39. The Watcher
The few short weeks before Christmas break passed in a blur of happiness for Evangeline and Severus. They spent every spare moment together, and there were no more painful summonses for Severus. Evangeline actually began to hope that her whereabouts would not be discovered by the Dark Lord.
A couple of days before the students left for Christmas break, Evangeline caught up to Remus Lupin in the library.
"Remus, may I speak to you for a moment?"
"Certainly, Evangeline." He looked up from the book he was studying.
"Angel, remember. We're in public. You're supposed to call me, Angel. Silly as it sounds, I am hiding out," she said with a smile.
"Sorry," he said sheepishly, replacing his book on the shelf. "What can I do for you, Angel?"
She glanced around and noticed some students across the room. "Not here. Out in the hall, okay?"
He nodded, and they crossed the room and left the library, never noticing the pale pointed face and sharp eyes that watched them speculatively from behind the nearest bookcase.
Once out in the empty corridor, Evangeline took Lupin's arm and said, "I need your advice on what to get Severus for Christmas. I want it to be special."
He smiled. "If it comes from you, he'll think it special, Angel."
"Maybe, but what should it be? He has no hobbies or special interests that I know of outside of potion making, that is. I thought, since you've known him longer, you might be able to suggest something."
"Well, I may have known him longer, but I doubt if I know him better, Angel. What does he like to do with his spare time? What's he particularly good at?" He glanced at her, and she was blushing furiously. "Oh…" He smiled. "Well, I imagine that he has everything he could want on that score."
She sighed and clouted him gently on the arm. "That's no help!"
"Sorry!" He grinned. "How about sticking to his official passion then…potions. A book perhaps."
She lit up like a candle. "Yes! Of course! I have the perfect thing! Why didn't I think of it before? My father was quite well known in the field. Severus has told me that he admires his work. I have one of his original manuscripts in my vault at Gringotts. That would be splendid. He'd love it! Oh, thank you, Remus!" She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
He smiled. "You're welcome, but it was all your own idea, Angel. It sounds perfect, though."
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Later in the afternoon as Evangeline was returning to her room after re-hanging some more paintings, she passed Minerva McGonagall's classroom, just as her afternoon class let out. She popped her head in the door and inquired, "Minerva? May I ask you a question?"
"Of course, dear," said Minerva, as she walked over to the classroom door. "How can I help you?"
"How far around the castle do the protective wards extend? How far away would I need to go to disapparate?"
"You'd need to go all the way down to the gates that lead onto the grounds, I'm afraid. Why do you ask?" queried Minerva.
"I need to go to Diagon Alley to get something out of my Gringotts vault. I thought I'd go the day after the students left for Christmas break. I just wondered how far I'd need to walk before I could disapparate."
"You know you probably shouldn't go alone, dear. The Dark Lord could be watching for you." She gave Evangeline a concerned look.
Evangeline smiled. "Don't worry, Minerva. If he knew I was here, we'd have heard something by now. Besides, I can be there and back again in an hour. You don't need to be concerned. Although it's very sweet." She kissed the older woman on the cheek and walked off down the corridor. Neither of them noticed the sharp-faced shadow that lurked behind the nearest suit of armor.