A/N: I have decided to only put my author's notes at the beginning, as it
kinda interrupts with the flow of the endings of the chapters. Sorry I
missed updating last week, but I went to see, guess what? The movie!! It
was a bit scary for the younger ones, but not bad. Wonder how the new
director will do in the third movie. How cute is that Daniel Radcliffe?? I
just want to pinch his cheeks, or put him on a roller coaster or something,
lol. Anyways, I had a new reviewer the last time I updated, thank you!!!!
Here's the next chapter, and I guarantee you, it's worth the wait, *smiles
slyly*.
Chapter Twelve: Lies and Truth
" So you are sure you saw Eve talking with her father?" Dumbledore asked Harry, Ron, and Hermione after they had told their story. It wasn't that he didn't believe them, it was more like he was hoping he had misunderstood them, because what they were telling him would mean dire consequences.
"Yes, I'm positive," Hermione answered, a slight quaver in her voice.
"Just one more question, Miss Granger. How is it that you were feet away from Voldemort, and yet you escaped detection, and perhaps death?" Hermione gulped. Throughout her story, she had conveniently neglected to tell Dumbledore that she was able to turn into a phoenix.
"Uhhhh, well, I er.. I er.." She stammered.
"I hear from Professor McGonagall that you are excellent in Transfiguration, among other things," Dumbledore egged her on. However, Hermione would be admitting that she had broken many school laws, and the Ministry laws as well, by being an unregistered Animagi. Thankfully, Harry saved her.
"She had taken my father's cloak, sir."
"Then you knew about her leaving, and didn't stop her?"
"Oh no, I had taken it before, to use it for a different purpose." Hermione tried to make her explanation believable.
"What else would you need that cloak for, unless it was to go snooping around somewhere else?" Dumbledore said, amused, with a sparkle in his eye.
" She was using it to play a joke on me, you know, to jump out of the air and scare me. I dunno, now that my brothers are here, they had missed torturing me with their pranks," Ron laughed to add authenticity, but it was a rather nervous laugh, as their excuse was getting pretty far-fetched. Dumbledore stopped inquiring at this point, either because he believed them or because he wanted to humor them.
"Back to more serious matters. If Eve has relations with her father, well, then I don't need to tell you what terrible consequences that might have. Did she seem pleased with what he was offering to her? Even those with the strongest will may become intoxicated with their power."
" At first she seemed very angry at him, because of her mother, you know. But then, when she moved the moon, she had a somewhat different expression, I don't know." Hermione told the truth this time.
"Yes, I noticed the business about the moon, myself. Professor Trewlaney came bursting into my office, ranting about the apocalyptic consequences it had. I gave her a tranquilizing potion, of course. Very well. I thank you all very much for the information you have given me. It has been quite crucial, I daresay. Ron, Hermione, you may be excused. Harry, if you will, please stay. I need to ask you a few more questions." Ron and Hermione stood up, slightly confused as to what Dumbledore wanted with Harry, but nodded thank-you's to the Headmaster, and left the room. As soon as they did, Dumbledore leaned in closer and changed the tack of the conversation to a subject which surprised Harry slightly and made him go red. " Tell me, Harry, does Eve seem to be, how do I say, close with anybody? I mean, because you students obviously know more about romantic rumors in the school than me, of course," he chuckled slightly. "I wouldn't normally ask something like this unless it was of utmost importance."
"Well, I mean, I don't know, sir." Harry said, embarrassed.
"Well, she always seems to be in the company of Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said.
" But that means he fancies her, not that she fancies him," Harry said.
"What about you, Harry? If you excuse me from asking a personal question. What does she think of you? I know that you two were very good friends when you were toddlers, along with your parents."
"How did you-"
"Don't mind that, Harry. I was very close with your father when he was Minister."
To change the subject, and because he was suddenly reminded of it, Harry asked, "Oh, I wanted to ask you, sir. How come nobody told me that? About my parents' positions and all?"
" For the same reason that we kept you with Muggles before your first year. To keep you from getting too proud. Additionally, not many people today would admit that your father was Minister."
"Why not?"
"Because he was Minister for a short while. Most people thought he was filling in until a real Minister could have been found. Your father was quite young, of course. Also, many people don't like mentioning him because he was Minister when Voldemort was at the height of his power, and nobody likes talking about that era. Don't misunderstand me, many, many more atrocities would have occurred if it wasn't for your father, or your mother. But, unfortunately, he couldn't prevent them all."
"And my mother?"
"I decided not to mention her friendship with Sarah Pendragon, because it might prove to be to complex for you, Harry. That somehow your parents, and you for that matter, were connected with Voldemort's daughter.
" I guess I understand, somewhat."
" I know. I would have told you sooner. I believed that you were mature enough to know this years ago. But at the advice of almost everyone else, I didn't. And every year it grew more and more difficult for me to tell you, as I knew you would be upset. I admit, I made a mistake, Harry. You will forgive me, won't you." It was more of a request than a question. Harry smiled.
