"Well there it is." Eve said "Just as it was the last time I saw it." Eve said as she walked closely behind Lupin carrying her small box. Lupin stopped at the front door,
"Are you ready?" he asked quietly, Eve hesitated for a moment stepped back until she nodded as Remus opened the door and suddenly nine people were all welcoming Lupin home all at once with big hugs and jovial handshakes were administerd as Eve slinked back into a corner looking about the house remembering it as it was when she had been introduced to Sirius's parents. She rather liked being completely ignored and didn't really notice when every one started to notice that Lupin had brought home a girl. After a few minutes Eve realized that it had gone suddenly quiet when a man with grizzly grey hair called out,
"Oi, Remus, who's the lass?" and every one had suddenly fixated their attention on her when Remus offered an explanation of their meeting.
"Well Moody, this is Genevieve Porter. She and I went to Hogwarts together. Eve was Sirius's girlfriend from what was it third year till about seventeen years ago?" Sirius explained
"Your fourth year" Eve corrected quietly.
"Well look at the poor dear, she must be confused out of her mind being back in this old house." A kind faced woman said as she offered to show Eve to a spare bedroom
"Oh Molly that's fine I'll take Eve's things up when I take mine shouldn't be too difficult to manage, it's a small box." Lupin said with a wink back at Eve who acknowledged with a half smile.
"Oh Genevieve, you must be starving and tired, let me heat up some of the dinner." The kind faced woman offered "and then we can introduce you to everyone." As she lead Eve into the kitchen where a very large bowl of vegetable soup had been set in front of her.
"Thank you ma'am." Eve said quietly
"Oh no dear, not ma'am; I'm Molly Weasley and this is my husband Arthur, and my son Ron and daughter Ginny." Each respective person waved happily at Eve which made her feel a little more comfortable at least the house wasn't as strict as when Mrs. Black had lived in it. Molly continued with, "My other sons Fred and George, they're twins, Percy is a ministry worker but not members of The Order, chances are you won't see Percy much. Bill and Charlie are my eldest two. You'll see them I'm around I'm sure. This handsome young man is Harry Potter." Harry's introduction made Eve sit up straighter as she considered Harry who gazed back at her "And this is Hermione Granger, a friend of Harry's and Ron's." Hermione waved with a bright stunning smile. "This is Alastor "Mad-eye Moody retired Auror." Mrs. Weasley continued
"Welcome back Ms. Genevieve." Mad-eye Moody said
"Oh Moody please, it's Eve." she said softly
"This is Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphandora Tonks." Molly finished
"Please Molly, Tonks." A thin young woman with short black hair said
"I'm sorry Tonks but you have a first name and I'm going to introduce this young lady correctly." Molly said sternly just then the door of the kitchen flung open and in billowed a man of middle height with long greasy hair, a hooked nose, and skin so sallow it reminded Eve of spoiled milk.
"Eve" Lupin said with a sly smile "This is Serverus Snape surely you remember him." At the introduction Eve blinked and stared at the man as she stood up. Snape's eyes were also fixed on Eve watching her with consideration
"Eve....Eve, Why does that name sound familiar..." when Snape's eyes went wide with recognition as he mouthed quietly "Genevieve Porter, Sirius Black's girlfriend?" Eve nodded as she walked over to Snape as they eyed each other while everyone else was quiet knowing how well that Sirius and Snape had gotten along in school. Suddenly Eve threw her arms around Snape's neck and for a while they hugged as Lupin looked on in shock when they separated Snape asked, "How are you? The newspapers listed you among the missing and declared dead in that explosion in front of the ministry because your body was never found, and well now I see why! How did you get here anyway?"
"Well firstly, I'm fine. And I did almost die in that explosion but, thanks to Moody I didn't. He sent me to a first rate hospital in North America it took a while to regain back all my memory I had been hit with debris from the building that damaged my memory for a while, and finally I got here with the help of Remus." She said as she threw a dazzling smile at him that sent messages for him not to worry Snape also cast a glance at Remus but his was still of sheer loathing and hatred,
"Oh. Well I hope that he was at least considerate of you during your trip." Snape hissed at Lupin
"Oh Serverus, please, it is Remus we're talking about. He's always been the perfect gentleman." Eve said as she held out her hand for Remus to take which he quickly did.
