A/N: I know I didn't update last week, but a little thing called a term
paper got in the way. Sorry! However, I love all my readers so much that
despite upcoming midterms, I updated. I know how horrible waiting can get,
so I apologize again. I love all of you guys!! P.S. Some answers 2 ur
questions will be revealed in this chapter, so read on.
Chapter Ten: Images of the Past, Glimpses of the Future
Harry's and Ron's footsteps reverberated through the narrow hallway up the stairs to Hermione's room. Harry knocked once, the signal for her to open the door, which she did, and right in front of her, where there was empty space, two tall seventeen year old boys appeared. Hermione mused at how comically worried they looked. In a hushed manner, she invited them inside.
"C'mon Herm, let's just go," Ron whispered. Hermione just smiled.
"Why take the hard way? Come inside," she said. Looking at each other curiously, the boys tiptoed into the room.
"Hello? Don't you guys remember who you're dealing with? We can just cover ourselves with the cloak and I can more than carry you both as I fly to her window. We won't risk being caught." Hermione probably wouldn't have made a suggestion like that a few years before. But with her developing powers, she was becoming more self-confident, more daring. She didn't want to be intimated by this Eve, or what she had in store for them that night. She smiled again, " Besides, it'll be a nice surprise for her, or whatever traps she's planned."
" I think she might have even expected that too, Herm, but I'll go ahead with it. Make things interesting, love," Ron said as he put his arm around her neck affectionately.
"You two are gonna make me miserable, aren't you?" Harry asked.
" Yes," Hermione giggled. She then became serious and transformed herself. Although he had seen it before, Ron was still amazed. Harry just stood there with an idiotic look of awe. After Ron knocked him back with a jab in the shoulder, they were off out the window and in the air, oblivious to anyone who might have been looking.
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Eve sat on her bed, fingering the back pocket of her album. No matter what she had tried, it wouldn't open. The guesses of what it might contain were driving her crazy. She was hoping with all her might that at least Harry would come. She knew deep down in her heart that for some reason he was the one who would be able to open it with her. How or why, she did not know. But another thing deep in her heart that she knew was that she absolutely had to find out, as if her whole purpose on this earth depended on it. She looked at the pocket once more and sighed. Her father had told her to meet again tomorrow evening. Was she going to accept his offer? She was terrified to death at what he might show her. She was even more terrified at what her reaction to it might be.
Zenith flew from his perch and nudged her shoulder gently with his beak. His look was pleading with her not to look at that album anymore.
"Zenith, I have to know," she said, stroking his feathers. Her mind drifted to Draco. She knew that he wanted her to like him, perhaps even more. But that was all she knew about him. That, and his father was, and probably continued to be in league with her father. What was he hiding from her in his cloudy thoughts? She was always very uncomfortable around him now because of that, although she didn't show it. Especially since he knew that Hermione knew about her father, (Why did she tell him? Very stupid of me, she thought,) she sensed that he might be even more dangerous than he showed. ' I'll make it seem that I like him, I guess, so he'll think things are going his way,' she thought. 'Besides, he is kinda cute, in a very sexy and dangerous way. No wonder all the Slytherin girls go insane over him'.
She was looking straight at the door. But then a strange sort of intuition told her to look at the window instead. Sure enough, she felt a gush of wind a sound of flapping wings. The curtains on her window gently moved with the wind, sweeping the floor. Them seemingly out of nowhere, a beautiful bird with two gasping boys still holding onto her legs appeared.
" I hope you weren't too rough on them, Hermione," Eve said silkily as she walked towards them. Eyeing her the whole time cautiously, Hermione transformed back." I didn't know you Gryffindors wanted to impress me so much. I'm afraid all I have for you is some hot tea," she said.
"I bet," Hermione murmured under her breath.
A tea pot poured itself into three cups on a small elegantly carved Victorian table in the corner of her room. Ron and Harry got up, looking at every inch of her dorm room, examining every detail for traps. Their cheeks were still red from the brisk night air.
" Make yourselves at home. It looks like its freezing out there," Eve said.
"Don't mind if I do," Ron said as he walked towards the table. Hermione stopped him with a silent yet deadly looking stare. He backed away, as if there was a violent dragon in front of him.
