Hi, so I'm having a bit of a hard time currently. I'm still in the middle of chapter twelve for this story, started planning two more stories, (I have notebooks filled with notes and plot and things) even started writing one of them, not that I'll post it probably. But I keep waiting for a new chapter to come out for one of the stories that has really grabbed me and I'm always a little disappointed when they don't come out. So here's me trying not to be a disappointment, although you'll have to wait a bit longer for TSSK, I hope you can enjoy WOW for the mean time. Everything is written without a beta at the moment. I have gone through and checked things but I might have a few things.
Once again thank you for your time and consideration.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, just Evan he's mine, like Cat was.
Warnings: Child Abuse.
Chapter 9 – An outbreak of squids.
Harry rushed into the hall at dinnertime. His head swivelling round as he looked for any sign of his brother, he frowned not seeing him.
Evan sat in the empty common room of Gryffindor tower. He had gone into Harry's dormitory and found both his and Ron's beds empty. He had arrived earlier than usual, in fact he had even seen the Fat Lady return to her painting. She scowled at him but when he presented the right password she opened. Since his search for Harry had resulted in nothing he decided to wait, finding a perch on a windowsill. He pulled out some parchment and began to wait. About half an hour later four people scrambled into the common room and collapsed trembling, into arm chairs. Evan shrunk back realising that Harry wasn't alone.
"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" Ron snapped breathlessly. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."
"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" Hermione snapped her temper flaring. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"
"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at it's feet, I was too busy with its heads."
"No not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something." She stood up, glaring at them. "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to be."
"No, we don't mind," Ron said. "You'd think we dragged her along wouldn't you."
Hermione paused at the foot of the stair case her eyes meeting Evan's in the windowsill. Her eyes softened slightly as she continued up to her bed. Neville quickly followed her up the staircase his face had yet to return from a pale colour.
"You coming to bed?" Ron asked as he stood from the armchair.
"No, I'll be up in a minute." Harry nodded.
"Suit yourself." Ron shrugged walking up the stairs.
Evan waited until he was sure Ron was in the dormitory. He dropped down from the windowsill and walked over to Harry who was staring at the portrait. He sat down in the armchair next to his brother.
"So what trouble did you get into?" Evan smiled as Harry jumped a foot in the air.
"When did you get here?" Harry spluttered.
"Before your return from your little trip." Evan shrugged. "Hermione saw me just now."
"You weren't at dinner." Harry changed the subject. "I had something I wanted to tell you."
"I think there's a lot you need to tell me." Evan countered.
So, Harry told Evan about his first flying lesson. About Neville's accident, about Draco and how much he reminded him of Dudley. Evan watched as Harry recounted the story of his first flying lesson. It had been much more eventful than Evan's. He frowned when Harry mentioned that he thought Wood was the name of a cane. His jaw dropped in amazement when Harry explained about becoming the Gryffindor seeker.
"Then she said 'your father would have been proud. He was an excellent Quidditch player himself.'" Harry smiled. "I'm the youngest house player in a century." Harry beamed. "The team know of course, and I told Ron too. I start training next week." Harry suddenly blushed. "Do you think you could come and watch me train?"
"Well you need to get a broom first." Evan smiled. "Now want to tell me about your little trip?"
"That depends what's the three headed dog from Greek myth called?"
"Cerebus. Why? What's that got to do with…"
Then Harry launched into his tale about Draco Malfoy and his challenge of a midnight duel. Evan noticed how Harry responded when he spoke about Hermione and Neville. He felt that he was acting rather harshly towards the two. Harry didn't see it that way. Then he started to talk about what happened with the item Hagrid had moved from Gringotts. Evan remembered that Hermione had said that the three headed dog was stood on a trap door. He couldn't lie his interest was piqued. Even if Harry was turning into a bit of a bully with the way he was treating his other house mates.
Eventually they went up to bed. Even though there was a lot of information swimming about his head Evan quickly fell asleep.
Evan had to stifle a laugh when Draco walked in. He did a double take when he saw Harry sat at the Gryffindor table. Ron came down not long after Draco had entered. Hermione, Evan noticed seemed to be ignoring Ron and Harry not that he could blame her. He looked up at the beat of wings and like everybody else his attention was caught on that of a long thin package. The package was carried by six large screech owls. Evan smirked it would appear someone had bought Harry a broomstick. Another owl fluttered down dropping a letter onto Harry's finished breakfast plate. Evan walked over as Harry ripped the letter open. Harry smiled and held the letter out for Evan to read.
