19. Reality Check
After dinner, Evangeline and Severus left the Great Hall together, and she asked him if he'd be willing to go bowling with her. He replied that he could come for a while, but that he had to check on the Wolfsbane Potion, first. So they headed down to his classroom.
"How's it doing?" Evangeline asked curiously, trying to get a good look in the cauldron.
"It'll be ready by morning," he said while stirring the potion carefully.
"Remus really should learn to do this himself." Evangeline mused.
Snape snorted. "Potions never was his best subject."
"Well, I'm not sure that's really a good excuse in this instance. This should be tremendously important to him, after all. This potion makes a huge difference in his life. I would think he'd want some control over it, instead of leaving himself to the mercy of others. If something is that important, you should take the time and make the effort. At least, that's my opinion on the matter, for what little it's probably worth."
Snape stared at her with a small smile quirking his lips. "Not everyone looks at life the way you do, unfortunately, Evangeline."
"Oh, Severus. I keep forgetting to ask you to let me in to Slytherin House. I want to check the paintings in the four houses before the students come."
"Yes, it would be easier I suppose."
"You have no idea how much of a curious crowd I can attract sometimes…and the questions! Kids can ask the strangest things. Of course, sometimes they're just trying to get information for their curious parents, who are too embarrassed to ask themselves."
Suddenly Snape straightened up as if bitten.
"What's the matter, Severus? Did you forget an ingredient or something?" Evangeline asked in a puzzled tone.
"We've been idiots!" he said abruptly, a dark frown settling heavily on his features.
"What are you talking about?" she questioned.
He stared at her intently. "You were pursued before you came here."
"Yes." Her face began to lose its colour. What was he driving at? His sudden seriousness was beginning to concern her.
"Do you think the Death Eaters are still looking for you? Could they know that you're here?" he asked urgently.
"I don't know. I told no one where I was going. I came directly here the next morning. What's the matter, Severus? You're scaring me." Alarm bells were starting to ping through her brain.
Snape paused obviously thinking hard about something that concerned him. "We need to see Albus, immediately."
Without waiting for a response from her, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the classroom, down the corridor, and up the stairs. She didn't try to stop him to ask questions. Instead she just concentrated on not falling down and getting dragged along in his wake. He had a death grip on her hand. Together they raced upstairs, heading for Professor Dumbledore's office.
"Chocolate Fudge," stated Snape impatiently. The guardian gargoyle did its usual hop to the side, and Snape pulled Evangeline onto the moving staircase. He steadied her with his arm when she practically fell over because of the rush. In moments they were knocking on Dumbledore's door. Snape barely waited for a response before flinging open the door and hauling Evangeline in behind him.
Dumbledore looked up in surprise to see Snape dragging Evangeline into his office. "Severus, Evangeline, this is a surprise. Whatever is the matter?"
Evangeline shrugged. "I'm not sure, Professor. Severus seems to think we have a problem related to the Death Eaters who were after me earlier in the summer."
Dumbledore turned to Snape, a serious expression on his face. "Severus, do you have a concern?"
Snape nodded his head. "Albus, Evangeline wants to clean the house paintings, but I doubt if there's time for her to complete the task before the students come," he began.
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, that's probably true. Why is this a problem, Severus?"
"If the Death Eaters are still searching for her, the more people who know she's here, the greater the danger she's in. Some of the students who come here have connections to families who serve the Dark Lord. If they tell their parents she's here, then he'll know about it. She needs to keep a low profile among the students. She shouldn't sit at the staff table or be introduced to the student body, or in anyway, draw attention to herself, while she's here. That includes spending any time in the student quarters while they're present. If the Dark Lord truly does desire her, and discovers her whereabouts, everyone at Hogwarts would be in danger."
"Severus," Evangeline exclaimed, "The students are going to know I'm here no matter what I do, unless I never leave my room. Anyway, we don't know for sure that that monster is seeking me, and even if he is, he couldn't get at me here. It's not as if he has an agent inside Hogwarts. I'm perfectly safe here."
