CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Deadly Recognition
Harry was in a dead sleep until Ron suddenly ripped the curtains of his canopy apart and said hoarsely, "We're late for class." He awoke and dressed in record time. He and Ron sprinted down to Professor Avis's classroom, where Neville, Dean, and Seamus were already sitting, listening to her lecture about Muggle science. There were a few giggles as the two of them entered the classroom.
"Thanks for waking us up," Ron muttered, taking a seat next to Neville in the back.
"We tried, but you and Harry were both goners. We even skipped breakfast," Neville added.
"Mr. Weasley, you've already disrupted my class once today. I'd appreciate it if you didn't do it again," Professor Avis snapped.
"Sorry, Professor," Ron mumbled. His eyes were only half open and his red hair sticking up on the top of his head.
Harry glanced at his watch. Luckily, they were only about ten minutes late. Professor Avis was usually pretty lenient about giving detentions for tardiness. And it was clear that both he and Ron had slept in and weren't off goofing around instead of going to class.
"Today, we'll continue our discussion of illness versus hex," Professor Avis began. "As Mr. Weasley has told you from his various lectures on the subject, it is sometimes difficult to determine the difference between an illness and a hex. For example, many teenagers are afflicted with acne, Muggles and magic folk alike. Sometimes, it takes a specialist to determine whether it is simply a bad breakout or an actual hex that inflicts damage upon the skin cells…"
Harry could feel his eyes dropping shut. He was exhausted. They'd gone to bed so late in the first place, plus he must have spent at least a good hour thinking of Eva. But now he knew what he had to do. That night, as soon as the moon set, he was going to go down to the kitchens and see Eva. He was going to tell her how sorry he was, and he was going to fix whatever was left of their relationship. It was a comforting thought to know that things would be going back to normal soon.
It was almost too comforting. His eyes were shut more often than they were open. It was lucky that the only two open seats in the classroom were in the back. Professor Avis didn't seem to notice that both he and Ron were drifting off to sleep. Harry briefly wondered if he should use a Skiving Snackbox. He thought that there was a PukingPastilles in his back pocket, but he didn't think he had the energy to take it and then manage to swallow the antidote before making too much of a mess. It just wasn't worth it.
Harry balanced his head on his hand with his elbow supporting him against the tabletop of the desk. He didn't even bother to keep his eyes open anymore. Sleep was far too comforting…
"I know he has it, my lord."
It was the young Malfoy, cowering in front of him. He had arrogance and courage and stupidity, just like is father. Yet at least with this generation there was more courage than all else. The Dark Lord spoke quickly:
"He said Dumbledore destroyed it…"
"With all due respect, my lord, he lies. I have seen it. I have touched it. He has told me how to create and use it. There is only one part he is not sure of, and that part I can figure out on my own."
"So he has betrayed me."
"Indeed, my lord. He has always been my patriarch, and I am also shocked by his treachery."
There was his arrogance again, showing through his servitude. He stood from his seat and in one powerful motion pushed Malfoy onto the hard stone floor. He laughed.
"Do not pretend he served you the same way he served me. You have proven your worth today, young Malfoy, but you still have much left to learn."
The Dark Lord continued to laugh and laugh, so hard that Harry felt his head trembled with it. With a loud bang, his head ached, not just his scar but his entire jaw.
His eyes flashed open and he realized that he was still in class and everyone was staring at him. He touched his jaw and winced. His elbow had slipped off the desktop and his chin smashed into the hard surface. But his scar still tingled from what he saw in his dream.
"Are you all right, Harry?" Professor Avis called.
Harry gulped. "Er, I think… I think I ought to go see Madam Pomfrey, professor." He got up from his desk, a bit shaky. He tried not to notice the snickers from his fellow students.
"Do you want someone to go with you?" she questioned. "Ron, perhaps?" Ron looked quite concerned, and still tired, so he nodded. "All right, you two. To the hospital wing, straight away. And I want you back before the end of class, Mr. Weasley," she warned. Ron nodded and carefully led Harry out of the classroom door.
"Please tell me that was just a ploy to get out of class to get some more sleep," Ron said quietly once they were safely outside.