"Of course."
"Before you leave, Harry, I'd like to ask a favor of you. Since you already know Eve's password, would you kindly call her to see me right now? You can tell, of course, that I have urgent matters to discuss with her. Disobeying me very dangerously, for one thing."
"Yes, sir," Harry said as he got up and walked out the door.
_________________________________________
" Come here," Eve whispered as she motioned with her finger to Draco, who eagerly walked toward her. Eve smiled coyly and bit her lower lip, then with a sudden motion kicked him with her knee in the part that hurt most. Draco yowled and fell to the floor. Eve sniggered quietly.
Draco, although very flustered and obviously still in pain, managed to sit up and say in an amused yet croaky voice, "You could have just said no."
"I kicked you there so you'd start thinking with another part of your body," she retorted. Draco's earlier suggestion gave her a temporary surge of anger. She didn't have to prove (or disprove) her feelings to anybody. She resented Draco's seizing of an opportunity to take advantage of her.
Draco finally got to his feet, brushing off his robes. He sat on her bed with a slight wince. But he still managed to look menacing.
"That does it, then. You're in love with him, aren't you?" he demanded.
'No I'm not!! How many times do I have to tell you?!" Eve screamed in rage.
"Then why are you so furiously denying it? Who on earth could you possibly love? It's either him, or me. We're the best wizards your age."
" Why do you think like that? Has it ever occurred to you that I'm not in love with anybody at this moment? Don't you think that could be a possibility?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because of the omen," Draco answered calmly.
"The omen. The goddamn, bloody omen."
" You were destined to fall in love with somebody. That means you've been in love with them your whole life, even if you don't know it."
"That makes absolutely no sense."
"Nothing about love does." He looked very sincere when he said this.
Eve's features softened. She sat next to him.
"So here I have Master Malfoy, prince of the Slytherins, son of a ruthless death-eater, educating me about love, of all things," she said with a smile.
"I really shouldn't be here. I know when I'm not wanted. The sad thing is, you'll betray me, your House, your potential, even your father, just for a Mudblood lover would in a heartbeat try to kill you if you show any inkling towards the Dark Side." He began to gather his robes and make his way toward the door when a sudden realization dawned on Eve. The Dark Side..Maybe if she couldn't read his thoughts, she could know them by kissing him! She read in a book of ancient magic that some witches had the power to see the innermost thoughts of a person through a kiss. It was a way of connecting souls, after all. She realized that she almost passed up a good chance.
"Wait. Don't go, Draco."
He stopped and turned around, nearly at the door. "Listen, Eve. I'm sorry for asking you to kiss me. I do realize that was too forward of me. But since you've already rejected me, quite obviously, I shouldn't stay here. But I would have expected you to do one thing."
"And what's that?"
"Well, the nice thing would be for you to apologize for kicking me."
She walked toward him. " I thought you didn't like it when people were nice," she said, her eyes fiery.
" So what are you going to do?" he said in a low voice, with a bit of a smile creeping onto the corner of his mouth.
" I'm going to be a very bad girl."
She raised her neck and kissed him lustfully, pushing him against the wall. After a few minutes, Draco pushed her back, abashed.
"Do you always injure those you want to seduce?"
"No. I just wanted to kiss you on my own terms," she said smoothly, trailing a finger down his face. Draco smiled and kissed her back, grasping her waist and pulling her up close to him. He had obviously done this before. He was kissing her fervently, knowing exactly what to do to almost take her breath away. It took her a few seconds to try and concentrate on the floods of thoughts she was receiving from him. At first she picked up thoughts about how beautiful he thought she was. But what she saw terrified her. First she saw imposing images of his father. Then she felt inklings of some sort of plan he had been formulating for a long time. A plan involving her. The she felt an enormous, almost all consuming emotion: one of hate. It was an almost absolute one, directed solely at one object: Harry. He wanted to hurt him - badly. Then she saw images of her own father, something about a plan he had, involving her also. And she saw finally, as if this was the most secret thing he was keeping, that he was thinking about death-eater initiations, although he didn't want to. She stopped concentrating on his thoughts. She couldn't take it anymore. He was kissing her more intensely now, and she felt overwhelmed by the wave of sensations that were thrilling her. She had never been kissed so vehemently. She was gasping every breath; her heart was racing, and every single inch of her skin was burning.
Then the sudden sound of the door being opened and a piercing voice halted everything in a fraction of a second.
" Oh my God!" came Harry's astonished voice. He looked as if what he saw hit him like a raging train. His green eyes were widened and he started breathing in raspy gasps. It seemed as if something broke within him.
"Didn't anybody every tell you to knock, Potter?" Draco snapped, wiping his mouth from Eve's lip gloss. He had a malicious smile of triumph. Harry tried to take in the whole scene. They both looked quite disheveled; both had their shirts halfway unbuttoned, a testament to Draco's quick handiwork. Barley suppressing his rage, Harry stormed out of the room as quickly as he had come. Eve broke away to go after him. Draco held onto her arm.