"Oh yes that's right Remus, the perfect gentleman." Snape choked "But I see you didn't waste anytime at all moving in on your best friend's girl did you? Sort of school age isn't it Moony?" Snape chortled as Remus's eyes narrowed and took a swipe at Snape's jaw line.
"REMUS!" Mrs. Weasley and Eve screeched as Eve spun to face him "Was that really necessary?" She asked her arms crossed in front of her. Snape stepped aside to talk to Arthur Weasley and left shortly after. "
Eve, dear come into the living room, and tell us all about how you and Remus met again?" Mrs. Weasley asked as Eve nodded and followed suit Harry sat down across from Eve eyeing her carefully as though to size her up. Remus sat down on the couch beside her. Eve looked at Remus and asked if he wanted to tell the story Lupin nodded and began with Eve throwing in little interjections every once in a while until Harry stood up and asked,
"So, you dated Sirius?" Eve nodded in confirmation. "I suppose you know he's dead." Harry said bluntly in a tone so cold that made Eve wince but again she nodded in confirmation. "I'm also sure that you'd like to see a picture?" He continued a bit softer probably due to the petrified look that he was receiving. Eve nodded as Lupin stood up to take her,
"No, no Professor I'll take her I want to talk with her a bit more anyway." Harry said still watching Eve who through a worried glance at Remus. Lupin gave her hand a squeeze as she walked toward the hallway past a covered portrait and asked
"Harry?"
"Yeah?" he replied
"What are the drapes covering?" Eve asked
"Would you like to see?" Harry said conspicuously trying to urge her into saying yes so she nodded and Harry pulled back the cord when shouts of
"Half-Breeds, Filth, scum, how you dare soil the noble house of Black" alerted everyone to the stairs, until Eve started talking to the portrait,
"Mrs. Black?" Eve asked cautiously while curtsying. As the beady eyed picture started looking her up and down
"Child, do something with your hair it's all in your eyes and state your name." Eve pulled her hair back and brushed it out of her face. "--Much better dear." The portrait said
"Ma'am, my name is Genevieve Porter." Mrs. Black's eyes went wide in amazement.
"Eve, my son's girlfriend?" The portrait questioned
"Yes, ma'am" Eve said waiting for what was to come
"Well child, welcome back to my home. I think you were the only part of his wretched life that I actually approved of." Mrs. Black said "But that-"and she thrust a gloved finger at the edge of the canvas toward Remus "That monster!" she bellowed
"Mrs. Black-" Eve started
"NO! Child" She looked back at Eve
"Mrs. Black please listen to me." Eve started as she caught the portraits attention "Remus is a gentle person, and a pureblood wizard, with an unfortunate circumstance." The portrait looked back at Remus and nodded.
"Eve promise that you will come back and tell me where you have been all these years. This house has been devoid of any truly noble witches lately. Hopefully you can bring my house back to standard." Eve nodded kindly and bid Mrs. Black goodbye for now and looked at Harry with eyebrows raised
"That was a dirty trick, and I got the better of you, feel sheepish yet?" Eve said full of flair and confidence "Now would you please show me to the portrait of Sirius?"
"Harry Potter!" Remus said sternly "I would like a word with you. Ron will show Eve to the picture of Sirius won't you Ron?" Lupin smiled at a very tall boy with brilliant red hair and freckles to match. "Hello Ron." Eve said kindly
"It's nice to meet you Eve. Come to think of it I think I remember seeing your school picture, Harry showed it to me while he was cleaning out Sirius's attic. You'll have to forgive Harry; he's not been himself since he lost Sirius. After all Sirius was the second to last link to his parents he had and he's awfully close to Professor Lupin now."