Harry rubbed his chin. "I wish I could. I really did a number to my jaw." He wiggled it around and it cracked a bit. It felt back to normal, but his scar was still tingling.
"Dumbledore's office, then?" Ron questioned.
Harry nodded. He shivered. He could still see Malfoy's beady eyes staring at him, his cocky smile as he turned his own father in. But what for? And why? Harry didn't understand.
But it was some final proof that Malfoy was in a joint venture with Voldemort. Maybe now Dumbledore could do something about it.
However, when Harry told his vision to Dumbledore behind closed doors, the headmaster made no move to alert the authorities to arrest Malfoy. He merely sat behind his desk and stroked his beard, calm as ever.
"You're sure he was talking about Lucius?" Dumbledore questioned.
Harry shrugged. "He said it was someone who'd always been his patriarch. I'd assume he was talking about Lucius…"
"Never assume anything, Harry. It is a fool's action."
"Yes, sir," Harry replied. He rubbed his forehead. He wished that the tingling feeling would go away. It felt so eerie. And he was afraid that Voldemort was somehow using his scar against him. It made him feel vulnerable.
"Harry, you have my permission to spend the rest of the day in the hospital wing. I suggest you get some sleep. However," he said forcefully, "I also suggest that you fix whatever is keeping you awake at night."
"Yes, headmaster." And Harry had every intention to.
With an afternoon of sleep at the hospital wing, Harry would have no problem staying up past the full moon so that he could go down and visit Eva. He was quite a bit nervous for it. Not only because he wasn't sure if that was where she stayed during the transformations, or how she would look so soon after, but also because he wasn't sure she wanted to see him.
Harry woke just in time for dinner. He joined Hermione in the dining hall—Ron was skipping dinner in favor of catching up on some sleep—and told her about his dream. However, she was more interested in whatever Malfoy and Voldemort were talking about than the fact that Malfoy was so close to the Dark Lord.
"It must be something tangible. He said he could create it, so I suppose it could be a spell. But he touched it. Perhaps it's an object?"
"Whatever it is, it seems that Voldemort is eager to get his hands on it," Harry said quietly. He glared across the room at the Slytherin table and at Malfoy's smug position next to Pansy Parkinson. He wanted nothing more than to go over there and rip the security away from him. He wished that there was some way to communicate to Malfoy that he knew all about his meeting with Voldemort, his black market ingredients, and his deal with Michael Corner.
Malfoy caught him looking at him, and as a joke, threw himself backward off the bench, holding onto his forehead. The Slytherins around him all hooted with laughter as Draco got up and took a bow. He waved at Harry.
"Ignore him. What a prick," Hermione muttered.
Harry knew that language held no bounds for Hermione where Draco Malfoy was concerned. "Just wait, Hermione. One day, we'll get him. We'll get that smug smile off his face."
"I don't doubt it," Hermione replied. "Think we ought to take up some food for Ron?" she asked.
Harry shrugged. "I suppose."
"Think he's really sleeping?"
"Of course." Harry glanced at Hermione suspiciously. "Why wouldn't he be?" Especially after the night they had.
Suddenly, Hermione hid her head in her hands. Harry thought for a moment that she was crying, but when she looked up her eyes were dry. However, there was despair in her face. "I saw him and Luna together after lunch today. It was horrible."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that they spent the afternoon break in the library doing old puzzles in The Quibbler together and exchanging stories about their neighbors."
"Hermione, are you jealous?"
She glared at Harry, stubborn. "Absolutely not."
"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter to you then that Ron has told me there is nothing more than friendship between them and that's exactly the way he wants it?"
Hermione's expression seemed to soften. "He said that?"
Harry nodded. He didn't understand why Ron and Hermione weren't still together in the first place.
"Harry, please don't tell him that this conversation ever happened. I don't want him to think that I'm jealous."
"Why not? You are, aren't you?"
But she still wouldn't admit it. "Please, Harry. It would only make things more difficult."
"Fine," Harry replied. He was so tired of the games that couples played with each other. In a few long hours, he would finally be able to end his own chapter of games and be with Eva again. That was all that mattered.