"Stop with the pleasantries, Eve. What did you want to show us?" Hermione said bitingly.
" Alright, here it is," Eve said as she rose up from her chair and indignantly tossed her album towards them. Hermione seized it and looked through the pages, Ron staring over her shoulder. Harry was still taken with the very size and beauty of the room. The master king-sized bed at the center was carved from the same elegant rosewood as the table, and on the floor was a beautiful Persian rug with intricate details. There was an exquisite vanity with a huge mirror, its corners carved with magnificent details. The fireplace made of colored stone and marble crackled across from the bed. A door to the side led to a private bathroom.
"I thought only Head Girl and Head Boy had their own individual rooms," Harry said. Ron looked up and eyed the room again.
"Yeah, and yours is much bigger than 'Mione's," he commented. Hermione looked up at him and jabbed her elbows in his ribs. Ron winced in pain.
"I'm glad you like it. It's really for teachers," she said.
"Wow, they sure live the life, huh?" Ron said.
"So what makes YOU so special, Eve?" Hermione asked bitterly, barely looking up from the album.
" Well, in the beginning I dormed with a few Slytherin girls, but then they took me out."
"Why?" Harry asked.
Eve smiled curiously. " I have nightmares of my mother. They couldn't sleep because of my screaming." Ron and Harry looked up at her, amazed at her nonchalance. Hermione ignored this and turned the last pages.
"What is this? All these are just your stupid baby pictures!" Hermione cried.
" Correction. They are everything except my baby pictures, which I don't have any as an infant. Also, you've failed to notice the little pocket at the end. And it conveniently doesn't open until I have another person with me," she said.
" Why are you so sure its Harry?" Hermione asked.
"That's just it. I'm not sure why. Which makes me even more sure its him."
Ron raised a red eyebrow. She lost him with that sentence.
" C'mon, Harry, just touch it the same time as I do," she said. Harry shrugged his shoulders and obeyed. As soon as both of their fingers touched it, a blinding beam of light burst from the album, causing Hermione to drop it. Dozens of pictures and clippings fell to the floor, floating down as if they were enormous snowflakes. The four teenagers knelt down to pick them all up.
" My parents!" Harry exclaimed. He was holding many pictures of his parents, looking younger and younger with each picture. Most of them had Eve's mother and Lily together, at dinner parties, in each other's houses, wearing Hogwarts robes. They were even at the wedding of Eve's mother. Hermione picked up the clippings of old Daily Prophets. The various headlines stated : "Sarah Pendragon Captures Top Agent of You-Know-Who," "Lily Evans and Sarah Pendragon Apprehend Three Death-Eaters," "Dream Team: Saran Pendragon and Lily Evans, Greatest Aurors of all Time," "Sarah Pendragon Receives Honorary Award of Merlin, First Class."
Harry picked up an article Hermione had missed. It read:
Sarah Pendragon Reveals Plot of Murder of Minister of Magic
The famed Auror Sarah Pendragon, the last remaining heir to the legendary family of Merlin, has accomplished the biggest feat yet of her career. Risking her life by going undercover as a spy, Miss Pendragon has revealed a plot to endanger the Minister of Magic's life. She captured Darius McNamara, disguised as an assistant of the Minister who always was very close with him. He secretly murdered the poor assistant, and assuming his form using Ployjuice Potion, he had his eye on the minister for his next target.
The Minister of Magic, James Potter, was indeed very lucky, because Miss Pendragon is a very close, personal friend of him and his wife Lily, also a famed Auror. Sarah, who had a close relationship with the Potters and all who knew them, immediately became suspicious of his assistant. When she searched his house, she found his body, even though it was quite well hidden. She will receive the honorary award named after her own ancestor in two weeks.
Harry finally found his voice amidst his shock.
"Eve, your mother and my parents were."
"Best friends," she whispered as she looked as his article.
"My mom, she was, she was an Auror, and my dad, he was the.the."
"Minister of Magic," Eve said, smiling.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Harry cried.
"That's why Voldemort came after them," Ron said.