Dumbledore and Snape exchanged glances.
Dumbledore spoke up. "True, my dear, but Severus is right nevertheless. We should've tried to hide your presence better before this. Now too many people know that you're here. Once the students come, it'll be more difficult to keep you safe. You should probably dine in your rooms and do your work as unobtrusively as possible. You should also refrain from giving your name to any of the students. It would probably be best for you to skip cleaning the house paintings for now as well. Perhaps later you can do them, once we've had a chance to discover whether or not you are, indeed, being sought by Voldemort, as I'm very much afraid you are."
Evangeline sank into a chair by Dumbledore's desk, feeling rather like she'd been blindsided by a double-decker. "I've been so happy since I've been here that I almost forgot why I came. I was able to convince myself that this was just another job, but it's not is it?" She raised frightened eyes to Dumbledore. "Have you been able to learn…?" She glanced at Snape, who looked back in puzzlement.
"No, my dear. I haven't learned anything new," replied Professor Dumbledore in a neutral tone.
Snape gave Dumbledore a shrewd speculative look. "Perhaps, Albus, I could be of more help, if I knew why Evangeline might be wanted by the Dark Lord in the first place."
Evangeline looked down and shook her head. Dumbledore turned to Snape. "I'm sorry, Severus. It's better for you, if you don't know what we suspect. The fewer who know about it the better."
Snape frowned, although he didn't like it, he could see the wisdom in this, so he remained silent.
"Perhaps, I should ask people to call me by a nickname or something. One I've never used before. That should help to confuse the issue for awhile," Evangeline suggested.
"An excellent idea. I'll instruct the current staff to refer to you by whatever you decide on. At least, in public." Dumbledore smiled kindly at her.
"I suppose we could use Evie," she said uncertainly.
"That's too much like your real name," stated Snape flatly. "How about, Angel?"
"Angel?" She raised questioning eyes to his. "Why Angel?"
Snape's expression gave none of his thoughts away as he shrugged casually. "It's part of your name, but it's not a common derivative. It seemed appropriate."
"Okay," she said doubtfully. "It'll take some getting used to."
"Excellent," said Dumbledore. "Now try not to worry, too much, my dear. Things will work out, you'll see." He smiled encouragingly at her.
Feeling a bit dazed by these unpleasant developments, Evangeline stood up on unsteady legs, smiled back automatically, and headed for the door with Snape at her back.
They retreated down the stairs and walked slowly towards her quarters. Still a bit dazed she opened her door and walked in. Snape followed her and closed the door after them. "I suppose you no longer feel like going bowling," he remarked quietly.
Unsure how to answer him, she sighed and wandered over to the window and looked out over the grounds. He followed her like a guardian shadow. She shook her head silently and felt tears begin to slowly slide down her cheeks. Suddenly Severus took her into his arms and held her gently, offering his silent support. His elegant fingers stroked her hair lightly, giving her a chance to compose herself again.
Once she felt more in control she spoke quietly, her head against his chest. "Oh, Severus, I've really enjoyed the time I've spent here, but I don't want to endanger other people. Perhaps I should find somewhere else to hide for awhile."
He continued to gently stroke her hair, and murmured softly, "Where would you go, Evangeline? You're probably safer here than anywhere else. Albus is right. Things will work out. We won't let anything happen to you."
Blinking back her tears, she smiled up at him, enjoying the feeling of his arms around her. "Thank you. I do feel better." He gazed solemnly down at her and nodded. Then, a bit reluctantly, he stepped back and released her. That tense awkward feeling seemed to rise up between them again.
She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Looking sadly around her room, she said, "Well, these are lovely quarters, but I'm afraid before long they're going to seem like a prison. Before I'm condemned to solitary for the duration of the term, I think, I would like to have some fun, after all. Would you still be willing to go bowling with me, Severus?"
He nodded. "Of course, Evangeline."
She shook her head and attempted a smile. "Better make it, Angel, I guess."