I am really, really, sorry! These past few months have been crazy, insane, busy and soccer just sucks up all my time. I apologize!
Thank you to all those who have faithfully followed my story, and to those who reviewed! You keep me going!
Thanks to the reviewers: xXMizz Alec VolturiXx , nekuranekomegami , The Mysterious E !
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: The Red Head Returns
Evangeline dabbed the cut on her cheek with a wet cloth, hissing as it burned. Every once in awhile she would glance over at Harry, who lay in his bed. He was still asleep, pale. Evangeline shook herself.
Mustn't dwell on it. The snake had been enormous. As she had run up the stairs she had felt cold fear grip her. She knew following the old woman would be dangerous. At first it was a gut feeling. And the stench coming off her, was ridiculous. When Harry had gone up those stairs, she had felt even more uneasy about it. Turns out, she was right.
The moment Hermione opened the small closet at the end of the hall, and they had laid eyes on what was left of Bathilda Bagshot, she had been running. Harry murmured in his sleep, rolling on his side away from her. Frowning Evangeline set the cloth down.
But then, she felt ill. Bile rising up her throat.
She wasn't sick was she?
When was the last full moon?
Evangeline counted on her fingers how many nights ago that the last full moon had appeared. She felt her face pale as she realized that it was tonight. Running, she went to find herself a bucket. She was in for a very, very long night.
She emerged from the bathroom, making a beeline for her bed. Her skin damp and clammy, not daring to go outside and get Hermione. Flinging herself on the mattress she groaned and balled up the blanket in her fists. She was going to hunt down Greyback, and then she was going to kill him. Slowly.
Rolling over she glanced at Harry's bed and saw that it was empty. Panic welled in her chest and she sat bolt upright. Only to groan and fall back into the fetal position on her bed. Then Hermione entered the tent, shivering with the cold. Evangeline sat up slowly.
"Where's Harry?"
"Taking watch," Hermione said, sitting with a dejected sigh on her bed. Looking up she frowned at Evangeline. "Are you feeling alright, Ev?"
"Full moon," Evangeline muttered as another wave of dizziness hit her, making her roll back on her stomach with a moan. Hermione's lips formed a perfect little 'o' and she gave Evangeline a sympathetic look.
"Get some sleep, it'll be over sooner," she instructed. Evangeline nodded weakly, rolling to face the tent wall and pulling the blanket over her head as the shivers set in. She highly doubted she would get any sleep tonight. Surprisingly, she did manage to fall asleep.
In the morning she woke to the sound of Harry's voice filling the cold air. Evangeline shivered and lifted her head, glaring blearily at the tent flap. Too early, was all she could think.
"Hermione?"
Across the room Hermione lifted her head and looked at the tent flap. Her curly mane of hair sitting on her head as if a bird had decided to make a nest there. Harry's voice filled the air again, this time more urgent.
"Hermione?"
Both girls crawled out of their warm beds, pulling their sweaters around their bodies as they filed out the tent. Evangeline felt much better, considering last night. Which was more than she could hope for.
"What is it? Is everything alright?" Hermione asked as they climbed the small hill outside the tent, with a light layer of pearly white snow on it. The barren trees covered in a layer of frozen ice.
"It's fine," Harry said, "It's actually more than fine." He pointed behind him, his hair wet. Hermione hurried up, Evangeline following at her heels. She shot a look at Harry and mouthed, 'what happened to you?'
He shook his head. Frowning, Evangeline looked forward and stopped in her tracks. There stood the Weasley who most despised her, obviously, soaking wet, and holding a sword. Ronald Weasley.
Evangeline didn't know whether or not to laugh or scream. Part of her wanted to hit him, and the other wanted to do nothing. How should she react? Should she get angry at him, or just welcome him back? She was clueless. But still, she felt like she should be upset that he was back. Except, she was relieved?
