AN: I posted the first chapter of a prequel showing Evie's life growing up in the Wizarding World before Hogwarts, as well as a few moments from the first three books. It won't be very long, I'm expecting no more than 10 but probably closer to 6 chapters. It will answer some of the questions I've gotten about this story.

By the time she reached the Hospital Wing, her anger had dissipated and was replaced with the growing fear of the absolutely mad thing she'd just done. Snape had surely deserved her anger for what he'd said to Hermione. He had absolutely deserved her anger for the things he did everyday to her housemates, and every other house that was not Slytherin. For three years Evie had silently seethed as she watched him turn Neville into a puddle of fear, so much so that Neville's Boggart had been Snape. For three years he had unfairly attacked Harry for the fame he held, which was hardly his fault. For three years he had made both Hermione and Evie feel that no matter how smart they were it was never smart enough, all the while showering Malfoy with praise for his mediocre potions skills.

Pausing in her internal rant Evie clearly heard Cedric's voice reprimanding her for that last statement. Begrudgingly she conceded, but only in the sanctity of her mind, that Malfoy was actually better at Potions than she or Hermione. But, Snape still never gave them credit where credit was due and that was her point. He had deserved every bit of anger and hatred she had thrown his way. The real problem was that she had been very, very foolish.

She would suffer greatly for her flagrant disregard of his command. She had flat out challenged him. It was by far the most reckless thing she'd ever done. Yes, the panic was settling into her chest nicely. She couldn't even be bothered to worry about how painful detention with her arguing male best friends would be. She had to worry about Snape not poisoning her next class in order to teach her a lesson.

"What are you doing here?" Madam Pomfrey questioned, pulling Evie from her thoughts.

"Is Hermione alright?"

"Evie?" Hermione sat up from her bed, but because of her situation it sounded more like she said 'e-fee'. Her teeth were, at least, shrinking steadily, though they were still well past her chest. Evie sighed in relief; not that she ever doubted Madam Pomfrey's abilities. The mediwitch had gotten her through more scrapes than she could count. "Why aren't you in class?" Evie guessed that was the question because it had come out sounding much closer to 'wa arn sue in clash'.

"You're going to be very upset when I tell you what I've done," she sighed, hoping Hermione and Madam Pomfrey would not joint lecture her.

She was not so lucky. Hermione lectured her so long her teeth were halfway back to normal by the time she finished. Evie sat in silence for a moment, somewhere between struggling not to laugh at the sound of giant toothed Hermione fussing at her and allowing the guilt of her poor decision making to wash over her. Hermione had the sort of effect on her Cedric often did. It was the unbelievable ability to make her feel guilty even if she stood by her actions.

"You know, there is an upside to my detention," Evie spoke cautiously.

"What on Earth could possibly be the upside to getting detention?" There was much less guess work on Evie's part as Hermione's teeth got smaller.

"Harry and Ron have also got detention. I can try to get them to talk."

"I – that's not really…fine." Hermione warred with her feelings as she spoke.

Evie could tell part of her wanted to fuss more, but she also really wanted Harry and Ron to get over their issues. Evie wished for a moment she were a better person and felt guilty for once again trying to prevent Hermione from reprimanding her. She always seemed to be working very hard to make or keep Evie a good person; Evie was never sure which.

By the time the girls were released from the Hospital Wing dinner was half way over. They walked down quickly to grab something so they would not sleep on empty stomachs. Harry and Ron were no longer there, so they sat down beside Ginny and Neville.

"I can't believe you stood up to Snape like that," Neville turned to Evie wide eyed.

"Hello to you, too. How was class after I...err…left?" Evie stumbled and blushed lightly.

"Colin came for Harry. Said all the Champions had to have their pictures taken and some such stuff," Dean hopped in from Ginny's other side.

"Snape was not happy about that. We thought he was going to lose it," Seamus smiled.

"Yes, well I can't imagine that improved Ron's mood any," Hermione looked pointedly at Evie.