He and Hermione gathered some food and took it up to Gryffindor Tower with them. Ron was still asleep in the boys' dormitory when Harry brought the food up to him and set it on his nightstand. He returned to the common room and spent a few hours playing some chess against Ginny and Hermione at one of the back tables. Every once in a while Nora, who was doing her homework near the fireplace, would catch his eye and look outside at the rising moon. Harry still felt bad for bursting her bubble about Lockhart's werewolf cure, but he continued to believe that she shouldn't get her hopes up for nothing.
Curfew came and everyone retreated to their own dormitories. Harry was greeted once again by Neville's snoring and Ron's mumbling. He wished that he could get a little more sleep before he took off to see Eva. However, in the dead of night, he was wide awake. He took the Moon Guide out of his pocket studied it.
It was dark. The darkest he'd ever seen it. Even though it appeared ominous, Harry was glad it was so black. It meant that the full moon was almost over. He didn't have to keep his eyes in the sky for as soon as the moon set, the ball would turn bright white, so white that it hurt his eyes to look at. He had seen it happen one time earlier in the year, after Remus had given it to him and before Eva became a werewolf. It was when the Moon Guide seemed to hold the most magic.
The temptation to look through the dark globe and say those magic words was almost overpowering. He wanted to make sure she was all right, but he also knew that she wouldn't want him to see her in her condition. Not to mention that he didn't even know if Eva was still wearing the Moon Guide. Perhaps she took it off so that he wouldn't be able to spy on her.
What would he see, anyway? With Snape's magic potion, Eva was probably just curled up in a corner of a room somewhere, waiting for the night to pass. He was comforted by the fact that she had Snape's potion as a resource to counter the horrible side effects of the transformation.
Maybe just a peek… What could it hurt?
And just as Harry raised the globe to his eye and was about to speak the incantation, he was blinded by a bright light. The globe turned from pitch black to gleaming white in an instant.
Slightly stunned and quite blind in one eye, Harry checked his watch. It was four-thirty in the morning. As quietly as possible, he hopped out of bed and began packing his bag with supplies. Hastily, he put an extra change of clothes and some of the untouched food he'd brought Ron, as well as some candy from Honeydukes. He didn't know how weak Eva would be, and he wanted to bring her something—anything—that might make her feel better.
He tiptoed past his housemates and out the dormitory door where he followed the stairs down to the common room. He slipped past the Fat Lady and was already halfway down the stairs with the Marauder's Map in hand when he realized his stupidity.
He'd forgotten the invisibility cloak.
Harry groaned. One of the portraits on the stairwell stirred in its sleep. Did he have time to go back? Could he risk making it down to the kitchen without it?
Perhaps it was because he ached for her that he went against his better judgment and continued making his way down to the kitchens. As long as he kept his eye on the Marauder's Map, he shouldn't run into trouble. If he was elusive enough, he would have no need to be invisible.
He made it to the kitchen without being spotted. He tickled the pear and the portrait door swung open on squeaky hinges. Holding his wand like a torch, he quietly walked down the stairs into the kitchen.
The place was dark and deserted. No house-elves scurried about. No hearth was lit. There was only a single candelabra that provided a hint of light in the center of the room.
However, he could hear voices at the end of the corridor. He stumbled in the darkness over to where the noises were coming from, wishing that he had turned back for the invisibility cloak. However, with the Marauder's Map in hand, he could see that Remus, Tonks, and Eva were directly ahead of him, along with four house-elves, including Dobby.
Harry quickly put out his wand and watched the map by the glow of the dim candlelight, and saw that Tonks was with Remus, perhaps moving him, outside of one room and into another. Eva, however, did not move from the room next-door. The fact that her name remained still sent shivers down Harry's spine.
Harry took a chance and peeked around the corner. He was shocked to see that the two rooms that were side-by-side were not rooms at all, but cages. Eva lay in a heap on the stone floor. Harry thought for a moment she was dead; she appeared so lifeless. However, he could see her breathing. It was shallow and fast, and the Moon Guide was still fastened around her neck.
So she had left it on.
Harry realized that but for the blanket, Eva was naked. He'd never really thought about the transformation before, but he supposed that it would rip her clothes apart just as it had Remus' when he'd seen his transformation three years ago.
