The next morning was like any other first morning of the school year. Evie woke up earlier than she'd have liked, dressed quickly in the school robes with the familiar red inner lining and pulled on a pair of knee high grey socks to brace her legs against the cold. The year before Evie had finally let Lavender and Parvati teach her a thing or two about her hair, and this year she had resolved to remove it from the braid she usually wore it in. However, being unprepared to let it just fly wild and free, she pulled it into a high ponytail with the elastic she always kept around her wrist.
At breakfast Hermione was eating again, and Evie wondered if it had anything to do with their talk from the night before. Hermione told the group she was going to think of another way to help the elves, without starving herself. And as they finished up their breakfast they all looked over their schedule for Monday.
"We're outside all morning. At least the rain has stopped." Evie glanced at the ceiling of the Great Hall which didn't reflect any rain, but still showed thick grey clouds in the sky.
"Yeah, Herbology with the Hufflepuffs, not bad and then we have Care of Magical Creatures…aw we're with the Slytherins again." Ron complained.
"Double Divinations this afternoon." Harry sulkily told Ron. Evie snorted, wondering why they had kept the class when all Professor Trelawney did was tell Harry he was going to die in many gruesome ways.
"Well, you should've given it up like we did." Hermione said briskly, motioning between herself and Evie. "Then you'd be doing something sensible, like Arithmancy." Evie didn't comment, not entirely sure that she preferred one to the other.
When the owls came, Evie received a letter from her father, as usual. She also noticed that Neville had his usual package of whatever he'd forgotten to pack that year. Over at the Hufflepuff table, Cedric's owl Noel was handing him a letter from their father as well. Evie wondered if it was encouragement to try to be the Champion of Hogwarts.
Evie also noticed Harry did not receive a letter, and it seemed to bother him right up until they reached the greenhouse for their Herbology lesson. That morning Professor Sprout had them popping slugs for the pus inside. It was apparently to help students stop trying to rid themselves of ache, and pimples. Madam Pomfrey seemed in dire need of it, especially after the Hufflepuff girl had tried to curse hers away. Instead she'd lost her nose.
After Herbology, Evie remembered to say goodbye to Hannah Abbot, with whom she was on friendly terms. As they made their way down to Hagrid's hut, Evie was not looking forward to spending the lesson with Slytherin, or whatever creature Hagrid had found for them to learn about. While Evie cared very deeply for Hagrid, he did have a rather unhealthy love of all the most dangerous magical creatures, hence his want of Norbert the dragon in her first year.
When the Slytherins arrived, Hagrid showed them exactly what Evie had feared he would, something deadly and, quite honestly, ugly. Blast-Ended Skwerts, Hagrid called them. They were pale, squishy and slimy looking, and their name hadn't left much to be hopeful about. Evie was very keen to know which end was the blasting end so she could keep very far away from it. They didn't seem to have heads or eyes, for that matter, as they blindly felt around the crates Hagrid had them in. Then there was the stench, which was enough to make Evie want nothing to do with them. But as she watched Hagrid explain with pride that they were newly hatched and the students would be able to raise them and learn about them as they went, she knew she would suck it up for him.
They got through the lesson with the least amount of injuries, only Dean Thomas sustained a burn when his Blast-Ended Skwert's back end exploded, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that they were given their name for a reason. After the lesson, the four friends made their way up to lunch. When they sat down to eat Hermione started stuffing her face so quick, Evie, Ron and Harry all paused to stare at her.
"Erm…Hermione?" Evie called her attention away from the food. When Hermione looked up at her friends Evie almost laughed because she looked so much like Ron with her cheeks full of food.
"Is this your new stand on elf right?" Ron asked. "You're going to make yourself puke instead?"
"No." Hermione tried to muster her dignity through her still full mouth. "I just want to get to the library."
"What?" Ron asked in shock. "Hermione it's the first day of classes, we don't even have homework yet."
But Hermione just shrugged, finished her food and waved at them as she rushed off to the library.
Evie, Ron and Harry ate much slowly that Hermione. Well, Evie and Harry did, Ron just barely missed Hermione's time. As they ate Evie looked over at the Hufflepuff table, searching for Cedric. When she found him, she got up smiling at Harry and Ron and she moved away from the table. "I'll see you lot at dinner as well."
She quickly walked over to the Hufflepuff table and got her brother's attention. "What's up?" He said calmly when he saw it was her.
Evie looked at Cedric unsure how to proceed. He was not usually even tempered with her after she upset him. "I just wanted to talk to you." She answered hesitantly.
"Alright." Cedric set his cutlery down and led Evie out of the Great Hall. "What did you want to talk about?"
"Are you still mad at me?"
"Are you still being stubborn and unreasonable?"
"I'm never unreasonable."
Cedric raised an eyebrow at her.
"I'm not usually unreasonable." Evie sighed. "I'm sorry I upset you."
"I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"No, you were right. I should really be more mindful of all the worry I put you through. I really don't mean to get myself in those situations."