"Oh, is Ron in a foul mood? I hadn't noticed," Ginny rolled her eyes and grinned at her. "Why are you so worried, anyhow? He'll get over it soon and they'll be right back to the way they were."

Hearing Ginny say the same thing she had earlier made Evie feel incredibly validated. She turned to shoot a smug look at Hermione.

"Oh yes, be smug all you want now, but we'll see who's laughing after your detention." The smirk dropped from Evie's face quickly.

"That's not just cruel, that was unnecessary," she stared pointedly at her best friend, who seemed not the least bit sorry. That was the worst thing about Hermione, she felt no remorse when she was right, and she was often just as smug about it as Evie was.

Back in the Gryffindor common room Evie and Hermione found Ron. He was sitting in front of the chess set, just staring at it when they walked up.

"Hey, Ron." His head snapped up at the sound of Hermione's voice.

"Hey. Evie, Snape wanted me to tell you and Harry our detention is tomorrow, in his dungeon."

"Have you already told Harry then?"

"Yeah, he's up in the dorm. He got a letter," he gave a meaningful look to the two girls and Evie turned to Hermione.

"Did you know he was writing to…?" She couldn't figure out what to call Sirius so she just let her sentence fall away into an unfinished question.

"I'm the one who suggested it," Hermione answered with a blush. "Sorry, I forgot I hadn't told you. I just thought he'd want to know since he told Harry to tell him if anything happened."

"This would definitely count as something happening," Evie chuckled dryly. "What did we miss in Potions?"

"Harry got called away for Champion stuff," Ron rolled his eyes.

"Yes, we've heard about that. But what was the lesson?" Hermione pushed impatiently.

"Oh, antidotes again. Snape seems pretty set on poisoning someone before Christmas."

"He wouldn't actually do that, would he? It must be against the rules," Hermione tried to reason.

"We've had an Unforgivable used on us. Do you honestly think Dumbledore wouldn't let Snape poison one of us for a lesson just so long as he doesn't let us die?" Evie raised an eyebrow at Hermione. "Which antidote was it today?"

"Cure for Boils."

"Tomorrow is going to be so unpleasant," Evie sighed miserably.

That morning started off the very unpleasant day Evie had predicted. At breakfast she finally got to see how Harry was doing and find out what the note from Sirius said. She wanted very much to be there when Harry talked to him, maybe she would ask if he'd heard from Professor Lupin since there had been no word about what had become of him and she knew how terribly werewolves were treated.

Before she could voice any of these thoughts however, the owls came delivering The Daily Prophet. To say the article about the Champions was bad would have been a tremendous understatement on Evie's part. That lying witch Rita Skeeter wrote all sorts of ridiculous things about Harry, even insinuated he was in a relationship with Hermione and then to make all of it just that much worse, she didn't even mention Cedric. Evie was livid as she sat reading the article.

"How can one woman lie so much and still be considered a journalist?" She snapped slamming the paper onto the table and making the flatware jump.

"She's absolutely horrid, there's no doubt about that. Things with the Hufflepuffs aren't going to get any better after this either," Hermione sighed, turning to see the entire table glaring in their direction.

"I hate to say this, but I'm happy she thought you were dating Harry," Evie eyed the Hufflepuff table warily. She saw her friend turn to face her with pursed lips from the corner of her eye and turned quickly to defend herself. "What? They already think I'm a traitor, can you imagine how much worse it would get if I was also dating Harry?" The very idea left a slightly nauseous feeling in her stomach; they might as well say she was dating her brother.

"You're not forgiven," Hermione glared halfheartedly.

"Fair enough, I wouldn't have forgiven you either," Evie smiled back.

Hermione smiled at that response and they went back to eating. "So, are you going to go check on Cedric once breakfast is over?"

"I ought to, at least see what he's up to today. I hope he hasn't heard about my detention," Evie frowned as she imagined the type of lecture she'd receive from her brother. He would not be as easily deterred as Hermione, and Hermione was not easily deterred at all.

"Well, this is what you get for getting detention in the first place."

