there is no longing for it to be restored. But to bind the soul, only half of it is removed. Therefore, the remaining half recalls the feeling of a whole soul, and longs for it. This longing is so intense that it is a greater agony than any can imagine. A human being in this shape would be driven mad, perhaps breaking free and blowing the cover of the operation. An animal, however, may be concealed. So, because the Dark Lord was a Parselmouth, he performed the ritual on a small garden snake. It was successful."
"But," I murmured, "What does any of this have to do with you? Or me?" It seemed that this was the question he had been dreading.
"I...well...alright. I swore I would tell you everything. Please...try to understand. In order for the Dark Lord to use the bonded soul to return, he needed another sacrifice—a human one, this time—to use as his own body. As you can imagine, there was any number of people that would have done this in a heartbeat, but...the ritual required to take the soul into one's own body...would require another Parselmouth. They had to wait for a child to be born with the ability...an heir, of sorts. Every child that was born to a Death Eater or Death Keeper was tested...none had the ability. Until one, sixteen years ago." My blood felt like ice.
"Oh, Will...y-you?" He only nodded. I felt tears welling in my eyes.
"I...once they discovered that I had the gift, I was...raised to become...the next. The Heir, they called me. I grew up knowing that, the moment I finished school, I would...cease to exist. I'd be replaced by...him. Knowing this, I never let myself get too close to...anyone. No close friends, never any...you know, girlfriends...until you. It's like they said...but not how they thought..."
"Wait...who said?" I asked in nearly a whisper. He looked at me strangely.
"Well...last summer, a prophecy was made. It was filed in the "Unknown" section of the Department of Mysteries, because no one but a Death Keeper could know quite what it meant. Conveniently, there was a Death Keeper employed in the Department of Mysteries. It said,
'Death Keepers that cower in shadow, beware
A threat to your dark deeds is rising
Daughter of the trickster, wielding the tool
To silence forever the Heir.'
"They puzzled over the riddle for months...before someone connected the "trickster" to your father. They found out that he had a daughter—in my own grade, no less—and decided not to chance letting you live."
"My dream..." I murmured.
"Yes. Of course, they didn't tell me their plans. When I happened along, seeing you thrashing about in the lake, I saved you. Then, I gave you that necklace," he motioned to my neck at the silver snake, which I had not taken off since he had given it to me. "My grandmother gave me that. It's got a protective spell over it...wards off evil dreams. They weren't very happy about that...they explained things to me over Christmas Break, so I wouldn't interfere the next time. Of course, by then, the damage was done. That was why I warned you Christmas Eve. When we came back to the school, I decided I needed to be close to you at all times...but that didn't go as well as I had planned. I didn't think they would try something with all those people around. I went to get punch, and he came up to me disguised as Professor Lioda. He asked me to follow him, and I did, of course...I didn't know that Professor Lioda was in her office at the time. He got me into a deserted corridor before I realized something was amiss...and by then it was too late. He stunned me, and stuffed me in a broom closet. He didn't know that your brother was following, hoping to get some dirt on me. He hid. It only took him a few minutes to revive me, but by the time we got into the Great Hall and up to the balcony, you were already..." he swallowed. Several emotions coursed through me at once.
"Will?"
"Yes?"
"If you had known about their plans...would you have saved me?"
"I ask myself that every day. The truth is, I don't know. How could I? But, Evey, I have never regretted saving you for any fraction of any second." I mulled over this for a few moments.
"What...what are you going to do, now that you...you've saved me again?" He didn't answer for a few minutes.
"I...I...I'm not sure. I've always done what's expected of me. Now...after meeting you, I've done a lot of thinking. How many innocent lives would be lost, if he were to rise again? People like you and Rose, all just...gone. I don't think...no, I know...that I could never be a part of that. It has to be stopped." It was quiet for a very long time, the air heavy with thoughts. Finally, I spoke.
"What do we do to stop it?" He turned to me.
"We?"
"Like I'm going to let you do this on your own." Without any warning, he pulled me into a kiss. When we parted, he pressed his forehead to mine.
"You said something about a centaur, earlier..." I told him about my encounter with Firenze.
"That would explain...why you trusted me so easily," he remarked.
"I would have done that without any extra powers," I declared. He pulled me closer, and I curled up next to him, just as I had done that cold September evening that seemed so long ago.