Harry could feel his heart thumping madly in his chest. Is this really what Eva had to go through during each full moon? For some reason, it seemed crueler than letting her transform in a forgotten wilderness somewhere. At least in the forest she could have some anonymity. Some dignity.
Eva began to stir. She opened her eyes and carefully moved into a sitting position. She bashfully pulled the blanket more securely around her naked body. Tonks returned from the room she'd just helped Remus into.
"Are you all right?" Tonks questioned. "Can you stand?"
"Give me a moment," she whispered hoarsely.
Tonks nodded. She stepped back outside the cage and spoke to the house-elves, apparently dismissing them. Three of them worked their special magic to disappear, while only Dobby remained. By the time Tonks had finished speaking to him and sent him on an errand, Eva was up on her feet, but still relying heavily on the wall for support.
"I've got you," Tonks said. She went into the cage and pulled Eva's arm around her shoulders. She practically dragged her to the adjacent room where Remus was waiting.
Harry glanced in either direction, not particularly caring whether he would get caught, and followed them to the room. He lingered outside the doorway, watching closely.
Remus was already sitting on one of the beds, buttoning the cuff of his sleeve. He looked like hell, but at least he was conscious. His hands didn't seem to work properly though, as he struggled with the buttons. After, he laid back against the wall as though all of his energy had been used up in the single act of putting his shirt on.
Tonks set Eva down on the opposite bed with a gentle bounce. There was a small pile of clothes at the foot, but Eva made no move to put them on. She was ghastly pale and her breathing still came in abnormal gasps. Beads of sweat gathered around her forehead as she closed her eyes and attempted to catch her breath. She didn't look like she could lift a finger, let alone dress herself.
Tonks sat down on the bed next to Remus and held his hand. It was a tight grip, almost as though she was expecting him to slip through her fingers at any moment. All of this had to take its toll on her.
"Don't… Don't wait around on my account," Eva whispered breathlessly. "I-I'm all right. I just need some time."
"Eva, we can't leave you like this…"
She raised her hand to silence Tonks. "I'll be fine. Dobby's here. Time together—it's precious." Tonks and Remus still didn't budge. "Go!" she cried. Her eyes snapped shut. Clearly, she was not ready to shout yet.
"Don't get yourself upset," Tonks said. She got up from the bed and went over to Eva and pulled her wet hair away from her forehead. "Do you want a glass of water? Some tea perhaps? Do you want me to help you dress?"
"I can do it myself!" Eva bellowed.
Remus grunted. "There, you see, she's fine. Her temper's back already." He grinned weakly at Eva and winked. He carefully stood up from the bed and wrapped his arm around Tonks' waist.
Tonks looked rather torn. She leaned over Eva and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "If you need anything—anything—we'll just be in my quarters," she said quietly. "I'll be back to check on you in an hour or so. Dobby will be here if you need anything."
"And so will I."
Harry couldn't take it anymore and stepped into the room. Tonks gasped. Eva's eyes flew open at the sound of his voice. "H-Harry, what are you doing here?" Eva whispered.
"You shouldn't be here right now," Tonks interrupted.
He stepped into the room. "Yes," he said sadly, "I should."
"He's right," Remus said huskily. He tightened his grip around Tonks' waist. "Leave them be." Tonks hesitated at first, but then Remus led her out the door, closing it behind them. The room was immersed in darkness, except for a lamp on the nightstand that seemed to be dimming by the second.
As Harry approached her, he saw that her breathing was better now. Her skin, too, had more color, but not much. She didn't move or speak; she just stared at him. Harry wanted more than anything to touch her, but he was afraid she would break.
How could he have been so stupid? How could he have spent the night before bullshitting with his buddies instead of spending his time with her? He didn't want to know what she was thinking when he didn't show last night. He didn't want to imagine how she dreaded the full moon. It was something that she went through every single month. Every single cycle. This was her life now.
In on fluid motion Harry got onto the floor, kneeling in front of her. Not able to help himself, he reached out and touched her face. She felt very feverish. "Eva," he whispered. "I'm so sorry…" He felt a tear trickle from his eye and roll down his cheek, and no one was more surprised than he was. "I've been such a fool. I should have come to you yesterday. Hell, I should have come to you weeks before that."