"Why are you following him?" he said threateningly.
She wrenched her arm from his grasp and ran out the door. Harry was already halfway up the stairs.
"Harry, wait!"
He immediately turned around, anguish and rage emanating from his eyes.
"Don't say anything. I saw it all. He was all over you. In a few minutes, he would have had you on your bed!"
"Let me explain, it's not-" But he was ignoring her.
"I came here to tell you that Dumbledore wants to talk to you immediatley."
Eve was practically pleading. "Harry, please. You need to listen to me. I was only-"
"But it's obvious that Dumbledore can't help you now." His emerald eyes were glittering with unspilt tears and his voice was quavering so hard he could barely speak. He walked furiously up the stairs, with the sound of every footstep pounding into her as if it were painful. Eve had stayed frozen onto her spot, and the full realization of what just happened made her fall to the floor and burst into tears. Draco had been watching the whole time, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, a look of scorn and disappointment on his face. Apparently both his and Eve's plans had failed dramatically. He shook his head, but he couldn't just leave her there. He walked over to her and helped her onto her feet. Draco saw that her eyes were very red. He sighed.
"Let's go back inside. You need to sleep. I knew I should have left."
"No, I'm going to leave too."
"Where are you going?"
"I need to talk to Dumbledore."
"Don't let Potter get to you. You can be with whomever you want." He said, his expression becoming more tender as he wiped off some of her tears with his finger. She held his hand and stopped him.
"Thank you, Draco, but you were right. You should have left." She sniffed and closed the door to her room. Before she walked up the stairs, she said, "Goodbye, Draco. God help you."
Those last words felt like they were saying more than they seemed. Draco felt that she was saying goodbye to him for good, in a sense. She knew more than he thought. One thing he knew for sure: Potter must be stopped.
_______________________________
After Harry stormed into his dormitory, he slammed the door shut with a loud crash. Ron stood up immediately from his homework. Neville and Seamus were still in the common room, playing exploding snap. Harry was free to finally open up the floodgate of fury withing him.
"You won't BELIEVE what I just saw," he yelled to Ron.
"What?" he asked, but Harry was too angry to answer his question directly.
"Her, and.and.. HIM, I couldn't believe my eyes, HIM of all bloody people! How in hell could she have..That foul, disgusting, son of a-"
"Harry, what happened? Tell me!" Ron interrupted his angry bantering.
"What happened? When I went to Eve's room, I ONLY saw her kissing that, that prick." Harry could barely contain himself.
"Malfoy?"
"Yes, Malfoy, that goddamn sod," Harry was just about to set off on another string of curse words when Ron interrupted him once again.
"Harry, you don't think..she fancies him?"
"I don't know how its possible to like anybody like him, but friends certainly don't behave like that," Harry said disdainfully.
"Harry, do you know what this means?"
Harry looked at him scornfully.
"That she's a bloody idiot?"
This conversation was very out of nature for Harry. Usually Ron was the unreasonable, emotional one, but this time he was the one talking sensibly, but his eyes were widened.
"No, Harry. Malfoy's father is a death-eater. For all we know, he could be one, too. If Eve likes him, then she'll listen to HIM. And I'm more than sure that Eve is the person that omen is talking about."
Harry's expression immediately became blank and he staggered. He let himself fall on his bed, trying to let what Ron had told him sink into his brain.
"Dear God," he whispered.
__________________________________________
Dumbledore looked back to read over his letter.
Dear Sirius,
It is unfortunate for me to tell you that it would be unwise to be around Hogwarts at this time. There are many fears that Voldemort might be lurking around the school at the same time you are due to be here. I will, of course, put all necessary precautions into action. For your own personal safety, I suggest that you temporarily ignore your courageous and godfatherly instincts and stay away from the school, at least for a week. Do not worry. Harry and the rest of the students are perfectly safe. This is merely a precaution, as I don't want you lurking about unprotected in the Forest or anywhere near the school. I suggest you stay at Lupin's again for a while. Give my best regards to him.
Sincerely, A. Dumbledore
The letter seemed alright, and he tied it to one of the school owls he had sent for, and the bird flew away. He sighed. Before writing it, he had just siphoned a bunch of thoughts into his Pensieve. What a bunch of seventh year students had just told him gave many foreboding possibilities for the future. Hermione, seeing Eve talking with her father. It was sometimes only too easy for Voldemort to coerce people into following him. Eve was very vulnerable at this time. Emotionally devastated because of her loss, trying to adapt to all the new surroundings, and on top of it all, trying to harbor all those powers. Powers that could be apocalyptic in the wrong hands.
Matters were made only worse when Eve herself came storming into his office. How she had figured out the password, he did not know. Perhaps she made the doors open by force. She ran in, breathlessly, half expecting somebody else to be there with him.
" Professor! You don't understand, he didn't see what he thought he did!"