"I'm not trying to take the place of anyone or take Remus away from Harry or his job as an instructor. I've known Remus for a long time, true we lost touch for about seventeen years but now it's like we never lost each other at all. If Harry would give me a chance he'd know that I was practically best friends with his mother in school." Eve said while walking up the stairs with Ron when finally they came to the third floor landing and Ron said,
"This is Sirius's room." And he opened the door for her as she entered she chuckled a little.
"It hasn't much since school." Eve said half to herself and half to Ron when suddenly as if from no where.
"Ron?" Sirius's voice rang out like music to Eve's ears
"Hi Sirius." Ron said as he walked in front of the portrait "I brought you a visitor."
"What?! Oh please tell me Snape's not around this house is he?" Sirius asked in a sardonic tone
"No, I think you'll enjoy this visitor." Ron said with a smile and waved Eve over
"Hi Sirius." She said quietly as the picture of Sirius on the wall stared in amazement until Sirius's portrait said in an almost inaudible whisper
"Eve? My Eve?" She nodded as a tear formed in her sharp eyes and rolled down her cheek "I thought—you were dead." Sirius said "I waited for a year or more but when there was no letter, no sign of you I figured you had been killed just like many others-- incinerated." The last word hit home for Eve now she really knew that people thought she had died and that they really mourned their loss, Sirius continued "And three days later I lost James and Lily, I wasn't sure how I'd continue." As even Sirius the big shot, the prankster, the one Eve had called cold hearted once during a fight, shed a single tear "But, how did you get here?" He asked "and where have you been?"
"Oh Sirius, I thought about you constantly. I thought about where you were, who you were with now that I had been removed." Eve said as another tear rolled down her soft cheek "Remus and I sort of stumbled across each other in a forest hollow about three months ago. And where have I been? Oh Sirius if you only knew. I after that explosion in front of the ministry Moody was the first to find me and he did so quickly, saw the severity of wounds and gashes along my head and magicked me to a top hospital knowing that St. Mungo's just wouldn't cut it. Slowly I regained the memory I had lost. While I was still in a relatively vulnerable state someone claiming to have known me, and at that point I figured that because of my condition I didn't remember him he knew my name without asking. He seemed to know me and I thought that I knew him but even up until now I think that was the first day that I had seen him although what he told me was he had gone to Hogwarts and was only a few years older than I am."
"Eve, what was his name?" Sirius asked with narrow eyes
"Tom Reynolds." She said
"Did he hurt you?" that question she didn't answer just merely shrugged.
"Sirius what happened to you after...that day?" Eve asked looking at the floor
"Well after I lost you I just stopped until I found out that Lily and James had been murdered. That's when I started moving I was going to kill Peter but the little rat got the better of me I spent the better part of thirteen years in Azakaban and was on the run all the way up until that day in the ministry with the Veil." Eve nodded and slowly lifted her fingers to the portrait and almost touched it but put her hand down and sighed while looking around at the floor and ceiling until Sirius said,
"Eve, if you're staying in the house, you're free to stay in this room it would be nice to be able to watch you sleep again. For some reason I always found peace in that." Sirius's brown eyes gazing as pitiful as Eve had ever seen which made her cry harder "Oh Eve please don't cry. Damn! All I want now is one more day to touch you. To hold you to know that your real. If the dead are given a Christmas wish that's what mine would be. To have one day with just you." And he put his hand up to the side of the canvas as if hoping to be able to reach through.
"Eve..." Remus was calling her
"I'm in here Remus." She called back as the door opened
"Moony!" Sirius called
"Hi Padfoot." Remus said solemnly as he took Eve's hand and saw Sirius's eyes shift down and sigh
"Well I guess if I can't be with her, someone should protect the love of my life." And with that Eve lost it and buried her face in Remus's shoulder as Lupin threw his arms around her while casting Sirius a did-you-really-have- to-say-that glace.
"Remus." She said quietly "I think I need to go now." And with that she said goodbye to Sirius's portrait as Eve and Remus walked from the room. Lupin's arm supporting her around the waist Eve was still clinging to Lupin for comfort and protection as they walked down the hall toward Remus's room. While Eve laid down Remus, by her side the tears finally started to subside as he held her and kissed away her tears until finally Eve fell asleep in his arms where she stayed until morning.
