The mood at the Weasley/Potter end of the Gryffindor table was sombre. A letter lay in the middle and all wet eyes were on it.
Scorp and Evanna walked into the hall and were shocked by the silence coming from the Gryffindor table. There was still noise but without the Weasley/Potter clan it seemed like ants whispering.
Scorp walked up to his friends and sat down.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Al looked at him with bloodshot eyes. "Grandma found Mum unconscious on the couch last night. She'd drunken four bottles of firewhisky…"
"Is… is she… did she?"
"No. She's fine, they got her to St Mungos in time but… but Grandma's getting her committed a magical psychiatric hospital in Germany. It's supposed to be the best at rehabilitation for suicidal people and addicts."
"Mate. I'm so sorry. But that's good right? She'll be getting the help she needs."
Al nodded sadly. Scorp turned to Rose. "How are you holding up?"
"Huh?" she was lost in thought, "Uh yeah I'm fine. Let's go we've got Muggle Studies first and Professor Row hates it if we're late."
Scorp ignored the urge to tell her that he and Evanna hadn't eaten yet and that they still had five minutes until class started.
Professor Row, as per usual, was in a perky mood. The small Indian man took every moment to tell their class how they needn't to 'soar! Not flutter. Soar.' Scorp felt the need to point out to the extremely annoying teacher that they were not birds. To say the least his first class was hell. Al and Rose sat there like zombies the entire time and Scorp was forced to deal with the excentric teacher all by himself.
Potions was no better. Professor Forma just spent the entire lesson telling them what they needed to do but no how to do it. By the time Transfiguration came round Scorp wasn't sure if he could take it anymore.
There was a knock at the door.
"Come in,' said Professor Brede cheerfully.
It was Charlotte. "Could Miss Longbottom come with me please?"
Confused Evanna got up.
"Bring your books dear."
This made Scorp confused. If it was bad news wouldn't Neville come for her? And if it was good news she'd be right back to tell them all about it.
He looked to the clock. Only twenty minutes until lunch. He'd ask her then
-ooo000ooo-
As it happened Scorp did not see Evanna until the next day. She did not return at lunch and he had Quidditch trials that afternoon.
Although two senior players were still on the team James was awarded Quidditch Captain a year early since the other two had turned down the position.
After a gruelling trial Scorp and Roxanne were reinstated as chasers along with the boy who had been turned down last year, Liam Oxford, in fourth year.
Finnegan West also came back as a beater and replacing Fred was Dominique. Scorp actually gulped when she took up the bat.
Rose returned as the keeper, wiping the floor with the second year that challenged her. James of course came back as seeker.
Tired and filthy Scorp and Rose made their way up to the common room dreaming of a hot shower.
"Prior Incantato." They practically begged at the fat Lady. Falling through the portrait hole in a cloud of stink they stopped short of their goal.
Sitting on the floor with Al's arms wrapped around her was Evanna. She looked up her face red and puffy.
Scorp dropped to the floor. "Evanna! What's wrong?"
"Dad's mum…" she sobbed, "died today."
"Oh Merlin Vanna. Are you ok?" So it was a stupid question but he was a boy and it was all he had.
She tried to nod but she just sobbed harder. Al took over.
"Mrs Longbottom was lucid for the last five minutes… She got to meet Evanna."
Scorp reached over and gave Evanna a hug. "Well that's great Vanna. What did she say?"
Evanna cracked a smile, "'What pretty hair, dear.'" She pushed him away. "Eww you smell. Go take a shower."
In a normal situation speaking would be good but Evanna's voice lacked it's airiness. She was just like any normal teenager, not weird or dreamy. She wasn't Evanna. But never the less he got up and went to take his shower, he did smell.
A/N: I know, it's no longer than the last one, please forgive me! Well there you go. Really I was quite disappointed with your guesses, no one remembered chapter five in Divination. Evanna's cup? The willow tree which means death of an aged person leaving their legacy to you. Nope? Doesn't ring a bell? Damn. I wonder how many people I made think it was Neville hehe.
Today's review blackmail… I mean begging, is this; I have to go to a school picnic thing tonight and they're more boring than History lessons with Binns, so make me feel happy in the mean time? Please?