She suddenly stopped, going slightly red, after realizing that he was there alone. Her hair was disheveled, and there were traces of what seemed like lipstick on her face. The buttons on her shirt seemed done in a hurry, as some of them were buttoned in the wrong order. There were red marks on her neck and her cheeks was very flushed. Dumbledore caught on very quickly, and his eyes sparkled.
"Who didn't see what, my dear?"
"Uhh, nothing, sir. I'm, er, sorry to bother you. I'd better be leaving now." She began backing away, toward the door.
"No, stay. We need to talk, Eve. I'm hearing very disturbing things about your behavior." He became very stern and Eve had no choice but to sit down. Then she went into an extensive explanation of what occurred with her father, and then what had just occurred. She adamantly denied that she had any emotional attachment to Draco. That she was only trying to get at his thoughts, but she failed to mention her suspicions about him being a death- eater. She said that Harry had walked in with horribly wrong timing.
"Still, Eve, trying to read a person's thoughts, especially using such intimate means is not something trivial. It is an invasion of privacy to the extreme. And we still have the much more important matter of you explicitly disobeying my orders. I told you not to have any relations with your father." Dumbledore's eyes were penetrating. Eve bent her head, ashamed.
" Sir, I know you told me, but when I received that invitation, I don't know. Something came over me. I had to see him, to find out WHY."
"Nothing is excuse enough for what you have done. He is the most dangerous wizard we know, and he wants most of all to manipulate you. I've already told you what destruction he is capable of."
"Yes, sir," she whispered, almost in defeat.
"I believe you when you tell me that your intentions are right, and that you don't love Mr. Malfoy. But I want to make this extremely clear. Stay away from your father or anybody else remotely suspicious. Am I understood?"
"Yes, sir," was all she could say. A feeling of slight resentment crept in her toward Dumbledore. He was beginning to sound like her old school principal. But she realized that he was acting that way because of the significant circumstances.
"You may go now, Eve." She smiled halfheartedly at him, and began to leave, when he said, " Remember, always follow your conscience, your instincts on what is truly right, and everything will be alright." She turned around and walked out, shaking her head. A very disturbing thought entered her head. When she read that letter and went to meet her father, she HAD been following her instincts. Could it be that her instincts were evil? She shuddered to think of it. Was her father's evil flowing in her veins as well? Was she destined to be a horrendous, feared murderer, like her father? She pushed these thoughts away, to be locked up in a faraway crevice in her brain. No, I'm not, she said to herself, denying everything she had been thinking. I'm not like that. My mother. But then, why had the Sorting Hat put her in Slytherin, like her father?
_________________________________
Harry and the rest of his Quidditch team walked toward the stadium. The cool breeze that ruffled his hair was excellent for flying. He needed to take his mind off everything, and Quidditch was the perfect escape. Especially after their defeat against Slytherin, his team needed to win its next match against Ravenclaw. So he had added this extra practice for both reasons. However, to his dismay, when he came into the field, he saw the Slytherin team, in their green and silver robes. Malfoy looked extremely upset over something.
"Godammit!" he spat, slamming his broom onto the ground. Amidst all of them, Harry saw none other than Eve, who motioned with her head in their direction. All the Slytherins turned around.
Harry walked swiftly toward them, and with defiant, clear, voice, he said, "I booked the field for today. Even Snape knows it. Get out of here, Malfoy."
He grinned, ruthlessly. "Still a little jealous, are you, Potter?"
"No, I don't give a rat's ass what you do with girls, Malfoy. But I don't like you taking over my Quidditch field." Harry's eyes were almost as cold as Draco's.
"Don't worry, we were just leaving," Eve piped up, "I was just checking with Madame Hooch to see if I could be on the team. She just left."
"I see. Anybody can be a better Seeker than Malfoy," Harry sneered.
"Don't get too excited, Potter. She didn't make the team," Malfoy said, disappointed. Harry drew his head back, surprised. That was obviously the reason Draco was so upset when he first saw him.
Hermione, who had heard all about what happened with Eve and Draco, said with contempt, "I guess your perfect little Eve isn't good at everything."
Draco had a mischievous smile. He opened a box and let out the Golden Snitch. It zoomed out of sight in less than a second. Before Harry could protest, Eve said, "No, it's because I can do THIS." She raised her arm before her, her fingers curled. She had a look of deep concentration. The suddenly, the snitch came zooming right back, landing straight into her hand, as if attracted to it by some magnetic force. Ron was gaping in surprise.
"I can't control it. It always happens when I concentrate on catching it. Madame Hooch said that it would be unfair for me to play, because I would always catch the Snitch, or direct it to the Seeker." Eve was smiling, but Harry had been very cold toward her the whole day.
"Stop showing off, Eve. Malfoy, take your filthy team off the grass. I've wasted enough practice time." His steely remarks about her showing off had hit a nerve. She began walking toward the exit of the field, with the rest of the Slytherins following her, but she turned around.