The endless silences, and quiet nights were wearing on her. Hermione moping about and Harry's snappy behavior. So yes, she was glad he was back. Despite the fact that he was a jerk. A douche. A royal pain in the butt.
"Hey," he said, with a somewhat timid smile. Evangeline smiled back but Hermione reacted far differently than expected. She marched up to him, took his bag and hit him with it. Ron's smile fell, as she picked up leaves and threw them at him too.
"You . . . Complete arse, Ronald Weasley!"
He backed away as she continued to rage at him, picking up his bag and hitting him again with it.
"You show up here after weeks,and you say, 'hey'?"
Ron stared at her dumbly for a moment, and Evangeline fought to keep from laughing. Hermione turned.
"Where's my wand Harry? Where's my wand?" She marched towards them, a fierce look in her eyes. Harry backed away, knowing that it was not going to end well if she hexed Ron.
"I don't know."
"Harry Potter, you give me my wand!"
"I don't have it!
"How come he's got your wand?" asked Ron.
"Yeah, why?" Evangeline asked.
Hermione whirled on Ron.
"Never mind why he's got my wand," she snapped. Hermione then noticed the sword that Ron was holding. "What is that?"
Ron grinned somewhat holding up the destroyed Horcrux locket. Evangeline gasped running forward, startling Ron as she lifted it up to look at. It was broken open, and dented like it had been beaten on.
"How did you destroy it?" she asked gleefully. Profoundly happy that she no longer had to wear that awful piece of jewelry. Hermione wasn't so impressed.
"How is it that you just happen to have the sword of Gryffindor?"
"It's a long story," Harry said. Hermione scowled at him, shaking her head and glaring at Ron.
"Don't think this changes anything," she said to him.
"Of course not," Ron said sarcastically. "I've only just destroyed a bloody Horcrux, doesn't change anything. . . Look, I wanted to come back as soon as I'd left. I just didn't know how to find you."
"Yeah, how did you find us?" Harry asked.
"With this," Ron said, digging in his pockets and pulling out his Deluminator. "It doesn't just turn off lights. Don't know how it works, but Christmas morning I was sleeping in this little pub. Keeping away from some snatchers. Then I heard it."
"Heard what?" asked Evangeline. Ron jumped a little, not meeting her eyes.
"A voice. Your voice, Hermione-"
Hermione had her arms crossed and didn't look like she was believing his story.
"-coming out of it."
"And what exactly did I say, may I ask?" she said with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"My name," Ron replied, "just my name. Like a whisper . . . so I took it, clicked it, and this tiny ball of light appeared. And I knew, sure enough . . . it floated towards me the ball of light and right into my chest, straight through me." He touched his hand to his heart. "Right here."
Evangeline rolled her eyes. Part of her thought that he was sucking up to Hermione, but Evangeline knew Hermione wasn't going to fall for a tale like that. Hermione was a smart level-headed witch.
"I knew it was going to take me where I needed to go. So I disapparated and came to this hillside. It was dark, I had no idea where I was, I just hoped that one of you would show yourselves. And you did."
He let out a relieved sigh after telling his tale. Hermione looked down at Ron, and with a final condescending look let out a huff of annoyance.
"Whatever," she snapped and turned on her heel, disappearing into the tent. Ron gazed after her in shock, looking as if he'd been slapped. Harry shifted uncomfortably looking at the tent before walking over to Ron and patting him on the back.
"It's good to have you back, Ron," he said.
"Yeah . . ." Ron replied with no enthusiasm. Evangeline chewed on the inside of her cheek, watching the two boys. She wanted to talk to Ron, but was unsure of how he would take it. Would he still be bitter, and angry with her? Or grovel at her feet begging for forgiveness that she would mercifully give him. She wrestled the smile that threatened to spread on her face at the tempting thought. Finally she stepped forward, Ron's eyes shooting up to meet hers. She saw what he was thinking.
Shame.
She tilted her head to the side, flicking her eyes toward the tent. Harry got her message and quietly walked back down the hill. He looked over his shoulder at the two before entering the tent, and leaving them awkwardly staring at each other.