"No, Dumbledore said he came directly for ME," Harry replied. Eve had her brows furrowed, deep in concentration. She picked up some more articles, these ones being either violently torn and seemingly stuck back together, or just very old and tattered. One of the read:
Pendragon Scandal: Birth of You-Know-Who's Heir
After foiling so many plots, it seems that the famous Auror Sarah Pendragon could not save herself. In a horrendous and ironic twist, the famed descendant of Merlin himself has fallen victim to the Dark Side in a fate worse than death. Undercover reports reveal that amazingly, she has given birth to the daughter of none other than You-Know-Who, disguised as her husband, John Littlegood, whose body was found this week. The daughter, named Eve, will retain her true father's last name, Riddle. It is reported that she has a mysterious birthmark, but when asked about it, Albus Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard of modern times and an expert on magical markings, refused to reveal any information. There are many claims that the mark is a sure sign of the ominous future this baby will have. Perhaps she is even to become his heir, and You-Know-Who's choice of her mother seems to be an act of cruel irony and showmanship of his power over one of his biggest foes. A council will be held with the minister tomorrow, as many top ministry members, especially Mr. Crouch, are calling for the baby to be exiled or killed, to avert future danger. The Minister has repeatedly refused this, but a meeting will still be held. Sarah Pendragon or any of her close relations were unavailable for comment. The Daily Prophet will continue to report on the events of this astonishing story. As he becomes more and more powerful, it is frightening to see that even our best fighters against him are susceptible to You-Know-Who's evil.
Eve's felt a huge lump forming in her throat as she read this. She forced herself to pick up another article.
Famous Auror and Her Daughter Announced Dead
Sarah Pendragon, along with her daughter, whose father was, incredibly, You- Know-Who, have been announced dead this morning. Apparently grieving over the death of her husband and that she was unwillingly the main figure in a plot of the one villain she had been gallantly fighting against her whole life, Sarah committed suicide after killing her daughter, who was believed to be destined as You-Know-Who's heir. Although no actual images of the bodies were shown, the report has been confirmed by powerful wizard, Albus Dumbledore, and by the Minister of Magic himself. Sarah's friends are mourning over this tragic loss. This courageous Auror used her last breaths to foil what was possibly the biggest plot of You-Know-Who ever known.
Eve blinked and tried to suppress the pressure in her chest and the burning in the corners of her eyes. Finally she picked up a piece of old parchment, with elegant handwriting. It was a letter, addressed to her mother.
My dearest Sarah,
It is almost inconceivable to imagine how my life will be like without you. You have been my dearest friend, so close that I regard you as a sister. We have been through the unimaginable together. I know that you and your daughter will have to flee to save your lives. Her father is out to find her, and you must do everything you can to keep her from knowing about her past. It is very tragic about John, but it is more tragic that you have to leave. I pray every day that Voldemort will one day meet his downfall, so you may come back. James also wishes you the best of luck, and ensures that everything will be done to keep you two safe . I hope that life will not be too hard disguised as a muggle. Little Harry will deeply miss his fondest playmate; he is constantly crying since he has been separated from Eve.
This will probably be the last letter I write to you in a long time, since I'm supposed to sever all connections with you. Yet, I am at loss as to what to say. Words cannot express my melancholy. I wished it would not end like this. Take good care of yourself and your daughter. Finally, always remember this, you will be in my thoughts and prayers every day that we are separated. But I know we will be together again one day.
With dearest love always, Lily
Eve let the yellowed parchment fall down to the floor, and didn't restrain the rush of tears that streamed down her cheeks. She sat down on her bed, apparently forgotten totally about Hermione, Ron, or Harry, all who were looking at the various pictures and articles in increasing degrees of amazement. Harry picked up the letter, read it, and sat down next to her, the letter still in his hand as if it were a precious treasure. He put his arms around her and she accepted his embrace, her flowing tears soaking into his sweater.
"It's okay, Eve, at least we both finally know," he said. Eve put her own arms around him, grasping him tighter. When she was in his arms, everything seemed to have felt better. She felt the numbing grief and painful memories ebb away. Everything seemed to have some sort of purpose now. His strong arms, his unruly hair, his soothing voice, even the scent of him was comforting. She broke away and tried to regain her composure. Harry marveled at how this girl could transform from a seemingly dangerous, mysterious young woman to a vulnerable girl. He liked the idea that she needed his comfort that moment. She rested her fingers on her chin, looking at the floor deep in thought.