"Just because I can't play doesn't mean I can't fly," Eve said, a distinct tone of scorn in her voice. "In fact, I bet I can beat you in any flying race, any time, Potter." She was beginning to sound a lot like Malfoy. She had never called him by his last name before. His anger was creeping up, but he accepted her challenge. He also turned around and said, icily calm, "I don't think so."
_________________________________
Chapter Twelve: Lies and Truth
" So you are sure you saw Eve talking with her father?" Dumbledore asked Harry, Ron, and Hermione after they had told their story. It wasn't that he didn't believe them, it was more like he was hoping he had misunderstood them, because what they were telling him would mean dire consequences.
"Yes, I'm positive," Hermione answered, a slight quaver in her voice.
"Just one more question, Miss Granger. How is it that you were feet away from Voldemort, and yet you escaped detection, and perhaps death?" Hermione gulped. Throughout her story, she had conveniently neglected to tell Dumbledore that she was able to turn into a phoenix.
"Uhhhh, well, I er.. I er.." She stammered.
"I hear from Professor McGonagall that you are excellent in Transfiguration, among other things," Dumbledore egged her on. However, Hermione would be admitting that she had broken many school laws, and the Ministry laws as well, by being an unregistered Animagi. Thankfully, Harry saved her.
"She had taken my father's cloak, sir."
"Then you knew about her leaving, and didn't stop her?"
"Oh no, I had taken it before, to use it for a different purpose." Hermione tried to make her explanation believable.
"What else would you need that cloak for, unless it was to go snooping around somewhere else?" Dumbledore said, amused, with a sparkle in his eye.
" She was using it to play a joke on me, you know, to jump out of the air and scare me. I dunno, now that my brothers are here, they had missed torturing me with their pranks," Ron laughed to add authenticity, but it was a rather nervous laugh, as their excuse was getting pretty far-fetched. Dumbledore stopped inquiring at this point, either because he believed them or because he wanted to humor them.
"Back to more serious matters. If Eve has relations with her father, well, then I don't need to tell you what terrible consequences that might have. Did she seem pleased with what he was offering to her? Even those with the strongest will may become intoxicated with their power."
" At first she seemed very angry at him, because of her mother, you know. But then, when she moved the moon, she had a somewhat different expression, I don't know." Hermione told the truth this time.
"Yes, I noticed the business about the moon, myself. Professor Trewlaney came bursting into my office, ranting about the apocalyptic consequences it had. I gave her a tranquilizing potion, of course. Very well. I thank you all very much for the information you have given me. It has been quite crucial, I daresay. Ron, Hermione, you may be excused. Harry, if you will, please stay. I need to ask you a few more questions." Ron and Hermione stood up, slightly confused as to what Dumbledore wanted with Harry, but nodded thank-you's to the Headmaster, and left the room. As soon as they did, Dumbledore leaned in closer and changed the tack of the conversation to a subject which surprised Harry slightly and made him go red. " Tell me, Harry, does Eve seem to be, how do I say, close with anybody? I mean, because you students obviously know more about romantic rumors in the school than me, of course," he chuckled slightly. "I wouldn't normally ask something like this unless it was of utmost importance."
"Well, I mean, I don't know, sir." Harry said, embarrassed.
"Well, she always seems to be in the company of Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said.
" But that means he fancies her, not that she fancies him," Harry said.
"What about you, Harry? If you excuse me from asking a personal question. What does she think of you? I know that you two were very good friends when you were toddlers, along with your parents."
"How did you-"
"Don't mind that, Harry. I was very close with your father when he was Minister."
To change the subject, and because he was suddenly reminded of it, Harry asked, "Oh, I wanted to ask you, sir. How come nobody told me that? About my parents' positions and all?"
" For the same reason that we kept you with Muggles before your first year. To keep you from getting too proud. Additionally, not many people today would admit that your father was Minister."
"Why not?"
"Because he was Minister for a short while. Most people thought he was filling in until a real Minister could have been found. Your father was quite young, of course. Also, many people don't like mentioning him because he was Minister when Voldemort was at the height of his power, and nobody likes talking about that era. Don't misunderstand me, many, many more atrocities would have occurred if it wasn't for your father, or your mother. But, unfortunately, he couldn't prevent them all."
"And my mother?"
"I decided not to mention her friendship with Sarah Pendragon, because it might prove to be to complex for you, Harry. That somehow your parents, and you for that matter, were connected with Voldemort's daughter.
" I guess I understand, somewhat."
" I know. I would have told you sooner. I believed that you were mature enough to know this years ago. But at the advice of almost everyone else, I didn't. And every year it grew more and more difficult for me to tell you, as I knew you would be upset. I admit, I made a mistake, Harry. You will forgive me, won't you." It was more of a request than a question. Harry smiled.
"Of course."
"Before you leave, Harry, I'd like to ask a favor of you. Since you already know Eve's password, would you kindly call her to see me right now? You can tell, of course, that I have urgent matters to discuss with her. Disobeying me very dangerously, for one thing."