"Will you come with me tonight?" Harry asked.
"Sure," Evan smiled.
"Great!" Harry shouted as he and Ron left the Great Hall quickly.
Evan continued over to the Slytherin table watched as always by both professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. He sat down opposite Theodore who didn't look up from his plate.
"So, I won't be able to make our usual study session tonight." Theodore looked up at him. "Harry asked me to do something with him tonight. I know we go every night, but did you want to meet up at the weekend as well. You could help me catch up on charms." Evan prompted.
"Blowing off a Slytherin for a Gryffindor. What's the matter he not good enough for you anymore squib." Pansy smirked.
"I'm not sure why that word is deemed as a bad one but please don't call me that. It just so happens that my brother has asked me to spend time with him, an occasion that has only happened twice since arriving here. Besides Theodore is my friend." Evan defended.
"Why would he want to be friends with you?" Draco laughed.
"Why shouldn't I want a Slytherin as a friend?" Evan pushed. "Slytherin's are clever, determined, and resourceful. You have ambition and know how to get to where you need to be. Seriously what's wrong with that?"
"But you're a Ravenclaw." Blaise piped up.
"I'm not your typical Ravenclaw. I feel so out of place there. I'm not intelligent, or full of wit and wisdom, but I am hard working and diligent." He paused. "I don't care for prejudice, I want to be your friend because I like you as a person not because you were sorted into this house or that house. In the end it doesn't define who you are." The Slytherin's sat dumbfounded as Evan walked off. Theodore sat back and glanced at his housemates.
Evan walked back into the library food forgotten, he found his usual stack of books and dove back into his studying.
Theodore came and found him a little later.
"Do you really not care about what house I'm in?" Theodore asked.
"Course not. You just wear a different colour uniform is all. To be honest people in my house aren't that nice. Oliver was the only one willing to give me a chance and now the other boys have dragged him away. It's just nice to have a friend for once, you know." Evan shrugged.
"I think I know how to get people to stop calling you a squib." Theodore sat down opposite.
Evan and Theodore ran into class they had gotten too invested in Theodore's idea. They would hopefully finish it tomorrow. Evan noticed that Harry was bouncing in his seat. He was excited for tonight. Evan couldn't blame him really.
Evan was late into dinner he had gone to ask Professor McGonagall a few questions while Theodore asked Professor Quirrell. They nodded at each other as they entered the hall and made their way to their respective tables. Evan dropped into a seat, he was reaching for the mash potatoes when the potion appeared. He sighed he'd skipped a couple of meals, so he'd forgotten about the potion. He picked the potion up and started to gulp it down. He was just serving some chicken onto his plate when Harry bounced over to him. He looked down at his plate of food then back to Harry's beaming face. He went to stand when Harry grabbed the plate.
"Bring it with you. How come you were so late anyway?" Harry stood taking the plate with him.
"Just working on something with Theodore. Hopefully we'll get it finished soon." Evan laughed, taking his plate of food back from his brother
They left the castle together and set off for the Quidditch field. The stadium was huge. The stands held hundreds of seats and were raised high in the air. At each end of the field were three golden poles with hoops on the ends. Almost like a very tall netball post. Except the hoop was vertical on the pole, not horizontal. Harry said they reminded him of the sticks muggles use when blowing bubbles.
Evan sat down on the field finally eating his now cold dinner, while Harry mounted his broom stick. He kicked off from the ground. Evan watched as he swooped in between the goal posts. Then with a sharp turn he sped up and down the pitch. Evan looked over as Wood arrived carrying a large wooden crate. He frowned when he spotted Evan.
"Hi, nice to meet you, I'm Evan Potter. Harry asked me to come. I hope you don't mind?" Evan stood quickly holding his hand out in greeting.
"You're in Ravenclaw."
"Yeah. I won't tell anyone anything. Not like they talk to me anyway." he sighed. "Hey Harry, come down here!" he turned shouting at his brother.
Harry landed a smile split across his face. "Hi Wood. I hope you don't mind I asked Evan to come."
"If he wasn't a Ravenclaw I'd probably snap him up for the team too." Wood eyed the two boys. "McGonagall said you were a natural and she's right. Bet you'd two make the right pair."
"I'm not a great flyer." Evan rubbed the back of his head.