Ron walked over and sat next to him, concerned. Harry looked for something to cheer her up. He found some baby pictures of him and Eve.
"Look, Eve. You and I go way back. More than we could have ever imagined."
Eve looked at the pictures. Her and Harry were playing with toys in a playpen. In another one both of them had bibs around their necks and globs of chocolate covering their mouths, smiling in pleasure. Another one showed them in their diapers, being held by their mothers. At the last one, she couldn't help but crack a smile. Her and Harry were taking a bath together, soapy foam covering their heads and dribbling down their chins.
"Looks like we've even seen each other naked," Harry said mischievously. Eve rolled her eyes. Hermione was still looking through all the articles and pictures.
"Harry, have you seen these? Do you know what this means?" she gasped every time she picked up something different.
"I know, I know, Herm," he replied. He looked again at Eve. He felt that she needed to be alone, to sort everything out. The pieces of her shattered life were slowly coming together, and she needed to mull over things. Harry knew that at least he needed to. "C'mon guys, I think we've seen everything we've come here for." Ron stood up and tried to tear Hermione away from the articles. Before he led her out the door, she walked toward Eve.
"Listen, Eve, even though I'm sorry I er, spied on you, I have to say one thing."
Eve looked up at her.
" No matter what, you never listen to, you know, him. Your father. Look at all these. They show who really cared about you AND your mother. Please, in the future, remember your past." And she walked out the door without another word, after Ron.
Harry walked over and knelt down to her. He was barely able look her in the eye when he said, " I wish I knew your mother."
"I wish I knew yours," came the warm reply. Then she said something startling. "These pictures don't do justice. She's much more beautiful in person."
"What? How do you know?"
"Because, Harry, she's the one I saw yesterday in Charms class. She's the one who fixed your watch." She was talking in faint whispers.
" What?"
"Trust me, Harry. You and I have this weird connection. I mean besides all this with our parents knowing each other and everything. I don't know what it means, but I know its there."
______________________________________
The three of them walked down the stairs from Eve's room (they were so preoccupied by what they had seen that they had forgotten about Hermione's flying). They weren't even watching very much where they were going. Suddenly, the three of them ran into something very solid. Out of thin air appeared none other than Draco Malfoy, whose own Invisibilty Cloak had apparently slid off in the collision. He got up and shot out his arms, feeling the air, and he caught their own cloak and threw it off.
"What are you doing here?" Ron cried.
"Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?" he spat.
" Eve invited us over. Didn't she tell you, Malfoy? Oh, you're probably not important enough," Harry replied.
" Well you have to forgive me," he said sardonically, " There isn't anything that would prove that you're not spying, as is an unfortunate habit of you Gryffindors." He looked at Hermione. " I should've charged the mudblood for the show she got yesterday. She was staring at me as if she couldn't get enough of an eyeful. I felt so disgusted after I found out it was her I had to take a shower. Don't tell me you were spying on me then, Granger?"
"Don't flatter yourself," Hermione replied.
"You lying little shit. Why on earth would she want to watch you?" Ron said with venom and lunged toward him, but Harry was too fast and caught him.
" I know what I saw. Apparently you're not satisfying your girlfriend, Weasley." Ron leaped and Harry barely held onto him.
"C'mon, Ron, its not worth it," he said to him.
" Yeah, back out, Potter. You only act brave if you can recognition for it. I can take all three of. Try me," Draco said, as he pulled out his wand.
"Listen, Malfoy, stop picking a fight. You're acting like a child," Harry said.
"This isn't child's play, Potter. You know why I'm angry."
"And why is that?" Harry asked. He tried to suppress his own anger.
" Just stay away from her. I don't want you talking to her ever. If I see you near her, you'll regret it. For as long as you live," Draco's eyes and voice were like ice.
" I don't have time to listen to empty threats. Let's go, you guys. He's just a waste of skin," Harry said as he pushed Hermione and Ron away, down the staired corridor.
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A/N: How did u guys like this chapter?? Again, much apologies for the slight delay in updating. After midterms are over, I'll post every week. You'll get more on Friday or Saturday, I promise!! Meanwhile, REVIEW! Each of ur reviews are as precious as gold. They reassure me that I'm not doing EVERYTHING wrong. Lol, please, please, I'm begging, review!!!!!! You're getting sleepy, verrrrry sleepy, that blue button looks very inviting..