"Yes, sir," Harry said as he got up and walked out the door.
_________________________________________
" Come here," Eve whispered as she motioned with her finger to Draco, who eagerly walked toward her. Eve smiled coyly and bit her lower lip, then with a sudden motion kicked him with her knee in the part that hurt most. Draco yowled and fell to the floor. Eve sniggered quietly.
Draco, although very flustered and obviously still in pain, managed to sit up and say in an amused yet croaky voice, "You could have just said no."
"I kicked you there so you'd start thinking with another part of your body," she retorted. Draco's earlier suggestion gave her a temporary surge of anger. She didn't have to prove (or disprove) her feelings to anybody. She resented Draco's seizing of an opportunity to take advantage of her.
Draco finally got to his feet, brushing off his robes. He sat on her bed with a slight wince. But he still managed to look menacing.
"That does it, then. You're in love with him, aren't you?" he demanded.
'No I'm not!! How many times do I have to tell you?!" Eve screamed in rage.
"Then why are you so furiously denying it? Who on earth could you possibly love? It's either him, or me. We're the best wizards your age."
" Why do you think like that? Has it ever occurred to you that I'm not in love with anybody at this moment? Don't you think that could be a possibility?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because of the omen," Draco answered calmly.
"The omen. The goddamn, bloody omen."
" You were destined to fall in love with somebody. That means you've been in love with them your whole life, even if you don't know it."
"That makes absolutely no sense."
"Nothing about love does." He looked very sincere when he said this.
Eve's features softened. She sat next to him.
"So here I have Master Malfoy, prince of the Slytherins, son of a ruthless death-eater, educating me about love, of all things," she said with a smile.
"I really shouldn't be here. I know when I'm not wanted. The sad thing is, you'll betray me, your House, your potential, even your father, just for a Mudblood lover would in a heartbeat try to kill you if you show any inkling towards the Dark Side." He began to gather his robes and make his way toward the door when a sudden realization dawned on Eve. The Dark Side..Maybe if she couldn't read his thoughts, she could know them by kissing him! She read in a book of ancient magic that some witches had the power to see the innermost thoughts of a person through a kiss. It was a way of connecting souls, after all. She realized that she almost passed up a good chance.
"Wait. Don't go, Draco."
He stopped and turned around, nearly at the door. "Listen, Eve. I'm sorry for asking you to kiss me. I do realize that was too forward of me. But since you've already rejected me, quite obviously, I shouldn't stay here. But I would have expected you to do one thing."
"And what's that?"
"Well, the nice thing would be for you to apologize for kicking me."
She walked toward him. " I thought you didn't like it when people were nice," she said, her eyes fiery.
" So what are you going to do?" he said in a low voice, with a bit of a smile creeping onto the corner of his mouth.
" I'm going to be a very bad girl."
She raised her neck and kissed him lustfully, pushing him against the wall. After a few minutes, Draco pushed her back, abashed.
"Do you always injure those you want to seduce?"
"No. I just wanted to kiss you on my own terms," she said smoothly, trailing a finger down his face. Draco smiled and kissed her back, grasping her waist and pulling her up close to him. He had obviously done this before. He was kissing her fervently, knowing exactly what to do to almost take her breath away. It took her a few seconds to try and concentrate on the floods of thoughts she was receiving from him. At first she picked up thoughts about how beautiful he thought she was. But what she saw terrified her. First she saw imposing images of his father. Then she felt inklings of some sort of plan he had been formulating for a long time. A plan involving her. The she felt an enormous, almost all consuming emotion: one of hate. It was an almost absolute one, directed solely at one object: Harry. He wanted to hurt him - badly. Then she saw images of her own father, something about a plan he had, involving her also. And she saw finally, as if this was the most secret thing he was keeping, that he was thinking about death-eater initiations, although he didn't want to. She stopped concentrating on his thoughts. She couldn't take it anymore. He was kissing her more intensely now, and she felt overwhelmed by the wave of sensations that were thrilling her. She had never been kissed so vehemently. She was gasping every breath; her heart was racing, and every single inch of her skin was burning.
Then the sudden sound of the door being opened and a piercing voice halted everything in a fraction of a second.
" Oh my God!" came Harry's astonished voice. He looked as if what he saw hit him like a raging train. His green eyes were widened and he started breathing in raspy gasps. It seemed as if something broke within him.
"Didn't anybody every tell you to knock, Potter?" Draco snapped, wiping his mouth from Eve's lip gloss. He had a malicious smile of triumph. Harry tried to take in the whole scene. They both looked quite disheveled; both had their shirts halfway unbuttoned, a testament to Draco's quick handiwork. Barley suppressing his rage, Harry stormed out of the room as quickly as he had come. Eve broke away to go after him. Draco held onto her arm.
"Why are you following him?" he said threateningly.
She wrenched her arm from his grasp and ran out the door. Harry was already halfway up the stairs.
"Harry, wait!"