"Nonsense, but he can't come to practice okay?" Wood looked between the two. "Anyway, I'm just going to teach you rules tonight. Then team practice is three times a week," he opened the crate. Inside the crate were four different sized balls.
"Right, Quidditch is easy to understand, it gets a little more complicated to play," said Wood. "There are seven players on each side. Three of them are chasers." Wood bent down and picked up the bright red ball that was the size of a football. "this ball's the Quaffle. The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try to get it through one of the hoops to score a goal."
"How much is each goal worth?" Evan asked.
"Ten points every time the ball goes through one of the hoops." Wood explained. "The next player is the Keeper, that's me for Gryffindor. My job is to stop the other team from scoring, by flying around the hoops."
"So only the three chasers and keeper on each team can touch the Quaffle, right?" Harry replied.
"Yes. Now, here take one of these each." he handed them a small club about the size of a rounders bat. "These two are Bludgers." he pointed to two smaller sleeker jet-black balls. They looked like they were straining to escape the box. "Stand back." Wood warned. He bent down and freed one of the Bludgers.
The black ball shot high into the air and then dived straight at Evan. Evan swung the bat to stop it cracking his skull open. The Bludger went zigzagging away into the air. It zoomed around in the air before launching itself down towards Harry's face. He swung the bat on reflex sending it flying across the pitch. it zoomed back towards them this time aiming for Wood. He dived on top of it and managed to pin it to the ground.
"Nasty little buggers." Wood panted, wrestling the struggling ball back into the crate and strapping it down safely. "The Bludgers rocket around trying to knock players off their brooms. Which is why you have two Beaters on each team. The Weasley twins are ours, Gryffindors." He corrected. "It's their job to protect their team from the Bludgers and try and knock them towards the opposing team."
"Kind of dangerous, but if you've got good Beaters sounds like you've got nothing to worry about." Evan smiled.
"Yeah the Twins are pretty reliable." Wood smiled.
"But have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" Harry asked.
"Never at Hogwarts. Couple broken jaws but nothing worse than that."
"Yeah like a broken jaw isn't that bad." Evan muttered to Harry.
"Now the last member of the team is the Seeker. That'll be you. And you don't have to worry about any of the other balls. Unless a Bludger cracks your head open. But like I said the Weasleys are reliable. They're like a pair of human Bludgers themselves." He reached into the crate and pulled out the fourth ball. It was tiny in comparison to the others. It was bright gold and sat perfectly in the palm of Wood's hand. Little silver wings unfurled and started to flutter.
"This is the Golden Snitch," said Wood. "It's the most important ball out of all of them. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. You've got to weave in and out of other players and dodge other balls to get it before the other team's Seeker. Whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins his team an additional hundred and fifty points. Once the Snitch is caught the game ends. A Seeker gets fouled quite a lot, but I don't think you'll have much trouble on that." He pointed to Harry's Nimbus Two Thousand. "Does that all make sense?" He asked.
Both boys nodded. "Any Questions?" They shook their heads. "We're not going to use the Snitch tonight," he carefully shut it back into the crate. "it's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try you out with a few of these." he pulled a bag of golf balls from his pocket.
Evan sat on the crate watching as the two Gryffindors went up into the air. He watched as Wood threw the golf balls as hard as he could in every direction. He followed the balls direction until it was intercepted by Harry every time. He smiled glad that Harry had found something he was good at. Half an hour later and night had fallen meaning they couldn't carry on.
"That Quidditch cup will have our name on it this year," Wood chirruped as they walked back up to the castle. "I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out better than Charlie Weasley. He could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons." He bemoaned.
Evan ran into the Great Hall placing his empty dinner plate on the Ravenclaw table. He watched it disappear before running back over to Harry. They split up Evan heading to Ravenclaw tower while Harry and Wood went to Gryffindor.
While Harry was busy with Quidditch practice Evan and Theodore were busy in the library. They tested their idea out several times before they were satisfied with the results. He found that both Hermione and Theodore were fascinated by him carving away at his chosen wood. It was one evening when it happened. His head was in a book as he added extra touches to his wooden piece. A Hufflepuff a few years older than them had walked past. He heard the barely concealed muttering of 'Squib' followed by a scream. All three first years looked up in shock. Where the Hufflepuff's head should have been there was now a squid. A very long mantle, with two fins sticking out, sat where the hair should have been. Followed by the head, with large green eyes on either side. Eight long arms sat around the student's shoulders accompanied by two even longer tentacles hanging down from their neck.
