A few of you asked why Harry (in the last chapter) blamed Ron for his lack of studying. The answer is that Harry wasn't blaming Ron, he was blaming himself for allowing himself to be distracted. He wasn't upset with Ron at all.
This chapter is rather short, but I hope you like it. Also, I will not answer any questions about Evan's identity or his relationship with Professor Dumbledore. Speculations are welcome, and encouraged in the hopes that the more my readers debate about his identity, the more you will read my work to figure it out. I will post sections of your reviews that mention who you think Evan is or isn't at the start of the next chapter as long as the review includes the reasons you think the way you do.
Also, I do welcome suggestions for all my stories and if I like one I will use it, give you the credit in an authors note, and award points to the house of your choice based on how good a suggestion it was.
"You're my best friend… You know that, right?" the beautiful young woman asked her closest friend.
The sixteen year old looked up at her with questioning eyes. "Of course, but what brought this on?" he asked, pushing a lock of hair back.
"Well," she said, drawing the word out. "I-it's just…"
"Just what?" he asked, concerned.
She smiled softly. "Nothing will change with us," she said. "I've just agreed to…"
His back stiffened. "You said 'yes' to him, didn't you?" His face looked as though it had been carved in stone.
"I'm going to the ball with him, yes," she said.
The young man looked at her, sadness in his eyes. "If you're happy, then I'm happy." But he wasn't, not really. In fact the pain of it felt as though he was going to die. He rubbed his chest where it felt as though a knife was sticking.
"Are you… really okay with this?" she asked, touching his arm lightly.
"Yeah," he said, his voice nearly cracking. "I've gotta go. Quidditch practice starts in ten minutes." With that, the young man dashed out of the library, his robes flapping around his ankles.
"How'd it go?" a cheerful voice asked.
"He lied to me," the girl responded, looking up at her new boyfriend. "He was upset, but I don't understand why! We've been friends for years, all three of us. I thought he'd be happy for us."
Her boyfriend looked sad; he suspected that the reason their friend was upset was because he was in love with her too. "He'll be okay. He's probably just worried about our friendship changing." He lied to his girlfriend. Truth be told, he feared that if she knew how their friend felt about her, she might choose him instead.
- - -
The bride looked beautiful; she glowed with an inner radiance that could only come from true love. The best man pondered this thought as he downed another glass of champagne. He wouldn't allow himself to drink any more alcohol tonight. He couldn't ruin this day for them by getting drunk and spilling his darkest secret.
"Congratulations mate," he said, slapping the groom's back. "How does it feel to be tied down?"
"Bloody brilliant," the other man said, his eyes sparkling. "Do you think you and Cynthia will ever settle down?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" the best man said. "One of us has got to be single. What would all the lonely and desperate women do without one of the 'Hogwarts Heartthrobs' to flirt with on a regular basis? Once you're married, you'd better not flirt with anyone but your wife."
The groom laughed. "Just wait. One of these days you'll find a woman who makes your heart slam in your chest and the next thing you know, you'll be the one getting married."
The best man laughed, but felt his heart lurch. He knew that feeling quite well; he felt it whenever he saw his best friend. It lurched again as he saw her twirl in the arms of yet another friend of theirs. Who knew that marriage could make her glow like that?
The pair stood in silence for several minutes, both admiring the bride, though only one of them had the right to.
"Listen," the groom said suddenly. "We've been talking about starting a family right away. With everything going on," both men frowned, thinking of Voldemort's activities, "we figured 'why wait'. Anyway, I was hoping that you'd agree to be the godfather for any children we have."
The best man looked thoughtful. "That means I'll be the fun uncle who buys them drum sets, and feeds them loads of chocolate whenever I babysit, right?"
The groom groaned a little. "I suppose, but I'd rather you buy them some plushies, and feed them green beans when you babysit."
They both chuckled.
"I accept," the best man said.
- - -
She was screaming, but he couldn't get to her. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her husband fall to a well aimed Cruciatus.
"NO!" he screamed, fighting as hard as he could to get to her side. He could see her clutching her stomach in pain, even as she cursed another Death Eater.
- - -
Evan shot into a sitting position, and whispered 'no'. It happened that way every time he had that nightmare. Just watching Harry and his friends today brought back memories that felt like they were from another life.
He would always feel guilty for his choices. He should have asked her out on a date in third year. He should have told her he loved her that day when she kissed his cheek in the train station. He should have married her. He should have tried to save her husband that fateful day. He should have kept their child instead of letting it go after… everything. He should have done more. Maybe then…
Evan sighed and rubbed his eyes with a weary hand. He should be happy. He had a second chance to do the right thing. It wouldn't help them, but it would ease his conscience.
"May Harry not make the same mistakes I did," he breathed out. "And may my friends be at peace, wherever they are."
He could still see them lying there, pale and still. Hearing the Healer say there was no hope. Seeing the life fade from her eyes, even as the tiny baby was born.
"Four pounds, seven ounces," he said, remembering. "Fitting in the palms of my hands." He wiped some tears from his cheeks. "I was such a fool. It was a part of her; I should have kept it, loved it the way she would have."
Evan always called the child 'it'. He felt as though giving it a gender would make its loss more real.
He knew he had sentenced the child to a life like his own. Never knowing the truth, growing up feeling unloved and unwanted.
Evan could still remember the day that Professor Dumbledore had confessed to his manipulations, the Obliviations, and the lies. The Professor was well-meaning, but the end results were nothing short of a disaster. The Professor's actions had resulted in him living with them.
"I still miss you," Evan said to the air, picturing her face in his mind. "Does your baby look like you, or like him? Does it have your brains, his loyalty, or perhaps my own mischievous ways? Will I ever know? I wish you could have lived, raised your child, and seen it grow up. I will ensure that Harry is taken care of. I will treat him as I should have treated your child. Perhaps, by doing this, I could in a way balance out the wrongs I committed against you by denying your child. Perhaps, one day I will even know what happened to it… I love you," Evan said, and sighed.
Evan got to his feet. He would get no more rest tonight.
- - -
Harry studied the large book that was the first in the Do or Die series. He didn't understand all of it. He didn't even understand half of it, but he did find it all fascinating.
"Er… What are you doing, Harry?" Ron asked.
"Studying," Harry replied, not looking up from the book.
"Oy! Perce! Can a person channel a Petrified person?" Ron asked the pompous Prefect.
"No," Percy snapped. "I'm trying to study for my Runes final, so if you don't mind," he said curtly, "Please leave."
"Weird," Ron said, shaking his head. If Harry wasn't channeling Hermione, then why was he reading so much?
Harry had actually been studying hard all year, but Ron only noticed because the absence of their bushy-haired friend had caused him to spend more time with Harry. It didn't hurt that without Hermione around to compare Harry too, Ron finally noticed, that while not as bad as Hermione, Harry was a lot more studious than normal. Not that Ron would have put it that way; he just knew that Harry was acting strangely.
Harry was hoping to find something useful in Moody's books. Something that would help him figure out what the creature in the Chamber was.
Harry knew though, that if Evan couldn't figure it out, then he, a mere second year, stood little chance of doing so, but he could and did hope to.
"Oy, Ron! Play a game o' chess with me?" Seamus asked.
"Sure." Ron decided to ignore the Harry situation for now, and hope that once Hermione woke up, Harry would go back to normal…well, normal for Harry that is.