"So . . ." Evangeline began. "Your back."
"Yeah, I'spose so," Ron said.
Evangeline mentally cringed, as silence filled the air once more. It felt like someone had done something incredibly weird and no one knew what to say next. Ron opened his mouth first, the tips of his ears becoming a bright shade of red.
"I didn't mean what I said, or what I did. I felt awful afterwards . . ."
"I forgive you. I haven't exactly been a little ray of sunshine, and I did kind of take over everything when I came . . . I might've deserved it . . . that punch . . ." she said haltingly. Merlin, this felt awkward. Evangeline bit her lip, the scab on her cheek stretching as she frowned.
Silence filled the air again. Ron had his hands shoved in his pockets, shoulders hunched, as if feeling the weight of several bags of dirt, Evangeline could tell he still felt guilty.
"She missed you, you know," she suddenly said. Ron's head shot up, his eyes wide.
"Hermione?"
"Yeah, she cried a lot," Evangeline went on, cringing a little at how thoughtless this sounded. If Hermioner ever found out she had told Ron this, it would be the end of Evangeline Fallon.
"But she'll come around, and forgive you. Just give her some time."
"Really, Ev? You think so?" he asked. "She was pretty pissed."
"Trust me."
Ron's face lit up, as a grin spread eagerly across his face. And like that, everything was forgotten. He slung his arm around her shoulders, like they were good friends, and walked together to the tent. Inside, Hermione ignored Ron, but that didn't affect Ron. Harry told him about Godric's Hollow. Evangeline adding details to the story here and there, while Hermione stayed bent over her copy of The Beedle and the Bard, silently chewing her fingernails.
Ron told them about the Snatcher's. Harry tossed Hermione back her wand and turned to Ron. Evangeline glanced at Hermione nervously.
"Did you say you got away from the Snatcher's with a spare wand?"
"What? Oh - oh, yeah," Ron said. He pulled open the buckle on his rucksack and pulled a short, dark wand from it. "Here," he said tossing it to Harry, "I figured it might be good to have a backup."
"Good thing too," said Harry, "Mine's broken."
"What?" said Evangeline.
"You're kidding?" Ron said.
"Harry, why didn't you say anything?" Evangeline continued.
"In case you haven't noticed Ev, you've been asleep the whole time," Harry told her. Evangeline scowled at him. Hermione stood suddenly, putting her book away and climbing back into her bed without another word. Ron watched her apprehensively. Evangeline looked at Harry and shrugged.
"Well," she said, "I'll just go to bed then . . ."
But Evangeline got no sleep that night.
The next few days were incredibly awkward. Hermione's anger towards Ron did not miraculously disappear overnight, though Evangeline wished it had. Ron remained somber in Hermione's presence, but Evangeline knew he wasn't really upset. She'd come upon Harry and Ron one afternoon, after telling Hermione she needed to stretch her legs. A lie of course, the angry silence was wearing on her nerves. Ron had been joking around with Harry, like boys usually do.
Evangeline had put her hands on her hips and coughed politely. She nearly laughed when Ron went white as a sheet, horror filling his eyes, until he saw it was her.
"Honestly?" she asked.
"What?" Ron said.
"You two get to go off and be happy while I have to babysit little miss grumpy pants? That's wholly unfair."
Harry made a face, " 'little miss grumpy pants'?"
"To top it off, it's really boring sitting there doing nothing," she continued. They made it up to her. For an hour they were having a great time. And came back to the tent silent and sad faced. Hermione looked at them with suspicion but said nothing.
The next day, Evangeline had the chance to have the tent to herself for a few hours. Hermione had gone out with Ron and Harry. She set up the cast iron cauldron on the floor, sitting cross legged as she ignited a fire beneath it. Humming to herself she added the first ingredient to the potion aconite. The small purple colored petals fell into the boiling cauldron and sizzled until they disappeared. It was also known as wolfs bane. Biting her lip she poured in a small vial of powdered black dye.
