Stress and tests:
"Guys, this still does not feel good at all. This is a very bad idea I tell you. If Dumbleodre knew, he would surely agree with me" Remus tried the reason with the boys. The moon would soon be a complete circle. And now, since all three of the boys had learned to become animals at will, it was time for them to experience their first full moon together. Well, all except Evangeline, which still made her a bit mad. She had also wanted to be together with them this night.
"It's not up for debate. We did this for your sake, and we sure as hell are going to see it through" James said with authority.
"I never asked for this! Besides, I never done anything like this before. I have no idea how I will react. Even if my bite won't turn any of you as long as you are in animal forms, I can still attack you and harm you. And what if you don't have your transformation under control, and accidentally turn back into humans again? How could I ever live with myself then?" Sirius walked up to Remus.
"Listen mate. You need to trust us okay? And what would life be without a little risks anyway? We have control, and we won't let you kill us okay? I promise this will work out fine"
Remus was the first one to leave, since he would spend a little time in the hospital wing until it was time to go to his transformation place. Then the other boys would sneak out, with the help of Evangeline making sure no one was left in the common room. She had also agreed to see them inside once the morning arrived, since she would not be able to sleep anything tonight anyway.
Evangeline sat on the couch looking out the window when she noticed Remus dark figure walking outside. Shortly after she felt a pat on the shoulder, which meant that James, Sirius and Peter where ready to leave. She walked to the entrance portrait, pretending she would only go out and get something before heading back to bed. The boys sneaked out together with her.
"Thanks Evangeline" Sirius said, covered by the invisibility cloak.
"Don't mention it. I'll be waiting for you guys tomorrow then" She waited for a short while before she got back in from the portrait and decided to head to bed. But soon, the usual restlessness came over her, and she moved to her usual spot at the window, looking down at the castle ground. She decided that she at least should do a little schoolwork, giving that they would have their hard tests this year, to determine what their future career would be.
She got her books, sat back at the window, lightened a candle, not to wake anyone up and started to read and take notes.
Lily woke up to see her friend once again sitting by the window. She found this behaviour strange. She only seemed to do it at specific nights. She decided to leave Evangeline alone for now. She was at least not as sad as she had been the first time Lily had noticed her there. She decided to closed her eyes and go back to sleep.
When the early morning came, Evangeline quietly moved herself back to the common room. She hoped the boys would soon be back. Even if she trusted them, she still felt worried. Werewolves where no creatures one should play around with.
After what felt like an hour, the portrait finally opened, and the three boys stumbled in. Evangeline gasped when she saw the blood on their face and clothes and quickly went to their side, helping them up.
"Oh dear lord! Are you all okay?" Peter, who looked the best out of them quickly nodded.
"Don't worry. It's not all ours. Rem… The wolf was quite violent towards itself" Sirius had a scar across his face, and James looked ragged, but they all seemed to breathe and be able to stand up, after she had helped them.
"It's okay. We left before our nurse would take him back up to the hospital wing. It would be bad for her to see us there. Besides, if he woke up and saw what we looked like, he would only beat himself up about it. I can assure you that we definitely look much better then he is right now" Sirius said once Evangeline had helped them to the couch and he had catched his breath.
James just sat there, looking into the fire, not saying anything. He looked pale and tired.
"Are you okay James?" Evangeline asked worried.
"It's a good thing you didn't become an animagus with us. You wouldn't have been able to handle it. He was so strong. And… And to not be able to do anything when your friend is in so much pain is just… horrible." James said quietly. Sirius sighed and gave James an angry look.
"He told us to wait outside until he had quiet down, but you just had to disobey huh?"
"I could not just stay there. I...I didn't know what to do"
Evangeline felt a sting in her heart. She was worried for Remus. He must have been, and still bee in pain.
"How come Peter seems to have no wounds?" She asked.
"He turns into a little rat. The wolf took more notice on me and James who are the bigger animal" Sirius answered tiredly.
Peter was the first one to get up from the couch.
"I think we should take a shower and get to bed quietly. We might still be able to get a few hours of sleep before classes starts" The others agreed with him and got up themselves.
Evangeline, now sure that they would be fine, bid them a good night before heading to bed herself. Now when she knew that they where all back safe and sound, she could finally relax.
Evangeline woke up by someone nudging her awake, and when she slowly and tiredly opened her eyes, it was Lily.
"Bloody hell, let me sleep. I am tired" Lily sighed.
"No wonder since you where awake that late at night. Come on, classes starts soon. And you don't want to be late"
Now it was Evangeline's time to sigh. She had probably only slept for two hours and where in no shape for school. But she manage to get herself done and follow Lily and Kate down to the common room where she was met by Sirius, James and Peter, who all looked like crap. The blood was gone, but they still had some scars and bruises. And all of them looked dead tired still.
"And what happened to you three?" Lily asked confused.
"Rough night baby" James answered and gave her a wink. Lily gave him a look of disgust, shook her head and dragged Evangeline and Kate away from them. Evangeline did notice Kates blush when passing by Sirius though. Not strange though, Sirius seemed to have that impact on many girls at Hogwats.
It was hard for Evangeline to focus on the classes. She almost fell asleep. Thankfully Lily where there to make her best effort to keep Evangeline awake. During the break, Evangeline, Kate and Lily decided to sit by the tree and study for the exam together. It would not be too long before it was time, and everyone could feel the pressure and panic in the air. Evangeline was usually quite sure about her magical ability, but now it was even hard for her to remember everything she learnt throughout the years. She felt especially bad for Remus. Because of his condition, he missed some of the lessons that could be of importance. But when he finally came back from the hospital wing, she was happy to go through all he things he had been missing.