He was expecting silence from her. He was expecting a slap in the face. But instead, her lips curved into a small, confident smile. "It's all right," Eva said as she reached and stroked the side of his face with her shaking hand. "I knew you would come 'round."
Harry took her hand away from his face and drew it to his lips, gently kissing her knuckles. "That's the thing. You have faith in me. I realized something in the time we've been apart. It's not that I don't believe in you; I don't believe in anyone. Ever since Sirius died, I've lost faith. But I'm going to try, Eva. I swear to you, I'm going to try."
Eva shook her head. "I'm sorry too, Harry. I didn't mean to make you mourn for your godfather again. I knew I was being too harsh." She sat up in the bed. "I was just blowing things out of proportion. It had been a crazy night. I thought I lost everything that mattered, but I didn't know how close I was to losing the one person who matters most to me." She looked at him with damp, glowing eyes. "Harry, you're the one I love. You're so much more important to me than a job or a broken friendship."
Harry got up from the floor and sat on her bed, longing to be near her again. Eva carefully swung her legs around to the edge of the bed and wrapped her arms around Harry's waist. She sighed contently as he reached around and rubbed her back. "Can… can we go somewhere else?"
"Somewhere else?" Harry questioned.
Eva let go of him and nodded. "This room… it gives me the creeps. I can still feel the awful magic in the air. I can still taste the damn potion Snape feeds me."
Harry nodded. "Of course. Do you want to go back to my room? Do you think you can make it?"
"Aye," she said quietly. "But I ought to get dressed first." She glanced at Harry bashfully, and carefully got to her feet.
Harry tried not to stare, even though only a month ago more than his eyes had been ravaging her body, but he was afraid that if he watched her, he would be damaging her dignity. However, she didn't even seem to notice his eyes upon her. She was trying desperately hard to manipulate her body so she could get dressed. She was able to pull on her underclothes and a pair of sweat pants, but when she finally managed to pull the button-up shirt around her shoulders, she plopped back down on the bed, exhausted. Her fingers trembled as she tried to button her shirt.
He watched her struggle for a few moments until he couldn't take it anymore. "Here, let me help," Harry said quietly. He stepped forward and leaned over, gently tugging the two sides of the shirt together. He could feel Eva's warm breath against his cheek and see her chest move with every inhalation. His fingertips accidentally brushed against her flesh and she shivered. He fumbled with the buttons nearly as much as she did before he finally managed to close them. He'd almost forgotten what it was like to be so close to her. Before pulling away, he wiped her hair away from her forehead and kissed it. She was still on fire.
"I-I used to bounce back a lot quicker," Eva said quietly. "The first time, anyway. Now I go through it all and… Well, I never really know how it's going to turn out." She gave a small smile and closed her eyes tightly. "I think I'm ready now."
Harry nodded. Eva scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up, quite wobbly, and then Harry quickly offered her a shoulder to lean on. He grabbed his bag and the Marauder's Map and helped Eva out of the room.
"Where's the cloak?" Eva asked.
"Forgot it," Harry muttered, "but don't worry. I've got the map. It'll be all right."
By the time they got out of the kitchen and to the top of the stairs, he was practically dragging Eva with him. She was still out of breath and seemed to be growing weaker with every step. "Maybe… I shouldn't have come," she whispered. "Perhaps we ought to turn back. I don't think I can make it up to Gryffindor Tower."
Harry didn't say it out loud, but he didn't even think she could make it back down into the kitchen again. "Let's go to the Room of Requirement," he replied.
"Where?"
"The room where we spent Valentine's Day." He adjusted her arm around his shoulders and braced himself for the long walk ahead. He studied the map, hoping to find the connecting staircase that would let them bypass a few floors. They were in luck.
Just as Harry and Eva stepped foot onto the floor where the Room of Requirement was, he noticed some movement on the map. The name that was moving swiftly toward them made Harry's stomach twist into a knot.
Draco Malfoy.