"Are you ready?" he asked quietly, Eve hesitated for a moment stepped back until she nodded as Remus opened the door and suddenly nine people were all welcoming Lupin home all at once with big hugs and jovial handshakes were administerd as Eve slinked back into a corner looking about the house remembering it as it was when she had been introduced to Sirius's parents. She rather liked being completely ignored and didn't really notice when every one started to notice that Lupin had brought home a girl. After a few minutes Eve realized that it had gone suddenly quiet when a man with grizzly grey hair called out,
"Oi, Remus, who's the lass?" and every one had suddenly fixated their attention on her when Remus offered an explanation of their meeting.
"Well Moody, this is Genevieve Porter. She and I went to Hogwarts together. Eve was Sirius's girlfriend from what was it third year till about seventeen years ago?" Sirius explained
"Your fourth year" Eve corrected quietly.
"Well look at the poor dear, she must be confused out of her mind being back in this old house." A kind faced woman said as she offered to show Eve to a spare bedroom
"Oh Molly that's fine I'll take Eve's things up when I take mine shouldn't be too difficult to manage, it's a small box." Lupin said with a wink back at Eve who acknowledged with a half smile.
"Oh Genevieve, you must be starving and tired, let me heat up some of the dinner." The kind faced woman offered "and then we can introduce you to everyone." As she lead Eve into the kitchen where a very large bowl of vegetable soup had been set in front of her.
"Thank you ma'am." Eve said quietly
"Oh no dear, not ma'am; I'm Molly Weasley and this is my husband Arthur, and my son Ron and daughter Ginny." Each respective person waved happily at Eve which made her feel a little more comfortable at least the house wasn't as strict as when Mrs. Black had lived in it. Molly continued with, "My other sons Fred and George, they're twins, Percy is a ministry worker but not members of The Order, chances are you won't see Percy much. Bill and Charlie are my eldest two. You'll see them I'm around I'm sure. This handsome young man is Harry Potter." Harry's introduction made Eve sit up straighter as she considered Harry who gazed back at her "And this is Hermione Granger, a friend of Harry's and Ron's." Hermione waved with a bright stunning smile. "This is Alastor "Mad-eye Moody retired Auror." Mrs. Weasley continued
"Welcome back Ms. Genevieve." Mad-eye Moody said
"Oh Moody please, it's Eve." she said softly
"This is Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphandora Tonks." Molly finished
"Please Molly, Tonks." A thin young woman with short black hair said
"I'm sorry Tonks but you have a first name and I'm going to introduce this young lady correctly." Molly said sternly just then the door of the kitchen flung open and in billowed a man of middle height with long greasy hair, a hooked nose, and skin so sallow it reminded Eve of spoiled milk.
"Eve" Lupin said with a sly smile "This is Serverus Snape surely you remember him." At the introduction Eve blinked and stared at the man as she stood up. Snape's eyes were also fixed on Eve watching her with consideration
"Eve....Eve, Why does that name sound familiar..." when Snape's eyes went wide with recognition as he mouthed quietly "Genevieve Porter, Sirius Black's girlfriend?" Eve nodded as she walked over to Snape as they eyed each other while everyone else was quiet knowing how well that Sirius and Snape had gotten along in school. Suddenly Eve threw her arms around Snape's neck and for a while they hugged as Lupin looked on in shock when they separated Snape asked, "How are you? The newspapers listed you among the missing and declared dead in that explosion in front of the ministry because your body was never found, and well now I see why! How did you get here anyway?"
"Well firstly, I'm fine. And I did almost die in that explosion but, thanks to Moody I didn't. He sent me to a first rate hospital in North America it took a while to regain back all my memory I had been hit with debris from the building that damaged my memory for a while, and finally I got here with the help of Remus." She said as she threw a dazzling smile at him that sent messages for him not to worry Snape also cast a glance at Remus but his was still of sheer loathing and hatred,
"Oh. Well I hope that he was at least considerate of you during your trip." Snape hissed at Lupin
"Oh Serverus, please, it is Remus we're talking about. He's always been the perfect gentleman." Eve said as she held out her hand for Remus to take which he quickly did.