"Was I supposed to just let Snape treat you like that?"

"He's a professor, Evie."

"And you're my best friend, Hermione. I don't care who it is, I will not let anyone make you cry," Evie responded with finality. The conversation ended there with a conflicted look crossing Hermione's face, but ultimately it softened and she let it drop.

"What are you guys doing today?" Ron asked from his spot next to Dean.

"Well, I was thinking we might go to the library and study," Hermione looked up from the last of her toast.

"Oh," Ron frowned.

"I think you ought to take Ron to do that, Hermione," Evie suggested.

"What? You said you'd study since we missed Potions yesterday," Hermione turned outraged.

"And I will, but I still need to work with Harry and Neville on their Summoning Charms and I'm going to see Cedric, which you suggested," she reminded Hermione quickly. "Although, with detention tonight that might have to wait until tomorrow," Evie contemplated her Saturday schedule, furrowing her brow as she weighed the possibilities.

"Fine, but you owe me," Hermione pointed an accusatory finger at her best friend.

"Don't I always?" Evie smiled cheekily.

"Hey!" Evie called an hour later as she spotted Cedric walking across the grounds.

Cedric spun around at the sound of her voice and smiled. "Hey." He waved back as she rushed to catch up. When she reached him, Cedric threw his arm around his sister's shoulder and turned her back in the direction he had been originally walking.

"You know it's freezing out here?" Evie smiled, feeling the cold tingle on her cheeks. She pulled her scarf up a bit more.

"It's not that bad. Besides, aren't you the girl who would always wake me early when it was snowing to go play?" Cedric removed his arm and Evie shuddered at the new chill.

"Well, that's different. It's not snowing now, it's just cold," she defended. "So, did you read the Prophet today?" She rubbed her bare hands together.

"Yeah," Cedric sighed, removing his gloves and taking Evie's hands. "Rita did a real number on Harry, didn't she?" He shook his head, putting the gloves on his sister. "Better?"

"Yes, but now your hands will be cold," Evie frowned.

Cedric shrugged her worry off. "I told you I wasn't cold."

Evie was still frowning when she spoke again. "She didn't even mention you." Her anger simmered just below the surface.

Cedric shrugged once more. "I'm not doing this for fame. You know that."

"But you're as much a Champion as any of them," Evie huffed. "More so than any of them. She should have mentioned you, at least."

"More so than any of them?" Cedric raised an eyebrow. "Even Harry?"

Evie sighed. "Harry is one of my best friends, but even he knows he wasn't supposed to be a Champion. He might not have been if his name hadn't been added under a fourth school," she spoke more honestly with her brother than she had with any of her friends. "Besides, I'm sure Harry understands that, since you're my brother, I'll be helping you. He's got Hermione after all and Ron when he comes around," she attempted to reason away the guilt of taking sides. It would not go so easily, but it would dissipate much quicker than her guilt of making Cedric feel as though she did not support him when he first told her he was going to enter the tournament.

"No you won't," Cedric stopped walking and turned to face Evie.

"What?"

"You won't be helping me."

"Why not?"

"Because Harry needs your help more than I do. I've got the whole school on my side, he doesn't have that. The Gryffindors are on his side, sure, but everyone else isn't. Even the Prophet is making him look like a fool. He'll need all the help he can get. I mean, I can make sure he doesn't kill himself if I happen across him in the tournament but I can hardly tell him how to beat me, or the other Champions. Being younger than the rest of us and, from what you've told me, not that great of a student is going to work against him a lot. He needs you now more than ever."

"But…you're my brother," Evie argued in shock. "I want to stand by you. I-I'm loyal to you."

The second those words left her mouth, Evie watched Cedric sigh and shake his head. Then he looked at her with a gentle smile.

"So that's what this is about? I should have known all this was getting to you. Evie," he placed both hands on her shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. "You don't need to prove anything to anybody. The Hufflepuffs have good intentions, but standing by a friend who is at a clear disadvantage in a dangerous competition is just as commendable as standing by your brother, who is most likely going to win," he joked, pulling from her a small smile. "I'll try to talk to the House, get them to back off of you, but you must know there isn't any need to take sides, and you definitely shouldn't be deserting Harry at a time like this."