The scream had come from a student in the row of books the Hufflepuff and just walked down. Madam Pince came running over at all the commotion. The Hufflepuff student was waving their arms around frantically. With a wave of her wand Madam Pince transfigured the students head.
"He did it!" the irate student pointed at Evan.
"What? No, I didn't!" Evan defended himself.
"He didn't even move his wand." Hermione chimed in.
They looked to see his wand sat to his right on top of the desk. Evan' held a quill in one hand while his other was place holder in the book that was propped open. His wand was on the completely wrong side for him to perform magic.
"To be fair Evan is not exactly great at magic." Theodore piped in.
"Hey!" Evan said in outrage.
"Well you're not. So far you haven't really performed any magic." Theodore shrugged.
"Then it was him." the Hufflepuff snarled at Theodore. "Never thought I'd see a Slytherin being friends with a squib."
They all watched as the Hufflepuff's face turned a vivid yellow before once again transforming into a squid. Madam Pince waved her wand un-transforming the student again. "I think you need to go to the hospital wing." she informed the student. "I didn't see anybody casting a spell, but I will need to ask you three to leave. You can return again tomorrow."
The three gathered their things and left. Evan reached over to Hermione stopping her from storming off.
"Thank you for defending me. I'm sorry we got kicked out of the library." He released her hand.
"You didn't do anything wrong. Besides you're the first person who's actually been nice to me." She looked down at the floor as she spoke. "I'll see you tomorrow." she turned walking away.
"Since we got booted out to want to help me with something?" He turned to Theodore.
"Umm sure." Theodore raised an eyebrow at him sceptically.
Evan smiled lopsidedly and moved off down the corridor. He led Theodore to a disused classroom. There was a cauldron set up and ingredients laid out on a desk. They spent the rest of the evening chopping, slicing and stirring. Evan got a phial and collected the potion, he placed a stopper into the vial and smiled.
"What does it do?" Theodore asked.
"You'll have to wait and see I'm afraid. Can't have you getting into too much trouble, now can we?" Evan laughed.
The next day at breakfast the post came, owls descended everywhere but Evan was watching the Gryffindor table. He looked as an owl dropped in front of the Weasley twins. Fred nudged George and they took the phial and note attached they quickly went into the Entrance hall. Evan finished his breakfast and walked over to Theodore, he tilted his head and they left the Great Hall. There was a small crowd gathered, Evan pointed up. The Weasley twins had moved into a small alcove when they opened the phial. They were stuck to the ceiling. An almost foam like substance had erupted from the phial and shot up into the air taking the two boys with it. The foam had then hardened trapping the two boys. The crowd was laughing, it wasn't very often that the Weasley twins got pranked. Theodore turned to Evan in awe.
"It's like a muggle science experiment. I kinda tweaked it a little but- umm it's called elephant toothpaste." Evan laughed.
His eyes twinkled in mirth as Fred and George were suspended in his foam. He was a little satisfied that he had got them back. He waved and saluted at the two before walking off to class as the teachers came out to see what all the commotion was about. Fred and George stared after Evan Potter. A first year who had got caught in a prank gone wrong, had pranked them back.
Evan was walking with Theodore when one of the first year Slytherins decided to pick on them. She called Theodore a Squib lover and seconds later a squid had replaced her head. Everyone in the corridor stared in shock. Neither of the boys had waved their wands or moved a muscle when the girl turned into the squid head. Professor Snape sent her down to the Infirmary, eyeing the two boys.
By the time dinner had come around there were several more cases of Squid head. Several incidents where neither boy was anywhere near the victim. Filch was stood on the tallest ladder he could find and was chipping away at the hardened foam. A small chuckle escaped Evan's lips as he walked past into the Great Hall. He walked down to an empty space at the Ravenclaw table and sat down. He was just placing some potatoes onto his plate when Professor Dumbledore sat down opposite him. He frowned as the headmaster sat with his hands clasped. His blue eyes twinkling.
"Quite an impressive feat, not many people have managed to prank the Weasley twins." Dumbledore chuckled. Evan glanced up and down the table, a lot of people were staring at them. "However, a prank is only harmless when nobody gets hurt." Evan pushed the plate away.
"I don't understand Professor, Fred and George are currently suspended in the entrance hall. From my understanding they haven't been injured." Evan tilted his head to the side.