"Oh yes that's right Remus, the perfect gentleman." Snape choked "But I see you didn't waste anytime at all moving in on your best friend's girl did you? Sort of school age isn't it Moony?" Snape chortled as Remus's eyes narrowed and took a swipe at Snape's jaw line.
"REMUS!" Mrs. Weasley and Eve screeched as Eve spun to face him "Was that really necessary?" She asked her arms crossed in front of her. Snape stepped aside to talk to Arthur Weasley and left shortly after. "
Eve, dear come into the living room, and tell us all about how you and Remus met again?" Mrs. Weasley asked as Eve nodded and followed suit Harry sat down across from Eve eyeing her carefully as though to size her up. Remus sat down on the couch beside her. Eve looked at Remus and asked if he wanted to tell the story Lupin nodded and began with Eve throwing in little interjections every once in a while until Harry stood up and asked,
"So, you dated Sirius?" Eve nodded in confirmation. "I suppose you know he's dead." Harry said bluntly in a tone so cold that made Eve wince but again she nodded in confirmation. "I'm also sure that you'd like to see a picture?" He continued a bit softer probably due to the petrified look that he was receiving. Eve nodded as Lupin stood up to take her,
"No, no Professor I'll take her I want to talk with her a bit more anyway." Harry said still watching Eve who through a worried glance at Remus. Lupin gave her hand a squeeze as she walked toward the hallway past a covered portrait and asked
"Harry?"
"Yeah?" he replied
"What are the drapes covering?" Eve asked
"Would you like to see?" Harry said conspicuously trying to urge her into saying yes so she nodded and Harry pulled back the cord when shouts of
"Half-Breeds, Filth, scum, how you dare soil the noble house of Black" alerted everyone to the stairs, until Eve started talking to the portrait,
"Mrs. Black?" Eve asked cautiously while curtsying. As the beady eyed picture started looking her up and down
"Child, do something with your hair it's all in your eyes and state your name." Eve pulled her hair back and brushed it out of her face. "--Much better dear." The portrait said
"Ma'am, my name is Genevieve Porter." Mrs. Black's eyes went wide in amazement.
"Eve, my son's girlfriend?" The portrait questioned
"Yes, ma'am" Eve said waiting for what was to come
"Well child, welcome back to my home. I think you were the only part of his wretched life that I actually approved of." Mrs. Black said "But that-"and she thrust a gloved finger at the edge of the canvas toward Remus "That monster!" she bellowed
"Mrs. Black-" Eve started
"NO! Child" She looked back at Eve
"Mrs. Black please listen to me." Eve started as she caught the portraits attention "Remus is a gentle person, and a pureblood wizard, with an unfortunate circumstance." The portrait looked back at Remus and nodded.
"Eve promise that you will come back and tell me where you have been all these years. This house has been devoid of any truly noble witches lately. Hopefully you can bring my house back to standard." Eve nodded kindly and bid Mrs. Black goodbye for now and looked at Harry with eyebrows raised
"That was a dirty trick, and I got the better of you, feel sheepish yet?" Eve said full of flair and confidence "Now would you please show me to the portrait of Sirius?"
"Harry Potter!" Remus said sternly "I would like a word with you. Ron will show Eve to the picture of Sirius won't you Ron?" Lupin smiled at a very tall boy with brilliant red hair and freckles to match. "Hello Ron." Eve said kindly
"It's nice to meet you Eve. Come to think of it I think I remember seeing your school picture, Harry showed it to me while he was cleaning out Sirius's attic. You'll have to forgive Harry; he's not been himself since he lost Sirius. After all Sirius was the second to last link to his parents he had and he's awfully close to Professor Lupin now."
"I'm not trying to take the place of anyone or take Remus away from Harry or his job as an instructor. I've known Remus for a long time, true we lost touch for about seventeen years but now it's like we never lost each other at all. If Harry would give me a chance he'd know that I was practically best friends with his mother in school." Eve said while walking up the stairs with Ron when finally they came to the third floor landing and Ron said,
"This is Sirius's room." And he opened the door for her as she entered she chuckled a little.