He immediately turned around, anguish and rage emanating from his eyes.
"Don't say anything. I saw it all. He was all over you. In a few minutes, he would have had you on your bed!"
"Let me explain, it's not-" But he was ignoring her.
"I came here to tell you that Dumbledore wants to talk to you immediatley."
Eve was practically pleading. "Harry, please. You need to listen to me. I was only-"
"But it's obvious that Dumbledore can't help you now." His emerald eyes were glittering with unspilt tears and his voice was quavering so hard he could barely speak. He walked furiously up the stairs, with the sound of every footstep pounding into her as if it were painful. Eve had stayed frozen onto her spot, and the full realization of what just happened made her fall to the floor and burst into tears. Draco had been watching the whole time, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, a look of scorn and disappointment on his face. Apparently both his and Eve's plans had failed dramatically. He shook his head, but he couldn't just leave her there. He walked over to her and helped her onto her feet. Draco saw that her eyes were very red. He sighed.
"Let's go back inside. You need to sleep. I knew I should have left."
"No, I'm going to leave too."
"Where are you going?"
"I need to talk to Dumbledore."
"Don't let Potter get to you. You can be with whomever you want." He said, his expression becoming more tender as he wiped off some of her tears with his finger. She held his hand and stopped him.
"Thank you, Draco, but you were right. You should have left." She sniffed and closed the door to her room. Before she walked up the stairs, she said, "Goodbye, Draco. God help you."
Those last words felt like they were saying more than they seemed. Draco felt that she was saying goodbye to him for good, in a sense. She knew more than he thought. One thing he knew for sure: Potter must be stopped.
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After Harry stormed into his dormitory, he slammed the door shut with a loud crash. Ron stood up immediately from his homework. Neville and Seamus were still in the common room, playing exploding snap. Harry was free to finally open up the floodgate of fury withing him.
"You won't BELIEVE what I just saw," he yelled to Ron.
"What?" he asked, but Harry was too angry to answer his question directly.
"Her, and.and.. HIM, I couldn't believe my eyes, HIM of all bloody people! How in hell could she have..That foul, disgusting, son of a-"
"Harry, what happened? Tell me!" Ron interrupted his angry bantering.
"What happened? When I went to Eve's room, I ONLY saw her kissing that, that prick." Harry could barely contain himself.
"Malfoy?"
"Yes, Malfoy, that goddamn sod," Harry was just about to set off on another string of curse words when Ron interrupted him once again.
"Harry, you don't think..she fancies him?"
"I don't know how its possible to like anybody like him, but friends certainly don't behave like that," Harry said disdainfully.
"Harry, do you know what this means?"
Harry looked at him scornfully.
"That she's a bloody idiot?"
This conversation was very out of nature for Harry. Usually Ron was the unreasonable, emotional one, but this time he was the one talking sensibly, but his eyes were widened.
"No, Harry. Malfoy's father is a death-eater. For all we know, he could be one, too. If Eve likes him, then she'll listen to HIM. And I'm more than sure that Eve is the person that omen is talking about."
Harry's expression immediately became blank and he staggered. He let himself fall on his bed, trying to let what Ron had told him sink into his brain.
"Dear God," he whispered.
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Dumbledore looked back to read over his letter.
Dear Sirius,
It is unfortunate for me to tell you that it would be unwise to be around Hogwarts at this time. There are many fears that Voldemort might be lurking around the school at the same time you are due to be here. I will, of course, put all necessary precautions into action. For your own personal safety, I suggest that you temporarily ignore your courageous and godfatherly instincts and stay away from the school, at least for a week. Do not worry. Harry and the rest of the students are perfectly safe. This is merely a precaution, as I don't want you lurking about unprotected in the Forest or anywhere near the school. I suggest you stay at Lupin's again for a while. Give my best regards to him.
Sincerely, A. Dumbledore
The letter seemed alright, and he tied it to one of the school owls he had sent for, and the bird flew away. He sighed. Before writing it, he had just siphoned a bunch of thoughts into his Pensieve. What a bunch of seventh year students had just told him gave many foreboding possibilities for the future. Hermione, seeing Eve talking with her father. It was sometimes only too easy for Voldemort to coerce people into following him. Eve was very vulnerable at this time. Emotionally devastated because of her loss, trying to adapt to all the new surroundings, and on top of it all, trying to harbor all those powers. Powers that could be apocalyptic in the wrong hands.
Matters were made only worse when Eve herself came storming into his office. How she had figured out the password, he did not know. Perhaps she made the doors open by force. She ran in, breathlessly, half expecting somebody else to be there with him.
" Professor! You don't understand, he didn't see what he thought he did!"
She suddenly stopped, going slightly red, after realizing that he was there alone. Her hair was disheveled, and there were traces of what seemed like lipstick on her face. The buttons on her shirt seemed done in a hurry, as some of them were buttoned in the wrong order. There were red marks on her neck and her cheeks was very flushed. Dumbledore caught on very quickly, and his eyes sparkled.