"I'm not going to stop you from eating, you can continue to load up your plate. Madam Pomfrey will not be happy with me if you don't eat your dinner." Dumbledore's eye twinkled.
He waited until Evan decided that what he said was true and pulled the plate back over. He added some chicken to his plate followed by some carrots and peas that Dumbledore passed over. The potion appeared once his plate was filled.
"I was referring to the fact that several students have gained a cephalopod for a head." Dumbledore narrowed his eyes, his voice lowered. "From my understanding you asked Professor McGonagall about transfiguration. Partial transfiguration and human transfiguration." He held up a hand. "Mr Nott asked Professor Quirrell about taboos and jinxes. One can assume that you both talked to each other about what you had learned. A taboo is a very powerful dark magic I hope you know, Mr Potter." Dumbledore's eyes lost their twinkle.
A loud noise from the entrance hall drew their attention away. They watched as the Weasley twins made their way into the Great Hall for dinner. "Perhaps it would be best if your pranks didn't last as long as this one has." He stood up from the table.
The Weasley twins sandwiched Evan pulling plates and food towards themselves. Evan looked between them and the teachers table.
"I think they're a bit more preoccupied what with all the squid heads walking around. Ingenious by the way." George smiled.
"I didn't do anything to them. Perhaps they should stop name calling." Evan shrugged.
"That was a pretty impressive prank you pulled on us." George nodded.
"How'd you do it?" Fred asked stuffing a piece of chicken into his mouth.
"You know a magician never reveals his tricks, right?" Evan smirked drinking the potion and pulling a face.
"But you have to tell us." George prompted.
"If you don't, this will be war." Fred smirked.
"What will the winner receive?"
"What?" George blinked.
"What happens if I win?" Evan sat back on the bench.
"We owe you a favour," Fred smirked.
"What happens if you win?"
"You owe us a favour." Fred clicked his fingers.
"Deal." Evan smirked.
"It's on Mr. Potter."
"May the best man win."
The twins stood and walked back to their table, heads together already trying to come up with a plan.
Evan smiled he was looking forward to something fun to distract him from things.
A few mornings later Evan sat down in the Great Hall eating breakfast, Harry walked in and did a double take. Evan's normally dark reddish-brown hair was now a bright blue colour.
"What happened..." Harry gestured finding himself seated at the Ravenclaw table.
"Fred and George." Evan shrugged.
"Okay then." Harry nodded.
Evan flicked his hair out of his line of vision, the dye seemed to have made his hair longer yet no less messy.
Another morning when Evan's hair had faded to a darker blue. Fred and George walked into the Great Hall with black marker all over their faces.
Since the squid head incident Oliver had started to talk to him more. He was fascinated by his wood carvings. Which he'd discovered when he'd let Quill in to the common room late one night.
Evan stretched and yawned, he was in the library again. Theodore and Hermione had already left for the night. It was getting late, he needed to head back to the common room. Oliver might even be waiting up for him. He packed his stuff away and waved good night to madam Prince. He hadn't slept well for a few days. What with devising new ways to beat the twins in their prank war, studying for classes not to mention his new friendship with Oliver. He was getting another headache too. He'd been able to put up with the pain, but this added with his lack of sleep, he would need to get a pain reliever potion from the infirmary. He realised he must have taken a wrong turn somewhere as he didn't recall walking past this gallery of suits if armour. He continued to walk down one corridor followed by another. Pushed through a tapestry and he was sure that was the charms class room he had just passed. His head was beginning to pound, he took a wrong turn and somehow, he ended up in the third-floor corridor. He realised where he was just as a ghost drifted through the wall ahead of him. It was Peeves the poltergeist. He'd yet to have a run in with Peeves, he'd rather keep it that way. So, he darted into the doorway closest to him. He shut the door hurriedly behind him.
He felt hot breath ghosting the back of his neck. he turned around. He was face to face with the three headed dog Harry had told him about. He watched in awe, one head had noticed him while the other two hadn't. The head facing him began to growl. He raised his hands as the other two heads were drawn to him.
"Easy, boy, easy. Settle down, easy boy, easy. Easy."
Advancing towards him all three heads growled menacingly. He continued to talk in a soft voice. Slowly the three heads stopped growling and paused in their advance.