Chapter Ten: Images of the Past, Glimpses of the Future
Harry's and Ron's footsteps reverberated through the narrow hallway up the stairs to Hermione's room. Harry knocked once, the signal for her to open the door, which she did, and right in front of her, where there was empty space, two tall seventeen year old boys appeared. Hermione mused at how comically worried they looked. In a hushed manner, she invited them inside.
"C'mon Herm, let's just go," Ron whispered. Hermione just smiled.
"Why take the hard way? Come inside," she said. Looking at each other curiously, the boys tiptoed into the room.
"Hello? Don't you guys remember who you're dealing with? We can just cover ourselves with the cloak and I can more than carry you both as I fly to her window. We won't risk being caught." Hermione probably wouldn't have made a suggestion like that a few years before. But with her developing powers, she was becoming more self-confident, more daring. She didn't want to be intimated by this Eve, or what she had in store for them that night. She smiled again, " Besides, it'll be a nice surprise for her, or whatever traps she's planned."
" I think she might have even expected that too, Herm, but I'll go ahead with it. Make things interesting, love," Ron said as he put his arm around her neck affectionately.
"You two are gonna make me miserable, aren't you?" Harry asked.
" Yes," Hermione giggled. She then became serious and transformed herself. Although he had seen it before, Ron was still amazed. Harry just stood there with an idiotic look of awe. After Ron knocked him back with a jab in the shoulder, they were off out the window and in the air, oblivious to anyone who might have been looking.
____________________________________________
Eve sat on her bed, fingering the back pocket of her album. No matter what she had tried, it wouldn't open. The guesses of what it might contain were driving her crazy. She was hoping with all her might that at least Harry would come. She knew deep down in her heart that for some reason he was the one who would be able to open it with her. How or why, she did not know. But another thing deep in her heart that she knew was that she absolutely had to find out, as if her whole purpose on this earth depended on it. She looked at the pocket once more and sighed. Her father had told her to meet again tomorrow evening. Was she going to accept his offer? She was terrified to death at what he might show her. She was even more terrified at what her reaction to it might be.
Zenith flew from his perch and nudged her shoulder gently with his beak. His look was pleading with her not to look at that album anymore.
"Zenith, I have to know," she said, stroking his feathers. Her mind drifted to Draco. She knew that he wanted her to like him, perhaps even more. But that was all she knew about him. That, and his father was, and probably continued to be in league with her father. What was he hiding from her in his cloudy thoughts? She was always very uncomfortable around him now because of that, although she didn't show it. Especially since he knew that Hermione knew about her father, (Why did she tell him? Very stupid of me, she thought,) she sensed that he might be even more dangerous than he showed. ' I'll make it seem that I like him, I guess, so he'll think things are going his way,' she thought. 'Besides, he is kinda cute, in a very sexy and dangerous way. No wonder all the Slytherin girls go insane over him'.
She was looking straight at the door. But then a strange sort of intuition told her to look at the window instead. Sure enough, she felt a gush of wind a sound of flapping wings. The curtains on her window gently moved with the wind, sweeping the floor. Them seemingly out of nowhere, a beautiful bird with two gasping boys still holding onto her legs appeared.
" I hope you weren't too rough on them, Hermione," Eve said silkily as she walked towards them. Eyeing her the whole time cautiously, Hermione transformed back." I didn't know you Gryffindors wanted to impress me so much. I'm afraid all I have for you is some hot tea," she said.
"I bet," Hermione murmured under her breath.
A tea pot poured itself into three cups on a small elegantly carved Victorian table in the corner of her room. Ron and Harry got up, looking at every inch of her dorm room, examining every detail for traps. Their cheeks were still red from the brisk night air.
" Make yourselves at home. It looks like its freezing out there," Eve said.
"Don't mind if I do," Ron said as he walked towards the table. Hermione stopped him with a silent yet deadly looking stare. He backed away, as if there was a violent dragon in front of him.
"Stop with the pleasantries, Eve. What did you want to show us?" Hermione said bitingly.