As Cedric's words began to sink in, Evie finally felt less guilty.

"I know that you would stand by me through anything, because that's the kind of sister you are. I also know that you would stand by Harry through anything, because that's the type of friend you are. You're a good person," he paused, smiling. "And good people don't turn their backs on their friends when they're needed most. Your loyalty has never, and will never be in question to me."

There was a silent moment as the siblings stared at each other. Evie let her brother's words wipe away the last of the guilt that had been weighing her down the past few weeks. "Thanks," she smiled. "You always know just what to say, don't you?"

"Well, I should. I've only known you your whole life," he smirked. "Let's head back inside, though."

"Are you getting cold?" Evie grinned as Cedric moved his bare hands into his pockets.

"No…"

"Speaking of Champions," Evie scrunched her nose as they turned back towards the castle. "What do you think of Krum and that Beauxbaton girl?"

"Her name is Fleur."

"Don't tell me you're taken with her too!" Evie groaned.

"What? No! I have a girlfriend, remember?"

"Yeah, but I've seen plenty of guys drooling over her. Ron's convinced she's a Veela," she snorted and rolled her eyes.

"She is."

"Liar!"

"Am not," Cedric smiled. "Well, fine. She's not full Veela, but her grandmother was," he explained.

"How do you know all this?"

"She said so when we got our wands weighed."

Oh...well, I don't really like her."

"You don't even know her."

"She snorted and stuck her nose up at our school! I don't want to know her," Evie sneered, mocking Fleur by sticking her own nose up at the idea.

"Evie, don't be petty," Cedric began to reprimand.

"I'm not," she defended, but when Cedric shot her a disbelieving look, she sighed. "Fine, maybe I am. But what makes Beauxbaton so much better than Hogwarts?"

"Nothing, but you acting superior for not acting superior will make you just like her."

Evie opened her mouth to protest, but once she thought about it she frowned, "I hate it when you're right."

"Really? I rather enjoy it," Cedric pretended to be shocked. Then, glancing down at his watch he cursed.

"Language," Evie placed a hand on her chest.

"I'm late for a study date," Cedric explained, rolling his eyes and ignoring her mock insult.

"What time is it?"

"You really need a watch."

"What for? I've got you and Hermione to keep me on time."

"It's noon."

"Oh! I've got to go too. I have some school things to do," Evie suddenly remembered.

"Do your 'school things' have anything to do with the detention you have today?"

Evie froze. "You heard about that?"

"News travels fast in this school. Especially when it involves a certain professor being talked back to," Cedric eyed her sideways and even though she could not see his face she knew it was disapproving.

"But…you don't even know what he did," she said, instantly reverting back to defensive voice.

"He's a professor, Evie."

"You sound just like Hermione," Evie pouted as she steeled herself for another lecture.

"Well, Hermione is right. But, since she's already given you an earful I won't lecture you again."

Evie froze once again. They had made it just inside the entrance hall when those words had fallen from his mouth and the bustle of students inside the castle made her sure she'd misheard him. "You won't?"

Cedric smirked down at his little sister, "I won't."

Evie studied his face, almost sure he'd lost it, but something in his eyes gave her pause. "Why not?"

"Would you like me to reprimand you?" Cedric asked, bemused by her disbelief.

"No!" Evie assured him desperately. "But…you always fuss at me when I do stupid things."

"Yes, but Hermione has already done that," Cedric reminded her. He started forward and she watched him go. Suddenly he stopped and turned back to her with that same smirk, "Besides, you've still got that detention to deal with and I wouldn't want the last thing you hear from me to be a lecture." His smirk had turned into a full out smile as he teased her.

"Are you sure you're a Hufflepuff?" She called after him and he began laughing, but never stopped. A student that had been passing by her as she'd called out stopped to stare at her. When Evie met her gaze with a confused face the girl rolled her eyes and moved on. Evie just shrugged it off and went to find Harry and Neville.

