Opening the Door

Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Chapter 10 – Lacrymosa

"Hey, Freak!"

The shadow-caught girl winced as words hit her, along with a mixture of sharpened nails, high heels, boot toes, fists and spit flying from furious mouths.

"You shouldn't have won! You stole that form the Marauders!"

She winced again and tried to curl up in a ball and hide; as her tormentors sneered and spat at her, still attacking her both verbally, mentally and physically.

"Yeah! The Marauders should've won – not you and your pathetic song!"

Now, for any onlooker, it would be easy for them to see the girl being hurt physically and verbally – but mentally was another story.

Enter: pain

----------- Fast forwards.

Evangeline Potter winced as she sat down on her bed, having magicked the curtains around it tight shut.

Out on your own,
Cold and alone again.
Can this be what you really wanted, baby?

Although she had just won the school Talent Competition, and actually earning friends – if only for a little while – she hurt all over and felt unstable, both physically and mentally.

Enter: fear

Evangeline had been leaving the hall, ready to go to bed and perhaps write to her occasional diary about her victory, and maybe a song or poem; when several fan girls of the Marauders – her brother and his group: the most-popular boys in the school – had cornered her.

They blamed her and beat her for beating the Marauders (though at that point Evangeline was fairly certain they were just annoyed they weren't able to throw themselves at the Marauders for their win).

And so they'd beaten Evangeline.

Blame it on me,
Set your guilt free.
Nothing can hold you back now.

Whilst hurling words of spite at her, they kicked, scratched, punched, stamped on, spat on and done everything they could to make the once-pretty girl look like she'd just dragged her way out of a heavy bar brawl.

Well, the dragging part was right.

Evangeline's previous fear of James having taken being better at music from her had disappeared when she won the contest, but now a different insecurity had come.

What if the Marauders hated her too?

They'd surely kill her, or worse.

Evangeline shuddered at the thought of what would happen if she was made to take the brunt of the Marauders' hate and anger.

She'd be just another target, another toy…

…No.

She'd be the whole school's punch-bag – the Marauders, their fans (including fan girls) and anyone who wanted to beat their anger and pain into someone else (as well as the Slytherins, of course) would join in.

And not even Lily, the perfect Head Girl, would stop them, whether she wanted to (yeah, right) or not.

Enter: desperation

Evangeline's shoulders shook – silently, at first – as tears filled in her eyes, falling seconds later; while sobs hitched in her throat, tumbling out of her, leaving her breathless.

Now that you're gone,
I feel like myself again.
Grieving the things I can't repair and willing...

Taking her tattered, worn, loving notebook from the draw in her bedside table, Evangeline began to write and write and write.

'Lacrymosa'.

-------------

Lily's smile faded to a concerned frown as she entered the Girls' Dorm, intending to find Evangeline sat on her bed, most-likely alone, but happy – writing, or something like that.

Instead Evangeline's curtains were closed tight-shut, and small sobs came from behind them.

Lily frowned, and left, after finding that the curtains were magicked shut.

Evangeline needed help, and Lily was going to help her whether Evangeline wanted her to or not.

To let you blame it on me,
And set your guilt free.
I don't want to hold you back now love.

And it started with the Marauders, unfortunately for Lily.

Lily Evans sighed as she started across the Gryffindor Common Room.

Damn me and my helpfulness. She grumbled.

The next day, Lily woke up early, and managed to catch Evangeline just as she was leaving the Common Room.

I can't change who I am.
Not this time, I won't lie to keep you near me.
And in this short life, there's no time to waste on giving up.
My love wasn't enough.

"Hey Eve!" Lily greeted brightly. Her expression dropped into concern as she saw the bags under Evangeline's eyes, and the tear-stains that refused to go away.

"Eve, I heard you crying last night: what's wrong? Are you okay? You can talk to me, you know!" Lily insisted, as the young Potter walked past her, refusing to speak, or even look at Lily.

And you can blame it on me,
Just set your guilt free, honey.
I don't want to hold you back now love.

As Lily finally gave up, standing still to watch Evangeline walk down the hall towards the Great Hall, she made up her mind.

Evangeline didn't want her help, but that didn't mean Lily couldn't give it.

Enter: chaos