" Alright, here it is," Eve said as she rose up from her chair and indignantly tossed her album towards them. Hermione seized it and looked through the pages, Ron staring over her shoulder. Harry was still taken with the very size and beauty of the room. The master king-sized bed at the center was carved from the same elegant rosewood as the table, and on the floor was a beautiful Persian rug with intricate details. There was an exquisite vanity with a huge mirror, its corners carved with magnificent details. The fireplace made of colored stone and marble crackled across from the bed. A door to the side led to a private bathroom.
"I thought only Head Girl and Head Boy had their own individual rooms," Harry said. Ron looked up and eyed the room again.
"Yeah, and yours is much bigger than 'Mione's," he commented. Hermione looked up at him and jabbed her elbows in his ribs. Ron winced in pain.
"I'm glad you like it. It's really for teachers," she said.
"Wow, they sure live the life, huh?" Ron said.
"So what makes YOU so special, Eve?" Hermione asked bitterly, barely looking up from the album.
" Well, in the beginning I dormed with a few Slytherin girls, but then they took me out."
"Why?" Harry asked.
Eve smiled curiously. " I have nightmares of my mother. They couldn't sleep because of my screaming." Ron and Harry looked up at her, amazed at her nonchalance. Hermione ignored this and turned the last pages.
"What is this? All these are just your stupid baby pictures!" Hermione cried.
" Correction. They are everything except my baby pictures, which I don't have any as an infant. Also, you've failed to notice the little pocket at the end. And it conveniently doesn't open until I have another person with me," she said.
" Why are you so sure its Harry?" Hermione asked.
"That's just it. I'm not sure why. Which makes me even more sure its him."
Ron raised a red eyebrow. She lost him with that sentence.
" C'mon, Harry, just touch it the same time as I do," she said. Harry shrugged his shoulders and obeyed. As soon as both of their fingers touched it, a blinding beam of light burst from the album, causing Hermione to drop it. Dozens of pictures and clippings fell to the floor, floating down as if they were enormous snowflakes. The four teenagers knelt down to pick them all up.
" My parents!" Harry exclaimed. He was holding many pictures of his parents, looking younger and younger with each picture. Most of them had Eve's mother and Lily together, at dinner parties, in each other's houses, wearing Hogwarts robes. They were even at the wedding of Eve's mother. Hermione picked up the clippings of old Daily Prophets. The various headlines stated : "Sarah Pendragon Captures Top Agent of You-Know-Who," "Lily Evans and Sarah Pendragon Apprehend Three Death-Eaters," "Dream Team: Saran Pendragon and Lily Evans, Greatest Aurors of all Time," "Sarah Pendragon Receives Honorary Award of Merlin, First Class."
Harry picked up an article Hermione had missed. It read:
Sarah Pendragon Reveals Plot of Murder of Minister of Magic
The famed Auror Sarah Pendragon, the last remaining heir to the legendary family of Merlin, has accomplished the biggest feat yet of her career. Risking her life by going undercover as a spy, Miss Pendragon has revealed a plot to endanger the Minister of Magic's life. She captured Darius McNamara, disguised as an assistant of the Minister who always was very close with him. He secretly murdered the poor assistant, and assuming his form using Ployjuice Potion, he had his eye on the minister for his next target.
The Minister of Magic, James Potter, was indeed very lucky, because Miss Pendragon is a very close, personal friend of him and his wife Lily, also a famed Auror. Sarah, who had a close relationship with the Potters and all who knew them, immediately became suspicious of his assistant. When she searched his house, she found his body, even though it was quite well hidden. She will receive the honorary award named after her own ancestor in two weeks.
Harry finally found his voice amidst his shock.
"Eve, your mother and my parents were."
"Best friends," she whispered as she looked as his article.
"My mom, she was, she was an Auror, and my dad, he was the.the."
"Minister of Magic," Eve said, smiling.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Harry cried.
"That's why Voldemort came after them," Ron said.