This was definitely a first. A black exploding potion with a foul odor. Evangeline did not want to get this wrong. She began cutting the snake intestines and adding them carefully to the potion. Hermione was going to have a fit, it smelled awful.
Several hours later Evangeline ladled the thick black liquid into a small vial. A curly 'B' written on it. Carefully she put the cork stopper in, and set it in her small box filled with other multi-colored vials. Evangeline filled five more before vanishing the remains of the potion and packing up her work. Putting the cleaned cauldron back into her bag she wiped the sweat from her brow, a wide grin playing on her lips.
It felt good to be brewing again.
When the sun began to set Hermione and the boys returned to find Evangeline laying on her bed with her nose stuck in a potion book. Without looking up she waved to them and continued reading about the uses of Galanthus Nivalis, more commonly known as the 'common snowdrop'.
The boys began to speak in low tones while Hermione lay on her bunk reading as well. Ron pulled out a small wireless and began tapping at it, Harry tried to make his new wand levitate small stones and Hermione turned her pages in unison with Evangeline. Finally Hermione got up and Ron spoke hurriedly.
"If it's annoying you, I'll stop!" he told her nervously. She ignored him and turned to Harry.
"We need to talk," she said. Evangeline glanced up from her book, curious. Harry frowned at Hermione.
"What?" he asked apprehensively.
"I want to see Xenopgilius Lovegood."
Harry stared blankly at her.
"Luna's dad?" Evangeline asked, her brows furrowing. "What for?"
"It's the mark, the mark from Beedle the Bard.Look at this!" Hermione said, thrusting a book at Harry. Harry's eyes narrowed at the page, and Evangeline swung her legs off the bed and walked over, peering down at the page. It was a letter from The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore.
"The signature," said Hermione, "Look at the signature!"
Frowning Evangeline glanced at where Dumbledore had signed his name. The 'A' had been replaced with the same mark from The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Evangeline's eyebrows rose. What was that doing there?
"Er- what are you guys talking about?" Ron asked tentatively, Hermione glared at him.
"Wasn't Mr. Lovegood wearing that symbol at the wedding?" Evangeline asked.
"Yes," Hermione said, "it's been coming up everywhere. Viktor said it was Grindelwald's mark, and it was on that grave in Godric's Hollow. It must be important!"
Harry stared at her for a moment before asking, "what if it's another Godric's Hollow? What if it's another trap?"
"But it's important, Harry! Dumbledore obviously meant for me to find it, a clue!"
Harry sighed.
"I think Hermione's right," Ron said. "I think . . . we should vote on it. Those in favor of going to see Lovegood-"
His hand rose into the air with Hermione's. She eyed him suspiciously. Ron looked expectantly at Evangeline. Evangeline folded her arms and shifted her weight from one hip to the other. She raised her brows challengingly.
"One more, Ev . . ." Ron urged.
"It doesn't seem safe Ron. You weren't at Godric's Hollow, that place was creepy," she said. Just thinking about that night made a shiver run down her spine.
"But we need to know!" Hermione said, her eyes wide and eager. Evangeline looked at Harry, who was watching them with a weary expression.
"C'mon Ev . . ." Ron persisted.
Evangeline grumbled.
"Fine," she snapped raising her hand into the air, "but this doesn't mean I'm alright with it." She stomped away. "I'm going to bed."
"Outvoted!" Jeered Ron. "Sorry, Harry."
Evangeline climbed into her bunk and pulled the blankets over her head. When did she become such a pushover?
Yeah . . . it's a filler. But hopefully not a "omg, what is this crap?" type of filler. And many apologies that it is not action packed and dramatic as the next chapter will be . . . :) MWAHAHAHAHA! Read and review! :)
~Ciao (BTW, i got a review from one of my other stories. I've been spelling this word wrong for months. I'm an idiot.)