"I know you're just being a good friend. It's a really admirably trait."
Evie smiled at her brother when he said that.
"Look, I haven't made any decisions as to whether I'm going to try to be the Hogwarts Champion, yet."
"That letter from Dad said he wanted you to though, didn't it?"
"Not in so many words."
"You don't have to. He's never going to stop being proud of you, you know that."
"I know, but what he was saying while we waited for the Portkey really bothered me. He's so proud of me winning against Harry last year, but I didn't deserve it. If Oliver Wood wasn't so gracious we would've had a rematch and I don't think I would've beaten Potter."
"Cedric, you are an amazing Quidditch player. Teams will be lining up around the block to pick you."
"You have to say that, you're my sister."
"No, actually, because I'm your sister I can be completely honest since you'd still have to love me. I'm saying this because it's true. You're really good. You're worthy of the Chudley Cannons."
"Thanks Evie…but I'm still thinking about going for the tournament, and if I do, I'd feel a lot better about it knowing you're behind me."
"You're my brother; I'll support you through anything. Even if I think it's crazy." Evie gave a half smile.
"Good." Cedric smiled just as the bell signifying afternoon lessons sounded. "Alright, I'll see you later." Cedric turned and started outside to whatever his afternoon lessons were.
Evie started up towards the seventh floor for Arithmancy. Hermione was already in the class when she got there. She went to sit beside Hermione and was surprised to find that she and Hermione were some of a very few Gryffindors in the class, which was mostly Ravenclaws. She was also surprised to find that both Malfoy and Zabini were in the class. Evie had to bite back a groan when she noticed them.
"Oh, great." She whispered as she pulled out her quill and parchment.
"I know, I saw them too. So what you will about them, at least they have enough sense to get out of that fraud's class also." Hermione grumbled.
"Be careful, Hermione. That sounded dangerously close to a compliment, and you know if Malfoy's head gets any bigger he won't fit through the doors anymore." Evie whispered, then both girls laughed.
"Good afternoon, class." Professor Vector called their attention to the front of the class and began the lesson for the day. About half way through the lesson, Evie began to wonder if perhaps she should've chosen Muggle studies instead. Numbers were not a strong suit of hers, and so it was only with Hermione's help that Evie survived the lesson. She didn't struggle as bad as some of the others in the class, but she would not being signing up for Advanced Arithmancy Studies anytime soon.
As they packed up at the end of class, Evie started to tell Hermione about the issue she'd had with Cedric.
"The thing is I told him I'd support him, but I don't really want to. You heard what Dumbledore said about the death toll."
"Yes, I think this whole tournament might be a very bad idea. But things are starting to get bad aren't they? I mean with everything that happened at the World Cup, something is coming." Hermione and Evie descended the stairs, walking towards the Great Hall for dinner.
"I think you're right. D'you think that's why Dumbledore wants to bring back the tournament? He said it was to promote school unity and unite the three schools, which might never meet if not for this."
"That's true; I mean Harry didn't even know there were other schools. We really are closed off from each other."
"Maybe Professor Dumbledore thinks there's something coming too. Maybe he's trying to make sure that we all stand united against whatever it is." Evie bit her lip, musing over the tournament. "I still hate that they couldn't come up with a better way of doing this."
"Me too. I mean, something without a death toll would've been lovely." Evie couldn't help but laugh a bit at that.
"Do you think I'm wrong about Cedric though?"
"No, but I don't think he's wrong either. We do get in all sorts of dangerous situations, and you never even think twice about it…none of us really do, do we? It's got to be hard, being here and knowing all the danger we've gotten into and never being able to do anything to help or stop it. That's why I'm glad my parents haven't the slightest idea what we get up to every year."
"Yeah, I guess I just hadn't thought about it. That's sort of horrible isn't it?"
"Not horrible…just a bit thoughtless." Hermione grimaced as she said that. Evie sighed.
"Yeah, I had a feeling you were going to say that." She shrugged as they spotted Harry and Ron and rushed to catch up to them. "At least this year we won't have to worry about that. This year all my worry will be for Cedric if he puts his name in."
"That'll take all weekend, that will…" Ron was moaning, grumpily.
"Lots of homework?" Hermione made their presence known. "Professor Vector didn't give us any at all!" She chirped.
"Well, bully for Professor Vector." Ron grumbled. Evie grinned at his moodiness.
They had just reached the end of the line of people trying to get dinner when they heard an unpleasant voice call behind them. "Weasley! Hey, Weasley!"
They turned to find Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Zabini standing there. All except Zabini looked unnervingly pleased about something.
"What?" Ron snapped.
"Your dad's in the paper Weasley! Listen to this!" Malfoy said loud enough for everyone in the packed entrance hall to hear. Then he proceeded to read an article by none other than Rita Skeeter, herself. She once again mentioned the World Cup incident, then brought up Mr. Weasley, whom she called Arnold. Malfoy paused his reading at that, looking up at Ron. "Imagine them not even getting his name right Weasley. It's almost as though he's a complete nonentity, isn't it?"