How could it be? Harry hadn't exactly been staring intently at the map, but how could Draco have just suddenly appeared on the map, let alone on the same floor? But he had bigger things to worry about. Malfoy was headed straight for them.
Harry cursed. "Somebody's coming. Here," he hissed, gesturing to a statue, "get behind this." He gently pushed Eva into the corner. It was dark. Perhaps he wouldn't see. Harry glanced one last time at the map with Malfoy still headed directly towards them, then snuffed out his wand. Harry stood in front of Eva, flattening himself between the statue and the wall. Maybe Draco hadn't seen the glow of his wand. Maybe he would just walk right by and completely miss them.
He could hear Malfoy's footsteps echo throughout the corridor. They got louder as he got closer, but also further apart. He was slowing down. The glow of his wand reflected on the iron statue and along the portraits that were still sleeping peacefully. As Malfoy approached them, Harry could see his pale face in the dim light. Those beady eyes, that beak of a nose. Harry didn't know evil could be so ugly.
Draco slowly stepped past them, but as he did, Harry heard Eva gasp softly. Malfoy turned on his heel, his wand outstretched and pointed in the direction of the sound, and Harry felt the tip of it stabbing his nose. He was a bit on edge.
However, his tension faded as he recognized Harry. The light was too dim for him to see Eva, and Harry was doing the best he could to cover her up. She couldn't be caught with him—it would be disastrous.
"Well, well, well. Out after curfew, Potter?" Draco snickered. "Twenty-five points from…"
Harry was suddenly pushed aside from behind as Eva forced her way into the light and had her hands aiming for Draco's throat. "You!" she screamed. "You son of a bitch! I'll kill you!"
Draco jumped backwards just in time to dodge Eva's assault. Confused, Harry held her back, trying to restrain her. Her arms were wild as she cried out and tried to get a hold of Malfoy.
Malfoy's face, if possible, grew even paler. He looked as though he'd seen a ghost. "You…" he whispered. Without any explanation, he backed away from both of them, nearly tripping over his robes. Malfoy turned around and ran away.
Harry watched in shock. "What the bloody hell…?"
Eva struggled against his grip. "Harry, let me go! Please Harry! Let me go!" she cried. "I'll rip him apart with my bare hands!"
"But…how do you…? How do you know him?"
"Harry, please," she pleaded. "Please, let me go. Please…" She turned to him, her eyes filled with despair. "Harry… please…" Her voice trailed off.
Harry was suddenly hit with a flash of a memory. Not his—Eva's. She was standing in a kitchen somewhere, a Muggle kitchen. It all looked familiar. It smelled familiar. There was a knock on the door. The woman in the room—he could only see her from the back—went to go answer the door. Then she screamed.
Harry had been there before.
He snapped back into reality as he realized that he was no longer holding Eva back, but supporting her. She had stopped struggling. "Eva, what is this all about?" he questioned.
She collapsed against him. Harry could feel wetness as her cheek brushed against his own. She was crying. "Please, Harry. Take me away from here."
Harry picked her up and carried her back and forth along the corridor, trying to think of things that could be put in the room to make Eva feel better. But all he could think about was what had just happened. Eva would have been perfectly hidden behind him—Draco would have never known—but she had stomped out in front of him. Why? How in the hell did she know Malfoy?
There was a flash of light on the wall as a rectangular door frame appear, illuminated by whatever sort of magic made the room work. Harry quickly pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The room was much smaller than Valentine's Day. Inside, there was a single love seat with a heavy afghan draped over the back. The only light in the room was from a fireplace that quietly crackled in the corner. He set Eva down in a standing position and put the Marauder's Map into his bag and dropped it on the floor. He slipped his wand into his pocket and sat down. The sofa wasn't even that nice. Harry briefly wondered why there was only a couch. Why not a bed? A comfortable one, instead of a rickety loveseat. Then he realized why.
Eva was trembling in front of the fireplace. Harry beckoned her to him. She stumbled towards him and sat down next to him, and he wrapped his arms around her, molding into a protective shield around her body. She needed him. She needed to be close to him. This was what Eva required.
A/N: Sorry if that was too sickeningly romantic for anyone to handle. Gotta have that stuff once in a while, you know?