"It hasn't much since school." Eve said half to herself and half to Ron when suddenly as if from no where.
"Ron?" Sirius's voice rang out like music to Eve's ears
"Hi Sirius." Ron said as he walked in front of the portrait "I brought you a visitor."
"What?! Oh please tell me Snape's not around this house is he?" Sirius asked in a sardonic tone
"No, I think you'll enjoy this visitor." Ron said with a smile and waved Eve over
"Hi Sirius." She said quietly as the picture of Sirius on the wall stared in amazement until Sirius's portrait said in an almost inaudible whisper
"Eve? My Eve?" She nodded as a tear formed in her sharp eyes and rolled down her cheek "I thought—you were dead." Sirius said "I waited for a year or more but when there was no letter, no sign of you I figured you had been killed just like many others-- incinerated." The last word hit home for Eve now she really knew that people thought she had died and that they really mourned their loss, Sirius continued "And three days later I lost James and Lily, I wasn't sure how I'd continue." As even Sirius the big shot, the prankster, the one Eve had called cold hearted once during a fight, shed a single tear "But, how did you get here?" He asked "and where have you been?"
"Oh Sirius, I thought about you constantly. I thought about where you were, who you were with now that I had been removed." Eve said as another tear rolled down her soft cheek "Remus and I sort of stumbled across each other in a forest hollow about three months ago. And where have I been? Oh Sirius if you only knew. I after that explosion in front of the ministry Moody was the first to find me and he did so quickly, saw the severity of wounds and gashes along my head and magicked me to a top hospital knowing that St. Mungo's just wouldn't cut it. Slowly I regained the memory I had lost. While I was still in a relatively vulnerable state someone claiming to have known me, and at that point I figured that because of my condition I didn't remember him he knew my name without asking. He seemed to know me and I thought that I knew him but even up until now I think that was the first day that I had seen him although what he told me was he had gone to Hogwarts and was only a few years older than I am."
"Eve, what was his name?" Sirius asked with narrow eyes
"Tom Reynolds." She said
"Did he hurt you?" that question she didn't answer just merely shrugged.
"Sirius what happened to you after...that day?" Eve asked looking at the floor
"Well after I lost you I just stopped until I found out that Lily and James had been murdered. That's when I started moving I was going to kill Peter but the little rat got the better of me I spent the better part of thirteen years in Azakaban and was on the run all the way up until that day in the ministry with the Veil." Eve nodded and slowly lifted her fingers to the portrait and almost touched it but put her hand down and sighed while looking around at the floor and ceiling until Sirius said,
"Eve, if you're staying in the house, you're free to stay in this room it would be nice to be able to watch you sleep again. For some reason I always found peace in that." Sirius's brown eyes gazing as pitiful as Eve had ever seen which made her cry harder "Oh Eve please don't cry. Damn! All I want now is one more day to touch you. To hold you to know that your real. If the dead are given a Christmas wish that's what mine would be. To have one day with just you." And he put his hand up to the side of the canvas as if hoping to be able to reach through.
"Eve..." Remus was calling her
"I'm in here Remus." She called back as the door opened
"Moony!" Sirius called
"Hi Padfoot." Remus said solemnly as he took Eve's hand and saw Sirius's eyes shift down and sigh
"Well I guess if I can't be with her, someone should protect the love of my life." And with that Eve lost it and buried her face in Remus's shoulder as Lupin threw his arms around her while casting Sirius a did-you-really-have- to-say-that glace.
"Remus." She said quietly "I think I need to go now." And with that she said goodbye to Sirius's portrait as Eve and Remus walked from the room. Lupin's arm supporting her around the waist Eve was still clinging to Lupin for comfort and protection as they walked down the hall toward Remus's room. While Eve laid down Remus, by her side the tears finally started to subside as he held her and kissed away her tears until finally Eve fell asleep in his arms where she stayed until morning.