By the time Evie needed to head down to detention she was a bundle of nerves. Harry was walking beside her looking none too excited either. To make matters worse, their practice session had not gone very well. Evie was sure she was actually going to bruise.

"So, what d'you think Snape will have us doing?" Harry asked.

"Dunno, but I can't imagine it'll be fun. He'll probably try to find the most unbearable activity possible."

At the entrance to the Potions classroom they met up with Ron. He nodded in greeting to Evie but barely looked in Harry's direction. Evie groaned internally as she watched the two best friends try too hard to ignore each other. She thought of her overly confident assessment to Hermione and wondered how upset she'd be if Evie did not manage to get Harry and Ron talking again.

Ron knocked on the door and opened it when they heard the muffled 'enter' from the other side. Snape was seated at his desk, apparently grading essays. He glanced up when they walked in and his face instantly transformed from one of mild disinterest into one of utter disgust. Setting down the parchment in his hands, he stood and swept around the desk to sneer at the trio.

"Tonight you will be pickling rat brains. You will be here for the next two hours, so I expect you to finish all of them before you leave. Even you three shouldn't be able to mess this up," he drawled. "Begin," he flicked his wrist in the general direction of the rat brains before sweeping back around his desk, grabbing the rest of the essays and disappearing into his office.

"Oh great, he gets to avoid the smell and we can't even get a window in here," Ron grumbled, looking at the walls.

"I heard that, Weasley," Snape called from the other side of the door.

Three sets of eyes shot towards the door, widened in shock and a small bit of fear. When they realized he would say and do no more, they turned to each other in amusement, but all too quickly Harry and Ron remembered their frustrations and set their mouths into thin lines. Evie would have been more annoyed if not for the fact that they had shown that not all hope was lost.

"We don't know how to pickle things," Harry started. "He's set us up to fail."

"Well, this cauldron is full of brine…" Evie paused to sniff at the cauldron near the pile of rat brains. "I think all we need to do is soak the brains in this and then jar them with the vinegar. It should pickle itself in time." She thought for a moment, trying to remember if she was correct, but Evie had never thought to read up on pickling things. "Right, let's get started."

They began working immediately, trying to get the job done as quickly as possible. The atmosphere in the dungeon was tense as they worked. The clear feud between Harry and Ron made that detention more unbearable than it might normally have been. They let the brains sit the brine for thirty minutes before removing them to jar them and add the vinegar.

Evie worked as quickly as she could in order to finish and be done with the smell from both the brine and the vinegar. She even took to breathing out of her mouth instead of through her nose. Unfortunately that tactic ended up working against her half way through detention when, just as she took another breath, she poured the vinegar a bit too quickly and some of it splashed up, landing on her cheek and in her mouth.

"UGH!" Evie shrieked as the mixture of brine, vinegar and brains assaulted her taste buds. She began gagging and spitting to clear her mouth.

"What's happened?" Harry asked.

"It got in my mouth!"

Instead of showing concern or empathizing, both boys burst out laughing at her misfortune. She was scrubbing furiously at her tongue with the hem of her robes when it hit her ears. Turning to glare at them, she found that neither showed even the slightest bit of remorse at finding humor in her plight. They just kept laughing.

"Some friends you are!" Evie huffed, having finally rubbed her tongue raw.

"What is going on in here?" Snape swung open the door to his office with such force it slammed against the wall and echoed through the classroom.

The laughter died out abruptly, and all three stared back at the Potions professor not saying a word. Snape waited expectantly for one of the three to say something, anything, to explain the sudden outburst of laughter during such a miserable detention.

"This is detention, not one of your little adventures," Snape spoke icily when it became clear no one was going to explain what had happened. "Get back to work…silently," he added with scathing disgust.

The three students nodded, turning back to the jars and beginning to work right away. Snape did not return to his office after that, and no more words passed between the three friends either, but the tension from earlier had eased immensely and for that, Evie was grateful.