The whole hall was silent now, listening to the entire exchange. Malfoy straightened his paper with a flourish and picked up the story again. Rita Skeeter brings up the Weasley's Ford Angelina incident from two years back, then blames Mr. Weasley for something that seemed to be Moody's fault.
"And there's a picture Weasley! It's your parents, standing in front of your house, if you call that a house. Your mum could do with losing a bit of weight, couldn't she?"
Ron was shaking with anger. Evie could feel her own ears growing hot. To insult the Weasley's lack of money was something they were all used to, but taking actual shots as Mrs. Weasley was an insult Evie could not stand for.
Harry grabbed Ron to hold him back. "What did you just say, Malfoy?" Evie almost whispered.
"Evie, don't." Hermione grabbed her arm.
"Get stuffed Malfoy." Harry scuffed, trying to move their group along. "C'mon guys…"
"Oh, yeah, you were staying with them this summer, weren't you Potter?" Malfoy continued. "So tell me, is his mum really that porky, or is it just the picture?"
Harry gripped the back on Ron's robes to stop him from lunging at Malfoy. Evie's fists clinched and for a second she thought about giving him a repeat of the year before. Hermione had punched him so hard she'd broken his nose. Evie wanted to feel that crunch under her own fist, just for a moment. But Ron struggling to get at Malfoy brought her back to her senses. She grabbed a hold of him and helped Harry and Hermione restrain him as Harry turned calmly to Malfoy.
"You know your mother, Malfoy?" said Harry. "That expression she's got, like she's got dung under her nose? Does she always have that expression on, or was it just because you were with her?"
Evie's own anger subsided, and she couldn't hold back her grin as Malfoy's face contorted into one of pure anger. His cheeks even got slightly pink.
"Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter."
"Then keep your fat mouth shut." Harry turned and Hermione helped him turn Ron away from Malfoy. Evie was just about to turn to follow them when she saw Malfoy whip his wand out and send a curse flying at Harry. She reached for her wand as well, and just as she'd whipped it out, a second bang was heard throughout the hall.
Evie blinked, before her eyes grew wide as she realized what she had just seen. Where Malfoy had once been standing was now a small, shaking albino ferret.
Hermione turned to see Evie with her and out and her eyes traveled back up to meet Evie's incredulously. "I didn't do that." Evie swore, but the amusement on her face was hard to hide.
"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!" A quick thumping sound came from the stairs and the group turned to see that it had been Professor Moody who'd turned Malfoy into the ferret. He still had his wand out and pointed in its direction, though he headed straight for Harry.
The hall was deathly silent was Moody made his way over to their group. "Did he get you?" Moody asked Harry.
"No, missed." Harry answered, looking a bit in shock at the situation.
"You've got good instincts girl, I saw how quickly your wand came out." Moody trained his good eye on Evie.
"T-thanks." Evie smiled hesitantly, stowing her wand back in her pocket, for fear that if another professor should show they might think she'd turned Malfoy into the ferret he was.
"Leave it!" Moody barked, and Evie froze. "Not you – him." Moody jerked his thumb over his shoulder to where Crabbe had just been about to pick up Malfoy. Moody clunked toward the ferret who, in his terror, began racing off towards the dungeons, but Moody caught him. Then he began bouncing him around, telling him to never attack an opponent while his back was turned again. Evie just watched in a mix of joy and horror as Moody bounced Malfoy higher and higher into the air. He didn't stop until Professor McGonagall forced him to handle the situation like all the other professors did. When Moody had gone, dragging a human again Malfoy behind him, the group made their way into the Great Hall and sat at the Gryffindor table.
"Don't talk to me." Ron said as they all sat down.
"Why not?" Hermione asked. Evie looked at Ron in utter shock. How could anyone be mad still after seeing Malfoy like that? Her heart hadn't even been so light.
"Because I want to fix that in my memory forever," Ron sighed as a smile spread across his face and he closed his eyes. "Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret…"
The group burst out laughing as they all relived the vivid memory.
"He really could've hurt Malfoy, though." Hermione said as she began doling out beef casserole onto all of their plates. "It was good that Professor McGonagall stopped it –"
"Hermione, you're ruining the best moment of my life!" Ron growled, his eyes snapping open and his smile disappearing.
Hermione scuffed, but said nothing else. Instead she began shoveling food into her mouth once again.
"You're going back to the library this evening?" Harry eyed her in confusion.
""Got to," Hermione answered with her mouth full of food. "Loads to do."
Evie raised an eye brow to this, then made a decision.
"But you said Professor Vector –"
"It's not schoolwork." Hermione answered, then began to get up from the table.
"Wait!" Evie stopped her, spooning one last large bite of casserole into her own mouth. "I'll go with you." She said quickly with her mouth full of food. The two girls got up from the table and waved at Harry and Ron as they rushed off towards the library, Evie still chewing her food.