The Evanses
I went to see Lily the next day, but her parents were there, so I excused myself. I decided to go for a walk in the grounds, which were still frosted with snow, and went to see Hagrid, the gamekeeper. I'm not sure if he is still at Hogwarts or not, but he was a lovely man, if a little unconventional.
I asked him if it would be all right for me to pick some flowers for Lily, and being the man of charity he was, he said yes, but on the condition I came back in an hour. There were some beautiful ones growing in his enchanted herb garden (how else would Lilies and Snapdragons grow in December?) and I chose the closet to perfect I could find. All of them were white or yellow, Lily's favourite colours, and when I was done, I summoned a pretty silver ribbon to tie around their stems.
I looked at my watch, and an hour had passed. I made my way back to Hagrid's hut, where the strangest of smells filled the air. It was neither pleasant nor unpleasant, just strange. I knocked on the door, and Hagrid ushered me in, with the largest smile on his face. As it turned out, he had made a large batch of fudge for me to take to Lily, along with his best wishes. I thanked him, and was on my way, if a little hindered by the shape of the box in which he had put the fudge. It was like a diamond, with many sides, and though the weight didn't bother me at all, the shape was awkward to carry along with a bunch of flowers.
As I reached the hospital wing, Lily' parents were just leaving. Her father saw me, and came rushing up to me. He looked remarkably nervous, though any muggle would look nervous at Hogwarts, even without the reasons for being there Mr Evans had.
"Excuse me? Are you the young lady who came to see Lily a while ago?" He asked, with a prominent nervous quake in his voice.
"Uh, about an hour and a half ago, yes."
"Lily told us who you are. Rene, is it?"
"Yes, sir."
"There's no need for that. Call me Martin, and this is my wife, Marianne." he gestured towards the pale woman to his right.
"Pleased to meet you both. I was just going in to see Lily," I gestured to the box "Present from Hagrid...he's the gamekeeper." I added hastily, seeing their confused looks.
"A-and those beautiful flowers?" Mrs Evans ventured half out of politeness, half out of curiosity about how they grew in such weather.
"Oh, well, they're from me. Hagrid has an enchanted garden where they grow all year, and I thought they may brighten up the hospital wing a bit." I smiled as easily as I could at them, desperate to ease their nerves.
"They really are pretty," Mr Evans began again "Her favourite colours."
"Very thoughtful. Thank you." His wife muttered timidly.
"Uh, We...we wanted to thank you...f-for all you've done for Lily. She told us you were the one who helped her...W-we really owe you a lot." He smiled vaguely at me, not knowing what else to say.
"You're welcome. I'm sure most people would have done the same for her. She has don just as much for me over the years."
"Really," piped Mrs Evans, with less nervousness than before "She might not have been here now without you. She's lucky to have a such a good friend"
They both smiled at me, and I had no clue what to say, when, right on cue
"Ah, Mr and Mrs Evans, I presume?"
Their faces paled in amazement, and from the friendly tones, I guessed that Dumbledore was behind me. Mr Evans nodded, though he remained wide-eyed and open-mouthed, and Mrs Evans moved closer to her husband.
"I am the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. How is Lily this morning?"
"She, She's on the mend, according to the nurse." He offered a shaky hand to Dumbledore, who took it and shook it with gusto.
"If you'll follow me, I've had the house elves prepare some rooms for you. Good Morning Miss Montague." He added. I felt better knowing he would still refer to me by that name in the presence of others. "Do give my regards to Lily when you see her."
"Yes, sir, I will."
He sniffed the air curiously, and then realisation dawned upon him.
"Ah," he said, nodding to the box. "Present from Hagrid?"
"Yes, sir. Fudge...I think."
"Excellent! Well, I do hope Miss Evans enjoys it! Come along now, your rooms are just up these stairs..."
As I watched them head for the third floor, I saw the Evanses halt as the staircase moved around to face Dumbledore. It seemed they were going to have to get used to a lot in the few days they would be staying.