"No, Dumbledore said he came directly for ME," Harry replied. Eve had her brows furrowed, deep in concentration. She picked up some more articles, these ones being either violently torn and seemingly stuck back together, or just very old and tattered. One of the read:
Pendragon Scandal: Birth of You-Know-Who's Heir
After foiling so many plots, it seems that the famous Auror Sarah Pendragon could not save herself. In a horrendous and ironic twist, the famed descendant of Merlin himself has fallen victim to the Dark Side in a fate worse than death. Undercover reports reveal that amazingly, she has given birth to the daughter of none other than You-Know-Who, disguised as her husband, John Littlegood, whose body was found this week. The daughter, named Eve, will retain her true father's last name, Riddle. It is reported that she has a mysterious birthmark, but when asked about it, Albus Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard of modern times and an expert on magical markings, refused to reveal any information. There are many claims that the mark is a sure sign of the ominous future this baby will have. Perhaps she is even to become his heir, and You-Know-Who's choice of her mother seems to be an act of cruel irony and showmanship of his power over one of his biggest foes. A council will be held with the minister tomorrow, as many top ministry members, especially Mr. Crouch, are calling for the baby to be exiled or killed, to avert future danger. The Minister has repeatedly refused this, but a meeting will still be held. Sarah Pendragon or any of her close relations were unavailable for comment. The Daily Prophet will continue to report on the events of this astonishing story. As he becomes more and more powerful, it is frightening to see that even our best fighters against him are susceptible to You-Know-Who's evil.
Eve's felt a huge lump forming in her throat as she read this. She forced herself to pick up another article.
Famous Auror and Her Daughter Announced Dead
Sarah Pendragon, along with her daughter, whose father was, incredibly, You- Know-Who, have been announced dead this morning. Apparently grieving over the death of her husband and that she was unwillingly the main figure in a plot of the one villain she had been gallantly fighting against her whole life, Sarah committed suicide after killing her daughter, who was believed to be destined as You-Know-Who's heir. Although no actual images of the bodies were shown, the report has been confirmed by powerful wizard, Albus Dumbledore, and by the Minister of Magic himself. Sarah's friends are mourning over this tragic loss. This courageous Auror used her last breaths to foil what was possibly the biggest plot of You-Know-Who ever known.
Eve blinked and tried to suppress the pressure in her chest and the burning in the corners of her eyes. Finally she picked up a piece of old parchment, with elegant handwriting. It was a letter, addressed to her mother.
My dearest Sarah,
It is almost inconceivable to imagine how my life will be like without you. You have been my dearest friend, so close that I regard you as a sister. We have been through the unimaginable together. I know that you and your daughter will have to flee to save your lives. Her father is out to find her, and you must do everything you can to keep her from knowing about her past. It is very tragic about John, but it is more tragic that you have to leave. I pray every day that Voldemort will one day meet his downfall, so you may come back. James also wishes you the best of luck, and ensures that everything will be done to keep you two safe . I hope that life will not be too hard disguised as a muggle. Little Harry will deeply miss his fondest playmate; he is constantly crying since he has been separated from Eve.
This will probably be the last letter I write to you in a long time, since I'm supposed to sever all connections with you. Yet, I am at loss as to what to say. Words cannot express my melancholy. I wished it would not end like this. Take good care of yourself and your daughter. Finally, always remember this, you will be in my thoughts and prayers every day that we are separated. But I know we will be together again one day.
With dearest love always, Lily
Eve let the yellowed parchment fall down to the floor, and didn't restrain the rush of tears that streamed down her cheeks. She sat down on her bed, apparently forgotten totally about Hermione, Ron, or Harry, all who were looking at the various pictures and articles in increasing degrees of amazement. Harry picked up the letter, read it, and sat down next to her, the letter still in his hand as if it were a precious treasure. He put his arms around her and she accepted his embrace, her flowing tears soaking into his sweater.
"It's okay, Eve, at least we both finally know," he said. Eve put her own arms around him, grasping him tighter. When she was in his arms, everything seemed to have felt better. She felt the numbing grief and painful memories ebb away. Everything seemed to have some sort of purpose now. His strong arms, his unruly hair, his soothing voice, even the scent of him was comforting. She broke away and tried to regain her composure. Harry marveled at how this girl could transform from a seemingly dangerous, mysterious young woman to a vulnerable girl. He liked the idea that she needed his comfort that moment. She rested her fingers on her chin, looking at the floor deep in thought.
Ron walked over and sat next to him, concerned. Harry looked for something to cheer her up. He found some baby pictures of him and Eve.