The boys had manage to patch themselves up pretty well until Remus came back, but he was still worried about what had happened, and wanted to make sure he hadn't hurt them. He wanted them to explain everything that had happened. They reassured him that they where fine, and that everything had gone well.
One evening Evangeline and Remus where down at the river to study again. After a while, she felt tired and rested her head against his shoulder. Her cheek touched his neck, and she closed her eyes. She felt so happy to be close to him. His skin was warm by the sun and made all the cold leave her. He leaned his own head on hers, and they sat like that. She felt like it was a moment she wanted to last forever, having his arms around her. She felt so calm whenever she was close to him. She could also feel how he relaxed when he was with her as well. His kindness was unlike anyone else, and they could always talk about everything. He was such an intellectual person.
As Evangeline had expected, Sirius and Kate's relationship ended pretty quick. That forced Evangeline and Lily to lend a shoulder for her to cry on, and Evangeline scolding Sirius, saying that he could have ended things a little bit nicer. He just shrugged.
"There is never a good way to end a relationship Eve. It's not like I wanted to hurt your friend deliberately"
Every month Evangeline was worried, but after a while she noticed a difference. The boys came back, no longer with as many scars and bruises as before.
"The wolf seem to have accepted us" James explained one early morning after coming back.
"Yeah, he does not attack us as much any more, and even allow us to get closer to him" Sirius continued. Evangeline was glad. They told her that because of this, the wolf had also stopped attacking itself, and had somehow became much calmer. Still dangerous, but calmer. She could notice it on Remus as well. He didn't have as many new scars any longer as he had before, and seemed over all happier.
He always hated that time of the month, and his mood drastically changed because of the moon, but he still seemed a bit brighter.
Evangeline soon also learned that the boys where about to craft a map over Hogwarts, where every secret passage they had manage to find throughout the years would be visible for the one who read it. They also came up with nicknames for themselves. James became Prongs, Sirius Padfoot, Peter Wormtale and Remus Moony. She chuckled about the names, finding them fitting for the animals they all could become.
And thus, it was time for the exams. Evangeline was very nervous, as everyone else. The people who would watch over them as they did their exams looked very stern. Evangeline would be happy as long as she would pass. She wished her friends good luck, and sat down by the desk to take the exam. She was pleased to notice that she seemed to know the answers to most of the questions.
After about one, two hours she felt happy with the answers and waited for the time to hand it in. When she finally could, she and Kate decided to go and grab a small bite to eat. When they felt satisfied, they decided to go look for Lily. They didn't come far before they was her rush up towards the castle with tears in her eyes.
"Lily! What has happened dear?" Kate asked, but Lily just walked passed them, not looking up.
"James Fleamont Potter!" Evangeline shouted at him angrily.
"What!" James shouted back.
"You know how Lily feel about Snape! How could you do something that stupid! It's… It's more then bullying! It's torture!"
"Oh shut your pie hole Eve! It's not! That slippery snail deserved it! And besides, Sirius was also a part of it, and Peter cheered for us! Don't only blame me!" Evangeline where almost red out of anger.
"I am mad at him as well, but now I'm talking about you!" She crossed her arms over her chest, not going to let his behaviour pass once again.
"Come on! Snape called her a mudblood! That is way worse then what I did to him!" James argued.
"Yes, it's very awful, but that does not excuse your behaviour. And he did say it after you embarrassed him in front of everyone and angered him" James sighed.
"Fine, maybe I took it a bit too far this time. But you know how much I hate that guy"
"That is no excuse Potter! And it's only because he has such a good friendship with Lily, or at least had until you ruined it!"
Evangeline stormed back up to the sleeping dorm where she and Kate continued to console Lily.
"I...I never though Snape could say something like that to me" She sniffed and leaned her head against Evangeline.
"Don't care about him dear. You have me and Kate. Snape was just awful" Mudblood was something one said to people born form none magical humans, but still turned magic themselves. It was a most foul word said to make someone feel less worth.
After a while Lily calmed down, and could finally smile a little again. Evangeline handed her a pear to eat and regain some strength.
The next day Evangeine was still mad at Sirius, Peter and James. She was only around Remus, when he was alone from the others, Lily and Kate. She could tell that Remus felt guilty for not stepping up when the others had bullied Snape, but she didn't blame him. No one said being a prefect was an easy job, especially not when your friends are Sirius and James. It didn't take long for Evangeline to get back together with them though. Even if she was mad, they where her friends after all. And they did say that they now had come to understand that what they had done was pretty bad. What was bad though, was that they sometimes had the same classes as the Slytherines, and Evangeline could nothing else but be afraid that Snape would take some revenge on them, or that the tension between them sooner or later would explode and lead to a full out duel to the death.
After a couple of weeks, Evangeline noticed that Lily had began to talk with James, to her big surprise. It was a strange turn of event for sure. Had she forgiven him that easily? When Evangeline asked her about it, she only shrugged.
"He actually came to talk to me and ask me to forgive him. He said that he really have acted like an immature prick, and now want to show his better side. And he did actually stand up for me when Snape called me a…. well you know. So I guess I can give him one more chance" Evangeline shrugged and chuckled.
"Sure, because he is so very much mature"
"Is that sarcasm I hear?" Lily laughed and placed a hand on her friends shoulder.
"Indeed it was" Evangeline confirmed.
(Since I have been so slow, here is chapter 12 already ;) I will try to do my best at being faster with my updates now :3 I hope you'll like this chapter. Please leave a comment and follow this story for more :3 )