I went to see Lily the next day, but her parents were there, so I excused myself. I decided to go for a walk in the grounds, which were still frosted with snow, and went to see Hagrid, the gamekeeper. I'm not sure if he is still at Hogwarts or not, but he was a lovely man, if a little unconventional.
I asked him if it would be all right for me to pick some flowers for Lily, and being the man of charity he was, he said yes, but on the condition I came back in an hour. There were some beautiful ones growing in his enchanted herb garden (how else would Lilies and Snapdragons grow in December?) and I chose the closet to perfect I could find. All of them were white or yellow, Lily's favourite colours, and when I was done, I summoned a pretty silver ribbon to tie around their stems.
I looked at my watch, and an hour had passed. I made my way back to Hagrid's hut, where the strangest of smells filled the air. It was neither pleasant nor unpleasant, just strange. I knocked on the door, and Hagrid ushered me in, with the largest smile on his face. As it turned out, he had made a large batch of fudge for me to take to Lily, along with his best wishes. I thanked him, and was on my way, if a little hindered by the shape of the box in which he had put the fudge. It was like a diamond, with many sides, and though the weight didn't bother me at all, the shape was awkward to carry along with a bunch of flowers.
As I reached the hospital wing, Lily' parents were just leaving. Her father saw me, and came rushing up to me. He looked remarkably nervous, though any muggle would look nervous at Hogwarts, even without the reasons for being there Mr Evans had.
"Excuse me? Are you the young lady who came to see Lily a while ago?" He asked, with a prominent nervous quake in his voice.
"Uh, about an hour and a half ago, yes."
"Lily told us who you are. Rene, is it?"
"Yes, sir."
"There's no need for that. Call me Martin, and this is my wife, Marianne." he gestured towards the pale woman to his right.
"Pleased to meet you both. I was just going in to see Lily," I gestured to the box "Present from Hagrid...he's the gamekeeper." I added hastily, seeing their confused looks.
"A-and those beautiful flowers?" Mrs Evans ventured half out of politeness, half out of curiosity about how they grew in such weather.
"Oh, well, they're from me. Hagrid has an enchanted garden where they grow all year, and I thought they may brighten up the hospital wing a bit." I smiled as easily as I could at them, desperate to ease their nerves.
"They really are pretty," Mr Evans began again "Her favourite colours."
"Very thoughtful. Thank you." His wife muttered timidly.
"Uh, We...we wanted to thank you...f-for all you've done for Lily. She told us you were the one who helped her...W-we really owe you a lot." He smiled vaguely at me, not knowing what else to say.
"You're welcome. I'm sure most people would have done the same for her. She has don just as much for me over the years."
"Really," piped Mrs Evans, with less nervousness than before "She might not have been here now without you. She's lucky to have a such a good friend"
They both smiled at me, and I had no clue what to say, when, right on cue
"Ah, Mr and Mrs Evans, I presume?"
Their faces paled in amazement, and from the friendly tones, I guessed that Dumbledore was behind me. Mr Evans nodded, though he remained wide-eyed and open-mouthed, and Mrs Evans moved closer to her husband.
"I am the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. How is Lily this morning?"
"She, She's on the mend, according to the nurse." He offered a shaky hand to Dumbledore, who took it and shook it with gusto.
"If you'll follow me, I've had the house elves prepare some rooms for you. Good Morning Miss Montague." He added. I felt better knowing he would still refer to me by that name in the presence of others. "Do give my regards to Lily when you see her."
"Yes, sir, I will."
He sniffed the air curiously, and then realisation dawned upon him.
"Ah," he said, nodding to the box. "Present from Hagrid?"
"Yes, sir. Fudge...I think."
"Excellent! Well, I do hope Miss Evans enjoys it! Come along now, your rooms are just up these stairs..."
As I watched them head for the third floor, I saw the Evanses halt as the staircase moved around to face Dumbledore. It seemed they were going to have to get used to a lot in the few days they would be staying.