"Who didn't see what, my dear?"
"Uhh, nothing, sir. I'm, er, sorry to bother you. I'd better be leaving now." She began backing away, toward the door.
"No, stay. We need to talk, Eve. I'm hearing very disturbing things about your behavior." He became very stern and Eve had no choice but to sit down. Then she went into an extensive explanation of what occurred with her father, and then what had just occurred. She adamantly denied that she had any emotional attachment to Draco. That she was only trying to get at his thoughts, but she failed to mention her suspicions about him being a death- eater. She said that Harry had walked in with horribly wrong timing.
"Still, Eve, trying to read a person's thoughts, especially using such intimate means is not something trivial. It is an invasion of privacy to the extreme. And we still have the much more important matter of you explicitly disobeying my orders. I told you not to have any relations with your father." Dumbledore's eyes were penetrating. Eve bent her head, ashamed.
" Sir, I know you told me, but when I received that invitation, I don't know. Something came over me. I had to see him, to find out WHY."
"Nothing is excuse enough for what you have done. He is the most dangerous wizard we know, and he wants most of all to manipulate you. I've already told you what destruction he is capable of."
"Yes, sir," she whispered, almost in defeat.
"I believe you when you tell me that your intentions are right, and that you don't love Mr. Malfoy. But I want to make this extremely clear. Stay away from your father or anybody else remotely suspicious. Am I understood?"
"Yes, sir," was all she could say. A feeling of slight resentment crept in her toward Dumbledore. He was beginning to sound like her old school principal. But she realized that he was acting that way because of the significant circumstances.
"You may go now, Eve." She smiled halfheartedly at him, and began to leave, when he said, " Remember, always follow your conscience, your instincts on what is truly right, and everything will be alright." She turned around and walked out, shaking her head. A very disturbing thought entered her head. When she read that letter and went to meet her father, she HAD been following her instincts. Could it be that her instincts were evil? She shuddered to think of it. Was her father's evil flowing in her veins as well? Was she destined to be a horrendous, feared murderer, like her father? She pushed these thoughts away, to be locked up in a faraway crevice in her brain. No, I'm not, she said to herself, denying everything she had been thinking. I'm not like that. My mother. But then, why had the Sorting Hat put her in Slytherin, like her father?
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Harry and the rest of his Quidditch team walked toward the stadium. The cool breeze that ruffled his hair was excellent for flying. He needed to take his mind off everything, and Quidditch was the perfect escape. Especially after their defeat against Slytherin, his team needed to win its next match against Ravenclaw. So he had added this extra practice for both reasons. However, to his dismay, when he came into the field, he saw the Slytherin team, in their green and silver robes. Malfoy looked extremely upset over something.
"Godammit!" he spat, slamming his broom onto the ground. Amidst all of them, Harry saw none other than Eve, who motioned with her head in their direction. All the Slytherins turned around.
Harry walked swiftly toward them, and with defiant, clear, voice, he said, "I booked the field for today. Even Snape knows it. Get out of here, Malfoy."
He grinned, ruthlessly. "Still a little jealous, are you, Potter?"
"No, I don't give a rat's ass what you do with girls, Malfoy. But I don't like you taking over my Quidditch field." Harry's eyes were almost as cold as Draco's.
"Don't worry, we were just leaving," Eve piped up, "I was just checking with Madame Hooch to see if I could be on the team. She just left."
"I see. Anybody can be a better Seeker than Malfoy," Harry sneered.
"Don't get too excited, Potter. She didn't make the team," Malfoy said, disappointed. Harry drew his head back, surprised. That was obviously the reason Draco was so upset when he first saw him.
Hermione, who had heard all about what happened with Eve and Draco, said with contempt, "I guess your perfect little Eve isn't good at everything."
Draco had a mischievous smile. He opened a box and let out the Golden Snitch. It zoomed out of sight in less than a second. Before Harry could protest, Eve said, "No, it's because I can do THIS." She raised her arm before her, her fingers curled. She had a look of deep concentration. The suddenly, the snitch came zooming right back, landing straight into her hand, as if attracted to it by some magnetic force. Ron was gaping in surprise.
"I can't control it. It always happens when I concentrate on catching it. Madame Hooch said that it would be unfair for me to play, because I would always catch the Snitch, or direct it to the Seeker." Eve was smiling, but Harry had been very cold toward her the whole day.
"Stop showing off, Eve. Malfoy, take your filthy team off the grass. I've wasted enough practice time." His steely remarks about her showing off had hit a nerve. She began walking toward the exit of the field, with the rest of the Slytherins following her, but she turned around.
"Just because I can't play doesn't mean I can't fly," Eve said, a distinct tone of scorn in her voice. "In fact, I bet I can beat you in any flying race, any time, Potter." She was beginning to sound a lot like Malfoy. She had never called him by his last name before. His anger was creeping up, but he accepted her challenge. He also turned around and said, icily calm, "I don't think so."
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