"That's it." Evan lowered his hands slowly. "Now sit." He pointed his finger to the floor, "Sit!" The floor shook from the force of the dog sitting down. He stepped closer, "Aww, you're such a good boy! Yes, you are." he laughed stroking the dog's chest gingerly. The dog's tail wagged hitting the floor heavily. He moved closer using both hands to rub the dog's chest now. "Nobody gives you any love in here, do they?" The dog shook all three of his heads. "Nobody appreciates you, do they?" One of the heads moved and sniffed him before licking at him. Evan giggled as the roughness of the tongue caught on his face. "Do they? Who's the best guard dog?" the tail was wagging so hard now that Evan felt himself jumping off the floor in its exuberance. "You're nothing but a big softie, aren't you?" He got knocked back by the force of the bark. He laughed but is then licked by each head in turn. The giant creature laid down its heads resting them on its crossed paws. Evan edged back towards the door two heads swung round a whine escaping from its throats.
"Hey, I'll be back, but I need to go get some sleep. I'll see you real soon, I promise." The dog huffed and laid its heads back down.
Evan ran all the way back to his tower, Oliver was stood into the doorway a look of worry on his face.
"Where have you been? I can't wait up all night."
"Took a wrong turn somewhere, thank you for waiting up for me." Evan smiled lopsidedly.
They walked up to bed and as soon as his head hit the pillow he was asleep.
Evan soon found himself rather busy with the prank war, visiting the three headed dog and working on his project for Hagrid. Time had flown by, he soon found that he'd been at Hogwarts two whole months. His lessons had started to become more interesting too, now that most people had mastered the basics.
By Halloween morning all Evan's good cheer had dissolved. He was in a sour mood. The smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors made him wrinkle his nose in disgust. Even the fact that Professor Flitwick thought they were ready to start making objects fly in Charms didn't brighten his mood. Making Neville's toad fly around the room was interesting. Luckily Evan was paired with Theodore, who had noticed his mood and hadn't even joked whether his ears were in or not. Evan's gazed wandered to the Gryffindors, he was a bit apprehensive that Harry had been paired with Seamus Finnegan. He had a habit of blowing things up. His gaze wandered to Hermione. She had been paired with Ron Weasley, he wasn't sure who was angrier her or Ron.
Professor Flitwick walked over to Evan. "Everything alright Mr. Potter?"
"Just a headache, Sir."
"You can always go to the Hospital Wing, get a pain reliever potion."
"I will take him after class, thank you professor." Theodore assured.
Professor Flitwick nodded returning to the middle of the room.
"Now don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practising!" Professor Flitwick reminded, he sounded squeaky when he spoke. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And say the magic words properly is very important. Never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f. he found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."
It was difficult. Theodore had to explain the sound of the word to Evan several times before he was comfortable enough to give it a try. The feather sat on the desk between them as they pulled their wands out. Theodore tried first, more to show Evan how to say the words. He pointed his wand at the feather and swished and flicked whilst speaking, "Wingardium Leviosa." The feather stayed where it was. Evan tilted his head, watching as Hermione managed to get her feather to hover about four feet in the air. While Professor Flitwick congratulated Hermione, he noticed Ron's face had changed to furious. He flicked his wand at their feather, "Wingardium Leviosa." He smiled as the feather rose off the desk. He turned to Theodore a smile on his face as the feather floated back down. "Well done Mr. Potter, ten points to Ravenclaw." Professor Flitwick congratulated. Evan ducked his head into his arms lying them on the desk. By the end of lesson several more people in their class had managed to make their feathers float, including Theodore and Draco Malfoy.
At the end of class Evan saw Hermione run past, tears streaming down her face. He frowned at Harry and Ron. He turned to Theodore and asked him to make notes for him if he wasn't back in time. Theodore reminded him about the pain reliever. He waved a hand over his shoulder as he followed Hermione. She ran into a girl's bathroom, he paused he couldn't just go in there. He waited until he was sure that the next lesson had started and when nobody else came out he walked in.
"Hello," He called out, "are there any girls in here?"
"Go away!"
"Hermione," he moved in front of the closed door. "I'm sorry my brother's being a bully."
"Please just go away!" she cried.
"Okay," he moved back, "if you want notes from class…" He turned and walked away.
He headed to the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey looked up as he walked in. She rushed round her desk to him.
"You look terrible. When was the last time you slept?"
"I don't sleep well. But this headache is killing me." He shrugged.
She pursed her lips walking over to her cupboard and pulling out the familiar coloured vial. "Drink this but I expect to see you here after dinner, understood?"