"Look, Eve. You and I go way back. More than we could have ever imagined."
Eve looked at the pictures. Her and Harry were playing with toys in a playpen. In another one both of them had bibs around their necks and globs of chocolate covering their mouths, smiling in pleasure. Another one showed them in their diapers, being held by their mothers. At the last one, she couldn't help but crack a smile. Her and Harry were taking a bath together, soapy foam covering their heads and dribbling down their chins.
"Looks like we've even seen each other naked," Harry said mischievously. Eve rolled her eyes. Hermione was still looking through all the articles and pictures.
"Harry, have you seen these? Do you know what this means?" she gasped every time she picked up something different.
"I know, I know, Herm," he replied. He looked again at Eve. He felt that she needed to be alone, to sort everything out. The pieces of her shattered life were slowly coming together, and she needed to mull over things. Harry knew that at least he needed to. "C'mon guys, I think we've seen everything we've come here for." Ron stood up and tried to tear Hermione away from the articles. Before he led her out the door, she walked toward Eve.
"Listen, Eve, even though I'm sorry I er, spied on you, I have to say one thing."
Eve looked up at her.
" No matter what, you never listen to, you know, him. Your father. Look at all these. They show who really cared about you AND your mother. Please, in the future, remember your past." And she walked out the door without another word, after Ron.
Harry walked over and knelt down to her. He was barely able look her in the eye when he said, " I wish I knew your mother."
"I wish I knew yours," came the warm reply. Then she said something startling. "These pictures don't do justice. She's much more beautiful in person."
"What? How do you know?"
"Because, Harry, she's the one I saw yesterday in Charms class. She's the one who fixed your watch." She was talking in faint whispers.
" What?"
"Trust me, Harry. You and I have this weird connection. I mean besides all this with our parents knowing each other and everything. I don't know what it means, but I know its there."
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The three of them walked down the stairs from Eve's room (they were so preoccupied by what they had seen that they had forgotten about Hermione's flying). They weren't even watching very much where they were going. Suddenly, the three of them ran into something very solid. Out of thin air appeared none other than Draco Malfoy, whose own Invisibilty Cloak had apparently slid off in the collision. He got up and shot out his arms, feeling the air, and he caught their own cloak and threw it off.
"What are you doing here?" Ron cried.
"Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?" he spat.
" Eve invited us over. Didn't she tell you, Malfoy? Oh, you're probably not important enough," Harry replied.
" Well you have to forgive me," he said sardonically, " There isn't anything that would prove that you're not spying, as is an unfortunate habit of you Gryffindors." He looked at Hermione. " I should've charged the mudblood for the show she got yesterday. She was staring at me as if she couldn't get enough of an eyeful. I felt so disgusted after I found out it was her I had to take a shower. Don't tell me you were spying on me then, Granger?"
"Don't flatter yourself," Hermione replied.
"You lying little shit. Why on earth would she want to watch you?" Ron said with venom and lunged toward him, but Harry was too fast and caught him.
" I know what I saw. Apparently you're not satisfying your girlfriend, Weasley." Ron leaped and Harry barely held onto him.
"C'mon, Ron, its not worth it," he said to him.
" Yeah, back out, Potter. You only act brave if you can recognition for it. I can take all three of. Try me," Draco said, as he pulled out his wand.
"Listen, Malfoy, stop picking a fight. You're acting like a child," Harry said.
"This isn't child's play, Potter. You know why I'm angry."
"And why is that?" Harry asked. He tried to suppress his own anger.
" Just stay away from her. I don't want you talking to her ever. If I see you near her, you'll regret it. For as long as you live," Draco's eyes and voice were like ice.
" I don't have time to listen to empty threats. Let's go, you guys. He's just a waste of skin," Harry said as he pushed Hermione and Ron away, down the staired corridor.
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A/N: How did u guys like this chapter?? Again, much apologies for the slight delay in updating. After midterms are over, I'll post every week. You'll get more on Friday or Saturday, I promise!! Meanwhile, REVIEW! Each of ur reviews are as precious as gold. They reassure me that I'm not doing EVERYTHING wrong. Lol, please, please, I'm begging, review!!!!!! You're getting sleepy, verrrrry sleepy, that blue button looks very inviting..