"Yes, ma'am." He knocked back the potion handing back the vial.
He made his way back down to class but sat outside waiting for Theodore. He kept an eye out for Hermione, but she didn't turn up for the rest of the afternoon. By the time dinner came around his head ache had returned. Theodore had to practically carry him into the Great Hall for dinner. Oliver helped Evan sit down as Theodore moved over to his own table. A second vial appeared in front of him he glanced over to Madam Pomfrey sat at the teacher's table who nodded at him in encouragement. He downed the potion quickly, the pain behind his eyes lessening substantially. He blinked his eyes opening wider than they were previously. He looked in awe at the bats, thousands of them. They fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds. The pumpkin's candles stuttered as they swooped past. He turned to look at the Gryffindor table Hermione still hadn't turned up. He stalked over to the Gryffindor table his face angry. He hit Harry on the back of his head.
"Hey!" Harry rubbed the back of his head.
"I thought you were better than that Harry." He scowled.
"Better than what?" Harry asked unsure.
"A bully. You haven't treated Hermione very nice at all." He held up his hand as Harry began to speak. "You of all people should know better. So, what you're the boy who lived, it doesn't give you any right to treat people any differently. You're just Harry Potter. A boy who happened to have something extraordinary happen to him. Doesn't give you the right to judge people and ignore them. You've changed Harry and not for better." He saw that his words had impacted Harry and stalked back over to the Ravenclaw table. He had just pulled a few sandwiches onto his plate when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall. His turban was askew, and terror was written on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped. "Troll – in the dungeons – just thought you ought to know."
He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.
There was uproar, Evan quickly raised his hands to his ears there was so much noise. There were several loud bangs causing him and everyone else to turn and look. The last purple firecracker exploded from Professor Dumbledore's wand. Evan's ears rang a little as he stared at the wand. It was made of elder.
"Prefects," Professor Dumbledore rumbled, "Lead your houses back to the dormitories immediately!"
The prefect that took them up to the tower the first night stood. Oliver jumped to Evan's side. "Her name's Penelope Clearwater," he informed taking hold of Evan's arm and pulling him along with the crowd. Evan got halfway up the tower when he remembered Hermione. He yanked his arm free of Oliver and ran. He ignored all shouts for him to come back. He darted down the stairs skidding to a halt as he reached the third floor. He looked towards the door leading to his new friend, it was slightly ajar. He moved closer and quickly hid behind a suit of armour as someone came flying out of the room. He watched as Professor Snape hobbled out of the room his black cape flowing behind him. Professor Snape paused just past the suit of armour that he was hiding behind. He turned and scowled before in a twirl of his cape he disappeared.
He waited until Professor Snape was gone before darting down the stairs, he skidded into the hallway and threw himself into the girl's toilets. His nose wrinkled up as the stench hit him. He strode past both Professor McGonagall and Snape his eyes looked on Harry.
"Harry!" He marched straight over to Harry and grabbed him by the shoulders, "What the hell were you thinking? You could have died!"
"I'm alright," Harry shrugged.
"But what if you had?"
"I…" Harry stared up at his brother. He saw the fear and desperation in his eyes. "I'm sorry." He hugged Evan tightly, tears welling in both their eyes. Evan squeezed Harry tightly whispering, "I love you." Harry stayed quiet for a few moments, Evan looked so scared right then. "I love you too." Harry whimpered, returning the tight embrace.
Everybody around them gave them space, Professor McGonagall's face had softened witnessing the boys.
"Severus take the Potters to the hospital wing, I'll deal with this." Her voice was soft as she looked at the brothers.
The boys walked along behind Professor Snape, neither really took any notice as he hobbled in front of them. They each took the potions that were handed to them. Madam Pomfrey shook her head as Evan fell asleep in one bed and Harry climbed into the bed at the opposite end. Professor Snape left with a sneer as she gazed upon the two boys. She wondered how often they slept like that? She pulled a curtain round the bed, waving her wand to make it slightly bigger. Again, she would have to bring up her concerns with Dumbledore.
Harry and Evan say I love you to each other as a family bond, they don't ever hear it from the Dursley's. They have also slept in a camper bed in the cupboard under the stairs since they were little. If it helps it's kinda like Simon Pegg and Nick Frost saying I love you to each other. There will not be any romantic relations between the brothers!Thank you for reading and please feel free to review if you want to.
Until next time.